The mentorship sessions of the third MITEF Saudi Startup competition conclude today in Dammam at the Aramco Center for Entrepreneurship.
In partnership with Olou, the permanent partner for guidance and consulting, the mentorship program focuses on a range of topics pertinent to any individual or company seeking to begin a business.
Each team has been provided with mentors and guides specializing in all aspects of entrepreneurship who cover topics including the art of brainstorming, how to design business models, customer discovery, and marketing and financing. Entrepreneurs also study unique business models and inspiring entrepreneurship stories.
The first session was in Riyadh and hosted by Dulani Business Center, one of the key Social Development Bank programs, supporting and advising the 45 teams who have qualified for the first stage of the competition. Following the Riyadh leg of the orientation, the program moved on to the Abdul Latif Jameel Center for Continuous Learning in Jeddah.
The 45 teams qualifying in three categories — Ideas, Startups, and Social Enterprise — will face the second round of judging later this month when the 27 finalists will be announced. The winners will be announced on March 3 in Riyadh at a function in honor of Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qassabi, minister of commerce and investment.

A group of financial experts examined the challenges facing investments in technology startups and the best international practices to evaluate the investment opportunities of pre-revenue technology startups at a recent event in Riyadh.
The program aimed at increasing awareness about the importance of investment in entrepreneurial projects within the financial ecosystem filling the gap between the submitted financing tools and the needs of startups.
In collaboration with The Institute of Finance, the Business Incubators and Accelerators Company (BIAC) conducted a two-day training program at the headquarters of the Institute of Finance in Riyadh to better understand and develop new solutions for the evaluation of innovative technology startups in the presence of many financial executives and professionals. The participants were introduced to the key concepts of technology development, business startup and investment appraisal.
The training program, which targeted the financial sector and specialized investment institutions, included an overview on the evolution of tech startups in the Saudi market and provided an in-depth understanding of how to evaluate financing and investment proposals in such companies while focusing on practical case studies through the valuation of existing technology companies.
The program sought to develop the capabilities and skills of workers in the investment sector and raise awareness about investment opportunities in the technical field, particularly in light of the funding gap, as the traditional methods that are currently being used by banks and financial companies to evaluate investment opportunities and financing applications are often based on guarantees and the financial register of the company without taking into consideration the project’s feasibility, technical worthiness and future growth prospects.

Global Food Industries (GFI) bagged two major awards at this year’s edition of the Gulfood Innovation Awards, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).
GFI is a world-class value-added frozen food manufacturing company, part of Albatha Holding, one of the largest conglomerates in the UAE.
The company’s “Chicken Quinoa & Kale Burgers” and “Super Chicken Quinoa & Kale Nuggets” won in the “Best Halal Food” and “Best Meat or Poultry Innovation” categories, besting other local and international brands. The awards were organized as part of the annual Gulfood show, the largest gathering of food, beverage and hospitality suppliers, which opened on Sunday and will run until Thursday at the DWTC.
The awards were given in recognition of the company’s contributions to the rapidly growing food industry and its achievement as the first company in the Middle East region to launch a pioneering range of healthy chicken burgers and nuggets, which are being produced and manufactured under GFI’s Healthy Farm brand.
The company’s “Chicken Quinoa & Kale Burgers” and “Super Chicken Quinoa & Kale Nuggets” are all 100 percent natural — with 30 percent more protein, 90 percent more fiber, 40 percent less sodium, 40 percent less carbohydrates and 60 percent less calories. The products also offer eight times less fat, 12 times less saturated fat and six times more calcium as compared to the other chicken burger patties and nuggets available in the market today.
Jacek Plewa, general manager of Global Food Industries, said: “It is a very inspiring moment for Global Food Industries to once again be recognized for two major awards at Gulfood. These awards demonstrate our relentless efforts to create innovative products that aim at addressing health challenges of our consumers like obesity to diabetes via our Healthy Farm products. This win proves the very strong potential of our unique chicken burgers and nuggets to truly serve the UAE and regional market with highly nutritious and tasty food products.”
Plewa added: “These awards have prompted us to work harder with our research and development initiatives in the food sector and continue to demonstrate our commitment toward promoting a healthy and balanced lifestyle to our consumers. The rising health concerns of our society have inspired us to keep introducing new products that will significantly contribute to the country’s efforts in reducing lifestyle diseases.”

Zafran, the popular Indian bistro in Riyadh’s Rubeen Plaza, has launched a new menu.
The front cover features a collage of art and culture of India, a perfect illustration of the culinary journey one takes when indulging in the new menu.
Chef Gaurav Singh has conceptualized a menu with regional favorites making a comeback and new, innovative dishes that promise to delight.
From starters such as the Yakhni Shorba, a rich lamb broth, to home-style Onion Pakoras and Rawa Fish Fry, the new starters are not to be missed. The success of previous limited menus has also prompted Zafran to include The Kebab Feast, which includes chicken, lamb and seafood. Other new main courses to try include the Raan Zafran, a braised lamb dish, and the Ajwaini Prawns known for their distinct carom flavor.
The Corn and Spinach Kebabs and the Paneer Tikka are certain to be popular with those looking for good, wholesome vegetarian fare, not to mention main courses such as the Mirch Baingan Ka Salan and Bhindi Masala that take vegetables such as eggplant and okra to another level.
The true Indian food connoisseur, according to Chef Gaurav, will appreciate the generous amount of heat in some of the new curries. In particular he suggested trying the classic Gosht Nihari and the Gosht Kairi Ka Keema, with the acetic flavor of the green mangoes in the latter adding a distinctive kick.
The dessert menu has been enhanced to include Mango Malai Kulfi, Phirni and a Flourless Chocolate Cake.
“I am always looking for inspiration from my guests and my surroundings to ensure that the food we serve at Zafran is constantly evolving. This menu is inspired by my travels in India and the discerning palate of our ardent fans who asked us to bring back dishes that they have enjoyed from the limited menus we have served in the past year,” said Chef Gaurav.
Rakshak Puri, general manager, Asian Dining-Foodmark, said: “Combining a contemporary service culture with traditional Indian hospitality, Zafran Indian Bistro has managed to win the hearts and stomachs of diners across the region with its distinctive philosophy and palate. And this new menu will not disappoint! It is refreshing, varied and truly has something for everyone.”

In line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which seeks to increase the percentage of homeowners and enable citizens to own their first homes, Bidaya Home Finance organized a special workgroup of real estate companies at the Hyatt Regency Residency Hotel in Riyadh. The purpose of the workgroup was to explore the development of the non-banking real estate sector and address its obstacles.
Majed Al-Hogail, minister of housing; Khalid Al-Amoudi, general supervisor of the Real Estate Development Fund; and Bader Al-Otaibi, general director of supervision of finance companies at the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), attended the workgroup.
Also participating in the discussions were the CEOs of real estate financing companies, as well as the CEO of the Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company.
The workgroup discussed the development of the non-banking real estate financing sector and ways to increase its efficiency by raising its current share from eight percent to a minimum of 30 percent by 2020. This is in addition to identifying the obstacles hindering the sector’s growth in terms of regulatory and legislatives aspects, as well as preparing the necessary recommendations and suggestions.
Introduced during the meeting was the housing program, which is one of the programs in Vision 2030.
The program includes 16 governmental entities working together as one team in partnership with the private sector in order to raise the percentage of homeownership to 60 percent by 2020 and to 70 percent by 2030. The programs and goals of the Real Estate Development Fund were showcased, as well as the segments of beneficiaries of these programs, the funding opportunities per segment, and the products to be provided in partnership with the financiers.
At the end of the workgroup, the CEO of the Saudi Real Estate Refinance Company, which is owned by the Public Investment Fund, explained the nature of the company and its goals, which include achieving growth and stability in the real estate financing sector and refinancing 10 and 20 percent of the total existing real estate loans by 2020 and 2026, respectively.
The company’s role also includes providing the necessary liquidity to achieve the targeted growth, so that real estate financing — currently at SR290 billion ($77 billion) — can reach SR502 billion by 2020, in addition to offering financing at a fixed cost that can lead to stable real estate financing and fixed monthly instalments for beneficiaries.

Lufthansa revealed its new, modernized brand image to customers and employees at two major events at the Frankfurt and Munich hubs earlier this month. The most visible change is the new aircraft livery. In front of more than 3,000 guests in Frankfurt and Munich, Lufthansa officially presented a Boeing 747-8 and an Airbus A321 with the new design.
In the previous week, individual details created interactive discussions, especially on social media. The response to the new appearance was predominantly positive, although some people missed the traditional yellow tone; nevertheless, it will receive a specific function to serve as a means of orientation and differentiation. The color will be found in the future on every boarding pass and at every Lufthansa counter at the airport.
“Lufthansa has changed and is more modern and successful than ever. From now on, this will also be visible to the public through a new design,” said Carsten Spohr, chairman of the executive board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG.
“The crane has always been with us and clearly stands for the promising performance of Lufthansa. To this day, it still stands as a symbol of highest quality, excellent service, flying expertise, reliability, innovative spirit, and it stands for trust.”
Against the backdrop of digitalization and changing customer requirements, Lufthansa recognized that the company needed to modernize the aircraft appearance in order to remain up to date. The group invests €2 billion ($2.3 billion) a year in new, fuel-efficient aircraft.
“The modernization of Lufthansa is only possible thanks to the commitment of our employees, who are the best in the industry. They are the actual face of the brand,” Spohr added.
The crane, designed exactly 100 years ago by graphic artist Otto Firle, remains the airline’s iconic symbol. In the future, it will be slimmer and fit for the digital world. A thinner ring makes the crane look more elegant, bringing it into the foreground and granting it more space. All in all, the trademark will gain lightness and elegance. The familiar blue-yellow color combination of Lufthansa will also be retained — but the use of these primary colors will be redefined.

Saudia Cargo signed an agreement to train and hire 280 Saudis in collaboration with the National Training Center for Facilities and Hospitality Management (NTCFHM). The center is run by the Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco), under the direct supervision of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC).
The agreement is in line with Saudia Cargo’s Strategic Transformation Plan 2020, launched early 2017, which is also aligned to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 aiming to create job opportunities for Saudis through Saudization.
Mohammed Bushnaq, president, human resources, Saudia Cargo, and Talal Al-Harigi, executive director, NTCFHM, signed the agreement at the International Tourism and Hospitality College in Riyadh. The signing ceremony was attended by TVTC Governor Ahmed Al-Fehaid, Saudia Cargo CEO Omar Talal Hariri and NTCFHM Chairman Mohammed Al-Shammary.
Trainees will study fields of cargo and logistics such as management of warehouses, equipment, handling of dangerous materials, as well as safety and security aspects and work ethics while they will be exposed to various fields of air freight for a period of six months. Trainees who complete the program will work as operations officer or freight officer at Saudia Cargo. The date of the program commencement will be announced soon.
Saudia Cargo operates flights to over 225 international destinations through 17 international hubs spanning all continents as well as domestic hubs in Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam. It provides high-quality logistic services, thanks to a dedicated freighter fleet.
It also offers ample capacity on passenger flights and delivers efficient and cost-effective solutions for charter aircraft on international destinations.

Emirates has announced its plan to launch a new daily service from Dubai to Auckland via the island of Bali, Indonesia, starting from June 14.
The new service will offer travelers a total of three daily services to New Zealand, complementing Emirates’ existing non-stop daily service between Dubai and Auckland and its current daily A380 service between Dubai and Christchurch via Sydney. Travelers will also enjoy a choice of three daily services between Dubai and Bali in the summer, as the new flight adds to Emirates’ two existing daily services which are currently operated by a Boeing 777 300-ER in a two-class configuration.
Emirates’ new Dubai-Bali-Auckland flight will provide the only year-round non-stop daily service between Auckland and Bali, giving passengers an opportunity to visit and/or stop over in one of the most popular islands in Indonesia. The airline will operate a 777-300ER on the route, offering eight seats in first, 42 seats in business and 304 seats in economy class, as well as 20 tons of belly-hold cargo capacity.
Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline, said: “We’re pleased to introduce additional capacity to serve the strong demand for travel to Bali, and to Auckland. We are confident that our year-round service between Auckland and Bali will be well received by our customers, not only in New Zealand and Indonesia, but also from our global network particularly from markets like the UK, Europe and the Middle East.”
Emirates’ new service will add to Bali’s global connectivity, further stimulating the island’s economic and tourism growth.
Apart from the opportunity for a stopover in Bali, the new service will provide connections to/from London and other major European cities. The southbound flight, EK 450, will depart Dubai at 6:55 a.m., arriving at Denpasar (Bali) at 8:20 p.m. local time, before flying on to Auckland at 10:00 p.m., arriving in New Zealand’s biggest city at 10:00 a.m. the following day.
Northbound, the new service will depart Auckland as flight EK 451 at 12:40 a.m., arriving in Denpasar at 5:55 p.m. local time. It will depart Denpasar at 7:50 p.m., arriving in Dubai just after midnight at 12:45 a.m., connecting to flights on the extensive Emirates and flydubai partnership network.

Saudi British Bank (SABB) has released its 2017 financial results.
The bank recorded a net profit of SR3.955 billion ($1.05 billion) for 2017 — an increase of 1.5 percent on the SR3.895 billion for 2016.
SABB recorded a net profit of SR706 million in the fourth quarter of 2017, a decrease of 34.8 percent on the previous quarter.
SABB’s 2017 operating income was SR7.127 billion, an increase of 3.2 percent on the 2016’s SR6.909 billion.
Loans and advances for 2017 totalled SR117 billion, a decrease of SR4 billion, or 3.3 percent, on the SR121 billion of 2016.
SABB received SR140.2 billion in customer deposits in 2017, a decrease of 0.3 percent on the previous year’s SR140.6 billion.
SABB recorded SR27 billion of investments in 2017, a decrease of 7.8 percent from 2016.
SABB’s total assets in 2017 came to SR187.6 billion, an increase of SR1.5 billion on 2016.
Shareholders earned SR2.64 per share in 2017 compared to SR2.60 the previous year.
Commenting on the results, SABB Chairman Khaled Olayan said: “During 2017, SABB delivered resilient returns and increased the distribution to shareholders under challenging economic conditions.
“The SABB board and its management team have been focused on supporting our customers and the nation’s economic transformation agenda. The bank remains highly liquid with strong capital, stable funding and a uniquely valuable franchise as the leading international bank in the Kingdom.”
He added: “I would like to thank our customers, staff and shareholders for their support and commitment. I would also like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to our regulators and government ministries for their continued guidance and vision.”

A three-month Indonesian language program was officially inaugurated by Indonesian Consul General Mohamad Hery Saripudin on Sunday in Jeddah. The course is running for the 13th time.
Col. Suleiman Al-Yousef, director of passports at King Abdulaziz International Airport, students, trainers and consulate officials attended the opening session.
In his opening remarks, Saripudin revealed that several centers for Indonesian studies will be opened in Saudi universities to offer more opportunities to learn Indonesian and to broaden knowledge of Indonesian culture.
“I have witnessed growing interest among Saudis to learn Indonesian,” he said. “We can see that from the growing number of applicants registering for the class.”
The consulate received 170 applications for the latest course. Due to limited places, however, only 90 were admitted to the program.
Saripudin emphasized the benefits of mastering the Indonesian language, which is spoken by more than 300 million people, not only in Indonesia but also in Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore, he said.
The number of Indonesian visitors to the Kingdom for both Hajj and Umrah is around 1.2 million every year, which means every month there are about 100,000 Indonesians entering the Kingdom, mostly to visit Jeddah, Madinah and Makkah. Saripudin pointed out that Indonesian was therefore “not only a language of social encounters, but also for business.”
Jakarta has been appointed this year’s Capital Diplomatic City of The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), meaning now is a better time than ever to learn Indonesian, he added.
Saudi King Salman visited Indonesia in March last year, and there has since been a significant increase in trade volume between two countries and in the number of Saudis visiting Indonesia.
“Indonesians consider Saudis as part of their family,” Saripudin said. “That’s why Aceh, on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, is called the Gate of Makkah.”
Umar Badarsyah, vice consul of information and culture at the consulate, and head of the program’s admission team, said that there have been more than 500 graduates since the program was launched in 2006.

L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Middle East Fellowship is once again looking for worthy candidates for this year’s program. The annual initiative, in partnership with Zayed University in the UAE and under the patronage of Lubna bint Khalid Al-Qasimi, president of Zayed University, aims to recognize and promote women pursuing science in the region.
The initiative supports Arab female scientists and researchers in the region to pursue scientific research by awarding valuable fellowships. This year fellowships of €84,000 ($1,037,80) will be given to six Arab female scientists either holding, or studying for, a Ph.D. in the fields of life sciences or physical sciences and working in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia or Yemen.
“When it began 20 years ago, L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science was a first-of-its-kind initiative with a firm belief that the scientific community needs more women to actively pursue new horizons. In our region, the initiative was launched in 2014; and since then fellowships worth 1.5 million dirhams have been given to 18 remarkable women scientists from the region, four of whom were recognized at an international level. Our primary focus is to enable women to pursue an education and a dynamic career in science in the GCC and Yemen,” said Remi Chadapaux, managing director of L’Oréal Middle East.
Supporting women in the research field since 1998, L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science has recognized and honored 2,800 exceptional female scientists from 115 countries. The foundation has honored 97 awards laureates for excellence in science, including two women who went on to win the Nobel Prize. Through the initiative, 2,723 promising young women scientists received fellowships to pursue their research projects. In 2017, out of the 9,000 applications received worldwide, L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science awarded 275 fellowships to the most deserving women scientists. The program involved insights and support from over 43 global scientific institutions; and the selection process was carried out by 353 scientists, including 31 L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Laureates.
To apply and for more details, researchers should visit www.fwis.fr and submit the required documents and details between Feb. 18 and May 17.

Samsung Electronics Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has unveiled its vision of open innovation and purposeful collaboration to create seamless, synchronized and smart experiences that aim to simplify consumers’ lives. At its eighth annual MENA Forum, Samsung elaborated on its strategy of enhancing its IoT propositions through the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) and SmartThings which will unify Samsung’s connected devices.
In addition to its commitment to make all Samsung products IoT-ready by 2020, Samsung announced that its devices will also be intelligent. Through the integration of Bixby across select home and smart devices, Samsung is bringing its personalized intelligence to more devices.
During the forum, key new products were announced, which included the new 85-inch 8K QLED TV, the connected QuickDrive washing machine, and the Galaxy A8 smartphone. In addition to its new product lineup, Samsung showcased how the SmartThings platform will be integrated across its devices, seamlessly connecting devices under one simple platform, managed by one ubiquitous cloud, and accessible through one universal app.
“Our drive to continuously innovate stems from the desire to turn concepts into reality,” said Sungwan Myung, president of Samsung Electronics Middle East and North Africa. “IoT has made significant progress in recent years, and it is our role as a leading innovator to contribute toward the acceleration of IoT adoption. What we have shown today is an actual use-case of an IoT experience, and how it can seamlessly be intertwined into everyday life.
“By infusing intelligence into IoT, we aim to make smart simplified and enrich the lives of consumers. We are taking meaningful steps toward building an entirely connected world that is intelligent and personalized,” added Myung.
Samsung introduced its new IoT-ready QuickDrive washing machine, which allows users to start, stop, and monitor their wash cycle from their other connected devices. The QuickDrive washer also features Samsung’s intelligent laundry assistant, which uses AI to provide automatic recommendations for optimal washing cycles.
Samsung’s Wind-Free air conditioner uses a first-of-its-kind two-step cooling system that dramatically reduces energy consumption and, thanks to Wi-Fi connectivity, can be controlled remotely.

Learning science company McGraw-Hill Education has signed an exclusive distribution agreement in Saudi Arabia with Obeikan Education, a leading regional education solutions company. Through this agreement, McGraw-Hill Education’s English language US editions and KSA adaptations of K-12 print and digital products within its Math and Science portfolio and its English language learning products that serve both the K-12 and higher education markets, will be available via Obeikan Education’s extensive distribution network of private and international K-12 and higher education institutions in the Kingdom.
This partnership supports McGraw-Hill Education’s vision of unlocking the full potential of each learner and also reinforces Obeikan Education’s commitment to be the supplier of choice for the leading national and international schools and higher education institutions in the region.
Hania Baramki, regional commercial director, Middle East and Africa, of McGraw-Hill Education, said: “With this agreement McGraw-Hill Education and Obeikan Education will work together to further our products’ availability for the local markets, which we have served for the past seven years. We are delighted to join hands with Obeikan Education and thrilled by the prospect of expanding our focus within the Saudi market, as well as widening our regional footprint within the Middle East. This move is a testament of our commitment to becoming the publisher of choice for our print and digital customers in the region.”
Abdallah Obeikan, CEO of Obeikan Investment Group, said: “We believe that Obeikan Education’s unique capabilities in education, localization and curriculum development, digital and distribution together with McGraw-Hill Education’s expertise in learning solutions and curriculum content places our partnership in a prime position to serve the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s schools and higher education institutions. I am excited about the opportunity to partner with McGraw-Hill Education to deliver innovative offerings in this growing market.”

Chedid Re, a company of Chedid Capital Holding — one of the top 20 reinsurance brokers in the world, and the only Arab Lloyds Broker — won the best reinsurance broker in Saudi Arabia award at the Arabian Business Awards for outstanding success and innovation in the reinsurance industry.
Held on Feb. 19, the 2018 Arabian Business KSA Awards honored top individuals and companies that have delivered success, innovation and excellence, as well as those that have made a vital contribution to the vibrancy of business within Saudi Arabia and across the region.
The crowning of Chedid Re for the award reinforces the company’s market-leading status in the Kingdom. The company, in collaboration with multiple capacity providers, and fueled by ongoing market research and exposure, has successfully created a range of innovative bespoke re-insurance solutions and services for companies in Saudi Arabia.
Elie Abi Rached, CEO of Chedid Re KSA, said: “We are delighted and honored to be awarded by highly-acclaimed Arabian Business Awards. The nomination is a testament to Chedid Re’s excellent business reputation, effective management, and sustainable performance. Chedid Re has always been at the forefront of implementation of quality management measures in its day to day operations, which is reflected in its strong performance over the years.
“We would like to share this award with our clients, as we remain committed to servicing them with transparency and efficiency. By targeting the best practices that position our business to qualify for awards, we have optimized our company’s performance and established a culture of achievement that promotes sustainable growth.”
He added: “Saudi Arabia’s insurance market is the biggest in the region and remains poised for further rapid growth in the years to come, as the economy expands and diversifies, leading to greater demand for reinsurance products and higher rates of affordability from the enormous potential consumer market under the guidance and supervision of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency. We will continue this journey with a firm strategy, and keep providing Saudi recruits continuous training and career advancement opportunities to develop their skills, attracting local talent and building a Saudi national workforce of high potential to be capable of leading Saudi Arabia’s reinsurance business today and in the future.”

Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) has introduced new domestic fare packages starting from Feb. 20, for air travel within the Kingdom.
The new packages are available in guest class (economy), business class, and first class.
The names of the new “families” are:
Economy Class: Saver, Basic, and Flex
Business Class: Basic, and Flex
First Class: Flex
In each category there are specific fare rules, and also a different price range for each fare type.
Introducing fare packages for pricing is a common industry-wide practice, and Saudia is aligning its domestic fares with the already available international fare categories, for the purpose of giving travelers a range of options when choosing their travel plans. The new fare categories will enable travelers to decide which fare type suits them and their travel needs, allowing for additional flexibility and choices when making travel plans.
In the Economy Saver fare, travelers can benefit from new lower prices with applicable conditions. One piece of hand baggage (7 kg) is included in the fare, as well as meal service (on certain routes) and Al-Fursan miles accrual. Checked-in baggage is an add-on for the Economy Saver category, and travelers purchasing Economy Saver tickets have the option to select the baggage option for a fee. The new Economy Saver fare category is only available when booking on www.saudia.com or through the Saudia mobile app. Air travel purchased at the Economy Saver rate is not eligible for refund or changes.
In the Basic and Flex Economy packages, the main differences are that checked-in baggage is included in the fare (with different allowance amounts); miles accrual differs across each fare family, seat selection is included (only in Flex), as well as changing and refund options.
Business Basic and Business Flex are differentiated by the number of checked-in baggage pieces included, as well as the amount of miles accrued and the change fees.
Saudia’s new packages give travelers the opportunity to bundle and choose the services they require. For example, a passenger requiring no checked-in baggage or changes to their travel itinerary, can benefit from additional savings by choosing the Economy Saver option.

The Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF) on Wednesday signed a loan agreement worth SR22 million ($5.8 million) with Nal Foods to finance its feed mill in Tabuk.
Nal Foods President Nadher Alhakami said that the project is part of SIDF’s continuous contribution to national industries, especially in the food and water security sector, which is key to Saudi Vision 2030.
The move is in line with the Ministry of Agriculture’s efforts to stop growing green fodder and introduce feasible alternatives instead, such as local high quality feed mills.
It is also an implementation of the relevant decisions by the Council of Ministers on feed regulations.
Alhakami also disclosed a total investment of SR50 million for the first phase of Tabuk industrial city located on a 20,000 square meter site, equipped with the latest engineering and industrial solutions, in addition to the international best practices in the feed milling industry, in both production lines and storage systems.
Nal Foods’ feed mill targets a capacity of over 170,000 tons per year of high quality feed products, for all purposes, either for ruminants or for poultry.
Alhakami thanked the entire SIDF team for their effort and support.
The signing ceremony was attended by Areeb Aljazeera, technical and engineering consultant of the project, and CEO Sultan Alshehri.
SIDF announced in 2017 a joint portfolio with the Agricultural Fund to finance and support feed mills in Saudi Arabia, part of the food and water security strategy within the framework of Vision 2030.

Hublot is back this year with its first novelties for 2018, a varied collection ranging from new Big Bang models to timeless and artistic Classic Fusions. For the third consecutive year, the brand showcased its novelties through its roadshow in the Middle East.
The brand’s recently appointed Regional Director Hublot Middle East and Africa David Tedeschi presented the new watches to “Hublotistas” and press members in the region. In Riyadh and Jeddah, Tedeschi joined Mohammed Saddik Attar, CEO Attar United Company, in hosting the annual event.
The two-part event took place in Riyadh and Jeddah with members of the press discovering the watches. The star of the new collection, the Big Bang Unico Golf, in partnership with world No.1 golfer Dustin Johnson, is dedicated to the ultimate precision sport — golf. Hublot designed, developed, manufactured and assembled a module to equip its new UNICO movement with a function specifically created for golf, allowing golfers to seamlessly calculate their score whilst on course.
A first in Hublot’s range for ladies, the Big Bang One-Click 39mm takes on sapphire, with the Big Bang One-Click Sapphire. The watch is cut from white, pink or blue sapphire, and dons an interchangeable rubber strap to suit any occasion and any look.
In the same spirit of transparency, the Big Bang Unico Sapphire Galaxy 45mm was inspired by the billions of stars found in the solar system. On the bezel, amethysts and sapphires in rose, orange, fuchsia and different shades of blue evoke the Milky Way with its constellation of stars.
Forged in blue ceramic, the Big Bang Meca-10 Blue Ceramic opens to a bluish skeleton mechanism and comes with a rubber strap in the same royal color.
“We are happy to be in Saudi Arabia as part of our tour in the region and to share our latest watches with members of the press and with our collectors. The Hublot family in this part of the world is growing year on year, and we are confident our novelties will attract existing and new clients alike,” said Tedeschi.
Mohammed Saddik Attar said: “We are glad to be hosting the yearly Hublot Roadshow in Saudi Arabia. Hublot customers in the Kingdom have shown increasing interest in the brand’s watches and this is a great way of introducing the novelties to them.”

Smart technology plays a vital role in our daily lives, even for those who choose not to always adopt it in their routines. Taking this fact into consideration, it is important that industry pioneers launch an ongoing campaign to educate people about the significance of artificial intelligence and smart technology platforms in general. These technologies enable the consumer to unify multiple devices into one ecosystem, making life more comfortable and easy.
LG has opened up new horizons in the futuristic world of home entertainment by introducing innovative products. LG OLED TV, the most intelligent platform of LG’s future innovations, aims to make life and well-being smarter than ever before. LG Electronics recently announced the start of a new era with the real-world viewing and interactive experiences that have dramatically changed the way television is viewed around the world.
“With such progressive development in technology, there is no longer the need to endure difficulties in order to attend events and festivals, to watch movies and series or to play favorite games. LG’s innovation has resulted in saving customers a lot of time and money, while transporting them virtually to wherever they want to be, through the LG OLED TV,” a press release said.
Belal Al-Shanqiti, marketing and communication manager at LG Electronics Saudi Arabia, said: “It happens very often that people are troubled by the fact that they missed content due to time zone, especially when sports tournaments like Olympics coincide with film festivals with exactly same broadcast times, leaving viewers in a state of dilemma and anxiety. But today, with LG’s customized content, viewers need not worry while they are away due to work or other priorities, as they can easily find what they have missed and enjoy the realistic viewing experience with bolder colors and unparalleled image quality.”
He added: “LG OLEDs stand out in this new era of home viewing experiences, in terms of wider viewing angles and fast motion processing, enabling friends and family to watch the content without worrying about finding the right seat. When it comes to sports tournaments, especially that it is a main attractions for a large segment of TV viewing audience in Saudi Arabia, everyone can enjoy their favorite games at their convenience and enjoy their daily life without distress or anxiety.”

SABB Academy recently celebrated the graduation of the second batch of diploma and bachelor graduates from different regions of the Kingdom.
One hundred and thirty trainees participated in the three-month program, which began in last October.
“SABB Academy seeks to qualify trainees and help them to increase their chances of finding jobs suitable for their qualifications and potential in the labor market through advanced and intensive training courses, in cooperation with specialized training centers offering a number of skills such as self-development, communication skills, customer experience, banking services, compliance and anti-money laundering, as well as the development of English language and computer skills over a period of three months in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam,” a press release said.
All trainees will receive financial rewards and professional certificates accredited by the banking institute, which is under SAMA, when the requirements of the course are completed.
The SABB Academy is part of the bank’s community development projects, and one of the Saudi British Bank’s initiatives to support the Saudi Vision 2030.
It seeks to support youth aspirations, which are the cornerstone of success, and help them in developing their skills and abilities to achieve a better future and job opportunities that match their qualifications and ambitions.
SABB Academy has graduated 114 trainees in its first batch. A career day for graduates was organized and many local leading banks and companies were invited to offer jobs to the graduates. The academy has received wide acceptance from the applicants as well as specialists in the banking sector.
The academy said it will continue to provide its programs as per the requirements of the labor market.

The State Bank of India has launched its Global NRI (GNC) Center in Kochi, Kerala — the state that receives the highest number of remittances in India. The Global NRI Center will be a one-stop customer service center for all NRI (non-resident Indian) banking related services. To further enhance the service experience for NRIs, the bank also launched other related services such as wealth management, SBI Intelligent Assist, free post box service, SBI Mingle for NRIs, and a remittance facility for US-based customers.
The bank has a strong NRI customer base of over 3.3 million as on Jan. 31.
SBI, through this center, aims to centralize operations which are currently spread across 16 circles, 92 NRI branches in 66 different locations and several NRI intensive branches. The GNC will be a single point of contact for SBI branches, customers, relationship managers, representative offices and foreign offices. The bank’s NRI customers can now avail SBI’s banking services from any part of the world, through a wide range of online facilities such as account opening, in-principle sanctions of loans and instant remittances, professional and specialized dedicated teams, and a 24x7 contact center to offer customer support and issue resolution.
SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said: “We have witnessed consistent growth of our NRI banking portfolio. Our endeavour is to offer all our products and services on a digital platform so that our NRI customers can experience the ease of banking with us from wherever they are in the world and that’s why we have centralized all our services under the Global NRI center.”
He added: “Technological advancements are creating opportunities to modernize and de-risk the way vital remittances are transferred across borders. Formal remittances are also seen as a key stepping stone to improving financial inclusion by encouraging more people to have bank accounts.”
SBI embarked on its international journey with the opening of its first international branch in Colombo in 1864. Today, it boasts of 207 offices in 37 countries (as of Dec. 31, 2017).