BrazilDeloitte to establish Digital Delivery Centre in Saudi capital Riyadh
Big Four professional services firm Deloitte is set to install a Digital Delivery Centre in Saudi Arabia. The firm’s new offering will be supported by the Saudi Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, which is keen to leverage Deloitte’s digital expertise and footprint to boost economic diversification efforts in the Kingdom.
Deloitte presently provides audit & assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory and tax advisory through 26 offices in 15 countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, with a headcount of more than 3,300 partners, directors and staff.
The firm has stated that the significant investment in building the new Digital Delivery Centre (DDC) and the associated talent development programmes clearly demonstrate the firm’s commitment to supporting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program.
The Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 is aimed at weaning the country’s economy off of its previous dependence on oil, boosting the private sector, and reducing unemployment, which hovers above 30% for youth. The DDC, which will be based in Saudi capital Riyadh, will be the first Deloitte Digital Delivery Centre in the region and is expected to support the digital skills development for Saudi youth, fostering technology-driven entrepreneurship, and advancing the delivery of consulting services within the Kingdom and throughout the Middle East.
When complete, the DDC will also support the growing focus on digital initiatives by businesses and the public sector in the Kingdom, as well as across the Middle East, enabling the delivery of end-to-end innovative digital solutions at scale – and providing employment and training opportunities for hundreds of Saudi nationals, as well as attracting the best digital talent from abroad. As a result of its close fit with the Vision 2030 initiative, the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MCIT) will support the installation of the state-of-the art DDC.
To announce their backing of the project, the MCIT joined Deloitte in a signing ceremony in Riyadh, which was attended by Minister Abdullah Alswaha and Deputy Minister Dr. Ahmed H. Al-Theneyan of the MCIT; Punit Renjen, Deloitte Global CEO; David Sproul, Deloitte UK and North West Europe CEO; and Omar Fahoum, CEO of Deloitte Middle East. Also in attendance were Khaled AlSagga, Consulting Partner, Deloitte Middle East and Saudi Arabia, and Rashid Bashir, Public Sector leader at Deloitte Middle East.
Commenting after the ceremony, Punit Renjen said, “Digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, data analytics and cloud computing are going to change life as we know it. Deloitte’s investment in the digital infrastructure of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will contribute to building a thriving economy and vibrant innovative society with new job opportunities for many Saudi citizens.”
David Sproul added, “The Deloitte Middle East Consulting business, supported by investment and resources from the UK and Deloitte North West Europe, will form alliances with the Saudi government and businesses to help ensure alignment to their key strategic objectives. By bringing together the best of the Deloitte network’s experience globally in digital transformation and change we will support a market that increasingly needs expertise in the delivery of large scale transformation programs.”
Professional services in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has already proven fertile ground for the professional services industry. Deloitte’s Big Four competitors PwC are presently focusing on a female talent drive in the Kingdom, while strategy consultancy BCG was recently contracted to assist with the landmark opening of public cinemas, amid Saudi Arabia’s wider drive for liberalisation.
McKinsey & Company has also found its expansion into the nation fruitful. The firm has been a mainstay in the plans of the Saudi crown, and amid thriving demand McKinsey purchased local management consultancy Elixir in order to cope with a heightened workload in the region.
