News

Lenovo Will Issue $2 Billion In Bonds For Planned Saudi Expansion

The company has struck a deal with PIF-owned Alat to build a new headquarters and manufacturing plant in the Kingdom.

Published

4 months ago

May 29, 2024

Nour Nasir

Lenovo

Lenovo, the world’s largest PC manufacturer, will release $2 billion in convertible bonds to Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund as part of a substantial investment agreement planned to drive the Kingdom’s technological advancement.

The agreement, signed with Public Investment Fund-owned Alat, includes a new regional (Middle East and Africa) headquarters in Riyadh, an R&D center, plus a PC and server factory.

The deal will allow Lenovo to unlock “significant resources and financial flexibility to further accelerate our transformation and grow our business by capitalizing on the incredible growth momentum in the MEA region,” according to Chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang.

The Lenovo investment takes advantage of Saudi Arabia’s Regional Headquarters Program, which offers business-friendly incentives, including a 30-year tax break and access to loan programs, employment support, export credit, land solutions, and further financial incentives.

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Alat, a Public Investment Company organization launched in February, is chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and aims to promote the Kingdom as a global power in sustainable technology, covering sectors such as semiconductors, robotics, mining, smart appliances, health, the built environment, and next-gen infrastructure.

Alat aims to create 39,000 jobs in Saudi Arabia and contribute $9.3 billion to the economy by 2030. Lenovo’s expansion into the Kingdom is expected to contribute significantly to these ambitions, as it controls around 25% of the global PC market.

The Lenovo-Alat deal comes as Saudi Arabia plans to boost foreign investment to $100 billion per year as part of its Vision 2030 agenda. The government hopes to have nearly 500 global companies headquartered in the country by 2030 as it attempts to pivot from a reliance on oil production.

News

Paymob Extends Series B Funding To $72M Amid Continued Growth

The financial services provider has secured an extra $22 million after strong performance in its core market of Egypt.

Published

20 hours ago

September 12, 2024

Nour Nasir

paymob extends series b funding to $72 million amid continued growth

Leading financial services provider Paymob has secured an additional $22 million in a funding extension, bringing its Series B total to $72 million.

The funding was spearheaded by EBRD Venture Capital, with support from Endeavor Catalyst. Existing backers such as PayPal Ventures, BII, FMO, A15, Nclude, and Helios Digital Ventures also participated, reaffirming their confidence in Paymob’s business model and potential in the regional fintech industry.

This extension comes on the back of Paymob’s strong performance in its core market of Egypt, where it has experienced 6x revenue growth since the initial Series B in Q2 2022. With the Series B extension and continued profitability in Egypt, Paymob is well-positioned to further its expansion strategy across the MENA region.

Islam Shawky, Co-founder and CEO of Paymob, commented: “We are very excited by our strong prospects in Egypt – where we hold a market-leading position – and the significant traction experienced in the UAE since launching operations there. This funding will help Paymob fully capitalize on the momentum in our established markets, as we accelerate our GCC roll-out. We remain committed to creating cutting-edge infrastructure enabling SMEs across the region to thrive in the digital economy and are proud of our continued impact”.

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The expansion into GCC markets has been driven by Paymob’s initial Series B funding of $50 million, raised in 2022 and led by Kora Capital, PayPal Ventures, and Clay Point. The investment fueled Paymob’s growth, allowing it to launch its mobile app in 2023 and grow its merchant base by 3.5 times, now serving nearly 350,000 merchants across MENA.

Paymob has also expanded its payment acceptance suite to offer 50 payment methods through its gateway, POS terminals, and the Paymob app, providing the region’s most comprehensive fintech solution. The company recently introduced embedded checkout services for Shopify and WooCommerce, further demonstrating its commitment to empowering small and medium businesses across the region.