Atos, the Worldwide IT partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games has announced plans to open a Sports Technology Centre of Excellence in Saudi Arabia.
The Center will use Atos’ experience in providing IT services for global sports events, helping create advanced technology to support athletes, fans, and the sports community in Saudi Arabia.
Marc Veelenturf, CEO Middle East & Turkey at Atos, said: “Through the Sports Technology Centre of Excellence, Atos will empower organisations in Saudi Arabia with the technologies needed to thrive in the Kingdom’s digital economy.
“Drawing upon our best-in-class digital tools and IT solutions, the Centre will become the epicentre for major events technology and digital innovation in the region.”
The global specialist in digital transformation has said that the Centre will be positioned within a newly established MENA HQ in Riyadh.
Both the HQ and Centre of Excellence are set to play a vital role in Saudi Vision 2030, a government program launched by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which aims to achieve the goal of increased diversification economically, socially and culturally.
Mutaz Salem, General Manager at Atos, said: “Atos will enable Saudi’s major projects to become pioneering, future-proof smart destinations rooted in tradition, sport and culture with strong expertise and experience.”
Specifically, the Center will act as a vibrant business hub known as ‘Club Atos’, hosting various events like keynote sessions, roundtable discussions, technology demonstrations, workshops, and networking events.
Through these activities, Atos aims to bring together industry leaders, event organisers, clients and partners to delve into topics such as digital transformation, cybersecurity, cloud services, decarbonization, application modernization, DevSecOps and edge computing.
Javier Escudero, Commercial Director at Atos Major Events, stated: “The Atos Sports Technology Centre of Excellence will be located at the heart of Riyadh to provide major events with seamless technology, orchestrating flawless operations and secure data flow.”
Currently, Atos is the technology partner for all UEFA men’s national teams after signing an 8-year deal in 2022. As mentioned earlier, the company is also the Worldwide IT partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, with its current longstanding contract covering Paris 2024.
Escudero added: “Our unique track record in sport includes over 25 Asian projects such as the Olympic Games, and Asian, Arab and Gulf Games. Atos innovative solutions will serve as the backbone, enabling organisers to captivate audiences worldwide while ensuring reliability and precision behind the scenes.”
