Zoom, the company best known for its video conferencing platform, has announced that it will invest US$ 75 million in Saudi Arabia with strategic focus on innovation supported by artificial intelligence (AI) and relevant infrastructure like data centers.
The announcement was made at the ongoing LEAP technology conference in the Kingdom’s capital city of Riyadh. The conference saw a presentation by Zoom’s Global Chief Information Officer Gary Sorrentino, following which he was joined on state by Mohannad AlKalash, Zoom’s Managing Director in the METAP region for the announcement.
In a post on LinkedIn, the Saudi Ministry of Communications said, “Zoom has announced a $75 million investment in Saudi Arabia to promote AI and innovation by establishing new data centers that will support local tech companies, government entities, and regional digital acceleration.”
In a blog on its website, Zoom showcased its investments in Saudi Arabia saying, “Focusing on driving digital transformation and innovation, Zoom is highlighting its expanding presence and investment in Saudi Arabia. This underscores its pivotal role in supporting the Kingdom’s ambitious Vision 2030 objectives.” It further said, “Over the next three years, Zoom expects to invest significantly in the Kingdom.”
Zoom, that became a popular way for professionals to stay connected to their teams even as everyone worked from home during the COVID19 pandemic, has an AI-first work platform. Zoom established its regional data center in Saudi Arabia in 2023, with the approval to serve critical national infrastructure (CNI) organizations. With the growing number of customers, Zoom worked with local partners to establish its own, co-located data center with the requisite licenses currently under issuance.
Shedding light on its initial foray into Saudi Arabia, Mohannad AlKalash, Zoom’s Managing Director in the METAP region said in the Zoom blog, “During our early phases, we recognized our customers saw Zoom as a promising platform that perfectly aligned with Saudi Arabia’s digital aspirations, although few could anticipate its eventual significance.”
Zoom data center in Saudi Arabia allows customers to utilize local infrastructure, aligning with Saudi data residency regulations. The investment is a significant step toward better-enabling customers in the region. With Zoom’s continued investment in infrastructure, talent development, and innovative solutions, its presence in Saudi Arabia is set to expand further, supporting the Kingdom’s vision of a digitally empowered society and economy.