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Salesforce is expanding its global footprint with the opening of its new office in Dubai Internet City in the UAE as part of its broader strategy to foster artificial intelligence (AI) innovation and customer success and capitalise on the region’s burgeoning growth opportunities.
Salesforce is witnessing substantial growth in the UAE as businesses increasingly embrace AI-powered digital transformation and seek its expertise as a trusted AI partner.
To further accelerate this momentum, Salesforce has introduced Agentforce, a revolutionary suite of autonomous AI agents designed to empower employees and automate tasks across service, sales, marketing, and commerce.
By seamlessly integrating into Salesforce apps and leveraging the real-time data from Salesforce’s data cloud, these agents deliver highly accurate, personalised, and automated responses, significantly enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Here, Salesforce’s president and chief engineering officer, Srini Tallapragada, talks about the company’s expansion into the UAE, its commitment to supporting local startups and entrepreneurs, and its role in driving digital transformation within the country.
Q. Salesforce has strengthened its presence in the UAE over the years. Can you give us insight into the company’s long-term strategy and objectives in this market?Â
Our company has been serving the UAE market for over a decade, initially operating remotely. Two years ago, to strengthen our local presence, we established a co-working space and have now opened a dedicated office. This expansion reflects our commitment to the region and our growing customer base.
Our local team is comprised of experienced professionals who are well-versed in our industry-leading CRM solutions and their applications across various sectors. We are actively recruiting local talent to enhance our capabilities further and better serve the UAE market.
Our comprehensive offerings cater to businesses of all sizes, from small enterprises to large corporations. We provide tailored solutions for specific industries, such as telco, automotive, and financial services, to accelerate time-to-value and deliver maximum benefit to our clients.
With the establishment of Salesforce’s new office, we are poised to deepen our engagement with the UAE market and leverage our expertise to drive business growth and success.
Q. How is the company contributing to the digital transformation of businesses and industries in the UAE?
Our diverse customer base includes companies of varying sizes and industries, all united by their desire for digital transformation. From forward-thinking startups to established giants such as ADNOC Group, we have a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions.
Our mission aligns with our clients’ evolving needs. We empower businesses to connect with their customers in meaningful ways, whether they are investors, consumers, or citizens. Our expertise and experience have enabled us to successfully guide numerous organisations through their digital transformation journeys.
Our partnership with 7X, formerly Emirates Post, exemplifies the value we bring to clients seeking to enhance their growth and operations. The company’s rebranding aligned with its vision of mobile-first solutions, and we played a pivotal role in enabling them to achieve this goal.
By providing a robust market coverage strategy and advanced front-office solutions, we empowered 7X to optimise customer engagement and sales efficiency.
Q. How are AI-powered solutions, such as Agentforce and Einstein AI, helping Salesforce differentiate itself from other market players?
 While most organisations are excited about ChatGPT’s potential, many customers are frustrated by the complexity and lack of value of existing AI solutions. They have invested heavily in projects but haven’t seen significant returns.
Our solution, Agent Force, offers a next-generation approach. Agents can take proactive actions based on extensive context and data, leveraging the Salesforce platform’s strengths in simplifying complex technologies. By providing enterprise-grade AI with well-defined roles per industry, we help customers avoid the pitfalls of DIY AI and quickly achieve value.
This approach not only improves employee productivity but also opens up new market opportunities. We’re particularly excited about the potential in UAE, where visionary customers are seeking partners to help them harness the power of generative AI.
Q. How is the company building and nurturing its ecosystem of developers, consultants, and other partners?
Salesforce has a strong history of empowering individuals and organisations through our Trailblazer community. We democratise technology by offering free training through Trailhead, enabling anyone to learn and build a career in IT. Furthermore, we have a vast network of 1000s of partners worldwide who provide technical support and expertise.
We are actively working to expand this ecosystem by encouraging partners to invest in Generative AI (GenAI). This collaborative approach ensures that our customers have access to the resources and support they need to succeed.
Our partner and development program supports the rollout of Agentforce. We have already trained our partners on this new product, which will be generally available by the end of October. The initiative aims to help both customers and partners prepare for the AI revolution.
Q. With the opening of the new Dubai office, what opportunities do you foresee in the UAE market?
UAE is a country known for its forward-thinking approach to innovation. We have encountered customers who are eager to adopt new technologies, even if it means taking risks. This aligns perfectly with our global growth strategy.
Digital transformation is a major trend in the UAE, and AI is a top priority for CEOs and CIOs. However, many face challenges in realising tangible value from AI initiatives. Agentforce offers a practical solution by enabling real-world projects and delivering tangible results.
