Lulu joins with Saudi Royal Commission to develop 300 million riyal shopping mall project

Yusuff Ali MA, Chairman of Lulu Group (L) and Adnan Bin Ayesh Alwani, CEO Royal Commission Yanbu, KSA virtually signing the Yanbu Project. (Supplied)3
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Updated 29 August 2020
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Lulu joins with Saudi Royal Commission to develop 300 million riyal shopping mall project

  • Apart from LuLu Hypermarket and other prominent brands, the presence of the world’s biggest cinema operator AMC is expected to add more value to the project

RIYADH: The Royal Commission of Yanbu has signed an agreement with the UAE-based retailer Lulu Group to jointly develop a shopping mall in the port city of Yanbu. The project, worth SR300 million ($80 million), was awarded to LuLu after it won the tender of the Royal Commission.
The agreement was signed virtually by Adnan bin Ayesh Alwani, CEO of the Royal Commission of Yanbu; and Yusuff Ali M.A., chairman of LuLu Group; in the presence of Zaidan Yusuf, general manager of investment and development, Royal Commission of Yanbu; Shehim Mohammed, director, Lulu Hypermarkets Saudi Arabia; Rafeek Mohamed Ali, regional director, western region; and other officials.
As per the agreement, Lulu along with the Royal Commission of Yanbu, will jointly establish and operate a commercial center under the LuLu brand, with a total area of about 40,814 square meters in the Al-Fahd neighborhood of Yanbu Al-Sinaiyah.
Apart from LuLu Hypermarket and other prominent brands, the presence of the world’s biggest cinema operator AMC is expected to add more value to the project.

THENUMBER

1,000

Number of new employment opportunities expected to be created with the establishment of the shopping mall in Yanbu.

Alwani said: “LuLu Group is a leading entity within the global retail industry and it will be an important component for this prestigious shopping mall project. We are delighted to welcome LuLu and are confident that the new hypermarket alongside other internationally-acclaimed retail brands will be a focal destination, which will attract more visitors to this city.”
LuLu chairman Ali said: “We are glad to associate with the Royal Commission of Yanbu for bringing world-class shopping experience to the port city of Yanbu. We also take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the government who have always given tremendous support to investments and economic development, which ultimately generate more employment opportunities for the Saudi citizens.”
He added: “It has been our policy to bring a world-class shopping experience closer to the people.” Lulu currently employs 3,000 Saudi nationals, including 790 women in their various hypermarkets across the Kingdom and upon the completion of the Yanbu project, about 1,000 new employment opportunities will be created additionally, he said.


ITC Infotech accelerates Vision 2030 through digital hub in Riyadh

Updated 17 January 2026
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ITC Infotech accelerates Vision 2030 through digital hub in Riyadh

ITC Infotech’s commitment to delivering real digital change in the Middle East is reinforced by strengthening collaboration and working more closely with customers on the ground. The establishment of its Digital and AI Engineering Hub in Riyadh brings superior digital engineering and AI skills closer to businesses, allowing for speedier collaboration, localized innovation, and solutions targeted to regional needs. This strategic expansion aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and underscores ITC Infotech’s long-standing emphasis on partnership-led growth and customer-centric innovation.

The hub was officially inaugurated on Jan. 15 by Sanjiv Puri, chairman and managing director of ITC Ltd. This facility is designed to help enterprises leverage advanced technologies and convert digital ambitions into measurable business outcomes. This move aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s efforts to build a knowledge-driven economy powered by innovation and technology.

Saudi Arabia’s digital leap

Vision 2030 is more than just economic diversification; it is a clear blueprint for creating a technologically advanced society. This vision is centered on the integration of artificial intelligence and digital engineering, which are transforming industries and enabling long-term, sustainable growth. The strategic importance of AI is clear, with the Saudi Data and AI Authority estimating that it may add $135 billion to the Kingdom’s GDP by 2030. This commitment is supported by significant investments, including $14.9 billion announced at LEAP 2025 to advance digital infrastructure, talent, and next-generation technologies, as well as historic projects like the $2.7 billion Hexagon Data Center in Riyadh. Together, these efforts are laying the foundation for a secure, resilient, and future-ready digital ecosystem that can support AI adoption, data-driven governance, and smart city development at scale.

What the hub offers

ITC Infotech’s Riyadh hub is designed to fuel this momentum by focusing on three core areas:

  • AI-powered platforms: Delivering predictive analytics, intelligent automation, and data-driven insights to help businesses transition from reactive operations to proactive strategies.
  • Digital engineering solutions: Leveraging Industry 4.0-driven smart manufacturing capabilities, integrating AI-led modeling, connected systems, and advanced analytics to optimize production performance, improve asset utilization, and proactively reduce operational and quality risks across the engineering lifecycle.
  • Cloud-native architectures: Building agile, secure, and resilient ecosystems that enable faster innovation and seamless integration across enterprise systems.

These capabilities are designed to enable organizations to innovate, scale, and compete in a rapidly evolving digital economy. Beyond technology, the hub is fundamentally anchored in building a team of the region, from the region, for the region and for global impact. Through structured skill-building programs, deep partnerships with academia, systematic knowledge transfer, and immersive, hands-on delivery models, the hub is creating a future-ready Saudi workforce fully aligned with Vision 2030 and capable of serving both national and international priorities.

Driving enterprise transformation 

The ITC Infotech hub aims to enable transformation rather than simply deploy technology. By driving AI adoption, accelerating digital engineering, and building cloud-native ecosystems, ITC Infotech seeks to help businesses:

  • develop new business models to meet evolving market needs.
  • improve operational efficiency through predictive insights and automation.
  • support sustainability goals by optimizing resources and reducing risks.
  • build a skilled local workforce capable of leading future innovations.

These outcomes support enterprises as they transition to more resilient, data-driven, and digitally mature operating models.

The road ahead

ITC Infotech is a wholly owned subsidiary of ITC Limited, one of India’s largest conglomerates, with over 25 years of experience as a trusted technology services partner to enterprises globally. The company focuses on next-generation enterprise transformation, delivering services across infrastructure and application modernization, cloud, cybersecurity, digital engineering, and AI-led innovation.

As Saudi Arabia continues its digital journey, ITC Infotech’s combination of global expertise, strong local presence, and collaborative delivery model positions it as a long-term partner in advancing Vision 2030. ITC Infotech’s hub in Riyadh reflects this commitment, bringing advanced capabilities closer to customers, investing in local talent, and enabling enterprises to adopt AI at scale as they compete in an increasingly digital world.