Saudi Dussur Signs 4 Joint Ventures, Global Acquisition Deal

The signing ceremony of the JV of Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The signing ceremony of the JV of Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Dussur Signs 4 Joint Ventures, Global Acquisition Deal

The signing ceremony of the JV of Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The signing ceremony of the JV of Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments in Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments (Dussur) announced the signing of five new shareholders' agreements, including four joint ventures and one global acquisition deal.

Dussur, owned by PIF, Aramco, and SABIC, signed the agreement at a special event attended by Minister of Energy and Investment Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar al-Khorayef, Minister of Education Hamad al-Sheikh.

The event was held at King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC).

The first JV agreement was signed with Korea's SeAH Changwon Integrated Specialty Steel Co. Ltd (SeAH) to establish the first local seamless stainless-steel pipe production plant in Saudi Arabia.

The total investment for establishing the joint venture is estimated at $270 million. SeAH and Dussur will invest up to $140 million with a percentage share of 51 percent and 49 percent, respectively.

The Saudi Industrial Development Fund will provide the remaining financing for the joint venture.

The second joint venture agreement was signed between Dussur, Tatweer Educational Transportation Services Company, and CHTC KINWIN Automobile to establish the first state-of-the-art bus manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia with an annual production capacity of 3000 buses.

The project is in line with Vision 2030 and is significant as it is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia and will support the localization of the automotive industry and the development of the automotive ecosystem.

The Jeddah-based joint venture company will manufacture and assemble several bus models in the first phase, using three engine technologies: Internal combustion engine, pure electrical, and hydrogen fuel cell.

The company will primarily serve the growing local demand, which is currently met by imports, and the growing demand for buses for Hajj and Umrah, schools, tourism, and public transportation.

The third JV agreement announced at the event was between Dussur and 3D Systems to establish the Center for Innovation and Additive Manufacturing in the Kingdom.

It will provide on-demand printing and application engineering solutions for critical industries such as energy, aerospace, defense, and healthcare.

The initiative will support the Kingdom's path to industrialization by localizing disruptive technologies, contributing to supply security, and building unique capabilities for future jobs.

Dussur and Baker Hughes signed the fourth joint venture agreement to build a blending and chemical reaction facility with a production capacity of 30,000 tons to produce demulsifiers, scale inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, and biocides.

The facility will be located in Jubail City, Saudi Arabia.

Dussur also announced the successful completion of an acquisition agreement with the international private equity consortium Broad Peak Global (BPG) and Asia Green Fund (AGF) to acquire the Clean Technologies business of DuPont de Nemours.

The new, independent company will be named Elessent Clean Technologies. It is worth noting that the new company is a global leader in chemical catalysts and advanced equipment, specializing in environmental sustainability technologies in the metals, fertilizer, chemicals, and oil refining sectors.

CEO of Dussur Raed al-Rayes stated that the company measures the development impact of projects before investing.

Rayes explained that Dussur portfolio has managed to attract more than SR1 billion worth of foreign investment and create more than 2,600 direct jobs by 2030, with an employment nationalization of no less than 65 percent, reaching as high as 90 percent in some projects.

The Saudi Arabian Industrial Investments Company is a strategic industrial investment firm that partners with world-class experts to form state-of-the-art joint ventures, including M&A in the industrial sectors.



Saudia Signs Strategic Partnership Agreement with Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City

udia will develop special travel packages designed to enable visitors to experience world-class attractions - SPA
udia will develop special travel packages designed to enable visitors to experience world-class attractions - SPA
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Saudia Signs Strategic Partnership Agreement with Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City

udia will develop special travel packages designed to enable visitors to experience world-class attractions - SPA
udia will develop special travel packages designed to enable visitors to experience world-class attractions - SPA

Saudia Airlines has signed a five-year strategic partnership with Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City, becoming the official premier partner exclusively in the airline category.

As part of the partnership, Saudia will develop special travel packages designed to enable visitors to experience world-class attractions. The collaboration also brings the spirit of Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City to the skies through special aircraft branding across Saudia’s fleet, SPA reported. 

Chief Marketing Officer of Saudia Group Khaled Tash said in a press release: "Saudia is committed to supporting national development projects as part of its contribution to Vision 2030, aligned with our strategy to bring the world to the Kingdom. Partnerships of this scale with national partners play a key role in positioning Saudi Arabia as a leading global destination for entertainment and tourism."

Park President of Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City Brian Machamer added: "Our partnership with Saudia not only reflects a shared ambition to connect the Kingdom to the world through world-class entertainment experiences, but strengthens our ability to attract visitors from around the world and realize our vision of setting a new global benchmark for immersive, world-class theme park entertainment and reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s growing presence on the global tourism stage."

Six Flags Qiddiya City sets a new benchmark for exceptional entertainment regionally and globally. Spanning six iconic themed lands, the theme park takes visitors on an immersive journey across 28 rides and attractions designed to world-class standards. Beyond the scale and diversity of its offerings, Six Flags Qiddiya City stands out for pushing the boundaries of engineering and entertainment, featuring five exclusive, record-breaking rides that have redefined global benchmarks. Leading these innovations is Falcons Flight, the roller coaster that has captured global attention as the fastest, tallest, and longest in the world.

Aquarabia Qiddiya City delivers a distinctive aquatic entertainment experience, offering 22 rides and water attractions, along with a man-made river designed for both relaxation and family-friendly water fun. For guests seeking privacy and elevated comfort, Aquarabia features 91 luxury cabanas, positioning the destination as a fully integrated leisure offering that redefines water-based entertainment to the highest international standards.

Located in the Tuwaiq Mountains near Riyadh, Qiddiya City is an emerging destination bringing together entertainment, sports, and culture. Six Flags and Aquarabia Qiddiya City form part of its entertainment offering.


Moody’s Establishes Regional HQ in Riyadh, Deepening Presence in Region

(FILES) Signage for Moody's Corporation is displayed at their headquarters at 7 World Trade Center on March 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
(FILES) Signage for Moody's Corporation is displayed at their headquarters at 7 World Trade Center on March 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
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Moody’s Establishes Regional HQ in Riyadh, Deepening Presence in Region

(FILES) Signage for Moody's Corporation is displayed at their headquarters at 7 World Trade Center on March 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)
(FILES) Signage for Moody's Corporation is displayed at their headquarters at 7 World Trade Center on March 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP)

Moody’s Corporation announced that it has established its regional headquarters in Riyadh, reflecting ongoing commitment to support the development of the Kingdom’s capital markets and economy.

“This investment aligns to the Kingdom's Vision 2030 initiative and underscores its dynamism and growth,” Moody’s said in a statement this week.

The new regional headquarters marks an expansion of Moody’s presence in Saudi Arabia, where the company first opened an office in 2018, and reflects its longstanding commitment to the Middle East.

“The headquarters will strengthen Moody’s engagement with Saudi institutions and enable broader access to Moody’s decision grade data, analytics and insights,” said the statement.

“Our decision to establish a regional headquarters in Riyadh reflects our confidence in Saudi Arabia’s strong economic momentum, as well as our commitment to helping domestic and international investors unlock opportunities with our expertise and insights,” said President and Chief Executive Officer of Moody’s Rob Fauber.

“We are well positioned to provide the analytical capabilities and market intelligence that investors and institutions need to navigate evolving markets across the Middle East,” the statement quoted him as saying.

Mahmoud Totonji will lead the regional headquarters as General Manager.


Saudi Arabia Launches First Endowment Fund for Environmental, Water and Agricultural Sustainability

The launch of the Namaa Endowment Fund (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The launch of the Namaa Endowment Fund (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Launches First Endowment Fund for Environmental, Water and Agricultural Sustainability

The launch of the Namaa Endowment Fund (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The launch of the Namaa Endowment Fund (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia has launched its first endowment fund dedicated to advancing environmental, water and agricultural sustainability, reinforcing efforts to strengthen the Kingdom’s non-profit sector and long-term development.

Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli on Tuesday inaugurated the Namaa Endowment Fund at the ministry’s headquarters, in the presence of senior officials and stakeholders.

The fund is designed to support economic and social development goals, address community needs, increase the non-profit sector’s contribution to GDP, and promote sustainable management of environmental, water and agricultural resources.

Al-Fadhli said the fund represents a new model of institutional endowment work and a practical mechanism to expand developmental impact while ensuring the sustainability of non-profit initiatives.

Developed in partnership with the General Authority for Awqaf, the fund aims to build assets commensurate with its ambitions, enabling higher returns and a wider impact over the long term.

It will pursue carefully structured investments that balance financial performance with developmental outcomes, with the potential to own or benefit from real estate assets that can be used by non-profit organizations.

Encouraging Private-Sector Participation

Al-Fadhli added that the ministry, in cooperation with the General Authority for Awqaf, the Capital Market Authority and AlAhli Capital, will support the fund and encourage contributions from the private sector, business leaders and the wider public.

Contributions will be made through a licensed digital platform under strict financial governance. He called on all segments of society to contribute in support of sustainable development across the environment, water and agriculture sectors.

Namaa will finance endowment initiatives within the ministry’s ecosystem, including the non-profit institutions Reef, Morooj and Saqaya. Its focus areas include water provision and conservation, afforestation, biodiversity protection, vegetation cover, the circular economy, sustainable agriculture and irrigation, and reducing food loss and waste.

Emad Alkharashi, Governor of the General Authority for Awqaf, announced an initial contribution of SAR100 million, describing it as a foundation for a sustainable endowment model.

He said the fund combines the legacy of endowments with modern investment practices to protect natural resources, strengthen food security and ensure lasting developmental impact.

Alkharashi added that the partnership with the ministry maximizes results and positions the fund as a model for directing endowments toward high-impact, long-term priorities through a transparent, well-governed institutional framework.