Industry

The sweeping changes announced in Vision 2030 aim at giving rise to a reinvigorated and prosperous private sector, driving growth through broad industrial development. By the time the G20 summit convenes in Riyadh in 2020, four years after the Vision 2030 announcements, the country’s leaders will be able to showcase some of the first results of the new agenda, as detailed in the National Transformation Programme (NTP). There are high expectations of the individual reforms, as policymakers work to meet key performance indicators outlined in the NTP’s second iteration, dubbed NTP 2.0. Mega-projects such as the Sadara Petrochemicals Complex are producing raw materials that can spawn new manufacturing plants, while the consumer habits of a growing, young and affluent population are creating fresh markets for innovative service industries. This chapter contains an interview with Khalid Al Salem, Director-General, Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones.