The announcements were made on the sidelines of LEAP, taking place in Riyadh.
Zoho Corp. has unveiled two Middle East data centres in Saudi Arabia to ensure local data is stored within the geographical boundaries of the Kingdom, in line with Personal Data Protection Laws (PDPL). Located in Jeddah and Riyadh, the two data centres are now fully operational. With this addition, Zoho Corp. now has 18 data centres worldwide.
“Zoho Corporation has a strong R&D foundation, as we have invested in building our own full technology stack, including the data centres that are run using our proprietary patented technology. We have our robust solutions available in Saudi Arabia through our two established brands: ManageEngine and Zoho that are serving the local businesses. With our philosophy of transnational localism, we are committed to building strong roots here in order to serve the businesses and the community long term. We are here to stay, build and serve,” said Sridhar Vembu, CEO and Co-founder, Zoho Corp.
His Excellency Vice Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Eng. Haytham AlOhali, expressed his unwavering confidence in the digital investment landscape of Saudi Arabia. AlOhali emphasised that Zoho Corp.’s strategic move exemplifies the vast array of digital opportunities available in the country, thanks to its robust digital enablers and rock-solid infrastructure. These developments align closely with the ambitious objectives outlined in Vision 2030, positioning the kingdom as a thriving digital hub connecting three continents.
Contributing to the Saudi Vision 2030, Zoho Corp., will be investing a total of about SAR 500 million, focusing on digital infrastructure development and strategic partnerships with local government entities. The company has already partnered with Monsha’at, the SME authority in Saudi. Through the Monsha’at Academy and Thakaa Centre, Zoho Corp. is digitally upskilling businesses’ workforces to foster tech adoption.
Furthermore, as part of a long-term strategy set forth in cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Zoho Corp. has allocated SAR 100 million in wallet credits yearly for the next 10 years, that can be utilised to access any of its 55+ cloud-based applications under the Zoho brand and for training. These partnerships will help ease the adoption of digital technologies for SMEs in Saudi Arabia and promote digital upskilling amongst local businesses.
