The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) and a number of the Kingdom’s international airports participated in the Amsterdam Passenger Terminal Expo. The event, which took place in Amsterdam last week, is considered an advanced sales and marketing platform for the airport industry. It offers a unique environment that enables goers to hit a variety of sales and marketing targets, as well as showcase the latest advancements in the airport and terminal industry.
Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Abohaimed, the Saudi ambassador to the Netherlands, visited the authority’s display at the expo and was impressed with the young participants. He noted that the Kingdom’s participation in such expos helps the world better know and understand the country’s civilizations and cities.
“What I saw in the GACA section brought about feelings of pride and honor. It reflects the great work done by the authority in many of the Kingdom’s airports. Their participation in the expo has enabled others to see one of the elements of the Kingdom’s development,” he said.
Abohaimed highlighted the importance of airports as being the main determinant behind a visitor’s first impression. He said the Kingdom’s airports are currently undergoing vast and quick developments, and also pointed to the distinct role of the GACA over the past two years.
Bassem bin Abdullah Al-Salloum, assistant to the president of corporate communications and marketing at the GACA, said: “Participating in this global gathering is an opportunity to strengthen the Kingdom’s position and enhance relationships with our partners around the world. More importantly, the authority’s presence in this expo will enable us to directly network with different entities related to civil aviation so we can effectively build customer relationships.”
“It’s an opportunity for us to meet with the administrators of airports and airlines and other specialized entities in this sector. The expo will also offer the latest communication technologies and wireless applications, as well as elements related to airport security and engineering developments in terminal constructions, baggage handling, lighting, services and so on,” he added.
Through its participation the GACA showcased the authority’s role in the privatization of the civil aviation sector, in addition to its investments and projects, which include the construction and development of airports and airport cities.
Participating airports included King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and Prince Mohamed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah.
GACA participates in Amsterdam Passenger Terminal Expo
GACA participates in Amsterdam Passenger Terminal Expo
Muhlah closes $7.5m seed round led by BIM Ventures and Japan’s SBI Group
Muhlah Zamaniyah for Finance, operating under the brand Muhlah, a Saudi fintech-enabled consumer microfinance company licensed by the Saudi Central Bank, announced the closing of its seed investment round totaling SR28.25 million ($7.5 million).
The round was led by BIM Ventures and SBI Group, a Japanese financial conglomerate, with participation from AlSuhaimi Holding Group and Fakhr Investment Holding Company. Muhlah is a venture-studio spinoff from BIM Ventures, established to deliver regulated, scalable financing solutions supported by strong governance and compliance.
This round reflects the growing attractiveness of Saudi Arabia to foreign capital within a well-regulated financial sector. The participation of SBI Group represents foreign direct investment supporting Muhlah’s expansion and accelerating its ability to deliver Shariah-compliant financing solutions, building on the strategic partnership between BIM Ventures and SBI Group.
Muhlah intends to progressively expand its financing capacity through Shariah-compliant structures, including off-balance-sheet and partner-backed arrangements. The company intends to explore additional funding channels and international partnerships to support its growth, subject to market conditions and further agreements.
Yoshitaka Kitao, representative director, chairman, president and CEO, said: “The shareholders, BIM and SBI Group, entered into the memorandum of understanding in May 2024, under the support of the Ministry of Investment, regarding a strategic business alliance that includes the joint establishment and management of investment funds. This transaction represents one of the concrete initiatives undertaken pursuant to that alliance.”
Mohamed Amine Merah, managing partner and CEO, BIM Ventures, said: “From inception, Muhlah was designed to bridge local market expertise with global financial depth. Our partnership with SBI Group, one of Asia’s largest financial conglomerates, brings a unique combination of fintech know-how and access to Japanese and international capital markets into Saudi Arabia’s consumer finance sector. This round reflects what the BIM-SBI alliance was built to achieve: creating investable, regulation-ready platforms that attract world-class partners to the Kingdom.”
Abdulaziz Al-Rammah, CEO of Muhlah, will lead the company’s next phase of growth, focused on expanding access to Shariah-compliant consumer microfinance through responsible products that strengthen transparency, affordability, and sustainable repayment outcomes.
