• The following words and phrases - wherever they appear in this Statute - shall have the meanings indicated opposite each of them, unless the context requires otherwise:

  • Statute: Statute of the Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business.
  • Center: Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business.
  • Council: Board of Directors of the Center.
  • President: President of the Council.
  • Chief Executive Officer: Chief Executive Officer of the Center.
  • Competitiveness: The ability of the state to optimally utilize all its resources, policies, and institutions to enhance the efficiency and quality of services provided to individuals and the business sector, contributing to achieving the state's sustainable development and placing it in an advanced competitive position.
  • Business: Any activity - except what the Council excludes - that is permissible to practice in the Kingdom according to what is legally prescribed, including providing services, supplying goods or products, and others in exchange for financial consideration.

The center enjoys public legal personality and financial and administrative independence. It is organizationally linked to the President of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, and its main headquarters is located in the city of Riyadh. It may establish branches or offices within the Kingdom and abroad as needed.

• 1- The Center shall have a Board of Directors composed of a President appointed by an order from the President of the Council of Ministers based on a nomination from the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, and membership of each of the following:

  • A- A representative from the Ministry of Energy.
  • B- A representative from the Ministry of Commerce.
  • C- A representative from the Ministry of Investment.
  • D- A representative from the Ministry of Economy and Planning.
  • E- A representative from the Ministry of Finance.
  • F- A representative from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
  • G- A representative from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing.
  • H- A representative from the Ministry of Justice.
  • I- A representative from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources.
  • J- A representative from the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority.
  • K- A representative from the Digital Government Authority.
  • L- The Chief Executive Officer.
  • M- Two private sector specialists with expertise in the field of the Center’s work, appointed by an order from the President of the Council of Ministers based on a nomination from the President for a period of three (3) years, renewable once.

• 2- The ranks of the representatives of the government entities referred to in paragraph (1) of this article shall not be less than (fourteenth) grade or its equivalent, and they must have qualifications, experience, or functional specializations commensurate with the Center’s competencies.

• 3- The President shall appoint a deputy from among the Board members, excluding the members referred to in subparagraphs (L) and (M) of paragraph (1) of this article.

• The Council shall supervise the management of the Center's affairs and conduct its matters, and shall take all necessary decisions to achieve its objectives within the limits stipulated by the statute. In particular, it shall have the following powers:

  • 1- Approving policies, plans, programs, and projects related to the Center’s fields of specialization, and submitting what requires completion of procedures in this regard.
  • 2- Approving the organizational structure and organizational manual of the Center.
  • 3- Approving the financial and administrative regulations governing the Center and other internal and technical regulations necessary for managing its affairs, provided that the approval of financial regulations and provisions with financial impact in other regulations shall be in agreement with the Ministry of Finance, and the approval of administrative regulations shall be in agreement with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.
  • 4- Approving the establishment of branches and offices of the Center.
  • 5- Approving the financial fees for the works and services provided by the Center that the Council deems appropriate to charge fees for.
  • 6- Approving the Center’s annual budget draft, its final account, annual report, and the auditor’s report; in preparation for completing the applicable statutory procedures.
  • 7- Appointing one or more external auditors and an internal financial controller.
  • 8- Reviewing periodic reports submitted to it regarding the progress of work at the Center and taking necessary decisions thereon.
  • 9- Accepting gifts, donations, grants, wills, and endowment revenues, according to the rules regulating that.
  • 10- Approving the Center’s conclusion of agreements, memoranda of understanding, and contracts, according to the applicable statutory procedures. The Council may, in order to exercise its powers, form permanent or temporary committees from among its members or others, entrusting them with tasks it deems appropriate, and specifying in the decision forming each committee its chairperson, members, and competencies. Such committees may seek assistance from whomever they deem necessary to perform the tasks assigned to them.

• The Council may delegate any of its powers—except for the powers stipulated in paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), and (8) of this article—to its chairperson, any of its members, or any of the Center’s employees.

• 1- The Council meetings shall be held at the headquarters of the Center, chaired by the President or his Deputy. It is permissible - by a decision of the President or his Deputy - to hold the meeting at any other place within the Kingdom.
• 2- The Council shall meet at least three (3) times a year, and whenever necessary as determined by the President or his Deputy, or if requested by at least one-third (1/3) of the Council members. The invitation to the meeting shall be sent by the President or his Deputy in writing at least seven (7) days before the meeting date, and the invitation shall include the agenda.
• 3- The Council meeting shall be valid with the attendance of at least the majority of the members, including the President or his Deputy. Decisions shall be issued by the majority of the votes of those present, and in the event of a tie, the side that the Chair of the meeting voted for shall prevail.
• 4- The Council may invite whoever it deems specialized and experienced to attend its meetings and provide information, opinions, and advice, without having the right to vote.
• 5- A Council member shall not abstain from voting nor delegate another member to vote on his behalf in his absence.
• 6- The Council’s deliberations and decisions shall be recorded in minutes signed by the Chair of the meeting and the attending members. A dissenting member may record his objection and the reasons for the objection in the minutes of the meeting.
• 7- The Council may - according to the President’s discretion - hold meetings and vote on decisions through the use of technology means. Decisions may be made by circulation among the Council members, and signed to indicate that all members have reviewed them. Such a decision shall not be considered valid unless all members vote on it and at least a majority of their votes are obtained. This decision shall be presented to the Council at the first subsequent meeting to be recorded in the minutes.
• 8- The Council shall have a Secretary appointed and relieved by a Council decision based on a nomination from the President. The Secretary shall undertake the Council’s secretariat, prepare for meetings, record minutes, deliberations, and decisions, and attend Council meetings without having the right to vote.
• 9- The Chief Executive Officer shall not have the right to vote on decisions of an executive nature.

• The center shall have a Chief Executive Officer, who is appointed and relieved by a decision of the Council, and is considered responsible for managing the center’s affairs and conducting its business. His responsibilities are concentrated within the limits of the statute and what the Council decides, and he shall undertake the following competencies:

  • 1- Preparing policies, plans, programs, and projects related to the center’s fields of competence, and submitting them to the Council for consideration and approval.
  • 2- Proposing the organizational structure and organizational manual of the center, and submitting them to the Council for consideration and approval.
  • 3- Proposing the financial and administrative regulations governing the center, as well as other internal and technical regulations necessary for managing its affairs, and submitting them to the Council for consideration and approval.
  • 4- Proposing the establishment of branches or offices of the center, and submitting this to the Council.
  • 5- Supervising the preparation of the center’s budget draft, its final account, and its annual report; in preparation for presentation to the Council.
  • 6- Proposing the financial fees for the works and services provided by the center, and submitting this to the Council.
  • 7- Appointing and supervising the employees of the center, in accordance with the center’s regulations.
  • 8- Following up on the implementation of the center’s regulations and the decisions issued by the Council.
  • 9- Supervising the workflow in the center, and submitting periodic reports to the Council on the center’s activities, plans, programs, and achievements.
  • 10- Disbursing from the center’s budget, and taking all financial procedures, in accordance with the approved laws and regulations, and within the powers delegated to him by the Council.
  • 11- Signing agreements, memoranda of understanding, and contracts after the Council’s approval, and in accordance with the applicable statutory procedures.
  • 12- Utilizing experts and consultants according to the center’s needs and as determined by its regulations.
  • 13- Representing the center before judicial authorities, government entities, and other bodies inside and outside the Kingdom, and he may delegate others to do so.
  • 14- Any other task or authority assigned to him by the Council.

• The Chief Executive Officer may delegate some of his competencies to whomever he deems appropriate from the center’s staff.

• The financial resources of the center consist of the following:

  • 1- What is allocated to it in the state's general budget.
  • 2- The financial consideration for the services and works it provides.
  • 3- What the council accepts in the form of gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and endowment revenues, in accordance with the governing regulations.
  • 4- Any other resource approved by the council, provided it does not conflict with the laws and regulations.

1- All revenues of the center shall be deposited into the unified treasury account at the Saudi Central Bank.

2- The center shall open an account at the Saudi Central Bank, and it may open other accounts at any of the banks licensed to operate in the Kingdom. Disbursements from these accounts shall be made in accordance with the center’s approved budget and its financial and administrative regulations.