Jeddah’s Homegrown Festival highlights diverse local talent

RIYADH: Among the many foreign diplomats I have seen come and go in Riyadh, few stand out quite like Neil Crompton, who is leaving the Kingdom after having completed a little over five years as His Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Crompton is, in many ways, the quintessential British diplomat. That self-deprecating wit and sharp sense of humor are trademarks of Crompton’s personality, which he tends to reveal only after loosening his proverbial necktie.

Like many Britons I met during my near-decade in the UK, and describe in “Anecdotes of an Arab Anglophile” (an anthropological book I published last year about my observations of London), Crompton was hard to crack at first — reserved and diplomatic, as one would expect. 

But once the ice melted, I discovered a man of deep intellect, insight and genuine passion for the region.

Crompton began his journey with the UK Foreign Office in 1995, ascending through key posts before heading the Middle East desk in 2015. His appointment as ambassador to the Kingdom came in early 2020 — a pivotal time, not just for Saudi Arabia, but for the world.

Almost immediately after landing in Riyadh, Crompton — like the rest of the world — found himself in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“I have a very vivid memory of how professional and reassuring the Saudi government response was,” he told me. “The communication was very clear. You’ve got a good public health system.”

He added: “There was a very important decision by the government that everybody in the Kingdom would be treated the same regardless of nationality, which is very important. So we felt very reassured by that.”

When the dust of COVID finally settled, Crompton began to see the transformation Vision 2030 promised, not just on paper but in reality.

“I remember going to Riyadh Boulevard for the first time. And there was a polar bear dancing on the wall to the sound of, ‘I Like to Move, Move It,’” he laughed. “It’s just a nice atmosphere, families, grandpas, grandchildren, people out and about.”

But of course, the transformation of Saudi Arabia is not limited to opening up and allowing once forbidden forms of entertainment. “When I met lots of ministers, went to ministries, you could feel the change,” he said. “You went into ministries and you saw everyone working hard.

“People talked about KPIs. I don’t remember hearing the term KPIs 10 years ago. Maybe I was wrong, but everyone was very focused, friendly, and wanted to both advance the Saudi national agenda but work out how they could collaborate with us.

“So it was sort of a mix of social change and then sort of changing corporate ethos. Britons asked me about Vision 2030. I say Vision 2030 was a vision, but now it’s a plan, and it’s been executed and very successfully.”

During Crompton’s tenure, three British prime ministers visited the Kingdom — Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak and, most recently, Keir Starmer.

As ambassador, Crompton had numerous interactions with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. But the relationship goes back further. “The first time I met the crown prince was back in 2015,” Crompton said.

“He’s very dynamic, he’s on top of his brief. He’s always very positive about the relationship with the UK. I think he sort of talks about it as being a strategic partner, but also says, ‘you’ve been a historically reliable friend.’

“And so I think everyone always comes away fired up because he has so much energy and enthusiasm for what he’s talking about.”

The shared monarchical systems of both nations, according to Crompton, provide a foundation of mutual understanding and respect.

“I think there’s a sort of natural affinity between monarchies. We’re probably the minority in the world, but I think the royal families tend to know each other. And I think there’s a sort of familiarity.

“When Her Majesty the Queen passed, I was very touched by the messages I got from Saudis all over the Kingdom, just saying how sorry they were to see her pass.

“And connections between individual members of the royal families still go on. I know there’s constant messaging backwards and forwards, and that’s very positive.

“His Majesty King Charles, he’s a real expert on Saudi Arabia. I think he’s made six official visits. I just met him on a couple of occasions. But each time he’d talk about things he did in the past. You remember he gave a famous speech on Islam and the West. So he’s always very interested in interfaith dialogue.

“When Sheikh Mohammed Al-Issa (secretary general of the Makkah-based Muslim World League) visited London, he saw him and he talked about the work that Saudi Arabia was doing in those areas.

“But also, in the few minutes I had with him, he asked: ‘Tell me what’s going on at AlUla, tell me what’s going on at this.’ So I think there’s a sort of familiarity, and I hope to nurture that.”

But while royalty might be well-versed in the Kingdom’s transformation, are ordinary Britons keeping pace?

“I think it takes a long time to change perceptions. There’s always a time lag,” Crompton said by way of admission.

“Initially, the sort of scale of ambition when we talked about Vision 2030, people said, ‘really, can you do all that?’ And some people said, well, even if they do 70 percent of that, it would be impressive.

“And actually, my experience … probably 90 percent (can) be done. Saudi GDP has grown by over 70 percent since 2016. New sectors coming along.”

If there was one group that quickly closed that gap, however, it was the British business community.

“One of the highlights of my time here was the GREAT Futures trade event we did last year with the Saudi Ministry of Commerce,” said Crompton. “And for that, 450 British companies came.

“But 60 percent came for the first time, a lot from the creative industries and educational sectors who hadn’t been before. And I think they all came away and said, wow. And they met Saudis and established good contacts, and a lot of business and new relationships have flowed from that.”

And the numbers speak volumes. “Bilateral trade has gone up 70 percent since COVID,” Crompton told me. “Last year, I believe it was $17 billion each way. And we have a commitment … to try and get bilateral trade to $30 billion by 2030.

“$30 billion is a magic number. Which I personally think we’ll exceed. And I think investment flows each way have increased significantly. And I think in the last five years, we’ve invested $23 billion in the UK. There’s lots of Saudi private investment.”

One of Crompton’s proudest efforts has been pushing forward the UK-GCC free trade agreement.

“I think we’re very close,” he said. “The negotiations started under the Conservative government, and actually we got quite close, and then we had an election, which just slowed things a little bit.

“Free trade is important to the health of the world economy. I think it’s a political signal between the Gulf countries and the UK, a political commitment to growing the relationship.

“This would be one of our first free trade agreements with a developing group of economies. And in the GCC’s case it would be the first time you signed a free trade agreement with a G7 country. So I think that would be very important.

“But more importantly, it will reduce tariffs in a number of areas, reduce some of the barriers, or some of the regulatory or bureaucratic obstacles to growing the relationship, and it provides a platform for growing trade.”

He added: “I think it’s 90 percent done. Both sides agree that there’s a set of issues now that can only be resolved by ministers, because they involve political decisions and if you like, a natural bargain.”

Though the GREAT Futures Initiative Conference took place under a Conservative government, Crompton is confident the strong Saudi-UK relationship will continue under Labour. 

“They wanted to convey the message that the UK saw the Gulf as natural friends and important economic partners, and they wanted to maintain that relationship,” he said of the Labour government.

On the tourism front, Crompton highlighted the success of Saudi Arabia’s introduction of online visas — and he is glad that the UK managed to reciprocate shortly after. 

“The scheme went live in June 2022. Initially, you could only get a single entry visa, but now you can get a two-year visa. And our figures say close to 750,000 Saudis have applied for and used that scheme … I think we’re the only Western country that offers an online visa service.”

He added: “And more Britons than ever are coming here. (For) the pilgrimage, but (also) for business or for events. I think we’re the second highest number of visitors after the Chinese. There are many more Chinese people than Britons.

“It’s important to have a good government-to-government relationship with the people-to-people links that make friends.”

It is not just tourists heading to Saudi Arabia. Investments — and soft power — are also flowing in both directions. 

“There are important Saudi investments in northeast England,” Crompton said, with the flagship being the Public Investment Fund’s acquisition of Newcastle United.

“I have friends in the northeast who say the first thing they did was professionalize the women’s football team in Newcastle.”

He added: “I think people in the northeast say, well, this is really good. We want to do more with Saudi Arabia.”

One moment that truly embodied Saudi soft power for him? When the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir performed at the Royal Albert Hall in October 2024.

“I never forget they did Adele’s ‘Rolling in the Deep.’” he said. “They started (with) the men singing the Saudi traditional Saudi song. And then I remember when the lady came in and started singing, there were hairs standing up on the back of your neck. It was really impressive.”

The interview also touched on Saudi-UK defense cooperation, ongoing discussions about potential Saudi involvement in the Typhoon jet program, and the Kingdom’s emerging role in international mediation efforts.

Clips from these parts of the conversation are available on Arab News online.

As a parting gesture, I presented Crompton with a custom-made trophy resembling the front page of Arab News from 50 years ago — a small tribute to his time in the Kingdom.

True to form, he responded with classic British humor, presenting me with two ketchup sachets — a reference to a story from “Anecdotes of an Arab Anglophile” where I complained to the CEO of a major American fast food chain about not getting enough ketchup, which ultimately led to a change in company policy in the UK. 

In the book, I lamented — only somewhat jokingly — how I never received any recognition from the British government for my efforts to improve UK customer service. I should be careful what I wish for, as Crompton clearly saw fit to remedy that.

I had to laugh. As Neil Crompton leaves the Kingdom, he does so with several feathers in his cap — but perhaps most importantly — with genuine affection for a country that is changing faster than most could have imagined.

 

RIYADH: As Saudi Arabia continues to grow its presence in the global gaming and content creation industries, young talents are making their mark in unexpected ways.

One such creator is Pika Loli, a virtual YouTuber from Jeddah believed to be the first Arab VTuber to reach 1 million subscribers.

VTubers, or virtual YouTubers, use computer-generated avatars animated via real-time motion capture. The format, originally popularized in Japan, has steadily gained traction in other regions, including the Arab world.

Pika, whose animated persona debuted on YouTube in April 2021, first began experimenting with virtual content on Twitch in 2019.

She told Arab News that her growing audience encouraged her to take the leap to YouTube, where she now produces videos that blend Japanese gaming culture with Arab influences.

“I didn’t choose to be a VTuber to hide my identity. I see this creative format as a deeper way to express myself beyond my physical appearance,” she said. “My love for anime and video games inspired me to create a virtual character that allows me to engage with the world I adore.”

She describes her entry into the field as a response to what she saw as a gap in the regional content scene.

“I realized that Arab content lacked this kind of creativity and asked myself, ‘Why can’t I be the first?’” she said.

On her channel, Pika specializes in video games, particularly Japanese titles and virtual reality experiences, blending these interests with elements of Arab culture. This distinctive combination appeals to followers in the Arab world. 

In the first year of creating content on YouTube, she reached a significant milestone when she hit 100,000 subscribers and received YouTube’s Silver Play Button.

Now, with more than 1 million followers, her growing popularity over the years has inspired many, particularly those who may be hesitant to appear on camera.

“Don’t be afraid to try new things,” she said. “Whether it’s drawing, gaming, anime, or storytelling, you can start with just a small step. Success doesn’t require showing your face; what matters is your passion and determination.” 

Pika works independently and said she has turned down several “unserious” offers that did not align with her goals.

“My family supports me immensely, but I believe that maintaining privacy is crucial, especially in our communities. Being a YouTuber doesn’t diminish my pride; it’s part of my identity and expression,” she added.

Creating each video is a multi-day process, she said, and involves concept development, recording, identity, design, and publishing.

“I sometimes spend long hours on edits until I’m completely satisfied with the result,” she said, adding that she maintains a content creation schedule that balances her work and personal life.

“Consistency comes not from fleeting enthusiasm but from genuine love for what I do,” Pika said. “Knowing that someone is waiting for my content motivates me to keep going, and I’ve established a schedule that nurtures my mental well-being.” 

Part of her appeal comes from her distinct voice, which has been described by fans as “instantly recognizable” and reminiscent of anime characters. 

One personal moment she recalls fondly is receiving a voice message from an old school friend who said that her child was a fan of Pika’s videos.

“I was overjoyed and teary-eyed — not only because my video was on their TV, but because it reminded me of a past friendship,” she said. 

Pika sees her success as part of a broader movement in Saudi Arabia’s creative industries.

“This trend is something to be proud of. The Kingdom has not only kept pace with the world but has also become a leader in certain areas, with vast support, global competitions, and real investment in this field,” she said.

She acknowledged the effort of local institutions in supporting the next generation of content creators: “Organizations like the General Entertainment Authority and the Saudi Esports Federation are making clear efforts to support talent and provide training programs for global participation.”

While her journey as a VTuber has been defined by experimentation and persistence, Pika’s success underscores the rising influence of Saudi creatives on platforms once dominated by other regions.