The Middle East: A Fast-Growing Hub for Shared Services
When business leaders talk about the future of Shared Services, one region keeps entering the conversation with increasing frequency: the Middle East. Long known for its oil wealth and strategic location, the region is now undergoing a broader transformation, which is attracting the attention of global companies rethinking how and where they deliver services.
This shift isn’t just about cost anymore. It’s about agility, access to skills, political will, and infrastructure that supports digital operating models. With post-pandemic pressures still shaping enterprise strategy, the region is starting to look like the right place at the right time.
Here’s why.
1. The Middle East's Strategic Geography
It’s no secret that geography still matters in the global services equation. The Middle East offers a natural advantage, given it’s position between Europe, Africa, and Asia, and it provides a practical base for “follow-the-sun” support.
Cities like Dubai, Cairo, Riyadh, and Doha are increasingly being chosen as regional hubs. Their airport connectivity, modern business districts, and time zone overlap with both Asian and European markets make them ideal for shared services delivery. For global companies managing distributed teams and needing real-time collaboration, this geographic convenience is a real asset.
And it’s not just about time zones. The region is proving itself to be a cultural and commercial bridge between continents, helping multinationals serve diverse markets from a single hub.
2. Cairo’s Shared Services Story is Just Getting Started
Egypt, in particular, is gaining traction as a shared services destination, and not just for entry-level outsourcing. The country has quietly built a strong foundation for long-term business services investment, anchored by a young, skilled workforce and solid government backing.
Cairo is now home to a growing number of global players running shared services operations in finance, HR, IT, and customer experience. Companies like IBM, Vodafone, and Teleperformance already have major delivery centers in place.
The government has played a big role here. Through initiatives like Digital Egypt and support from ITIDA, Egypt is actively attracting shared services investment. Training programs, tax incentives, and dedicated business parks like Smart Village are all key contributors behind Egypt being part of location conversations.
The result? Cairo is emerging as one of the most promising locations in the Middle East for scalable, multilingual, and digitally enabled service delivery.
Get Closer to the Action at SSOW Middle East
If you want to see this transformation in action, SSON’s Shared Services & Outsourcing Week Middle East is the place to be. Taking place on 8-11 December 2025, this event will bring together industry leaders, service providers, and government partners who are shaping the future of business services in the region.
Register your interest, and join us in Cairo, Egypt, this December!
3. Egypt (And Beyond) Has a Young, Educated Talent Pool
People are the engine behind any shared services model, and the Middle East is rich with potential. The region has one of the youngest populations on the planet, with hundreds of thousands of university graduates entering the workforce each year.
In Egypt alone, more than 500,000 students graduate annually, many fluent in English, Arabic, and at least one other European language. Universities are producing skilled professionals in IT, finance, and business operations, and companies are tapping into this pipeline to build teams that are both capable and cost-effective.
Beyond Egypt, Gulf countries are investing heavily in education reform and workforce development. National employment strategies are encouraging companies to grow local talent, not just hire it. A sign that shared services in the region can be both sustainable and strategic.
4. The Middle East's Growing Infrastructure
The region is not just building skylines. It’s building digital infrastructure, and fast.
Countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia are pouring billions into smart cities, 5G networks, cloud platforms, and AI research. From Masdar City to NEOM, the region is creating spaces designed to host future-ready businesses.
For shared services teams, this matters. Whether it’s reliable internet, remote work support, or access to cloud-native tools, the Middle East is now equipped to deliver. IT, finance, HR, and procurement teams can operate with the speed and stability today’s business demands.
And as automation, analytics, and AI continue to reshape service delivery, being in a region that’s leaning into digital transformation is a smart move.
5. Leading Companies are Already Betting Big
The proof is in the footprint. More and more global firms are setting up or expanding shared services operations in the region. They’re not experimenting, they’re committing.
Sectors like banking, telecoms, pharmaceuticals, and energy are well-represented. These organizations are running real functions, not just pilots. And as they see results, others are following.
There’s also a growing ecosystem of providers, advisors, and enablers forming around these centers. This kind of momentum brings benefits beyond services. It creates opportunities for benchmarking, collaboration, and innovation.
Why This Shift Matters Right Now
The pandemic didn’t just change where people work. It reshaped how companies think about operational risk, talent access, and regional resilience. Traditional outsourcing locations are still important, but businesses are now looking for a more balanced global footprint.
The Middle East, with its mix of affordability, ambition, and access to talent, is increasingly part of that equation. The region is aligning its talent, infrastructure, and policy to support global businesses that are ready to think differently about where and how they operate.
Cairo, Dubai, Riyadh, these cities are no longer fringe locations. They’re fast becoming central players in the next chapter of global service delivery.