JEDDAH, 1 November 2006 — Now in its 21st year, the Arab News Top 100 has matured into something of an institution. Always published in the last quarter of the year, it officially comes of age on Nov. 20 with the 2006 edition. Contrary to rumor and speculation that the Top 100 had been canceled or postponed, it is coming and is better than ever before.
From its early beginnings as a simple listing of companies in the Kingdom, the Top 100 has achieved the status of a yearbook, kept as a source of reference to Saudi Arabia’s business life — both in the Kingdom and overseas.
The compilation of the supplement involves the services of a specially tasked team of local and international journalists and guest writers. They seek current opinion and input from Saudi business leaders with intimate knowledge of local markets and trends in the Kingdom.
This year is no exception. Key interviews are scheduled with Minister for Commerce and Industry Hashim Yamani, President of the Saudi Railways Organization Khaled Al-Yahya and Chairman of the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority Amr Al-Dabbagh.
Each supplement follows a theme; this year, with the advent of the three economic cities planned in Makkah, Rabigh and Hail and the beginning of the trans-Saudi rail links that will connect the major industrial areas for the first time in the Kingdom’s history, the theme is “Saudi Industrial Expansion.”
Arab News has developed a reputation for impartiality in its compilation of the list. The listing is based on the information and statistics the listed businesses supply to us and are checked as far as they can be within the limits of access to business information available in the Kingdom.
As this takes time and as the holy month of Ramadan coincided with the busiest part of the data collection period, Arab News has extended the deadline for receipt of statistics from today (Nov. 1) to Nov. 5.
Companies that wish to be included in the listing for this year are invited to apply and submit their figures for inclusion as soon as possible. The deadline cannot be extended further due to commitments to the special print run.
There can only be one No. 1 in the list; but if you want to win it, you have to be in it.
