Prince Sattam lauds SABIC's role in Saudi economy

Riyadh Gov. Prince Sattam opened the new SABIC Academy at the headquarters of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation in Riyadh on Tuesday. Prince Sattam was accompanied by Riyadh Deputy Gov. Prince Mohammed bin Saad bin Abdulaziz. They were received by Prince Saud bin Abdullah Thunayan, chairman of SABIC and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, Mohamed Al-Mady, SABIC vice chairman and CEO, some members of the board of directors, and senior executives of the company. Speaking at the ceremony, Prince Sattam said: "I congratulate SABIC on this new education facility - SABIC Academy. The academy will help the company to continue playing a leading role in meeting the requirements of the government, and will enhance the level of education and training, and further improve the pace of manpower development in Saudi Arabia and abroad." The prince praised the efforts of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and his government in caring for the Kingdom's education needs. The number of public and private universities has been doubled during his reign. Tens of thousands of male and female citizens of this country have benefited from the Kingdom's foreign scholarship program covering universities around the world, he said. Prince Sattam added: "The SABIC Academy adds a new dimension to the advancement of the nation by developing industry leaders in the petrochemical industry - one of the most important manufacturing sectors. Congratulations to all of you for this outstanding facility, which is another landmark of human advancement in our country." Prince Saud said: "Prince Sattam's interest in such events reflects his keenness to see continued growth and development in the capital Riyadh, as it races against time to keep pace with the growing international status of Saudi Arabia." Prince Saud also welcomed Prince Mohammed bin Saad bin Abdulaziz and thanked him for attending the event. Prince Saud added: "SABIC is not just manufacturing plants, machinery and products. SABIC is a symbol of national capability in every sense of the word. It has developed many of its leaders and nurtured their talents. Throughout its history, which extends to more than 35 years, SABIC has created several generations of industry leaders, not only in Jubail and Yanbu but also in the nation as a whole. This in itself is a major milestone, which we are proud of." The SABIC chairman pointed out that the role of the academy is not confined to the training of SABIC employees, but extends to serving the people of this country. The academy allows leaders of various government sectors in the Kingdom access to courses and training programs, developed as per the highest standards." Al-Mady said: "We have constructed the SABIC Academy by utilizing the latest educational models. The Academy will assist in refining the talents of our employees in all areas, and will provide an opportunity for them to directly interact and communicate with senior leaders of the company, in a world-class learning environment. They will take part in programs designed especially for SABIC by the world's best and prestigious universities. The academy stands between two different cultures - the academic culture and business culture - and is significant to the success of both." He added, "The academy is SABIC's university, which will play a role not only in education and training, but also in contributing strongly to the Kingdom's GDP, and in achieving comprehensive and sustainable development in the future." Prince Sattam honored the board members who had recently ended their term, namely, Ahmed bin Ibrahim Al-Hakami, Saleh bin Eid Al-Husseini and Abdulmuhsin bin Abdulaziz Al-Faris. He later toured the academy's facilities where he was briefed on the technical equipment, laboratories, digital libraries and halls. The ceremony included a live satellite relay of the event across SABIC's sites in Asia, Africa, Europe and America as well as Jubail and Yanbu. The academy aims to become a center for motivating employees and a home for developing their abilities. It encourages the employees to acquire scientific knowledge and gain wider experience to further their careers. The academy, which is constructed on an area of 11,000 square meters, accommodates around 450 people. It includes meeting rooms, conference and seminar halls, as well as IT laboratories, two libraries, and offices with Internet facilities. Halls, equipped with the latest audiovisual technology, serve different educational and developmental needs in the areas of the company's business and are geared to develop basic and leadership skills in various areas including, finance, marketing, sales supply chain and various technical fields.