Nestlé has contributed over 3 million food and beverage servings to relief efforts run by different entities in Saudi Arabia, including local authorities, food banks and hospitals, impacting 23,000 families and 14,000 health care professionals. The contributions included dairy, cereals, culinary, coffee, and confectionary products. The company also offered 11 tons of pet food to animal shelters in Riyadh and Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia welcomed Nestlé as the first corporation to establish direct sales and distribution operations in the Kingdom in 2011, following more than 55 years of successful presence in the country where the company has invested over $140 million over the past five years. Nestlé currently has 12 offices and operates seven water factories across the Kingdom and employs nearly 5,600 people.
“Though the pandemic posed many challenges on everyone around the world, we were able to overcome hurdles encountered in the supply of our food and beverage products, thanks to the tireless dedication of our teams in Saudi Arabia and the support of authorities in the Kingdom,” said Hossam Abdulrahim, Nestlé’s general business manager in Saudi Arabia.
“Our priorities continue to focus on three main objectives: One, safeguarding the safety and well-being of our employees, our collaborators, business partners and the communities we are a part of; two, ensuring continued production and delivery of food and beverage products to help meet the nutritional needs of individuals and families; and three, stepping up relief efforts to local communities and health care professionals.”
The local efforts are part of Nestlé mobilizations in the Middle East and North Africa supporting more than 30 entities in 17 countries.
In addition, the company’s various divisions are contributing in their different expertise. Nestlé Professional, for example, continues to offer pragmatic support to its business partners in the hospitality industry, as they reopen to welcome customers. This is being done through its “Always Open for You” initiative, which is benefiting foodservice outlets in Saudi Arabia with offerings including payment term extensions, coffee machine rental fees suspensions, and provision of free products, training, marketing and other services.
Nestlé distributes 3m food & beverage servings in Saudi Arabia
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Nestlé distributes 3m food & beverage servings in Saudi Arabia
Schneider Electric launches academy in Saudi Arabia to build future-ready talent
Schneider Electric has announced the launch of the Energy Tech Academy Middle East and Africa in Saudi Arabia, a regional capability platform dedicated to skilling, upskilling, and knowledge sharing.
The launch comes at a critical moment as the Kingdom accelerates energy transition, industrial localization, and human capability development under Vision 2030. The academy reinforces the Kingdom’s leadership role in building future-ready talent while supporting industrial and energy transformation across the wider Middle East and Africa region.
The Energy Tech Academy Middle East and Africa is not a traditional training center; it is a regional platform translating Schneider Electric’s global energy technology expertise into applied capability for Saudi Arabia and the broader region. Anchored in Riyadh, the academy is designed to serve as a benchmark for skills development and enablement across the MEA.
The launch reflects Schneider Electric’s long-term commitment to investing in people and capabilities, and to supporting national priorities across energy, industry, and digital infrastructure.
Mohamed Shaheen, cluster president of Schneider Electric Saudi Arabia and Yemen, said: “This launch reflects our long-term commitment to Saudi Arabia and to building capability that lasts. After more than 40 years in the Kingdom, we continue to invest where impact matters most: in people. Launching the Energy Tech Academy Middle East and Africa from Riyadh underscores our belief that sustainable transformation is built on local capability and trusted partnerships.”
The academy directly supports Saudi Arabia’s focus on human capability development, localization, and Saudi-made outcomes by enabling the skills behind advanced energy systems, industrial automation, and digital infrastructure. Capabilities developed through the academy will support Saudi manufacturing, national projects, and resilient supply chains, while also strengthening regional industrial ecosystems.
“The Energy Tech Academy Middle East and Africa is designed to enable real outcomes,” said Walid Sheta, zone president for the MEA at Schneider Electric. “By equipping talent with future-ready skills across electrification, automation, and digital intelligence, we are strengthening Saudi and regional capability to design, operate, and lead the energy and industrial systems of the future.”
The launch event in Riyadh brought together senior government representatives, industry partners, customers, and Schneider Electric’s leadership, highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration in aligning education, skills development, and labor market needs.
Designed as a long-term platform, the Energy Tech Academy Middle East and Africa will continue to evolve through partnerships, programs, and continuous capability development, reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s role as a regional hub for skills, knowledge, and industrial enablement.
