Saudi Arabia’s marketing and communications sector has accompanied at all levels the unprecedented transformation underway in the Kingdom. Several partnerships have taken shape between various private sector companies specializing in marketing and communications, and government entities, to support the rapid growth, create new and promising opportunities for young talents, and attract foreign investment.
In this context, Extend, a leading national provider of marketing services and integrated strategic solutions, has signed a cooperation agreement with two global entities — Intuit Lap, a French academy of design and strategic creativity, and Peaksource Group, a creative technology platform. This agreement will see the establishment of “Extend Academy,” which will offer several educational and training programs under the supervision of international consultants. It will graduate 200 students annually in the following tracks: creative design, strategic planning, communication consulting, digital innovation, and brand specialization, with approximately 40 graduates in each track.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Al-Swaha, in addition to a number of officials from the Ministry of Media and media professionals.
Moreover, a SR100 million ($26.6 million) fund was launched in partnership with Rassanah Capital, a specialized asset management firm that provides investment solutions in the Kingdom. The “Extend Fund” aims to support and incentivize local medium and small companies to grow and develop, attracting expertise and enabling them to compete more broadly in the sector. The fund will focus on digital media, arts, Arab culture and media production, and will be managed by Rassanah Capital. This fund is expected to create numerous job opportunities, empower national cadres to enhance the culture of Saudi Arabia globally, and serve as an attractive investment opportunity.
Extend also launched the third edition of its digital performance report for Saudi ministries. This report helps analyze news and public discourse in digital media for government entities. The launch was a collaboration with Crowd Analyzer, the first Arabic language platform for monitoring social media; Tailwind, which utilizes its specialized GWI market research tool; and Emplifi, a platform for technological tools and solutions in marketing and business. The initiative aims to keep pace with the rapid digital changes in the Kingdom, and monitor and archive them to serve as a reference for performance measurement, and conducting studies and research. This will contribute to the development of digital government media in the Kingdom.
The initiatives were announced at a ceremony held in Matal Al-Bujairi in Diriyah, to mark the 13th anniversary of Extend’s founding. Extend is committed to enhancing its responsibility toward the Saudi media sector, promoting media literacy, empowering individuals with experience in advertising, strengthening their ideas, and honing their skills to achieve a comprehensive transformation in all aspects of the Saudi media industry.
