Good Practices and Innovations in Public Governance 2003-2011

2008 Category 2: Saudi Arabia
Lessons Learned
Building and operating SADAD was full of meaningful lessons and experiences, one of
the most important lessons was that an organisation, responsible for creating a complex
national infrastructure, that does not have proven internal capacities to do so, should always
seek outside help. In the case of SADAD, even though SAMA had developed a
major financial infrastructure in the past, this project was different as it involved all types
of industries. Thus, SAMA had to prepare detailed market studies that clearly identified
market needs; and it had to create financial and business models. SAMA had to obtain the
services of a top management consulting firm to help them to define the objectives and to
implement the system.
SAMA has learned that for any new system to be successful, sustainable, and efficient, it
has to be managed as a semi-autonomous or an independent agency, and have the ability
to hire talented professionals and retain them, as well as to approve spending for developing
its business initiatives with minimal bureaucracy and a clear governance structure.
Meaningful change does not come easily; the innovator needs to be patient yet consistent
and convincing so that all the parties may abandon their old way of doing business and
invest in a new system. In fact, the SADAD team had to develop a business plan and strategy
that ensured the cooperation of different parties. Another lesson is the importance of
adopting a top-bottom approach, especially if the concept represents a major shift in how
organisations do business. The SADAD team met with the top management of each major
organisation; presented the current issues about the billing market, and provided information
about the benefits, business plan, and timeline of the initiative. The team was always
well prepared for each meeting, which means that it did all the required research, conducted
all needed studies and calculations, and customized its presentation to fit the mindset
of that organisation.
Another lesson is that large complex projects like SADAD, with many different participants,
require a more structured project management approach, while an outsourcing arrangement
for its operation, with the right control and management, provided access to a
larger pool of talent from all over the world (SADAD employees represent 16 different
nationalities with heavy dependency on Saudi nationals) and reduced the risks of failure in
building and operating such projects.
Abandoning the traditional reliance on male employees and heavily relaying on female
employees was an additional important lesson, in that Saudi men realized that women are
as professional as their male counterparts, and can do a great job without compromising
traditional values.
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