As part of its efforts to attract added-value investments and introduce the investment opportunities available in the Kingdom’s economic cities and special economic zones, the Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority (ECZA) has participated in the sixth edition of the World Free Zones Organization (WFZO) AICE 2020. ECZA was represented by Secretary-General Mohanud A. Helal at the event, which was held virtually for the first time in its history due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Held with the slogan “Value Creation in Free Zones — Building Stakeholders’ Resilience,” the online event sought to help free zone operators, authorities, government officials and private companies work together to create value in free zones for a strong and resilient economy. The virtual conference saw regional and international experts discuss 20 key strategic topics related to the global free zone industry and its future.
Helal participated in a panel discussion on “Public vs Private Sector Dynamics in Free Zones,” during which he said: “As we continue to work on enabling our economic cities to transform the Kingdom into a global hub for high-value, long-term investments, we seek to maximize the impact of special economic zones during their launch.”
“Special economic zones, both industrial and service-based, are all composed of supply chains that integrate by connecting companies to local and global sources of raw materials and consumers around the world,” he added. Helal emphasized the importance of regional collaboration and how this can take place on many different levels, from the alignment of strategies and objectives to the integration of value chains and operations. “Such collaborations will help in establishing a competitive regional ecosystem that can offer additional value for foreign investors and access to bigger markets, as well as the optimization of resources, reduction in costs, and faster deliveries to end-users,” he said.
ECZA undertakes regulatory, administrative, and financial duties and provides government support by building effective public-private partnerships in the Kingdom’s economic cities and special economic zones. Last year, it became a voting member of WFZO, an organization concerned with enhancing the promotion of foreign direct investment and trade, driving innovation and skills development, and creating new jobs and industries through free zones. In 2019, the meetings of the general assembly of the WFZO were held in Spain, where ECZA participated as a voting member for the first time.
ECZA’s vision is to make Saudi Arabia a globally attractive hub for high-value, long-term investments, based on the values of leadership, integrity, responsibility, partnership and customer-centricity.
ECZA seeks to create value in Saudi economic cities
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ECZA seeks to create value in Saudi economic cities
ITC Infotech accelerates Vision 2030 through digital hub in Riyadh
ITC Infotech’s commitment to delivering real digital change in the Middle East is reinforced by strengthening collaboration and working more closely with customers on the ground. The establishment of its Digital and AI Engineering Hub in Riyadh brings superior digital engineering and AI skills closer to businesses, allowing for speedier collaboration, localized innovation, and solutions targeted to regional needs. This strategic expansion aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and underscores ITC Infotech’s long-standing emphasis on partnership-led growth and customer-centric innovation.
The hub was officially inaugurated on Jan. 15 by Sanjiv Puri, chairman and managing director of ITC Ltd. This facility is designed to help enterprises leverage advanced technologies and convert digital ambitions into measurable business outcomes. This move aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s efforts to build a knowledge-driven economy powered by innovation and technology.
Saudi Arabia’s digital leap
Vision 2030 is more than just economic diversification; it is a clear blueprint for creating a technologically advanced society. This vision is centered on the integration of artificial intelligence and digital engineering, which are transforming industries and enabling long-term, sustainable growth. The strategic importance of AI is clear, with the Saudi Data and AI Authority estimating that it may add $135 billion to the Kingdom’s GDP by 2030. This commitment is supported by significant investments, including $14.9 billion announced at LEAP 2025 to advance digital infrastructure, talent, and next-generation technologies, as well as historic projects like the $2.7 billion Hexagon Data Center in Riyadh. Together, these efforts are laying the foundation for a secure, resilient, and future-ready digital ecosystem that can support AI adoption, data-driven governance, and smart city development at scale.
What the hub offers
ITC Infotech’s Riyadh hub is designed to fuel this momentum by focusing on three core areas:
- AI-powered platforms: Delivering predictive analytics, intelligent automation, and data-driven insights to help businesses transition from reactive operations to proactive strategies.
- Digital engineering solutions: Leveraging Industry 4.0-driven smart manufacturing capabilities, integrating AI-led modeling, connected systems, and advanced analytics to optimize production performance, improve asset utilization, and proactively reduce operational and quality risks across the engineering lifecycle.
- Cloud-native architectures: Building agile, secure, and resilient ecosystems that enable faster innovation and seamless integration across enterprise systems.
These capabilities are designed to enable organizations to innovate, scale, and compete in a rapidly evolving digital economy. Beyond technology, the hub is fundamentally anchored in building a team of the region, from the region, for the region and for global impact. Through structured skill-building programs, deep partnerships with academia, systematic knowledge transfer, and immersive, hands-on delivery models, the hub is creating a future-ready Saudi workforce fully aligned with Vision 2030 and capable of serving both national and international priorities.
Driving enterprise transformation
The ITC Infotech hub aims to enable transformation rather than simply deploy technology. By driving AI adoption, accelerating digital engineering, and building cloud-native ecosystems, ITC Infotech seeks to help businesses:
- develop new business models to meet evolving market needs.
- improve operational efficiency through predictive insights and automation.
- support sustainability goals by optimizing resources and reducing risks.
- build a skilled local workforce capable of leading future innovations.
These outcomes support enterprises as they transition to more resilient, data-driven, and digitally mature operating models.
The road ahead
ITC Infotech is a wholly owned subsidiary of ITC Limited, one of India’s largest conglomerates, with over 25 years of experience as a trusted technology services partner to enterprises globally. The company focuses on next-generation enterprise transformation, delivering services across infrastructure and application modernization, cloud, cybersecurity, digital engineering, and AI-led innovation.
As Saudi Arabia continues its digital journey, ITC Infotech’s combination of global expertise, strong local presence, and collaborative delivery model positions it as a long-term partner in advancing Vision 2030. ITC Infotech’s hub in Riyadh reflects this commitment, bringing advanced capabilities closer to customers, investing in local talent, and enabling enterprises to adopt AI at scale as they compete in an increasingly digital world.
