Zoom opens another Saudi data center

Zoom Communications opened a new data center in Saudi Arabia, leaving the door open to further investment in the Kingdom. The new facility is a co-location arrangement with STC’s data center arm Center3.

Moving quickly: Zoom committed to investing USD 75 mn in the Kingdom, according to an announcement made during Leap 2025, covering infrastructure, talent, and local operations. Most of it is already deployed, Zoom's Vice President for the Middle East Mohannad Al Kalash tells EnterpriseAM. The remainder is expected to be invested before 2030, with the company open to additional investment “if the return on our investment is reasonable,” Al Kalash says.

Why it matters: The Kingdom is ramping up investment in AI, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure. Demand for data centers is expected to rise sharply as AI adoption increases and government entities, regulated industries, and enterprises seek local data residency capabilities. Center3 is developing AI-ready infrastructure through partnerships, including its recently announced collaboration with PIF’s Humain.

Saudi was a priority market when Al Kalash joined Zoom in 2024 to lead the company's regional expansion. The company currently employs more than 25 people in the Kingdom with an 84% Saudization rate, Al Kalash says.

What’s next?

The immediate focus remains on serving the Saudi market for now, with new packages targeting SMEs expected in the near term. A regional opening could come “a year from now,” with no local M&A on the cards, Al Kalash tells us.