Startup of the Week: OXO mobilizes online deals worth $270m in 11 months

Founded in 2021, the company targets small and medium enterprises as it operates in six different industries. (Supplied)
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Updated 09 August 2022
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Startup of the Week: OXO mobilizes online deals worth $270m in 11 months

  • Company will be able to triple that number by the end of 2023: CEO

CAIRO: Saudi-based fintech startup OXO has hit SR1 billion ($270 million) worth of transactions through its merchant platform since its launch 11 months ago.

During an exclusive interview with Arab News, Ali Al-Hazmi, CEO of OXO, said that the company will be able to triple that number by the end of 2023.
“We have achieved SR1 billion, but I believe it might be more than this because 10 percent of our merchants are not registering the invoices correctly. The numbers will be at least three to four times by 2023,” Al-Hazmi stated.
The company offers a platform for merchants to manage their business better, whether online or on the ground, providing point-of-sale, inventory, accounting and CRM services under one roof.
“OXO provides an omnichannel platform, with the concept of one product, one customer, one platform, so all of your products will be in one inventory, and you can sell online and offline,” Al-Hazmi said.

We are currently integrating with one of the biggest companies offering to buy now pay later services to provide for our clients an opportunity to buy or sell products in monthly settlements.

Ali Al-Hazmi, CEO of OXO

“In addition to transactions, I’m talking about financial things, like invoicing, expenses or recruitments are all in one platform,” he added.
Founded in 2021, the company targets small and medium enterprises as it operates in six different industries. “We are covering supermarkets, pharmacies, fashion retailers, gas stations, and service providers. We are also currently focusing on food and beverage retailers,” Al-Hazmi said.
Al-Hazmi stated that the company has over 3,000 clients using its software, adding that each client has at least two branches.
He also said that the company will be able to get 15,000 clients by the end of 2023 with a one-and-a-half times increase in revenue.
Using a subscription-based business model, OXO is also planning to add a transaction fee as it is partnering with another undisclosed fintech company to empower its financial solutions.
“We have exceeded SR6 million in revenue since the beginning of the launch, almost 10 or 11 months ago. We are currently integrating with one of the biggest companies offering to buy now pay later services to provide for our clients an opportunity to buy or sell products in monthly settlements,” he added.
Speaking about the geographical expansion, Al-Hazmi stated that the company has good relations with potential clients in Far East markets.
“We have a good understanding of their needs and how big the markets are, so we have a plan to go to the Far East within the second quarter of next year,” he added.
As the Kingdom aims to become a regional financial technology hub, fintech players are rising, creating more opportunities and higher competition.
Al-Hazmi believes that competition is healthy for businesses to thrive, stating that the Saudi market is vast and can take up all kinds of players.


Oil Updates – prices edge up after sliding on potential Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire

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Oil Updates – prices edge up after sliding on potential Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire

LONDON: Oil prices edged up on Wednesday as developments in the Middle East took center stage against cautious demand expectations and ahead of a government meeting on China’s fiscal policy.

Brent crude futures rose 45 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $77.63 a barrel by 10:03 a.m. Saudi time. US West Texas Intermediate futures rose 33 cents to $73.90 a barrel.

Prices had plunged more than 4 percent in the previous session on a possible Hezbollah-Israel ceasefire, but markets remain wary of a potential Israeli attack on Iran’s oil infrastructure.

“The everyday dilemma of ‘Middle Eastern headlines’ moving like a pendulum between ‘ceasefire talks’ and ‘further escalation in attacks’ has been distracting investors from reality ... Oil markets are twirled in sentiments of ‘buying the rumor’ and sidelining the real fundamentals that should matter,” said Phillip Nova senior market analyst Priyanka Sachdeva in an email.

The sell-off on Tuesday followed a rally that began after Iran launched a missile barrage at Israel on Oct. 1, culminating in an 8 percent gain on the week on Friday, the largest in more than a year.

Hezbollah officials on Tuesday appeared to back off from a truce in Gaza as a condition for a ceasefire in Lebanon. Hezbollah’s deputy leader Naim Qassem said he backed attempts to secure a truce in a televised speech, the first time the end of the war in Gaza was not mentioned as a pre-condition.

Also supportive for prices, China’s finance ministry will detail plans on fiscal stimulus at a highly-anticipated news conference on Saturday, the government’s main information office said on Wednesday.

Markets have been awaiting further news of fiscal support by Beijing to help China’s flagging economy, which in turn can stimulate oil demand. A press conference by the state planner on Tuesday had disappointed investors after it offered no big stimulus to revive economic growth.

OANDA’s senior market analyst, Kelvin Wong, expects a sideways trading pattern for the oil market in the short term, with WTI confined within a range of $73.15 to $78.30 a barrel, pending announcements on China’s new fiscal stimulus measures and developments in the Middle East.

On the demand front, data showed US crude oil stocks rose by nearly 11 million barrels last week, much more than analysts polled by Reuters had expected, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. However, fuel stockpiles fell.

Weak demand continued to underpin the fundamental outlook. The US Energy Information Administration on Tuesday downgraded its 2024 forecast for global oil demand growth by 20,000 barrels per day, to 103.1 million bpd, because of weaker industrial production and manufacturing growth in the US and China. 


Herfy: key shareholder Savola requests vote on board member dismissal

Updated 09 October 2024
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Herfy: key shareholder Savola requests vote on board member dismissal

  • On Monday, Herfy announced that it had arranged a general assembly for Nov. 4

RIYADH: Herfy’s biggest shareholder has requested a meeting of stock owners to vote on the dismissal of a board member, the Saudi food services firm announced on Tuesday.
Savola Group requested the meeting so shareholders can vote on removing Mohammed Abdulaziz Alshetwey from his board seat.
Savola owns a 49 percent stake in the Saudi food services company, according to a company profile on the Saudi stock exchange.
Herfy, founded in 1982, owns an extensive set of restaurants and is one of the Kingdom’s first fully integrated food services company with its own bakery factory.
On Monday, Herfy announced that it had arranged a general assembly for Nov. 4 and invited shareholders to participate to decide whether to dismiss Chairman Mutaz Qusai Alazzawi.
The company said Ahmad Hamad Alsaid, a shareholder and a former chairman of Herfy, requested the meeting to vote on the chairman’s removal.
Herfy issued a statement addressing what it called “rumors” against the company, including accusations by Alsaid of “misrepresentation in the financial statements” of the Saudi firm.
The letter to shareholders, outlined a list of 11 statements regarding the conduct of Alsaid, including hiring relatives and supplying products to firms “not affiliated with Herfy outside of Riyadh”.
“The company’s management affirms that it did not intend to engage in these disputes, but in light of what is being circulated on social media regarding the company, it was the company’s duty to clarify the facts and take the necessary measures to move the company forward and strive to achieve everything that is in its best interest and the interest of its shareholders,” the statement said.


Saudi Arabia’s Bahri Chemicals set for 56.9% cargo transportation surge in 2024

Updated 08 October 2024
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Saudi Arabia’s Bahri Chemicals set for 56.9% cargo transportation surge in 2024

  • Fleet expansion and rising demand is fueling the increase, company’s president tells conference

RIYADH: Cargo transported by Bahri Chemicals is set to hit 9.1 million tonnes this year — a 56.9 percent rise from 2022, according to a top official.

During a keynote session at the 19th ICIS Middle Eastern Base Oils and Lubricants Conference in Riyadh, Faisal Al-Husseini, president and board member of the firm, noted fleet expansion and rising demand was fueling the increase.

Bahri Chemicals was launched in 1990 and is a joint venture between Saudi Basic Industries Corp. and Bahri — the national shipping carrier of Saudi Arabia.

Al-Husseini said: “Bahri Chemicals is seeking to continue its growth and expand its fleet, and we intend to focus on the types of vessels that can transit through the Red Sea, because they add the most value to our customers.”

As well as reflecting on Bahri Chemicals’ growth, the official used his address to flag up the challenges to vessels caused by tensions in the Red Sea.

He said the company estimates the total cost of disruption to global shipping through the Bab Al-Mandab Strait since November has reached $323 billion and is “increasing every day.”

Concerns over the using the shipping lane increased dramatically at the end of 2023, when Houthi militants stepped up attacks on vessels in the wake of the escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict. 

Al-Husseini stated that Bab Al-Mandab Strait — the narrowest entry point to the Red Sea — is a critical choke point for global trade.

“With the attacks on shipping, we’re seeing the majority of ship owners avoiding the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, going a much longer route around the Cape of Good Hope in order to reach their destinations. In so doing, disrupting supply chains in the region,” Al-Husseini said.

The official compared the impact of recent disruptions in the Red Sea to the Ever Given incident that blocked the Suez Canal in March 2021.

While that blockage lasted just six days and cost the global economy $6-$10 billion per day, the Red Sea disruptions have lasted nearly 11 months.

“To date, at the time of preparing this presentation, there were 100 incidents that have been reported of attacks on civilian merchant vessels transiting the Red Sea,” Al-Husseini said.

He continued: “Today, that number is actually higher. It’s 103 incidents ranging in severity from threats or hostile warnings to actual attacks on vessels where there have been civilian casualties and damage to the vessels.”

Al-Husseini ended his address with a warning, saying: “The attacks against shipping in the Red Sea is ongoing, and it remains severe. I wish I could give you some good news and tell you that it’s improving, but with the ongoing geopolitical turmoil that we see, it is actually becoming more severe.”

During the opening remarks of the conference, Majed Hindi Al-Uteibi, deputy minister for oil and gas and regulatory affairs, stated that the Ministry of Energy is looking to secure international investors to help develop local expertise and increase localization.

He said government departments were working with the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, the National Industrial Development Center, Luberef, and international investors to develop the Lubricants Value Park at Yanbu.

This facility was launched in February 2020 by Saudi Aramco Base Oil Co., also known as Luberef, which is 70 percent owned by Saudi Aramco, while Jadwa Industrial Investment Co. holds the remaining 30 percent stake.

“The Ministry of Energy is working through this special team to localize new technologies in this sector and attract global investors to transform the Kingdom into the largest manufacturer and exporter of these products,” Al-Uteibi said.

Al-Uteibi explained that this will help increase localization rates and meet the growing local and regional demand for these products.

“Saudi Arabia is also positioning itself as a logistical hub for the region, supported by its strategic location, which comes at the crossroads of economic interdependence and trade flows,” Al-Uteibi said.

He continued: “This unique positioning is creating a growing local demand for fit-for-purpose lubricants, reinforcing the Kingdom’s position as a key player in the global lubricants market.”

He further highlighted the potential and growth of the global lubricants market, valued at $140 billion in 2023 and expected to grow at an annual rate of 3.8 percent through 2030.

“Those numbers are more than just figures – they represent the momentum of our industry and the vast opportunities that lie ahead. It is a call for action by all of us to push the boundaries beyond what is possible today and to be at the forefront of innovation,” Al-Uteibi said.

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aims to position the country as a global leader in industries such as lubricants and base oils.

He stressed that several sectors, including mining and industrial manufacturing, are expected to experience significant growth, helping to enhance the Kingdom’s leadership in the lubricants market.

“The renewable energy sector is also emerging as a key area of focus for us, with the expansion of renewable energy projects in the Kingdom,” Al-Uteibi said.

He continued: “This growth will drive demand for lubricants designed to improve the efficiency and durability of wind turbines, ensuring sustainable and reliable energy production.”

These developments reflect Saudi Arabia’s commitment to energy diversification and industrial advancement.


Bahrain’s economy grows 1.3% in Q2, ministry report reveals

Updated 08 October 2024
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Bahrain’s economy grows 1.3% in Q2, ministry report reveals

  • Overall GDP was affected by a 6.7% decline in the oil sector’s GDP compared to the same period last year
  • Real GDP growth is projected to accelerate to 3.8% in 2025

RIYADH: Growth in Bahrain’s non-oil sectors boosted its economy by 1.3 percent year-on-year, reaching 3.7 billion dinars ($9.8 billion) in the second quarter of this year, according to newly released figures.

Issued by the country’s Ministry of Finance and National Economy, citing preliminary data from the Information and eGovernment Authority, the newly released report shows that non-oil gross domestic product grew by 2.8 percent during the period and contributed more than 85 percent to the overall GDP. 

The analysis further indicated that the Gulf country’s overall GDP was affected by a 6.7 percent decline in the oil sector’s GDP compared to the same period last year.

The rise reflects Bahrain’s diversification efforts, aligning with the country’s Economic Vision 2030, a comprehensive development plan to transform the economy.

Being one of the most indebted economies and a small oil producer in the region, Bahrain has introduced reforms to facilitate doing business, create more jobs, and attract foreign investment to boost economic growth.

The Ministry of Finance expects Bahrain’s economy to grow by 3 percent in 2024, driven mainly by non-oil sectors as the government accelerates efforts to diversify sources of income and economic sectors away from hydrocarbons. 

The growth will be driven primarily by a diverse range of non-oil activities, which is forecasted to expand by 3.8 percent during this year.

Looking ahead to 2025, real GDP growth is projected to accelerate to 3.8 percent. The non-oil activities are anticipated to experience an even stronger expansion of 4.5 percent during 2025, as expected progress around the Bapco Modernization Program will be fully seen.

The program’s objective is to increase refining capacity and improve energy efficiency, with a vision of becoming one of the most competitive and environmentally compliant oil refineries regionally, providing a solid foundation for realizing the country’s Vision 2030. 

Bahrain’s real GDP grew by 3.3 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2024, according to a government report released at the time. 

National accounts estimates issued by the Information and eGovernment Authority at the time showed that the Gulf state’s non-oil GDP rose by 3.3 percent during that period, contributing about 85.9 percent of GDP.  

The report added that oil GDP grew 3.4 percent, with accommodation and food services, financial activities, and insurance among the best-performing sectors.

The economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries have demonstrated positive performance in non-oil activities during the year despite the global challenges, while oil activities declined due to supply cuts implemented by OPEC+. However, factors such as interest rate cuts and the gradual increase in oil production are expected to persist in GCC countries.


Saudi expat remittances see 10% growth to reach $3.16bn

Updated 08 October 2024
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Saudi expat remittances see 10% growth to reach $3.16bn

  • Transfers sent abroad by Saudi nationals rose by 19% year on year, totaling SR5.83 billion
  • Kingdom ranks among the largest remittance-sending countries globally, says US State Department

RIYADH: Expatriate remittances from Saudi Arabia reached SR11.86 billion ($3.16 billion) in August, marking a 10 percent annual increase, according to recent data. 

Figures from the Saudi Central Bank, also known as SAMA, also revealed that transfers sent abroad by Saudi nationals rose by 19 percent year on year, totaling SR5.83 billion. 

As one of the world’s largest sources of remittances, Saudi Arabia plays a crucial role in shaping the financial well-being of millions of households worldwide. 

With nearly 75 percent of the Kingdom’s labor force consisting of foreign workers, Saudi Arabia’s policies and job market conditions significantly influence the flow of remittances, highlighting not just the country’s economic strength but also its deep interconnectedness with the global financial system. 

This relationship underscores how labor migration and cross-border financial support have become vital for communities far beyond Saudi borders. 

According to the US Department of State, the Kingdom ranks among the largest remittance-sending countries globally, benefiting from an open financial system with no restrictions on converting or transferring funds related to investments, including dividends or earnings. 

This regulatory environment enables a seamless flow of money across borders, eliminating delays in sending funds through legal channels. 

At the heart of this remittance system is the Wage Protection System, implemented by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. This system ensures that expatriate workers, who are the backbone of the remittance ecosystem, receive their wages as per their contracts. 

Employers are required to transfer wages through local Saudi bank accounts, giving expatriates easy access to their earnings for remittance to their home countries. 

The transparency provided by this system not only protects workers’ rights but also offers an efficient legal framework for expatriates to support their families abroad. 

The rise of digital platforms, independent of traditional banks and exchange houses, has also driven growth in the sector.  

With widespread smartphone and Internet access, digital remittances have become more accessible, allowing users to send funds anytime, anywhere. These platforms offer advantages such as competitive exchange rates, lower fees, and faster processing times, enabling near-instant access to funds for recipients. 

Financial institutions and fintech companies have further contributed by developing innovative solutions, including mobile apps and digital wallets. 

Additionally, supportive regulations from Saudi and regional authorities have created a secure environment for digital services, fostering competition while protecting user interests.