RIYADH – A forthcoming report to be published by the global publishing, research and consultancy firm Oxford Business Group (OBG) will review the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's legal framework, with a particular focus on the Kingdom's foreign investment laws and regulatory climate. The Report: Saudi Arabia 2014 will chart the rapid expansion of the Islamic finance segment, which has witnessed the introduction of several new sharia-compliant products and services. It will also consider the key legal developments likely to be of interest to investors, including Saudi Arabia's new labour law, mortgage legislation and its methods of diversifying corporate ownership. The Law Office of Salman M. Al-Sudairi in association with Latham & Watkins LLP will partner with Oxford Business Group to provide legal analysis for their upcoming publication. The firm will contribute its market knowledge and expertise, to compile the legal coverage in The Report: Saudi Arabia 2014. Latham & Watkins LLP is a global law firm dedicated to working with clients to help them achieve their business goals. Latham's Riyadh-based lawyers have a long history of practicing in Saudi Arabia and have been involved in many of the country's landmark transactions. OBG's Regional Editor, Oliver Cornock, said that Saudi Arabia had maintained its spot as the single largest destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the region, supported by strong macro fundamentals and high oil prices. “Saudi Arabia remains a significant growth market, where in addition to strong economic fundamentals, efforts to boost private sector activity are bearing fruit and domestic demand looks set to remain strong,” he said. “Investors will be keen to ensure they are kept up to date on legal changes, as the Kingdom's economic diversification gains pace, and I am delighted that Latham & Watkins will help us explore these and other issues in our forthcoming report.” Salman M. Al-Sudairi added: “The report comes at a time of unprecedented growth in the Kingdom. While hydrocarbons will maintain a dominant role in Saudi Arabia's economy, other sectors such as infrastructure, transportation, education and healthcare offer potential for investors in a diversifying economy. We look forward to working with OBG on this report and to providing an analysis on the legal and regulatory framework in one of the most dynamic economies in the world.” The Report: Saudi Arabia 2014 will be a vital guide to the many facets of the country, including its macroeconomics, infrastructure, banking and other sectoral developments. The publication will be available in print or online. OBG is a global publishing, research and consultancy firm, which publishes economic intelligence on the markets of the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America Through its range of print and online products, OBG offers comprehensive and accurate analysis of macroeconomic and sectoral developments, including banking, capital markets, insurance, energy, transport, industry and telecoms. The Report: Saudi Arabia 2014 is produced in partnership with The Law Offices of Salman M. Al-Sudairi , Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Deloitte and Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia. — SG
