JEDDAH: Saudi Binladin Group (SBG) on Saturday said it remains a private sector company owned by its shareholders, according to a statement sent to Arab News.
Earlier unconfirmed reports issued by some media outlets suggested that the Saudi government had taken over SBG, the Kingdom’s construction giant which has worked on dozens of megaprojects over the decades.
SBG also confirmed that contracted work with the government, which remains a significant part of its activities, is ongoing. This includes projects currently operating in the two holy mosques and the Zamzam rehabilitation project, which began months ago and is expected to end before Ramadan 2018.
Based on information available to SBG management, some shareholders may have agreed a settlement that involves transferring some SBG shares to the government of Saudi Arabia against outstanding dues.
SBG said this was a positive step and is currently restructuring its governance and executive management team to meet its commitment toward all stakeholders, according to the statement.
Restructuring efforts started two years ago with the objective of separating ownership from management in accordance with best governance standards.
To support those efforts, a supervisory committee was created. The committee is composed of five members, including three independent members — Dr. Abdulrehman Hamad Al-Harkan, Dr. Khaled Hamza Nahas and Khaled Mohammed Al-Khowaiter — and two members from the shareholders group, Yahia Mohammed Binladin and Abdullah Mohammed Binladin.
The committee will restructure the group and empower the new executive management to lead the projects and overcome the current challenges, leading the company to be profitable again, the statement said.
SBG, which had more than 100,000 employees at its height, is the biggest builder in Saudi Arabia. It was hit hard after the crash in oil prices, which led to construction projects and government contracts being scrapped or delayed. The company was forced to lay off thousands of workers.
The contractor also suffered a temporary exclusion from new state contracts after a crane accident killed 107 people at Makkah’s Grand Mosque in 2015.
Saudi Binladin Group ‘still a private sector company’
Saudi Binladin Group ‘still a private sector company’
The Family Office to host global investment summit in Saudi Arabia
RIYADH: The Family Office, one of the Gulf’s leading wealth management firms, will host its exclusive investment summit, “Investing Is a Sea,” from Jan. 29 to 31 on Shura Island along Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.
The event comes as part of the Kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 initiative, reflecting efforts to position Saudi Arabia as a global hub for investment dialogue and strategic economic development.
The summit is designed to offer participants an immersive environment for exploring global investment trends and assessing emerging opportunities and challenges in a rapidly changing financial landscape.
Discussions will cover key themes including shifts in the global economy, the role of private markets in portfolio management, long-term investment strategies, and the transformative impact of artificial intelligence and advanced technologies on investment decision-making and risk management, according to a press release issued on Sunday.
Abdulmohsin Al-Omran, founder and CEO of The Family Office, will deliver the opening remarks, with keynote addresses from Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman and Prince Turki Al-Faisal, chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies.
The press release said the event reflects the firm’s commitment to institutional discipline, selective investment strategies, and long-term planning that anticipates economic cycles.
The summit will bring together prominent international and regional figures, including former UK Treasury Commercial Secretary Lord Jim O’Neill, Mohamed El-Erian, chairman of Gramercy Fund Management, Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, chairman of the editorial board at Al Arabiya, Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade Dr. Amer Bisat, economist Nouriel Roubini of NYU Stern School of Business, Naim Yazbeck, president of Microsoft Middle East and Africa, John Pagano, CEO of Red Sea Global, Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon, MBE, co-founder of Stemettes, SRMG CEO Jomana R. Alrashed and other leaders in finance, technology, and investment.
With offices in Bahrain, Dubai, Riyadh, and Kuwait, and through its Zurich-based sister company Petiole Asset Management AG with a presence in New York and Hong Kong, The Family Office has established a reputation for combining institutional rigor with innovative, long-term investment strategies.
The “Investing Is a Sea” summit underscores Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a global center for financial dialogue and strategic investment, reinforcing the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objective of fostering economic diversification and sustainable development.
