Interview: Mohammed AlShaibi
In what ways can the framework for the government’s outsourcing of IT processes be improved to enhance efficiency and flexibility?
MOHAMMED ALSHAIBI: The government’s outsourcing of IT operations has produced positive results due to improvements in quality, cost reduction and delivery efficiency. However, with time and the growing reliance on external entities to deliver IT services, these benefits have diminished and, in some cases, limited the ability to change IT service providers. Indeed, one of our clients has been affected by this process. We believe organisations should retain the flexibility to change or replace their IT service providers, as well as have the capability to in-source previously outsourced tasks or services. We support entities that are attempting to avoid vendor lock-in through a principle in our agreements.
How do you assess the opportunities for greater entrepreneurial activity in terms of future-oriented technological developments?
ALSHAIBI: Entrepreneurship has grown significantly in Saudi Arabia, with strong support from the public and private sector. The government has focused on providing an enabling ecosystem, a competitive environment and the required infrastructure for entrepreneurship to flourish. Additionally, local venture capital companies are supporting start-ups, encouraging young Saudis to become entrepreneurs by creating employment opportunities and attracting talented global entrepreneurs to Saudi Arabia, making it a regional centre for business opportunities.
To what extent can human resource development be facilitated by private sector participation and advancements in technology?
ALSHAIBI: There is an opportunity for Saudi Arabia to become a leader in the global digital economy. To this end, we are working with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to establish regional software development facilities and call centres to accelerate the development of regional technological capabilities and offer job opportunities in regions with high unemployment rates.
Additionally, we utilise open-source technologies in the products and services that we build for clients because we believe that leveraging open-source solutions is a strategic enabler. Although there is a perception that open-source solutions are insecure, these technologies employ the power of communal code review to ensure no bugs or vulnerabilities exist.
However, it is critical not to overlook the importance of the human resources element in the open-source phenomenon. Since the most advanced global technology companies and technologies predominantly leverage open-source solutions at scale to enhance technological advancement, it is imperative that our clients not only pilot open-source solutions, but also actively use them in their most ambitious projects so that local talent is actively engaged in acquiring the skills of the future. This is why we are developing local capabilities to support the deployment, configuration and customisation of open-source solutions.
What more can be done to promote sustainability in the Kingdom’s ICT market?
ALSHAIBI: The traditional government process to acquire, operate and maintain IT services can be improved by adopting a more sustainable approach. This strategy is achieved by having an IT solutions provider digitally transform an entity’s services by building and running them for free. This allows the entity to provide their standard services to the public without additional costs. However, in exchange for developing and maintaining the service, the IT solutions provider will be allowed to create and manage elective value-added services for a fee. These offerings will create sustainable revenue streams for the IT solutions provider to continue to build and operate the services.
