SAB supports tourism as presenting partner of Tantora festival

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Updated 13 December 2023
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SAB supports tourism as presenting partner of Tantora festival

Saudi Awwal Bank has announced a new partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla in a significant step to drive cultural and economic development. The collaboration sees SAB become a presenting partner of “Winter at Tantora,” the region’s longest-running culture, art, and music festival, and is in line with its commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s ambitions while honoring local culture and heritage.

Presented by RCU and held under the banner of AlUla Moments, Winter at Tantora will return with its fifth edition from Dec. 21 to Jan. 27, 2024. Featuring a diverse program of activities and experiences with culture at its core, the festival showcases the very best of AlUla, transforming the ancient oasis into a vibrant winter destination encompassing musical concerts, wellness, nature, fashion, dining, poetry, and more.

The agreement was signed by Bandar Al-Gheshayan, chief wealth and personal banking officer at SAB, and Rami Al-Moallim, vice president of destination management and marketing at RCU.

Commenting on the agreement, Al-Gheshayan said: “This partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla represents the latest stride toward enhancing culture and arts in the Kingdom, while it also expresses SAB’s interest in supporting tourism growth as one of the key pillars of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. We also see an opportunity to enrich community and visitor experiences through Winter at Tantora, which serves as a platform for expressing cultural and artistic diversity.”

He added: “We look forward to a prosperous future through our partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla as we work together to highlight the beauty and heritage of AlUla and inspire youth to actively participate in building a sustainable future for the Kingdom.”

Al-Moallim said: “We’re delighted to welcome Saudi Awwal Bank aboard our partnership ecosystem. From our side, we always find collaborating with distinguished partners, both local and international, to be mutually rewarding as we meet our community development aspirations together, and open the destination to more audiences from around the world. Winter at Tantora has a proud history of being united with some of the most iconic entities and we’re sure this upcoming edition will leave behind a lasting legacy with support from Saudi Awwal Bank.”

A proud national institution, SAB is committed to supporting Saudi Vision 2030 and widespread efforts to achieve social, cultural, and economic transformation through growth and development opportunities. The partnership with RCU will further strengthen this commitment and make meaningful sustainable development contributions. 


25,000 attend Social Development Bank’s DeveGO25 forum

Updated 27 December 2025
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25,000 attend Social Development Bank’s DeveGO25 forum

The Social Development Bank concluded the second edition of the Entrepreneurship and Modern Business Practices Forum — DeveGo 2025 — announcing the achievement of high-impact outcomes that further reinforced the forum’s position as the largest national platform in the region dedicated to entrepreneurship, innovation, and freelance work in Saudi Arabia and beyond. 

The forum witnessed broad participation from local and international experts, investors, entrepreneurs, and representatives of local, regional, and international institutions.

Over three days at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, the forum drew 25,000 participants and visitors, who benefited from over 45 specialized workshops and over 2500 advisory sessions delivered by more than 70 consultants and experts. 

The sessions covered key areas including entrepreneurial planning, business models, venture capital, digital platforms, freelancing, and emerging technologies. 

The forum also featured 20 panel discussions with leading local and international speakers, addressing major global trends in entrepreneurship, including the future of artificial intelligence, the creative economy, digital transformation, and venture investment. 

The forum saw the launch of the Saudi Empretec Fellowship, in the presence of Rebeca Grynspan, secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development. 

The partners in success within the Social Responsibility Portfolio supporting entrepreneurs were honored. 

It also saw the honoring of 13 winners of the Handicrafts Competition, representing various regions of the Kingdom, the announcement of winners of the Salam Award for Promising Projects, and the recognition of leading entrepreneurial projects fund under the Enterprises Track. 

In addition, the NEXT UP Challenge concluded on the third day of the forum with 20 startups presenting their projects to more than 500 investors, enhancing opportunities for networking and partnership building.

As part of efforts to strengthen the support ecosystem, the forum witnessed the signing of 51 agreements, along with the launch of a suite of new financing products. These included the Capital Expansion Product with a ceiling of up to SR10 million, the Payroll Product with a ceiling of SR2 million, and the Rental Product with a ceiling of SR1.5 million, aimed at supporting enterprises in asset development and covering operational costs. 

This reflects the bank’s direction toward offering more specialized financing tools that respond effectively to market needs.

The forum concluded by reaffirming its role as a unifying national platform for entrepreneurship, where accompanying activities and events provided direct engagement opportunities between entrepreneurs, investors, and experts. 

The forum also highlighted success stories and practical experiences that reflect the scale of entrepreneurial momentum in the Kingdom and the growing role of the Social Development Bank in supporting a national economy driven by innovation and knowledge.