In the final stretch of its Vision 2030 development blueprint, Saudi Arabia is counting on FDI to play a bigger role.<\/em><\/h2>\nThe clock is ticking for Saudi Arabia. With just five years remaining on its ambitious Vision 2030 program to modernize and diversify away from its economic dependency on oil, the world\u2019s biggest petroleum exporter and the region\u2019s largest economy is nearing a crossroads.<\/p>\n
The kingdom has made significant strides, crossing key milestones that were once unimaginable: granting women the right to drive and dress freely, legalizing concerts and cinemas, and opening its doors to foreigners. Saudi Arabia, which didn\u2019t issue tourist visas until 2019, now claims to have hosted over 100 million visitors.<\/p>\n
Over the past decade, the kingdom\u2019s GDP has grown by 70%, driven mainly by non-oil sectors. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has tripled, and the number of investors has increased tenfold.<\/p>\n
Investment-Friendly Rules<\/h2>\n
To strengthen the business climate, Saudi Arabia has enacted a number of regulatory reforms, including a new investment law that came into effect in February. For the first time, foreign and local investors follow a single set of rules. While some sectors, notably the military and activities around the holy sites of Mecca and Medina, remain reserved for Saudi nationals, in others, foreigners appear to have more leeway, or at least the possibility to apply for exemptions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The new law streamlines the licensing process, reducing ministries\u2019 decision time from 30 days to five. It also introduces stronger intellectual property protections and simplifies funds transfers. Additionally, investors now have options for dispute settlement other than the local courts, including mediation, arbitration, and conciliation.<\/p>\n
In a country where quick change by unilateral decree is the norm, the new framework offers investors a sense of predictability and transparency. It remains to be seen how this will play out in practice, however.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe countries in this region are changing very quickly, and this is something that businesses must take into consideration,\u201d says Angelica Schempp, head of Swiss Business Hub Middle East, which helps Swiss and Liechtensteiner companies expand in the region. \u201cIt creates opportunities, but for example, laws and regulations evolve rapidly. Sometimes you wake up in the morning and something has changed, so as a business, you have to be able to live with this dynamic.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
One such major change was when the authorities decided that foreign companies wishing to secure public-sector contracts must establish regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia. This policy, beginning last year and often described as a carrot-and-stick approach, aims to reinforce the kingdom as a commercial hub by shifting business away from Dubai. Initially expected to be taken up by 540 companies by 2030, the kingdom surpassed this goal within the first year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have just passed the inflection point,\u201d Khalid Al-Falih, Saudi Arabia\u2019s minister of investment, said during the WAIPAC World Investment Conference held in Riyadh last November. \u201cThis is the most comprehensive transformation in our history and there is much more to come.\u201d<\/p>\n
OCO Global, an advisory firm specializing in investment promotion, has been working with Saudi Arabia since 2017 and just registered its regional headquarters in Riyadh.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany companies have been doing business in Saudi without being in Saudi,\u201d says Gareth Hagan, CEO, \u201cand I think they\u2019re now realizing that for a bunch of reasons, that probably has to change.\u201d While he admits the new law played a role in his decision, he also stresses the commercial logic behind it. \u201cOur philosophy has always been to go where the opportunity is, and when I talk about Saudi, basically, I see investment opportunity everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Not everyone is rushing through the door, however. Some companies express concerns over the cost of relocation or the desert kingdom being an unfamiliar market from which to operate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s still a perception that it\u2019s a difficult place to do business,\u201d Hagan acknowledges. \u201cIt is evolving, but perception is not something that changes overnight. So I think the Saudis need to keep reinforcing that message.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nineblocks, a crypto hedge fund licensed in Dubai, plans to maintain regional operations in the United Arab Emirates due to its more favorable cryptocurrency legislation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of misconceptions that people in crypto want to avoid regulations,\u201d says Henri Arslanian, Nineblocks\u2019 co-founder. \u201cActually, all we want is a clear set of rules that we can operate by. For everybody in the digital asset space, the big question is, When is Saudi Arabia going to open-up to crypto assets?\u201d<\/p>\n
A Wealth Of Opportunities<\/h2>\n
Opportunities getting a look from foreign investors span sectors from food and beverages to retail, automotive, aviation, mining and rare metals, real estate, health, technology, and renewable energy. A significant portion are being driven by megaprojects with, collectively, over $1 trillion worth of planned developments. Some projects, such as the Al-Ula tourist area, the Riyadh metro, and parts of Diriyah\u2019s urban development, are already in use.<\/p>\n
So far, most of these have been financed locally, largely with oil money. In recent years, however, lower hydrocarbon prices and production cuts have hurt government revenues, forcing the kingdom to prioritize spending and scale down on some projects, including the emblematic futuristic city The Line, a component of the NEOM desert development that was cut back from 170 kilometers to just 2.4.<\/p>\n
\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/s44650.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Jonathan-Robinson-Diriyah-1024x824.jpg\")
Robinson, Diriyah: It\u2019s not about raising a pile of capital, it\u2019s about building long-term international partnerships.<\/em><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\nThose in charge, however, remain positive. \u201cWe\u2019re on time and we\u2019re on budget,\u201d Jonathan Robinson, CIO of Diriyah, a $60 billion landmark urban development in Riyadh scheduled to open in 2030. The new city\u2019s foundation and underground phases are complete and visible construction is expected to follow soon. The developer plans to monetize 35% to 50% of the project and is looking for investors with a potential ticket size starting at $500 million.<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe momentum is here and we will be announcing some pretty innovative news this year,\u201d says Robinson.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To realize their ambitions, the Saudi state and developers are looking not just for capital but for long-term investors who can bring \u201cbrains, talent, and sustainability,\u201d as Ibrahim Al-Mubarak, CEO of the Saudi Investment Promotion Agency, puts it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not about raising a pile of capital\u2014we have other means to do that if we have to\u2014it\u2019s about building long-term international partnerships,\u201d says Robinson. \u201cWe\u2019re talking to parties in Asia, in the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] region, in Europe, and in the US, and those are real conversations, not shaking hands and exchanging cards.\u201d<\/p>\n
US companies have long-standing relationships in the kingdom, but their European counterparts are getting into the game as well in such key sectors as energy transition, infrastructure, tourism, and tech. The first EU-Saudi investment forum, held in Riyadh in October 2023, attracted over 1,400 companies; the EU opened a chamber of commerce in Riyadh the following May.<\/p>\n
But the kingdom is also courting the global south, countries that represent 60% of global GDP and are often less inclined to tie business decisions to concerns over human rights or political reform. \u201cWe make sure we\u2019re having conversations with the widest possible breadth of capital providers,\u201d says Robinson, adding that he is in talks with sovereign funds, family offices, private equity firms, and other sources. \u201cCapital means equity and debt, and debt can mean export credit agencies, bank debt, and eventually, it will mean the capital markets.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Saudi Arabia endeavors to wean itself off oil revenue, its transformation is likely to reshape not only its own economy but the broader region as Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and other states in the region adopt similar \u201cvision\u201d strategies. The path forward remains fraught with challenges, ranging from geopolitical tensions to the acute consequences of global warming in desert areas, but Saudi Arabia is keen to persuade investors that it offers substantial opportunities for those willing to navigate its evolving business landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\nSaudi Arabia\u2019s Biggest Infrastructure Projects<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n\nProject<\/strong><\/td>\nSector<\/strong><\/td>\nEstimated cost<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nNEOM<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $500 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nDiriyah<\/td>\n Urban development \/ tourism<\/td>\n $60 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nRua al Madinah<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $37 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nJeddah economic city<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $30 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nMasar Destination<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $27 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nRiyadh metro<\/td>\n Transport<\/td>\n $25 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nKing Salman Park<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $25 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nRed Sea Global<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $25 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nJeddah central<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $20 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nAl Ula<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $15 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nQiddiya<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $10 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nKing Abdullah financial district<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $10 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nSoudah Peaks<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $7.7 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nThe rig<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $5 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nKing Salman Energy Park<\/td>\n Renewable energy<\/td>\n $1.6 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the final stretch of its Vision 2030 development blueprint, Saudi Arabia is counting on FDI to play a bigger role. The clock is ticking for Saudi Arabia. With just five years remaining on its ambitious Vision 2030 program to modernize and diversify away from its economic dependency on oil, the world\u2019s biggest petroleum exporter […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":169433,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[93],"tags":[19200,10955,11520,19199],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-169432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance","tag-arabia","tag-bet","tag-corporate","tag-saudi"],"yoast_head":"\n
Saudi Arabia: The Corporate Bet - Som2ny Network<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Saudi Arabia: The Corporate Bet - Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In the final stretch of its Vision 2030 development blueprint, Saudi Arabia is counting on FDI to play a bigger role. The clock is ticking for Saudi Arabia. With just five years remaining on its ambitious Vision 2030 program to modernize and diversify away from its economic dependency on oil, the world\u2019s biggest petroleum exporter […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Som2ny Network\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-04-03T16:54:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Saudi-Arabia-corporate-deals.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1406\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b85e3c3dc0e1daea076524dc8810c371\"},\"headline\":\"Saudi Arabia: The Corporate Bet\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-03T16:54:33+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432\"},\"wordCount\":1388,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Saudi-Arabia-corporate-deals.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Arabia\",\"Bet\",\"Corporate\",\"Saudi\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Finance\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432\",\"name\":\"Saudi Arabia: The Corporate Bet - Som2ny Network\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Saudi-Arabia-corporate-deals.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-03T16:54:33+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Saudi-Arabia-corporate-deals.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Saudi-Arabia-corporate-deals.jpg\",\"width\":2000,\"height\":1406},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?bp_activities=1\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Saudi Arabia: The Corporate Bet\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/\",\"name\":\"Som2ny Network\",\"description\":\"Daily Deals\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Som2ny Network\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4a0953c4-logo-300x86-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4a0953c4-logo-300x86-1.png\",\"width\":300,\"height\":86,\"caption\":\"Som2ny Network\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b85e3c3dc0e1daea076524dc8810c371\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/729ae85bf62b9917e93538db2f2688ca?s=96&r=g&default=https%3A%2F%2Ffivemor.com%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2Fbuddypress-first-letter-avatar%2Fimages%2Fdefault%2F96%2Flatin_a.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/729ae85bf62b9917e93538db2f2688ca?s=96&r=g&default=https%3A%2F%2Ffivemor.com%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2Fbuddypress-first-letter-avatar%2Fimages%2Fdefault%2F96%2Flatin_a.png\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?author=1\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Saudi Arabia: The Corporate Bet - Som2ny Network","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Saudi Arabia: The Corporate Bet - Som2ny Network","og_description":"In the final stretch of its Vision 2030 development blueprint, Saudi Arabia is counting on FDI to play a bigger role. The clock is ticking for Saudi Arabia. With just five years remaining on its ambitious Vision 2030 program to modernize and diversify away from its economic dependency on oil, the world\u2019s biggest petroleum exporter […]","og_url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432","og_site_name":"Som2ny Network","article_published_time":"2025-04-03T16:54:33+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2000,"height":1406,"url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Saudi-Arabia-corporate-deals.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b85e3c3dc0e1daea076524dc8810c371"},"headline":"Saudi Arabia: The Corporate Bet","datePublished":"2025-04-03T16:54:33+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432"},"wordCount":1388,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Saudi-Arabia-corporate-deals.jpg","keywords":["Arabia","Bet","Corporate","Saudi"],"articleSection":["Finance"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432","url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432","name":"Saudi Arabia: The Corporate Bet - Som2ny Network","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Saudi-Arabia-corporate-deals.jpg","datePublished":"2025-04-03T16:54:33+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Saudi-Arabia-corporate-deals.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Saudi-Arabia-corporate-deals.jpg","width":2000,"height":1406},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=169432#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?bp_activities=1"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Saudi Arabia: The Corporate Bet"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/","name":"Som2ny Network","description":"Daily Deals","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#organization","name":"Som2ny Network","url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4a0953c4-logo-300x86-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/4a0953c4-logo-300x86-1.png","width":300,"height":86,"caption":"Som2ny Network"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/b85e3c3dc0e1daea076524dc8810c371","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/729ae85bf62b9917e93538db2f2688ca?s=96&r=g&default=https%3A%2F%2Ffivemor.com%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2Fbuddypress-first-letter-avatar%2Fimages%2Fdefault%2F96%2Flatin_a.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/729ae85bf62b9917e93538db2f2688ca?s=96&r=g&default=https%3A%2F%2Ffivemor.com%2Fwp-content%2Fplugins%2Fbuddypress-first-letter-avatar%2Fimages%2Fdefault%2F96%2Flatin_a.png","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/fivemor.com"],"url":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?author=1"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169432","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=169432"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169432\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/169433"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=169432"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=169432"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=169432"},{"taxonomy":"dealstore","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fdealstore&post=169432"},{"taxonomy":"offerexpiration","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fofferexpiration&post=169432"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Those in charge, however, remain positive. \u201cWe\u2019re on time and we\u2019re on budget,\u201d Jonathan Robinson, CIO of Diriyah, a $60 billion landmark urban development in Riyadh scheduled to open in 2030. The new city\u2019s foundation and underground phases are complete and visible construction is expected to follow soon. The developer plans to monetize 35% to 50% of the project and is looking for investors with a potential ticket size starting at $500 million.<\/p>\n
<\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cThe momentum is here and we will be announcing some pretty innovative news this year,\u201d says Robinson.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To realize their ambitions, the Saudi state and developers are looking not just for capital but for long-term investors who can bring \u201cbrains, talent, and sustainability,\u201d as Ibrahim Al-Mubarak, CEO of the Saudi Investment Promotion Agency, puts it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not about raising a pile of capital\u2014we have other means to do that if we have to\u2014it\u2019s about building long-term international partnerships,\u201d says Robinson. \u201cWe\u2019re talking to parties in Asia, in the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] region, in Europe, and in the US, and those are real conversations, not shaking hands and exchanging cards.\u201d<\/p>\n
US companies have long-standing relationships in the kingdom, but their European counterparts are getting into the game as well in such key sectors as energy transition, infrastructure, tourism, and tech. The first EU-Saudi investment forum, held in Riyadh in October 2023, attracted over 1,400 companies; the EU opened a chamber of commerce in Riyadh the following May.<\/p>\n
But the kingdom is also courting the global south, countries that represent 60% of global GDP and are often less inclined to tie business decisions to concerns over human rights or political reform. \u201cWe make sure we\u2019re having conversations with the widest possible breadth of capital providers,\u201d says Robinson, adding that he is in talks with sovereign funds, family offices, private equity firms, and other sources. \u201cCapital means equity and debt, and debt can mean export credit agencies, bank debt, and eventually, it will mean the capital markets.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Saudi Arabia endeavors to wean itself off oil revenue, its transformation is likely to reshape not only its own economy but the broader region as Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and other states in the region adopt similar \u201cvision\u201d strategies. The path forward remains fraught with challenges, ranging from geopolitical tensions to the acute consequences of global warming in desert areas, but Saudi Arabia is keen to persuade investors that it offers substantial opportunities for those willing to navigate its evolving business landscape.<\/p>\n In the final stretch of its Vision 2030 development blueprint, Saudi Arabia is counting on FDI to play a bigger role. The clock is ticking for Saudi Arabia. With just five years remaining on its ambitious Vision 2030 program to modernize and diversify away from its economic dependency on oil, the world\u2019s biggest petroleum exporter […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":169433,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[93],"tags":[19200,10955,11520,19199],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-169432","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance","tag-arabia","tag-bet","tag-corporate","tag-saudi"],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n
\n \nSaudi Arabia\u2019s Biggest Infrastructure Projects<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Project<\/strong><\/td>\n Sector<\/strong><\/td>\n Estimated cost<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n NEOM<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $500 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Diriyah<\/td>\n Urban development \/ tourism<\/td>\n $60 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Rua al Madinah<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $37 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Jeddah economic city<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $30 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Masar Destination<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $27 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Riyadh metro<\/td>\n Transport<\/td>\n $25 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n King Salman Park<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $25 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Red Sea Global<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $25 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Jeddah central<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $20 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Al Ula<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $15 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Qiddiya<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $10 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n King Abdullah financial district<\/td>\n Urban development<\/td>\n $10 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Soudah Peaks<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $7.7 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n The rig<\/td>\n Tourism<\/td>\n $5 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n King Salman Energy Park<\/td>\n Renewable energy<\/td>\n $1.6 billion<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"