German delegation holds trade talks in Riyadh, Jubail

A high-ranking delegation of 30 German businessmen from North Rhine-Westphalia held a business forum in Riyadh.
It attracted 45 Saudi investors.
Andreas Hergenroether, German Chamber of Commerce and Industry delegate in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Yemen, welcomed the delegation and visitors. The delegation was focused mainly on chemistry, metal industry and engineering sectors.
It expects to hold more than 180 individual business meetings.
Representatives from NRW Invest, the investment agency of North Rhine-Westphalia, were also part of the delegation.
Herbert Jakobi, delegation head and NRW Invest director general, pitched North Rhine-Westphalia as a powerful region and top destination for Saudi Arabian FDIs foreign direct investments (FDIs).
Petra Heller Keusen, development manager of the NRW Invest’s Economic Development Agency, told Arab News that Saudi investors are encouraged to invest in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW).
Jakobi and Keusen met with chairmen and board members of large Saudi companies which have shown interest in infusing capital into North Rhine-Westphalia
The representative of SABIC, the largest Saudi investor in NRW, reported about his company’s positive experience after having set up successfully a petrochemical production facility in Gelsenkirchen, employing about 400 people.
Marius Ryrko of Gerber Architects, responsible for the design of King Fahd National Library in Riyadh, Prince Salman Oasis of Science and the Olaya Metro-Station, talked about the huge potential for investment opportunities with regard to urban development projects in NRW. “NRW is one of the world’s leading FDI destinations in Germany. With a GDP of around 600 billion euros, it also ranks 19th worldwide ahead of Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Poland, and Belgium,” Hergenroether said.
Abunayyan Holding, Al-Zamil Heavy Industries, Zamil Group, Saudi Ceramic Company and Saudi Development and Innovation Group were among companies that present at the forum.
Christian Engels, deputy GESALO delegate, was the forum’s moderator. The delegation later took part in a symposium at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI).
RCCI Chairman Abdulrahman Al-Zamil opened the symposium.
Azzam Shalabi, president of the National Cluster and Development Program, explained the cluster strategy in the Kingdom.
The delegation proceeds to Jubail on Wednesday to meet with with local businessmen at the Sharqia Chamber and visit HADEED, Evonik/Tasnee — superabsorbent plant, EEW/Global pipes production and S.A. Talke.