Who¡¯s Who: Akram Jadawi, GM of international relations at Ministry of Energy
Who¡¯s Who: Akram Jadawi, GM of international relations at Ministry of Energy/node/2008896/saudi-arabia
Who¡¯s Who: Akram Jadawi, GM of international relations at Ministry of Energy
Akram Jadawi
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Updated 26 September 2024
Arab News
Who¡¯s Who: Akram Jadawi, GM of international relations at Ministry of Energy
Updated 26 September 2024
Arab News
Dr. Akram Jadawi has been general manager of international relations at the Ministry of Energy since 2022.
Jadawi has extensive experience fostering international cooperation and foreign strategic partnerships within the energy sector and beyond.
Previously, he held the position of director-general of international cooperation at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology from 2020 to 2022.
He was appointed co-chair of ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ¡¯s delegation at the Digital Economy Task Force in G20 Italia, and was director-general of G20 affairs at the National Digital Transformation Unit between November 2019 and August 2020.
Between July 2017 and November 2019, he was director-general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs¡¯ Knowledge Center, and worked as acting director-general of the ministry¡¯s Documentation and Archiving Center from January 2018 to September 2019.
He previously served as deputy director-general of the Human Resources Development Fund in ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ, where he led the National Labor Market and Social Development Observatory.
In this role, he managed the consolidation of data from different government entities, and the production of advanced analytics, research, indicators and dashboards to facilitate fact-based decision-making in the country.
In addition to presenting at national and regional conferences, Jadawi frequently participates in international events.
He has a high-level education that integrates technical and humanities perspectives, which includes a bachelor¡¯s degree in chemical engineering from Jeddah¡¯s King Abdulaziz University.
Jadawi has a transition semester certificate in process engineering from France¡¯s National Institute of Applied Sciences, completed in 2009, and a master¡¯s degree in law, management science and political science from the University of Versailles.
In addition, he completed a doctorate in physics of materials (material engineering) at France¡¯s University of Rouen in 2014.
Visit Saudi, ¡®Doraemon¡¯ collaborate on culture at Expo 2025
Doraemon character in 40 films, 3,000 TV episodes since 1969
Part of Saudi Pavilion¡¯s ¡®Wonders of Arabia¡¯ showing tourist sites
Updated 11 July 2025
Arab News Japan
OSAKA: Visit Saudi, the brand identity of the Saudi Tourism Authority, is collaborating with the creators of the renowned Japanese anime ¡°Doraemon¡± at Expo 2025 Osaka, to promote the Kingdom¡¯s culture in a fun and engaging manner.
The collaboration is a part of the Saudi Pavilion¡¯s ¡°Wonders of Arabia¡± exhibition launched on Thursday, which also celebrates the 70th anniversary of relations between the two nations.
Taking place until July 16, visitors can follow the iconic blue robot cat named Doraemon as he explores the Kingdom¡¯s destinations throughout the exhibition.
A QR code can be scanned to take a quiz on various Saudi destinations. The first 250 guests daily will receive a special ¡°Doraemon¡± tote bag after completing the experience.
In a video released by Doraemon¡¯s creators, the character is seen wandering around ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ landmarks through his popular pink portal door that allows him to explore any place at any time.
Surrounded by ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ¡¯s majestic landscapes, the character searches for his best friend Nobita, who makes a quick appearance. He returns to the Saudi Pavilion at the end of his journey, encouraging people to visit it.
¡°That was amazing. Come see it for yourself ¡ª and don¡¯t forget to collect your limited-edition Doraemon tote bag after the experience,¡± the character says at the end of the video.
Located inside the Osaka Expo Exhibition Center, the ¡°Wonders of Arabia¡± exhibition offers workshops, interactive presentations, photobooths, and live demonstrations of Saudi and Japanese calligraphy.
The exhibition is also offering an interactive virtual reality experience simulating Formula 1 races, and highlights of the Esports World Cup currently taking place in Riyadh.
Doraemon has become a cultural icon in Japan since the manga debuted in 1969, appearing in more than 40 feature films and 3,000 TV episodes.
Expo 2025 Osaka began in April and concludes in October.
How AI could make ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ¡¯s construction sites safer and more efficient
Construction remains one of the most dangerous and under-digitized industries, prompting a growing demand for real-time safety solutions
AI-driven tools are increasingly viewed not as job threats but as vital safeguards enhancing judgment, oversight, and worker protection
Updated 11 July 2025
Waad Hussain
RIYADH: Across the global construction sector, long considered one of the most resistant to digitization, a quiet revolution is unfolding.
Artificial intelligence is no longer a mere buzzword confined to laboratories and boardrooms. It is increasingly present in the urban fabric, embedded into scaffolding, concrete and command centers.
One company at the heart of this shift is viAct, a Hong Kong-based AI firm co-founded by Gary Ng and Hugo Cheuk. Their aim is to make construction safer, smarter and significantly more productive using a scenario-based AI engine built for complex, high-risk environments.
¡°Despite being one of the most labor-intensive and hazardous industries, construction remains vastly under-digitized,¡± Ng told Arab News. ¡°We saw this as an opportunity to bring AI-driven automation and insights to frontline operations.
Unlike conventional surveillance tools that simply record footage, viAct¡¯s platform acts like a digital foreman. It interprets real-time visual data to detect unsafe practices, productivity gaps and anomalies, all without human supervision.
At the core of the platform are intelligent video analytics powered by edge computing. By processing visuals from jobsite cameras and sensors, viAct can flag whether a worker has entered a restricted zone, whether proper personal protective equipment is being worn, or if a crane is operating unsafely.
¡°This is not just about object detection,¡± said Ng. ¡°Our AI understands context. It recognizes behaviors ¡ª like a worker being too close to the edge without a harness or a truck reversing unsafely ¡ª and acts in real time.¡±
That ability to contextualize data is crucial in megaprojects, where risks multiply with size.
The firm¡¯s technology has already been deployed across East Asia and parts of Europe. Now, the company is eyeing ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ and the wider Gulf region, where giga-projects are transforming skylines at record speed.
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Ng confirmed viAct is in active discussions to enter the Saudi market.
¡°ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ¡¯s Vision 2030 is deeply aligned with our mission,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s a growing demand for AI in infrastructure ¡ª not just for safety, but also for efficiency, environmental compliance, and transparency.
From NEOM and The Line to Qiddiya and Diriyah Gate, ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ is leading one of the most ambitious construction booms in the world. These projects involve thousands of workers, advanced logistics and constant oversight.
However, traditional safety audits and manual inspections are no longer sufficient. ¡°With projects of this scale, real-time monitoring is not a luxury ¡ª it¡¯s a necessity,¡± said Ng.
While viAct hasn¡¯t yet launched in the Kingdom, its platform is fully prepared for Arabic localization and regional compliance standards, including Saudi labor laws and Gulf Cooperation Council safety codes.
What sets viAct apart is how seamlessly it integrates with existing infrastructure. Rather than requiring expensive proprietary equipment, the platform works with standard CCTV cameras and can be deployed in both urban and remote sites.
¡°Our system is plug-and-play,¡± said Ng. ¡°You don¡¯t need to overhaul your entire setup to use AI. That makes it ideal for companies in transition or for phased construction timelines.¡±
Its use of edge AI, meaning data is processed on site rather than in a distant cloud, allows viAct to deliver insights even in areas with weak internet connectivity. This feature is particularly useful in ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ¡¯s more isolated development zones or early-phase sites with minimal setup.
Its software is also highly customizable. For instance, a client building a hospital might prioritize fall detection and material delays, while a contractor working on an airport runway may need to monitor large machinery and perimeter access.
As automation reshapes industries, many worry that people are being replaced by machines. But Ng insists that viAct¡¯s goal is not to eliminate workers ¡ª it is to protect them.
¡°We¡¯re not building robots to take over,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re building tools that enhance human judgment and ensure safety. When a worker is alerted to a risk before an accident occurs, that¡¯s AI doing its best job.¡±
In fact, many of viAct¡¯s clients report that once site workers understand the system is not spying on them, but rather observing unsafe situations, adoption becomes smoother. Managers gain better oversight and laborers gain peace of mind.
¡°We see this as a collaboration between human intelligence and artificial intelligence,¡± Ng said. ¡°Each has strengths. Together, they¡¯re far more effective.¡±
Gary Ng co-founded viAct, a Hong Kong-based AI firm, with Hugo Cheuk. (Supplied)
Deploying AI in construction also brings ethical questions to the forefront, particularly in projects run by government entities or involving public infrastructure. Ng is upfront about these concerns.
¡°All our solutions are GDPR-compliant and privacy-first,¡± he said, referring to the EU¡¯s General Data Protection Regulation, a comprehensive set of rules designed to protect the personal data of individuals.
¡°We don¡¯t use facial recognition and we don¡¯t track individuals. The focus is purely on safety, compliance and productivity.¡±
Workers are anonymized in the system, with all data encrypted and stored securely. Dashboards used by contractors and project leads include logs, alerts and safety scores, allowing for clear documentation and accountability without compromising personal privacy.
This is especially important in the Gulf, where projects often involve multinational labor forces and cross-border stakeholders
Looking ahead, viAct plans to double down on its expansion in the Middle East, continue advancing its AI models and advocate for ethical AI deployment in high-risk sectors.
The company is also exploring ways to integrate predictive analytics, allowing clients to foresee and prevent incidents before they occur. This could eventually shift AI¡¯s role from reactive to proactive, forecasting safety breaches, delivery delays or environmental compliance issues in advance.
Ng believes this kind of intelligent foresight will soon become standard across the construction industry.
¡°It¡¯s not about replacing humans,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s about building a smarter site, one where decisions are faster, risks are fewer, and lives are safer.¡±
In the age of giga-projects, that is a future ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ is already building.
Saudi communications minister meets with international leaders to advance Saudi role in AI
Updated 10 July 2025
Arab News
GENEVA: Saudi Minister of Communications and Information Technology Abdullah Alswaha held a series of high-level meetings during his official visit to Switzerland, aimed at strengthening the Kingdom¡¯s global role in promoting inclusivity in the era of artificial intelligence, innovation, and digital economy development.
The minister met with UN International Telecommunication Union Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The two discussed the Kingdom¡¯s longstanding partnership with the union spanning more than 76 years.
The minister also met with Algerian Minister of Post and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki, to expand partnership opportunities in the areas of digital governance, AI, and digital infrastructure.
PIF-backed Savvy Games partners with Side to nurture gaming ecosystem in ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ
The collaboration was cemented at a signing event earlier on Thursday at Side¡¯s London studio
Updated 10 July 2025
Tamara Aboalsaud Nada Alturki
RIYADH: PIF-backed Savvy Games Group has partnered with gaming service provider Side to open a physical studio in Riyadh later this year to further support ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ¡¯s growing gaming ecosystem.
The collaboration was cemented at a signing event earlier on Thursday at Side¡¯s London studio.
Nika Nour, head of global business development at Savvy Games Group, told Arab News: ¡°There is no better partner than people like Side who have actually opened offices in other regions of the world, not just in Western countries like Europe or North America.
¡°They have the experiences and the tools to actually increase services, to train up local talent, and enter communities and understand cultural nuances to forge partnerships, not just for the short term, but beyond 2030, and that¡¯s why we¡¯re very excited about this strategic initiative.¡±
This is a step in expanding Side¡¯s global footprint to 20 studios across 14 countries, providing services that range from co-development, player support, quality assurance (QA), localization QA, and audio. Their work in ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ will be a tailored approach to the country¡¯s needs, initially by offering co-dev, localization and local audio recording services.
Jacob Madsen, London studio head and VP of EMEA at Side, told Arab News: ¡°From a company point of view, we¡¯re always looking to expand into new markets. We¡¯re always looking to try and have a diverse workforce, so that was also something that was really interesting to me. Over the four months, we¡¯ve been kind of developing a relationship between Side and Savvy.¡±
Savvy prides itself on its three pillars as a holdings entity at PIF: Investments in MMA games, efforts on e-sports, as noted regionally with the Esports World Cup, and most importantly, moving forward and progressing on Saudi¡¯s national Vision 2030 initiative of gaming ecosystem development.
The studio will also aim to provide youth training programs and strengthen local institutions, including collaboration with local partners such as Full Sail University, to nurture homegrown talent in co-development, localization and QA.
¡°What we tend to do when we open up a studio is very much work with the local population,¡± Madsen explained. ¡°We try to bring in as few seniors or employees of other studios and hire the men and women of the country that we¡¯re in. We are talking to Savvy about how we can connect to any existing university or training programs, whether we can bring down some of our experts ¡ª but we will also very much be training the people that we hire for the services that we¡¯ll be providing.¡±
Savvy Academy, the company¡¯s flagship initiative, focuses on incubation, acceleration and training with university relationships. They have also been collaborating with the International Game Developers Association¡¯s Riyadh chapter, which has a talent pool of more than 200 individuals in Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh.
¡°We have great relationships with universities that we plan on imploring, working with, to bring these experts not only to the classrooms, but also figure out how we get them from graduation into professional careers,¡± Nour said.
The studio is set to launch in the fourth quarter of 2025.
ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ to host 8th Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh in October
Aim of the event is to boost transformation of the Kingdom¡¯s healthcare sector and enhance its position as a global hub for health innovation and investment
Updated 10 July 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: The eighth annual Global Health Exhibition will take place from Oct. 27 to 30 at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, the Ministry of Health said on Thursday.
The aim of the event, the theme for which is ¡°Invest in Health,¡± is to help accelerate the transformation of the Kingdom¡¯s healthcare sector in line with the goals of the Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification, the Saudi Press Agency reported, while strengthening ÂÜÀòÊÓÆµ¡¯s position as a global hub for health innovation and investment.
The four-day exhibition will give health sector leaders, investors and innovators from around the world the chance to explore partnership and investment opportunities, and showcase the latest advances in healthcare technology, including developments in telemedicine, digital health and preventative care.
Organizers hope this year¡¯s event will further boost momentum in the rapidly evolving Saudi health sector, building on the success of last year¡¯s exhibition that attracted more than 100,000 visitors from 80 countries, who signed deals worth more than SR50 billion ($13.3 billion).
The event also reflects the Kingdom¡¯s growing influence on the global health stage, according to organizers. Recent Saudi initiatives such as the National Biotechnology Strategy and the hosting of high-profile international gatherings ¡ª including the Fourth Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in November 2024, and the upcoming 2nd annual CPHI Middle East pharmaceutical expo scheduled for December ¡ª highlight the nation¡¯s commitment to shaping the future of healthcare, they said.
The exhibition aims to serve as a key platform for fostering collaborations and driving investment in technologies and initiatives that support healthier, more sustainable communities across the region and beyond, the organizers added.