The U.S.-Saudi Business Council, led by Charles Hallab, President and CEO, had a week of engagements during the last month of 2025 with partners and important stakeholders in Riyadh, reflecting the Council’s collaborative approach in the public and private sector to advance U.S.-Saudi commercial ties. The program included support for a U.S. business delegation, ministerial and private sector meetings, participation in investment and development forums, and discussions aimed at strengthening continued cooperation across key sectors.
The week began with the Council supporting a delegation organized by Meridian International Center as part of its corporate mission to Saudi Arabia. The Council facilitated and participated in a series of ministerial meetings for the delegation, working closely with Meridian leadership, including Deborah Lehr, President and CEO, Jim Golsen, Vice President, who held substantive discussions on priorities related to investment, competitiveness, and bilateral business engagement with H.E. Ibrahim Al-Mubarak, Assistant Minister of Investment, MISA, and H.E. Dr. Eiman Al-Mutairi, CEO, National Competitiveness Center.
A key highlight of the week’s program was the Council’s participation in a reception hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and Chargé d’Affaires Andrew Billard, which brought together U.S. and Saudi government and business leaders. The Council also supported the inclusion of a U.S. state-level delegation led by Harry Coker Jr., Maryland Secretary of Commerce, and organized a business roundtable in cooperation with the Federation of Saudi Chambers, led by H.E. Waleed Alorainan, Secretary-General, and Mohammed Hattan, Assistant Secretary General for International Relations. The roundtable provided a platform for direct dialogue between U.S. and Saudi private sector representatives and underscored the Council’s longstanding partnership with the Federation.
During the week, the Council participated in additional engagements with the American Chamber of Commerce in Saudi Arabia, including its annual gala, which offered an opportunity for Council leadership to connect with the U.S. business community in the Kingdom and AmCham leadership, including Jamila ElDajani, member of the AmCham Board of Directors, Erich Phillips, Regional Director, AmCham, and Darrell McGraw, Assurance Leader, PwC Middle East.
The program continued with the Council’s participation in the inaugural Development Finance Conference “MOMENTUM” in Riyadh, organized by the National Development Fund, from Dec. 9-11, 2025, which brought together more than 100 local and international speakers consisting of economic and development leaders from over 120 organizations. Discussions at the forum highlighted Saudi Arabia’s ambition and innovation across priority sectors.
The week concluded with a meeting at the Ministry of Energy with H.E. Fuad Mosa, Deputy Minister of Energy, held with the support of H.R.H. Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy, to establish an agreement for a new formal collaboration between the Ministry and the U.S.-Saudi Business Council on opportunities for continued cooperation in the energy sector.
In addition to these engagements, the Council held many other working meetings with public and private sector stakeholders throughout the week, advancing ongoing initiatives and reinforcing practical cooperation between U.S. and Saudi partners. These engagements during the last month of 2025 served as a fitting end to a productive year of U.S.-Saudi collaboration and mark an optimistic beginning to the year ahead.
