2026 Women Of Live: Dr. Debbie Kristiansen

Debbie Kristiansen
OVG Middle East | SVP Venue Development & Operations (Saudi Arabia)

MIDDLE EAST MOVING UP | Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman primed for live opportunities.

The Middle East is fast becoming a modern, fully realized entertainment market, with the world’s most successful live businesses firmly planting their boots on the ground and training a new generation of live pros that’ll take this industry to new heights.

Dr. Debbie Kristiansen is right in the thick of it. Over the past year, she has been personally responsible for opening OVG Middle East’s new office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She says, “The opportunity to mentor, develop and build the skill set of young Saudi Nationals is a passion for me and something I admire and love about OVG’s company values in terms of their commitment to investing in people and DEI. 70% of Saudi’s population are under the age of 35 and all excited for the future. This presents tremendous opportunity for us as a company especially in the live entertainment industry.”

Aside from Saudi and the UAE, Kristiansen identifies Bahrain, Qatar and Oman as markets placing “a big focus on entertainment, sports and tourism related events right now,” which is creating “a lot of opportunity for women in our industry.” The advice she would give them is this: “You are enough! Believe in yourself, don’t be afraid to try, it’s OK to make mistakes, we are all human, it’s about recognizing the mistakes, learning from them and coming back stronger.”

With a huge pipeline of stadium and venue projects in the works in the region despite nearby geopolitical tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States, OVG (Pollstar parent company) has been working on many projects simultaneously, from concept to design to opening and management of venues, be it arenas, stadiums, convention, exhibition or other cultural centers.

“Every single project is truly exciting,” says Kristiansen, who got into this industry more than 30 years ago, first launching and managing MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) trade shows across the globe, then moving into venue management. She adds, “We’re very focused on the guest journey, whether it’s through introducing new innovations, technology, f&b and hospitality. We’re creating those memorable moments for everyone and I can’t wait to continue this incredible journey with OVG Middle East.”