Latest news with #AdamBoukadida
Saudi Gazette
20-05-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Awwal Bank and HSBC secure strategic mandate to power Riyadh Air's expansion across Middle East and Asia
Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB), one of the leading banks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and HSBC, the global banking and financial services organisation, have together been awarded the Middle East and Asia Cash Management Mandate for Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia's digital native carrier, as it prepares to commence operations in 2025. For over 70 years, HSBC and SAB's banking partnership has enabled clients in the Kingdom to grow domestically and expand internationally. Together, SAB and HSBC will work closely with Riyadh Air to provide an integrated and seamless cash management program to manage all payment and liquidity needs across the two regions. As domestic house bank, SAB will oversee operations within Riyadh Air's home market of Saudi Arabia when it begins operations, including facilitating payments and liquidity management. Additionally, SAB has been mandated as one of the acquirers for Riyadh Air's e-commerce transactions, further enhancing the airline's operational capabilities. Simultaneously, HSBC will support Riyadh Air with its planned expansion in markets across the wider Middle East and Asia. The mandate will enable Riyadh Air to leverage HSBC's award-wining payments solutions including Virtual Accounts, Omni Collect and automated sweeping solutions, ensuring efficient cash management and seamless liquidity across their international operations. Executives from SAB and HSBC joined Riyadh Air at its new head office at the GACA Campus on Airport Road, for a signing ceremony to mark the partnership. Yasser Albarrak, Chief Corporate and Institutional Banking Officer, SAB: 'We are proud to support Riyadh Air as it embarks on a journey to redefine aviation travel in the Kingdom. This partnership highlights our commitment to providing innovative banking solutions that empower groundbreaking projects in Saudi Arabia, ensuring that Riyadh Air can achieve its vision of transforming the travel experience.' Adam Boukadida, CFO of Riyadh Air echoed, 'We are proud to be partnering with SAB and HSBC as we embark on our journey to revolutionize air travel. This collaboration will enable us to manage our financial operations effectively, ensuring a smooth launch and seamless service delivery.' Kyle Boag, Head of Global Payments Solutions, HSBC Middle East, North Africa and Turkiye: 'Connecting clients across the world is at our core. This mandate underscores HSBC's world-leading payments solutions, our expertise in the aviation sector and our commitment to Saudi Arabia's growth. As the largest international bank across Asia and the Middle East, we will provide Riyadh Air with seamless cash solutions as they take flight to new markets.'
Tourism Breaking News
12-03-2025
- Business
- Tourism Breaking News
Riyadh Air and IBM to build AI-driven enterprise, to elevate guest and employee experiences
Post Views: 98 Riyadh Air and IBM partner to build AI-driven enterprise, to elevate guest and employee experiences. Agreement will see Riyadh Air leverage IBM watsonx and IBM Consulting solutions to drive Riyadh Air's vision as the world's first digital native airline. The collaboration aims to help power the Saudi Arabian airline's mission to launch flights in 2025 while offering an elevated guest experience. IBM announced a new agreement with Riyadh Air, which will integrate watsonx, IBM's portfolio of AI products, and IBM Consulting AI solutions to establish an enterprise-wide AI capability to elevate Riyadh Air guest and employee experiences. As Riyadh Air prepares for its inaugural flights in late 2025, the new Saudi Arabian airline sets another key building block of its journey in redefining air travel as the world's first digital native carrier. The announcement took place at the third edition of The FII PRIORITY Miami 2025 Summit, where senior executives from both IBM and Riyadh Air, including Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer, and Mohamad Ali, SVP and Head of IBM Consulting, reaffirmed their commitment to driving innovation in the aviation sector. Building a world-class airline requires more than just aircraft and infrastructure; it demands an intelligent digital foundation that anticipates passenger needs, streamlines operations, and empowers employees. Riyadh Air is embracing this challenge by making AI the driving force behind its transformation. Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer, said: Riyadh Air is more than just an airline; it is a gateway to new opportunities for travelers from the Kingdom and beyond. As we move closer to our first flight later in 2025, our vision is to deliver a seamless, world-class travel experience by expanding our reach, pioneering innovations, and redefining industry standards. By deepening our collaboration with IBM, we are harnessing the power of AI, from intelligent customer interactions to optimized flight operations, to set a new benchmark for the future of aviation. This agreement aims to strengthen Riyadh Air's position as a truly digital-native airline, building on IBM's AI-driven products and solutions together with IBM Consulting as its lead systems integrator. IBM's watsonx, IBM's portfolio of AI products will serve as the foundation for Riyadh Air's AI platform, driving mission-critical functions and fostering open innovation with multi-model AI. The new platform will be built with a focus on data security, privacy, regulatory compliance, and responsible AI adoption. Riyadh Air will also leverage Agentic AI to deploy autonomous bots to enable seamless and personalized system interactions. IBM will oversee the installation and deployment of watsonx, as well as develop AI use cases utilizing IBM Garage methodology to drive automation and digital transformation. With IBM Consulting Advantage, an AI-powered delivery platform, Riyadh Air will deploy AI solutions to boost efficiency and service, including AI-powered Virtual Assistants for customer and employee self-service. Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President and Head of IBM Consulting, said: By embedding watsonx at the core of its operations, Riyadh Air is taking an AI-first approach to redefine air travel and set new industry standards as the world's first digital-native airline. Together we are supercharging our teams with AI to enhance traveler experiences, optimize operations, and shape the future of aviation in Saudi Arabia and beyond. The airline's decision to partner with IBM Consulting and watsonx was driven by IBM's strong track record in AI transformation, backed by successful past engagements with Riyadh Air that established trust and credibility. IBM's immersive engagement model played a key role in the expanded relationship. Hands-on AI workshops showcased real-world benefits for guests and employees, and IBM offered AI technology and enterprise services into an integrated solution tailored to Riyadh Air's digital goals. Additionally, IBM Consulting Advantage allows Riyadh Air employees and IBM consultants to work side by side to deliver rapid innovation, scalable solutions, and accelerated value helping Riyadh Air shape next-generation travel experiences. Riyadh Air's AI-driven strategy aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which aims to serve 330 million passengers annually by 2030, positioning the Kingdom as a global aviation hub. By embedding AI across its ecosystem, Riyadh Air sets a new industry benchmark as a truly digital-native airline. This collaboration with IBM marks a transformative leap forward, enabling a comprehensive, intelligent, and highly personalized travel experience designed to anticipate and adapt to the evolving needs of travelers worldwide.
Trade Arabia
25-02-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
Riyadh Air, IBM to create AI enterprise for enhanced experiences
IBM has announced a new agreement with Riyadh Air, which will integrate watsonx, IBM's portfolio of AI products, and IBM Consulting AI solutions to establish an enterprise-wide AI capability to elevate Riyadh Air guest and employee experiences. As Riyadh Air prepares for its inaugural flights in late 2025, the new Saudi Arabian airline sets another key building block of its journey in redefining air travel as the world's first digital native carrier. The announcement took place at the third edition of The FII PRIORITY Miami 2025 Summit, where senior executives from both IBM and Riyadh Air, including Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer, and Mohamad Ali, SVP and Head of IBM Consulting, reaffirmed their commitment to driving innovation in the aviation sector. Building a world-class airline requires more than just aircraft and infrastructure; it demands an intelligent digital foundation that anticipates passenger needs, streamlines operations, and empowers employees. Riyadh Air is embracing this challenge by making AI the driving force behind its transformation. 'Riyadh Air is more than just an airline; it is a gateway to new opportunities for travellers from the Kingdom and beyond,' said Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer. 'As we move closer to our first flight later in 2025, our vision is to deliver a seamless, world-class travel experience by expanding our reach, pioneering innovations, and redefining industry standards. By deepening our collaboration with IBM, we are harnessing the power of AI, from intelligent customer interactions to optimised flight operations, to set a new benchmark for the future of aviation.' This agreement aims to strengthen Riyadh Air's position as a truly digital-native airline, building on IBM's AI-driven products and solutions together with IBM Consulting as its lead systems integrator. IBM's watsonx, IBM's portfolio of AI products will serve as the foundation for Riyadh Air's AI platform, driving mission-critical functions and fostering open innovation with multi-model AI. The new platform will be built with a focus on data security, privacy, regulatory compliance, and responsible AI adoption. Riyadh Air will also leverage Agentic AI to deploy autonomous bots to enable seamless and personalised system interactions. IBM will oversee the installation and deployment of watsonx, as well as develop AI use cases utilising IBM Garage methodology to drive automation and digital transformation. With IBM Consulting Advantage, an AI-powered delivery platform, Riyadh Air will deploy AI solutions to boost efficiency and service, including AI-powered Virtual Assistants for customer and employee self-service. 'By embedding watsonx at the core of its operations, Riyadh Air is taking an AI-first approach to redefine air travel and set new industry standards as the world's first digital-native airline," said Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President and Head of IBM Consulting. "Together we are supercharging our teams with AI to enhance traveller experiences, optimise operations, and shape the future of aviation in Saudi Arabia and beyond.'
Zawya
25-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Riyadh Air, IBM to create AI enterprise for enhanced experiences
IBM has announced a new agreement with Riyadh Air, which will integrate watsonx, IBM's portfolio of AI products, and IBM Consulting AI solutions to establish an enterprise-wide AI capability to elevate Riyadh Air guest and employee experiences. As Riyadh Air prepares for its inaugural flights in late 2025, the new Saudi Arabian airline sets another key building block of its journey in redefining air travel as the world's first digital native carrier. The announcement took place at the third edition of The FII PRIORITY Miami 2025 Summit, where senior executives from both IBM and Riyadh Air, including Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer, and Mohamad Ali, SVP and Head of IBM Consulting, reaffirmed their commitment to driving innovation in the aviation sector. Building a world-class airline requires more than just aircraft and infrastructure; it demands an intelligent digital foundation that anticipates passenger needs, streamlines operations, and empowers employees. Riyadh Air is embracing this challenge by making AI the driving force behind its transformation. 'Riyadh Air is more than just an airline; it is a gateway to new opportunities for travellers from the Kingdom and beyond,' said Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer. 'As we move closer to our first flight later in 2025, our vision is to deliver a seamless, world-class travel experience by expanding our reach, pioneering innovations, and redefining industry standards. By deepening our collaboration with IBM, we are harnessing the power of AI, from intelligent customer interactions to optimised flight operations, to set a new benchmark for the future of aviation.' This agreement aims to strengthen Riyadh Air's position as a truly digital-native airline, building on IBM's AI-driven products and solutions together with IBM Consulting as its lead systems integrator. IBM's watsonx, IBM's portfolio of AI products will serve as the foundation for Riyadh Air's AI platform, driving mission-critical functions and fostering open innovation with multi-model AI. The new platform will be built with a focus on data security, privacy, regulatory compliance, and responsible AI adoption. Riyadh Air will also leverage Agentic AI to deploy autonomous bots to enable seamless and personalised system interactions. IBM will oversee the installation and deployment of watsonx, as well as develop AI use cases utilising IBM Garage methodology to drive automation and digital transformation. With IBM Consulting Advantage, an AI-powered delivery platform, Riyadh Air will deploy AI solutions to boost efficiency and service, including AI-powered Virtual Assistants for customer and employee self-service. 'By embedding watsonx at the core of its operations, Riyadh Air is taking an AI-first approach to redefine air travel and set new industry standards as the world's first digital-native airline," said Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President and Head of IBM Consulting. "Together we are supercharging our teams with AI to enhance traveller experiences, optimise operations, and shape the future of aviation in Saudi Arabia and beyond.' Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
25-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Riyadh Air and IBM to build AI-driven enterprise, to elevate guest and employee experiences
The collaboration aims to help power the Saudi Arabian airline's mission to launch flights in 2025 while offering an elevated guest experience RIYADH, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Today, IBM announced a new agreement with Riyadh Air, which will integrate watsonx, IBM's portfolio of AI products, and IBM Consulting AI solutions to establish an enterprise-wide AI capability to elevate Riyadh Air guest and employee experiences. As Riyadh Air prepares for its inaugural flights in late 2025, the new Saudi Arabian airline sets another key building block of its journey in redefining air travel as the world's first digital native carrier. The announcement took place at the third edition of The FII PRIORITY Miami 2025 Summit, where senior executives from both IBM and Riyadh Air, including Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer, and Mohamad Ali, SVP and Head of IBM Consulting, reaffirmed their commitment to driving innovation in the aviation sector. Building a world-class airline requires more than just aircraft and infrastructure; it demands an intelligent digital foundation that anticipates passenger needs, streamlines operations, and empowers employees. Riyadh Air is embracing this challenge by making AI the driving force behind its transformation. 'Riyadh Air is more than just an airline; it is a gateway to new opportunities for travelers from the Kingdom and beyond,' said Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air Chief Financial Officer. 'As we move closer to our first flight later in 2025, our vision is to deliver a seamless, world-class travel experience by expanding our reach, pioneering innovations, and redefining industry standards. By deepening our collaboration with IBM, we are harnessing the power of AI, from intelligent customer interactions to optimized flight operations, to set a new benchmark for the future of aviation.' This agreement aims to strengthen Riyadh Air's position as a truly digital-native airline, building on IBM's AI-driven products and solutions together with IBM Consulting as its lead systems integrator. IBM's watsonx, IBM's portfolio of AI products will serve as the foundation for Riyadh Air's AI platform, driving mission-critical functions and fostering open innovation with multi-model AI. The new platform will be built with a focus on data security, privacy, regulatory compliance, and responsible AI adoption. Riyadh Air will also leverage Agentic AI to deploy autonomous bots to enable seamless and personalized system interactions. IBM will oversee the installation and deployment of watsonx, as well as develop AI use cases utilizing IBM Garage methodology to drive automation and digital transformation. With IBM Consulting Advantage, an AI-powered delivery platform, Riyadh Air will deploy AI solutions to boost efficiency and service, including AI-powered Virtual Assistants for customer and employee self-service. 'By embedding watsonx at the core of its operations, Riyadh Air is taking an AI-first approach to redefine air travel and set new industry standards as the world's first digital-native airline," said Mohamad Ali, Senior Vice President and Head of IBM Consulting. "Together we are supercharging our teams with AI to enhance traveler experiences, optimize operations, and shape the future of aviation in Saudi Arabia and beyond.' The airline's decision to partner with IBM Consulting and watsonx was driven by IBM's strong track record in AI transformation, backed by successful past engagements with Riyadh Air that established trust and credibility. IBM's immersive engagement model played a key role in the expanded relationship. Hands-on AI workshops showcased real-world benefits for guests and employees, and IBM offered AI technology and enterprise services into an integrated solution tailored to Riyadh Air's digital goals. Additionally, IBM Consulting Advantage allows Riyadh Air employees and IBM consultants to work side by side to deliver rapid innovation, scalable solutions, and accelerated value helping Riyadh Air shape next-generation travel experiences. Riyadh Air's AI-driven strategy aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which aims to serve 330 million passengers annually by 2030, positioning the Kingdom as a global aviation hub. By embedding AI across its ecosystem, Riyadh Air sets a new industry benchmark as a truly digital-native airline. This collaboration with IBM marks a transformative leap forward, enabling a comprehensive, intelligent, and highly personalized travel experience designed to anticipate and adapt to the evolving needs of travelers worldwide. About Riyadh Air Riyadh Air is a world-class airline owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Launched in March 2023, the airline will be a digitally-led, full service airline that adopts the best global sustainability and safety practices across its advanced fleet of aircraft. Riyadh Air will equip its aircrafts with the most advanced, state-of-the-art features with innovative, best-in-class cabin interiors and experiences, including next generation digital in-flight entertainment systems and connectivity solutions. Riyadh Air will connect guests to over 100 destinations around the world by 2030 through offering an exceptional guest experience with an authentic, warm Saudi hospitality at its heart. For more information please visit our website: - and for any media inquiries please contact us at: media@ About IBM IBM is a leading global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting services provider. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Nearly 3,000 government and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently, and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and business services deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's legendary commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity, and service. Visit for more information.
