Dan Hu, Vice President of Tencent Cloud International, Middle East and Africa, highlights Tencent Cloud’s role in advancing Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 at LEAP 2025 through its first Middle East Cloud Region, a $150M investment, and AI-driven solutions, accelerating digital transformation and innovation across key industries.
How does Tencent Cloud’s participation in LEAP 2025 align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and what role does your company aim to play in the Kingdom’s digital transformation?
One of the key goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 is to position the Kingdom as a global technology hub. Achieving this goal requires a significant digital transformation, which Saudi Arabia is actively pursuing across various sectors, particularly within the public sector, as this lies at the core of the government’s development aspirations.
As one of the world’s leading cloud companies, Tencent Cloud is dedicated to supporting Saudi Arabia in this transformative journey. According to a recent report by the Ministry of Commerce, cloud computing is one of the Kingdom’s most prominent areas of focus, with a 70% rise in commercial registrations for cloud computing services. This reflects the growing demand and adoption of cloud technologies.
Tencent Cloud is addressing this demand by offering innovative cloud products and services while strengthening Saudi Arabia’s digital infrastructure through strategic initiatives and partnerships with key entities. LEAP serves as a crucial platform for us to showcase how we are contributing to accelerating the Kingdom’s digital transformation efforts.
What specific cloud solutions or services is Tencent Cloud introducing to address the unique needs of businesses and government organizations in Saudi Arabia?
Tencent Cloud will be launching the first Middle East Cloud Region in Saudi Arabia. Featuring two availability zones — with full redundancy, advanced cloud services, and AI capabilities — this Cloud Region offers improved reliability, enhanced business continuity of our clients, and better performance overall.
This facility will allow us to deliver more SaaS (Software as a Service) and PaaS (Platform as a Service) solutions to the Kingdom and the broader Middle East region. These solutions range from AI and advanced analytics to innovative digital media capabilities and SuperApp technologies.
Which industries in Saudi Arabia, such as finance, healthcare, or smart cities, are you prioritizing, and how are your technologies supporting their growth and innovation?
Our suite of cloud solutions can help drive digital transformation across various verticals. In Saudi Arabia and the region, among the sectors that can benefit the most from our products include digital media and streaming, video gaming, esports, e-commerce, tourism, financial services, and telecommunications.
Backed by years of experience, we empower these verticals by providing businesses and organizations with scalable cloud infrastructure. In the process, our clients can boost their operational efficiency, reduce costs, and become even more competitive market players.
Does Tencent Cloud have plans to establish or expand data center operations in Saudi Arabia to meet the growing demand for cloud services and comply with data sovereignty requirements?
We’re foraying into the Saudi Arabian market by launching our Middle East Cloud Region in the Kingdom. This will expand our already extensive network of over 50 availability zones across 21 regions.
We believe that establishing a local presence in the Kingdom is very timely, given that Saudi Arabia is intensifying its efforts to become a global tech hub as part of its Vision 2030. Our new Cloud Region is designed to meet the rising demand for cloud services while ensuring security.
How is Tencent Cloud leveraging AI and smart technologies to support Saudi Arabia’s development in areas like smart cities, sustainability, and advanced digital infrastructure?
AI has been a cornerstone of Tencent’s strategy since the early 2010s, positioning us as a pioneer in driving innovation and real-world applications of smart technologies. Our expertise enables businesses and institutions to harness AI’s potential to address complex challenges and unlock new opportunities.
In Saudi Arabia, we see immense potential for AI-driven transformation across key areas like smart cities, sustainability, and advanced digital infrastructure. For instance, we leverage AI to optimize data management, improve connectivity, and enable real-time decision-making, empowering organizations to become future-ready. These efforts align closely with Vision 2030’s ambitions for digital transformation, supporting the Kingdom’s journey toward a smarter, more sustainable future.
What long-term opportunities does Tencent Cloud see in Saudi Arabia, and how do you plan to contribute to the Kingdom’s transformation into a global tech and innovation hub?
Saudi Arabia represents a significant growth market with its rapidly increasing cloud adoption, making it a key focus for Tencent Cloud. To support this, we are committed to strengthening our presence in the Kingdom. We’ve pledged a business operation investment of over $150 million in infrastructure, resources, and innovation over the coming years.
This investment is designed not only to deliver advanced cloud solutions but also to nurture local talent and create employment opportunities, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Our efforts aim to contribute meaningfully to the Kingdom’s transformation into a global hub for technology and digital innovation.
