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Snapchat owner Snap Inc has appointed Abdulla Alhammadi (LinkedIn) as its managing director in the Kingdom, it said in a statement picked up by Zawya. Alhammadi is no stranger to the company, having served as its regional business lead in Saudi since 2019. Alhammadi also held several leadership positions at Bahrain-based technology group Beyon where he served as vice chairman at its financial super app subsidiary between 2021 and 2023 among other earlier positions. He also held several positions in McKinsey and Company and Google among others.
Why this matters: Snapchat remains popular in the Kingdom with some 22 mn monthly users opening the app more than 50 times a day on average, according to the statement. It is pouring “significant investments within the Kingdom to serve the large community of Snapchatters, content creators, and advertisers, providing value for all on the platform.”
The big five in Saudi (in order or popularity): WhatsApp, Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat, and X, as of the end of 2023.
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Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. has hired Abdul Haleem Al Balooshi (LinkedIn) to head its bank coverage in Saudi, Bloomberg reported, citing people it says were familiar with the matter. Al Balooshi reportedly assumed his position earlier this month, the sources said. He has been serving for nearly three years as Societe Generale’s head of financial institutions and sovereigns business in Saudi. Al Balooshi also held key positions in the Gulf International Bank and Hsbc.
