Growing up in Saudi Arabia in the early 2000s, I was surrounded by change. It was a time when technology was transforming everything, from how we connected to how we accessed knowledge. Mobile phones introduced in the mid-90s became part of everyday life, and the internet, while still relatively new, was opening up the world to us. Suddenly, we could learn about things beyond our immediate surroundings, access information in seconds, and connect with people in ways that weren’t possible before. This embrace of technology brought excitement and curiosity to a young population eager to explore new opportunities.

Once such opportunity is investment. Back then investing wasn’t something people commonly talked about. If you mentioned investing, most people would think of real estate or small businesses. The stock market felt exclusive, something only a few wealthy people engaged in. The regulations did not encourage the average person to invest in stocks, and there was no culture of stock market investment. It simply wasn’t part of regular people's conversation.

But technology, especially the internet, started to change things. By making information more accessible, the internet brought investment opportunities closer to the public. In 2003 when the Saudi Telecom Company (STC) went for an IPO, the hype was real. This was a major IPO, and thanks to technology the flow of information is now faster. Other IPOs followed and now investing in stocks has became mainstream. Website and online forums dedicated to discussing the stock market started to pop up. It was normal to see lines upon lines of people in front of bank branches eager to participate in the next IPO; many branches had their own stock market lounges where investors gather to trade and discuss about what company they should invest in. The interest was palpable. By 2003, trading volumes skyrocketed, and the number of trades quadrupled in just a year. However, while the market infrastructure managed to handle the sudden surge in load, the market its self could not. The investor mindset was not there. Many treated the market like a gamble. People were pledging assets and taking loans to buy stocks, treating them as instant wealth generators. With few regulations in place to curb this exuberance, the bubble eventually burst in 2006, sending shockwaves through the country. The crash shook investor confidence, but the capital market kept pushing forward. Because it had to.

Growing up in this environment left a lasting impression. Although I didn’t fully realize it then, my interest in finance and investing was sparked. Few years later when I graduated high school and entered university, I chose to study finance. As I learned more, I started to understand the importance of a capital market in a nation’s economy and how education about finance can change lives and should be taught from young age.

After graduation, fate led me to join Edaa, the newly spun-off depository center of the Saudi stock exchange. Working at the heart of the capital market, I witnessed its evolution from the inside. I joined in time as the market was starting to recover from the 2006 crash and gradually rebuild public confidence. The market began to grow and develop at an incredible pace. In two years between 2015 and 2017, foreign ownership was introduced, a new trading system was implemented, a new market with lighter listing requirements (Nomu - the parallel market) was launched and T+2 settlement cycle was rolled out to prepare for inclusion in global emerging market indices. It was an exciting time to be part of the Saudi capital market, and I felt proud to contribute to projects that modernized and expanded our financial landscape.

Today, as I move further into the investment side of the market, I see how diverse the opportunities have become. New products are emerging, fintech is transforming how people access the market, and the government is actively promoting investment as part of Vision 2030. The young and tech-savvy population in Saudi Arabia are eager to invest, and the infrastructure is constantly evolving to support this demand. Working in this field, I feel the same excitement I felt as a teenager, but with a much deeper understanding of its significance. The capital market in Saudi Arabia has come a long way, and I’m grateful to play a role in it. As we look to the future, I’m inspired by the potential that lies ahead and the opportunity to keep learning and contributing to an industry that has grown alongside me.