Business executives from hundreds of leading Saudi companies have met in Riyadh to discuss innovative IT solutions essential for the Kingdom's continued business growth. According to executives of SAP - the world's leading provider of business software and organizer of today's Riyadh event - Saudi companies wanting to achieve short and long-term profitability must holistically manage economic, social, and environmental opportunities, as organizations of all sizes are focusing on business solutions that optimize performance, and offer the insight and agility needed to close the gap between strategy and execution. Dr. Ahmad Al-Yamani, CTO Saudi Arabia General Investment Authority (SAGIA), said: “The Kingdom sits at the hub of the world's most dynamic economies, and a launch-pad to 250 million consumers. Due to its location and reach, Saudi Arabia offers unparalleled access to a diverse portfolio of international markets”. “The Information and Communication Technology sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in Saudi Arabia as it leads the whole Arab and Middle East region in the spending on ICT infrastructure and projects according to UNESCWA (United Nations Economic & Social Commission for West Asia). In addition, Saudi Arabia offers the best business environment in the region. According to the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index, Saudi Arabia currently holds 13th place globally,” Al-Yamani added. According to UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development), SAP is currently ranked number 62 among all foreign-owned companies investing in the Kingdom, a very high ranking considering SAP trades in the intellectual property-heavy IT sector, as opposed to more capital-intensive industries such as manufacturing or energy. Sergio Maccotta, managing director, SAP Middle East & North Africa, said: “As an emerging market, Saudi Arabia is experiencing rapid development, and as a result the SME sector is on the brink of a massive core enterprise resource planning (ERP) wave. Industries in demonstrating impressive growth in the emerging markets include public sector, healthcare, and financial services, all of which have a strong presence in the Kingdom.” Market forces affecting emerging economies include an increased need for business insight to enable end-to-end best-run business processes, incremental innovation to compensate for market shifts, and changing customer needs, fast return on investment and ‘quick wins' with commensurate value, and tactical solutions to specific challenges. “SAP is working with its customers and partners in the Kingdom to show how the innovative use of IT can promote end-to-end visibility within their organizations, in line with sustainable business practices. Businesses with the clarity to act effectively and decisively are able to cement a strong competitive position among their peers,” said Abdul-Raheem Bawazeer, Managing Director, SAP KSA. Bawazeer and Maccotta were in Riyadh to meet with customers and deliver the keynote addresses at the 2010 SAP World Tour, “See Your Way Clear: Strategies for Success in the New Reality”, to an audience of invitation-only C-level executives, IT decision makers, and business managers from leading Saudi companies. Also in attendance were more than 60 students from KSA universities, including King Saud University, who took part in the conference as part of SAP's commitment to up-skilling young talent in the Kingdom's competitive job market.
