A new report by the global research and advisory firm Oxford Business Group (OBG) will highlight the raft of developments under way in Jeddah which are combining to position Saudi Arabia's second-largest city as a regional economic hub. The Report: Saudi Arabia 2020 will pinpoint Jeddah's high-growth sectors, which range from the chemical industries, ICT and transport and logistics to mining and tourism, along with other, emerging areas of business that are also ripe for investment. The Jeddah Economic City mega-project will be a key focus of OBG's economic analysis. Readers will find detailed coverage of the latest developments in the multi-billion-dollar, mixed-use initiative, including the planned Jeddah Tower, which is set to be the biggest skyscraper in the world once complete. The Report: Saudi Arabia 2020 will also chart the key role that Jeddah's transport projects, such as the Haramain High-Speed Rail venture, are playing in galvanising growth by boosting connectivity, while documenting new public-private-partnership opportunities in the sector. The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) has signed a further memorandum of understanding with OBG for its forthcoming publication. Under the agreement, which marks 10 years of collaboration between the chamber and OBG, the JCCI will help to produce The Report: Saudi Arabia 2020's chapter on Jeddah and other content that will be made available across the Group's platforms. JCCI Chairman Mohammed Yousef Naghi said Jeddah's pivotal role in driving forward Saudi Arabia's plans to reduce its dependence on oil meant these were exciting times for the city. "Having long enjoyed its status as a key commercial centre, supported by the biggest seaport on the Red Sea, and the gateway to the holy cities of Makkah and Medina, Jeddah is now repositioning itself as an international city which is home to an increasingly diverse range of industries," he said. "Oxford Business Group's reports on emerging economies and their investment opportunities are recognised as market leaders in their field. I look forward to working with its team once again in what is certainly a significant year in our city's development." Welcoming the JCCI on board, Jana Treeck, OBG's Managing Director for the Middle East, said the chamber's input over the years had undoubtedly strengthened the Group's coverage of Jeddah's changing economic landscape and other developments across the western region. "As one of the oldest business and services organiZations in the Kingdom, the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been at the forefront of the city's expansion, supporting its members and successfully attracting inward investment," Treeck said. "I have no doubt that the contribution of its newly appointed chairman, whose decision to diversify his own business activities reflects the broader push under way across the Kingdom, will raise the bar yet again in our forthcoming report." The Report: Saudi Arabia 2020 will mark the culmination of more than 12 months of field research by a team of analysts from Oxford Business Group. It will be a vital guide to the many facets of the Kingdom, including its macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and other sectoral developments. OBG's publication will also contain contributions from leading representatives across the public and private sectors. — SG
