11.12.2009

opportunities in Saudi Arabia

1. banking - not enough qualified Saudis to satisfy demands of growing business sector

JEDDAH: The national banking sector is struggling to find qualified Saudis to fill vacant positions. Last month, Reuters reported that international banks and financial institutions setting up in Saudi Arabia were unable to find qualified staff thanks to an outdated education system lacking business focus.

...Global Investment House released a report in January 2009 confirming that the Saudi banking sector is an attractive destination for financial institutions worldwide despite dampening effects at the end of 2008. “This provides the Kingdom’s banks with enormous future business opportunities,” stated the report.

Therefore, there is an increase in employment opportunities locally, in addition to a booming financial sector. Alsayrafi says there is a solution for banks looking to hire highly qualified candidates without relying on overseas talent. “Shifting the focus from Western expatriates to the Middle East and focusing on young bilingual Saudis and Arabs,” he said.


read more @ arab news


2. many US mayors visiting Saudi Arabia

JEDDAH: Visiting US delegation of 16 mayors on Wednesday visited the Jeddah municipality where they had talks with Mayor Adel Fakieh who briefed them about the strategic development plan of Jeddah for the next 20 years that will be launched during the coming few days.

He told the mayors the pollution on sea shores was the most challenging problem. The delegation of US mayors were on a weeklong visit to the Kingdom to explore ways of further cementing economic ties, exchange views on issues of mutual concern and encourage trade partnerships.

read more @ arab news



3. also last May, US mayors visiting Saudi Arabia...

JEDDAH – Eleven mayors from the United States, including Bill Bell, mayor of Durham, North Carolina, are to visit Saudi Arabia, from May 7-14 on an official invitation from the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, DC. According to information made available to Saudi Gazette, among other things, the mayors, guests of the Saudi government, will have the opportunity to learn about the Kingdom’s economy and educational system. They will meet leading Saudi business people, senior government officials as well as high school and university students and also visit an oilfield in the Eastern Province.

...Other members of the delegation include J. Christian Bollwage, Elizabeth, New Jersey; Ardell F. Brede, Rochester, Minnesota; Mark Burroughs, Denton, Texas; William D. ‘Bill’ Euille, Alexandria, Virginia; Bill Gluba, Davenport, Indiana; Phil Gordon, Phoenix, Arizona; Mark Mallory, Cincinnati, Ohio; John Marks, Tallahassee, Florida; James J. Schmitt, Green Bay, Wisconsin and Mark Stodola, Little Rock, Arkansas.

It may be recalled, that last November, the mayor of Stamford, Connecticut, Dannel Malloy visited Saudi Arabia as part of a delegation of American mayors. The trip was sponsored, organized and planned by the Saudi Embassy. Malloy was one of seven US mayors to join the trip as part of a delegation of the United States Conference of Mayors.

They included mayors Martin J. Chavez of Albuquerque, New Mexico; David N. Cicilline of Providence, Rhode Island; T. M. Franklin Cownie of Des Moines, Iowa; John Robert Smith of Meridian, Mississippi; Meyera E. Oberndorf of Virginia Beach, Virginia and Douglas Wilder of Richmond, Virginia. – SG


source: Saudi Gazette


4. ...for the purpose of making deals for certain important employers like defense contractors. evidently.

UPDATE (7:32pm, Thursday): Mitra Novin, Manager, California Government Relations for Boeing confirmed that "Saudi Arabia does not currently have C-17's but has shown an interest in obtaining them."

We reported earlier that Mayor Foster is currently visiting Saudi Arabia for the purposes of establishing business relationships with regards to purchases of the Long Beach-made Boeing C-17.
The C-17 program has been on thin ice recently, but President Obama recently signed a defense bill that includes funding for an unspecified number of the planes. More than 5,000 jobs in Long Beach depend on the survival of the C-17 program.

BREAKING (5:30pm, Thursday)
: Mayor Bob Foster is currently visiting Saudi Arabia on a trip with the US Conference of Mayors, according to his office. The delegation includes about ten mayors from across America. The expense of the trip is split between Saudi Arabia and the US Conference of Mayors.

Arizona-based KTAR.com reports that Scott Smith, the Mayor of Mesa, is attending the trip in the interest of increasing business relationships, particularly in regards to helicopters that are manufactured in Mesa.

read more @ lbpost

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