The activities of the 23rd International Asset, Facility, and Maintenance Management Conference concluded in the city of Riyadh, held from 12 to 14 January 2026, under the gracious patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Riyadh Region, with broad participation from Their Excellencies and distinguished guests, as well as an elite group of experts, specialists, academics, and professionals from within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and abroad.

The conference reaffirmed its position as a specialized professional and intellectual platform dedicated to discussing strategic issues related to asset, facility, and maintenance management, and to anticipating the future of this vital sector amid the rapid global transformations—particularly in digital transformation, artificial intelligence, digital twins, sustainability, and the enhancement of institutional performance efficiency.

Dr. Zohair Al-Sarraj, Conference Chairman, stated that the event featured an intensive scientific and professional program, including twenty-Two specialized workshops, in addition to two training programs on excellence in asset management and professional facility management. The conference was accompanied by the AFM Expo, which included pavilions for approximately 70 participating entities.

Nearly 85 speakers and experts from 25 countries took part in the conference, sharing their expertise and professional experiences through fourteen scientific sessions and panel discussions. The conference also hosted special meetings of the International Maintenance Association (IMA), further strengthening its international dimension and reinforcing its standing as a leading professional platform in this vital sector.

The AFM Expo, held alongside the conference, featured around 70 specialized pavilions in asset, facility, and maintenance management, forming an interactive platform for showcasing technical solutions and innovations. It contributed to strengthening professional networking, exchanging expertise, and building professional partnerships among participants, thereby supporting the development of this critical sector.

The conference brought together a distinguished group of speakers and experts from various countries, who presented their professional experiences and specialized insights through rich scientific sessions and panel discussions. These sessions addressed key current challenges, reviewed future development opportunities, and highlighted digital transformation models, as well as applications of artificial intelligence and digital twins in asset, facility, and maintenance management.

The conference also served as a platform for institutional dialogue and sectoral integration, contributing to knowledge transfer and the exchange of successful experiences. This, in turn, supports the development of policies and practices, enhances operational efficiency, and advances sustainability in asset, facility, and maintenance management.

Based on the papers presented, the scientific and professional discussions held, and the outcomes of the sessions and workshops, the participants issued a set of recommendations at the conclusion of the conference aimed at supporting development pathways, strengthening digital transformation, and improving the efficiency of asset, facility, and maintenance management, as follows:

1. Encouraging organizations to prioritize applications of artificial intelligence and digital twins, and to provide the appropriate environment and procedures for their implementation in asset, facility, and maintenance management, given their significant impact on improving performance quality, reducing costs, and enhancing maintenance decision-support methods. This includes giving due consideration to cybersecurity requirements to protect operational and maintenance systems, allocating clear mechanisms within maintenance and facility management to update applications and cybersecurity reviews, and focusing on asset risk assessments and system criticality to enhance reliability and reduce risks.
2. Recommending the utilization of the IMA’s guideline document on digital transformation steps in facility and maintenance management, and the establishment of performance indicators to assess the effectiveness of transformation initiatives. This would facilitate the exchange of experiences among Arab countries, enable benchmarking against global achievements, support the development of strategies to assess organizational readiness for digital twin implementation, and leverage the expertise of specialized consulting firms in this field.
3. Calling on the Saudi Asset, Facility, and Maintenance Management Association and the Arab Asset, Facility, and Maintenance Management Council, through the OMAINTEC Academy, to develop methodologies and guidelines for advancing education and training programs in line with the requirements of digital applications in facility and maintenance operations. The Council is also urged to organize higher diploma programs, executive master’s degrees, or international fellowships in the field of maintenance digitalization.
4. Recommending that the Arab Asset, Facility, and Maintenance Management Council and the Saudi Asset, Facility, and Maintenance Management Association launch an electronic platform on the Council’s official website to facilitate experience sharing among organizations, authorities, and companies across Arab countries, and to consolidate successful digital transformation and digital twin application case studies in maintenance.
5. Urging facility and maintenance departments to develop systematic strategies and policies for data collection and analysis plans, in order to maximize data utilization and achieve effective digital transformation, particularly in the development of performance measurement indicators.
6. Emphasizing the importance of adopting predictive maintenance strategies that leverage artificial intelligence, smart technologies, and robotics in the inspection and maintenance of electrical systems, transportation systems, and infrastructure, as well as water systems and network maintenance.
7. Highlighting the importance of utilizing data generated by computerized facility and maintenance management systems to support sustainable practices, reduce energy consumption, and advance sustainability objectives.
8. Calling for the adoption of mechanisms that enhance collaboration between academic and research institutions and professional sectors to address challenges related to digital transformation and to develop innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of facility management.

The participants extend their sincere gratitude to the Conference Patron, His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Riyadh Region, and recommend sending a telegram of thanks to His Royal Highness for his gracious patronage of the conference. Appreciation is also extended to the Saudi Asset, Facility, and Maintenance Management Association, the Arab Asset, Facility, and Maintenance Management Council, the supporting entities involved in organizing the conference, the sponsoring companies, and the conference’s organizing partner for their excellent organization, precision in execution, and generous hospitality.

Issued in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Wednesday, 14 January 2026