RIYADH: Saudi Arabia granted 34 licenses for regional headquarters in the second quarter of the year as part of its ongoing push to position itself as the Middle East’s leading business hub.
The figure was disclosed in the Ministry of Investment’s Economic and Investment Monitor for the second quarter of 2025.
The report said more than 125,000 services were delivered through investor outreach centers, 59,000 online services via the ministry’s website, and 34,000 in-person services through comprehensive service centers during the same period.
Nearly 600 international companies, including Northern Trust, IHG Hotels & Resorts, and Deloitte, have established bases in Saudi Arabia since 2021, the Saudi Press Agency reported in March.
The surge is driven by the government-backed Riyadh Regional Headquarters Program, which offers a 30-year corporate tax exemption, withholding tax relief, and regulatory support, reflecting efforts to position the Kingdom as a regional business hub and attract multinational corporations to the capital, in line with Vision 2030 plans to diversify the economy beyond oil.
