Gianluca Meloni

TBY talks to Gianluca Meloni, CEO of Nesma Injazat, about infrastructure, client portfolio, and competition.

Nesma Injazat is the result of a JV between UAE’s Injazat (now Core42), and Nesma Infrastructure and Technology (NIT), a leading provider of high-quality solutions for communication technology, power systems, and energy infrastructures in KSA. Can you share the inspiration behind founding Nesma Injazat and how it is positioned to support KSA’s transformation?

Nesma Injazat was established during GITEX last year to lay the groundwork for Saudi Arabia’s next generation of technology-driven economic growth. With Saudi Arabia on a fast track with digital transformation projects across industries in the Kingdom to achieve its goals for Vision 2030, we are committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that empower businesses and enrich society. In order to stay competitive, companies must embrace a transformational journey and seek out highly innovative solutions developed with well-established partners that can accompany them on this path. Nesma Injazat stands as a trusted digital partner for organizations in Saudi Arabia and harnesses Core42 and NIT’s combined technical in-depth service capabilities to bolster operational resilience and reimagine business models through digital transformation. Our solutions include several critical digital services and ventures such as enterprise applications, cloud infrastructure, and cyber defense, and we play a critical role in supporting organizations across various sectors including healthcare, smart cities, energy, and construction, by developing their IT and digital infrastructure. Spending on Digital Transformation in Saudi Arabia is set to reach USD3.19 billion per year, with investments spanning emerging technologies, open-source government software, and cloud computing. Nesma Injazat is well-positioned to help accelerate the Kingdom’s digital economy goals by co-creating transformational digital platforms and services across multiple industries.

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 emphasizes technological advancement. In what ways does Nesma Injazat contribute to achieving the goals outlined in Vision 2030, and how do you foresee the company’s role evolving in the coming years?

Our vision and mission align with that of Saudi Vision 2030, with the aim of positioning ourselves as an asset to the Kingdom to support the realization of its objectives of growth and enhanced quality of life for its citizens and residents. By introducing and providing transformative digital services and solutions, we want to support the nation’s ambitions to build a thriving economy and a connected and smart society. We also want to play a part in accelerating the Kingdom’s digital economy goals by co-creating innovative digital platforms and services through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). The technology landscape in Saudi Arabia is extensive, offering boundless opportunities for growth. Nesma Injazat’s solutions are centered around enhancing smart city infrastructure and enterprise efficiency. Leveraging our combined expertise and the support of our shareholders, our aim is to deliver impactful and transformative digital solutions. These innovations will play a pivotal role in advancing the Kingdom’s tech sector and contributing to the government’s objectives, including Saudization.

Can you shed some light on the composition of your service portfolio?

From projects in city development to mobility and transportation, our clients in the public sector have experienced exponential growth in a very short timeframe thanks to our offerings that include Smart City solutions – from smart fleet management to smart parking, smart fire and life safety alarm monitoring, and more emerging technologies. Additional offerings include broad digital platforms that will house Hybrid Multi Cloud solutions, Cyber Defense, and Next Generation Business Applications. We also prioritize cybersecurity as a fundamental aspect of our and our clients’ operations and combine cyber threat intelligence and threat defense operations into a single, integrated cyber defense platform. As a renowned specialist in managed services, we ensure streamlined, efficient, and secure operations for organizations of all sizes. We provide end-to-end and fully integrated solutions, from monitoring and administration to security and support, enabling clients to focus on their core business while leaving the complexities of IT management to the experts.

Emerging technologies such as AI, Machine Learning, IoT, and Blockchain are integral to Nesma Injazat’s solutions. How are these technologies transforming industries in Saudi Arabia, and what innovative solutions has Nesma Injazat developed utilizing these technologies?

The Kingdom’s long-standing vision aims to build an ecosystem of digital innovation and encourage the metamorphosis that these technologies bring. The country has leveraged these technologies to build technology hubs for upskilling, widen the scope of research horizons, attract foreign investments, improve decision-making, increase the seamlessness of business operations through advanced automation, and a lot more. The potential of transformative digital solutions is limitless. Laying the groundwork for the next generation of technologically driven growth, Nesma Injazat offers several critical digital services and ventures such as enterprise applications, cloud infrastructure, and cyber defense, across different sectors and industries. For example, venturing into the world of Web 3.0, we are pioneering the shift towards a more semantic, connected, and intelligent web. By leveraging the potential of decentralized networks, user-generated content, and advanced AI learning and applications, we introduce an era of more personalized, predictive, and interactive experiences. We work with and actively support organizations across various sectors in Saudi Arabia to drive rapid digital transformation, redefining the way businesses operate in the region, from the root level, in a bid to align with Saudi Vision 2030.

Nesma’s market experience and customer knowledge is an asset for Nesma Injazat: how is your client portfolio structured and how are you working to expand?

The amalgamation of Nesma’s local expertise and experience with Core42’s (previously Injazat) proven track record in building agile, bespoke industry solutions is an ideal partnership, one that is set to revolutionize the regional tech sector, by leveraging both companies’ technological prowess. We currently operate out of Riyadh and Jeddah, offering our services to organizations across various sectors and industries such as healthcare, smart cities, energy, and construction, aviation, and of course infrastructure. When it comes to our clientele, we are industry-agnostic and are primed to tackle new ventures due to our growing ambitions and objectives. We are looking to expand our horizons through new endeavors and PPPs that will build operational resilience and reimagine new business models. We are currently working on a wide range of projects with both the private sector, including large family conglomerates, and the public sector, which includes semi-government and government entities. So far, we have successfully completed smart cities, ITaaS, and Geospatial projects, leveraging 3D mapping and Digital Twin technologies.

Could you share a success story where Nesma Injazat made a transformative impact on a client’s business, showcasing the effectiveness of the solutions and services provided by the company?

Since our launch last year, we have successfully propelled large organizations’ digital transformation journey, revolutionizing their IT landscape and catalyzing data-driven decision-making. By deploying our cutting-edge solutions and services, we have helped streamline our clients’ (both private and public) operations, enabling them to modernize their business processes and leverage data-driven insights for strategic advantage, ultimately helping them achieve unprecedented efficiency and agility.

In a market characterized by fierce competition, how do you shape the company’s advantages, imposing and cementing Nesma Injazat’s in the local market?

We have been waiting for the right opportunity to expand into Saudi Arabia, to make an impact by solving complex industry problems and helping companies realize their business goals faster and more efficiently. NIT, already well established in the Kingdom with local market experience and customer knowledge, also shares a strategic innovation mindset with Core42, and so has proven to be a natural partner in actively driving and pioneering the future technology landscape of Saudi Arabia. When it comes to our partnership, we are the best of both worlds, and our collaboration ensures streamlined, efficient, and secure operations for organizations of all sizes. Our strong suit and key differentiator enable smooth end-to-end solutions, from monitoring and administration to security and support, thereby allowing our roster of clients to focus on their core business while leaving the complexities of IT management to the experts.

What are your main priorities and targets set in your 2024 agenda?

As digital transformation experts, the clock never stops. The new year may change the dynamics of the landscape, but because we sit at the core of digital advancements, we stand ready with our ever-evolving and adaptable digital services and solutions – to drive and propel the Kingdom’s digital evolution and play a critical role to create a prosperous, technology-driven future. We aim to unwaveringly prioritize not only our expansion in the Kingdom but also our reliability and lay the groundwork for the next generation of technologically driven growth.