Nokia Global Ecosystem Partners Summit 2025: Shaping the AI-Native Future of Networks

On December 3rd, 2025, Nokia hosted the Global Ecosystem Partners Summit in Riyadh, bringing together senior leaders and strategic partners for an exclusive edition focused on accelerating the region’s digital transformation.

Held as an invitation-only forum, the summit brought together an influential mix of operators, neutral hosts, global technology partners, ecosystem innovators, and government representatives, underscoring Nokia’s multidimensional commitment to leading the next era of intelligent, automated, and sustainable networks.

This year’s summit centered on three strategic pillars defining Nokia’s regional technology vision: Toward AI-Native Edge, Industries Digitization, and Monetization and Automation. From AI-native virtualized architectures and advanced compute to 5G private networks and Industry 4.0 automation, the edge is becoming a core revenue model catalyzed by AI-driven partnerships.

Nokia highlighted that the fusion of AI, edge compute, and industry digitization will unlock the next wave of value creation. By pushing intelligence closer to the network edge and applying automation across operations, organizations can redefine connectivity models, optimize performance, and accelerate sustainable growth within both public and private sectors.

The event was officially opened by Ali Jitawi, VP Saudi, Mobile Networks, Nokia, who emphasized the significance of co-innovation and ecosystem alignment in accelerating the Kingdom’s digital transformation.

Monetizing the AI-Native Network: Productivity, Performance, and Edge Innovation

Five distinguished speakers delivered keynote presentations, each addressing a critical dimension of the AI-native future:

• Stepping Up to AI-Native Networks: Danial Mausoof, VP Technology & Solution, MEA, Nokia

In his presentation, Mausoof highlighted that the smart world ahead feels more human due to intuitive contextuality across devices, solutions, and services, which continue to evolve based on surroundings and interactions. The building blocks and roadmap of this evolution towards an exposable, cognitive network platform include AI-native architecture, network-cloud continuum, ubiquitous advanced access, and next-generation devices.

Commercially, AI-RAN addresses operator business needs by enriching customer experience, evolving performance and capabilities, and expanding multi-purpose cloud. He pointed out NVIDIA and Nokia’s collaboration to pioneer the AI platform for 5G Advanced and 6G, a significant step in commercializing AI-RAN.

• Future of Business-Critical Networks: Naif Al Mutairi, Network Director, Aramco Digital

For digital industrial services, Mutairi explained that Aramco Digital employs a multi-faceted strategy to be a one-stop-shop for industrial digitalization. The company’s 450 Mhz network will enable secure and reliable industrial connectivity and they are accelerating execution and engaging regulators to address network challenges. Among its solutions is deploying a groundbreaking nationwide industrial network in under 12 months, driving execution across 10+ contracts and IoT vendor alignment to drive IoT device readiness.

• Boosting Enterprise Productivity with AI: Tamer AbdelFattah, BD Executive, AI Solutions, Dell

Dell AI for Telecom has cultivated an ecosystem of partners to optimize network performance, run any AI workload anywhere, and accelerate AI business outcomes. AbdelFattah mentioned that Dell is the first infrastructure provider to partner with Hugging Face to offer optimized on-premises deployment of generative AI models, as well as the first on-premises infrastructure provider to offer standardized AI Solutions optimized for the Llama ecosystem. Some of the enterprise edge use cases he cited include an AI-enabled traffic monitoring system, retail, and mission-critical enterprise AI application.

• AI Infrastructure as an Enabler for Enterprise: Nicola Marziliano, VP EMEA Telco Sales, Wind River

Marziliano started by stating that the “edge is highly connected and getting smarter across industries.” Having said that, the intelligent edge will enable AI at the edge in the physical world. To achieve this new edge AI computing, Wind River is focusing on its orchestration and development platform; software applications and AI models; middleware, OS, and silicon enablement; and sensors and I/O. Addressing both telco and non-telco assets together with Nokia, Wind River will deliver intelligent, responsive services through real-time edge data processing using AI/ML.

• Telco and Edge AI Use Cases: Path to Monetization: Ramesh Sriraman, VP Engineering & R&D Services, HCL Technologies

Sriraman presented HCLTech’s private 5G solution that is enabling vertical use cases such as monitoring and control, AI acceleration, grid edge intelligence and optimization, worker health and safety, and mission-critical push-to-talk (PTT). They are also building the future grid and unlocking industrial agility with edge intelligence. Functioning as a success mantra for private 5G-led AI monetization, Sriraman shared that “people, process, culture, and long-term ROI are critical.”

Towards Edge AI-Native, Private Connectivity

Two dynamic panel discussions added multi-stakeholder depth to the event:

1. The Future of Edge AI-Native Connectivity
Panelists from Dell, TAWAL, and Red Hat explored AI-driven connectivity models, edge computing readiness, and the future of multi-cloud ecosystems.

From Left to Right: Jawhar Mtar, Head of Cloud AI-RAN, GCC, Nokia; Selenga Akiner, EMEA Partner, Dell; Muhammad Zaryab Nisar, Expert Commercial Planning, TAWAL; and Shadi Kurmush, Regional Sales Manager, Red Hat

2. Enhancing Productivity with Private Connectivity
Industry leaders from Zain, Mobily, Aramco Digital, and TAWAL discussed how private 5G networks are redefining industrial automation, safety, and operational resilience.

From Left to Right: Hossam El-Sayed, Head of MN Solutions Saudi, Nokia; Husam Maghrabi, Business Development Director, Aramco Digital; Abdallah Alkhaldi, B2B Portfolio Marketing GM, Zain; and Abdullah bin Khunain, Lead Commercial Planning, TAWAL

New Ecosystem, New Opportunities

The Nokia Global Partners Ecosystem Summit 2025 reinforced the pivotal role of collaboration in shaping an AI-native future for the region. By uniting industry leaders, innovators, and technology partners, the event highlighted the region’s accelerating momentum toward intelligent networks, advanced edge capabilities, and Industry 4.0 transformation. As the ecosystem continues to evolve, Nokia’s vision and partnerships are set to drive the next chapter of sustainable, secure, and future-ready connectivity.