The authoritarian country is spending billions on international athletics, from Formula 1 to combat sports, to boost its bottom line and image.

DUBAI/RIYADH (Reuters) -Nadhmi al-Nasr, the long-time chief executive of the $500 billion NEOM mega-project at the heart of Saudi Arabia's drive to diversify away from oil, has departed, NEOM said on Tuesday without giving a reason.

Saudi Arabia announced Tuesday that it was replacing the chief executive of its futuristic mega-city NEOM as scepticism mounts over the Gulf kingdom's most ambitious development projects.

Neom CEO Nadhmi Al-Nasr has exited the company amid allegations that workers have died and gone missing while working on the Saudi Vision 2030 project.

The departure of the longtime CEO marks a major shakeup at Neom, which is a showpiece of Riyadh’s economic ambitions.

Saudi Arabia replaced the executive that was overseeing its plan to build the $1.5 trillion futuristic development known as Neom, in the latest sign that the project is struggling to deliver on its ambitions.

Neom is set to host hyper-futuristic cityscapes and structures — but financial pressures on the kingdom are changing.