HARNESSING AI AND HPC

HARNESSING AI AND HPC

GIOVANNI DI FILIPPO, PRESIDENT OF EMEA INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS GROUP, LENOVO, DISCUSSES THE COMPANY’S PLANS FOR MAKING AI AND HPC ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL

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HARNESSING

MIDDLE EAST ENTERPRISES ACCELERATE INNOVATION AND GROWTH WITH SALESFORCE AI ENTERPRISE

BUSINESS LEADERS WANT IMMEDIATE BENEFITS FROM TECHNOLOGY AMID ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY

“POWERING INNOVATION 2024: A GENETEC EMPOWER 360 ROADSHOW” CONCLUDES IN SAUDI ARABIA

LEXAR FURTHER STRENGTHENS AFRICAN PRESENCE AND BUILDS STRONG DISTRIBUTION NETWORK ACROSS THE CONTINENT

AIWAVE OF CHANGE

is swiftly transforming the ICT landscape, bringing unprecedented changes across industries. A recent Gartner survey highlights that GenAI has emerged as the most frequently deployed AI solution in organisations, surpassing traditional AI applications like optimisation algorithms and natural language processing.

GenAI, exemplified by tools such as Microsoft’s Copilot for 365 and Adobe Firefly, is now the primary method for addressing AI use cases in organisations. This trend underscores AI’s growing integration into existing business applications, driving both innovation and efficiency. The ability to generate new content, automate processes, and enhance decision-making is redefining how businesses operate and compete.

However, this rapid adoption is not without challenges. The primary barrier to AI adoption remains the difficulty in estimating and demonstrating the value of AI projects. Organisations are struggling with this issue, highlighting the need for clearer ROI metrics and broader benefit evaluation. They must consider the total cost of ownership and the diverse advantages of AI initiatives beyond mere productivity gains.

Successful AI deployment relies on several key capabilities. Organisations with advanced AI maturity demonstrate four foundational elements: a scalable AI operating model, a systematic approach to AI engineering, investment in upskilling and change management, and robust trust, risk, and security management (TRiSM) capabilities. These elements enable these organisations to deploy AI projects more efficiently and securely, ensuring sustained value creation. Looking ahead, the future of AI in technology promises further advancements and integrations.

As AI continues to evolve, so does CXO Insight Middle East. We are also exploring new opportunities and preparing to introduce changes that will enhance our content and expand our reach. This wave of change is here to stay, and readers must ride this wave to engage in inspiring stories and groundbreaking insights.

Ruchika

Contributing Editor

MIDDLE EAST ENTERPRISES ACCELERATE INNOVATION AND GROWTH WITH SALESFORCE AI ENTERPRISE

Salesforce showcased the transformative power of its latest AI and cloud-based solutions to more than 2,000 customers, partners and associates at Salesforce World Tour Essentials Dubai, held at Madinat Jumeirah.

The seniority and number of attendees demonstrated the surging interest in AI and digital transformation solutions in the region, with organisations from across a range of sectors eager to learn more about new technologies that will enable them to fully leverage their data and grow their business in the face of a variety of converging challenges.

The event also drew attention to the vital role played by technology – particularly by Salesforce’s wider ecosystem – in creating a pipeline of tech talent that provides valuable employment opportunities while driving AI and digital transformation in the region. The event was supported by 49 partner sponsors, featured more than 50 sessions by more than 20 guest speakers.

IDC estimates that Salesforce and its partner ecosystem, fueled by AIpowered cloud solutions, will generate

$5.1 billion in net new business between 2022 and 2028. The report estimates a net gain of 21,800 jobs through AIpowered cloud solutions in the United Arab Emirates by 2028*.

The Salesforce ecosystem of partners in the Middle East has grown 29% in FY24 but the more significant improvement is in the area of certifications with an increase of 35% in total and 29% more consultants. These partners are helping organisations across all sectors to raise employee productivity and transform with real-time insights and new levels of customer experience.

“Every CEO I speak to knows they need to make major investments in AI to fuel growth and strengthen customer relationships. At Salesforce, we’re excited by the strides our customers and partners in the Middle East are taking to succeed in the AI era. World Tour Essentials Dubai offers the perfect showcase of the region’s potential as a centre of innovation,” said Lori Steele, President and CRO, Salesforce EMEA.

“Organisations in the region are striving to grow their businesses while managing ever-higher customer

and stakeholder expectations,” said Thierry Nicault, Area Vice President, Middle East, Salesforce. “Companies want to embrace technology and leverage their data, but the pace of change often leads to confusion and an inability to act, stifling innovation and agility. We wanted to use Salesforce World Tour Essentials Dubai to demonstrate how our customers can raise productivity, improve visibility, and transform their entire operations by deploying AI and digital tools in a smart way. By embracing the power of AI, organisations in the public and private sector can seize opportunities for growth and contribute to the wider project of economic diversification.”

Getting the right AI with the right data at World Tour Essentials Dubai

The keynotes, talks and presentations at Salesforce World Tour Essentials Dubai focused on how organisations can navigate challenges by embracing the latest AI, data and CRM solutions to build trust, drive efficiency, transform customer oversight, and grow their businesses.

Keynote speakers from Salesforce included Lori Steele, President and CRO, EMEA; Marc Mathieu, Senior Vice President of AI; Steve Corfield, EVP and GM, Global Sales; Thierry Nicault, Area Vice President, Middle East; and Marco Hernasanz, EVP & CEO EMEA South.

Salesforce customers operating in sectors including government, retail, real estate, energy, and banking offered valuable insights into how they overcame their challenges, revealing how Salesforce solutions such as Data Cloud and the Einstein 1 Platform have helped them transform operations. Participating organisations, including the Saudi retail giant Cenomi and Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center, shared their digital transformation journeys.

Data Cloud is a data platform that unifies all of a company’s data on Salesforce’s Einstein 1 Platform, giving every team a 360-degree view of every customer to drive automation and analytics, personalise engagement, and power trusted AI. Data Cloud creates this holistic customer view by turning

volumes of disconnected data into a single, trusted model that’s easy to access and understand.

Salesforce’s Einstein 1 Platform integrates the company’s suite of applications spanning sales, service, marketing, ecommerce, analytics, and industry solutions. By seamlessly fusing generative AI, data management, CRM capabilities, and trusted systems, businesses are empowered to increase productivity, unleash deeper customer relationships, and boost margins.

Nine out of 10 IT professionals say generative AI has forced them to change the way new technology is implemented and used, according to Salesforce research. Respondents say they need intuitive user interfaces that make it easy to interact with AI in the flow of work; AI models to fit their use cases; and access to trusted customer and business data to ground the AI models and ensure relevant outputs. With Data Cloud, customers can unlock their trapped data and bring together all of their business and customer data into one place for AI.

In December, Salesforce launched Hyperforce in the UAE, its trusted platform architecture. Hyperforce harnesses the scale and agility of the public cloud to easily deploy Salesforce solutions and provide its global customer base with enhanced flexibility to grow globally and serve locally.

Delivered through a strategic partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Hyperforce represents a significant advancement of the Salesforce platform. It enables new options to secure and store data incountry, which is critical for regional and global organisations in regulated industries such as the government, financial services, and telecommunications to stay ahead of evolving privacy regulations and an increased emphasis on data security and residency.

BUSINESS LEADERS WANT IMMEDIATE BENEFITS FROM TECHNOLOGY AMID ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY

Endava has found that given ongoing uncertainty within the tech sector, most decision-makers are choosing technologies that offer more noticeable, near-term benefits. The findings are included in Endava’s 2024 Emerging Tech Unpacked Report, which explores the new and emerging technologies business leaders are investing in.

The report, which surveyed almost 700 organisations of various sizes and industries globally found that in the drive towards operational efficiency, AI and generative AI were the top two priorities for organisations included in the study. Remarkably just 1% of respondents are unfamiliar with artificial intelligence technologies, and less than 3% say it’s irrelevant to their business.

Big data and predictive analytics emerged as the third- and fourthhighest priorities among organisations, with over a third of respondents already implementing both technologies and a further 30% in the process of doing so.

Internet of things (IoT) was the fifth-highest priority for the study’s participants. 40% of respondents

already use IoT in some capacity, making it the most implemented technology in this year’s study.

The report uncovers a pattern of hesitation from leaders to invest in projects involving more ‘conjectural’ technology and suggests that they are instead focusing on technologies which are more likely to offer nearterm benefits. When respondents were questioned about AI for example, nearly 50% placed it as one of their top three initiatives and 43% did the same for generative AI. However, when respondents were asked about the metaverse, 53% said it would be moderately or very relevant however only 17% has actually implemented a strategy. Environmental stewardship has cemented itself as more than a trend. On the contrary, ESG is proving to be an important driver for businesses, and respondents said that attracting customers and increasing operational efficiency remain the leading driving factors, with almost three-quarters of respondents rating ESG as relevant to their business. Interestingly, however, only 17% of respondents actually had an implementation strategy in place.

Speaking on the research, Endava CTO Matthew Cloke said, “As the global economy has faced a great deal of uncertainty in recent years, business leaders are focused on ensuring that their investments are placed in technologies which are most likely to provide near-term tangible benefits and resilience.

“With this in mind, it is understandable that companies are putting large amounts of resources into artificial intelligence, particularly generative AI, as many expect to see an almost immediate impact, as well as these benefits continuing down the line.”

“POWERING INNOVATION 2024: A GENETEC EMPOWER 360 ROADSHOW” CONCLUDES IN SAUDI ARABIA

Genetec to elevate physical security market with latest innovations in biometrics, video analytics, and access control solutions.

Genetec concluded its “Powering innovation 2024: A Genetec Empower 360 roadshow” in Saudi Arabia. The roadshow took place on 13 May at the Narcissus Hotel Riyadh and showcased the company’s latest innovations and strategic vision for the future.

As Saudi Arabia continues to prioritise smart city initiatives, physical security assumes paramount importance within the nation’s overarching security infrastructure. Echoing this dedication, the Genetec roadshow delved into critical topics impacting security professionals. In collaboration with Axis Communications, HID Global, and Ipsotek, the event explored biometrics, video analytics, and access control solutions that transcend conventional boundaries. Central to the discussions

were the exploration of a unified approach to seamlessly integrate these solutions.

The event covered important themes around the state of regional physical security and the evolving trends and best practices for safeguarding assets and infrastructure. Attendees gained exclusive insights into the latest Genetec technologies, upcoming product launches, and strategic initiatives shaping the industry landscape. Additionally, they had the opportunity to engage in live demonstrations of solutions and connect with both industry experts and partners to explore emerging trends and technologies.

“At Genetec, we’re committed to shaping the future of physical security and public safety through innovation and collaboration,” said Firas Jadalla, Regional Director – Middle East, Turkey & Africa, Genetec Inc. “Our goal is to equip our customers in with the resources and knowledge they need to effectively

navigate the complex world of physical security.

The roadshow was a testament to our dedication to empowering professionals with cutting-edge solutions. In collaboration with our long- standing partners, we hope this event in Riyadh paves the way for a safer, smarter tomorrow.”

The “Powering innovation 2024: A Genetec Empower 360 roadshow” also showcased Security Center SaaS, a massively scalable, open, and unified software as a service (SaaS) solution. The new offering combines access control, video management, forensic search, intrusion monitoring, automation, and many other advanced security capabilities.

For more information, please visit: https://www.genetec.com/events/ powering-innovation-2024

LEXAR FURTHER STRENGTHENS AFRICAN PRESENCE AND BUILDS STRONG DISTRIBUTION NETWORK ACROSS THE CONTINENT

Lexar is gearing up for its participation at GITEX Africa 2024, Africa’s largest and most influential tech and startup event, where it will showcase its latest range of high-capacity memory solutions that are among the fastest of its kind in the world. Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of the Kingdom of

Morocco, the 2nd edition of GITEX Africa will take place from 29-31 May 2024, under the authority of the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform and hosted by the Digital Development Agency (ADD). Lexar’s product portfolio at the event aims to address the needs of Africa’s young and rapidly growing digital economy, buoyed by Morocco which is regarded as the gateway for technological transformation in the continent.

Morocco is a key market for Lexar in the context of the company’s strategic plans in Africa, as government strategy for digital transformation aims to create a suitable environment for digitisation of Morocco’s administration and economy and aspires to become a digital regional

hub. In the past 12 months Lexar has signed strategic agreements with multiple distributors and retailers in Morocco in line with its plans to build its brand presence and meet the growing demand for next generation memory solutions. Lexar’s key distributors in Morocco include Digimate – handling volume distribution; DBM Maroc- a leading systems integrator in Morocco; and Abschir – handing Lexar’s imaging products distribution. These three major distributors that Lexar has signed up in Morocco to market and sell its product range will also enable the company to strengthen its local customer support and product offering.

Fissal Oubida, General Manager –Middle East, Africa and India, Lexar, said, “Uniting leading global tech

companies to advance Africa’s digital economy is a key mandate of the Moroccan government. GITEX Africa is a signature tech and start-up expo that is poised to define the next phase of the continent’s digital economy and Lexar is ideally positioned to address the needs of this market with our cuttingedge product line up. Morocco is one of the most technologically advanced countries in Africa and its strategic location as a geographical and cultural bridge between Africa and Europe make it a major trade hub in the region. Moreover, the government’s strategy for digital transformation aims to create a conducive environment for digitisation of Morocco’s growing economy.”

“We are excited to be back at GITEX Africa, especially at a time when we are focused on further strengthening our presence in the continent and build a strong distribution network across Africa.

The recent distributor partnerships we signed in Morocco perfectly align with our growth strategy in Africa and allows our customers greater accessibility to Lexar’s innovative solutions,” added Oubida.

Lexar has been a well-established, trusted memory solutions brand for more than 25years. The company’s storage products for the African market come with a variety of choices to meet the unique requirements of blazing speeds and large capacities. In Morocco, Lexar is now available in more than 500 independent retail sale points, including Marjan, Aswaq Salaam, Virgin, Carrefour, Electroplanet, and Retail Expert among others. These partners, with years of experience in their respective locations, will provide a tailored offering to their markets, bolstered by access to Lexar’s expertise and cutting-edge technologies.

“We look forward to the excellent platform that GITEX Africa presents to connect with our industry partners, develop strategic relationships and extend our association with Africa’s dynamic tech ecosystem. We are certain our participation at the event will help take our African business to the next level,” concluded Oubida.

NTT DATA TO PROVIDE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION SERVICES FOR SALESFORCE

NTT DATA, a digital business and IT services leader, has been selected by Salesforce, the #1 AI CRM, to help standardise and streamline the company’s application environment.

NTT DATA will support management and development of hundreds of applications across Salesforce’s organisation so they can focus on helping their customers use data and AI to achieve better insights and productivity. The applications span Salesforce Sales, Marketing, Service, Experience, and Commerce Clouds, MuleSoft, Heroku, Slack, and hundreds of third-party and custom apps.

Lauren Wortmann, VP of Cloud and Enterprise Applications at NTT DATA MEA said: “This announcement is testament to the global relationship and trust that Salesforce puts in NTT DATA. In June we will be formally announcing the suite of Salesforce services that we as NTT DATA Middle East and Africa will bring to market. We’re thrilled to embark on this journey together, leveraging Salesforce’s cutting-edge technologies to drive transformative outcomes for our clients.”

“We love being the experts that the experts turn to and we’re proud of our partnership with Salesforce as a reseller and AppExchange partner. We have a 360-degree partnership that includes go-to-market and now a robust environment of internal applications,” said Aaron Millstone, Chief Growth Officer, NTT DATA North America. “Clients across all industries turn to us to modernise their application portfolios, and Salesforce selected NTT DATA due to our more than 40-year history in managed services as well as our global reach and expertise in Salesforce and MuleSoft services.”

“By consolidating managed services across the Salesforce stack, we can

focus on building new capabilities and helping our customers use data and AI to achieve better insights for their users and better productivity for their employees,” said Juan Perez, Chief Information Officer, Salesforce.

NTT DATA has also recently selected Slack for its employees as its collaboration platform. Equipping them with Slack will give them a powerful tool to connect, share information, and work together more closely.

NTT DATA ranked 2nd worldwide in Application Implementation and Managed Services Providers by Market Share, Worldwide, 2022 in the Gartner Market Share Analysis: Application Implementation and Managed Services, Worldwide, 2022 report.

With the acquisition of Apisero in 2022, NTT DATA expanded its Salesforce and MuleSoft digital talent ecosystem globally. For more information about NTT DATA’s application management and digital services, visit: https://us.nttdata. com/en/services/applicationmanagement

MORO HUB AND ORACLE MYSQL ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

Moro Hub, a subsidiary of Digital DEWA, announced a strategic partnership with Oracle MySQL to enhance its digital offerings.

A signing ceremony was held at Moro Hub’s headquarters between Mohammed Bin Sulaiman, CEO of Moro hub and Nipun Agarwal, SVP, MySQL Product Development, which marks a significant milestone in the UAE’s journey towards digital excellence. As part of this partnership, Moro Hub has successfully migrated two critical government workloads to MySQL Enterprise Edition,

E& UAE SETS

with plans to double this capacity in the coming months.

“Our partnership with Oracle MySQL underscores our dedication to providing innovative, high-performing, and costefficient infrastructure solutions to meet the evolving needs of our clients in the UAE. As the UAE continues to lead the region in government service automation and digital innovation, Moro Hub is committed to supporting this progress through strategic collaborations with industry leaders like Oracle MySQL,” said Mohammed Bin Sulaiman, CEO of Moro Hub.

The UAE has been at the forefront of digital transformation. Recent studies show that the UAE outpaces its global peers by 21% in digital transformation, with 64% of UAE leaders crediting their investments in digital transformation for successful business growth, a figure 13% higher than the global average. The country is embracing

NEW RECORD WITH WORLD’S FASTEST 5G SPEED OF 30.5GBPS

e& UAE announced the world’s fastest recorded speed of 30.5Gbps on its live 5G network, marking a significant milestone in its evolution towards 5G-Advanced. This global achievement was unveiled during a demonstration held at SAMENA Leaders’ Summit 2024, showcasing the successful aggregation of multiple carriers across high-band and mid-band spectrums (1600 MHz in mmWave and 300MHz in C-band), with network speeds reaching 30.5Gbps.

This achievement underscores e& UAE’s commitment to delivering unparalleled user experiences, ensuring seamless connectivity to meet the increasing demand for a broad spectrum of digital services. Khalid Murshed, Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) of e& UAE, said: “We are thrilled to announce e& UAE’s achievement of the world’s fastest 5G network speed. With this accomplishment, we are poised to unleash the boundless

potential of 5G technology, empowering innovative services and applications that will transform the fabric of society and the economy.

“Aligned with the UAE’s ambitious digital agenda, e& UAE’s continuous investment in its network and technologies underscores its commitment to delivering premium digital services. By adopting the latest 5G solutions, we are providing our customers with premium digital experiences today but also paving the way for the 6G era by 2030

the digital government as part of the fourth industrial revolution, leveraging digitisation and information technology to enhance customer engagement and drive successful business development.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Moro Hub to accelerate digital transformation initiatives in the UAE. By leveraging the power of MySQL’s enterprise-grade database solutions, Moro Hub is wellpositioned to drive innovation, scalability, and efficiency across various sectors, further solidifying the UAE’s position as a global leader in digital excellence,” said Nipun Agarwal, SVP, MySQL Product Development.

With over 25 years of development in close collaboration with users, MySQL offers a robust and scalable solution that aligns with Moro Hub’s commitment to innovation and efficiency. The partnership between Moro Hub and Oracle MySQL represents a significant step towards advancing digital infrastructure in the UAE, promoting innovation, and driving economic growth through technologyenabled solutions.

in line with the UAE’s recently unveiled 6G Roadmap by TDRA.”

As the demand for advanced network capabilities continues to surge, e& UAE is poised to revolutionise the landscape of connectivity in the UAE. This vision integrates state-of-the-art technologies and innovative services, including network slicing, private 5G network, RedCap, mobile VPN, and premium Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) leased lines, offering a superior experience for consumers, home, and enterprise customers alike.

e& UAE has also harnessed the power of AI to deliver seamless and personalised experiences to every customer. AI technologies will spearhead intelligent energy-saving and smart network planning initiatives, driving environmental responsibility and technological excellence to new heights.

This monumental achievement solidifies e& UAE’s position as a trailblazer in the telecommunications industry, reaffirming its dedication to pushing the boundaries of innovation and delivering connectivity solutions for the digital era.

TRANSFORMING ECONOMIES

DWAINE PLAUCHE, SENIOR MANAGER OF PRODUCT MARKETING AT ASPENTECH, DELVES INTO HOW THE MIDDLE EAST CAN REVOLUTIONISE ITS ECONOMIES THROUGH THE UTILISATION OF INDUSTRIAL DATA.

There’s no exact date for when it happened, but sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s, the business world changed forever. For centuries, the business of business had been conducted in one way: on paper. The transition from paper-based transactions to a digital paradigm marked the onset of the Digital Revolution. Every transaction that was recorded on paper and every record kept was transformed into one thing – data. The impact of that transformation was immediate, especially within the MENA region. By mining that data, companies

were able to obtain new information that resulted in significant improvements in efficiency, higher customer acquisition rates and – ultimately – increasing profitability. From those early attempts at digitisation, to the current focus on digitising infrastructures within the region, businesses learned that significant labour and cost reductions could be achieved. Businesses within the region are expected to spend a total of US$183.8 billion in 2024 on IT. Enhancing data management to increase revenue, will continue to be the region’s top investment priority.

By using CRM data as an example, we are able to determine which customers have been emailed previously, and which are more responsive to calls. This whittles down a list of a hundred prospects to 10, while still maintaining the same number of sales. Availability of data, combined with predictive analytics, has provided ample opportunity to gain valuable insights and improve maintenance efficiency. You can track how customers use your website or get insight into how many people use a computer-based or SaaSbased ERP system.

Though data is arguably more valuable today than it’s ever been, it’s also not without challenges – the first of which is just how much of it there is. From relatively simple beginnings, industrial data exploded as more – and more complex – processes were digitalised. It is estimated that in just a few years, business and consumer data will reach 175 zettabytes.

Much of that vast trove of data, however, never sees the light of day. With no organised strategy for managing, storing and analysing data, companies inevitably miss out on potential insights which could help make their operations more efficient and profitable. Companies simply can’t bridge the data gap. Specialists know how to access the data, but not what it is used for, and managers know what information is useful, but do not know how to access it.

It’s not just missing out on potential insights that can impact a company’s

bottom line. By 2025, the MENA region’s big data industry is expected to have a value of almost US$30 billion. Those vast data caches, however, also represent a golden opportunity for asset-intensive companies –particularly as they work to deal with the IT/OT convergence.

While the traditional view has long been that IT and OT have little, if any, overlap – with IT focused on an enterprise’s data and computing needs, and equipment, and OT devoted to manufacturing systems and other industrial equipment. As industry has become increasingly digital those two spheres have moved toward each other, as new technologies, like the internet of things (IoT) and big data analytics, allow digital systems to monitor and manage physical assets.

The synergy between IT and OT, though difficult to orchestrate, promises undeniable benefits. They both naturally exist with different perspectives, but the potential benefits are undeniable. Gathering all their data in one place and creating a single source of truth can allow companies to glean insights not only into how their actual performance didn’t align with their plan, but why. Based on that understanding, they can then pinpoint where adjustments can be made to maximise both profitability and sustainability.

By looking at the data over time, we can predict what will really happen. So, for different needs, your plan should

change accordingly. If we set up systems that to that automatically, we end up creating a self-optimising system. Reaching that point, however, is far from easy. While industrial organisations are collecting vast amounts of data, that data must be “cleaned” to fix incorrect, duplicate or incomplete data and then be aggregated into useful format.

Simply aggregating the data, however, isn’t enough. Proper analysis requires complex data analysis tools and the presence of skilled data analysts to pull insights from accumulated data.

By far the biggest challenge, comes down to a single word – context.

Contextualising data is the hardest thing to do. You can aggregate and create algorithms on the front end to make sure your data is clean and accurate, but context is hard because it’s not just about the ones and zeros. It’s about the metadata – where in the plant did this data come from? What other information is attached to this data? And once you’ve got all this data, the bigger challenge is making sense of it. How do you search through it all and find connections? Querying that data is tough, and doing so at scale is very tough.

For all their promise and potential benefits, the reality is that, while no company has been able to build such a fully integrated, end-to-end system for managing industrial data, they will almost certainly be a standard part of business going forward. The future of technology will become more conversational. Operators will be able to propose ideas and see probabilities for outcomes, and our systems will be able to respond aiding in better decision making and understanding of the risks associated with certain choices.

Handling data is a big job, but the potential benefits for businesses are huge. It is an investment that is worth the effort put into it; it will reshape how we run our companies and make decisions entirely. Despite the challenges that companies within the region face when it comes to utilising and storing data effectively, the Middle East has made it a mission to transform their economies using this data.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR BUSINESSES BEFORE TAKING THE LEAP.

Generative AI (GenAi) has rapidly emerged as a transformative force, driving unprecedented productivity gains and reshaping business models across industries. As organisations seek to harness the full potential of GenAI, it becomes crucial to understand the key considerations that ensure its effective implementation.

To maximise GenAI’s benefits, businesses must develop a clear and coherent strategy that aligns with their long-term goals. This involves a deep understanding of the existing business model, the integration of GenAI into current processes, and the alignment of internal stakeholders around the strategic objectives. Additionally, continuous monitoring and evaluation of processes are essential to avoid duplication of efforts and optimise resource use.

Dr Nermeen Mustafa (FCIM), an Associate Professor at the School of Social Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, says GenAI is simply a tool, but it can add considerable value to the business once internal stakeholders understand aspects such as the ‘what’, ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘who’ of their longterm business strategy.

An obvious but often overlooked step is ensuring the periodical monitoring and evaluation of existing processes to avoid duplication of efforts and maximise existing resources and capabilities. This is particularly important for MNEs with dispersed operations in various parts of the world.

Dr Nermeen adds that businesses should take into account financial capabilities prior to embarking on GenAI implementation. Additionally, businesses need to take into account aspects such as return on investments, required training and skills, identification of specific goals, realistic time frames, and possible partnerships that can facilitate such implementation.

When incorporating generative AI into business operations, it is essential to adopt best practices that ensure responsible and effective utilisation. Simon Morris, VP Solution Consulting, ServiceNow, recommends enterprises to follow a few guidelines, including:

Become familiar with common failure modes and workarounds – Generative AI models can exhibit failure modes where the output may introduce errors or otherwise fail to meet expectations. Study the common failure modes associated with your chosen generative AI tool and develop strategies to work around these issues. This can involve refining input prompts, adjusting parameters, or employing post-processing techniques to improve the quality of the generated content.

Be ethical and comply with legal requirements – When in doubt, err on the side of ethics and legality. Comply with any regulations, privacy laws, or intellectual property rights relevant to your situation. Implement measures to protect sensitive data and user privacy, and regularly assess the ethical implications of the generated content.

Be transparent about what content is AI-generated – To maintain transparency and ensure users are

aware that they are interacting with AI-generated content, clearly label all output created by generative AI systems. This helps manage expectations and fosters trust with users and consumers.

Double-check for accuracy—When information accuracy is critical, verify and cross-reference the output of generative AI models with primary sources. This helps ensure the reliability and integrity of the generated content, particularly in industries where accuracy is essential (such as law or healthcare).

Stay up to date – Generative AI technology is constantly evolving. Keep up with advancements, research, and best practices in the field and continuously monitor the performance and outputs of the generative AI models. Iterate on these models and processes as needed to enhance their effectiveness and address any emerging challenges.

Watch out for biases – As has already been addressed, generative AI models can inadvertently perpetuate biases present in the training data. Be vigilant in identifying and addressing any preconceptions or prejudices that may emerge in the generated

Dinesh Varadharajan

Dr Nermeen Mustafa

content; regularly evaluate the output for potential biases and implement measures to mitigate their impact.

What are specific business cases or scenarios where GenAI will most likely deliver significant benefits? Broadly speaking, GenAI has already shown significant impact in many walks of life and across various sectors such as healthcare, finance and banking and supply chain management among others. The advent of AI has also led to the creation of new industries and sub industries. We are also witnessing many businesses adjusting their business model design, and in many ways reinventing themselves.

“Taking a closer look at how GenAI has revolutionised the interface between organisations and consumers we can see many examples. This technology has enabled organisations to understand consumer behaviour in an unprecedented way thus enabling brands to customise their products and services offering on a micro level. Another area is in innovation and new product development. Additionally, customising product and service offerings to each individual consumer is well within reach due to GenAI,” says Dr Nermeen.

She says another interesting area that is worth noting is loyalty schemes and rewards, which can very much benefit from such advancements. This is where AI can deliver significant

GENERATIVE AI TECHNOLOGY IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING. KEEP UP WITH ADVANCEMENTS, RESEARCH, AND BEST PRACTICES IN THE FIELD AND CONTINUOUSLY MONITOR THE PERFORMANCE AND OUTPUTS OF THE GENERATIVE AI MODELS. ITERATE ON THESE MODELS AND PROCESSES AS NEEDED TO ENHANCE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AND ADDRESS ANY EMERGING CHALLENGES.

benefits. Businesses can ask the question of how loyalty and rewards systems can be strategically designed to create a meaningful connection between brands and their customers. Moreover, AI has in recent years played an important role in digital marketing. The impact of AI on digital marketing is particularly interesting since marketing essentially relies on creativity and customer engagement.

How does GenAI integrate with existing technologies and systems within businesses, and what challenges may arise during integration?

“GenAI integrates through APIs or middleware; challenges include compatibility issues and data silo integration. GenAI is also rapidly evolving and hence creating an adapter framework to seamlessly switch different GenAI technologies is also very important,” says Dinesh Varadharajan, Chief Product Officer – Kissflow.

Adopting Generative AI solutions should follow the same methodology as more traditional technology implementations. That starts with defining clear objectives for the transformation and an understanding of the potential value the organisation might realise — Will your generative AI solution automate content creation, enhance data analysis, improve customer service experiences or something completely different?

“A critical next stage should be to evaluate the state of the current infrastructure. Organisations that have previously invested in data strategy that defines ownership, security classification, and controls will be at a huge advantage,” says Simon.

Understanding the different available AI models is critical to making the right choice for the organisation’s objectives. Depending on the objectives, you might choose a pre-trained model, a fine-tuned model, or a completely custom model.

“You might be using the adoption of Generative AI to completely reimagine and revolutionise a business process. But it is more likely to enhance an existing workflow, so you must understand the existing state and where an AI solution can integrate to create value. It could be to enhance the input of a process, to act as a co-pilot guiding the users to an outcome or to help managers query data to manage quality,” Simon explains.

Sid Bhatia

Simon Morris

HARNESSING AI AND HPC

GIOVANNI DI FILIPPO, PRESIDENT OF EMEA INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS GROUP, LENOVO, DISCUSSES THE COMPANY’S PLANS FOR MAKING AI AND HPC ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL

How will the HPCaaS model specifically cater to the unique needs of startups and small businesses in the UAE?

The key for aaS models are utilisation, flexibility, and scalability. The model gives every company the flexibility to scale computing resources up or down based on demand. Startups and small businesses can quickly adapt to changing workloads without the need for significant capital investments. Peak or low hour utilisation is regulated in such a way that you do not pay for idle power, and you gain the advantages of high peak hour capacity.

The high cost of traditional HPC systems, with their significant upfront investment and ongoing maintenance, has historically kept them out of reach for startups and small businesses (SMBs) in the UAE. HPCaaS (HighPerformance Computing as a Service) flips this script entirely. By offering a pay-as-you-go model, startups and small businesses can access the computing power they need without breaking the bank. This frees up capital for vital areas like product development and marketing, putting them on a more level playing field with established competitors.

HPCaaS from Lenovo offers expert support and consulting services, helping startups and small businesses optimise their use of high-performance computing resources. This guidance can be crucial for companies that may not have in-house expertise in HPC. By leveraging HPCaaS, startups and small businesses can accelerate their research and development processes, leading to faster innovation and reduced time to market for new products and services.

At Lenovo, democratising technologies such as AI and HPC is a priority for us, and we recently launched an HPC cluster at Sharjah Technology Research and Innovation Park alongside Al Hathboor Bikal.ai dedicated to doing exactly that, and we are targeting SMBs as well as large enterprises with this cluster.

Can you provide specific examples or case studies where HPC has already significantly impacted sectors like healthcare in the region?

HPC was the core of the advances in finding the cure for COVID. The massive breakthrough was made very quickly compared to any other medical cure, thanks to smart engineers and the huge compute power delivered by HPC clusters.

In healthcare, HPC could be used to analyse massive datasets from medical imaging, genomics, and clinical trials. This could potentially lead to accelerated drug discovery processes, more personalised treatment plans based on individual genetic profiles, and even predictive health risk assessments. In the context of emergency response, real-time analysis of data from weather patterns, traffic flow, and sensor networks could significantly improve disaster preparedness and response times, potentially saving lives and resources.

Our omics and bioinformatics solutions enable researchers to analyse more samples, assemble more genomes, and perform more population-level analytics. As an example, Lenovo and Novo Genomics are working together to bring personalised medicine to Saudi Arabia. Novo Genomics, a healthcare startup, utilises genomics to develop personalised treatments. Lenovo provides the high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure required to analyse the massive amounts of data involved. This collaboration is making personalised medicine a reality in Saudi Arabia.

A key challenge for Novo Genomics was efficiently analysing the vast amount of data needed to deliver personalised medicine. Lenovo’s GOAST solution, designed specifically for this purpose, proved to be the answer. This cost-effective, open-source solution encompasses hardware, software, and system tuning. Novo Genomics was particularly impressed by GOAST’s ability to handle demanding workloads.

The success of this partnership stems from Lenovo’s expertise and Novo Genomics’s ambitious goals. Lenovo provided Novo Genomics with a demo unit to test the solution, and they collaboratively continue to improve GOAST and unlock new research capabilities. For instance, they recently

incorporated somatic analytics to detect mutations in cancer cells. This thriving partnership is paving the way for personalised medicine in Saudi Arabia.

How will the Neptune Liquid Cooling Technology contribute to the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 strategy?

Neptune™ is a smarter, more sustainable approach to liquid cooling in the data center. Neptune™ is not hardware or software; it’s a combination of technologies that extract heat from systems, freeing them to perform better.

Escalating electricity consumption in the data center doesn’t just drain budgets; it has negative effects on our environment. With Neptune, your data center can run up to 40% more efficiently and maintain a dense footprint, without sacrificing performance.

Lenovo can redirect more than 95% of its Neptune systems’ heat into liquid. What sets Lenovo apart is the ability to achieve this efficiency using standard 19-inch racks. By efficiently transferring this substantial amount of heat into water, we enable a data center to potentially reach a PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of below 1.1, exemplifying high efficiency.

Additionally, we excel in our support for high inlet temperatures for the water as high as 45°C. With allowable inlet temperatures, in many cases, a heat exchanger is not required. A high inlet temperature is more efficient for cooling servers because it reduces energy consumption by minimising the need for mechanical cooling, allows for increased use of free cooling methods like ambient air or water, extends the lifespan of cooling equipment by reducing thermal stress, facilitates better reuse of waste heat for other purposes, and enhances the performance of cooling towers and other heat rejection systems. These factors lead to substantial energy savings, lower operational costs, and more sustainable data center operations and are all achieved by using Neptune Liquid Cooling Technology.

Liquid cooling is a necessity to be able to deliver next-generation compute power, its simply the only effective

way to get heat out of the systems, the current hot/warm isle technology we use today is not sufficient to deliver what tomorrow brings. The Lenovo Neptune technology will be important not only to HPC . but all future systems

Liquid cooling will supply the foundation for next gen technology but also deliver significant reductions of the power use needed – and in that we build the future for our children and deliver the planform for Net Zero

We recently built the first data centre with this technology in the region at Sharjah Technology Research & Innovation Park in partnership with Al Hathboor Bikal.ai. Data centers are notorious energy guzzlers, especially for cooling. Lenovo’s Neptune Liquid Cooling Technology has the potential to significantly contribute to the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 strategy by reducing the energy consumption of data centers within the country. Finally, liquid cooling systems can be more easily paired with renewable energy sources like solar or wind power, minimising the environmental impact of data centers on the UAE’s path to Net Zero.

In what ways will universities and research institutions in the UAE benefit from easier access to HPC? Universities and research institutions in the UAE stand to gain significant advantages from easier access to high-performance computing (HPC) resources. HPC systems are computational workhorses, capable of tackling complex problems that would be intractable with traditional computers. In fields ranging from climate modeling to material science, easier access to HPC would empower researchers to conduct groundbreaking simulations and analyses. This ability to crunch massive datasets would unlock hidden patterns and insights in areas like genomics, astronomy, and social sciences, accelerating the pace of discovery across a wide range of disciplines.

Beyond the immediate benefits for research, easier access to HPC would make UAE universities and institutions more attractive to top scientific talent. Researchers around the world

increasingly rely on HPC for their work, and access to such advanced computational resources becomes a major selling point for universities vying for the best minds. With HPC readily available, researchers in the UAE would experience a boost in productivity, leading to faster research cycles and quicker publication times. This would not only benefit individual researchers but also enhance the reputation and global standing of UAE research institutions.

Finally, easier access to HPC would foster a more collaborative research environment within the UAE. Cloudbased or shared HPC facilities would enable researchers from different institutions to join forces on large-scale projects, maximising the utilisation of these powerful resources. Additionally, HPC can bridge the gap between disciplines, allowing researchers from seemingly disparate fields to work together on complex problems that demand a multifaceted approach. This collaborative spirit, fueled by HPC, would position UAE universities and research institutions at the forefront of scientific discovery and innovation, driving the nation’s knowledge economy forward.

How scalable is the HPCaaS offering, and what are the future expansion plans?

The “as a Service” model inherently allows for scalability. This means that as demand for HPC resources grows, the service can be scaled up to meet this demand. Conversely, if less computing power is needed, the service can be scaled down. This flexibility makes HPCaaS a cost-effective solution for businesses and institutions of all sizes. As for future expansion plans, successful implementation and adoption in the UAE could potentially pave the way for expansion into other markets.

As I mentioned earlier democratising technologies such as AI and HPC technologies are a big focus for us at Lenovo and we are working with our alliance partners as well as local business partners to make sure that the barrier to access for such technologies is lowered so that all organisation in the region can benefit from them.

How are regulatory and compliance issues being addressed, particularly concerning data security and privacy in deploying AI and HPC solutions?

The deployment of AI and HPC solutions presents a complex challenge when it comes to regulatory and compliance issues, particularly concerning data security and privacy. Stringent regulations like GDPR and CCPA dictate how data can be collected, stored, used, and ultimately deleted. Organisations venturing into AI and HPC must ensure their practices meticulously adhere to these guidelines. This often involves implementing data governance tools that manage data access, track data lineage, and guarantee data quality. These tools are essential for mitigating risks associated with data misuse. Transparency and explainability are also crucial aspects of addressing regulatory concerns. Techniques known as Explainable AI (XAI) are being developed to make AI models more transparent, allowing regulators and users to understand how AI arrives at its decisions. This transparency helps to alleviate concerns about bias and potential discrimination within AI systems.

Security measures like data encryption, both at rest and in transit, are paramount in protecting sensitive data from unauthorised access. Additionally, robust access controls are implemented to restrict data access only to authorised personnel. Organisations further mitigate risk by conducting Data Protection Impact Assessments that identify and address potential risks associated with AI and HPC projects, particularly those involving sensitive data. Regular audits ensure continued compliance with data privacy regulations and identify any vulnerabilities in the system.

Organisations must continuously adapt their security and privacy practices to stay ahead of the curve and navigate the complexities of regulations that may differ across geographical boundaries. While challenges remain, prioritising data security and privacy remains the cornerstone of responsibly leveraging the power of AI and HPC.

SECURING TRUST

WE

CAUGHT UP WITH KEVIN WEISS, CEO, SECTIGO AT GISEC TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF CERTIFICATE LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT FOR ENTERPRISES.

Can you provide a brief overview of your company’s nature of work?

At Sectigo, we are dedicated to helping businesses overcome their unique challenges. We offer a comprehensive range of solutions that include digital certificates (including S/MIME), PKI management, IoT security, and managed services. Our digital certificates are trusted by all major browsers and devices, ensuring that client websites, software, email, and documents are secure; our certificate lifecycle management (CLM) platform allows companies to easily issue, manage, and revoke digital certificates at scale. In addition, we provide end-to-end security solutions for IoT devices, such as device identity management, secure boot, and secure firmware updates. We maintain a strong focus on innovation and customer satisfaction to help businesses of all sizes and industries address their digital security and privacy challenges.

Why is your participation in GISEC 2024 important for your company?

We will be showcasing the launch of SCM Pro, the first-of-its-kind solution to bring the robustness of enterprise certificate lifecycle management to SMEs, which levels the playing field between large organisations and the mid-market. The industry is witnessing a shift toward shorter certificate lifespans, with big tech companies like Google driving toward a maximum SSL certificate validity of 90 days (as opposed to the full year we have today). Certificates expiring within 90 days bring at least five times more certificates under management, meaning five times more work for companies still managing them manually, which underscores the need for automated CLM solutions. The release of

SCM Pro means enterprises that formerly could only manage their certificates by hand now have a single automated view of every public certificate in their IT estates regardless of the issuer—and they no longer have to worry about renewals, revocations, or replacements.

What are the risks posed by quantum computing to current encryption standards, and what solutions has the company developed to address this? How can Sectigo’s innovative solutions help protect data security in the future? Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is the new frontier of cybersecurity: everyone is talking about it, but most organisations are woefully unprepared for its arrival. A big risk right now are harvest-anddecrypt attacks—a rising, worrisome threat victimising organisations that are unaware their confidential data is being compromised. Any organisation with secrets that need to stay secret years from now is already a target. In other words, if encrypted data is stolen today, it’s only a matter of time before it will be accessible to cybercriminals once largescale quantum computers come online because those machines will be able to

break current public-key cryptography. NIST’s development of quantum-resistant encryption and its impactful educational campaign on quantum’s threat to decryption are transforming a oncetheoretical discussion about decryption into a mainstream business focus and transitioning to quantum-resistant cryptography is becoming a board-level discussion.

Does the company have any expansion plans in the UAE and the Middle East region, and are there existing clients from within the UAE?

Our company has a robust presence in the market, boasting over 20 years of experience and a remarkable track record of issuing over a billion certificates. We cater to a vast clientele, with more than 700,000 businesses globally relying on Sectigo’s digital security solutions. Notably, Sectigo is trusted by over 36% of Fortune 1000 companies, showcasing our industry-leading expertise. Furthermore, we maintain strong partnerships with over 600 active collaborators. Recognising the Middle East as a vibrant and thriving market, we have been proactively expanding our operations in the region. Through strategic alliances and innovative technological advancements, we have been instrumental in assisting organisations to optimise their certificate lifecycle management processes. Presently, our certificates are widely deployed across diverse sectors within the Middle East. We have established partnerships with key entities such as the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the General Organisation for Social Insurance in Saudi Arabia, the Arab Bank for Development in Africa. Additionally, we serve esteemed clients like Qatar Islamic Bank in the financial domain and Qatar Petroleum in the energy sector. We have also provided tailored solutions to renowned companies like Damac Group and Majid Al Futtaim, spanning industries such as real estate, entertainment, and property management. In summary, Sectigo’s digital security solutions are integral to ensuring the robustness and integrity of organisations across various sectors in the Middle East.

Synergizing The Tech Ecosystem

Hall 5, 5C-40 | 29 - 31 MAY 2024, Marrakech

RESILIENT BY DESIGN

NIKOLA KUKOLJAC, VICE PRESIDENT – SOLUTION ARCHITECTURE, HELP AG, EXPLAINS THE NEED FOR ENHANCED SECURITY MEASURES IN THE AGE OF AI.

What is the impact of generative AI on cybersecurity?

The impact of generative AI on cybersecurity is substantial, as it can be utilised by both defenders and attackers. For defenders, generative AI streamlines the way we handle vast amounts of data which were previously too complex to utilise effectively. It can swiftly sift through large data lakes and provide precise information, reducing operational overheads and accelerating incident response times. Focusing on critical issues is vital in cybersecurity,

where time is of the essence, representing a significant advancement. Conversely, attackers are also leveraging generative AI to their advantage. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2024 report, 56% of business leaders believe that generative AI will advantage cyber attackers over defenders in the next two years. This advantage stems from AI’s ability to expedite actions – if the initial attack fails, the malicious actor can quickly launch more sophisticated and harderto-detect campaigns by continuously refining the attack patterns. Attackers

can also swiftly process large amount of data, which would inevitably speed up the process of finding vulnerabilities in victims’ cyber defense and speed up the process of identifying the “right” attack target.

What are the potential vulnerabilities associated with generative AI?

The AI vulnerability that will impact the highest number of general populations is posed by generative AI and involves misinformation and manipulation through deepfake technologies. As AI is now capable of fabricating images, videos, and even voices, individuals, the risk of not knowing who you are truly communicating with is heightened. This uncertainty can significantly broaden the impact of cyberattacks.

Privacy concerns are also prominent with the use of generative AI. In today’s digital landscape, there is a massive uptake of AI technology, with nearly every company integrating it in some capacity. Despite its widespread adoption, a significant gap remains, as many organisations lack the necessary tools, processes, and understanding to fully protect their deployed AI applications. One notable issue is the accidental data exposure facilitated by the use of generative AI, highlighting the need for enhanced security measures in this rapidly evolving field.

Does Help AG leverage AI and ML to help its clients bolster their defence strategy?

While the cybersecurity industry has evolved over the years, AI is still nascent. Within Help AG, we have formed a center of excellence we call the ‘Cybersphere Nexus’. This strategic approach examines how the cybersecurity landscape will evolve in the coming years. It prioritises securing AI platforms and discovering intelligent defence mechanisms, advancing postquantum cybersecurity, and championing sustainable cybersecurity practices to ensure environmental and operational sustainability in the field.

As our region leads AI adoption worldwide, we focus on securing AI, which is crucial given the positive impact

we believe this powerful technology can have from a cybersecurity perspective. Alongside the initiative to protect AI platforms, Help AG is actively exploring defense mechanisms and technologies that utilise AI to reduce operational overhead, optimise incident response times, and enable more informed decision making. We leverage AI/ML for real-time threat analysis and automating incident response protocols for accuracy and, of course, enhancing predictive capabilities for proactive security measures.

Which are some of the top attack vectors today, and what are your tips for mitigating these risks?

In the Middle East region, phishing attacks, ransomware, and Distributed Denial-ofService (DDoS) attacks dominate the threat landscape.

Phishing remains one of the most common methods employed by attackers across both public and private sectors. Many individuals receive phishing emails and messages, a problem that is being amplified as cybercriminals increasingly leverage AI to generate these on an unprecedented scale. To combat this, promoting education and building awareness are crucial in combating this, helping to instill a sense of personal responsibility in everyone to recognise and report phishing attempts.

DDoS attacks are particularly favored by cybercriminals as they are relatively easy to execute. There is a dual approach involved in protecting an organisation against such attacks. At the network level, together with e& UAE, we scrub malicious traffic to protect the UAE’s infrastructure and customers from volumetric DDoS attacks. At the application level, investing in dedicated, purpose-built Layer -7(L7) DDoS solutions is crucial to defend against smaller, yet precisely engineered attacks that target the application and its hosting infrastructure.

Lastly, the frequency of ransomware attacks in the UAE significantly exceeds the world average. We have witnessed a development in this type of attack, wherein victims often find themselves paying ransom twice: initially to regain access to their environment,

and subsequently to prevent data exploitation. Implementing a robust ransomware protection strategy with the aid of specialist cybersecurity service providers such as Help AG is critical. Equally important is fostering a culture of awareness and vigilance throughout the organisation to safeguard against these evolving threats.

How does Help AG continuously monitor emerging threats?

In the cybersecurity world, strength often comes from scale. Help AG is the largest cybersecurity provider in the region. Our substantial scale is not just about size but about the breadth of knowledge and the depth of insights we gain into emerging threats. We protect over 500 of the region’s largest enterprises and government organisations. With each new customer, our understanding of regional threats deepens, enabling us to provide unparalleled protection. This knowledge also enhances our capability to precisely predict and proactively counteract attacks before they occur.

Furthermore, our prominent position allows us to partner with the world’s largest and leading cybersecurity technology vendors and threat intelligence providers. This fosters collaboration, aids in developing innovative solutions, and facilitates the sharing of valuable insights, benefiting both our customers and partners. Through these strategic partnerships, we enhance our capability to defend against and respond to cyber threats, reinforcing our role as a cornerstone of regional cybersecurity.

Can you share insights into Help AG’s threat intelligence gathering approach?

Help AG’s approach to threat intelligence gathering is both comprehensive and multifaceted, setting us apart as one of the few organisations in the region with a dedicated threat intelligence team. We leverage a variety of sources, including open-source intelligence, partnerships with the biggest threat intelligence communities and providers. The tremendous amount of data that our team processes along with unique prioritisation and double validation mechanisms, are

key success ingredients in the creation of the highly accurate Help AG threat intelligence feeds that we provide to our customers.

Additionally, our team conducts proactive monitoring and crawling of the deep and dark web, social media, forums etc. This information enables us to identify emerging threats and attack groups and discover leaked data that may be relevant to our clients.

What emerging trends or technologies do you foresee shaping the future of cybersecurity?

Several emerging trends and technologies are set to profoundly influence the future landscape of cybersecurity.

As previously mentioned, AI continues to be a dual-edged sword, impacting both cyber defenders and attackers.

The rise of quantum computing also marks a significant paradigm shift. Quantum computers have the potential to break current encryption schemes, challenging us to fundamentally rethink how we encrypt data. The advent of quantum computing necessitates the development of quantum-resistant cryptography and the exploration of quantum key distribution to secure communications and data storage against future threats.

Moreover, the widespread adoption of biometric authentication is redefining how we view traditional security measures. While biometrics offer a more personalised form of security, they also introduce unique challenges in terms of privacy and data protection, making it crucial to manage and safeguard sensitive biometric information effectively.

And finally, the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices is something to consider and plan for. As these devices become smarter and more interconnected, their role in daily life becomes more integral, thereby increasing the stakes in protecting them. The direct impact of these devices on the quality of human life means that investing in their security is not just about protecting data but also ensuring the safe, reliable function of critical infrastructure and personal devices.

EMPOWERING INNOVATION

ARUN CHANDRASEKARAN, DISTINGUISHED VP ANALYST

AT GARTNER, WRITES ABOUT THE BEST PRACTICES FOR SCALING GENERATIVE AI ACROSS THE ENTERPRISE.

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has the potential to revolutionise businesses in various industries. Most business and technology leaders are convinced that the advantages of GenAI outweigh any potential risks. However, lack of understanding about emerging industry best practices is constraining organisation wide pilots and scalable production deployments.

To avoid obstacles to scaling GenAI, chief information officers (CIOs) must embrace the following emerging industry best practices.

Establish

a Continuous Process to Prioritise

Use Cases

The initial step in the GenAI journey is to establish the organisation’s AI goals and engage in a preliminary discussion about what is achievable. The subsequent step involves gathering potential use cases that can be piloted with GenAI technologies. Prioritising GenAI use cases is a strategic imperative for organisations. Such prioritisation should not be driven solely by the appeal of technology, or the “flashiest demo,” but by a holistic assessment of its value proposition to the organisation. While vendors may suggest discounted

POCs reflecting their capabilities, the key is to identify use cases that deliver tangible business value and are the most technically feasible and avoid those that could lead to growing risks and costs when scaled in production. The task of prioritising should be a collective decision, involving not only the technology teams but also the business lines that will utilise the GenAI application as well as security and risk teams.

Create a Decision Framework for Build Versus Buy

Scaling GenAI requires a systematic approach to build versus buy decisions for the many potential use cases in the organisation. Ideally, businesses should consider building an AI product when it can provide a competitive advantage in their industry and when they have the necessary skills and knowledge for the process. In the context of GenAI, use cases where enterprises want to minimise risks for regulatory or brand equity reasons may also warrant a build approach. CIOs must evaluate all pros and cons of the approach before determining their build-versus-buy decisions for GenAI.

Pilot Use Cases for Scalability

Businesses must run pilots to try new ideas, build muscle memory within the organisation on the art of the possible and learn by experimentation. They must ensure that pilots are built with scalability in mind by envisioning future data, privacy, security and usability needs. An agile mindset must be adopted before experimenting and testing the use cases to determine the next step — scale, refine or stop. A sandbox environment must be established to allow for safe experimentation throughout

the organisation. This should include appropriate security and privacy measures, as well as the availability of multiple GenAI models for experimentation and iteration within the sandbox.

Design a Composable Generative AI Platform Architecture

The GenAI landscape consists of four critical layers — infrastructure, models, AI engineering tools and applications. Enterprises must ensure that their platform architecture is composable, scalable and embedded with governance upfront.

The GenAI model landscape is fast-paced and will constantly evolve, often in ways we cannot envision today (such as the rise of open-source models and domain models). Organisations must ensure there is enough flexibility in their architecture to swap models through composability.

Responsible AI Is at the Forefront of All Generative AI Efforts

GenAI creates not only new opportunities, but also new risks. Responsible AI is an umbrella term for all the different aspects of making appropriate business and ethical choices when adopting AI. Without a clear responsible AI framework, organisations will struggle to balance the benefits and risks of this technology. Organisations need to define and publicise a vision for responsible AI with clear principles and policies across focus areas like fairness, toxicity mitigation, ethics, risk management, privacy, sustainability and regulatory compliance.

Invest in Data and AI Literacy

Unlike traditional AI, GenAI is poised for active and direct use by a large segment of employees. This broad deployment requires a strong emphasis on AI literacy: the ability to utilise AI in context with competency to identify relevant use cases, as well as implement and operate corresponding AI applications. Enterprises must create and conduct personalised training programs targeting various business functions and training senior management on the data and AI literacy skills. Upskilling the technology teams with GenAI-specific skills in areas such as prompt engineering, model validation and tuning, infrastructure management and responsible AI is crucial.

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Identity Security – Detection and Prevention

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CYBER RESILIENCE SYMPOSIUM

THE CYBER STRATEGISTS SUMMIT AND AWARDS 2024 IN DUBAI HIGHLIGHTED INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO CYBER RESILIENCE AND HONOURED LEADERS AND VENDORS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO CYBERSECURITY.

The third edition of the Cyber Strategists Summit and Awards 2024 took place at the Shangri-La Hotel in Dubai on April 23rd. This gathering brought together industry practitioners and cybersecurity experts from the region to delve into innovative approaches to bolster cyber resilience and explore new advancements in the field.

During the event, we had the privilege of honouring security professionals who have showcased exceptional leadership and innovation, as well as acknowledging vendors for their significant contributions to the industry.

The summit commenced with insightful keynote address by Rajesh Yadla, CISO of a leading bank in Dubai. He provided a fascinating glimpse into the current challenges faced by CISOs and illuminated how these challenges can be transformed into opportunities. His address, cleverly intertwined with examples from the world of

Lightening McQueen, sparked engaging discussions among attendees.

A highlight of the event was a thoughtprovoking panel discussion on the emerging threats in the cybersecurity space. The esteemed panellists, including Shadi Khuffash, Sr. Sales Director –South Middle East at Fortinet; Keyur Shah, Senior Sales Engineer at Sophos; Tarek Kuzbari, Regional Director MEA of PICUS Security; Sunil Paul, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Finesse; and Murali Konasani, CEO of Teksalah, shared invaluable insights. The overarching takeaway from this enlightening

discussion was the paramount importance of collaboration. Emphasising the significance of building a cohesive community comprising CISOs, partners, customers, and C-suite executives, the panel stressed that leveraging the latest technology in tandem with collaborative efforts is imperative in addressing the evolving cybersecurity landscape.

Overall, the Cyber Strategists Summit and Awards 2024 served as a platform for fostering knowledge exchange, driving innovation, and reinforcing the collective commitment to enhancing cybersecurity practices in the region.

Sabin Subramannian Park Regis Business Bay

Ramadan Mohamad Ali Ajman Transport Authority

Raveesh .P Nesto

Abdulrahman Khaiwi Emirates National Schools

Mohamed Arief Mawarid Holding

Vats Varun Sobha Realty

Mohanad Kattan ADNIC

Gaurav Manaktala

Arabian Healthcare Group

Shahab Uddin

Ittihad International Investment LLC

Oma Martins-Okonkwo IHS Towers

Rajesh Yadla Al Hilal Bank

Kausar Nur Mukeri Gems Education

Jayesh Nandanan Mediclinic Middle East

Saquib Farooq Malik Al Tamimi & Company

Santhosh John Thomas African+Eastern

Goutam P. IFFCO Group

Ashok Prasanna Al Ansari Exchange

Mohan Durairaj United Arab Bank

Cyberreason

Cybersecurity Innovator of the Year

Secureworks

VENDOR AWARDS

MISLEADING MARKETING

SANDIE OVERTVELD, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

-

APJ

&

MEA,

FRESHWORKS, THROWS LIGHT ON AN OVERLOOKED OBSTACLE TO UNLOCKING AI’S TRUE POTENTIAL.

In recent years, the Middle East has witnessed a surge in interest and investment in artificial intelligence (AI), positioning itself as a burgeoning hub for technological innovation. There is good reason for this interest - a recent PwC report projects the potential impact of AI in the region to be US$320 billion by 2030. This consequent enthusiastic embrace of AI is fostering an environment ripe for digital transformation. However, this rapid growth has also attracted opportunists looking to capitalise on the AI buzz. Misleading AI marketing is now a threat to true digital transformation, and it is a multidimensional problem. In a race to become more competitive, organisations can be coerced by a good sales pitch that paints a solution as something it is not. And once the system is adopted and fails to live up to expectations, disappointment quickly turns to disillusionment with the entire field of AI. If enough non-AI products find their way into AI programs, word will spread. The reputation of AI itself is at stake. So, what do we do? AI solutions do not carry ID. And the GCC is suffering from an AI skills gap that means most organisations will not have anyone on staff

who can sort the genuine article from the vial of snake oil. But according to the IBM Institute for Business Value, more than a third (34%) of UAE companies have “a comprehensive AI strategy in place,” as of March 2024, and a further 30% are developing one. Adoption continues amid misleading marketing.

Provenance check

Procurement teams must adopt more challenging stances. They must ask in-depth questions of prospective solutions providers. Of course, features are important, but what about past performance? Development methodologies? Adherence to best practices? Are testimonials available?

When this history-oriented fact-finding phase is complete, the would-be adopter will have a better understanding of what the solution does and, more importantly, how it does it. Is it a few smart algorithms and nifty heuristics underneath? Or is it using natural-language processing, machine-learning, or cognitive reasoning? Does it come with pre-built models, or does it offer the means to build new models using the organisation’s own data?

Against these answers, the procurement team can compare their requirements. This is important even if the offering turns out to be genuine AI. Is it the right AI? For example, if it is a model builder, does the enterprise have enough data to achieve the desired result? In the end, those who are on the hunt for real-deal AI solutions have similar goals. They want to empower employees to delight customers in every conversation. They want to reduce workloads, software bloat, and the costs of procurement and ownership while enhancing infrastructure performance.

Therefore, they must take care that the solution in front of them allows them to put inefficiencies behind them.

Let’s chat

Let’s look at an example of misleading AI marketing. It may surprise you to learn that even some chatbots are not AI inside the box. They can operate on algorithmic (preprogrammed, step-by-step) and heuristic (rule-based) code to conduct customer “conversations”. Without natural-language processing or machine learning behind them, however, the mask soon slips. Such systems can never quite reach the empathetic-like levels of authentic AI. If you were a customer dealing with these canned (and sometimes irrelevant) responses, would you be satisfied, or irritated?

If a procurement team was trying to source an AI-powered chatbot, the very least they should do is perform internal tests of production-ready products, incorporating them gradually (under close scrutiny) into live chats. True AI is capable of advanced conversations that include the timely relaying of useful information and a personalisation of service that keeps customers coming back for more.

Beyond the label

This highlights another point about misleading AI marketing: its impact on employee empowerment. We can infer from the above that, in the majority of cases, chatbots are not good enough to handle queries competently. Human agents must step in. When having to babysit AI pretenders, the employee is not empowered. They must flit between customers with more complex problems (the ones they should be serving) and customers with basic problems (the ones authentic AI would have handled but which non-AI bots find inviable). Thus, misleading AI marketing can hurt customer and employee experiences simultaneously. Misleading AI marketing can hold back the journey to adoption. For this reason alone, I urge regional innovators to look beyond labels, packaging, and pitches to the meaty innards. Does it tick the right boxes? If so, great. If not, then recognise that the impact could derail not just a single project, but the organisation’s entire AI strategy.

SAFEGUARDING THE FUTURE

HADI JAAFARAWI, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT – MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA, QUALYS, ON FIVE AREAS TO WORK ON THAT WILL MAKE YOUR BUSINESS MORE ATTRACTIVE TO CYBER INSURANCE PROVIDERS.

We live in a world where cyber breaches are a matter of ‘when’ and not ‘if’, and where cybersecurity leaders and business executives can only hope to manage their risks, rather than eliminate them entirely. For many, part of the solution is to take out insurance against these costs related to breaches, which include

everything from court-awarded damages to ransomware payments.

Cyber insurance in the UAE is big business. SMEs can expect to cover themselves up to between US$270,000 and almost US$1 million, and larger enterprises will likely cover themselves up to US$100 million. And demand for these services is on the rise. Some predictions for the growth of the UAE

cyber insurance market are greater than a 25% CAGR between 2023 and 2028. But an increase in the number of incidents and claims has led insurance providers to scrutinise applicants more thoroughly. They will examine the finer points of cybersecurity and risk management, asking a company how it protects endpoints, cloud environments and Web applications. CISOs now must

craft policies to align with insurance requirements. People, processes, and technology are all part of underwriters’ considerations, so CISOs must consider them too while collaborating with other executives on the balance between safety and business agility. Premiums will shrink over time for those organisations that get the balance right. So, here are five areas to work on that will make your organisation a more attractive prospect to cyber insurance providers.

1 People

Of course, the UAE faces a security skills shortage, which calls for some innovative thinking when it comes to delivering cyber hygiene. Automated patching is a great start. By automating rollouts to a select group and testing them, the same patch can be deployed at scale once it is established as safe. This allows the security function to ramp up its capabilities to meet modern pressures.

2Technology

You cannot prove yourself a good prospect to an insurance company if you cannot list with confidence the digital assets under your protection. Compiling an asset register in today’s sprawling environments is a job for technology; this is an inescapable fact. We are way beyond the simplicity of endpoints and servers in on-premises networks. We need to protect (and

CYBER INSURANCE

IN THE UAE IS BIG BUSINESS. SMES CAN EXPECT TO COVER THEMSELVES UP TO BETWEEN US$270,000 AND ALMOST US$1 MILLION, AND LARGER ENTERPRISES WILL LIKELY COVER THEMSELVES UP TO US$100 MILLION. AND DEMAND FOR THESE SERVICES IS ON THE RISE.

therefore, capture information about) cloud deployments, containerised applications, and a range of other evasive elements.

3

Supply chains

Attackers will target anything these days — software libraries, container templates, public images. Teams need to know not only what is installed but of what elements it is composed. And on top of this, they need to know what is running in real time. This creates rivers of telemetry, however, so you need to ensure your security team is equipped to handle it, with a threatprioritisation approach that makes sense to your individual business.

4Collaboration

If something needs to be changed, teams need to coordinate their activities. This cross-team collaboration needs to be monitored and assessed so you can show insurance companies what you do, how you do it, and how effective you are at doing it. Using standard metrics such as mean time to detect (MTTD) and mean time to remediate (MTTR) will be useful. But to stand

out, be sure to include mean time to communicate (MTTC), which measures the duration of team coordination and alignment, which is a significant step in response processes. MTTC data can identify opportunities for improvement in communication flow and work practices.

5

Living with risk

Sometimes an organisation may have to run critical systems that are out of support. The degree of business disruption caused by an update or replacement may entirely negate the possibility of implementation. In many cases, insurance companies would see this as too great a risk. Such issues should be thoroughly and transparently documented, and mitigation measures should be in place to have any chance of being offered coverage. CISOs and other senior business leaders may have to make some hard decisions that account for business necessities, while allowing the enterprise to remain compliant with regulations. In some cases, compensating controls and workarounds will allow stakeholders to find this middle ground and convince their cyber insurance provider that the approach is robust enough to warrant coverage.

Cleaning house

How can we make ourselves more attractive to insurance providers and less attractive to attackers? Insurance companies are aware that cybersecurity teams need to get it right all day, every day, whereas it only takes one bad day for attackers to tear it all down.

Cyber insurance is a critical component of recovery if the worst should happen, but providers are becoming more cautious. This does present an opportunity for all of us, however. This is the time to clean house, improve planning, and get smart about risk management. CISOs can consolidate their human and digital resources and find ways to optimise while managing their risk. Putting a claim on one’s cyber liability policy is a nightmare scenario, even with insurance. So, why not work to prevent it and qualify for better, cheaper coverage?

TRANSFORMING SALES

VIBHU KAPOOR, REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT - MIDDLE

EAST, AFRICA & INDIA,

EPICOR, ON HOW CPQ IS EMPOWERING ORGANISATIONS TO STREAMLINE SALES AND ENHANCE

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES.

At the onset of 2024, it is clear that there is plenty of opportunity across the Middle East. So much so that the challenge for businesses in the region lies not in finding opportunities, but working fast enough to be able to capitalise on all. In a bid to streamline sales cycles to seize the advantage, sales leaders are expectedly turning to tech. And among the solutions on offer, one stands apart as being especially relevant and advantageous — Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ). This powerful,

streamlined formalisation of the sales pipeline is particularly useful when an enterprise’s offerings are complex and configurable. If, as expected, Middle East sales teams adopt digital CPQ platforms in the coming months, we can expect to see all the right metrics — efficiency, productivity, customer satisfaction — travel upwards. CPQ offers the flexibility to individualise customisable offerings for each customer, independent of scale. Onboard pricing tools account for volume discounts, promotions, and other deals based on business rules

that tie configuration to cost, allowing profitability and competitiveness to walk hand in hand. All of this happens quickly, accurately, and with a professional polish. How? Let’s examine three ways CPQ solutions reinvent the sales process.

1The AI factor

These days, wherever you go in the region, you cannot turn your head a smidge sideways without seeing someone experimenting with artificial intelligence (AI). AI and machine learning are also transforming CPQ

solutions, which include mechanisms for providing feedback to improve models’ performance. AI and ML use cases in CPQ can be seen everywhere from online shopping pages to brick-and-mortar outlets. Smart technologies can get involved in the analysis of customer data and preferences for the purposes of purchase recommendations — not just for individual products but for customisation options. Pricing, of course, mirrors chosen options but also reflects market conditions, past consumer behaviour, and the goals of the business, all in real time.

As many of us have seen, AI is now able to turn its hand to poetry; the task of generating professional and personalised quotations is therefore no stretch. Quotes include everything a customer could think of asking — discounts, Ts & Cs, and more, as well as upsell opportunities, auto-generated sales drawings, and CAD files. Conversion rates and loyalty can go through the roof. This generative AI knows what questions to ask and when. It knows how to convert a prospect into a loyal customer.

2Remote and mobile sales

Self-service and remote sales are no longer just for minor purchases. A global report by McKinsey showed 70% of B2B decision-makers were open to remote procurement deals valued at US$50,000 and 27% said they would spend more than US$500,000. CPQ solutions vendors have taken note and are increasingly introducing support for travelling or remote salespeople. These vendors are also updating the demo experience (more on that in a moment) and revamping mobile accessibility options to allow hybrid teams to work in or out of the office.

The benefits of remote operations such as these are well known — reduced costs in terms of travel and operations; greater scalability and flexibility, especially when it comes to accessing new customer and labour markets; and because the customer prefers these types of interaction, satisfaction and loyalty soar as well.

CPQ OFFERS THE FLEXIBILITY TO INDIVIDUALISE CUSTOMISABLE OFFERINGS FOR EACH CUSTOMER, INDEPENDENT OF SCALE. ONBOARD PRICING TOOLS ACCOUNT FOR VOLUME DISCOUNTS, PROMOTIONS, AND OTHER DEALS BASED ON BUSINESS RULES THAT TIE CONFIGURATION TO COST, ALLOWING PROFITABILITY AND COMPETITIVENESS TO WALK HAND IN HAND.

3Immersive

customer experiences

I promised more on the new and improved demo experience delivered by modern CPQ solutions. So here it is: augmented reality (AR). AR overlays digital information onto our physical world, like a Minecraft landscape stretching across the living room or a car engine sitting on the kitchen table. Apple, Meta, Google, Sony, Qualcomm, and uncountable others are all working on AR. In the UAE alone, the AR market is expected to top US$88 million this year and continue growing healthily for the foreseeable future. The applications branch education, healthcare, gaming, and retail. And, of course, CPQ, which can use AR to present products to remote customers in new and engaging ways. This is not just good for checking out the aesthetics of, say, furniture or clothing. Interaction is also possible through AR, so customers can see how a solid product would look and feel when changing features — functional or aesthetic — and also see how different configurations affect price.

AR in CPQ allows customers to get to grips with a product or service more deeply and intuitively, in many instances, than if they had attended a demo in a showroom. This leads to greater confidence and trust in the offering and accelerates the sales cycle. It also reduces returns rates and the occurrence of other post-sales hiccups. Additionally, AR reduces the time needed to generate a quote because self service allows quotes to be generated almost in real time, right before the browsing customer’s eyes. It also reduces the costs associated with physical samples and prototypes and frees up the resources normally expended on on-site demonstrations. The end result of AR is increases in sales revenue and profitability and more effective upselling and cross-selling.

Shaping the future

The region’s businesses are poised to benefit significantly from introducing CPQ to their technology mixes. In the UAE — a nation known for shaping the future — CPQ will be the latest example of emerging technology adopted to take advantage of a trend. Customers want self-service. They want remote interaction. Employees want to work remotely and more effectively. Salespeople want to be empowered to convert prospects at speed and scale to help their organisation compete in a digital economy. CPQ was designed for all this.

DRIVING INNOVATION

SAUDI-BASED MOTORY.COM IS REVOLUTIONISING AUTOMOTIVE COMMERCE IN COLLABORATION WITH UNIFONIC.

Motory.com, a part of Abdul Latif Jameel Technology, was launched in Saudi Arabia in 2014 with the goal of becoming the leading auto trading website. Since its inception, Motory has transformed into a comprehensive platform, accessible through both web and mobile app, facilitating the buying and selling of new and used cars from all makes and brands in the Kingdom.

Alongside its intermediary services, Motory.com provides various value-added features, including car finance options, automotive-related content, and tools for valuation and comparison. Additionally, Abdul Latif Jameel Technology offers another product called Shop by Motory, where new and used cars owned by the company are available for sale, where prospective customers will be able to search through a vast collection of cars along with their specifications, inspection report, images and more, in addition to the ability to purchase the car fully online and having it delivered to their doorstep.

Abdul Latif Jameel Technology also offers an automotive product called Mazad by Motory. This app is for car auctions in KSA, where verified users can bid for desired cars in real-time. In addition, users can view comprehensive inspection reports and images, and they can also arrange for the purchased vehicles to be delivered to their desired location. Motory.com, directly integrated with over 70 car distributors and dealers in both KSA and Jordan, generates leads for these dealerships through its platform. Subsequently, it follows up on these leads by sending survey questions related to the actions taken by dealerships to engage with users interested in purchasing vehicles. This was a manual process carried out by the company’s call centre agents, which proved to be a daunting task given

the exponential increase in the number of users. To address this challenge, the company turned to the WhatsApp automation solution provided by Unifonic to streamline its customer communications and lead generation process.

“WhatsApp automation has made it easier for our users to answer survey questions at their convenience without being bothered at inappropriate times. Consequently, the percentage of respondents to these surveys has significantly increased. The responses, captured by chatbots, enabled us to build a dashboard connected to our CRM system, which generates insights into our services and levels of customer satisfaction. Through WhatsApp, we are also able to showcase other services and products based on the answers we receive,” says Laith Haddad, Head of Product Development at Abdul Latif Jameel Technology.

Abdul Latif Jameel Technology now leverages automated WhatsApp chatbots to capture and monitor leads and ensure that users receive appropriate follow-up from its partners, such as car distributors and dealerships.

“Through our consistent follow-up and tracking efforts, we generate various analytical metrics to gain insights into nurturing these leads. Our objective

extends beyond merely providing a platform for purchasing cars or services; we also prioritise ensuring that our users are satisfied and receive the highest level of attention possible,” says Haddad.

He says customer communication through WhatsApp saves Abdul Latif Jameel Technology time and effort and is more cost-effective than reaching its users through phone, email, or SMS. “Moreover, WhatsApp allows us to build trust with our users. We have also been able to automate our customer communications completely and reassign call centre agents to other tasks. It also allows us to proactively reach out to customers with sales promotions and special offers.”

Haddad says Abdul Latif Jameel Technology chose Unifonic’s customer engagement platform because of its long-standing business relationship with the company. ‘We were already using Unifonic’s SMS services. With the help of their technical team, we were able to deploy WhatsApp chatbots without any hassle. We didn’t even have to evaluate other offerings in the market because we are quite happy with the reliability of Unifonic’s solutions and their exceptional account management.”

In 2023, Motory.com expanded its geographical footprint by venturing into Jordan as a first-of-its-kind digital car marketplace.

Haddad says that Abdul Latif Jameel Technology is now on the verge of launching more value-added services to retain its vast user base in both these markets. “People buy cars maybe every 4-5 years, and we want to keep them coming back to us for services related to their cars. We are also in the process of adding new functionalities to chatbots with the help of Unifonic and rolling them out to other areas of the business. As we expand our business, WhatsApp chatbots will be valuable in capturing our customers’ experience.”

EMBRACING THE NEW NORMAL

HYBRID WORK MODEL IS HERE TO STAY, REVEALS CISCO STUDY

Cisco recently announced key insights into the future of hybrid collaboration and workplace trends. As businesses continue to navigate the shift towards hybrid work environments, Cisco’s latest predictions highlight the transformative impact of AIdriven collaboration technologies and the evolving challenges of cybersecurity.

As the global workforce continues its transition towards a more permanent hybrid model, organisational leaders are strategically balancing investments in physical office setups while empowering employees with flexible work arrangements, ultimately enhancing the productivity of today’s hybrid workforce. According to Cisco’s own Hybrid Work Study 2024, a significant 83% of organisations acknowledge that collaboration-driven enhancements effectively attract and retain top talent.

Reflecting on its innovations in the past year and the solutions prepping to unveil this year, Cisco emphasizes the enduring significance of the hybrid collaboration trends that promote inclusivity, innovation, and flexibility.

AI-Powered Collaboration Experiences

The adoption of AI in collaboration is set to revolutionise how we work and collaborate. Today, Cisco’s advanced AI audio and video intelligence technologies enable devices

to intelligently follow presenters, listen for audio cues, switch between cameras, and optimise meeting views in real-time, creating an immersive virtual experience.

Looking ahead, technologies will continue to get even closer to fundamentally eliminating distance in any room type. As organisations map priorities for the year, it is critical to invest in technology that supports the integration of rapidly evolving AI capabilities, ensuring long-term value and fostering inclusivity and equity in collaborative environments.

Equitable and Inclusive Meetings

Meetings where everyone is physically present are no longer the norm, making it critical to provide equitable and inclusive meeting experiences. This fundamental shift in office dynamics has led to a substantial increase in virtual meetings among inoffice workers, highlighting a 50% rise in participation compared to other work modes before offices reopened.

Despite this shift, only a limited number of conference rooms today are equipped with video conferencing technology, with basic camera and audio solutions falling short in achieving truly inclusive meeting experiences that capture the essence of inperson interactions.

To address these challenges, organisations will need to adopt advanced solutions that transcend physical barriers and emulate the richness of face-toface collaboration, enabling all meeting participants to feel connected and engaged regardless of their location.

Workspace Transformation

With the ability to work from anywhere, motivating employees to return to corporate offices presents a unique challenge. Organisations are embarking on a journey to reimagine and revitalise workspaces, surpassing the comforts of home to generate excitement and collaboration.

These redesigned spaces prioritise organic interactions, essential for office environments where creativity and teamwork thrive on spontaneous, serendipitous encounters. Designated brainstorming areas and cutting-edge technology will further support cocreation and whiteboarding for both in-person and hybrid participants.

Cybersecurity in Hybrid Work Environments

With organisations navigating the shift towards hybrid work models, cybersecurity must remain top of mind. Recent insights from the Cisco 2024 Cybersecurity Readiness Index reveals that 86% of employees in UAE companies connect to work platforms from unmanaged devices. The study further indicates that 86% of UAE companies acknowledge that logging in remotely as part of hybrid arrangements has increased the risk of cybersecurity incidents in their organisations to some extent.

Cisco emphasizes the critical importance of integrating AI-driven cybersecurity measures into collaboration technologies to ensure the security and efficiency of hybrid work environments. By leveraging advanced technologies, Cisco enables organisations to navigate the complexities of hybrid work securely.

Cisco’s Approach

Ahmad Zureiki, Director of Collaboration Business, Cisco Middle East and Africa commented: “The demand for hybrid work collaboration solutions for businesses in the region continues to grow. Organisations are recognising the value of adaptable workspaces and technologies that empower employees to work seamlessly, whether in the office or remotely. Cisco is committed to driving innovation in collaboration through advanced technologies and solutions in AI, ensuring that the future of work is inclusive, secure, and efficient.”

Cisco’s collaboration solutions have leveraged AI for years as a powerful tool to facilitate seamless hybrid interactions. It is no doubt that hybrid work models are here to stay. By offering employees flexibility and choice, this model will continue to not only benefit individuals but also organisations by fostering talent recruitment and retention without geographical constraints.

GUARDING THE CONVERSATION

ROMAN FLEPP, MARKETING DIRECTOR AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD AT THREEMA, ON ENSURING SECURE BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS.

What are the advantages of using Threema for corporate communications?

Instant messaging is a highly convenient communication channel for business; apps can handle a variety of different formats (e.g., voice, video, text, files) and enable instant communication from anywhere. Meanwhile, cybercrime keeps expanding (think of ransomware, CEO frauds, phishing, smishing, espionage, etc.) and studies show that over 60 percent of digital fraud is carried out via mobile devices . In this context, companies should be aware

that consumer apps do not meet the safety standards required for business communication, nor do they comply with the legal framework for data privacy (e.g., GDPR in Europe or similar regulations in other regions).

Today end-to-end encryption is standard and given on most instant messaging platforms, though Threema stands out for applying tried-and-tested E2E encryption to all communication, including group chats, voice and video calls. The encryption library used is Daniel J. Bernstein’s well-proven NaCl. Furthermore, Threema uses two layers of encryption: the end-to-end layer between

the participants of the conversation, and an additional layer to protect against eavesdropping on the connection between the app and the servers. Thanks to Perfect Forward Secrecy, bad actors would not be able to decrypt a user’s previous messages, even if they somehow managed to obtain his current private key.

With Threema, chats, contact lists and groups are managed in a decentralised manner directly on the devices involved; no data is stored on a server. But this is not the only aspect that differentiates Threema from conventional messaging applications as it has no knowledge of the users’ private keys and its servers do not know the identity of the sender and the recipient of a message. Furthermore, Threema’s servers do not record any information concerning the messages exchange and, of course, cannot decrypt the messages.

Our business solutions, Threema Work and Threema OnPrem are specifically designed for corporate purposes: secure professional business messengers that offer top-grade security and data protection. This includes E2E encryption, decentralised handling, zero-knowledge security, metadata restraint and full legal compliance. The administration console with its innovative dashboard allows administrators to manage users easily and comes with a wide range of configuration options to make sure the app’s use fully complies with corporate policies. Companies can broadcast messages, deploy licenses, manage user accounts, view usage stats, conduct polls, restrict permissions, create closed user groups… just to mention some of the available features. Threema’s business solutions are fully BOYD compatible, ready for MDM integration, active directory integration while allowing to pre-configured devices with or without MDM settings.

How does Threema Work ensure security and privacy for companies compared to other messaging platforms?

Our business solutions Threema Work and Threema OnPrem are secure stateof-the-art business messengers. They combine security, ease of use and user

management options, the three key ingredients that make Threema stand out from the crowd.

Threema has been developed with data protection and privacy in mind (Privacy by Design), so only the minimum amount of metadata is generated. Users do not have to share any personal information (e.g., phone number, e-mail), nor are they obliged to give access to their address book.

Fact is that end-to-end encryption – a standard on most instant messaging platforms - is no guarantee against data leakage: Some of the most popular consumer apps systematically collect and process sensitive user data for advertising and marketing purposes; their business models are based on gathering large amounts of metadata that may include information about the location, time and duration of the communication, telephone number and IP address, meaning that the data privacy of executives and/or other staff can be compromised. Threema on the other hand, is not financed by advertising and contrary to other messaging platforms, does not collect user data. This means Threema users can communicate without worrying about privacy and security.

The management cockpit that comes with Threema Work and Threema OnPrem adds another layer of safety: it allows companies to define the ways in which employees can use the app. This includes the remote setting of security configurations, the management of credentials and access privileges. Statistical data helps to keep track of active users, operating systems used (iOS, Android) and a detailed view of ID’s.

Threema’s self-hosting solution, Threema OnPrem, is specifically designed for organisations with strict security requirements who cannot afford to take risks regarding internal communication. Self-hosting allows organisations to ensure full control over data, server, and software: Threema OnPrem ensures the strongest protection against industrial espionage, malware, CEO Fraud, phishing, ransomware, etc. Together with Threema’s wellestablished security architecture, the absolute data ownership results in a

self-contained chat environment that is unparalleled in terms of confidentiality. As sensitive information and personal data is protected in the best conceivable way from third parties, Threema OnPrem is suited for professional use in public authorities, industrial companies, and law enforcement. In August 2023, the Chair of Applied Cryptography at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, after subjecting Threema’s cryptographic communication protocol “Ibex” to a thorough analysis, concluded that it is cryptographically sound and does meet all security requirements. According to the authors of the study, the research «shows the robustness of the cryptographic design of the ‘Ibex’ protocol, which has withstood rigorous security analysis. We have been able to formally demonstrate its security.

What risks are associated with using collaboration solutions like MS Teams?

On average, it is estimated that there is a ransomware attack every eleven seconds. We must acknowledge that cyberthreats are real and recognise that an actual attack can disrupt an entire business and/or inflict serious reputational damage. Collaboration tools are among the most popular communication channels for corporations; however, weak authentication methods, inadequate access controls and, most importantly, the fact that they do not prove end-to-end encryption make them an easy target for hackers. Sensitive information should not be exchanged via unsecure collaboration tools. For many organisations, public or private, defending against unwanted digital intrusions has become part of a daily routine, with distributed denial of service (DDoS), phishing, password attacks or ransomware are among the most common threats .

During a Ransomware attack hackers infect an organisation’s computer systems with malicious software. They then encrypt corporate data and deny access until the ransom is paid. Most likely, a cyberattack would include company servers, potentially impairing communication channels such as e-mails, MS Teams and other collaborative tools. Threema ensures a highly secure

messenger service that can be used as a reliable means of safe communication during an emergency.

In such a situation, it is vital to have a secure fallback means of communication to quickly assess the situation with the crisis management team and gradually restore normal business operations. Threema ensures a highly secure messenger service during «normal» times, often used in parallel to other communication tools. During an emergency, our business solutions are a reliable means of safe communication.

What distinguishes Threema from other instant messaging platforms in terms of security and privacy compliance?

We believe that the best privacy protection is to not disclose personal information in the first place. Using a run of the mill messenger for company purposes can expose data and does not comply with the UAE nor the EU legislative framework on data protection (RGPD6). The primary goal is to keep cybercriminals at bay. Given the growing number of cyberthreats, the fact that mobile devices are a primary target for bad actors, organisations need to protect all digital flanks, including corporate communication channels.

In Europe, our messaging solutions (Threema for individuals, Threema Work and Threema On-Prem for business use) fully comply with one of the most demanding data protection legal framework on the planet. Threema hosts its own servers in Switzerland and therefore, it is not subject to the US CLOUD Act. Unlike other similar services, Threema has an impeccable track record: millions of users and thousands of companies rely on our app that is fully compliant with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UAE Data Protection Law.

As a self-hosted messaging solution, Threema OnPrem meets the highest security standards, allowing even organisations in critical sectors (e.g., healthcare, infra-structure, defense) to fully comply with the legal data protection requirements.

HPE Builds Foundation For Next-Gen Data Management With Software-Defined Storage And AI-Driven Automation

Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced new solutions across the HPE GreenLake cloud to simplify how enterprises manage and optimise their storage, data and workloads across on-prem and public cloud environments. New or expanded offerings include:

• HPE GreenLake Block Storage for Amazon Web Services (AWS), a new software-defined storage offering to seamlessly manage block storage across hybrid cloud environments.

• New release of HPE GreenLake for Block Storage built on HPE Alletra MP now supports NVMe capacity scaling up to 5.6PB and HPE Infosight AIOps with cross-stack analytics to enable workload visibility, improved performance, higher availability and optimised resource utilisation.

• HPE Timeless Programme transforms the storage ownership experience with new investment protection that provides operational agility and financial flexibility, lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO) for customers choosing block storage on HPE Alletra MP.

• HPE GreenLake for Private Cloud Business Edition now supports HPE Alletra MP and HPE SimpliVity Gen 11.

In 2023, HPE revolutionised hybrid cloud storage by introducing the industry’s first modular scale-out block storage on a single operating system, supporting both small and medium-sized businesses and enterprise customers running business-critical and mission-critical workloads. HPE continues to expand its platform-based strategy to enable enterprises to shift from daily management of individual storage arrays to a unified data management experience that delivers a cloud operational model, AI-driven automation and seamless data mobility.

“While our competitors continue to sell storage as a service, we are offering a truly transformative platformbased approach for hybrid cloud management and data storage,” said Jim O’Dorisio, senior vice president and general manager of HPE Storage. “With our innovations across HPE Alletra and HPE GreenLake, we continue to set the standard for simpler, more cost-effective IT and storage management.”

Seamless data and application mobility with software-

defined storage for AWS

With the introduction of HPE GreenLake Block Storage for AWS, HPE is simplifying data management and workload placement on the cloud through software-defined storage. HPE GreenLake Block Storage for AWS is designed to deliver a seamless, unified storage management experience across hybrid cloud with faster time to value and enterprise-class resiliency.

Enterprises can consistently manage and protect global storage environments and move data, workloads and backups for optimal performance and costs. HPE GreenLake Block Storage for AWS is ideal for enterprises that want to optimise data management as well as application development and deployment across on-prem and public cloud environments. The software-defined storage offering also delivers simple, cost-effective hybrid cloud data protection and disaster recovery.

HPE Timeless Programme readies enterprises for continuous next-generation innovation

With the new HPE Timeless Programme, HPE is transforming the storage ownership experience with new investment protection and a seamless infrastructure lifecycle path. Customers that choose block storage on HPE Alletra MP and participate in the programme will qualify for an upgrade to a next-generation controller, delivered non-disruptively, when they renew their subscription.

Customers can achieve an average savings of 30% of TCO for storage by avoiding one forklift upgrade2. The new programme includes HPE’s 100% Data Availability Guarantee and HPE StoreMore data efficiency guarantees3. HPE Timeless Programme provides customers predictable multi-year economics and guaranteed services levels for data availability and efficiency.

“The truth is multi-vendor data centres are complex to manage and difficult to scale,” said Kristinn Elvar Arnarsson, CTO at Opin Kerfi. “When we looked at consolidating our data centres on one vendor, we really wanted both scale up and scale out compute and storage and unified storage management. Now we have HPE GreenLake for Block Storage with Alletra MP as a showcase solution for our customers to see how we can deliver future-proof innovation to them.”

Alletra MP simplifies management with expanded AIdriven intelligence and analytics

HPE is a recognised leader in AIOps-enabled workload management and observability with HPE Infosight and

OpsRamp. Now fully integrated into the HPE GreenLake cloud, new cross-stack analytics streamline management of storage to help users proactively avoid latency issues that reduce workload performance. Full-stack correlation of resources combined with the AIOps engine enables customers to observe, predict and mitigate disruptions across virtual machine, storage, network, compute and cloud infrastructure. In addition, HPE Alletra MP customers will now be able to observe energy consumption and carbon emission trends though the HPE Sustainability Insight Center.

HPE Alletra MP now delivers mission-critical resiliency with midrange economics, scaling up to 5.6PB with support for up to 16 JBOF expansion shelves, double the previously available capacity. New advanced built-in global protection supports three-site replication for enhanced data protection.

Zerto Cyber Resilience Vault now integrates HPE Alletra MP, providing customers with secure, immutable data copies and enabling rapid air-gapped recovery after a cyber-attack. Customers can protect, audit and securely vault their most critical applications while providing the availability to rapidly restore services in the event of service disruption or breach.

“HPE GreenLake aligns perfectly to our hybrid cloud strategy enabling us to be cloud-sensible, instead of cloudfirst. HPE GreenLake for Block Storage is the right solution to replace our HPE 3PAR arrays because it gives us a 100% data availability for our mission-critical workloads and the flexibility to scale performance and capacity as our data needs expand,” Alan Harper, director of corporate technology at Shawbrook Bank Limited.

New Private Cloud solutions optimise edge workloads and simplify VM mobility

HPE Alletra MP and HPE SimpliVity Gen11 are now available as offerings with HPE GreenLake for Private Cloud Business Edition. This agile, self-service private cloud simplifies virtual machine (VM) management and mobility across on-prem and public cloud environments.

• HPE GreenLake for Private Cloud Business Edition provides a modern disaggregated hyperconverged architecture. New support for HPE Alletra MP provides mission-critical VM workloads with mid-range economics and the 100% Data Availability Guarantee.

• New support for HPE SimpliVity Gen11, based on HPE ProLiant Gen11 servers, enables customers to run edge and general-purpose VMs with 99.999% data availability and built-in data protection.

Availability

HPE GreenLake Block Storage for AWS is available to order from the end of May 2024.

HPE Timeless Programme will be available in Q32024.

HPE GreenLake for Private Cloud Business Edition with choice of HPE Alletra MP or HPE SimpliVity Gen11 is available in July.

Intel Xeon, Core Ultra And AI PC Accelerate GenAI Workloads

Intel has validated its AI product portfolio for the first Meta Llama 3 8B and 70B models across Intel Gaudi accelerators, Intel Xeon processors, Intel Core Ultra processors and Intel Arc graphics.

As part of its mission to bring AI everywhere, Intel invests in the software and AI ecosystem to ensure that its products are ready for the latest innovations in the dynamic AI space. In the data centre, Intel Gaudi and Intel Xeon processors with Intel Advanced Matrix Extension (Intel AMX) acceleration give customers options to meet dynamic and wide-ranging requirements.

Intel Core Ultra processors and Intel Arc graphics products provide both a local development vehicle and deployment across millions of devices with support for comprehensive software frameworks and tools, including PyTorch and Intel Extension for PyTorch used for local research and development and OpenVINO toolkit for model development and inference.

Intel’s initial testing and performance results for Llama 3 8B and 70B models use open-source software, including PyTorch, DeepSpeed, Intel Optimum Habana library and Intel Extension for PyTorch to provide the latest software optimisations. Intel Xeon processors address demanding end-toend AI workloads, and Intel invests in optimising LLM results to reduce latency. Intel Xeon 6 processors with Performance-cores (code-named Granite Rapids) show a 2x improvement on Llama 3 8B inference latency compared with 4th Gen Intel Xeon processors and the ability to run larger language models, like Llama 3 70B, under 100ms per generated token.

Intel Core Ultra and Intel Arc Graphics deliver impressive performance for Llama 3. In an initial round of testing, Intel Core Ultra processors already generate faster than typical human reading speeds. Further, the Intel Arc A770 GPU has Xe Matrix eXtensions (XMX) AI acceleration and 16GB of dedicated memory to provide exceptional performance for LLM workloads.

EXPLORING THE FUTURE

SUNIL PAUL, MD OF FINESSE, SHARES KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM GISEC 2024.

The recently concluded GISEC Global 2024 conference served as a nexus for cybersecurity professionals from both regional and international spheres. The annual event brought together over 20,000 cybersecurity professionals, 750 leading companies, and 350+ speakers in Dubai for three days of thought-provoking discussions, presentations, and award ceremonies.

The event’s overarching theme was “AI-Driven Cyber Resilience.” Experts explored how AI can be leveraged to enhance threat detection, response, and an organisation’s overall cybersecurity posture.

The alarming trend of AI being wielded by scammers in scams and crime-related tasks was a key focus at the event. The most popular scams include falsely advertised products on online platforms and fake websites. Interestingly, Kenya (49 per cent), Brazil (41 per cent), and South Africa (38 per cent) were among the countries that lost money often through scams, while 41 per cent of crime in the UK is related to online fraud.

Jorgi Abraham, Managing Director of the Global Anti Scam Alliance and Scamadviser.com, noted the significant number of unreported scams, highlighting the urgency for increased awareness and collaboration.

Ex-Vietnamese hacker Minh Hieu Ngo provided a fascinating insight into the darker facets of AI creativity. During his session, he identified the rapid spread of misinformation, privacy violations, and the accessibility of malicious tools as widespread problems today.

Banking institutions from the Middle East and Africa shared their experiences and strategies for protecting their systems from data breaches, highlighting the increasing number of attacks targeting the financial sector. Statistics show that finance and insurance organisations globally

experienced 566 breaches, leading to over 254 million leaked records.

Amidst the whirlwind of discussions on innovation and artificial intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity, the event also highlighted a group often overlooked in the field: women.

Glass ceilings were shattered when ten incredible women led discussions on a range of topics on the dedicated ‘Dark Stage. These included attracting more females to the field and leveraging AI for enhanced security. According to Yasmine Idrissi Azzouzi, Cybersecurity Programme Officer of ITU Switzerland, while women are making strides in this industry, there remains a significant journey ahead to increase female representation. She pointed out that it’s not only about current numbers but also about shifting mindsets and cultural norms and recognising the additional value women bring to this sector through participation.

Even former female hackers shared their stories, offering a unique perspective on the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape.

Alina Tan, an ethical hacker from Singapore, said her transition from exploiting vulnerabilities to helping organisations shore up their defences was motivated by her belief in doing good things and giving back to the community.

During another session, Valerie Thomas, a cybersecurity expert and former hacker, recounted her personal journey. She reminisced, “I did my first hack when I was 15 years old and hacked into the account of a boy at my school class, and from that moment, I found that the digital way is easier.”

The event also addressed the importance of safeguarding children online and fostering their interest in cybersecurity careers. Minister Ursula Owusu-Ekufu, Minister for Communications and Digitalisation of the Republic of Ghana pointed out that children are already experimenting with

technology, so it is essential to make them aware of the dangers they could face early on.

A significant milestone was the inaugural in-person Global CyberDrill, a joint effort between the ITU and the UAE Cyber Security Council. Teams from more than 100 nations took part, assessing their preparedness against cyber threats and fostering robust international alliances. Albania beat Egypt (runner-up) and Turkey (third-placed) to be recognised as the top country in their readiness against cyberattacks and their solutions to enhance capabilities.

Dubai is known for pushing boundaries and setting new records. At GISEC this year, the UAE Cyber Security Council achieved three new Guinness World Records for the “Largest Internet of Things awareness lesson”, the most nationalities represented in an Internet of Things awareness lesson, and a gamified cybersecurity training.

The event wasn’t just about talks and drills. Awards were presented to individuals making significant contributions to cybersecurity. From Dr Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti (GISEC Special Awards Personality of the Year) to Dr Reem AlShammari (GISEC Cybersecurity Woman of the Arab World 2024) and Basim AlRuwaii (GISEC CISO of the Year 2024), these are the role models for youngsters from the region who want to pursue careers in cybersecurity.

GISEC Global 2024 was all about celebrating cybersecurity innovation, fostering dialogue, and setting new benchmarks in the field. With a focus on AI-driven resilience and empowering women, the event demonstrated the collective efforts towards building a safer digital ecosystem.