HFS Chief Research Officer Tony Filippone speaks with Stephanie Ayoub, Chief Growth Officer at ICG, about their work together in Saudi Arabia and across MENA. The discussion focuses on how research-led strategy and on-the-ground execution help enterprises and governments deliver real transformation at scale.

They explain how HFS and ICG are moving clients from plans to results: modernizing technology, improving procurement, scaling AI and automation, and building lasting capabilities.

With Vision 2030 reshaping the region, Tony and Stephanie cover why investment flows into Saudi Arabia, how organizations move from pilots to production, and what AI adoption and sovereignty look like in practice.

You will hear about:

• Why MENA, especially Saudi Arabia, is becoming a global digital and AI-driven transformation hub.
• How the HFS and ICG partnership blends research, strategy, and execution to accelerate outcomes.
• The key challenges for leaders: talent gaps, procurement friction, vendor lock-in, and legacy estates.
• The shift from efficiency to effectiveness and how to pursue outcome-based transformation.
• AI sovereignty, data residency, and hybrid models, and how these shape the region’s next phase.

To know more about our strategic alliance with ICG, visit here: https://www.hfsresearch.com/strategic-alliances/