The year 1955 was a big one in the history of First National City Bank of New York.
Already a leading financial institution in the US, Europe and Japan, the bank went on an expansion spree in the Middle East, opening offices in Cairo and Beirut. In December, it started up in Jeddah, the first American bank in the Kingdom.
That office on the Red Sea coast was the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship between Saudi Arabia and what was later to become Citibank.
It was disrupted in 1980 when the Samba financial group was formed with majority Saudi ownership, and interrupted again by a strange 13-year hiatus from 2004 to 2017, but Jim Cowles, Citi’s chief executive for the Middle East business, is confident the bank has picked up where it left off.
“We’ve enjoyed a very productive relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for many years. Among many transactions and services provided over the years, we were part of the sovereign syndicated loan in 2016, and of course the very successful inaugural sovereign bond issue and the sukuk offering in 2017,” said the 62-year-old Californian.
Those two transactions — which set new records in the global sovereign debt markets with a $10 billion syndicated loan two years ago and $21.5 billion (in conventional and sukuk bonds) in 2017 — were landmark events for the country’s financial system, helping to bridge the gap in the national exchequer left by the fall in oil prices.
They were also proof that Citi did not necessarily need a formal presence in the Kingdom to do business on behalf of Saudi Arabia. But Citi leadership decided that it was better to be all-in with the country’s banking authorities if it was to fully participate in the business opportunities presented by the Vision 2030 strategy to reduce oil dependency.
Last year, Citi won an investment banking license with the Capital Markets Authority, enabling it to take part in the full range of activities in mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, privatizations, and other capital markets business.
“So now we have the CMA license, and held our first board meeting in January. We’re very pleased to be back in the Kingdom with an on-the-ground presence,” Cowles said. He immediately began to put in place the executive team needed to run the revived Citi operation in the Kingdom.
“Getting the CMA license was a real highlight for us in 2017 and of course we hope it’s just the beginning. We’ve already started the hiring process on the ground and appointed two excellent local bankers to run banking and markets, as well as having tasked Carmen Haddad (a top Citi executive with extensive experience in the Middle East) with continuing to build our on-the-ground presence,” Cowles said.
Only one thing is needed to complete Citi’s return to the Saudi banking scene — a full license from the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority — and that could come sooner rather than later. “In time I hope we look at a SAMA license which would allow us to expand into trade banking and treasury services, and also the cash management business,” he said.
A SAMA license would not be a foregone conclusion. It would, of course, need approval from the Saudi authorities, but also from the department of the US Treasury that oversees foreign involvement by American banks. The requirements for getting these approvals have been tightened up since the global financial crisis.
But Cowles is sure that a SAMA license would bring further business opportunities for Citi and for Saudi Arabia. “We would be able to add Saudi to our global banking network. It would be another significant opportunity to bring those services into the Kingdom,” he said.
Citi’s return to the Kingdom — expected to be marked by a formal ceremony in Riyadh next month — places it firmly in the top tier of international banks advising the Kingdom’s policymakers on the financial and economic aspects of the transformation underway there.
Recent reports suggested that Citi, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and HSBC had been appointed to arrange the best phase of its global borrowing program, involving the refinancing and extension of the $10 billion loan from two years ago, and a new bond which could rival the record-breaking $17.5 billion issue of 2017.
Cowles declined to comment on that possibility, though it is clear that such an involvement would be very much within the scope of its business capabilities.
“We’re market leaders across our institutional franchise. We are currently top of the league tables in equity capital markets, for example. Our global network is something that only Citi really can offer. We are on the ground in 100 countries around the world and there really isn’t anyone else who has this network. It’s a real advantage to be able to serve our clients’ needs with more products and more markets than anyone else as they grow and transact globally,” he said.
Such global firepower would be invaluable for the Kingdom if it decided to go ahead with the international element to the planned initial public offering (IPO) of Saudi Aramco, which is slated as the biggest IPO in history but about which recent doubts have arisen, at least with regard to the sale of shares on foreign markets, including Citi’s home city of New York.
Cowles, conscious of the delicate state of the Aramco situation ahead of the imminent royal visit to the US, declined to talk about Aramco. But Citi is believed to have been among a group of banks that made presentations to Aramco regarding the possible IPO earlier in the year. Whatever the outcome of the Aramco deliberations, Citi is keen to be involved in the rest of the Vision 2030 program, especially the big privatization program of other state-owned entities, which government officials have said could raise as much as $200 billion in a series of IPOs and trade sales.
Citi is relying on its track record of successful privatization in Pakistan and Greece as evidence of its capability in the potential Saudi sell-off, which would be among the biggest in history. The bank has already been involved in strategic advisory work with the National Center for Privatization, the government body charged with implementing the program.
“We continue to believe in and be supportive of Vision 2030. We think it’s a bold and appropriate plan. It will help to achieve the Saudi ambitions of attracting foreign direct investment, diversifying the economy, providing employment opportunities, especially for young people, and get more women into the workforce,” Cowles said.
One aspect of the Vision 2030 strategy is another sensitive issue for Citi. The anti-corruption drive launched last November included investigation of the affairs of Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal who, in addition to his Kingdom Holding business, is also an investor in many foreign companies including Citi.
His shareholding is believed to be less than 3 percent, but there has been no word yet from either the bank or Alwaleed himself whether it will remain at the current level.
Cowles declined to speak specifically about the shareholder, but gave some views on the wider anti-corruption drive. “What are the considerations foreign investors take into account when they make decisions? They look at the economic opportunities, the position of the country in the global marketplace, and they also take into consideration government policies that are robust in fighting corruption,” he said.
For an American doing business in Saudi Arabia, these are challenging times. Despite a generally benign global economic background, regional security issues are still at the forefront and the wider global picture has seen an increase in levels of political risk. Cowles is relying on Citi’s heritage and global network to see it through successfully.
“It’s a challenging time. The geopolitical situation is, of course, uncertain. But while these global issues are not things we can control, we are focused on taking our execution to the next level by building upon the work we’ve done over many years and continuing to put our clients first. “We’re a 205-year-old institution, and have a long history of serving our clients while managing our risk. We’re well equipped and experienced in adapting our risk profile as the environment changes and we will continue to do so,” he said. “There are also challenges in terms of globalization and equality. The world has to do a better job in terms of distributing the benefits of globalization. But overall we certainly believe globalization is a positive force.”
That cautious view on the geo-political issue is counterbalanced to some degree by the global economy. “When we look around the world from an economic point of view, the environment is very positive. There are very significant growth opportunities in developed markets and emerging markets. In the Middle East, you have to look country by country, but Citi has had record years in the MENA region in 2016 and 2017, and our presence in Saudi will add significantly to our growth prospects,” Cowles said.
Citi will play a role in the royal visit to the US over the folowing weeks, especially at the gathering of chief executive officers from the two countries in New York City planned toward the end of the trip.
“I’m sure it will be a very successful visit. Saudi Arabia is an extremely important strategic market for Citi and many other American multinational companies. I also believe it is important for Americans to learn more about Vision 2030 and understand how it
will transform the country,”
Cowles said.
Citi is back in Saudi Arabia, determined to pick up where it left off
Citi is back in Saudi Arabia, determined to pick up where it left off
Abu Dhabi’s ADQ lists debut $2.5bn bonds on London Stock Exchange
The smallest of three Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth funds ADQ has listed a dual tranche $2.5 billion bond on the London Stock Exchange, the fund said in a statement.
The fund sold a $1.25 billion five-year portion at 80 basis points over US Treasuries and another $1.25 billion 10-year tranche at 90 bps over the same benchmark, fixed income news service IFR reported.
Citigroup, Credit Agricole, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Goldman Sachs International, HSBC and Standard Chartered were joint global coordinators and active bookrunners on the bond issuance deal.
The proceeds from the debt sale, which was oversubscribed more than 4.4 times, will diversify ADQ’s funding mix, enhance financial resilience and contribute growth capital.
US Fed leaves rates unchanged, flags ‘lack of further progress’ on inflation
- Policy rate remains in 5.25 percent-5.50 percent range
- Fed policymakers concerned by recent inflation data
- Markets take ‘dovish’ view of Fed chief’s remarks
WASHINGTON : The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday and signaled it is still leaning toward eventual reductions in borrowing costs, but put a red flag on recent disappointing inflation readings that could make those rate cuts a while in coming, Reuters reported.
Indeed, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that after starting 2024 with three months of faster-than-expected price increases, it “will take longer than previously expected” for policymakers to become comfortable that inflation will resume the decline toward 2 percent that had cheered them through much of last year.
That steady progress has stalled for now, and while Powell said rate increases remained unlikely, he set the stage for a potentially extended hold of the benchmark policy rate in the 5.25 percent-5.5 percent range that has been in place since July.
US central bankers still believe the current policy rate is putting enough pressure on economic activity to bring inflation under control, Powell said, and they would be content to wait as long as needed for that to become apparent — even if inflation is simply “moving sideways” in the meantime.
The Fed’s preferred inflation measure — the personal consumption expenditures price index — increased at a 2.7 percent annual rate in March, an acceleration from the prior month.
“Inflation is still too high,” Powell said in a press conference after the end of the Federal Open Market Committee’s two-day policy meeting. “Further progress in bringing it down is not assured and the path forward is uncertain.”
Powell said his forecast remained for inflation to fall over the course of the year, but that “my confidence in that is lower than it was.”
Whether there are rate cuts this year or not remains in doubt.
“If we did have a path where inflation proves more persistent than expected, and where the labor market remains strong but inflation is moving sideways and we’re not gaining greater confidence, well, that would be a case in which it could be appropriate to hold off on rate cuts,” Powell said. “There are paths to not cutting and there are paths to cutting. It’s really going to depend on the data.”
Despite the uncertainty of the current economic moment, Powell’s characterization of rate hikes as “unlikely” cheered investors concerned about a newly hawkish Fed chief.
US stock and bond prices turned higher as Powell preached patience that may delay rate cuts, but also means a high bar for any more hikes. The Fed raised its benchmark policy rate by 5.25 percentage points in 2022 and 2023 to curb a surge in inflation.
Powell’s remarks on Wednesday were “notably less hawkish than many feared,” said analysts at Evercore ISI. “The basic message was that cuts have been delayed, not derailed.”
Investors in contracts tied to the Fed’s policy rate increased bets that rate cuts could begin in September rather than later in the year as reflected in earlier market pricing.
Balance Sheet
The Fed’s latest policy statement kept key elements of its economic assessment and policy guidance intact, noting that “inflation has eased” over the past year, and framing its discussion of interest rates around the conditions under which borrowing costs can be lowered.
“The Committee does not expect it will be appropriate to reduce the target range until it has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2 percent,” the Fed repeated in its unanimously-approved statement.
That continues to leave the timing of any rate cut in doubt, and Fed officials made emphatic their concern that the first months of 2024 have done little to help the cause.
“In recent months, there has been a lack of further progress toward the Committee’s 2 percent inflation objective,” the Fed said in its statement.
The US central bank also announced it will scale back the pace at which it is shrinking its balance sheet starting on June 1, allowing only $25 billion in Treasury bonds to run off each month versus the current $60 billion. Mortgage-backed securities will continue to run off by up to $35 billion monthly.
The step is meant to ensure the financial system does not run short of reserves, as happened in 2019 during the Fed’s last round of “quantitative tightening.”
While the move could loosen financial conditions at the margin at a time when the US central bank is trying to keep pressure on the economy, policymakers insist their balance sheet and interest rate tools serve different ends.
The Fed maintained its overall assessment of economic growth, saying that the economy “continued to expand at a solid pace. Job gains have remained strong and the unemployment rate has remained low.”
Powell reconciled that with the relatively weak, 1.6 percent growth of gross domestic product in the first quarter by saying that the 3.1 percent increase in private domestic demand was a better gauge of where the economy stands, with output buttressed by a recent jump in immigration.
Asked about the risk the US was entering a period of “stagflation” with stagnant growth and rising prices, Powell said current conditions are nothing like those seen in the late 1970s when prices were rising more than 10 percent annually at one point alongside high unemployment.
“Right now we have ... pretty solid growth ... We have inflation running under 3 percent,” Powell said, adding: “I don’t see the ‘stag’ and I don’t see the ‘flation,.’”
Oil Updates - prices rebound on hopes US will replenish strategic reserve
NEW DELHI: Oil prices rose on Thursday, rebounding from three days of losses, on expectations the lower levels may prompt the US, the world’s biggest crude consumer, to start replenishing its strategic reserve, putting a floor under prices, according to Reuters.
Still, prices fell more than 3 percent on Wednesday to a seven-week after the US Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady, which may curtail economic growth this year and limit oil demand increases.
Crude was also pressured by an unexpected increase in US crude inventories and signs of an impending Israel-Hamas ceasefire that would ease Middle East supply concerns.
Brent crude futures for July gained 58 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $84.02 a barrel by 9:33 a.m. Saudi time on Thursday. US West Texas Intermediate crude for June climbed 53 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $79.53 a barrel.
“The oil market was supported by speculation that if WTI falls below $79, the US will move to build up its strategic reserves,” said Hiroyuki Kikukawa, president of NS Trading, a unit of Nissan Securities.
The US has said it aims to replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve after a historic sale from the emergency stockpile in 2022 and wants to buy back oil at $79 a barrel or less.
In the Middle East, expectations grew that a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas could be in sight following a renewed push led by Egypt.
Still, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to go ahead with a long-promised assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah despite the US position and a UN warning that it would lead to “tragedy.”
“As the impact of the US crude stock-build and the Fed signalling higher-for-longer rates is close to being fully baked in, attention will turn toward the outcome of the Gaza talks,” said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights.
“As long as the latest bout of optimism over a ceasefire sustains, I expect a continued downside bias in crude,” Hari added.
The US Energy Information Administration said crude inventories rose by 7.3 million barrels to 460.9 million barrels in the week ended April 26, compared with analysts’ expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.1 million-barrel draw.
Crude stocks were at the highest point since June, the EIA said.
The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady on Wednesday and signalled it is still leaning toward eventual reductions in borrowing costs, but put a red flag on recent disappointing inflation readings.
Any delay in rate cuts could slow economic growth and dampen demand for oil.
Still, continuing supply reductions by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, known as OPEC+, will support prices.
Analysts at Citi Research expects OPEC+ to hold output cuts through the second half of the year as it meets on June 1.
However, “if prices move to a bull case $90-100+ range, OPEC+ would likely ease cuts, providing a soft ceiling for oil,” they said in a note.
How AI will unlock billions of dollars in economic value for Saudi health sector
- AI and machine learning are revolutionizing patient outcomes and healthcare service efficiency
- Integration of AI in medical administration to revolutionize resource allocation, optimize hospital operations
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s health-tech sector is undergoing substantial transformation driven by artificial intelligence, promising significant economic and operational benefits.
A McKinsey & Co. analysis forecasts that by 2030 AI could unlock $15 to $27 billion in economic value for the Kingdom’s medical sector.
This can be achieved by automating up to 40 percent of healthcare tasks, enhancing efficiency and reducing manual workload.
Such advancements align with Saudi Arabia’s ambition to emerge as a regional technology hub, with the medical sector being a key division benefiting from this digital transition.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has highlighted the potential of this revolution, and is quoted as saying: “We are living in a time of scientific innovation, unprecedented technology, and unlimited growth prospects. These new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, if used optimally, can spare the world many disadvantages and can bring enormous benefits to the world.”
Time of transformation
In a recent interview with Arab News, Nadine Hachach-Haram, a surgeon and co-founder of the health-tech platform Proximie, shared her observations about the transformative applications of AI. She said this could be used for enhancing patient safety, communication, and service efficiency across Saudi Arabia’s healthcare sector.
“AI use allows the automation of necessary but time-consuming and tedious administrative processes,” Hachach-Haram said. “AI implementation will help minimize errors, optimize efficiency, revolutionize patient care, and improve global healthcare accessibility.”
She also underscored the government’s approach to fostering AI, including initiatives such as the National Data Bank and cloud infrastructure to support public and private sector collaboration.
Hachach-Haram explained that AI and machine learning are revolutionizing patient outcomes and healthcare service efficiency in the Kingdom as the nation embraces these technologies to align with the Saudi Health Sector Transformation Program.
This undertaking is a pivotal element of the Ministry of Health’s strategy under Vision 2030, which aims to enhance medical care access and modernize facilities to ensure the well-being of the populace.
Proximie, a global healthcare platform, is at the forefront of this shift, playing a critical role in the SEHA Virtual Hospital’s efforts to overcome geographical constraints, enhance patient safety, and facilitate the sharing of medical expertise across Saudi Arabia.
Hachach-Haram highlighted the use of AI in a medical setting. “The hospital utilizes AI to triage caseloads and employs the latest imaging technologies to aid in remote scan interpretations.”
This evidence demonstrates tangible benefits, with Proximie instrumental in supporting cardiology surgeries at regional hospitals, thereby minimizing the need for patient referrals and travel, Hachach-Haram said.
“The hospital has the capacity to treat over 400,000 patients a year. It uses AI to triage caseloads and makes the latest imaging technologies available to support the interpretation of scans remotely,” she added.
She shared a poignant illustration of this impact in the case of Noura Saleh, 70, from Tabuk, who required urgent surgery following stroke-induced heart failure.
The operation was successfully executed at a local hospital, with the SEHA Virtual Hospital’s cardiology team providing remote guidance through Proximie.
Hachach-Haram said: “It’s a great example of how distance is no longer an obstacle to receiving the best care promptly.”
Improved access and care
Speaking to Arab News, Rania Kadry, co-founder of the Egyptian health-tech platform Almouneer, shared her prediction of the Kingdom’s transformation over the next decade.
Kadry envisions AI significantly impacting medical diagnostics, treatment planning, and personalized medicine in Saudi Arabia.
“This will lead to improved patient outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, and enhanced efficiency in healthcare delivery,” she said.
She added that AI-driven telemedicine platforms and remote-monitoring systems are expected to become more prevalent, particularly in rural areas, increasing access to healthcare services nationwide.
“Moreover, AI will continue to be integrated into healthcare administration processes, optimizing resource allocation, and improving overall healthcare management,” she added.
Hachach-Haram addressed a crucial aspect of AI in healthcare: patient trust and data privacy. She acknowledges the apprehension many patients feel about the use of their health data. However, she believes that proper communication about the benefits of healthcare innovation and knowledge-sharing might encourage patients to become proactive proponents of AI.
“Many patients are understandably nervous about the use of their sensitive health data, but if the benefits of healthcare innovation and knowledge-sharing are clearly explained, patients may embrace becoming ambassadors about the benefits of using and sharing data — helping the entire ecosystem,” she said.
Furthermore, the integration of AI in healthcare administration is predicted to revolutionize resource allocation and optimize hospital operations.
Kadry added: “One example could be the widespread implementation of AI-powered predictive analytics systems in Saudi Arabian hospitals.” This would leverage patient data to forecast healthcare needs and enhance service delivery, she added.
Kadry also underscored the Kingdom’s commitment to health tech and AI innovation, referencing Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plan to allocate 2.5 percent of its gross domestic product, approximately $16 billion by 2040, to research and development, with a focus on aging and chronic diseases.
“Can you imagine how much the country will progress under the young and progressive leadership?” She highlighted the launch of the Hevolution Foundation, a $20 billion Saudi Arabia initiative dedicated to advancing human health and extending life expectancy globally.
Despite being in its early stages, the utilization of AI technology holds immense potential to positively influence patient outcomes across the Arab world.
Rotana to double Saudi-based workforce to 5k employees as it expands offering
RIYADH: Rotana Hotels is planning on more than doubling its workforce in Saudi Arabia to 5,000 staff as it expands its outlets to 15, the company’s CEO has told Arab News.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Future Hospitality Summit in Riyadh, Philip Barnes highlighted the diverse nature of hotels in terms of size and staffing, indicating that the current portfolio in the Kingdom employs around 2,000 people.
He said that between eight and nine hotels are under development and set to open within the next two to three years, and the firm has “a number of others coming.”
Barnes expressed his desire to expand the company’s presence in various parts of Saudi Arabia, not just in the holy cities of Madinah and Makkah.
Reflecting on the increase in workforce needed, he said: “I think you’d be looking at 4,000 to 5,000 people by the time we get to that 15 hotel.
“It ranges between 200 to 300 people per property as we go forward depending on the size of the property.”
Rotana is seeking opportunities across a broader range of locations within Saudi Arabia, and Barnes believes that being a UAE-based company gives it an insight into the tourism landscape that other firms may lack.
“We see ourselves as being able to come into the Kingdom in a way that others can’t because we are recognized as that brand that is from the region. We can go into destinations that maybe aren’t the premier destinations as other people see them, everybody wants to be in Riyadh, everybody wants to be in Jeddah,” Barnes said.
He added: “We have a lot of things happening, but we have further developments coming online in Egypt over the course of the next two years. We’ve got more coming on board in Qatar.”
He also stated that the company is also exploring new territories, with recent moves into Pakistan, which Rotana views as a promising and emerging market
Additionally, he further explained the group’s plans for expansion by exploring opportunities in Eastern Europe, though not on a large scale. Turkiye is also a focus, with two hotels opened in the past year and more development expected.
“We’re also opening two hotels in London, not in central London. We’re opening one hotel in Kingston, which is a suburb of London, 20 minutes from downtown,” Barnes said.
He continued: “I personally am hoping that that will then be a springboard into six or seven or eight other Centros around the UK in places like Liverpool or Leeds or, Manchester etc. because I see it as being a brand that has tremendous legs, and we've already got a number of those properties here in this part of the world.”
