Saudi launch
Water driving the exhibition mill in KSA
dmg events ’ vice-president Saudi Arabia , Muhammed Gazi , explains the thinking behind the launch of Saudi Water Expo in September
nternational trade
I show organiser dmg events is launching the Saudi Water Expo this September ( 11-13 ). It will be the sole exhibition in Saudi Arabia dedicated to the water industry and will support the Kingdom ’ s plans for $ 80bn worth of water projects in line with the national water strategy under Vision 2030 .
The exhibition will run at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center and will co-locate with the second edition of the Saudi Infrastructure Expo , the country ’ s only trade event for the infrastructure industry .
“ The launch presents opportunities for local , regional and international companies to share new technologies , innovation and products and services ,” says Matt Denton , president of dmg events .
The new show builds on dmg events ’ strong local presence with over 15 events in Saudi Arabia , and , with a pipeline of mega and giga projects planned and under construction in the Kingdom , water has become critical for the country ’ s development prospects .
Exhibitors at the Saudi Water Expo will be able to enter a booming market to supply their solutions and network with decision-makers with real purchasing power .
Turning on the event tap EW asked dmg events ’ vicepresident Saudi Arabia , Egypt & Qatar construction events portfolio , Muhammed Gazi about the decision to launch the expo and about the organiser ’ s regional strategy .
“ dmg events has been established in the country for over a decade , so we have the experience in running events successfully ,” says Gazi , who notes that there was no dedicated
Muhammed Gazi
water event in the country . “ With the growing demand in this sector and our experience , the timing couldn ’ t have been more perfect .” Gazi adds that dmg ’ s growing client base in KSA , had seen several companies in this sector asking them to consider running an event dedicated to water . “ Like us , many stakeholders believe this is a big sector .”
How does Gazi think the event will fit with the existing portfolio in Saudi – 15 events altogether ?
“ Yes , 15 + and growing . We run our existing Big 5 KSA event where a small element of the clientele is from the water sector . The water community likes its own events , and we give it its own identity and are confident can scale the event up ,” he says .
Water is clearly a big theme in the country , with the sector involved in an $ 80bn investment project from the government . Presumably the opportunities in this sector are huge ?
“ Saudi Arabia is addressing the increasing water demand caused by economic diversification , population growth and urbanisation ,” says Gazi , pointing to the potential for the private sector to drive growth in the water sector . “ The Saudi government is also investing in 147 sewage treatment plants all around the country , as well as almost 15,000km of wastewater collection networks ,” he adds , explaining that the Saudi Arabian government is investing heavily in water waste treatment infrastructure to allow the recycling and reuse of water . Desalination capacity is expected to increase to 7.5 million cubic metres per day by 2027 in the Kingdom , up from its current capacity of just over 3 million .
“ So the opportunities in this sector are massive and our event
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