But Çakmak was blunt about what the market demands of newcomers. “It requires much more extensive engagement and showing that you appreciate and understand the culture,” he said. “Thirty-five million local population is a very different engagement than any other country in the region. It’s not an expat mindset.”That ambition is backed by concrete institutional investments. The commission’s Saudi 100 Brands program, now in its fourth year, incubates more than 100 local labels annually. Istituto Marangoni ope ...