RIYADH — As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia advances toward becoming a technology hub for the region, the country foresees cloud computing to grow by 25% by 2022. These findings were announced during the second edition of Microsoft Transform 2018, an event organized by Microsoft Saudi Arabia dedicated to encouraging conversation on digitalization and fostering the latest digital trends. The event took place today at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh.

Microsoft also predicted Saudi Arabia’s IT spend in 2018 to reach the value of $40 billion as the government increases its focus on innovation and cloud technology to drive forward digitalization. In 2016, digital transformation was recognized as a key pillar of the Saudi’s Vision 2030.

Samer Abu-Ltaif, President Microsoft Middle East & Africa, said “as Saudi Arabia works towards the Vision 2030 agenda, there has not been a more exciting time for the Kingdom. According to the World Economic Forum, the digital economy will be worth over $100 trillion globally by 2025, and Saudi is already positioned to ensure it benefits from this opportunity. Digital transformation truly is at the heart of Vision 2030.”

“At Microsoft, we believe we can support the Kingdom’s vision by focusing on key industries and building bespoke cloud solutions for those businesses. Microsoft Transform 2018 is a strong platform for us to create conversation on digitalization in Saudi Arabia, and highlight technologies and innovations with our partners in the government, banking, retail, manufacturing and oil & gas sectors. A key priority for Microsoft is creating opportunities to support youth enablement, education and to build the skills of the future in the Kingdom.”

Microsoft has led several initiatives in support of digital transformation in the Kingdom over the years including a program aimed at building the necessary skills among Saudi youth. This program titled ‘Saudi Codes’ was organized in partnership with Misk Foundation and the Ministry of Education to encourage Saudi youth to learn the basics of coding through Minecraft.

During Microsoft Transform 2018, Jamie Wylly, Worldwide Director for Defense and Intelligence at Microsoft, also highlighted the importance of digital transformation in the current security environment. Wylly showcased Microsoft technologies which manage data in a hybrid cloud environment by scaling to meet mission needs and deploying intelligent edge to maneuver forces, while simultaneously upholding security and privacy regulations. — SG