Riyadh-Sharikat Mubasher: Ernst and Young (E&A) MENA disclosed today that its new regional headquarters for the Middle East and North Africa region will be settled at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (KSA), opening later this year.
This came in a press release issued on Tuesday on this occasion adding that the new facility is designed to inspire with a focus on wellbeing, comfort spaces, smart technology, and teamwork. The workspace, spanning 11,691 square meters in Twin Buildings 1.11 in both the north and south divisions, will enable EY people to drive long-term value for the organization, clients, and the local community.
Abdulaziz Al-Sowailim, EY MENA Chairman and CEO, commented: “EY is proud to be playing a part in the innovative and cutting-edge strategies that are elevating KSA’s position as a trailblazer, both regionally and globally. EY has leveraged our services and solutions not only to benefit government and local businesses but to give back to the Saudi community with programs focused on entrepreneurs, education, and empowering the youth of today as they become the leaders of tomorrow.”
In KSA, over 55% of EY people are Saudi Nationals, with nearly 1,000 Saudis hired in the past year. Of the new hires, 60% are currently university graduates in accelerated graduate and leadership programs across the Assurance, Consulting, Tax, and Strategy and Transactions service lines.
Saudi Nationals within EY have the opportunity to join the Falcon Program, which fast-tracks the career journey of high-performing GCC nationals. Currently, 68% of the program’s participants are Saudis and are on the path to partnership within the organization.
The new headquarters will also witness the launch of the Riyadh EY Wavespace Center, a state-of-the-art hub providing a collaborative environment for clients, EY teams, thought leaders, entrepreneurs, students, and academia. This center, which will cover over 930 square meters, is an addition to the existing fifty worldwide EY centers, showcasing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, blockchain, metaverse, and advanced analytics.
EY established its initial regional office in 1923, making it the first professional services organization in the MENA region. In 1967, EY MENA expanded its presence to Saudi Arabia with an office in Jeddah, then continued to grow with its first offices in Al-Khobar in 1969 and Al-Riyadh in 1974. As a result of ongoing investments in the region, the new headquarters in Riyadh will oversee 8,000 people united across 26 offices in 15 countries.