DUBAI: Saudi Arabian companies accounted for two of the three initial public offerings in the Middle East and North Africa region during the first quarter of 2021, representing 96 percent of the amount raised, according to consultancy EY.
The two listings on the Tadawul in Q1 raised $281.6 million. That compares with $1.45 billion from four listings for the whole of 2020, which represented a 78 percent share of the MENA IPO market, EY said in a report.
Alkhorayef Water & Power Technologies raised $144 million after its retail offering was oversubscribed by 1,511 percent and the institutional offering by 6,320 percent. Theeb Rent a Car Company collected $138 million from its IPO, which was oversubscribed by 6,010 percent for the institutional tranche and 3,385 percent for the retail offering.
MENA IPOs lagged the global market in Q1, which was the best first quarter in terms of both deal numbers and proceeds for the 20 years, generating $105.6 billion from 430 offerings, EY said. MENA IPOs raised $294.8 million, a 64 percent decline from the same period in 2020 and down from $925 million Q4, 2020.
“The MENA region’s IPO market was off to a slower than expected start in 2021, despite expectations for an increase in IPO activity after an uptick and stronger performance in Q4 of 2020,” said Matthew Benson, EY MENA strategy and transactions leader. “We expect IPO activity to bounce back over the coming months while economic conditions in the region continue to improve, aided by the accelerated vaccine rollouts and the possibility of reaching herd immunity against COVID-19.”
Saudi Arabia dominates slow MENA IPO market in Q1
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Saudi Arabia dominates slow MENA IPO market in Q1
- MENA IPOs lagged the global market in Q1, which was the best first quarter in terms of both deal numbers and proceeds for the 20 years
Saudi Arabia’s cultural sector is a new economic engine between Riyadh and Paris, says ambassador
RIYADH: Culture has become a fundamental pillar in bilateral relations between France and Saudi Arabia, according to the French Ambassador to the Kingdom, Patrick Maisonnave.
Maisonnave noted its connection to the entertainment and tourism sectors, which makes it a new engine for economic cooperation between Riyadh and Paris.
He told Al-Eqtisadiah during the opening ceremony of La Fabrique in the Jax district of Diriyah that cultural cooperation with Saudi Arabia is an important element for its attractiveness in the coming decades.
La Fabrique is a space dedicated to artistic creativity and cultural exchange, launched as part of a partnership between the Riyadh Art program and the French Institute in Riyadh.
Running from Jan. 22 until Feb 14, the initiative will provide an open workspace that allows artists to develop and work on their ideas within a collaborative framework.
Launching La Fabrique as a space dedicated to artistic creativity
The ambassador highlighted that the transformation journey in the Kingdom under Vision 2030 has contributed to the emergence of a new generation of young artists and creators, alongside a growing desire in Saudi society to connect with culture and to embrace what is happening globally.
He affirmed that the relationship between the two countries is “profound, even cultural par excellence,” with interest from the Saudi side in French culture, matched by increasing interest from the French public and cultural institutions unfolding in the Kingdom.
Latest estimates indicate that the culture-based economy represents about 2.3 percent of France’s gross domestic product, equivalent to more than 90 billion euros ($106.4 billion) in annual revenues, according to government data. The sector directly employs more than 600,000 people, making it one of the largest job-creating sectors in the fields of creativity, publishing, cinema, and visual arts.
Saudi Arabia benefiting from French experience in the cultural field
Maisonnave explained that France possesses established cultural institutions, while Saudi Arabia is building a strong cultural sector, which opens the door for cooperation opportunities.
This comes as an extension of the signing of 10 major cultural agreements a year ago between French and Saudi institutions, aiming to enhance cooperation and transfer French expertise and knowledge to contribute to the development of the cultural system in the Kingdom.
He added that experiences like La Fabrique provide an opportunity to meet the new generation of Saudi creators, who have expressed interest in connecting with French institutions and artists in Paris and France.
La Fabrique encompasses a space for multiple contemporary artistic practices, including performance arts, digital and interactive arts, photography, music, and cinema, while providing the public with an opportunity to witness the stages of producing artistic works and interact with the creative process.
