Cloud boosts Saudi Arabias IT market to $5.44bln by 2021

RIYADH — As Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation advances Intelligent Enterprises, Smart Cities, and Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s IT market is set to top SR40 billion by 2021, industry experts announced Tuesday ahead of GITEX Technology Week.

Global technology company SAP says rapidly-digitizing verticals -- aviation, banking and finance, public sector, retail, and telco – are enabling organizations to optimize costs, efficiency, and digital business.

As a result, the Kingdom’s digital market is set to top SR40 billion by 2021, according to a recent report by BMI Research. Supporting regional digital transformation, SAP recently became the first multi-national enterprise application software company to go live on a Saudi cloud data center.

“The massive Middle East digital market shows that CEOs are early adopters in digital transformation on the cloud, for digital business models that can transform customer experiences,” said Ahmed Al-Faifi, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, SAP Middle East North. “GITEX is an ideal platform to emphasize the urgency that every Middle East industry vertical and line of business faces in moving to the cloud, in order to gain greater market share and business competitiveness.”

Supporting digital transformation of Saudi Arabia’s industry verticals and lines of business, at GITEX, SAP will exhibit under the theme “The Intelligent Enterprise,” with a central showcase of how the future of Smart Cities can reimagine daily lives in the Digital Economy. Visitors will be able to experience intelligent entertainment parks, blockchain for supply chain, smart sports, Intelligent Enterprises, and Future of Work.

Enterprises can be enabled by SAP’s Digital Hub in the Kingdom, which includes the data center, an open platform for local developers, a co-innovation center, and localization of SAP solutions. Already public and private sector customers, from small- and medium-sized enterprises to large enterprises, are running on the cloud data center. SAP expects to see further integration of innovations in artificial intelligence and machine learning, blockchain, Big Data, and the Internet of Things.

“Our Saudi cloud data center and Digital Hub are open to any global customer – enabling Intelligent Enterprises to integrate intelligent suites, digital platforms, and intelligent technologies,” said Khaled Alsaleh, Managing Director, SAP Saudi Arabia. “From digital oilfields to connected hospitals, the Intelligent Enterprises that will rise to the top are those that optimize artificial intelligence and machine learning, blockchain, and the Internet of Things to transform the economy, society, and environment.”

At GITEX, SAP will bolster its support for Saudi Vision 2030, with Khaled Alsaleh set to announce new research revealing how cloud serves as the foundation for Smart Cities and emerging technologies.

As part of its commitment to enabling Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation, SAP is delivering on its 4-year SAR 285 million investment plan. SAP co-innovates with digital leaders in the Kingdom, including the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) and the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA), along with ALJ Motors, Emdadat, and many more.

GITEX will be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre on October 14-18, 2018.