QUOTED

Quoted

“People used to come to us and ask for money. We are now seeing a shift from people wanting to take our money to people wanting to co-invest.” PIF Governor Yassir Al-Rumayyan speaking at the Future Investment Initiative, Saudi Arabia’s PIF pivots to domestic focus, eyes AI revolution, says Al-Rumayyan [Arabian Business]

TOP STORY

Aramco’s Wa’ed Ventures allocates $100 million for early-stage AI investments

Aramco, Wa'ad Ventures

Wa’ed Ventures, the $500 million venture capital fund owned by Saudi Aramco, plans to invest $100 million in early-stage artificial intelligence startups. [more]

 

MORE TOP STORYLINES

Foreign investors flock to flagship Saudi economic conference — but face less free-flowing cash

Via Natasha Turak in cnbc.com: Described in past years by some attendees as a bonanza for Saudi cash, fund managers who spoke to CNBC this year draw a distinctly different picture as the kingdom simultaneously upholds more requirements for prospective fundraisers and investors, while also facing a revenue crunch amid lower oil prices and production. “Without question, it’s gotten way more competitive to attract money from the kingdom,” Omar Yacoub, a partner at U.S.-based investment firm ABS Global, which manages nearly $8 billion in assets, told CNBC. “Everyone and anyone has been going to ‘kiss the rings,’ so to speak, in Riyadh.”

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is transforming women’s lives, says Princess Reema

in fastcompanyme.com: Speaking at the HERizon Summit, held alongside the eighth Future Investment Initiative, she emphasized that the right policies are crucial for accelerating women’s progress in business and entrepreneurship. The event, themed “Invest in Women,” aims to bridge the gender gap and empower women in the global workforce. A recent report by the World Bank confirmed Saudi Arabia’s progress in gender parity, noting a substantial increase in female labor participation from 22% in 2016 to 34% in 2023.

Following Israeli counterstrike on Iran, region appears to pull back from the brink

Via Paul Salem, Alex Vatanka, Paul Scham, Marvin G. Weinbaum in mei.edu: After last weekend’s limited Israeli strike on Iran, and Tehran’s apparent willingness to absorb the blow without serious retaliation, the Middle East region looks to be pulling back from the brink of a major regional war. Credit must be given to the US administration, which worked hard to convince the Israeli government to not hit nuclear and energy targets as well as avoid a strike so large that it would necessitate an Iranian retaliation. The Israeli decision to choose a path that would avert further escalation with Iran has raised hopes that, after more than a year of war, perhaps Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is winding down this round of warfare.

 

MORE ON THE KINGDOM AND BEYOND

Saudi Arabia hits 900+ sports sponsorships in quest for influence

The study mapped 910 sponsorships in different sports and 1,412 positions in 207 Saudi entities, noting that the kingdom has significantly expanded its web of...[By Ed Dixon via sportspro.com]

 

France’s EDF, TotalEnergies awarded Saudi solar tenders during Macron visit

TotalEnergies will build an 0.3 gigawatt (GW) solar park in Saudi Arabia, while EDF Renewables will build...[By America Hernandez via reuters.com]

 

KAPSARC and Climeworks to explore feasibility of Direct Air Capture solutions in Saudi Arabia

The MoU outlines a roadmap to assess the deployment of new DAC systems in the Kingdom, focusing on availability of natural resources including subsurface CO₂...[via climeworks.com]

 

Saudi Arabia and World Bank Group to Establish a Global Knowledge Hub in Riyadh

The World Bank Group–Saudi Arabia Knowledge Hub (K-Hub) will serve as a platform for knowledge generation and exchange to drive greater development impact for countries....[via worldbank.org]

 

How French and Saudi architects are redesigning the cities of tomorrow

Saudi Arabia today is synonymous with megaprojects. Since the launch of the Vision 2030 reform agenda, the Kingdom has rolled out a range of major...[By Zeina Zbibo via arabnews.com]

 

Saudi Arabia announces 5 new initiatives worth $60 million at SGI Forum

Saudi Arabia unveiled five new initiatives, valued at $60 million (SR 225 million), reinforcing the Kingdom's leading role on climate and environment efforts. The initiatives were...[via saudigazette.com]

 

Saudi Arabia signs solar deals with France’s TotalEnergies

A separate power purchase agreement for the Kingdom’s Al Masa’a solar power plant project was signed between the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC), French state-owned...[via alarabiya.net]

 

Crown Prince: Saudi Arabia provides $6B funding for 200 water projects

Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman inaugurated the “One Water Summit” in Riyadh on Tuesday evening in the presence of several presidents and...[via argaam.com]

 

FIFA, Clifford Chance Accused of ‘Whitewashing’ Saudi Human Rights Record in World Cup Bid

As FIFA approaches its December 11 vote to appoint the 2034 World Cup host, the football association is once again under fire for allegedly...[By Dario Sabaghi via law.com]

 

Saudi NEOM partners with CarbonCure and Gulf Cryo on low-carbon concrete push

Efforts to integrate carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technologies into construction in Saudi Arabia’s futuristic Neom city have taken a major step forward as CarbonCure...[By Anthony Wright via gasworld.com]

 

Saudi Arabia bets on tech to make deserts bloom

Saudi Arabia accounts for nearly 75 percent of Middle East investment in climate technology start-ups worldwide, according to a 2023 report by auditor PwC. But its...[via phys.org]

 

Saudi Arabia’s Neo Space Group to Acquire UP42 from Airbus

Saudi Arabia’s Neo Space Group (NSG) is making an acquisition in the Earth observation space, acquiring UP42 from Airbus Defence and Space. Terms of the deal were not disclosed in...[By Rachel Jewett via satellitetoday.com]

 

Locating EV Charging Stations to Enable Intercity Travel in Saudi Arabia

The development of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure presents a promising pathway to reduce transportation emissions, particularly when integrated with low-carbon...[By Ryan Alyamani and Thomas Gertin via kapsarc.org]

 

How FIFA helped pave the way for Saudi 2034

In October 2023, FIFA made a surprising move that effectively set the stage for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host a future FIFA World Cup...[via playthegame.org]

 

Aramco’s Diversification Strategy: Fueling Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030

Saudi Aramco is not only the largest oil producer globally but also the most profitable business, surpassing tech giants like Apple and...[By John Calabrese via agsiw.org]

 

France targets Saudi PIF’s ‘colossal’ investment power

During a three-day official state visit focused on boosting business ties, Mr Macron told a Saudi-French business forum in Riyadh that one of...[By Sunniva Rose via thenationalnews.com]

 

Macron announces France-Saudi partnership to co-host conference on creating Palestinian state

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday, December 3, that he and Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, would...[via lemonde.fr]

 

Saudi Arabia’s network of spending and influence detailed before getting 2034 World Cup from FIFA

More Saudi commercial deals are expected after the 2034 World Cup decision, either for the 2026 edition being played in North America or the revamped...[By Graham Dunbar via apnews.com]

 

Saudi energy minister sees net zero as scenario that ‘can never happen’

The minister said at the Saudi Green Initiative Forum in Riyadh that the world is currently going through a "reality check" on net zero...[By Rosemary Griffin via spglobal.com]

 

Macron: France, Saudi Arabia will co-chair conference on creating Palestinian state

French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday that he and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would co-chair a conference...[via alarabiya.net]

 

Saudi Arabia’s PIF pivots to domestic focus, eyes AI revolution, says Al-Rumayyan

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), managing assets exceeding $900 billion, announced plans to reduce its foreign holdings from 30 per cent to 18-20...[By Tala Michel Issa via arabianbusiness.com]

 

Hezbollah elects Naim Qassem as head to succeed Nasrallah

Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said on Tuesday it had elected deputy head ...[By Maya Gebeily and Jana Choukeir via reuters.com]

 

UN COP16 nature talks gridlocked as conservation funding trickles in

Countries were at an impasse over how to fund conservation and other ...[By Jake Spring and Oliver Griffin via reuters.com]

 

Ryan Serhant on Dubai’s Real Estate Boom, Netflix Fame, and how to become a “real estate machine”

In the eyes of the celebrity property mogul, Dubai has become an international real estate hotspot that now ranks among the top...[By Inzamam Rashid via arabianbusiness.com]

 
 

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