Gianmauro Chiaranda

Launching a New Era of Saudi-British Partnerships and Understandings: Key Initiatives Announced During the official visit of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Saudi Arabia on December 9, 2024, both nations emphasized the importance of deepening their economic, cultural, and educational ties, aligning with #SaudiVision2030 and the UK's Industrial Strategy. 🔅 Economic Partnership and Trade 🔸️ Increase bilateral trade to $37.5 billion by 2030. 🔸️ Recognition of Saudi investments in the UK, including Selfridges, Heathrow Airport, and Newcastle United Football Club. 🔸️ UK Export Finance pledged to raise its market exposure to $6 billion, supported by a $700 million Shariah-compliant investment for the Qiddiya | القدية project. 🔸️  Establishing a free trade agreement between the UK and GCC to boost trade by 16%. 🔅 Energy and Clean Hydrogen 🔸️ Enhanced cooperation in #RenewableEnergy, #CleanHydrogen, and #electricity, focusing on policy and human capacity development. 🔸️ Launch of a Clean Hydrogen Alliance led by King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals - KFUPM and Newcastle University. 🔸️ Support for global supply chain resilience through Saudi Arabia’s Global #SupplyChain Resilience Initiative, targeting renewable energy, green metals, and advanced #recycling technologies. 🔅 Education and Research 🔸️ Increasing the number of British schools in #SaudiArabia to 10 by 2030. 🔸️ Opening UK university branches in Saudi Arabia to foster knowledge-based economic development. 🔸️ Expanding vocational and technical #education partnerships and special needs education programs. 🔸️ Launching a collaborative project between the Camborne School of Mines Association at the University of Exeter and Saudi Arabia’s Center for Mining Innovation. 🔅 Cultural and Sporting Initiatives 🔸️ Deepened collaboration in heritage, museum infrastructure, and cultural exchange programs. 🔸️ Joint programs between Saudi and British universities to promote female leadership in sports and esports. 🔸️ Partnership between The Royal Commission for AlUla and the British Council, coinciding with the latter’s 90th anniversary. 🔅 Healthcare and Humanitarian Efforts 🔸️ Initiatives to train Saudi nurses and develop advanced nursing colleges in Saudi Arabia. 🔸️ Strengthened cooperation to address global health challenges and expand medical research initiatives. 🔸️ Joint funding of $100 million for humanitarian aid and development projects. 🔅 Sustainability and Climate Action 🔸️ Alignment on UNFCCC and Paris Agreement goals with mutual support for ambitious outcomes at COP30. 🔸️ Recognition of Saudi Arabia’s leadership through the Saudi #Green Initiative, Middle East Green Initiative, and the Circular Carbon Economy. 🔅 This visit strengthens Saudi-British ties and advances collaboration in innovation, economic growth, and sustainability. #UKPartnership #GlobalTrade #CleanHydrogen #Healthcare #CulturalExchange #SustainableDevelopment #UK

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A very good morning, Last night, we received fantastic news from #Fitch, finally changed the outlook on Oman's sovereign rating to positive from stable. #Oman now holds the following ratings: ◾️S&P: BBB-, stable outlook, investment grade ◾️ Moody's: Ba1, positive outlook, one notch below investment grade ◾️Fitch: BB+, positive outlook, one notch below investment grade The Fitch outlook revision not only reassures credit investors of Oman’s commitment to prudent fiscal management, but also brings Oman closer to achieving investment-grade status with more than one of the “Big Three” rating agencies. ❗️Why is this important? Achieving investment-grade status with more than one of the big three could attract approximately $3.3 billion in positive inflows to Oman’s #bond market, and here’s how it works: ◾️There are global bond indices tracked by funds managing trillions of dollars in AUM. To qualify for inclusion in the investment grade version these indices, a country typically needs an investment-grade rating from at least two major agencies. Once Oman satisfies this condition, its bonds could become eligible for inclusion in indices such as: 1️⃣ The Investment-Grade version of the Emerging Markets Bloomberg Index (EMBI IG) > Tracked by funds with ~$52 billion in AUM. > According to Morgan Stanley, Oman could gain a weight of 5.7%, translating into approximately $3 billion in investment flows. 2️⃣ The Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Index >Tracked by funds with ~$2 trillion in AUM. > According to Morgan Stanly, Oman would have a weight of 0.04%, equivalent to about $700 million in potential investment flows. However, a realistic estimate suggests Oman might attract around $300 million from this index. ❗️The combined inflows from the EMBI IG and Bloomberg Aggregate indices are estimated at $3–3.3 billion. These funds would not only target government #bonds but also #sukuk, both sovereign and quasi-sovereign, as well as corporate. This would increase demand for Oman’s bonds and sukuk, while also broadening the investor base. When can we expect this change? ◾️Credit rating agencies typically operate on a 6–12-month review cycle. The next likely upgrade to investment grade could come from Moody's, potentially in February or shortly thereafter. Once Oman satisfies the condition of having two investment-grade ratings, it might take an additional quarter or two for its bonds to be included in the indices. This development will be one of the most significant developments for Oman’s financial market outlook in 2025. 📌 So the government’s fiscal reforms over the past five years have not only reduced borrowing costs and allowed for refinancing expensive debt with cheaper options for the government and corporates alike, but would also strengthen the domestic bond market, a cornerstone of financial development, a transformative step forward for Oman’s financial market outlook heading into 2025.

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My interview on @AlArabiya on the performance of UAE banks due to underlying strong macroeconomic conditions: 3.5% real growth and 7.8% current account surplus creating liquidity, rise in foreign assets, and strong core financial soundness indicators https://ara.tv/v6vv6

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Reiterating on Al Arabiya News Channel that #US tariffs on #China are disappointing and political. Given the opportunity, #China would build #US factories for the #US market. It is a setback for #climate policy. Access to cheaper #EVs, advanced #batteries, and #solarpanels will be restricted. The US #solar industry, which stands at 179 GW of total installation vs. 3000 GW in China, will continue to struggle. KraneShares #ETFs. https://ara.tv/5kg9d #Saudiarabia #uae

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Trump’s Gulf Dealmaker Helps Family Cash In on Property Boom : Dar Global CEO has helped bring Trump’s brand to the Gulf : Ziad El Chaar has years of experience in Mideast real estate To get a sense of the Trump Organization’s business ambitions in the Middle East, look no further than Ziad El Chaar. The low-key chief executive officer of Dar Global Plc has been the Trump family’s go-to-guy in the region for over a decade. In recent months, he orchestrated deals with the US president-elect’s eponymous firm to build villas in Oman and new towers in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. As the Trump Organization ramps up its push overseas, few regions offer more opportunity than the Gulf. It’s home to one of the world’s hottest property markets, Dubai, where luxury house prices have surged in recent years. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is building luxury resorts and thousands of new homes as part of a trillion-dollar economic transformation plan. But it’s also a region where the Trump family’s business activities are likely to draw particularly close scrutiny since regional governments typically keep a close hold on business in their countries. “We’re dealing with Trump the business organization, not with Trump politics,” El Chaar said in an interview in Dubai. Before 2016, as an executive at Dubai’s Damac Properties, he worked directly with Donald Trump and daughter Ivanka to help launch their first development in the city. Those direct dealings have since ceased, El Chaar says and he now liaises with Trump’s sons, Eric and Don Jr., both executive vice presidents at the Trump Organization. Still, the distinction between Trump’s roles as politician and businessman can be hard to parse. For instance, while the president-elect resigned from his position at Trump Organization before his first term, he continues to own the firm. Those blurred lines have drawn scrutiny from critics about potential conflicts of interests. Representatives for Trump and the Trump Organization didn’t comment. Dar Global, for its part, hasn’t been shying away from its links to Trump. Earlier this year, its website flaunted its ties to the president-elect, including a montage featuring Eric touring an arid hilly site overlooking the azure waters of Oman. Elsewhere, an undated video showed a smiling Donald Trump standing with Yousef Al-Shelash, the Saudi tycoon who’s chairman of Dar Global’s parent company. Born in Lebanon, El Chaar, 55, is an old hand at navigating Gulf real estate. He recalls brainstorming with senior management at Damac a decade ago on ways to lure property buyers to a stretch of desert outside Dubai. They decided that anchoring a housing development around a Trump golf course would do it. Trump later flew in — by private jet, with Ivanka by his side. An international designer was hired to build an 18-hole golf course, constructed beside a Trump-branded housing development. Damac continues to operate that project, from which the Trump Organization drew at least $4.3 million

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These 50 successful companies are ones to watch 👇 They will create an additional wave of jobs, opportunities and impact in the UAE and beyond. Investopia launched the "Next50" initiative, in collaboration with Emerging Markets Intelligence & Research | EMIR, in the presence of His Excellency Abdulla Bin Touq, the Minister of Economy and Chairman of Investopia; Jean Fares, Senior Advisor to the Minister & CEO of Investopia; HE Abdulla Alsaleh, Undersecretary of Ministry of Economy and Dr. Noah Raford, Managing Partner, EMIR. The primary objective of this initiative is to unlock fresh investment prospects for high-potential and rapidly expanding companies within the UAE. #Investopia #Next50 #Advisory #EMIR #SuccessfulPerspectives

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All of last week in KSA: 1) I spoke about regional Exits/IPOs at Aramco's inaugural TecShift conference (https://tecshift.com/) and then 2) attended FII8, my 7th FII. I realized that "Emerging Markets" sounds a bit condescending in today's world. These economies are growth powerhouses! Time for an upgrade: we need to refer to these economies as "Growth Markets." #KSA #UAE #GCC #FII #TecShift #emergingmarkets #growthmarkets #economics #finance #respect

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This is another important step in the strong and lasting bilateral cooperation between out two kingdoms and towards mutually developing a cleaner and safer world.

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Baosteel Doubles Investment in Saudi Venture to $1 Billion Investment and Economic: Benefits 1. Increased Investment: * The total investment in the project is now over USD 1 billion more than originally planned. * Baosteel will increase its investment to
USD 1 billion. * Aramco and PIF will raise their investments to USD 500 million each. 2. Economic Impact: * Job Creation: The establishment of a steel production plant will create direct and indirect employment opportunities. * Industrial Growth: Enhances the growth of the steel industry in Saudi Arabia, reducing dependency on imports and fostering self-sufficiency. * Diversification: Supports Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 by diversifying the economy away from oil and gas. * Increased Output: The plant's annual capacity of 2.5 million tons of direct reduced iron and 1.5 million tons of steel plate will meet the demand in MENA oil and gas, shipbuilding, and construction industries. Risk Assessment 1. Market Risks: * Demand Fluctuations: Global and regional demand for steel can be volatile, affecting the plant's profitability. * Price Volatility: Steel prices are subject to fluctuations, influenced by raw material costs, supply-demand dynamics, and global trade policies. 2. Operational Risks: * Project Delays: Delays in construction or operational ramp-up can increase costs and delay revenue generation. * Technical Challenges: Issues related to technology integration, plant maintenance, and achieving targeted production capacities. 3. Geopolitical Risks: * Regional Stability: Political instability in the MENA region could disrupt operations and supply chains. 4. Financial Risks: * Investment Recovery: Achieving a return on the significant capital investment is crucial. Prolonged low steel prices or demand could delay investment recovery. * Currency Fluctuations: Exchange rate variations could impact the cost structure and profitability, particularly if there are substantial international transactions. Financial Performance Indicators Analysis 1. Return on Investment (ROl): • Calculation of ROl will be crucial to assess the profitability of the venture.
This involves comparing the net profit generated by the plant to the total investment. 2. Net Present Value (NPV): • NPV analysis will help in understanding the value addition by the project over time, considering the time value of money. 3. Internal Rate of Return (IRR): • IRR will provide insights into the expected rate of return from the investment, helping to compare it with other potential investment opportunities. 4. Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA): • EBITDA will be a key indicator of the plant's operational profitability, excluding the effects of financing and accounting decisions. 5. Debt-to-Equity Ratio: • This will help in assessing the financial leverage and stability of the J, indicating the proportion of debt used to finance the plant relative to shareholders' equity.

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IPO here, IPO there, IPO everywhere. That’s what’s going on in the GCC right now—from the UAE to Saudi Arabia. Just to clarify—an IPO is an Initial Public Offering. It allows you to buy shares in companies. Here’s all you need to know about the rise of IPOs in the GCC, in under 60 seconds. First, let’s look at Saudi Arabia. Back in 2019, aramco, one of the world’s biggest companies, announced that it was going public. And it broke a record. Aramco was valued at a staggering $2 trillion, making it the biggest ever IPO. And from there, IPO growth in Saudi Arabia has gone to the next level. And today, in 2024? In the last 6 months itself, Saudi Arabia raised $2.1 billion in IPOs. Recently, The Modern Mills Company went public with a $724 million IPO, and the MBC Group went public with a $222 million IPO. Impressive, right? In 2024, in the UAE, big names like LuLu and Etihad have plans to go public. The recent Parkin IPO raised $400 million in the first quarter of the year. Recently, Abu Dhabi National Hotels announced their plans to go public as well. They’re just one of many companies going public. Growth is expected to reach extremely high levels given the UAE’s business environment and investor-friendly ecosystem. And there’s more. Across the MENA region, 23 IPOs raised $3.6 billion in just 6 months. The first time I had heard of stocks, I was 16, and read about Warren Buffet. In February, 2006, I bought my first ever stock , DU telecom’s IPO in Dubai . What a long way we’ve come. IPOs and success. We’re going to see more of that. So let’s welcome it.

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The M&A landscape in Saudi Arabia is truly thriving, and the first half of 2024 has shown just how dynamic and promising this #market is. I am excited to see the remarkable #growth in mergers and acquisitions, particularly in sectors like #technology and #healthcare. The surge in M&A activity, driven by the Kingdom's #KSAVision2030, highlights the strategic shifts that are setting the stage for long-term #economic growth and diversification. Saudi Arabia’s focus on #innovation and strategic partnerships is not only attracting substantial #foreign #investment but also encouraging an ideal environment for local companies to expand their market #presence. The kingdom’s commitment to sectoral #diversification is evident, with M&A activities now extending well beyond oil and gas, and into high-potential areas like #renewableenergy and advanced #technologies. The impressive 150% increase in M&A value in Q1 2024, particularly within the pharmaceutical industry, highlights Saudi Arabia’s growing appeal to global giants. This trend is a testament to the Kingdom’s strategic #economic initiatives and the government’s ongoing support to create a more business-friendly environment. These efforts are paving the way for significant #opportunities, making Saudi Arabia a key player in the MEA region's M&A landscape. As we move forward, it’s clear that the future of mergers and acquisitions in Saudi Arabia is bright. The Kingdom’s focus on innovation, market #expansion, and operational synergies is setting the stage for continued growth and success. This is an exciting time to be involved in the Saudi market, and I am optimistic about the #opportunities that lie ahead.   https://lnkd.in/gKwT_zdG #investment #mergersandacquisitions #saudiarabia #vision2030 #economicgrowth #innovation #technology #healthcare #globalinvestment #strategicpartnerships

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Abu Dhabi's strategic push to attract family offices and ultra-high-net-worth individuals marks a transformative shift in its economic landscape. By enhancing investor experiences through exclusive schools, private clubs, and tailored banking, the emirate is cultivating a thriving ecosystem for the wealthy. This influx bolsters local economies and positions Abu Dhabi as a global wealth management hub. The emphasis on education in wealth management and governance demonstrates a forward-thinking approach, ensuring sustainability and responsible stewardship of wealth across generations. As the region attracts self-made billionaires, its financial landscape is set for unprecedented growth and innovation. #wealthmanagement #abudhabi #familyoffices #investmenttrends #ultrahighnetworth

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🌍 Discover the power of people-centered approaches! Join Juan A., Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company, as he presents 'ESG - Human-Centricity.' Learn how integrating human-centric principles into ESG frameworks can drive meaningful impact and sustainable success. #SBEFUAE2024 #HumanCentricity #ESG #SustainableSuccess #IndustryInsights

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US & EU De-Coupling, so-called "De-Risking" from China generates global fragmentation and will be costly, disrupting trade, direct investment and financial flows and capital markets. However, the GCC and its Middle East partners are likely to benefit from their growing strategic, technology, knowledge sharing, trade, economic and financial links with China.

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"The UAE aspires to have a more diverse, knowledge-based economy. What are some of the most important goals of the UAE under this vision, and how does the government aim to turn them into actionable and impactful results? At this critical juncture for social, economic, and human development, the UAE is doubling down on its efforts to build a more resilient world. In the UAE, we aim to build a strong and well-rounded knowledge-based economy by strategically integrating key elements across its various sub-pillars. We strive to provide cutting-edge education that caters to lifelong learners, fostering an ecosystem that will eventually cultivate skilled, knowledgeable, and well-educated individuals. These individuals will be equipped to design the future and continuously upgrade their skills throughout all stages of life. We also aim to create an advanced environment that fosters innovation and shapes the future. This includes establishing research and development centers, supporting startups, and enhancing collaboration between academia, government, and the private sector. Our goal is to remain at the forefront of the digital economy, driving productivity and efficiency while creating new opportunities in emerging industries. A diversified, knowledge-based economy is also the product of a dynamic and competitive environment. It is an economy that is fast-paced and focused on promising sectors, such as advanced industries and financial technology, while also investing in emerging sectors of the future, such as space exploration. Our vision drives us to build competitive, flexible, and highly productive human capital. Stimulating local talent and attracting global talent are crucial responsibilities for leaders in government as we work to shape the future of our economy and society. Talent is a primary economic driver behind the leadership’s vision for developing a diverse, knowledge-based economy. By fulfilling the ambitions outlined in We the UAE 2031, we aim to further enhance the UAE’s position as a dynamic, attractive, and competitive hub of innovation. To ensure effective implementation, we have set ambitious national goals, including: Doubling GDP from AED1.49 trillion to AED3 trillion Generating AED800 billion in non-oil exports Increasing foreign trade to AED4 trillion Boosting the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP to AED450 billion"

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