Middle East economy "cheat sheet"?

Question

Hi,

I have upcoming case interviews for Middle East offices. Does anybody know if there is anywhere a "cheat sheet"-type broad summary of the most important things somebody needs to know about the economy in the Middle East (mainly Saudi Arabia) in case the interviewer asks? I created one by myself and collected the data mainly from wikipedia, but interested to know if there are any other sources... Especially, I need to know which sectors make what percentage of the economy, as it is not 100% clear on wiki, and things I found by google search were contradictory...

Answer 1

Hello,

I suggest you read about KSA vision 2030 if you really want to know what is happening in KSA. All consulting companies have 70-80% business from Saudi where they work mostly with government agencies on achieving this 2030 vision.

But you don't really need all these for the interview and you are not expected to know this in detail. You can have a quick look at this document as well as read online about UAE in general that will help you to prepare for the question - WHY MIDDLE EAST?

Answer 2

Hey A,

since I used to work in the region for a couple of years, I would strongly recommend you to read a couple of governmental reports (i.e. Vision 2030 for Saudi Arabia or 2030 Strategy for Dubai). Also check the websites of different consulting companies for region specific reports, because they will give a deep dive in its key industries (oil & gas, public sector, tourism, financial services, etc.). For general education watch some videos on youtube to get familiar with the culture, history and massive societal transformation which is ongoing since the oil period.

And calm down - you will not be expected to know everything in detail about the region. If you would like to know any specific figure in the interview, just ask!

If you need any help or contacts in the region, let me know.

Good luck,

André

Answer 3

Hi,

I believe there are plenty of Investment banking research reports available online. You can also find a lot of info in the annual reports of public companies

Best