Former Turnbull minister Wyatt Roy has joined the leadership team at NEOM, an ambitious and controversial $760 billion project to build a futuristic city from scratch in Saudi Arabia powered entirely by renewable energy.
NEOM, wholly owned by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, was launched in 2017 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in an effort to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil and diversify its economy.
Salman's vision for the megacity includes robots performing security, logistical and caregiving functions as well as more technology that does not yet exist, including flying cars and a giant satellite.
An artistic impression of NEOM, a city that runs entirely on renewable energy.
The project is a key part of a plan by Salman – also known by his initials MBS – to modernize Saudi Arabia's economy and reputation. One of its three zones, known as The Line, has been designed to have zero cars, no streets and no carbon emissions. The line will extend for 170 kilometers and all amenities will be available within a five-minute walk, according to NEOM's plans.
“NEOM means ‘new future’, and with more than 3,600 employees – from 97 countries – already living and working here on site, it has already become a home for people who dream big and want to be part of building a new economic model for the world.” The country and the world,” according to the company’s website.
Former Rep. Wyatt Roy.
Roy was Assistant Minister for Innovation under former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and was one of the architects of the Liberal government's National Innovation and Science Agenda. Roy was the youngest person to be elected to Federal Parliament at the age of 20, and then, at the age of 25, became the youngest Minister in the history of the Commonwealth.
He is now joining NEOM and helping make the project a reality.
“We need a complete rethink to solve today’s most pressing challenges, from climate change and water scarcity to lifestyle, education, mobility and sustainable urban development. But the world’s response to these and other issues is often too slow due to outdated systems and thinking,” Roy said in a statement. .
