16th Annual Middle East CIO Summit to be hosted by IDC in February

The concept of the ‘Digital Economy’ has gained significant prominence over the last few years, and the rate of digital adoption is increasing rapidly across the Middle East region as organizations adapt their business models to the changing characteristics and demands of their customers. This dynamic will shape discussions at the 16th annual instalment of the IDC Middle East CIO Summit, which takes place on February 22-23, 2023, at Dubai’s iconic Atlantis, The Palm.

Jyoti Lalchandani, IDC’s group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa said “Today, almost every country in the region has a cohesive national vision for a digital economy that focuses on driving local economic value, employment creation, and social development by reaching the underserved.”

She added “IDC research shows that mobile broadband penetration in GCC countries has reached 100%, more than 50% of consumers in the region shop online, and in the UAE, 80% of digital payments are now contactless. To set themselves apart in an increasingly competitive market, organizations need to leverage infrastructure, data, and skills alongside critical technology enablers such as 5G, the cloud, and AI. Only then will they be able to successfully re-invent their business models, create new customer experiences, and drive innovation with their partners.”

The IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2023, with the theme “Enabling the Digital Economy’s Leaders,” will examine the current state of the digital economy, evaluate its ongoing impact on citizens, clients, employees, and operations, address the major difficulties that must be solved, and layout tried-and-true best practises and strategies for achieving future success.

It will feature five distinct “Transformation Zones” that will highlight cutting-edge application cases and technology developments in the fields of the metaverse, DevOps, customer experience, sustainability, and Industry 4.0.

An enviable lineup of expert speakers will be on hand across both days to explore some of the region’s most pressing tech concerns, providing essential guidance on topics such as:

• Driving Sustainability in the Technology Vendor Selection Process

• Enhancing Application Modernization Strategies

• Ensuring Effective Hybrid Cloud Deployment

• Developing AIOps Strategies and Practices

• Leveraging Low-Code / No-Code Platforms

• Orchestrating Digital Infrastructure for Hybrid Environments

• Charting a Data-Driven Digital Strategy

• Embracing Intelligent Automation

• Implementing Predictive Analytics

• Embracing a Zero Trust Security Approach

• Making Sense of Cybersecurity Policies, Regulations, and Compliance

• Optimizing the Impact of 5G: Network Architectures, Market Strategies, and Use Cases

The event will also feature insights from IDC’s CIO Advisory Council for the Middle East, whose members include some of the region’s most respected ICT leaders and experts, including:

• Wesam Lootah, CEO, Corporate Support Services Sector, Dubai Municipality (UAE)

• Eng. Faisal Bakhashwain, Deputy Minister for Digital Transformation, Ministry of Human Resources & Social Development (KSA)

• Dr Ammar H. Alhusaini, Acting Director General, Central Agency for Information Technology (Kuwait)

• Yazeed Al Otaibi, Assistant Deputy Minister for Planning & Digital Transformation, Ministry of Health (KSA)

• Sundah Alsehali, Public Sector CIO (KSA)

• Jason Roos, CIO, King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KSA)

• Abdulaziz Abanmi, COO, Saudi Payments (KSA)

• Saud Al Dhawyani, CTO, Emirates NBD (UAE)

• Ayman Alharbi, Senior IT Director, The Red Sea Development Company & Amaala (KSA)

• Bander Al-Shahrani, Head of IT, Public Investment Fund (KSA)