A substantive transformation program driven by digital-age technologies is underway in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. This program of change is founded on three overarching goals: diversifying from an oil-based economy, delivering best-in-class citizen services, and becoming a global technology hub. In response to GCC ambitions, service providers are enhancing their regional leadership, developing their local talent pools in AI, ML, and cybersecurity, and establishing regional partnerships.
These emerging trends are covered in Avasant’s GCC Region Digital Services 2022–2023 RadarView™. The report is a comprehensive study of GCC region digital service providers, including top trends, analysis, and recommendations. It closely examines the leaders, innovators, disruptors, and challengers in this region.
Avasant evaluated 37 providers using three dimensions: practice maturity, investments and innovation, and ecosystem development. Of the 37 providers, we recognized 20 that brought the most value to the market during the past 12 months.
The report recognizes service providers in four categories:
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- Leaders: Accenture, HCLTech, IBM, TCS, Tech Mahindra, and Wipro
- Innovators: Capgemini, Cognizant, Infosys, and LTIMindtree
- Disruptors: DXC, GBM, Injazat, Intertec Systems, Virtusa, and e& enterprise
- Challengers: Coforge, Emitac Enterprise Solutions, ITC Infotech, and YASH Technologies
Figure 1 below from the full report illustrates these categories:
“Digital technology has been key to GCC policy,” said Srinivas Krishna, Avasant senior partner, UK and EMEA. “Commercial law reform, labor reforms, and investment process improvements have helped the region boost its non-oil-based economy.”
The full report provides a number of findings and recommendations, including the following:
- Governments, private enterprises, and universities have undertaken several multicountry initiatives to drive technology research, grow the region’s tech talent pool, and identify joint tech enablement opportunities.
- GCC governments have identified digital technologies as a key lever for achieving their trifecta of goals around economic diversification, improving citizen services, and driving innovation.
- Policies such as Dubai’s new digital mandate obligate government entities, judicial authorities, and private entities to offer digital services to customers. These policies offer an opportunity for enterprises and agencies to revisit their business models and improve digital capabilities.
- As GCC governments have committed to aggressive carbon neutrality goals, regional enterprises will need to follow their lead and ensure that sustainable practices become standard operating procedures.
“Digital technology adoption and innovation define the region, and it has become a destination for global events,” said Saugata Sengupta, Avasant country lead, UAE. “Regional leadership is focused on sustainability, green technologies, food security, and citizen services.”
“The region offers a dual opportunity to service providers,” said Gaurav Dewan, Avasant research director. “A chance to become the vendor of choice for local and global enterprises seeking digital innovation and an opportunity to tap into a remarkably diverse and global talent pool created by significant labor reforms across all GCC countries.”
The full report also features detailed RadarView profiles of 20 service providers, along with their solutions, offerings, and experience in assisting GCC regional enterprises in digital transformation.
This Research Byte is a brief overview of the Avasant GCC Region Digital Services 2022–2023 RadarView™ (click for pricing).
