
450 exhibitors to showcase products at Automechanika Riyadh
The seventh edition of Automechanika Riyadh, the automotive aftermarket showcase, will welcome over 450 exhibitors from more than 30 countries when it opens tomorrow (April 28).
Taking place until April 30 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre (RICEC), the event is expected to welcome more than 15,000 visitors, a 15% increase from last year when the show welcomed 13,000 industry professionals.
To facilitate the demand from exhibitors, which are up over 32%, and increased visitor numbers, Automechanika Riyadh will be held across five halls, showcasing a dynamic mix of products and solutions from the automotive market industry.
Saudi companies account for nearly 10% of all exhibitors, underscoring the market growth within the country. Underscoring the international draw of Saudi Arabia and its burgeoning position on the global automotive aftermarket stage, exhibitors will showcase solutions from over 30 countries, from Australia to Brazil, and Cambodia to Peru.
In addition, there will be eight country pavilions with companies from Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, and Turkey on show, as well as two new dedicated areas for Italian and Indian exhibitors.
Bilal Al Barmawi, CEO and Founder of 1st Arabia, the licensee of Automechanika Riyadh directed by Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH, said: 'Automechanika Riyadh 2025 marks a new milestone for the Kingdom's automotive aftermarket industry. This year's edition brings together a record number of international exhibitors, innovative technologies, and future-focused solutions shaping the sector's transformation, reaffirming Saudi Arabia's growing status as a hub for global automotive trade.'
The event will also provide visitors access to groundbreaking thought leadership sessions as part of the Automechanika Academy and networking opportunities through The Premium Club.
Aly Hefny, Show Manager, Automechanika Riyadh, Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: 'The Automechanika Riyadh Academy is a crucial element of the event, focusing on fostering knowledge-sharing and sparking meaningful dialogue across the automotive aftermarket sector. By bringing together regional and international experts, the event has an integral role in spotlighting the latest innovations and industry challenges, while empowering professionals to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly dynamic market. Our commitment to thought leadership and practical learning secures Automechanika Riyadh's position as a market leader in this sector.'
The packed conference programme will take place across the event's three days. Day one will centre on the theme of Localisation & Aftermarket Innovation with sessions focused on building the Middle East's automotive hub, future-proofing Saudi's automotive workforce, and maximising car care business growth.
The theme switches to Core Aftermarket Operations & Sustainable Supply Chain on day two. The focus will address strategies for the Saudi Arabia aftermarket, maximising digital opportunities in the evolving automotive landscape, and accommodating customers to shape the industry's future in Saudi Arabia.
On the final day, the Modern Workshop will delve into tackling skills shortages, embracing digital change, and aligning business goals in the opening session, which will be followed up by a session focused on preparing technicians for advanced hybrid vehicle servicing.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Biz Bahrain
2 days ago
- Biz Bahrain
Vatel Bahrain Showcases Premier International Hotel Management Education at Alumni Club Expo in Dammam
Vatel Bahrain took part in the Bahraini-Saudi University Expo, held in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Organised by the Alumni Club in collaboration with Asas Al-Elaqa for Exhibitions. The event welcomed the participation of a wide array of universities, colleges, institutes, and educational and training academies from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and across the Gulf region. Vatel Bahrain's participation at the expo attracted substantial attention from prospective students and visitors, who engaged directly with the college's representatives to gain insight into its distinctive academic offerings. The spotlight was on its flagship bachelor's programme in International Hotel Management, which integrates rigorous academic instruction with immersive, real-world training. This comprehensive curriculum is purposefully structured to develop advanced competencies across the hospitality, tourism, and hotel management sectors—equipping graduates with the skills, versatility, and global perspective required to thrive in today's competitive international hospitality landscape. Commenting on the participation, Sheikh Khaled bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, General Director of Vatel Bahrain, underscored the college's commitment to participating in educational exhibitions to introducing prospective students to its programmes, and noted that such engagements are pivotal in raising awareness of Vatel Bahrain's role in enhancing academic and professional opportunities within the hospitality industry. Sheikh Khaled commented, 'We are particularly eager to participate in exhibitions held in Saudi Arabia, as Vatel Bahrain is among the institutions officially recommended for Saudi students pursuing studies abroad. Our participation in the Expo underscores Vatel Bahrain's ongoing commitment to advancing regional academic collaboration and broadening access to quality education across the Gulf.' Sheikh Khaled further emphasised that the expo served as a valuable platform for engaging directly with prospective students expressing interest in Vatel Bahrain's International Hotel Management programme. 'Our objective is to support students by addressing their queries, providing tailored academic guidance, and highlighting the unique advantages of pursuing higher education within an internationally recognised and forward-looking academic environment,' Sheikh Khaled stated. 'Vatel Bahrain continues to solidify its position as a premier regional centre of excellence in tourism, hospitality, and hotel management education—and we warmly welcome aspiring students to be part of this transformative journey.'


Biz Bahrain
2 days ago
- Biz Bahrain
UiPath Appoints Sara Al-Alsheikh as Regional Vice President for Saudi Arabia To Accelerate Agentic Automation Adoption Strategy Across the Gulf
UiPath (NYSE: PATH), a global leader in agentic automation, today announced the appointment of Sara Al-Alsheikh as Regional Vice President (RVP) and Managing Director for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain, amid rising demand for AI-powered automation adoption across the Gulf. Based in Riyadh, Al-Alsheikh will lead UiPath's go-to-market and customer success strategy across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain and act as Managing Director of the UiPath regional hub, headquartered in Riyadh. Al-Alsheikh will focus on accelerating growth in key sectors such as government, banking, oil and gas, and others, strengthening UiPath's partner ecosystem, and driving customer success across large-scale digital transformation initiatives. Agentic Automation Momentum Across the Gulf The Gulf region is experiencing a significant surge in digital transformation initiatives, with organizations increasingly adopting advanced automation technologies to enhance efficiency and competitiveness. UiPath is at the forefront of this evolution, enabling local businesses and governments to develop and orchestrate complex AI-powered automation deployments through seamless integration of AI agents, software robots, and human collaboration. Thanks to her exceptional track record of proven success having worked closely with UiPath customers in the region since joining in 2023 as Director of Public Sector and Public Investment Fund (PIF), Al-Alsheikh's appointment aligns with this momentum. Furthermore, it is placing UiPath in a solid position to further support the Gulf's ambitious Vision 2030 objectives by fostering innovation and driving sustainable growth across key sectors, while also supporting gender inclusion goals. Sara's appointment reflects the Kingdom's ongoing transformation and growing emphasis on empowering women in leadership as part of Vision 2030. With over a decade of experience at global technology firms including HP, IBM, and SAP, she represents a new generation of Saudi leaders driving innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth across the region's technology landscape. 'I could not be more thrilled to step into this leadership role at such a pivotal time when the Kingdom is accelerating its digital transformation roadmap and making AI a cornerstone of its strategy. At the same time, UiPath has reached a pinnacle of innovation through the recent relaunch of the UiPath Platform as the first enterprise-grade platform for agentic automation on the market' said Sara Al-Alsheikh, Regional Vice President and Managing Director for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain at UiPath. 'My mission is to help our clients reimagine how work gets done faster, smarter, and more autonomously thanks to agentic automation, with UiPath at the core of their innovation journey.' 'Sara's leadership is a strategic asset for UiPath and a symbol of what's possible when talent, vision, and inclusion intersect,' said Zakaria Haltout, Area Vice President Middle East and Africa at UiPath. 'She brings not only invaluable regional insight but also the drive to execute at scale, and we are excited to see her lead our next chapter of growth.'


Daily Tribune
2 days ago
- Daily Tribune
Kohli's IPL dream faces Punjab challenge
Punjab Kings stand in the way of Virat Kohli's dream of finally winning the Indian Premier League in today's final at the world's biggest cricket stadium. No matter which team prevails at the 132,000-capacity venue in Ahmedabad it will be a first -- neither Punjab nor Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won the IPL since it launched in 2008. Punjab booked their place in the decider with a five-wicket victory over five-time champions Mumbai Indians on Sunday. Shreyas Iyer played a captain's knock with an unbeaten 87. Kohli and Bengaluru will have a psychological edge after thrashing Punjab by eight wickets at the start of the playoffs last week. It is the fourth time that Kohli and his team have reached the final of cricket's richest tournament, but they have never been able to take that last step. The vast majority in attendance will be cheering on Kohli, the 36-year-old superstar batsman and icon to Indian cricket fans. Kohli, who last month retired from Test cricket alongside Rohit Sharma, has again been Bengaluru's go-to batsman with 614 runs, including eight half-centuries, in 14 innings this season. He has made no attempt to hide his desperation to win the IPL at the 18th attempt and add it to a long list of accolades that includes two World Cup crowns. He has talked about his 'heartbreak' of f ailing to win the IPL, and celebrated last week's win against Punjab saying: 'One more to go.' Punjab's fast bowling coach James Hopes said yesterday his team will be ' recovering and getting mentally prepared' for what he anticipates will be a 'pretty big crowd, and a pretty big proKohli crowd as well'. Sensational Iyer As well as Kohli, Bengaluru boast the significant threat of Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood. The 34-year-old returned following a shoulder injury and a stint back home to put in a manof-the-match performance i n the win over Punjab in the qualifier. He returned figures of 3-21 to help bundle Punjab out for 101. Hazlewood spearheads a seam-bowling attack alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar and left-armer Yash Dayal. Punjab, coached by Australia great Ricky Ponting , recovered from defeat to win the rain-delayed second qualifier in Ahmedabad. Skipper Iyer, who cost $3.17 million in November's auction, is narrowly behind Kohli in the batting charts with 603 runs from 16 innings. His latest chase masterclass off 41 balls, laced with five fours and eight sixes, is a reminder that he is lethal on his day. 'I love such big occasions,' Iyer said after the win over Mumbai. 'I always say to myself and my colleagues that the bigger the occasion, the calmer you are, and you'll get the best results.' Former Australia medium-pace bowler Hopes said that Iyer 'doesn't get flustered very easily'. 'He knows what he has to do and he's prepared to take that risk,' said Hopes. 'He is a sensational captain and a sensational player,' he added. Punjab openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh are in good form, and they have another potential match-winner in Australia's Josh Inglis. All-rounders Marcus Stoinis from Australia and Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai can also threaten Kohli's long-awaited dream.