Serco, an international provider of public services within transport, citizen services and defense, marked last week’s National Day with the opening of its new regional hub in the Kingdom. Located in the capital’s cosmopolitan Riyadh Front district, the move is part of a long-term strategy to develop its Saudi-based resources and leverage its location as a driver for local and regional trade.
Building on strong foundations, which already engage specialist teams with 15 percent Saudi-national representation in the delivery of high-profile contracts with EXPRO and the Royal Commission of AlUla, Serco has set itself bold ambitions for the future, eyeing opportunities in the Kingdom’s smart cities and giga-projects. These are led by Serco’s own Saudi national female country director Mona Althagafi.
Althagafi said: “The opening of this new office just after National Day on Friday represents a key milestone for Serco as we fully embrace Saudization. We are already providing rewarding careers for young, local talent and creating many exciting opportunities in the future, for both men and women. This illustrates our commitment to one of the central pillars of the Kingdom’s vision, to support the development of diversification and help build a sustainable economy. We offer candidates the chance to develop their skills through developmental, graduate and internship programs.”
Research conducted earlier this month by Serco Institute suggests that 81 percent of senior executives across the Gulf area recognize the critical value of having a substantial presence in the Kingdom, which puts Serco at strategic advantage. This is reflected in its business strategy, where Althagafi anticipates growth in Saudi projects will result in the Kingdom accounting for more than 50 percent of Serco Middle East’s revenues by 2026.
The company has received record job applications this year and is confident of meeting the Saudization target of 25 percent it has set for the next five years.
Phil Malem, CEO of Serco Middle East, said: “Our research asserts Serco’s long-held belief that we need to be as close to our key customers as possible so that we can continue to offer them the most responsive and innovative services available using global best practice and expertise delivered by our local team. With over six new contract wins with new clients in the Kingdom already this year, the opening of our new headquarters is just one key milestone in our commitment to, and journey within Saudi Arabia.”
