Mid‑Cost, High‑Control: Why Saudi is the Smart Bet for GBS in 2026

Saudi Arabia is emerging as MEA’s mid-cost, high-control choice for GBS

With about 75 delivery centres nationwide and ~47 in Riyadh, Saudi offers scale with control. Grade A occupancy near 98 per cent and prime space around $535/m²/year signal a tight but navigable market, while PDPL, Saudisation and the RHQ Program favour in-country capability. Add the Saudi riyal’s peg to the US dollar and fast-maturing cloud capacity, and you have a practical base for regulated, data-sensitive work.

In this SSOW MEA article, you’ll learn:

✅ Why a Saudi base matters: how a captive-first model under PDPL and Saudisation keeps sensitive processes in-country and close to decision-makers, with the RHQ Program pulling more scope to Riyadh.

✅ What the benchmarks signal: Grade A ~98% and ~$535/m²/year prime confirm Saudi’s mid-cost profile; generative AI investment up ~30% year on year, yet about 9% feel fully ready on governance - what that means for your roadmap.

✅ Where talent gains are found: expanding local supply, rising female participation, and a practical path to bilingual and digital upskilling that supports finance, HR, procurement and analytics.

✅ How to sequence value: a 12 to 18-month plan for set-up and scale - site selection in Riyadh, early finance/HR/procurement wins, and safe AI use cases that show measurable impact.

✅ How to navigate constraints: real estate scarcity and fit-out timing, vendor oversight under PDPL, and simple controls that keep execution predictable.

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