Riyadh – Sharikat Mubasher: Saudi Arabia’s drive to attract the regional headquarters (RHQs) of global firms resulted in bringing 616 companies by the first quarter of 2025, up from 571 in the previous quarter, Salman Al-Dosari, Minister of Media, said on Wednesday.

As part of his remarks at a press conference in Riyadh, Al-Dosari noted the Kingdom’s rising appeal for investment and entrepreneurship, with commercial registrations reaching 1.7 million by mid-2025, a 13% annual increase. Citing the 2025 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, he said Saudi Arabia’s ranking in entrepreneurship support has leapt 60 places to 23rd, and five local firms are on track to achieve unicorn status.

Industrial expansion is also accelerating, with the number of factories growing from 7,200 before Vision 2030 to 12,500, and industrial investment rising to SR1.2 trillion. Non-oil exports have surged from SR178 billion to SR607 billion, reaching over 180 countries, while the “Made in Saudi” program has created more than 3,000 export opportunities.

In mining, Saudi Arabia climbed from 104th to 23rd in global investment attractiveness, with over 2,400 valid licenses issued. Health sector milestones include Jeddah’s designation as the Middle East’s first “healthy city” of over one million residents and seven Saudi hospitals making the 2025 global top 200 list.

Al-Dosari also announced a forthcoming Media Scholarship Program, to be launched jointly by the Ministries of Media and Education, aimed at training Saudi students at leading universities and companies worldwide.