Saudi Arabia is a leader in Technology, Media & Telecommunications

15 May, 2014 – Within its regional roadshow to the promising Middle Eastern countries in terms of growth and development in the Technology, Media & Telecommunications – TMT sectors, Deloitte held the first-of-its kind TMT event in Saudi Arabia to launch the 2nd Middle East TMT predictions report with emphasis on predictions specific to the Kingdom.

The event, which was held in Riyadh, was attended by the country’s TMT leaders and decision makers.  “Saudi Arabia is one of the region’s core and leading technology, media and telecommunications markets, featuring prominently in the latest trends covered by this year’s Middle East Predictions report,” said Santino Saguto, Partner and TMT industry leader at Deloitte Middle East. “The Kingdom’s TMT industries have made a lot of progress over the past few years and going forward we see a range of local opportunities with great potential,” added Saguto.

The second annual Middle East TMT predictions report is a tailored version of the global TMT predictions report which has been in circulation for the last 13 years. It covers the latest TMT industry trends, which is presented and shared with key TMT players spanning over 70 countries across the world. With the Middle East’s rising growth, significance and influence in the global TMT space, this year’s Middle East Predictions report, provides the most in depth regional perspective on the latest TMT trends, highlighting the foremost developments unique to the region. 

The report further covers the far reaching implication and impact of these trends on key areas of the wider Saudi and Middle East economy, addressing key issues in the education, healthcare, small-mid size business and sports sectors.

“We seek not only to share a point of view, but more importantly to spark key discussions amongst Saudi Arabia’s leading TMT players and those in key sectors of the wider Saudi economy in a forum which stimulates their strategic thinking and market actions for the year ahead and beyond,”  Saguto explains.

Key trends and outlooks derived from the report for Saudi Arabia include:

Technology:

• Arabian Massive Open Online Courses (AMOOCs): with the largest Arab student base and population in the GCC, Saudi Arabia holds the largest market potential for AMOOC usage, particularly amongst the female segment
• eVisits: based on GCC estimates, the addressable market for eVisits in Saudi Arabia is about $1.3-1.8 billion, which could increase by as much as $140-200 million this year. Saudi Arabia envisages the largest eHealth network in the world, a strong platform and fertile ground for the development and eventual adoption of eVisits as another viable form of care.

Media:

• Doubling up on Pay-TV: Saudi Arabia and UAE will become the largest Middle East markets for SVOD as secondary viewing service, given their joint highest online streaming penetration and number of VOD/SVOD offerings
• Broadcast Sports Rights: Saudi Arabia, Egypt and UAE are expected to lead the predicted 15-20% growth in the region’s premium broadcast sports rights, driven mainly by growth in broadcast rights of top local football leagues

Telecommunications:

• Short Messaging Services versus Instant Messaging: regional operators are likely to follow the lead of Saudi telecom operators in partnering with Instant Messaging providers to encourage data consumption and expand new revenue streams

Full details on the Middle East TMT Predictions and a copy of the report are available here: www.deloitte.com/metmtpredictions2014

About Deloitte

Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities.  DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients.  Please see About Deloitte for a more detailed description of DTTL and its member firms.  

Deloitte provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. With a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries and territories, Deloitte brings world-class capabilities and high-quality service to clients, delivering the insights they need to address their most complex business challenges. Deloitte’s more than 200,000 professionals are committed to becoming the standard of excellence.

About Deloitte & Touche (M.E.)

Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) is a member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited (DTTL) and is the first Arab professional services firm established in the Middle East region with uninterrupted presence since 1926.

Deloitte is among the region’s leading professional services firms, providing audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services through 26 offices in 15 countries with more than 3,000 partners, directors and staff. It is a Tier 1 Tax advisor in the GCC region since 2010 (according to the International Tax Review World Tax Rankings). It has received numerous awards in the last few years which include Best Employer in the Middle East, best consulting firm, and the Middle East Training & Development Excellence Award by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).