Chris Johnson

Restatement of AoAs  In our October Legal Dispatch, we highlighted the Ministry of Commerce’s (MoC) reminder regarding the January 19, 2025, deadline for companies to update their Articles of Association (AoA) in compliance with the 2023 Companies Law. This requirement applies specifically to limited liability companies (LLCs) and joint Stock companies (JSCs), as the other…

According to discussions with ministerial officials regarding Project Regional Headquarters (RHQ), premium residency, negative list, trading licenses and other possible reforms affecting foreign investors, we have received the following guidance:  RHQ  Premium Residency  Spouses of premium residents are free to work, and children to attend local schools. It is not yet clear whether premium residents…

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has submitted a letter of intent to Fifa, declaring their interest in hosting the 2034 World Cup. Fifa recently confirmed that only countries from Asia and Oceania would be able to bid for the 2034 edition, following the decision to award the 2030 World Cup to six host countries across three countries. The bidding…

These updates are produced by Johnson and Pump Law, in Association with Al Sharif Law. We encourage you to share with others, who can sign up directly via this link.   Upcoming Saudi Holidays, Events, Webinars, and Conferences Public Sector and Significant Updates  Corporate / Labor: Analysis: Legal Visas, Travel, and Airline Industry Business / Economy  Oil,…

These updates are produced by Johnson and Pump Law, in Association with Al Sharif Law. We encourage you to share with others, who can sign up directly via this link.  A new Companies Law took effect January 19, requiring constitutional documents to be filed electronically through an MoC “Saudi Business Center” based on MoC templates (“Mowa’mah”…

These updates are produced by Johnson and Pump Law, in Association with Al Sharif Law. We encourage you to share with others, who can sign up directly via this link.   Upcoming Saudi Holidays, Events, Webinars, and Conferences Public Sector and Significant Updates  Corporate / Labor and Major Reports Legal Visas, Travel, and Airline Industry Business /…

Upcoming Saudi Holidays, Events, Webinars, and Conferences Public Sector and Significant Updates  Corporate / Labor and Major Reports Legal Visas, Travel, and Airline Industry Business / Economy  Geopolitical Gulf Regional Miscellaneous and Interesting Resources: Internations (U.S. Expat Networking): Riyadh, Jeddah, Eastern Province

Competition Law The General Authority for Competition has raised the threshhold for automatic review of proposed transactions involving economic concentration from SR100 to SR200 million. The earlier threshhold has been criticised as unreasonably low, and as requiring expensive and time-consuming GAC review of transactions with minimum effect in the Kingdom. The three criteria considered by…

Upcoming Saudi Holidays, Events, Webinars, and Conferences Public Sector and Significant Updates  Corporate / Labor and Major Reports Legal Visas, Travel, and COVID Business / Economy  Geopolitical Gulf Regional Miscellaneous and Interesting Resources: Internations (U.S. Expat Networking): Riyadh, Jeddah, Eastern Province

Upcoming Saudi Holidays, Events, Webinars, and Conferences Public Sector and Significant Updates  Corporate / Labor Legal Visas, Travel, and COVID Business / Economy  Geopolitical Gulf Regional Miscellaneous and Interesting Resources: Internations (U.S. Expat Networking): Riyadh, Jeddah, Eastern Province

Background In earlier days Saudi commercial agency and distribution agreements carried high risks for offshore suppliers, particularly when registered at the Ministry of Commerce (“MoC”) Commercial Agency Registry (“Registry”); these often became “Catholic marriages,” difficult to terminate without losing the market. The old Commercial Agency Law was designed to protect local agents, limiting eligibility to…

Expatriate Recruitment: Visa Options Few issues have discouraged foreign investors, not to mention local firms dependent on skilled expatriate professionals, more than often unrealistic Saudiization quotas, visa restrictions, sluggish bureaucratic responsiveness and delays by the Ministry of Human Resources & Social Development (MHRSD) in approving business visit visas for expatriate personnel to enter and work…