00:00But I want to start with growth and where it's mainly coming from for the time being.
00:05So where are you seeing those pockets of growth coming from in the region?
00:12Well, first of all, thank you very much for having me.
00:15And I think there are multiple shifts in the region that are defining the pockets of growth.
00:22If we look at the major changes we're seeing in the current situation the region is going through,
00:30number one is the impact on the supply chain and logistics.
00:36And the GCC has taken a position to accelerate looking for alternatives on supply chain,
00:47on sharing the storage of oil and gas, and wanting to make sure that this has become a national priority.
00:56Aside from the supply chain and logistics, we also look at the clean energy.
01:02So the GCC region have been making significant investments in the clean energy, in the energy transmission,
01:11and also making leverage of the low cost of extraction and capitalizing on being one of the key exporters of
01:23clean energy
01:26and specifically more on the oil and gas side.
01:30Now, if we also look at another shift in the region, which is the AI shift and the major investments
01:39that have been put
01:40in the critical infrastructure for AI, and also, what does that mean in terms of the workforce?
01:51Now, from AI perspective, the focus of the region is to move from ambition to execution,
01:57and that has fueled a lot of pockets of growth in the region.
02:02Now, from industry's perspective, we've seen a tonic in the region.
02:06I just want to focus on the AI bit a little bit.
02:09I just want to focus on the AI bit for a second.
02:13Countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, have been focusing quite a bit on data centers,
02:19but those have emerged as potential targets over the past four or five months in this war.
02:24Do you think the investment strategy there shifts or gets reallocated?
02:32I think the investment is being re-applicated in some instances,
02:39mostly to support the mandate of localization and sovereignty.
02:44So, the GCC region have been focusing on AI sovereignty
02:47and looking at the entire fact that will support the AI ambitions,
02:51starting from the AI infrastructure, and then forming major deals with global hyperscalers
02:59and global entities investing in the AI infrastructure.
03:03And that has been evident across the region, as you mentioned earlier.
03:07We see it across all of the GCC region.
03:09AI as a mandate has been at the core of how to incentivize localization,
03:18and mostly AI has been at the forefront of it.
03:23And something that we've reported on quite a bit, Tamir,
03:27is this competition between Saudi Arabia and the UAE,
03:30even before this whole thing started,
03:32and where consulting firms sit in the midst of all of this.
03:35So, what are you telling clients in terms of this competition
03:39between the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, where does your business lie,
03:42and where do you see pockets of opportunity in the region outside of those two countries?
03:49I think, Tamir, it's more of a global competition when it comes to AI,
03:56and the region is part of it.
03:58Across the GCC region, we see the major opportunities in Saudi Arabia and UAE.
04:04Also, Qatar have been significantly investing in AI infrastructure,
04:10in sovereign AI, and developing the AI mandate.
04:16Kuwait and Oman, as well, have been investing heavily in AI.
04:20And you will see these investments translating in multiple capacities,
04:24starting from infrastructure, building data centers,
04:27the AI data centers, ensuring that the power is properly allocated
04:32to powering all of these major AI infrastructures.
04:36And we've seen also multiple hyperscaler agreements
04:39that have been signed over the last couple of years,
04:44turning the region, including Saudi Arabia and UAE,
04:47as one of the leading nations to drive the AI rate.
04:54And the pockets of opportunities, Amir, appear across people, process, technology.
04:59So we see the tech infrastructure, there are huge opportunities
05:03when it comes to upskilling the human resources aspect across the region.
05:11You will see countries, specifically in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar,
05:15focusing on localization and upskilling the resources
05:18to cope up with the AI mandate.
05:21We'll see you next time.
