Architecting an AI-Fueled Business
Overview
The last two years have seen unprecedented AI-driven innovation, boosted by the adoption of generative AI (GenAI) across entire organizations. C-suite executives and technology leaders across industries have been making significant investments in AI-led intelligence architecture and processes, with an increasing focus on advanced big data analytics, next-gen intelligent automation, intelligent applications, AIOps, AI-enabled security, and the convergence of AI and other technologies such as 5G connectivity, cloud, and IoT. Indeed, IDC’s EMEA Emerging Tech Survey revealed that 72% of EMEA organizations are already using AI, or planning to do so in the next two years, highlighting its substantial impact across the region. This all promises an exciting, yet unpredictable future.
Expert Perspectives
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H.E. Eng. Anas Al-Reemi
H.E. Eng. Anas Al-Reemi serves as Vice Governor of Technologies and Solutions at Saudi Arabia’s Digital Government Authority. He is a value-driven executive with 20+ years of strategic leadership in digital transformation and technology innovation, and is a visionary leader shaping Saudi Arabia’s digital evolution through large-scale initiatives that enhance efficiency, elevate global rankings, and drive sustainable growth. He has a proven track record of success in driving enterprise-wide transformations, from pioneering Saudi Arabia’s first full cloud migration to launching digital platforms that revolutionized judicial services and education. Over the course of his career, he has led key national platforms, including Najiz, Gov.sa, and MoE, ensuring seamless change management and stakeholder collaboration to drive measurable impact.

H.E. Mubaraka M. Ali Ibrahim
Mubaraka Ibrahim is a widely-lauded digital transformation generalist in the medical and government sectors. Currently serving as CIO of the Information Sector — and as Director of Health Information Systems — in the recently established Emirates Health Services Establishment, her 20+ year career includes serving as Deputy Head of all computing functions at the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP). There, she led over 160 key personnel on multiple federal healthcare technology initiatives, such as Riayati (the National Unified Medical Record) patient integration project and Tatmeen (Track & Trace), designed to secure pharmaceutical supply chains and strengthen post-pandemic resilience.
An inaugural member of HIMSS Middle East, Mubaraka has been a keynote speaker at numerous conferences, exhibitions, and discussions — both regionally and internationally. She was recognized among the Top 50 Middle East IT Leaders by the HIMSS organization, received the Women’s Leadership Award in 2018, and was honored with the GovTech Innovation Award in 2020 as Woman in Government of the Year.
As a member of the UAE Government Team for the Next 50, she continues to build on an impressive series of career achievements.
Academically, Mubaraka holds a Master’s degree in Information Management Systems from the American University in Washington, D.C., a Healthcare Leadership Diploma from the Harvard School of Public Health, and a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Kuwait University.
Event Sessions
Thursday, February 20 2025 8:55 am | Location:
Digital Governance: Leveraging AI to Enhance Public Services

Yazeed Abdulallah Alotibi
Yazeed Al Otaibi serves as assistant deputy minister for planning 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.

Ahmad M. Al Mulla
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..

Bandar Alshahrani
Bandar Alshahrani serves as executive director of the digital and technology division at Rua Al Madinah Holding Company, a PIF company. In this role, he is leading the development and execution of Rua’s digital transformation strategy. With over 20 years of experience in the digital and technology domains, Bandar is passionate about leveraging technologies, innovations, and digital transformation to enable business excellence and sustainability. Previously, he served as head of digital and innovation at ARDARA Development Company, also a PIF company, where he established the organization’s digital and innovation function and developed the ARDARA Digital Strategy aimed at diversifying the Kingdom’s economy and creating a positive social impact. He has also served as CIO at Ma’aden and was an integral developer of the Maaden Digitalization Strategy 2025 and a member of the Board of Managers of Ma’aden Fertilizer Company.

Eng. Huda Ahmed Mohsen
Event Sessions
Thursday, February 20 2025 8:55 am | Location:
Digital Governance: Leveraging AI to Enhance Public Services

Essa Haidar
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.

Jayesh Maganlal
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.

Khalid Muhsen Al Mutairi
Khalid Muhsen Al Mutairi is the CIO of Maaden, the largest multi-commodity mining and metals company in the Middle East and one of the fastest-growing mining companies in the world. He has developed extensive expertise across various IT domains over his career, including IT infrastructure, applications, cybersecurity, architecture, and governance. Khalid is currently focused on driving IT operating model transformation and business empowerment, using technology as a vehicle for business growth, process efficiency, digital workplace enablement, and environmental, social, and governance support. His dedication to innovation and excellence continues to make a significant impact in the field of IT.

Manoj Bhojwani
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.

Mamoun Al Homssey
Methodical Executive Vice President, and Persistent, Innovative, and Forward-thinking CIO with 25+ years of experience in the Technology banking and financial services industry.
Utilizes progressive expertise, professional acumen, and strategic vision to drive optimized outcomes and digitally transformative initiatives that yield exceptional bottom-line performance,
Developed Technology vision and strategy, steering the implementation of the Technology Strategic Plan.
An energetic leader with a passion for people development, a track record of recruiting and retaining top talent, and a demonstrated ability to effectively lead and work in a highly matrixed global environment.
An innovator who stays current and ahead with new market trends and innovations in technology, digital banking, and the leadership of enterprise IT.
Proposes and initiates new technologies towards providing the leading digital banking solution, full STP, and end-to-end proven customer experience.
Adept in building and managing digital factories, IT Operations related to Applications Management, Infrastructure and Cloud Operations, and Services management.

Mohammad Alharbi
Mohammad Alharbi serves as the assistant deputy minister for digital and innovation within Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT). He is an experienced business-oriented executive with in-depth technical knowledge of ICT and corporate strategy development. He has more than 20 years of experience in multicultural organizations in different fields, including oil and gas, telecommunications, and government. He led the first ever cloud migration of government IT systems in Saudi Arabia. As an assistant deputy minister for digital and innovation, he manages an extensive technology portfolio, oversees digital transformation strategy and implementation, and manages IT services and operations. He also encourages innovation via the use of emerging technologies such as AI.

Mohannad AlSalmi
Mohannad AlSalmi is the CIO of Flyadeal. He has over 28 years of experience in IT and digital transformation. Throughout his lengthy career, he has held key roles in various organizations where he has been instrumental in developing and leading digital strategies, road maps, and projects. In 2022, he was recognized as one of the top 10 CIOs in the Middle East by IDC. He is also a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach who has earned a leadership and management qualification from the International Air Transport Association.

Brig. Mohammed Al-Suwaidi

Mounir Abdelmoujoud
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.

Rasha M. Abu AlSaud
Rasha Abu Al Saud is the the Chief Technology Officer and technology professional responsible for the development and implementation of infosec strategies and controls. He is proficient in all aspects of information security, technology risk management, and business continuity. He further has the capacity to implement international standards and best practices, including PCI-DSS, COBIT, ISF, ISO, CMMi, and Six Sigma.

Saket Saith
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.

Srinivasan Sampath
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.

Saud Al Dhawyani
Saud Al Dhawyani is a seasoned technology leader who currently serves as the group chief platform officer of Emirates NBD, one of the largest banks in the MENAT region. He is at the helm of Emirates NBD’s business platforms encompassing core banking, payments, trade finance, treasury, and enterprise systems. Previously, he served as the chief technology officer of the bank and was instrumental in driving its technological evolution. He led more than 1000 engineers in executing one of the largest digital transformations of its kind in the financial industry. His distinguished career spans both the private and public sectors. He previously held technology and leadership roles at esteemed institutions such as Dubai Courts, NASDAQ Dubai, and Commercial Bank of Dubai. With over two decades of experience, his expertise ranges from architectural and agile operating model transformations to cloud computing, DevOps, and data.

Sean Langton

Sundah Alsehali
A talented professional with 30 years of in depth experience in the IT industry. An innovator, with keen entrepreneurial instincts and exquisite technical leadership skills in turning emerging technologies into viable business ventures, transforming ideas into operationally robust technical platforms. Has effective leadership skills in inspiring employees to reach their full potential, setting and maintaining high standards of integrity, honesty and transparency.
With an extensive experience as Executive-Level IT and Communications. Holding various leadership positions within the MOD, continuing to serve as General director of information technology in MOD, providing leadership and direction to a number successful major IT Projects. Main areas of expertise include Service Management, Infrastructure, Security, Programme, and Vendor management. Personal skills include commercial acumen and innovation together with constructive mediation and resolution to accomplish Organizational Goals.
A pioneer who can react to a variety of scenarios and able respond when situations arise without being passive. An associate degree knowledgeable leader with a transparent thirty year account and leadership expertise within MOD, motivated by desirous to deliver the goals and objectives of Vision 2030.

Yousef A. Alsuhaibani
Yousef A. Alsuhaibani serves as the CIO of Mobily. His leadership, strategic thinking, and in-depth technical knowledge of ICT supports the growth of the business and allows for the implementation of new initiatives. He has always relied on his knowledge, expertise, and passion for science and technology to influence every employment position he has held. He also knows the impact digital transformation can have on companies and society at large. He has led companies to success by introducing solutions and novel changes over his career spanning more than 17 years. He is an expert in multicultural organization and possesses numerous certifications in the IT field.
H.E. Dr. Saeed Aldhaheri
Join the esteemed Futurist, AI Ethicist, Author & Thought Leader LIVE as he takes you on a visionary journey into the future of technology and society.

Adrian Hayes
Join the renowned Adventurer, Author, Speaker, Consultant & Coach LIVE as he takes you on an extraordinary journey





Venue
Global influencers shared powerful stories of how they confronted challenges — and created opportunities from them
Grand Hyatt Dubai
Oud Metha Road, Dubai Healthcare City Riyadh Street – Near Sheikh Rashid Rd – Dubai
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Knowledge Hub

Analyst Spotlight The AI Everywhere Era in the Public Sector
AI and GenAI are having an increasingly pervasive impact on government — across missions, use cases, processes, and systems — in the Middle East and beyond. The disruptive impact of these technologies, compounded by geopolitical volatility, technical debt, digital sovereignty concerns, elevated citizen expectations, and regulatory changes, will require government leaders to approach innovation holistically. The acquisition and implementation of new technologies will not be enough. Realizing the benefits of AI, cloud, and industry platforms will require revisiting governance, risk management, culture, and the building of competencies to accelerate innovation.
Massimiliano Claps
IDC
Research Director
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Analyst Spotlight Enabling AI Outcomes with Cybersecurity
GenAI was coming. Predictive AI was coming. No . . . wait, it was already here. Anyway, we sit here today focused on the art and the genuineness of the possible.
As we consider and dream of the possible, we sometimes forget the reality of the now. Between the hype around GenAI and the COVID-19 pandemic before that, we sometimes fail to acknowledge that cybersecurity has grown up. Once the dominion of hoodie-wearing basement dwellers, the topic has elevated to the C-suite and beyond. Attacks from the cyberthreat landscape do not just present a technical risk — the ramifications create a risk to the organization itself. In essence, cyber risk equals business risk.
Frank Dickson
IDC
Group Vice President, Security & Trust
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Partner Spotlight Rebuilding Businesses for the Future: AI, Computer Vision, Robotics, and Digital Twins
In a rapidly changing technological landscape, companies face a pivotal decision: adapt to the transformative capabilities of artificial intelligence and automation or risk falling behind. A recent study by IDC reveals that the global artificial intelligence market stands at nearly $235 billion, with projections indicating a rise to over $631 billion by 2028, with significant investments in sectors such as software, banking, and retail. These sectors are increasingly leveraging AI to enhance operational efficiency and personalize customer interactions (Massey, K., 2024). With the rise of generative AI, more organizations are implementing these advanced tools, highlighting their integral role across industries.
Georges Bou-Issa
Inmind.ai
Business Development Associate
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CXO Spotlight Changing Investment Management Landscape With AI
AI in the investment sector is a key enabler for transforming financial landscapes or M&A- and IM-focused organizations. Leveraging AI will revolutionize the investment sector and bring huge transformative changes that enhance decision-making, improve efficiency, and drive innovation.
Advanced data analytics are integral tools for investors, financial analysts, and portfolio managers since they lead to quick time to value for the following segments of business:
Waqas Butt
Alpha Dhabi Holding
Group Head of ICT & AI
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CXO Spotlight AI in Conglomerates: Unifying Innovation Across Multiple Verticals
Conglomerates, especially family-owned businesses, manage a complex array of industries, including real estate, manufacturing, construction, automotive, food, retail, logistics, and FMCG, to name just a few. Each industry comes with its own set of challenges, expectations, and leadership goals. At Al Ghurair Group, we have found that AI not only serves as a critical enabler of innovation but also acts as a unifying force to address the diverse needs across these verticals.
Mario Foster
Al Ghurair Group
Group Chief Information Officer
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CXO Spotlight Transformative Power: How AI is Reshaping Industries and Redefining Problem Solving
Throughout my career I have seen some emerging technologies not entirely deliver on their expected promise, or their progress is hindered by regulatory and other constraints. Other technologies, mooted to transform our world, eventually find their niche, as in the case of blockchain and fintech, and others truly do become ubiquitous and land in the plateau of productivity — cloud computing being one.
Damian O’Gara
Kent
CIO
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Partner Spotlight Accelerate Your Customer Portal Project with Low Code
Customer portals can be a vital tool for businesses looking to improve customer experience and satisfaction rates. They provide a central location for customers to access information, manage accounts, and interact with your company. Without the right technology, however, building a customer portal can be a complex and time-consuming process.
Alaa Antar
Liferay
Regional Sales Manager
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Partner Spotlight Preparing for New Cyber-Resilience Challenges in 2025
In 2025, we need to be prepared for increasing sophistication of existing challenges. Phishing is a clear example; the 2024 UK Government’s Cyber Security Breaches Survey identifies it as the most predominant attack vector, affecting 84% of those breached. While phishing itself is not new, cyberattacks like this have only grown in complexity as attackers exploit “mega trends” in technology that include artificial intelligence and cloud computing, among other factors.
Ravi Baldev Singh
Commvault
Senior Director, Sales Engineering, Emerging Markets (CEE, CIS & META)
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Partner Spotlight Driving Cyber and Risk Focus in IoT/OT
As industrial and critical infrastructure organizations adopt AI to power already automated processes, the vulnerability of AI systems themselves is an emerging concern. Devious tactics such as data poisoning, large language model prompt injection, or ML model evasion pose a formidable challenge as threats.
Bachir Moussa
Nozomi Networks
Regional Vice President
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Partner Spotlight Evolution of the SIEM for the AI Era: AI-Assisted SIEM 4.0
With the rapid advent of artificial intelligence (AI), the world is undergoing yet another seismic transformation. Every industry is racing to integrate AI to gain a competitive edge. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, AI is projected to displace 85 million jobs by 2025 while simultaneously creating 97 million new roles, signaling a shift in the division of labor between humans, machines, and algorithms.
Sheik Abideen
Securonix
Regional Sales Director
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Partner Spotlight Rethinking ERP Reimplementation in the Age of AI
You want to innovate with AI, but your ERP vendor mandates a cloud reimplementation, leaving your customizations and data behind? Instead, choose a better way to maximize potential, gain flexibility, and reduce risk; here’s how.
Whether viewed through a lens of doom and gloom or hype and hope, the reality is that AI is on the leading edge of revenue generation, competitive advantage, and corporate growth.
Eric Helmer
Rimini Street
Senior Vice President & Global Chief Technology Officer
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Partner Spotlight Five Enterprise Backup and Recovery Solutions: Best Practices
As data becomes increasingly central to business operations, having the right enterprise backup and recovery solutions is more important now than ever. With data volumes on the rise, cyberthreats becoming more sophisticated, and IT environments growing more complex, it’s crucial for businesses to adopt effective strategies to safeguard their data and ensure quick recovery from any disruption. Here are five best practices to help you build a stronger, more resilient data protection framework for 2025.
Ankit Rajpal
Veeam Software
Sr. Territory Manager (South Gulf)
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Partner Spotlight Spotlight on Tech Innovation: The Impact of Serverless Architecture on Retail
The retail industry is undergoing a significant transformation, with serverless architecture emerging as a key enabler for businesses looking to adapt and thrive in the digital age. As online channels increasingly surpass traditional brick-and-mortar stores in importance, retailers face the challenge of delivering differentiated and seamless omnichannel experiences to stay competitive.
Emre Öget
Retter
Partner & Chief Operating Officer
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Partner Spotlight Three Key Areas of Focus for OT Cybersecurity in 2025 and Beyond
OT cybersecurity maturity continues to become more and more important every year. With unprecedented attacks targeting critical infrastructure, here are three critical areas of focus for strengthening OT security in 2025 and beyond.
Sertan Selcuk
OPSWAT
VP of Sales – METAP & CIS
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Partner Spotlight AI-Powered ITOps for Sustainable Business Growth
The pressures on modern digital businesses are relentless. The rapid proliferation of new applications and services is driving an unprecedented surge in the volume, variety, and velocity of data. This flood of information generates a cascade of alerts, overwhelming IT teams and making it nearly impossible to manually analyze and correlate data while meeting operational expectations. As businesses scale, this challenge intensifies, demanding a more efficient, intelligent approach to IT operations.
Charbel Khneisser
Riverbed Technology
SVP, Global Solutions Engineering
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Partner Spotlight Managing Complexity in Today’s Cybersecurity Ecosystem — Continuous Oversight
In the face of ever-increasing attack trends, organizations are deploying a diverse range of security solutions across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. These tools are essential for safeguarding assets, but their sheer volume and complexity introduce new challenges. Whether managed by internal teams or through outsourced operational services, ensuring that these security products are correctly implemented and consistently maintained is a time-consuming and resource-intensive process.
Pelin Pehlivan
Natica Global
Executive Partner
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Partner Spotlight Shaping the Future of Business with Quality Engineering
Quality engineering has become the backbone of modern operations in today’s fast-paced digital business world, where competition is relentless, and expectations are sky high. To illustrate its impact, imagine trying to run a marathon with a backpack full of bricks. That’s your company without DevOps. Now, picture running that same marathon with a dedicated support team solving problems as they arise. That’s the power of DevOps and quality engineering!
Alberto Ferreira
Noesis
Managing Director
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Partner Spotlight Navigating AI's Transformative Landscape
As AI continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, 2025 promises to be a pivotal year for redefining the roles of data, insights, and automation in business. The rapid adoption of AI introduces a blend of promise and peril, compelling organizations to adapt quickly to stay competitive.
At Qlik, we have identified three overarching themes that will shape the year ahead: authenticity, applied value, and autonomous agents.
Tejas Mehta
Qlik
Senior Vice President and General Manager, MEA
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Partner Spotlight Managing AI Adoption: Internal Readiness and Change Management in the Age of AI
As the MENA region advances in innovation, we are entering the “Intelligent Era,” defined by the widespread use of cutting-edge technologies like AI, machine learning, and data analytics. In this era, organizational regeneration is crucial for success. This transformation goes beyond technology adoption; it is about reshaping businesses to be more agile, resilient, and human-centric in a constantly evolving landscape. According to IDC’s Digital Executive Sentiment Survey, 2024, 78% of executives believe their organizations require a complete overhaul or new investments in AI and other areas such as cloud (73%) and integration tools (61%).
Khalid Murshed
e& enterprise
CEO
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Partner Spotlight 2025 AI Predictions: The Future of Application Development
AI continues to transform industries and reshape how organizations operate. As we move into 2025, its impact on application development is more profound than ever. Organizations across the region are looking to AI-powered solutions to enhance efficiency, boost productivity, and deliver business value. As AI becomes more integrated into enterprise strategies, IT leaders must prepare for the shifts ahead. Here are five key AI predictions that will shape the future of application development:
Youhanna Sidrak
OutSystems
Regional Sales Director (MEA)
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Partner Spotlight Are you data and cloud ready for Generative AI?
As businesses increasingly recognize the transformative potential of generative AI (GenAI), preparing for its implementation becomes a strategic imperative. While aspirations for GenAI are high, success depends on careful planning that integrates robust cloud infrastructure and comprehensive data readiness.
GenAI relies on high-quality, curated and proprietary data that is continuously refreshed. This requires organizations to prioritize thoughtful data operations, intelligent data management and the deployment of adaptive data platforms.
Nicholas Ismail
HCLTech
Global Head of Brand Journalism
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Partner Spotlight AI Beyond Borders: Unlocking Opportunities in Emerging Economies
The year 2024 marked a pivotal point in AI’s transformative potential. With generative AI and large language models (LLMs) becoming more accessible, industries and economies underwent significant transformation. A recent report by IDC highlights that by 2030, every dollar invested in AI solutions will generate $4.60 in global economic output. However, as we enter 2025, the focus must shift to ensuring AI drives inclusive economic growth rather than exacerbating global disparities.
Ashish Koshy
Inception
Chief Operating Officer
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Partner Spotlight Fortifying Defenses Against AI-Powered Cyberthreats
In 2024, a deepfake scam cost a Hong Kong-based company $25 million when cybercriminals used AI-generated voices to impersonate executives in a fraudulent transfer request. This incident is just one example of the powerful ways that AI is transforming the cyberthreat landscape. While AI enhances cybersecurity defenses by automating threat detection and response, it also gives attackers unprecedented capabilities to launch more sophisticated and adaptive cyberattacks.
Bahi Hour
Xage Security
Sr. Director of Solution Engineers
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Partner Spotlight How to Bridge the Gap Between Generative AI Ambitions and Readiness
Generative AI (GenAI) is a topic of interest everywhere today — from homes and educational institutions to offices and executive boardrooms. GenAI, of course, refers to algorithms that can be used to create new content, including audio, code, images, text, simulations, and videos based on the data they have been trained on.
Jim Freeman
Kyndryl ANZ
CTO
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Partner Spotlight Agentic Experiences: A New Era of AI-Driven Workflows
The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence is pushing the boundaries of digital transformation, and one of the most significant shifts today is the rise of agentic AI. Unlike traditional AI models, which act as passive responders, agentic AI represents a new paradigm where AI agents operate autonomously, make decisions, and execute complex workflows.
Sunil Karkera
BORN (a part of Tech Mahindra)
Chief Executive Officer
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Partner Spotlight Cloud Security Trends: Preparing for the Future Threat Landscape
The shift to cloud computing has brought unprecedented opportunities for businesses while presenting significant security challenges. Misconfigurations, insider threats, and cross-domain attacks dominate cloud security discussions as attackers find increasingly sophisticated ways to exploit vulnerabilities.
Aaron Hambleton
SecurityHQ
Director (MEA)
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CXO Spotlight AI in Government: How the UAE’s Competitive Edge Fueled Global Leadership
The UAE has surged ahead in AI-driven governance by blending strategic vision with persuasive competition among its public institutions. Pioneering moves — like appointing the world’s first AI Minister (2017) and launching the UAE AI Strategy 2031 — set the stage, but the true catalyst has been fostering rivalry through initiatives such as the Mohammed Bin Rashid Government Excellence Award (MBRGEA). This award incentivizes entities to compete in innovation, efficiency, and digital transformation, turning AI adoption into a race for excellence.
Lt. Col. Saeed Al Shebli
Ministry of Interior (UAE)
Deputy Director of Digital Security Department
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Partner Spotlight Embracing an AI-First Mindset for Sustainable Growth
Within the last few decades, the world has undoubtedly realized the huge benefits of embracing the mindset of digital first, automation first, mobile first, cloud first, and so on — both within business and general life. Today, the world is at another inflection point, with business needing to embrace an AI-first mindset to enable sustainable growth. And, as always, what applies in business will ultimately also apply in general life.
Alok Kumar
Convene
President (Middle East, Africa, and South Asia)
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Partner Spotlight AI Will Define the Next Era of Computing
AI will define the next era of computing and is an important part of the digital and economic growth strategies of nations across the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa (META). At the recent IDC Directions META 2025 event in Dubai, IDC revealed that it expects annual AI spending in the region to reach $14.6 billion by 2028.
Zaid F. Ghattas
AMD
Commercial Lead
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Partner Spotlight Building Networks for AI Workloads in the Middle East: A Strategic Imperative
As artificial intelligence is at the forefront of innovation worldwide, organizations in the Middle East are rapidly adopting AI-driven solutions to enhance efficiency, security, and precise decision-making. However, AI workloads require robust, high-performance networking infrastructure to support their scale and complexity. Enterprises across oil and gas, banking, and the public sector must ensure their networks are AI ready to harness the full potential of AI-driven innovation.
Irfan Khan
LTIMindtree Middle East
Vice President, Cloud & Infrastructure Services
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Partner Spotlight AI Infrastructure: Enabling the Next Wave of Industry Innovation
The global race for AI dominance isn’t just about computational models — it’s about building the foundational infrastructure that enables nations and enterprises to harness AI’s true potential. As organizations witness the unprecedented pace of AI evolution, the critical challenge lies in creating robust, scalable infrastructures that can support AI transformation while respecting national sovereignty.
Talal Al Kaissi
Core42
EVP – Chief Government Affairs & Partnerships Officer
LEARN MOREStay tuned for exciting news!
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