Ninety One Appoints Dr. Khalid Alsweilem as Chairman of New Saudi Arabian Entity

Ninety One Appoints Dr. Khalid Alsweilem as Chairman of New Saudi Arabian Entity
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Ninety One Appoints Dr. Khalid Alsweilem as Chairman of New Saudi Arabian Entity

Ninety One Appoints Dr. Khalid Alsweilem as Chairman of New Saudi Arabian Entity

Ninety One has announced the appointment of Dr. Khalid Alsweilem to the position of Chief Global Sovereign Funds Advisor and Chairman of the firm's new Saudi Arabian entity, which is currently under formation and subject to approval from the Saudi Arabia Capital Market Authority.

"I am pleased to be taking on this role to help steer and develop Ninety One's business in Saudi Arabia and Middle East more broadly,” said Alsweilem said.

“This is a time of great transformation and opportunity for the region as Saudi Arabia implements its Vision 2030 program. As a global investment manager with expertise in emerging market equities, natural resources, Asia and Mainland China equities, energy transition and infrastructure debt, Ninety One is well positioned to capitalize on the major economic developments taking place throughout the region. Their roots in emerging markets give them a keen sensitivity to how investment capabilities should serve Saudi Arabia and the region's needs."

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ninety One Hendrik du Toit described Alsweilem as “the right person to help guide our growth in Saudi Arabia and the region, given his unique knowledge of the investment industry and environment.”

“Ninety One has had an active presence as an investor of international capital in the region for many years and is experienced in developing investment businesses with local relevance. The creation of a formal entity in Saudi Arabia is our next step in a productive journey to even greater engagement and service of clients."

Alsweilem is a world-renowned expert on sovereign wealth funds and their connection to the real economy. He is one of the longest-serving and most successful sovereign fund practitioners, having previously served as ChiefCounsellor and Director General of Investment at SAMA, the Central Bank of Saudi Arabia, where he held senior positions since 1991. He is a Visiting Scholar at the Stanford Centre of Sustainable Development and Global Competitiveness and at the Stanford Long-Term Investing Initiative, as well as a non-resident scholar at MIT Golub Center for Finance and Policy.

Prior to that, he was a scholar at Stanford Global Projects Center and a fellow expert at Harvard Kennedy School, where he was the lead author on major sovereign funds research and publications. He is an engineer and holds a PhD in Economics and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Harvard University.

Ninety One is an active, global investment manager listed in London and Johannesburg with more than $160 billion in assets under management (as at 31 March 2023). The firm's goal is to provide long-term investment returns for clients while making a positive difference to people and the planet.

Established in South Africa in 1991 as Investec Asset Management, the firm has since expanded to 21 offices in 14 countries across five continents, with 258 investment professionals. In 2020, the firm demerged from the Investec Group to become Ninety One.



Biban24 Forum in Riyadh Concludes with Signing of Agreements Worth SAR35.4 Billion

The five-day forum attracted a large number of entrepreneurs from various countries and featured over 300 panel discussions and workshops. (SPA)
The five-day forum attracted a large number of entrepreneurs from various countries and featured over 300 panel discussions and workshops. (SPA)
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Biban24 Forum in Riyadh Concludes with Signing of Agreements Worth SAR35.4 Billion

The five-day forum attracted a large number of entrepreneurs from various countries and featured over 300 panel discussions and workshops. (SPA)
The five-day forum attracted a large number of entrepreneurs from various countries and featured over 300 panel discussions and workshops. (SPA)

The Biban24 Forum, organized by Saudi Arabia’s Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha’at), concluded in Riyadh on Saturday after five days with agreements and initiatives topping SAR35.4 billion.

The forum, which attracted more than 182,000 visitors and was held under the theme “Global Destination for Opportunities”, offered numerous opportunities and activities to support the Kingdom's rapid development in the SME and entrepreneurial sectors.

Monsha'at Governor Sami Alhussaini said: “Biban24 achieved great success this year. We witnessed record agreements and the introduction of many innovative initiatives that support entrepreneurship in the Kingdom. We are proud of the announcements for financing portfolios and strategic partnerships with prominent local and international entities.”

The five-day forum attracted a large number of entrepreneurs from various countries and featured over 300 panel discussions and workshops in which over 250 foreign and local speakers took part.

The Biban Talks stage hosted over 100 speakers who delved into topics such as media, tourism, environment, education, sports, finance, and investment. The interactive environment enabled entrepreneurs to share their success stories and challenges.

Some 115 entrepreneurs took part in the Investors Arena, showcasing their projects to investors, which resulted in preliminary agreements for investors to sign deals with 65 companies, worth over SAR15 million.

More than 1,300 startups from 72 countries participated in the forum, which also celebrated the graduation of 12 startups from the Real Estate Innovation Accelerator. Also, the virtual lab was launched to support entrepreneurs.