Leading Women's Empowerment in Saudi Arabia's Contracting Sector
In an exclusive interview, Roya Al Watan magazine welcomed Ms. Azhar Saleh Al Jawad, Deputy General Manager of Khaleej Al Kawthar Group, as a living example of Saudi women. Coming from academia, overseas study, and Aramco, she ventured deeply into a sector often considered tough and distinctly male-dominated—the world of contracting and industry.
Abdullah Saleh Al Jawad, General Manager — Khaleej Al Kawthar Group
Azhar Saleh Al Jawad, Deputy General Manager — Khaleej Al Kawthar Group
2,000+ Employees
5 Companies in the Group
424 Residential Villas (Badr Project)
The interview was more than questions and answers; it was a complete journey through her biography and early beginnings, the establishment of an integrated group of contracting, service, and industrial companies, and a candid discussion of Vision 2030, women's empowerment, young people's role, the meaning of National Day, and how Saudi citizens repay their leadership's support.
Continue reading the full interview
— From Roya Al Watan magazine's introduction to its interview with Azhar Al Jawad
From King Faisal University to Two Master's Degrees in America
Azhar begins with her educational starting point: she graduated from King Faisal University in Al Ahsa, a milestone that laid the foundation of her academic and professional life. After her bachelor's degree, she went to Bahrain for postgraduate study, then moved to the United States, earning a master's degree in project and operations management and a second master's in finance, reflecting the breadth of her education across management and finance.
She planned to pursue a doctorate, but personal circumstances brought her home. Upon returning, she joined Saudi Aramco, gaining practical experience in an environment many regard as a hands-on school of business and project management.
I must return to my country. My country comes first… I can never forget everything my country has given me, and I must return to repay part of that generosity. — Azhar Saleh Al Jawad
Khaleej Al Kawthar Group: A Story That Began with a Dream, Became an Idea, and Grew into an Established Enterprise
To understand Khaleej Al Kawthar Group today, one must revisit its earliest roots as documented on its official website. The current group emerged from a range of business experiences and practices, accumulating more than a quarter-century of expertise in industrial services, professional support services, heavy-equipment rental, and other sectors related to construction and operations.
Today, Khaleej Al Kawthar Group describes itself as an integrated group of contracting and service companies with distinguished expertise, adopting the memorable slogan: “Our journey begins in the sand and ends with handing over the keys.”
Khaleej Al Kawthar Trading and Contracting Company
The group's principal trading and contracting arm
Khaleej Al Kawthar Logistics Services Company
Integrated logistics services supporting projects
Arab Builders Contracting Company
Specializing in contracting and construction work
Etihad Lam Contracting Company
An execution partner in major projects
Afaq Al Roa Security Company
Specialized security services
The Group's Factories
Wood products, ironwork, and aluminum design factories
Major Residential Projects
Badr Project — Madinah
A residential complex approximately 20 minutes from the Prophet's Mosque, where Khaleej Al Kawthar Trading and Contracting Company is delivering 424 complete residential villas.
Al Samiyah Project — Madinah
Includes approximately 226 residential villas in Madinah.
Sama Qumrah Project — Safwa, Dammam
522 residential units across 37 residential-commercial buildings, in a recently launched project.
Women's Empowerment… Begins with Iron
Azhar returns often to a point she considers essential: empowering national talent within the group's factories, particularly in iron manufacturing and construction-related sectors. She says she feels particular pride when she sees young Saudis applying for work in iron manufacturing and hands-on factory roles.
What Saudi women have achieved today was not available before… We could only dream of it. Now women are ambassadors, mayors, and company leaders… We compete, God willing—indeed, we are capable of competing. — Azhar Saleh Al Jawad
We Compete… and We Will Surpass You
When asked, “How has Vision 2030 changed women's position in the labor market?” Azhar smiles and replies with words full of pride: “We compete… and we will surpass you”—when asked how Vision 2030 has changed women's position in the labor market.
She emphasizes that the group's policy is to welcome young Saudis and provide good training programs, enabling them to become skilled workers, supervisors, managers, and ultimately effective leaders of all industrial operations, in line with Saudi Vision 2030's targets for increasing localization in vital sectors.
In Closing: A Land of Goodness… and Countless Opportunities
Azhar Al Jawad ends her interview with a clear message: Saudi Arabia is a land of goodness with countless opportunities. Those who work hard will find good things ahead; what matters is to think carefully about the course of our lives and work hard to succeed.
What Azhar Al Jawad shared goes beyond a personal interview; it is a small-scale reflection of a nation's story, mirroring an entire era the Kingdom is experiencing, rising from the sands… in its projects, its people, and the new Saudi dream.
My well-wishes for your recovery are not for you alone: when you are well, all people are well.
