Saudi investment authority awards licenses to 10 UK firms

DUBAI: The Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) on Friday announced that 10 UK businesses have been granted Saudi investment licenses — enabling them to establish operations in the Kingdom or expand their existing presence.
The 10 companies include AstraZeneca, Unipart Rail, ARC Middle East, Dudley College of Technology, Mott MacDonald Middle East, Standard & Poor’s Credit Market and MEMF REPL Cable Accessories.
Ibrahim Al-Omar, governor of SAGIA, said: “The unprecedented program of reforms being implemented in Saudi Arabia is unlocking an exciting range of opportunities for investors in the Middle East’s largest economy.”
He added: “One of SAGIA’s strategic goals is to act as an advocate for investors and enable them to invest and establish their businesses in Saudi Arabia and in its efforts to ease licenses procedures, SAGIA has extended the license period for foreign investment from one year to a period of up to five years, renewable.
AstraZeneca said: “Since 1980, AstraZeneca Saudi Arabia has been committed to improve patients’ access to innovative medicines across the Kingdom, and we believe that the Kingdom’s medical needs and increasing openness to international investment mean there are considerable opportunities in the sector.”
The announcement was made as the visit to the UK by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman drew to a close.
Britain and Saudi Arabia earlier set out an ambition to build £65 billion ($90.29 billion) of trade and investment ties in coming years, Prime Minister Theresa May’s office said on Wednesday, calling the agreement a vote of confidence in the British economy ahead of Brexit.