CEER works with more than 400 partners, targets 6,500 employees by 2034: CEO

Speaking during the global launch ceremony for CEER’s first vehicles, attended by Argaam, DeLuca said the company is investing in developing national talent through several initiatives, including the National Automotive and Vehicle Academy (NAVA). The initiative enables Saudi men and women to learn from global expertise and gain practical skills across various stages of the automotive value chain.

DeLuca emphasized that the company’s goal goes beyond manufacturing vehicles in the Kingdom, extending to empowering Saudi talent to lead the future of the sector over the coming decades.

He said CEER’s first vehicles were designed and engineered for manufacturing in the Kingdom, noting that their launch marks a step toward establishing an integrated national automotive industry and supporting Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification goals.

He added that CEER’s industrial complex in King Abdullah Economic City, along with the adjacent suppliers’ complex, provides a foundation for developing local manufacturing capabilities and building a specialized automotive supply chain in the Kingdom.

DeLuca noted that the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Foxconn, as shareholders in the company, have contributed to establishing and developing the project by combining national ambition with industrial expertise and a long-term commitment to building the automotive industry in the Kingdom.

He said building an integrated automotive sector requires cooperation among government and regulatory entities, industrial partners and suppliers, noting that the company is working with its local and global partners to develop an industrial ecosystem capable of supporting the sector’s long-term growth.

DeLuca explained that one of the key milestones in the company’s journey came during a board meeting to review vehicle designs, when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman directed the company not to simply emulate what global automakers offer, but to develop a different and distinctive design approach.

He added that these directives helped shape CEER’s design philosophy and supported the company’s focus on developing vehicles with a distinct identity rather than following prevailing trends in the global automotive industry.

DeLuca pointed out that the company aims to increase its workforce to around 6,500 employees by 2034, with Saudis accounting for around 80% of total employees, compared with more than 2,300 employees currently. The company started operations with a team of just 20 employees.

He added that the company aims to contribute more than SAR 30 billion to Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2034, while supporting the creation of around 30,000 direct and indirect jobs across the automotive sector and its related value chain.

DeLuca highlighted that the launch of the company’s first vehicles comes after years of work to develop engineering and manufacturing capabilities and build partnerships, noting that CEER aims to contribute to establishing a world-class automotive industry in the Kingdom.