Seventh Cycle of the Sustainability Key Elements Program (SKEP) Launched with Participation of 83 Government Entities

The Board of Directors of the Government Expenditure & Projects Efficiency Authority has issued a decision to appoint Mr. Ali bin Mohammed Alwabel as EXPRO’s official spokesperson in addition to his current role as the Executive Director of Corporate Communications general Department. The decision comes in efforts to enhance the communication channels between EXPRO and the local and international audiences, and to support the continued cooperation with the media organizations. The aim is to deliver EXPRO’s media message through a clear and transparent approach that reflects its contributions and achievements, while also facilitating access to information related to its projects and initiatives.

The Board of Directors of the Government Expenditure and Projects Efficiency Authority (EXPRO) has issued a decision appointing Dr. Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Albesher as the Chief Executive Officer of EXPRO. Dr. Albesher has extensive experience in strategies, business development, financial management, digital transformation, and project management within both government and private entities. His previous roles include serving as the Deputy Minister for Industrial Services and Compliance at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, Advisor to the Minister of Commerce, and LBU General Manager for the Industrial and Commercial Sector in Saudi Arabia at the international ABB Group, which specializes in advanced energy and automation industries. This is in addition to his various other experiences across a number of organizations. He has also held memberships on numerous boards of directors and committees, including: the Board of Directors of the Real Estate General Authority, the Board of Directors of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON), the Board of Directors of the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha'at), the Board of Directors of the Social Development Bank, the Board of Directors of the Council of Health Insurance, the Board of Directors of Saudi Post (SPL), the Board of Directors of the National Center for Waste Management (MWAN), the Group Housing Program for Individuals, the Industrial Customs Exemptions Committee, the standing Committee for Consumer Protection, and the Product Safety and Monitoring Committee. Throughout his career in both the public and private sectors, he has led strategic initiatives for transforming industrial policies and achieving operational excellence, aiming for sustainable growth and global competitiveness. He has also led digital transformation in service delivery, oversight, and compliance systems, as well as the governance and design of procedures. Dr. Albesher holds a master’s and a Ph.D. in Engineering Management from Brunel University London in the United Kingdom, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from King Saud University. He also holds numerous executive certificates in leadership, management, and governance from the Misk Leaders 2030 program and other institutes including IMD, London Business School, and INSEAD. It is noteworthy that the Government Expenditure and Projects Efficiency Authority  (EXPRO) was established by a decision of the Council of Ministers on February 23, 2021, with the aim of contributing to achieving expenditure efficiency in government entities, raising the quality of projects, assets, and facilities, planning infrastructure, and overseeing programs, initiatives, and operational processes funded by the government's general budget, as well as following up on these entities' implementation of their related programs and initiatives to achieve the EXPRO's objectives.

The Government Expenditure and Projects Efficiency Authority (EXPRO) has announced the results of the sixth cycle of SKEP Program. This program contributes to achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 by enhancing financial sustainability and raising performance efficiency in the government sector through evaluating and improving institutional practices and supporting government entities in adopting advanced work methods to manage resources efficiently and effectively. The SKEP Program evaluates the level of institutional maturity in expenditure efficiency practices within government entities across seven main pillars: Leadership and Strategy, Planning and Preparation, Capacity Building, Procurement, Projects, Assets and Facilities, and Impact Measurement. The results of the latest cycle showed the participation of 20 government entities, the holding of 24 individual workshops, in addition to reviewing more than 8,000 documents across 4 stages of the assessment review. This aims to elevate the readiness of the entities, ensure the application of best practices and methodologies, and identify strengths and opportunities for improvement to achieve sustainability in expenditure efficiency. Among the entities that achieved an advanced level of practice maturity during the sixth cycle were the Ministry of Transport and Logistic Services, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, as a result of their commitment to the general policies, guides, and methodologies issued by EXPRO. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development excelled in the pillars of Leadership and Strategy, Assets and Facilities, and Capacity Building. The Ministry of Health excelled in the Planning and Preparation pillar. The Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu demonstrated excellence in the Procurement pillar, and the Ministry of Defense in the Capacity Building pillar. The Saudi Water Authority and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development jointly excelled in the Projects pillar. As for the highest rate of improvement in the sixth cycle compared to the fifth cycle, it was achieved by the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Sports, and the Ministry of Health. Eng. Riyadh Nasser Almohawes, the Executive Vice President of Strategy and Organizational Excellence at EXPRO, confirmed that the results of the sixth cycle reflect the commitment of government entities to achieving the highest levels of efficiency and quality in performance. Al-mohawes added that the SKEP Program operates according to a continuous improvement plan that includes developing institutional capabilities, raising the quality of planning, and implementing accurate and measurable performance indicators to ensure sustainable, tangible impact on government services. He pointed out that EXPRO works with government entities to adopt a culture of organizational excellence and expand the circle of best practices in resource management, contributing to solidifying financial sustainability and achieving tangible results that enhance the quality of life and services provided to beneficiaries. The performance of entities participating in the SKEP Program is evaluated according to an integrated model for measuring institutional maturity levels in expenditure efficiency, using criteria and mechanisms approved by EXPRO. This allows for identifying improvement opportunities and directing efforts towards priority areas. EXPRO aims to contribute to achieving expenditure efficiency in government entities, raising the efficiency and effectiveness of government procurement processes, improving the quality of projects, assets, and facilities, and planning infrastructure, programs, initiatives, and operational processes. It also follows up on entities' implementation of programs and initiatives to achieve EXPRO’s objectives.