KAFD and Samsung Forge Smart-City Alliance in Riyadh

The King Abdullah Financial District Development and Management Company (KAFD DMC), Riyadh’s premier business and lifestyle destination, and Samsung Electronics today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore areas for collaboration on the development and implementation of integrated smart city technologies in KAFD. The strategic partnership will further enhance the digital experience for the district’s businesses, tenants, and visitors and build on KAFD’s status as a conduit for collaboration and innovation between Saudi Arabia and Asia.

Under the agreement, the partners will explore integration of enterprise-grade smart-city solutions; from intelligent access control and digital signage to centralised systems for real-time monitoring and asset management. A proposed Samsung experience centre within the district is also on the horizon, promising exclusive resident-benefits and community enrichment.

The collaboration lays the foundation of the advancement of KAFD’s smart city infrastructure by exploring potential integration of enterprise-grade solutions, including access control, digital signage, and other smart and centralized systems, supporting real-time infrastructure and asset monitoring and management. A potential new Samsung experience center in the district will further enrich the community, offering residents exclusive benefits and discounts.

Sultan Alshahrani, Chief Corporate Officer at KAFD DMC, said: “KAFD is forging ahead with investments in transformative urban and smart-city infrastructure, cultivating an environment where businesses, residents, and visitors can thrive in a seamlessly integrated, intelligent urban district. Our partnership with Samsung will unlock a new wave of enhancements and innovations, enhancing experiences and quality of life in line with Saudi Vision 2030. The partnership adds to KAFD’s growing list of collaborations with leading Asian companies, underscoring KAFD’s prominent role as an accelerator for economic cooperation.”

From his side, Mr. Hendrik Lee, President of Samsung Electronics Saudi Arabia, commented: “Samsung Electronics has always been at the forefront of driving innovation and fostering connected communities. This fruitful collaboration with KAFD represents a key step and a new milestone in our strategy that aims at supporting Saudi Arabia’s vision and its transformation into a global hub for innovation. We are proud to embark on this partnership, through which we can together, integrate Samsung’s smart solutions and technologies to build strong digital infrastructure and deliver enhanced digital experience across the kingdom”.

KAFD is the first neighborhood in MENA to achieve WiredScore’s Global Smart Neighborhood Certification and is the first district to launch a Smart WiFi-7 service in Saudi Arabia, as part of a long-term strategic agreement with leading Chinese technology provider, Huawei. KAFD also has smart-city platform pilot programs underway with the Chinese artificial intelligence company, SenseTime.