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With the world’s economies undergoing a seismic shift, with new technologies and industries rapidly transforming, this year’s edition of the Future Investment Initiative will be bringing together the world’s foremost leaders to talk about how we can find a way forward.
ROSHN Group offers an example of driving growth through transformative change while promoting local content, which in turn produces economic benefits and enhanced quality of life. 
As part of the Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy, we ensure that ROSHN Group is increasing the proportion of local materials and partnerships that enable our projects which accelerates the Kingdom’s economic diversification while also strengthening local supply chains and reinforcing various sectors. 
We’ve driven impact and grown our local content contribution with three main approaches. We began by looking at our own operations and our direct spending, followed by a deeper dive into further investments in the value chain. Finally, we expanded our approach in line with our ongoing expansion strategy which will drive further growth within the Kingdom’s wider ecosystem.
ROSHN Group’s local content journey has been mutually beneficial for all parties, including our shareholders, our partners, and our customers. An example of this is the number of contracts being awarded: in 2024, over 71 percent of the contracts we awarded went to local suppliers and we have in place more than 70 framework agreements with Saudi-based companies, allowing us to both source locally while delivering more efficiently for our customers and growing the Kingdom’s overall economy. 
Partnering with the Kingdom’s small to medium-sized firms has also been a priority. We have hosted regular bootcamps for these SMEs with training and discussion on everything from contract negotiations to how they can adopt sustainable-focused practices. The result is over SR300 million ($80 million) awarded to Saudi-based SMEs.
Investing in local talent is also a top priority, as we have a wider goal to train over 5,000 Saudis by 2030, especially in the areas of technology and in building the skills we will require to operate the assets currently under development. 
We recently became the strategic partner for azm Program, the workforce development program introduced by the Public Investment Fund. Through this collaboration, we are supporting the training of young Saudi professionals in areas related to construction, development, project management, and health and safety.
ROSHN Group’s local content strategy has increased local spending by over 400 percent, and local spending now makes up more than 50 percent of our total spending across the group. 
Our partners and vendors are helping us to create value, accelerate project execution, and to enable more job opportunities across the Kingdom. We are building a legacy that will bring long-lasting benefits. For ROSHN Group, local content is the foundation of our growth and our contributions to the Kingdom’s overall economic diversification.

• Iain McBride is head of commercial at ROSHN Group.