BrazilDeloitte opens the doors to digital delivery centre in Saudi Arabia
Professional services firm Deloitte has officially launched its state-of-the-art Digital Centre in a ceremony in Saudi capital Riyadh.
Leading professional services firm Deloitte has officially opened the doors to its latest in a network of global Digital Centres in Riyadh – marking the launch of Deloitte Digital in the Middle East.
The establishment of the state-of-the-art centre was first announced early last year with support from the Saudi Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT), and will serve to unlock the potential of innovative and disruptive technologies across the region.
“The opening of the Deloitte Digital Center in Riyadh is an exciting moment for Deloitte and a major milestone in the development of KSA’s digital and tech industry,” said Mazen Pharaon, a seasoned tech expert who was appointed to head up the centre last year. “The centre provides an experiential environment for clients, allowing them to work alongside our teams to harness digital innovations that can deliver substantial long-term socioeconomic benefits to the nation.”
Pharaon made further note of the opportunities the new centre will provide for “ambitious Saudis who want to play a major role in the national and regional digital revolution,” – in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 aspirations toward greater workforce nationalisation. According to Ahmed Al-Thenayyan, Deputy Minister for Technology and Digital Capacities Development at MCIT, the Deloitte Digital Centre will foster skills development for hundreds of Saudi nationals.
“Deloitte Digital Center is the result of cooperation in many areas with Deloitte,” Al-Thenayyan said at an inauguration ceremony attended by a number of top-level officials. “Initially, the centre will qualify approximately 200 Saudi digital cadres in preparation for employment in the centre. It will also dedicate a special programme to developing local human resources and a scholarship and training programme to nurture the technical knowledge of Saudi youth.”
Bringing international best practice in digital transformation and change to the Middle East region, visitors to the new centre will be able to collaborate with Deloitte Digital experts on areas ranging from strategy and design through to implementation and management, with the ability to test and refine concepts, experiment with pioneering innovations and digital technologies, and develop new services and operational models prior to market launch.
Alongside distinguished guests from the public and private sectors and a number of MCIT officials, the launch ceremony was attended by a senior leadership team from Deloitte which included Deloitte Middle East Consulting CEO Tim Parr, new global board of directors chair Sharon Thorne, and Riyadh-based consulting practice partner Rushdi Duqah, who leads Deloitte Digital in the Middle East – with the practice now also officially launched in the region.
“Deloitte Digital has widespread experience globally in digital transformation, allowing us to bring unique insights and expertise to support the delivery of large-scale transformation programmes in the region,” said Duqah, who noted that the Fourth Industrial Revolution had the potential to improve everyday lives. “We are now looking to build our team with Saudi talent possessing the skills, drive and creativity to serve clients and contribute to the socioeconomic development of the country.”
