Dr Martyn Davies is a highly respected executive and strategist with more than 25 years of global experience advising governments, multinational corporations, and international institutions. He currently serves as Vice President at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he provides executive-level guidance on economic development, citizen engagement, and sectoral strategy, supporting the leadership in delivering Saudi Arabia’s ambitious transformation agenda.

Prior to this, Dr Davies was a Senior Partner and Managing Director at Deloitte, where he held several leadership roles including Chief Economist for Africa, Automotive Industry Leader, and Dean of the Deloitte School of Leadership. Over his tenure, he advised C-suite executives of leading listed companies and public institutions on strategy, risk, and growth, earning the distinction of being the highest revenue-generating Partner in Deloitte Africa for three consecutive years.

He began his professional journey as an academic and policy advisor, later founding Frontier Advisory, a strategy and corporate finance firm which became one of South Africa’s most prominent consultancies before its acquisition by Deloitte in 2015. His experience spans diverse sectors including automotive, energy, industrials, financial services, infrastructure, and public policy, with an emphasis on sustainability, innovation, and economic competitiveness.

Dr Davies has worked on landmark transactions and strategic initiatives across Africa and Asia. These include advising on a US$877 million Chinese investment into the South African mining sector, shaping Afreximbank’s five-year strategy, and contributing to the establishment of key regional institutions such as the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM). He also played a central role in designing Botswana’s economic diversification strategy and led the Japan and China Services Groups for Deloitte Africa, working with major corporations across both regions.

A thought leader with extensive networks, Dr Davies has been affiliated with the World Economic Forum since 2005 and was named a Young Global Leader in 2010. He is a longstanding member of the Young Presidents’ Organisation (YPO), a community of global chief executives, and remains closely connected to academic institutions through teaching roles at IE Business School in Madrid and the University of Johannesburg. He has also delivered guest lectures at Oxford, Harvard, and MIT.

Dr Davies holds a PhD from the University of the Witwatersrand and has completed executive programmes at Harvard, Oxford, Yale, and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He has served as an advisor to African heads of state and government ministers, including during the COVID-19 crisis, and has been a senior fellow at Mastercard’s Centre for Inclusive Growth.

British and South African by nationality, he is based in Riyadh with his family. He is a keen sportsman and elite cyclist, having represented South Africa at the UCI World Cycling Championships.

Dr Davies brings a rare combination of academic depth, commercial insight, and international experience. He is a trusted advisor to leaders navigating complexity and seeking to drive lasting economic and organisational impact.