Corporate Governance Training Gains Momentum in Saudi Arabia

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 22 July 2020: Vision Invest, a leading Saudi Arabian Development and Investment Holding Company, has undertaken the complete certification programme on corporate governance and board effectiveness for team members of its executive management and those of its subsidiaries through the GCC Board Directors Institute (GCC BDI) Certified Board Director programme run in collaboration with the Financial Academy.

In doing so, it has become the GCC BDI’s first member organisation in the region to benefit from in-house training for its directors and executive management team through GCC BDI’s pioneering Director Development Programme (DDP), reflecting its extensive commitment to practising strong institutionalized corporate governance and board effectiveness.

Vision Invest’s Certified Directors, who all had to pass the certification exam run by the Financial Academy, recently celebrated this achievement at a virtual graduation ceremony hosted by GCC BDI.

The Certified Director designation is awarded to individuals who have successfully completed the GCC BDI programme and who have thus demonstrated an internationally accepted level of understanding of corporate governance, the role of the board and the director, strategy, risk, ethics, accounting, finance, internal controls and corporate reporting.  The programme is designed to meet the development needs of existing, new and aspiring directors and board committees.

Omar N. Al-Midani CEO, Vision Invest, said: “The GCC BDI Director Certification Programme was an important investment for Vision Invest in shaping our corporate governance mindset and reinforcing Institutionalised Governance, one of our five core values.  The Programme will help our directors and executive management team to become more proficient in their roles, and we hope in doing so to add measurable value to their colleagues, our investments and the business community as a whole.”

Jane Valls, Executive Director of GCC Board Directors Institute, said: “Now more than ever, good governance practices are proving critical in enabling professionals to navigate the current COVID19 situation.  Having professionals that can serve the boards in the region and create greater shareholder value and investment attractiveness will help organisations in Saudi Arabia to ensure business continuity.  We are proud that Vision Invest understands the importance and need for corporate governance and has invested in upskilling its directors through offering them this programme.”

About the GCC Board Directors Institute
Launched in 2007, the GCC Board Directors Institute (GCC BDI) is an independent not-for-profit organisation that helps board directors of entities, from family-owned businesses to listed companies, acquire the know-how and tools to achieve and sustain effective governance.
GCC BDI was founded by eight leading regional corporations and professional services firms: Saudi Aramco, SABIC, Emirates NBD, Investcorp, McKinsey & Company, Allen & Overy, Heidrick & Struggles and PwC. The institute is supported by the regional regulatory authorities, including the Securities and Commodities Authority of the UAE, the Capital Market Authority and Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority of Saudi Arabia, the Central Bank of Kuwait and the Capital Markets Authority of Kuwait, the Central Bank of Bahrain, and the Capital Market Authority of Oman. For more information, please visit www.gccbdi.org.

About Vision Invest
Vision Invest is a leading Saudi Arabian development and investment holding company at the forefront of Public and Private Sector Partnerships in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Cooperation Council and beyond.
Since our early days, we have nurtured valuable partnerships with key local and global partners and refined a boutique investment model over the course of two decades, to deliver value sustainably through impact investments.
Today, Vision Invest is proud of the diverse portfolio of holdings it has developed together with its clients and partners, across a wide range of vital sectors including power and water desalination, industrial gases, logistics, district cooling, wastewater treatment, energy efficiency and social infrastructure. Please visit www.visioninvest.com 


For media enquiries, please contact:
Mehwish Sarwar
GCC Board of Directors Institute
mehwish.sarwar@gccbdi.org