Reed Exhibitions said it has joined hands with Sunaidi Expo, a subsidiary of Alfadl Group of companies in Saudi Arabia to organize a series of international events in Jeddah starting from 2012.

The strategic partnership constitutes Reed's first entry into the Saudi market, which will contribute to the company's expansion in the region.

Commenting on the deal, Frederic Theux, president of Reed Exhibitions Middle East, said the partnership marks a new beginning to Reed's operations in Saudi, hoping that it will help reinforce and develop exhibition sector in the Kingdom.

"The Saudi market, being the biggest in the region, is of big importance for our future trends," he pointed out.

"We are confident that the Saudi market will further thrive in light of new steps taken by the government to achieve social and economic development in the kingdom," he added.

Theux said Jeddah was chosen to be Reed's entry point to the Saudi market because it is a very ancient city with vast history.

"It is known to be the bride of the Red Sea and Saudi's marine gateway to the outer world. Jeddah, in particular, and the Kingdom, in general, constitute one of the most important trade, economic and investment hubs in the region," he noted.

Mohammed Alfadl, president of Alfadel Group, the parent company of Sunaidi Expo, expressed his pride in the new alliance with Reed Exhibitions.

"This partnership will secure us a strong position in the exhibitions market in the Kingdom. We will certainly benefit from Reed's global reputation and vast expertise in this arena," he added.-TradeArabia News Service