SIC executes SAR 800M deals, plans 6 new investments for 2026: CEO

Fahad Al-Naeem, CEO of SIDF Investment Co. (SIC)

SIDF Investment Co. (SIC) reviewed around 300 investment opportunities over the past 15 months and successfully executed nine diverse investments, including private equity funds, private debt funds, direct investments, and working capital financing programs, CEO Fahad Al-Naeem said.

In an interview with Argaam on the sidelines of the Private Investment Conference 2025, Al-Naeem explained that the company’s total investment commitments have reached approximately SAR 800 million, while private sector participation in these investments has exceeded SAR 3 billion — three times the company’s own investments.

He noted that SIC, established in late 2022 by the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF), serves as one of the key enablers in achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 through equity investments in industrial firms and private equity funds.

Al-Naeem elaborated that the company’s strategy, approved in July 2024, focuses on four main sectors: manufacturing, which covers 12 sub-sectors regulated by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources; energy; logistics and supply chains; and mining.

He emphasized that the company not only aims to attract domestic investments but is also actively working to draw foreign direct investment (FDI) into the Saudi industrial sector.

He highlighted a strategic partnership with the European private equity fund “InvestIndustrial”, one of the oldest and most reputable in Europe, to allocate part of its capital for investments in Saudi Arabia. This collaboration has already led to successful, swift investments within the Kingdom.

Al-Naeem described this as a model example of attracting global capital and confirmed that the company aims to replicate this success multiple times in the future.

The CEO also noted that Saudi Arabia’s industrial sector offers promising opportunities, contributing around 14% to the national GDP, a ratio that surpasses the global average.

He stressed that the sector benefits from what is known as the “familiarity premium,” an additional unexpected return beyond traditional yields, making it highly attractive to both local and international investors.