From Offices to License Renewals: How Do Foreign Companies Expedite Business Growth in Saudi Arabia?

Finding and registering an office is an important compliance requirement in Saudi Arabia, and so is renewing business licenses. Find out how you can stay compliant with Saudi labor and business laws in this piece.

For foreign businesses, expanding in Saudi Arabia is no longer a case of entering a new market; it is about making a sustained presence, fostering stronger relationships with stakeholders and customers, and embracing long-term business growth.

A successful business expansion is one that empowers companies to anticipate and address challenges as they arise and provides a roadmap for long-lasting success, right from the initial operational setup all the way through post-incorporation regulatory compliance.

Securing an Office in Saudi Arabia: First Crucial Steps Towards Building a Market Presence

Finding and registering an office is an indispensable part of a successful business setup in Saudi Arabia. But, its significance goes beyond just being a mere location; it is a crucial springboard that’s conducive to building partnerships and networking.

While it may be a challenging feat for foreign businesses unfamiliar with the real estate landscape in Saudi Arabia to secure a suitable office for their workforce, partnering with an end-to-end business setup firm like AstroLabs, the Gulf’s leading business expansion platform, can ease the logistical burden of the process.

Besides providing a large network of coworking spaces in the heart of the Al Malqa district in Riyadh, AstroLabs has recently launched a range of private offices, a move that aims to contribute to fast, efficient business setup for global companies and speed up their time to market.

AstroLabs’ office spaces serve as the ideal springboard of several global entities, including Speridian Technology, a global provider of digital transformation solutions.

Speridian’s Country Sales Director, Shafiq Siddiq, emphasized AstroLabs' role in helping the company not only complete the necessary tasks to fully incorporate its Saudi entity but also set up a local office.

“From getting the CR to date, there are a lot of challenges coming up, for which we need a lot of help. AstroLabs was there to help us secure an office or help with a lot of legal documentation and registration, amongst other things,” Siddiq explained.

Similarly, AstroLabs’ office spaces in Al Malqa provided Bespin Global MEA, an e& company, an enhanced access to the market, serving as the backbone of the company’s operations in Saudi Arabia.

Speaking about the impact of the AstroLabs team in accelerating the company's launch in the Kingdom, Mouteih Chaghlil, CEO of Bespin Global MEA said, “The AstroLabs team made it considerably easier for us to launch our operations in the Saudi market and has been very helpful in guiding us through the intricacies of entering the market.”

“From establishing our legal entity to providing physical offices for our on-ground team, they served as an indispensable extension of our own team, offering guidance and expertise throughout the process,” Chaghlil added.

Prior to making the move to Saudi Arabia, Bespin originally expanded from Korea to the Gulf region and launched its first regional hub in Dubai with support from AstroLabs.

Licensing Renewals and PRO Services: Adhering to Post-Setup Compliance Requirements as the Catalyst for Business Growth

Post-incorporation compliance refers to a set of regulations that a company must regularly meet to maintain the legal and operational robustness of its operations.

In effect, the diligent execution of post-setup compliance tasks enhances a firm’s operational resilience and demonstrates its full adherence to the country’s corporate practices and labor laws.

These obligations include a wide array of activities, including renewing foundational documents, such as the MISA license, commercial registration (CR) and the general manager's Iqama.

Realizing the vital impact of post-incorporation compliance on spurring foreign business growth in Saudi Arabia, AstroLabs empowers its clients to stay on top of their license renewals through an all-in-one system that consolidates all the renewal processes.

This significantly helps companies speed up their operations, saving time and resources while reducing manual effort and minimizing errors.

In addition to the license renewals, AstroLabs' end-to-end post-compliance support includes assisting foreign companies with PRO services.

One of the prominent beneficiaries of AstroLabs’ post-setup support services is ES: ME, a global leader in the entertainment services space.

“Our experience with AstroLabs has been nothing short of exceptional. It’s as smooth as a Sunday afternoon walk in the park—always accommodating and supportive throughout the entire process, ” noted Alexander Wuerfel, the Group CEO of ES: ME.

“After setup, our needs often shift to networking opportunities and license renewals. That includes general PRO services. We regularly rely on the AstroLabs team’s support in these areas," Wuerfel added.

Joule Group, a UK-based fire and life safety consultancy and advisory firm and another member of AstroLabs’ expansion network, has relied on the team’s post-setup support, particularly when it comes to license renewals and general PRO services.

David Black, director of Joule Group’s Middle East operations, said, “The experience with [AstroLabs] so far has been excellent. The level of communication from your team has been excellent, and the speed of setup has been aligned with expectations. The AstroLabs team has been very proactive in reaching out and offering excellent rates for post-setup support.”