Riyadh- 
VOX Cinemas, the dedicated cinema arm of Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, recently welcomed Ms Esra Assery, Chief Executive Officer of the General Commission for Audiovisual Media (GCAM) to its Training Academy located at the Majid Al Futtaim Headquarters in Riyadh.
The VOX Cinemas Training Academy was established to provide Saudi talent and college graduates with the requisite skills, knowledge and capabilities to meet the demands of the workplace and enjoy a successful career in the cinema industry. As part of the work readiness programme, trainees gain first-hand experience and receive training from certified experts over the course of 45 days in a variety of areas including soft skills, technical skills and health and safety. Since it was launched in January, more than 150 employees have been trained and successfully placed in multiple cinema sites across the Kingdom. The Training Academy is aligned with VOX Cinemas’ continuous efforts to contribute to the local economy and commitment to realise the goals of Vision 2030 with the aim of having Saudi talent leading the industry, and the company is targeting training 1,200 Saudi Nationals annually at the facility.
Mohamed Al Hashemi, Country Head, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Majid Al Futtaim Leisure, Entertainment & Cinemas said, “VOX Cinemas is committed to realising GCAM’s goals for the development of a vibrant cinema industry, as demonstrated by our ambitious expansion plans, and we were honoured to welcome Esra Assery to our Training Academy. The rapid expansion of the entertainment sector is creating exciting employment opportunities for young Saudis and it is essential that we support and nurture local talent. At Majid Al Futtaim, we are committed to talentism and investing in our people. Our Saudi team members are our greatest asset and our company’s future success is dependent on their professional development. The Training Academy equips staff with the necessary knowledge and skills required to thrive in the workforce and deliver great moments to every guest at VOX Cinemas. We greatly appreciate the support that GCAM has extended to Majid Al Futtaim, and look forward to working closely with Ms Esra and her team, to showcase the global talents of our Saudi Arabian team.”
Esra Assery, Chief Executive Officer of General Commission for Audiovisual Media added, “I have been hugely impressed by what I have seen here today at the VOX Cinemas Training Academy. To realise the aspirations of Vision 2030, it is absolutely vital that we continue to grow the nation’s skills and, the Training Academy is nurturing a new generation of talent to ensure that we have a workforce that is fit for the future.”
VOX Cinemas in Saudi Arabia currently has a total 124 screens across 11 movie theatres in four cities, making it the largest exhibitor by screen count, admissions and market share and the largest independent distributor in the Kingdom. In 2020, VOX Cinemas was awarded ComScore’s Highest Grossing Exhibitor of the Year in the Middle East at the 2020 META Cinema Forum and MENALAC’s ‘Best Cinema Experience’.
