Billionaire-Backed Zoho Plans More Mideast, Africa Data Centers

Zoho Corp., a software firm owned by the Indian billionaire Vembu family, is in talks to build out its own data centers in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and South Africa, three of its fastest-growing markets.

The firm has appointed Equinix Inc. to set up facilities in the UAE and has started discussions for centers in Saudi Arabia and South Africa, Hyther Nizam, the head of Middle East and Africa at Zoho, said in an interview. It already has hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and will fund the expansion with profit generated in the markets, he said, without disclosing the size of the investment.