Designing the Future of Aviation Through Digital Vision
Amal Hejles
Digital Strategy Director
MATARAT Holding
Designing the Future of Aviation Through Digital Vision
Amal Hejles
Digital Strategy Director
MATARAT Holding
Amal Hejles stands at the intersection of global expertise and national ambition. As Digital Strategy Director at MATARAT Holding, she leads with the rare ability to blend structured execution with transformative thinking—qualities forged across a remarkable journey through the worlds of technology, consulting, and aviation. Her foundation in leadership was shaped at Huawei, where she mastered operational discipline and analytical precision. The fastpaced environment taught her the importance of disciplined execution, sharpened analytical thinking, and strengthened her ability to solve complex problems under pressure. This experience built a strong operational foundation and keen problem-solving mindset skills she continues to rely on every day. At PwC, she discovered the transformative side of leadership, focusing on human-centric digital change and innovative future-orientated business approaches. There, she worked across regions and cultures, guiding cross-functional teams to deliver largescale digital programmes with clarity, empathy, and a strong sense of purpose. Joining the aviation sector marked a turning point. It gave her the opportunity to align professional expertise with a broader mission, contributing to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. She embraced aviation’s complexity, where technology, infrastructure, customer experience, and policy converge, and used it as a platform to drive innovation at scale. Today, Amal is a leading voice in shaping the digital future of aviation in the Kingdom. She speaks at global forums, influences national strategies, and designs initiatives that enhance connectivity and travellers experiences. With a leadership style anchored in purpose, precision, and vision, Amal represents a new generation of changemakers—those who see opportunity in complexity and build lasting impact from ambition. Speaking with TradeFlock, Amal shares her journey and work.
What’s the toughest part of leading large-scale digital transformations in aviation, and how do you approach it?
Executing large-scale digital transformations in aviation demands far more than technological upgrades—it calls for reimagining systems, cultures, and mindsets. I believe the toughest part isn’t the technology but navigating the ecosystem’s deep-rooted complexity. Aviation is safety-critical, highly operational, and regulated. While innovation is strongly mandated to improve efficiency and experience, the safety-critical and highly regulated nature of aviation means that even minor errors must be avoided at all costs. My biggest challenge? Managing change across legacy systems, siloed data, and deeply embedded organisational habits. Airports function like interconnected cities, involving multiple stakeholders with varying digital maturity. Aligning them around a single vision requires patience, strategic coordination, and trust-building. Breaking down data silos is equally essential —enabling predictive operations, seamless passenger flows, and personalised airport experiences. But integration is more than a technical task; it is also cultural and procedural. While ensuring compliance with regulations, we leverage data to drive innovation. To drive meaningful progress, I apply a fivepronged strategy: build alignment before tech deployment, prioritise real pain points, establish governance frameworks, nurture an innovation mindset, and leverage partnerships for scale. At its core, my approach is about building a smarter, people-centric aviation ecosystem—one that reflects Vision 2030’s ambitions and redefines the travel experience from the ground up.
What’s a lesser-seen quality that defines who you are as a leader?
What many don’t often see is my deep commitment to cultivating an innovation mindset across teams. While I’m known for strategy and execution, I equally value coaching and active listening—creating space for people to share ideas, grow, and lead. I invest time in nurturing talent and empowering the next generation of changemakers. This quiet, consistent focus on people—on their potential, voice, and growth—is a core part of who I am. It’s where real transformation begins: not just in systems, but in the minds driving them.
How do you balance innovation with regulatory and operational needs?
Balancing innovation with regulation in aviation means embedding compliance and continuity from the outset. I involve key stakeholders early to align digital initiatives with business goals and regulations. For complex projects, we adopt a phased rollout—starting small, monitoring closely, and scaling gradually to maintain stable operations. Each solution is assessed for long-term scalability and sustainability, ensuring it delivers immediate value while supporting future growth within a performance-driven environment.
Which emerging technologies excite you most in smart airports and mobility, and how are you applying them in your projects?
What excites me most is how technologies like AI, IoT, and the art of data integration create scalable impact across the airport ecosystem— from enhancing passenger journeys to enabling predictive, data-driven operations. We adopt tools that align with our strategic goals, focusing on making airports more intelligent, agile, and efficient. My role ensures every deployment serves a clear purpose and complies with national regulations, enabling secure, responsible integration within a complex, multi-stakeholder environment aligned with our broader aviation vision.
What’s one moment that truly tested your resilience as a tech leader?
Absolutely. In large-scale digital transformation, pressure is constant—but one moment that truly tested my resilience was leading a critical initiative under intense timelines, high visibility, and multi-stakeholder coordination. In that environment, resilience meant more than endurance—it meant leading with clarity, staying composed under pressure, and keeping teams aligned through complexity. I navigated it by anchoring to our mission, fostering trust through open communication, and leaning on the collective strength of my team. Their commitment and belief turned pressure into performance. True resilience is not about withstanding challenges—it’s about transforming them into opportunity with focus, unity, and purpose-driven leadership.
