ZainTECH marks its official launch in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at LEAP 2024

• In presence of Raed I. Al-Fayez, Deputy Governor for Information Technology & Emerging Technologies who welcomed ZainTECH’s future role in the Kingdom’s digital transformation
• Bader Al-Kharafi: “ZainTECH’s entry into the Kingdom is a significant milestone supporting Vision 2030 and reinforcing its position as a leading regional enterprise solutions provider”
• Announces intention to open regional HQ in Riyadh to better serve expanding client base
• Showcases its extensive portfolio of ICT digital transformation solutions at LEAP 2024 under theme of ‘Think Tomorrow, Today’

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Zain Group, a leading provider of innovative technologies and digital lifestyle communications operating in eight markets across the Middle East and Africa, announces ZainTECH, its integrated digital solutions arm, has officially opened its offices in Riyadh offering an extensive portfolio of ICT transformational solutions to enterprises and governments.

The official launch and opening of its Riyadh offices powered by over 100 plus local-based talented ICT professions was marked by ZainTECH’s inaugural participation at LEAP 2024, under the theme ‘Think Tomorrow, Today’, currently taking place in Saudi Arabia, 4-7 March. The announcement was held in the presence of Raed Al-Fayez, Deputy Governor for the Information Technology and Emerging Technologies and a delegation from the Communications, Space and Technology Commission following the earlier visit of Bader Al Kharafi, Vice-Chairman and Group CEO of Zain, and Vice Chairman of Zain KSA who met with Andrew Hanna, ZainTECH CEO and his senior management team.

ZainTECH currently serves over 150 enterprises in the Kingdom through its recent acquisitions of BIOS Middle East and STS Arabia, now having 800 plus regionally based ICT professionals that serve over 1400 regional enterprises. This expansion of offices and aggressive investment plan in technology and expansion plans to recruit local Saudi talent confirms the company’s commitment to the burgeoning KSA enterprise and government sector KSA. The company intends to solidify its strategic presence by the consolidation of a regional office in KSA in the near future.

ZainTECH took the opportunity to showcase its expanding portfolio of products and solutions, which extend to cloud, cybersecurity, big data, Ai, drones and robotics, and modern infrastructure and digital solutions, and other emerging technologies, all of which will be aptly served and available on-the-ground in Saudi Arabia, following the office opening.

According to International Data Corporation (IDC), ICT spending in the Kingdom exceeded US$34.5 billion in 2023, with the global technology research, consulting, and events firm predicting particularly strong compound annual growth rates for software (11.4%) and IT services (8.7%) over the 2022–2026 period, making Saudi a key ICT market to be present in.

During his visit to the ZainTECH stand, the Deputy Governor, Mr Raed Fayez, welcomed ZainTECH’s launch and intention to open a regional headquarters in the Kingdom. He also met with the senior ZainTECH management team, where he reiterated the Kingdom’s keenness in attracting leading technology companies so as to accelerate the digital transformation of institutions in the Kingdom.

Bader Al-Kharafi commented, “ZainTECH’s formal entry into the Kingdom is a significant milestone in support of Vision 2030 and reinforces the company’s unique position as a leading enterprise solutions provider across the Middle East. The opening of ZainTECH offices in Riyadh, complementing and supporting our Zain Saudi Arabia operation, reflects Zain Group’s huge financial commitment to develop technologies, platforms and local talent that become fully embedded in the Kingdom, and provide the most compelling enterprise services available anywhere in the world.”

Andrew Hanna said, “Our office opening in Riyadh and presence at LEAP 2024 builds on the fantastic momentum we have gained regionally over the past 3 years. The massive digital transformation programs underway in the Kingdom have been well-documented, and we are actively engaging in these momentous developments and supporting enterprises as they look to monetize their data assets and accelerate the time-to-value of their technology investments.”

Hanna continued, “We are a dynamic digital native company, with our parent Zain having a long successful experience in the region and the Saudi market, which we will leverage and harness, working closely with all Zain operations and their respective B2B teams. Our intentions of consolidating a regional head office in the Kingdom represents our confidence in the market and underpins our determination to have a strong physical presence near to our customers as we are doing across other markets.”

Zain is one of the most progressive environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-focused organizations in the region, and ZainTECH’s stand at LEAP reflected this. The eco-friendly vibrant stand was built utilizing recycled material and designed for reuse, with energy efficient-screens and lighting, aligning with the company’s commitment to sustainability principles.

Emerging technologies being deployed by ZainTECH, such as big data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI), are being embraced at great pace by organizations in Saudi Arabia and across the region, improving efficiencies and helping drive sustainability and net-zero objectives across industries. This trend has been identified by ZainTECH and forms part of its leading service delivery proposition.