Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 37 | Page 55

COUNTRY FOCUS: KSA But in certain areas in very advanced IT domains we definitely have to rely on certain expertise because it is scarce. When we talk of Blockchain it is very advanced and with recent technology you don’t have so many consultants or Blockchain certified people worldwide. met in terms of localisation and Saudisation. We are very committed to that and we take it seriously and it is a mission, it is not just a demand we receive from the Ministry of Labour. We believe that this is the right investment and we are pushing in the same direction. These are the kind of gaps that we need to bridge and fill in and we are trying to do that through the investment in the local skill sets within the Kingdom and that is part of the demand of the Ministry of Labour in which there is a certain percentage that has to be IS SAP involved in the NEOM Smart City project? www.intelligentcio.com We know that NEOM is a futuristic Smart City and not only that – NEOM is going to be a leapfrog for humanity. NEOM is a place where we believe that we are creating a city at the size of a country. We are proud, I am proud, that this is happening in my country. His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has said that NEOM is a place for dreamers and we will only walk with people who understand what that means. We are engaged with NEOM, conducting workshops and brainstorming sessions with them. We are very keen to contribute to this massive project that will take us to the next level in terms of futuristic Smart Cities. n INTELLIGENTCIO 55