Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce sector sees 9.4% growth in Q3

The Saudi Ministry of Commerce released a business sector bulletin for the third quarter of 2024. SPA
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Updated 06 October 2024
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Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce sector sees 9.4% growth in Q3

  • Riyadh led with 16,274 registrations, followed by Makkah with 10,023, and the Eastern Province with 6,328
  • Commercial sector has seen a 62% increase in the issuance of commercial records in the third quarter

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s e-commerce sector continues its upward momentum, with 39,769 businesses registered in the third quarter, a 9.4 percent increase year on year. 

The latest data from the Ministry of Commerce revealed that Riyadh led with 16,274 registrations, followed by Makkah with 10,023, and the Eastern Province with 6,328. 

In the Madinah and Qasim regions, e-commerce registrations reached 1,897 and 1,302, respectively. 

The growth highlights the Kingdom’s ongoing transition toward a diversified, digitally-driven economy, with e-commerce playing a crucial role. Saudi Arabia now ranks among the top 10 countries globally in e-commerce expansion. 

The commercial sector has seen a 62 percent increase in the issuance of commercial records in the third quarter compared to the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Commerce’s latest quarterly report. 

The capital led the list with 53,150 registrations, followed by Makkah with 24,482, and the Eastern Province with 19,840. The Qassim and Asir regions recorded 6,973 and 6,542 registrations, respectively. 

A total of 135,909 commercial records were issued over the past three months, bringing the overall number of active commercial records in the Kingdom to more than 1.5 million. 

The ministry’s quarterly business sector bulletin provides an overview of the latest developments in the Kingdom’s commercial environment, highlighting the continued growth and diversification of Saudi Arabia’s economy. 

The report also introduced five key regulatory systems to enhance confidence in the business landscape. 

These regulatory systems include the Commercial Register System, Trade Names System, and Product Safety System. They also encompass the Standards and Quality System and the Measurement and Calibration System. 

The bulletin also underscored significant growth across various promising sectors, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals. 

Notable expansions were observed in several key fields, including financial technology, artificial intelligence, and electronic gaming. 
Growth was also seen in financial and insurance activities, as well as sports and entertainment education. 

Other areas of expansion included sports clubs, tourism organizations, and relaxation centers. 

Market research and opinion polling sectors also experienced significant progress. 

These developments reflect the Kingdom’s strategic focus on fostering innovation and sustainable growth across diverse industries. 

In the fintech solutions sector, the number of registered companies in Saudi Arabia climbed 27 percent in the third quarter compared to the same period last year, reaching 3,593. 

Riyadh led with 2,224 registrations, followed by Makkah with 721, and the Eastern Province with 361. The Madinah and Qassim regions recorded 101 and 52 registrations, respectively. 


Egypt-born Dina Powell McCormick appointed Meta president and vice chairman

Updated 13 January 2026
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Egypt-born Dina Powell McCormick appointed Meta president and vice chairman

  • The former Goldman Sachs partner and White House official previously served on Meta’s board of directors
  • Powell McCormick, who was born in Cairo and moved to the US as a child, joins the management team and will help guide overall strategy and execution

LONDON: Meta has appointed Egypt-born Dina Powell McCormick as its new president and vice chairman.

The company said on Monday that the former Goldman Sachs partner and White House official, who previously served on Meta’s board of directors, is stepping up into a senior leadership role as the company accelerates its push into artificial intelligence and global infrastructure.

Powell McCormick, who was born in Cairo and moved to the US as a young girl, will join the management team and help guide its overall strategy and execution. She will work closely with Meta’s Compute and infrastructure teams, the company said, overseeing multi-billion-dollar investments in data centers, energy systems and global connectivity, while building new strategic capital partnerships.

“Dina’s experience at the highest levels of global finance, combined with her deep relationships around the world, makes her uniquely suited to help Meta manage this next phase of growth as the company’s president and vice chairman,” Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.

Powell McCormick has more than 25 years of experience in finance, national security and economic development. She spent 16 years as a partner at Goldman Sachs in senior leadership roles, and served two US presidents, including stints as deputy national security adviser to Donald Trump, and a senior State Department official under George W. Bush.

Most recently, she was vice chair and president of global client services at merchant bank BDT & MSD Partners.