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  • SPARK: Establishing Saudi Arabia as a global logistics powerhouse

    SPARK enjoys unparalleled connectivity, seamlessly integrated by land with major highways and the GCC railway, by air through the nearby King Fahad International Airport, and by sea via the King Abdul-Aziz Seaport. This positions it strategically at the heart of the energy market, in close proximity to the Saudi Aramco headquarters and near the abundant oil and gas reserves.

  • Informatica Launches Saudi Arabia’s First AI-Powered Intelligent Data Management Cloud Platform

    Informatica (NYSE: INFA), the enterprise cloud data management leader, today launched its AI-powered Intelligent Data Management Cloud™ (IDMC) in Saudi Arabia, a first for the Kingdom. The investment includes establishing a new Point of Delivery (PoD) in Riyadh, and reflects a commitment to support local, scalable, cloud-first data management services. The move further strengthens Informatica’s presence in the Middle East, following the launch of its first regional PoD in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in 2023.

  • Saudi Arabian powerbroker Turki Alalshikh teases ‘huge’ event at Wembley later this year

    The Saudi Arabian powerbroker who has been instrumental in bringing some of the biggest boxing matches to the Gulf State, has teased a 'huge' show at Wembley for later this year. Turki Alalshikh has been a constant presence ring side in recent years and his name is never been far from the lips of fighters and promoters after their high-profile clashes. The Saudi advisor's list of achievements include bringing the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou and Anthony Joshua vs Ngannou bouts to the Middle East as well as the undisputed heavyweight clash between Fury and Oleksandr Usyk on May 18.

  • China’s limits as a diplomatic powerhouse

    The spat between Iran and Pakistan earlier this year—a clash which saw armed cross-border operations by both sides—raises questions about China's potential role as a regional peace broker. Despite attempts to get involved, Beijing remained largely on the sidelines as Islamabad and Tehran de-escalated the situation on their own. This was surprising to many who had anticipated that China might emerge as the region’s next diplomatic heavyweight following its hosting of successful Iranian-Saudi normalization talks in Mar. 2023. As tensions brew in the Red Sea, Beijing’s credibility as a mediator has once again been put to the test.

  • IRIS Hotels in Saudi Arabia expands its portfolio with Hotelogix-powered centralised control

    Hotelogix, a globally leading cloud-based hospitality technology provider, said Saudi Arabia's IRIS Hotels has been able to scale its business while expanding its portfolio on the back of a robust technology platform provided by its multi-property management system. Additionally, the group has been centrally managing operations across all 4 properties while complying with the Kingdom's National Tourism Monitoring Platform (NTMP) and The Zakat, Tax, and Custom Authority (ZATCA). IRIS Hotels is a well-known hotel group that offers a unique hospitality experience to its guests. With four boutique hotels operating in Riyadh, Taif, Jizan, etc., the group has gained immense popularity among leisure and business travellers. What sets them apart is their motto of providing "hospitality with heart and soul" - a philosophy that reflects in every aspect of their service. The group aims to grow further by adding 5-6 more properties.

  • Multi-Billion Gulf Power Play Focuses on Egypt as Mideast War Rages

    In barely 10 days, Egypt has gone from the brink of economic disaster to unlocking more than $40 billion of investments and loans from the United Arab Emirates and International Monetary Fund, with the likelihood of more to come from Saudi Arabia and others. On Wednesday, as part of that, it delivered its biggest-ever interest-rate hike and allowed its currency to weaken more than 38% through a long-awaited flotation. It also announced an existing IMF rescue package would be more than doubled to $8 billion.

  • Opinion: The Power Vacuum in the Middle East

    China ought to care that the Houthis have attacked shipping in the Red Sea since November, which jeopardizes trade with Europe. But it has not sent warships to the region. Although China is Iran’s largest trading partner, Beijing has not used its influence to persuade the regime in Tehran to rein in the Houthis but instead has merely pleaded for them to allow Chinese ships to transit the Red Sea unmolested.

  • Saudi Arabia unlocks multi-billion dollar investments as part of its wider drive to become a global tourism powerhouse

    A notable aspect of the initiative is its focus on benefiting local communities across tourism destinations. By localizing services such as contracting, design, and consulting, the program aims to create a direct positive impact on various sectors. This approach, coupled with over $800 billion invested to transform the tourism landscape, underscores Saudi Arabia's commitment to enhancing industry standards and providing lucrative opportunities for investors.

  • Saudi Arabia’s Fast-Developing Blueprint for Growth is Powered by AI

    Saudi Arabia plays a significant role in shaping the global narrative on sustainable and technological advancement, with AI as a central theme in its collective development efforts. The recent Cisco AI Readiness Index in Saudi Arabia finds that 93% of organizations in the kingdom have an AI strategy in place or under development.

  • Saudi Arabia: Acwa Power obtains $3.4 billion in financing to build solar plants

    The Saudi group Acwa Power, supported by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), has obtained financing from a consortium of banks that will allow it to advance the construction of solar plants worth 3,4 billion dollars in the whole country. The company has obtained an $8,6 billion credit line from local, regional and international institutions, including Saudi Awwal Bank, Banque Saudi Fransi and Mizuho Bank, according to filings on the Kingdom Stock Exchange. The consortium also includes Riyad Bank, Saudi National Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC.