Interview: ManageEngine doubles down on data sovereignty with UAE datacentre launch
ManageEngine CEO Rajesh Ganesan explains why owning the cloud stack matters to CIOs in the Middle East, and how automation, AI and end-to-end IT management are reshaping enterprise priorities
ManageEngine, the enterprise IT management division of Zoho Corporation, has strengthened its long-term commitment to the Middle East with the launch of datacentres in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a move designed to address growing concerns around data sovereignty, regulatory compliance and cyber security.
Speaking to Computer Weekly, ManageEngine CEO Rajesh Ganesan says the decision to invest in locally operated infrastructure reflects a deliberate strategy to give customers greater control over their data at a time when cloud adoption is accelerating, but trust remains paramount.
“For us, this is not just about opening another cloud location,” says Ganesan. “It is about staying true to our commitments. We manage our customers’ data, and we are fully responsible for it. That is a promise we do not want to dilute by passing it to third parties.”
Until now, ManageEngine’s cloud services were hosted from datacentres in the US and Europe, meaning customers in the UAE had to rely on infrastructure outside the country. However, as governments across the region increasingly mandate data localisation and compliance requirements, this model has become less viable, particularly for public sector organisations and regulated industries.
Rather than hosting its services on hyperscaler platforms already operating in the UAE, ManageEngine chose to build and operate its own datacentre stack. “We are not trying to compete with AWS or Microsoft Azure. That is not our business,” says Ganesan. “Our goal is to ensure that customer data is managed only by us, end-to-end. This is exactly what CIOs in this region are asking for today.”
“We manage our customers’ data, and we are fully responsible for it. That is a promise we do not want to dilute by passing it to third parties”
Rajesh Ganesan, ManageEngine
According to Ganesan, cost and feature sets are no longer the primary decision drivers for CIOs. Instead, confidence around security posture, compliance and data sovereignty has taken centre stage.
Despite the significant investment involved, ManageEngine does not plan to pass these additional costs on to customers. “The first priority is trust, the second is our ability to build and run this infrastructure, and only then does cost come into the picture,” he says.
Managing complexity in hybrid and multicloud environments
The UAE datacentre launch also supports ManageEngine’s broader vision for managing increasingly complex hybrid and multicloud environments.
While many organisations have adopted cloud-first strategies, most CIOs continue to favour hybrid models to minimise supplier lock-in and operational risk.
This diversification, however, introduces new challenges around visibility, cost management, performance monitoring and security governance across multiple cloud platforms.
“If you are operating across several clouds, you need insights,” says Ganesan. “How are they performing? What is your security posture? Are you overspending on one provider? These are the questions CIOs are asking, and this is where we focus our innovation.”
By running its own cloud infrastructure, ManageEngine believes it gains first-hand experience of the same operational challenges faced by its customers – insights that directly influence product development. “Unless we understand what it really takes to run cloud and multicloud environments, it will not be reflected in the products we build,” says Ganesan.
If you are operating across several clouds, you need insights. How are they performing? What is your security posture? Are you overspending on one provider? These are the questions CIOs are asking, and this is where we focus our innovation Rajesh Ganesan, ManageEngine
Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are also reshaping how organisations approach IT operations and security, but Ganesan urges caution against over-reliance on autonomous decision-making. Rather than treating AI as a standalone capability, ManageEngine is embedding intelligence across its automation workflows, augmenting, rather than replacing, human judgement.
“AI will enhance automation, especially in low-risk, repetitive decision-making,” he says. “But for high-risk decisions, or situations where intuition is required, humans still need to be in the loop. We are not there yet.”
One of ManageEngine’s key differentiators, particularly in the Middle East, is its long-standing commitment to delivering end-to-end IT management rather than isolated point solutions. With more than 60 tools in its portfolio, the company aims to reduce the operational burden created by sprawling, multi-supplier security stacks.
“I once spoke to a customer using 87 security tools from 60 different vendors,” says Ganesan. “We replaced 20 of those tools in four weeks with a single ManageEngine product. That is the value of thinking holistically.”
Looking ahead, the company’s priorities over the next three to five years include unifying its product portfolio into a more seamless platform, accelerating innovation in cyber security and compliance, and expanding its physical presence globally.
The Middle East remains a strategic growth market, with ManageEngine already employing around 100 staff in Dubai and growing headcount by approximately 30% year on year. “For us, this region is not an afterthought,” Ganesan concludes. “It is a long-term investment in infrastructure, in people, and in trust.”
Jonathan is a tech enthusiast and the mind behind Tech AI Verse. With a passion for artificial intelligence, consumer tech, and emerging innovations, he deliver clear, insightful content to keep readers informed. From cutting-edge gadgets to AI advancements and cryptocurrency trends, Jonathan breaks down complex topics to make technology accessible to all.
