{"id":104214,"date":"2025-12-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/ksa\/?p=104214"},"modified":"2026-01-18T18:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-01-18T18:40:57","slug":"catalyst-partners-wants-an-investment-bank-in-saudi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/ksa\/2025\/12\/30\/catalyst-partners-wants-an-investment-bank-in-saudi\/","title":{"rendered":"Catalyst Partners wants an investment bank in Saudi"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good morning, wonderful people<\/strong>. 2025 is barreling towards its last day, and the usual calm has been disrupted by two big stories in today\u2019s news well.<\/p>\n

The first? <\/strong>The finance ministry swapped debts for a stake in Binladen International Holding, effectively taking control after years of restructuring efforts of the debt-ridden group.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re also taking stock of labor market figures for the third quarter<\/strong>, which shows Saudi unemployment bounced back to 7.5%, signaling we\u2019re not out of the woods yet (or not, depending on who you ask). Let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n

** PROGRAMMING NOTE- We\u2019re off on Thursday for New Year\u2019s Day<\/strong>, and will be back in your inboxes on Sunday, 3 January.<\/p>\n

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Watch this space<\/p>\n

<\/a> INVESTMENT \u2014 <\/strong>Egypt-based impact investor Catalyst Partners wants to scale its <\/strong>presence in Saudi<\/strong>, aiming to transition to a full-fledged investment bank in Riyadh, co-founder of Catalyst Partners Abdelaziz Abdel Nabi tells EnterpriseAM. Applications are pending approval from Sama and the Capital Markets Authority.<\/p>\n

A bigger piece:<\/strong> The firm aims to shift from brokering deals to actively managing assets and scaling a lending portfolio in the Kingdom. \"Currently, about 20% of our business comes from Saudi Arabia. We want to increase that to 50% or 60% within the next three years,\" Abdel Nabi tells us.<\/p>\n

Non-banking financial services are a priority for Catalyst: <\/strong>\u201cWe have a major focus on financial leasing and factoring to aggressively grow our [Saudi] portfolio,\u201d Abdel Nabi said. The company plans to further market penetration by acquiring controlling stakes in companies working in the sector or getting licensed directly.<\/p>\n

Hot on the heels of big moves for Catalyst\u2019s SPAC:<\/strong> Catalyst Partners Middle East \u2014 Egypt\u2019s first blank check company or SPAC \u2014 closed up 20% on its first day of trading on the EGX on Sunday. This is three months after the company completed its acquisition<\/a> of Qardy and Catalyst Partners through share swaps.<\/p>\n

Dive deeper:<\/strong> Check out EnterpriseAM Egypt\u2019s conversation<\/a> with the Catalyst Partners Chairman Maged Shawky.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> BANKING \u2014 Sama is cracking down on lenders asking for promissory notes before <\/strong>issuing credit card products . <\/strong>A new circular (pdf)<\/a> bans all banks and finance companies from requiring promissory notes (or any commercial papers) from retail customers when issuing credit cards. The directive goes into effect on 1 February.<\/p>\n

Not just for new business:<\/strong> Lenders must provide Sama with a corrective action plan within 30 days to return or cancel existing promissory notes currently held against cardholders. They will have a maximum of six months to be done with the cleanup.<\/p>\n

Why this matters: <\/strong>Banks will now be forced to rely solely on standard credit guarantees \u2014 such as salary assignments and Simah reports \u2014 rather than holding a promissory note over the customer's head. Without promissory notes fast-tracking enforcement in case of defaults, lenders will have to engage in restructuring or settlement talks before they can trigger harsher measures.<\/p>\n

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Market watch<\/p>\n

<\/a> <\/strong>Saudi Arabia might cut crude oil export prices to Asia for the third consecutive month in <\/strong>February<\/strong>, unnamed sources told Reuters<\/a>, citing weaker demand in spot markets amid rising supply. Refiners expect a drop in Arab Light prices of USD 0.10-0.30 per bbl, lowering premiums to USD 0.30-0.50 above the Oman\/Dubai benchmark, extending the USD 0.60 per bbl loss from January.<\/p>\n

By the numbers: <\/strong>Arab Extra Light crude may fall by USD 0.10-0.20, while Arab Medium and Arab Heavy grades could remain unchanged or dip by USD 0.10.<\/p>\n

Estimates of oil prices have been in limbo<\/strong> as Opec+ spent the better half of the year unwinding cuts, and the International Energy Agency has been warning of a glut. Check our recent Year in Review<\/a> story on the diverging outlooks for oil markets in 2026.<\/p>\n

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Happening tomorrow<\/p>\n

The <\/strong>Six Fla<\/a><\/strong>gs Qiddiya City<\/a><\/strong> amusement park goes live tomorrow<\/strong>, the first entertainment asset to open its doors in Qiddiya City. The park \u2014 Six Flags\u2019 first foray outside North America \u2014 offers 28 rides and a slate of headline attractions, including Falcon\u2019s Flight, Rattler, and Spitfire.<\/p>\n

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Data point<\/p>\n

SAR 1.7 tn \u2014 that\u2019s how much MSMEs raked in total operating revenue in 2024<\/strong>, up 7% y-o-y, according to data (pdf)<\/a> from Gastat. Wholesale and retail trade contributed 36.3% to the total, followed by manufacturing with 19.3% and construction with 15.7%. Meanwhile, total operating expenditure rose 5.7% y-o-y during the year to SAR 762.9 bn.<\/p>\n

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The big story abroad<\/p>\n

It\u2019s only fitting that AI remains squarely in focus in the global business press<\/strong> as 2025 roars to a close. <\/p>\n

#1- SoftBank Group is doubling down on the physical backbone of artificial intelligence,<\/strong> agreeing to acquire US-based digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge Group in a USD 4 bn transaction<\/a> that expands the Japanese conglomerate\u2019s exposure to data centers, fiber networks, and other AI-critical assets.<\/p>\n

Why it matters: <\/strong>The acquisition comes as SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son accelerates his push to position the group as a central player in what he calls \u201cnext-generation AI infrastructure.\u201d<\/strong> Investors are racing to secure the computing power, connectivity, and energy capacity underpinning the AI boom. <\/p>\n

#2- Nvidia has quietly completed a <\/strong>USD 5 bn investment<\/a><\/strong> in Intel<\/strong>, throwing another financial lifeline to the once high-flying US chipmaker. <\/p>\n

MEANWHILE- It\u2019s another geopolitics-heavy morning <\/strong>with sabre rattling heard from our corner of the world to the Taiwan Strait. Here\u2019s what you need to know:<\/p>\n