Saudi industrialists forge new links in US

Commerce and Industry Minister Tawfiq Al-Rabiah has emphasized the success of the US-Saudi Business Opportunities Forum in Los Angeles, saying it would contribute to further strengthening trade and industrial ties between the two long-time allies and attracting more US investments to Saudi Arabia.
“The three-day forum was a big success,” the minister told the Saudi Press Agency at the conclusion of the three-day event, adding that the forum attracted nearly 1,100 Saudi and US officials and business leaders.
US Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker had urged American businesses to make use of the huge investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Rabiah, who delivered the keynote speech of the forum at the J.W. Marriott L.A. Live, spoke about the Kingdom’s rapid economic expansion plans for the next two decades.
The “Doing Business in Saudi Arabia” panel at the forum was packed with real world expertise in developing or running businesses in the Kingdom. Ed Burton, president of the US-Saudi Arabian Business Council, one of the three forum organizers, said: “Opportunities for US companies in Saudi Arabia have never been better.”
In his keynote address, Ambassador James Smith, said: “Americans do have a competitive advantage, but be prepared to offer a ‘value proposition’.” He compared doing business in Saudi Arabia to golf, “Success depends on picking the right partner.”