- EY has chosen to locate its newly established MENA regional headquarters at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- EY opened its first office in Saudi Arabia 57 years ago
- EY has appointed close to 1,000 Saudi professionals this year
The new EY MENA regional headquarters for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region will be located at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (KSA), opening later this year.
In line with EY’s people-centered approach to transformation, the new facility is designed to inspire with a focus on wellbeing, comfort spaces, smart technology, and teamwork. The workspace, spanning 11,691 square meters in Twin Buildings 1.11 in both the north and south divisions, will enable EY people to drive long-term value for the organization, clients, and the local community.
Abdulaziz Al-Sowailim, EY MENA Chairman and CEO, says:
“EY is proud to be playing a part in the innovative and cutting-edge strategies that are elevating KSA’s position as a trailblazer, both regionally and globally. EY has leveraged our services and solutions not only to benefit government and local businesses but to give back to the Saudi community with programs focused on entrepreneurs, education, and empowering the youth of today as they become the leaders of tomorrow.”
Creating jobs
In KSA, over 55% of EY people are Saudi Nationals, with nearly 1,000 Saudis hired in the past year. Of the new hires, 60% are currently university graduates in accelerated graduate and leadership programs across the Assurance, Consulting, Tax, and Strategy and Transactions service lines.
Saudi Nationals within EY have the opportunity to join the Falcon Program, which fast tracks the career journey of high performing GCC nationals. Currently, 68% of the program’s participants are Saudis and on the path to partnership within the organization.
Introducing Wavespace services from Riyadh
The new headquarters will also see the launch of the Riyadh EY Wavespace Center, a state-of-the-art hub providing a collaborative environment for clients, EY teams, thought leaders, entrepreneurs, students, and academia. This center, which will cover over 930 square meters, is an addition to the existing fifty worldwide EY centers, showcasing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, blockchain, metaverse, and advanced analytics.
EY established its initial regional office in 1923, making it the first professional services organization in the MENA region. In 1967, EY MENA expanded its presence to Saudi Arabia with an office in Jeddah, then continued to grow with its first offices in Al-Khobar in 1969 and Al-Riyadh in 1974. As a result of ongoing investments in the region, the new headquarters in Riyadh will oversee 8,000 people united across 26 offices in 15 countries.
Last year, EY MENA celebrated its centennial anniversary during which the EY.ai platform for business transformation was launched, supporting the dynamic demands of business development in the region.
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About EY
EY exists to build a better working world, helping to create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets.
Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate.
Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.
EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.
The MENA practice of EY has been operating in the region since 1923. Over the past 100 years, we have grown to over 8,000 people united across 26 offices and 15 countries, sharing the same values and an unwavering commitment to quality. As an organization, we continue to develop outstanding leaders who deliver exceptional services to our clients and who contribute to our communities. We are proud of our accomplishments over the years, reaffirming our position as the largest and most established professional services organization in the region.
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This material has been prepared for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be relied upon as accounting, tax, legal or other professional advice. Please refer to your advisors for specific advice.
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This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients.
