المملكة العربية السعودية

In Episode 125, the hosts welcome veteran columnist and analyst Hussein Ibish onto The 966 for his third appearance on the program to unpack the implications of Israel's brutal war in Gaza and the shifting regional and global power dynamics since October 7th. 

Hussein Ibish is a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington and is a weekly columnist for The National (UAE) and The Atlantic. He's also a former columnist for Bloomberg, regular contributor to The New York Times and The Daily Beast, and frequent contributor to many other U.S. and Middle Eastern publications.

Hussein discusses the war in Gaza and calls it a "savage war of vengeance" and the Biden Administration's response to it. He also talks about how the war has aligned the U.S. and Saudi Arabia's interests in forming a Palestinian state when the war is over and how the issue has brought the U.S. and Saudi Arabia closer diplomatically. 

Waleed Abdel-Fattah, President of the MENA Region at Hill International, joins The 966 to talk about Saudi Arabia’s building boom and Hill’s traction in KSA since entering the market to help build out what is now known as KAFD. Hill has 100 offices across 42 countries, and its main geographical areas are the US, Europe and the North Africa/Middle East region.

Hill has worked on developments like King Salman Park, Jabal Omar development in Makkah, the Riyadh Metro, and others.

Lucien Zeigler sits down with an exclusive conversation with Jerry Todd, Head of the National Development Division at the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia, in a new format and program called 966 Live, recorded at PIF studios in a fireside chat style of engagement.

Jerry Todd, who is also on the PIF’s Management Investment Committee, speaks with Lucien about a range of topics related to the PIF’s investment in key sectors in the local economy, human capital in Saudi Arabia, the development of strong supply chains and competitive ecosystems, and more. 

The conversation takes place just days before the PIF is launching its second annual major forum in Riyadh, called the Private Sector Forum, which will see the massive sovereign wealth fund engaging directly with private sector partners as the PIF continues to develop the local content ecosystem. That Forum, which is set to be at least twice the size of the inaugural event in 2023 in Riyadh, will feature panel discussions, fireside chats, an exhibition for the PIF’s 80+ companies to engage with private sector suppliers, and more. 

The conversation begins with a discussion of the Forum and what it hopes to accomplish. 

Then, Lucien asks Jerry about the PIF as an investment institution. How can the PIF “crowd-in” competing companies in spaces in which it is operating to create a thriving local ecosystem? 

The conversation then steers to a discussion of Musahama, the formal name of the PIF’s wide-ranging efforts to achieve important local content goals, and how PIF companies are working toward achieving a local content target of 60% by 2025.

Jerry Todd is a member of the PIF Management Investment Committee. Prior to joining the PIF, he served as a Managing Director and Head of Business Development for NCB Capital, the largest investment bank in Saudi Arabia (2014-2020). Previously, he was a Managing Director and Head of Private Equity and Investment Banking at Jadwa Investment, a Saudi merchant bank (2007-2014). Mr. Todd was an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company, where he focused on identifying and evaluating investment opportunities, developing and implementing growth strategies, and creating high performing organizations (1999-2006). Early in his career, Mr. Todd worked as an Energy Engineer for Dobbs International and Johnson Controls (1994-1997). Mr. Todd holds an MBA from Cornell University (1999) and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Christian Brothers University (1994).

In Episode 119, The 966 hosts Lucien and Richard discuss a variety of topics and some of the latest news and developments on Saudi Arabia. First, the hosts discuss Richard's One Big Thing, an update on the Saudi Pro League and the latest news and developments for football in Saudi Arabia heading into key portion of season. The hosts discuss some developments with PIF's investments into the sport and the planned upcoming match between Ronaldo and Messi in the Kingdom. Next, the hosts discuss Lucien's One Big Thing, his first since moving to Riyadh for a few months with his family: two new announcements for large entertainment projects that are impressive and unique, even by Saudi standards these days. Lucien was struck by how quickly Riyadh is changing in virtually every neighborhood, and how seemingly every week there's a new announcement of a project or development. This last week saw the rollout of new designs for a Saudi football/soccer stadium in Qiddiya, the Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium, which are jaw-dropping and innovative. The second project that had been announced but which had new details released is The Rig, an entertainment destination that is situated on an oil rig 10km off the coast of Saudi Arabia to be built and owned by the Public Investment Fund. 

The hosts conclude as always with Yallah! 6 top storylines to get you up to speed on Saudi Arabia this week. 

•The 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) is taking place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from January 15–19.

•Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, has allocated an additional $4 billion to its global venture capital arm, Aramco Ventures.

•Analysts at real estate firm Savills KSA told Arabian Business that apartment rents in Riyadh surged by as much as 23 percent in northern neighborhoods last year. 

•Aramco Digital and Intel plans to establish Saudi Arabia’s first Open RAN (radio access network) development center

•Konoz, an initiative of the Saudi Ministry of Media’s Center for Government Communication, launched "Horizon", a new documentary documenting the Kingdom’s rich biodiversity and natural resources.

•Rafael Nadal's role in helping to grow tennis in the Gulf is set to increase significantly after the Spanish great was appointed ambassador of the Saudi Tennis Federation (STF).

The 966 speaks with Rayan Alyusufi, a young Saudi researcher in public diplomacy and international communication to discuss the Kingdom’s public diplomacy, "sharp power," and evolution of Saudi as an emerging diplomatic player. Rayan is a PHD Candidate at Bournemouth University in the United Kingdom.

Recently, Rayan wrote a blog post entitled "The Transformation of Saudi Arabia’s Public Diplomacy" for the University of Southern California’s Center for Public Diplomacy website that discussed Saudi Arabia's "significant influence in the international arena."

"As the wealthiest Middle Eastern state and the birthplace of Islam, it holds a prominent position in the Middle East and the Muslim world. Internationally, Saudi Arabia is a major contributor to organizations such as the Global Fund and the World Health Organization, in addition to being the largest oil exporter. However, its soft power and public diplomacy remain underexplored."

The 996 team explores the reasons for this with Rayan and how Saudi Arabia's public diplomacy has evolved since the launch of Vision 2030.

The 966 hosts kick off the new year after a refreshing holiday break following a successful year for the podcast in which the growth of the audience more than doubled across all platforms, and in some cases, grew significantly more than that! The team thanks all of its listeners and viewers for tuning in each week.

First, the hosts discuss Richard's One Big Thing, the Dakar Rally, which is set to take place again this year across Saudi Arabia. The race has moved to the Kingdom and began January 5th, running until January 19th, and will pass Riyadh on January 13-14. Lucien will attend the festivities and race there in person. Richard gave a run-down of the race's challenges, vehicle classifications, and importance of Saudi Arabia as a host. According to the Dakar Rally's official site, the race's origins began in 1977, when Thierry Sabine got lost on his motorbike in the Libyan desert during the Abidjan-Nice Rally. Saved from the sands in extremis, he returned to France still in thrall to this landscape and promising himself he would share his fascination with as many people as possible. He proceeded to come up with a route starting in Europe, continuing to Algiers and crossing Agadez before eventually finishing at Dakar. The founder coined a motto for his inspiration: "A challenge for those who go. A dream for those who stay behind."

Next, the hosts discuss Lucien's One Big Thing, the PGA-LIV merger and the future of golf which hangs in the balance as a deadline for an agreement announced in 2023 between PIF and PGA passed with no concrete deal, other than to keep discussions going. The delay creates uncertainty for both pros and fans as the PGA season kicks off in Hawaii. Just weeks after top golfer John Rahm joined the LIV golf tour, 4-time champion Rory McIlroy walked back criticism of LIV players. "I think at this point, I was maybe a little judgmental of the guys who went to LIV golf at the start, and I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part because I now realise that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Wood's position," the former world number one told the Stick to Football podcast. "We all turn professional to making a living playing the sports that we do, and I think that's what I realised over the last two years. I can't judge people for making that decision."

Lucien discusses the latest with the merger and notes a reason why many Saudis don't care as much about it compared to the coverage it receives.

The hosts conclude as always with Yallah! 6 top storylines from Saudi Arabia this week...

-U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to the Middle East region this week to “discuss urgent mechanisms to stem violence, calm rhetoric, and reduce regional tensions,” according to a press release from the State Department.

-A recent study by Gallup International, in collaboration with the Saudi Center for Opinion Polls, has revealed the high level of optimism among Saudi citizens as they look forward to the year 2024.

-Saudi state TV said on Tuesday that the Kingdom had officially begun its membership of the BRICS bloc. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister had said in August that the Kingdom would study the details before the proposed January 1 joining date and take “the appropriate decision.” Prince Faisal bin Frahan had said BRICS was “a beneficial and important channel” to strengthen economic cooperation.

-Saudi capital Riyadh has emerged as a new regional hub for over 200 international companies, aligning with an upcoming Saudi government policy. Effective January 1, 2024, the policy requires international firms to establish their regional headquarters in the Kingdom to be eligible for government contracts.

-Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund spent more than any other last year after splashing out $31.5bn (£24.7bn) on investments ranging from a stake in Heathrow to ownership of a US gaming company. The Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has topped an annual ranking of sovereign investment fund spending, compiled by consultancy Global SWF, for the first time.

Investment by PIF accounted for just over a quarter of the $123.8bn (£97.2bn) spent in total

-The ongoing ‘Riyadh Season’, featuring a series of entertainment, fashion, technology and gaming events, attracted a whopping 12 million visitors in the last 60 days, the organizers said. The popular event, which opened in October 2023, targeted 12 million visitor participation during the entire event period, but achieved the target in the middle of the season.

نستضيف في هذه الحلقة الأستاذ محمد المشيقح في حوار أخويّ حول موضوعات متنوعة..       

- عن التأهيل الشخصي خارج أروقة الجامعات     
- عن المسارات الوظيفية القانونية     
- عن أهمية اللغة الإنجليزية للمحامي     
- عن منصة محاماة الجديدة والتي ستنطلق قريبًا     

نتمنى لكم استماعًا ممتعًا وجرعةً صوتيةً مثرية..       

لا تنس الاشتراك ليصلك كل جديد!         


إعداد وتقديم:       
سعود بن محمود الحليبي         
زكريا بن عبد الحميد الملحم         
محمد بن حمد المري         
محمد بن عبد الرحمن السميح         

حسابات التواصل الاجتماعي لـ #بودكاست_قسطاس: QistasCast       

للتواصل: 
info@QistasCast.info

في هذه الحلقة عصف ذهني لأبرز الموضوعات والاستشكالات القانونية التي يتم تداولها في الوسط القانوني حول العالم على ضوء جائحة كورونا مع أمثلة من المملكة وعدد من دول العالم. بعض هذه الموضوعات والاستشكالات - إن لم يكن معظمها - ليس جديدًا، الجديد هو وجود حالة دراسة مثالية يمكن الإفادة منها للتأصيل والاستقراء والمقارنة والتحليل للخروج بمقالات متخصصة ثريّة ودراسات وأبحاث عصرية عملية تسدّ الثغرات التي أظهرتها الأزمة أو تجيب عن التساؤلات التي أثارتها. وقد ابتدأنا ببعض الموضوعات الشرعية ثم قسمنا بقيتها حسب فروع القانون من أجل التنظيم.       


كل الشكر للمشاركين في الحلقة، وهم حسب الظهور:     
المحامي طاهر القرني - مكتب طاهر القرني للمحاماة       
الأستاذ عمّار أحمد     
المحامي عبد الرحمن الحليبي - شركة الحليبي والنعيم للمحاماة     


00:16: المقدمة 
01:25: الملخص الإخباري القانوني 
07:46: بداية الفقرة الرئيسة 
10:31: العلوم الشرعية 
11:58: مداخلة المحامي طاهر القرني 
13:16: القضاء عن بعد 
16:54: مداخلة الأستاذ عمّار أحمد 
18:20: الوسائل البديلة لفض النزاعات 
19:46: القانون الدولي 
23:49: القانون الدستوري 
27:21: القانون الجنائي 
30:50: القانون الإداري 
32:14: القانون التجاري 
34:08: قانون العمل 
36:32: القانون المالي والضريبي 
37:42: التقنية وتتبع حالات كورونا 
39:08: المهنية وإدارة المنشآت القانونية 
39:50: مداخلة المحامي عبد الرحمن الحليبي 
40:16: ضرورة وجود إحصاءات وأرقام دقيقة لقطاع المحاماة 
41:36: الختام             

نتمنى أن تكون هذه الدقائق جرعة صوتية قانونية ممتعة ومثرية.         

إعداد وتقديم:   
سعود بن محمود الحليبي   
زكريا بن عبد الحميد الملحم   
محمد بن حمد المري   
محمد بن عبد الرحمن السميح     

حسابات التواصل الاجتماعي: QistasCast     
للتواصل: info@QistasCast.info    

زادت الحاجة في القرن التاسع عشر للوقود بسبب اختراع الأجهزة الميكانيكية مثل السيارات. وفي سبعينيات القرن الماضي بدأ البحث عن مصدر ثابت للنفط في مدينة 'تيتسفيل' في ولاية بنسلفانيا الأمريكية، وذلك بسبب شائعات عن اكتشاف وقود جديد في المنطقة. أحد موظفي شركة النفط الأمريكية ‘سينيكا’ ‘إدوين درايك’ قام بعمل دراسات وأبحاث عن النفط وحينما وجده قامت شركات النفط بإنشاء حفراً في هذه المنطقة وصارت هذه الشركات في غضون سنوات تستخرج قرابة ١٦ ألف برميل نفط كل يوم. سنتحدث في هذه الحلقة عن اكتشاف النفط عالمياً وعن اكتشاف النفط في الوطن العربي بالإضافة للحديث عن الوقود الأحفوري وأهميته في المنطقة ومستقبله فيها.