RIYADH: US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia James Smith and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Commerce Holly Vineyard have presented awards to the Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CSCCI) and five local companies for having sold and promoted American products in the Kingdom.
The awards were given on the occasion of the grand opening Sunday night of the 400-seat Outback Steak House at the Localizer Mall along Tahliah Street.
Aside from the CSCCI represented by Secretary-General Fahd bin Sultan, other winners included Al-Jomaih Automotive Company, General Motors dealers; Sheikh Abdullah Al-Kraidees and Al-Jazirah Vehicles Agencies, dealers of Ford and Lincoln cars; and Hospitality Concepts and Solutions.
The CSCCI was awarded for efforts in stepping up trade between the two countries. Saudi Arabia remains one of America’s top 15 trading partners.
Al-Jomaih has made GM cars very saleable while Al-Jazirah has kept Ford and Lincoln cars a popular choice in the Kingdom.
Hospitality Concepts and Solutions was a winner for opening the first Outback restaurant in Saudi Arabia. It is Outback’s franchise holder for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. According to Varun Sharma, Outback Steak House Restaurant managing partner, seven more branches are being planned in the Kingdom and Bahrain in the next five years.
The event, showcasing Outback Steak House Australian theme products, was attended by trade associations, US government agencies and other American partners in supporting trade between the Kingdom and the US.
