“Some places never really let go of you. For a long time, Riyadh was such a place for me.

When I moved to Saudi Arabia in the late 1980s, I was young and ready to take on responsibility. As Resident Manager of the only Leading Hotel of the World in Riyadh, I led 480 employees from 17 different nations. Diverse cultures and backgrounds came together, united by a shared mission: professionalism and hospitality in a demanding environment.

In 1991, the First Gulf War reached Riyadh. Despite the Desert Shield system, bombs struck the city. While rockets were falling outside, people inside the hotel were gripped by fear and uncertainty. Some employees were able to leave the country; others were not. Tensions escalated, work was refused. In that moment, leadership was not defined by position, but by responsibility.

It was clear that swift and decisive action was required. Through existing contacts, I arranged an extraordinary measure: General Norman Schwarzkopf, Commander-in-Chief of Desert Storm, addressed the employees directly in the King Faisal Auditorium—part of our hotel. His clear assessment of the situation and the security measures he outlined provided orientation and stability. The team held together, and the hotel remained open.

The war ended, but the experiences remained. For many years, Riyadh was emotionally burdensome for me.

Twenty-four years later, I returned—by then having been a partner at ARGO for ten years—with a clear objective and a concrete task: supporting selected leadership potentials in the environment of King Khalid International Airport. The goal was to prepare these leaders for future roles and to accompany them in their leadership work within the context of the airport’s comprehensive transformation. My experiences from the past flowed directly into this work: leadership in complex situations, cultural understanding, and decision-making under pressure for change.

In retrospect, Riyadh took on a new meaning for me. What was once associated with uncertainty became a place of professional impact and personal closure.

This story reminds me that the true value of experiences often only unfolds with the passage of time.”

ARGO supports the successful management of complex transformation processes!