Ericsson has inaugurated its new regional headquarters in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, underscoring its strong commitment to the Kingdom and its strategic role in the company’s operations across the Middle East and Africa. The opening ceremony was attended by notable dignitaries including Eng. Haytham AlOhali, Vice Minister at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology; Dr. Abdullah A. Aldubaikhi, Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA); Petra Menander, Swedish Ambassador to Saudi Arabia; Börje Ekholm, Ericsson Group CEO; Patrick Johansson, President of Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Ericsson; along with senior Ericsson executives and CEOs from stc Group and Mobily.
The event featured discussions on the evolution of network technologies, the roadmap to 6G, and the influence of Saudi Vision 2030 in shaping innovation strategies. Ericsson emphasized collaboration, talent development, and leadership in 5G technology, highlighting the importance of cross-sector engagement to build an inclusive digital infrastructure for Saudi Arabia and the broader region.
Dr. Abdullah A. Aldubaikhi remarked that Ericsson’s new headquarters reinforces Saudi Arabia’s status as a premier global investment destination in advanced technologies, aligning with the nation’s vision to build a dynamic digital economy driven by innovation-led growth. Eng. Abdulrahman AlMufadda, Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology, highlighted that Ericsson’s presence in Riyadh strengthens the Kingdom’s reputation as a regional technology and innovation hub, supporting Saudi Vision 2030 by empowering national talent and accelerating AI and technological adoption.
Eng. Olayan bin Mohammed Alwetaid, CEO of stc Group, praised the new headquarters as a milestone in bolstering digital infrastructure, innovation, and digitization across the region, reflecting stc’s longstanding partnership with Ericsson. Similarly, Eng. Nezar H. Banabeela, CEO of Mobily, acknowledged the Kingdom’s leadership in digital transformation and Mobily’s strong partnership with Ericsson to enhance digital infrastructure efficiency.
Dr. Talal bin Ahmed Al-Sudairy, Senior Vice President for Research and Development at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), noted that Ericsson’s headquarters marks a significant step in strengthening collaboration, highlighting joint initiatives like the Blink Lab which accelerate future connectivity technologies supporting ultra-reliable communication applications aligned with Vision 2030.
Patrick Johansson emphasized that the Riyadh headquarters is a pivotal milestone to deepen partnerships, accelerate technology adoption, and support digital growth across the Middle East and Africa.
Saudi Arabia remains central to Ericsson’s regional strategy, with the company contributing to mobile infrastructure expansion, 5G adoption, and digital transformation in the Kingdom. Ericsson’s Gen-E Graduate Programme, hosted at Riyadh’s 5G Innovation Hub since 2018, has trained over 190 Saudi graduates, with women constituting 50% of participants. The program fosters development in 5G, IoT, robotics, edge computing, and mixed reality applications supporting Saudi Arabia’s innovation goals.
Ericsson has collaborated closely with regional partners including stc, Mobily, Zain KSA, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and KACST on research, innovation, and connectivity solution development.
