Amazon concludes virtual AMTECH 2021 conference

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Updated 20 December 2021
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Amazon concludes virtual AMTECH 2021 conference

Amazon in the Middle East and North Africa has concluded yet another edition of its annual tech conference, AMTECH 2021. The two-day virtual tech event brought together regional and global Amazon leaders with participants from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, and Egypt’s
thriving local landscapes, to showcase innovation, best practices, share knowledge, and recognize top experts in their respective fields.
In its third edition, which took place on Dec. 8-9, AMTECH 2021 focused on opportunities in the region covering topics such as machine learning, emerging technologies, industry trends, new payment methods, and customer behaviors.




AMTECH 2021 has given us another opportunity to relook at our passion for invention and the various ways we can continue to serve customers better.
Ronaldo Mouchawar
Vice president of Amazon MENA

Ronaldo Mouchawar, vice president of Amazon MENA, and Faisal Rafi, director of technology of Amazon MENA, inaugurated the event.

HIGHLIGHTS

• With ‘Invent and Simplify’ as its main theme, AMTECH 2021 covered topics such as innovation and technologies for e-commerce in the region, industry trends, customer behaviors, and new payment methods.

• The 2021 edition of AMTECH took place virtually, connecting Amazon leaders from around the world with participants from Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East and North Africa region

The joint keynote speech shed light on how the company maintains a strong focus on “Invent and Simplify,” one of Amazon’s leadership principles and the overarching theme of this year’s event, touching upon the need to stay ahead of fast-changing business environments and customer needs.
Mouchawar said: “We were very excited to once again connect with some of the brightest minds and vibrant talent across the MENA region, as they come together with Amazon leaders from across the world for a packed AMTECH 2021 event. Following a series of successful events in past years, this year’s conference perfectly demonstrated the synergy that exists between innovation and customer-centric thinking. We are very proud and thankful of the exchange that took place as our teams at Amazon engaged once again with incredible talent from the region. AMTECH 2021 has given us another opportunity to relook at our passion for invention and the various ways we can continue to serve customers better.”
In addition to a series of talks, AMTECH 2021 comprised engaging Q&A sessions and fireside chats for participants to engage directly with Amazon employees during the conference. Samir Kumar, vice president of International Retail at Amazon, gave a presentation titled “How Exciting is it to be an Amazonian?” as he deep dived into the company culture and best practices.
Abdo Chlala, director of other hardlines GCC at Amazon MENA, also gave a presentation titled “How Customers Shop Online? Key Trends” that discussed key trends in online shopping behavior.


 


ITC Infotech accelerates Vision 2030 through digital hub in Riyadh

Updated 17 January 2026
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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.