Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 1, 2016:
Saudi Aramco, Princess Nourah University (PNU) and Wipro Arabia Limited, a subsidiary of Wipro Limited, a leading information technology, consulting and business process services company, today inaugurated the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's first all women Business & Technology Park. The project is expected to create nearly 21,000 jobs for Saudi women over a period of ten years.
The Women's Business Park (WBP) is a result of a joint venture between Princess Nourah University (PNU), the largest women's university in the world and Wipro Arabia Ltd. Saudi Aramco is the strategic advisor and anchor of this initiative. Dedicated to working women, this business park is a first of its kind project aimed at providing knowledge-based employment for women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The joint venture agreement was signed today at a ceremony held at PNU, attended by H.E the Minister of Education, Dr. Ahmad Al-Issa, PNU Rector, H.E Dr. Huda Al-Ameel, Saudi Aramco President & Chief Executive Officer Mr. Amin H. Nasser, and Mr. Azim Premji, Chairman of Wipro Limited.
The Women’s Business Park is envisioned to be the largest Engineering Drafting Services, Business Process Services and Information Technology hub in the region for a number of industry sectors including Oil & Gas, Manufacturing, Government, Healthcare, Telecom and Construction.
The idea of the business park was conceived in September 2014 when Saudi Aramco signed a Memorandum of Understanding with PNU. Wipro joined the partnership because of its experience in managing talent and providing IT services to a multi-industry customer base. The joint venture will be responsible for developing the park's facilities and infrastructure as well as training and employing up to 21,000 Saudi women.
Dr. Huda Al-Ameel, Rector of Princess Nourah University said, "The goal of the Women's Business Park is to create 21,000 jobs by 2025 and give women a critical role to play in a way that serves the objectives of the nation and to build a knowledge economy with societal and international partnerships. We also aim to provide a start-up eco-system to upcoming entrepreneurial ventures. In a country where women represent about 60% of all university graduates, but less than 15% of the country's workforce, the Women's Business Park is poised to be a milestone initiative."
Mr. Amin H. Nasser, President and Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Aramco said, "As a strategic consultant to the Women's Business Park, we are happy to lend our expertise in the creation of world class facilities to empower Saudi women. This initiative is the result of a successful consortium among three respected entities and we appreciate the efforts involved in creating this one of a kind facility in the Kingdom."
Speaking about this partnership, Mr. Azim Premji, Chairman of Wipro Limited said, "Wipro has always extended support to the cause of women empowerment and it is our endeavor to foster an environment that encourages and enables more women to participate in business and tap their leadership potential. It has been more than a decade since Wipro began its operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and localization has always been an important aspect of our business strategy here. We are happy to be a partner in this initiative which strongly aligns with our values."
The park will be developed in the iconic PNU premises, and will include entrepreneur incubators, daycare centers and a one-stop coordination center for government transactions.
About Saudi Aramco:
Saudi Aramco is a world leader in integrated energy and chemicals. We are driven by the core belief that energy is opportunity. From producing approximately one in every eight barrels of the world’s crude oil supply to developing new energy technologies, our global team is dedicated to creating positive impact in all that we do. We focus on making our resources more sustainable and more useful. This promotes long-term economic growth and prosperity around the world. For more information, please visit www.saudiaramco.com
About Wipro Ltd.
Wipro Ltd. (NYSE:WIT) is a leading information technology, consulting and business process services company that delivers solutions to enable its clients do business better. Wipro delivers winning business outcomes through its deep industry experience and a 360 degree view of "Business through Technology.” By combining digital strategy, customer centric design, advanced analytics and product engineering approach, Wipro helps its clients create successful and adaptive businesses. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, Wipro has a dedicated workforce of over 160,000, serving clients in 175+ cities across 6 continents. For more information, please visit www.wipro.com
About Princess Nourah University:
Princess Nourah University is a public women’s university located in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. It is the largest university for women in the world. The university first existed in 1970 as the first College of Education for women in the Kingdom. Within the following 25 years, there were 102 similar colleges in 72 cities around the country, accommodating 60,000 students. There were 6 colleges in the city of Riyadh alone in the fields of education, social service, science, arts, and home economics.
In 2004, the birth of the first all-women university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was announced: Riyadh University for Women and unified all 6 of the original colleges in the city of Riyadh. Other colleges around the Kingdom were unified and expanded in their respected regions into independent universities.
In 2008, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud inaugurated the campus and changed the university’s name to “Princess Noura Bint Abdul Rahman University” after Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman, the sister of the country’s first king and leader, King Abdulaziz. With this launch was the building of the World's largest and most modern women's institution of higher education in a self-contained higher education city. www.pnu.edu.sa/en
Media Contact:
Purnima Burman
+91 8039916224
purnima.burman@wipro.com
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