Aramco Digital CEO Tareq Amin (pictured) announced on social media his company has struck a partnership with Intel to establish the first open RAN development centre in Saudi Arabia in a move to foster digital technologies across the country.

Ex-Rakuten Symphony boss Amin stated on LinkedIn the open RAN collaboration “heralds a significant stride towards fostering local talent development and knowledge transfer in advanced software development within the radio domain”.

Amin led the open RAN charge for Japan-based Rakuten Group prior to an abrupt exit in August 2023.

He confirmed his new role to Mobile World Live on 17 October 2023.

The announcement with Intel suggests Aramco Digital could deploy a 5G open RAN network in the region.

“This collaboration serves as a testament to the commitment to cultivating indigenous talent, creating a platform for skills enhancement and facilitating the transfer of cutting-edge knowledge in software development,” Amin wrote on LinkedIn.

“The open RAN collaboration becomes a conduit for nurturing a skilled workforce in Saudi Arabia, propelling the nation into the forefront of the global digital landscape.”

Oil company Aramco is one of the largest companies in the world based on market cap. It created Aramco Digital in early 2023 as part of a move to diversify its operations and foster new technologies.

The enterprise digital unit signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nokia Bell Labs in November 2023 to explore Industry 4.0 use cases.

It also signed an MoU with Samsung.

Aramco Digital has outlined intentions to tap into AI and emerging technologies.