Topics included:
Current Infrastructure & Construction Projects, investment opportunities, smart city initiatives, challenges in project delivery, workforce development, overcoming supply chain issues, public-private collaboration for sustainable growth, and how to access the Saudi Market.
The development of the Infrastructure and Construction sector in Saudi Arabia, including the building of major infrastructure projects, smart cities, transport networks, and housing, has created unprecedented opportunities for UK/Saudi partnerships and investment. The sector is a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 transformation, and the opportunities for UK-KSA collaboration are significant. This workshop will address key questions and concerns about entering the Saudi market, while analysing the wide range of opportunities available across the infrastructure and construction sectors. Attendees will hear first hand from companies that have successfully worked with Saudi Arabia, providing an unbiased view of the opportunities, challenges, and practical steps for overcoming obstacles. Following the workshop, there will be an opportunity to network and engage directly with panellists.
Current Infrastructure & Construction Projects, investment opportunities, smart city initiatives, challenges in project delivery, workforce development, overcoming supply chain issues, public-private collaboration for sustainable growth, and how to access the Saudi Market.
10:30 – 11:00 | Registration
11:00 – 11:10 | Welcome from SBJBC, AEI and Clyde & Co
11:10 – 11:55 | Panel 1: Infrastructure and Construction in Saudi Arabia: Overview of current projects
This panel will provide a comprehensive overview of Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure and real estate growth, highlighting key sectors such as housing, transportation, and large-scale construction. The discussion will examine how these sectors align with the Kingdom’s national development strategy and the broader Vision 2030 goals. In addition to foundational infrastructure, the panel will delve into transformative Giga projects such as NEOM, Qiddiya, and the Red Sea Project, as well as smaller but strategically significant regional developments that are often overlooked. Speakers will highlight investment opportunities, emerging growth areas, and the evolving regulatory environment, offering insights into how international and domestic stakeholders can participate in Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding real estate and infrastructure landscape. This session will serve as a critical foundation for deeper discussions, setting the stage for later panels that explore the practicalities of doing business in the Kingdom.
11:55 – 12:25 | Presentation: Investment Opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s Infrastructure and Real Estate Sector, with a Q&A
12:25 – 13:00 | Panel 2: Challenges and Opportunities: Doing Business in Saudi Arabia & How to access the Saudi Market
This panel will explore the practicalities of doing business in Saudi Arabia, focusing on recent reforms to the business environment and options for setting up operations locally. Experts from key institutions will share insights on navigating the market and the resources available to companies, including support for workforce development, advanced project management, and overcoming supply chain challenges. Additionally, representatives from companies that have successfully established operations in the Kingdom will share their candid experiences and discuss how they’ve addressed common challenges.
13:00 – 14:00 | Networking and close
Date
Time
Location:
Tickets for the Doing Business in Saudi Arabia: Infrastructure & Construction Workshop
SBJBC Members: Free (please contact us for your 100% discount code)
SBJBC Non-Members: £50 + VAT
The Saudi British Joint Business Council (SBJBC) is an independant and private sector led body aimed at enhancing business relations between KSA and the UK. She has spent 9 years working directly with Saudi Arabia and wider Middle East, providing strategic advice on the business and policy environment while helping corporates better position themselves in Saudi Arabia. Prior to joining SBJBC, Cordelia created and led the Middle East Programme at Asia House - a centre of expertise on trade, investment and public policy.
Adam moved to Saudi Arabia from the UK in 2008 and quickly realised the need for an independent and effective platform to support foreign companies do business in the opaque yet rewarding Kingdom; this was the genesis of AEI Saudi. He co-founded AEI in 2012 following a career in the IT Security industry. With over 20 years’ experience from engineering and production through to international business, Adam has a broad professional background. However his core expertise is Saudi business winning, gained from his time as Regional BD Director for a leading multinational as well as leading the Business Development teams at multiple Saudi companies. Outside of work Adam is still a keen (if now, somewhat slower) footballer and father to two boys who will hopefully also one day be Spurs fans.
Wissam Al-Daoud is Program Director on Trojena. Wissam has 25 years of experience in the engineering and construction industry. He has worked globally in industries including civil infrastructure and transportation. He was previously NEOM Deputy Program Director and Program Director for NEOM Regional Infrastructure program where he was responsible for ensuring successful delivery and expansion of the circa $10bn Regional Infrastructure scope of work. Prior to joining NEOM in 2021, Wissam was the EA for the President of the Infrastructure GBU from 2019 until 2021. Wissam joined Bechtel in 2004 as a Field Engineer on Iraq Infrastructure Reconstruction Program. Since then, he held positions of increasing responsibility including Project Manager for Reading Station Redevelopment Program in the UK, Engineering Director for WAAD Al-Shamal project and Field Engineering Manager on Riyadh Metro Project in Saudi Arabia. Wissam holds PhD and MSc degrees in structural engineering, is a Chartered Civil Engineer, and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers in the UK. He was elected principal vice president in 2023.
Dalia Damanhouri is a senior associate in Clyde & Co’s London office. She joined Clyde & Co in 2019 upon qualifying as a solicitor in England & Wales after training at another international law firm in both their Dubai and London offices. She specialises in restructuring and insolvency, including on both transactional, advisory and contentious matters. As a Saudi national, Dalia has a particular focus and interest in Saudi/UK opportunities and initiatives and is fluent in English and Arabic.
Marcus Siddons is a construction industry expert with experience gained in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. He spent 10 years in the UAE managing multiple businesses for a major international Plc. Baker Wilkins & Smith (BWS) is an international firm of construction consultants, core services being quantity surveying and project management. Established in London in 1955 and in the Middle East from 1972. Well known and well established in Saudi Arabia BWS is currently working on Alula, NEOM, ROSHN and a variety of other major projects in the Kingdom.
Riyaz is a Director within Deloitte’s Infrastructure & Capital Projects practice in the Middle East. Riyaz has 17 years experience within the engineering and construction industry, serving the built environment, water, and transportation sectors. Since 2019, Riyaz has been based in the Middle East working for a number of government and giga project clients helping establish, and improving governance, project management and delivery. Prior to joining Deloitte, Riyaz was the Programme, Project and Commercial Management Practice Lead for Mott MacDonald within the Middle East. Riyaz holds a Meng Civil Engineering with Business Management degree from the University of Sheffield and is a Chartered Civil Engineer, Project Management Professional (PMP), and a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers in the UK.
Atif specialises in commercial law and has experience in advising on a variety of complex commercial matters, both contentious and non-contentious, across various sectors including corporate & commercial, construction & engineering, energy and natural resources, healthcare, infrastructure, trading, and marine. Atif regularly advises both Saudi and international companies that conduct, or are interested in doing, business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a broad range of matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, commercial agency, foreign direct investment, project finance, and trade finance. Atif is also experienced in advising clients on cross-border disputes, as well as the enforcement of foreign awards in Saudi Arabia. Atif has over a decade of Saudi Arabian commercial legal experience, having joined Clyde & Co from a highly reputable and consistently ranked Saudi Arabian law firm, where he co-headed the Dispute Resolution and Projects & Energy departments. Atif is qualified in England & Wales, having worked for several years in the City of London.
Nathaniel is a Partner in Clyde & Co’s global projects and construction group, based in the Riyadh office.Nathaniel handles both contentious and transactional matters relating to construction and engineering projects, with a particular focus on international arbitration and complex dispute work.Before relocating to KSA, Nathaniel was based in the London office. He has previously worked in the firm’s offices in Singapore, Dar-es-Salaam and Hong Kong. He has extensive dispute resolution experience covering adjudication, litigation, and international arbitration (including under ICC, LCIA, SIAC and CIETAC rules, amongst others) and a range of ADR procedures, including expert determination and mediation. Nathaniel is recognised as a stand-out lawyer in the Thomson Reuters database of independently rated lawyers (formerly Acritas Stars). He speaks Spanish and French and has a working knowledge of Portuguese and German.
Mohammed is an expert in Islamic finance with work experience of over 12 years in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He was one of the establishment team joining Alinma bank in Riyadh at Shariah Group and enhanced his experience in the Shariah team at Gatehouse Bank in London. He focused on the wealth management structure, his interest subject is debt structuring in shariah-compliant methods. He was awarded his PhD degree in Sukuk risk structure analysis from the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. Mohammed contributed with academic research in Sukuk that was published in Academic journals in the USA and the UK. In 2011, Saudi diversified manufacturing company (SABIC) research chair selected Mohammed’s Master's dissertation for their accepted research plus published and funded by the SABIC. In addition, Mohammed participated in many global conferences presenting papers on Islamic finance. Mohammed is a member of a couple of banking committees in Saudi Arabia. He is also a board member of a couple of investment funds. Recently, Mohammed has been appointed as chairman of Shariah Board at Bank AlJazira in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, Mohammed has entrepreneurship in business as he is the co-founder and director of ETF Bureau in USA and KSA, contributing by launching the first Shariah and Green Global REITs ETF listed in New York Exchange Market ($RITA). Mohammed is sitting on an advisory board in many of the family offices in KSA. He is leading the activities of International Investment Gate in their investment in the UK Properties Market for over 5 years. He is a connected person and enjoyed a great network and contacts in Saudi Arabia and the UK.
Stefano works as an International Trade Adviser at the Department for Business and Trade. He has been working as an International Sales & Marketing professional for over 20 years. His background includes multiple disciplines in international markets – with experience of several senior managerial roles in large, medium and family run businesses. As a Chartered Marketer, he acts as a valued partner to any SME planning to increase sales, establish a brand and expand its reach internationally.
Nathaniel is a Partner in Clyde & Co’s global projects and construction group, based in the Riyadh office.Nathaniel handles both contentious and transactional matters relating to construction and engineering projects, with a particular focus on international arbitration and complex dispute work.Before relocating to KSA, Nathaniel was based in the London office. He has previously worked in the firm’s offices in Singapore, Dar-es-Salaam and Hong Kong. He has extensive dispute resolution experience covering adjudication, litigation, and international arbitration (including under ICC, LCIA, SIAC and CIETAC rules, amongst others) and a range of ADR procedures, including expert determination and mediation. Nathaniel is recognised as a stand-out lawyer in the Thomson Reuters database of independently rated lawyers (formerly Acritas Stars). He speaks Spanish and French and has a working knowledge of Portuguese and German.
Mohammed is an expert in Islamic finance with work experience of over 12 years in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He was one of the establishment team joining Alinma bank in Riyadh at Shariah Group and enhanced his experience in the Shariah team at Gatehouse Bank in London. He focused on the wealth management structure, his interest subject is debt structuring in shariah-compliant methods. He was awarded his PhD degree in Sukuk risk structure analysis from the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. Mohammed contributed with academic research in Sukuk that was published in Academic journals in the USA and the UK. In 2011, Saudi diversified manufacturing company (SABIC) research chair selected Mohammed’s Master's dissertation for their accepted research plus published and funded by the SABIC. In addition, Mohammed participated in many global conferences presenting papers on Islamic finance. Mohammed is a member of a couple of banking committees in Saudi Arabia. He is also a board member of a couple of investment funds. Recently, Mohammed has been appointed as chairman of Shariah Board at Bank AlJazira in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, Mohammed has entrepreneurship in business as he is the co-founder and director of ETF Bureau in USA and KSA, contributing by launching the first Shariah and Green Global REITs ETF listed in New York Exchange Market ($RITA). Mohammed is sitting on an advisory board in many of the family offices in KSA. He is leading the activities of International Investment Gate in their investment in the UK Properties Market for over 5 years. He is a connected person and enjoyed a great network and contacts in Saudi Arabia and the UK.
🇬🇧 78 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5ES
🇸🇦 c/o Federation of Saudi Chambers King Fahad Branch Rd, Al Mutamarat, Riyadh 12711
+44 (0) 203 7098060
info@sbjbc.org
