LEADING THE CHARGE by cxoinsightme

ISSUE 59 \ DECEMBER 2023

LEADING THE CHARGE SentinelOne is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape with AI-powered solutions.

The Mind of the CISO: Behind the Breach Over 500 security executives share their experiences after managing a major cybersecurity incident.

“XDR can actually aggregate and correlate data from multiple sources and, therefore, reduce false positives. We see alert fatigue in the security teams, and XDR allows us to be proactive rather than defensive and post facto, another big difference.” CISO, UK COMPANY

Numbers tell the CISO story

95%

of CISOs said that after an attack, they received more support from the board.

95%

believe if their organization had implemented XDR, the major cybersecurity event they experienced would have been prevented.

66%

of CISOs switched or planned to switch their primary security

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vendor due to a major cybersecurity incident.

Take advantage of their lessons learned to better protect your organization and download the full report.

CONTENTS

VIEWPOINTS

SENTINELONE IS RESHAPING THE CYBERSECURITY LANDSCAPE WITH AI-POWERED SOLUTIONS.

READY 42 GETTING FOR WI-FI 7 SECURITY 43 ITPREDICTIONS FOR 2024

44 BLOCKCHAIN UNLEASHED 48 PRODUCTS

LEADING THE CHARGE SPOTLIGHT

THE WAY FOR 24 PAVING SUSTAINABLE FUTURES

16 THE BIRTH OF MITEL

FEATURE THE 18 PROTECTING CONNECTED ERA

SECURING THE DIGITAL FRONTIER

34 THE PATH TO GROWTH 35 SHAPING THE FUTURE AWARDS

INTERVIEWS

22 UNLEASHING THE POSSIBILITIES PUBLISHED BY INSIGHT MEDIA & PUBLISHING LLC

IN THE ERA OF 28 TRIUMPH DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

38 CELEBRATING DIGITAL PIONEERS

6 NEWS COP28 ACHIEVES HISTORIC CLIMATE CONSENSUS TO ACCELERATE ACTION RIYADH AIR COLLABORATES WITH ACCENTURE TO BUILD CORE TECHNOLOGY CAPABILITIES LENOVO LAUNCHES NEW HYBRID CLOUD PLATFORMS AND SERVICES TO ACCELERATE AI ERICSSON AND AT&T PARTNER TO PIONEER NETWORKS OF THE FUTURE

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

EDITORIAL

WINDS OF CHANGE

ttending COP28 for the first time was an eye-opener for me in many ways. The 28th edition of the global climate change conference will go down in the annals of history as the one that signaled a transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources and meaningful action around climate finance. If I remember correctly, only two previous editions – Paris and Japan – have witnessed such tangible outcomes. On the sidelines of the conference, I had the privilege of talking to global sustainability officers, and they all told me that this was probably the first time the role of technology came under the spotlight in the context of sustainability. This was evident from the two huge technology pavilions at COP28. The UAE is driven to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, while Saudi Arabia has announced plans to do so by 2060. I believe that new-age technologies, such as AI and data analytics, will play a significant role in driving these sustainability goals. These digital technologies

can analyse large datasets to identify trends and patterns related to climate change. Some tech companies are already offering solutions to the market. A case in point is IBM’s environmental intelligence suite, which leverages AI to gain climate and weather insights to anticipate disruptive conditions. Moreover, technology has a vital role in carbon capture and energy storage, which are crucial components of efforts to mitigate climate change. As we have seen in Europe, there is a growing trend towards making ESG reporting mandatory for organisations. This might also become a future mandate for organisations in our region, which means core IT systems such as ERP and CRM need to be ready to capture ESG metrics. With many enterprises in the region embarking on sustainability initiatives, the time has come for CIOs to direct their attention towards energyefficient technologies and renewable energy sources, ensuring that their core IT systems seamlessly integrate these initiatives to facilitate data tracking and analysis.

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While the publisher has made all efforts to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

NEWS

COP28 ACHIEVES HISTORIC CLIMATE CONSENSUS TO ACCELERATE ACTION

OP28, held in Dubai, concluded with a historic agreement by 198 Parties to deliver a new era of climate action. The Parties agreed on a landmark text named The UAE Consensus, which sets out an ambitious climate agenda to keep 1.5°C within reach. The UAE Consensus calls on Parties to transition away from fossil fuels to reach net zero, encourages them to submit economy-wide Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), includes a new specific target to triple renewables and double energy efficiency by 2030, and builds momentum towards a new architecture for climate finance. The UAE Consensus, which follows a year of inclusive diplomatic engagements and two weeks of intense negotiations, reflects the COP28 Presidency’s goal to provide the most 6

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ambitious response possible to the Global Stocktake and deliver on the central aims of the Paris Agreement. “The world needed to find a new way. By following our North Star, we have found that path,” said COP28 President, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber during his closing speech. “We have worked very hard to secure a better future for our people and our planet. We should be proud of our historic achievement.” “I promised a different sort of COP. A COP that brought everyone together – private and public…civil society and faith leaders, youth and indigenous peoples. Everyone came together from day one. Everyone united, acted and delivered.” Throughout the COP28 process, Dr. Al Jaber and the COP28 Presidency team have expressed determination to deliver “a plan that is led by the

science” and to define a new way for this and future COPs, based on the inclusion of diverse peoples and elevating the needs of the Global South. “It is a balanced plan that tackles emissions, bridges the gap on adaptation, reimagines global finance and delivers on loss and damage,” said Dr. Al Jaber. “It is built on common ground. It is strengthened by inclusivity and it is reinforced by collaboration. It is an enhanced, balanced, but make no mistake, historic package to accelerate climate action.” Major commitments contained in the final negotiated text include: • An unprecedented reference to transitioning away from all fossil fuels to enable the world to reach net zero by 2050. • A significant step forward in the expectations for the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by encouraging “economywide emission reduction targets.” • Building momentum behind the financial architecture reform agenda, recognizing the role of credit rating agencies for the first time, and calling for a scale up of concessional and grant finance. • A new, specific target to triple renewables and double energy efficiency by 2030. • Recognizing the need to significantly scale up adaptation finance beyond the doubling to meet urgent and evolving needs. Outside the Global Stocktake, COP28 delivered historic negotiated outcomes to operationalize Loss and Damage, securing $792 million of early pledges, providing a framework for the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), and institutionalizing the role of the Youth Climate Champion to mainstream youth inclusion at future COPs. The scale of achievements delivered under the Action Agenda has been unprecedented for any COP and testament to the willingness of representatives from a huge range of sectors and industries to take positive action.

RIYADH AIR COLLABORATES WITH ACCENTURE TO BUILD CORE TECHNOLOGY CAPABILITIES

iyadh Air has signed a threeyear strategic agreement with Accenture to help deliver its technology foundation and capabilities as part of its vision to be the world’s first digitally native airline. Accenture will help set up Riyadh Air’s cloud-only infrastructure, cybersecurity capabilities, managed services and operations as the airline gears up for its launch. The initiative will enable Riyadh Air to operate in a new era of aviation with digital services at its core, using cuttingedge technologies such as cloud data and AI to help deliver a seamless travel experience for its guests and employees. The core enterprise system will enable the company to scale as it aims to offer over 100 destinations by 2030. Adam Boukadida, chief financial officer of Riyadh Air, said, “As a digitally native

LENOVO LAUNCHES NEW HYBRID CLOUD PLATFORMS AND SERVICES TO ACCELERATE AI

enovo has expanded its hybrid cloud platform for AI with new ThinkAgile hyperconverged solutions and ThinkSystem servers that advance cloud deployment, hybrid connectivity and AI capabilities,

airline, Riyadh Air will be at the forefront of innovation and technology, allowing us to deliver world-class service to our guests. There is a considerable amount of unseen work taking place behind the scenes enabling both our operations and user experience, with Accenture, as our strategic technology partner, helping us to deliver, secure and operate foundational capabilities.”

Emily Weiss, senior managing director at Accenture and head of its Travel practice globally, said, “The launch of Riyadh Air is a landmark moment for the aviation industry as a whole; a brand-new airline that’s designed from the ground up, harnessing the latest technologies to create hyper-connected experiences that meet the demands of today’s, and tomorrow’s travelers. Drawing on our deep industry and digital expertise, we are proud to be collaborating with Riyadh Air to help shape the future of travel.” Boukadida added, “Accenture is pivotal in enabling Riyadh Air’s cloud-first strategy, and our unique architecture will ensure that our technology stack is future-proof and remains legacy-free. It also will be built and supported with the highest level of cybersecurity and automation in mind from its inception.”

powered by the next generation of Intel Xeon Scalable Processors. The new AI ready platform delivers improved performance and the latest accelerators as a critical next step for delivering a dynamic hybrid AI approach across public, private, and foundational models to enable AI for All. The new Lenovo ThinkAgile hybrid cloud solutions are engineered to boost AI performance and build cloud agility by delivering more compute and faster memory to its marketleading portfolio when and where it is needed. Additionally, Lenovo Professional Services for AI and TruScale as-a-service offerings help customers simplify IT and accelerate AI with new integrated hybrid cloud for edge capabilities that quickly help businesses grow and only pay for what they need. “Lenovo hybrid cloud solutions for AI workloads are propelling innovation and creating a faster, more flexible path to AI by providing data-centre level compute to the source of business data,” said Kamran Amini,

Vice President and General Manager of Server, Storage and Software of Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group. “With up to 21 percent better performance, customers can leverage the new Lenovo hybrid cloud solutions to reduce their IT footprint, achieve greater ROI and deliver business outcomes. The new portfolio is designed to support today’s AI, virtualisation and multi-cloud workloads while increasing energy efficiency and agility with one seamless platform.” The next generation of Lenovo ThinkAgile hybrid cloud solutions and ThinkSystem servers with 5th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors feature built-in AI acceleration with Intel’s AMX technology – increasing efficiency while supporting AI inferencing and training on models up to 20 billion parameters. Additionally, the portfolio provides a unique open architecture with advanced management, superior reliability, and end-to-end security to help companies of all sizes work across hybrid multi-clouds.

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

NEWS

ERICSSON AND AT&T PARTNER TO PIONEER NETWORKS OF THE FUTURE

ricsson and AT&T are collaborating in an industrydefining roughly $14 billion five-year network transformation and digitalisation strategic agreement to pioneer the path to programmable and intelligent networks of the future. The deal is the largest financially in Ericsson’s history. Ericsson will deploy a wide range of Ericsson 5G Open Radio Access Networks products and solutions to support AT&T’s nationwide Open RAN ambitions in the U.S. The company will build a 5G network platform for AT&T, utilising cloud-native technologies built on O-RAN standardised interfaces – with industry scale, cost efficiency, sustainability and high performance top of mind. Through time AT&T and Ericsson will transform this to a cloud-native open network. Ericsson will utilise its recently expanded 5G Smart Factory in Lewisville, Texas, for production of related infrastructure for the deal.

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DECEMBER 2023

The factory’s products are labelled Made in USA as Ericsson’s facility complies with the Build America, Buy America infrastructure laws Act. In line with its R&D-investmentled company strategy, Ericsson has developed a broad range of sustainability-centered technology offerings to support its belief that future networks must be increasingly resilient, open, sustainable and intelligent. The intelligent and programmable capabilities will enable innovation such as rApps, automation and network APIs to be built and exposed and in turn realise the potential that 5G was designed for – creating new monetisation opportunities in the process. Ericsson’s open architecture will act as a springboard for developers to innovate and drive use and business cases. Börje Ekholm, President and CEO, Ericsson, says: “Highperformance and differentiated

networks will be the foundation for the next step in digitalisation. I am excited about this future and happy to see our long-term customer, AT&T, choosing Ericsson for this strategic industry shift – moving to open, cloud-based and programmable networks. Through this shift, and with open interfaces and open APIs, the industry will see new performance-based business models, creating new ways for operators to optimise and monetise the network. We are truly proud to be collaborating with AT&T in the industrialisation of Open RAN and help accelerate digital transformation in the U.S.” Chris Sambar, Executive Vice President, AT&T Network, says: “AT&T is taking the lead in open platform sourcing in our wireless network. With this collaboration, we will open up radio access networks, drive innovation, spur competition and connect more Americans with 5G and fiber. We are pleased that Ericsson shares our support for Open RAN and the possibilities this creates for American digital infrastructure.”

enables bi-directional communication between humans and applications through a native connector. It comes with robust training tools and learning mechanisms, which continuously improve the performance and knowledge of virtual assistants. Additionally, it is equipped with advanced capabilities that enable

it to differentiate intent, extract context, and acknowledge sentiment, providing an elevated conversational experience. “Our Generative Conversational AI solution is a powerful combination of cutting-edge technologies that aims to revolutionise enterprise interactions. It is an NLP engine that supports over 45 languages, making it a game-changer in the realm of intelligent virtual assistants. This solution is a testament to our mission to enhance productivity and satisfaction for enterprises in this transformative phase.” says Walid Gomaa, CEO of Omnix International. Businesses can significantly improve their user interactions, efficiency, and accuracy while saving time and cost by leveraging conversational automation integrated with Generative AI. This integration allows for the automatic generation of answers for a wide range of generic use cases, streamlining the handling of FAQs and eliminating the need for manual extraction or training.

through a local point of presence (PoP) in the United Arab Emirates. For organisations that seek robust security offerings that can accommodate the needs of developers and the ever-demanding DevOps landscape, Imperva products and solutions will be a good fit. The partnership is in line with Help AG’s focus on integrated cybersecurity architecture, using Imperva’s offering to strengthen zero trust and reinforce Help AG’s leadership in the fields of data and application security. Commenting on the partnership, Stephan Berner, Chief Executive Officer of Help AG, said: “At Help AG, we are dedicated to building strategic partnerships to constantly expand and enhance our 360-degree portfolio covering the entire lifecycle. Our partnership with Imperva supports this objective, enabling our customers to secure their data at scale while ensuring compliance and unifying protection for applications, anywhere

they run with the help of Imperva’s advanced solutions.” Florian Malecki, VP – EMEA Channel Sales at Imperva, said: “Imperva Accelerate provides distinctive offerings that allow Help AG to build recurring revenue while assisting customers with establishing security programs that can scale and adapt to changing attack vectors. We are extremely pleased and excited by this partnership, and expect to accelerate our footprint with Help AG.”

OMNIX INTERNATIONAL UNVEILS ADVANCED GENERATIVE CONVERSATIONAL AI SOLUTION

mnix International has introduced an innovative Generative Conversational AI solution, a cutting-edge AI-driven technology that integrates both Conversational AI and Generative AI. The solution utilizes AI, machine learning (ML), and Natural Language Processing (NLP), enabling it to increase operational efficiency and lays the groundwork for a future where intelligent systems autonomously can evolve and innovate. Conversational AI is developed on a no-code authoring platform that

HELP AG AND IMPERVA JOIN FORCES TO BOLSTER DATA AND APPLICATION SECURITY

elp AG, the cybersecurity arm of e& enterprise, has joined forces with Imperva, the cybersecurity organisation which protects critical applications, APIs and data, anywhere at scale. Help AG customers can now benefit from the Imperva Data Security Platform, to gain complete visibility into all data repositories, whether they are on-premises, in the cloud, or in hybrid environments. Help AG will also provide access to the market-leading Imperva Application Security products and solutions. The cloud-based services will be delivered

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

NEWS

ORACLE TO TRAIN 50,000 SAUDI NATIONALS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

racle has launched ‘Mostaqbali’ (My Future), an initiative to provide technical training to Saudi youth to equip them for the most indemand technology-powered jobs of the future. Introduced and deployed in collaboration with Future Work and supervised by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the new programme will train and certify 50,000 Saudi nationals in the latest cloud-powered digital technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT) by 2027. Mostaqbali will be available to all Saudi nationals at different stages of their learning and professional careers—from students just entering the workforce to young working professionals—with a special focus

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on youth and women. The programme will strengthen Saudi Arabia’s IT talent pool as organisations in the country look to increasingly hire local talent to deploy new technologies and drive digital innovation and growth in line with Saudi Vision 2030. The Undersecretary of Ministry of HR and Social Development for Saudization, Majid Al-Dahwi said: “This initiative, which enables modern work processes such as freelancing, is a proactive step towards Saudizing the skills of the future. The goal is to enable young Saudis with nextgeneration skills and talents to close the skills gap, ultimately establishing a highly skilled and creative labor market to realise the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision. This move will also strengthen government and private sector initiatives to accelerate digital transformation by using national

talent pools’ skills and insights.” The Mostaqbali programme will be delivered as a digital learning experience through Oracle MyLearn, Oracle’s comprehensive training and enablement platform from Oracle University used by thousands of technology trainees around the world. The programme will offer rigorous foundational training in cloud technologies that will then channel students to professional-level training and certifications—including in areas such as DevOps, AI, applications business processes, and data science—as well as additional training curated individually based on learning levels and educational goals. In addition to the opportunity to secure professional certification, learners will also be able to earn badges that indicate their job readiness for specialised job roles, helping potential employers more easily identify candidates and supporting job placement opportunities in the Kingdom.

HUAWEI CLOUD LAUNCHES PANGU FINANCE MODEL GLOBALLY

uawei Cloud has unveiled the Pangu Finance Model for the first time outside of China at the 2023 Huawei Cloud Fintech Summit. This strategic move marks Huawei Cloud’s commitment to fostering global innovation in the Fintech sector, signaling a significant step towards shaping the future of digital finance. The Huawei Cloud Pangu Finance Model integrates advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and blockchain, combining the company’s technological prowess with extensive financial expertise. This innovative financial solution provides Fintech

companies and financial institutions with the tools to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of the financial industry on a global scale. The Pangu Finance Model is designed with powerful computing and data analysis capabilities, utilising Huawei Cloud’s robust computing and storage capacity. This empowers financial institutions to handle and analyse vast amounts of financial data efficiently, enhancing risk management, facilitating better investment decisions, and fueling product innovation. Furthermore, the model incorporates artificial intelligence technologies, including natural language processing, image recognition,

and intelligent recommendations. This comprehensive support enables financial institutions to deliver personalised financial services that cater to the unique needs of their customers. In addition to these features, the integration of blockchain technology ensures enhanced security and transparency in financial transactions, mitigating the risks of data tampering and fraud. The Pangu Finance Model creates a secure and reliable environment for financial institutions and Fintech companies operating on a global scale. Frank Dai, President of Huawei Cloud Middle East and Central Asia, highlighted the transformative impact of Pangu Finance Model during the summit. The model introduces three key innovations that reshape every aspect of the financial service chain.

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

COVER STORY

LEADING THE CHARGE MERIAM EL OUAZZANI, REGIONAL DIRECTOR FOR META AT SENTINELONE, DECIPHERS THE CYBERSECURITY LANDSCAPE IN 2024 AND OFFERS GUIDANCE ON NAVIGATING IT.

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hat key cybersecurity challenges can we anticipate in 2024? Many customers are actively working on their cybersecurity strategies, making it a highly dynamic and active field. Allow me to share some of the predictions with you. We are witnessing a clear trend towards adopting AI technology by various stakeholders, including customers and vendors. The focus primarily revolves around utilising AI for defensive purposes. We’re also examining it from a threat perspective. Currently, AI-powered threats are becoming increasingly imminent. These threats include automated attacks, AI-generated ransomware, deep fake attacks relying on social engineering, and automated exploits targeting vulnerabilities. At the same time, we are seeing the emergence of ransomware targeted at critical infrastructure. These threats target companies and institutions responsible for essential services such as banking, oil and gas, and healthcare. Data privacy is also a significant concern. We’ve observed that many customers collect vast amounts of data and are interested in maintaining robust threat intelligence. This raises issues related to data encryption, access control, and monitoring. With the current geopolitical situation in the region, where statesponsored cyberattacks are on the rise, the importance of cybersecurity has escalated. The battleground has shifted from the physical world to cyberspace, resulting in a surge of such attacks. Identity security is now a top priority, and that’s why we acquired Attivo Networks, a company known for its expertise in securing identities. Why is it getting so difficult to mitigate ransomware attacks? That’s an excellent question. First and foremost, you should look at the technology currently used to prevent ransomware attacks; it primarily relies on signatures. Many older technologies base their threat analysis and customer environment defense on known

signatures. However, we’re witnessing an increase in zero-day attacks. Without a system that utilises AI or intelligence to comprehend trends and patterns in malicious activities, you won’t be able to prevent these attacks. Instead, you’ll only detect them after a ransomware incident occurs. When we engage with CISOs and CIOs, we ensure they don’t focus solely on technology to prevent attacks. Even if you have the best technology in the world, you might still experience an attack. So, you must consider prevention first, followed by detection and automated response. We’re no longer looking at endpoint protection but considering various components. This includes XDR, whether a vendor provides the complete XDR on its own or uses third-party solutions. We’re also emphasising the significant integration of multiple solutions into easyto-manage platforms. Is response also getting more important now, along with detection? Yes, that’s absolutely the case. So, again, when we think about establishing a security model and framework, the customer needs to consider two aspects. First, there’s the matter of protection, detection, and response. It’s not a question of if we will face an attack but when it will happen and how we should respond to it. Detection and response should ideally be automated, preferably AI-based. We need to understand what types of attacks are out there. So, there should also be capabilities within the customer’s team, including analysts, to analyze threats and respond to them effectively. Secondly, we need to look at it from a different perspective. Customers should be prepared with various processes and tools. Currently, many customers only think about the tools to prevent attacks, but they need to pay more attention to the rest of the security landscape. Why is taking a holistic approach to cybersecurity necessary? So, let me share with you some of the experiences we’ve had with customers. When we look at traditional systems,

particularly relevant in the Middle East and Africa, we see that most customers are quite reactive. We see few capable of dealing with the new zero-day attacks that are prevalent today. These zero-day attacks are novel threats that cannot be blocked effectively by a reactive approach or system. CISOs often address current issues with existing tools, which, realistically, can set them up for failure. When we look at the best CISOs, they are the ones who consider resilience as an integral part of their strategy. These CISOs take a comprehensive approach to security, focusing on 360-degree security. They proactively drive security strategy by planning and strategising in advance. They anticipate the strategies they can adopt and then map them to appropriate technologies. While some of these technologies are familiar to them, others require discovery through discussions with vendors or system integrators who bring a wealth of knowledge. They should focus on incorporating intelligent systems that utilise AI as a crucial part of their strategy. This involves building the strategy at an early stage with intelligent systems in mind. Additionally, integration is essential, as one of the most significant costs that CISOs bear today is the operational cost and the knowledge gap among their analysts. This is why adopting technologies like GenAI becomes crucial, as it helps address the challenges analysts face. Analysts face challenges in their threathunting processes because they rely on complex queries and languages for this purpose. The question arises: How can we simplify this process by enabling them to query data using plain language? This is why SentinelOne has invested in GenAI, which we branded as ‘Purple AI.’ Is it a good idea to automate security? Isn’t the human element equally important? It depends. Take Active Directory, for instance. If we automate the execution of security measures, it might not be a good idea. Many customers are concerned about this. Yes, you can

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

COVER STORY

consider automation for visibility, reporting, and control, but when it comes to executing and implementing changes, there is an element where a mix is required. You need tools to be faster and more efficient, which may involve some orchestration and automation. However, it’s important to remember that certain decisions will still have to be made by humans. How do you deal with the issue of false positives in detection? A significant investment goes into ensuring we streamline the technology and minimise false positives as much as possible. In certain deployments, there is a learning curve for us and the customer. We ensure that we are prepared for specific use cases and that our platforms undergo continuous learning. For example, we can identify certain activities in the customer’s network and environment that may not be attacks or threats but might be initially flagged as such. We can then mark them as non-threats after learning more about them. Additionally, from a technology perspective, there is a lot of R&D that helps us understand new threats and incorporate them into our technology, updating our systems accordingly. Furthermore, we learn a great deal from customer environments, especially when working with technologies like deception. Should security be the top priority when migrating to cloud environments? The top priority should definitely be security because when you’re migrating from on-premises to the cloud, you’re talking about a data center that you’ve secured for many years. You’ve made significant investments in securing its perimeter, including firewalls, DMZs, and other measures. Now, due to the need for business growth, elasticity, and a dynamic environment, customers are migrating their data and many of their services to a cloud-first environment. This transition may not always be easy for them to understand, so it requires extensive training for their resources 14

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ANALYSTS FACE CHALLENGES IN THEIR THREAT-HUNTING PROCESSES BECAUSE THEY RELY ON COMPLEX QUERIES AND LANGUAGES FOR THIS PURPOSE. THE QUESTION ARISES: HOW CAN WE SIMPLIFY THIS PROCESS BY ENABLING THEM TO QUERY DATA USING PLAIN LANGUAGE? THIS IS WHY SENTINELONE HAS INVESTED IN GENAI, WHICH WE BRANDED AS ‘PURPLE AI.’ to become accustomed to moving from the local data center to the cloud environment. Moreover, customers must understand what surfaces they’re trying to secure. The attack surface has also changed, and we’re looking at security vectors that were not considered in the past, which they should now take into consideration. Compliance is also a critical aspect to address, as we see stricter enforcement in this regard. So, if you’re working with any cloud service provider, you need to ensure that this CSP has the right certifications, adheres to the correct regulations, and complies with relevant standards. Moreover, when it comes to security, it’s important to note that security is now becoming a shared responsibility. Why is identity security a critical aspect of overall cybersecurity? I’ll explain how we view security today. Initially, our focus was primarily on endpoint security. We made substantial investments in identifying and protecting against threats and ensuring effective threat remediation. Our perspective was largely centered around endpoint security.

However, as we expanded our scope to include cloud security, we quickly realised that identity-related attacks were becoming prevalent. These attacks often involved issues like improperly configured access controls, inadequate privilege management, and outdated Active Directory configurations. Sometimes, administrators were reluctant to update administrative rights within a corporate setting, leading to potential security vulnerabilities. In our assessments, we frequently encountered misconfigurations when conducting health checks on Active Directory systems. These misconfigurations posed significant security risks. Even if a company had robust endpoint security measures in place, it might still be vulnerable if it lacked proper visibility into access controls and configurations. Having the best perimeter security solutions won’t suffice if unauthorised individuals gain access to your resources, potentially compromising data and system integrity. Therefore, identity threat detection and response is of paramount importance. What initiatives are you taking to encourage more women to pursue careers in cybersecurity? In general, finding talent in cybersecurity is challenging, and attracting women in this field is even more demanding. There is a common perception that cybersecurity demands individuals to invest significant time in studying and developing their capabilities. This perception can deter many people, including women, from pursuing careers in this field. To address this issue, we’ve made substantial investments in initiatives aimed at engaging with universities to encourage young women to develop an interest in cybersecurity. It’s a fascinating domain with a lot of opportunities, and we believe there is a wealth of untapped talent, especially in terms of diversity. We need more women to consider careers in cybersecurity, and there is still much work to be done in promoting diversity in this field.

SPOTLIGHT

THE BIRTH OF MITEL MITEL’S CO-FOUNDER SIR TERRY MATTHEWS SHARES HIS JOURNEY OF INNOVATION AND VISION.

n the ever-evolving landscape of technology, some visionaries stand apart, their stories etching a profound mark in the annals of history. Sir Terry Matthews, a name synonymous with innovation, is one such luminary. His remarkable journey from a humble beginning to founding the tech giant Mitel is a tale of foresight, determination, and impeccable timing. Terry’s story begins with a strong foundation in engineering, particularly in wireless technology. His early passion for wireless communication became evident at the tender age of 15, setting the stage

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for a journey that would span more than five decades. The turning point arrived when he was chosen to work at the General Post Office lab named Radio Wave Development. Today, it is known as BT. Within this lab, Terry was exposed to a world of complexity that few could comprehend. He navigated the intricacies of waveguides, some no larger than a finger. With a wealth of knowledge and a passion for innovation, Terry turned a new leaf in his life by moving to Ottawa, Canada, from the United Kingdom. Armed with nothing but a dream and $3,000 borrowed against

his house mortgage, he set out to carve his place in the world of technology. As they say, fortune favoures the bold, and Terry’s arrival in Canada coincided with a pivotal global shift in telecommunications. The world was moving away from rotary dial phones to the era of push-button phones. It was ripe with possibilities, and Terry quickly seized this rising wave. In the world of innovation, timing is paramount, and Terry had an innate sense of it. His profound knowledge of tone receivers positioned him perfectly for the technological revolution that loomed on the horizon. Simultaneously, a serendipitous collaboration with his close friend Mike Cowpland, who was delving into the potential of operational amplifiers (op amps) and integrated circuits with resistors and capacitors, paved the way for a breakthrough. These op amps, compact and efficient integrated circuits, became the building blocks for a remarkably small tone receiver. Timing, however, was one of many factors at play. Terry possessed a knack for recognising opportunities where others saw challenges. “In the 1970s, the TTL (TransistorTransistor Logic) devices era was in full swing. These digital components were power-hungry, operating at five volts. I was aware of a game-changing development in the UK—the System X public exchange system. This innovative exchange system boasted all the essential features of a public exchange, complete with redundant power supplies to ensure uninterrupted operation,” says Terry. However, a pivotal requirement would shape the course of Mitel’s journey. All the digital circuitry within this exchange system needed to operate at a five-volt level. In the backdrop of this, another innovation was quietly making waves— CMOS (Complementary Metal-OxideSemiconductor) technology. CMOS was known for its remarkable voltage tolerance and minimal power consumption compared to its predecessor, TTL devices. This shift from TTL to CMOS held the promise of transformative change. Recognising the immense potential of CMOS technology, Terry embarked

on a journey that would take him from Ottawa to London, where the course of telecommunications history would be altered forever. The stage was set in West London, where he met with senior executives from GEC and Plessey—companies that were no strangers to Terry’s vision. He had, after all, been selling tone receivers to Plessey, creating a foundation of trust and collaboration. As the discussions unfolded, a momentous decision was made—to collaborate on the ambitious task of replacing the TTL devices in the SystemX public exchange with its CMOS counterparts. It was a move that promised to revolutionise the industry. Remarkably, in less than two months, the transition was complete. The circuit cards in the SystemX exchange were seamlessly replaced with CMOS devices, and the results were nothing short of spectacular. The SystemX exchange operated flawlessly, and it was a testament to the transformative power of CMOS technology. The SystemX public exchange, powered by Terry’s semiconductor chips, became a game-changer in the telecommunications industry. It was a journey that shaped Mitel’s legacy and left an indelible mark on the ever-evolving landscape of telecommunications. Mitel, a name synonymous with innovation, had been born, and its journey had only just begun. “Mitel started with a small PBX system that would redefine the way businesses communicated. We named it the SX 200, which became a game-changer in telecommunications,” says Terry. The SX 200 was not just a single innovation—it was a series of groundbreaking advancements that would shape the future of PBX systems. It came in various configurations, each tailored to meet the diverse needs of businesses. The SX 200 for 200 extensions, a version for 100 extensions, and the innovative wall-mounted system known as the SX 20 were just a few examples of Mitel’s tech prowess. “But it was the SX10 that truly captured the imagination of those who encountered it. Resembling an operator’s console, it

left many puzzled. They asked, “Where’s the switching system?” The answer was as astonishing as the question itself—the entire switching system was ingeniously contained within the console,” says Terry. This innovation was even more remarkable because it was built around a Motorola microprocessor that made nearly all of its functionalities software-driven. The implications of this breakthrough were profound, and geographical boundaries did not limit them. Mitel had a global vision in an era where telephony was often regionally fragmented. The software-driven approach that had become its hallmark allowed the company to adapt to various telephony standards across the world. Features like dial tone, busy tone, and signaling systems were all software-driven, a concept that was revolutionary in its own right. With this newfound flexibility, Mitel ventured into markets far and wide. The company made its mark from North America to India, proving that innovation knows no borders. Perfect timing Terry shares the secret sauce behind running a successful ICT business—a recipe honed through years of experience and visionary thinking. Timing, as he emphasizes, is the first and foremost ingredient in this recipe for success. “It’s not just about having the right idea; it’s about having it at the right moment. In the dynamic world of technology, trends and waves come and go, and savvy entrepreneur must align their vision with the prevailing technological wave,” he says. The next essential component in Terry’s recipe is assembling the dream team. Success hinges on a cohesive unit working in harmony. Trust and collaboration among team members are paramount. Without these, even the most brilliant ideas may falter. Another key ingredient is a simple yet powerful practice—listening and learning from potential clients. Terry underscores the importance of taking notes during conversations. “Sometimes, what’s crucial to a client may not be immediately evident. By documenting these insights, I ensure that nothing is overlooked.”

Returning to the concept of ownership, Terry’s recipe includes this unique ingredient. By granting ownership to his dedicated team members, he not only motivated them but also aligned their interests with the company’s success. They became deeply invested in the venture’s growth, working tirelessly to bring innovative products to life. A global stage beckons Mitel’s journey to global prominence began with a pivotal decision. Recognising the need to expand its horizons beyond Canada, Mitel ventured into the international market, leading to work with some of the world’s largest telecom giants, including BT and China Telecom. As Mitel expanded its reach, it encountered a challenge—bridging language and cultural gaps. With over 200 countries in the world, each with its unique culture, language, and government regulations, the task was daunting. Dial tones and busy tones varied from place to place, adding to the complexity. Terry had an unconventional solution. He decided to create joint ventures with local companies in foreign markets. This innovative approach allowed Mitel to adapt to each region’s specific needs and nuances. Mitel, now the second-largest supplier in the enterprise UCC market following its merger with Unify, is also recognised as the pioneer behind real-time cloudbased communication, fundamentally transforming our experience of synchronised video conversations today. But what’s next for Mitel, you ask? Terry says to specialise, focusing on specific verticals like healthcare, banking, and government departments. Each sector has its unique needs and challenges, requiring tailored solutions. “And here’s the secret sauce—quality. It’s not just about doing something; it’s about doing it right. Reliability is the name of the game,” he adds. So, as Mitel continues to chart its course through the ever-shifting technology landscape, one thing remains clear: the future is vertical, and Mitel is at the forefront, ready to redefine how businesses communicate, one vertical at a time.

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

FEATURE

PROTECTING THE CONNECTED ERA THE IMPORTANCE OF IoT SECURITY IN AN INTERCONNECTED DIGITAL UNIVERSE

he proliferation of IoT devices has introduced new vulnerabilities for businesses. With the increasing connectivity of “things,” the potential attack vectors have multiplied. According to McKinsey, in the pre-IoT era, a large corporate network might have had to secure 50,000 to 500,000 endpoints, but in the IoT era, networks could consist of millions or even tens of millions of these vulnerable endpoints. Therefore, prioritising cybersecurity is paramount in the age of IoT.

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Addressing privacy concerns related to connected devices is essential. However, effective IoT cybersecurity goes beyond safeguarding customer data; it also involves protecting critical equipment like pacemakers or entire manufacturing plants. An attack on these systems could jeopardise both customer health and a company’s overall production capacity. Kalle Björn, Sr Director, Systems Engineering - Middle East, Fortinet, says the vulnerability of IoT devices stems from several factors. Most

IoT devices are not designed with security in mind, and many do not have traditional operating systems or even enough memory or processing power to incorporate security features. Not only that, but IoT devices are growing in number, with over a million new devices connecting to the internet each day. The result is a significant quantity of data moving freely between devices and across network environments, remote offices, mobile workers, and public clouds with minimal visibility,

Bernard Montel

making tracking and securing this data difficult. Stefan Schachinger, Senior Product Manager of IoT at Barracuda, states that the consequences of IoT security breaches can be even more dire than those of traditional cybercrimes. IoT introduces a whole new level of downside, the potential for true, realworld mayhem. If hackers can take control of a car, or a fleet of trucks, or a nuclear power station, or your front door lock, the impact could be far more severe than traditional online threats. “Concerns have been raised that the Internet of things is being developed too rapidly, without appropriate consideration of the profound security challenges involved. Most of the technical security issues are similar to those of conventional servers, workstations, and smartphones. This means that everything needs a firewall for protection. Without protection, connected devices can easily become a target for cyber criminals,” he says. Bernard Montel, EMEA Technical Director and Security Strategist, Tenable, says threat actors are actively looking for ways to compromise IoT devices, such as the recently discovered new variant of the P2Pinfect botnet that targets IoT devices, routers and other embedded devices. This is just the latest example as botnet malware is often open source and freely available on underground forums. Mirai and

Christopher Budd

IoT INTRODUCES A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF DOWNSIDE, THE POTENTIAL FOR TRUE, REAL-WORLD MAYHEM. IF HACKERS CAN TAKE CONTROL OF A CAR, OR A FLEET OF TRUCKS, OR A NUCLEAR POWER STATION, OR YOUR FRONT DOOR LOCK, THE IMPACT COULD BE FAR MORE SEVERE THAN TRADITIONAL ONLINE THREATS. Gafgyt malware continues to drive attack payloads, creating botnets from infected IoT devices that are then used to launch denial-of-service attacks against lucrative businesses. Ransomware is another menace targeting IoT, including FLocker and El Gato ransomware, with attackers demanding payment before unlocking infected devices.

Ezzeldin Hussein

The good news is that there are many standards in place to ensure the security of IoT devices. “There are several industry standards and initiatives that are directly aimed at ensuring IoT security. For example, the Telecommunications And Digital Government Regulatory Authority established a regulatory policy for the IoT in 2018 where an IoT Advisory Committee exists to handle all IoT matters within the country. There is also a IoT Registration Certificate in order for companies to conduct their business over the Internet of Things, which has a stringent application process. They have been instrumental in establishing guidelines and frameworks that focus on cybersecurity, encompassing IoT devices and networks,” says Mittal Parekh, Senior Director, Marketing, RUCKUS Networks, CommScope. Ezzeldin Hussein, Regional Director, Sales Engineering, SentinelOne, says though there many industry standards and guidelines aim to enhance IoT security, a universally accepted standard is yet to emerge. He says the IoT Security Foundation (IoTSF) provides the best practices, guidance, and frameworks for secure IoT deployment. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) also offers a comprehensive set of guidelines, such as NIST Special Publication 800-183, highlighting

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

FEATURE

Kalle Bjorn

Mittal Parekh

Sertan Selcuk

Stefan Schachinger

IoT device cybersecurity standards and considerations. Additionally, the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) offers an IoT Top Ten list outlining critical security risks and countermeasures for IoT devices and applications. Furthermore, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) produces standards like ETSI EN 303 645, focusing on consumer IoT device security requirements. Lastly, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) develops protocols and guidelines for secure IoT communications. Now the question arises- how effective are these standards in addressing IoT security challenges? Sertan Selcuk, Vice President for METAP & CIS at OPSWAT, says the effectiveness of IoT security standards varies, with their impact contingent on comprehensive implementation

and adaptability to evolving threats. While these standards provide a crucial framework, their success depends on a collective commitment from manufacturers, developers, and users to follow best practices and consistently update security measures. What are some recommended best practices for organizations to enhance IoT security? Christopher Budd, Director Threat Research at Sophos, says the first best practice is to only use IoT devices when you actually need to. Many times there are perfectly good non-IoT solutions available that don’t have the risks that ioT devices do present. Second, getting devices from known, trusted, reputable companies with proven security track records is important: that helps you to avoid some of the issues around patching and devices being “abandoned”.

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Finally, once you have IoT devices in place, keeping them updated is critical and if a device falls out of support, retiring it and replacing it with a support device is also important. Schachinger recommends microsegmentation as the best practice that can help mitigate the impact of an incident. Isolating potentially vulnerable network devices and only allowing legitimate network traffic is essential to stop lateral movement when an attack hits infrastructure. “Besides micro-segmentation, organisations should keep the infrastructure and devices fully patched and up to date. Security updates for IoT devices can be done manually and internally or via automation through a thirdparty service provider or a device manufacturer,” he adds. Montel says practical steps that can be taken include introducing a password policy for IoT devices that includes changing default passwords to something strong that needs to be regularly changed. Extend vulnerability management programs to include IoT devices to ensure they are regularly assessed for new vulnerabilities in the same way as other managed assets within the infrastructure. As part of general cyber hygiene practices, continuously ensure the level of encryption (and associated valid keys) is appropriate to ensure data in transit or at rest within IoT devices is adequately secured. In Björn’s opinion, robust IoT security requires integrated solutions that can provide visibility, segmentation, and seamless protection across the entire network infrastructure. This makes it more possible to authenticate and classify IoT devices, as well as build and assign risk profiles to IoT device groups. “Monitoring, inspection, and policy enforcement based on activity at different points within the infrastructure are also important, as is the ability to take automatic and immediate action if any network devices become compromised,” he sums up.

EXPERT ADVICE

INTERVIEW

UNLEASHING THE POSSIBILITIES LENOVO’S CIO, ARTHUR HU, DISCUSSES GENAI AND ITS ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR ENTERPRISES.

o you use your own products? We’ve a program called “Lenovo Powers Lenovo,” which operates bidirectionally. Firstly, within Lenovo, we have various internal processes and solutions that are highly effective. As we identify their potential value, we work on productising them, transforming these solutions into offerings from which our customers can benefit. For instance, my team manages our internal hybrid cloud, which includes public and private cloud infrastructure, as well as on-premise data centers. Over time, we have developed specialised tools that fill gaps in our requirements for running these operations. As we engaged with our sales teams, we discovered that our customers were also facing similar challenges and expressed interest in these solutions. We develop solutions in-house, and if these solutions align with customer needs, we leverage our proprietary knowledge and intellectual property to package and offer them to customers. This extends to a range of areas, such as our hybrid cloud solutions, True Scale offerings, and AIOPs. We are actively working on environmental sustainability, governance reporting, and our zerocarbon factory initiatives. We will extend this to customers, and also integrate these externally offered solutions into our own operations. Our “Device as a Service” program is a prime example. This approach operates bidirectionally, not solely focused on using what we have internally but also leveraging what we offer externally within our organisation.

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OUR FOCUS REMAINS ON OBJECTIVE AND PRACTICAL USE CASES, WHICH TYPICALLY INVOLVE WELL-DEFINED PATHS. THEREFORE, FOR MANY ENTERPRISES THAT DON’T HAVE HOT BUTTON ISSUES THAT REQUIRE MORAL JUDGEMENT, THE PATH TOWARDS RESPONSIBLE AI IMPLEMENTATION IS RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD. This creates a symbiotic relationship, as we gain valuable insights and feedback from our internal user base of 60,000 employees who utilise the same offerings we provide to our external customers, such as DaaS or True Scale Infrastructure as a Service. This feedback loop is of utmost importance to us as it contributes significantly to product improvement. In essence, this bidirectional approach is a core part of our strategy. How do you balance cost optimisation and investing in emerging technologies as a CIO? I believe it makes sense to approach technology with a business mindset. After all, you don’t have unlimited funds

available for technology investments. Therefore, adopting the perspective of a business owner is crucial. When we want to implement something, we create a business case, regardless of the project’s nature. For instance, if we plan to embark on a transformation project that requires capital expenditures or new capabilities, we always tie these investments to expected gains. This approach remains consistent across various technology initiatives. Whenever there’s a technological change, we evaluate its potential impact on productivity, whether it’s in the finance back office or the sales team’s efficiency. And we can track these data over time. Like any other aspect of business, it’s about striking a balance. Whether it’s one dollar or a million, when viewed from the overall company perspective, the goal is to allocate resources toward the projects that promise the best returns. What challenges does the adoption of GenAI encounter within enterprises? When it comes to adoption, the primary concern that immediately comes to mind is security. It is like the skepticism surrounding public cloud technology about a decade ago. People questioned whether it could truly be secure. Now, we’ve come to understand that the public cloud can indeed be secure. However, with GenAI, the first and foremost question arises due to its novelty and the unfortunate prevalence of negative incidents. Instances like source code leaks, firmware breaches, or the dissemination of offensive content has garnered significant attention. Even if you look at some contemporary chat products, their primary disclaimer often reads: “Warning: This may generate false or offensive content.” Now, can you think of any new technology that says it might be bad for you? This is a significant challenge, especially for enterprises where reputation and trust are paramount. When technology behaves unpredictably or operates in an uncontrolled manner, it naturally

triggers significant caution among CIOs and business executives. This stands out as their primary concern. Consequently, there’s a growing emphasis on exploring private large language models and ensuring data security and control. At present, the most significant challenge lies in finding the right balance. On one hand, companies are eager to harness this technology and avoid being left behind by their competitors. On the other hand, they are wary of negative publicity, where the narrative revolves around a loss of control over their technology. As a result, there is a strong drive among organisations to establish

robust processes, implement advanced technology solutions, and enhance governance to effectively manage this delicate balancing act. What are your views on the ethics of AI? This topic has several dimensions to consider, as it’s quite comprehensive. To begin, we should address guidance, and this encompasses different levels of guidance. Primarily, there’s technology guidance - ensuring that we don’t use open models when they involve sharing sensitive enterprise data. Additionally, we’ve established a product diversity office, which plays a pivotal role, especially in

our AI endeavors. It helps us ensure equitable access to our AI solutions. When it comes to the concept of responsibility, it spans numerous dimensions. A fundamental aspect is the necessity to eliminate bias from our AI systems. We approach this meticulously by carefully designing our training processes to avoid any unfair biases. It’s worth noting that in our context, where we primarily provide enterprise technology services and hardware computing, many issues are less sensitive compared to those faced by other industries. Our focus remains on objective and practical use cases, which typically involve well-defined paths. Therefore, for many enterprises that don’t have hot button issues that require moral judgement, the path towards responsible AI implementation is relatively straightforward. However, I believe that it’s crucial, especially from a technological standpoint, to establish certain safeguards. Firstly, a thorough understanding of the data used for training is essential. Implementing techniques for data sampling and quality control is vital because, as the saying goes, “garbage in, garbage out.” Ensuring high-quality inputs is critical because they shape the model’s weightings during training. Moreover, it’s equally important to monitor the output closely. We must rigorously assess the model’s outputs to the best of our ability because, as previously mentioned, the future remains uncertain. So, when it comes to data ingestion and the training process, there are certain aspects to consider. Given the risk tolerance, quality control is essential, especially for sensitive areas. Most enterprises prefer to focus on objective areas where the risk of issues is lower. For example, in the insurance industry, when adjusting claims or underwriting, you must rely on factual information. The key is to ensure you stay focused on the facts as much as possible and perform checks.

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

INTERVIEW

PAVING THE WAY FOR SUSTAINABLE FUTURES FAITH TAYLOR, KYNDRYL’S GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY AND ESG OFFICER, EXPLORES THE TECH-DRIVEN PATH TO SUSTAINABILITY.

ould you please share with us your journey as a sustainability advocate? My job, as you know, didn’t exist 18 years ago. It’s quite a journey. I was initially in the hospitality industry, overseeing hotel business development and product development and managing franchises. During this time, I witnessed a shift in consumer preferences towards healthier and more sustainable lifestyles. This prompted me to incorporate sustainable elements and wellness features into hotel designs. One pivotal moment was when my son urged me to watch Al Gore’s climate change documentary. After seeing it, I realised the significance of sustainability for every company, including ours. I approached our chairman, who was soon to become the CEO, and insisted he watch the movie. He did and became equally concerned. We were breaking off from a larger conglomerate, and he initially hesitated to start something new focused on sustainability. However, I persisted, emphasising the importance of sustainability in our industry. Eventually, he appointed me to lead the initiative, despite limited resources. I formed a committee with colleagues from different parts of the company and developed a strategic plan together. With determination and support, we became leaders in sustainability within the hospitality industry. We created software solutions and collaborated with organisations like Schneider Electric, leading to innovations such as Resource Advisor. I also engaged with policymakers, 24

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industry associations and even helped establish an ESG committee with the World Travel and Tourism Council, contributing to the development of guidelines for ESG practices. As our sustainability efforts gained momentum and recognition, I took on additional responsibilities, including philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. I started presenting to the board of directors, and our positive

impact on investors further solidified the importance of our sustainability initiatives. That’s how my journey began, and I’ve been dedicated to it ever since. What is Kyndryl’s sustainability strategy and its key pillars? I have been with Kyndryl for two years now. My boss, Una, told me that the board of directors had emphasised the need for a strong focus on

sustainability. Consequently, they decided to bring in someone with expertise in this area, which led to my hiring to establish the sustainability programme. During the initial 18 months, our primary objective was to set clear boundaries and assess all greenhouse gas emissions across our global presence. Operating in 64 countries with 240 data centers and 80,000 employees, we faced a considerable challenge. However, we tackled this with a small cross-functional team. In developing our programme, my strategy was always to plan with the end goal in mind. I conducted my own gap analysis to understand the regulatory requirements we would need to meet, particularly considering our presence in Europe, where compliance with the CSRD was imminent. I also did research on our investors to identify which ones had a significant ESG investment focus. Simultaneously, I analyzed our competitive landscape, realising the need to establish our baseline promptly. This became our first pillar: developing a strategy around climate change and our environmental impact. To achieve this, we quantified our global footprint using the greenhouse gas protocol, collaborating with experts from a company I had a long-standing partnership with. Additionally, our internal team played a crucial role, involving various departments such as real estate, human resources, legal, and finance. This collaboration was essential to align our sustainability efforts with our financial model and de-couple carbon from our growth. We’ve collaborated closely with our Chief Operating Officer, who serves as our executive sponsor to gain a deep understanding of our strategic direction. The second pillar revolves around risk management and enhancing our environmental performance. A significant aspect of this pillar involves conducting assurance on our baseline data. This step was crucial not only to ensure our spin-off as a distinct company but also to provide investors and regulatory bodies with

validated external information. We also committed to obtaining ISO certifications, specifically ISO 14001 and 50001. In addition, we’ve undertaken the commitment to align with sciencebased targets, which encompasses risk management. Furthermore, our third pillar focuses on becoming the preferred choice for both customers and employees. Achieving this goal necessitates collaboration with our dedicated workforce, making it an integral part of our journey. We introduced a comprehensive employee training program aimed at achieving net-zero emissions. We have a Green Guild, consisting of over 350 dedicated individuals responsible for developing sustainable solutions for our customers. We do carbon literacy course, so education is a key component of our sustainability journey. On the customer front, we’ve seen significant growth in RFPs. In fact, in just one year, we’ve witnessed a remarkable increase of over 200%. This surge is driven by our customers’ growing regulatory requirements and their keen interest in understanding our sustainability efforts. Additionally, we’ve collaborated closely with our customers to provide tailored solutions, as I previously mentioned. The fourth pillar centers around gaining a competitive advantage and expanding our market presence. This has been a significant focus of my role here. In addition to engaging with customers locally, I’ve been travelling to places like Australia and Europe to explore partnership opportunities. We’ve initiated discussions with major players in the industry, including hyperscalers like Microsoft and AWS, to co-create scalable sustainability solutions. It’s worth noting that the sustainability market is going to be around $32 billion by 2032, and we’re actively working to tap into this growing sector. This entire transformation extends beyond just clean tech; it encompasses all aspects needed to achieve our goals. We’ve seamlessly integrated it with our existing programs. You can find detailed

information about our journey in our corporate citizenship report. Moreover, we’ve taken extra steps to align with the expectations of investors who now closely scrutinise Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance. Organisations like ISS, MSCI, and others evaluate companies based on these criteria. They also seek specific disclosures, such as the Task Force on Climaterelated Financial Disclosures (TCFD), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). I’m pleased to share that our report encompasses all these key data points. How do you perceive sustainability initiatives in this region? I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the level of commitment in this region. Having been involved in this field for many years, I know that to drive real change, you need to bring everyone to the table. It’s not just about companies in clean energy; it’s about manufacturing, retail, banking, oil – every sector needs to transition. Additionally, the concept of joint ventures with technology partners has added an exciting dimension, enabling us to work collaboratively toward our shared goals. We are actively engaged in this market, collaborating with our customers to showcase precisely how to execute these strategies using technology. It’s about turning these ideas into tangible realities. When it comes to commitment, I’ve had the privilege of participating in various panel discussions at COP28 where we delved into the practical use of AI to implement solutions and harness the power of data. Data, as I often emphasise, is the key player in this field. In fact, we’ve launched a green parameter to help streamline information for organisations striving to meet their targets and goals. From my perspective, the real litmus test lies in the actual implementation of these projects. It’s where the rubber truly meets the road, and it’s here that we can make a substantial impact.

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

INTERVIEW

SECURING THE DIGITAL FRONTIER NIMA BAIATI, GENERAL MANAGER OF LENOVO’S CYBERSECURITY SOLUTIONS GROUP, SHARES INSIGHTS INTO THE COMPANY’S SECURITY SOLUTIONS.

lease tell us more about your ThinkShield platform. Do you leverage AI/ML in this? ThnkShield is our solution stack around cybersecurity, and we break it down into three layers. First, we have the supply chain layer, where our main focus is on enhancing supply chain security capabilities. We do this by leveraging our trusted supplier program, which involves rigorous validation of all our suppliers. We’ve also developed a unique capability within our supply chain layer. This allows us and end users to validate critical components within a device. Instead of simply stating that a device is trusted based on its origin, we empower our customers to independently confirm the authenticity of components, such as Intel chips or AMD chips, as well as memory and other vital parts. This adds an extra layer of confidence and security. Moving up, we have what we call “Below OS Security,” which encompasses everything beneath the operating system layer. This includes binaries, firmware, and drivers, ensuring the platform’s security. Importantly, this security is readily available out of the box when customers purchase a Lenovo ThinkPad product. It’s seamlessly integrated into the product, making it a hassle-free experience. On top of this, we layer in our “Above OS Portfolio,” which addresses the question of whether we incorporate generative AI or machine learning in our security measures. The answer is yes; we’ve been doing this for approximately three years. Our portfolio utilises generative AI to detect and counteract attacks and malicious activities, even zero-day attacks. This showcases Lenovo’s extensive experience leveraging AI technology, particularly within the ThinkShield ecosystem. 26

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To make these capabilities accessible to our customers, we offer two approaches. First, through a consultative engagement with our teams, we work closely with organisations to understand their specific risks, risk frameworks, and mitigation strategies. This allows us to provide tailored solutions that align with their needs. Second, we’ve designed solution bundles tailored specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We understand that SMEs may have limited human and financial resources for technical deployments, so we’ve made it as straightforward as possible for them to purchase and deploy comprehensive security bundles without requiring extensive day-to-day oversight. Do you observe hackers leveraging AI as well? From an attacker’s perspective, AI offers several critical advantages. Firstly, it allows attackers to gain a deep understanding of their target environment after conducting reconnaissance. They can familiarise themselves with the network’s topology and layout, enabling them to simulate potential attack vectors. For instance,

attackers can use AI to ask questions like, “How could I infiltrate this environment?” Interestingly, there have been instances where even relatively basic malware packages have been developed using programming languages like Python, all driven by GenAI. While these AI-generated malware packages may not currently trigger high-level security alerts, it’s important to recognise that the rapid pace of technological advancement could soon lead them to a point where they pose a significant threat. On the flip side, there is the application of generative AI in the security domain, which aims to counter such attacks. Essentially, generative AI is reducing the technical requirements and time needed to address these threats, at least for the time being. Could you explain the concept of “Privacy by Design”? The concept of “Privacy by Design” aligns with our approach to “Security by Design.” As I mentioned earlier, in the “Below OS” security realm, we actively incorporate security measures into our products. For instance, my team closely collaborates with our platform product managers in the development and innovation of our products, such as the X1 Carbon. We follow the same methodology when it comes to privacy. Both privacy and security serve as the foundational principles of our operations. They are not just features added to our devices; they are integral to our business practices. This commitment is evident in various aspects, including data segregation to ensure that the right individuals have access to the appropriate data. From my perspective, as well as our portfolio’s, we focus on building capabilities that safeguard our models, such as AI PCs, and obfuscate datasets, thereby flagging personally identifiable information. The “by design” aspect underscores our belief that security and privacy should not be considered as an afterthought or added later in the development phase. Instead, they should be seamlessly integrated from the very beginning, during the ideation stage of a new product or platform, and carried through the entire R&D process.

COMMUNICATIONS SIMPLIFY YOUR WAY OF WORKSPACE

Call Back Assistance

C-SAT (Customer Survey)

Business Operations Administrator

Call Recording

AI Chat Bot

Screen Recording

Quality Management

Real-Time Insights & Reporting

CRM Integration

Voice

Omni Channel

Ticketing System

Intelligent Routing

Preview/ Processing Dialing

Bring your own channel

Self Service Automation

Unified Communications

Composable Workspace

Workflow Automation

w w w.s y s l l c . c o m

AWARDS

TRIUMPH IN THE ERA OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION THE INAUGURAL EDITION OF ICT LEADERSHIP AWARDS KSA HONOURED VISIONARY LEADERS AND RECOGNISED OUTSTANDING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PROJECTS IN THE KINGDOM.

n an era characterised by the rapid reshaping of our work, connectivity, and innovation throughtechnology, it becomes paramount to recognise the visionaries and leaders who not only embraced this wave of digital transformation but also spearheaded it. Last month, CXO Insight ME brought together exceptional individuals and companies who have made an indelible mark on the ICT landscape in Saudi Arabia. The ICT Leadership Awards ceremony in Saudi Arabia commenced with a welcome note from Jeevan Thankappan, 28

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Managing Editor of CXO Insight ME. He highlighted how Saudi Arabia has emerged as a beacon of technological innovation in the region, with digital transformation gaining momentum across all sectors in the country. The keynote address by Khaled Alateeq, Regional Director – MEA at Trellix, delved deep into thechallenges faced by security practitioners today, offering insights into the mindset of the Chief Information Security Officer. Following this, Hilel Baroud, CEO of Proven Consult, delivered a presentation on empowering innovation through Arabic digital platforms.

PERSONALITY AWARDS

Sarah AlHarbi

Jayesh Maganlal

Government entity

ROSHN

Major General. Sundah Alsehali

Majid Ahmed Bin Sawad

Ministry of Defense

Modon

Hamad Alsulaiym

Abdulaziz Alqahtani

Capital Market Authority

NIC

Abdulaziz Almotiry

Raed Alqahtani

Saudi Arabian National Guard

Ministry of National Guard

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

AWARDS

Ali Zubayd

Ahmed Bakr Eltohamy

Abdullah Al Suliman

Digital Government Authority

Trapeze

Tamkeen Technologies

ICT LEADERSHIP AWARDS

CXO INSIGHT ME

Neil Menezes

Dr. Faisal AlNasser

Ma’aden

Almarai

DECEMBER 2023

Imtiaz Ahmed

Fahd Althumairy

Alrajhi Bank

Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance

Johnson Joseph

Vikram Verma

Zamil Offshore

ROSHN

Saudi Royal Guard

Ramesh Murugesan

Haitham A Babgi

AlGihaz Holding

STC

Muhammad Junaid United Motors Group

Asim Badhuralam Syed

Muhammad Ali

Dr Rami Ayoob

Universal Cold Stores

Sajaya Medical Services

Spark Tech Hub

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

AWARDS

VENDOR AWARDS

Delinea

Veeam

Privileged Access Management Excellence Award

Data Protection Excellence Award

Recorded Future Cybersecurity Intelligence Excellence Award

Trellix Network Detection and Response Excellence Award

Help AG

Jeraisy Computer and Communication Services

Managed cyber defense excellence Award

System Integration Excellence Award

CXO INSIGHT ME

DECEMBER 2023

Progress Software

DigiGlass

Network monitoring excellence Award

Managed Security Services Provider excellence Award

INTERVIEW

THE PATH TO GROWTH A CONVERSATION WITH HELMUT BINDER, CEO OF PAESSLER AG, ABOUT THE COMPANY’S STRATEGIC EXPANSION INTO THE MIDDLE EAST.

ow strategic is this region for Paessler? The Middle East region is now the second-fastest-growing market for us globally. Therefore, dedicating time and resources to this region is a strategic choice. Drawing from my own experiences, it presents an excellent growth opportunity for German companies. Additionally, our team has made remarkable strides in recent years by establishing a robust channel structure that is primed for scalability. You joined Paessler in 2019 as the CEO, just before the pandemic. Can you share with us your vision for the company? The initial vision of Paessler was to create a product everyone would enjoy using, becoming a standard choice for SMBs. The genesis of our product Paessler PRTG dates back to 1997 when our founder, who was employed at an IT company, encountered network issues. At that time, no suitable product was available on the market to address these issues, which prompted him to embark on developing what is now called PRTG. When I joined the company in 2019, I pondered the next steps and realised that we had the potential to make a significant impact due to our user base of 500,000 relying on our monitoring software. We envisioned a journey in which our monitoring capabilities could be harnessed for broader purposes, such as enhancing energy efficiency and optimising resources. Consequently, we made the decision to venture into the enterprise market and explore new verticals, particularly in the OT domain. Regarding our product portfolio, we maintain a continuous release cycle, constantly improving the product every week. However, I proposed the idea of accelerating portfolio growth through strategic acquisitions. As a result, this 34

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year has been particularly momentous as we’ve acquired two companies. The first acquisition is Qbilon, while the other company, formerly known as ITPS, has been incorporated into Paessler. These acquisitions bring diverse market approaches and expertise into our fold, marking a significant milestone in our journey. What makes Paessler stand out in this crowded network monitoring market? Well, first and foremost, our solution is user-friendly. Thanks to our autodiscovery module, which has evolved over many years, it comes with built-in functionality that covers the majority of use cases. This means you won’t need to create your own custom code or heavily customise the product. Our customers greatly appreciate this because it keeps professional service costs in check and makes maintenance a breeze. Secondly, we take customer support very seriously. Whether you’re a large corporation or a smaller business, we’re committed to providing top-notch technical support. We actively engage with our customers and maintain channels for direct communication with our developers and product managers. We value our customers’ input and actively

seek their feedback on features they’d like to see. This collaborative approach to development sets us apart from larger vendors that may prioritise maximising profits over customer engagement. What are your thoughts on observability, which has become a buzzword now? Observability is a term we use to describe our ability to understand a system based on logs, traces, and metrics. Traditionally, monitoring has been centered around metrics. With PRTG, we already notify based on log sensors and our development department is actively working on further projects to leverage logs and the open telemetry format more. This will enhance our capabilities and enable us to export logs to various systems, including security platforms. With our recent acquisition of Qbilon, we’re taking observability to the next level. This acquisition allows us to extend observability beyond a single system, providing visibility into complex infrastructures. This holistic view is invaluable for various use cases such as architecture planning, business continuity assurance, internal auditing, and security planning. It aggregates information from diverse sources, including security and monitoring tools, including PRTG, architectural data, and cloud services like AWS or Azure, offering a comprehensive visualisation platform. The IT landscape is getting distributed with the advent of the cloud. Can you monitor cloud environments as well? We have been closely monitoring industry trends; the cloud is a dominant trend, and its importance will undoubtedly continue to grow. However, what we have observed is that the combination of on-premises and cloud solutions remains crucial. This hybrid approach is becoming increasingly important. To address the cloud aspect, we have developed cloud sensors for PRTG. This allows us to provide coverage for cloud environments and virtual machines, regardless of their location. In addition to our cloud capabilities, we are also committed to maintaining our presence in the on-premises realm.

INTERVIEW

SHAPING THE FUTURE RODRIGO FERNANDES, DIRECTOR, ES(D)G, BENTLEY SYSTEMS, DISCUSSES HOW THE COMPANY HAS CARVED A NICHE FOR ITSELF IN FACILITATING INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY ACROSS THE GLOBAL LANDSCAPE.

n which industries are your software solutions most commonly used? Regarding the industries most benefiting from our software, transportation, and mobility stand out as significant sectors. Additionally, we have a strong presence in grids, encompassing electric grids, energy production, and even water grids. We also support cities and campuses – mainly airports and seaports - which often function as micro-cities. While not strictly an industry sector, they form a crucial part of our client base. Furthermore, responsible mining is another essential area we serve. In addition to these sectors, we work closely with engineering companies. Although they don’t fall into a specific industry sector, they play a vital role in bridging the gap between our software solutions and the end-users within the abovementioned industries. How does your software contribute to sustainable development and environmental protection in largescale projects? Our software contributes to sustainable development and environmental protection in various ways, regardless of the sector we support. There are four core categories of impact. Firstly, we accelerate energy production and facilitate the design and operation of electric infrastructure, including transmission and distribution. Secondly, we address climate action, focusing on resilience, adaptation, and mitigation. We play a significant role in decarbonising infrastructure, reducing carbon footprints, enhancing design efficiency, and optimising construction processes.

This saves time, costs, resources, and reduces carbon emissions. In operations, we continue to reduce carbon footprints by increasing efficiencies, extracting insights from data, and identifying areas for improvement, such as reducing energy or water consumption. Our software supports climate resilience and adaptation, offering tools for flood modeling, structural design analysis, and testing materials for resilience to extreme weather events. We conduct these tests during the design phase, avoiding potential issues during construction. We also provide software for monitoring and inspection, particularly valuable as extreme weather events become more frequent, increasing risks to existing infrastructure, especially older structures like dams and bridges. Our software enables virtual inspections of critical infrastructure, combining IoT and AI for crack detection and issue identification. We apply a data-driven approach to electric and water grids, ensuring system integrity and identifying anomalies for prompt action to reduce water losses. We also have a fourth category, which we refer to as “healthy cities and communities.” This category primarily focuses on large urban areas. Our software is adept at supporting the integration of various systems within such cities. In urban environments, it’s not just about singular focuses like water or transportation; there’s a need for greater connectivity. The transportation sector, which I previously mentioned, plays a vital role in creating healthy and interconnected cities and communities. It’s essential to facilitate sustainable and resilient connections

that enhance the quality of life, health, and well-being of residents. In a smart city, data aggregation and visualisation are crucial. It’s essential to collect and present data effectively for decision-makers and stakeholders, including local communities. Therefore, we offer tools for data aggregation and visualisation to support informed decision-making and community engagement. What kind of support and training does Bentley Systems provide to its clients for effective utilisation of your software? We are primarily a software development company, but we also offer what we call “blueprints.” These blueprints serve as guides or templates designed to assist users in addressing specific application challenges. In many instances, these blueprints are structured as workflows that integrate various products to provide solutions tailored to particular industries. For example, let’s consider a scenario where a user wants to build a monitoring solution that involves integrating different products. In such cases, having well-documented workflows becomes essential to navigate through the implementation process effectively. These blueprints essentially establish the step-by-step processes that connect different products to solve a specific challenge. The choice of blueprint can vary depending on the user’s level of clarity about their objectives.

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

INTERVIEW

ON TRACK FOR SUCCESS RYAN LI, CEO OF LEXAR, OUTLINES HIS STRATEGY FOR CAPTURING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE DATA STORAGE MARKET.

ow strategically important is this region for Lexar? I’m thrilled about Lexar’s prospects in the Middle East, and our local team has been performing admirably, achieving significant milestones in terms of market coverage and sales revenue. Currently, we are strategically prioritising brand positioning, and you can expect to make substantial investments in this area in the coming year. As the new CEO, what is your vision for Lexar? I have two key points to address this question. First, revenue is undeniably important. Having a substantial revenue indicates market share and a notable presence in the market. It’s essential to ensure customers and distributors are familiar with Lexar. When people purchase and use our products and find them exceptional, they recognise Lexar’s value. However, the second point is even more important for me: making Lexar the best employer. Why? Because to earn respect for Lexar in the market, we must first earn the respect of our own employees. When our team loves the company and is dedicated to their roles, it empowers Lexar to create superior products and establish a stronger brand globally. My ultimate dream is to position Lexar among the world’s best employers. Achieving this would signify a significant milestone for us. What sets Lexar apart in this very competitive market? We have 800 engineers engaged in R&D. Also, we have our own controller, which is a crucial component in our SSDs and memory cards. These cards, designed and manufactured by us, consist of two key elements: the controller and the wafer. The controller represents the high-tech core of the card, serving as its CPU. In the past, we 36

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relied on third-party chips for this purpose. However, we have now developed our high-performance, top-quality chip specifically designed for our SSDs and memory cards. If you look at the memory cards market, I admit SanDisk has a larger market share, primarily because we didn’t have competitive products in this category. However, the game has changed with the introduction of our proprietary chipset. We’ve elevated performance standards significantly, with substantially higher read and write speeds than the competition, giving us a distinct competitive edge. Furthermore, it’s important to note that some of our competitors rely on the same manufacturing facility. In contrast, Lexar has taken a different path by acquiring PTI China, a leading company in wafer packaging. This strategic move underscores Lexar’s unique DNA in this industry. What are Lexar’s current priorities in terms of technological innovation? Data storage has become indispensable given the rapid growth in internet users in the region, coupled with the steep rise in the volume of data generated from various digital platforms. This has

resulted in a significant demand for more advanced and secure data storage solutions, a trend we expect will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. Data storage for professional photographers, videographers, and content creators from the media and entertainment industry can be rather complex and challenging. Given that both these industries continue to face unprecedented challenges in the digital era, the demand for high-quality content, the proliferation of formats and platforms, the need for scalability and agility, and the threat of cyberattacks are some of the factors that put pressure on the industry’s data management capabilities. Lexar is not just perfectly positioned to capitalise on the growing demand for memory and storage solutions through our wide range of products, we also have been able to anticipate and respond to the evolving needs of our target market. Moreover, data security is of topmost importance for Lexar – all of our new portfolio of memory solutions features data security technology called ‘Lexar Data Shield’, which is an advanced software that keeps files safe with 256-bit AES encryption. Can you share insights into Lexar’s approach towards environmental sustainability and corporate responsibility? Sustainable development is a crucial consideration for Lexar, encompassing the continuous iteration of our product technology using the most advanced processes, such as lower nanometer IC chips and higher-stacked flash wafers. This means that Lexar’s products offer high performance while consuming less power. Furthermore, our production and manufacturing integration will also utilise the most advanced methods globally to ensure that products are environmentally friendly and energyefficient, taking into account sustainable development dimensions. With Lexar’s global sales reaching billions of units, any small energy-saving measures are a priority for us to invest in, as they represent Lexar’s social responsibility and user value.

AWARDS

CELEBRATING DIGITAL PIONEERS THE SECOND EDITION OF THE GOVDX LEADERSHIP AWARDS SPOTLIGHTED WHY THE FUTURE OF GOVERNANCE IS DIGITAL.

n an age defined by digital transformation, the public sector in the region has been leading the way, reshaping the future of governance through digital technologies. The second edition of the GovDX Leadership Awards was held at Shangri La hotel in Dubai, celebrating the achievements of government agencies and individuals leveraging technology to better our society. Ahmed Ali, solutions architect at Help AG, started the event with an insightful presentation about OT and IoT security challenges. ‘We are witnessing increasing sophistication in malware targeting OT/IoT environments. Security is not the primary focus in OT devices or IoT sensors. Fortunately, we now have regulations and standardization related to OT and IoT, which are driving us to enhance the security of our infrastructure,’ he said. This was followed by a presentation by the former CIO and innovation coach, Terence Sathyanarayan, 38

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who delved deep into value-driven economics. ‘Digital transformation needs to achieve three key business objectives: transforming the core business, creating new business, and modernizing the existing business,’ he emphasized.

Digital Transformation Projects

FUJAIRAH FINANCE DEPARTMENT

NAKHEEL

SPEED VEHICLE TESTING AND REGISTRATION CENTER OF AJMAN

Cybersecurity and resilience projects

DUBAI MUNICIPALITY

Emerging Technologies Project

DUBAI MUNICIPALITY

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, ABU DHABI

SHARJAH CUSTOMS

Government mobile app

Smart city project

MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND PREVENTION

DUBAI MUNICIPALITY

Transformation team

DUBAI HOLDING ASSET MANAGEMENT

TRANSPORT AUTHORITY, AJMAN

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

AWARDS

Editor’s Choice

ANAS ELTAHIR DUBAI RULERS COURT

FAHEM AL NUAIMI ANAKBUT

JIJISH GOPI THE DUBAI DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE

AHMED AL MADANI, HORIZON TERMINALS

Government Security Leader

KHALIFA AL ZAABI DIRECTOR AT DUBAI HOLDINGS ASSET MANAGEMENT

HAMDA ALMAAZMI THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND PREVENTION

Government Transformation Leaders

GHANIM AL FALASI DUBAI SILICON OASIS

CXO INSIGHT ME

DECEMBER 2023

BASEM EASA BELAL DUBAI SPORTS COUNCIL

Government woman CIO of the year

INAS ABOUSHARKH AJMAN UNIVERSITY

Government CIO of the year

ABDALLA AL ALI DMCC

AIMAN OTHMAN UNION COOP

ABDULRAHMAN SAIF AL NUAMI TRANSPORT AUTHORITY AJMAN

VENDOR AWARDS

PAESSLER AG

ALLIED TELESIS

FINESSE

Innovation Excellence Award

Product excellence award

Government digital transformation SI award

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

VIEWPOINT

GETTING READY FOR WI-FI 7 NARENDER VASANDANI, SIEMON’S TECHNICAL SERVICES GROUP MANAGER FOR IMEA, ON THE EVOLUTION IN WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY.

he Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is actively working on a new Wi-Fi standard. This new Wi-Fi 7 standard, otherwise referred to as ‘IEEE P802.11be “Enhancements for Extremely High Throughput (EHT) Wireless LAN”, promises considerably faster speeds and the ability to handle more data compared to previous generations of Wi-Fi technology. Although Wi-Fi 7 is not projected to be released until later in 2024, some of the key characteristics are sufficiently stable for some vendors to start releasing pre-standard Wi-Fi 7 devices. What is important to consider, however, is the network cabling that supports next-generation wireless access points (WAP). Only the correct specification of the cabling will enable optimum WAPperformance so that users can take full advantage of the capabilities of nextgeneration WiFi. Wi-Fi 7 capabilities Currently, Wi-Fi 7 promises to deliver an associated theoretical maximum throughput of 46.1 Gb/s upstream and downstream combined, and a “real world” maximum throughput of greater than 20 Gb/s upstream and downstream combined. Once this new standard has been approved, this will mean a major increase in speed, considering that the currently deployed Wi-Fi 6/6E delivers data rate capability up to 9.6 Gbit/s. Amongst the most significant enhancements of Wi-Fi 7 is “multi-link operation”. This allows for simultaneous transmission and reception of data, enabling greater throughput and improved latency. Also under consideration are expanded frequencies (including 6GHz), wider channels (320MHz), and better modulation 42

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(4096-QAM), while maintaining backward compatibility with previous Wi-Fi generations. Meeting demand It is estimated that 50 to 80 percent (depending on the country) of the world’s mobile data is now carried on Wi-Fi devices. These devices have to cope with an ever-increasing demand for throughput to support applications, including remote working and conferencing, Telehealth, IIoT/industry 4.0, IoT, AR/VR, wireless gaming, 4K and 8K video streaming etc. The development of information content to streaming ultra-high-definition video and multimedia supports the adoption of higher-speed Wi-Fi solutions. However, to deliver the right capacity for your wireless access points, the specification of highperformance network cabling is essential to effectively support users’ access layer switches and uplink connections. Cabling strategies for Wi-Fi 7 In preparation for these higher speeds, multiple telecommunications standards, including ANSI/TIA-568.1-E, specifically recommend deploying two category 6A or higher cabling runs to each Wireless Access Point (WAP), providing the 10 Gb/s transmission performance that higher-speed Wi-Fi demands. Only

class EA/category 6A and higher-rated network cabling provide guaranteed support of 10GBASE-T overall installation environments and channel topologies up to 100 metres. Shielded cabling, such as shielded category 6A and category 7/7A is recommended when wireless access points are powered remotely over the lowvoltage cabling via Power over Ethernet (PoE). This is because shielded cabling provides much better thermal stability compared to unshielded cabling. The reason is simple. Remote power delivery increases the temperature in cable bundles, and shielded cables support longer channel lengths when deployed in high-temperature environments. They also enable a larger number of cables to be bundled without concern for excessive heat build-up within the bundle. The cabling infrastructure should also always be designed with future needs in mind and should consider equipment upgrades and future wireless technologies as well as strategies to support redundancy. To allow for additional WAP deployments, for rapid reconfiguration of coverage areas, and to provide redundant and future-proof connections, Siemon recommends a grid-based zone cabling architecture. Recommendations include that each zone enclosure supports a coverage radius of 13m (42 ft). When a category 6A field-terminated plug is used at the equipment end of the installed channel, higher-speed wireless access points can be deployed much faster. Using field-terminated plugs avoids having to estimate the exact distance of cordage required, preventing excessive cord tension or slack at the WAP. Siemon recommends minimum of 2-connector channel topologies (i.e. links with Work Area termination) to facilitate adds, moves, and changes, field testing, and labelling.

VIEWPOINT

IT SECURITY PREDICTIONS FOR 2024 CLOUDFLARE’S CSO, GRANT BOURZIKAS, PROVIDES INSIGHTS INTO THE TOP 5 IT SECURITY PREDICTIONS FOR 2024. THESE PREDICTIONS ANTICIPATE ADVANCEMENTS IN AI-DRIVEN CYBER THREATS, THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF ATTACK VECTORS, AND THE INCREASING SIGNIFICANCE OF PROACTIVE SECURITY MEASURES WITHIN THE DYNAMIC DIGITAL LANDSCAPE.

he knowledge gap between security professionals who understand AI and those who do not will be the number one reason for any shift in the balance of power to threat actors. Whether or not the usage of AI is giving attackers a leg up is the wrong question to be asking. AI is here to stay, so the right question is whether or not security leaders possess the skills required or will invest the time to upskill and learn how to handle what is becoming the largest revolution ever seen in technology. Both harnessing the power of this technology and defending against it, hinges on the ability to connect the conceptual to the tangible. If the security industry fails to demystify AI and its potential malicious use cases, 2024 will be a field day for threat actors. The AI arms race will officially commence, and the first AI model breach will take place. Organisations of all types are aggressively adopting and beginning to rely on models to carry out critical business functions. Moreover, organisations are leaning heavily on AI to maintain a competitive edge, with Wall Street upgrading the stocks of companies that mention AI and punishing those who are seemingly behind the technology curve. As with any technology that becomes a crucial piece to an organisation’s success, it increasingly becomes a top target for threat actors to inflict significant damage. Organisations rushing to join this revolution without the proper precautions put in place are opening

themselves up as a low hanging fruit for model tampering and breaches – ones that could have the power to impact everything from critical care, banking systems, power grids etc. The only way to fight against AI is with AI… if you have already mastered the basics. Defending against AI ultimately means defending against all human knowledge indexed. Information sharing exists at an order of magnitude faster, and is more efficiently exchanged than ever before. Security pros protecting their organisations in the era of infinite information face challenges never seen before. But if the industry has historically struggled with doing the simple things well, over pivoting to solve issues using AI will be mostly benign. Sometimes the best way to mitigate attacks is by going back to foundational elements of detection and mitigation.

The next cutting-edge security technology that will hit the market in 2024 will be the ability to identify and eliminate the usage of deep fakes on social media and in modern media. One of the main goals of a threat actor is to erode trust, and one of the most useful tools to achieve this is by leveraging deep fakes. While deep fakes have been around for years, today’s versions are more realistic than ever. Untrained eyes and ears cannot discern what is fake… and with today’s versions more realistic than ever, trained eyes and ears also fail to identify deep fakes. The number one focus for customers in 2024 will be around achieving resilience. The Internet has become a pillar of critical infrastructure, and this year will become more dangerous than ever. In 2024 the number one concern of our customers will be resilience. As more zero-days, flaws in popular software, supply chain issues and threat actor tactics evolve and come to fruition, organisations are hyper vigilant on the steps they can take to remain protected. Responsible disclosure will be a critical pillar in upholding resilience – no matter the priorities or style of the CISO. Managing incidents like zero-days isn’t as simple as “run the patch, now you’re done.” In 2024, security leaders will begin the mindset shift towards turning incident management, patching, and evolving security protections into ongoing processes. Mitigations like patches for each variant of a vulnerability may reduce your risk, but they never fully eliminate it.

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

VIEWPOINT

BLOCKCHAIN UNLEASHED TALAL SHAIKH, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT MATHEMATICAL AND COMPUTER SCIENCES, HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY DUBAI, WRITES ABOUT HOW TO NAVIGATE THE TRANSFORMATIVE TRENDS SHAPING TOMORROW.

the essence of traditional banking. As per BCC Research, the decentralised finance (DeFi) market is expected to experience substantial growth, increasing from $9.4 billion in 2021 to $70.3 billion by 2027. This growth represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 39.5% throughout the forecast period. Energy and Environmental Impact The environmental impact of blockchain technology, especially in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, is a pressing concern due to the high energy consumption of Proof of Work (PoW) mechanisms. These require extensive computational power, leading to significant electricity usage and a large carbon footprint. In response, the industry is shifting towards more energyefficient methods like Proof of Stake (PoS), notably adopted by Ethereum, drastically reducing energy use about 99% and aligning blockchain technology with sustainability goals.

n the ever-evolving landscape of technology, blockchain has emerged as a disruptive force, reshaping industries, and challenging traditional paradigms. The advent of blockchain technology has sparked a technological upheaval, causing significant disruptions across industries, and transforming our digital environment. The blockchain market is experiencing extraordinary expansion, with a projected Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 87.7% from 2023 to 2030. According to Grand View Research, this surge anticipates the market’s valuation to reach USD 1,431.54 billion by 2030. As we embark on a journey into the future, dissecting the top blockchain technology trends that are steering this revolutionary ship is crucial. From decentralised finance 44

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(DeFi) to non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and beyond, these trends are shaping the present and defining the very fabric of the digital future. Decentralised Finance (DeFi) DeFi has become the rallying cry for blockchain enthusiasts, offering a decentralised alternative to traditional financial services. The hallmark of this trend is the elimination of intermediaries, putting financial power back into the hands of the users. DeFi protocols facilitate lending, borrowing, and trading without relying on conventional banking systems. Users can engage in financial transactions directly, making the process more efficient and cost-effective. This democratisation of finance is not just a trend but a paradigm shift that challenges

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) NFTs, unique digital assets authenticated using blockchain technology, have transcended their origins in digital art to impact various industries. From music and gaming to real estate, NFTs are revolutionising ownership and provenance tracking. MarketsAndMarkets forecasts that the NFT market is anticipated to reach USD 13.6 billion by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 35%. This trend showcases the power of blockchain in authentication and hints at a future where digital ownership is as valuable as physical possession. Blockchain Interoperability As blockchain networks burgeon, the need for interoperability has never been more pronounced. As outlined by KBV Research,

projections indicate that the global market for blockchain interoperability is set to achieve a valuation of $2.3 billion by the year 2030. This growth is anticipated at a CAGR of 28% throughout the forecast period. Blockchain interoperability allows different networks to communicate seamlessly, fostering collaboration and overcoming scalability issues. Projects like Polkadot, Cosmos, and Avalanche are leading the charge in creating a more interconnected blockchain ecosystem. Interoperability is not just a technical necessity; it is the bridge connecting disparate blockchain platforms, enabling a more cohesive and scalable blockchain landscape. This trend ensures that blockchain evolves into a robust, interconnected web rather than a series of isolated islands. Layer 2 Scaling Solutions The scalability conundrum has been a persistent challenge for blockchain networks, and layer 2 scaling solutions are emerging as the answer. Technologies like Optimistic Rollups and zk-Rollups aim to enhance transaction speed and reduce costs, making blockchain more feasible for everyday transactions. Ethereum’s transition to Ethereum 2.0 and the adoption of layer 2 solutions exemplify the industry’s commitment to scalability. As blockchain networks aim to handle larger transaction volumes without compromising decentralisation, Layer 2 scaling solutions will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of blockchain technology. Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) Governments and central banks are stepping into the blockchain arena by exploring and implementing Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). CBDCs leverage blockchain for sovereign digital currencies, offering benefits such as enhanced financial inclusion, reduced fraud, and streamlined cross-border transactions. China’s Digital Currency Electronic Payment (DCEP) project is a trailblazer in the CBDC space, conducting trials in several cities. The adoption of CBDCs reflects a global acknowledgement

period. This growth is expected to result in the market reaching a value of USD 5638.0 million by 2028, underscoring the industry’s acknowledgement of the transformative impact of blockchain technology. From farm to table, blockchain is becoming the backbone of modern supply chain systems.

THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY IS EXPERIENCING A PARADIGM SHIFT WITH THE INTEGRATION OF BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY. BLOCKCHAIN ENSURES SECURE AND TRANSPARENT SHARING OF MEDICAL RECORDS, MITIGATING DATA BREACHES AND PRIVACY CONCERNS. of blockchain’s potential to reshape traditional financial systems and currencies. Blockchain in Supply Chain Blockchain’s impact on supply chain management is a trend that transcends buzzwords and delivers tangible benefits. Technology enhances transparency, traceability, and efficiency in supply chains, addressing issues like fraud and ensuring the authenticity of products. The anticipated growth of the worldwide blockchain in the supply chain market is projected to be at a CAGR of 46.51% throughout the forecast

Blockchain in Healthcare The healthcare industry is experiencing a paradigm shift with the integration of blockchain technology. Blockchain ensures secure and transparent sharing of medical records, mitigating data breaches and privacy concerns. In 2021, the global market for blockchain technology in healthcare reached a valuation of $531.19 million. It is expected to grow substantially, reaching $16.30 billion by 2031, with a remarkable CAGR of 40.8% from 2022 to 2031. Blockchain’s role in healthcare goes beyond record-keeping; it facilitates interoperability, data security, and patient-centric solutions. As the healthcare sector embraces digitisation, blockchain emerges as a foundational technology for safeguarding sensitive medical information. Blockchain in Legal Tech Legal tech is undergoing a transformation with the integration of blockchain. Smart contracts, self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into code, automate and enforce legal agreements. Blockchain’s role in legal tech goes beyond automation; it introduces transparency and immutability into legal processes. Smart contracts are redefining how contracts are executed, verified, and enforced, making legal transactions more efficient and secure. In conclusion, the trends shaping the future of blockchain technology are diverse, dynamic, and deeply impactful. From reshaping finance through DeFi to revolutionising ownership with NFTs, blockchain’s influence is pervasive. The drive towards interoperability, scalability, sustainability, and cross-industry collaboration underscores the maturation of blockchain from a disruptive technology to a foundational element of our digital future.

DECEMBER 2023

CXO INSIGHT ME

INTERVIEW

MAKING AN IMPACT

HIROYUKI SHIBUTANI, MD OF PANASONIC MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA, DISCUSSES HOW THE CONSUMER ELECTRONICS GIANT IS COMMITTED TO CREATING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

an you tell us about Panasonic environmental vision? At Panasonic, sustainability aligns seamlessly with our core mission, echoing the ideals of our company’s founder, who consistently emphasized our commitment to improving the quality of people’s lives. Under our new CEO’s leadership, we are redefining our mission to focus on sustainability with the ‘Green Impact’ initiative launched last year. On the business front, we are dedicated to developing sustainable products, including hydrogen fuel cells, energyefficient consumer products, and supply chain efficiency software. The second aspect involves our commitment to reduce our own emissions significantly. We aim to reduce CO2 emissions from our value chain by 110 million tons before the year 2030, 300 million tons by 2050, and create more net-zero factories. We plan to recycle nearly all factory waste and double our use of recycled resin. We have already embarked on this journey, with nearly 13 of our factories operating as carbon-neutral entities at present, using hydrogen and solar energy sources. We are also streamlining our supply chain efficiencies, as part of which we have acquired one of the world’s largest supply chain solution companies, Blue Yonder. We have integrated their expertise into our own supply chain processes. Are you leveraging AI as part of your sustainability strategy? We’ve incorporated a significant amount of AI technology into our company, and a prime example of this is our Econavi system. This technology is exceptionally advanced and is featured in our highend models of various products, such as washing machines, refrigerators, and air

CXO INSIGHT ME

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conditioners. EcoNavi’s AI capabilities allow these appliances to intelligently control their energy efficiency. In addition to this, we are actively embracing new technologies like ChatGPT to improve our operational efficiencies, demonstrating our company’s commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation. Do you have initiatives for used product recycling? We have already set up efficient recycling systems using third parties in Europe and the Middle East. In Japan, we have our own recycling company in compliance with regulations to collect used consumer durables and scrap electronic waste from our customers. Please share the central focus of your R & D efforts in product development. We allocate 33 percent of our annual revenues to research and development, with a strategic emphasis on air conditioning, a sector that significantly impacts emissions and energy consumption. Our substantial investments are aimed at developing environmentally friendly products in this area, particularly in Europe and later in other regions as

well. We were among the first companies to transition to R32 refrigerant and heat pump systems that harness heat energy from the surrounding air for water heating. We’ve introduced 80 new consumer products this year, from kitchen appliances to refrigerators and washing machines. Our current emphasis is on enhancing our premium product range. Premium, in this context, doesn’t mean price but more eco-friendly and energy efficient products. Globally, there is a trend toward consumers preferring products that consume less electricity due to rising energy costs. In this region, we are fortunate to witness both consumers and governments rapidly shifting towards a culture of eco-friendliness and lower electricity consumption. In developed markets, consumers prefer sustainable products from companies with strong ESG scores. Do you observe a similar trend in our region? In this region, especially in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the government is making significant investments in clean energy and smart city initiatives. Interestingly, these government policies are now making their way into the daily lives of consumers, and this transition is happening rapidly compared to other regions. While people may not have been as concerned about these matters five years ago, the government’s initiatives and efforts have sparked a significant movement in this direction. Do you have an employee sustainability programme? We have a workforce of over 300,000 employees who are aligned with our sustainability vision. As an example, we have eliminated the use of plastic bottles in all our offices. In the UAE, we have actively participated in coastal clean-up programs and have contributed to the government’s ambitious goal of planting 100 million mangrove trees by 2030 by planting mangroves. We have a dedicated sustainability board led by our CEO. They hold quarterly meetings to ensure compliance and regularly monitor the progress of our sustainability actions.

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AWS and NVIDIA’s Strategic Collaboration Offer New Supercomputing Infrastructure, Software, and Services for Generative AI

Amazon Web Services and NVIDIA announced an expansion of their strategic collaboration to deliver the most advanced infrastructure, software, and services to power customers’ generative artificial intelligence (AI) innovations. The companies will bring together the best of NVIDIA and AWS technologies—from NVIDIA’s newest multi-node systems featuring next-generation GPUs, CPUs, and AI software, to AWS Nitro System advanced virtualisation and security, Elastic Fabric Adapter (EFA) interconnect, and UltraCluster scalability—that are ideal for training foundation models and building generative AI applications. The expanded collaboration builds on a longstanding relationship that has fueled the generative AI era by offering early machine learning (ML) pioneers the compute performance required to advance the state of the art in these technologies. “AWS and NVIDIA have collaborated for more than 13 years, beginning with the world’s first GPU cloud instance. Today, we offer the widest range of NVIDIA GPU solutions for workloads including graphics, gaming, high performance computing, machine learning, and now, generative AI,” said Adam Selipsky, CEO at AWS. “We continue to innovate with NVIDIA to make AWS the best place to run GPUs, combining next-gen NVIDIA Grace Hopper Superchips with AWS’s EFA powerful networking, EC2 UltraClusters’ hyper-scale clustering, and Nitro’s advanced virtualisation capabilities.” “Generative AI is transforming cloud workloads and putting accelerated computing at the foundation of diverse content 48

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generation,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “Driven by a common mission to deliver cost-effective, state-of-the-art generative AI to every customer, NVIDIA and AWS are collaborating across the entire computing stack, spanning AI infrastructure, acceleration libraries, foundation models, to generative AI services.” As part of the expanded collaboration to supercharge generative AI across all industries: • AWS will be the first cloud provider to bring NVIDIA GH200 Grace Hopper Superchips with new multi-node NVLink technology to the cloud. The NVIDIA GH200 NVL32 multinode platform connects 32 Grace Hopper Superchips with NVIDIA NVLink and NVSwitch technologies into one instance. The platform will be available on Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) instances connected with Amazon’s powerful networking (EFA), supported by advanced virtualisation (AWS Nitro System) and hyperscale clustering (Amazon EC2 UltraClusters), enabling joint customers to scale to thousands of GH200 Superchips. • NVIDIA and AWS will collaborate to host NVIDIA DGX Cloud, NVIDIA’s AI-training-as-a-service, on AWS. It will be the first DGX Cloud featuring GH200 NVL32, providing developers the largest shared memory in a single instance. DGX Cloud on AWS will accelerate training of cutting-edge generative AI and large language models that can reach beyond 1 trillion parameters. • NVIDIA and AWS are collaborating on Project Ceiba to build the world’s fastest GPU-powered AI supercomputer – an at-scale system with GH200 NVL32 and Amazon EFA interconnect, hosted by AWS for NVIDIA’s own research and development team. This first-of-its-kind supercomputer – featuring 16,384 NVIDIA GH200 Superchips and capable of processing 65 exaflops of AI – will be used by NVIDIA to propel its next wave of generative AI innovation. • AWS will introduce three additional Amazon EC2 instances: P5e instances, powered by NVIDIA H200 Tensor Core GPUs, for large-scale and cutting-edge generative AI and HPC workloads; and G6 and G6e instances, powered by NVIDIA L4 GPUs and NVIDIA L40S GPUs, respectively, for a wide set of applications such as AI fine tuning, inference, graphics, and video workloads. G6e instances are particularly suitable for developing 3D workflows, digital twins, and other applications using NVIDIA Omniverse, a platform for connecting and building generative AI- enabled 3D applications.

HP Launches New Thin Client Offerings to Seamlessly Power, Secure Mission- Critical Work In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, organizations and IT admins are seeking reliable, cost-effective offerings that safeguard data without sacrificing elite performance or maximum security for mission-critical work– whether for government employees accessing classified information or filmmakers working on tentpole projects, to stockbrokers and healthcare workers handling sensitive data. Today, HP announced its latest Thin Client offerings designed to meet these needs: the HP Elite t755 Thin Client, delivering 77% increased CPU performance, and HP tz655 Trusted Zero Client, accelerating Zero Trust adoption. • Providing a seamless and secure solution for workers and IT, the HP Elite t755 Thin Client and HP tz655 Trusted Zero Client are ideal for multi-user workspace environments or remote work setups, enabling employees to work productively on performance-intensive projects while data remains secure. • Equipped with comprehensive security and data protection, HP Thin Client offerings feature physical intrusion detection technology; continuous security risk monitoring with HP Anyware Trust Centre; preventing unauthorised changes to mission-critical endpoints with HP ThinPro OS lockdown and HP Write Manager; and defense against cold-boot attacks with full memory encryption via AMD Memory Guard. Standout experiences & features include: • The HP Elite t755 Thin Client uplevels the cloud experience with breakthrough performance, 77% increased CPU performance, thanks to the 45w AMD Ryzen Embedded

INTEL CORE ULTRA USHERS IN THE AGE OF THE AI PC

V2546 processor. Users can work smarter, not harder, with support for up to six 4K displays, configurable port flexibility, and low power consumption with the device using less than 200 watts. • The HP tz655 Trusted Zero Client accelerates Zero Trust adoption with in alignment with government mandates. IT admins can simply and remotely deploy, update, and manage thousands of HP Thin Clients from anywhere through a single console with HP Device Manager. This device offers powerful performance, including PCoIP Ultra performance to accommodate compute-intensive apps with real-time enhanced image quality. Additionally, both offerings are designed with HP’s commitment to sustainability in mind, containing at least 50% post-consumer recycled plastics and outside box and corrugated cushions that are 100% sustainably sourced and recyclable, as well as ENERGY STAR certified and EPEAT Gold registered in the U.S. Pricing & Availability • The HP Elite t755 Thin Client will be available worldwide at www.hp.com/go/thin on January 29, 2024. • The HP tz655 Trusted Zero Client is expected to be available worldwide in March 2024 at www.hp.com/go/thin.

Intel Core Ultra mobile processors deliver reimagined power efficiency, worldclass compute and graphics performance and the best AI PC experience1 to mobile platforms and out to the edge. Available globally on-shelf and online starting today, new Intel Core Ultra mobile processors will power more than 230 of the world’s first AI PCs from partners including Acer, ASUS, Dell, Dynabook, Gigabyte, HP, Lenovo, LG, Microsoft, MSI and Samsung. Why It Matters: Whether you’re working, learning, streaming, gaming or creating on-the-go, people need more performance and battery life out of their PCs while taking full advantage of the AI capabilities that are increasingly present in operating systems and applications. The AI PC represents a new generation of personal computers to meet this demand. With dedicated AI acceleration capability spread across the central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU) and neural processing unit (NPU) architectures, Intel Core Ultra is the most AI-capable and power-efficient client processor in Intel’s history. The AI PC experience is only as strong as the enabled software. As part of Intel’s AI PC Acceleration Program, more than 100 independent software vendors (ISVs) and more than 300 AI-accelerated features will be uniquely optimized for Intel Core Ultra processors – that is three times more AI apps and frameworks than any competing silicon vendor.

DECEMBER 2023

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TECH-DRIVEN PATHWAYS TO ESG SUNIL PAUL, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FINESSE, SHARES INSIGHTS ON COP28 AND THE PIVOTAL ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY.

he 28th edition of the annual conference convened under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Dubai, better known as COP 28 (COP stands for Conference of Parties), marked the largest gathering compared to its predecessors. The conclusions of the negotiations, dubbed the ‘UAE Consensus,’ included: • A transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner, in line with the science • Tripling renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency improvements by 2030 • Reducing methane emissions, reducing emissions from transport, and switching to zero and low-carbon fuels by 2050 The impact will be felt across industries as governments start taking steps to meet their COP commitments. They may introduce new policies favouring renewable energy and penalising highemission sectors. Financial institutions are expected to include the impact of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as part of their project evaluation metrics. Businesses will be increasingly under pressure from governments, investors and civil society to disclose their transition plans and climate commitments. At COP28, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) was officially disbanded, with the IFRS Foundation’s International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) taking over the TCFD’s responsibilities for corporate disclosure of climate targets, risks and opportunities. The objective is to make corporate climate reporting more 50

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consistent and transparent by adopting the ISSB’s Climate Standards as a universal benchmark. Large European companies will be required to adhere to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) for their reports starting from the financial year 2024, and disclosure standards for small companies are being planned. Another significant development was the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) launching its ambitious call to action, “Supply Change: Take Action On Supply Chains Today.” to encourage companies to engage more actively with their suppliers and start tackling their Scope 3 emissions. The report by the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Expert Group on the Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities (HLEG), “Integrity Matters: Net-Zero Commitments by Businesses, Financial Institutions, Cities and Regions,” sets out ten practical recommendations to bring integrity, transparency and accountability to ensure that net-zero pledges are fully aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, by establishing clear standards and criteria. The outcomes of COP28 are expected to manifest in stricter Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting mandates. All the above points to only one thing: the importance of data. Data is needed to measure progress vis-à-vis environmental commitments, take meaningful actions and satisfy the transparency requirements laid down by the government and stakeholders. Getting this data is possible only through digitalisation, which should be central to any organisation’s sustainability journey.

With digital processes and systems in place, understanding and measuring the environmental impact becomes much easier. Broadly speaking, digitalisation furnishes real-time operational data and information on business processes and activities at a granular level. This data can be processed and analysed, and the outcomes addressed improve efficiency, reduce waste and create new opportunities. For instance, data-driven process optimisation can help companies achieve their targets for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. Digital twins empower engineering teams to explore an extensive array of operational scenarios, enabling the design of plants to minimise emissions and optimise risk. Blockchain technology can be used to track carbon emissions and promote sustainable practices in supply chain management. ESG and sustainability commitments are fundamentally about data, so CIOs and their IT organisations are crucial in advancing their companies’ sustainability goals. CIOs have a central role in ESG implementation, from establishing a contemporary technological infrastructure to navigating the landscape of the ESG risk data. They are responsible for identifying, extracting, enhancing, and optimising the utilisation of ESG data throughout the enterprise. This concerted effort leads to sustainable growth, engenders stakeholder trust, and instils customer confidence. They can also walk the talk by implementing sustainability measures within their IT ecosystems, from investing in energy-efficient computing and storage infrastructure to moving workloads to the cloud.

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