Mohammad Hassan has served as executive director for the statistics and data science sector at the UAE’s Federal Competitiveness and Statistic Centre since 2015. His duties include driving coordination between the public and private sectors to achieve the goals of the national data and statistic strategy and support decision and policy making. He is also a member of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics. Between 2012 and 2015, he served as director of corporate communication and external affairs for the Emirates Competitiveness Council within the Minister of State Office. He also previously served as public sector manager at Microsoft from 2007 to 2010, where he was focused on business development and increasing the efficiency of government services via digitalization, utilizing cutting-edge technology and worldwide best practices. His banking expertise spans 11 years, during which time he worked in financial services and information technology.

Yazeed Alotaibi serves as Deputy Minister for E-Health and Digital Transformation within Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health (MOH). He possesses vast experience in the areas of business and digital healthcare transformation, having delivered a number of key strategic transformational programs for the Ministry. For example, he led and directed the delivery and execution of the MOH Digital Strategies, the National Digital Health Blueprint, and the Digital Health Governance Frameworks. Over the course of his career, he has led multiple functions within the ehealth and digital transformation deputyship, such as the Office of Strategy Management, the Enterprise Architect Function, and the Digital Program Management Office.

Mr. Almulla has an extensive experience in the field of I.T. for over 25 years. He has received Bachelor of Science from The University of Arizona in Computer Engineering in the year 1987 and completed his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from University of New England, Australia in the year 1993. Additionally, Mr. Almulla has completed the “Program for Executive Development” from International Institute for Management Development (IMD). Mr. Almulla has been working in all the areas in Information Technology department such as Application Development, Information Security, Architecture Designing and Networking, Process Control, etc. He started his career as a Programmer in 1988 in Dubai Aluminium Company Limited, and is currently Chief Technology Officer, Emirates Water and Electricity Co..

Eng. Huda Ahmed Mohsen , Chief of Information Technology at the Ministry of Information, leading the digital transformation and modernization of the ministry’s IT ecosystem. With extensive expertise in upgrading IT infrastructure, enhancing cybersecurity frameworks, and enabling advanced e-government services, she has successfully directed numerous strategic projects across all information technology sectors. Her leadership focuses on driving innovation, strengthening digital governance, and empowering the public sector through secure and efficient technological solutions.

Essa serves as Chief Technology Officer at Ooredoo Kuwait, where they lead strategic planning, development, and implementation of cutting-edge technologies to drive innovation and enhance the company’s telecommunication infrastructure. With 20 years of experience in the telecom industry, Essa has a proven record in managing large-scale network deployments, 5G rollouts, and the integration of next-generation technologies such as IoT and AI. Previous to their role as CTO of Ooredoo Kuwait, Essa was Director of Radio Access and Network Planning, where they successfully launched 5G, 4G, and 3G Networks, IP and Transmission works, including end-to-end management of Ooredoo Radio Network evolution, country-wide. They also played a key role in the continued development and execution of strategic objectives driven by Ooredoo Group, with its recent strategic announcement of establishing the largest Tower Company in the MENA region, which feeds the demand for environmentally friendly solutions and sustainability. Moreover, Customer Experience was at the heart of their strategies deployed for Network Anomaly Detection using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for critical use cases, to deliver seamless performance on all application levels.

Mounir Abdel-Moujoud serves as executive director of group technology at Aldar. He is a visionary technology executive with over 20 years of global experience leading transformation across industries, including real estate, pharmaceuticals, FMCG, and defense. Recognized for his ability to translate complex challenges into actionable strategies, Mounir has played a pivotal role in reshaping how organizations operate, grow, and innovate in today’s digital economy. He brings a unique blend of strategic foresight, operational rigor, and human-centric leadership — driving change not just through systems and structures, but through people and purpose. His career has been defined by helping organizations stay ahead of disruption while building the next generation of leaders and capabilities. Mounir is also an active speaker and advisor on topics ranging from digital transformation to organizational agility and tech-enabled business reinvention.

Thuraya Al-Harthi is a senior Omani leader with over 15 years of experience driving digital transformation, innovation, and AI adoption across the public sector. As Director of the Government Unified Portal (gov.om) at the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT), she leads national efforts to advance Oman Vision 2040 through smarter, more inclusive, and citizen-centric digital services.

She worked as a Government Fellow with the United Nations University (UNU-EGOV) in Portugal, contributing to global research and policy dialogue on digital government, and as a Digital Innovation Mentor in the Future Women City initiative, empowering young women to become leaders in technology and public service.

A board member in several local and international organizations and a graduate of the Future Government Leaders Program (UAE), Thuraya is also an award-winning global speaker recognized for her advocacy in women and youth empowerment, AI innovation, and human-centered digital governance — inspiring a new generation to shape the future of smart, connected nations.

Jayesh Maganlal currently serves as group chief information and digital officer (GCIDO) at ROSHN Real Estate, where he drives the company’s digital transformation and innovation agenda. With more than 22 years of experience leading technology and business transformations across various industries in global multinationals, as well as regional industries in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Oceania, Jayesh is a highly accomplished executive. Before joining ROSHN Real Estate, he held several leadership positions in the region, including CIO at Damac, Majid Al Futtaim Properties, and a government-owned budget airline in Dubai. He has a proven track record of delivering successful technology and business initiatives that result in significant cost savings, revenue growth, and improved customer experiences. With extensive experience in solving various business challenges across all technology areas in diversified industries, Jayesh is highly adept at grasping complexity and driving simplicity. He has a win-win mindset and excels at building profitable long-term relationships while helping companies grow. As a digital evangelist, Jayesh champions the use of data and technology practices to instil a digital mindset from the top down.

Manoj Bhojwani serves as global CIO at Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, where he leads technology transformation, business digitization, and innovation. He is a highly experienced technology executive with over 30 years in digital, technology, and organizational transformation. He has held prominent roles at Oracle, JP Morgan Chase, Credit Suisse, and HSBC, maintaining a strong focus on the wealth management sector. Notably, he spearheaded the creation of Asia’s first digital private bank. As global CIO of wealth and private banking at HSBC, he drove a global technology transformation, prioritizing a cloud-first approach to modernize platforms across client segments. Known for championing diversity, equity, and inclusion, he is committed to fostering an inclusive culture within the organizations he serves.

Srinivasan Sampath is the CIO of First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB). He is responsible for driving FAB’s technology and transformation strategy and preparing for the next generation of digital banking services. He has more than 25 years of experience in the banking industry and has delivered several large integration programs in multiple regions. He specializes in creating business value, bolstering employee engagement, and strengthening business relationships. In recent years, he has been involved in leading digitization programs covering end-to-end digital customer experience and process automation. In addition, he has been a chairperson and member of several advisory boards. He was involved in implementing the first cross-border blockchain remittance transaction between two major banks.

Eng. Sultanah Aljaser has more than 18 years of expertise in both public and private sector. She is the CIO of Princess Norah University and a chairwoman of various committees such as the Qiyas committee, where in 2022 PNU Surpassing expectations by increasing the university’s DGA Qiyas score from 69% to 89.5%, propelling PNU to second in its group and 11th nationally. She works as an IT advisor in a variety of fields.

Recently, Sultanah managed to win multiple awards, moreover she recognized the First Saudi’s Woman to receive CIO50 Awards at the IDC Saudi Arabia CIO summit 2024.

Recognized internationally for excellence in technology leadership as the recipient of the Harvard Business Council 2025 Women Leader Gold Award and the Harvard Business Council 2025 Information Technology Gold Award presented by the Harvard Business Council.

Dr. Akram Nour, PhD, is recognized as one of Saudi Arabia’s most influential digital leaders, spearheading transformative initiatives across both public and private sectors. As chief digital officer at the Misk Foundation, he is responsible for leading the digital transformation across the Misk ecosystem, which includes key projects such as iLmi, Misk Art, and the Smart City project in Misk City. His efforts focus on integrating cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and data intelligence into the kingdom’s digital strategy, empowering youth and fostering innovation in line with Saudi Vision 2030. Dr. Nour’s professional journey spans academia, entrepreneurship, and executive leadership. His diverse experiences include co-founding start-ups and leading national digital programs, showcasing his ability to turn visionary ideas into impactful and sustainable transformations. He continues to inspire a new generation of leaders, demonstrating his commitment to cultivating a digital-first culture that enhances innovation and societal advancement within the kingdom.

Yousef Al Mazeedi is the Director of Information & Communications Technology at the Capital Markets Authority of Kuwait, with over 20 years of experience in information technology and more than a decade in executive leadership roles.

He leads large-scale digital transformation initiatives, focusing on IT governance, cybersecurity and information security, enterprise systems, AI and data analytics, and strategic technology planning. Throughout his career, he has successfully led and overseen the implementation of key regulatory and enterprise platforms, including ERP and XBRL systems, enabling enhanced regulatory oversight, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making.

Yousef has also played a pivotal role in establishing and advancing institutional governance frameworks, leading multi-disciplinary teams in the successful implementation of international standards such as ISO 27001, ISO 22301, and ISO 20000. He actively contributes to strategic and governance committees, including digital transformation, information security, business continuity, and XBRL steering committees.

He holds several professional certifications, including Senior Lead Implementer for ISO 27001 and ISO 22301, as well as CCNP and CCVP.

Ramez AlFayez is an award-winning C-Suite, board-certified executive, and technology-driven transformation leader with more than 23 years of experience across government, semi-government, the PIF ecosystem, and the private sector. He brings a strong combination of strategic leadership, commercial acumen, governance discipline, and digital innovation, with a proven ability to develop business and operating models that enable organizations to transform, scale, and improve performance.

As Chief Information and Technology Officer at King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD), Ramez has led large-scale transformation and digital initiatives while working closely with leading global consulting and technology firms, including Google, Microsoft, Huawei, Orange, BCG, Deloitte, EY, and others. His ability to align internal teams, executive stakeholders, and external advisors has enabled organizations to move from strategy formulation to practical execution, delivering new digital products, cost efficiencies, revenue opportunities, and stronger governance.

Throughout his career, Ramez has transformed technology functions from operational support units into value-creating business platforms. He has helped organizations reduce operating costs through process automation, service digitization, operating model redesign, and digital channel adoption, while creating new revenue streams from digital infrastructure, data platforms, smart city capabilities, and innovative digital services. His work has positioned technology as a strategic enabler of service excellence, operational efficiency, and business growth.

Ramez has developed and supported commercial models that generated significant value, including digital and technology service revenues exceeding SAR 200M annually at Riyadh Airports, and real estate smart infrastructure opportunities with an IRR above 24% and NPV of SAR 315M. He has also overseen budgets exceeding SAR 1B and contributed to the digital transformation of multi-billion holding company environments with more than 20 subsidiaries.

Beyond executive management, Ramez serves as a board member at SURE Global Tech, a listed company, and as Chairman of its Nomination and Remuneration Committee. He also contributes to high-level digital transformation, smart city, risk, strategy, and innovation committees, including PIF and KAFD initiatives, placing him at the intersection of corporate governance, public-private partnerships, smart urban development, and national digital transformation aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.

A speaker, panelist, writer, investor, and mentor, Ramez shares insights on leadership, governance, digital transformation, and innovation. With executive education from Harvard Business School and IMD, DBA studies at Hult, and board readiness credentials from the Institute of Directors, he brings boardroom maturity, commercial discipline, and transformation leadership to executive and board-level roles.

Dr. David Millan is a seasoned Digital & AI executive with extensive international experience in transforming complex organisations, driving disruptive innovation, and building high-performing teams. His career spans leadership across Digital, Data, and Artificial Intelligence—consistently delivering measurable business impact.

He currently serves as Chief Data & AI Officer at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, where he leads the organisation’s Digital & AI transformation. Previously, he was Chief Data & Analytics Officer at B2Holding in the Financial Services sector, and before that held senior Data and AI leadership roles at renowned global companies including Unilever, Vodafone, Telefónica, and Etihad Etisalat.

Dr. David is also the author of a book, holder of several patents, and author of multiple scientific publications in Artificial Intelligence. He is a frequent speaker and panellist at international conferences, and brings a wealth of academic experience as a lecturer in several universities and business schools around the world.

Engineer Mohannad AlSalmi is the Chief Information Officer with 30 years of experience in Information Technology and Digital Transformation. Throughout his career, he has held key roles in various organizations, where he has been instrumental in developing and leading digital strategies, roadmaps, and projects.

In 2022, Mohannad was recognized as one of the top 10 CIOs in the Middle East by IDC MEA.

He is also a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach and has earned a Certified Diploma in Leadership and Management from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).”

Fatma Al Sowaidi is the Director of Information Technology at the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA), where she leads the strategic development and transformation of the organization’s technology landscape. With over 18 years of experience in the IT sector, she has been instrumental in driving innovation, operational excellence, and the adoption of next‑generation digital capabilities within the regulatory environment.

Fatma oversees enterprise-wide technology strategy, major digital transformation initiatives, and the implementation of cloud, network, cybersecurity, business continuity, and disaster recovery programs. Under her leadership, the QFCRA became the first government entity in Qatar to operate fully on the cloud—an achievement that significantly strengthened operational efficiency, resilience, and alignment with the country’s broader digital agenda.

She also leads the development and execution of the QFCRA’s Artificial Intelligence strategy, positioning the authority as a regional benchmark for regulatory modernization. Her vision centers on leveraging AI to enhance supervisory effectiveness, streamline operations, and elevate regulatory excellence.

Based in Dubai, Giovanni Everduin serves as chief strategy and innovation officer at Commercial Bank International. He is also the bank’s head of ventures. He is a Harvard Business School alum with a creative, entrepreneurial background, who is passionate about the intersection of tech and impact, particularly around leveraging new technologies like AI and blockchain to support global and local sustainability goals. Giovanni also serves as an advisor and mentor to several start-ups and founders within the fintech and AI space, and currently sits on the boards of Zypl, a Series-A AI and synthetic data start-up; Tekle Holographics, a leading geospatial holographics company; Luna PR, a fintech-, AI-, and web3-focused PR firm; and Tumar, the fund between the World Bank and the government of Kazakhstan. He has over 20 years of experience driving change and delivering strategic benefits to organizations across the globe.

As group head of Mashreq’s Technology, Transformation, and Information Group, Mohamed Abdel Razek leads Mashreq’s technology organization and drives the bank’s transformation in terms of digital services, resilience, and superior client experience. He is accountable for the continual adoption of new and emerging technologies, ensuring customer service excellence, and enabling seamless collaboration with the bank’s external partners. As a seasoned technology professional with over 30 years of experience, Mohamed has led group and regional technology functions across several large corporations. Most recently, he served as chief technology, transformation, and operations officer for Africa and the Middle East at Standard Chartered Bank. He was previously associated with British American Tobacco, from 2007 to 2015, where he last held the role of global head of technology services.

Paul Potgieter is a technology leader at the forefront of AI and industrial innovation in the Middle East. As part of the senior leadership team at NEOM’s advanced and cognitive industrial city, Paul is driving the integration of artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and sustainable industry to help shape the world’s most advanced manufacturing ecosystem as Chief Information Officer.

He also serves as board director of the South African Business Council, strengthening economic and technology collaboration between Africa and the Gulf region.

Recently recognized by MIT Sloan Management as one of the Top 50 AI Leaders in the Middle East, Paul is known for bridging the gap between boardrooms and borders, transforming ambitious ideas into scalable, real-world impact.

Saket Saith is a seasoned professional at the forefront of digital transformation, specializing in the convergence of strategy and execution. Currently serving as the group chief technology and data officer at RAKBANK, Saket has over 25 years of experience in leading technology and data initiatives, ensuring the delivery of innovative and customer-centric solutions. Prior to this, he held pivotal roles, including chief technology officer, at Barclays in the United Kingdom, and various leadership positions at DBS Bank in Singapore, where he played a crucial role in digital transformation, enterprise architecture, and IT strategy. He is passionate about emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, and big data, and how they can be leveraged to create value for customers, businesses, and society at large. Saket’s career spans the globe, contributing significantly to the growth and innovation of renowned financial and technology organizations. His expertise encompasses enterprise architecture, IT business strategy, software engineering, and operating models.

Hans Peter Buse serves as the Vice President Digital & IT of EDGE Group. He focuses on leading the digital transformation of the group, establishing a unified data foundation, and integrating artificial intelligence into key business processes. His work is centered on leveraging technology to deliver measurable business value. Before joining EDGE Group, he was an Executive Partner for Enterprise Strategy – Technology and Data in IBM Consulting and a Director in Kearney’s Digital Transformation and Restructuring practices. His leadership experience includes serving as the Head of Group E&P IT at MOL Group, the Group IT Manager of E.ON Exploration & Production, and the Vice President of IT for E.ON Russia. He began his professional career in the Strategic IT Effectiveness practice at Accenture.

Eng. Nayef Bardeesi serves as the Deputy Mayor for Digital Transformation at the Holy Makkah Municipality, where he leads strategic initiatives to accelerate digital transformation, modernize public services, and advance digital excellence in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. With more than 17 years of leadership experience spanning Strategy, Digital Transformation, Technology, and Operations, he has held senior roles across the Oil & Gas, Banking, Tourism, and Government sectors.

In his current role, Eng. Nayef is focused on leveraging emerging technologies, driving innovation, enhancing operational efficiency, and delivering world-class digital solutions that improve municipal services and citizen experiences. His leadership portfolio and experience also encompass Cybersecurity, Technology Operations, Procurement, and Facility Management, giving him a broad perspective on enterprise transformation and organizational performance.

He is recognized for his strategic vision, leadership versatility, and ability to lead complex, cross-functional transformation programs. His areas of passion and expertise include Digital Government, Artificial Intelligence, Smart Cities, Enterprise Transformation, Corporate Strategy, and Organizational Agility. He is particularly committed to leveraging technology and innovation to build more connected, intelligent, and sustainable cities and to advancing Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation agenda.

Eng. Meshal is a veteran in Information Security Management and Technology Transformation, serving as both the Chief AI Officer overseeing AI adoption across the Ministry of Finance, and driving digital transformation and cybersecurity initiatives across the Ministry and Federal Government. Under his leadership, the Ministry harnesses the latest emerging technologies, including robotics, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence, in line with the UAE’s Vision & Strategies.
Previously, Eng. Meshal managed Information Security and technical operations at Dubai Holding Group and its entities. He was also a member of the UAE mGovernment Committee, spearheading the UAE Federal Government’s transformation into a Smart Government.
He is recognized as a leader in government innovation, having helped establish the Federal Government’s first digital innovation center, which fosters a culture of forward-thinking solutions and creative problem-solving across government entities.
Throughout his extensive career in leading cybersecurity incident handling for the UAE government and other sectors, Eng. Meshal’s deep expertise in information security and technology has enabled him to make significant contributions in this field. His responsibilities have included heading the UAE Computer Emergency Response Team (aeCERT), where he led cybersecurity incident response, digital forensics initiatives, and awareness campaigns across the UAE government.
Having started his career with ETISALAT as an Internet Security Engineer, Eng. Meshal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Engineering and a Master’s degree in Information Security from Khalifa University (KU).

Antonietta Mastroianni joined e& in 2026 as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of e& UAE, where she leads enterprise-wide IT strategy and transformation, focusing on operational excellence, scalability, and business enablement.

With over 25 years of international leadership experience in telecommunications, IT, and large-scale transformation, she is known for her ability to bridge technology and business. Throughout her career, Antonietta has led complex, multi-year transformation programmes, managed large global teams, and delivered significant improvements in efficiency, operational performance, and organisational effectiveness.

Prior to joining e&, Antonietta held C-level and Group CIO roles at major European organisations including Proximus Group, TDC Group, and Sunrise Communications, where she was Head of IT and Digital. In parallel, she has played an active role in shaping industry thinking through board and advisory positions, having served as Board and Council Member at ETIS, Board Member and VC Finance at Gaia-X, and Board Observer at Lumine Group (Canada). Through these roles, she contributes to strategic oversight, technology governance, and long-term value creation.

Antonietta’s leadership has been widely recognised across the industry. Her honours include being named DataNews CIO of the Year in 2025, receiving the Swiss CxO Forum Award in 2024, and being awarded Telco Woman of the Year by Network X in 2022. She was also recognised as Telco CxO of the Year at the 5G World Series in 2021 and was a nominee for Danish CIO of the Year in 2020.

Antonietta holds a Master of Science in Computer and Automation Engineering from the Università di Siena and is a member of Italy’s Order of the Engineers.

Frank Theisen leads IBM’s Technology Product Business across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), overseeing revenue growth for all Software, Infrastructure, and Product Services in a region spanning more than 100 countries. He focuses on working closely with clients and partners to accelerate digital and technology transformation, with a strong emphasis on hybrid cloud and AI-driven innovation.

Prior to his current role, Frank served as Managing Director and Vice President for IBM Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Previously, he held a number of Leadership positions within the region and multiple global leadership positions across Research & Development and Sales, with a focus on Data & AI and IBM Technology.

With more than 25 years of international experience in the information technology industry, Frank is a seasoned executive specializing in data, analytics, AI, and hybrid cloud. He is recognized for building high-performance teams and delivering business value through large-scale digital transformation initiatives.

Saad Toma is the General Manager of IBM Middle East and Africa, where he leads the company’s growth and innovation across technology sales, consulting, technical communities, and IBM Research. He is deeply committed to advancing IBM’s success in the region by focusing on client relationships, talent development, and transformative technologies like AI and hybrid cloud.

Under Saad’s leadership, IBM has expanded its regional presence, opening new headquarters and a software lab in Saudi Arabia, initiating an AI research collaboration with MBZUAI in the UAE, including plans for two AI Centres of Excellence in Dubai and Saudi Arabia. During his tenure, IBM has led several strategic partnerships with leading cleints like Riyadh Air, e&, Saudi Data and AI Authority.

Saad is a global leader with extensive experience across the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, UK, and Europe. He holds degrees from Oxford Brookes University and the University of Southampton, along with executive education from Harvard University.

Dr. David Millan is a seasoned Digital & AI executive with extensive international experience in transforming complex organisations, driving disruptive innovation, and building high-performing teams. His career spans leadership across Digital, Data, and Artificial Intelligence—consistently delivering measurable business impact.

He currently serves as Chief Data & AI Officer at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, where he leads the organisation’s Digital & AI transformation. Previously, he was Chief Data & Analytics Officer at B2Holding in the Financial Services sector, and before that held senior Data and AI leadership roles at renowned global companies including Unilever, Vodafone, Telefónica, and Etihad Etisalat.

Dr. David is also the author of a book, holder of several patents, and author of multiple scientific publications in Artificial Intelligence. He is a frequent speaker and panellist at international conferences, and brings a wealth of academic experience as a lecturer in several universities and business schools around the world.

Eng. Meshal is a veteran in Information Security Management and Technology Transformation, serving as both the Chief AI Officer overseeing AI adoption across the Ministry of Finance, and driving digital transformation and cybersecurity initiatives across the Ministry and Federal Government. Under his leadership, the Ministry harnesses the latest emerging technologies, including robotics, advanced analytics, and artificial intelligence, in line with the UAE’s Vision & Strategies.
Previously, Eng. Meshal managed Information Security and technical operations at Dubai Holding Group and its entities. He was also a member of the UAE mGovernment Committee, spearheading the UAE Federal Government’s transformation into a Smart Government.
He is recognized as a leader in government innovation, having helped establish the Federal Government’s first digital innovation center, which fosters a culture of forward-thinking solutions and creative problem-solving across government entities.
Throughout his extensive career in leading cybersecurity incident handling for the UAE government and other sectors, Eng. Meshal’s deep expertise in information security and technology has enabled him to make significant contributions in this field. His responsibilities have included heading the UAE Computer Emergency Response Team (aeCERT), where he led cybersecurity incident response, digital forensics initiatives, and awareness campaigns across the UAE government.
Having started his career with ETISALAT as an Internet Security Engineer, Eng. Meshal holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Engineering and a Master’s degree in Information Security from Khalifa University (KU).

Eng. Abdulla Al Khemeiri is the Chief Operations Officer of Etihad Water & Electricity, overseeing Asset Management, Projects, Operations & Maintenance, the System Control Centre, and Health, Safety, Environment and Quality. He ensures the smooth, efficient, and safe operation of EtihadWE’s assets through strategic planning, resource management, risk mitigation, and continuous improvement across all operational divisions.

With over 25 years of hands-on experience in the energy sector, Eng. Abdulla is a seasoned professional whose expertise spans power and water generation, transmission, and distribution. He has successfully led diverse areas including maintenance, operations, control, project management, engineering, and asset management.

He has also led strategy, planning, and performance management initiatives, and managed major projects such as smart grid, energy storage, and energy efficiency programmes. Prior to joining EtihadWE, he held leadership positions across government, semi-government, and private energy entities.

Eng. Abdulla’s academic and professional qualifications reflect his commitment to lifelong learning and professional growth. He holds a master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. He is also a Certified Professional in Project Management and a Chartered Engineer of the UK’s Institution of Engineering and Technology.

Engineer Saeed Belhoul is the Director of Digital Government Operations at The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA). He lead number of important initiatives including the Federal Network (FEDnet) and its Government Sovereign Cloud.

Engineer Saeed holds Executive MBA Degree from London Business School, and BS degree in Computer Science from Texas State University.

سعيد بالهول، مدير عمليات الحكومة الرقمية في الهيئة العامة لتنظيم قطاع الاتصالات والحكومة الرقمية

المهندس سعيد بالهول هو مدير إدارة عمليات الحكومة الرقمية في الهيئة العامة لتنظيم قطاع الاتصالات والحكومة الرقمية، وقد أشرف على تنفيذ العديد من المشاريع الهامة في الهيئة بما فيها مشروع الشبكة الإلكترونية الاتحادية (FEDnet) والسحابية الحكومية السيادية.

يحمل المهندس سعيد درجة ماجستير إدارة الأعمال التنفيذية من جامعة لندن للأعمال، وكذلك درجة بكالوريوس في علوم الكمبيوتر من جامعة “تكساس ستيت”.

Khalid Murshed is the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of e& enterprise. Prior to this, he was the Chief Technology & Information Officer (CTIO) of e& UAE. With over 26 years of experience in the MENA telecom industry, he brings a wealth of expertise in technology leadership and operational excellence.
During his tenure as Chief Technology & Information Officer of e& UAE, Khalid spearheaded several groundbreaking achievements, including the deployment of the region’s first enhance 5G Standalone network and achieving the world’s fastest 5G speeds of 30.5Gbps and aggregated 5G-Advanced speed of 62Gbps. Under his leadership, e& UAE also set benchmarks in completing trials of ultra-high-speed optical solutions and net-zero 5G Massive MIMO site deployments at COP28, aligned with the group’s commitment to innovation and sustainability.
He joined e& in 2013 as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for e& Egypt (formerly Etisalat Misr), where he played a critical role in launching the 4G network alongside various mobile networks, establishing the company as the second leading telco in Egypt. Following this, he assumed the role of e& UAE’s CTIO in January 2022. Prior to joining e&, Khalid held leadership roles at Emirates Telecommunications Company (du) as Vice President Mobile Access Network and at Mobily as Director of Network Development, where he was instrumental in overseeing the development and optimisation of mobile networks.
Drawing upon his technological expertise, strategic vision, and deep understanding of industry trends, Khalid’s leadership is set to drive innovation and transformation at e& enterprise, further strengthening the company’s position as a digital transformation leader in the region and beyond.
Khalid holds a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering from Khalifa University in the UAE.

Mr. Nikhil Malhotra, Chief Innovation Officer & global head of AI and emerging tech at Tech Mahindra, where he leads innovation strategy for a $6 billion global enterprise serving 1,100+ clients across 90 countries. As a World Economic Forum AI Fellow and three-time winner of India’s Most Innovative Leader Award, Nikhil drives breakthrough research at the intersection of AI, Quantum Computing, and Neuroscience through Tech Mahindra’s Makers Lab. His landmark achievement, Project Indus—India’s first indigenous LLM built from scratch for just $400,000—supports 615+ million Hindi speakers across 37 dialects. Now open-sourced and evolved into Indus 2.0 with NVIDIA, it demonstrates his ability to deliver transformational outcomes at scale. Nikhil holds a Master’s in computing from RMIT Melbourne and maintains strategic partnerships with the AI ecosystem. Nikhil is also spearheading the India AI Mission cause to develop a larger foundational large language model on the back of Indus LLM.

Roland Boulos serves as UnifyApps’ vice president of go-to-market strategy and solution consulting. In this role, he leads global solution consulting initiatives, advising enterprises on how to operationalize AI at scale and translate strategy into measurable business outcomes across industries. He is a frequent speaker at industry forums, where he shares practical insights from real-world projects on enterprise AI adoption and the structural changes required to unlock sustainable transformation.

Samir Akel is the Regional Vice President for Emerging Markets at Nintex, where he oversees operations across the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. With over two decades of experience driving digital transformation across both public and private sectors, he has held senior leadership roles at global technology leaders including Oracle, BMC Software, and Udacity.

At Nintex, Samir leads the regional growth strategy, strengthens the partner ecosystem, and champions customer success across some of the world’s most dynamic digital economies. His expertise spans go-to-market leadership, cloud transformation, and scaling high-impact teams that deliver measurable business outcomes.

Eng. Taha M. Khalifa leads Intel’s Middle East and Africa operations, driving the region’s digital transformation through strategic technology innovation. With over two decades at Intel, he partners with governments, industry pioneers, and technology leaders to architect the future of AI-enabled computing across MEA. His vision centers on democratizing advanced technologies — from edge to cloud — that unlock economic growth and societal progress. Throughout his career spanning the U.S., EMEA, and MENA, Taha has championed breakthrough solutions in engineering, go-to-market strategy, and ecosystem development, positioning the region as an emerging hub for scalable, responsible AI innovation.

Krishna Chinta directs telecommunications and Internet of Things (IoT) research and consulting projects for IDC Middle East and Africa. He has more than 15 years of experience in telecoms and IoT markets. In his current role, Krishna is responsible for consulting projects that involve go-to-market strategies, market entry strategies, and effectively managing competition. Krishna drives IDC’s IoT spending guides for the Middle East, Turkey and Africa. He also authors thought leadership documents and makes regular appearances in regional media. Krishna has been conducting research and advisory projects in the Middle East, Africa, India, and other emerging markets for 15+ years. Krishna has deep industry knowledge and hands-on research and consulting experience. He has developed good relationships with regional telecom operators. Krishna is regularly involved in consulting projects tasked with addressing strategic issues like market opportunity assessment, planning, new market entry, and ways to overcome competitive threats in emerging markets.

Jebin George is part of IDC’s Enterprise Infrastructure global research domain. He focuses on cloud, datacenter, and infrastructure adoption trends across the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa, with particular emphasis on how cloud strategies are evolving in the era of AI and increasing digital sovereignty requirements. His research provides strategic guidance to hyperscalers, telecom operators, system integrators, and enterprise CIOs as they navigate hybrid multicloud adoption, AI-driven infrastructure modernization, and sovereign cloud frameworks.

Jebin brings 20 years of technology market research experience, including 16 years with IDC Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa. Throughout his tenure, he has led syndicated research, custom consulting engagements, and executive advisory initiatives focused on the evolution of the cloud market, hyperscaler ecosystems, and enterprise digital transformation strategies. Prior to IDC, he worked with SunTec Business Solutions, where he supported global market research and consulting initiatives for international ICT markets.

Victoria Mendes is an IDC senior research analyst specializing in markets in the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META). She currently heads IDC’s regional server and storage market intelligence team and conducts research into the passive components of datacenter infrastructure. In the last decade, she has built strong relationships with regional vendor communities and distribution networks in countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Victoria has worked on consumer and enterprise technology consulting projects and previously led IDC’s tablets market research in the Middle East and Africa, which included training and mentoring other analysts. Her areas of expertise include servers, storage, converged systems, cloud IT infrastructure, passive datacenter components, and networking.

Suraj Godse is a Senior Research Analyst in the IT Services, Data, and Analytics group for IDC Middle East and Africa (MEA). He is primarily responsible for Worldwide Semiannual Services Tracker inputs from the MEA region. He is the primary point of contact for the worldwide team regarding data-related requests for IT services.

Suraj introduced a global product called the Services Contract Database (SCD) in 2020 and has successfully managed it. He also manages the AI Tracker, Enterprise Intelligence Tracker, and CX Services Tracker for the MEA region. Suraj has contributed to multiple consulting projects on topics related to IT services, software, cloud, security, 5G, telecoms, and IoT. He is particularly focused on covering the latest 5G developments, not only in the region but globally, and tracking other telecom business services.

Prior to joining IDC, Suraj covered the South Asia and Middle East region for Frost & Sullivan, producing market research reports and performing consulting assignments that explored a broad range of issues in ICT services.

Suraj Godse earned an MBA in marketing from the MIT School of Management and a BE in information technology from Pune University, India.

Praneeth is an experienced IT professional with nearly 17 years of expertise in presales, implementation, and strategic account management. A PMP-certified specialist, he has deep knowledge across cybersecurity, identity management, SIEM, EDR/XDR, Networking, virtualization, SD-WAN, ITSM and Unified communications. Since 2011, he has worked extensively in the Gulf region, building strong insight into its business and technology landscape. Currently a Technical Evangelist at ManageEngine, he drives technical consultancy, account management, and industry engagement through client interactions and speaking engagements. His strengths in stakeholder management, strategic planning, and customer engagement help organizations align technology with business goals.

Aditi Trivedi serves as regional sales director and head of business at SymphonyAI. She is an accomplished sales and transformation leader with extensive experience across the Middle East and Africa, partnering closely with CIOs to drive large-scale digital initiatives. Renowned for acquiring and expanding major enterprise and government accounts, she delivers measurable growth by aligning advanced technologies with strategic, executive-level priorities.

Aaron is based in Dubai and is the SVP, Advisory Services for Middle East & Africa. With 11+ years of industry experience, he has worked in a wide range of industry sectors, including Financial Services, Retail, Insurance, Government, and Telecommunications. Aaron is a GIAC Certified Defence Analyst (GCDA), and has extensive knowledge in incident response, threat hunting, vulnerability management, cyber security operations, threat intelligence, and cyber security consultancy

Murat Acinci serves as the Principal Technology Consultant for Veeam Middle East, where he helps organizations across the region build their data management, protection, and availability strategies. He is a veteran technology consultant with more than 28 years of experience in datacenter solutions design and implementation, including hybrid IT Infrastructures, cloud and edge computing, data backup, recovery, and disaster recovery solutions. Prior to joining Veeam Middle East in 2019, he spent seven years working for Veeam’s Türkiye and SEMEA teams. Before that, he led the project sales and systems integration teams at a major Turkish systems integrator, where he managed infrastructure virtualization, server and storage integration, data protection, and disaster recovery projects.

Arno van Driel serves as vice president for EMEA at ClickHouse, where he leads regional go-to-market strategy across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He works with CIOs and data leaders to modernize analytical data platforms, enabling real-time insight across observability, customer analytics, and AI-driven use cases. With a strong background in enterprise software and cloud technologies, Arno brings a pragmatic perspective on scaling data systems for performance, resilience, and cost control. He focuses on helping organizations turn fast-moving data into reliable, actionable intelligence.

Jim Dwyer serves as Sutherland’s chief transformation and innovation officer, leading enterprise-wide digital and AI transformation initiatives. He oversees advisory services and Sutherland Labs, where he drives insight-led design, innovation, and sustainable growth. With more than two decades of experience, Jim has built and scaled digital transformation practices that modernize customer and employee experiences through technology. His work focuses on translating emerging technologies into measurable business outcomes with strong governance and accountability. Drawing on deep, cross-industry expertise — with particular depth in healthcare and technology sectors — Jim helps global organizations navigate complex change, accelerate value creation, and deploy innovation responsibly at scale for leadership teams across rapidly evolving enterprise environments.

Dr. Logeeshan Velmanickam is a distinguished professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Moratuwa, widely recognized as the leading engineering institution in Sri Lanka, and serves as the AI practice lead at BCS Technology, where he leads strategic initiatives in artificial intelligence and digital innovation. Recognized with multiple academic and research awards for excellence in scholarship and innovation, Dr. Logeeshan has an extensive record of publications in leading international journals and conferences, with a strong focus on AI systems and intelligent technologies. Blending strong academic foundations with industry leadership, he is a passionate educator, accomplished researcher, and visionary technology leader who continues to inspire innovation and mentor the next generation of engineers and data scientists.

Onur Disanlı is a AI engineering manager and applied AI engineering leader with 15+ years of experience designing and scaling enterprise-grade AI, generative AI, and agentic AI systems across telecom, finance, retail, media, aviation, manufacturing, and the public sector. His expertise spans agentic AI, MLOps, large-scale data platforms on Google Cloud, responsible AI, and translating advanced AI capabilities into measurable business value.

Tuğberk Kaan Duman is an engineering manager with deep expertise in building AI and data platforms, leading engineering teams, and translating advanced AI technology into enterprise outcomes. With a strong background in fintech, telecom, and ecommerce, he focuses on architecting scalable, production-ready solutions on Google Cloud with an emphasis on MLOps, agentic AI, and Vertex AI–driven platforms.

Sachin Bhatia is Exotel’s co-founder and chief growth officer, bringing over two decades of experience in customer engagement and communication technology. As co-founder of Ameyo, he scaled the company into one of the largest CX players in emerging markets, serving 2,000+ customers across 60+ countries. Following Ameyo’s merger with Exotel and the acquisition of Cogno AI, Sachin has been driving Exotel’s vision to become a leading customer engagement platform trusted by enterprises across India, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa.

Adam Gale is a CTO specializing in AI, cybersecurity, and data. He has over 20 years of experience in the industry. Throughout his career, he has worked with global finance organizations, the public sector, and defense.

Stephen is a digital transformation and technology leader with 30 years of experience across Middle East, Africa, India, and APAC markets. His experience includes defining and executing growth strategies, building and leading teams, managing strategic clients and stakeholders, owning P&L responsibilities, driving strategic pricing and contract negotiations, fostering strategic alliances, and driving operational and delivery excellence.

He has managed multi-million-dollar P&L portfolios and engaged with clients across industries. He has successfully partnered with clients in their digital transformation journey to cloud computing (SaaS, Private, and Hybrid Cloud), including AI, to drive higher innovation, adoption, and consumption.

At Planview, he heads the regional business operations while defining and executing the Growth Strategy and Go-To-Market plans.

He is the author of “Relaunch To Win” – A Framework to Succeed in The New Normal.

Paul Potgieter is a technology leader at the forefront of AI and industrial innovation in the Middle East. As part of the senior leadership team at NEOM’s advanced and cognitive industrial city, Paul is driving the integration of artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and sustainable industry to help shape the world’s most advanced manufacturing ecosystem as Chief Information Officer.

He also serves as board director of the South African Business Council, strengthening economic and technology collaboration between Africa and the Gulf region.

Recently recognized by MIT Sloan Management as one of the Top 50 AI Leaders in the Middle East, Paul is known for bridging the gap between boardrooms and borders, transforming ambitious ideas into scalable, real-world impact.

Khalid Shahbic is a transformative technology leader with over 15 years of cross-sector expertise spanning telecom, real estate, and sports technology. As the IT Director at Manateq, he architects the digital strategy driving Qatar’s economic diversification, overseeing a complex ecosystem of Infrastructure, Applications, Service Management, and Governance.

Khalid’s reputation for delivering value under pressure was cemented during the FIFA World Cup Qatar, where he played a pivotal role in implementing critical IT infrastructure. He successfully deployed diverse Command Centers and stadium management systems that ensured a flawless digital experience for millions of visitors.

Currently, Khalid is pioneering the practical application of Agentic AI to redefine industrial efficiency. He is leading the deployment of autonomous AI frameworks designed to review investor applications and optimize logistics operations—turning theoretical AI potential into measurable business wins. His work focuses heavily on the economics of innovation: managing implementation costs while deriving tangible operational value for Qatar’s logistics and factory sectors.

Khalid holds an MBA and a B.Sc. in IT Management from Bradford University. He is a strategist who bridges the gap between technical complexity and business ROI, making him a key voice on the future of industrial intelligence.

Hans Peter Buse serves as the Vice President Digital & IT of EDGE Group. He focuses on leading the digital transformation of the group, establishing a unified data foundation, and integrating artificial intelligence into key business processes. His work is centered on leveraging technology to deliver measurable business value. Before joining EDGE Group, he was an Executive Partner for Enterprise Strategy – Technology and Data in IBM Consulting and a Director in Kearney’s Digital Transformation and Restructuring practices. His leadership experience includes serving as the Head of Group E&P IT at MOL Group, the Group IT Manager of E.ON Exploration & Production, and the Vice President of IT for E.ON Russia. He began his professional career in the Strategic IT Effectiveness practice at Accenture.

Saket Saith is a seasoned professional at the forefront of digital transformation, specializing in the convergence of strategy and execution. Currently serving as the group chief technology and data officer at RAKBANK, Saket has over 25 years of experience in leading technology and data initiatives, ensuring the delivery of innovative and customer-centric solutions. Prior to this, he held pivotal roles, including chief technology officer, at Barclays in the United Kingdom, and various leadership positions at DBS Bank in Singapore, where he played a crucial role in digital transformation, enterprise architecture, and IT strategy. He is passionate about emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, and big data, and how they can be leveraged to create value for customers, businesses, and society at large. Saket’s career spans the globe, contributing significantly to the growth and innovation of renowned financial and technology organizations. His expertise encompasses enterprise architecture, IT business strategy, software engineering, and operating models.

Sreedhar Suragouni serves as chief operations and technology officer at Sukoon Insurance, where he is responsible for defining future-ready IT strategy, driving operational efficiency, and enhancing customer experience by implementing value-first mandates across all business lines. He is an award-winning business transformation leader with 30+ years of international experience, spanning four continents in all phases of technology and digitalization. He has an impeccable track record of successfully spearheading multiple business and digital transformations from vision to execution. A seasoned change agent who is passionate about solutioning around the digitalization of business, Sreedhar has a proven ability to align digital and technology goals with strategic objectives and improve processes while effectively managing costs and mitigating risks. He also has a clear eye for leveraging technology innovation to drive efficiency and business growth.

Mr. Almulla has an extensive experience in the field of I.T. for over 25 years. He has received Bachelor of Science from The University of Arizona in Computer Engineering in the year 1987 and completed his Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from University of New England, Australia in the year 1993. Additionally, Mr. Almulla has completed the “Program for Executive Development” from International Institute for Management Development (IMD). Mr. Almulla has been working in all the areas in Information Technology department such as Application Development, Information Security, Architecture Designing and Networking, Process Control, etc. He started his career as a Programmer in 1988 in Dubai Aluminium Company Limited, and is currently Chief Technology Officer, Emirates Water and Electricity Co..

As group head of Mashreq’s Technology, Transformation, and Information Group, Mohamed Abdel Razek leads Mashreq’s technology organization and drives the bank’s transformation in terms of digital services, resilience, and superior client experience. He is accountable for the continual adoption of new and emerging technologies, ensuring customer service excellence, and enabling seamless collaboration with the bank’s external partners. As a seasoned technology professional with over 30 years of experience, Mohamed has led group and regional technology functions across several large corporations. Most recently, he served as chief technology, transformation, and operations officer for Africa and the Middle East at Standard Chartered Bank. He was previously associated with British American Tobacco, from 2007 to 2015, where he last held the role of global head of technology services.

Adrian Hayes is a record-breaking adventurer, speaker, corporate coach, and sustainability ambassador. A former British Army Gurkha officer and Airbus sales director, he has set two Guinness world records for polar expeditions – for reaching the Earth’s ‘3 Poles’ in the shortest period of time in history and for the Arctic’s longest unsupported snow-kiting expedition to date.

Rajan spearheads IDC’s software research, advisory, and consulting practice in the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey region. He has led several bespoke research and consulting projects for leading global ICT firms and regularly advises senior industry executives on market, product, and competitive strategies. He leads a team of regional research analysts and manages the delivery of syndicated research and trackers that analyze trends in technology areas such as enterprise applications, collaboration, security, storage, databases, and deployment tools, among others.In addition, Rajan has held engagement management and senior consultant roles in management consulting projects for government authorities and bodies in the region, developing strategies and programs for national IT sector development and ICT skills augmentation.Rajan engages closely with chief information officers (CIOs) in the region through workshops, roundtable discussions, and interviews, providing guidance on enterprise IT strategies.Rajan frequently speaks at industry forums and conferences, and is often quoted in the media, providing opinion and analysis on technology trends and strategies in global and emerging markets.Prior to joining IDC, Rajan spent over ten years in the IT industry in roles spanning product management, marketing, channel and business development, and resource management at prominent global IT companies such as Epicor, 3i Infotech and NIIT Technologies.Rajan has a management degree from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in Calcutta and a bachelor of technology degree from Cochin University of Science and Technology.

Gonçalo Borrêga serves as vice president of product for AI and AppDev at OutSystems. He leads the company’s strategy for the AI platform for your agentic future, driving the integration of cutting-edge AI AppGen and Agentic AI directly into the OutSystems platform. Gonçalo is focused on empowering IT leaders to bridge the gap between AI ambition and enterprise reality by leveraging unified and agile capabilities to rapidly build mission-critical innovation.

Amr Hafiz is a technology and business leader with over 18 years of experience in
delivering and leading software driven digital transformation initiatives. He brings a
strong blend of technical expertise and executive leadership, focused on turning
innovation into scalable business outcomes.
Expertise
• Digital transformation & software platforms
• Technology strategy & solution architecture
• Enterprise & government systems
• Innovation led delivery models
Key Highlights
• Co-founded envnt and played a central role in shaping its technology vision
and growth
• Held consulting and technical leadership roles at global and regional firms
• Led the delivery of complex, mission critical software platforms across
multiple industries
• Recognized for bridging technology innovation with real-world business
needs

Ram Chakravarti is the CTO and a member of the Executive Leadership Team at BMC. He is responsible for BMC’s technology strategy, product innovation, and corporate development. He is also as the Chief Tech Evangelist for BMC. Most recently, he has brought to market new products at the nexus of AI and data in Automation.

Prior to joining BMC, Ram was a Tech Ops executive at KKR. Earlier in his career, Ram worked at McKinsey, Oracle, Ariba and tech startups.

Ram holds master’s degrees from UPenn and the Indian Institute of Science. He has co-authored a book on R&D and IT portfolio management which is being used in graduate programs at UPenn and other schools in the U.S.

In his role as associate research director for IT services and software across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META), Melih drives IDC’s regional research and consulting engagements in the areas of IT services, Cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), and intelligent automation.

He first joined IDC in 2012 as a senior research analyst located out of IDC’s Istanbul office, with various responsibilities for the firm’s IT services, cloud computing, software, and telecom domains — both in Turkey and across the wider META region. Between 2016 and 2021, Melih headed the international marketing and investor relations practice at P.I. Works, a global automation and AI software vendor that serves telecom operators.

Now back at IDC, Melih is leveraging his vast experience in the IT services, cloud, software, and telecommunications domains to advise clients on go-to-market strategies, technology marketing and promotion activities, and market trends analysis. He is also driving a wide variety of research and consulting projects across the META region.

Melih has also previously served as enterprise channel and marketing manager at Nortel Turkey and as business development and strategy manager at Netaş, one of the leading systems integrators in Turkey and a former Nortel subsidiary. He possesses a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and received his MBA from Esslingen University of Applied Sciences in Germany. He has worked as a business development specialist at HP and wrote his MBA thesis for the company, covering European retail channel trends and winning strategies for channel businesses.

Mutaz is a high-impact leader with over 20 years of experience driving rapid international growth and digital transformation for reputable regional and national organizations. A specialist in P&L management and organizational turnarounds, he possesses a rare blend of deep technical fluency, spanning Cloud, ERP, and complex application integration, and sophisticated business acumen. Having successfully scaled ventures from startup phase to market leadership, Mutaz excels at navigating ambiguity, managing complex enterprise negotiations, and building the strategic alliances necessary to cement DStation’s position as a world-class industry leader.

Ali Elmesmeshy serves as lead solutions engineer at Dynatrace, specializing in AI-powered observability, cloud-native architectures, and digital experience optimization. He supports CIOs and technology leaders across the Middle East in accelerating their journey toward AI-native enterprises through intelligent automation and real time insights. Ali has delivered impactful sessions at IDC industry events, including presentations on next-generation observability and cloud modernization.

Sonny Tran serves as director of strategic growth at EdgeNext. He is a senior technology and commercial leader with deep expertise in content delivery, edge cloud, and digital infrastructure. At EdgeNext, he leads strategic growth initiatives across carrier-grade CDN and edge computing, helping enterprises, media platforms, and digital service providers deliver high-performance, scalable, and resilient digital experiences across Europe, the Middle East, and other high-growth markets. Sonny works closely with ISPs, hyperscalers, and enterprise customers to support the adoption and commercialization of distributed network architectures, enabling organizations to optimize performance, improve reliability, and modernize their digital infrastructure at scale. His work focuses on bridging technology strategy and commercial execution, particularly for latency-sensitive workloads in media, gaming, and high-traffic digital platforms. Prior to joining EdgeNext, Sonny held roles at IBM and Verizon, where he supported large multinational organizations with enterprise networking, cloud, and carrier-grade services, gaining first-hand experience in the operational and strategic challenges faced by global CIOs.

Nadeem Qureshi is a senior business leader focused on helping enterprises turn technology transformation into tangible business value. With deep experience engaging CXOs and executive stakeholders, he brings a market-driven perspective on how organizations can prioritize modernization, optimize investment decisions, and align cloud strategies with growth, resilience, and operational efficiency. His work centers on bridging business intent with execution, enabling leadership teams to move beyond technology adoption toward sustained competitive advantage.

Mr. Dave Horton, VP, Solution Engineering, Airia, is a software security professional with over 20 years of experience in software security. David currently leads the Solutions Engineering team at Airia Enterprise AI. Over the course of his career, David has driven significant growth at prominent organizations, including OneTrust, VMware, AirWatch, SHI International, and, most recently, Odaseva, where he was SVP of Solutions Engineering. With expertise spanning cybersecurity, data protection, AI, and cloud technologies, Dave has a proven track record of developing innovative solutions to complex challenges.

Mr. Dave Horton holds a range of sector-specific certifications, including CISSP, CIPP/E, CIPM, and FIP, reflecting his deep industry knowledge and leadership in the field.

Ahmad is part of Cloudflare Solutions Engineering team with more than 18 years of sales and technological experience with high passion for cybersecurity. He is focused on designing reliable solutions for customers to enhance their security posture while improving performance of their applications and networks. With extensive customers’ engagement around the GCC and Middle-East region across different industries and verticals, Ahmad acquired a deeper and thorough understanding of positioning cybersecurity and AI solutions, demonstrating the value proposition and elaborating the problems addressed.

Ali Sallam is a seasoned digital solutions architect and strategic technology leader with over 18 years of global experience in pre-sales, business analysis, and enterprise solution architecture. In his current role at Iron Mountain, Ali leads high-impact digital transformation programs, focusing on intelligent automation, AI-enabled information platforms, and hybrid data governance solutions. He has played a pivotal role in advocating for and architecting next-generation digital platforms that help enterprises unlock the latent value in unstructured and hybrid information landscapes. Ali has been especially influential in championing Iron Mountain’s InSight Digital Experience Platform (DXP); a scalable, SaaS-based, AI-powered solution that unifies physical and digital information while enabling enterprises to transform passive data into actionable intelligence. With deep expertise in process automation, RPA, intelligent document processing, SaaS delivery, cloud strategy (AWS-certified), and AI-driven platforms, Ali is recognized for his ability to guide executive stakeholders through the adoption of transformative technologies while ensuring solutions are secure, compliant, and future-ready.

Hyther Nizam is the CEO of Zoho for the Middle East and Africa region, where he oversees the company’s operations and drives its growth and expansion across the region, including strategic partnerships.

With over 20 years at Zoho, Hyther has played a key role in the company’s journey from a bootstrapped startup to a global business, building several products from the ground up into successful businesses. He leads multiple products under the Zoho.com business division, including Zoho Creator, Zoho Commerce, Zoho Flow, Zoho Survey, Zoho Sheet, and Zoho PageSense.

Hyther also spearheads several of Zoho’s technology and deep-tech initiatives, including the development of Zoho’s proprietary scripting language, Deluge.

Dr. Ahmad El Sayed serves as public sector lead for Google Cloud in the UAE, Levant, and North Africa. He helps governments harness the power of secure AI and Gemini to transform public services. Prior to joining Google, Ahmad worked for IBM, SAP, and BAE Systems as an AI technical lead where he delivered highly impactful projects globally (Europe, MEA, APAC). He is a recognized keynote speaker, a published author, and holds a Ph.D. in AI and Machine Learning, with his research published in major international conferences and books.

Shailesh Bhatia serves as a sales manager at CyberArk. He is an experienced sales leader with 18+ years in account management, business development, and channel growth. He possesses extensive expertise in privileged access management, identity management, SaaS, network security, data classification, data protection, digital rights management, and cloud access security broker. Shailesh is dedicated to delivering value and satisfaction to clients, partners, and the company.

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.