Aramco, Petronas Launch Corporate Identity of Joint Ventures

 Abdulaziz Judaimi, Senior Vice President, Downstream, Saudi Aramco; Datuk Md Arif Mahmood, Executive Vice President Downstream, PETRONAS; Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, President & CEO, PETRONAS; Amin Nasser, President & CEO, Saudi Aramco (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Abdulaziz Judaimi, Senior Vice President, Downstream, Saudi Aramco; Datuk Md Arif Mahmood, Executive Vice President Downstream, PETRONAS; Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, President & CEO, PETRONAS; Amin Nasser, President & CEO, Saudi Aramco (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Aramco, Petronas Launch Corporate Identity of Joint Ventures

 Abdulaziz Judaimi, Senior Vice President, Downstream, Saudi Aramco; Datuk Md Arif Mahmood, Executive Vice President Downstream, PETRONAS; Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, President & CEO, PETRONAS; Amin Nasser, President & CEO, Saudi Aramco (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Abdulaziz Judaimi, Senior Vice President, Downstream, Saudi Aramco; Datuk Md Arif Mahmood, Executive Vice President Downstream, PETRONAS; Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, President & CEO, PETRONAS; Amin Nasser, President & CEO, Saudi Aramco (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Aramco and Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) launched on Tuesday the corporate identity for their joint ventures in the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) located in Pengerang, Johor, Malaysia, namely Pengerang Refining Company Sdn Bhd (PRefChem Refining) and Pengerang Petrochemical Company Sdn Bhd (PRefChem Petrochemical)*2, collectively known as “PRefChem”.

Earlier in March, PETRONAS and Saudi Aramco concluded the Share Purchase Agreement for equal ownership and participation in the operations of the refinery, cracker and selected petrochemical facilities in the PIC.

A ceremony was held at the complex which also saw the unveiling of PRefChem’s logo, and it was attended by President and CEO of Saudi Aramco Amin Nasser, President and CEO of PETRONAS Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, Executive Vice President Downstream of PETRONAS Datuk Md Arif Mahmood, as well as other officials.

Speaking at the occasion, Amin Nasser stated that it marks an important milestone for this joint venture project, which is an integral part of Saudi Aramco’s refining and fuels marketing and chemicals business strategies and will help in strengthening the company’s growth position in Southeast Asia through crude supply and world-scale downstream operations.

This venture also closely aligns with Aramco's downstream strategy to invest in a global refining and petrochemicals system of world-scale manufacturing complexes in key regions with participated refining capacity of eight to 10 million barrels per day by 2030, he added.

"We are committed to help enhance the area’s prosperity and look forward to this new stage of cooperation with our valued partner PETRONAS," asserted Nasser.

CEO Nasser explained that Malaysia provides a great opportunity for Aramco’s downstream portfolio expansion in Asia and PRefChem’s strategic location in Pengerang will clearly position the country as a prolific regional energy hub, at the same time serve to enhance energy security in the Asia-Pacific region.

Also, Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee spoke at the event describing the integrated partnership as a "visionary move by two professionally-run national oil companies where both are able to leverage on each other’s strengths and share technical capabilities as well as experiences for mutual benefit."

"I am proud that we are among the pioneer of national oil companies partnering with one another to ensure better positioning for both organisations in an increasingly competitive market," he added.

He indicated that this partnership was built on a shared vision and shared values that align a number of priorities for both parties including – upholding the trust that both organisations have in contributing to both nations and their people.

PRefChem also celebrated a major milestone with the mechanical completion of Package 2 comprising the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU). The mechanical completion certificate was presented to Sun Lili, President of Sinopec Engineering, by Datuk Md Arif Mahmood. Both Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee and Nasser attended the event.

Dr Wong said that the circular movement of the logo represents collaboration, precision and bonding between PETRONAS and Saudi Aramco, while the blue and green colors portray PRefChem as a vibrant, dynamic and environmentally friendly company.

The refinery complex and cracker are now 96.54 percent complete while the petrochemical facilities has achieved 84.8 percent completion.



Saudi Arabia to Bring Together 45 Ministers, 200 Speakers to Boost Global Jobs

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia to Bring Together 45 Ministers, 200 Speakers to Boost Global Jobs

A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A general view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia will host 45 ministers and more than 200 local and international speakers to boost cooperation and create more suitable job opportunities for youth worldwide, according to Dr. Abdullah Abuthnain, Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor and Chairman of the Executive Committee.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development is holding the second edition of the Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC) in Riyadh on January 29-30.

The event aims to establish a key dialogue platform to discuss opportunities and challenges and provide solutions for the future of global labor markets.

Abuthnain told Asharq Al-Awsat that the ministerial roundtable will serve as an annual global platform bringing together policymakers, industry leaders, and decision-makers to discuss labor market challenges, solutions, and relevant developments worldwide.

Over 45 labor ministers from around the world will meet at the event to discuss innovative policies aimed at improving working conditions and youth employment, he added.

The conference will serve as a platform for sharing best practices and discussing challenges and successes in global labor markets, including Saudi Arabia, which is seeing major advancements in policy and a competitive work environment.

The ministerial meeting also aims to “strengthen international cooperation to create more job opportunities for youth worldwide,” Abuthnain added. The meeting is primarily a “platform for exchanging ideas and experiences.”

Building on discussions from the first meeting, the second session will continue to explore previous topics, incorporating new insights and developments over the past year, and looking ahead to future trends. This will give participating countries the chance to share their successes and challenges.

The ministerial meeting will encourage ongoing dialogue to strengthen collective efforts and make use of research and studies to support the future of global labor markets.

With around 200 local and international speakers, the conference will focus on six main themes: continuous learning, the impact of digital transformation on labor markets, wage growth, and the importance of skills-based employment.

Other topics will include productivity, the role of mobile workforces in economic growth, youth challenges, and the contribution of small and medium businesses to innovation and digital transformation.

The conference has strategic partnerships with over 45 countries, as well as organizations like the International Labour Organization, the World Bank, the UN Development Program, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Misk Foundation.

It will feature experts from think tanks like Combining Trust International, the Korea Labor Institute, and the Indian Labor Economics Association, who will contribute ideas and solutions to common labor market challenges.

Abuthnain believes the diverse group of leaders and experts from around the world will have a significant impact on improving youth employment opportunities.

“Our goal is to find solutions that benefit not only our region but also provide a model for global cooperation,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“We expect participating countries to learn from each other based on their unique needs. This conference is a global platform for sharing ideas and experiences, with a common goal of supporting today’s youth and future generations,” he added.

Saudi Arabia’s labor market is supported by Vision 2030, which has helped achieve historic successes, including reducing the unemployment rate to 3.7% and driving technological progress, Abuthnain said.