Shahid Khan is the global head of media, entertainment, sports and culture at Arthur D. Little (ADL), the world’s oldest management consulting firm.

Born and raised in Kuwait and fluent in Arabic, Khan brings a globally informed yet locally grounded perspective shaped by a 25-year professional career across the US, Europe and the GCC.

In recent years, he has centered his efforts on Saudi Arabia’s transformation under Vision 2030.

As part of this commitment, he relocated to the region and moved ADL’s global headquarters for the MESC practice to Riyadh, from where he leads the firm’s global engagements.

Since 2018, Khan has served as a trusted adviser to a range of Saudi entities — including ministries, regulators, commissions, sovereign wealth funds, and leaders from the private and non-profit sectors.

His work spans media, entertainment, sports, gaming, culture, tourism, hospitality and other adjacent sectors.
Khan’s advisory scope includes sector development and enablement, policy and regulatory design, innovation, value creation, commercialization, investment and transaction advisory, partnerships and sponsorships, branding, marketing & communications, digitalization, business incubation & venture building, and large-scale transformations.

His commitment to the region is evident in his work and approach. He and his team are known for going beyond traditional consulting outputs — delivering tangible, lasting results that support long-term sustainable impact. Additionally, Khan has contributed to the Kingdom’s creative economy through advisory roles, including serving on the boards of the Saudi Film Fund and Sandbox.

Before anchoring his work in the Middle East, Khan spent more than two decades immersed in the Hollywood and wider global media and technology space. He held senior leadership roles at consulting firms such as IBM Global Services, BearingPoint, Zefer, and Accenture (formerly IBB Consulting), and worked with industry giants including Disney, NBC Universal, Time Inc., Dow Jones, Conde Nast, WWE, and GolfNow among many others.

As a serial entrepreneur, he founded Mediamorph, a revolutionary cloud-based platform that transformed how digital content is bought and sold. The platform earned the Cablefax Tech Award, was named in Deloitte’s Fast 500, and was later acquired by Whip Media Group. He also launched MAG (Meridian Advisory Group), a boutique consultancy focused on media, entertainment, sports, and tech & wireless innovation, which was recognized by Consulting Magazine as one of its “Seven Small Jewels” before being acquired by ADL in 2021.

Khan earned his MBA in finance and marketing from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He is an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization — having served on the board of the Manhattan chapter, and is now a member of the Saudi chapter — and is a former board member of NATPE, a global content industry association. His contributions have been recognized through accolades such as “Top 25 Digital Transformation Leaders” and “50 Outstanding Asian Americans in Business.”

Khan is a proud father of two, who are already carrying his legacy forward – his son is in investment banking at Jefferies, focused on media, entertainment, and sports, while his daughter is following a similar path at LionTree.

RIYADH: From cassette tapes and coins to K-pop photocards and fallen flowers, Generation Z collectors in Saudi Arabia spoke to Arab News about how they value sentiment and storytelling over price tags and prestige.

Unlike traditional antique collecting, which often centers on ornate heirlooms and museum-worthy artifacts, this younger generation is finding nostalgia and meaning in items that speak to their own lives: pop culture, nature, and childhood joys.

Many of these collections begin as simple interests and evolve into deeply personal archives of memory and identity.

For Hawazen Mohammed, collecting starts with focusing on items that others might overlook.

“I collect things from nature because I see them as treasures — I can’t imagine walking past them and leaving them behind,” she said.

Alongside pressed leaves, rose petals, and interesting twigs, Mohammed’s love of small details also finds expression in sticker collecting — something she has done since childhood.

“As for the stickers, I’ve loved collecting them since I was a kid. I grew up and became an otaku fan,” she said, referencing her passion for Japanese anime and its visual culture.

This desire to preserve moments is not limited to organic materials. Others, like Htoon Saeed, turn to objects rich in historical context.

“My hobby of collecting coins came from my interest in history and vintage things,” she explained. “I noticed that coins are the ideal way to commemorate a particular era in history.”

Her collection includes both paper money and coins from countries around the world, laid out and organized with care. Each piece, regardless of value, holds significance as a snapshot of its time and place.

Abdulaziz Al-Yamani found his archive not in a museum or market — but in a cassette box filled with the voice of Talal Maddah.

The singer “shaped the sound of Saudi music and the soundtrack of my childhood and hometown,” said Al-Yamani.

“These tapes may be rare now, but to me, they’re pieces of history — and keeping them safe feels like a way to honor that legacy.”

K-pop collector Jana Al-Harbi started her journey with a single card.

“What started as a simple joy in buying a rare photocard of an idol I love quickly grew into a three-year journey of collecting, connecting, and sharing moments with people who understand the same excitement,” she said.

“It’s slightly more than just a hobby — it’s something I truly loved, no matter the effort or cost. It brought me closer to a community and a passion that meant so much to me. And introduced me to a caring and loving side of myself I had never noticed before.”

In a world where digital interactions often feel fleeting, the tangible joy of collecting serves as a grounding ritual. Al-Harbi’s collection eventually led to an extraordinary moment.

“Collecting photocards also gives fans a big opportunity: a chance to win a one-to-one video call with their favorite idol. And that’s what happened to me — it gave me a sense of fulfillment and brought a beautiful closure to the journey.”

Collector Naif Al-Zahrani looks to vintage watches to mark not just the passing of time, but the stories tied to it.

“I collect money and coins, old and new from different countries, but what I love to collect mostly is vintage watches,” he said.

“For me, I believe watches represent the time you spend, and the memories you make. Watches (are) something that I collect because I see (them) as an art piece that you can have for life.

“It represents the personality of the wearer with the different designs, colors, and shape. As a person who is interested in history, everything collectible has its own story and value.”

His most cherished timepieces include a 1945 Heloisa with a black leather strap he describes as “the oldest watch that I adore.”

In addition, he has a 1970s Philippe Moraly with a mother-of-pearl dial which is his “favorite design,” and a 1980s West End Watch he calls “my everyday watch.”

While these collections vary in shape, theme and age, what unites them is the deep emotional and personal connection each collector has with their items.