Business AI Takes Center Stage as Saudi Organizations Advance
HR Transformation at SAP HR Connect KSA 2026
- Event explores autonomous HCM, skills-based workforce strategies and intelligent hiring
- SAP recognizes 13 Saudi organizations for achievements in HR transformation
Photo caption: Customer panel session at SAP HR Connect KSA, 2026
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – 4 October 2026 – SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) brought together HR leaders, customers and industry experts at HR Connect KSA 2026 to examine Saudi Arabia’s next chapter of HR transformation. Discussions focused on how HR is moving beyond process modernization toward work redesign, skills-based workforce planning and Business AI embedded in everyday work. The event also recognized 13 organizations for achievements in human capital management (HCM) transformation.
Held under the theme ‘Make every employee a success story,’ the event explored the shift toward more connected and increasingly autonomous HCM. Recent SAP SuccessFactors innovations include a connected network of AI agents supporting recruiting, workforce administration, payroll, learning, performance and talent development. Embedded in HR processes and grounded in trusted workforce data, these capabilities can reduce friction, provide contextual guidance and support better decisions while retaining human oversight and accountability.
The program included SAP’s own HR transformation journey, a keynote on autonomous HCM and sessions on intelligent hiring, workforce planning, employee experience and adoption. Customer speakers from SATORP, ACWA, YASREF, Qiddiya, SAL Saudi Logistics Services, Water Transmission Company and Mubtech shared how Saudi organizations are connecting people and business strategies while preparing employees for changing roles and skills.
Skills emerged as a central foundation for this transformation. A recent SAP-commissioned YouGov survey of chief IT decision-makers in Saudi Arabia found that organizations across the Kingdom are preparing their workforces for wider AI adoption: 54% are upskilling or reskilling employees at scale, 52% are rolling out targeted training for specific roles and 53% are hiring new AI-related talent.
Natali Bezan Stajner, Regional Head – HCM LOB Director, Middle East & Africa, North, at SAP, said: “The next chapter of HR transformation is about more than modernizing processes. It is about redesigning work around skills and giving people Business AI that helps them make better decisions in the flow of work. As agentic capabilities take on more routine work, human judgment, empathy and accountability become even more important. AI is the copilot, not the pilot.”
Bakr Azam, Human Capital Services Director at SAL Saudi Logistics Services, said: “Our rapid evolution with SAP SuccessFactors reflects SAL's commitment to operational excellence. By automating traditional bottlenecks and simplifying complex approval chains, we have transformed the everyday employee experience and established a high-velocity, digital-first workplace.”
Fahad Rashed Alharbi, Human Resources Manager at YASREF, said: “The true measure of digital transformation is not the technology we deploy, but the human potential we unlock to innovate, grow, and create greater value.”
Customer Awards
The breadth of this transformation was reflected in the 13 organizations recognized at HR Connect KSA 2026. Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare was recognized for translating AI concepts into practical HR solutions through its SAP AI Hackathon-winning work. Red Sea Global was recognized for using AI and process automation to reduce manual bottlenecks and improve HR service delivery. Maaden was recognized for digitizing external workforce management across eight business units and managing a spend portfolio exceeding SAR 1 billion within six months of go-live.
HR Connect KSA 2026 Award recipients included:
- Qiddiya – HCM Accelerated Value Through SAP Preferred Success
- Marafiq Power & Water Utility Company – Strongest HCM Solution Adoption
- Red Sea Global – HR Transformation with AI
- SAL Saudi Logistics Services – Best HCM Employee Central Innovation
- National Gas and Industrialization (GASCO) – Digital Workforce Leadership Award
- Yanbu Aramco Sinopec Refining (YASREF) – HCM Implementation Excellence Award
- ARO Drilling – HCM Implementation Excellence Award
- Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare (JHAH) – People & AI Leadership Award
- Saudi Aramco Jubail Refinery Company (SASREF) – HCM Cloud Transformation Award
- Azad Properties – HCM Cloud Transformation Award
- National Events Center – HCM Built to Scale Award
- Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) – Total Workforce Management Award
- Water Transmission Company (WTCO) – Digital HR Experience Award
The recognition ceremony concluded a day focused on the next phase of HR transformation in Saudi Arabia, with Business AI, connected data and workforce skills emerging as central priorities for organizations seeking to improve employee experience and business performance.
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