Some 400 of the region’s top business executives, strategists and thought leaders are converging on the King Abdullah Economic City near Jeddah for the eighth gathering of Top CEOs under the auspices of Trends Magazine and the Insead Business School.
For the first time, to reflect the moves towards gender equality in Saudi Arabia’s workforce, the event will be preceded by the Arab Women Forum, a one-day gathering of top women executives, decision makers and professionals, as well as experts on women empowerment and business leadership, in partnership with Arab News.
Julien Hawari, co-CEO of Mediaquest which publishes Trends, said: “There is a profound paradigm shift under way in the region and its epicenter is Saudi Arabia. These changes are impacting all businesses and CEOs have to understand how it is affecting the government and private sectors.
“The other important transformation is the empowerment of women that will have a profound impact on the economy. These two events will explain how it will affect employment and growth,” he added.
The centerpiece of the two days of plenary gatherings, workshops and breakout sessions will be the announcement of the Top CEO Awards in the Arabian Gulf region, an annual rating of executive quality based on the financial performance of the leading companies on the region’s stock markets.
“These are the most credible and transparent awards the region produces, assessing companies and their CEOs that value grows, corporate governance and transparency,” Hawari said.
The women’s forum will discuss such issues as “value creation in the 21st century,” “reinventing the workplace and the power of parity”, and the “community based new economy.”
The Top CEO event will debate matters like “the execution challenge,”, “rethinking the ecosystem”, and “securing the future.”
Among the speakers at the two days of events are included Fahd Al Rasheed, CEO of Emaar the Economic City, Maliha Hashmi, head of strategic partnerships for the Public Investment Fund’s NEOM project, Tarek Elmasry, Middle East chief of McKinsey & Company, and Muna Abusulyman, media personality and goodwill ambassador of the United Nations Development Program.
Faisal Abbas, editor in chief of Arab News, said: “Given the raft of reforms underway in Saudi Arabia, there could not be a more appropriate and meaningful time to host such an event.”
Arab News has been taking a leading role in both reporting on the changes under way in the Kingdom and pointing out the clear need for women to play key roles in Saudi society, and the many challenges ahead. The conference aims to take this conversation forward - for the benefit of both Saudi Arabia’s female workforce and the wider society as a whole.”
Saudi business leaders, men and women, head to Jeddah for Top CEO summit
Saudi business leaders, men and women, head to Jeddah for Top CEO summit
- This is the first time the Top CEO event will be preceded by a conference dedicated to women
- Two days of discussion have been scheduled touching on women's progress in society and boardroom challenges
Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property: Patent applications filed by individuals, national institutions surge in 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia recorded a significant increase in the number of patent applications filed by individuals and national institutions during 2025, reflecting a growing awareness among innovators and national entities of the importance of protecting innovations and maximizing the value of intangible assets.
The Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property explained that patent applications filed by individuals witnessed substantial growth, rising from 2,007 submissions in 2024 to 3,942 in 2025, representing a growth rate of 96 percent. This indicates a broadening base of innovators and entrepreneurs, and a rising awareness of the importance of registering intellectual property rights, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The authority also indicated that the number of patent applications filed by national institutions increased from 408 in 2024 to 734 in 2025, representing an 80 percent growth. This reflects the increasing interest of national entities in protecting their innovations and transforming them into valuable economic assets.
The entity further noted that this growth contributed to raising the total number of patent applications filed in 2025 to 10,300, compared to 8,029 in 2024. It affirmed its continued efforts to develop the intellectual property system, streamline registration procedures, and support innovation, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
Saudi Arabia has made notable progress in the 2025 Global Intellectual Property Index, with its score rising by 17.5 percent, placing it among the fastest-improving economies out of the 55 countries evaluated.
According to the 13th edition of the index, published by the US Chamber of Commerce in April, the Kingdom now ranks 40th globally, a reflection of the substantial reforms driven by its Vision 2030 strategy. These reforms aim to enhance intellectual property protection, foster innovation, and support the growth of a knowledge-based economy.
Since 2019, Saudi Arabia’s overall score has increased from 36.6 percent to 53.7 percent in 2025, marking a cumulative improvement of over 40 percent in just six years. This progress stems from a comprehensive transformation of the nation’s IP ecosystem, including the strengthening of legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms.
These developments highlight Saudi Arabia’s growing institutional capacity and ongoing regulatory modernization, led by the SAIP.
