OPERATION TRANSFER
TBY talks to Walid Abukhaled, CEO of Northrop Grumman, on youth-focused initiatives, partnerships with ministries, and technology procurement.
BIOGRAPHY
Walid Abukhaled was appointed to his current position in January 2016. Abukhaled has served as Deputy Minister for Industrial Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. He was also CEO and President at General Electric in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. He has over 20 years of experience and has held many senior level positions, responsible for developing strategies for growth and identifying new business opportunities in various industrial activities. He serves on several boards, including as Board Director for Advance Electrics Company, International Systems Engineering, and Saudi Development & Training Company.To what extent has the company sought to build a lasting footprint in the Kingdom?
We are here for the long term. We enjoyed more than four decades in the Kingdom and plan to continue with our commitments. We are now focusing on developing the youth of Saudi Arabia to be the future business leaders dealing with the most sophisticated technology. For example, we work with universities on cyber security and have annual competitions related to cyber security. Last year, the competition was presented by the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the winners were immediately recruited by various companies. The most challenging part is building a pipeline of capable Saudis who can be the future business leaders in the high-tech area. Interestingly, last year the winners on all three days were all female, and this sent us signals that this is an area we should focus on and look at female empowerment in terms of enhancing their cyber capabilities.
To what extent does this fit into Vision 2030?
This absolutely aligns with Saudi Vision 2030. We transfer knowledge and work with the youth. We also have other programs where we send Saudi students to the US to work with high-tech start-up companies. They get involved in everything, from human resources to design and R&D; they learn about all aspects of the business, from technology to investment. At the same time, we seek a great deal of initiatives where we can transfer our own technology to the Kingdom to not only serve Saudi Arabia, but also in the long-term export to the region.
How much of your business is divided with the MoD and how much goes into training and nurturing the new generation?
We have a great history in the Kingdom; however, as a corporate office we started in January 2014. We did not have large B2B deals yet as we worked with universities and other institutions to transfer knowledge and technology. As we grow and win more business, that amount of work will be multiplied by a large factor. Now there are more opportunities, and an important element of every opportunity is related to localization and industrialization. We do not only deal with the MoD, we also deal with the Ministry of National Guard and our products and capabilities go to the Ministry of Interior. We have two joint ventures in Saudi Arabia. Most of the work is done with the Ministry of National Guard by one of our joint venture called “Vinnell Arabia" and the other is called Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Arabia. Most of the work with the latter is related to strategic site protection with Aramco.
Is Saudi Arabia diversifying its defense mix more and more to deal with other countries?
Saudi Arabia has always held a position of diversifying its procurement. A large majority of that procurement was with the US, due to the fact that the US is undoubtedly the most advanced country in the world when it comes to defense technology. It has the most advanced working system, the most advanced defense system, and so on. When it comes to the amount of money it spends on R&D, no one compares. That is why we are extremely positive that defense trade with the US will remain the highest. From Northrop Grumman's perspective, regardless of the rapid political changes happening both in the US and the Middle East, we are absolutely confident the alliance between Saudi Arabia and the US will remain strong, and that we will continue to support each other in security and defense matters for many years to come.
OPERATION TRANSFER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Column
YB Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office & Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Brunei
TBY talks to YB Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office & Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Brunei, on the sector.
read articleReview
A Crude Awakening
The Kingdom has made renewables a critical aspect of its ambitious Vision 2030 effort to diversify its economy and wean itself from a strictly carbon-based diet, not to mention empower local businesses and individuals to take up the mantle and lead the energy sector into the next generation.
read articleInterview
Abdulaziz AbdulKarim, Vice President of Procurement & Supply Chain Management (PSCM) , Saudi Aramco,
TBY talks to Abdulaziz AbdulKarim, Vice President of Procurement & Supply Chain Management (PSCM) at Saudi Aramco, on the IKTVA program, supporting local content, and looking back over a successful year.
read articleInterview
Ayman Abdullah Alfallaj, CEO, Thiqah
TBY talks to Ayman Abdullah Alfallaj, CEO of Thiqah, on how the private sector can keep pace with the speed of public reforms, delivering a strong and lasting value proposition, and integrating the fruits of privatization into the public sector.
read articleFocus: Technology Investments
Investment Calling
A technological revolution is underway in the Kingdom. Already one of the most tech-savvy nations in the Middle East, the Saudi market has long sought a thriving domestic technology and innovation scene. And with Vision 2030, it is on course to deliver just that.
read articleReview
A Hejaz Unhindered
An ambitious series of road and rail projects from the Jordanian border down to the Indian Ocean are slated to open in part before the end of 2017. They bring the Kingdom that much nearer to its goal of greater non-carbon-based economic integration with the world.
read articleInterview
Sulaiman bin Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Former Minister of Transport and Minister, Civil Service
TBY talks to Sulaiman bin Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Former Minister of Transport and current Minister of Civil Service, on an attractive legislative framework for investment, railway linkages, and port developments.
read articleInterview
Rumaih M. Al-Rumaih, President, Public Transport Authority (PTA
TBY talks to Rumaih M. Al-Rumaih, President of Public Transport Authority (PTA) & Acting President of Saudi Railway Organization, on teaming up with commercially committed partners, making sure the Kingdom's land and sea bridges are of the first order, and providing employment for all the Kingdom's inhabitants.
read articleInterview
Nabeel M. Al-Amudi, President, Saudi Ports Authority, and Minister of Transport
TBY talks to Nabeel M. Al-Amudi, Minister of Transport, and President of Saudi Ports Authority, on optimally restricting concession agreements, resolving bottlenecks in the logistics chain, and privatizing as rapidly as possible.
read articleInterview
Khaled Bin Abdullah Al Hogail, CEO & Managing Director , Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO)
TBY talks to Khaled Bin Abdullah Al Hogail, CEO & Managing Director of the Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO), on the importance of strong and rational regulations, knowledge transfers, and unifying public and private transportation networks.
read articleInterview
Imad El-Zein, CEO, Auto World-Sixt Saudi Arabia
TBY talks to Imad El-Zein, CEO of Auto World-Sixt Saudi Arabia, on growing market share in challenging circumstances, partnering with world-class players to boost its local presence, and combining better services with lower costs.
read articleInterview
Saleh H. Al-Ghamdi, Acting CEO, Saudi Air Navigation Services Company (SANS)
TBY talks to Saleh H. Al-Ghamdi, Acting CEO of Saudi Air Navigation Services Company (SANS), on maximizing safe and effective services, effectively increasing the rate of Saudization, and easing the pathway of women into the workforce.
read articleInterview
Khalil Kutubkhanah, CEO, Jeddah Development and Urban Regeneration Company (JDURC)
TBY talks to Ibrahim Khalil Kutubkhanah, CEO of Jeddah Development and Urban Regeneration Company (JDURC), on Jeddah's unplanned settlements, the company's redevelopment projects, and its partnership model with the private sector.
read articleInterview
Dr. Khalid Bin Mohammed Al Shaibani, Deputy Minister, Planning and Health & Director of the Vision Realization Office
TBY talks to Dr. Khalid Bin Mohammed Al Shaibani, Deputy Minister for Planning and Health & Director of the Vision Realization Office, on reforms within the Ministry of Health, the corporatization of healthcare provision, and transformations in care delivery.
read articleInterview
Mohanad A. Dahlan, CEO, University of Business and Technology (UBT) Company
TBY talks to Mohanad A. Dahlan, CEO of University of Business and Technology (UBT) Company, on the evolution of the company, education investments, and upcoming sectors that will need support from the sector.
read articleFocus: Universities
Broad and Deep
As part of the continuing decentralization of higher education in Saudi Arabia, individual universities are pursuing their own paths to grow their faculties, engage with various international stakeholders, and ultimately move toward a more privatized future.
read articleInterview
Rafique Izhiman, Area General Manager KSA Jeddah, Yanbu Hotels
TBY talks to Rafique Izhiman, Area General Manager KSA Jeddah/Yanbu Hotels & General Manager, Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG), Jeddah, on the role the firm plays in the market, expanding its footprint in the country, and expectations for 2017.
read article
