Riyadh Air Presents Features of its Future at Dubai Air Show

Riyadh Air, the new national air carrier wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, participated in the Dubai Airshow 2023. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Riyadh Air, the new national air carrier wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, participated in the Dubai Airshow 2023. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Riyadh Air Presents Features of its Future at Dubai Air Show

Riyadh Air, the new national air carrier wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, participated in the Dubai Airshow 2023. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Riyadh Air, the new national air carrier wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, participated in the Dubai Airshow 2023. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Riyadh Air, the new national air carrier wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, participated in the Dubai Airshow 2023 last week, revealing two categories for the exterior design of its aircraft fleet and a set of strategic partnerships.
The Riyadh Air pavilion at the Dubai Airshow attracted thousands of visitors and a number of senior officials, as well as local and international media representatives.
The exhibition activities also witnessed the participation of officials from Riyadh Air in a number of discussion sessions that touched on topics that included air traffic, innovative technologies and the experiences of passengers, as well as sustainable practices and the means to attract talent in the aviation and air transport sector.
Commenting on the participation in the Dubai Airshow 2023, Riyadh Air CEO, Tony Douglas, said: “It has been an extraordinary week, as a digital start-up we want to disrupt the aviation industry and we have certainly done that at the Dubai Airshow.”
He continued: “Since our launch in March, we have made exceptional progress hitting a number of milestones and in Dubai we have continued to shape the future of air travel with our beautiful second livery with a unique iridescent shine unlike any other aircraft, again capturing the world’s attention and going viral across social channels.”
Douglas stressed that the strategic cooperation concluded by Riyadh Air with Saudia Airlines reflected their common desire to achieve the goals of developing the tourism and travel sector within the Kingdom.
He added: “Our alliance with Lucid Group is a clear reflection of our joint values around sustainably, digital thinking and obsessional attention to detail, while our Lufthansa Systems deal sees us adopt the gold standard of aviation systems. Over the coming weeks and months, we will be sharing more exciting updates, developments and milestones for Riyadh Air, as we continue the momentum and pace towards our maiden flight in 2025 and as the most forward-thinking carrier in the skies.”
Strategic partnerships
Riyadh Air and Saudia signed a memorandum of understanding for strategic cooperation, which will seek to enable guests of both carriers to take full advantage of each airline’s worldwide network through a comprehensive interline and codeshare agreement.
Another MoU was signed between Riyadh Air and Lucid Motors at the Dubai Airshow, marking the first innovative partnership between luxury EV manufacturer Lucid Group and Riyadh Air. The agreement comes in line with a shared vision for the future of sustainable transportation.
Riyadh Air also announced it had signed an agreement with Lufthansa Systems as a partner to mutually drive innovation in digitalization and sustainability. The agreement will see the implementation of an integrated suite from Lufthansa Systems helping unlock digital leadership in aviation sustainability.



US and Saudi Firms Leverage Trump’s Visit for Strategic Deals

File photo shows Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US President Donald Trump during the latter’s visit to the Kingdom (SPA)
File photo shows Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US President Donald Trump during the latter’s visit to the Kingdom (SPA)
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US and Saudi Firms Leverage Trump’s Visit for Strategic Deals

File photo shows Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US President Donald Trump during the latter’s visit to the Kingdom (SPA)
File photo shows Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and US President Donald Trump during the latter’s visit to the Kingdom (SPA)

In a high-stakes display of economic ambition, US and Saudi corporate leaders are seizing the opportunity presented by former President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to announce major deals and partnerships.

The visit coincides with the Saudi-US Investment Forum, drawing top American officials and executives, and highlighting Riyadh’s growing prominence on the global investment and trade stage.

Executives from both nations have confirmed the unveiling of a wide array of strategic collaborations in critical sectors including defense, aerospace, energy, artificial intelligence, and technology. The forum is expected to serve as a launchpad for initiatives that signal a new phase of intensified cooperation between the two countries.

The Saudi-US Investment Forum, convening in Riyadh, is addressing a broad agenda spanning energy and sustainability, finance, AI, manufacturing, aerospace, healthcare, and venture capital. Five senior US government officials and ten prominent American CEOs are participating, among a crowd of more than 2,000 influential attendees.

Among the notable American officials attending are US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and White House Advisor on AI and digital currencies David Sacks. Business leaders include Elon Musk of SpaceX and Tesla, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Larry Fink of BlackRock, Jane Fraser of Citigroup, Cristiano Amon of Qualcomm, Arvind Krishna of IBM, Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone, Sam Altman of OpenAI, Kelley Otteberg of Boeing, Alex Karp of Palantir, and Ruth Porat of Google and Alphabet.

Neil Bush, Chairman of Sky Tower Global and a key figure in the green economy technology sector, emphasized the significance of Trump’s visit. He described it as a catalyst for real and impactful economic outcomes, referencing the Crown Prince’s commitment to investing $600 billion in the US.

Bush anticipates the forum will strengthen strategic ties and explore transformative opportunities in vital sectors. He stressed the forum’s role in connecting high-ranking officials, top business leaders, and global investors, all converging to exchange forward-looking ideas that promote technological and economic cooperation.

Former EPA Administrator and Trump cabinet member Edward Scott Pruitt said the visit will revitalize US-Saudi economic ties, especially in energy and technology, during a pivotal time of global energy transition. He pointed out that the forum offers fertile ground for strategic partnerships in AI, innovation, and next-generation energy. These collaborations, he said, will support the evolution of a resilient financial infrastructure and bolster industrial cooperation, setting a foundation for the future.

Abdullah bin Zaid Al-Meleihi, chairman of Saudi firm Al-Tamayuz, stated that Trump’s visit has triggered a surge of investor interest in launching new joint ventures. He emphasized the alignment of these partnerships with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to diversify the economy beyond oil.

Al-Meleihi confirmed that the forum will introduce several new partnerships, particularly in defense, aerospace, and AI. His company plans to announce energy-related deals with US investors.

Al-Meleihi expects both Saudi and American business sectors to capitalize on Trump’s visit, which he described as opening unprecedented opportunities. He stressed that the visit marks a new chapter in economic cooperation, one that will deepen bilateral ties in advanced technologies and vital industries.

He concluded by highlighting the broader implications of this cooperation, particularly in localizing supply chains, developing data infrastructure, and building a high-tech, flexible industrial base.