
Stc Group and AWS announce a landmark partnership to advance Saudi Arabia's digital transformation agenda
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: stc Group, a leading digital enabler, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), the world's most comprehensive cloud provider, today announced a strategic collaboration to advance digital transformation in Saudi Arabia. As part of this partnership, stc Group has been recognized as a System Integrator Premier partner, the highest AWS Partner Tier.
The groundbreaking initiative will combine AWS's cloud infrastructure and generative AI/ML services, such as Amazon Bedrock, with stc Group's capabilities. This will scale cloud-based workloads and AI-powered innovation in sectors such as healthcare, finance, sports, education, energy, industrial, logistics and government sectors across the Middle East. stc Group will leverage AWS's global expertise to deliver innovative solutions tailored to customers in Saudi Arabia and neighboring Gulf countries, including Bahrain and Kuwait.
Together, the companies will empower businesses of all sizes with secure, scalable, and compliant cloud and AI solutions, unlocking new growth opportunities that align with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goals.
stc Group and AWS will develop comprehensive guidance and services for stc Group customers to enable seamless migration to AWS cloud and adoption of generative AI/ML services. In doing so, these solutions will advance cloud capabilities for more industries, propelling markets into the growing AI-driven economy without technical complexities.
The strategic collaboration between stc Group and AWS focuses on integrating local content development, advancing sustainability initiatives, and fostering knowledge sharing. Together, both companies aim to empower local talent, enhance cloud adoption, and shape a more sustainable, knowledge-driven future.
Riyadh Muawad, Chief Business Officer in stc Group, added: 'AWS shares our vision of advancing the Kingdom's digital transformation. Through this strategic collaboration, the Group strategy and its subsidiaries to target critical sectors in the Kingdom, we will create cutting-edge solutions, develop local talent, and pave the way for a digitally advanced future in Saudi Arabia.'
Tanuja Randery, Vice President, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, AWS, said: 'This strategic collaboration marks a significant step forward in contributing towards achieving Saudi Vision 2030. It underlines technology's transformative role in advancing key sectors including healthcare, finance, sports, education, energy, and industrial and logistics. Through this long-term partnership, AWS and stc Group will empower different organizations with the latest solutions, ensuring Saudi talent is equipped to thrive in a fast-evolving digital economy.'
The AWS and stc Group collaboration arrives as cloud adoption and massive AI advancements continue to transform Saudi's digital economy. According to PwC, AI will contribute $130 billion USD to Saudi's economy by 2030, while analysts IDC predict that the value of public cloud services will reach just under US$4 billion in 2027, growing by 23 percent annually over the next two years.
About stc Group:
stc Group is a digital enabler, offering advanced solutions and driving a role in the digitalization process. The group provides a comprehensive suite of services encompassing digital infrastructure, cloud computing, cybersecurity, Internet of Things (IoT), digital payments, digital media, and digital entertainment. The group comprises 13 subsidiaries across The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe.
About Amazon Web Services
Since 2006, Amazon Web Services has been the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud. AWS has been continually expanding its services to support virtually any workload, and it now has more than 240 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, media, and application development, deployment, and management from 105 Availability Zones within 33 geographic regions, with announced plans for 18 more Availability Zones and six more AWS Regions in Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. Millions of customers including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower costs. To learn more about AWS, visit aws.amazon.com.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth's Best Employer, and Earth's Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Zawya
2 hours ago
- Zawya
Saudi Arabia begins enforcement of higher localization rates in pharmacy, dentistry, and engineering sectors
RIYADH — The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) announced the implementation of updated Saudization targets in key professional sectors, starting Sunday, July 27, 2025. The move comes in collaboration with supervisory bodies including the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing. The updated Saudization plan targets pharmacy, dentistry, and technical engineering professions as part of ongoing efforts to expand the participation of Saudi nationals in the labor market and create productive employment opportunities across the Kingdom. In partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Saudization rate for pharmacy roles has been raised to 35% in community pharmacies and medical complexes, 65% in hospital pharmacy operations, and 55% in other pharmacy-related activities. This applies to establishments with five or more employees in pharmacy roles, with a minimum wage threshold of SR7,000 to count toward localization quotas. Dentistry jobs are now required to meet a 45% Saudization rate in the first phase, also effective today. The decision applies to facilities employing three or more dental professionals, with the minimum salary for inclusion in the quota set at SR9,000. Meanwhile, in coordination with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, technical engineering professions must now meet a 30% Saudization target in establishments with five or more employees in these roles. A minimum monthly wage of SR5,000 has been set to qualify for localization compliance. The ministry said it has published procedural guides on its official website detailing the required quotas and application mechanisms, urging all establishments to comply in order to avoid penalties. The update continues the Kingdom's broader nationalization strategy within the private sector. While the Ministry of Health will oversee the implementation of Saudization in dental and pharmacy professions, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing will monitor compliance in technical engineering fields. Private sector entities will also benefit from support programs offered by the Human Resources and Social Development system, including recruitment incentives, training, job retention, and priority access to Saudization assistance through the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF). © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (


Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
The CMA approves an incentive measure to support credit-rated debt instruments
The Capital Market Authority's (CMA's) Board approved an incentive measure for public offerings of debt instruments, granting priority in the review of public offering applications to issuers or issuances that have obtained a credit rating from a CMA-licensed credit rating agency. This measure will remain in effect until the end of 2026. This initiative comes as part of the CMA's commitment to enhancing the efficiency and transparency of the debt instruments market and supporting its role as a primary source of business financing and economic growth. It also aims to encourage issuers of publicly offered debt instruments to obtain credit ratings to broaden investor participation and strengthen the market's depth and efficiency. This measure forms part of the CMA's strategy to deepen the Saudi capital market and enhance its attractiveness and transparency, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to diversify funding sources and promote financial sustainability. A credit rating is not merely an indicator of the issuer's creditworthiness; rather, it serves as an effective tool enabling investors to make well-informed investment decisions. Through this measure, the CMA aims to build a more mature and stable debt instruments market with a diversified investor base and strengthened confidence among all participants. It also seeks to expand the investor base by enabling them to assess the risks of investing in publicly offered debt instruments, in addition to accelerating the review procedures by the CMA. This measure is expected to enhance companies' access to the debt instruments market to meet their financing needs, stimulate the number of issuances, and increase the attractiveness of offerings to investors. A credit rating facilitates the financial advisor's ability to market the offering, particularly to institutional and qualified investors who rely on such ratings in their investment decisions. A credit rating is defined as a forward-looking opinion on credit risk, which reflects the likelihood of issuers defaulting on their financial obligations in the short or long term, as well as the potential severity of financial losses for creditors in the event of default. Issuers use credit ratings to signal their creditworthiness and attract investors, while investors rely on them to support their credit analysis of issuers and debt instruments.


Zawya
18 hours ago
- Zawya
Stc Group achieved a net profit of one million riyals, a 13.38% increase for the six-month period compared to the same period last year
Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - stc today announced the company's preliminary financial results for the period ending at 30 June 2025: Revenues for the 6 months period of 2025 reached 38,660 million with an increase of 2.09% as compared to the comparable period last year. Gross Profit for the 6 months period of 2025 reached 18,658 million with an increase of 6.61% as compared to the comparable period last year. Operating Profit for the 6 months period of 2025 reached 7,207 million with an increase of 2.28% as compared to the comparable period last year. Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Zakat, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) for the 6 months period of 2025 reached 12,289 million with an increase of 6.10% as compared to the comparable period last year. Net Profit for the 6 months period of 2025 reached 7,472 million with an increase of 13.38% as compared to the comparable period last year. stc distributes 0.55 per share for the 2nd quarter of 2025, in accordance with the dividends distribution policy approved by General Assembly. Commenting on the results, Eng. Olayan Alwetaid, CEO of stc Group, stated that the Group continued to deliver excellent performance through its commitment to its strategy and success in capitalizing on available opportunities within the ICT sector. He pointed out that the focus on financial discipline and improving the efficiency of capital management were key factors in supporting business stability, enhancing the Group's readiness to adapt to changes, and expanding into future growth avenues with confidence and sustainability. This was reflected in the Group's financial performance, as stc achieved revenue growth of 2.1% during the first six months of the year, and an increase in gross profit by 6.6%, compared to the same period last year. Additionally, the Cost Efficiency Program contributed effectively to enhancing operational and financial efficiency, which positively impacted the company's performance, resulting in EBITDA growth of 6.1% with an increase in EBITDA margin by 3.9% to reach 31.8%, which in turn led to a notable increase in net profit by 13.4%, reaching 7.5 billion. The GCEO also emphasized that the growing demand for the Group's services is a testament to the community's trust in the efficiency of its digital solutions. This was demonstrated by the number of STC Bank customers surpassing three million within a short period since its launch at the beginning of 2025, reflecting the accelerated growth in the adoption of digital banking services and embodying the Group's growing role in developing the financial services sector. Furthermore, the GCEO praised the tremendous efforts made by the Kingdom to provide a safe and comfortable environment for pilgrims and its continuous dedication to facilitating Hajj rituals and enhancing the quality of services provided to pilgrims. He also affirmed stc Group's dedication to contributing to the success of the Hajj season through the deployment of the latest technologies and digital solutions, including advanced AI solutions, which the Group implemented to boost network efficiency within the holy sites. During the season, the Group provided record internet speeds serving more than 1.6 million pilgrims and provided services to 1.49 million stc network users, which led to exceptional results, as stc's network recorded the highest traffic hour in its history in Muzdalifah, with a 64% increase in data usage and a 129% surge in 5G network traffic compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, the user experience index rose by 25%, underscoring the network's ability to support one of the world's most significant mass crowd movements. As part of its efforts to expand coverage and provide high-speed connectivity in both urban and remote areas to bridge the digital divide and ensure the delivery of reliable high-quality communication services, stc's 5G network now covers more than 9,500 sites across the Kingdom. The Group has also continued to enhance its network technically by activating the low-frequency spectrum (600 MHz – N71) recently acquired, becoming the first operator in the region to activate this band commercially. This enables users in peripheral areas to access advanced communication services and high-speed connections, thanks to its superior coverage and penetration capabilities. In addition, stc has adopted the 5G standalone technology, which allows full utilization of advanced 5G features such as reduced latency and customized service quality through network slicing. This marks a pivotal step in enabling many vital sectors and strengthening the Kingdom's position in adopting and developing cutting-edge global technologies. In line with its commitment to maintaining its leadership in the fields of telecommunications and information technology, stc Group signed several strategic agreements over the past period. In the field of cloud computing, the Group signed a partnership agreement with Oracle for a value of more than 2 billion, aimed at accelerating digital transformation across the Kingdom, through the development of advanced AI-powered cloud infrastructure and the provision of sovereign cloud solutions via the Oracle Alloy platform, hosted at center3's data centers. Additionally, stc signed a strategic partnership with Singtel Group to collaborate across several areas, including digital platform integration, developing human capabilities, IoT solutions and expansion of subsea cable systems. These partnerships contribute to strengthening stc's position as a comprehensive digital provider across the region. Finally, stc Group released its sixth Sustainability Report for the year 2024, which showcases the progress made across sustainability, environmental and social responsibility, and governance. The report also highlights the Group's efforts to enhance environmental performance and human capital development through digital innovation and upholding the principles of effective governance and ethical excellence. In recognition of these efforts, stc's ESG rating was upgraded from 'BBB' to 'A' in the latest MSCI ratings, reflecting the Group's commitment to adopting the highest local and international sustainability standards and practices. These initiatives reaffirm the Group's role as a key enabler of the national economy by supporting job creation, business growth, talent and skill enhancement, community well-being and the advancement of digital infrastructure. stc Group remains committed to advancing its sustainability efforts and continuing to maximize its positive impact on society, the environment and the economy by adopting sustainability principles across its various business areas.