Mbsc Participates in Biban 2017 Forum to Unlock Potential of Saudi Smes

Mohammad Bin Salman College (MBSC) for Business and Entrepreneurship was a participant in the Biban Forum 2017, which was held at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center from Sunday 17th – Wednesday 20th September 2017. The four- day event included the Biban Awards ceremony held on the evening of the opening day.

“SMEs account for more than 95 percent of registered businesses in Saudi Arabia and, as such, has tremendous potential to contribute to economic diversification and job creation in Saudi Arabia. As a result, such a vital sector occupies a central position in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030” said Osama Ashri, Director of Development and Strategic Alliances at MBSC. “With this mind, we at MBSC, the first private institute of higher education in Saudi Arabia dedicated to business and entrepreneurship education, were delighted to take part in Biban Forum 2017, Monshaat’s flaghship event that convened sheer audience and relevant stakeholders from acorss the kingdom and the region.

Organized with the aim of unlocking the potential of Saudi SMEs to facilitate innovation, foster entrepreneurship and achieve business success in the 21st century, the forum provided practical insight into how SMEs in KSA can adopt smart strategies that will enable them to succeed and show a measurable return on investment.

Attended by local and international representatives from all parts of the SME ecosystem – current and future SMEs, government, investors, businesses, consultants and advisors, as well as regulators, the Biban Forum provided the definitive platform focused on SME developments in the country, creating a setting for learning, expansion, innovation and partnership opportunities within the KSA business and SME sector.

From the keynote and VIP addresses, interactive sessions, workshops and networking sessions, the conference hosted some of the industry's top speakers, both local and international, thought leaders and decision makers who participated in interactive panel discussions.

Among the most distinguished participants were H.E. Dr Majed Bin Abdullah Al Kassabi, Minister of Commerce and Investment of Saudi Arabia  and Chairman of SMEs Board of Directors; H.E Eng. Abdullah Al-Sawahah, Minister of Communications and Information Technology; H.E Eng. Abdulatif Alsheikh, Minister, Ministry of Municipal & Rural Affairs; and H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al Kattan, Deputy Minister of Labour for Labour Policies, Ministry of Labor and Social Development of Saudi Arabia;  H.E Dr. Ghanim Almohamadi , Deputy Minister for Planning and Development; and H.E Ahmed Abdulaziz Al-Haqbani, Director of General Customs Authority.

Other eminent participants included H.E. Dr. Nabeel Koshak, Dean, Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Collage (MBSC) of Business and Entrepreneurship; H.E. Dr. Wail Mousa , Dean, Entrepreneurship Institute, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM); and H.E. Dr Ghassan Ahmed Al Sulaiman, Governor of the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises.

The KSA government has devoted significant resources to extend development programs to SMEs in recent years and organizations such as the Small & Medium Enterprises Authority (SMEA) have been set up to serve and support the SME ecosystem in Saudi Arabia. These government and non-profit entities directly or indirectly engage in SME promotion activities that span a large spectrum of services.

Mohammad Bin Salman College (MBSC) of Business and Entrepreneurship is the first private institute of higher education in Saudi Arabia to focus on Entrepreneurial Education, offering MBA programs to both male and female students. Located at King Abdullah Economic City, MBSC was established through an international partnership between Emaar The Economic City, Babson Global (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Babson College, USA), Lockheed Martin under the umbrella of the Economic Offset Program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the MISK foundation.