INTERVIEW: Lessons in intelligent learning from the UAE’s master restructurer

(Illustration by Luis Grañena)
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Updated 15 December 2019
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INTERVIEW: Lessons in intelligent learning from the UAE’s master restructurer

  • Pity the nation divided into fragments, each fragment considering itself a nation

Ziad Makhzoumi is ready for the next chapter. A serial entrepreneur, restructurer par excellence, corporate adviser and public speaker, the 64-year-old Lebanese-born executive is looking for a new challenge in a career that has made him one of the best-known figures in the regional business scene. “Retirement is not an option in the coming few years,” he told Arab News.

Since 2016, when Makhzoumi helped to put together the deal that saw fertility firm IVF Fakih sold to NMC Healthcare for more than 1.5 billion dirhams ($408 million) — then the biggest deal ever in the UAE health care sector — he has taken stock, written a book based on his immense corporate experience, and launched another start-up in the medical business that could have global ramifications.

The book, “Intelligent Learning: Competing in Systemic Chaos” is a manual for budding entrepreneurs, as well as a primer for more experienced executives and policymakers. “I wanted to write about my approach to strategy and problem-solving in business. The reason for my success over the years is my passionate drive to want to achieve positive outcomes in my personal and business life,” he said.

“When I advise businesses, many times I have been frustrated with people who are not interested in learning new things, they chose to ignore what is around them and are content with looking in one direction instead of seeing everything that is really there,” Makhzoumi said.

He was speaking in general terms, but perhaps his comments could be applied to the corporate situation for which he is still best known in the Middle East — the five-year stint when he was chief financial officer of Arabtec Holding, one of the UAE’s most prominent contracting groups, responsible for some of the Emirate’s globally iconic landmarks, including the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

Arabtec, founded by his Lebanese compatriot Riad Kamal, had been a driving force behind the Dubai building boom of the early 2000s, but by the time the global financial crisis hit the region it was in all sorts of trouble, overextended and under financial pressure.


BIO

BORN: Beirut, Lebanon, 1955

EDUCATION
• University of Manchester, Alliance Manchester Business School

CAREER

  • Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton
  • Chief financial officer, Arabtec Holdings
  • CEO, IVF Fakih
  • Adviser, Drake & Scull
  • Founder and CEO, MAP Sciences

Makhzoumi kept the wolf from the door for a considerable time, and helped to organize the rescue of Arabtec by Abu Dhabi backers. But a change of strategic direction by the new management left him out in the cold. It also left him well-qualified to comment on the UAE’s current real-estate related challenges.

The country is still growing in economic terms, according to figures from the International Monetary Fund, but oversupply of property developments has taken the steam out of the real-estate market, formerly one of the drivers of the local economy. Levels of indebtedness remain stubbornly high despite several rounds of restructuring since the 2009 crisis.

Property valuations have been languishing just as the UAE gears up for Expo 2020, the global business fair on which a lot of hopes have been pinned. Makhzoumi believes there is still some work for policy-makers to do ahead of that event.

“The medium-term outlook for the UAE remains stable, underpinned by sizeable sovereign wealth fund assets, as well as the government’s commitment to forge ahead with reforms. However, sustaining robust non-oil growth after Expo 2020 remains a key priority, especially in the context of the likelihood that global oil demand will slow,” he said.

But his Arabtec experience, as well as a later short term as an adviser to another troubled UAE contractor, Drake & Scull, make him wary that the boom days will return any time soon. “The real-estate sector in Dubai is still suffering a correction cycle that has been extended based on over-optimistic expectations, which might not happen because of external factors like the global economic and trade situation.

“As a result the over-building and high prices of real estate will possibly increase the incidence of default by the buyers and developers, and thus affect the banks’ balance sheet. The cycle could directly affect the banking sector’s ability to lend to other businesses, especially SMEs which are vital for the diversification of the economy,” he said.

On the subject of diversification, Makhzoumi has had plenty of experience in Saudi Arabia, and takes a more optimistic view of developments in the Kingdom.

“I have worked in Saudi Arabia at different times in my professional life, in the Seventies, Eighties and in 2000, but never have I witnessed the vast changes that are happening now under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The Vision 2030 strategy has highlighted the intent, and the leadership is delivering on its promise. We are seeing events that 20 years ago we would not even contemplate. It is all good and will get better,” he said.

Makhzoumi’s current big project could be a game-changer in the medical field. MAP Sciences, a UK-based company that offers state-of-the-art diagnostics, has developed an all-in-one test based on the high-tech spectral analysis of a simple blood spot, dried on to a blotting card, which could be used by an individual without medical staff and revealing the results within minutes.

He explained the sophisticated science behind the product. “Not only will this new test dramatically overcome the cost and phobia of venous blood draw, but the minuscule sample required is subjected to a new laboratory technology, termed ‘MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry,’ which is quicker, cheaper and better than current tests,” he said.

MAP is involved in projects around the world, including a potentially huge research initiative in China with the government of the city of Nanjing to provide an efficient and rapid diagnosis for Downs syndrome during pregnancy, as well as trials in some of the leading medical institutions in the UK. “We have started our male and female cancer screening tests that will soon offer the individual a home-screening test that is affordable, reliable and fast,” he said.

He is currently seeking funds from global investors to help fuel MAP’s next phase of growth.

Makhzoumi spends a lot of time in the UK working on the MAP business, and is a skeptical observer of the political scene. A natural conservative, he has become disillusioned with post-Brexit developments in the country, and has moved away from the current Tory party philosophy under leader Boris Johnson, who has just won a resounding election victory.

“I believe the UK cannot be completely isolated from the European Community, and should have approached the problem differently. Great Britain is not so great any more — racial bias and secular isolation has become an acceptable political stand. I hope the new government will bring unity and future clarity and make the UK united again and reclaim its leadership role on the world stage,” he said.

If his view of the UK is less than optimistic, the situation in his native Lebanon he regards as altogether more depressing. “Lebanon is a very sad story. My heart bleeds for a nation, claiming to be a modern republic after 15 years of civil war, built on democratic principles that accepts corruption and favoritism as a normal social and political standard,” he said.

“The economic system needs a complete overhaul and only honest and capable professionals should be appointed, who have the nation’s interest at heart, and not accept office as an opportunity for personal gains and to abuse the citizens of Lebanon,” he said.

Quoting Kahlil Gibran, Lebanon’s national philosopher, Makzoumi said: “Pity the nation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation,” and added: “The future of Lebanon hinges on whether these barbed fragments can at last be overcome in the interest of a forging a nation greater than the sum of its parts. The overriding obstacle to realizing this vision is that Lebanon remains cursed by geography, and its core fragments are liberally supplied by powerful and ruthless foreign patrons.”

Maybe policy-makers need a dose of “Intelligent Learning”? 

“The world is at war with itself, fueled by ideologies and economic and cultural assumptions that do not work together anymore, and old assumptions that are unreal. The world is going into a state of systematic chaotic disorganization. As individuals, governments, businesses and global citizens, we must learn differently,” he said.


Saudia unveils beta version of new Travel Companion platform

Updated 24 April 2024
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Saudia unveils beta version of new Travel Companion platform

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s flagship airline Saudia has launched a beta version of its digital platform, the Travel Companion, powered by advanced artificial intelligence, aiming to transform the industry.

The new initiative, unveiled during a special event, is part of a two-year plan developed in partnership with global professional services firm Accenture.

“This platform, resulting from our ongoing collaboration with Accenture, signifies our forward-looking approach to providing guests with unparalleled convenience and flexibility,” the Director General of Saudia Group, Ibrahim Al-Omar, said. 

The main objective of this launch is to transform how travelers engage with the airline and establish new benchmarks for digital travel.

TC, initially named, offers personalized and tailored solutions to meet individual preferences and needs, providing search results from trusted and authenticated sources and incorporating visual aids in its responses.

The interface is designed as a comprehensive, one-stop solution that enables users to book concierge services, including hotels, transportation, and restaurants, as well as activities and attractions, without the need to switch between multiple platforms.

“This is a beta version. This is not the product. We will keep enhancing and developing it,” Al-Omar stressed.

Moreover, it establishes seamless connections with transportation platforms and various train companies, ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted journey.

Commenting on the new announcement, Chief Data and Technology Officer at Saudia, Abdulgader Attiah, told Arab News: “It’s like having the VVVIP concierge service at your hand. For public, it’s not any anymore VIP service. It’s not a paid service. You have it for free, and it will give you all what all kind of services that VVIP service would provide to you, so it’s your private concierge.”

He added: “We will be the anchor for the travel industry. We are not anymore, an operator for an airline, but with this app, you will be an anchor for all tourism ecosystem in a single app, so everyone can collaborate in this app, and having the links, so you don’t need to communicate with any other party, so through this app, you can communicate to all travel ecosystem.”

In future phases, Saudia plans to add more features, including voice command and digital payment solutions.

“Once we add the complete solution we will add the more services, which is we call it the concierge services; booking for hotels and transportation and the restaurants, all of these ones is done during the, next two years, and this is the complete life cycle of the, vision we have today,” Attiah told Arab News.

He added: “If you want to develop this app, five years back, it would take three, four years. Today, we have developed only in seven, eight months. To that from the inspirational part to having an actual booking, we started back in June and now we are live.”

Attiah also underlined that Saudia is the first airline in the world to implement a GenAI-based chatbot that can perform end-to-end actions, meaning it can not only engage in conversation but also execute tasks or actions based on user requests.

With an always-on Travel Companion available through a telecom e-SIM card provided by Saudia, users can stay connected globally without relying on additional internet providers.

Furthermore, users can purchase data packages for extended use, guaranteeing continuous access to the platform’s services.


Saudi economy witnessing a fundamental shift, says minister

Updated 24 April 2024
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Saudi economy witnessing a fundamental shift, says minister

RIYADH: Since the launch of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has witnessed a fundamental shift in its economy and the business environment is transforming with the creation of new sectors, said the Kingdom’s economy minister.

Faisal Al-Ibrahim was speaking at a conference in Riyadh on Wednesday during which he highlighted the fast-evolving business landscape of the Kingdom focused on diversifying its income sources away from oil.

Speaking at the event titled “Industrial policies to promote economic diversification,” the top official said there have been fundamental changes in the legislative and economic regulations to promote sustainable development since the launching of the Vision 2030 plan.

He said the Kingdom’s efforts to diversify its economy have led to the creation of new sectors due to the initiation of several megaprojects such as NEOM, the Red Sea, and others. 

 “We stand at a crossroads to change the global economy,” Al-Ibrahim said.

He stressed the need for strategies to ensure a flexible and sustainable economy.

“The presence of foreign investments will develop competitiveness in the long term,” the minister affirmed.

The minister also highlighted how the Kingdom was working in the medium term to focus on transforming sectors that represent a technological shift.

Saudi Arabia is keen on achieving development in the medium term by balancing short-term profits and promoting long-term success, Al-Ibrahim highlighted.

Since the launch of the vision, the Ministry of Economy and Planning has conducted several economic studies aimed at diversifying the economy by developing objectives for all sectors, raising complexity levels, and studying emerging economies to enhance the Kingdom’s capabilities.  

 


Saudi Arabia closes April sukuk issuance at $1.97bn

Updated 24 April 2024
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Saudi Arabia closes April sukuk issuance at $1.97bn

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has completed its riyal-denominated sukuk issuance for April at SR7.39 billion ($1.97 billion), representing a rise of 66.44 percent compared to the previous month. 

The National Debt Management Center revealed that the Shariah-compliant debt product was divided into three tranches. 

The first tranche, valued at SR2.35 billion, is set to mature in 2029, while the second one amounting to SR1.64 billion is due in 2031. 

The third tranche totaled SR3.51 billion and will mature in 2036. 

“The Kingdom also plans to expand funding activities during the year 2024, reaching up to a total of SR138 billion from what has been stated previously in the Annual Borrowing Plan, with a portion of this amount already covered up to date,” said NDMC in a press statement. 

It added: “This step comes with the aim of capitalizing on market opportunities to achieve proactive financing for the coming year and utilizing it to bolster the state’s general reserves or seize additional opportunities to enhance transformative spending during this year, thereby accelerating strategic projects and programs of Saudi Vision 2030.” 

In March, NDMC concluded its second government sukuk savings round for March, with a total volume of requests reaching SR959 million, allocated to 37,000 applicants. 

The center added that the financial product, also known as Sah, offers a return of 5.64 percent, with a maturity date in March 2025. 

Earlier this month, Fitch Ratings, in a report, said that global sukuk issuance is expected to continue growing in the coming months of this year, driven by funding and refinancing demands. 

The credit rating agency noted that various other factors like economic diversification efforts by countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council region and development of the debt capital market will also propel the growth of the market in the future. 

In January, another report released by S&P Global revealed that sukuk issuance worldwide is expected to total between $160 billion and $170 billion in 2024, driven by higher financing needs in Islamic nations.

The report noted that higher financing needs in some core Islamic finance countries and easing liquidity conditions across the world are two crucial factors which will drive the growth of the market this year. 


Closing Bell: TASI edges down to close at 12,355 points 

Updated 24 April 2024
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Closing Bell: TASI edges down to close at 12,355 points 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index dipped on Wednesday, losing 128.72 points, or 1.03 percent, to close at 12,355.69.    

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR8.45 billion ($2.25 billion) as 41 of the listed stocks advanced, while 187 retreated.   

Similarly, the MSCI Tadawul Index decreased by 14.78 points, or 0.95 percent, to close at 1,548.62. 

Also, the Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu dipped, losing 365.84 points, or 1.37 percent, to close at 26,326.12. This comes as 17 of the listed stocks advanced, while 45 retreated. 

The best-performing stock of the day was Al-Rajhi Co. for Cooperative Insurance as its share price surged by 9.87 percent to SR138.

Other top performers include Al Sagr Cooperative Insurance Co. and First Milling Co., whose share prices soared by 6.38 percent and 5.63 percent, to stand at SR35.85 and SR78.80, respectively. 

In addition to this, other top performers included Batic Investments and Logistics Co. and Saudi Research and Media Group. 

The worst performer was Al-Baha Investment and Development Co., whose share price dropped by 7.14 percent to SR0.13. 

Other weak performers were National Co. for Learning and Education as well as Arriyadh Development Co., whose share prices dropped by 5.95 percent and 5.91 percent to stand at SR148.60 and SR22.60, respectively. 

Moreover, other subdued performers also include Red Sea International Co. and AYYAN Investment Co. 

On the Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu, the best-performing stock of the day was Osool and Bakheet Investment Co., as its share price surged by 12.05 percent to SR40.90. 

Other top performers on Nomu include Arabian Plastic Industrial Co. and Lana Medical Co., with their share prices soaring by 7.42 percent and 3.59 percent, respectively, reaching SR37.65 and SR41.85. 

The worst performer was Jahez International Co. for Information System Technology, whose share price dropped by 5.88 percent to SR32.

Other weak performers were Alhasoob Co. as well as Aqaseem Factory for Chemicals and Plastics Co., whose share prices dropped by 3.61 percent and 3.38 percent to stand at SR64.10 and SR62.80, respectively. 

On the announcements front, HSBC Saudi Arabia, serving as sole financial advisor, joint bookrunner, underwriter, and lead manager, has announced the intention of Dr. Soliman Abdel Kader Fakeeh Hospital Co., known as Fakeeh Care Group, to proceed with its initial public offering on the main market of Saudi Exchange. 

According to a statement, the offering will include 49.8 million ordinary shares, with 19.8 million existing shares and 30 million new shares upon completion.  

This offering is set to represent 21.47 percent of the company's share capital post-capital increase.  

Saudi Exchange and the Capital Market Authority approved the listing and IPO, respectively, with the pricing of shares to be determined after the book-building period. 


Ministry tenders contract for expansion of Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium

Updated 24 April 2024
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Ministry tenders contract for expansion of Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Sports Ministry has tendered a contract to boost the capacity of Riyadh’s Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium to 45,000 seats up from its current 22,188.

The expansion project comes as the Kingdom prepares to host the Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup in 2027, reported MEED. 

This initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia’s plan to build sports stadiums under its SR10.1 billion ($2.7 billion) capital projects program. 

The ministry requested proposals on April 8 and expects to receive bids on June 14.

In April, the ministry also tendered an early works contract for the expansion and development of the Prince Mohammed bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam.

At the time, the scope of the contract included the stadium’s decommissioning, demolition, and bulk excavation, as well as the relocation and setting up of related facilities.  

In July 2023, the ministry invited firms to submit pre-qualification documents for the main construction contracts for the schemes in the capital projects program. 

The undertakings, which are set for completion before the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, entail increasing the capacity of King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh to 92,000 seats and boosting the seating capacity of Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium to 30,000 seats. 

It also includes increasing the seating capacity of the Prince Saud bin Jalawi Stadium in Al-Kahir to 45,000 and building a sustainable New Riyadh Stadium north of the city with 45,000 seats.

Another main element of the ministry’s projects program is the construction of as many as 30 new training grounds and facilities in proximity to the stadiums that will be used for the 2027 competition. 

Construction on the projects is expected to start in July 2024 and scheduled to be completed by December 2025.

A total of 18 facilities will be ready in time for the 2026 AFC Women’s Cup.