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In a recent engaging discussion, Tanuja Randery, Vice President and Managing Director for EMEA at Amazon Web Services (AWS), articulated the company’s ambitious outlook for one of the world’s most vibrant and diverse regions. During her meeting with Neesha Salian, editor of Gulf Business, at the AWS Summit that took place last month in Dubai, Randery elaborated on AWS’s strategic commitment to the Middle East, emphasizing substantial investments in cloud infrastructure, the advancement of AI, and initiatives aimed at upskilling talent, all of which are instrumental in driving economic transformation throughout the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and other areas.
Randery also explored AWS’s global presence, including the groundbreaking European Sovereign Cloud, and shed light on key collaborations such as the transformative partnership with Saudi Arabia’s leading AI entity, HUMAIN.
The dialogue covered various topics, including handling regulatory hurdles, nurturing startup ecosystems, promoting sustainability, and the importance of personal leadership values, offering an extensive view of how AWS is empowering businesses and nations to accelerate their digital journeys.
Starting with your vision for the regions you oversee — how has it developed since you assumed your role four years ago?
This region, which I have the honor of leading in the EMEA, is perhaps the most dynamic and diverse I’ve ever encountered — even on a global scale. In spite of various complex challenges, such as energy transitions and geopolitical pressures, what truly fascinates me about this area is its unwavering capacity to progress.
I spend a significant amount of time in the Middle East. It’s an extraordinary region with supportive governments, bold commitments, and a clear vision. Transformation cannot be achieved without strong leadership support, and this region showcases that principle well. It’s also about aligning that commitment with investments— in technology, infrastructure, sustainability, and workforce. This trend is evident across the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and even in the established markets of the UK, Germany, and France.
Therefore, since I started, the strategy has not fundamentally shifted; it’s about empowering our customers to utilize technology swiftly and extensively — focusing on technology that drives real business success rather than technology for technology’s sake.
On that note — how has your presence in the market expanded, and do you see it continuing to grow in the years ahead?
Absolutely. From the perspective of Amazon and AWS, we are constantly expanding and developing AI and data center infrastructure on a global scale. It’s a privilege to assist our customers in building alongside us. Many of the world’s most important national infrastructures — in defense, finance, and public services — rely on AWS. Consequently, it is essential for us to pay close attention to market trends and invest accordingly.
In the Middle East, we have made strategic advancements. We established our first region in Bahrain in 2017, followed by the opening of our UAE region in 2022 with infrastructure in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai. This required an investment exceeding $5 billion, generating 6,000 jobs and nearly twice that in economic benefits.
Furthermore, we have recently announced our next regional development in Saudi Arabia, expected to go live in 2026. Just last week, we shared new initiatives focused on AI and cloud capabilities. So yes, we are vigilantly observing the market and making long-term investments.
In addition to infrastructure, we are heavily committed to training and skill development. We have already educated 150,000 individuals across the Middle East— and that’s only the beginning.
That’s remarkable. How is AWS assisting customers in the Middle East to establish themselves as global entities?
It’s exciting to see how our worldwide infrastructure complements the Middle East’s aspirations to become a global player. Our customers here are not just looking for local capabilities; they desire to scale globally while maintaining consistency. We facilitate this by providing the same core AWS service fidelity worldwide: uniform security, scalability, and microservices regardless of location.
For example, the UAE’s e&, recently acquired a Czech-based firm (PPF Telecom) and aims to utilize AWS to bolster operations there.
Read: AWS and e& ink over $1 billion agreement to spur cloud and AI growth in the region
We are making significant investments in my region, including GBP 8 billion in the UK, nearly GBP 16 billion in Spain, and another GBP 8 billion towards the European sovereign cloud. These investments are long-term strategies, focusing not only on technology but also on job creation and economic growth.
Job creation is a significant priority for you. Can you elaborate on how AWS supports talent development and smaller businesses?
Job creation is something we place tremendous importance on. More than just figures, we are genuinely dedicated to aiding startups and small to medium enterprises (SMEs)—the foundation of innovation and economic stability.
Our investments and educational programs are structured to empower this ecosystem. We want SMEs to have access to the same powerful tools and infrastructure as the larger corporations, allowing them to expand and grow using AWS. This is what keeps this sector vibrant and engaging.
Can you provide examples of companies you’ve collaborated with globally and within the region, specifically regarding both large corporations and startups?
Certainly. Consider CAFU as an example. They have built their entire mobile application, data warehouse, and infrastructure on AWS. By utilizing the cloud, they were able to avoid upfront infrastructure costs — leading to rapid scaling and a complete redefinition of fuel delivery methods. Visiting a petrol station has become unnecessary.
Then there are established digital enterprises like Property Finder. While their website features beautiful listings and visuals, what’s particularly impressive is their backend integration of AI and ML, especially for fraud detection and intelligent chatbots. These tools enhance consumer trust by ensuring that listings are verified and reliable.
Another corporate illustration is BT, which is employing Amazon QDeveloper to enhance coding productivity, shedding up to 12% of repetitive tasks, thereby increasing efficiency among their development teams.
Which sectors are leading in cloud and generative AI adoption, particularly within the region?
Honestly, there isn’t a sector today that can afford to overlook generative AI. It is redefining customer experiences universally.
In retail, for example, it is utilized on a daily basis, including by Amazon, which incorporates AI in services like Amazon Go with its “Just Walk Out” technology. In media, it is revolutionizing content creation and research. In financial services, we’ve witnessed significant uptake—First Abu Dhabi Bank serves as an excellent case. They leverage both our outposts and cloud technology to expedite product time-to-market and improve productivity by up to 60%.
Sports is another thrilling sector. We are involved in initiatives with Formula 1, where we process 1.1 million telemetry data points each second, allowing for real-time fan insights—such as fastest laps, tire performance, and pit strategies.
We have also partnered with the Bundesliga on “My Dream Pitch,” which allows fans to design their own virtual stadiums using AI.
Can you discuss your recent partnership with HUMAIN in Saudi Arabia? What sets it apart?
This partnership is particularly exciting. HUMAIN is Saudi Arabia’s national AI leader, and our collaboration will facilitate an AI hub within a HUMAIN-developed data center, coinciding with our AWS region set to launch in 2026.
We are collaborating to provide Amazon Bedrock services, Amazon Q, Amazon Connect, and a comprehensive suite of microservices. What distinguishes this partnership is that customers will be able to access multiple models (such as Claude, Mistral, DeepSeek) safely and securely within a virtual private cloud—eliminating the need for different sign-ups and addressing data security concerns.
Additionally, we have just rolled out Tranium and Inferentia chips, which offer cost-effective and sustainable solutions—especially crucial as the Middle East shifts from a petroleum-based to a knowledge-based economy.
You touched on public cloud and cybersecurity. Can you elaborate on your partnership with e& and the UAE Sovereign Launchpad?
Our infrastructure has always been sovereign by design, unlike others that consider it an afterthought. For instance, AWS Nitro integrates security at every level.
Now, through our collaboration with e& and the support from the UAE Cybersecurity Council, we have enhanced our offerings to meet the needs of workloads that require heightened levels of sovereignty. An important aspect here is that data only moves based on the customer’s action.
Combining e&’s cybersecurity expertise with AWS’s cloud and security services enables us to better support highly regulated sectors than ever before. The endorsement from Dr. Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti (the head of Cyber Security for the UAE Government) signifies the trust we have established in the region.
Beyond e& and HUMAIN, what are other significant partnerships in the Middle East?
Absolutely. A prominent one is our strategic framework agreement with Aramco in Saudi Arabia, focused on enhancing operational efficiency and sustainability through cloud, AI, and ML technologies.
Moreover, we collaborate closely with significant consulting firms like Deloitte, Accenture, and McKinsey under what we call the Power of Three:
- AWS provides the fundamental cloud and AI/ML infrastructure
- Business consultants assist customers in aligning technology with their strategy
- System integrators ensure large-scale execution
This collaborative approach helps customers achieve genuine transformation.
What do you perceive as the main hurdles companies face regarding cloud adoption in the region?
This is a very relevant question. With vast investments flowing into the region, including our own — and the projected impact of cloud and AI reaching around $733 billion for the Middle East, the challenge is how to unlock that full potential.
There are three primary challenges:
Regulatory environment: We are fortunate to operate in a region where governments support innovation. However, it’s crucial to foster a regulatory framework that allows for experimentation while safeguarding security and citizens’ rights. Some businesses find that compliance incurs substantial costs.
Skills shortage: This is an area we feel strongly about. Our research indicates that 43% of businesses in the region suffer from a lack of access to digital skills. Achieving transformation requires a digitally skilled workforce. We are making significant investments, training 150,000 individuals so far in MENA and Turkey, and 31 million globally. We also offer targeted programs for women, like our 12-week course with Coda Tech to train Emirati women.
Startup funding: In order for startups to achieve global scaling, access to venture and public funding is essential. I’m optimistic due to the growing number of investment funds in the region, yet it’s something that we all must cultivate collectively.
My advice? Start immediately. Start small. Scale quickly. Not embracing this technology now is no longer an option.
Can you explain the European Sovereign Cloud AWS has introduced?
The European Sovereign Cloud is a venture we initiated in collaboration with the German government. Our first deployment will occur in Brandenburg this year. Its uniqueness lies in providing the full array of AWS services while being entirely governed by European (specifically German) regulations.
It will be managed and operated by EU citizens and will possess its own management board. It’s operationally independent without sacrificing innovation — a necessary advancement in today’s regulatory climate.
Let’s discuss sustainability. What are AWS’s primary initiatives, especially amidst rising concerns regarding AI and energy consumption?
At the core of our operations is a commitment to sustainability. As previously mentioned, Amazon is the largest corporate buyer of power purchase agreements (PPAs) globally, and we are spearheading solar and wind initiatives—28 projects in the region, to be precise. We collaborate closely with energy providers and governments to facilitate these endeavors.
Beyond renewable energy, we prioritize efficiency. Our data centers have been proven to be up to 4.5 times more energy-efficient than the average European data centers, according to research conducted by Accenture. Our chips—Graviton, Trainium, Inferentia—are engineered with sustainability in mind.
Amazon has also taken the lead in the Climate Pledge, committing ourselves and other signatories to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Thus, it’s not only about consuming more energy but about utilizing it smarter and more effectively.
To conclude on a personal note — what three values inform your leadership style?
The first value is ownership. I believe leaders must take responsibility for customer issues, solutions, the employee experience—everything. That sense of accountability is essential and reflects a key Amazon leadership principle.
The second value is inclusion. It’s not just about diversity but true inclusion—creating environments where diverse viewpoints are acknowledged. At Amazon, we uphold the principle that “leaders are right a lot”, which translates to seeking perspectives that challenge assumptions. For instance, we compose documents that anyone in the organization, even the most junior employees, can contribute to. In meetings, leaders often speak last to promote open dialogue.
The third value is vision and boldness. One should always have a guiding star and the courage to take calculated risks. Equally important, however, is inspiring the team and enabling them to share in the journey.