Partnerships Worth $80 Million Aim to Strengthen Supply Chains in Saudi Arabia

The MoUs will focus on building capabilities and fostering growth across various sectors. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The MoUs will focus on building capabilities and fostering growth across various sectors. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Partnerships Worth $80 Million Aim to Strengthen Supply Chains in Saudi Arabia

The MoUs will focus on building capabilities and fostering growth across various sectors. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The MoUs will focus on building capabilities and fostering growth across various sectors. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

ASMO Logistics, a joint venture of DHL and Saudi Aramco, has signed 16 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with various companies to strengthen cooperation in energy, chemicals, refining, manufacturing, healthcare, aviation, and supply chains across the Middle East and North Africa.

The partnerships, worth over 300 million riyals (about $80 million), aim to digitize and develop the supply chain and procurement sectors in Saudi Arabia, collaborating with firms like Aramco Digital, Oracle, and SAP.

Salem Al-Huraish, Chairman of ASMO, highlighted that these partnerships will boost economic growth by creating a more flexible and efficient supply chain.

He noted that ASMO helps clients focus on their core business while benefiting from superior services, reducing carbon emissions, and improving operational efficiency.

ASMO plans to use innovative solutions to enhance supply chain services, financial operations, and human resource management through these partnerships.

The company will also establish procurement monitoring towers and create an online marketplace to aid businesses in making better decisions and improving productivity.

The MoUs will focus on building capabilities and fostering growth across various sectors. In chemicals and refining, ASMO has partnered with companies like Luberef and Petro Rabigh.

In energy, partners include Baker Hughes and Halliburton. For manufacturing, ASMO collaborates with ArcelorMittal and others.

Additionally, the company has signed MoUs with Aloula Aviation and the Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare Center in the aviation and healthcare sectors.



Saudi PIF Invests $200 Million in ETF Bond Fund

The fund is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia to focus on fixed-income exchange-traded funds (ETFs). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The fund is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia to focus on fixed-income exchange-traded funds (ETFs). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Saudi PIF Invests $200 Million in ETF Bond Fund

The fund is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia to focus on fixed-income exchange-traded funds (ETFs). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The fund is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia to focus on fixed-income exchange-traded funds (ETFs). (Asharq Al-Awsat)

State Street Global Advisors, a subsidiary of State Street Corporation, announced that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has invested SAR 750 million ($200 million) in the newly launched SPDR J.P. Morgan Saudi Aggregate Bond ETF.

According to a statement released by the company on Wednesday, this fund is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia to focus on fixed-income exchange-traded funds (ETFs). It is listed in both the London Stock Exchange and Germany’s Xetra, offering investors the opportunity to track government and quasi-government bonds denominated in either the Saudi Riyal or the US Dollar, including sukuk (Islamic bonds).

This investment aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, representing a significant step toward enhancing the international presence of Saudi Arabia’s financial markets and attracting foreign investments. The fund is available to investors across several European countries, including Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, and Italy.

Commenting on the investment, Yazid Al-Humaid, Deputy Governor and Head of MENA Investments at PIF, said: “The fund continues to create opportunities and enable access to diverse capital markets in the Kingdom. Investing in the first internationally listed Saudi fixed-income ETF underscores PIF’s commitment to deepening Saudi capital markets, attracting investors, and fostering partnerships across global financial centers.”

CEO of State Street Global Advisors Yi-Hsin Hung emphasized that the launch of the fund is a significant milestone in providing innovative opportunities for investors while contributing to Saudi Arabia’s economic growth.