Ex-Google Executive Wants Saudi Telecom to Be the Next Softbank
- State carrier taps Tarabzouni’s tech expertise to diversify
- ‘We are in a race against time to transform STC:’ Tarabzouni
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A year ago, Abdulrahman Tarabzouni was working on Google’s Project Fi trying to disrupt the telecommunications industry. Now he’s back in his native Saudi Arabia with a mission to bring the country’s national phone carrier, Saudi Telecom Co., into technology investing.
Since returning to Riyadh to run Saudi Telecom’s STVentures in October, Tarabzouni persuaded the board to put $100 million into Dubai-based ride-hailing app Careem Networks FZ. He now plans to lead a delegation to his previous locale in the Silicon Valley to find venture capital and technology firms interested in partnering with Saudi Telecom, or STC, on further deals.