NEWS
Snowflake now available on Google Cloud in Saudi Arabia , sets up regional headquarters
Snowflake , the AI Data Cloud company , announced its growing presence in the Middle East with the establishment of a new regional headquarters , in Riyadh , Saudi Arabia , and general availability on Google Cloud in Saudi Arabia , to better meet data residency and sovereignty requirements so that data can reside within the country ’ s borders .
Mohamed Zouari
As Saudi Arabia rapidly accelerates its digital transformation journey under Vision 2030 , data sovereignty and privacy have become central to its strategy . The Saudi Arabia ’ s Personal Data Protection Law of 2023 , PDPL , underscores the national priority on data integrity , privacy , and security .
Working in parallel , the Saudi Arabian data analytics market is projected to exhibit a compound annual growth rate , CAGR of 30 % during 2024 – 2032 , highlighting Saudi Arabia ’ s commitment to leveraging datadriven insights and AI technologies .
“ Snowflake ’ s expansion in Saudi Arabia is a pivotal step in our commitment to supporting and empowering Saudi organisations to meet local data regulations with faster , cost-efficient , secure , and compliant data solutions ,” said Mohamed Zouari , General Manager , Middle East , Africa and Turkey at Snowflake .
“ With our local deployment on Google Cloud , organisations in Saudi Arabia can use a foundational data strategy to unlock deeper data insights powered by AI , driving business innovation , all while meeting the highest standards of data residency and sovereignty .”
Customers across the Middle East have already been using Snowflake ’ s AI Data Cloud to discover and securely share data , as well as execute diverse analytic workloads , via Snowflake ’ s existing regional deployment in Dubai .
With the addition of Snowflake ’ s deployment on Google Cloud in Saudi Arabia , regional customers have further flexibility of choice for deployment , and are able to choose a geographical region that best suits their operational needs .
Organisations such as Almarai are using Snowflake ’ s AI Data Cloud to better access data to drive business decision making , all in a secure and governed platform .
Aramex launches automated robotic system at Jeddah Islamic Port with 120 robotic guided vehicles
Under the patronage and in the presence of His Excellency Rayan Salah Al-Din Al- Bakri , Deputy Minister for Logistics Services at Saudi Arabia ’ s Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services , Aramex launched its automated robotic system at Jeddah Islamic Port . This marks a significant milestone in the company ’ s digital transformation journey .
The state-of-the-art facility showcases Aramex ’ s commitment to technological innovation and operational excellence . The centrepiece of the facility is an advanced automated sorting system featuring three feeding lines integrated with 120 robotic guided vehicles , capable of processing 4,000 shipments per hour and 96,000 shipments daily .
Abdulaziz Alnowaiser , General Manager of Aramex , said : “ This automated facility represents a leap in logistics efficiency and
demonstrates our commitment to Saudi
Arabia ’ s Vision 2030 . By combining robotics , Artificial Intelligence , and temperaturecontrolled environments , we are creating a blueprint for the future of logistics in the region .
“ With the automation system , our capacity to handle shipments will increase to 100 %. Additionally , the plan for the activation . The launch of drone delivery by the end of February 2025 has been reviewed with one of our clients in the banking sector , and we are also advancing our future plans for domestic express mail sea transportation services .”
In a parallel development that promises to be transformative for logistics in the region , Aramex unveiled plans for its first drone delivery project . This initiative will complement the automated facility , further cementing Aramex ’ s position as a pioneer in smart logistics solutions . The drone delivery programme aims to reduce carbon emissions while enhancing last-mile delivery efficiency in urban and remote areas .
The strategic location of the facility at Jeddah Islamic Port , combined with its advanced capabilities , positions Aramex to play a pivotal role in Saudi Arabia ’ s ambition to become a global logistics hub .
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