We caught up with Mohamed Talaat, Vice President, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya and Levant (SELL) at Dell Technologies, who shared his thoughts about emerging technologies and how it will shape the Kingdom's digital future. 1. What are the top sectors driving transformation in Saudi Arabia? In Saudi Arabia, the healthcare, banking, telecom, education, retail, as well as the public sector have been quick to embrace digital initiatives. They have been staying ahead with disruptive and emerging technologies and understand its critical role in paving the way to economic recovery and growth. We have seen this in action over the last two years where, according to the Dell Technologies Digital Transformation Index study, 90 percent of organizations in Saudi Arabia fast-tracked at least, some of their digital transformation programs– accomplishing in a few months, what would normally have taken years. This is compared to the global benchmark of 80 percent, suggesting that organizations across the region have shifted their digital transformation programs into high gear. Technologies such as cloud, AI/ML, Edge and IoT, storage, data analytics, security and workforce transformation continue to be at the forefront of IT investments in these sectors. We believe modernizing infrastructure, migrating to multi-cloud, building connected workforces, securing critical assets and more – are all elements that will lay the groundwork for a successful digital future, one that is aligned to Saudi Arabia's National Transformation Program (NTP) objectives for a diversified economy. 2. How important is KSA for Dell Technologies regional business? Saudi Arabia is a priority market for Dell Technologies, and we partner with some of the leading players across the telecom, oil and gas, financial services, education and the public sector. We have been present in Saudi for more than 20 years and we enjoy a strong and longstanding relationship with our customers. In KSA, we feature among the leading Storage, Server and commercial client vendors. According to the latest IDC Quarterly Storage Tracker for Q12022, Dell maintained its leadership position in the Enterprise Storage Systems sector, ranking No.1 across SELL markets (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, LEVANT, Libya) with 62.6% share. Our customers' and partners' trust in our offering allows us to continue growing and delivering solid year-on-year results in the Kingdom. Our primary focus is to help organizations accelerate national and business transformation initiatives with speed and purpose as we work together to power the innovation agenda of the nation. Dell Technologies is committed to transforming organizations across the Kingdom and we look forward to not only strengthening our position as trusted advisors to our customers and partners, but to also help businesses chart a successful digital roadmap for the future. 3. What are your future growth plans in Saudi Arabia? In Saudi Arabia, we're seeing IT play a vital role in long-term growth of the nation – as it focuses on diversifying the economy under its Vision 2030. Given the reach of digital technology and the change it promises, there is a need to shepherd these exciting technologies without diminishing its energy and potential. Our goal is to give customers the freedom to scale resources in ways that work best for them, so they can quickly respond to changes while focusing more on their business needs. Investing in local talents is another key priority and we support the Saudi government initiatives in training Saudi nationals and equipping them with the skills they need to join the future workforce. Through our Academic Alliance Program, we partner with over 15 universities to offer curriculum led IT training. We also have our own local graduate hiring program where we train and hire fresh graduates every year. In addition, we also have a strong channel partner ecosystem- and we're incredibly committed to and invested in the channel, as partners enable us to extend our reach in the Kingdom. Dell Technologies and Intel, together with partners, support organizations in the Kingdom with end-to-end offerings and solutions that enable them to thrive in the digital future.
