On February 18, a briefing was held at the Novgorod «My Business Center» to discuss the results of a business mission to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The business trip took place from February 7 to 12. Opening the event, Viktor Bykov, Director of the Novgorod Region Development Agency, noted that this was the first business mission of the year. Despite the fact that the region does not have close economic ties with these countries, the mission was successful and productive.
The Novgorod delegation included the heads of four companies: «T-Arm» (manufacturer of control valves for enterprises in the oil and gas, petrochemical and chemical industries), «Stashevskoe BIO» (producer of gluten-free oatmeal products), «Antares Software Group» (software developer for various fields), and «Hydra Aerotech» (manufacturer of cargo drones).
The delegation was led by Evgeny Bogdanov, First Deputy Governor of the Novgorod Region.
- We visited the international industrial exhibition «INNOPROM. Saudi Arabia». This is a key business event that strengthens the strategic partnership between Russia and the countries of the Middle East. It was interesting to see the stands of the Russian regions participating in the exhibition, and to chat with colleagues. A meeting with the Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took place at the exhibition. It was useful primarily for entrepreneurs, as they learned about the conditions of doing business in this country. In the City of Science and Technology of King Abdulaziz, we were shown developments related to the needs of the state: desalination of water and the use of solar energy. Our colleagues are actively developing their own technologies, says Evgenii Bogdanov.
In Qatar, the Novgorod delegation visited the «Hassad Food Company». This is a key company in the food industry and agriculture. The Novgorodians agreed to explore possible joint investments and partnerships in the agricultural sector.
Meetings with chambers of commerce and industry were held in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Evgeny Bogdanov emphasized that the countries for the business mission were chosen together with entrepreneurs. And the main goal of the trip was achieved – Novgorod companies managed to establish contacts with foreign partners.
«T-ARM» already has a partner in Saudi Arabia. This is a serious contractor for oil and gas projects. It was possible to establish contact with it during the business mission last year.
«During this visit, we focused on working with our new partner and signing a cooperation agreement. We also discussed financial models, such as establishing a joint venture in Saudi Arabia, as localization is crucial in this country. Together with our new partner, we visited several industrial zones and explored the possibility of landing in the region on favorable terms», said Alexey Lozovsky, Sales Director at «T-Arm» LLC. «Both countries, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, are friendly nations. There are some issues, such as transactions, but they can be resolved. I would like to highlight the high level of organization during business missions.
For example, in Qatar, we held negotiations with seven companies. All of them are professionals in their field. They work in our product range. The results of these trips are evident. Last year, we visited Vietnam as part of the Novgorod delegation. Just last week, we shipped our products to a Vietnamese partner. Participation in regional leadership business missions increases the level of contacts».
For «Antares Software Group», this was the first trip to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, but it was also useful. Dmitry Tsymbal, the company's CEO, noted that the nature of his business requires familiarization with the culture and mentality of potential partners.
It is crucial to understand the mentality of the local population in order to develop suitable products for a specific region. This trip allows us to focus more precisely on our offerings for this market. In terms of technology, we have something to offer. Our main competitors in this market are Indian companies. I do not expect immediate results from the business mission, and we continue to communicate with our foreign colleagues. During the trip, we found a number of industrial enterprises that we would be interested in cooperating with. The main thing is that we have made progress in understanding the culture and specifics of doing business, and we have made the necessary contacts», commented Dmitrii Tsymbal.
In addition, the organization of business missions meets the goals of the National Project «International Cooperation and Export». The next business trip to Kazakhstan (Almaty) is scheduled for March 10-13.
19 февраля 2026 13:44:00
