Retailer GMG opens new Saudi HQ in Riyadh, plans to hire 1,200 new employees
April 7, 2021, 9:58 am

Retailer GMG opens new Saudi HQ in Riyadh, plans to hire 1,200 new employees

A stock image of Saudi Arabia's Riyadh skyline. (File photo)

Regional retail conglomerate Gulf Marketing Group (GMG) has announced further expansion and investment in Saudi Arabia with the opening of a new head office in Riyadh, the company said. Deputy Chairman and CEO Mohammad A. Baker told Al Arabiya English that the company plans to double its 1,200-strong workforce in the Kingdom.

GMG already has a strong presence in Saudi Arabia due to its nationwide network of approximately 90 outlets including its Sun and Sand Sports chain - the Middle East’s largest sports retailer - as well as being a distributor for global brands like Nike, Columbia, Vans, and others.

GMG’s head office in Riyadh follows a government announcement in February that stated that Saudi Arabia will require all government contracts to be awarded to companies with headquarters in the country. It will no longer sign contracts with foreign companies without a regional headquarters inside the Kingdom starting from 2024.

The move is one facet of a wider strategy to attract international investors to one of the Middle East’s largest economies and diversify it from its oil-heavy roots, as outlined in the Crown Prince’s Vision 2030.

The new Riyadh HQ opened last month and the group anticipates further growth from its sports retail operations, Baker said. Boosted by its recent opening of a 23,000 square-meter mega-warehouse outside Riyadh, this is complemented by existing office and warehousing facilities in Jeddah.

“Saudi Arabia is a very important market to us with a fast-growing economy,” Baker told Arabiya English. “There is a lot we believe we can deliver and the importance of sport in the Kingdom is encouraging, thanks to the vision of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and a growing number of initiatives to improve fitness and wellness.”

View of the Kingdom Tower from inside The Globe of the Faisaliah Centre, downtown Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Illustrative photo: iStock)

GMG has already spent 15 years establishing its business in Saudi, building up a workforce of 1,200. Baker envisions this number will soon grow to 2,400.

“Having a regional HQ in Saudi is an important move for us, and one which we planned to do before the lockdown and before the announcement by the Kingdom,” he said.

“Saudi is very good for business; it has a massive population and it has always been a key market for us. Having a regional HQ in Saudi allows us to understand the consumer better, train people more efficiently and have the right presence in Saudi.”

Baker said, aside from establishing warehouses and stores in the Kingdom, GMG plans to enhance partnerships with Saudi Arabian entities to encourage sports participation.

The pandemic, believes Baker, has encouraged more people to embrace sport, fitness and wellbeing as health has become an ever-important factor in peoples’ lives.

Introducing other offerings from the GMG portfolio in Saudi Arabia, including food and healthcare brands, is also being considered, Baker said.

Meanwhile, the company is strengthening its online retail services and hosting more in-store innovations such as contactless mobile checkouts in response to changing consumer habits post-COVID-19.

“The fact that our new Riyadh headquarters is three times bigger than our old offices clearly signals the scale of our ambitions in Saudi Arabia and our commitment to invest – not only in brick-and-mortar operations but also in our people, over half of whom are Saudi citizens,” said Baker.

“Next year, we celebrate 15 years in Saudi Arabia, and strengthening our presence in the Kingdom is essential if we are to realize the next phase of our growth in the region’s largest economy and one of the fastest-growing retail markets.”

“We believe Saudi Arabia has immense untapped potential. The government’s recent initiative calling upon the international private sector to further invest in the Kingdom is to be welcomed, particularly because it will pave the way for further job creation.”

According to a recent Euromonitor report, sales of premium sports brands such as Nike performed strongly towards the end of last year in Saudi Arabia, and this trend is set to continue with consumer spending expected to rebound quickly once the social restrictions imposed by the pandemic start to ease.

Baker added that the group is eager to ramp up its community engagement in Saudi Arabia.

GMG Deputy Chairman and CEO Mohammad A. Baker (Supplied)

As the official Nike distributor in the Kingdom, GMG already works closely with the Saudi Sports for All Federation (SFA) to promote participation in sports at all levels, and more active lifestyles in a country where diabetes and obesity rates exceed the global average.

“Steady progress has been made over the past decade, but there is much more to be done and we are eager to be a partner, working with young people especially, to make regular exercise part of their daily routine,” said Baker.

source: Jennifer Bell

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”