RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has secured the confidence of the global investment community despite ongoing regional volatility, a major banking conference heard this week.
Speaking at HSBC’s GCC Exchanges Conference in London, senior executives from the Kingdom’s financial sector said investors remain committed to the country, citing regulatory reforms, deepening capital markets and long-term economic policies that have helped cushion the impact of regional uncertainty.
The show of investor confidence comes as Saudi Arabia has undertaken a series of moves as part of Vision 2030 to deepen its capital markets and attract foreign participation. The Kingdom’s inclusion in major global indices in recent years has drawn billions of dollars in passive inflows, while the Saudi Exchange has steadily expanded its product suite and market accessibility.
HSBC was appointed as an International Primary Dealer by the Saudi Ministry of Finance and the National Debt Management Center in May, enabling it to act as an intermediary between foreign investors and Saudi Arabia’s local government debt instruments.
“Saudi Arabia’s development of consistent regulatory frameworks and the evolution of its debt and equity capital markets over the last decade has secured the confidence of the global investor community in the wake of regional disruption,” said Faris Al-Ghannam, CEO and board member of HSBC Saudi Arabia.
He added: “Through decisive policy making, ample sovereign wealth reserves and long-term infrastructure pipelines, both corporates and investors are staying the course.”
Mohammed Al-Rumaih, CEO of the Saudi Exchange, said the Kingdom has become an increasingly important destination for international investors seeking exposure to one of the world’s most ambitious economic transformation stories.
“Supported by a growing and diversified issuer base, enhanced market accessibility, and continued innovation across our products and services, we are creating deeper opportunities for investors to participate in the Kingdom’s long-term growth,” he said.
The four-day event brought together more than 300 investors, over 100 companies and representatives from all seven Gulf stock exchanges, and witnessed more than 3,000 meetings, making it the largest gathering in the conference’s five-year history, according to a press release.
“The strong interest seen at this year’s conference highlights Saudi Arabia’s growing prominence within global capital markets,” Al-Rumaih added.
Conference discussions also touched on the region’s AI-enabled growth prospects. Participants heard expectations that Saudi Arabia could see the highest data center-related revenue growth across the Gulf Cooperation Council, with a projected compound annual growth rate of around 49 percent between 2025 and 2030.
