• The partnership reinforces Landmark Arabia’s commitment to developing Saudi talent, supporting workforce readiness, and advancing Vision 2030 objectives. 

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia –  Landmark Arabia has announced the expansion of its vocational training commitment through its strategic partnership with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) under Phase 2 of the WAD National Training Campaign, reinforcing its role in supporting skills development, employability, and national talent empowerment across the Kingdom.

As part of the programme, Landmark Arabia has been recognised as the only non-academic institution participating in the delivery of vocational training, a distinction that reflects the company’s proven track record in training, developing, and empowering Saudi national employees across its operations. The recognition also underscores Landmark Arabia’s contribution to building practical retail capabilities and preparing Saudi talent to grow into future leaders within one of the Kingdom’s most dynamic sectors.

The partnership, formally signed in November 2024, forms part of an ongoing collaboration with HRSD across multiple regions in Saudi Arabia. Through this collaboration, Landmark Arabia will continue investing in the development of its own employees while also extending vocational training opportunities to potential talent from the wider public, helping create more accessible pathways into the retail sector.

Landmark Arabia aims to deliver 30,000 training opportunities by 2028 for internal and external participants, supporting the broader WAD National Training Campaign’s ambition to create three million training opportunities across the Kingdom.

The company’s training offering spans retail and soft skills development, delivered through a combination of classroom-based learning, virtual sessions, and Learning Management System (LMS) platforms. Training sessions typically run for four to five hours, with structured monthly batches and three to four sessions planned each month.

Landmark Arabia brings a strong capability-building record to the initiative. Between January and November 2025, the company delivered 79,417 training opportunities through classroom, virtual, and LMS platforms, reflecting its sustained investment in workforce development and Saudi talent progression.

Building on this partnership, Landmark Arabia has already delivered a series of initiatives across a number of regions of the Kingdom. During the official launch of the WAD campaign in Hail in November 2025, Landmark Arabia participated with a dedicated exhibition booth and delivered a three-hour training session for 15 participants. The company was also formally recognised on stage as a strategic partner. In Al Baha in April 2026, Landmark Arabia signed a sub-partnership agreement with the Ministry’s regional branch to provide 1,000 training opportunities, including five hours of complimentary training for each participant, supported by the Ministry branch.

The company also signed two additional sub-partnership agreements with the Ministry’s regional branches in Al Qassim and Al Madinah, providing 1,000 training opportunities in each region. These agreements were concluded during the WAD campaign events attended by their Royal Highnesses and the Regional Governors, as part of ongoing efforts to expand collaboration and enhance access to training opportunities across the Kingdom.

Commenting on the partnership, Vedapuri Thachampattu, Chief Country Officer, Landmark Arabia, said: “We are proud to partner with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development under the WAD National Training Campaign, and we deeply appreciate the Kingdom’s continued commitment to investing in its people and strengthening national capabilities. This partnership is closely aligned with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, particularly in developing a skilled, future-ready workforce and creating sustainable opportunities for Saudi talent.”

Adding: “Landmark Arabia recognises training and capacity building as key drivers of individual empowerment and sector growth. Its accreditation as a non-academic vocational training provider within this programme reflects the company’s ongoing investment in developing Saudi talent and enhancing their readiness for future career opportunities. Through "WAD," Landmark Arabia aims to contribute to expanding learning and development opportunities for promising talent, offering valuable learning experiences that support skills development and strengthen preparedness for diverse career paths, in collaboration with stakeholders across the education, training, and employment ecosystem.”

Yasser Alqahtani, Senior Vice President & Head of Human Resources, Landmark Arabia, said: “Developing and empowering Saudi talent is a strategic priority for Landmark Arabia. Through our collaboration with HRSD, we are extending practical retail and soft skills training across multiple locations in the Kingdom, helping equip national talent with the capabilities needed to succeed, progress, and lead within the sector. This initiative allows us to share the experience we have built internally with a wider audience, supporting not only our employees but also Saudi youth and job seekers who are looking to build future-ready skills. It is a meaningful extension of our commitment to talent development, nationalisation, and the broader objectives of Vision 2030.”

Through the WAD National Training Campaign, Landmark Arabia is expanding access to vocational training opportunities across Saudi Arabia, supporting workforce readiness, employability, and national talent development. The partnership reflects the growing role of the private sector in contributing to the Kingdom’s human capital development agenda and creating sustainable pathways for Saudi talent to participate in the future of retail.

About Landmark Arabia

Landmark Arabia is one of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s leading and largest retail and lifestyle organisations, with over 30 years of continuous presence and growth in the market. As a Saudi division of Landmark Group, which brings more than 50 years of legacy and excellence across the Middle East and beyond, Landmark Arabia plays a pivotal role in shaping the retail landscape in the Kingdom.

Landmark Arabia operates a broad portfolio of trusted homegrown brands across fashion, home, beauty, and lifestyle categories. These include Centrepoint, Max Fasion, Homecentre, Babyshop, Splash, Shoemart, Lifestyle, Shoexpress, and its loyalty programme Shukran. Its footprint spans across Saudi Arabia with over 600 stores nationwide.

Landmark Arabia’s success is driven by its diverse and highly engaged workforce of more than 9,700 team members. It is a strong champion of nationalisation and women’s empowerment, with over 50% Saudi nationals across its operations, 75% of whom are women—a reflection of its commitment to nurturing local talent and supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 priorities.

The Group is widely recognised for excellence in retail, capability building, and Saudi talent development. It has received multiple prestigious accolades, including:

  • Gold Award – Store Manager Development Programme (SMDP) from the Brandon Hall Group
  • Silver Award – Area Manager Development Programme (AMDP) from the Brandon Hall Group
  • Recognition for the SUMOU National Women Leadership Programme
  • Named among the Top 5 organisations in the Middle East at the CIPD ME Awards for Best Nationalisation Initiative

With its strong operational strength, customer-focused mindset, and commitment to developing Saudi talent, Landmark Arabia Group continues to play a leading role in advancing modern retail experiences across the Kingdom.

About Landmark Group:

Founded in 1973 in Bahrain, and headquartered in the UAE since 1990, Landmark Group has evolved into one of the region’s largest and most successful omnichannel retail and hospitality conglomerates, with a presence more in than 15 countries across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

The Group owns and operates 21 established homegrown brands across over 2,500 outlets, encompassing a gross leasable area of 33 million square feet, in addition to multiple ecommerce platforms, generating over US$ 7bn in annual revenue.

Landmark Group’s sustained growth is driven by its diverse retail portfolio of homegrown brands, offering a comprehensive range of products across fashion, home, groceries, and electronics. This include Centrepoint, Max Fashion, Home Centre, Babyshop, Splash, Shoemart, Lifestyle, Viva, Emax, Home Box, Styli, Shoexpress, Spar, and Easybuy.

Beyond retail, the Group has also diversified into leisure, fitness, and hospitality with leading concepts such as Fitness First, Citymax Hotels, Fun City, Fun Ville, Zafran, and Carluccio’s.

The Group’s operational excellence is supported by unparalleled logistics capabilities; most notably Omega Logistics, the MENA region's largest privately-owned distribution hub, and Logistiq, its state-of-the-art third-party logistics provider.

Landmark Group places a strong emphasis on delivering exceptional value, quality, and achieving customer satisfaction throughout all touchpoints. With a workforce of over 53,500 employees, the Group continues to be recognized as a Great Place to Work® (GPTW), a certification it has maintained since 2017.

For more information, visit Landmark Group’s website or follow it on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.