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The United Arab Emirates is accelerating its ambition to become a global leader in digital innovation, with the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 and its drive toward a fully digital economy setting the pace. This bold vision is inspiring enterprises and government entities alike to explore how AI can transform citizen engagement, service delivery, and enterprise operations. IDC research highlights that organizations across the UAE are prioritizing AI adoption — but success requires overcoming significant challenges in data management, governance, and readiness.
While CIOs and digital leaders are eager to fast-track AI adoption, most face common hurdles. Legacy systems, siloed repositories, and paper-based archives continue to trap vast amounts of valuable information. The rapid growth of unstructured and dark data makes it even harder to create trusted, AI-ready foundations. At the same time, organizations must comply with strict regulatory frameworks, manage sovereignty requirements, and address an acute shortage of AI and data engineering skills. As a result, many AI initiatives are branching off as data projects. IDC’s research reveals that around 50% of organizations in the UAE struggle with poor data quality and have limited to moderate data lineage.
The conversation around AI in the UAE is also shifting rapidly — from initial automation pilots to intelligent automation at scale, and now toward AI-powered governance and secure digital platforms. Forward-thinking organizations are already exploring cloud-enabled platforms, metadata enrichment, and intelligent document processing to reduce operational complexity and accelerate innovation.
Join this exclusive roundtable to learn how you can translate the UAE’s AI vision into measurable outcomes. Gain insights from experts at Iron Mountain and IDC on how to:
• Build AI readiness across infrastructure, governance, and talent.
• Manage unstructured and dark data while ensuring compliance with UAE data and security laws.
• Harness cloud-enabled digital platforms to accelerate innovation.
• Leverage metadata enrichment, intelligent automation, and AI-powered governance for secure, efficient decision-making.
This interactive session will provide CIOs and digital leaders with practical strategies and peer insights to transform data challenges into AI opportunities. Together, we will explore how to responsibly harness AI and contribute to shaping the UAE’s digital future.
Artificial Intelligence is the top investment priority for 46% organizations in the UAE and wider Gulf region. Quite understandably, technology leaders know that they can unlock efficiency, gain employee productivity, deliver superior experiences, and achieve sustainable business growth by adopting relevant use-cases of AI. However, to do that they need data, skilled people, management buy-in, and technology.
Organizational data is often inaccessible, incomplete, is of poor quality, or old and outdated. IDC’s research reveals that most AI projects are branching off as data projects. And most data projects hit a roadblock the moment these projects demand data outside IT dept.
IDC’s Harish Dunakhe will highlight key trends and insights about how data management in the region with an emphasis on the UAE. He will provide the audience with useful insights, and practical tips to drive data discipline that can help the audience to create a culture of data-driven decision making and create a resilient enterprise.
Harish Dunakhe
Senior Research Director, Software & Cloud (META), IDC
As UAE organizations accelerate digital transformation in alignment with the National AI Strategy 2031 and Smart Government initiatives, CIOs face increasing pressure to deliver AI-driven innovation while addressing compliance, data readiness, and talent challenges. A critical barrier lies in the vast volumes of unstructured and siloed data spread across legacy systems, cloud repositories, and physical archives—hindering the ability to unlock trusted, AI-ready insights.
Beshoy Fouad
Regional Digital Transformation Consultant, Iron Mountain
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.
Artificial Intelligence is the top investment priority for 46% organizations in the UAE and wider Gulf region. Quite understandably, technology leaders know that they can unlock efficiency, gain employee productivity, deliver superior experiences, and achieve sustainable business growth by adopting relevant use-cases of AI. However, to do that they need data, skilled people, management buy-in, and technology.
Organizational data is often inaccessible, incomplete, is of poor quality, or old and outdated. IDC’s research reveals that most AI projects are branching off as data projects. And most data projects hit a roadblock the moment these projects demand data outside IT dept.
IDC’s Harish Dunakhe will highlight key trends and insights about how data management in the region with an emphasis on the UAE. He will provide the audience with useful insights, and practical tips to drive data discipline that can help the audience to create a culture of data-driven decision making and create a resilient enterprise.
Beshoy Fouad serves as a regional digital transformation consultant for the MENATSA region at Iron Mountain. He is a seasoned computer engineer with over 19 years of experience. He specializes in harnessing AI and digital transformation to drive innovation across various industries. His deep expertise in integrating AI with business strategies has enabled him to lead cross-functional teams, optimize workflows, and deliver cutting-edge solutions that align with industry needs. Beshoy’s work in leveraging AI technologies has also transformed sectors such as government, finance, energy, and logistics, enabling them to enhance efficiency and make data-driven decisions. He continuously seeks new opportunities to accelerate AI adoption and advance digital transformation across industries.
As UAE organizations accelerate digital transformation in alignment with the National AI Strategy 2031 and Smart Government initiatives, CIOs face increasing pressure to deliver AI-driven innovation while addressing compliance, data readiness, and talent challenges. A critical barrier lies in the vast volumes of unstructured and siloed data spread across legacy systems, cloud repositories, and physical archives—hindering the ability to unlock trusted, AI-ready insights.
Iron Mountain, founded in 1951, is the global leader in storage and information management services. Trusted by more than 225,000 organizations around the world, including 95% of the Fortune 1000, Iron Mountain stores and protects billions of information assets—including critical business information, highly sensitive data, and cultural and historical artifacts—across a real estate network of more than 9.1 million square meters in over 1,400 facilities across more than 60 countries.
Hibrit Bulutun Yükselişi
Günümüzün hızla gelişen dijital ortamında hibrit bulut, BT yatırımlarını en üst düzeye çıkarmayı hedefleyen kurumlar için vazgeçilmez bir strateji haline geldi. IDC araştırmaları, hibrit bulutun sadece bir trend değil, modern BT altyapısının kritik bir bileşeni olduğunu, verimliliği, performansı ve çevikliği teşvik etmek için özel ve genel bulutların güçlü yönlerini harmanladığını ortaya koyuyor. Bu tür ortamların uygulanması ve işletilmesinin karmaşıklığı, yönetilen hizmet sağlayıcıların (MSP’ler) rolünü kritik hale getiriyor. Bu iş ortakları yalnızca teknik ve operasyonel zorlukların aşılmasına yardımcı olmakla kalmayıp, aynı zamanda hibrit bulut yatırımlarının gerçek değerinin ortaya çıkarılmasında da önemli bir rol oynuyorlar. Türkiye’deki kurumlar giderek daha fazla hibrit bulut çözümlerine yönelirken, doğru MSP iş ortağını seçmenin önemini anlamak, istenen iş sonuçlarına ulaşmak için çok önemli hale geliyor.
Yapay Zeka: Küresel Dönüşümün Temel Dinamiği
Yapay zeka (YZ), son yıllarda teknolojik gelişmelerin merkezinde yer alarak hem iş dünyasını hem de toplumsal yaşamı yeniden şekillendiriyor. Algoritmaların gelişimi, veri işleme kapasitesinin artması ve hesaplama gücündeki ilerlemeler, YZ’nin daha geniş ve karmaşık alanlarda uygulanabilirliğini mümkün kılıyor. Bu dönüşüm, sadece teknoloji şirketlerini değil; sağlık, üretim, kamu hizmetleri ve eğitim gibi geleneksel sektörleri de doğrudan etkiliyor.
Türkiye, bu küresel dönüşüm sürecine stratejik bir perspektifle yaklaşarak ulusal yapay zeka stratejisini eğitim, araştırma ve etik ilkeler odağında şekillendiriyor. Bu strateji, hem yerel yeteneklerin gelişimini desteklemeyi hem de uluslararası standartlarla uyumlu bir ekosistem oluşturmayı hedefliyor. Üniversiteler, teknoparklar ve özel sektör iş birlikleriyle YZ alanında Ar-Ge faaliyetleri hız kazanırken, kamu politikaları da bu gelişimi destekleyici yönde şekilleniyor.
Sağlık sektöründe yapay zeka, erken teşhis, tedavi planlaması ve operasyonel verimlilik gibi alanlarda önemli katkılar sunuyor. Türkiye’de bazı hastaneler, görüntüleme sistemlerinde YZ destekli analiz araçlarını kullanarak tanı süreçlerini hızlandırıyor. Bu uygulamalar, küresel sağlık teknolojisi trendleriyle paralel ilerliyor ve hasta memnuniyetini artırma potansiyeli taşıyor.
Üretim ve sanayi alanında ise YZ, otomasyon, kalite kontrol ve bakım süreçlerinde verimlilik artışı sağlıyor. Özellikle büyük ölçekli üretim tesislerinde, sensör verileriyle desteklenen tahmine dayalı bakım sistemleri sayesinde arıza süreleri azaltılıyor. Bu tür uygulamalar, Türkiye’nin sanayi dönüşümünü hızlandırırken, küresel rekabet gücünü de artırıyor.
Kamu hizmetlerinde ve şehir yönetiminde YZ’nin rolü giderek belirginleşiyor. Akıllı şehir uygulamaları kapsamında trafik yönetimi, enerji tüketimi optimizasyonu ve vatandaş geri bildirimlerinin analizinde YZ çözümleri kullanılıyor. Bu teknolojiler, şehir yaşamının daha sürdürülebilir ve kullanıcı odaklı hale gelmesine katkı sağlıyor.
Son olarak, üretken yapay zeka (generative AI) gibi yeni nesil teknolojiler, iş süreçlerinde ve sektöre özel uygulamalarda dönüşüm yaratıyor. Gereksinim tanımlama, yazılım modernizasyonu, içerik üretimi, siber güvenlik ve dijital ikiz simülasyonları gibi alanlarda YZ’nin kullanımı yaygınlaşıyor. Bu gelişmeler, sadece operasyonel verimlilik değil, aynı zamanda yeni iş modellerinin ortaya çıkmasına da zemin hazırlıyor.
Yapay zekâ, kurumların dijital dönüşümünde itici güç haline geliyor. Generatif AI çözümleri, iş süreçlerini otomatikleştirerek verimliliği artırıyor ve karar alma mekanizmalarını hızlandırıyor. Müşteri deneyimi ve dijital dönüşüm alanlarında şirketlere hem operasyonel hem de stratejik avantaj sağlıyor. Bu gelişme, yalnızca bir teknoloji yeniliği değil; iş dünyasının geleceğini belirleyen köklü bir dönüşüm olarak göze çarpıyor.
Yapay zekânın gelişimi, hesaplama gücünden algoritmik yaratıcılığa evrildikçe, yalnızca teknik bir alan olmaktan çıkıp zihinsel, etik ve stratejik bir meseleye dönüştü. Özellikle son yıllarda ivme kazanan üretken yapay zekâ, metin, görsel ve kod üretmenin ötesine geçerek karar alma süreçlerinde aktif bir ortak haline geldi. Zekâ, sadece hesaplama gücü değil; sezgi, bağlam ve sorumluluk demektir. Üretkenlik, yalnızca hız değil; anlamlı seçenekler ve yeni olasılıklar üretebilme yetisidir. Güven ise sadece teknik bir nitelik değil; toplumsal ve etik bir taahhüttür. Bu nedenle, üretken yapay zekânın sunduğu olanaklar ne kadar büyüleyici olursa olsun, bu teknolojinin etik, hukuki ve stratejik boyutları aynı ölçüde titizlikle ele alınmalıdır.
Yapay zeka ve bulut teknolojileri, dijital dönüşümün iki temel taşı olarak rekabetin yoğun olduğu FMCG sektöründe geleceğin iş dünyasını yeniden şekillendiriyor. Bulutun sağladığı sınırsız ölçeklenebilirlik ve esneklik, yapay zekanın veri odaklı zekâsıyla birleştiğinde, işletmeler için inovasyonun sınırlarını sağlanan teknolojiler ile ortadan kaldırıyor. Bu entegrasyon, sadece süreçleri hızlandırmakla kalmıyor; aynı zamanda öngörüye ve veriye dayalı karar alma ile birlikte otonom sistemler için güçlü bir altyapı oluşturuyor. Gelecek, insan yaratıcılığı ile yapay zekanın gücünü bulut ekosisteminde birleştiren hibrit bir model üzerine kurulacak. Bu vizyon, kurumların daha çevik, daha akıllı ve sürdürülebilir bir dünyaya adım atmasını sağlayacak.
E-ticarette yapay zeka, artık sadece bir destek aracı olmaktan çıkıp iş dönüşümünün temel motoru haline geliyor. Yapay zekayı bir teknoloji projesi olarak değil, ticaretin geleceğini şekillendiren stratejik bir güç olarak gören şirketler gelecekte başarılı olacak.
Günümüzde bulut teknolojileri ile yapay zekânın birleşimi, işletmelerin dijital dönüşüm yolculuklarında en kritik stratejik avantajı oluşturuyor. Çoklu bulut (multi-cloud) mimarileri, kurumların esneklik, güvenlik ve performansı aynı anda sağlayabilmesine olanak tanırken; üretken yapay zekâ ve otomasyon çözümleri operasyonel verimliliği yeniden tanımlıyor. Özellikle regülasyonun yoğun olduğu sektörlerde, veriyi doğru konumlandıran hibrit modellerin benimsenmesi sürdürülebilir ve ölçeklenebilir bir altyapı yaratmanın anahtarı haline geldi. Önümüzdeki dönemde, yapay zekâ destekli karar mekanizmaları ve otonom BT operasyonlarının şirketlerin rekabet gücünü belirleyen temel faktörler olacağını öngörüyorum.
Türk Hava Yolları bulut tabanlı sistemler ve modern veri mimarileri üzerine inşa edilen kestirimci bakım (predictive maintenance) sistemleriyle teknik arızaları önceden tespit edip maliyetleri düşürürken, yapay zeka destekli dinamik fiyatlandırma ve hiper-kişiselleştirme modelleriyle yolcuya doğru teklifi sunarak gelirleri ve müşteri deneyimini eş zamanlı olarak artırabilir. Aynı zamanda, uçuş ağındaki karmaşıklığı yöneten optimizasyon algoritmaları operasyonel mükemmeliyeti sağlarken, ekiplerin yönetimin adil ve hızlı yöneten akıllı planlama araçları, çalışan deneyimini iyileştirip kurum genelinde verimliliği en üst düzeye çıkaran bütünleşik yapıları kurmaya çalışıyoruz.
Geleceğin Akıllı ve Çevik Yazılımlarının İnşası
Yarının dijital sektör liderleri, yazılımı bir ürün değil, iş yapış biçimlerinin yaşayan ve sürekli evrilen bir parçası olarak gören şirketler olacak. FinTech, Otomotiv ve Web3 gibi sektörlerde, ölçeklenebilir, esnek ve yapay zeka destekli
yazılımlara duyulan ihtiyaç hiç bu kadar kritik olmamıştı. Artık başarı, daha fazla kod yazmaktan çok, öğrenen, otomatikleşen ve işinize paralel olarak sürekli gelişen sistemler inşa etmekle ölçülüyor.
Güvenilir bir teknoloji ortağı, organizasyonların Yapay Zeka destekli, bulut-yerel ve modüler yazılım sistemlerini daha hızlı, daha akıllı ve daha düşük riskle hayata geçirmesine olanak tanır. Yazılım tanımlı araçlar ve otonom sistemlerden, geleceğin finansal platformlarına ve Web3 dünyasına uygun merkeziyetsiz uygulamalara kadar, doğru iş birliği sayesinde yazılım çözümleri yalnızca bugünün değil, yarının rekabet ortamına da hazır şekilde tasarlanır. Bu sadece dış kaynak kullanımı değil; bu, gelecekteki pazar konumunuzu belirleyecek sistemleri birlikte yaratma yolculuğudur.
Yapay Zeka, otomasyon ve merkeziyetsiz mimarilerle şekillenen sektörlerde rekabet avantajı arayan şirketler için, doğru teknoloji ortağı kod yazmaz — stratejik üstünlük üretir.
Media Markt olarak son iki yıldır hibrit bulut teknolojilerine stratejik yatırımlar yapıyoruz. Bu yatırımların temel motivasyonu, müşterilerimize ve çalışanlarımıza sunduğumuz hizmetin kalitesini sürekli olarak artırmak ve uygulamalarımızı daha hızlı, daha esnek ve daha güvenilir hâle getirmektir. Aynı zamanda bulut teknolojileri, altyapımızı ihtiyaçlara göre ölçeklendirebilmemize ve operasyonel maliyetlerimizi daha etkin bir şekilde optimize etmemize sağlayarak AI teknolojilerini kullanılması içinde zemin hazırlıyor.
Yapay zekâ ve bulut teknolojilerinin birleşimi, şirketlerin veriyle değer üretme hızını yeniden tanımlıyor. Bugün özellikle predictive AI, generative AI ve bilumum analitik çalışmaları birleştirme kabiliyeti getiren agentic AI, RAG tabanlı finansal asistanlık çözümleri ve gerçek zamanlı karar motorları, bulutun esnek altyapısıyla birleşerek işletmelerin hem operasyonel verimliliğini hem de müşteri deneyimini radikal biçimde dönüştürüyor. Çoklu bulut stratejileri, veri egemenliği ve güvenlik gereksinimlerini karşılayacak şekilde olgunlaşırken; GPU-optimize edilmiş bulut ortamları, kurumların kendi finansal asistanları, üretken AI modelleri ve kişiselleştirilmiş tavsiye sistemlerini hızla hayata geçirmesine ve müşterilerine sağlanan faydayı maksimize etmeye olanak sağlıyor. Önümüzdeki dönemde en büyük farkı yaratacak unsur, teknoloji yatırımlarının doğrudan OKR ve iş sonuçlarıyla hizalanması olacak: Yani artık mesele “AI kullanmak” değil, AI ile ölçülebilir iş değeri üretmek. Bu dönüşüm, veri stratejisi güçlü olan ve veri odaklı kültürel dönüşümünü gerçekleştirebilmiş kurumlar için büyük bir fırsat penceresi açıyor.
Cloud, şirketlerin IT altyapılarını daha esnek ve ölçeklenebilir hale getirirken, AI iş süreçlerinde hız, verimlilik ve yenilik sağlayarak dijital dönüşümü güçlü biçimde hızlandıran stratejik bir avantaj sunuyor. Cloud ve AI’ın birlikte kullanılması çeviklik, maliyet optimizasyonu ve inovasyonu bir araya getirerek işletmelere rekabet üstünlüğü ve sürdürülebilir büyüme imkânı sağlıyor.
Bulut teknolojileri ve yapay zeka, dijital varlıkların sürdürülebilir büyümesinde artık sadece bir avantaj değil, bir zorunluluk. Medianova olarak önceliğimiz; medya, e-ticaret, ve kurumsal uygulamalarda müşterilerimize daha hızlı, daha güvenli ve daha kesintisiz bir kullanıcı deneyimi sunmak.
Bu doğrultuda geliştirdiğimiz performans ve güvenlik çözümlerini, AI destekli observability platformlarıyla gerçek zamanlı olarak izliyor; son kullanıcı deneyimini proaktif şekilde iyileştiren bir yapıyı hayata geçiriyoruz. Yapay zekâ, karmaşık trafik paternlerini analiz ederek milisaniyeler içinde performans dalgalanmalarını tespit ediyor. Bu sayede uygulama verimliliği artarken, kullanıcı memnuniyeti de gözle görülür biçimde yükseliyor.
Güvenlik tarafında ise yapay zeka, tehditleri gerçek zamanlı analiz edip saldırı modellerini öğrenerek dinamik ve sürekli kendini geliştiren bir koruma katmanı sağlıyor. Siber tehditlerin hızla çeşitlendiği günümüzde, geleneksel yöntemlerin ötesine geçmek artık kaçınılmaz.
Son dönemde global sağlayıcıların yaşadığı uzun süreli kesintiler, tek bir altyapıya bağımlı olmanın risklerini çok net gösterdi. Bu nedenle Multi-CDN yaklaşımı artık yalnızca bir performans yatırımı değil; iş sürekliliği için stratejik bir gereklilik.
Medianova olarak vizyonumuz; yapay zekâ ile güçlendirilmiş, ölçeklenebilir ve kesintisiz dijital deneyimleri tüm ekosisteme erişilebilir kılmak. Bu dönüşüm yolculuğunda güvenilir teknoloji ortağınız olmaya devam edeceğiz.
Bulut bilişim ile yapay zekanın birleşimi, dijital dönüşümün ölçeğini yeniden tanımlıyor. Kurumlar artık yalnızca süreçlerini dijitalleştirmiyor; veriyi stratejik bir varlık olarak kullanarak öngörü üreten, kendi kendini optimize eden yapılara geçiyor.
Bu dönüşümün temelinde iki unsur bulunuyor: esneklik ve zeka.
Bulut, işletmelere değişen koşullara hızla uyum sağlama kabiliyeti sunarken; yapay zeka, veriyi anlamlandırarak bu uyumu proaktif, tahmine dayalı bir mekanizmaya dönüştürüyor. Ancak bu yapı, yalnızca doğru yönetilen, kaliteli ve erişilebilir veri üzerinde çalıştığında ölçeklenebilir ve güvenilir sonuçlar üretebiliyor. Bu nedenle veri yönetişimi, Bulut + Yapay Zeka mimarisinin stratejik omurgası haline geliyor.
Modern işletmeler artık geçmiş performansı raporlamanın ötesine geçerek; riskleri öngören, tedarik zincirini otomatik optimize eden ve müşteri deneyimini gerçek zamanlı kişiselleştiren sistemlere yöneliyor. Bu yetkinlikler, ancak uçtan uca entegre edilmiş analitik, veri yönetimi, otomasyon ve AI platformlarının birlikte çalışmasıyla mümkün.
Aynı şekilde, yapay zekanın sorumlu, etik ve yönetişim odaklı şekilde işletilmesi; sürdürülebilir inovasyon ile kurumsal risklerin dengelenmesinde kritik rol oynuyor.
IDC Cloud & AI Roadshow, bu yeni mimarinin işletmeler için nasıl stratejik değer yarattığını tartışmak üzere önemli bir buluşma noktası. Geleceğin işletmesi; bulutta ölçeklenen, yapay zeka ile sürekli öğrenen ve veri yönetişimiyle güvence altına alınmış bir mimari üzerine inşa edilecek. Bu, artık bir tercih değil; modern iş dünyasının yeni çalışma standardı.
We are hosting a series of curated boardroom discussions and gala dinners and would be delighted for you to join:
Dinner 1: A conference with IDC analysts and IBM experts exploring how sovereignty can become a strategic advantage. Register here
Dinner 2: An interactive AI strategy roundtable hosted by IDC, AWS & Sudo. Register here
Dinner 3: Join IBM for an exclusive dinner conversation on scaling AI to drive productivity, optimize IT operations, and deliver ROI across the region. Register here
Dinner 4: Hosted by Intel and IDC, this closed-door roundtable brings senior leaders together to address the strategic questions that matter: Where are you in your AI journey? What’s working in practice? And what’s preventing you from scaling beyond pilots? Register here
6:30PM – 8:00PM
6:30PM – 8:00PM
6:30PM – 8:00PM
6:30PM – 8:00PM
As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.
Meredith Whalen
Chief Research & Data Intelligence Officer, IDC
Saad Toma
General Manager (MEA), IBM
Latifa Al Shehhi
Director of Investment Data Department & Chief AI Officer (CAIO), Ministry of Investment (UAE)
Dr. David Millan
Chief Data & AI Officer, Department of Culture and Tourism (UAE)
Eng. Meshal Bin Hussain
Director of Digital Transformation & Chief AI Officer, Ministry of Finance (UAE)
Eng. Abdulla AlKhemeiri
Chief Operations Officer, EtihadWE
Saeed Belhoul
Director of Digital Government Operations, Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA)
As AI investment accelerates across the Middle East and globally, enterprises face a widening execution gap between ambition and production. The challenge has shifted: AI readiness—infrastructure choices, deployment strategies, and governance models— now matters more than experimentation. This keynote explores how organizations can close that gap and scale AI securely and sustainably. Drawing on regional insights and Intel’s open AI ecosystem approach, we’ll examine what separates pilots from production, and how to architect AI systems that deliver measurable business value while maintaining control over data, security, and performance.
The path from ambition to reality isn’t about doing more with AI — it’s about doing AI right.
Eng. Taha M. Khalifa
General Manager (MEA), Intel Corporation
Adrian Hayes
World-Record Adventurer and Renowned Speaker
12:00 pm Session Overview
12:03 pm Start of the Session Raffle
Attend the Track, Ask Questions, Rate Sessions & Stand a Chance to win iPhone 16
12:05PM – 12:20PM
Adi Mopidevi
Chief Product Officer, Covasant
12:20PM – 12:20PM
12:05PM – 12:20PM
Rob Gregg
Senior Solutions Engineer, Forcespot
12:20PM – 12:20PM
12:05PM – 12:20PM
Shailesh Bhatia
Sales Manager, CyberArk
12:20PM – 12:20PM
12:05PM – 12:20PM
Ehsan Shariff
Managing Director, Nagarro
Thomas Steirer
Chief Technology Officer, Nagarro
12:20PM – 12:20PM
12:00 pm Session Overview
12:05PM – 12:20PM
Roberto Alunni
Senior Director, Data & Analytics (META), IDC
12:05PM – 12:20PM
Harish Dunakhe
Senior Research Director, Software & Cloud (META), IDC
12:05PM – 12:20PM
Suraj Godse
Senior Research Analyst, IT Services, IDC
12:05PM – 12:05PM
Eric Samuel
Associate Research Director, IDC
IDC introduces the AI Visionaries Acknowledgement, a prestigious platform recognizing organizations across the Middle East that are setting benchmarks in strategic, impactful, and measurable AI adoption. Nominate your organization to be recognized among the region’s leading AI innovators.
As MDSap, we have been serving more than 300 institutions in the EMEA region, some of which are among the top 25 companies in their respective countries, through our collaboration with market-leading companies worldwide for over 30 years.
Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company, shortening the path to boundless connectivity to enable the innovations that enrich our work, life and planet.
Oredata is a leading provider of advanced cloud technologies, data analytics, and AI solutions, with a strong focus on driving digital transformation and innovation. As a Google Cloud Managed Service Provider (MSP) Partner and a two-time recipient of Google Cloud’s ‘Partner of the Year’ award in the MENAT region, Oredata enables organizations to harness the full potential of cloud, data, and AI to achieve their strategic objectives. With deep expertise in cloud infrastructure, business intelligence, analytics, and Generative AI, Oredata consistently delivers innovative solutions, actionable insights, and transformative outcomes that empower businesses to grow and compete in the digital era.
Radore, which was founded in 2004, made its first data center investment in 2005. Using the motto of “Uptime Experts”, Radore adopts the principle of reliable and uninterrupted service. Customers can benefit from data center services such as Colocation, Dedicated Server and Hardware Leasing, Cloud Server, Managed Services, Content Distribution Network (CDN), Web Hosting, Domain Name and SSL with a 99.99% uptime guarantee. Radore has been titled as “The Fastest Growing Data Center of Turkey” four years in a row according to the 2012-2013-2014-2015 results of Deloitte Technology Fast50. With this title, Radore began investing in an office and third generation data center once again at MetroCity in 2014, completed this data center in 2015 and expanded this into a total area of 2,760 m2 including white spaces and office spaces in 2016.
Radore reinforced its position as the leading data center by partnering with Doğuş SK Girişim Sermayesi Yatırım Ortaklığı A.Ş. (DGSK) and Iş Girişim Sermayesi Yatırım Ortaklığı A.Ş. (Iş Girişim) in 2014, and with Selçuk Saraç in 2015. Radore has also been certified with ISO 9001, ISO 27001 and PCI DSS certifications.
Radore, which has a long-standing sectoral experience as well as a fully-backed up infrastructure, offers more than 3,500 customers a 7/24 service with 100% physical security, uninterrupted and backed up internet access, experienced technical team and state of the art technology in power and air-conditioning systems. radore.com
Eteration has been guiding companies on their digital transformation journeys for over 20 years, leveraging its expertise in software development, cloud technologies, DevOps, and microservices architecture. From mobile and web projects to integration processes and e-commerce solutions, Eteration delivers tailored, scalable, and sustainable software solutions at every stage to meet the unique needs of companies.
NetApp is an American data infrastructure company that provides unified data storage with the only enterprise-grade storage service natively embedded in the world’s biggest clouds, integrated data services with built in data resilience and policy-based governance, and CloudOps solutions with AI-powered optimization of on-prem and cloud infrastructure.
Mendix, a Siemens business and the global leader in enterprise low-code, is reinventing how applications are built in the digital enterprise. With Mendix, enterprises can broaden development capability; make intelligent, proactive, and contextual apps; and modernize core systems, while maintaining security, quality, and governance. Globally, 5,000 companies use Mendix.
Wguard, with its extensive support and sales team, offers enterprise software solutions in line with today’s rising trends, especially to upper segment institutions in the Finance and Energy sectors. Our solution set includes Monitoring, Inventory Management, Server Dependency Map, Automation, PDPA, Hybrid Cloud Management and Corporate Data Protection and Management solutions.
E-Data Technology is a value-added IT distributor that has been connecting business partners with information technologies since 2008, combining its extensive experience with the dynamics of the industry. With offices in Ankara and Istanbul, it serves business partners in all 81 provinces of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
E-Data Technology, representing strong brands and offering solutions for a wide range of sectors, aims to maximize the success of its business partners with its expert team.
Trellix, the trusted CISO ally, is redefining the future of cybersecurity and soulful work. Our comprehensive, GenAI-powered platform helps organizations confronted by today’s most advanced threats gain confidence in the protection and resilience of their operations. Along with an extensive partner ecosystem, we accelerate technology innovation through artificial intelligence, automation, and analytics to empower over 53,000 customers with responsibly architected security solutions.
We also recognize the importance of closing the 4-million-person cybersecurity talent gap. We aim to create a home for anyone seeking a meaningful future in cybersecurity and look for candidates across industries to join us in soulful work.
Medianova provides global CDN and Cloud security solutions. The Gartner-mentioned company has deep experience in Dynamic Site Caching, Static Content Delivery, Image Optimization, API Caching, Streaming, Hybrid CDN, Cloud Object Storage, Web Application Firewall, DDoS Protection, and Bot Protection.
Lostar has been offering consultancy, training and audit services in IT governance, risk and compliance (IT-GRC) since 1998. The Company is specialized in ensuring the continuity and security of information, an asset with increasingly growing value, as well as providing its regulatory compliance. The primary objective is to offer solution-oriented services with its multi-disciplinary team, which is able to provide brand-independent service. Lostar is Turkey’s leading firm in COBIT-related activities and CISA training programs, and offers a methodology that ensures human-independent and permanent information security management systems (ISMS) that also guarantee conformity with ISO 27001, and Security Checkup services that reveal security vulnerabilities. Recognizing that corporate changes will not succeed unless they are espoused by employees, Lostar implements the leading method in employee awareness and behavior change in Turkey.
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, organizations must move beyond incremental improvements to achieve transformative impact. “Accelerating Business Transformation: Harnessing Cloud and AI for the Intelligent Enterprise” explores how cloud computing and artificial intelligence together enable faster, smarter, and more resilient business operations.
This keynote highlights strategies for integrating AI with cloud platforms to drive innovation, optimize processes, and unlock new growth opportunities.
Eren Eser
Associate Research Director, Türkiye, IDC
Yeşim Öztürk
Senior Research Manager (Türkiye), IDC
The convergence of cloud and artificial intelligence is reshaping the enterprise, enabling unprecedented levels of agility, insight, and innovation. “The Next Horizon: Uniting Cloud and AI to Power the Intelligent Enterprise” explores how organizations can leverage these technologies together to drive smarter operations, enhance customer experiences, and unlock new business opportunities. This session highlights emerging trends, practical strategies, and real-world examples of AI and cloud working in harmony. Attendees will learn how to build AI-native architectures, scale intelligent applications, and foster a culture where data-driven decisions power every aspect of the enterprise. By the end of the session, participants will understand how to harness the full potential of cloud and AI to create an intelligent, resilient, and future-ready organization.
Fulya Bıçak Muştu
CIO, Zorlu Enerji Grubu
Çetin Yalçın Güleç
Board Member, Hayat Fintech
Funda Öney
CIO, HSBC
Erkan Vuruşkaner
Head of Enterprise Architecture & Engineering, ING Teknoloji
Ömer Akgül
Technology and Analytics Solutions Manager, MDSap
Mustafa Ünal
Sales Director Türkiye, Equinix
Salih Ergüt
Chief R&D & Strategy Officer, Oredata
Artificial intelligence is no longer a standalone capability — it’s becoming the foundation of modern business. “Intelligence Everywhere: Embedding AI into the DNA of the Enterprise” explores how leading organizations are infusing AI across every layer of their operations, from customer engagement and supply chains to decision intelligence and innovation pipelines. This session examines the practical steps to operationalize AI at scale, integrate it seamlessly with cloud and data platforms, and empower people and processes to act intelligently in real time. Attendees will gain insights into how to create an AI-first culture, drive measurable business outcomes, and build the resilient, adaptive enterprises of the future.
Alper Öner
Head of Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, Beko Global
Gökhan İşleyen
Head of System & Infrastructure Technologies, TÜPRAŞ
Rıdvan İnan
Data Analytics & Integration Lead, Nestle Türkiye
Barış Abacı
AI & Digital Transformation Deputy General Manager, Çalık Enerji
Ece Değirmencioğlu
Head of Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence, Anadolu Sigorta
Artificial intelligence has captured the world’s imagination but the true test of its value lies in measurable business impact. “Beyond the Hype: Delivering Measurable Business Outcomes with AI” cuts through the buzzwords to focus on real-world results. This session explores how organizations are moving from experimentation to execution, applying AI to drive efficiency, innovation, and growth. Attendees will learn how to define success metrics, align AI initiatives with strategic goals, and build the data and governance foundations that turn pilots into performance. Through industry examples and proven strategies, this panel reveals what it takes to make AI not just a technology investment, but a sustained driver of business value.
Alper Çelik
Group Director of Data, Hepsiburada
Hakan Cem Topal
IT Director, SAYA Holding
Burak Öztürk
Head of IT, Media Markt
Orkun Sevinç
Head of Data and AI, Hangi Kredi
Tufan Baydemir
Head of Data Science/AI, Coca Cola İçecek
Ömer Arabacı
Sales and Marketing Director, Radore
Modern organizations face mounting pressure to deliver software faster while maintaining security and quality. This session explores how leading enterprises are transforming their software development lifecycle through integrated DevSecOps platforms. Discover how GitLab’s unified approach eliminates toolchain complexity, reduces cycle times and embeds security from the first line of code. Learn how GitLab Duo’s AI capabilities—from intelligent code generation to automated vulnerability remediation—are enabling development teams to focus on innovation rather than infrastructure. We’ll showcase the GitLab Duo Agent Platform and share emerging SDLC trends that technology leaders need to understand to maintain competitive advantage in an AI-driven market.
Anıl Özgül
Country Sales Manager, GitLab
Peter Kos
Regional Sales Director, Eastern Europe, Türkiye & CIS, NetApp
İbrahim Kürşad Bayıralan
Solution Architect, Mendix
Koray Kocabaş
CDO, Demirören Dijital
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.
IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM’s hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM’s breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM’s long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service.
Visit www.ibm.com for more information.
e& enterprise is a digital transformation leader supporting governments and large-scale organisations in building and scaling their digital core.
Through optimising operations, enhancing customer engagement, and data-driven decision-making, we enable seamless, sustainable, and secure transitions into the evolving digital world.
Currently operating in the UAE, KSA, Egypt, Oman, Türkiye, e& enterprise brings cutting-edge digital scalable solutions designed to deliver tangible business value and address the unique challenges faced by organisations and executives across industries.
With a proven track record as a trusted digital transformation partner, technical expertise, and the ability to deploy and manage complex solutions, e& enterprise provides collaborative tailored solutions that empower customers to navigate their end-to-end digital transformation journey.
To learn more about e& enterprise, please visit https://www.eandenterprise.com/.
Tech Mahindra offers innovative and customer-centric digital experiences, enabling enterprises, associates and the society to Rise. We are a USD 6 billion organization with 151,100+ professionals across 90 countries helping 1224 global customers, including Fortune 500 companies. We are focused on leveraging next-generation technologies including 5G, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and more, to enable end-to-end digital transformation for global customers. Tech Mahindra is the only Indian company in the world to receive the HRH The Prince of Wales’ Terra Carta Seal for its commitment to creating a sustainable future. We are the fastest growing brand in ‘brand strength’ and amongst the top 7 IT brands globally. With the NXT.NOWTM framework, Tech Mahindra aims to enhance ‘Human Centric Experience’ for our ecosystem and drive collaborative disruption with synergies arising from a robust portfolio of companies. Tech Mahindra aims at delivering tomorrow’s experiences today, and believes that the ‘Future is Now’.
We are part of the Mahindra Group, founded in 1945, one of the largest and most admired multinational federation of companies with 260,000 employees in over 100 countries. It enjoys a leadership position in farm equipment, utility vehicles, information technology and financial services in India and is the world’s largest tractor company by volume. It has a strong presence in renewable energy, agriculture, logistics, hospitality and real estate. The Mahindra Group has a clear focus on leading ESG globally, enabling rural prosperity and enhancing urban living, with a goal to drive positive change in the lives of communities and stakeholders to enable them to Rise.
UnifyApps is the Enterprise Operating System for AI that empowers organizations to transform into AI-native enterprises. Its horizontal platform connects systems of record, knowledge, and activity, enabling enterprises to find data, think with AI models, and act within business workflows—turning stalled GenAI pilots into scalable, production-grade solutions.
With thousands of pre-built integrations and an LLM-agnostic design, UnifyApps helps enterprises operationalize AI securely and confidently. Founded in 2023 and backed by WestBridge Capital, ICONIQ, and Elevation Capital, UnifyApps is headquartered in New York with a presence across the Americas, EMEA, and India.
Learn more at www.unifyapps.com or follow UnifyApps on LinkedIn.
Nintex is the global standard for process intelligence and automation. Today more than 8,000 public and private sector organizations across 90 countries turn to the Nintex Process Platform to accelerate progress on their digital transformation journeys by quickly and easily managing, automating and optimizing business processes.
For more information, please visit www.nintex.com and experience how Nintex and its global partner network are shaping the future of intelligent process automation.
To learn more about the new AI capabilities of the Nintex Process Platform, visit: https://www.nintex.com/process-intelligence/artificial-intelligence/
Zero&One is a leading AI & Cloud Solutions expert that leverages the innovative capabilities of the cloud to help customers build new revenue streams, increase efficiency, and deliver incredible experiences. Founded in 2017, Zero&One has since evolved into a full lifecycle cloud adoption enabler. As an AWS Premier Consulting Partner, the company brings unmatched AWS expertise to support organizations throughout their digital transformation journey.
Red Hat
Red Hat is the world’s leading provider of enterprise open source solutions, using a community-powered approach to deliver high-performing Linux, hybrid cloud, edge, and Kubernetes technologies.
Privacy Policy: https://www.redhat.com/en/about/privacy-policy
SAP
As a global leader in enterprise applications and business AI, SAP stands at the nexus of business and technology. For over 50 years, organizations have trusted SAP to bring out their best by uniting business-critical operations spanning finance, procurement, HR, supply chain, and customer experience.
Privacy Policy: https://www.sap.com/about/legal/privacy.html
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available at newsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.
HCLTech is a global technology company, home to more than 227,000 people across 60 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around AI, digital, engineering, cloud and software, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products.
We work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Technology and Services, Semiconductor, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG, Mobility and Public Services. Consolidated revenues as of 12 months ending March 2026 totaled $14.7 billion.
To learn how we can supercharge progress for you, visit hcltech.com.
Qlik transforms complex data landscapes into actionable insights, driving strategic business outcomes. Serving over 40,000 global customers, our portfolio leverages advanced, enterprise-grade AI/ML and pervasive data quality. We excel in data integration and governance, offering comprehensive solutions that work with diverse data sources. Intuitive and real-time analytics from Qlik uncover hidden patterns, empowering teams to address complex challenges and seize new opportunities. Our AI/ML tools, both practical and scalable, lead to better decisions, faster. As strategic partners, our platform-agnostic technology and expertise make our customers more competitive.
OutSystems
OutSystems is the Agentic Systems Platform built for the enterprise. Global organizations trust OutSystems to rapidly build mission-critical apps and agents, modernize legacy processes with agentic systems, and govern their entire AI portfolio across complex regulatory environments, all on a unified platform.
OutSystems is consistently recognized as a leader in enterprise software development and agentic enterprise orchestration by leading industry analysts, and ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction by users on G2. Business leaders, IT executives and developers choose OutSystems to accelerate internal innovation without compromising reliability and security.
Founded in 2001, the OutSystems ecosystem includes more than 90 million end users, over 600 partners, and thousands of active customers in 75+ countries across 20+ industries. Learn more at www.outsystems.com.
Privacy Policy: https://www.outsystems.com/legal/terms-of-use/privacy-statement/
Envnt
Envnt is a leading technology consulting company in the EMEA region, with over 18 years of experience supporting enterprises and government entities in building and modernizing mission critical digital systems.
With a global presence across Riyadh, Dubai, Cairo, and Paris, envnt is recognized for its ability to execute within complex and highly regulated environments. We support leading enterprises in advancing their digital capabilities across data, AI, integration, and low-code platforms.
Our offerings are designed to help organizations move from fragmented systems to cohesive, intelligent, and resilient digital ecosystems, enabling faster delivery, improved decision-making, and sustainable transformation.
Learn more about Envnt here: https://envnt.sa/
Privacy Policy: https://www.envnt.co/privacy-policy
BMC
BMC works with 86% of the Forbes Global 50 and customers and partners around the world to create their future. With our history of innovation, industry-leading automation, operations, and service management solutions, combined with unmatched flexibility, we help organizations free up time and space to become an Autonomous Digital Enterprise that conquers the opportunities ahead.
Magnoos
Established in 2012, MAGNOOS is a leading Software Value Added Reseller and Technology Implementation company in the Middle East and Africa. With headquarters in Abu Dhabi, UAE, it serves diverse sectors like Banking, Telecoms, and Government. MAGNOOS has a team of 100+ skilled professionals and a strategic network across Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Pakistan, and Greece, offering comprehensive consulting services and end-to-end project management. It provides tailored solutions and impartial advice, helping clients maximize business benefits from modern technology investments.
Today, every business is a digital business — comprised of data, systems, operations, infrastructure, and analytics, all expanding in volume and complexity at an unprecedented pace.
Our game-changing unified observability platform enables you to understand your systems, your data, and your business like never before, so you can analyze, automate, and innovate faster.
Cloudflare, Inc. (NYSE: NET) is the leading connectivity cloud company. It empowers organizations to make their employees, applications, and networks faster and more secure everywhere, while reducing complexity and cost. Powered by one of the world’s largest and most interconnected networks, Cloudflare blocks billions of threats online for its customers every day.
EdgeNext is a prominent leader in the global edge cloud services industry, with a robust infrastructure of over 1,500 edge nodes spanning more than 290 cities worldwide. EdgeNext delivers comprehensive intelligent edge cloud services, including CDN & streaming services, security solutions, and edge computing services that provide faster, more secure, and agile cloud delivery so that clients can reduce cost and latency with secure access. As part of its ongoing commitment to expanding its presence and capabilities, EdgeNext has developed strong specialization in cloud delivery across China, APAC, and the MEA region.
Sophos is a cybersecurity leader defending 600,000 organizations globally with an AI-driven platform and expert-led services. Sophos meets organizations wherever they are in their security maturity and grows with them to defeat cyberattacks. Its solutions combine machine learning, automation, and real-time threat intelligence with frontline human expertise from Sophos X-Ops to deliver advanced, 24/7 threat monitoring, detection, and response. Sophos offers industry-leading managed detection and response (MDR) alongside a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity technologies — including endpoint, network, email, and cloud security, extended detection and response (XDR), identity threat detection and response (ITDR), and next-gen SIEM. Together with expert advisory services, these capabilities help organizations proactively reduce risk and respond faster, with the visibility and scalability needed to stay ahead of evolving threats.
Iron Mountain, founded in 1951, is the global leader in storage and information management services. Trusted by more than 225,000 organizations around the world, including 95% of the Fortune 1000, Iron Mountain stores and protects billions of information assets—including critical business information, highly sensitive data, and cultural and historical artifacts—across a real estate network of more than 9.1 million square meters in over 1,400 facilities across more than 60 countries.
For more than 25 years, Zoho has been committed to building software and technology that help businesses excel. From small companies to large organizations, more than 130 million users worldwide rely on Zoho to get work done. Zoho is privately held and profitable with more than 18,000 employees. Its privacy-first approach, long-term thinking, deep engineering focus, and customer-centric philosophy make it one of the world’s most prolific technology companies. Headquartered in Chennai, India, Zoho has additional offices in the United States, Japan, China, Canada, Singapore, Mexico, Australia, the Netherlands, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. For more information, visit www.zoho.com
Integra is a multi-cloud and on-premise infrastructure, data, and digital transformation partner that helps organizations modernize technology with clear business outcomes. With two decades of experience, Integra works across public clouds, hybrid and sovereign environments, enabling customers to migrate, modernize, secure, and operate their platforms at scale.
Through deep expertise in cloud platforms, open-source technologies, DevSecOps, Data, and AI, Integra focuses on building resilient, compliant, and future-ready solutions, always working backwards from the customer to deliver measurable value, agility, and long-term trust.
Google Cloud offers a powerful, optimized AI stack—including AI infrastructure, leading models like Gemini, data management capabilities, multicloud security solutions, developer tools and platform, as well as agents and applications—that enables organizations to transform their business for the Agentic Era. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner.
ManageEngine is a division of Zoho Corporation and a leading provider of IT management solutions for organizations across the world. With a powerful, flexible, and AI-powered digital enterprise management platform, we help businesses get their work done from anywhere and everywhere—better, safer, and faster. To learn more, visit www.manageengine.com
ClickHouse is a high-performance, open-source real-time data warehouse delivering analytical query speeds up to 100x faster than traditional databases. Now available in the UAE on AWS and Azure Dubai regions, ClickHouse enables organisations to process data locally while meeting regional compliance requirements. Key use cases in the region include real-time fraud detection for financial services, customer analytics for retail, and IoT data processing for infrastructure projects. Globally, over 2,000 enterprises, including Deutsche Bank and Lyft, rely on ClickHouse for mission-critical analytics. The platform is available as open-source software or as a fully managed cloud service, offering flexibility to align with your infrastructure and data governance priorities.
SecurityHQ is a technology-agnostic MSSP that designs and architects custom security solutions to fit your environment’s specific needs. Whether that includes fully managing your security program or filling in well-defined gaps, we serve as an extension of your security team and give you the essential elements you need to protect your organization: time and insights.
With bespoke managed services ranging from 24/7 MDR to threat and risk advisory to proactive security posture management, our 450+ SOC Analysts and Engineers detect and remediate threats with a 62% lower noise-to-signal ratio than competitors.
Veeam is the Data and AI Trust Company, specializing in helping organizations ensure their data and AI are fully understood, secured, and resilient to enable the acceleration of safe AI at scale. As the market leader in both data resilience and data security posture management, Veeam is built for the convergence of identity, data, security, and AI risk.
Veeam delivers deep contextual intelligence across every data asset, identity, and AI model. The company governs access for both humans and AI agents, automates privacy, compliance, and remediation processes, and protects and recovers organizations from modern threats — including ransomware, disasters, AI errors, and ensuring the restoration of clean, trusted data. Veeam empowers organizations to move beyond simply protecting data, enabling them to activate and unlock its full potential.
Headquartered in Seattle with offices in more than 30 countries, Veeam protects over 550,000 customers worldwide, including 82% of the Fortune 500, who trust Veeam to keep their businesses running. Learn more at www.veeam.com or follow Veeam on LinkedIn @veeam-software and X @veeam.
Learn more at www.veeam.com or follow Veeam on LinkedIn @veeam-software and X @veeam.
Exotel is a leading provider of AI-driven customer engagement solutions, enabling enterprises to deliver secure, intelligent, and personalized customer interactions across voice, messaging, and AI-powered agents. The platform facilitates 25+ billion conversations annually and is trusted by 7,000+ enterprises globally across industries, including BFSI, logistics, ecommerce, healthcare, and mobility. With a growing footprint across the Middle East, including the UAE, alongside a strong presence in India, Southeast Asia, and Africa, Exotel supports large and midmarket enterprises with cloud-native, compliant, and scalable customer engagement platforms. Its AI copilots and automation capabilities help organizations enhance CX, improve agent productivity, and optimize operational costs. Strengthened through the Ameyo merger and Cogno AI acquisition, Exotel brings together CPaaS, CCaaS, and conversational AI into one integrated platform — enabling enterprises to modernize customer engagement, manage high-volume interactions, and scale AI-led experiences with confidence.
ONE ECM is your “Digital Information Partner,” providing on-premise and cloud solutions to manage the complete information lifecycle. Specialising in Enterprise Information and Legal Management, Cognitive Intelligence, and Intelligent Document Processing, ONE ECM is ISO and ICV certified, enabling digital transformation through customer-centric expertise, proven best practices, and global support footprint across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and beyond.
Ping Identity
Ping Identity is the leader in identity and access management. The company’s platform offers unmatched flexibility, resilience, and security to meet the most demanding identity challenges. More than half of the Fortune 100 choose Ping Identity to protect digital interactions while making experiences frictionless.
Gulf IT
Gulf IT helps your cybersecurity evolve ahead of the threats and cover your entire attack surface whether you are in the cloud, onsite, or hybrid. As the official and exclusive distributor of over 20 cutting-edge cybersecurity technologies in the Gulf region, Gulf IT is one of the premier cybersecurity value-added distributors in the region. It works with a wide variety of vendors and resellers and equips them with cutting-edge tools covering all facets of cybersecurity. Gulf IT’s product portfolio allows coverage of the entire attack surface from legacy servers to the cloud.
Artificial Intelligence. Automation. Cloud Engineering. Advanced Analytics.
For Enterprises, these are key factors of success. For us, they’re our core expertise. We work with global iconic brands. We bring them a unique value proposition through market-leading technologies and business process excellence. At the heart of it all is Digital Engineering Services – the foundation that powers rapid innovation and scalable business transformation.
We’ve created 363 unique and independent inventions, 250 of which are AI-based and rolled up under several patent grants in critical technologies. Leveraging our advanced products and platforms, we drive digital transformation at scale, optimize critical business operations, reinvent experiences, and pioneer new solutions, all provided through a seamless “as-a-service” model. For each company, we provide new keys for their businesses, the people they work with, and the customers they serve. With proven strategies and agile execution, we don’t just enable change — we engineer digital outcomes.
NetApp is the intelligent data infrastructure company, combining unified data storage, integrated data services, and CloudOps solutions to turn a world of disruption into opportunity for every customer. NetApp creates silo-free infrastructure, harnessing observability and AI to enable the industry’s best data management. As the only enterprise-grade storage service natively embedded in the world’s biggest clouds, our data storage delivers seamless flexibility. In addition, our data services create a data advantage through superior cyber resilience, governance, and application agility. Our CloudOps solutions provide continuous optimization of performance and efficiency through observability and AI. No matter the data type, workload, or environment, with NetApp you can transform your data infrastructure to realize your business possibilities.
Learn more at www.netapp.com or follow us on X, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
Mendix
Mendix, a Siemens business and global leader in enterprise low code, is reinventing how applications are built in the digital enterprise. With Mendix, enterprises can broaden development capability; make intelligent, proactive, and contextual apps; and modernize core systems, while maintaining security, quality, and governance. Globally, 4,000 companies use Mendix.
Privacy policy : Mendix
Omnix :
Omnix International is a digital solutions engineering and services leader with 34 years of expertise, delivering AI-driven innovation, smart infrastructure, and secure platforms that enable intelligent transformation.
Privacy policy : Omnix
At Oredata, we don’t just deliver services—we enable transformation. As a leading technology company in the MENAT region, we leverage cloud and end-to-end solutions to streamline processes, surface actionable insights, and craft extraordinary experiences that set your business apart. Discover how we can revolutionize your organization today.
Google Cloud helps businesses accelerate digital transformation at any stage of their journey. With AI, multicloud, data, and modern infrastructure solutions built on Google’s global network, it enables smarter decisions, secure operations, and AI-powered collaboration. Access insights, analyst reports, whitepapers, and customer stories to explore proven success and innovation.
SymphonyAI is a market-leading, AI-powered ITSM platform that integrates agentic AI and intelligent automation to meet enterprise demands for intelligent service management — without the complexity, hype, or cost of legacy solutions. Customers have achieved up to 204% ROI, $3.2 million in net present value, 60% automation of service requests, and a payback period of under six months.
Founded in 2017, SymphonyAI has grown to a team of 2,000 professionals and is now a leading AI SaaS provider, delivering packaged enterprise AI solutions across critical industry use cases. Its customers include many of the top 200 financial institutions, top 15 global grocers, and top 25 consumer packaged goods companies.
CyberArk
CyberArk is a global leader in identity security. Its AI-powered Identity Security Platform applies intelligent privilege controls to every identity with continuous threat prevention, detection, and response across the identity life cycle. It helps organizations enable zero trust and least privilege with complete visibility and secure access from anywhere.
Learn more at: www.cyberark.com
Gulf IT
Founded in 2011, GulfIT is a trusted cybersecurity distributor delivering advanced solutions that help organizations protect their digital assets and build resilient, future-ready IT environments. It partners with leading global vendors to offer a comprehensive portfolio spanning threat detection, network security, endpoint protection, and more, backed by expert pre- and post-sales support and continuous customer enablement.
Learn more at: www.gulfitd.com
BeyondTrust is the global cybersecurity leader protecting Paths to Privilege™. Our identitycentric approach goes beyond securing privileges and access, empowering organizations with the most effective solution to manage the entire identity attack surface and neutralize threats, whether from external attacks or insiders. BeyondTrust is leading the charge in transforming identity security to prevent breaches and limit the blast radius of attacks, while creating a superior customer experience and operational efficiencies. We are trusted by 20,000 customers, including 75 of the Fortune100, and our global ecosystem of partners.
Learn more at www.beyondtrust.com
OpenText can help you tackle the most complex digital transformation programs with confidence. With the world’s most complete and integrated Information Management platform, we empower our customers to organize, integrate and protect data and content as it flows through business processes inside and outside their organization.
OpenText | Information Management Solutions
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SUDO
SUDO, a leading AWS partner, empowers organizations with seamless operations, cost optimization, and superior performance. The company provides 24/7 managed services as well as DevOps, migration, modernization, and AI/machine learning solutions. A trusted partner in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the USA, SUDO drives digital transformation and innovation around the world.
Privacy Policy: https://sudoconsultants.com/privacy-policy/
For over 15 years, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive cloud offering. AWS has been continually expanding its services to support virtually any cloud workload, and it now has more than 240 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR), media, and application development, deployment, and management from 96 Availability Zones within 30 geographic regions, with announced plans for 15 more Availability Zones and five more AWS Regions in Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, and Thailand. Millions of customers—including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies—trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower costs. To learn more about AWS, visit https://aws.amazon.com/
Privacy Policy: https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/
Coursera envisions a world where anyone, anywhere can transform their life through learning. Partnering with 350+ leading universities and companies, Coursera delivers flexible, job-relevant learning for individuals, enterprises, and governments. Our catalog includes 10,600+ courses, 1,400+ specializations, 165+ Professional Certificates, and role-based Skills Tracks, delivered through diverse, learner-friendly formats.
For organizations and the public sector, Coursera’s expert-powered platform combines world-class content with AI-driven tools to build in-demand skills, accelerate workforce transformation, and drive sustainable growth. Today, Coursera partners with 900+ government organizations across 100+ countries to empower employees and citizens with future-ready skills.
Nagarro
Nagarro is a global digital engineering leader enabling innovation through an AI-powered, digital-first approach. We deliver Smart Product & Process Design, Digital Logistics, and intelligent building solutions using Teamcenter, Mendix, and Building X, integrating IoT, AI, and digital twins to streamline operations and accelerate sustainable innovation.
Privacy Policy: https://www.nagarro.com/en/privacy-policy
Siemens
Siemens Digital Industries Software enables industrial digital transformation through integrated software for design, simulation, manufacturing, and lifecycle management. As part of Siemens, it delivers digital twin technologies across PLM, EDA, and manufacturing domains, helping customers innovate faster, improve quality, and achieve efficient, sustainable production.
Privacy Policy: https://www.sw.siemens.com/en-US/privacy-policy/
Covasant Technologies is an emerging product company in the agentic AI space, delivering AI-led solutions that address complex, industry-specific challenges. Through its pioneering services-as-software model, Covasant brings together capabilities in data engineering, digital and cloud, AI engineering, and enterprise risk management to help global enterprises autonomously automate decision-making, simplify operations, and move faster, thus delivering measurable outcomes and meaningful transformation. With offices in the U.S., U.K., UAE, and India, Covasant delivers scalable, hyperscaler-agnostic, autonomous solutions that intelligently orchestrate business processes and generate actionable insights.
Planview is the global leader in Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM), Project Portfolio Management (PPM) and Digital Product Development (DPD), empowering over 4,000 customers and 3.5 million users worldwide to unlock business value and drive digital transformation. The company’s advanced AI-powered platform combines end-to-end portfolio and work management solutions, enabling organizations to prioritize investments, accelerate outcomes, and adapt with agility. With a strong commitment to the Middle East region, Planview has established local operations, including a UAE branch in the Dubai International Financial Centre and a dedicated UAE data centre in partnership with AWS to support data sovereignty requirements. The company partners with more than 30 leading Middle East organizations – helping them bridge the critical gap between strategy and execution. Through its expanded regional presence and industry-leading solutions, Planview is shaping the future of connected work and supporting the ambitious digital transformation agendas of the UAE Vision 2031 and the Saudi Vision 2030.
ValueMentor
ValueMentor is a global cybersecurity and digital risk management firm with an established presence across the
Middle East, Europe, USA, Africa, and Asia. We partner with enterprises worldwide to architect resilient security
strategies that go beyond compliance and actively enable business growth.
Our core service offerings span Security Testing, Digital Trust Assurance, Digital Trust Advisory, Data Protection &
Privacy, Managed Security, and AI Security & Assurance. Together, these services provide an end-to-end approach
to identifying risk, validating controls, protecting sensitive data, and securing emerging digital and AI-driven
environments.
Since 2013, ValueMentor has successfully delivered 2,500+ cybersecurity engagements across industries
including banking & finance, healthcare, government, technology and critical infrastructure. Led by former CISOs
and veteran security practitioners, we combine real-world executive insight with deep technical expertise to help
organizations stay ahead of emerging threats while meeting stringent regulatory demands.
Privacy Policy – https://valuementor.com/privacy-policy
RapidData Technologies is a leading systems integrator with many years of expertise in implementing IT solutions for a wide range of corporations around the world. It helps businesses to fully digitize their operations, improve their KPIs, and, most importantly, optimize their operational costs. With its headquarters in Dubai, the RapidData Technologies team is distributed across five development centers in the UAE, Singapore, India, Bahrain, and the United States. From humble beginnings, RapidData Technologies has evolved into a next-generation technology company that helps enterprises reimagine their businesses for the digital age. It combines years of experience running mission-critical systems with the latest digital innovations to deliver better business outcomes and new levels of performance, competitiveness and experiences for its customers and their stakeholders. RapidData Technologies modernizes IT, optimizes data architectures, and makes everything secure, scalable, and orchestrated across public, private, and hybrid clouds.
For over 15 years, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive cloud offering. AWS has been continually expanding its services to support virtually any cloud workload, and it now has more than 240 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR), media, and application development, deployment, and management from 96 Availability Zones within 30 geographic regions, with announced plans for 15 more Availability Zones and five more AWS Regions in Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, and Thailand. Millions of customers—including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies—trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower costs. To learn more about AWS, visit https://aws.amazon.com/
Privacy Policy: https://aws.amazon.com/privacy/
SUDO
SUDO, a leading AWS partner, empowers organizations with seamless operations, cost optimization, and superior performance. The company provides 24/7 managed services as well as DevOps, migration, modernization, and AI/machine learning solutions. A trusted partner in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the USA, SUDO drives digital transformation and innovation around the world.
Privacy Policy: https://sudoconsultants.com/privacy-policy/
e& enterprise
At e& enterprise, we specialise in supporting governments and large-scale organisations undergo successful digital transformations. Through optimising operational efficiencies, enhancing customer engagement, and empowering data-driven decision-making, we enable seamless, sustainable, and secure transitions into the ever-evolving digital era. Currently operating in the UAE, KSA, Egypt, and Oman; our cutting-edge digital solutions are specifically designed to deliver tangible business value and address the unique challenges faced by organisations and executives across various industries. With a proven track record, extensive consulting expertise unrivalled technical experts and the ability to deploy and manage complex solutions, we collaborate closely with our customers, providing tailored solutions that empower them to navigate their end-to-end digital transformation journey and turn their vision into reality. To learn more, please visit https://www.eandenterprise.com/
Privacy Policy: https://www.eandenterprise.com/en/general/privacy-policy.html
AWS
Since 2006, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud. AWS has been continually expanding its services to support virtually any workload, and it now has more than 240 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, media, and application development, deployment, and management from 111 Availability Zones within 35 geographic regions, with announced plans for 15 more Availability Zones and five more AWS Regions in Mexico, New Zealand, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. Millions of customers—including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies—trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower costs.
DECE Software, offers a unique solutions for sensitive data discovery, classification, and data governance through its patented platform, GEODI DSPM, which leverages LLM and NLP technologies. Since 2015, the company has been actively engaged in cybersecurity, providing both public and private sector organizations with regulatory-compliant solutions aligned with GDPR, PCI/DSS and DSPM frameworks.
Xage Security is a global leader in zero trust access and protection on a mission to pioneer a secure tomorrow. Control access and prevent attacks in the cloud, in the datacenter, at the remote operational edge anywhere on Earth, and even in orbit with the Xage Fabric Platform. Xage is easy to manage and can be deployed in a day, giving users easy and secure access to the assets they need from anywhere while preventing advanced adversaries and insider threats at every stage of the attack chain. Learn why organizations like the U.S. Space Force, PETRONAS, and Kinder Morgan choose Xage at xage.com.
VcloudMaster is a team of AWS cloud architects, and AI specialists driven by a single goal — turning complex technology into measurable business value.
We work with startups, enterprises, and growing businesses to design and build cloud-native, high-performance digital solutions aligned with real business objectives.
Rapid7 is creating a more secure digital future for all by helping organizations strengthen their security programs in the face of accelerating digital transformation. Our portfolio of best-in-class solutions empowers security professionals to manage risk and eliminate threats across the entire threat landscape from apps to the cloud to traditional infrastructure to the dark web. We foster open source communities and cutting-edge research–using these insights to optimize our products and arm the global security community with the latest in attacker methodology. Trusted by more than 11,000 customers worldwide, our industry-leading solutions and services help businesses stay ahead of attackers, ahead of the competition, and future-ready for what’s next.
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KoçSistem, one of the leading players in information technology sector, summarizes its corporate mission by the motto “Your imagination is our strength”, and helps its customers to attain their goal of sustainable growth rate with its strategy “creating a difference” by providing them unique technology solutions and outsourcing services. KoçSistem has been one of the leading companies in the field of information technology solutions in Turkish Information Technologies Sector since 1945. In accordance with the approach “end to end services”, KoçSistem has adopted the principle of providing service beyond expectations of the customers with its customized special technological solutions.With its service centers throughout Turkey, KoçSistem provides unconditional customer satisfaction by managing information effectively and appropriately, taking position against global competition, targeting to turn its customer’s imaginations into reality, using its rapid and solution-based system and gaining confidence from its experience of 65 years. In order to perpetuate its unique position in Turkey, KoçSistem combines its corporate capabilities and creativity with the power of the world’s largest technology producers and providers by establishing strategic joint ventures. In the 2009 report of IDC, KoçSistem ranked 2nd in the Turkish Information Technologies Services Market. KoçSistem grew by 30% (on the basis of Turkish Lira) at the end of 2009 in comparison with the previous year.
Kissflow is an enterprise-grade platform for building, running and governing Agentic AI applications. A domain expert or developer describes the application in natural language and Kissflow builds the complete application covering data models, AI agents, business rules, events, forms, workflows, navigations, roles, access control & UI elements as a coherent application rather than a prompt chain. The Agentic AI Applications are executed inside a secured, patented, governed, and safe sandbox with humans in the loop at defined decision points so that nothing goes out of your control. Kissflow’s extensive connectors and MCP capabilities make it very easy to integrate with other enterprise systems of record like SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, Salesforce, etc. Kissflow has 1200 customers, including 50 Fortune 500 companies across 87 countries. Since 2012, Kissflow has helped enterprises automate and govern their complex business processes in days rather than months. Low-Code, No-Code reduced the efforts of building, Kissflow governs what the AI builds and what it does next.
MXTechies
MXTechies is a global digital transformation and technology services partner specializing in AI-driven enterprise innovation, low-code application development, and intelligent automation. As a trusted Siemens ecosystem partner and a leading Mendix services provider, MXTechies enables organizations to accelerate transformation by building scalable, future-ready enterprise applications.
Operating at the intersection of Mendix low-code, Altair AI and simulation technologies, and enterprise integration platforms, MXTechies helps organizations operationalize AI, modernize legacy systems, and establish connected Digital Thread ecosystems across the product and operational lifecycle. The company delivers intelligent workflow platforms, experience applications, and enterprise orchestration solutions that help businesses transition from siloed environments to adaptive, data-driven enterprises.
MXTechies is backed by a strong and highly specialized Mendix workforce, with one of the largest concentrations of Mendix-certified professionals globally. The team includes multiple Mendix experts, advanced developers, and a large base of intermediate and rapid developers, enabling accelerated application delivery with enterprise-grade governance, scalability, and innovation. The organization is also recognized for its contribution to the global Mendix community, with a significant representation of Mendix MVP talent within its workforce.
MXTechies has successfully delivered transformation initiatives across industries including banking and financial services, manufacturing, logistics, government, and customer experience platforms. By combining low-code innovation, AI-led automation, and industrial ecosystem integration, MXTechies helps CIOs and business leaders accelerate AI adoption, improve operational efficiency, enhance customer engagement, and drive measurable business outcomes.
Through its strong focus on execution excellence, industry expertise, and long-term transformation partnerships, MXTechies continues to help organizations translate digital strategy into real-world business impact.
Privacy Policy: https://www.mxtechies.com/privacy-policy
Mendix
Mendix, a Siemens business and the global leader in enterprise low-code, is reinventing how applications are built in the digital enterprise. With Mendix, enterprises can broaden development capability; make intelligent, proactive, and contextual apps; and modernize core systems, while maintaining security, quality, and governance. Globally, 5,000 companies use Mendix.
Privacy Policy: https://www.mendix.com/privacy-policy/
Altair
As the pace of innovation accelerates, Altair is driving the future of convergence toward a smart, connected everything with comprehensive, open-architecture solutions for data analytics & AI, computer-aided engineering, and HPC for 37+ years. Regardless of where your organization is on its data journey, Altair RapidMiner offers a path to modernization for established data analytics teams as well as a path to automation for teams just getting started. Whether your organization requires an end-to-end data science platform or point solutions, Altair RapidMiner enables you to deliver the right tool at the right time to your diverse teams.
Privacy policy: https://www.sw.siemens.com/en-US/privacy-policy/
For 90 years, innovation has been running through our veins, with creativity as our heartbeat. It’s more than a legacy, it’s our reason of existence.
At Barco, we believe truly great engineering starts with a clear vision. A vision of a better, smarter, healthier world. We use technology to transform the quality of life: from improving health outcomes to changing the way people work and creating compelling experiences.
Join us on our journey into the future, where innovating is not a choice, but a commitment to push the world forward.
Founded in 2018, International Business Magazine covers trending topics across the globe, with a particular focus on the Middle East and the world’s emerging markets. The magazine has an avid readership across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, providing extensive coverage of all the latest developments in the world of business, banking, finance, and technology.
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Jyoti Lalchandani is a seasoned business executive with more than 25 years of experience in emerging markets across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). In his role as IDC’s Group Vice President and Regional Managing Director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META), he has been instrumental in establishing IDC’s presence in the region – first, through the initial expansion of the Dubai headquarters and then by spearheading the development of IDC offices in Johannesburg, Istanbul, Riyadh, Casablanca, Lagos, Nairobi, and Cairo.
Jyoti is responsible for the planning, development, implementation, and coordination of IDC’s market intelligence and advisory services, sales, conferences and events, go-to-market services, and office development activities across the META region. As a respected authority on emerging market tech trends, he is also regularly invited to speak at major industry events throughout the region and is frequently quoted by both the national and international media.
His field of expertise includes key tech areas such as cloud, analytics, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things, and he is well known for providing guidance on digital transformation strategies for the entire C-suite. He is a trusted advisor to senior executives in the supplier/enabler space across the ICT ecosystem, as well as to tech buyers from the CIO and line-of-business communities.
Starting at IDC’s CEMA (Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) headquarters in 1995 in Prague, the Czech Republic, Jyoti served as IDC’s regional consulting manager. In this role, he headed several country-based project teams that advised local and multinational IT vendors on issues relating to entry strategy, competitor analysis, ROI analysis, distribution and partner evaluation, and market segmentation. He later took on the additional responsibility of overseeing the CEMA software practice, in which he was responsible for overseeing all related research (applications, system infrastructure, and tools) and advisory work across emerging EMEA countries.
Before joining IDC, Jyoti served on the national board of international non-profit organization AIESEC, where he managed the association’s partnership agreements with leading Indian conglomerates. He graduated from Loyola College, India, where his studies focused on strategy management and business policy. He later attended a corporate-sponsored program at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts.
Meredith Whalen is IDC’s Chief Research & Data Intelligence Officer, responsible for the global organization of analysts and data scientists who create the technology intelligence the world’s leading vendors and enterprises run on. She sets IDC’s research agenda — shaping the methodologies, frameworks, and priorities that produce IDC’s market-defining insights.
Meredith has spent her career building research practices at IDC, pioneering the analytical frameworks that define how the industry measures and understands technology markets. She is also driving IDC’s transformation into the intelligence infrastructure layer of the AI economy, including the strategy behind IDC Quanta, IDC’s AI platform grounded in 60+ years of proprietary data and 15 billion data points.
A sought-after keynote speaker, Meredith regularly advises CIOs and senior technology executives on AI strategy, market trends, and what it takes to turn intelligence into competitive advantage.
As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.
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.
As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.
Director of Investment Data Department & Chief AI Officer (CAIO)
Ministry of Investment (UAE)
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As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.
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.
As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.
Director of Digital Transformation & Chief AI Officer
Ministry of Finance (UAE)
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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).
As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.
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.
As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.
Director of Digital Government Operations
Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA)
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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”.
As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.
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.
Ali El Kontar, Cloud Practice Leader of NTT DATA, has over two decades of IT and Telecom expertise. His dedication to technology, knowledge sharing, and fostering talent underscores a people-centric approach.
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.
As AI investment accelerates across the Middle East and globally, enterprises face a widening execution gap between ambition and production. The challenge has shifted: AI readiness—infrastructure choices, deployment strategies, and governance models— now matters more than experimentation. This keynote explores how organizations can close that gap and scale AI securely and sustainably. Drawing on regional insights and Intel’s open AI ecosystem approach, we’ll examine what separates pilots from production, and how to architect AI systems that deliver measurable business value while maintaining control over data, security, and performance.
The path from ambition to reality isn’t about doing more with AI — it’s about doing AI right.
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.
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..
Director of Industry & AI Innovation
Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence
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Senior Executive Vice President, Group Head of Technology, Transformation & Information
Mashreq Bank (UAE)
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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.
Head of Improvement Support & Development
General Directorate for Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai
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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.
Celebrating 19 years of thought leadership, the IDC CIO Summit – Middle East returns on 11–12 February 2026 in Dubai as the region’s premier gathering of technology decision-makers.
This year’s edition explores the rise of AI-native enterprises and the Agentic Stack — intelligent systems that enable real-time decision-making, adaptability, and innovation. With regional AI spending forecast to reach $11.4B by 2027, CIOs must balance bold innovation with governance, trust, and integration.
Bringing together 500 CIOs, technology leaders, and global experts, the Summit offers strategic insights, real-world case studies, and practical guidance to help organizations architect the next generation of digital enterprises.
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..
As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.
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.
As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.
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.
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).
As AI shifts decisively toward business value realization, organizations across the region are accelerating the operationalization of AI—anchored by IT automation, digital sovereignty, and large-scale cloud modernization. Join IDC’s Meredith Whalen, IBM’s Saad Toma, and leading public sector CIOs for an in-depth discussion spotlighting real-world production outcomes from organizations. The conversation will explore how cloud sovereignty, robust AI governance, and ecosystem collaboration are emerging as critical enablers for secure, compliant, and sustainable transformation in 2026.
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.
Atlantis Ballroom
Crescent Rd – Nakhlat Jumeira – Dubai
Discover a setting unlike any other. From intimate gatherings to grand, awe-inspiring celebrations, this venue offers spaces designed to create unforgettable experiences. Guests can enjoy an elegant cocktail reception set against the mesmerizing backdrop of a 65,000-marine-animal aquarium or indulge in an exquisite dinner in Dubai’s most exclusive hotel suite. Every detail, from the world-class catering to the impeccable service, ensures each moment is elevated into something truly extraordinary.