Almarai celebrated the trainees of its ‘Managers of the Future’ program at a recent ceremony.
Abdul Rahman Al-Fadhli, Almarai executive president, was pleased with the program that started with 50 trainees and is training 200 this year. He said the company is implementing the program every year and is cooperating with most universities to attract students to enroll in it.
He said Almarai launched the program several years ago as its “ultimate investment in Saudi youths” where it would train and qualify Saudis to take over the key positions in the company.
This year’s graduates of the program said in a statement delivered by Abdul Muhsin Al-Subaih that they learned to acquire positive energy at the workplace, overcoming negative aspects and focusing on positive ones.
Abdullah Al-Badr, director general of support services, said training Saudi youths and making them part of the company’s work environment is part of its CSR activity. The ‘Managers of the Future’ program provides new graduates with professional skills.
A trainee is assigned specific tasks by day one, learning on-the-job with the assistance of their more experienced colleagues, he said, adding that trainees are also given courses in management skills given by specialists and have advisers providing professional consultations.
The program is 12-month long with quarterly and final evaluation.
Almarai nurtures young Saudi talent for top careers
Almarai nurtures young Saudi talent for top careers
Saudi Awwal Bank becomes first Middle East bank to earn 7-star CinOrg innovation accreditation
Saudi Awwal Bank has become the first bank in the Middle East to receive a 7‑star Certified Innovative Organization rating from the Global Innovation Institute, the highest recognition awarded by the institute.
The accreditation marks a significant step in SAB’s innovation strategy and follows an innovation maturity assessment conducted by the institute in December 2025. The review, which built on an earlier assessment in December 2023, raised the bank’s maturity level from “Champion” to “Leader.” The new rating reflects SAB’s institutionalized approach to innovation, its enterprise-wide impact and its ability to consistently deliver measurable results.
With the 7‑star rating, SAB becomes the first bank in the region to reach the highest innovation maturity level, strengthening its position as a regional reference point for innovation-led and future-ready banking.
In 2025, the bank opened its flagship Innovation Centre and secured six internationally recognized innovation awards, along with a lab accreditation. The centre has supported SAB’s efforts to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies, encourage cross-functional collaboration and reinforce its standing as a regional leader in financial innovation.
Saeed Assiri, chief innovation banking officer at SAB, said the recognition reflects years of focused work to build a sustainable innovation ecosystem.
“By investing in SAB’s culture, governance and talent, innovation enables the bank to remain future-ready,” he said. “This milestone reinforces our role in accelerating financial innovation in Saudi Arabia and delivering long-term value for our customers.”
The certification adds to SAB’s broader efforts to strengthen its innovation capabilities as the Kingdom’s banking sector continues to evolve.
