Sunday, 5th April 2026
Khabor Wala Desk
Published: 3rd February 2026, 9:48 AM
Saudi Bank Implements Group-Wide HR Transformation with Caliber Consulting
A leading Saudi bank has successfully partnered with Caliber Consulting to implement a comprehensive, multi‑program initiative aimed at strengthening HR capabilities across the organisation. The project was designed to bolster HR’s capacity to support growth, governance, and workforce readiness, reinforcing the bank’s commitment to people development as a driver of long‑term performance.
The initiative convened HR leaders and professionals from the parent bank and its subsidiaries for a series of senior-level, in-person learning programmes at the bank’s Riyadh headquarters. These sessions were structured to promote cross-entity learning, unify HR practices, and embed a strategic, future-ready HR mindset throughout the organisation.
Strategic Objectives
As one of the GCC’s top five banks, the institution operates across multiple entities, markets, and regulatory environments. This scale introduces both opportunities and complexities, particularly in talent acquisition, workforce planning, organisational design, and total rewards. The bank engaged Caliber Consulting to deliver an end-to-end HR capability uplift, emphasising evidence-based practices and consistent approaches across the group.
“The scale and complexity of this initiative required a partner with proven HR expertise, practitioner credibility, and the ability to coordinate multiple senior-level programmes as a cohesive learning journey,” noted the bank’s HR leadership. Caliber Consulting met these requirements, differentiating itself from traditional training or advisory providers.
Programme Overview
The project comprised five distinct programmes delivered over November and December 2025, each targeting critical HR capabilities:
| Programme | Focus Area | Lead Facilitator | Key Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 & 2 | Competency-Based Interviewing | Dr. William Rothwell | Standardised, evidence-based hiring processes, reduced bias, enhanced quality of selection decisions |
| 3 | Strategic Workforce Planning | Senior CHRO | Forecasting future workforce needs, capability gap analysis, scenario planning for executive decision-making |
| 4 | Organisation Design | Rani Salman, Managing Partner | Fit-for-purpose structures, clarity on decision rights, spans of control, and operating model alignment |
| 5 | Total Rewards | Caliber Consulting HR Experts | Strategic reward frameworks, pay equity, market competitiveness, and retention strategies |
Impact and Legacy
The competency-based interviewing programmes, led by HR scholar Dr. William Rothwell, positioned talent selection as a strategic decision-making capability critical to organisational performance. Strategic workforce planning sessions enhanced HR’s credibility with senior leadership by linking workforce analytics to business priorities. Organisation design workshops provided repeatable frameworks for aligning structures with strategy, while total rewards programmes ensured compensation strategies supported retention, fairness, and long-term workforce sustainability.
All sessions were highly interactive and tailored to the Saudi banking context, fostering cross-entity collaboration and dialogue. The initiative significantly strengthened HR’s strategic role, improved alignment across the group, and underscored the institution’s commitment to cultivating a capable, future-ready workforce.
Through this project, the bank has positioned HR not merely as an administrative function but as a core enabler of organisational performance and strategic growth.
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