Top 100 list: Saudi firms seek prestigious ranking

Arab News, whose list of Top 100 companies had become the benchmark in the corporate world in the past, is resuming its special Top 100 supplement this year. 
The supplement is being published at a time when the Kingdom’s vast investment opportunity is being unfolded under National Transformation Program 2020 (NTP 2020) and Saudi Vision 2030.
Very aptly, the theme of the special Top 100 supplement is “the role of the corporate world in contributing to the success of NTP 2020 and Vision 2030.”
The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 is a very ambitious and clear cut road-map for the overall development across the Kingdom by transformation with a focused program for sustainable development. 
This was all the more emphasized during the recent Arab News dialogue with a panel of experts comprising Saudi authorities and foreign ambassadors.
The dialogue was a pioneering initiative taken by Arab News Editor in Chief Mohammed Fahad Al-Harthi with the sole objective of increasing interaction of the region’s leading English newspaper with decision-makers in various sectors in the Kingdom, including diplomats and scholars.
The diplomatic corps in unison had a word of praise for the ambitious programs under NTP 2020 and Vision 2030 and said there was a huge opportunity awaiting the corporate sector from Saudi Arabia and its counterparts worldwide to invest, and promote partnerships and collaborations in making the two programs successful. As Vision 2030 puts emphasis on renewable energy programs in the Kingdom, many countries are looking forward to share their experiences with the Kingdom.
Vision 2030 is a very forward looking plan and it is much more than simply diversifying the Saudi economy or transforming it from the oil driven economy to non-oil revenue generation programs.
Saudi companies will surely find vast scope for participating in plans that are even beyond traditional programs. Economic diversification holds tremendous promise for participation by Saudi companies. Health care, education, infrastructure with the concept of smart cities, industrial cities, grooming younger generation, empowering society, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), high-tech manufacturing, e-governance, digital economy, and defense are among the areas where they can seek partnerships and collaborations with their foreign counterparts.
Upbeat domestic and foreign investors are seeking joint ventures or independent enterprises as part of the transformation program. 
It is against this positive background that Arab News, the region’s leading English newspaper, and its sister publication Al-Eqtisadiah, will publish special supplements on Top 100 Saudi Companies 2016 soon, reflecting the performance of the corporate sector and especially their important role in the Kingdom’s economic development.
Using statistics and graphics, the Top 100 supplements will cover articles and features relevant to the performance and outlook of the corporate sector.
The supplements will feature an editorial about Top 100 companies, a review of the companies in Top 100 explaining the methodology used for ranking, performance of companies with special emphasis on the sectors dominating the list, and new arrival and departure of companies in the list.
Also featured will be special interviews with the CEOs of some of top companies, the faring of listed companies in the ranking, an in-depth study on the performance of Saudi stock market (Tadawul), and the role of the corporate sector in the Kingdom’s economic development and especially in the context of NTP 2020 and Saudi Vision 2030.
Registration for Top 100 Companies Supplement in Arab News and Al-Eqtisadiah publications is open to all companies operating across Saudi Arabia.

Source: Arab News