As we launch the first edition of The Ladder, it feels fitting to pause and reflect on our own transformation. Over the past 15 years, the Global Performance Audit Unit (GPA Unit) has evolved from a small consultancy idea into a comprehensive ecosystem for performance excellence. Along the way, we’ve learned that true impact doesn’t come from tools or frameworks alone—it comes from the people, processes, and organizations willing to embrace continuous improvement.

This magazine is our way of sharing that insight with the world. Each story, each case study, highlights how organizations translate vision into measurable outcomes and embed excellence into the fabric of their work. It is one thing to talk about performance management in theory; it is another to see it applied, optimized, and thriving.

In this issue, we are proud to present the journey of Red Sea Global (RSG), a company whose commitment to performance management has set an unprecedented benchmark in organizational maturity. Their story is a testament to what can be achieved when strategy, culture, and execution are perfectly aligned.

Turning Vision Into Action

When Red Sea Global was formed in 2018, its brief was as sweeping as its geography: design and deliver regenerative luxury tourism destinations that protect and improve the environment while driving economic opportunity. From the Red Sea to Amaala, the vision demanded imagination—and flawless execution.

RSG built its performance management system (PMS) alongside the business. Across the span of five years, planning frameworks, key performance indicators (KPIs), and reporting mechanisms were established; governance structures matured; and a performance-minded culture took hold. By 2023, leadership wanted to be certain their system was not only functioning but optimized for long-term impact. The question was not whether a PMS existed, but how well it converted strategic intent into measurable, repeatable results.

“From day one, our goal was to set new standards in everything that we do. We are proud to have achieved the highest possible level in this certification, reflecting our comprehensive approach to planning and performance, which is not merely about adhering to established norms but about redefining and innovating them.” — John Pagano, Red Sea Global Group CEO

To answer that question, RSG invited external scrutiny by engaging the Global Performance Audit Unit—once a division of The KPI Institute, now an independent entity dedicated to assessing and advancing performance maturity—to conduct a full performance audit. What followed was an intensive, evidence-driven journey designed to surface both strengths and the small opportunities that make great systems even better.

A Rigorous Assessment That Measured More Than Numbers

The comprehensive audit unfolded over ten weeks. Guiding the work was the GPA Unit’s Integrated Performance Maturity Framework, a toolkit built on more than 300 best-practice statements. The GPA Unit team reviewed over 100 documents (policies, process maps, dashboards, reports, and communications), deployed five tailored surveys to 158 stakeholders across the business, and carried out 15 in-depth interviews to contextualize and reconcile the differences between evidence and perception.

Critically, the methodology balanced objectivity and voice: 75% of the assessment weight came from evidence-based analysis of artifacts and documentation, while 25% reflected stakeholder perceptions. Interviews were not used for scoring, but instead to interpret findings and shape recommendations. The deliverables included a detailed diagnostic report, an executive dashboard of maturity scores, and a poster and roadmaps for continuous improvement.

The results were striking. At the time of the assessment, RSG recorded exceptionally high performance across the five assessed capabilities:

• Overall Maturity = Leading (4.7): This placed the company at the very top of the maturity framework, a rare achievement that marked RSG as a role-model organization. At this level, systems were not only operating efficiently but were also setting benchmarks for others, driving innovation, and demonstrating industry-wide leadership.
• Strategic Planning: The company demonstrated a clear, coherent strategic framework that cascaded seamlessly from organizational goals to departmental objectives. Planning processes were formalized and data-informed, ensuring alignment between vision and execution and enabling leaders to anticipate challenges proactively.
• Performance Measurement: RSG had implemented an advanced, automated measurement engine that used a balanced mix of financial and non-financial KPIs. Targets and thresholds were clearly defined, making measurement a reliable foundation for informed decision-making rather than an exercise in compliance.
• Employee Performance Management: The assessment highlighted structured objective-setting processes where employees had ownership over their goals, supported by competency frameworks that combined technical skills with behavioral expectations. A dedicated performance management unit reinforced this capability, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Performance Improvement : Dashboards and analytics surfaced opportunities tied directly to strategic priorities, allowing teams to act on insights and refine practices. While highly effective, there remained room to evolve toward predictive, continuously improving performance practices.
• Performance Culture: Incentives, processes, and leadership behaviors were closely aligned with strategic objectives, embedding performance into everyday practice. The assessment suggested that further diffusion across all levels could strengthen this alignment even more.

For reference, the maturity levels at the time of the RSG audit ranged from Initial (ad-hoc and reactive) through Emergent, Structured, Advanced, and Leading, with Leading organizations recognized as role models that continuously innovate their strategy and performance management practices.

“RSG has dedicated itself to the development and enhancement of its strategy and performance management practices, aligning them with its strategic intent and industry best practices. With this achievement, Red Sea Global sets a new benchmark for excellence within its industry and beyond.” — Adrian Brudan, GPA Unit CEO 

Embedding Excellence Into the Organization’s DNA

The most remarkable aspect of RSG’s journey is not the scores or certifications, but the holistic integration of strategy, culture, and execution. KPIs are embedded across teams, data drives timely decisions, and employees are empowered to own their objectives, making continuous improvement a reality. Leadership, auditors, and GPA Unit representatives recognized this achievement in Riyadh, celebrating a system where excellence is ingrained at every level.

Benefits & Lessons Learned

For High-Maturity Clients

• Refinement and Optimization: The assessment catalyzes refinement, ensuring existing processes fully align with organizational goals and uncovering opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Insights for Continuous Improvement: Data-driven decisions optimize the performance management system.
• Stakeholder Engagement: The process fosters cross-departmental collaboration, alignment, and transparency.

This was the case at Red Sea Global, where the focus was on continuous improvement and engagement.

For Low-Maturity Clients

• Identification of Critical Gaps: Uncovers key gaps and provides recommendations to address them
• Strategic Direction and Alignment: Clarifies the connection between daily activities and overarching goals
• Roadmap for the Effective Use of Performance Data: Guides the organization toward better data-driven decision-making
• Targeted System Improvements: Enhance the strategic architecture and KPI integration
• Transformation of Inefficiency: Moves organizations from disjointed, reactive processes to systems where decision-making is informed, resources are strategically allocated, and performance improves across levels

The maturity assessment is a catalyst for positive change, guiding low-maturity clients toward a strong foundation for effective performance management.

A First in Performance Excellence

RSG’s journey is historic: it is the first organization to achieve the highest level of overall performance management system maturity. Beyond certification, the real story lies in the benefits realized—faster, more informed decision-making; stronger alignment between strategy and execution; empowered teams; and a culture where excellence is embedded into every process.

This milestone sets a new standard for others to follow and illustrates what is possible when vision, discipline, and execution converge. It is a story of ambition realized and a beacon of what performance management excellence can look like in practice.