Latest news with #Saudi-born
Syyaha
25-05-2025
- Business
- Syyaha
Buildnow is Now Aajil: A Bold New Chapter Empowering Saudi Businesses with Speed, Trust, and Growth
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 25th May 2025: Buildnow, the Saudi-born pioneer in Micro and Small to Medium Enterprise (SME), 'Buy Now Pay Later' (BNPL) solutions, proudly announces its rebrand to Aajil (عاجل), an Arabic word meaning urgent or immediate. This change shows how the company is growing beyond one sector, helping small and medium businesses across Saudi Arabia access the support they need to scale. The rebrand underscores Aajil's commitment to national roots, speed, and modernity, which means delivering bold, agile solutions that meet the evolving needs of Saudi entrepreneurs in a digitally connected, fast-paced economy. Aajil: More Than a Name, A Local Symbol of Speed and Empowerment The name Aajil was chosen deliberately for its immediacy, local familiarity, and deep emotional resonance in Saudi Arabia. It reflects the company's brand values of urgency, agility, clarity, credibility, and empowerment, and positions Aajil as a true Saudi-first brand. 'Aajil not only demonstrates the speed at which we operate, but also our deeply rooted connection to the Kingdom, our clients, and the pace of progress under Vision 2030. This is more than a rebrand; it's a reaffirmation of our mission.' – Abdulla Sheikh, Chief Executive Officer of Aajil The logo design, set entirely in Arabic, is more than text. It is an iconic brandmark that is clean, purposeful, and aesthetic in its modern Arabic typography, with design lines that visually represent motion, flow, and responsiveness. This elegance in the form matches the elegance in function of Aajil's digital-first platform. With minimalist symmetry, sharp ascenders, and flowing curves, the logo serves as a wordmark and a visual identity. It signals strength, clarity, and a strong leap into the future of Saudi fintech. A Strategic Shift with a Wider Mission While we began our journey focused on construction under the Buildnow brand, we've seen growing interest from various sectors. This is a clear signal that the need for smarter payment solutions extends far beyond building materials. With automated approvals in under 48 hours, minimal documentation requirements, and access to hundreds of verified suppliers, Aajil is built for scale. This rebrand reflects that evolution and reinforces the message that Aajil is: ● Sector-agnostic: Built for all businesses that value speed, liquidity, and growth.● Locally rooted: A homegrown Saudi company with local understanding and national relevance. ● Growth-driven: Focused on real business outcomes, including cash flow optimisation, project acceleration, supplier flexibility, and procurement ease. 'Our ambition is to become the go-to digital platform and partner for every growth business in the Kingdom. Aajil is for builders, makers, traders, and innovators. Aajil is their ally.' – Hisham Al Saleh, Co-founder of Aajil Powering Micro & SME Growth at Scale With over SAR 250M+ in transactions, 110+ clients, and 400+ supplier partnerships, Aajil offers powerful, digital-first BNPL solutions: ● BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later): Access credit lines of up to SAR 2 million, with repayment terms of up to 6 months and approvals in less than 48 hours.● Procurement Services: Discounted sourcing, cash flow optimisation, and seamless fulfillment. ● Multi-sector reach: Serving sectors from steel and construction to pharmaceuticals, food imports, and industrial supplies. Whether a micro business in Madinah importing medical devices or a trader in Dammam managing FMCG stock cycles, Aajil is built to serve with speed and clarity. 'Aajil is not just a rebrand. It's a statement of intent. We're building the growth engine for Saudi entrepreneurs, micro-enterprises, and SMEs' – Rahat Dewan, Co-founder of Aajil As part of the core mission linked to its rebrand, over the coming few months, Aajil will be launching new innovative products and solutions. This will include products aimed specifically at the massive yet underserved segment of Saudi micro-enterprises, and services to enable safer and efficient trade between businesses across Saudi Arabia. For more information's, please visit
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Film AlUla: 'Saudi Filmmakers Are Like the Crown Jewels for Us'
In such a fast-moving industry, it can be easy to forget that, a mere six or so years ago, there was no film scene whatsoever in Saudi Arabia. The country has only been welcoming non-religious tourists since 2019, a year after cinemas reopened following a near 40-year ban. Now there are more than 800 to choose from. It's no wonder then, that Saudi-born Film AlUla acting executive director Zaid Shaker is buzzing with excitement. Perhaps even more so after 10 months in the role, since taking it on in July. 'All the pieces of the puzzle are falling into the right places,' says Shaker, who leads Film AlUla's mission to support film and TV production in the northwest region of Saudi Arabia, the kingdom's oldest UNESCO heritage site. 'We have lots of momentum. The [Saudi film] industry is thriving,' he continues. 'What's happening in AlUla is big, and I'm working with a fabulous team [that] makes any job easy. So, yes, I'm still very excited.' More from The Hollywood Reporter Palestine Film Institute Drums Up Support in Cannes - for Films and Gaza Eurovision 2025: Austria Wins Song Contest With Johannes Pietsch, Israel Places Second 'Die My Love' Review: Jennifer Lawrence Spirals Into Psychosis While Robert Pattinson Plunges Into Despair in Lynne Ramsay's Jarring Character Study Film AlUla Studios opened last spring and features 26,000-square-foot soundstages and a 61,500-square-foot backlot and also acts as a government liaison to support permitting and rebate or incentive applications. THR caught up with Shaker to find out how they've put the facility to use since opening, what additional spaces have already been added, and his thoughts on the continued growth of the Saudi film sector. Congratulations on the collaboration with MBS MENA Limited, made public this month. Has it already led to increased interest? Absolutely. We've had enquiries from studios and streamers eager to explore the facilities. We have strong momentum building for Q3 [the third quarter] and Q4, with a robust pipeline of local, regional, and international productions. Any new offerings for filmmakers we can share? Our state-of-the-art facilities are operation-ready: We are ready to receive our first film. It's looking very good. We have exciting news, which we'll be sharing soon, hopefully. Within our new facilities, we have a cutting-edge recording studio that can accompany a full orchestra. We have finalized the production hub, which is a creative space that can support filmmakers. And we have an amazing activation space within the facilities. Can you share details of any new confirmed shoots? This year, we are waiting to announce the first feature film production within the umbrella of the Stampede Arabia slate of films [which grew out of a pact with L.A.-based Stampede Ventures, run by Hollywood veteran Greg Silverman], which is very exciting. And there are also a couple of interesting talks. Are more companies coming to use the studio space or to take advantage of the location, or both? It's equally both. They're complementary. We can accommodate parallel productions: You can have a full production, shooting everything on the ground, and at the same time have two separate high-end productions shooting at the studio. AlUla has wonderful scenery and locations, these UNESCO heritage sites. But when it's really hot weather, people also need to be able to shoot indoors. So this gives you the ability to invite productions all year round. Have any new initiatives been introduced to speed up the growth of a skilled local workforce? Every initiative we do is centered around the local community: honing and up-skilling crew. We always incentivize training and have lots of programs with different partners, so we have these sort of continuous workshops to be able to raise the bar and introduce a sustainable film crew within the boundaries of AlUla. This is definitely evident in recent films such as [2023's] Norah, which was the first feature film from Saudi to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival: 40 percent of its crew was local. With Siwar, the most recent film by Osama Alkhurayji, which opened the Saudi Film Festival, 80 percent of the crew was local — so, double. AlUla Creates, meanwhile, is a very high-level and detailed training capacity-building program, which has yielded three short films, some of which screened at the Red Sea Film Festival. Will there be rough quotas for the percentage of Saudi employees on each project? While there are no fixed quotas, employing Saudi nationals — particularly in studio operations and support roles — is a key objective. AlUla's vibrant population of 65,000, with 65% under the age of 30, represents an incredible pool of dynamic, emerging talent. We also focus on strengthening the local economy by sourcing goods from local artisans and championing community-driven businesses. What new environmental practices have been introduced in AlUla? AlUla has lots of cultural significance. We are guardians and custodians of our important UNESCO heritage sites. For us, sustainability is a 360-degree approach toward everything. Lots of our incentives are granted to productions based on their sustainability measures, whether it's green or abiding by best international practices. Also, internally, we make sure to have all of our team attend every relevant seminar to keep up-to-date with every sustainable practice. Following 's Cannes success, which other local Saudi films are creating noise on the global scene, or which do you predict will? Looking forward, we have Hijra by Saudi filmmaker Shahad Ameen [the follow-up to 2019's Scales, which was Saudi's official Oscar submission in 2020]. It should be releasing at the end of this year. Some scenes were shot in AlUla, which is a testament to the fact that we never perceive any production as a one-time [thing]. And I have to mention Abdulaziz Alshlahei's Hobal [about a Bedouin family living in extreme isolation in the '90s], which, though not shot in AlUla, was a great stride for the Saudi ecosystem. Saudi filmmakers are like the crown jewels for us because, ultimately, one of the most important things we do is export our culture and enable these amazing storytellers. The Saudi Film industry launched with big fanfare from 2018. What is the focus now? To attract big buzzy international projects or foster more Saudi projects? The answer is somewhat holistic. For me, the more I am able to attract international films, the more I am able to introduce some sort of real-time training, shadowing programs to support local content. We have the bandwidth to entertain both, so it's about focusing. What stands out as an achievement you're proud of so far at AlUla? I am really proud of my team's resilience and persistence and how we are able to move ahead. The studios have a very personal spot in my heart. It was heartwarming to see the Saudi Film Festival opened by Siwar, a film shot in AlUla, this year. I'm also obviously proud of Norah. But for me, the studios — you have to see them to believe them. What's the Saudi film industry generally like right now? The kingdom now boasts more than 800 screens in a country that, eight or nine years ago, didn't have cinemas. Now you're talking about 42 percent of all of the Middle East box office revenue coming from Saudi. I bother all of my friends and family with this. The success of Hobal this year is a testimony that the audience in Saudi is very receptive, not only to commercial cinema but for unique stories. Whatever is happening in the MENA region, it's within the heart of Saudi and we're very fortunate to be working in AlUla and witnessing this and being a catalyst for what's happening. You're seeing it when you attend amazing platforms such as the Red Sea Film Festival or the Saudi Film Festival. You can see that [the Saudi industry is] brimming with this positive energy, this dialogue, [with] so many youths engulfed with this power of cinema. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now "A Nutless Monkey Could Do Your Job": From Abusive to Angst-Ridden, 16 Memorable Studio Exec Portrayals in Film and TV The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time, Ranked
Al Etihad
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
Get your fill of culture, art and history on International Museum Day - for free in the UAE
16 May 2025 00:15 TAARIQ HALIM (ABU DHABI)Sunday, May 18, is International Museum museums around the UAE are inviting you to experience all the history, culture and art they have on offer - for if you haven't gotten around to (or never had the budget) to visit the marvellous museums of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, this Heritage Weekend is your you'll beat the heat with this fun, indoor family the magnificent Louvre Abu Dhabi has been on your to-do list, now's the time to go. On Saturday, 18 May, all UAE residents can enjoy free entry; just produce your valid Emirates ID and prepare to be awe-struck one of the most iconic art collections in the world, here on Saadiyat you're in Dubai this weekend, Expo 2020 Dubai Museum and Garden in the Sky are opening their doors for free access on May 17 and 18. The museum is open from 10am to 8pm, while Garden in the Sky welcomes visitors from 2pm to 10pm.A number of museums around the UAE offer free entry year-round in a bid to promote cultural learning and curiosity, and encourage the residents to interact with fruitful exploration. In Abu Dhabi, Manarat Al Saadiyat, the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, Abu Dhabi's Heritage Village and the Miraj Islamic Art Centre are excellent options. In Dubai, Jameel Arts Centre is one of the best free sites to visit, as well as the Coffee Museum and the Dubai Police Oqaili House, the home of Saudi-born poet Mubarak bin Hamad Al Oqaili, is a beautiful heritage property dating back to 1923, and now stands as a museum on the edge of Deira's Spice Souk. The home of one of the most important Arabic classical poets in history, the structure was built from coral, stone, plaster, sandalwood, teakwood and the fronds and trunks of palm Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum is a hotspot for culture and is a list of all the centres you can visit for free this International Museum Day:Abu Dhabi· Manarat Al Saadiyat – A vibrant art and cultural hub· Cultural Foundation – presents exhibitions and shows· Bassam Freiha Art Foundation – Impressive private collection open to the public· Heritage Village – Step back in time to the ancient Emirates· Miraj Islamic Art Centre – A showcase of art from the Islamic worldDubai· Jameel Arts Centre – Contemporary art by the waterfront· Coffee Museum – A journey through coffee culture· Dubai Police Museum – Requires a permit (apply via Dubai Police website or app)· Al Oqaili House – A poetic heritage home built in 1923, nestled in Deira's Spice SoukSharjah · Sharjah Art Museum – Cornerstone of the region's art scene with rotating exhibitions
Egypt Independent
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Trump's embrace of Syria and its jihadist-turned-president could shake up the Middle East
CNN — US President Donald Trump on Wednesday had tea with a former jihadist who until recently had a $10 million US bounty on his head. Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, once known by his militant nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, met Trump in Riyadh six months after leading a swift campaign that toppled the half-a-century-old Assad regime, ejecting Iran-backed armed groups and declaring himself leader of the country. Al Sharaa was placed on the US Specially Designated Global Terrorist list in 2013 for heading al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, known as Al Nusra Front, and allegedly orchestrating suicide bombings across Syria. The Saudi-born former jihadist had spent years fighting US forces in Iraq before moving to Syria to lead an armed Islamist rebellion that ousted the brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad. The meeting, described by Syria as 'historic,' was the first between a US and Syrian president in 25 years, taking place during Trump Middle East tour, the first set of state visits of his second term. Both leaders were seen smiling in photos released by the White House and the Saudi foreign ministry. The Syrian foreign ministry said Trump committed to 'standing by Syria at this critical juncture.' A day earlier, Trump announced the removal of decades-old sanctions on Syria, a move that prompted a 40-second-long applause from the audience, including a standing ovation from the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. 'Oh, what I do for the Crown Prince,' Trump told the room on Tuesday, crediting the de facto Saudi leader for leading the effort to lift what the president called 'brutal and crippling' sanctions. Syria has been designated by the US as a State Sponsor of Terrorism since December 1979. Syria's economy has been crippled for years by Western sanctions. Among the harshest is the US' 2019 Caesar Act, which imposed wide-ranging sanctions that restricted individuals, companies or governments from economic activities assisting Assad's war effort. The act rendered the entire economy untouchable. According to the World Bank, the country's economy shrank by more than half between 2010 and 2020. As of 2022, poverty was affecting 69% of Syria's population, according to the World Bank. Extreme poverty affected more than one in four Syrians in 2022, the bank said, adding that this number likely deteriorated after a devastating earthquake in February 2023. Gulf states have been keen to invest in Syria and prop up its economy but have been wary of violating US sanctions. Trump's move is likely to remove such barriers, making way for potentially billions of dollars in investments. Syrians wave Saudi and Syrian flags in celebration in Homs, Syria, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans during his visit to Saudi Arabia to ease sanctions on Syria and normalize relations with its new government. Omar Albam/AP During the meeting, Trump proposed that Sharaa take a series of measures, including normalization with Israel, expelling foreign and Palestinian 'terrorists,' and helping the US to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, according to the White House. Bringing Syria in from the cold gives a lifeline to the country's fledgling regime and its president, who pledged in an interview with CNN last year that Syria's armed opposition ultimately plans to form a government defined by institutions and a 'council chosen by the people.' But it also presents an opportunity for Gulf Arab states and Turkey, which also pushed for sanctions to be lifted, to expand their influence in Syria and profit from it after decades of being left out of the country. 'The fact that he (Trump) did it so publicly and from Riyadh I think is a sort of tacit approval for those who are looking to invest in Syria potentially as well,' Natasha Hall of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said. '(It) means that he is giving wins to Mohammed bin Salman.' Cautious optimism among Syrians Fireworks lit up the skies in some of Syria's biggest cities after Trump announced the lifting of sanctions. Billboards were erected thanking Trump and Prince Mohammed. 'I don't know how life would be without sanctions,' said Ranim Sakhal, who said she has lived under sanctions since she was born in the 1970s. 'The country has been suffocating.' 'People are optimistic and our dream is for Arab countries to help, which is something we haven't seen for years because of Bashar's rivalry with Arab leaders,' Sakhal added. Syria's currency, the Lira, rose by as much as 27% against the US dollar following the announcement. The country's economy and trade minister, Mohammad Nidal al-Shaar, shed tears live on air with Saudi outlet Al Arabiya, as he underscored that Syria is 'now entering a new phase.' People gather outside the Commercial Bank of Syria, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would order the lifting of sanctions on Syria, in Damascus, on Wednesday. Yamam Al Shaar/Reuters But the optimism is not universal. The lifting of sanctions would go far in giving legitimacy to Sharaa's new regime, and some in Syria are concerned about how minorities will be treated by the former jihadists. 'We are glad about it…thank God. After all these years the economy could be revitalized. The prices are very high, products are unavailable so, God willing, it will be the beginning of economic improvement in the country,' George, a resident of Damascus who declined to share his last name, told CNN. The lifting of sanctions however shouldn't be construed as a tacit approval of the regime without bringing to justice those involved in the killing of minorities, he said. 'We face a number of extremist groups that restrict freedoms,' he said. 'If a guy and a girl are seen together in public, the guy could be detained and just disappear. Men can be beaten for wearing shorts… it's an extreme infringement on personal freedoms.' In March, armed men loyal to the new Syrian regime carried out field executions and spoke of purifying the country after a crackdown against remnants of the former Assad regime spiraled into communal killings against the Alawite minority. The United Nations said at the time that entire families, including women and children, were killed during the violence. An opportunity for Saudi Arabia For decades, Gulf Arab states were left out of Syria as their rival Iran expanded its influence in the country through its alliance with the Assad regime. A decade-long civil war in Syria severely strained relations between Damascus and most Arab states, eventually culminating in Syria's expulsion from the Arab League. Over the past few years, Gulf states began mending fences with the Assad regime and were leading the effort to rehabilitate him until he was abruptly ousted from power in December. Since then, Saudi Arabia and Qatar doubled down on getting the new regime re-integrated into the international community. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan announced on Wednesday that Riyadh will be at the 'forefront' of Syria's economic revival. Its efforts could allow it to become a significant player in the country and expand its influence there for the first time. 'Syria will not be alone. Saudi Arabia… will be at the forefront of the supporters to that economic awakening… (Syria) needs a push, and it will receive that push from its brothers in the region,' bin Farhan said at a news conference on Wednesday. Hasan Alhasan, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said Saudi Arabia has 'geostrategic interests in the Middle East' that can be achieved through support for the current Syrian regime. 'Saudi Arabia wants Syria to be stable, it recognizes that the only way in which you can get to a stable Syria is by providing the current administration with the economic resources and tools to deliver a so-called victory,' he said. US President Donald Trump meets with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Wednesday. Saudi State TV Defying Israel During the Biden administration, the US and Saudi Arabia were close to reaching a comprehensive security and economic agreement that would have led to the normalization of relations between the kingdom and Israel. Despite Trump's desire for Saudi Arabia to recognize Israel, no such normalization materialized during his visit to Riyadh. Instead, the president said he would establish ties with Sharaa, a move that defied Israel, which has repeatedly bombed Syria and seized more of its territory since the fall of Assad. An Israeli official told CNN that when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Trump in Washington in April, he asked the president not to remove sanctions on Syria, saying he feared it would lead to a repeat of the events of October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel. Netanyahu had taken an aggressive stance with Sharaa and his new government. In the days that followed Assad's ouster, he ordered an unprecedented ground push into Syria, driving Israeli forces deeper into the country than ever before and upending Israel's 50-year tacit détente with the Assads. The escalation quickly abandoned Netanyahu's initial pledge to practice 'good neighborliness' to the new Syria. Hundreds of airstrikes targeted the remnants of Assad's weaponry, particularly its chemical weapons, to prevent them from falling into the hands of militant groups, and Israeli forces seized Mount Hermon, Syria's highest peak, and a strategically vital position overlooking Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. 'We toppled the Assad regime, which essentially was used as the land link between Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon,' Netanyahu said in a video statement last week. After meeting Sharaa on Wednesday, Trump heaped praise on him, calling him a 'great young attractive guy,' with a 'very strong past' who is 'a fighter.' The new Syrian President, he said, has 'got a real shot at pulling it together.'
Mid East Info
15-05-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
WakeCap raises US$28 million Series A to scale sensor-powered project controls for global construction - Middle East Business News and Information
WakeCap, the sensor-powered project intelligence and controls platform trusted by the world's most ambitious construction and oil and gas programs, today announced the close of its US$28 million Series A round. The round was led by with participation from Graphene Ventures and strategic investors across the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and Asia. WakeCap transforms how construction projects are managed through live, site-wide visibility across workforce, safety, productivity, and progress. Its technology protects and empowers jobsite workers, transforming construction sites into a safer and more reliable place to work. With more than 150 million labor hours tracked and deployments across US$80 billion in active projects – including Aramco, NEOM, Qiddiya, and King Salman Park as well as global projects in the UAE, US and Japan – WakeCap is setting the standard for how data drives performance, safety, and accountability on the jobsite, leading to data-driven business decisions and reduced insurance costs. 'WakeCap's ability to capture and act on real-time jobsite data is critical for high-performing project controls, ' said Dr. Hassan Albalawi, CEO and Founder of WakeCap. ' This round fuels our next stage of growth as we expand our global footprint, increasing the value we deliver to customers through richer insights, faster reporting, and greater operational efficiency. It will allow us to deepen integrations with key ecosystem partners such as Oracle andOpenSpace. We're proud to be building a platform that puts workers first, makes jobsites safer, and brings clarity to the world's most complex construction efforts. ' Combining rugged hardware and enterprise-ready software, WakeCap delivers live project intelligence – from worker access and equipment utilization to safety alerts and progress tracking – all without disrupting jobsite workflows. The system has demonstrated a 91% reduction in safety issues, 25% gain in productivity, and 70% faster incident response times. ' WakeCap sits at the intersection of two massive forces – the scale of global infrastructure investment and the digitization of construction ,' said Adam Grosser, Chairman and Managing Partner at ' As governments and developers undertake trillion-dollar initiatives, WakeCap's platform brings truth, transparency, and trust to the field. We are thrilled to back Hassan and the team as they scale globally and lead the transformation of this critical industry. ' The company's expansion reflects a broader trend in tech collaboration between the United States and Saudi Arabia, with WakeCap standing out as one of the first Saudi-born startups to acquire a Silicon Valley tech company. Today, the company operates across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Japan, and the U.S., supported by a team representing 34 nationalities. 'WakeCap exemplifies what the future of construction looks like: intelligent, connected, and global ,' said Nabil Borhanu, Founder and Managing Partner at Graphene Ventures. ' We continue to support WakeCap because they are uniquely positioned to lead this transformation, with a proven platform, a mission-driven culture, and deep partnerships across public and private sectors. ' The new capital will be used to scale WakeCap's presence across existing and new markets, deepen its product capabilities, and expand integrations with key industry platforms. The company is also growing its team across engineering, customer success, and product leadership. WakeCap's momentum comes at a time when global infrastructure investment is surging, with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia alone investing nearly $1 trillion in construction and urban development. WakeCap's ability to bridge Silicon Valley innovation with Saudi-scale delivery uniquely positions the company at the intersection of AI, IoT, and industrial transformation.
