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Zoho on track to expand footprint in GCC

Indian enterprise software firm recently opened the first two Middle East data centres in Saudi Arabia

Zoho Corporation, a fast-growing Indian enterprise software firm, said its decision to invest millions of dollars in the UAE and Saudi Arabia underscored the company's long-term commitment to the region and its strategic growth objectives.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia, two key markets in the GCC, offer immense opportunities for tech companies like Zoho to expand their footprint and engage with a diverse range of businesses across various industries, says Sridhar Vembu, the CEO of Zoho Corporation.

Recently, Zoho opened the first two Middle East data centres in Saudi Arabia to ensure local data is stored within the geographical boundaries of the Kingdom, he said.

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Vembu, who is also the co-founder of the $1 billion turnover company, said with a burgeoning tech ecosystem and a growing appetite for digital transformation, businesses in the GCC countries are increasingly turning to cloud-based solutions to drive efficiency and innovation. “Zoho's comprehensive suite of software products caters to a wide range of industries and verticals, making it well-positioned to capitalize on the opportunities presented by these markets,” he said.

Contributing to the Saudi Vision 2030, Zoho Corp., is investing a total of about SAR 500 million. In the UAE, Zoho has committed to invest Dh100 million. It has set up a dedicated office in Dubai to serve as a hub for its regional operations. The company has forged strategic partnerships with local businesses and government entities, enabling it to penetrate key sectors such as finance, said Ali Shabdar, overseeing Zoho's operations in North America.

“By offering tailored solutions that cater to the unique requirements of businesses in the UAE, Zoho has been able to establish a strong foothold in the market,” he said.

According to Shabdar, the investments made by Zoho in the GCC reflect the company's confidence in the region's economic potential and its commitment to serving customers with world-class solutions. “By leveraging local talent, forging partnerships, and investing in cutting-edge infrastructure, Zoho aims to create a solid foundation for sustained growth and innovation in the GCC,” he said.

Zoho's suite of cloud-based software solutions, ranging from CRM and HR management to finance and project management tools, has resonated well with businesses in the region seeking to streamline their operations and enhance productivity, said Shabdar.

Recently, the tech giant announced in Austin extensive updates across its collaboration portfolio to accelerate momentum in this age of flexible, asynchronous work. On the heels of a 78 per cent increase in migrations from top competitors to Zoho's collaboration solutions, the firm is driving new AI, workflow automation, and industry-specific capabilities across core collaboration tools.

Zoho also unveiled a new set of capabilities aimed at democratising CRM to all teams involved in customer operations activities. Zoho CRM for Everyone allows sales teams, the primary custodians of customer relationships, to communicate and coordinate from a single place various customer deliverables across areas like solutions engineering, contract management, sales enablement, customer onboarding, and advocacy. In addition, it has introduced extensive updates across its collaboration portfolio to accelerate momentum in this age of flexible, asynchronous work.

A bootstrapped company that has never raised external capital since its founding in 1996, Zoho’s has plans for its innovation pipeline covering the next 10 years and is investing in deep technologies. Zoho supports more than 700,000 businesses across over 150 countries with its suite of 55+ business applications across various functions from finance to marketing to HR