With the majority of its overseas investments tied up in Europe, North America and the Middle East, Olayan Group will now be looking to emerging markets for its next wave of growth. Economies such as India, China and Brazil will offer Olayan opportunities for investment that may not be available in the mature markets.

Despite being a family-owned business, Olayan Group has a well-established management team and the firm is not afraid to promote employees from within to key positions, including non-family members. Senior executives are empowered to make quick decisions and this has allowed Olayan to operate more efficiently, like a multinational.

The next five years will be a good indicator of Olayan Group’s global ambitions. However, it is unlikely that its commitment to its core businesses in Saudi Arabia will make way for riskier international investments.