Breaking Down Saudi Arabia's Tech Ambitions with Sami Fathi

If there's one thing that 2025 will serve as a reminder, it's the growing hunger and ambition of a few countries in the Middle East looking to punch above their weight. Three countries emerged at the front line in looking to dominate the tech side of the news: Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia.

Out of the trio, Saudi Arabia has been on the headline grabbing spree with their partnerships being announced. Who better to help navigate this uncharted field than a Saudi who can help explain it all? Having covered a lot about Apple due to his love for the company and even writing for the popular news site MacRumors.com, Sami Fathi is a Saudi citizen that traces the country's ambition on the path towards the Vision 2030.

If there are some takeaways from our episode in a nutshell, you can see them below:

• Apple's expansion into Saudi Arabia is a significant milestone, with the debut of the online store.

• Saudi Arabia is becoming a competitive player in the tech market, striking partnerships with major names: Qualcomm, NVIDIA, Adobe, and many more to list out.

• Success in the Middle East for tech companies comes down to localization.

• Backbone of the country's ambition is fuelled by Vision 2030 driving rapid changes in the Saudi economy.

• With the likes of Lenovo and Lucid already invested in manufacturing in the country, Saudi Arabia's future in tech manufacturing looks promising.

Sami's unique perspective sheds light on the country's journey and its impact on the global stage. One thing is clear - Saudi Arabia is serving as both a participating and a leader in the tech conversation.

If you're already curious to dive deeper into the news-grabbing headlines and eager to learn about the country's ambition, watch the full episode (embedded below or via the podcast page) that will help demystify all the news you've read.

Check out Sami's archives and follow him on LinkedIn / X.