Page 63 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2023

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Tech Mahindra to Establish Its First Data & AI and Cloud Center of Excellence

in Saudi Arabia

Tech Mahindra, a leading provider of digital
transformation, consulting, and business
re-engineering services and solutions, has
signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the Ministry of Communication
and Information Technology (MCIT), Saudi
Arabia to establish a Data & AI and a Cloud
Center of Excellence (CoE) in Riyadh. The
CoE will combine academic and socio-
economic goals to build national Hi-tech
talent capacity, create high quality jobs,
promote digital innovation and upscale
small & medium enterprises. The MoU
was signed between Ibrahem N. Al-Nasser,
Deputy Minister for Technology of MCIT,
and Ram Ramachandran, Head -Middle East
& Africa, Tech Mahindra, in the presence CP
Gurnani, MD and CEO, Tech Mahindra. The
MoU signing was also attended by Saudi
government officials and top management expertise and assets to Saudi Arabia and and digital first.” Tech Mahindra will host
team of Tech Mahindra. Data & AI and enable talent and IP creation over the next design thinking workshops, hackathons
Cloud CoE by Tech Mahindra will enable years.” CP Gurnani, MD and CEO of Tech around Data & AI and Cloud to nurture
accelerated and sustainable adoption of Mahindra, said, “The world of Data & AI and innovation and accelerate the Kingdom’s
Data Analytics & Ethical AI. It will further Cloud is rapidly changing with the shifting transformation to a digital economy.
drive cloud-enabled transformation priorities of public and private sectors The partnership will provide training and
across industries to develop local assets, globally and locally in Saudi Arabia. Some development for 2500 Saudi nationals by
Intellectual Property (IP) and promote a levers of this change in priorities include providing project deployment programs
cognitive approach across smart services building new IPs and assets, bringing that enhance skills and develop careers
to contribute to Saudi Vision 2030's digital- innovation and more importantly training in Data & AI and Cloud. This partnership
led transformation objectives. Haitham & upskilling local talent. Our partnership is in line with Tech Mahindra’s DigitALL
AlOhali Vice Minister at MCIT, Saudi Arabia, with MCIT to establish the CoE will help philosophy for comprehensive Business
said, "Adoption of Cloud, Data and AI will in addressing the fast-changing digital Transformation. As part of NXT.NOW™
play a major role in Saudi Arabia IT and transformation need of Saudi Arabia. In line framework, which aims to enhance ‘Human
Digital Growth. We are very pleased to with Saudi Vision 2030, we look forward to Centric Experience’, Tech Mahindra focuses
announce this initiative with a digital leader partnering with MCIT and local Universities on investing in emerging technologies and
Tech Mahindra, which will bring global to create an ecosystem that is diverse solutions that enable digital transformation.

Telecom Egypt Secures New 1800MHz Spectrum
Package

Telecom Egypt has announced that the 2600MHz frequencies it was awarded in has also said it expects its subscribers to
National Telecom Regulatory Authority late 2020. According to Telecom Egypt, it be able to benefit immediately, as it claims
(NTRA) has accepted its financial and views its latest spectrum purchases as ‘a to be technically ready to utilize its new
technical offer to obtain an additional strategic move to support heavier traffic frequencies. Commenting, Telecom Egypt’s
5MHz of FDD spectrum in the 1800MHz from a growing customer base while CEO and Managing Director, Adel Hamed,
band. In a press release regarding the cost-effectively improving service speed said: ‘We are delighted that Telecom
development, the operator said that its new and quality’. The additional spectrum will Egypt’s request for more spectrum has
spectrum allocation – which is valid for ten be used to boost voice and data service been accepted. Together with our current
years – had been ‘competitively priced’ at quality, while also increasing network spectrum packages, this additional
USD125 million, when compared with the coverage around the country. The company package will enable us to continue providing
63 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023