M&A WATCH-

Saudi-Brazilian JV completes acquisition of Addoha Poultry: BRF Arabia —a joint venture between Brazilian food processor BRF SA and PIF-owned Halal Products Development — completed its acquisition of a 26% stake in Addoha Poultry for SAR 316.2 mn (USD 84.3 mn), Reuters reports. Some USD 58 mn of the proceeds are earmarked for expanding production at Addoha, Vice President for the Halal Market at BRF Igor Marti told Bloomberg earlier.

AVIATION-

Budget carrier Flyadeal is close to finalizing an order for 10 Airbus A330neo aircrafts, in its first serious foray into wide-body jets, Reuters reports citing unnamed sources. The order is expected to be officially announced in the next few weeks, with the first aircraft scheduled to arrive in 2027, the sources add.

CYBERSECURITY-

France-based post-quantum tech and cybersecurity company SealsQ is looking to roll out more products in Saudi Arabia in partnership with its Swiss parent company WISeKey and the Kingdom’s largest private enterprise Juffali Group, according to a press release. The partnership will see WISeKey Arabia — a JV between SealsQ and WISeKey — introduce advanced tech tools in Saudi Arabia, including quantum-resistant cryptography and IoT security in a bid to enhance security across local businesses and government operations.

ALSO- SealsQ and WiseKey are set to launch a USD 250 mn DeepTech Venture Studio in partnership with Hedera and the Hashgraph Association. The proposed VC will focus on backing startups in blockchain, AI, quantum computing, and other cutting-edge technologies.

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TRANSPORT-

#1- Makkah gets new transportation service: The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites launched a new transportation service on Monday, Makkah Taxi, which will operate 24/7 throughout 47 locations across the city, state news agency SPA reports. The service features hybrid and electric vehicles, and eyes boosting its fleet to 1.8k vehicles by the end of the year.

#2- Riyadh Metro saw five new stations go online yesterday, with Al Wurud 2, the National Museum, and Al Batha on the blue line and Dhahrat Al Badi’ah and Al Jaradiyah on the orange line, according to local media reports (here and here).

Remember- The orange line (Line 3) — the final link in Riyadh’s network — was launched lastweek, bringing the total number of operating metro lines to six. This milestone follows a successful pilot earlier in December, which introduced three of the network’s six lines, followed by the launch of Lines 2 and 5 mid-month.

TOURISM-

Homegrown corporate travel agency Arjaa Travel partnered with ATPI Group to integrate their business travel solutions, including travel planning, cost optimization, and travel policy compliance, according to a press release.

DEBT WATCH-

The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) lined up a USD 800 mn (SAR 3 bn) Murabaha revolving credit facility with Al Rajhi Bank, according to a disclosure to adawul. The five-year facility will be used to fund the company’s working capital and capital expenditures needs.

GAMING-

Savvy and Japan’s SBI Holdings team up: PIF-backed Savvy Games Group and SBI Holdings inked an MoU that will see SBI Holdings introduce Japanese gaming companies to Savvy’s Esports ecosystem, facilitating their entry into the Saudi and Mena markets, according to a press release.

HOSPITALITY-

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding is taking on the reconstruction of Beirut's Four Seasons Hotel, aiming to reopen it by 1Q 2026, according to Al Arabiya.

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