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Saudi Arabia · GCC Market Entry

A structured route
to the Saudi market.

Advisory for international businesses entering Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf.

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Dubai · Riyadh
Operating across Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf
Engagements acrossNew York, Miami, London, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta
Who we are

Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf represent a significant commercial opportunity for international businesses. Turning that opportunity into a productive outcome, however, requires more than market demand.

Ascentis combines senior regional relationships with international commercial experience, helping clients approach the market properly prepared, positioned and connected.

We work alongside clients so the right conversations begin with commercial relevance and continue with disciplined follow-through.

01

Relationship capital built over decades.

02

Direct experience with Saudi merchant families and family offices.

03

International commercial judgement combined with regional understanding.

04

Continued involvement beyond the initial introduction.

The commercial reality

Saudi Arabia rewards those who arrive prepared.

The cost of poor market entry is measured in lost time, misallocated capital and damaged credibility.

The Ascentis Difference

A more direct route to the people who can move an opportunity forward.

International companies can spend months moving through advisers, intermediaries and exploratory meetings, often making repeated visits before reaching someone with the authority to progress the opportunity.

Ascentis creates a more focused route. We assess and position the proposition, identify where genuine authority sits, and work to establish the right conversation at the right level.

The conventional route.

  1. International company
  2. AdviserRepeated visits
  3. IntroducerInconclusive meetings
  4. ConsultantAdditional cost
  5. Local contactLost momentum
  6. ManagementUnclear authority
  7. Decision-maker

The Ascentis route.

  1. Assess
  2. Position
  3. Senior engagement
  4. Commercial progress
Owner · Shareholder · Chair · Chief Executive · Senior principal

A more direct route does not mean bypassing preparation. It means ensuring that preparation leads to the right conversation.

Senior engagement

Reach the people who can move an opportunity forward.

We work to take clients as close as possible to the ultimate decision-maker, whether that is the owner, shareholder, chair, chief executive or another senior principal with genuine authority.

The right conversation. At the right level. With the right context.

Less wasted time and cost

Spend less time pursuing meetings that cannot progress.

We assess the opportunity, counterparties and likely route forward before encouraging clients to commit significant time and resources.

Fewer wasted journeys. Better-prepared conversations.

A coordinated route to execution

Build the support required to execute.

As opportunities develop, clients may require legal, tax, regulatory or corporate-structuring advice, an operating partner, a specialist vendor, local capability or access to appropriate capital. Ascentis introduces trusted independent specialists and remains involved to coordinate the relevant support around the opportunity.

Senior access is the beginning, not the end of the mandate.

Legal, tax, regulatory, financial and other specialist advice is provided by trusted, appropriately qualified independent advisers. Ascentis helps identify and coordinate relevant support but does not provide regulated professional advice.

How Ascentis works

Four stages. One continuous involvement.

  1. Understand

    We assess the proposition, objectives, readiness and likely reception within Saudi Arabia or the wider Gulf.

  2. Position

    We shape the market-specific narrative, stakeholder thesis and commercially credible route forward.

  3. Connect

    Where the client is ready, we facilitate carefully considered engagement with relevant counterparties and decision-makers.

  4. Execute

    We support preparation, follow-up, negotiation and the practical steps required to maintain progress.

What we do

Focused support from market entry to execution.

  1. Saudi and GCC Market Entry

    Assessing market readiness, commercial positioning, relevant sectors and the practical route required to establish a credible regional presence.

  2. Partner Identification and Relationship Strategy

    Defining the appropriate partner profile, developing the engagement strategy and supporting relationships from initial approach through negotiation and follow-through.

  3. Strategic Access and Business Development

    Preparing clients for senior engagement with merchant families, private groups, institutions and relevant strategic counterparties.

  4. Bilateral Opportunity Development

    Supporting international businesses entering the Gulf and Gulf-based principals engaging with opportunities, technologies and partners in international markets.

We work selectively with established businesses, investors, founders and principals where there is a credible proposition, strategic relevance and clear potential for commercial alignment.

Current themesTechnology and AI · Infrastructure · Consumer and hospitality · Advanced mobility · Industrial and logistics · Healthcare

Access
becomes alignment.

Alignment
becomes execution.

Selected Engagements

From introduction
to execution.

Technology and infrastructure

Connecting international technology with regional scale

Ascentis sourced and introduced an international technology business to a major Saudi group, creating the foundations for a potential Saudi and regional partnership across leading-edge automated vehicle-care and related infrastructure technologies.

We coordinated the initial discussions, facilitated working sessions in Jeddah and Riyadh, and helped move the opportunity towards formal commercial structuring. We continue to play an active role in driving the project forward.

Automated vehicle-care technology in a modern facility
Consumer and hospitality

Activating longstanding international relationships

Through a longstanding senior relationship, Ascentis secured direct engagement with the international leadership of a major Asian consumer brand and introduced the business to a prominent Saudi group exploring a scaled regional proposition.

We convened the initial discussions and helped develop the opportunity into a structured commercial dialogue.

Senior figures in conversation in a contemporary architectural setting
International business development

Market access delivered on the ground

Ascentis designed, arranged and accompanied a multi-city China business-development programme for representatives of a major Saudi group.

The programme combined carefully selected meetings, factory and office visits, introductions ranging from chief executives and board members through to shareholders and investors, travel coordination and structured follow-up, turning international interest into direct engagement with credible prospective partners.

Business travellers on a modern high-speed rail platform

Engagements are anonymised. Further detail is available in conversation, subject to client confidentiality.

Bilateral opportunity

Two directions. One alignment.

Ascentis develops bilateral opportunities between Saudi Arabia, the wider Gulf and selected international markets, connecting businesses, investors and senior decision-makers around commercially credible partnerships.

We support international businesses entering the Gulf and Gulf-based principals engaging with technologies, brands, investments and strategic partners overseas.

Commercial alignment

Relevant opportunity Appropriate counterparty Senior engagement Structured follow-through
Into the Gulf

International capability connected with Gulf opportunity.

We support established international businesses evaluating Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf, from initial assessment and market positioning through to engagement with relevant senior counterparties.

Market readiness, relevant counterparties, senior engagement, local partnerships, commercial structuring and continued execution support.

Out of the Gulf

Gulf ambition connected with international capability.

We work with Saudi and Gulf-based principals seeking technologies, brands, investments and strategic partners internationally, helping originate opportunities and convert international interest into structured commercial engagement.

Technology sourcing, brand and franchise opportunities, strategic partnerships, international investment, factory and management visits, joint-venture development and structured follow-through.

Bilateral work in practice

From international search to senior engagement on the ground.

Ascentis designed, arranged and accompanied a multi-city China business-development programme for representatives of a major Saudi group.

The programme combined selected management meetings, factory and office visits, senior introductions, travel coordination and structured follow-through, turning international interest into direct engagement with credible prospective partners.

View the engagement

Opportunity moves in both directions. Ascentis helps create the alignment required to move it forward.

Founders
Owen Dayson, Co-Founder of Ascentis Advisory

Owen Dayson

Co-Founder · Dubai and Saudi Arabia

Owen brings more than 20 years of experience in private banking and wealth management, with a career spanning London, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf. During his time at HSBC Private Bank, Barclays Private Bank and EFG Private Bank, he was based in London and also lived in Hong Kong, where he covered South East Asia alongside his longstanding focus on Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.

Over the course of his career, Owen built trusted relationships with leading Saudi merchant families, family offices and senior business figures, giving him a deep understanding of the commercial and cultural dynamics that shape successful business in the Kingdom. He has advised on significant wealth management matters and complex cross-border strategic issues, combining international perspective with practical regional insight.

As co-founder of Ascentis, Owen now helps international businesses navigate the Saudi market with greater clarity, credibility and precision. He combines deep regional knowledge, trusted access and strong commercial judgement to help clients identify the right opportunities and build the relationships that matter.

Johnathan Prescott (JP), Co-Founder of Ascentis Advisory

Johnathan Prescott (JP)

Co-Founder · Dubai and Saudi Arabia

JP brings more than 30 years of commercial experience in international business development with a track record spanning the U.K, the U.S, China, Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf. Over the course of his career, he has worked across multiple sectors in complex deal environments, building a strong reputation for identifying opportunities, structuring partnerships and helping businesses execute growth in new markets.

JP has worked extensively in property, construction, off-site manufacturing and strategic business development, alongside many years spent brokering and developing international commercial relationships in the sports, media, tech and aviation industries. Through this work, he has built a significant network of senior contacts across these sectors, giving him broad international reach and a practical understanding of how to move opportunities forward.

For the past several years, JP’s focus has been centred on Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East, where he has helped facilitate bespoke joint venture partnerships and strategic alliances for clients looking to expand in the region. As co-founder of Ascentis, he brings strong commercial instinct, international deal experience and an execution-focused approach that helps clients turn market-entry discussions into practical outcomes.

Together, Owen and JP combine Saudi relationship capital, international commercial experience and practical execution capability across a wide range of sectors and markets.

Contact

Start a conversation.

If Saudi Arabia or the wider Gulf is relevant to what you are working on, we would welcome a conversation.

Email Ascentis Advisory