Speakers

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Speakers

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Uncover breakthrough insights from IDC experts and exclusive sessions featuring influential voices transforming technology and leadership today

Join as a speaker

Jyoti Lalchandani

Jyoti Lalchandani

Head of WW Events & MD – META, Central Asia, India

IDC

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Ranjit Rajan

Ranjit Rajan

Vice President, Research (META)

IDC

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Shahin Hashim

Shahin Hashim

Associate Research Director (META)

IDC

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Shilpi Handa

Shilpi Handa

Associate Research Director (META)

IDC

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Jebin George

Jebin George

Senior Research Manager, Software, Cloud, and Industry Transformation

IDC MEA

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Partners

Why Partner

Position your brand at the forefront of the region’s premier CIO community. This results-driven platform is designed to maximize engagement and ROI for solution providers.

become a sponsor
Why Partner

Access Key Decision Makers

Directly engage with 500+ qualified technology buyers and influencers across the Country.

ROI-Focused Lead Generation

Unlock opportunities through power meetings, roundtables, and workshops designed to connect partners with active buyers.

Brand Elevation & Visibility

Showcase your solutions at the most premium CIO event in the region, amplifying your presence across the technology ecosystem.

Research-Backed Intelligence

Leverage exclusive IDC insights and CIO surveys to better understand market trends and strengthen your go-to-market strategy.

Partners

Why Partner

Position your brand at the forefront of the region’s premier CIO community. This results-driven platform is designed to maximize engagement and ROI for solution providers.

become a sponsor
Why Partner

Access Key Decision Makers

Directly engage with 500+ qualified technology buyers and influencers across the Country.

ROI-Focused Lead Generation

Unlock opportunities through power meetings, roundtables, and workshops designed to connect partners with active buyers.

Brand Elevation & Visibility

Showcase your solutions at the most premium CIO event in the region, amplifying your presence across the technology ecosystem.

Research-Backed Intelligence

Leverage exclusive IDC insights and CIO surveys to better understand market trends and strengthen your go-to-market strategy.

Proceedings

Proceedings

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The Future of Intelligent Operations

22 Dec 2025

Mövenpick Hotel and Residences Riyadh

The Future of Intelligent Operations

The Future of Intelligent Operations

Sponsored By

Logo

Visibility, Automation, and Resilience for the Digital Era

Saudi Arabia’s cloud landscape is accelerating, driven by major investments like AWS’s USD 5.3B new region by 2026. With hybrid cloud at 59% and multicloud at 48%, organizations are expanding rapidly but still struggle to translate this growth into measurable business value. Challenges include maintaining visibility across distributed environments, ensuring strong security, planning cloud-ready business continuity, and proving ROI.

 

Enterprises need strategies that enable secure, scalable connectivity across cloud and edge, supported by intelligent operations, automation, and consistent governance.

 

This roundtable gathers senior IT leaders to discuss practical migration frameworks, modernization approaches that minimize disruption, resilient cloud-first continuity models, and data- and AI-driven automation from cloud to edge.

Agenda

The Future of Intelligent Operations

One day event

6:00 pm

Networking and Registration

6:55 pm

IDC Welcome Address

Hyder Aftab

Hyder Aftab

Research Manager, IDC

Keynote
One day event
7:00 pm

IDC Keynote

Hyder Aftab | IDC

Research Manager

Read Bio
7:15 pm

Business drivers for migration and ROI insights

7:35 pm

Plan for the Unexpected: Mastering Business Continuity

7:55 pm

Coffee Break

8:10 pm

Beyond the Core: The Edge Advantage for Speed, Scale, and Secure Connectivity

8:30 pm

Vision to Value: Turning Insights into Real-World Impact

8:45 pm

Networking Dinner & Deep Conversations with Peers, IDC, and Partners

Speakers

Partners

Venue

Movenpick Hotel and Residences

3478 North Ring Road Exit 4, Al Ghadeer District, Riyadh

Mövenpick Hotel & Residences Riyadh is located in the new CDB of Riyadh, next to KAFD. Our 5 star hotel & residences is perfect for business or leisure travellers seeking genuine swiss hospitality. Inspired by the Middle Eastern culture we offer 269 sophisticated hotel rooms and, suites as well as 90 spacious residences. A swimming pool, sauna, ice room, gymnasium and massage rooms provide you with a chance to exercise and relax during your stay.

Be Part of it!

Explore how intelligent operations, automation, and resilient cloud architectures drive visibility, continuity, and ROI across hybrid, multicloud, and edge environments.

Agenda

Agenda

Agenda

IDC CIO Summit 2026

Day 1

8:00 am

Registration & Networking

8:30 am

Building the CIO roadmap for the agentic era

Scaling AI across the enterprise, embracing the shift to agentic era, strategies for success & growth

8:45 am

IDC Welcome Address

Jyoti Lalchandani

Jyoti Lalchandani

Head of WW Events & MD – META, Central Asia, India, IDC

8:55 am

Government’s role in advancing the AI vision: Middle East’s unique advantages ​

The Middle East is becoming a focal point for global AI investment. With favorable regulatory environment, clear data sovereignty goals, and long-term AI roadmaps, regional governments are enabling a thriving, trusted AI ecosystem. This session explores how public-private partnership redefines innovation, how to take the momentum forward, and how CIOs across the Middle East can seize this moment to shape the region’s AI future.

9:05 am

Advisory Council Felicitation

9:20 am

IDC Opening Keynote: The AI Moment: Strategies for CIOs in the Middle East

AI, predicted to have a $19.9 trillion impact on the global economy by 2030, is reshaping economic landscapes, creating new revenue streams, and redefining competitive advantages. This session will provide unique insights and analysis drawn from IDC’s extensive study of CIOs and key decision-makers across the Middle East. It will provide a deeper understanding of current and planned AI strategies and use case road maps, covering key topics such as AI-ready data, unified governance, fit-for-purpose and scalable infrastructure, and AI talent.

Meredith Whalen

Meredith Whalen

Chief Research and Data Officer, IDC

9:50 am

Scaling AI for the Agentic Future: Closing the Enterprise Gaps

Bridging the divide between AI ambition and execution to prepare for autonomous, enterprise-scale systems

10:05 am

The Evolving Role of the CIO: From IT Leader to Business Strategist

How CIOs are shaping enterprise direction and boardroom priorities

10:25 am

Horizon Technologies: The Next Wave of Industry Transformation

Exploring emerging technologies that will redefine industries and reshape global economies

10:45 am

Building a Sustainable Infrastructure Backbone for the GenAI Wave

As Gen AI and agentic AI adoption accelerates, the Middle East faces rising demand for high-performance, scalable, and energy-efficient infrastructure. This session explores how next-gen data centers and HPC architectures can power the region’s AI ambitions while ensuring long-term environmental sustainability.

Atul Soneja

Atul Soneja

Chief Operating Officer, Tech Mahindra

11:05 am

Bridging the Talent Gap to Realize Middle East’s AI Ambitions 

AI ambition in the Middle East is soaring, but the talent gap is widening. This session examines how enterprises, government and academia can address critical shortages in AI and data skills in 2026

11:25 am

Technical Debt as a Strategic Lever

Managing legacy systems and debt reduction to unlock innovation capacity

Samir Akel

Samir Akel

Regional Vice President, Emerging Markets, Nintex

11:45 am

Resilience by Design

Building adaptable architectures to withstand disruption and volatility

12:05 pm

Tea / Coffee & Networking Break

Engage, Explore, and Network—Where technology meets unforgettable moments!

Make the most of your networking break with exciting experiences! Enjoy coffee or ice cream from the Robotic Arm Café, capture memories at the AI Photobooth, and refresh at the Mocktail Station. Pick up your exclusive AI T-shirt, craft a signature scent at the Perfumery Station, or get a fun Caricature. Need a quick check-up? Visit the Health Zone for expert advice.

12:15 pm

Technology Focus Group Session – Cluster A (Parallel Sessions)

12:15 pm – Opening Act
12:20 pm – Session Overview
Attend the Track, Ask Questions, Rate Sessions & Stand a Chance to win iPhone 16

Track 01: Agentic AI: Strategic Opportunities and Operational Challenges for CIOs

12:25 pm – 12:40 pm

Rebuilding Businesses for the Future: AI, Computer Vision, Robotics, and Digital Twins

12:40 pm – 12:55 pm

From Challenges to Solutions: Achieving Quality Excellence in an App-Centric World

12:55 pm – 1:10 pm

Government Transformation through AI: Opportunities and Challenges

1:10 pm – 1:25 pm

Mobile Versus Back-End DevOps: Five Differences

1:25 pm – 1:25 pm

Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

Track 02: Scaling AI for the Agentic Future: Closing the Enterprise Gaps

12:25 pm – 12:40 pm

The Cloud to Edge Continuum for AI Excellence

12:40 pm – 12:55 pm

Accelerate ROI from your AI/Copilot Implementation

12:55 pm – 1:10 pm

Building AI Centers of Excellence: A Global Perspective for the MEA Region

1:10 pm – 1:25 pm

Is Your Enterprise Ready to Tackle the Complexities of AI Development?

1:25 pm – 1:25 pm

Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

Track 03: Building the Data Foundation for the AI-centered Enterprise

12:25 pm – 12:40 pm

Beyond the Technology: Enhancing Digital Experiences for CIOs

12:40 pm – 12:55 pm

Unlocking the Value of AI with a Data Streaming Platform

12:55 pm – 1:10 pm

Secure, Intelligent, and Personalized: The Future of Digital Experiences with GenAI

1:10 pm – 1:25 pm

Real-World Success in the AI Era: Leveraging Cloud, Data, Business Intelligence, and Generative AI

1:25 pm – 1:25 pm

Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

Track 04: Agentic AI: The Next Frontier in Cybersecurity Challenges

12:25 pm – 12:40 pm

Preparing for the Future Threat Landscape: Cloud Security Trends

12:40 pm – 12:55 pm

Data-driven Decision Making: Empowering Organizations for Success

12:55 pm – 1:10 pm

Supercharge AI Anywhere!

1:10 pm – 1:25 pm

Coding Reinvented: How AI Agents Are Shaping the Future of Software Development

1:25 pm – 1:25 pm

Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

12:16 pm

Technology Focus Group Session – Cluster B (Parallel Sessions)

12:15 pm – Opening Act
12:20 pm – Session Overview
Attend the Track, Ask Questions, Rate Sessions & Stand a Chance to win iPhone 16

Track 05: Cybersecurity Investment Strategies: Where to Place the Next Dollar

12:25 pm – 12:40 pm

Data Resilience to Keep Your Business Running

12:40 pm – 12:55 pm

Evolution of the SIEM for the AI Era

12:55 pm – 1:10 pm

Building Networks for AI Workloads

1:10 pm – 1:25 pm

Next-Gen Identity Security: Passwordless Authentication

1:25 pm – 1:25 pm

Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

Track 06: Future-Proofing the Enterprise IT Portfolio

12:25 pm – 12:40 pm

Breaking Software Delivery Barriers with AI-Powered Low Code

12:40 pm – 12:55 pm

Embracing the Future: Leveraging AI and ML in Cloud Environments

12:55 pm – 1:10 pm

Copilot-First, Future-Ready: AI-Led Contact Centers Revolutionizing Customer Experience!

1:10 pm – 1:25 pm

Building an Intelligent Data Infrastructure for Accelerating AI Adoption

1:25 pm – 1:25 pm

Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

Track 07: Cybersecurity in the Boardroom

12:25 pm – 12:40 pm

Risk, Readiness, and Recoverability

12:40 pm – 12:55 pm

AI in Oil and Gas: Driving Efficiency and Sustainability

12:55 pm – 1:10 pm

Smarter AI, Stronger Apps

1:10 pm – 1:25 pm

Taking Control and Securing your Cyber Physical Systems

1:25 pm – 1:25 pm

Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

Track 08: Digital Sovereignty

12:25 pm – 12:40 pm

Protecting Critical Infrastructure from the Rise of AI-Borne Threats

12:40 pm – 12:55 pm

The GenAI Adoption Journey for Enterprises

12:55 pm – 1:10 pm

The Cloud Imperative: Enabling AI-powered Business Transformation

1:10 pm – 1:25 pm

The Future of Enterprise Cloud: Faster, Smarter, Serverless

1:25 pm – 1:25 pm

Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

1:25 pm

Refresh & Regroup

1:40 pm

For The CIO- By The CIO Tracks

Track A

1:40 pm – 2:10 pm

Agentic AI in action: Industry use cases and early wins​

2:10 pm – 2:40 pm

Managing cost and deriving value out of AI

Track B

1:40 pm – 2:10 pm

Cross-Functional Collaboration in the Future Enterprise

2:10 pm – 2:40 pm

From pilots to platforms: Taking agentic AI to scale

2:40 pm

Lunch

Day 2

8:30 am

Registration & Networking – Arrive Early & Stand a Chance to Win Prizes

8:50 am

IDC Welcome Address

Ranjit Rajan

Ranjit Rajan

Vice President, Research (META), IDC

8:55 am

Governance Beyond Compliance

Using regulation as a catalyst for trust, transparency, and resilience

9:20 am

AI for the CIO Agenda: From Hype to Enterprise Value

Practical frameworks for moving beyond pilots to measurable business outcomes with AI and GenAI

9:40 am

Responsible AI Leadership

How CIOs can embed ethics, governance, and transparency into enterpriseAI strategies

10:00 am

Navigating AI regulation: What CIOs must prepare for​

10:20 am

Intelligent Automation and Productivity

Leveraging automation to reshape business processes and workforce value

10:40 am

Innovation at Scale

Translating pilots and proofs-of-concept into enterprise-wide transformation

11:00 am

Summit Tracks (Parallel Sessions)

11:00 – Opening Act

11:05 – Session Overview

Attend the Track, Ask Questions, Rate Sessions & Stand a Chance to win iPhone 16

Summit Track A: Security for autonomous systems: Risks and countermeasures

11:10 am – 11:25 am

Maximizing AI Adoption in a Safe and Secure approach

11:25 am – 11:40 am

Observability for AI Models, Services & Applications​

11:40 am – 11:55 am

Turn the Promise of AI into Practice

11:55 am – 11:56 am

Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

Summit Track B: Navigating the Agentic Shift: CIO Priorities for Change and Continuity

11:10 am – 11:25 am

AI-Powered ITOps for Sustainable Business Growth

11:25 am – 11:40 am

From Data Silos to AI Insights: How To Power Intelligent Enterprises

11:40 am – 11:55 am

Revolutionizing Customer Experience: Integrating Digital Business Strategies in CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) Solutions

11:55 am – 11:56 am

Announcement of the iPhone 16 Raffle Draw Winner

11:55 am

Tea/ Coffee & Networking Break

Engage, explore, and network—where technology meets unforgettable moments!

Make the most of your networking break with exciting experiences! Enjoy coffee or ice cream from the Robotic Arm Café, capture memories at the AI Photobooth, and refresh at the Mocktail Station. Pick up your exclusive AI T-shirt, craft a signature scent at the Perfumery Station, or get a fun Caricature. Need a quick check-up? Visit the Health Zone for expert advice.

12:15 pm

Refresh & Reorganize

1:20 pm

Celebrity Speaker Session

1:40 pm

Partner Felicitation

1:50 pm

Mega Raffle Announcement

1:55 pm

Lunch & Close of Summit

Partners

Why Partner

Position your brand at the forefront of the region’s premier CIO community. This results-driven platform is designed to maximize engagement and ROI for solution providers.

become a sponsor
Why Partner

Access Key Decision Makers

Directly engage with 100+ qualified technology buyers and influencers from across the country.

ROI-Focused Lead Generation

Unlock opportunities through power meetings, roundtables, and workshops designed to connect partners with active buyers.

Brand Elevation & Visibility

Showcase your solutions at the most premium CIO event in the region, amplifying your presence across the technology ecosystem.

Research-Backed Intelligence

Leverage exclusive IDC insights and CIO surveys to better understand market trends and strengthen your go-to-market strategy.

Why Attend

Why Attend?

The Summit is more than just a conference. It’s where the region’s technology leaders come together to shape the future of AI-driven enterprises.

Network with the Country’s Elite

Connect with 100+ qualified delegates, including 60% CIOs, CTOs, CSOs, and Heads of IT from across the Country.

Learn from the Best

Hear directly from IDC analysts, global experts, and pioneering CIOs on how to scale AI, GenAI, and agentic systems across industries.

Discover Real-World Use Cases

Gain insights into how leading organizations are implementing AI-driven automation to improve agility, resilience, and customer value.

Future-Proof Your Strategy

Understand the long-term business implications of agentic systems, ensuring your organization thrives in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

Master AI Security & Trust

Explore strategies to tackle data privacy, AI observability, model integrity, and digital trust challenges.

Cloud as the AI Foundation

Discover how cloud platforms, edge computing, and 5G enable scalable, secure, and sovereign AI deployments

Key Themes

The summit this year will spotlight how innovation, intelligence, and resilience are reshaping enterprises through AI, cloud modernization, agentic architectures, and cybersecurity.

AI & Data-Driven Transformation

AI is transforming business reality, empowering intelligent automation, data-driven decisions, and human-AI collaboration to enhance productivity, innovation, and operational efficiency.

Cloud & Infrastructure Modernization

Hybrid and multi-cloud models, powered by edge and 5G, are driving agility, scalability, and modernization while ensuring compliance and data sovereignty.

Agentic Enterprise Architectures

Enterprises are adopting open, modular, and intelligent architectures where AI agents automate decisions, enabling adaptive, data-centric, and continuously evolving operations.

Proceedings

Proceedings

Protected

To access this content, please enter the password you have received from IDC.