Data Intelligence Pioneer Databricks Launches In Saudi Arabia

San Francisco-headquartered Databricks announced in December 2024 its launch in Saudi Arabia, with the data and artificial intelligence (AI) company stating that by opening a new office and forming strategic partnerships in the country, it aims to invest in the future of the Kingdom, while also enabling its its growing local customer base – which include entities like Abdul Latif Jameel and Panda Retail – to combine data, analytics, and AI with its Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. 

Besides opening a new office in the Al Faisaliah Tower in Riyadh, Databricks has appointed Mohammad Alzaubi as General Manager to lead operations locally. Bringing a wealth of experience from IBM, SAP, and Microsoft, Alzaubi is set to drive further adoption of the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform across a range of industries, including financial services, telecommunications, energy, and retail. 

In a statement, Andy Kofoid, President and Head of Worldwide Operations at Databricks, said, “Democratizing data and AI across an organization is a top priority for every CEO today. The Databricks Data Intelligence Platform has the power to support the most innovative companies and entrepreneurs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to derive greater insights from their enterprise data, and build generative AI solutions much faster. The growth and adoption of new technologies across the Kingdom are unparalleled, and establishing a presence here is an exciting milestone for Databricks.” 

Mohammed Alrobayan, Deputy Minister for Technology in Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), said, “We are thrilled to welcome such an innovative company as Databricks to the Kingdom. We are building a powerful ecosystem of cloud providers and software companies to support businesses and government partners achieve a new level of technical excellence and innovation. Databricks’ presence in KSA will support these ambitions.” 

To drive the adoption of its Data Intelligence Platform in Saudi Arabia, Databricks has partnered with MCIT to offer a data engineering training and certification program. Saudi citizens who complete the certifications will be eligible for financial reimbursement, helping to nurture local talent and foster excellence in data engineering. In addition, through the Future Skills Initiative, MCIT, in collaboration with the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) and the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), has also included the Databricks “Data Engineer Professional” and “Engineer Associate” certifications in its roster of internationally recognized professional qualifications. 

Databricks’ entry into Saudi Arabia is in line with the country’s Vision 2030 objectives, which focus on economic diversification, empowering citizens, and fostering a dynamic environment for both domestic and global businesses. It follows an investment made by Sanabil Investments, a wholly owned company by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), in Databricks’ greater than $500 million Series I funding round in 2023. 

“Our investment in Databricks reflects our focus on investing in transformational companies leading the global tech innovation,” a spokesperson from Sanabil Investments noted. “Backing the best software companies to enable technology shifts across industries is an important part of our mission, and we are excited for the value Databricks will unlock for customers in Saudi Arabia. Databricks’ Data Intelligence Platform makes it easy for modern companies to manage their data and adopt enterprise AI at scale, with a growing number of companies in the Kingdom starting their modernization journey and interested in the promise of data intelligence.”