The Future Investment Initiative (FII) organized by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) in Riyadh served as an effective platform for investors and business experts to share their ideas, said Yusuff Ali M.A., managing director of Abu Dhabi-headquartered LuLu Group International that owns the Lulu Hypermarket chain in the Middle East.
Speaking on the sidelines of the FII, Yusuff praised the Saudi government’s “great initiative” of bringing together around 3,500 participants and 175 experts from over 65 countries to brainstorm on a range of investment issues.
The event showed the government’s will to achieve the goals set in the Saudi Vision 2030 program under the dynamic leadership of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the LuLu chief said.
“We sincerely hope that all the discussion during the brainstorming sessions of the three-day summit will bring more energy to make the dream come true,” he added.
Yusuff said that Lulu is glad to be associated in its own way to contribute to the Vision 2030 that aims to empower Saudi youth.
“I am glad to upgrade our hypermarket and its job structure in line with the Vision 2030 and going to create 3,000 jobs in two years as promised,” he said. The LuLu chief also said that his group would create 10,000 jobs for Saudis including women.
“So far, we have 2,400 Saudi employees with us,” he said.
‘FII a brilliant initiative from investment perspective’
‘FII a brilliant initiative from investment perspective’
A software-defined future for the automotive industry
Modern vehicles are packed with advanced software and electronics, enhancing performance but also changing how manufacturers assess benefits and risks. To stay competitive in today’s market, automakers must embrace digital transformation, moving from mechanical to software-defined vehicles. This industry shift is driven by three trends: the rise of EV powertrains, the spread of semi-autonomous driving capabilities, and the expansion of digitalization into manufacturing. As hardware and software converge in products, so too must design, manufacturing and maintenance evolve for a digital age.
Revolutionizing Collaboration for Success in EVs
Electrification has pushed automakers to rethink traditional automotive design and manufacturing. Companies now have to reconsider the information needed by EV drivers and how vehicle software and E/E systems are architected. Meanwhile, the future of battery electrification hinges on advancements in battery technology and charging infrastructure. This includes new battery management system software to extend battery life by learning drivers’ charging behaviors. Comprehensive integrations across supplier networks are essential for managing the interdisciplinary architectures of EVs.
Digital threads facilitate this integration by establishing a structured data flow across the product lifecycle, enabling every design discipline to access relevant data for optimized product design. Digitalizing development allows real-time, two-way exchanges with suppliers, ensuring updated requirements and understanding part availability. Strong connections in the digital twin from design to manufacturing ensure a smooth transition between these domains, enhancing traceability and enabling accurate over-the-air updates throughout a vehicle’s lifetime. Companies that can leverage software to innovate and adapt to this dynamic market will gain a competitive edge.
Updating Development Workflows for Autonomy
While EVs are still gaining traction, autonomous vehicle features are becoming standard, with many manufacturers offering Level 3 capabilities. However, achieving higher autonomy levels requires closer integration of mechanical, electrical, electronic, and software systems, increasing development complexity and cost. This stems from the verification and validation challenges of dynamic city streets.
Streamlined interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial for making autonomy a viable business strategy. The digital twin helps engineers uncover potential issues during early simulations, allowing for problem-solving within the context of a digital twin of the entire vehicle. A fully digital solution enables greater design exploration across all domains. But breaking down traditional silos between these domains requires defining and communicating system requirements digitally. A digital process helps manage the complexity and cost implications of increased electronics and software.
Delivering system requirements dynamically to suppliers allows for early validation of subsystems in conjunction with connected systems. For example, sensors for autonomous capabilities can be validated against control boards, mechanical interfaces, and software-in-the-loop tests early in the process. The comprehensive digital twin provides traceability and data accessibility, mitigating risks and ensuring a rigorous workflow without slowing development.
Digitalization also adds value once a vehicle is on the road. A digital feedback mechanism between the factory and the vehicle allows OEMs to update and improve software-based functionality. Data from vehicles in the field can improve the digital twin and provide over-the-air updates, enhancing existing and future vehicles. This continuity of data offers the flexibility and scalability needed to implement new autonomous technologies, driving innovation and improving safety.
Delivering Products Faster with Smart Manufacturing
The complexity of building autonomous features and overhauling powertrains for electrification extends to manufacturing as well. OEMs are adopting smart manufacturing technologies to achieve flexible, efficient, and sustainable operations. Faster implementation on the factory floor allows businesses to pivot quickly when facing supply chain issues.
A digital twin of production also enables manufacturers to optimize production virtually, exploring all configurations and commissioning machine operations with minimal downtime. Connecting design and manufacturing through the comprehensive digital twin helps businesses optimize time while meeting quality, sustainability, and time-to-market goals. Digitalization streamlines data flow between these worlds, fostering adaptability and innovation.
Cross-functional collaboration powered by the comprehensive digital twin enables flexible operations, advanced automation, and proactive sustainability. Merging the real and digital worlds brings new mobility generations to market successfully, with actionable insights before physical commissioning and throughout production. This shift-left approach drives high-quality and sustainable manufacturing in SDVs.
A Software-Defined revolution through digitalization
Designing and manufacturing a software-defined vehicle for tomorrow requires greater collaboration across engineering domains, automotive manufacturers, and the global supply chains they rely upon. A digital transformation of automotive design and manufacturing is the solution for addressing the increased cost, time, and risk software and electronics bring to the automotive industry. Creating a comprehensive digital twin of the SDV and a robust digital thread between all the key disciplines helps ensure that the overall system requirements are met and validated. Digitalization provides the framework and accessibility to make success sustainable for the next big transition in the automotive industry.
- The writer is Nand Kochhar, vice president of Automotive and Transportation at Siemens Digital Industries Software.
Lulu expands in Saudi Arabia with 2 new stores
Lulu continues its ambitious expansion in Saudi Arabia, marking another milestone with the opening of its latest store at Sahara Mall in Riyadh.
This state-of-the-art outlet is designed to provide a modern and efficient shopping experience, reflecting Lulu's commitment to offering high-quality products and exceptional service.
The grand opening was attended by Ziad Al Rugaib, managing director of Al Rugaib Holding, and Shehim Mohammed, director of Lulu Saudi Hypermarkets, along with Hatim Mustansir, regional director of Lulu Hypermarkets, and other key officials.
Spanning an area of approximately 25,000 square feet, the new Lulu Express store offers a convenient and user-friendly shopping environment.
The store is equipped with four checkout counters, including self-checkout options, to provide a smooth and hassle-free experience for customers.
The layout is designed to meet the evolving needs of shoppers, with 11 diverse sections offering a wide range of products including groceries, fresh produce, meat and fish, bakery items, health and beauty products, and mobile accessories.
In addition to the well-organized layout, the store features ample parking facilities with space for over 500 vehicles, ensuring convenience for shoppers and making it easy for customers to access the store.
Located within the popular Sahara Mall, Lulu Express is strategically positioned to serve both mall visitors and the surrounding community.
During the inauguration, Shehim Mohammed emphasized Lulu’s dedication to providing a seamless and high-quality shopping experience.
“The Lulu Express Sahara Mall represents our continued commitment to expanding our reach in Saudi Arabia and offering our customers a shopping experience that combines quality, convenience, and value. This store reflects our dedication to meeting the unique needs of the local community,” he said.
The store will operate daily from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m., providing a world-class shopping experience for customers across the region.
Lulu is offering exclusive inaugural promotions, providing customers with exceptional savings on a variety of products.
The offers further highlight Lulu’s focus on delivering high-quality products at competitive prices.
Meanwhile, Lulu is set to open its first store in the holy city of Makkah on Saturday, located at Ibrahim Al-Khalil Street.
This highly anticipated opening marks a significant milestone, as it also represents Lulu’s 250th store globally, highlighting the retailer’s remarkable growth and expansion across the Middle East and beyond.
The new Makkah store is strategically positioned to serve both the local community and the millions of pilgrims who visit the holy city each year.
With its prime location near the Grand Mosque, the store aims to provide a top-quality shopping experience for pilgrims and residents alike, making it easier for them to access essential products and services.
LuLu signs MoU to serve Indonesian Hajj pilgrims
LuLu Hypermarkets Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with the Indonesian Hajj board to welcome Indonesian Hajj pilgrims with service and care. This landmark agreement highlights LuLu’s commitment to fostering international collaborations and delivering high-quality products and services to global audiences.
The MoU was signed by Shehim Mohammed, director of LuLu Hypermarkets, Saudi Arabia, and Harry Alexander, member of executive board, Hajj Fund Management Agency of Indonesia, known as BPKH. Other dignitaries present at the signing ceremony included Saleem V.I., chief operating and strategy officer/ executive director, LuLu Group International; Rafeek Mohammed Ali, regional director, LuLu Hypermarket, western region, Saudi Arabia; and Bagas Haryotejo, head of the Indonesian Trade Promotion Center in Jeddah.
“This new partnership will enable LuLu Hypermarkets to serve the needs of Indonesian pilgrims during their Hajj journey,” the retail giant said in a statement. “With its extensive network of hypermarkets across Saudi Arabia and its reputation for quality, affordability, and excellence, LuLu is well-positioned to provide tailored solutions that cater to the unique requirements of Hajj pilgrims.”
Saleem said: “We are honored to join hands with the Indonesian Hajj board to serve the needs of pilgrims during one of the most important journeys of their lives. This MoU reflects our commitment to excellence and underscores LuLu’s role as a trusted partner in the global retail industry. We look forward to supporting Indonesian Hajj pilgrims with the highest standards of service and care.”
Meanwhile, Alexander said: “Partnering with LuLu Hypermarkets, a brand synonymous with quality and reliability, is a significant step toward ensuring that Indonesian pilgrims have access to the best services during their pilgrimage. We are confident that this collaboration will set new benchmarks in meeting the needs of our pilgrims.”
SAB launches native plant conservation center in Qassim
Saudi Awwal Bank has inaugurated the Prince Faisal bin Mishaal Center for Native Plant Conservation and Propagation in the Kingdom’s Qassim region. The project was launched in collaboration with the Environmental Awareness Society as part of SAB’s contribution to the Saudi Green Initiative.
The inauguration ceremony was held under the patronage of Qassim Gov. Prince Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud, who reviewed the progress of the project during the event. The ceremony was attended by Yasser Al-Barrak, chief corporate and institutional banking officer at SAB, and Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Alsoqeer, chairman of the Environmental Awareness Society.
This center, the first-of-its-kind in the Kingdom, focuses on preserving and promoting native plant species while increasing awareness of the importance of natural vegetation. It is equipped with facilities such as a training hall, a seed bank, plant nurseries, an herbarium, and a botanical garden showcasing key native plants of the Kingdom.
The center also prioritizes research, supporting researchers and postgraduate students in areas like desertification control and native plant conservation. As part of the project, a forest of 10,000 native trees will be planted around the center, contributing to the goals of the Saudi Green Initiative.
Al-Barrak said: “We are proud to be part of a ground-breaking national project, which reflects SAB’s dedication to its social and environmental responsibilities. Through this partnership, we aim to support Saudi Vision 2030 by contributing to environmental conservation and combating desertification. We are confident that this center will set a benchmark for preserving biodiversity in the Kingdom.”
Alsoqeer added: “The launch of this center marks a significant step toward achieving our environmental goals of preserving and enhancing the Kingdom’s natural vegetation cover. Through our collaboration with SAB, we aim to raise awareness about native plants, their importance, and efforts to propagate them.
“The project serves as an invaluable resource for researchers and postgraduate students. The patronage and support of Prince Faisal bin Mishaal highlight its significance and distinguished status on a national level.”
The facility will produce 200,000 native plant seedlings each year. It will also focus on collecting, preserving, and supplying high-viability seeds of native plants, especially those at risk of extinction, with the goal of boosting seed germination rates to more than 70 percent. Moreover, the project will support the propagation of endangered plant species using tissue culture techniques. It will also offer scientific and training support through workshops, research initiatives, and awareness programs, benefiting more than 10,000 participants annually.
The launch took place alongside the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or COP16, held in Riyadh. This initiative highlights cooperation between the private sector, represented by SAB, the nonprofit sector, represented by Environmental Awareness Society, and the government sector, represented by the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development. It seeks to contribute to the goals of Vision 2030 and support the Kingdom’s efforts in environmental protection and sustainable development.
AMUOBA Jeddah marks Sir Syed Day with enthusiasm
The Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association — Jeddah Chapter commemorated the anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s birth at Crown Plaza, uniting 500 alumni and their families to honor his enduring legacy of education and community uplift.
Member of the Indian Parliament Zia ur Rehman Barq was the chief guest. He paid tribute to Sir Syed’s sacrifices, such as selling his house to establish Aligarh Muslim University. He described Sir Syed, founder of Aligarh Muslim University, as a transformative Muslim leader whose vision of education, literacy, and social uplift remains vital today and called for unity to advance this vision.
Guest of Honor Atif Hanif underscored the importance of continuing Sir Syed’s mission, describing it as a roadmap for progress. During his address, he presented the book “Shaikh Mohammed Abdullah: A Pioneer of Muslim Women Education,” commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of the trailblazer.
Popular Urdu poet and AMU alumnus Azhar Iqbal added to the event’s excitement with poetic reflections celebrating Aligarh’s timeless values and the transformative power of education.
AMUOBA President Aqeel Jamil reaffirmed the association’s dedication to Sir Syed’s vision of empowering generations through education and leadership. He outlined key initiatives, including the Youth Leadership Program, conducted in collaboration with Toastmasters International, which has trained 30 boys and girls in leadership and public speaking skills.
AMUOBA’s flagship initiative transforms the lives of underprivileged children in Aligarh by making quality education accessible. Through collaboration with Hamara School, the program offers direct opportunities for members to support a child’s education, creating lasting community uplift.
Dr. Zargham Zia, co-founder of Hamara School, highlighted the school’s impact over the years in transforming lives.
Additionally, the “Teach One, Employ One” program connects young alumni with industry leaders, who offer career guidance and job opportunities.
As a gesture of appreciation, mementos, and gifts were presented to dignitaries and attendees by advisers Farzan Rizvi, Nooruddin Khan, Aziz ur Rub, Ateeq Siddiqui, sponsors, and other committee members.
Earlier, the program began with a Qur’anic recitation by Fahad Zinjani, followed by senior alumni Syed Nematullah and Anjum Iqbal presiding as special guests.
General Secretary Prince Mufti Ziaul Hasan anchored the program with eloquent Urdu couplets that added warmth and elegance, while Vice President Asim Zeeshan delivered a heartfelt vote of thanks.
The event concluded with a soulful rendition of the university anthem “Taraana,” performed by the team of Siddiqui, Zeeshan, Hasan, Mohammed Sirajuddin, Rabnawaz Khan, Athar Rasool, and Nayyer Abbas, followed by a sumptuous dinner.
