This article was originally published in the Brand Finance Telecoms 150 Report 2026.
For six consecutive years, stc has held the title of the most valuable telecoms brand in the Middle East and now ranks ninth globally. In a recent interview with Brand Finance, Faisal Almalki, Brand Management GM at stc, reflects on the strategic vision, bold investments and ecosystem partnerships that have driven the brand’s sustained growth, and shares how the company plans to scale innovation and strengthen its global leadership in the coming years.
Interview with Faisal Almalki, Brand Management GM, stc
This is the sixth consecutive year you have been named the most valuable telecom brand in the Middle East, and you rank ninth globally among the most valuable telecom brands. Looking back at this achievement, what would you say are the three key elements that enabled this success?
Brand Management GM,
stc
And looking ahead, what will be most critical to thrive in the years to come? This recognition reflects stc’s ability to deliver sustained brand leadership through long-term strategic discipline rather than short-term performance. Our consistency has been driven by three core factors.
First, a clear and long-standing vision to grow beyond connectivity, positioning stc as a digital powerhouse with a comprehensive and integrated digital ecosystem. This has ensured continued relevance as customer expectations and technologies evolve.
Second, bold investments and decisive strategic moves, including continuous network advancement and innovative digital services. This is reinforced by tali ventures, our corporate venture capital arm, which gives stc early access to emerging technologies and enables the translation of frontier innovation into long-term ecosystem and brand value.
Third, a consistent focus on enriching lives through digital connectivity and solutions ensuring that growth is scalable, meaningful, inclusive and sustainable.
Looking ahead, sustaining leadership will depend on our ability to scale innovation with agility, integrate emerging technologies responsibly and remain anchored in our brand essence while setting new global benchmarks.
Collaboration and partnerships have become crucial elements in today’s interconnected world. How has stc fostered strategic alliances, and what role have these partnerships played in driving brand value growth?
Partnerships are central to stc’s strategy and to our role as a digital enabler of the Kingdom’s transformation. Through strategic alliances across telecom, technology, fintech, cloud and digital solutions, we extend our capabilities, accelerate innovation and bring advanced offerings to market faster.
A key focus of these partnerships is enabling the Kingdom’s Giga projects, where stc plays an active role in delivering the digital foundations required for smart cities and large-scale developments.
From advanced connectivity and digital platforms to data, cloud, IoT and smart solutions, we support the creation of integrated, future-ready environments aligned with national priorities under Vision 2030.
Within this broader ecosystem, sovereign cloud is one example of how these capabilities are brought to life. Through sccc by stc, we provide locally hosted cloud solutions that support data sovereignty, security and resilience, enabling trusted digital transformation across government, enterprise and strategic national initiatives.
This approach is complemented by targeted investments and acquisitions that scale capability and reach. A recent example is center3’s acquisition of CMC, which strengthens infrastructure leadership and expands stc’s footprint beyond the region.
Together, these partnerships and strategic moves position stc not only as a connectivity provider but as a trusted digital partner directly reinforcing long-term brand relevance, credibility and value growth.
What future plans and strategies does stc have in place to further strengthen its brand and continue the growth of its brand value?
A central pillar of our strategy is leadership in connectivity that continuously redefines the customer experience. We are focused on delivering simpler, smarter and more seamless journeys, powered by advanced networks, digital intelligence and data-driven insights.
In parallel, we are scaling digital solutions that empower businesses, enrich lives and support national digital progress.
By remaining rooted in our values while evolving with the digital economy, stc will continue to grow as a trusted, relevant and high-value brand both regionally and on the global stage.
