LONDON: Uber has launched a new version of its platform that targets business users in Saudi Arabia as the ride hailing app looks to boost its Gulf footprint.
It claims the new version of Uber for Business will save companies money by automating business travel.
The technology company’s original focus with the platform was to help Saudi firms' transportation costs and logistics, with features such as monthly billing.
But thanks to businesses experiences of using the platform Uber has updated it and released a new version, claiming it will, among other things, help employees stay safe when leaving the office at night and offer perks for efficient commuting.
An Uber spokesperson said: “Our customers were asking us to solve some of their most pressing business challenges. We are excited to introduce a new version of Uber for Business aimed at making it easier for organizations in Saudi Arabia to manage everything they need to do with Uber. “This means cost savings, because they can ensure that employees travel within company policy.”
Despite the relatively low cost of public taxis in the Gulf, companies such as Uber and regional rival Careem have rapidly expanded over the last two years.
Among the new features that Uber hopes will improve the lives of employees in the Kingdom and save costs for their companies are Set-and-Forget travel programs. This tool allows for managers to set up automated programs for business travel.
For example, the platform allows managers to set up a ‘late night rides’ policy that only works for trips taken between work and home after 8p.m.,” an Uber spokesperson said.
“The company can choose how much to fund per trip, and if employees need to take longer trips, it’s no problem, everything over the spend allowance will be charged to their payment method of choice.”
Another new tool allows companies to set rules for employees, clients and customers, deciding the type of car they can ride in or the time of day the trip has to take place.
“Businesses can provide customized levels of Uber access depending on each person’s needs,” the Uber spokesperson added.
“For example, you can give all of your employees $10 or more for their daily commute, while giving recruiters special access to call rides for candidates via Uber Central. By segmenting your organization by team, level, or location, you can take your transportation policies out of the back office and easily bring them to life.”
Uber generated $6.5 billion in revenue in 2016 after gross bookings doubled to more than $20 billion, the company said in April.
Still, it reported an adjusted net loss of $2.8 billion. The private company is thought to be worth about $68 billion.
Uber targets business users in Saudi Arabia with new platform
Uber targets business users in Saudi Arabia with new platform
Saudi Arabia’s Sports Boulevard doubles its existing investment fund to $533m
RIYADH: Private sector participation in the Sports Boulevard project is set to increase as the foundation behind Riyadh’s largest linear park plans to double its investment fund to SR2 billion ($533 million).
In a press release, the Sports Boulevard Foundation announced its partnership with Ajdan Real Estate Development Co. and Albilad Capital to add an additional SR1 billion to the private real estate investment fund “Sports Boulevard Real Estate Fund 1.”
This increased funding will be utilized to bolster private sector participation within the Arts District, one of the destinations within the Sports Boulevard project.
The Sports Boulevard Development Co. will continue to hold the majority of units in the fund, while Ajdan Real Estate Development Co. will serve as a developer and primary investor, and Albilad Capital will act as the fund manager.
This partnership underscores the collaborative effort behind the expansion, signifying a strategic alliance aimed at creating a vibrant urban space that enhances Riyadh’s cultural and economic landscape.
The project aims to develop a mixed-use lifestyle destination consisting of residential, retail, office, and entertainment components.
Covering a land area of over 39,000 sq. m. at the heart of the Arts District, the total combined built-up site spans approximately 240,000 sq. m., boasting over 100,000 sq. m. of net leasable area.
The design of this destination draws inspiration from the Sports Boulevard Design Code, influenced by the Salmani Architectural Style. This ensures a dynamic and immersive lifestyle experience for both residents and visitors.
Situated at the intersection of Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Road and Prince Turki bin Abdulaziz Al Awwal Road, it offers expansive public spaces, recreational areas, and cycling-friendly tracks.
Covering an area of 184,000 sq. m., the project extends beyond private development parcels, providing ample space for recreational activities and pedestrian-friendly pathways, efficiently linked to the promenade and cycling bridge.
Sports Boulevard, a mega project launched by King Salman bin Abdulaziz in 2019, and supported by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, spans over 135 km on Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Road.
It features safe green pathways for pedestrians, cyclists, athletes, and horse riders, connecting Wadi Hanifah in the west to Wadi Al Sulai in the east.
Additionally, the project includes over 4.4 million sq. m. of greenery, open spaces, and up to 50 multidisciplinary sports facilities. It also hosts several unique destinations and investment zones, totaling an area exceeding 3 million sq. m.
Closing Bell: Saudi benchmark index edges down to close at 11,831
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Monday, losing 19.42 points, or 0.16 percent, to close at 11,831.22.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR5.8 billion ($1.5 billion) as 110 stocks advanced, while 108 retreated.
On the other hand, the Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu also slipped 189.65 points, or 0.71 percent, to close at 26,448.54. This comes as 30 stocks advanced while as many as 34 retreated.
Similarly, the MSCI Tadawul Index also dropped 2.67 points, or 0.18 percent, to close at 1,470.41.
The best-performing stock of the day was Saudi Paper Manufacturing Co. The company’s share price surged 4.89 percent to SR75.10.
Other top performers included CHUBB Arabia Cooperative Insurance Co. as well as Middle East Specialized Cables Co., whose share prices soared by 3.96 percent and 3.46 percent, to stand at SR34.10 and SR32.85 respectively.
On Nomu, Osool and Bakheet Investment Co. was the top gainer, with its share price rising by 9.22 percent to SR48.
Other best performers on Nomu were View United Real Estate Development Co. as well as Al-Modawat Specialized Medical Co., whose share prices soared by 6.53 percent and 6.20 percent to stand at SR79.90 and SR150.80, respectively.
Additional top gainers included Almujtama Alraida Medical Co. and Bena Steel Industries Co.
On the announcement front, Saudi Basic Industries Corp., known as SABIC, received all necessary approvals from relevant authorities to complete the acquisition of its subsidiary Saudi Iron and Steel Co., also known as HADEED, by the Public Investment Fund.
In a statement on Tadawul, SABIC announced that it has satisfied all transaction-related conditions to complete the SR12.5 billion acquisition announced earlier in September 2023.
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia aluminum producer Al Taiseer Group Talco Industrial Co. is listing a 30 percent stake on the Tadawul stock exchange following an initial public offering, setting the final offer price at SR43 per share.
The company is selling 12 million shares and has completed the book-building process for institutional investors, which saw a coverage of 68.5 times the total offer shares, according to Alinma Investment Co., the lead manager and financial adviser to the issuance.
The book-building process for retail investors will run for two days starting on May 28. During this time, they can subscribe to a maximum of 10 percent of the shares. The final share allocation is set for June 2.
Saudi Arabia focused on promoting energy efficiency: top official
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s budding energy efficiency sector has witnessed notable growth, with the number of licensed service providers reaching 55 by the end of 2023, says a top official.
As the Kingdom strives to reduce its carbon footprint, with recently amplified goals to achieve net-zero by 2060, the Saudi Energy Efficiency Center is working to aide the nation in realizing these ambitions, Nasser Al-Ghamdi, the CEO of the center noted.
In his inaugural address at the Saudi ESCO forum, the top executive stressed the entity’s role in raising awareness about energy efficiency. He highlighted that 26 universities nationwide have adopted energy efficiency topics and courses in their curricula.
“Since the inception of the center, we have launched various initiatives that will help in reducing energy consumption,” Al- Ghamdi said.
Among these undertakings, the body has succeeded in launching and implementing more than 200 training programs in the field of energy efficiency, the CEO added.
The executive emphasized that the center has strived to create the necessary ecosystem for suppliers and their beneficiaries in this “promising market” to ensure the quality of energy-efficiency service providers.
He added that this will be achieved through the application of a licensing system for those interested in investing in this field after meeting the technical requirements necessary to provide the service.
Highlighting the role that the fledgling sector is playing in achieving net-zero goals, the CEO said: “The sector, which is considered relatively new, is helping companies and enterprises and buildings in finding solutions to efficiently use energy, including financing and managing solutions and projects. These companies also contribute energy consumption analysis and knowing opportunities for companies to improve their consumption.”
Due to the absence of energy efficiency activities in the commercial sector, one of the highest energy consumers in the Kingdom, accounting for 15.7 percent of total consumption of facilities in the nation, the body launched a pilot project to improve this field.
The initiative aims to improve conditions in the commercial sector by raising business owners’ awareness of opportunities, as implementing energy auditing projects is expected to improve overall efficiency.
Yanbu Royal Commission teams up with Skytower Investments for industrial projects development
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu governorate is poised to see the development of several industrial projects following an agreement between its Royal Commission and Skytower Investments Ltd.
The memorandum of understanding, signed by the commission’s CEO, Abdul Hadi Al-Juhani, aims to develop industries in the petrochemicals sector, specialized chemicals, renewable energy, and other manufacturing divisions.
This MoU signing is part of the Royal Commission’s ongoing efforts to attract more local and international investments to Yanbu Industrial City in promising sectors, aligning with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 programs.
Headquartered in Riyadh, STI is an investment firm specializing in renewable technology, green manufacturing, supply chain, and green power production.
“This is a result of significant development over the past nine months by both teams paving the way for more international manufacturing and localization projects landing in Yanbu,” Skytower said in a tweet on X.
It added: “This agreement will pave the way for more international manufacturing and localization projects landing in Yanbu, an industrial heartland with complete industry infrastructure and extensive manufacturing experiences.”
In April, STI signed a four-party joint agreement with Chinese automaker Chery Automobile Co., the Ministry of Investment, and the National Industrial Development Center.
This collaboration, driven by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, signifies a crucial step toward future economic opportunities and the well-being of the Saudi people.
In August 2023, the Kingdom’s untapped southern region took a significant step toward welcoming international travelers.
Cruise Saudi and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu signed an MoU to unlock the region’s tourism potential. This strategic partnership was aimed at positioning the southern region as a captivating tourist destination, fostering growth in the travel sector and contributing to the region’s economic advancement.
Formalized during the MASAREB ceremony held in Jazan, the agreement encompassed a spectrum of efforts, from knowledge transfer to mutual alignment on ventures aimed at establishing the destination and yielding a positive local impact.
STI is a global partnership between NGOs, green businesses with advanced eco-friendly technology, sustainable manufacturing, and Saudi’s national sustainable economic development authorities.
Their aim is to develop practical plans for industry decarbonization, economic revitalization, technological advancement, and carbon-neutral technology.
Digital trade activities in UAE to grow by 12.3% annually
- Projected surge likely to be fueled by BNPL, fintech systems: report
RIYADH: Digital trade in the UAE is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 12.3 percent from 2023 to 2028, fueled by the rise of “buy now, pay later” models and fintech systems.
A joint research paper, issued by the country’s Ministry of Economy and Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, showed that more than 40 percent of consumers in the UAE rely on “buy now, pay later” models and fintech digital technology systems.
ADCCI CEO Ahmed Khalifa Al-Qubaisi said the research paper serves to strengthen his chamber’s position as a leading partner in the process of digital transformation in the business world.
“It aligns with the chamber’s strategy for digital transformation, aimed at attracting talent and expertise, exploring technological solutions, and integrating advanced AI technologies and tools such as Microsoft Copilot, into the current operational system at the Abu Dhabi Chamber,” he said.
Al-Qubaisi added this integration is intended to boost the level of productivity, improve the completion of daily tasks, increase customer satisfaction, and support the efforts of local and global businessmen and entrepreneurs.
He further said that the ADCCI continues its endeavors to enhance the quality of initiatives and projects dedicated to the private sector.
“The chamber employs various smart systems to analyze and process accurate data, as well as develop operational processes,” the CEO said.
He added that this approach aims to bolster sound decision-making and the formulation of effective strategic plans aligned with the aspirations of the business community in Abu Dhabi.
He noted that the paper provides a detailed overview of local, regional, and global regulatory frameworks and policies, key agreements, and the role of major international bodies such as the World Trade Organization in shaping the movement of traditional and digital trade and highlights new e-commerce practices that shape current trade dynamics.
The research paper revealed that about 49 percent of consumers in the UAE shop online frequently, with about 47 percent of the population relying on credit cards, which is much higher than the global average of 18 percent.
The research paper stated that it is expected that 20.1 percent of total global retail purchases will be completed online in 2024, while digital retail activity is expected to constitute around 25 percent of total global sales by 2027.
