SABB, Siemens Sign Deal to Create Smart Building Technology

SABB selected Siemens to supply the services at SABB Tower in Riyadh
SABB selected Siemens to supply the services at SABB Tower in Riyadh
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SABB, Siemens Sign Deal to Create Smart Building Technology

SABB selected Siemens to supply the services at SABB Tower in Riyadh
SABB selected Siemens to supply the services at SABB Tower in Riyadh

The Saudi British Bank (SABB) has signed an agreement with Siemens to provide smart building services for SABB’s new headquarters, making the 30-story tower a model of digitally enabled efficiency, comfort, and sustainability.

SABB selected Siemens to supply the services at SABB Tower in Riyadh. The Siemens solution includes a workplace experience platform with an employee app, an Internet of Things (IoT) sensor network, systems integration and energy analytics.

The agreement supports SABB’s aspirations of becoming a fully digitally enabled bank, making operations at SABB Tower more efficient and enhancing employees’ productivity and well-being. The end result will be an employee-centric and energy-efficient design that can become a model for other buildings in the Kingdom.

“Our ambition is to become Saudi Arabia’s leading, digitally enabled bank and most sought-after employer, and smart building services from Siemens will help us realize this goal,” said Tony Cripps, Managing Director, SABB. “This project will enhance our employee experiences while delivering actionable data about our headquarters and improving operational results.”

“Siemens looks forward to putting workplace technology in the hands of SABB’s employees and facility managers and connecting them in real time to the physical and digital worlds around them,” said Eng. Ahmed Hawsawi, CEO of Siemens Saudi Arabia. “With our holistic approach to integrating smart technologies, we’ll create a simple, efficient, user-friendly and secure environment for the bank’s staff and clients.”



UAE Says to Expand CEPAs in 2025

Al Zeyoudi said the agreements will strengthen rules-based international trade and enhance opportunities for trade in goods, services, and re-exporting. Asharq Al-Awsat
Al Zeyoudi said the agreements will strengthen rules-based international trade and enhance opportunities for trade in goods, services, and re-exporting. Asharq Al-Awsat
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UAE Says to Expand CEPAs in 2025

Al Zeyoudi said the agreements will strengthen rules-based international trade and enhance opportunities for trade in goods, services, and re-exporting. Asharq Al-Awsat
Al Zeyoudi said the agreements will strengthen rules-based international trade and enhance opportunities for trade in goods, services, and re-exporting. Asharq Al-Awsat

Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi has affirmed that the UAE will continue to increase its Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) in 2025, targeting additional countries to maximize benefits for the UAE and its global trade partners.

Emirates News Agency (WAM) quoted Al Zeyoudi as saying that these agreements will strengthen rules-based international trade, drive sustainable development, increase investments, and enhance opportunities for trade in goods, services, and re-exporting.

In remarks to WAM, Al Zeyoudi explained that the UAE's CEPAs program is designed to expand the country's commercial and investment partnerships worldwide, positioning the UAE as a key gateway for non-oil goods and services and a global hub for business and investment.

He emphasized that these agreements reflect the UAE's vision, which recognizes the vital role of free trade based on clear rules in driving sustainable economic growth and inclusive development. The agreements' diversity and the UAE's ability to form valuable partnerships across five continents significantly increase opportunities for various sectors and open new markets.

Al Zeyoudi pointed out that the CEPAs have already had a positive effect on various areas of the UAE's foreign trade, particularly non-oil trade, re-export services, logistics, clean and renewable energy, technology, financial services, green industries, advanced materials, agriculture, and sustainable food systems.

He explained that CEPAs continue to have a tangible and direct impact on the country's foreign trade data, positively affecting various vital sectors, including the advanced technology sector.

Since the program's launch in September 2021 until early December 2024, the UAE has signed 24 CEPAs with countries and international blocs, covering approximately 2.5 billion people—about a quarter of the global population.

In the first half of 2024, UAE foreign trade reached a historic milestone, surpassing AED1.395 trillion, reflecting an 11.2% growth compared to the same period in 2023. The growth rates reached 28.8%, 54.7%, and 66%, compared to the same periods in 2022, 2021, and 2019, respectively.