ICT
From The Report: Saudi Arabia 2019
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Like other sectors of the economy, development of Saudi Arabia’s ICT industry is being deeply influenced by the government’s Vision 2030 strategy, which emphasises the need for diversification and modernisation. However, in the context of this roadmap, ICT is not being addressed as a standalone sector, but rather as a fillip to help all other sectors transform through the adoption of digital technologies, cloud computing and e-commerce, among other applications. In 2018 a study to estimate the value of spending on ICT services concluded that it totalled $36.2bn in 2017, up by 4.6% on the previous year. Of that total, telecommunications accounted for almost two-thirds (65%), with the remaining 35% distributed between IT, hardware and software services. This chapter contains interviews with Nasser Al Nasser, CEO, Saudi Telecom Company; Mohammed AlShaibi, CEO, Tamkeen Technologies.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Securing the future: ICT applications are being tapped to modernise all sectors of the economy, with an emphasis on information protection
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Like other sectors of the economy, development of Saudi Arabia’s ICT industry is being deeply influenced by the government’s Vision 2030 strategy that emphasises the need for diversification and modernisation. However, in the context of this roadmap, ICT is not being addressed as a standalone sector, but rather as a fillip to help all other sectors transform through the adoption of digital technologies, cloud computing and e-commerce, among other applications. In 2018 the sector regulator,…

Interview

Modern approach: Nasser Al Nasser, Group CEO, Saudi Telecom Company (STC), on the major developments in the telecoms sector
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Interview:Nasser Al Nasser To what extent are IT managed services and cloud technology evolving and progressing the digital transformation of Saudi Arabia? NASSER AL NASSER: The whole country is going through a massive digital transformation. The traditional way of doing business is changing rapidly. Retail has been radically changed by analytics and automation, the automotive industry has been revolutionised by artificial intelligence and robotics, and now consumer behaviour is also shifting…

Analysis

High five: The rollout of 5G networks is set to support the large volume of connections required by new technologies
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The advent of 5G mobile service in Saudi Arabia offers a major leap forward in communications quality, which is critically important to the Kingdom’s plans to modernise and develop a diversified, globally competitive economy. A 5G network will be faster, able to handle more data and can do so with lower latency – the delay in processing large numbers of real time data transactions. It will also allow for the connection of a greater number of devices. However, a key reason for establishing…

Interview

Tech smarts: Mohammed AlShaibi, CEO, Tamkeen Technologies, on developing digital content and in-country IT capabilities
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Interview:Mohammed AlShaibi In the context of digitisation, how are new technologies disrupting the ICT sector? MOHAMMED ALSHAIBI: The multiplication of digital marketplaces is certainly an important growing trend in Saudi Arabia and the GCC region. Indeed, online platforms will be needed across the board, and especially in sectors such as construction and real estate, to optimise both efficiency and the delivery of service providers. Another trend is the internet of things, through which…

Analysis

Emerging employment: Growing the domestic workforce and preparing for jobs of the future are key to sector plans
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While encouraging greater use of ICT to make the economy more competitive, the Saudi authorities are also eager to see jobs created in the sector. There is, however, some uncertainty regarding how the impact of new technologies on employment will play out. Broadly speaking, there are at least three key points that should be considered. The first is whether the country can educate and train its workforce well enough and quickly enough to allow it to compete effectively in the new digital world.…

Analysis

Small but mighty: Officials work to create a supportive environment for start-ups
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The government believes there is an important role for innovation, start-ups, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in its push to modernise the economy. In line with this, the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) is seeking to do two things: improve the ease of doing business for firms of all sizes, and encourage and support young entrepreneurs to launch start-up companies – both with the hope to enlarge the private sector’s contribution to GDP and generate jobs. Doing…