Execution-Ready Strategy. Global Best Practices. Built to Run the Business. Platform01 Consulting Group builds execution-ready business plans, growth strategies, and strategic options analyses, grounded in global best practices, calibrated to the Saudi market, and designed to serve as a working blueprint for management from day one.
A business plan is only as valuable as what happens after it is written. The most common failure of business planning is not analytical, it is the gap between a well-packaged document and a strategy that management can actually navigate by. Plans that live in drawers do not build businesses.
At Platform01 Consulting Group, we build business plans, growth strategies, and strategic options analyses that are designed from the outset to function as management tools. Every document we produce is grounded in globally recognized strategic frameworks, calibrated to the Saudi market and its institutional landscape, and structured so that the management team can move from strategy to execution, with clear objectives, measurable KPIs, phased milestones, and a financial model built for ongoing monitoring rather than one-time presentation.
This is the standard that the world's leading advisory firms apply. It is the standard Platform01 brings to every engagement in Saudi Arabia and the GCC.
These three services are related but distinct. Understanding the difference determines what you need and what your audience will expect.
SERVICE 01 Business Plan Defines what a business is, how it operates, and why it is a viable proposition. The standard deliverable for bank financing, investor presentations, government programs, and new ventures. Built as a management blueprint - not just a financing document. | SERVICE 02 Growth Strategy For established businesses defining how they will scale: in revenue, geography, product, or market share. Provides strategic direction, prioritized growth options, and an execution roadmap management can act on immediately. | SERVICE 03 Strategic Options Analysis A structured evaluation of multiple strategic paths at a major inflection point: merger, acquisition, restructuring, or capital raise. Each option assessed against consistent financial and strategic criteria for board and investor decision-making. |
The difference between a business plan that gathers dust and one that drives a business forward is the quality of the strategic thinking embedded in it. Platform01 applies the same analytical frameworks used by McKinsey, BCG, Bain, and the world's leading investment banks - selected and adapted to the specific context of each engagement. This is not a checklist exercise. It is applied strategic thinking.
McKinsey Three Horizons Used in: Growth Strategy Structures growth initiatives across immediate performance, emerging opportunities, and long-term bets - ensuring the strategy addresses current profitability and future positioning simultaneously. | Balanced Scorecard (BSC) Used in: Business Plans · Growth Strategy Translates strategic objectives into measurable KPIs across financial, customer, internal process, and learning dimensions - giving management a framework to track execution, not just outputs. | OKR Framework Used in: Business Plans · Growth Strategy Objectives and Key Results - the goal-setting system used by Google and Intel - embedded directly into milestones so management has quarterly accountability built in from day one. |
Porter's Five Forces & Value Chain Used in: All Strategy Documents The gold standard for competitive analysis. Identifies structural threats and internal value-creation opportunities, ensuring strategy is built on a clear-eyed view of the competitive environment. | Business Model Canvas (BMC) Used in: Business Plans · New Ventures Maps the nine building blocks of the business model - value proposition, customer segments, channels, revenue streams, and cost structure - into a single integrated view management can test and iterate. | Scenario Planning & Sensitivity Analysis Used in: Financial Modelling · Strategic Options The approach used by Shell and leading investment banks to stress-test strategy against multiple futures. Base, upside, and downside scenarios so management understands boundaries before committing capital. |
From strategy to execution: Every Platform01 business plan is designed as a working management blueprint, not a document produced for a single financing event. Strategic objectives are linked to KPIs. KPIs are linked to milestones. Milestones are linked to a financial model built for ongoing monitoring. Management can open the document on day one and know exactly what they are accountable for and how performance will be measured. |
A business plan prepared to global best practice standards is a substantially more rigorous document than the templates commonly circulated in the market. Below is the architecture Platform01 applies, adapted to the specific audience, sector, and strategic context of each engagement.
The executive summary is the most read section of any business plan and the least well executed by most consultants. It is not a table of contents in prose. It is a standalone persuasion document, communicating the business's core value proposition, the size of the opportunity, the credibility of the team, the capital requirement, and the return case in a format designed for a reader who may not go further. Platform01 writes executive summaries that stand on their own.
We size markets using a combination of top-down (TAM/SAM/SOM methodology) and bottom-up approaches, cross-validated against Saudi government statistical sources, sector databases, and where relevant, primary research. A market analysis that cannot be defended under investor questioning is not a market analysis, it is a liability.
Using Porter's Five Forces and direct competitor benchmarking, we map the competitive environment and identify the sustainable differentiation strategy available to the business. For Saudi market entrants, this includes specific analysis of local incumbents, import competition, and the regulatory advantages conferred by Vision 2030 localization programs. The output is a clear statement of competitive positioning, not a generic claim of being 'the best.'
We stress-test the business model using the Business Model Canvas, unit economics analysis, and pricing validation. For technology businesses, this means CAC/LTV modelling and cohort-based revenue analysis. For capital-intensive businesses, it means contribution margin analysis and cash conversion cycle optimization. The goal is a revenue architecture that management understands, can defend, and can execute against.
Strategy without operational grounding is aspiration, not planning. We develop operational plans that address organizational structure, key hiring milestones, process design, technology infrastructure, supply chain or service delivery model, and Saudization compliance, giving management a clear picture of what must be built and in what sequence.
This is where most business plans fail, and where Platform01 differentiates. We embed a phased implementation roadmap directly into the plan, with clearly defined milestones, owners, target dates, and measurable success indicators built on the OKR and Balanced Scorecard frameworks. The result is a document management can use to run a weekly executive review from launch.
Our CFA and FMVA-certified analysts build integrated financial models covering the full three-statement structure, P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow, over a five to ten year horizon, with monthly granularity for the first two years. The model includes investment cost build-up, revenue ramp assumptions, working capital dynamics, debt service, NPV, IRR, and payback period. It is built for ongoing monitoring: assumptions are clearly documented, key drivers are variable, and management can update actuals against the plan in real time.
Every business plan must present an honest account of the risks it faces and how management intends to address them. We build a structured risk register - categorized by strategic, operational, financial, regulatory, and market risk - with probability and impact scoring, and specific mitigation strategies for each identified risk. This section alone significantly elevates the credibility of a plan with sophisticated investors and credit committees.
Market & Competitive TAM/SAM/SOM sizing, Porter's Five Forces, competitor benchmarking, positioning strategy. | Business Model BMC, unit economics, pricing validation, revenue architecture, CAC/LTV where applicable. | Operations & KPIs Org design, milestones, OKR framework, Balanced Scorecard, Saudization planning. | Financial Model 3-statement model, 5-year horizon, monthly granularity, NPV/IRR, monitoring-ready. |
For established businesses, a growth strategy is a more advanced and targeted document than a business plan. It assumes the business already operates - and focuses entirely on defining the highest-value path to the next stage of scale.
Platform01 growth strategies apply McKinsey's Three Horizons framework to distinguish between short-term performance optimization, medium-term expansion opportunities, and long-term strategic bets - ensuring the strategy allocates management attention and capital to the right priorities at the right time. We layer this with a rigorous strategic options assessment: what are all the plausible growth paths, what are their financial implications and execution requirements, and which is the optimal sequence given the business's current resources and competitive position?
The output is not a vision statement with supporting slides. It is a prioritized, financially modelled growth roadmap with a 90-day quick-win plan, annual milestone framework, KPI dashboard, and capital allocation recommendation - the document a CEO uses to run the business, not present it.
When a business faces a consequential decision - whether to acquire, divest, restructure, enter a new market, raise capital, or accept a partnership - the quality of the analysis underpinning that decision determines the quality of the outcome. A strategic options analysis is the formal document that boards, ownership groups, and investment committees require before committing to a direction.
Platform01 conducts strategic options analyses using a structured comparative framework: each option is defined clearly, assessed against consistent financial criteria (NPV, IRR, risk-adjusted return), evaluated for operational and organizational feasibility, and stress-tested through scenario analysis. The document concludes with a ranked assessment and a recommended decision pathway, supported by the analysis, not substituting for it. The goal is to give the decision-maker everything they need to act with confidence.
A business plan in Saudi Arabia must simultaneously function as a management tool and satisfy the documentation requirements of the institution or program it is submitted to. Platform01 is fluent in both. The following are the primary Saudi institutions and programs for which we regularly prepare business plan documentation.
SME Bank |
SME Bank provides direct financing to enterprises across the full-size spectrum. Larger loan applications are typically supported by a business plan that presents the commercial case, operational model, financial projections, and management capability in structured form. Platform01 prepares SME Bank business plans that address credit committee requirements while remaining fully functional as internal management documents. SME Bank's product range and submission requirements are published at smebank.gov.sa. Requirements vary by loan product and enterprise size. |
Kafalah Program |
The Kafalah program enables SMEs to access bank financing through a government-backed guarantee. A well-prepared business plan structured around the business's commercial fundamentals, financial sustainability, and management competence substantially strengthens the credit narrative and reduces the perceived risk that determines guarantee eligibility. Kafalah requirements are administered through participating banks. Consult your bank or visit kafalah.com for current program details. |
Monsha'at - General Authority for SMEs |
Monsha'at manages access to Saudi Arabia's broadest ecosystem of SME financing programs, incubators, and accelerators. Most programs require a business plan as a prerequisite for application. Platform01 prepares business plans aligned with Monsha'at's program criteria, ensuring businesses present their fundamentals clearly and credibly to program evaluators. Visit monshaat.gov.sa for the current portfolio of programs and their respective documentation requirements. |
Shareek Program |
The Shareek Program facilitates investment partnerships between the Saudi government and major companies committing to substantial, long-term investment in the Kingdom. Participating companies are expected to present a credible strategic plan demonstrating commitment to the Saudi market, employment creation, and sector development. Platform01 prepares Shareek-level strategic documentation to the standard expected by senior government and institutional decision-makers. Visit shareek.gov.sa for current program criteria and application requirements. |
MISA - Regional Headquarters (RHQ) Program |
Companies seeking to establish their Regional Headquarters in Saudi Arabia and qualify for MISA's RHQ incentive program are required to submit a business plan demonstrating genuine operational commitment to the Kingdom - covering regional scope, planned local employment, and a credible operating model. Platform01 prepares RHQ business plans structured specifically to address MISA's designation criteria. MISA's RHQ program requirements are available at misa.gov.sa. Always verify current criteria directly with MISA before submitting. |
Service | Who It Serves | Primary Use | Typical Context |
Business Plan | Startups, SMEs, growth-stage | Management Blueprint + Financing | All sectors / DFIs / investors |
Growth Strategy | Established businesses scaling | Executive Roadmap | Expansion financing / board use |
Strategic Options Analysis | Businesses at inflection points | Board Decision Support | M&A, restructuring, capital raises |
Market Entry Strategy | International investors in KSA | Market Entry Blueprint | MISA, Shareek, RHQ |
Investor Pitch Deck | Seed-to-growth fundraising | Supporting Deliverable | Venture capital / private equity |
Corporate Strategy | Large corporates, family businesses | Long-Range Strategic Plan | Board-level / Vision 2030 |
Disclaimer: Institutional requirements, program eligibility criteria, and submission standards are subject to change. Always verify current requirements directly with the relevant institution or program authority before submitting an application. |
Platform01 prepares business plans, growth strategies, and strategic options analyses across all major sectors in Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC. Each sector requires its own analytical approach - the frameworks are global; the market intelligence is local.
Technology & SaaS Startups, scale-ups, digital services | Healthcare & Life Sciences Private hospitals, clinics, pharma, medtech | Tourism & Hospitality Hotels, resorts, entertainment, F&B | Real Estate & Development Residential, commercial, mixed-use |
Manufacturing & Industry SIDF, SIP, Shareek-facing projects | Agriculture & Food Security ADF, food security, agri-tech | Logistics & Infrastructure 3PL, cold chain, MODON, MAWANI | Professional Services Consulting, legal, financial advisory |
Platform01 follows a structured engagement process designed to ensure that every deliverable is analytically rigorous, strategically sound, and practically executable from the day it is handed over.
1 | Scope and Audience Mapping We begin by understanding the business, its stage, and the primary audience for the document - whether that is a bank's credit committee, a board, a private equity investor, or the management team itself. Format, depth, and emphasis are calibrated accordingly. |
2 | Market Research and Competitive Intelligence We conduct primary and secondary research using commercial databases, sector intelligence, and Saudi government statistical sources. Market sizing uses TAM/SAM/SOM methodology and is cross-validated. Competitive analysis applies Porter's Five Forces and direct benchmarking. |
3 | Strategic Framework Application We select and apply the most relevant global frameworks to the business's specific context - Three Horizons for growth, Business Model Canvas for venture design, Balanced Scorecard for performance management, or scenario planning for capital-allocation decisions. Frameworks serve the strategy; the strategy is not built to serve the framework. |
4 | Operational and Technical Information Documentation We work with the client's management team to document the operational model - organizational structure, processes, capacity, technology infrastructure, and Saudization plans. Where specialist technical inputs are required, we advise on that at the outset and structure the contribution accordingly. |
5 | CFA-Grade Financial Modelling Our CFA and FMVA-certified analysts build fully integrated three-statement financial models with monthly granularity for years one and two, annual projections to year five, NPV and IRR analysis, and scenario modelling. The model is built for ongoing monitoring: assumptions are documented, drivers are variable, and management can update actuals in real time. |
6 | Implementation Roadmap and KPI Framework We embed a phased implementation roadmap with OKR-structured milestones, a Balanced Scorecard KPI framework, and a risk register with mitigation plans directly into the document. This is what makes a Platform01 business plan a management tool rather than a financing artefact. |
7 | Delivery, Briefing, and Ongoing Support We deliver the complete document, brief the management team in depth, and remain available throughout any review, due diligence, or board approval process. The engagement does not end at submission. |
Platform01 Consulting Group is a management consultancy serving investors, developers, entrepreneurs, family businesses, and corporates who need their strategic documents to hold up under the most demanding scrutiny - and then actually guide the business once capital is deployed.
Our work has been recognized by two independent bodies, Consultancy Middle East and the Global Project Management Group (GPMG) in the United Kingdom, across eleven award categories spanning corporate finance, M&A, strategy, management consulting, restructuring, and sector-specific excellence.
CONSULTANCY MIDDLE EAST (9 AWARDS) • Corporate Finance - Gold Category • M&A - Gold Category • Industrial - Gold Category • Strategy - Silver Category • Management Consulting - Silver Category • Restructuring - Silver Category • Healthcare, Real Estate & AI - Silver Categories | GPMG UK (2 AWARDS) • Top M&A Boutique 2025 (M&A Today) • Top Strategist GCC - Industrials, Healthcare & Technology 2025 (The Strategist) |
Our team holds qualifications from the top five global business schools, including London Business School and Columbia Business School, alongside elite institutions such as McGill University, and carries active professional certifications representing the highest standards in finance, analysis, and strategic advisory.
Abbrev. | Qualification | Awarding Body |
CFA | Chartered Financial Analyst | CFA Institute |
FRM | Financial Risk Manager | GARP |
CIPM | Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement | CFA Institute |
FMVA | Financial Modelling & Valuation Analyst | CFI |
ACCA | Association of Chartered Certified Accountants | ACCA Global |
Our professionals have built their careers at some of the world's most demanding organizations: Fortune 500 corporations including General Electric (GE) and Baker Hughes, global financial institutions including British International Investment and Molten Ventures, and tier-1 advisory firms including KPMG and BDO. That experience is what makes the difference between a business plan that describes a strategy and one that actually directs a business.
Operating as Platform01 Consulting Arabia, the firm is a licensed management consulting entity within the Kingdom. Facilitated by a permanent, highly experienced on-ground team in Riyadh, Platform01 delivers market intelligence, regulatory awareness, and institutional relationship depth that remote advisory models cannot replicate.
Documents prepared by Platform01 Consulting Arabia maintain an unblemished record with zero rejections from any global financial institution, local development bank, or sovereign fund on grounds of analytical quality or structural integrity. This reflects the rigor we bring to every engagement.
• Execution-ready deliverables - every business plan includes an OKR milestone framework, Balanced Scorecard KPI dashboard, and a financial model built for ongoing management monitoring.
• Global frameworks, locally calibrated - McKinsey Three Horizons, Porter's Five Forces, BMC, Balanced Scorecard, and scenario planning applied to the Saudi market context.
• 11 industry awards - from Consultancy Middle East (9) and GPMG UK (2), spanning corporate finance, M&A, strategy, management consulting, industrials, healthcare, real estate, and AI.
• Top 5 business school alumni - London Business School, Columbia Business School, and McGill University, with qualifications spanning CFA, FRM, CIPM, FMVA, and ACCA
• Fortune 500 and global financial institution experience - GE, Baker Hughes, British International Investment, Molten Ventures, KPMG, BDO
• Locally licensed and on-ground in Riyadh - real-time regulatory awareness and Saudi market intelligence embedded in every deliverable.
• Unblemished institutional track record - zero rejections from any global financial institution, development bank, or sovereign fund on analytical or structural grounds
• Deep familiarity with Saudi program requirements - SME Bank, Kafalah, Monsha'at, Shareek, MISA RHQ, and Vision 2030 program documentation
• CFA and FMVA-grade financial modelling - with full audit trails, documented assumptions, and monitoring-ready structure
• Arabic and English bilingual deliverables - where required.
A business plan defines what a business is and makes the case for its viability, used for bank loans, investor presentations, and new ventures. A growth strategy is for an established business and defines how it will expand, combining strategic direction with an execution roadmap. A strategic options analysis evaluates multiple strategic paths at a major inflection point such as merger, restructuring, or capital raise, giving management and boards a rigorous framework for the best decision. Platform01 advises clients on which deliverable best fits their situation.
Platform01 applies globally recognized strategic frameworks tailored to each engagement - including McKinsey's Three Horizons for growth planning, the Balanced Scorecard for KPI and performance monitoring, Porter's Five Forces and Value Chain for competitive analysis, the Business Model Canvas for venture design, OKR frameworks for milestone accountability, and scenario planning methodologies used by leading global advisory firms.
An implementation-ready business plan goes beyond analysis to give management a clear operating blueprint: defined strategic objectives linked to measurable KPIs, a phased milestone roadmap built on the OKR framework, a financial model with real-time monitoring indicators, and a risk register with mitigation plans. Platform01 designs every business plan so that the management team can move from document to execution without further translation.
SME Bank generally requires a business plan or feasibility study for larger loan applications. For Kafalah, documentation requirements are set by each participating bank, but a well-prepared business plan substantially strengthens any application. Platform01 prepares business plans structured for Saudi DFI and bank credit requirements while remaining fully functional as internal management tools. Always verify current requirements directly with the relevant institution.
A business plan for MISA's Regional Headquarters program must demonstrate genuine business activity in Saudi Arabia, regional operational scope, a credible plan for local employment and economic contribution, and alignment with MISA's designation criteria. Platform01 prepares RHQ business plans structured to address these requirements. Current criteria should be verified directly with MISA at misa.gov.sa.
Yes. International companies seeking MISA licenses, RHQ designation, Shareek participation, or financing from Saudi institutions require business plans tailored to the Saudi institutional and regulatory context. Platform01 advises both local and international clients on market entry planning and prepares documentation that establishes credibility with Saudi authorities, financial institutions, and commercial counterparties.
A standard business plan engagement typically runs six to eight weeks. A growth strategy or strategic options analysis requires eight to ten weeks depending on complexity. Where timelines are compressed due to a submission deadline or investment process, we discuss what is achievable without compromising quality.
Platform01 combines globally recognized strategic frameworks with on-ground Saudi market expertise to produce business plans that function as genuine management tools - not just financing documents. Our team holds qualifications from top 5 global business schools including London Business School and Columbia Business School, with CFA, FRM, CIPM, FMVA, and ACCA credentials. We have 11 industry awards, are locally licensed in Riyadh, and have career experience at GE, Baker Hughes, British International Investment, KPMG, and BDO.
The best business plan is not the most beautifully formatted one. It is the one that the management team actually uses - to make hiring decisions, allocate capital, assess performance against milestones, and course-correct when the market behaves differently from the plan. That is the standard Platform01 set for every engagement.
Saudi Arabia's private sector is maturing rapidly. The investors, lenders, and boards evaluating business plans and growth strategies are more sophisticated than at any previous point. They have seen enough generic documents to recognize immediately when a business plan has been built around a framework rather than around the business. The difference is the quality of the strategic thinking - and the experience of the team that applied it.
Platform01 Consulting Group brings globally recognized analytical frameworks, deep Saudi market expertise, and a team with careers built at Fortune 500 corporations, global financial institutions, and tier-1 advisory firms. The result is strategy documentation that holds up under scrutiny and keeps delivering value long after the financing is secured.
Disclaimer: This article is published for informational purposes. Institutional requirements, program terms, and eligibility criteria are subject to change. Always verify current requirements directly with the relevant institution or authority before submitting an application. Nothing in this article constitutes financial, legal, or investment advice.