Euromoney's annual Saudi Arabia Conference will present a new logo as well as a new format to feature more live interviews with Saudi and global financial leaders combined with debate and presentations, said a top official.

The conference will shed light on a maturing economy and its challenges, said Richard Banks, director of the Euromoney Saudi Arabia Conference. “With employment and job creation on the conference agenda this year, we identified one of Saudi Arabia’s most pressing issues,” he added.

Euromoney's annual Saudi Arabia Conference will be held May 22 and 23 in Riyadh for the seventh time in partnership with the Ministry of Finance. The overarching theme of this year’s conference will be Stability, Growth and Jobs. It will be held at the Al Faisaliah Hotel.

"Euromoney conference - Saudi Chapter is a must-attend event owing to the high quality of the featured topics, the superior standard of dignitaries and attendees representing a wide array of the economic sectors, as well as its unmatched geographical focus within the region,” said Walid Khoury, CEO, HSBC Saudi Arabia.

“HSBC SA has been Lead Sponsor for event for the past few years, demonstrating our commitment to this premier financial event in the Kingdom."

According to lead sponsor Banque Saudi Fransi some 673,601 jobs were created in the course of the government’s successful stimulus program in 2009.

Despite these efforts the private sector’s share of total employment fell from 13.3 per cent to 9.9 percent, while Saudi unemployment rose from 9.8 per cent to 10.5 per cent.  In order to advance Saudization the Ministry of Labor introduced the Nitaqat program.

Commenting on Nitaqat, Banks said: “The program introduces different quotas for companies depending on size and the sector they operate in. As noble as the intentions of this program are they could also impose some pressure on the SME sector.” – TradeArabia News Service