Business & Money | Wednesday 25 March, 2015 1:34 am |

SEDCO Holding Group was awarded the Arab Social Media Influencers Award under the Economy category for the prominent role that the ‘Riyali Financial Literacy Program’, plays to create a change in the community and in appreciation of the solid efforts exerted to educate the youth on the importance of financial awareness.
In the presence of more than 1500 influencers, experts and specialists in social media, Anees Moumina, CEO of SEDCO Holding Group received the award at the Summit which was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister, at the Dubai World Trade Centre. .
He also expressed his gratitude and appreciation to be receiving this renowned award on behalf of the Group and stated: “The ‘Riyali Financial Literacy Program’ embodies tangible positive results within our community thanks to diversified and specialized learning tools. This is supported through our active partnerships with both public and private entities in order to expand the program to all, children and youth. He also added: “This amazing award should encourage us to double our efforts in order to take this program to a higher level of financial literacy and education made available to all.”
“Riyali” is a fully integrated program available on different social media platforms, namely Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and has offered more than 1000 financial awareness tips posted over the past 3 years. The program also encompasses the ‘Riyali Financial Literacy’ Mobile Application on smartphones and an e-newsletter, in addition to consecutive training courses for the registration of volunteers and students in more than 19 countries. The program is currently in the process of launching the pilot phase of its digital education platform to facilitate the learning process in order to better communicate with the youth.
The Arab Social Media Influencers Summit is considered the first of its kind as it provides a convenient environment for an effective social communication through motivating its visitors to explore new methods of communication and create a compatible connection between the influence and activists. It also grants the opportunity to progress these tools through the innovative minds of social media enthusiasts and all those who have a passion for innovative concepts towards shifting these ideas into applied initiatives for the good of the community and its development in various sectors.
The Arab Social Media Influencers Award highlights the most compelling social media driven initiatives by Arabs and honors innovations that made a positive impact on the development and prosperity of their communities. The ‘Riyali Financial Literacy Program’ is one of the leading programs under SEDCO Holding Group’s CSR umbrella and stands in-line with their ‘Our Community’ platform and aims to educate the Saudi population on financial literacy and empower them with the personal financial skills required to achieve a decent standard of living.

About Riyali:
“Riyali”, SEDCO Holding’s Financial Literacy Program, was launched in 2012 and aims to familiarize members of the community with financial planning and management in order to meet their personal financial responsibilities. “Riyali” aims to educate kids and Saudi youth on financial concepts such as planning, budgeting, saving, investing and borrowing in order to empower them with the personal financial skills required to achieve a desirable standard of living. The program most recently won the Saudi CSR Summit Community Development Award in 2014 and the Makkah Award for Excellence in 2012.

About SEDCO Holding:
Founded in 1976 by the Bin Mahfouz family, one of the leading banking families in Saudi Arabia, SEDCO has become recognized as a leading Shari’ah-compliant organization, responsible for a diverse spectrum of operating companies in industries such as, real estate development and management, travel and tourism, hospitality, automobile leasing and casual dining, in addition to managing private and public equity holdings in Saudi Arabia and around the world. SEDCO Holding was established to consolidate the various business activities of SEDCO in which the wealth of the Bin Mahfouz family is invested. SEDCO Holding applies the highest standards of corporate governance in accordance with by-laws of international standards that ensure the longevity and growth of the business. Based in Jeddah, SEDCO Holding is headed by a board of directors comprised of eight members, five of which are from outside the family and are chosen from prominent local and international experts. SEDCO Holding is dedicated to responsible and ethical corporate practices through strong leadership and strategies that have enhanced SEDCO’s position as a prominent Saudi group with global investments. SEDCO Holding is committed to supporting the welfare and development of individuals and communities across Saudi Arabia and invests in a range of corporate social responsibility activities, recognizing that business success brings a responsibility to contribute to the advancing economic and social development of communities where it has a presence. SEDCO’s social responsibility efforts focus on serving its employees, the sectors it operates in, the environment, and the broader community. More information at www.sedco.com