Firm’s integrated smart city framework enables Saudi Arabia’s northern gateway to enter global rankings on its first appearance, reinforcing Mindsets’ position as a leading strategic partner for urban transformation in the Kingdom.
HA’IL, SAUDI ARABIA | March 31, 2026 – Mindsets, a leading investment and advisory firm, today announced that its client, the city of Ha’il, has secured 33rd place among 148 cities worldwide in the IMD Smart City Index 2026.
This milestone marks Ha’il’s first-ever entry into one of the world’s most authoritative urban development benchmarks. The ranking positions the city alongside established global capitals as a premier model for citizen-centered smart city development.
Acting as a strategic advisor to the Municipality of Ha’il, Mindsets developed an integrated smart city framework specifically aligned with the IMD Smart City Index’s core evaluation dimensions:
- Health and Safety
- Mobility
- Activities and Opportunities
- Governance
The framework unified the city’s diverse modernization initiatives into a single strategic architecture. This enabled clearer prioritization, stronger institutional coordination, and performance measurement tied directly to the lived experience of Ha’il’s residents.
The achievement is particularly significant given Ha’il’s unique profile. A mid-sized city of approximately 500,000 residents in northern Saudi Arabia, Ha’il is historically celebrated as the cradle of Arab generosity and home to a UNESCO World Heritage Rock Art site spanning nearly 10,000 years.
Ha’il’s emergence among the world’s top-ranked smart cities demonstrates that innovation-led urban transformation is not exclusive to megacities—a narrative with powerful implications for sustainable development across the GCC and emerging markets.
Under the Mindsets framework, Ha’il has:
- Advanced digital municipal services.
- Strengthened healthcare and public safety systems.
- Expanded economic opportunities and invested in environmental sustainability.
The strategic architecture translates these efforts into an interconnected operating model with defined performance indicators, ensuring progress is visible, accountable, and aligned with international standards.
The ranking reinforces Saudi Arabia’s accelerating presence on the global stage and aligns directly with Saudi Vision 2030, particularly the Quality of Life Program. Ha’il now joins Riyadh, Makkah, Jeddah, Madinah, Al-Khobar, and AlUla as Saudi cities featured in the index.
“Ha’il’s achievement represents precisely the kind of impact we set out to enable—a city where strategic clarity meets disciplined execution,” said Dr. Rayan Khraibani, CEO of Mindsets. “Ranking 33rd globally is proof that mid-sized cities with the right vision can compete on the world stage. The credit belongs to the Municipality’s leadership and the people of Ha’il.”
Mindsets continues to expand its urban transformation advisory practice across the GCC, bringing this integrated methodology to cities seeking measurable, citizen-centered outcomes on the international stage.
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