Tech Mahindra’s Strategic Role in Oman: Driving Innovation, Talent Development, and Digital Transformation

India-based global IT services giant Tech Mahindra maintains a strong presence in Oman, delivering a broad range of services from 5G and AI to cloud and cybersecurity. The company combines global expertise with a commitment to empowering local talent and accelerating digital growth across the region.

In an exclusive interview with Times of Oman, Mohit Joshi, CEO and Managing Director of Tech Mahindra, described Oman as a key pillar in the company’s Middle East strategy. Oman serves as a strategic innovation hub and regional delivery center, supporting clients across Telecom, BFSI, Public, and Energy sectors. With its stable environment and skilled workforce, Oman aligns well with Tech Mahindra’s vision of regional agility, local talent development, and scalable innovation, driven by the promise of ‘Scale at Speed™’. The company focuses on co-creating localized, industry-aligned solutions that add value across the region.

The Muscat Technology Development Centre is positioned as a catalyst for innovation and talent building, targeting industries such as Telecom, Oil & Gas, BFSI, Energy, Utilities, and the Public Sector. The Centre leverages AI, Cloud, and 5G technologies and houses the Maker’s Lab — a research and development hub creating intellectual property and smart enterprise solutions. The Lab has trained over 200 Omani candidates in AI, Metaverse, and IoT technologies in partnership with the Oman Ministry of Transport, IT & Communications. Through collaborations with academia and skill-building programs, the center prepares a future-ready workforce in high-demand fields like AI, cybersecurity, and 5G.

Tech Mahindra supports Oman’s digital transformation by collaborating with customers to deploy intelligent automation, cloud-native platforms, IoT, and industry-specific solutions. Their focus spans network modernization for telcos, predictive maintenance and digital twin technologies for energy firms, and citizen-centric digital platforms for governments. By sharing global best practices, Tech Mahindra aims to facilitate Oman’s shift from a resource-based to a knowledge-driven economy, prioritizing AI, Cloud, Enterprise Apps, and Engineering services.

Against rising global competition, Tech Mahindra differentiates itself through a local delivery model that merges global expertise with strong regional execution. The company has hired more local talent in Oman than its peers and brings deep sector knowledge supported by partnerships with hyperscalers and OEMs. Its flexible engagement models, client-specific Centers of Excellence, joint go-to-market strategies, and agile, outcome-driven delivery position Tech Mahindra uniquely in the market.

Significant initiatives include modernizing legacy infrastructure and enhancing network performance and digital customer experience for telecom clients like Ooredoo. For instance, since April 2024, Tech Mahindra has managed Ooredoo’s Managed Security Services platform and implemented digital transformation projects using Google Cloud technologies across multiple markets. In Bahrain, Tech Mahindra has led core banking transformation for financial institutions and smart automation for government and logistics clients, yielding improved agility, cost savings, and better user experiences.

The Oman centre aligns with Oman Vision 2040’s pillars of digital economy, youth empowerment, and innovation. Over the next 12 to 18 months, Tech Mahindra plans to operationalize innovation pods, train 500+ local professionals, and co-create solutions with public and private entities. This includes partnerships with universities, pilot programs in digital public services, and scalable network and IT operations solutions.

To nurture local talent in emerging fields such as 5G, AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, Tech Mahindra has developed a comprehensive skilling framework with universities, government bodies, and industry partners. This encompasses internships, certification pathways, and mentorship from global experts to empower Omani youth with practical skills and sustainable career opportunities.

The Oman centre is incubating several high-impact pilots including AI-powered network analytics for telcos, customer experience orchestration platforms for public services, and predictive maintenance for critical infrastructure. Success will be measured by KPIs such as uptime improvements, cost optimization, user satisfaction, skills developed, job creation, and scalability.

Tech Mahindra is deeply committed to sustainability, embedding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles throughout its projects. In MENA, this includes green data centers, energy-efficient IT operations, sustainable supply chains, responsible AI, and initiatives supporting carbon footprint reduction, digital inclusion, and skill development. Efforts align with regional goals like UAE’s Net Zero 2050 and Oman Vision 2040.

Reflecting on his leadership journey, Mohit Joshi shared that his style has evolved from execution-focused to people-centered, inspired by historical leaders such as Lincoln and Churchill. He believes in fostering clarity, empathy, resilience, and adaptability. For Tech Mahindra, AI is the “golden thread” driving innovation, productivity, and growth, encapsulated in their ‘AI Delivered Right’ strategy focused on responsible, scalable AI deployment.