Strategic Gears opens Madrid office to support Spain-Arab business ecosystem

Strategic Gears, a leading management consulting firm in the Middle East, has opened a new office in Madrid. The location marks the firm’s second office in Europe and its sixth worldwide.

The new hub forms part of Strategic Gears’ strategy to expand its European footprint and follows shortly after the Saudi-headquartered consultancy launched its office in London.

In a statement, the award-winning firm said Spain was selected due to the growing business ties between Saudi Arabia and Spain, with mounting activity among multinationals, investors, and the private sector.

Strategic Gears highlighted in particular the deepening connections between the two capital cities: “Riyadh-Madrid connectivity is expanding across education, innovation, and executive ecosystems, with flagship national institutions such as IE University continuing to grow their presence in the Kingdom.

“Our new hub in Madrid will reinforce our position in Europe and Spain, in line with our strategy to support deeper collaboration between European and Arab markets,” said Pablo Delgado, General Manager of Strategic Gears in Spain.

Madrid is Spain’s leading business centre, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all foreign direct investment into the country. In addition, 72% of Spain’s 2,000 largest companies are headquartered in the city.

The local team will deliver a broad range of services, including strategy development, business planning, market entry support, and operating model implementation. The office will focus on clients requiring Arab market expertise and stakeholder insight, particularly in sectors such as energy, infrastructure, defence and security, sports, culture, and tourism.

“Our team will support organisations seeking to build stronger connections between European and Arab ecosystems through advisory services, insight development, and programme delivery,” noted Delgado.

Casa Árabe partnership

The new office launch coincides with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Casa Árabe, a Spanish public institution established in 2006 that serves as a strategic hub for promoting understanding, cooperation, and strong ties between Spain and the Arab world. Madrid-based Casa Árabe acts as a meeting point for cultural, economic, and political exchange, offering exhibitions, courses, and events to foster knowledge and dialogue.

The partnership establishes a framework for both organizations to jointly develop and deliver strategic intelligence content, events, and tools that support stronger and more informed collaboration between European and Arab organizations. The partnership will also explore cooperation on economic insights and training programs designed to build institutional and professional capabilities for stakeholders engaging with Arab markets.

“This collaboration reflects our belief that meaningful partnerships are built on knowledge, context, and practical execution,” said Delgado. “By working alongside Casa Árabe, we aim to contribute to more informed Euro–Arab engagement – helping institutions and businesses navigate complexity, identify opportunities, and translate ambition into action.”

Miguel Moro Aguilar, Director General of Casa Árabe, added: “This protocol reinforces Casa Árabe’s mission to strengthen Spain and Europe’s ties with the Arab world. Through joint strategic intelligence initiatives, we will help deepen understanding and support constructive collaboration across economic, institutional, and cultural dimensions.”