Business Mission to Saudi Arabia

This week it was an excellent experience for me to see Portuguese businesspeople and women, business owners, demonstrating great competence and excellence in presenting their businesses to many Saudi businesspeople. Once again, the "jewel in the crown" that our country has in its small and medium-sized companies and in its entrepreneurs, always looking for new challenges and markets to export their products and services, was evident.

Starting with the ladies of ACO Shoes, a third-generation footwear company, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in the market this year. In addition to their professional competence, they were always up to the discovery of new opportunities, surprising new partners with their technical ability and dedication.

This was followed by Givachoice Texteis, from Paços de Ferreira, led by a young Portuguese entrepreneur who left no doubt: Portuguese textiles are synonymous with quality and not just quantity. With numerous testimonies of success on the international stage, including the Middle East, he made it noticeably clear that he is the one to trust when talking about excellent textiles in Portugal.

I also highlight Artnovion, led by a visionary businessperson, with acoustic and applied engineering works — including the Belgian Parliament — that impressed Saudi businesspeople. It was one of the companies with the most meetings and the greatest interest expressed.

Gema was also present in this entourage, composed of above-average professionals and with a huge desire to seek even more success. Gema arrived in Saudi Arabia before all of us, participating in excellent work at the U.S.-Saudi Trade Forum just before our arrival in May. So much was the success that the head of the company will have to return at the end of next week for another round of meetings. This example clearly demonstrates the difference in business approach methods: we, Portuguese, are affective and seek proximity to values and empathy with partners, something much appreciated in Arab culture.

But we do not stop there. We were also pleased to have the CEO of SG4Digital, a Dutch national, who manages a Portuguese company based in Lisbon with a global presence. An important player in its niche market, it was also a witness to the way the Portuguese approach business partners, motivating us, at times, to overcome cultural barriers and achieve more than we thought possible.

In engineering, in addition to Artnovion, we had the presence of Redemaior Engenharia, from Coimbra, linked to industrial engineering, including electrical installations, air conditioning, hydraulic installations, industrial kitchens and laundries. Redemaior is a reference in equipment for football stadiums, and some Saudi businesspeople have shown interest in collaborating with it in the future.

Also from Coimbra, Projedomus presented innovative smart building solutions, led by a CEO with a sharp vision of the future. Just as AMG is for Mercedes, Projedomus is for building tuning – intelligent solutions for greater comfort, efficiency, and safety. I am convinced that its future will be bright, as will that of all the Portuguese companies that were present.

I would also like to highlight Atlantic Premium Capital Partners, from Paço de Arcos, and its CEO, who brought in their luggage an innovative wastewater recycling technology, already used in the USA, and with the clear objective of installing a production line in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. For a country that depends on the desalination of water for consumption, this innovation was received with great interest, with a promising future for this company, which also owns Navigator Hotels.

I do not want, however, to highlight just a few, because all of them were, without exception, excellent representatives of the Portuguese entrepreneurial spirit. I felt proud to be Portuguese and even more proud to have witnessed this business mission. All of them are examples of how success comes to those who seek it with work, dedication, and passion.

I want to leave a special thanks to my friend Abílio da Alagoa Silva, President of the Portuguese Saudi Business Council, for having given Casaiberia the opportunity to present itself. An incredibly special thanks also to Mr. Alwalid Albatan, President of the Saudi Portuguese Business Council, for his hospitality and friendliness, which were decisive for the success of this mission.

Finally, a very heartfelt thanks to our Ambassador of Portugal Dr Nuno Mathias, who received us at his home at a time when, in Portugal, most are no longer at work, and who expressed total availability to help all those who want to succeed in Saudi Arabia.

To all, a great applause for this mission, and may many more like this come, for the good of Portugal and our companies.

This trip highlighted not only the excellence of traditional Portuguese sectors such as textiles, footwear, and engineering, but also the growing potential in strategic areas such as renewable energy, digital technologies, health, and the circular economy. Investing in innovation and sustainability is increasingly the path to international success.

At the end of this article, I would like to emphasize how important this trip was for me personally, as CEO of Casaiberia Mediação Imobiliária, to witness firsthand the enormous real estate development and the impressive projects being both started and fulfilled in Riyadh and Jeddah. It was truly inspiring to learn about the exciting plans of the Albatan Group in real estate, directly from Mr. Alwalid Albatan himself. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to meet such important people and business leaders, to network, and to share values and knowledge that span the globe. These connections and insights not only enhance my perspective but also enable me to better serve my clients in Portugal and abroad.

Paulo Lopes is a multi-talent Portuguese citizen who made his Master of Economics in Switzerland and studied law at Lusófona in Lisbon - CEO of Casaiberia in Lisbon and Algarve.

Paulo Lopes