21 May 2026
Saudi Arabia
Turning AI into Business Value
Overview
Saudi Arabia has emerged as one of the region’s most active AI economies, with enterprises showing a strong appetite for AI-led transformation. IDC data previously showed AI ranking among the country’s top digital investment priorities, with 66% of Saudi organizations expected to increase AI and digital investments in 2026. The current geopolitical scenario, however, introduces a more complex operating environment – one shaped by greater cost pressure, risk sensitivity, and increased scrutiny of investment decisions.
For CIOs, the focus now is on sustaining AI momentum and delivering measurable business value amid increasing uncertainty. In today’s environment, business and technology leaders must not only justify AI investments but also ensure their AI strategies are resilient in the face of operational, economic, and geopolitical disruption.
The IDC Middle East Virtual Roadshow – Saudi Arabia brings a focused, insight-led look at how organizations can keep AI moving forward in a more complex, cost-conscious environment. Led by IDC analysts and backed by the latest research, the session is designed to help you align AI initiatives with clear business priorities and measurable outcomes.
Discover how to prioritize high-impact, low-risk use cases, optimize cloud performance and cost, and strengthen your data, governance, and sovereignty foundations—while building resilient AI operating models that support your next move with confidence.
Key Themes
Prioritize AI Deployments with Measurable ROI
Revalidate Cloud and Infrastructure Resilience
Strengthen Cyber Readiness
Reassess Data Governance, Sovereignty, and Compliance
Modernize Data Platforms for AI Readiness
Diversify Technology Supply Chains
Agenda
Turning AI into Business Value
One Day Event
11:00 am
Welcome Address
11:05 am
IDC Keynote: Future-Proofing AI Agendas for Long-Term Business Value
AI investment must now prove long-term value. In this IDC keynote, analysts share how to align AI to business priorities, build resilience, and scale with confidence for a sustained competitive edge.
11:20 am
Architecting for Data Sovereignty: Hybrid, Multi-Cloud, and Edge Strategies
As data sovereignty becomes a critical business requirement, organizations must rethink how and where data is managed. This session explores how hybrid, multi-cloud, and edge strategies can help you balance compliance, performance, and flexibility—so your architecture supports both control and growth.
11:30 am
Operationalizing AI: Bridging the Gap Between Data, Models & Business Impact
Turning AI into real business impact requires more than models—it demands alignment across data, processes, and outcomes. This session explores how to operationalize AI effectively, bridging the gap between experimentation and measurable value.
11:40 am
Optimizing Cloud for AI: Cost, Performance, and Scalability Considerations
AI workloads are pushing cloud strategies to evolve. This session unpacks how to optimize for cost, performance, and scalability—ensuring your cloud foundation can support AI growth without compromising efficiency.
11:50 am
Securing the AI Enterprise: Managing Risk in an Intelligent Threat Landscape
As AI expands the threat surface, security must evolve with it. This session examines how to manage risk in an intelligent threat landscape, helping you safeguard data, models, and systems while maintaining trust and resilience.
12:00 pm
From Data to Value: How Enterprises are driving Business Impact in AI Era
In the AI era, data only matters when it drives outcomes. This session highlights how enterprises are turning data into tangible business value—connecting insight to action and impact.
12:10 pm
Driving Agility and Continuity Through Low-Code Adoption
Speed and adaptability are now essential for resilience. This session explores how low-code adoption enables greater agility and continuity, empowering teams to innovate faster and respond to change with confidence.
12:20 pm
Gold Tracks (Parallel Sessions)
Track A
12:20 pm – 12:35 pm
Making Data Sovereignty Work in a More Uncertain Environment
12:35 pm – 12:50 pm
Building Trusted Data Foundations for Resilience
12:50 pm – 1:05 pm
Zero Trust: Redefining the Modern Security Perimeter
Track B
12:20 pm – 12:35 pm
Building Cloud Resilience for the AI-Driven Enterprise
12:35 pm – 12:50 pm
Resilient AI Infrastructure: Building for Performance, Cost, and Continuity
12:50 pm – 1:05 pm
Upskilling the workforce for the agentic era
1:05 pm
Summary & Takeaways, IDC
1:15 pm
Close of Event
Speakers
Matthew Eastwood
Senior Vice President, Enterprise Infrastructure, Cloud, Telecom, Security, Developers, Channels and Enabling Technology
IDC
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Harish Dunakhe
Senior Research Director, Software & Cloud (META)
IDC
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Shilpi Handa
Associate Research Director (META)
IDC
Read Bio
Matthew Eastwood
Senior Vice President, Enterprise Infrastructure, Cloud, Telecom, Security, Developers, Channels and Enabling Technology
IDC
Matt Eastwood is Senior Vice President of IDC’s enterprise infrastructure, cloud, telecom, security, developers, channels and enabling technology research groups. Mr. Eastwood and his team research people, process and technology trends affecting the enterprise technology marketplace worldwide. Mr. Eastwood first joined IDC in 2000 as part of the server team and his responsibilities have evolved and expanded during his tenure. In his current role, he leads a team of more than 100 analysts providing insights and analysis to IT suppliers, buyers, investors, and distributors through more than 75 syndicated research programs. Mr. Eastwood also leads IDC’s BuyerView primary research programs which are focused on defining emerging trends in cloud, developers, service providers, edge, AI and security.
Mr. Eastwood joined IDC in 2000. He provides in-depth market analysis, research, and consulting on all aspects of the enterprise infrastructure marketplace to IT professionals, investors, resellers and technology suppliers. During his tenure at IDC, Mr. Eastwood has led IDC primary research focused on emerging trends in enterprise systems and data centers. This primary research allows IDC to make continuous assessments regarding how customers are deploying and using enterprise infrastructure power digital transformation. Recent topics covered in Mr. Eastwood’s research include: Software Defined Infrastructure, Integrated infrastructure, Convergence, Disaggregated Infrastructure, Virtualization & Automation, Cloud Computing, High Availability, Platform Migration and Datacenter Workloads. Mr. Eastwood also serves as IDC’s lead analyst covering Dell and VMware.
Prior to joining IDC, Mr. Eastwood worked for twelve years as a senior project manager and environmental consultant at CDM Smith in Boston. Mr. Eastwood was responsible for managing the planning and design of large environmental infrastructure projects including wastewater collection and treatment facilities. In addition, Mr. Eastwood served as Operations Manager of the firm’s New England practice.
Mr. Eastwood received a bachelor’s degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering from Northeastern University in Boston and earned his MS in Engineering Project Management from WPI in Worcester, MA. He is a Registered Professional Engineer (PE) in Massachusetts.
Harish Dunakhe
Senior Research Director, Software & Cloud (META)
IDC
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.
Shilpi Handa
Associate Research Director (META)
IDC