The Book · Forthcoming
Building in Saudi Arabia
Building in Saudi Arabia: The Field Guide is a forthcoming book by Walid Freiha. It draws on 25 years of working in the Kingdom’s built environment, on the client, consultant, PMC and contractor sides.
It is written for people who need to understand how this market functions, make sound decisions within it, and find a path to success: design firms, developers, contractors, PMCs, investors, and professionals building a career in the Kingdom.
Its starting point is the argument behind the newsletter. Saudi Arabia is a state-led transformation economy, and construction here is one of the primary instruments through which national strategy becomes physical.
“This is the book I wish someone had handed me back in 2001.”
Walid Freiha
What the book covers
The book is built as an operating manual. It starts with how the system works, then moves to who the clients are, the rules, money and risk, people, strategy and, finally, the decision of whether to commit.
- 01The system. Saudi Arabia as a state-led transformation economy, and the logic of Vision 2030 and the giga-projects.
- 02The landscape. The three parallel construction markets, who decides what, and the major clients: Aramco, the Public Investment Fund, royal commissions and line ministries.
- 03The rulebook. Licensing, classification and Saudization; the Saudi Building Code; the supply chain; tax and Zakat; the digital layer; capital markets and REITs.
- 04Money and risk. Contracts and how risk actually moves, disputes and when to fight, payments, security and financial stamina.
- 05The people. Working in the Kingdom as an expatriate, the talent equation, Premium Residency, and how decisions really get made.
- 06The strategies. Market entry paths by firm profile, PPPs and concessions, and why some foreign firms win while others don't.
- 07The decisions. Ten case studies, sector snapshots, decision trees and readiness frameworks, and Saudi Arabia in 2030 and beyond.
Each chapter is written to stand on its own. Read it from start to finish, or go straight to the chapter that deals with the problem in front of you.
The book is in progress. Newsletter subscribers hear first when it is available, along with occasional updates on how it is coming together.
For book inquiries, email [email protected].