IBM and AWS Sign 5-Year Strategic Agreement to Accelerate Secure Cloud Adoption and Digital Transformation Across the Middle East. The collaboration involves setting up the first IBM-AWS Innovation Hub in Riyadh to demonstrate joint capabilities and serve clients in the region with cutting-edge cloud-based solutions. This partnership combines IBM Consulting’s industry-leading role and reputation in AI with the power of the AWS cloud to accelerate digital transformation goals in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and UAE Digital Economy Strategy objectives.
Strategic partnership accelerates regional digital transformation initiatives
IBM today announced a Strategic Collaboration Agreement expansion (SCA) with AWS to accelerate secure cloud adoption and digital transformation throughout the Middle East. Together with the cloud leadership of AWS, the Collaboration will combine leadership in AI and hybrid cloud technology with domain expertise at IBM Consulting to help clients accelerate their digital transformation. The demand for cloud services is steadily on the rise with the advent of new use cases on generative AI (GenAI), machine learning, and Internet of Things (IoT).
The cloud computing market is thriving across the Middle East, where the following industry segments are dominating the growth: e-government, public, healthcare, retail, banking, and manufacturing. Cloud adoption and investment in GenAI. Leading GCC countries, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are pushing ambitious digital transformation agendas, hence Saudi Vision 2030 and the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, pushing both to improve cloud usage and also for most organisations and their national infrastructures.
As part of the Collaboration agreement, the companies will discuss the launching of the first IBM-AWS joint Innovation Hub in Riyadh, which will enable the companies’ joint capability to be demonstrated.ย The proposed hub will allow customers to learn about proofs of concept, seek new transformational use cases, and get practical experience working with state-of-the-art cloud technologies and industry solutions like those from IBM, like watsonx technology.
Supporting the local talent pool significantly boosts local capacity
IBM continues to pursue the expansion of its AWS Practice capabilities both in the technical and delivery areas across the region, including KSA and UAE talent development and local practitioners’ certification. Merging Telecommunications and Clouds: This investment into up-to-date expertise will play a pivotal role in organizations’ journey as they embark on intricate Cloud transitions, from strategy development to execution and optimization.
AWS will fuel growth in the Middle East as it empowers IBM to build new solutions on AWS and enhance the presence of influential global solutions in the region. These solutions are Contact Center Intelligence, Autonomous Security Compliance, Supply Chain Ensemble, Oil & Gas Data Analytics Application, Smart Government & AI-enabled citizen engagement solutions.
These solutions will enable organizations to align on national agendas for economic diversification and sustainability, and accelerate cloud adoption by means of targeted migrations to the cloud, modernization projects, and use cases unique to the industry. Just like in the Collaboration, security is also a foundation, linking IBM Consulting’s end-to-end cybersecurity services with AWS’s world-class cloud infrastructure.
Market leadership drives comprehensive cloud transformation solutions
“This partnership marks an important step in IBM’s journey to helping organizations in the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, achieve their goals to drive digital transformation,” said Lula Mohanty, Managing Partner – Middle East and Africa at IBM Consulting.
“We have partnered with IBM to help businesses and governments in the Middle East adopt cutting-edge technologies in next-gen ways at scale, while digitally transforming critical processes with AI,” said Tanuja Randery, Managing Director and Vice President, EMEA at AWS.
The IBM-AWS partnership is also a game-changer regarding Middle East cloud adoption, as it ties together industry-leading expertise and localized innovation capabilities. The proposed Riyadh Innovation Hub (RIH) will drive regional technology development by supporting the digital modernization vision of both public and private sector organizations and aid in meeting the national targets for economic diversification.