Applaud and Guru-Hits Announce Strategic Partnership to Enhance Employee-First HR Service Delivery in Saudi Arabia.
LONDON & RIYADH – January 2026 – Applaud, the HR-focused, employee-led disruptor for the world of work, today announced a strategic partnership with Guru-Hits, a leading technology and ERP consulting firm, to deliver more human, trusted and scalable HR Service Delivery solutions across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the wider Middle East
The partnership brings together Applaud’s employee-first HR Service Delivery suite with Guru-Hits’ strong regional presence and deep expertise in enterprise technology implementation. Together, the organizations will help enterprises simplify HR support, reduce friction for employees, and modernize HR service delivery in line with local business needs and regulatory requirements.
As digital transformation accelerates across the Middle East, many employees continue to navigate fragmented HR systems, portals, and processes. Applaud addresses this challenge by creating a more joined-up, intuitive world of work for employees, meeting them where they are across channels, while giving HR and IT the governance, insight, and control they need to operate at scale.
Applaud’s HR Service Delivery suite is built entirely from the employee’s point of view. Powered by governed knowledge and agentic AI, it enables employees to get fast, trustworthy help and complete HR tasks in natural language, while HR teams can confidently automate routine work, improve service quality, and focus more time on supporting their people. Strong knowledge governance, analytics and controls ensure AI-driven experiences remain accurate, compliant and trustworthy.
Guru-Hits brings extensive experience in ERP consulting, systems integration and managed services, along with deep understanding of enterprise requirements across Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East. As a strategic partner, Guru-Hits will support the implementation, localization and ongoing delivery of Applaud’s solutions, helping clients achieve faster time-to-value and sustainable HR service transformation.
Partnership objectives include:
“This partnership marks an important step in expanding Applaud’s presence across the Middle East,” said Ivan Harding, CEO and Co-Founder of Applaud. “By working closely with Guru-Hits, we can support organizations in creating more human, trusted HR experiences for their employees, while giving HR the governance and confidence they need to use AI responsibly and at scale.”
Alaa Elattar, Founder and CEO of Guru-Hits, added:
“We are delighted to partner with Applaud to bring a modern, employee-first approach to HR service delivery in the region. Together, we will help organizations modernize HR support in a scalable, locally aligned way, delivering tangible value for both employees and HR teams.”
Applaud is the HR-focused, employee-led disruptor for the world of work. Our HR service delivery suite creates a more human, joined-up experience across every channel, powered by governed knowledge and agentic AI, so employees get fast, trustworthy help and HR can do more for their people.
Guru-Hits is a specialized ERP consulting firm focused on Oracle solutions, delivering end-to-end digital transformation and enterprise support services. The company specializes in the implementation, support, and integration of Oracle Fusion Cloud and Oracle E-Business Suite across Financials, Human Capital Management, Supply Chain, and Project Management. Leveraging deep Oracle expertise, strong governance, automation, and AI-driven capabilities, Guru-Hits enables organizations to enhance operational control, accelerate system adoption, and realize measurable business value from their Oracle investments.