“Our commitment to Qatar’s digital economy remains steadfast” – Abdul Rahman Al Thehaiban, Google Cloud

Google Cloud has celebrated the one-year anniversary of its launch of the Doha Google Cloud region with the inaugural Google Cloud Doha Summit.

Under the esteemed patronage of His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, the event marked a year of remarkable progress, innovation, and collaboration in Qatar’s digital landscape.

The summit, held today at Stadium 974 in Doha, brought together more than 1,000 attendees, including Google Cloud partners, customers, government officials, and industry leaders, to commemorate the achievements of the past year and explore the future of cloud computing and AI.

It also stood as a testament to the growth and potential witnessed in Qatar’s digital ecosystem, thanks to the visionary leadership of H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, Minister of Communication and Information Technology.

Mr. Sami Mohammed Al Shammari, Assistant Undersecretary for Infrastructure and Operations Affairs at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, stated that, “We congratulate Google Cloud on their first successful year in Qatar. Your contribution has been valuable to the development of the digital landscape in our country. By fostering innovation and providing cutting-edge solutions, Google Cloud has enhanced our technological capabilities, moving progress across various sectors. We look forward to continuing this fruitful partnership and witnessing further advancements as we work together to achieve our digital transformation goals.”

Abdul Rahman Al Thehaiban, Managing Director, Turkey, Middle East & Africa, Google Cloud said: “As Google Cloud looks ahead, the commitment to Qatar’s digital and knowledge-based economy remains steadfast. Continued investment in infrastructure, introduction of new services and features, and fostering a thriving ecosystem of partners and developers will unlock the full potential of Qatar’s digital landscape.”

Ghassan Kosta, Regional Country Manager at Google Cloud, said, “This milestone not only represents a technological achievement, but also underscores the incredible potential and growth we’ve seen in Qatar’s digital marketplace. We are deeply committed to fostering a thriving ecosystem where businesses, government entities, and individuals can leverage the power of AI to drive real economic growth and create opportunities for everyone.”

The Doha Google Cloud region, the first of its kind in the Middle East and Africa, has witnessed remarkable adoption of Google Cloud’s innovative services and solutions by businesses across various sectors over the past 12 months. This adoption underscores the power of cloud computing and Google Cloud’s unwavering commitment to empowering organizations in Qatar to thrive in the digital age.

The summit featured insights from Anthony Cirot, VP EMEA South at Google Cloud, who highlighted the latest innovations in AI and cloud computing. Cirot emphasized Google Cloud’s commitment to making AI more accessible and helpful for everyone.

Cirot stated, “AI is essential to helping us deliver on our mission at Google Cloud, which is to accelerate every organization’s ability to digitally transform its business and industry. With innovations like Gemini for Google Cloud, we are empowering teams to innovate faster and transform their operations through AI.  Google Cloud is proud to be a partner in the growth and transformation of Qatar. Our commitment goes beyond technology; it’s about fostering a thriving ecosystem where businesses, government entities, and individuals can utilize the power of AI to spur real economic growth and create opportunities for everyone.”

Summit Attendees had the opportunity to hear from industry leaders, including Sheikh Ali Bin Jabor Al-Thani, Chief Executive Officer of Ooredoo Qatar, who shared insights into Ooredoo’s data transformation partnership with Google Cloud. Sheikh Ali highlighted the role of generative AI (gen AI) in driving Ooredoo Qatar’s future goals.

During the event, Google Cloud also shared how customers and partners are innovating with cloud technologies and AI, including MCIT, University of Doha for Science Technology (UDST), Qatar University, Community College of Qatar (CCQ), Milaha, Qatar Chemical Company (QChem), Ooredoo Qatar, Omantel, beIN Media Group, Aljazeera, Aspire, Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), The Ministry of Endowment and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf), Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC), Qatar Post (QPost), Rafeeq, Taallum Group and many others.