Harish Dunakhe leads IDC’s research & advisory practice for the software program in the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey (META) region.
He is responsible for a team of research analysts and manages the delivery of insights in IDC’s software program and syndicated research. Harish and his team have expertise in studying technology trends to provide our clients with thought leadership and actionable insights. He is based in Dubai.

Harish has a strong understanding of leveraging technologies to solve business problems in the public sector, travel & transportation, hospitality, IT, and retail. He has significant knowledge of emerging technologies such as blockchain, RPA, artificial intelligence, and cloud. He works with clients to understand the intricacies, opportunities, and challenges involved in their technology transformation journeys.

Harish brings more than 17 years of experience working with leading system integrators and other technology companies across the Middle East, South Asia, and India. Prior to joining IDC, he held senior roles spanning technology sales strategy, program governance, and large account business planning at Global MNCs such as Wipro, DXC Technology, and Sonata Software.

Hussein El-Sayed is the General Manager of Global Brands for Information Technology, a subsidiary of Global Brands Group (GBG), bringing over 28 years of experience in the IT industry, including 24 years within multinational organizations. He is a seasoned technology leader with deep expertise in digital transformation, IT security, and enterprise technology management, driving large-scale innovation and operational excellence.

Throughout his career, Hussein has held senior leadership roles at global technology leaders, including Regional Director at IBM, where he led digital transformation initiatives across Egypt and Africa, and MEA Azure Hybrid Cloud Lead at Microsoft, where he drove cloud adoption, cybersecurity strategies, and customer success across the region. His experience also spans key roles at HP, NextThink, and The American University in Cairo, giving him a well-rounded perspective across enterprise, education, and emerging technologies.

Hussein combines strategic vision with hands-on leadership, enabling organizations to modernize their IT environments, strengthen security postures, and achieve sustainable business growth through technology.

Core Competencies

• Digital Transformation Strategy & Execution
• Cloud & Hybrid Cloud Solutions (Azure)
• Cybersecurity & IT Governance
• Enterprise IT Management & Operations
• Technology Implementation & Delivery
• Regional Leadership (Middle East & Africa)
• Customer Success & Stakeholder Management
• Team Leadership & Talent Development
• Strategic Planning & Business Alignment
• Partner & Ecosystem Management

Mahmoud Mahgoub is a seasoned business leader with 25 years of experience driving growth and building long-term partnerships across the MEA region. Currently serving as Partnership & Alliances Director, Mahmoud is recognized for expertise in B2B sales, stakeholder management, and cloud solutions.

Throughout his career, Mahmoud has consistently delivered outstanding results—leading organizations to advanced specializations, launching new practices, winning industry awards, and pioneering innovative partnership frameworks.

Known for strategic vision, team leadership, and a commitment to partner success, Mahmoud is dedicated to shaping the future of collaboration and unlocking new opportunities for growth across the ecosystem.

With 17 years of experience in Information Technology, I provide strategic consulting and hands-on expertise across core infrastructure, virtualization, cloud computing, microservices, and digital transformation. My role as an Cloud Architect and as IT consultant is to bridge the gap between business objectives and technology solutions, ensuring organizations adopt the right architectures, automation, and management practices to stay competitive.

Core Competencies

• Infrastructure Consulting: Assessing, designing, and optimizing enterprise IT foundations for resilience and scalability.
• Virtualization & Cloud Strategy: Guiding organizations in adopting VMware, Hyper-V, Azure, and AWS to maximize ROI.
• Digital Transformation Advisory: Leading modernization programs that align IT with business growth and innovation goals.
• Microservices & Automation: Helping enterprises transition from monolithic systems to containerized, service-oriented architectures with CI/CD pipelines.
• System & Operations Management: Establishing governance, monitoring, and lifecycle management frameworks for efficiency and compliance.

Kareem Faramawy is a Senior Data and AI Presales Engineer, specializing in helping organizations adopt modern data and AI-driven solutions. He holds an Engineering degree and has earned certifications in data engineering, AI, and cloud fundamentals.

With a strong analytical mindset and a passion for emerging technologies, Kareem bridges business needs with impactful cloud and data transformation strategies.

Core Competencies:

• Data & AI Solution Consultation
• AWS Cloud Sales & Customer Engagement
• Technical Proposal Development
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Product Demonstrations & POCs
• Data-Driven Insights & Reporting
• Strong Communication & Presentation Skills
• Quick Learning & Adaptability

Marwa ElMasry is a seasoned technology and cloud transformation leader with 15+ years of experience across the Middle East, working with top organizations including Microsoft, Mannai, Forte Cloud, KlayyTech, and GBG.

She specializes in partner success, cloud strategy, datacenter technologies, and customer engagement. Marwa brings extensive expertise in driving business growth, building partner ecosystems, and leading impactful digital transformation initiatives across the region.

Core Competencies

• Cloud & Datacenter Strategy
• Partner Ecosystem Development
• Customer Success Leadership
• Presales & Technical Enablement
• Business Development & Go-to-Market Planning
• Azure, VMware, Hyper-V, Enterprise Mobility
• Data Analysis & Architecture Fundamentals
• Demand Generation & Pipeline Growth
• Executive Communication & Stakeholder Management