Dubai – September 30, 2025 – IBM has expanded its Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to accelerate secure cloud adoption and digital transformation across the Middle East. The partnership includes plans to establish the first IBM–AWS Innovation Hub in Riyadh, marking a major step toward advancing regional digital agendas.
The collaboration will bring together IBM Consulting’s expertise in AI, hybrid cloud, and industry modernization with AWS’s global cloud infrastructure to meet rising demand for advanced digital services. Key growth areas include generative AI, machine learning, and IoT, with applications across government, healthcare, banking, retail, and manufacturing.
The Riyadh Innovation Hub will serve as a showcase and experimentation center for enterprises and government agencies, offering hands-on access to proofs of concept and tailored solutions. Building on similar global models in India and Romania, the hub will focus on Middle Eastern priorities, enabling public and private sector organizations to modernize operations and unlock value.
IBM also plans to expand its AWS Practice across Saudi Arabia and the UAE by investing in training and certifying local practitioners. AWS will support IBM in creating region-specific solutions, including Smart Government platforms, AI-powered citizen engagement tools, and industry-driven compliance frameworks.
Security and sustainability remain at the core of the partnership. IBM’s Autonomous Security for Cloud (ASC) will combine with AWS’s infrastructure to help organizations in regulated sectors meet compliance requirements, including the Saudi NCA’s cybersecurity standards and Abu Dhabi’s ADHICS framework. Meanwhile, sustainability initiatives will align with the Saudi Green Initiative and UAE sustainability vision, supporting ESG goals through offerings like IBM’s Sustainability Disclosure Assist and Product Ledger for Oil & Gas.
“This collaboration represents a significant milestone in IBM’s commitment to supporting digital transformation in the Middle East,” said Lula Mohanty, Managing Partner – Middle East and Africa at IBM Consulting. Tanuja Randery, Managing Director and Vice President EMEA at AWS, added, “Our collaboration with IBM will help governments and businesses reinvent processes with AI while scaling breakthrough technologies across the region.”
