Banking & Finance Goldman Sachs appoints new CEO for Saudi Arabia By Shane McGinley December 13, 2024, 1:59 PM Alamy via Reuters The King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh. Goldman Sachs received a licence to open its Saudi HQ in May Bank to increase Saudi business Licence given for Riyadh HQ HSBC is top earner in kingdom US investment bank Goldman Sachs has appointed Omar Alzaim as chief executive officer of its operations in Saudi Arabia. Alzaim joined Goldman in 2021 from HSBC Saudi Arabia and replaces Khalid Albdah, who left Goldman in October after nearly a decade and took up a position at Neuberger Berman. Goldman received a licence to set up its regional headquarters in Riyadh in May. The bank wants to increase its share of business in the kingdom. In a report issued in October 2023, Goldman Sachs Research estimated that nearly $1 trillion worth of investment would flow into Saudi Arabia by 2030. It said the six key sectors where this would be focused included upstream energy, downstream energy, clean technology, metals and mining, digital transformation and transportation and logistics. Liquidity squeeze deepens for Saudi Arabia’s banks Mubadala and Goldman Sachs to put $1bn into Asia-Pacific Goldman Sachs plans Abu Dhabi office after 1MDB scandal This growth has meant that an estimated $724.5 million worth of investment banking fees were generated in the Middle East and North Africa during the first half of 2024, a 23 percent year on year increase, according to data by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG). Of this, $470.7 million was from Saudi Arabia, a yearly increase of 78 percent. The LSEG said HSBC, Standard Chartered and First Abu Dhabi Bank were the top earners, with Goldman Sachs failing to make the top 10.
Mining Ma’aden signs $1bn contracts to develop industrial cities Saudi mineral giant Ma’aden has signed three contracts worth a combined $922 million with foreign companies to develop a third phosphate fertiliser project. The majority state-owned Saudi mining company announced the agreements in a note to the Saudi bourse on Thursday, coinciding with the final day of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh. Ma’aden is […] 3 hours ago
Tax $660m a year ‘sin tax’ target set by Kuwait Kuwait hopes to raise 200 million dinars ($660 million) a year through a “sin tax” on unhealthy products as part of tax reforms proposed by the International Monetary Fund, the country’s finance minister said on Wednesday. Noora Al-Fassam told the official Kuwaiti news agency that her ministry was working on a new law for a […] 4 hours ago
Transport Tenders issued for high speed Abu Dhabi-Dubai rail link Tenders have been issued for the design and construction of central components in a high-speed rail link between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Etihad Rail, the national rail company of the UAE, has sent out tenders for designing and constructing civil works and station packages for the line connecting the two cities as part of the […] 4 hours ago
EXCLUSIVE Aviation Wizz Air increases flights from UAE to Israel after ceasefire The budget carrier Wizz Air is increasing the number of flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv after the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The airline had previously scaled back its Tel Aviv-Abu Dhabi service to four flights a week because of the conflict, down from its pre-crisis schedule of two flights a day. […] 5 hours ago