Riyadh to host three-day summit of Saudi Mega Infrastructure Projects in September

This Summit will significantly highlight the opportunities in the non-energy infrastructure projects market sector of the Kingdom, organized by Meed Events permitted by Ministry of Commerce & Industry, gC Company, Ltd., Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Mega Infrastructure Projects Summit aims to provide an exclusive opportunity to its participants by expediting them in gaining an unprecedented insight and access into the biggest projects market in the MEANA region.

Due to strong demographic growth, high oil prices and a capital investment program backed by strong political support, Saudi Arabia is today the largest projects market in the region, overtaking the UAE in 2010 and maintained its position as a top leader in the market since then.

The Saudi MIP Summit focus on the development of mega-projects in the Kingdom, the region's largest construction sector. The core sectors that are driving the massive growth in construction activity - transport infrastructure (road, rail, aviation), Social infrastructure (education, healthcare) & utilities infrastructure (power & water, desalination, renewable, waste management) will be discussed.

The Summit activities are divided into the Saudi Rail Focus Day and the two days dedicated to Conference that is coincides with the World Green Building Week of 17-24 of September.

The Saudi Rail Focus Day will offer a profound vision into the Rail sector in Saudi Arabia and the opportunities attached to it for both local and international contractors, consultants and specialist rail service providers.

World Green Building Week aims and its importance to Saudi Arabia's project portfolio will be highlighted significantly at the Summit by Faisal S. Alfadl, Founder of Saudi Green Building Council and a perspective member of World Green Building Council, who's effort is aligned to facilitate the global transformation of the building industry and its mega projects towards sustainability through market driven mechanisms. He aims to bring to light the key role of buildings in conserving resources, saving money and creating jobs while providing healthier places to live and work.

"Participation in the Summit is an effort to put forward another quintessential step to raise awareness about energy-efficient infrastructure by receiving and sharing related knowledge. Our support to World Green Building Week is very crucial as it will further enhance the outcome of Saudi Mega Infrastructure Projects Summit as combining the mega projects with green building or energy-efficient infrastructure technologies will very advantageous, both economically and socially," said Edmund O' Sullivan, Chairman, MEED Events.

A number of prominent professionals confirmed attending the Summit and will contribute in a substantial way in the outcomes and recommendations of the Saudi MIP Summit. Officials or speakers who will attend this event include Amer al-Swaha, Head of IPP Program at Saudi Electricity Company; Engr. Ayed Alqahtani, Program Director for Preparation and Construction of New Medical Center at King Fahad Medical City, Ministry of Health; Dr. Bassam Boodai, Chief Executive Officer at Jenan Real Estate; Khaled Alohali, Vice President & Executive Managing Director at Cra International; Ramadan Harb, Deputy Department Manager -Transportation at Khatib & Alami - Saudi Consolidated Engineering Company and Geoff Leffek, Regional Rail Director at Hyder Consulting Middle East.

The Saudi MIP Summit will be attended by high profile personalities like Saudi Arabian Government Ministries & Offices, Local and international construction contractors, Construction & engineering consultants, Architecture and project master-planning specialists, Material and equipment suppliers, Project management consultants, Legal firms and Financial advisory companies & banks, introduced and supported by fa PARTNERS.

Many contractors, suppliers and vendors believe that Saudi Arabia has become the number one opportunity in the region as MEED forecasts that over $80 billion worth of major contracts will be awarded in 2013. This figure indicates an approximate 36 per cent increase from 2011. Moreover, with a gigantic projects industry still creating business opportunities, the Saudi Mega Infrastructure Projects Summit will become a platform for those who are willing to enter the Saudi market and those who wish to strengthen their profile in the kingdom.

So as to enable the Saudi MIP Summit to achieve its aims, goal and objects that are set forth by the organizing committee, the Summit has been specifically designed to provide a detailed overview of opportunities and networks in the core non-energy project sectors of Saudi Arabia. It is the drive of the industry economic knowledge were encompass the presentations and strategic panel sessions to focused on the challenges, issues and projects that are shaping the transport, health, education, social, and power & water sectors.