Ertug Ayik, VP and Managing Director at HP for the Middle East and Africa, has spent decades shaping the way technology meets people. Ayik shares how HP is using AI and human-centric design to make work smarter, more flexible, and healthier for employees everywhere.

Q: Before we begin discussing the future of work, could you tell us a bit about your career journey with HP?

Absolutely. I’m something of a veteran at HP. I started as an intern right after college through a graduate program. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to explore many roles, product management, sales, marketing, and channel management. I also managed HP Turkey before moving into regional roles. For the last 10 years, I’ve been based in Dubai, and for the past two and a half years, I’ve led the Middle East and Africa region.

Q: Everyone talks about the “future of work.” Is it something we’re still preparing for, or are we already living it?

The future of work is no longer a distant concept, it’s here. It evolves every day. What’s changing is how people engage with their work. At HP, we believe technology should make work more purposeful, personal, and flexible. Unfortunately, our annual Work Relationship Index shows only 28% of people worldwide feel they have a healthy relationship with work. That’s a wake-up call, and improving this relationship is critical for productivity and well-being.

Q: HP champions human-centric innovation. In a world dominated by AI, how does this work in practice?

Traditionally, technology was created first, and people had to adapt to it. Today, it’s the other way around, technology adapts to people. For example, if you’re on a video call in a noisy environment, AI-enabled devices automatically adjust microphones and speakers to cancel background noise. If you’re working on heavy computing tasks, the system adapts CPU performance and cooling. AI allows technology to observe how you work and adjust in real time. That’s a big shift.

Q: AI PCs are having their moment. How is HP ensuring its AI PCs stand out?

AI isn’t new, but its scale and impact are more visible now. At HP, we integrate AI in two ways: first, to enhance efficiency for users by automating mundane tasks so they can focus on meaningful work; and second, to optimize the PC itself by adjusting performance based on usage. Security is another differentiator. Since AI can be misused, HP builds both hardware and software-based security into every AI PC. Hardware-level protections mean that even if software is compromised, the device can block threats and reset itself to a secure state.

Q: You mentioned the Work Relationship Index earlier. What role does technology play in improving workplace well-being?

Interestingly, nearly 9 out of 10 employees in our survey said they’d give up a portion of their salary for a more flexible and personal work experience. When we provide AI PCs, that 28% “healthy work relationship” score jumps to around 40%. It’s still not ideal, but it shows progress. AI frees employees from repetitive tasks. For example, teachers don’t become teachers to spend hours copying grades in Excel, they want to teach. AI handles the mundane work, letting people focus on what excites them.

Q: Hybrid work is now the norm. How does HP support this shift?

A: We design technology that empowers people to work securely and efficiently from anywhere, home, office, café, train, or bus. Collaboration tools, conferencing solutions, and secure PCs enable seamless teamwork across locations. Hybrid work is here to stay. It’s not the full office culture of pre-pandemic times, nor is it the full remote model during lockdown. It’s the balance in between. Our role is to ensure technology enables that balance.

Q: The Middle East and Africa are dynamic, growing markets. How is HP tailoring its solutions to meet regional demands?

It’s an exciting region, over 75 countries, many using technology to leapfrog development. We focus on three pillars: sustainability and digital equity, education and skills, and local investment. For example, our HP Life program gives entrepreneurs free tools to learn accounting, digital marketing, and e-commerce. Our HP Gaming Garage teaches coding, e-gaming, and business skills. We’ve also built an AI Competency Center here and are opening new offices, including one in Egypt by year-end. We also train our partners on AI solutions to support customers locally.

Q: Finally, as a leader, what advice would you give companies looking to future-proof their workplace?

Companies are made of people. Employees define culture, and culture defines success. My advice is simple: listen to your employees. Understand their needs, what engages them, and what purpose they want in their work. Then use technology to support that. Technology should empower employees to do what they love while automating tasks they don’t. That’s how you build a future-ready company.

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