Zoom Video Communications has appointed Mohannad AlKalash as the new Managing Director for Middle East, Turkey, Africa and Pakistan (METAP).
AlKalash’s strategic hire underscores Zoom’s commitment to fostering local talent and advancing its footprint in the region from its base in the Kingdom amid growing demand for innovative communication technologies.
In his new role, AlKalash will spearhead Zoom’s growth journey in METAP, leading efforts to expand and introduce products and solutions that align with the region’s unique business landscape as well as Saudi Arabia’s national transformation through Vision 2030.
“As we deepen our commitment to METAP markets with a new regional office in Saudi Arabia, we are thrilled to welcome Mohannad, who brings more than 20 years of experience in the digital space including UCaaS, cybersecurity, ERP and cloud services for world-class digital applications,” said Frederik Maris, Head of EMEA at Zoom.
“With a focus on building our presence, forging strategic partnerships and bringing customer-centric solutions to market, we are getting ready to deliver even more exceptional experiences that resonate with businesses in the region.”
Zoom’s investment in a regional office in Riyadh underscores its dedication to creating localized services that are culturally aligned and reflect the region’s diverse business landscape. This includes a local node designed to host clients with tailored support in Arabic, as well as products that comply with local regulations as well as international standards to ensure data privacy and data sovereignty. The appointment of AlKalash builds momentum on Zoom’s ambitions in the region, just a month after the company made significant commitments to make Zoom AI Companion available for customers in the Kingdom by the end of July 2024, Zoom Phone will be available by October 2024, and Zoom Contact Center will be available by the end of 2024. In addition, Zoom is adding two more cloud regions in the country in 2024.
AlKalash said: “I am tremendously excited to be joining Zoom at this juncture of growth and innovation within the company, but also in Saudi Arabia and the METAP region. Our strategic priorities align with the transformations of countries in this region, including Saudi Vision 2030, with a focus on leveraging AI and machine learning to enhance communication efficiency and security while offering scalable UCaaS solutions suitable for businesses of all sizes.
“We will continue to stay ahead of technological advancements and customer expectations and develop new features that cater to the evolving needs of the Saudi and METAP markets. Importantly, we are also committed to hiring from the local workforce, supporting the participation of Saudis in the private sector while securing world-class talent to help us realise our goals.”
With Vision 2030 and national economic diversification strategies driving growth across sectors including education, retail and e-commerce, tourism and hospitality, financial services and industry and manufacturing, Zoom is poised to provide tailored solutions for a range of industries, supporting the region’s transformation. It is also exploring new use cases for government customers, such as video-enabled courtrooms, community services and search and rescue operations.
AlKalash added: “Zoom’s regional expansion strategy will focus on deepening partnerships, being a UcaaS partner of choice for private and public entities, offering tailored services and localising communication tools to Arabic.”
Zoom is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion. Through transparent recruitment policies, partnerships with local universities and workplace initiatives supporting women’s empowerment, Zoom aims to cultivate a workforce that reflects the diversity and talent of the Kingdom.
Prior to joining Zoom, AlKalash was Regional Sales Manager for Cisco following a role as a territory manager for strategic accounts in Saudi Arabia’s security, cyber and defense sector. He is currently a member and advisor on several boards, including CyberxWorld, a multinational cybersecurity awareness platform he founded, as well as Prince Sultan University and Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University. He holds an MBA from the University of Manchester.
