03 — Core practice
Business Development & Sales
We act as your business development team in the Kingdom, opening doors to decision-makers, positioning your offer for Saudi buyers and building a pipeline that converts into contracts.
What we deliver
- 01
Market representation
A senior presence in the market while you decide how to staff locally.
- 02
Client & decision-maker introductions
Government and semi-government buyers, and regulated enterprises from banks to telecom operators, each approached through the channel it actually buys through.
- 03
Buyer mapping & account plans
Who decides, who influences and how each target organisation buys, turned into a plan for every account.
- 04
Vendor registration & tenders
Registered where your buyers procure, from Etimad to the Aramco, SABIC and SEC supplier programmes, then the right tenders found early and your bid positioned to win.
- 05
Market visit programmes
Curated visits to the Kingdom: qualified meetings, site visits and a considered agenda around LEAP, FII or your sector’s main show.
- 06
Pipeline management & reporting
A tracked pipeline and regular reporting your leadership can rely on.
The outcome
Meetings with the right buyers and a pipeline you can report to your board.
Who buys
Who buys in Saudi Arabia, and how to reach them.
Every buyer group has its own route to market. Getting registered in the right one is often the first win.
- 01
Government ministries and agencies
Ministries, authorities, municipalities
Route to market: Tenders on the Etimad portal, with commercial registration, zakat, GOSI and Nitaqat certificates
What decides it: The RHQ rule for foreign firms, and local-content preferences and scoring
- 02
Giga-project developers
Diriyah, Red Sea Global, Qiddiya, ROSHN, NEOM
Route to market: Developer vendor registration and prequalification
What decides it: Priorities are being re-sequenced: follow where contracts are actually awarded
- 03
State-owned majors
Aramco, SABIC, Saudi Electricity
Route to market: Supplier programmes: Aramco iktva, SABIC Nusaned, SEC Bena
What decides it: Local content is a scored part of most supplier evaluations
- 04
Privatisation and PPP projects
National Center for Privatization
Route to market: PPP tenders, usually bid through consortia
What decides it: 220+ PPP contracts targeted by 2030 across 18 sectors
- 05
Private groups and corporates
Diversified family groups, contractors, distributors
Route to market: Partners, distributors and introductions
What decides it: Relationships, partner due diligence and a registered agency or distribution agreement
Simplified overview; rules vary by buyer. Sources: Government Tenders and Procurement Law (2019); LCGPA; Aramco iktva; National Center for Privatization (2026).
FAQ
Common questions
How do we register for government tenders?
Government tenders run through the Etimad portal. Bidders need commercial registration, zakat and tax, GOSI and Nitaqat certificates and Chamber of Commerce membership, plus contractor classification for construction work.
Do we need a commercial agent?
No. You can sell through your own entity. If you appoint a commercial agent or distributor, the agreement must be registered with the Ministry of Commerce. Recent reforms changed who may act as an agent, so we confirm the current rules for your structure.
Does local content affect our bid?
Yes. Government tenders apply price preferences for national products and SMEs, and high-value tenders weight local content at 40% of the financial evaluation.
Do you act as an intermediary with government buyers?
No. We prepare you, make introductions and support the process, but contracts are between you and the buyer. We are paid only by our clients, and we never offer anything of value to influence a procurement decision.
Related services
Talk to us about Business Development & Sales.
Tell us your sector and ambition. Within one business day we will reply with an honest first view of where the opportunity is and, if it fits, a scope for an Opportunity Scan.
Discuss an opportunity