Today marks a major milestone in Saudi’s digital transformation, as global technology company SAP announced the first live Public Cloud Data Center in the Kingdom, empowering Saudi Vision 2030 and beyond.
As Saudi organizations invest heavily in cloud solutions, the Saudi IT market is set to reach SAR 33 billion in 2018, according to a recent report by BMI Research.
The landmark launch of the SAP Public Cloud Data Center, the centerpiece of SAP’s 4-year SAR 285 million Saudi investment plan, was announced at SAP NOW, a signature event in Riyadh, with an audience of hundreds of C-suite leaders.
The SAP Public Cloud Data Center is part of the wider Digital Hub, which additionally includes: an open digital platform supporting entrepreneurship, co-innovationwith customers, partners, and the wider ecosystem to leverage cloud solutions to solve real world problems, and localization to support the Government’s vision and journey into digital transformation.
“Today’s SAP Public Cloud Data Center launch will deliver a new level of cloud-based digital solutions to accelerate transformation and competitiveness to the Kingdom, underscoring our commitment to Saudi Vision 2030,” said Ahmed Al-Faifi, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, SAP Middle East North. “Our in-country Public Cloud Data Center will enable Saudi public and private sector organizations to securely digitally transform their business.”
Using the SAP Public Cloud Data Center, organizations can adopt opex-friendly and scalable cloud solutions for 25 industries and 12 lines of business. Customers can start their journey of digital transformation by leveraging solutions running on the SAP HANA in-memory database and SAP Cloud Platform, which are available on the SAP Public Cloud Data Center. SAP will be offering its latest Cloud ERP solutions, such as the SAP S/4HANA Cloud, on its SAP Public Cloud Data Center.
“Our investment in a Public Cloud Data Center is aimed at supporting the Kingdom’s transformation into a leading digital economy, enabling young Saudi talent to innovate, and fostering the next generation of Saudi leaders,” said Khaled Alsaleh, the recently-appointed Managing Director for SAP Saudi Arabia. “Saudi organizations that use our SAP Public Cloud Data Center can optimize their budgets in an opex model, and analyze data easily and securely for new levels of business innovation to excel.”
Underlining SAP’s support for the Saudi government to digitally transform, SAP continues to deliver on its Memorandum of Understanding with the Saudi Government. Currently, SAP is exploring how to integrate the SAP Public Cloud Data Center into the planned Saudi Government Cloud.
In support of the Saudi workforce of the future, the SAP Training and Development Institute, has graduated more than 750 young previously unemployed Saudi talent through their Young Professional and Dual Study Programs and has successfully placed over 98 percent of them in employment in the greater SAP ecosystem. Further fueling economic growth, SAP’s Startup Focus Program is supporting local entrepreneurs, and the Winnovate initiative is inspiring breakthrough innovations by providing a unique blend of coaching and tools to businesses and institutions.
Saudi Organizations Praised as Digital Innovators
During the SAP Middle East and North Africa Quality Awards ceremony, the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, Awqaf Suleiman Al Rajhi, EA Juffali and Brothers, and Global Beverage Company were recognized as leading digital innovators in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) won in the “Business Transformation” category for rolling out SAP business planning and consolidation software for integrated planning, budgeting, and forecasting.
“The Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority needed one digital system that could deliver full visibility across the budgeting processes,” said Sami Abdulaziz alForaih, Budget Director, Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority.
Osama AlRayes, Information Systems Director, Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, added: “Our digital transformation with SAP has reduced time by up to 30 percent, reduced complexity, and increased cost insights, supporting Saudi Vision 2030 goals of government digital transformation and the growth of the Kingdom’s financial system.”
Al-Rajhi Investments is the real estate and hospitality investment arm of Awqaf Suleiman Al Rajhi Holding, and won in the “Cloud innovation” category. Channel partner NTT Data Middle East deployed SAP SuccessFactors to drive talent development.
Abdulaziz H Alramaih, General Manager, WiSys, Awqaf Suleiman Al Rajhi, said: “The company implemented the SAP SuccessFactors solution to support the process that consistently align employee targets with strategic objectives, better talent and commercial decisions based on predefined key performance indicators, eliminating the infrastructure and maintenance cost, reducing operational time and bring transparency across the organization.”
Sulaiman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Rajhi Charity Foundation is the charity foundation of Awqaf Suleiman Al Rajhi Holding, and won in the “Fast Delivery” category. Alwatania Information Systems, an IT transformation company of AWQAF, deployed SAP Business One solution across 13 branches in the kingdom to enhance process efficiency and monitoring of financial transactions.
“With the SAP digital platform, we have gone paperless, with full visibility on over 500 programs, one-third reduction in costs, and 60-70 percent accelerated decision-making,” said Majed A Khayat, Executive Director, WiSys, Awqaf Suleiman Al Rajhi. “Our managers are also making better and faster decisions.”
Saudi-based conglomerate EA Juffali and Brothers won “Business Transformation” for the digital transformation of its companies. Channel partner Saudi Business Machines deployed SAP’s enterprise resource planning, GRC, and business intelligence solutions.
“EA Juffali and Brothers needed full visibility on our companies to enhance budget control, Improve Business process, develop high-performance teams, and transform the customer experience,” said Oussama Zein, General Manager, Juffali Information Systems Center, EA Juffali and Brothers. “With SAP’s digital transformation, we now have end-to-end business processes, with real-time reporting on budgets and stock, and leave and sales approvals. Digitization is driving new levels of our business competitiveness.”
“The manufacturer and distributor of Berain brand of bottled drinking water, Global Beverage Company won in the “Fast Delivery” category for its Tarabot digital transformation project, centered on SAP enterprise resource planning solutions on the SAP HANA in-memory platform.
“Global Beverage Company needed secure IT infrastructure, full visibility, and real-time insights to enhance our plant efficiency and customer deliveries,” said Mahdi N. Al-Qahtani, Chief Executive Officer, Global Beverage Company. “Our digital transformation with SAP has saved more than USD 500,000 in total cost involved. We have reduced delivery time from seven to two days, enhanced plant efficiency by 15 percent, and our salespersons collected information of 15,000 customers through VAN sales mobile app.
