Bob Stefanowski, who ran as the Republican candidate for Connecticut governor in 2018 and 2022, was named managing director of the New York City office of NEOM, the planned Saudi Arabian development owned by The Public Investment Fund, the wealth fund of the Saudi government.
Stefanowski has worked as a consultant with the NEOM organizers since 2019, although he did not publicly disclose this relation until the 2022 election campaign. At the time, Stefanowski’s consulting involved a venture to build a hydrogen plant in NEOM, which is part of the Saudi government’s plan to diversify its energy resources.
“The New York City office will further strengthen existing relationships between NEOM and U.S. entities and present an opportunity to explore new partnerships and sources of investment from the United States,” said Neom in a press statement. “Close collaboration with innovative and world-leading U.S. industries, corporations, and investors, will accelerate NEOM’s efforts to address global challenges by redefining livability, business, and conservation.”
Stefanowski worked for 13 years at General Electric in Connecticut, rising through the ranks to serve as president and CEO of GE Commercial & Industrial Finance and later in the same roles with GE Telecom, Media & Technology Finance. He later worked as chairman and managing partner of 3i Group plc. as chief financial officer of UBS, and as CEO at Dollar Financial Group.
