IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced an expanded Strategic Collaboration Agreement (SCA) with AWS to accelerate secure cloud adoption and digital transformation across the Middle East (the “Collaboration”). The Collaboration will leverage IBM Consulting’s deep industry expertise, AI and hybrid cloud technology leadership, alongside the cloud capabilities of AWS, to accelerate digital transformation.
The demand for cloud services is rapidly growing, driven by emerging use cases in generative AI (GenAI), machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Across the Middle East, the cloud computing market is booming, with sectors such as e-government, public, healthcare, retail, banking, and manufacturing leading the charge. In Saudi Arabia and the UAE, bold digital transformation agendas such as Saudi Vision 2030 and the UAE Digital Economy Strategy are driving both governments and enterprises to accelerate cloud adoption, invest in GenAI, and modernize national infrastructure. The goal is to boost productivity, enable new business models, and enhance customer experiences. As a result, organizations are increasingly turning to public cloud providers and trusted partners with a proven track record to help accelerate their digital transformation and maximize business value.
The Collaboration between IBM and AWS is designed to accelerate technology transformation across the region, combining deep industry expertise with joint investments in go-to-market and delivery capabilities. Building on IBM Consulting’s Global AWS Practice and its strong credentials including market-leading competencies in cloud migration, data platform modernization, and responsible GenAI across multiple industries, the collaboration with AWS aims to help regional clients modernize their operations and unlock new value.
As part of the Collaboration, the companies will explore the establishment of the first IBM-AWS joint Innovation Hub in Riyadh, designed to showcase the companies’ combined capabilities. The intended hub will enable customers to explore proofs of concept, identify new transformational opportunities, and gain hands-on experience with the latest cloud technologies and industry solutions, including IBM’s advanced technologies, such as watsonx. The Innovation Hub in Riyadh would build on successful global models that IBM and AWS have established in India and Romania, and will be tailored to the needs of public and private sector innovators in the Middle East.
IBM intends to invest in expanding its AWS Practice capabilities across technical and delivery skills across the region, including talent development in KSA and UAE and the certification of local practitioners. This expanded pool of skilled professionals will be crucial in helping organizations navigate complex cloud transformations, from initial strategy through to implementation and optimization.
To catalyze growth in the Middle East, AWS will support IBM in developing new solutions on AWS and localizing impactful global offerings such as Contact Center Intelligence, Autonomous Security Compliance, Supply Chain Ensemble, Oil & Gas analytics, Smart Government, and AI-powered citizen engagement tools. These solutions will help organizations align with national priorities around economic diversification and sustainability, while accelerating cloud adoption through targeted migrations, modernization initiatives, and industry-specific use cases.
Security is also a cornerstone of the Collaboration. By bringing together IBM Consulting’s end-to-end cybersecurity services with AWS’s advanced global cloud architecture, the two companies are setting a new benchmark for cloud protection.
A key element of this relationship includes Autonomous Security for Cloud (ASC), a managed service from IBM Consulting which uses AI-driven automation to deploy uniform security policies and enable best-in-class security through the AWS shared responsibility model. IBM and AWS will work together to provide tailored security assessments to help organizations – especially in regulated industries – build strong security and compliance postures, meeting standards such as the National Cybersecurity Authority’s (NCA) Essential Cybersecurity Controls (ECC) and Abu Dhabi Healthcare Information and Cyber Security Standard (ADHICS) from the very start of their cloud journey.
The Collaboration will also focus on sustainability initiatives aligned with key regional priorities such as the Saudi Green Initiative and the UAE’s sustainability vision. Through IBM’s global expertise and localized solutions such as IBM Consulting’s Sustainability Disclosure Assist and Sustainable Product Ledger for Oil & Gas, organizations can modernize IT infrastructure while advancing net-zero and environmental, social, and governance factors (ESG) mandates.
“This collaboration represents a significant milestone in IBM’s commitment to helping organizations across the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, realize their digital transformation ambitions,” said Lula Mohanty, Managing Partner – Middle East and Africa at IBM Consulting. “ Our partnership with AWS will help organizations leverage the power of cloud technologies while building critical technical capabilities in the region.”
“Our collaboration with IBM will enable businesses and governments across the Middle East to adopt breakthrough technologies at scale, while reinventing core processes with AI,” said Tanuja Randery, Managing Director and Vice President EMEA at AWS. “This will enable organizations to access new levels of agility and resilience through the cloud.”
