Leading the Charge in AI-Powered CRM: How Salesforce Is Shaping the Digital Future of the Middle East

Khaleej Times

18 hours ago

Mohammed Alkhotani shares how innovation and a people-first approach are transforming businesses across the region
It's not often that you meet a business leader who speaks about digital transformation with the ease of someone recalling a personal journey. For Mohammed Alkhotani, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Middle East at Salesforce, that journey is very much a present-day reality - one defined by innovation, bold regional expansion, and a deep commitment to customer-centricity.
Over the past two decades, Salesforce has evolved from a cloud pioneer into a global CRM powerhouse. But Alkhotani believes the company's long-term success rests on two enduring principles: innovation and quality.
"Salesforce essentially pioneered the Software as a Service (SaaS) model," he says. "Back in the mid-2000s, we were among the very first to deliver a complete, end-to-end SaaS system and that foundational innovation gave us a significant early advantage."
From that launchpad, Salesforce built a platform designed for rapid deployment, seamless customisation, and faster time-to-value. The SaaS model allowed businesses to scale quickly and flexibly - something that's now a critical requirement in today's fast-moving digital economy.
Staying Ahead with AI-Powered Innovation
What sets Salesforce apart today is its unwavering commitment to staying ahead of the curve. 'Innovation has always been at the heart of everything we do,' Alkhotani explains. "We lead the market in introducing new features and adapting to evolving business needs, both globally and locally."
A standout example is ' Agentforce', which he describes as "the first AI-powered digital labour solution in the SaaS world." Deployed across sectors - from call centres to online service assistants, Agentforce is helping businesses reduce reliance on human intervention for repetitive tasks while boosting overall productivity.
Aligning with a Digital-First Global Vision
Salesforce's long-term strategy aligns seamlessly with the world's shift to a digital-first workforce, particularly in high-expectation regions like the GCC. "Customers today expect services to be delivered in minutes, not days," Alkhotani notes. "If governments can process applications almost instantly, the private sector is under pressure to keep up."
But while expectations soar, human capacity remains stretched. Studies show nearly 41% of daily tasksare low-value - things like answering phones or handling simple lead generation.
"These are the tasks digital agents can manage effectively," he says. "Our job is to help organizations offload repetitive work to AI, so their people can focus on more strategic, impactful roles. It's about making work more meaningful and more efficient."
Putting Customer Success First
For Salesforce, product development is driven not by guesswork, but by real-world feedback. "Everything starts with listening," Alkhotani shares. "Our user groups and customer communities are essential. Their insights go directly into our product roadmaps."
This approach has paid off. The company consistently ranks high in customer satisfaction across markets. "Here in the UAE, customers are even willing to pay more up to 75–80% for a better experience," he adds. "And we're committed to delivering on that promise."
A Business Platform for Change
Beyond product innovation, Salesforce takes its role as a responsible corporate citizen seriously with sustainability and social impact embedded in its DNA. "They're not just values - they're core to who we are," says Alkhotani. "Even our canteen suppliers must meet strict sustainability standards."
Since joining four months ago, Alkhotani has led multiple community initiatives. During Ramadan, the Salesforce UAE team organised a charity Iftar, providing over 5,200 meals to workers. The next day, they visited a school for children with special needs, engaging with students through art and creative activities. "CSR isn't an annual checkbox," he says. "It's a monthly commitment. It keeps us grounded and connected.
Rethinking AI
While AI adoption is accelerating in the region, Alkhotani urges companies to rethink their approach. "I see a lot of bottom-up strategies where businesses start by investing in models or infrastructure, but don't define their use cases," he explains. "That's backwards."
Instead, Salesforce recommends a top-down, purpose-driven AI strategy: begin with the business need, identify pain points, and only then build the tech to support the solution.
"Before spending on AI, ask yourself why," Alkhotani advises. "Start with the outcome. That's how you unlock real value."
Salesforce's Agentforce, an autonomous AI application that provides specialised, always-on support to employees or customers, is at the centre of its AI strategy and Alkhotani is clearly excited about its impact. "We're not just pushing data or technology. We explore specific, high-impact use cases with our clients," he says.
From predicting customer drop-off in real-time to identifying cross-sell opportunities in complex conglomerates, Agentforce uses existing customer data to recommend the next best action, making engagement smarter and more effective.
"It helps employees become more knowledgeable and proactive," he says. "It sits on top of your systems as a digital agent, service rep, or business development tool - all in one." And it's fully compatible with any existing AI investments or large language models businesses might already have.
Deepening Regional Roots
Salesforce's commitment to the Middle East goes far beyond product deployment. "We recently opened our regional headquarters in Riyadh and launched new data centres in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia," Alkhotani shares.
The company is also nurturing local talent through partnerships with educational institutions, including Princess Nourah University in Saudi Arabia, to develop digital skills aligned with market needs.
Salesforce has also launched a Middle East Innovation Center with IBM, reinforcing its goal of building a self-sustaining regional ecosystem of tech innovation. "We're not here to make promises, we're here to deliver," Alkhotani says with conviction. "Every quarter, we're seeing real results. And we're just getting started."