Shikh Saudi Gazette Jeddah — British Airways, in collaboration with the Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA) and UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), awarded some 50 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) “Business Opportunity Grants” as part of the airline's commitment to stimulate their growth, in Jeddah and Riyadh, Wednesday. The Kingdom thus joins South Africa, India, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates where it has launched similar programs. “For businesses to be successful, you need to travel to where the opportunities are,” Andrew Crawley, Commercial Director, British Airways said at the launch function. “Connecting people globally is our priority objectives.” Saudi Arabia is one of the least affected countries by the global economic crisis, where the government has been successful in staying on course with its development plans creating fresh opportunities for the budding entrepreneurs. Ms. Kim Al-Sahhaf, Head of Competitiveness Initiatives at SAGIA said: “It is an exciting opportunity for SAGIA to partner with British Airways on their important initiative to support entrepreneurship in the Kingdom.” She said SAGIA has been supporting SMEs in the Kingdom through their own initiatives and the partnership with British Airways will further fuel the the growth for the SFG 100 community. “We will promote this new partnership to spread the awareness, the reach and the impact of the British Airways Business Opportunity Grant,” she said. Chris Innes-Hopkins, Director of UK Trade & Investment in Saudi Arabia added: “SME development and support for entrepreneurs are key priorities of the Saudi and British governments and the Saudi British Joint Business Council. I warmly welcome British Airways' initiative which will help to build business partnerships between small and medium-sized companies in Saudi Arabia, the UK and the wider world.”
