BARQ Systems joins ServiceNow for MENA automation

BARQ Systems has formed a regional partnership with ServiceNow to speed up digital transformation and enterprise automation across the Middle East and North Africa, targeting organisations that are moving from isolated technology upgrades to AI-enabled operating models.

The collaboration is designed to help enterprises use the ServiceNow AI Platform to convert complex workflows into automated, data-led processes across IT, customer service, human resources and wider business operations. The companies are positioning the alliance around demand for intelligent automation, as organisations in the region seek to reduce manual processes, improve service delivery and bring AI into core enterprise functions.

BARQ Systems, a regional technology solutions provider focused on automation, data, AI, cybersecurity, cloud services and managed services, will work with ServiceNow to integrate data from existing enterprise applications into unified workflows. The aim is to enable AI agents to act on real-time business information, rather than operate as standalone chat tools with limited access to operational systems.

Mahmoud Soliman, CEO and founder of BARQ Systems, said the partnership would allow clients to turn data into action and accelerate their digital plans. He said MENA enterprises were looking to apply AI “where it matters most”, a signal that the company sees immediate demand in functional areas where delays, duplication and fragmented processes remain common.

ServiceNow’s role in the alliance gives BARQ Systems access to a platform widely used by large enterprises to manage workflows across technology, employee services, customer operations and risk functions. The company has been promoting its AI platform as a control layer for business reinvention, with a growing focus on AI agents that can carry out work across departments under defined governance structures.

The partnership comes as the MENA technology market continues to expand on the back of public-sector digitisation programmes, financial services modernisation, cloud migration and demand for stronger cyber resilience. IT spending in the region is projected to reach about $169 billion in 2026, while software spending is expected to rise to about $20.4 billion, supported by enterprise adoption of generative AI and automation tools.

For BARQ Systems, the ServiceNow tie-up strengthens its position in a crowded market where systems integrators, cloud partners and automation specialists are competing for government and enterprise mandates. The company’s own service portfolio covers intelligent process automation, decision frameworks, AI-powered automation, robotic process automation, chatbots, predictive analytics, computer vision and generative AI applications.

The immediate business opportunity lies in helping organisations connect legacy platforms, cloud applications and departmental systems without forcing a full replacement of existing technology. That integration challenge is particularly important in banks, telecoms companies, public agencies, healthcare groups and large conglomerates, where technology estates often span multiple vendors and long-running internal platforms.

ServiceNow has been expanding its AI capabilities as enterprise software companies face pressure to show that generative AI can deliver measurable productivity gains. The company reported subscription revenue of $3.671 billion for the first quarter of 2026, up 22 per cent from a year earlier, while remaining performance obligations stood at $27.7 billion, indicating strong forward contracted demand.

Its Now Assist customer base has also expanded, with customers spending more than $1 million in annual contract value growing by more than 130 per cent year on year. That momentum has helped ServiceNow present AI as an extension of workflow management, rather than a separate software layer competing with existing enterprise systems.

The partnership also reflects a broader shift in the region’s digital transformation market. Earlier waves of transformation focused on cloud adoption, customer portals and back-office digitisation. The current phase is increasingly centred on AI orchestration, process mining, workflow automation and secure data integration, as organisations seek systems that can make decisions, recommend action and complete tasks under human oversight.

However, adoption risks remain. Enterprises are under pressure to demonstrate clear returns from AI spending, while regulators and boards are paying closer attention to data protection, auditability and model governance. Large-scale automation projects can also face resistance if employees see AI agents as a threat to roles rather than a tool to remove repetitive work.