The appointment underscores Confluent’s commitment to driving real-time data innovation and AI adoption across the region.
Confluent, the data streaming pioneer, has announced the appointment of Karim Azar as Area Vice President and General Manager for the Middle East, a move that signals the company’s growing focus on regional expansion and digital innovation. In his new role, Azar will lead Confluent’s regional strategy, deepen partnerships, and accelerate the adoption of data streaming technologies that enable real-time business transformation.
Announcing the appointment, Kamal Brar, Senior Vice President, Partners & Technology Group at Confluent, said, “We are delighted to welcome Karim. His deep understanding of the region’s digital priorities, customer-first mindset, and ability to foster trusted partnerships make him the ideal leader for the Middle East. Karim’s leadership will help customers put real-time data to work—driving intelligent operations, exceptional customer experiences, and real-world AI.”
With over two decades of experience in enterprise technology, sales, and business development, Karim Azar brings a strong track record of success in helping organizations harness data for competitive advantage. Most recently, he served as Regional Vice President for the Middle East & Turkey at Cloudera, where he led strategic initiatives and key client engagements. Before that, he held leadership roles at BMC Software, where he collaborated with major organizations to deliver IT service management, data center automation, and workload optimization solutions.
“I am delighted to join Confluent at such a transformative time for our Middle East customers,” said Karim Azar. “The region is leading the charge in digital innovation, as organizations tap into the value of real-time data to drive faster and smarter decisions. I look forward to working closely with our teams, customers, and partners to help shape the next era of intelligent, data-driven business in the Middle East.”
Karim will share his insights at Confluent’s Data Streaming World Tour 2025 in Dubai on November 13, where regional leaders and innovators will discuss the future of streaming data and AI-driven transformation.
