US firm CSG to set up Middle East HQ in Riyadh

DUBAI: US business support company CSG is planning to set up its regional headquarters in Riyadh before the end of the first quarter of 2021, along with an initial 24 companies, following the announcement of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s 2030 strategy for the Saudi capital last month.

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City wants to attract up to 500 foreign companies to set up their regional headquarters in the Saudi capital over the next 10 years, and CSG is one of the first to confirm its move.

The initiative is part of the government’s wider plan to create 35,000 jobs for Saudi nationals and boost the national economy by up to SR70 billion ($18.67 billion) by 2030.

“CSG has been doing business with the major mobile operators in KSA since early 2008. To further strengthen our presence, we will have our legal entity open for business during Q1 2021. Our team has been supporting customers in the Kingdom for more than a decade and has most recently grown our portfolio with a significant new contract at Mobily, one of the country’s leading mobile operators,” Daniel Kjellander, CSG General Manager and Head of Sales Middle East, told Arab News.

The US firm will set up its office in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD).

Although the company did not say how many staff it is looking to hire, it did confirm that Riyadh will become its official Middle East headquarters and it will “increase headcount throughout 2021.”

In addition to Kjellander, the team appointed to lead the new headquarters include Head of Delivery, Francis O’Sullivan; and Head of Europe, Middle East and Africa, James Kirby.

“Our initial management team has been appointed, but we are looking to expand with local talent as soon as COVID-19 allows, and from there we can really start building out the team on the ground in Riyadh,” Kjellander said.

CSG, which is headquartered in Colorado, offers its clients software and services to help simplify internal and external processes. It began operations in Saudi Arabia with a strategic partnership with telecom operator Mobily in 2008, and has since developed its regional portfolio of clientele to include Batelco, Etisalat, Omantel, and Ooredoo Qatar, du, MB, and Telecom Egypt.

“The initiatives and programs put in place by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, and the Ministry of Investment for Saudi Arabia, are pivotal points in the decision for CSG to move its regional headquarters to the Kingdom,” Kjellander said.

“We have seen significant growth, providing a wealth of new business opportunities. The progressive policies and programs create the right environment for CSG to attract talent and provide the infrastructure to enable our business to grow,” he added.