eZhire is using Oracle NetSuite to support its mission to simplify the car rental process. With NetSuite, eZhire has been able to take advantage of an
integrated business system to automate and consolidate financial processes, gain a holistic view across its rapidly expanding operations, and increase profitability.
Founded in Dubai in 2016, eZhire enables customers to order rental cars direct to their door and eliminates the need for security deposits, paperwork, and physical storefronts. This new approach to car hire has been extremely successful and today eZhire has over 650,000 users and has recorded over four million total rental days. To support its rapid growth in the UAE and its expansion into Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, eZhire needed more robust financial processes and greater visibility into its lines
of business. To address these challenges and establish a scalable platform to support its 102 percent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), eZhire selected NetSuite as its enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
“Our continuous growth demonstrates the success of eZhire’s approach to making car rentals more accessible, convenient, and flexible for everyone,” said Hassan J. Saduzai, CEO and co-founder, eZhire. “NetSuite complements our mission perfectly. Our teams can now access data at a granular level, create real-time dashboards, and instantly access insights to understand our cash flow, forecast accurately, and assess our financial health.”
AI has revolutionized the tech world with major announcements like the $500 billion Stargate AI infrastructure initiative and DeepSeek's rise to prominence. These breakthroughs have disrupted industries, reshaped the global tech power map, and challenged longstanding assumptions and strategies.
AI Everything Global, the year’s largest AI event, will take place from February 4-6, 2025, in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Following historic AI developments, it will explore global changes and foster debate among key AI stakeholders. Organized by Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) with GITEX GLOBAL, the event will cover R&D and real-world AI use cases across government, business, society, and global economies.
Shifting Global Landscape: AI’s Strategic Inflection Point
The World Economic Forum’s ‘AI In Action’ 2025 report emphasizes that success lies in strategic application, while managing risks. With the US, Europe, China and rising, dynamic countries as the UAE vying to be at the forefront, AI is no longer confined to innovation but is a strategic lever for competitiveness and leadership, as we edge closer towards AI’s expected $15.7 trillion contribution to the world
economy by 2030 (PwC).
AI Everything Global is the largest public-private AI gathering, showcasing innovations from over 70 countries. It features 200 speakers, 150+ investors managing $70 billion in assets, and 500+ Chief AI and Tech Executives shaping the future of AI strategies.
Elaborating on the changing and unpredictable AI dynamics, Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of DWTC and CEO of KAOUN International, organiser of GITEX and Ai Everything, commented, “As the world confronts the unpredictability of AI developments, it is obvious that this technology is not confined to businesses but now a global sovereign investment priority.
2024 poised to be second-biggest year for cryptocrime as threats grow more diverse and professional
As global cryptocurrency utilisation continues to rise, evidenced most recently in the post-US election bull run, so too does the ever-present shadow of crypto crime. In its annual Crypto Crime report, Chainalysis found that through 2024, illicit addresses received a whopping US$40.9 billion — a figure that the blockchain data leader estimates will rise to US$51 billion, as it continues to refine
its analysis.
While this places 2024 on track to be the second most prolific year for cryptocrime, it’s important to recognise that crime remains just a minute share of the larger crypto ecosystem, accounting for just 0.14% of the year’s total on-chain transaction value.
What Chainalysis experts noted as being concerning however, is the ongoing diversification and professionalisation of crypto crime. “An increasing number of illicit actors, including transnational organised crime groups, are exploiting cryptocurrency to conduct a range of traditional criminal activities, such as drug trafficking, gambling, intellectual property theft, money laundering, human and wildlife
trafficking, and violent crime. Notably, some criminal networks are turning to cryptocurrency to enable “polycrime” —engaging in multiple forms of criminal activity,” said Eric Jardine, Cybercrimes Research Lead at Chainalysis.
This trend is evidenced in the fact that of the US$40.9 billion received by illicit addresses in 2024, US$10.8 billion can be attributed to “illicitactor organisations”, a category Chainalysis defines to encompass wallets linked to individuals and services directly involved in cybercrime, including hacking, extortion, trafficking, and scams, as well as those facilitating these crimes by offering infrastructure, tools, and services such as laundering-as-a-service.
Vertiv has announced its participation as a Silver Sponsor in the Dell Technologies Forum 2025, set to take place on January 16, 2025, in Dubai, UAE. This marks Vertiv’s second consecutive year of engagement in this influential event, further demonstrating its advanced technological innovations and AI-driven solutions.
The Dell Technologies Forum 2025 will serve as a premier platform for exploring the transformative power of AI-integrated solutions in reshaping business operations, enhancing productivity, and driving innovative approaches to solving complex challenges.
As part of its exhibit, Vertiv will highlight its easily deployed Vertiv™ SmartCabinet™ ID, a robust micro data center solution designed to withstand harsh industrial environments
characterized by dust, dirt, humidity, and temperature fluctuations. This solution integrates power management, space-saving cooling, flexible heat rejection and feature-rich racks to provide superior protection for critical IT systems, enabling enterprises to efficiently manage edge computing challenges.
Attendees will have the unique opportunity to experience live demonstrations of the SmartCabinet™ ID and discover how it can optimize infrastructure performance in industrial and commercial settings.
In addition to its exhibit, Vertiv will deliver a presentation that addresses how the current and future escalating demands of AIdriven workloads require new strategies for cooling and power management. Vertiv’s experts will
provide attendees with valuable insights into the future of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) technologies.
“The Dell Technologies Forum provides an outstanding opportunity for connecting the channel community and enterprises, creating a dynamic space for impactful dialogue and collaboration,” said Nassif Yazbeck, channel sales director for Middle East, Turkey & Central Asia, Vertiv.
Zoho achieves 50% revenue growth in uae, partners with UAQ chamber of commerce to drive digital transformation in the Emirate
Zoho Corp has announced 50% growth in its revenue in the UAE and 40% increase in channel partner network in 2024. The company also recorded a remarkable 64% upmarket momentum as large UAE enterprises migrate to its solutions, further reinforcing the nation as a key regional hub for the company. As part of its ongoing commitment to support digital transformation of businesses in the country, Zoho has signed a
strategic agreement with the Umm Al Quwain Chamber of Commerce. The announcements were made on the sidelines of Zoholics Dubai 2025, the company’s annual user conference.
The signing ceremony took place in the presence of His Excellency Ammar Rashid Al-Aleeli, Director General at UAQ Chamber of Commerce and Hyther Nizam, President Middle East and Africa, Zoho and Prem Anand Velumani, Associate Director, Strategic Growth (MEA) at Zoho.
With an investment of up to AED 17 million in wallet credits value and AED 43 million in value dedicated to digital upskilling, Zoho is set to help over 8,600 businesses in Umm Al Quwain leverage its cloud technology to catapult their growth. As part of this
partnership, eligible businesses in UAQ can register to receive up to AED 2,000 wallet credits and AED 5000 in training value for one year. These can be utilised for access to and workshops for Zoho’s suite of over 55 business applications, including Zoho One, the operating system for business, enabling them to automate and streamline all aspects of their operations.
His Excellency Khalfan Ahmed Mesfer, Chairman at UAQ Chamber of Commerce commented:
“This partnership with Zoho is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to foster innovation and growth within the UAE’s business community. We are excited about the opportunities this collaboration will bring to our members and the wider business ecosystem.”
Gartner highlighted several trends set to shape the automotive sector in 2025, as the industry faces regulatory pressure on emissions and intense growth from China.
“Software and electrification will remain the two main drivers of the automotive sector’s transformation. However, in 2025, automakers will face uncertainties regarding emission regulations and growing trade tensions between China and the West, particularly in the electric vehicle (EV) market,” said Pedro Pacheco, VP Analyst at Gartner.
The evolving political landscape in the U.S. and European Union (EU) is reopening the discussion on vehicle emission regulations, creating uncertainty for the automotive industry. As a result, some original equipment
manufacturers (OEMs) may be reluctant to put EVs at the center of their strategy.
Gartner estimates EV (bus, car, van and heavy trucks) shipments will grow 17% in 2025. By 2030, Gartner predicts that more than 50% of all vehicle models marketed by automakers will be EVs.
Geopolitics Slows CASE
Trade barriers set by the U.S. and the EU against Chinese EVs will slow the adoption of connectivity, autonomy, software and electrification (CASE) in these regions, as Chinese EVs are, on average, the most advanced type of vehicles in these areas.
“Drone manufacturers and Chinese telecommunication companies are already feeling the impact of international sanctions, and robots are likely to follow,” said Bill Ray, Distinguished VP at Gartner. “The ubiquity of intelligent, updatable software, remotely accessible cameras and the integration of data gathering into the automotive business model make it inevitable that geopolitics will fragment the market and, therefore, slow adoption.”
Nick Redshaw,
senior vice president –Tech Cloud, Middle East and Africa, and UAE Country Leader, Oracle
The Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC) and Oracle has announced the launch of sAIdaty 2025, the second edition of the transformative training program that aims to empower women professionals and entrepreneurs in Dubai and the wider UAE with Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills. sAIdaty 2025 builds on the success of the inaugural edition of the initiative, which has already trained and upskilled 500 UAE women.
The first edition of ‘sAIdaty’ equipped participants with foundational AI skills, enabling them to explore the deployment
of AI in their start-ups and professional work environments. The new phase of sAIdaty will aim to expand the scope of the program with a focus on advanced AI applications, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation strategies.
Through training sessions and workshops delivered by Oracle and industry experts, the first cohort of ‘sAIdaty’ participants gained insights into the basics of cloud computing, AI, and generative AI technologies. The inaugural edition also emphasized leadership development, fostering confidence, and strategic thinking among women professionals and entrepreneurs.
“‘sAIdaty’ received an excellent response from women entrepreneurs and professionals in the UAE and during the oneyear duration of the program,
Seagate Technology has been recognized with the Outstanding Commercial Security Solutions Award for its groundbreaking Mozaic 3+ technology. This prestigious award highlights Seagate’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge storage solutions that address the evolving needs of the data-driven world.
“We are honored to receive this award in recognition of our pioneering work in developing the state-of-the-art Mozaic 3+ technology. This win underlines our relentless pursuit of innovation and our commitment to providing our customers with advanced, secure and reliable storage solutions.” said Emir Amri, Channel Marketing Manager META, Seagate.
Seagate’s Mozaic 3+ technology was shortlisted as an Intersec Awards 2025 finalist in the Outstanding Commercial Security Solutions category. This award recognizes solutions that significantly enhance the security posture of commercial entities, safeguarding them from risks, threats, and unauthorized intrusions.
The Mozaic 3+ technology featuring Seagate’s unique implementation of HAMR technology, represents a significant leap forward. By achieving areal densities of 3 TB+ per platter, Mozaic 3+ enables hyperscale cloud and data center customers to store more data in the same space, enhancing efficiency and sustainability.
participants gained a strong understanding of AI and how they can leverage this incredible technology across their area of work”, said Nick Redshaw, senior vice president – Tech Cloud, Middle East and Africa, and UAE Country Leader, Oracle.
“At the Dubai Business Women Council, we are driven by a profound commitment to not only empower and support businesswomen but to also forge meaningful partnerships that amplify our collective impact. Our work goes beyond providing tools and knowledge; it’s about creating transformative initiatives that prepare women for the future of work, enabling them to lead, innovate, and thrive in a rapidly changing world”, said Nadin Halabi, Head of Business Development and Operations –Dubai Business Women Council.
As we look to the future, the capacity to store, access, and leverage vast quantities of data will be integral to driving innovation and harnessing the full potential of the digital age. With Mozaic 3+, Seagate isn’t just keeping pace with the data explosion — it’s setting the tempo, driving the advancement of storage solutions towards a horizon where data’s potential is limitless.
Oracle has announced that the AlMadinah Development Authority (MDA) has achieved a significant milestone in implementing the Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications Suite. The MDA has implemented the Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain and Manufacturing (SCM), and Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital
Management (HCM). Additionally, a custom application for managing supplier payments has also been developed.
This achievement is part of the Authority’s efforts to enhance operational efficiency, boost productivity, and adopt the latest digital technologies. The project was executed in collaboration with technical partners and industry experts.
MDA has successfully redeployed its Oracle Fusion Applications Suite implementation from an international location to the Oracle Cloud Jeddah Region. This initiative has helped MDA enhance data security and improve system performance. The migration and re-deployment of the cloud applications were carried out
smoothly and securely, enabling the Authority to fully leverage the capabilities of Fusion Applications to optimize processes and productivity.
“Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications Suite enables organizations to take advantage of the cloud to break down organizational silos, standardize processes, and manage financial, supply chain, and HR data on a single integrated cloud platform”, said Reham AlMusa, vice president – Business Applications, Public Sector, and managing director, Oracle Saudi Arabia. “With this deployment, Madina Development Authority has created a modern and agile cloud applications platform that will help accelerate key initiatives.”
Oracle has announced that First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) is implementing Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management (HCM) to consolidate the bank’s human resources (HR) function on the cloud as part of a major digitalization program. With Oracle Cloud HCM, FAB will be able to unify, plan, manage, and optimize global people processes with one common data source to make better decisions and deliver a highly personalized employee experience.
By partnering with Oracle, FAB is building a future-ready bank capable of thriving in the AIdriven economy by embracing cutting-edge digital technologies, delivering operational efficiency, and driving business growth through innovative and personalized financial solutions.
Oracle Cloud HCM will empower FAB employees with the latest digital tools to support a culture of innovation and continuous development. By integrating Oracle Cloud HCM, FAB ensures that bank employees remain central to its success in navigating the dynamic and evolving financial sector.
With embedded AI, digital assistants, and hundreds of new capabilities added regularly, Oracle Cloud HCM will help FAB to introduce new features across its global HR function continuously.
Oracle Cloud HCM will also help FAB connect processes across the employee lifecycle, including recruiting and workforce management, helping to improve decision-making and reduce operational costs. In addition, Oracle Payroll, part of Oracle Cloud HCM, will provide FAB with a highly configurable, fully unified solution for efficient, compliant payroll processing.
“Digital native talent that can leverage the latest AI-powered tools is a major differentiator for businesses, especially in the financial industry. With Oracle Cloud HCM, FAB will be able to respond with speed and insight to the evolving needs of employees and business”, said Leopoldo Boado Lama, senior vice president – business applications, ECEMEA, Oracle.
ServiceNow announced, at ServiceNow Partner Kickoff, a major expansion to its global partner program, including it has nearly quadrupled its investment in new incentives and specializations to help partners capitalize on the rapid growth of ServiceNow AI solutions and deliver value to customers. Infosys and Cognizant have also been elevated to Global Elite partners, the highest level of partnership within the ServiceNow Partner Program.
This year, ServiceNow is offering
substantial opportunities for partners to boost revenue and profitability through eligible discounts, rebates, and valuable credits that can be applied to training, professional services, and other practice building resources. It is expanding its program offerings to introduce more opportunities for partners to elevate and differentiate AI offerings in the market. This includes:
• Additional Product Line Achievements (PLA) for Now Assist to bolster credibility and support market positioning as a validated and trusted advisor with expertise in ServiceNow AI solutions.
• Expanded Specializations for partners to showcase their sales, product, and customer success across GenAI and industries including Customer
Epson opens Middle East innovation centre at Dubai production city, paving the way for sustainable growth and exceptional customer experiences
Epson has officially opened its state-of-the-art Innovation Centre at Dubai Production City, part of TECOM Group PJSC. Showcasing Epson’s latest technology solutions with a mission to reimagine how technology contributes to a better future, the Centre reflects the company’s vision for industry sustainability and innovation.
The opening ceremony was attended by Yasunori Ogawa, President and Representative Director, CEO of Seiko Epson Corporation; Neil Colquhoun, President of Epson META-CWA; Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Executive Officer of TECOM Group; Ammar
Al Malik, Executive Vice President of Commercial at TECOM Group; Majed Al Suwaidi, Senior Vice President of Dubai Media City, Dubai Production City, and Dubai Studio City at TECOM Group, as well as numerous UAE dignitaries, customers and partners.
Epson’s Innovation Centre, equipped with cutting-edge tools, will drive advancements in printing, scanning, visual display, manufacturing, and lifestyle solutions. As a regional hub, it will connect customers and partners with Epson’s R&D centres in Japan, enabling local insights to shape nextgeneration technologies. The
Experience GenAI, Employee Experience GenAI, ServiceOps GenAI, Cybersecurity, and Tech Risk.
• New GenAI Customer Value Partner of the Year award will honor partners who have successfully leveraged GenAI to drive customer value.
ServiceNow is committed to supporting partners with additional tools and resources as they build thriving ServiceNow practices and help customers accelerate their business transformation.
“Over the past two years, we have completely transformed our Partner Program, cultivating an ecosystem of specialized, industry leading capabilities and services for our customers,” said Erica Volini, executive vice president, worldwide industries, partners, and go to market at ServiceNow.
Innovation Centre will gather local data, customer feedback, and channel partner input to share with Epson’s global design and engineering teams, ensuring regionally relevant solutions.
“The print, packaging, and production sector’s contributions are vital to ensure a thriving, diversified creative economy,” said Majed Al Suwaidi, Senior Vice President of Dubai Media City, Dubai Production City, and Dubai Studio City at TECOM Group.
How Cloud FinOps is reshaping financial management.
Today, cloud adoption is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. However, as businesses scale their cloud operations, managing costs efficiently becomes a growing challenge. This is where Cloud FinOps comes in. A fusion of finance, operations, and DevOps, Cloud FinOps empowers organizations to optimize cloud spending, enhance visibility, and drive financial accountability across teams. By implementing a culture of cost awareness and real-time decision-making, businesses can strike the perfect balance between innovation and financial efficiency.
Let’s start with the defintion of Cloud FinOps. As with many IT terms, Cloud FinOps can be somewhat ambiguous and subject to interpretation. While it is often associated with
Donny Cross Rackspace's COO of Public Cloud
"Cost Optimization," its scope extends far beyond just managing expenses.
Josh De Wit, GTM Practice Solution Specialist
David Boast General Manager UAE & KSA, Endava
– FinOps at NTT DATA, explains that at its core, it’s a practice that blends financial management principles with cloud engineering and operations. This structured approach helps organizations visualize their cloud spend, manage costs effectively, and identify opportunities to reduce expenses. It’s a cultural shift within a business that brings financial accountability to the people capable of influencing cost drivers.
He asserts it's not just about cutting costs though; it's about ensuring that every cent spent delivers maximum value. The complex nature of cloud makes it challenging to gain clear visibility into your spend. Without a comprehensive grasp of the various costing models, and a thorough understanding of cloud architecture, managing and controlling costs becomes challenging. “This is where FinOps comes to the rescue. Personally, I prefer the term “Cloud Value Realization.”
Joshua de Wi VP & GM - Middle East, Turkey & Africa at Dataiku
David Boast, General Manager – UAE & KSA, Endava, points out that while most CTOs and CIOs today are proponents of the “cloud first” paradigm, all too often its pitfalls become apparent too late— after significant investments have already been made. One of the biggest challenges is the unsustainable recurring costs that can arise from poorly designed or improperly managed cloud environments. CFOs are frequently blindsided by unexpected bills for instances that were either overlooked or inadequately forecast by technologists. However, it’s hard to place all the blame on the tech teams, as financial planning typically isn’t their expertise.
According to Rackspace's COO of Public Cloud, Donny Cross, Cloud FinOps is a grassroots movement that began with the massive adoption of public cloud services. It represents the combination of business and engineering teams, and was
born from the need to manage public cloud services. Adopting FinOps best practices is critical for organizations to effectively forecast, govern, manage, and optimize their public cloud services.
A common distinction often made is that cloud computing shifts IT spending from a CAPEX model, requiring large upfront investments, to an OPEX model, characterized by ongoing, usage-based expenses. While this is true, the reality is more complex.
Traditionally IT costs were fairly predictable with fixed budgets that were typically reviewed quarterly or annually and often grouped into broad categories (e.g. hardware, software, networking).
De Wit from NTT Data points out changes happened at a slower pace due to longer procurement cycles which
had a negative impact on flexibility. Scaling up or down required significant lead time and capital investment. With the variable nature of cloud, services can be provisioned within minutes. While this agility allows businesses to innovate at a rapid pace, costs now need to be monitored and managed in real-time, in a more granular way. FinOps adapts to the cloud’s dynamic nature, enabling organizations to optimize costs while maintaining agility, in contrast to the more rigid and predictable structure of traditional IT cost management.
Cross from Rackspace highlights that traditional IT cost management is based on a CapEx model. Organizations traditionally purchase hardware, software, and data center assets and depreciate/ amortize these over their respective useful lives. This structure is more fixed in nature and easier to forecast and manage. Organizations typically focus on asset lifecycle management. Procurement cycles can be lengthy, and overprovisioning of capacity is common to ensure application needs can be met.
The public cloud is a completely OpEx, or operating expenditure, model. It is dynamic and consumptionbased. Organizations pay for what they use, and many services are elastic; meaning that they can scale with demand. This OpEx model can free organizations from the need for capital planning, but it can also expose organizations to cost overruns and challenges in understanding their consumption across hundreds of SKUs. Costs can fluctuate significantly based on demand.
Where traditional IT costs are predictable and rigid, public cloud costs are complex and flexible.
“Additionally, public cloud costs are dynamic and decentralized, unlike traditional IT costs. FinOps is necessary to align both business and technical stakeholders, ensuring that individual teams take ownership of their cloud consumption and costs. Workloads can be tagged and costs analyzed at a more granular level than traditional IT costs,” he adds.
According to Boast from Endava, one of the most common mistakes businesses make when managing cloud costs is the lack of visibility into their cloud estate. Without a clear understanding of what resources are being used, companies struggle to manage expenses effectively. This issue is often exacerbated by the rush to get to market, where teams use corporate cards to quickly spin up cloud instances— an approach that is neither sustainable nor controllable in the long term.
Another key mistake is the absence of proper governance and processes around cloud usage. IT departments frequently focus on delivering the product, overlooking the long-term operational costs (opex) associated with their choices. With multiple cloud providers and management tools in play, costs can quickly spiral out of control without a unified strategy.
Finally, operating cloud initiatives in isolation often results in missed opportunities
to leverage economies of scale or create synergies with other parts of the organisation. This siloed approach can lead to inefficiencies and higher costs that could have been avoided with better coordination and oversight.
Historically, native cost management tools from cloud vendors offered limited value, driving organizations to adopt third-party tools for cost optimization, often paying a percentage of cloud spend. While these tools initially delivered significant savings by addressing inefficiencies, their value diminished as organizations struggled to justify costs. In response, cloud vendors improved their native tools, closing the gap and prompting a return to these no-cost options. Thirdparty tools still provide value in specific scenarios, but their overall value proposition is being re-assessed.
“Another emerging trend is the adoption of FinOps principles across entire IT landscapes, including onpremises environments,” says De Wit. He adds that FinOps is evolving from a cloud-specific discipline into a comprehensive approach to managing IT costs. Organizations are forming cross-functional FinOps teams to optimize costs, emphasize accurate forecasting, and improve cost distribution. Additionally, businesses are increasingly leveraging commitment-based discounts effectively, reflecting a more strategic approach to managing IT expenses.
CONSULTING | RESEARCH | ON DEMAND
RESEARCH
INSIGHT & BENCHMARKING
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
GOVERNANCE
RISK & COMPLIANCE
CYBER SECURITY
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
DEOPS & DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE
ERP & CRM
Ayman Aly, Marketing Director, B2B, Canon Middle East discusses the company’s participation at Gulf Print & Pack 2025 in Riyadh.
WHAT TECHNOLOGY/SECTOR DID CANON SHOWCASE AT GULF PRINT & PACK 2025? CAN YOU HIGHLIGHT THE BENEFITS OF THE MACHINES TO THE USERS?
As the Platinum Sponsor of Gulf Print & Pack 2025, Canon's showcase underscores the burgeoning opportunities in Saudi Arabia's commercial and package printing sectors, with a strong focus on digital technologies while acknowledging the enduring importance of conventional offset printing. Presenting innovative solutions such as the ProStream, VarioPRINT iX, and UVgel Packaging Factory, and the TZ-32000 with Z36 scanner demonstrates our commitment to meeting the evolving market demands for flexibility and customization. Additionally, products like the PlotWave T35 add value to our comprehensive range of solutions. This approach aligns seamlessly with Saudi Vision 2030's goals for economic diversification and technological advancement.
We believe traditional offset printing and digital workflows complement each other. By offering technologies that complement existing offset operations alongside cuttingedge digital solutions, we are well-positioned to support businesses at various stages of their digital transition. This comprehensive approach enables Canon to bridge the gap between traditional and modern printing methods, capitalizing on the Kingdom's diverse and expanding print market.
For the Interior Decor sector, we spotlighted digital printing solutions that transform spaces aesthetically and functionally. The
lineup includes the Arizona series for rigid media, the UVgel/Colorado M-series for highproductivity roll-to-roll printing, and the imagePROGRAF series for premium photo and fine art applications. These are supported by the PRISMA XL Suite software and end-toend workflow solutions, enabling Print Service Providers to manage diverse customer needs efficiently. The showcase will also feature a mezzanine area highlighting retail interior décor, signage, and commercial applications, emphasizing Canon’s versatility in serving this market.
As a partner of choice for the Publishing Industry, Canon emphasises end-to-end book production, innovation, and workflow automation. At GPP, Canon featured the VP 6330 TITAN and imagePRESS V1000 for highquality colour book production alongside PRISMA workflow solutions for enhanced efficiency, as well as the ColorStream 8000 series for high production efficiencies. Canon will also highlight its involvement in the Publishing 2030 Accelerator, underscoring its commitment to sustainable change and print-on-demand services in the global book industry.
In the Packaging sector showcase, Canon demonstrated its strategic expansion into digital packaging printing. The UVgel Packaging Factory, built on the Colorado M-series and Neolt technology, will be highlighted for its ability to produce on-demand corrugated packaging. Additionally, the Arizona 1360
AYMAN ALY
Marketing Director, B2B, Canon Middle East
FLXflow will be showcased for short-run packaging needs. Lastly, in Commercial Print and Promotional Communications, Canon highlighted the power of personalised print in omnichannel marketing. The ProStream 2000 and VarioPRINT iX3200 will be virtually demonstrated, showcasing their flexibility for various applications, including direct mail, postcards, and retail materials. The imagePRESS 1350 will also be featured alongside sustainabilityfocused print applications and a range of finished products demonstrating Canon's endto-end workflow capabilities.
SINCE OPENING OF THE SAUDI ARABIA
OFFICE IN 2018 -END - HOW IS THE GROWTH TRAJECTORY FOR CANON - YEAR ON YEAR?
Canon has experienced remarkable growth since establishing its direct operations in the Kingdom in 2018, maintaining a consistent 30% growth rate, surpassing initial projections. Notably, Canon exceeded its target of employing 300 staff by 2023, showcasing rapid expansion and commitment to local talent development. This growth trajectory is underpinned by substantial investment, with Canon pledging over 50 million dollars to bolster its presence in the Kingdom. This investment has facilitated the opening of three strategic showrooms and offices in key cities: Jeddah, Khobar, and Riyadh.
FROM COMMENTS IN THE MEDIA, GEOGRAPHICAL EXPANSION HAS HELPED CANON'S GROWTH IN KSA - ANY PLANS OF OPENING MORE OFFICES IN KSA IN THE NEXT 2 YEARS? 5 YEARS?
We anticipate continued growth and investment in Saudi Arabia. Canon has demonstrated its commitment by opening the first regional customer experience centre in Riyadh. This state-ofthe-art facility serves as a hub for showcasing Canon's latest technologies and fostering closer relationships with Saudi customers. Canon's ongoing investments in marketing and customer engagement initiatives demonstrate our commitment to deepen our presence in the Kingdom.
IS THE INTERIOR DECORATION INDUSTRY SHOWING THE POSSIBILITY OF UPWARD SCALING FOR CANON, SINCE MANY COMPANIES FROM OUTSIDE SAUDI ARABIA AND FROM WITHIN THE COUNTRY ARE OPENING OFFICES, VISION 2030 HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED, AND THE COUNTRY HAS BROUGHT IN SWEEPING CHANGES?
The interior decoration industry in Saudi Arabia shows strong potential for growth, aligning with Vision 2030's economic diversification plans. Canon is well-positioned to capitalise on this trend with its comprehensive range of digital printing solutions for interior décor. The company offers a full spectrum of printers, from the Arizona series for rigid media, the UVgel/Colorado M-series for high-volume roll-to-roll production, and the imagePROGRAF series for premium quality prints. These hardware solutions are complemented by the PRISMA XL Suite software and End2End Workflow solutions, enabling efficient management of diverse customer needs.
Mona Ghander, Vice President for Partnerships and Programs at Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation, on why English is key to AI & workforce transformation.
HOW HAS ENGLISH BECOME A CRITICAL LANGUAGE IN THE AI REVOLUTION, PARTICULARLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF AI TECHNOLOGIES?
English has become a critical language in the AI revolution, serving as the global standard for science, technology, research and business. Most AI research, coding languages, and technical documentation are produced in English, making proficiency essential for professionals seeking to access cutting-edge advancements. At the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation (AGF), we believe that improving English proficiency through our targeted upskilling programs empowers individuals to engage with global AI developments and enhances their career prospects.
WHY IS LANGUAGE TRAINING, PARTICULARLY IN ENGLISH, ESSENTIAL FOR BRIDGING THE SKILLS GAP IN TODAY'S WORKFORCE?
English language training is essential in today’s globalized workforce, where effective communication drives collaboration and productivity. In the UAE’s diverse professional landscape, English is often the common language used in business, technology, and cross-cultural partnerships. By supporting business English upskilling for Emirati youth, AGF equips them with the language skills needed to excel in a multicultural work environment, improve career prospects, and actively contribute to the nation’s growing economy. Strong language skills also foster lifelong learning by providing access to global knowledge, educational resources, and professional development.
HOW CAN COMPANIES INTEGRATE ENGLISH TRAINING INTO THEIR UPSKILLING PROGRAMS TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE IN THE GLOBAL MARKET?
Companies can remain globally competitive by embedding English training into their upskilling programs with a focus on accessibility and flexibility. This means offering customizable programs tailored to professional needs, such as evening or weekend sessions, online modules, or on-demand content, enabling employees to learn at their own pace. Prioritizing practical English skills ensures professional can communicate
effectively across global teams and engage with international clients, driving innovation and growth.
HOW DOES BEING BILINGUAL, ESPECIALLY IN ENGLISH, GIVE PROFESSIONALS AN EDGE IN NAVIGATING THE DIGITAL AND TECH-DRIVEN LANDSCAPE?
At AGF, our evidence-based approach drives program design. As part of our Nomu Al Ghurair Talaaqa program for English upskilling, implementing partner Englease conducted a UAE-based survey to explore the impact of language proficiency on professional growth. Findings revealed that 63% of companies rated English proficiency as critical for hiring, while impacted job performance and career advancement. Employers ranked English proficiency second only to technical expertise in importance for securing a role.
As the UAE continues to evolve as a knowledge-based economy and a regional hub for global operations, English proficiency has become essential for cross-border and cross-cultural communication. Being bilingual allows professionals to adapt to evolving technologies, communicate seamlessly, and lead in a competitive workforce. By equipping youth with business English skills, we empower them to unlock better career opportunities and thrive in their professional journeys.
HOW HAS THE RISE OF SOCIAL MEDIA RESHAPED THE WAY PROFESSIONALS USE BUSINESS ENGLISH TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY?
Social media has reshaped professional communication by emphasizing clarity, brevity, and engagement. Professionals must now craft concise, engaging English content to connect with diverse audiences on platforms like LinkedIn and TikTok, aligning with global trends. At AGF, we collaborate with implementing partners to use social media to reach and engage youth, ensuring our content is relatable and inspiring while encouraging interaction and action.
HOW HAS PROFICIENCY IN ENGLISH EMPOWERED EMIRATI WOMEN TO TAKE ON LEADERSHIP ROLES IN BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND CAN YOU SHARE EXAMPLES
MONA GHANDER
Vice President for Partnerships and Programs at Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation
differences and nuances, adapt communication styles, and avoid misunderstandings. For Arabic speakers, mastering business English provides a platform to share ideas confidently while preserving cultural integrity. This skill fosters trust, respect, and stronger partnerships while promoting the region’s values on a global stage.
HOW DO LANGUAGE SKILLS CONTRIBUTE TO ATTRACTING GLOBAL INVESTORS AND PARTNERS TO UAEBASED START-UPS?
Proficiency in English allows young entrepreneurs to clearly present ideas, negotiate effectively, and build trust with global investors. Start-ups showcasing strong language skills can better articulate their innovations, market potential, and adaptability, positioning themselves as reliable partners. Investors seek talent capable of navigating international markets, making English proficiency a strategic advantage.
OF WOMEN WHO HAVE LEVERAGED THESE SKILLS TO SUCCEED IN MALEDOMINATED INDUSTRIES?
The UAE has emerged as a regional leader in gender equality, with Emirati women taking leadership roles across diverse sectors and industries.
Through our Nomu AL Ghurair Talaaqa program, we have witnessed how mastering English ash transformed the careers of Emirati women by enhancing their confidence, improving participation in meetings, and empowering them to communicate their ideas effectively. These are stories of lasting impact on women’s professional journey. Some of the testimonials we received are “Talaaqa have
made me better prepared for the challenges of the business world”, “Talaaqa helped me discover a more profound sense of confidence and capability.”, “This allencompassing program aided in my overall professional growth by enabling me to speak clearly and assertively in a professional setting."
HOW DOES PROFICIENCY IN BUSINESS ENGLISH HELP PROFESSIONALS NAVIGATE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS?
There is no doubt that mastering the most common language spoken in business is essential for international collaboration. English is vital to navigate cultural
HOW CAN BUSINESSES LEVERAGE ENGLISH PROFICIENCY TO ENHANCE INNOVATION AND FOSTER COLLABORATION IN GLOBAL TEAMS?
According to the EF English Proficiency Index, countries with higher English proficiency often experience stronger economic growth and innovation due to enhanced cross-border collaboration. Effective communication in global teams encourages diverse perspectives, faster problemsolving, and creativity. In the UAE, where expatriates make up the majority of the workforce, English proficiency unites multicultural teams and drives impactful solutions on a global scale.
We spoke with Nicky Tozer, EMEA Senior VP at Oracle NetSuite, on the sidelines of the Oracle CloudWorld Tour to discuss how the cloud-based enterprise software company is doubling down on AI.
NETSUITE MADE A LOT OF ANNOUNCEMENTS AROUND AI AT SUITEWORLD LAST YEAR. HAVE ALL THOSE AI FEATURES BEEN FULLY EMBEDDED INTO THE ENTIRE TECHNOLOGY STACK NOW?
Yes and there are many different aspects to AI and how it supports our customers. Essentially, every single NetSuite customer is now running on OCI. This means every customer has access to Oracle’s generative AI capabilities, along with all the AI services, the autonomous database, and the scalability and speed of processing.
Since AI is fundamentally powered by data, and data fuels both AI and productivity, all NetSuite customers now benefit from Oracle’s autonomous database, which enables these AIdriven capabilities.
Additionally, if you think about NetSuite as a unified business model, the more data a customer integrates into the system, the more effectively they are building their own large language model, training it on their own enterprise data. This ensures relevant, business-specific AI outputs, keeping enterprises ahead in their AI strategy.
Beyond that, since SuiteWorld, we’ve introduced features like Text Enhance. This feature was previously available in other regions but is now available here now. Text Enhance allows NetSuite to generate AI-powered text, reducing manual effort.
For example:
• In a manufacturing organization, AI can automatically create product descriptions.
• In customer support, it can summarize support conversations and suggest next steps.
• In sales, it can generate sales order items while allowing human oversight and intervention.
This means users can train AI models on their company's data, customize content, or use AI to clean up and refine outputs. It's a major step forward in NetSuite’s AI capabilities while ensuring businesses remain in control of their data.
Yes, it can be called Narrative Reporting. However, it’s not just about reporting—it extends beyond that. For example, in financial reporting, AI can generate narrative insights to accompany numerical data. But it’s also operational within NetSuite’s ERP system— meaning AI can generate text in orders, reports, and other workflows, making it far more than just a reporting tool.
At NetSuite, when we talk to customers about our platform, we follow a methodology called SuiteSuccess. SuiteSuccess leverages the best practices of our 47,000 customers to create out-of-the-box capabilities tailored to specific industries.
Most of our customers are small and mediumsized businesses. They don’t want to spend time figuring out how to build an ERP system from scratch—they want a ready-to-use, bestpractice solution. With SuiteSuccess, we provide that pre-configured framework.
When working with a customer, we start by aligning industry-standard solutions with their unique business needs. We then determine what customizations may be required. This approach ensures faster implementation and helps businesses realize value from their ERP system much more quickly.
Additionally, each industry solution includes pre-built capabilities designed to fit the specific requirements and workflows of that sector.
Well, our business model and go-to-market strategy follow a land-and-expand approach. This means we encourage customers to start with a core component of NetSuite—typically financials, since that’s often the first problem businesses want to solve.
We focus on implementing financials effectively, ensuring they deliver value to the customer. Once that’s in place, we help them expand their usage of NetSuite across other areas of their business—a process we call 'Unlock the Suite'.
NICKY TOZER
EMEA Senior VP at Oracle NetSuite
This expansion is usually phased and pre-planned. For example, after implementing financials, a company might choose to add CRM next. If they are a product-based business, they might prioritize inventory management instead. Ultimately, we work closely with our customers to understand their business goals and challenges. This allows us to tailor the NetSuite implementation strategy to meet their specific needs and help them get the most value from the platform.
FROM A NETSUITE PERSPECTIVE, ARE YOU OPERATING ONLY ON OCI? OR DO YOU GIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS A CHOICE?
NetSuite runs on OCI. The reason for this approach is that NetSuite primarily serves
small businesses, and these businesses typically aren’t focused on selecting a specific cloud provider or managing a private cloud. Instead, they prefer a fully managed solution where they don’t have to make that choice—they want a reliable system that just works. That said, we are highly customer-driven. If we started receiving consistent demand for additional cloud options, Oracle certainly has the capability to accommodate that. However, at this time, it’s not something our customer base is actively requesting.
YOU
AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FOR THE MIGRATION TO NETSUITE? AND HOW DOES THE MIGRATION PROCESS WORK? Yes, especially for customers moving from on-premise systems. We offer a range of migration options to ensure flexibility and choice for our customers.
• NetSuite Customer Success – Our in-house implementation team provides direct migration and onboarding support.
• Alliance Partners – These partners handle system implementation on behalf of the customer.
• Channel Partners – These partners act almost like resellers, managing the customer relationship and overseeing the entire implementation process. We want to give our customers the flexibility to choose how they interact with us. Regardless of the approach, they are all NetSuite customers, and we value them equally. Our goal is to provide seamless migration support, whether through our in-house team or our trusted partner network.
Jan Kirsch, Managing Director of SEEBURGER, reveals the strategies behind the company’s growth and innovation.
WITH OVER 1,200 EMPLOYEES AND MORE THAN 14,000 CUSTOMERS WORLDWIDE, WHAT STRATEGIES HAVE BEEN PIVOTAL IN ACHIEVING SUCH EXTENSIVE GLOBAL REACH AND CUSTOMER TRUST?
I would say there are several reasons for this. First of all, SEEBURGER is a privately owned company. This is important to understand because we are not driven by investor money or external financial pressures. Instead, we take great pride in building relationships—not only with our customers but also with our employees.
On average, our employees stay with us for more than 12 years, which speaks volumes about the strong relationships we cultivate. Building trust and long-term partnerships is in our company’s DNA. This approach extends beyond our employees to our customers as well.
We recognize that integration service is not a quick fix—it’s a complex, long-term process that often takes years. This is exactly what we have been doing for over 30 years, and it is what truly sets us apart from other companies. This commitment to long-term relationships and trust is what makes us successful.
BIS IS CENTRAL TO SEEBURGER'S OFFERINGS. COULD YOU ELABORATE ON HOW BIS DIFFERENTIATES ITSELF FROM OTHER INTEGRATION PLATFORMS IN THE MARKET?
The most important differentiator is that all integration patterns—whether B2B, MFT, IoT, e-invoicing, ERP integration, API management, or anything else—are handled within a single platform.
It’s not just that we have acquired multiple companies over time—no, this is a platform that we have built ourselves over the years and continue to enhance. From my perspective, this is the biggest differentiator in the market: we can handle all of these integration needs within the same platform, no matter where it’s deployed—whether in the cloud, on-premises, or on public cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure.
Another major advantage is scalability. While some of our competitors struggle with scaling, we seamlessly handle for some of our customers 14 terabytes of data per day, 900 million API calls or 80 million B2B transactions (or even more) per month.
This is what truly sets us apart, and it’s something
we are extremely proud of. We developed this platform from the ground up—it’s a single, unified technology stack. You can run it yourself, we can run it for you, or we can support you in managing it. Understanding the capabilities we offer and have built is crucial in recognizing the value we bring.
GIVEN THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR CLOUD INTEGRATION SERVICES, HOW DOES SEEBURGER'S IPAAS SOLUTION ON AWS ENHANCE SCALABILITY AND SECURITY FORCLIENTS?
For us, the platform runs wherever the customer wants it to run. In the past, we offered deployment in our own data centers, and customers could also run it on their own cloud infrastructure. However, our partnership with AWS has provided an additional channel for deployment.
Building and maintaining our own data centers is a complex and resource-intensive process. Currently, we operate infrastructure in three data centres— one in Frankfurt (Europe), one in China, and one in Atlanta (U.S.). However, if customers want to run the platform in their own region, scaling through our own data centers alone becomes challenging. It’s difficult to expand fast enough to meet customer’s demand.
This is why leveraging AWS allows us to scale efficiently. For example, if a customer in Singapore or the APAC region wants to deploy the platform locally due to compliance regulations—where data must not leave the country—AWS provides flexible and scalable infrastructure in various regions to deploy our solution.
For us, the top priority is ensuring that the platform runs in the environment the customer requires, and AWS plays a crucial role in enabling this global scalability.
THE INTEGRATION LANDSCAPE IS RAPIDLY EVOLVING WITH ADVANCEMENTS IN TECHNOLOGIES LIKE API MANAGEMENT AND THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT). HOW IS SEEBURGERADAPTING ITS SOLUTIONS TO MEET THESE EMERGING TRENDS?
First of all, as I mentioned, we built this platform ourselves over the years, and we are continuously growing in this market—evolving alongside our customers. Of course, we also proactively invest in certain areas ahead of market demand, where we anticipate future needs. When we identify upcoming
Managing Director of SEEBURGER trends, we develop tailored solutions for specific industries, regions, or integration patterns.
As for how we keep up with customer demands, our growth is often driven by their evolving needs. For example, if we frequently hear that a specific adapter, an IoT head-end system, or a new integration capability is required, our product and portfolio management teams assess the demand. From there, we either develop the solution proactively from our own perspective or collaborate with customers to define requirements and build a solution tailored to their needs.
Ultimately, we aim to create an environment where we support customers in developing the solutions they require, ensuring they receive the best possible integration experience.
CONSIDERING THE GROWING EMPHASIS ON DATA SECURITY AND COMPLIANCE, WHAT MEASURES DOES SEEBURGER IMPLEMENT TO ENSURE ITS INTEGRATION SOLUTIONSADHERE TO GLOBAL REGULATORY STANDARDS?
I mean, there are two sides to this. First, we have our own certifications and internal processes, such as ISO 27001
compliance, ISAE3402 Type 2 reporting, and other regulatory frameworks. These are applied within our data centers, operations, and development processes to ensure security and compliance at every level. Secondly, when it comes to data security and compliance, we also leverage our partnership with AWS. For example, if AWS offers a HIPAA-compliant environment, we can leverage that level of compliance to meet our customer’s needs. This collaboration enables us to enhance our security measures and meet industry-specific regulatory requirements more effectively.
Security is a top priority for us, and we see a growing market demand for robust compliance solutions. To stay ahead, we are constantly enhancing our platform’s security capabilities.
LOOKING AHEAD, WHAT ARE SEEBURGER'S PRIMARY OBJECTIVES FOR THE NEXT 2-3 YEARS, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND MARKET EXPANSION?
I think the most important development we are working on right now—set to launch in the
next few weeks and months—is what we call the BIS HUB. It is essentially a workspace that we offer to customers in our cloud environment.
This means we are making all of our existing integration assets and functionalities— which were previously hidden or embedded within our customers on prem solutions—accessible to customers. Through BIS HUB, customers can subscribe to these functionalities, become part of our community, and gain access to essential assets, such as maps, connectors, and other integration tools.
The first step in this process is BIS Hub, which serves as the business integration suite we provide in the cloud. Customers have the flexibility to:
• Run their integrations within BIS Hub.
• Design and build their own process flows using our tools.
• Deploy their customized process flows in their own cloud or on-premise environment.
This solution is not just for new customers—existing customers can also leverage it. They can either design their own integrations with our support or use pre-built assets from our catalog. Once created, they have the option to run their integrations within BIS Hub or deploy them in their own environment.
This is a significant step forward for us. Right now, we have a vast number of valuable assets sitting in customer systems and our own environment that are not yet fully accessible. With this new development, we will be able to accelerate project implementation, optimize existing resources, and enhance efficiency across the board.
This is a major milestone, and you will hear more about it soon.
eZhire leverages Oracle NetSuite to streamline and enhance the car rental experience. We spoke with Hassan J. Saduzai, CEO and co-founder of eZhire, to explore how the company is redefining car rentals.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE NETSUITE?
I mean, yeah, multiple factors. We started exploring options after identifying financial and operational issues within our own system. Our board was particularly inclined towards NetSuite and Oracle solutions.
Previously, our auditing process took months, but now it only takes a few weeks. NetSuite provides an audit-ready platform, which has significantly streamlined the process. Additionally, banks perceive companies using NetSuite as more credible. If you’re using NetSuite, it signals that you are a substantial business, not a small company running without a robust financial system. That credibility factor can be crucial when dealing with financial institutions, especially for asset purchases like cars through banks.
HOW WAS THE MIGRATION AND DEPLOYMENT PROCESS? DID YOU WORK WITH A NETSUITE PARTNER? WERE THERE ANY CHALLENGES?
What we did was hire a consultant, but only for advisory purposes. The actual integration was handled by our in-house team. The integration with NetSuite itself wasn’t too complicated. However, the real challenge was that our internally developed system wasn’t originally designed to comply with accounting standards.
For example, when people rented a car, our system recorded a single entry for revenue and expenses. But to comply with proper accounting practices, there needs to be both a debit and a credit entry. During the integration, we discovered multiple gaps in our system that needed fixing. While addressing those gaps, we simultaneously worked on integrating NetSuite.
HOW SUPPORTIVE AND OPEN WAS THE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN YOUR TEAM AND NETSUITE?
It was very open. Anytime we needed assistance, they were available. In fact, they also followed up with us regularly to check on our progress. Any delays that occurred were mostly from our side due to the complexity of our existing system. When you’re building a system from scratch, it’s relatively easier. But when you have a large, established infrastructure, even minor changes can have dependencies across various components. That complexity was on our side, not NetSuite’s.
HAVE YOU DONE ANY ROI CALCULATIONS ON THIS TRANSITION?
Yes, we’ve seen significant cost savings. One of the biggest reductions has been in our bookkeeping department. Previously, we had 20 bookkeepers—now, we only need three.
HASSAN J. SADUZAI CEO and co-founder, eZhire
NETSUITE COMES WITH EMBEDDED AI CAPABILITIES. ARE THESE RELEVANT TO YOUR BUSINESS? DO YOU PLAN TO LEVERAGE THEM?
Yes, absolutely. As the CEO, I mainly focus on P&L and cash flow, but for my teams, AI-powered reporting can be extremely useful. My CFO mentioned that they plan to start utilizing NetSuite’s AI capabilities for generating
reports. For example, if I ask how we performed last month, the system can automatically generate detailed charts showing performance by different segments—such as which cars performed well. This will make their work easier and allow me to get faster insights.
DO YOU HAVE A REAL-TIME DASHBOARD FOR INSIGHTS?
Yes, we do. However, I don’t usually check it myself. My CFO or assistant provides me with the insights I need since my day is usually packed. The reason they can give me immediate answers is that they can extract the data instantly from the system.
From eZhire’s perspective, was there any missing feature in NetSuite that required customization?
So far, we haven’t hit any major roadblocks. However, since our business model is unique, there were certain elements that didn’t exist in the standard NetSuite offering. One customization I recall was related to booking line
items, though I can’t recall the exact details. The good thing is that NetSuite is highly customizable, so even if a feature isn’t available out of the box, we can modify it to fit our needs.
DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION FOLLOW A CLOUD-FIRST POLICY? IS EVERYTHING ON THE CLOUD?
Yes, absolutely. We are a tech company, so everything has been cloud-based from the beginning.
WHAT’S YOUR FUTURE ROADMAP WITH NETSUITE? ARE YOU LOOKING AT PROJECT MANAGEMENT OR ASSET MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS?
Yes. We are now acquiring some of our own vehicles. Currently, 98% of our fleet comes from suppliers, but we are transitioning to owning a portion of our assets. For this, we will need an asset management solution and an inventory system to track ROI for each unit.
DO YOU HAVE A CRM SYSTEM IN PLACE?
Yes, but we use our own inhouse CRM, not NetSuite’s. Our priority was implementing financial management, followed by fleet and inventory systems. CRM might come at a later stage, but that decision is made by the team, not me.
ARE YOU PLANNING GEOGRAPHICAL EXPANSION, OR ARE YOU FOCUSED ON EXISTING MARKETS?
Currently, we are in the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. However, we have already incorporated in some Western countries and are piloting operations in major Western cities. That’s why I was recently in New York for three months, traveling between Dubai and the U.S. as part of our expansion efforts.
Tackling large-scale challenges across global value chains requires equally large-scale solutions powered by connected data, writes Sue Quense, chief commercial officer, AVEVA.
In 1855, amid the chaos of the Crimean War, Florence Nightingale wielded an unexpected weapon: data. By meticulously collecting and applying statistics, she reduced soldier deaths by an astounding 99% in just one year. This revolutionary approach not only saved lives, but also earned Nightingale the distinction of becoming the first woman admitted to the Royal Statistical Society.
This remarkable achievement is a powerful testament to data’s transformative potential. For millennia, from ancient censuses to modern digital innovations, data has been the bedrock of human progress. But it’s in our rapidly evolving digital age that its importance has skyrocketed.
In today’s hyper-globalized business landscape, where companies grapple with climate change, supply chain disruptions and fierce competition, this lesson has never been more relevant. Embracing data isn’t just an option, it’s an imperative. It’s your most valuable asset and can tip the scales between success and failure.
From extreme weather events to escalating geopolitical tensions, we’re living in a time of unprecedented world-scale challenges. Just this month, Florida-based residents experienced firsthand the power of nature when Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton unleashed 155 mph winds and flooding. Such events serve as stark reminders of the urgent need for global solutions to widespread challenges.
Adverse climate events are not just limited to a single state or country. Globally, communities are grappling with searing heatwaves, devastating wildfires, prolonged droughts, and widespread flooding. Events like these are jeopardizing power supply, impeding supply chains, and displacing millions around the world.
Amid constant change, industrial companies are seeking solutions that promote flexibility and resilience in the face of volatile supply and demand and impacted production. Smart enterprises have
realized that by taking a data-centric approach to insight and partnership, they can gain agility, operational sustainability and economic resilience. This realization, otherwise known as leveraging industrial intelligence, will transform business models.
Modern enterprises that thrive will be those that build strong bonds throughout their value chains and promote radical collaboration between teams, partners and technology providers – powered by a robust AI-driven data infrastructure in the cloud. Secure collaboration is an effective way to drive innovation quickly and effectively. When multiple entities combine their unique strengths by securely sharing data in the cloud, tackling looming business challenges, including our collective sustainability goals and resource management, becomes easier.
This kind of visibility and adaptability is invaluable at a time of increasing cross-sector innovation, when developments in one field, such as big data, can support progress in another area.
Almost half (47%) of industrial leaders see enhancing collaboration with partners and customers, as well as across the workforce, as a key goal of their transformational technology investments, according to the AVEVA Industrial Intelligence 2024 report.
Businesses aren’t just connected to each other—they're interdependent. In industry and elsewhere, the future of business increasingly relies on a connected data ecosystem.
Sharing data across an industrial organization— as well as with external partners — gives every player within the ecosystem a contextual understanding of how to optimize their role in the value chain.
Connecting data across the supply chain enables companies to drive significant disruption, , solve critical problems and reshape markets with smarter – and often sustainable –
Chief commercial officer, AVEVA.
data-driven strategies.
Industries from food and energy to pharmaceuticals and power are exploring how they can build intelligent, connected networks that combine data across their value chains and life cycles, replacing silos with trusted applications.
As the barriers are broken down between engineering, operations, IT, partners, and even peer companies, enterprises can empower their teams to make accurate decisions quickly. With integrated intelligence, companies can determine the best way forward for challenges such as farm-to-fork reliable production, resilient energy supply, or the macroeconomic shifts required to tackle climate
change.
Wood, a leading global engineering, procurement and construction company, is a good example of this. Wood has taken a data-centric approach to managing construction projects and materials. By integrating capital project engineering and execution data into a central platform on the cloud they were able to improve collaboration between teams to accelerate build time, reduce costs and standardize materials. Wood saved over $1 billion worth of rework of potential data issues by promoting collaboration between teams and third parties.
French tire giant Michelin built a digital manufacturing and supply chain by converging
business, operations, operational technology and IT teams from both its plants and central support organization. The company saw significant improvements in product quality, reduced product variability, decreased energy and water usage, and radically sped up decision-making ability.
At the regional and state level, organizations are focusing on integrated operations and partnerships to manage scarce resources and promote climate resilience. There's an increased emphasis on collaboration between utilities, academia, tribal communities, and local governments.
Portland General Electric (PG&E) in the US, for example, is leveraging historical weather data and AI models to unlock operational insights from multiple stakeholders, including state agencies and partners. This collaborative model allows PG&E to identify risks such as high heat, heavy rain, flooding or wildfires ahead of time. Once challenges are identified, they can be planned for, mitigated or offset.
By leveraging integrated AIdriven data networks, companies can determine the best paths for resilient, collaborative and innovative working. The way forward for industry and governments alike will be forged through trusted and secure relationships – cutting across teams, sectors, companies, and even countries. In the face of largescale challenges, collaborative industrial intelligence enables the global ecosystem to become more than the sum of its parts. And this is how we solve the world’s biggest challenges.
Matthijis Eijpe, SVP EMEA, Backbase, presents a blueprint for customer-journey-led banking
Decades of digitalisation, evolution, innovation and constant attempts at one-upmanship have brought the banking sector to a crossroads. Over the years, many banks have accumulated technologies that don’t integrate together, even if they work great in isolation. Just look at call centres, branches, ATMs, internet banking, and most recently mobile banking. These are all examples of what we call legacy tech. This “spaghetti” of technologies and systems banks have created isn’t just difficult to integrate, it’s also nearly impossible to maintain because changes need to be made to each aspect, individually.
The current state of banking technology is a direct consequence of its evolutionary path. In the past, banks adopted new innovations over a roughly ten-year period — the 1990s saw the widespread adoption of ATMs and early internet banking platforms, the 2000s brought online banking to the mainstream alongside the introduction of CRM systems and multichannel banking, and the 2010s ushered in the rise of mobile banking apps, digital wallets, and biometric authentication. While each of these advancements ushered in a new era of conveniences for customers, in the backend, they were rapidly becoming the bane of IT teams — operating nearly independently and interconnected only loosely by a tangled mesh of interconnections.
Fast forward to the present day and these point-to-point integrations have created huge amounts of redundancies and interdependencies while also making things difficult for entire banking teams, including IT, compliance, and security. These silos also ended up hurting the banking customers and employees because of the sheer level of frustration involved, not to mention the lack of flexibility.
The big questions banks have to ask themselves is how they can modernise while simplifying
their existing tech architecture. Believe it or not, it’s not about adding but about subtracting — about moving away from siloed channels and a broken approach.
Of course, everyone is afraid of making massive changes, especially when operations must run seamlessly 24x7 and overhauls are a time-consuming, costly affair. That’s why the solution is to cut things up into more manageable modules — a process called progressive modernisation. With this approach, banks can hollow out important functionality that’s common to all their legacy applications and then redevelop them into a modern cloud and microservices-based architecture. In that way, it’s relatively easy to go from fragmented channels to orderly layers.
Just imagine the simplicity of going from dozens of point solutions to a single, unified platform, a single organised architecture. Your bank would not only reduce costs and increase speed — you'd end up looking something like a neobank or tech company, adapting quickly and easily to market changes.
To move to a customer-centric journey orchestration, your bank will need to connect to the back-end through a single layer, creating a unified integration layer. This means hollowing out your core by simplifying your back-end systems down to their most basic functionality.
It’s time to move from legacy applications to a true ‘system of engagement’, as well as a single ‘system of integration’, both of which will need your investment over the coming years.
The system of engagement serves as a unified layer that connects all customer touchpoints — whether internet banking, mobile apps, ATMs, or even APIs for banking-as-a-service. This touchpointagnostic layer ensures a consistent, seamless experience across channels.
On top of this, your system of integration needs to evolve beyond a point-to-point basis. Everything in your engagement layer will be able to draw from this single point, simplifying governance while removing redundancy. This will allow you to repurpose the same integrations across multiple touchpoints, and you can imagine the impact this will have on your top and bottom lines.
Together, these layers form the foundation for a unified, customer-centric architecture that drives operational efficiency and enhances the user experience.
Once you have your “greenfield tech stack” in place, you’ll be able to shift your focus from being service-centric to journeycentric. Instead of starting with products or services, you will be empowered to build experiences around customers’ needs, identifying the most critical customer journeys — such as onboarding, wealth management, or support — and targeting areas of friction.
Designed to run continuously and serve each application on demand. Being the layer that customers directly interact with, it is where the rubber hits the road and therefore warrants greatest investment in coming years. And its value extends to employees as well, bridging the gap between the digital and physical worlds.
The path to such customerjourney-led banking begins with progressive modernisation. By replacing fragmented systems with a unified platform that prioritises engagement and integration, banks can simplify operations, empower employees, and create experiences that delight customers. This will help you create instant value. And through it all, never forget that digital transformation isn’t all about IT, it’s also about how you organise your business.
Hany Mosbeh, Senior Vice President – MEA & APAC, JAGGAER, lists out eight trends set to shape GCC supply chains in 2025
Last year, pressure on GCC supply chains continued. Geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea and ongoing conflict in Europe are just two of the factors that led to recent efforts by regional governments to loosen up some of the bottlenecks. One example is renewed collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The proposed King Hamad Causeway will run parallel to the King Fahd Causeway to ease the pressure on transport arteries between the two Kingdoms.
The Global Food Security Index considers the GCC to be among the world’s more food-secure regions, but its members still import around 85% of their food. And among the region’s imports of electrical machinery and heavy equipment, as much as 65% can come from just three countries. As each Gulf nation inches forward on its trajectory of economic diversification, it must come to terms with the entrenched fragility of modern supply lines. Before 2025’s own challenges emerge, let’s examine eight trends that will shape regional supply chains.
As tighter management prevails in supply-chain strategies, GCC organizations, especially government or government-affiliated bodies, will find ways to make budgets stretch. Widespread adoption of AI will help with this goal and investments will start to pay off. AI-powered analytics will automate the discovery of cost-saving opportunities along the supply chain by weeding out inefficiencies, allowing contract terms, and hence supplier performance, to be optimized.
In 2024, attacks on supply vessels in the Red Sea had significant impacts on supply chains, laying bare the vulnerabilities that must be addressed by risk managers in 2025. Derisking will occur through comprehensive redesigns of operations in several industries including F&B, healthcare, and manufacturing. Governments will intensify their leverage of technology and data to improve their own supply chains and those in other sectors. Additionally, they will develop more agile methods of pivoting to alternative sourcing.
Of late, accurate, timely data makes the world go round. As more decision makers recognize the criticality of quality data, they will go to greater lengths to find new ways to gather and format it. This automation will drive efficiency and lead to more actionable insights.
Blockchain technology has long been associated with proposals to make supply chains more transparent and traceable. Its decentralized architecture lends itself to the data integrity needed to track the provenance and status of goods, which in turn aligns with Gulf governments’ approaches to sustainability and ethics. Each GCC government has a strategy for blockchain and in 2025 we will see this technology emerge as a standard for solving resilience problems at the national and regional level.
Everydigitalizationstepbringsparallelexpansion in what cybersecurity analysts call “the attack surface”. This expansion becomes exponential when moving technology infrastructure and data to the cloud. Organizations can lose autonomy over their most sensitive data, like patient records or visa status. GCC government agencies are also held to strict privacy standards. As such, we can expect to see much investment in systems and governance to protect agencies and ministries from compromise.
Beyond just cybersecurity, government regulators will hold public and private enterprises to account over sustainability and ethical issues in their supply chains. We can expect safety, environmental impact, and economic justice to all play a part in shaping governments’ new regulations. Organizations across the private and public sectors will need to be proactive in assessing suppliers’ sense of
HANY MOSBEH
Senior Vice President – MEA & APAC, JAGGAER
environmental responsibility, and their use of ethical sourcing and anti-corruption measures.
A significant part of these assessments will be upstream Scope 3 emissions, which occur as the indirect result of the organization’s supply-chain activity. Scope 3 is now widely seen as representing the majority of an enterprise’s carbon footprint. Some estimates put the contribution at more than 70%. Work to curb them will require a movement from purely costcutting approaches to forging partnerships for sustainability.
If Gulf nations are to futureproof their supply chains, the right partnerships will be critical.
And the right partnerships will come about through transparent communication channels. To function today is one thing, but to function tomorrow, next week, or next year, regardless of calm or crisis, is what regional governments have in mind. Collaborations must allow for the transmitting of key information on stock levels, product certification, potential bottlenecks, and more, to all key stakeholders without placing any undue admin burdens upon them. Once again, the right technology and data-sharing solutions will be necessary. If such a system were in place, then pivoting one’s strategy in real time to, say, an alternative shipping route becomes straightforward. It may even be possible for co-
investment in systems that strengthen the entire chain.
One obvious solution to supplychain vulnerabilities is to shorten the chain by importing from nearer countries or establishing domestic operations for manufacturing – such as happened in 2021 when Acino and Dubai’s Pharmax agreed on the licensed manufacture of the Swiss company’s drugs. Nearshoring and reshoring bring a range of advantages including enhanced control over the logistics function and an appreciable reduction in environmental impact.
As part of this geographic redesign of the supply chain, GCC organizations may also look into farther-afield suppliers to spread risk over a more diverse ecosystem. They could, for example, source from emerging markets to ensure cost-effective alternatives during a crisis. Risk managers would be involved in the selection, choosing suppliers that have carbon footprints, supply routes, or geopolitical realities that differ from Tier-One sources.
The GCC has a stellar track record of responding slickly to crises and using the lessons from each to harden infrastructure and workflows to resist the next. In 2025, the region has the opportunity to use even more advanced technologies to bolster supply chains for the next decade and beyond – supply chains that are able to morph as required to absorb unforeseen shocks. From shared data, transparency; from transparency, agility; from agility, resilience; and from resilience, prosperity.
Fares Asadi, Director of Solution Consulting MEA at ServiceNow, highlights four ways legacy UAE banks can use unified platform automation to appeal to digital natives.
Traditional brick-and-mortar banks in the UAE are on the digital war-path. Emirates NBD-owned Liv and Mashreq Neo are just two examples of how venerable FSI institutions in the Emirates have embraced the digital revolution and, far from being outflanked by startups, have emulated their business models to pluck loyal customers from digital-native consumer bases. Success in these areas has required facing up to the many realities that other banks across the region, and around the world, have ignored. The tradition of siloed departments and workforces stands in the way of data sharing. Complex workflows make action slower. The more modern bank, with its slick customer onboarding and transparent processes, is a threat that cannot be matched by banks that are stuck in neutral.
One way a legacy FSI entity can reinvent itself from the inside out, is to adopt a platform-based technology that can effortlessly integrate the latest and greatest tools as they emerge — tools like generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). This unified and homogenized ecosystem makes life easier for employees and customers alike and streamlines reporting, auditing, security, and compliance. Let’s examine this in more detail as we delve into four ways to deliver better customer service by managing the tech mix from a central platform.
The UAE’s track record on AI is well known. And the potential for the country’s banking sector in adopting GenAI is far-reaching. When virtualassistant bots are tied into a unified platform, they can guide human agents to the customer and product information most relevant to the realtime issue in front of them. These capabilities can also be used for self-service, something the digital-native customer craves and expects, and which is a natural part of offerings like Liv and Mashreq Neo. By starting with the bot service, the bank sifts out more standard queries for resolution by AI. And because human-like understanding comes as standard with GenAIpowered large language-models (LLMs), the customer experience is considerably more positive
than with previous generations of automated helplines.
Beyond the quality of conversation outcomes, the bank gets more. Chat summaries allow subsequent AI and human conversations to pick up where the previous session ended. Notetaking is automated too, allowing human agents to move on to the next customer more quickly. This is even the case in voice calls, where transcripts are required. And the GenAI assistant goes further, drafting knowledge base articles from completed sessions to facilitate organization-wide information sharing. What we see emerging is a knowledge-driven powerhouse of customer delight and brand loyalty.
A significant proportion of customer frustration comes from having to catalog their issue from scratch every time they contact the bank. Single-workspace solutions are a natural benefit of centralplatform suites. Businesses can simplify routing across channels and departments and optimize workforce engagement. This means greater productivity, quicker responses, faster resolutions, and happier customers.
In a legacy bank, current accounts are handled by one department, savings by another, long-term investments by another, mortgages, loans, credit cards, insurance, and wealth management by others. Each of the agents in each of the departments is trained separately and equipped differently. As such, even when an opportunity to offer a new product is discovered, the customer experience is fragmented as they are sent to various departments and their relationship with each begins as if they were a new customer. Single-platform environments greatly improve upon this. First, AI can identify the upselling or cross-selling opportunity instantly. Second, integrated workflows
FARES ASADI Director of Solution Consulting MEA at ServiceNow
approach.
can shrink approval times to — in some cases — instantaneous green lights. Third, the AI can step in again to take an employee through even the most complex products with little need for consultation with colleagues. And if the customer needs more expertise, the handover, as we have already seen, is smoother because of the single-platform
The unified platform is built on a common data store that represents the rich knowledge and experience of the bank — experience built up over decades. If harnessed effectively, this knowledge corpus can be a strong advantage in the digital era. The centralized platform will come with easy-to-use connectors to widely used applications, meaning the platform morphs to fit the unique requirements of the business. This allows the business to introduce a unified suite of tools, including AI that, in a very real sense, gets
to know the business better than even its longest-serving employees.
With this infrastructure, the legacy bank is poised to introduce other kinds of AI, beyond the GenAI sensation. Predictive analytics can examine market trends for investment opportunities. Social listening tools can “survey” existing potential customers in their digital salons to discern their pain points and identify the need for new products or services (or even just additions to existing digital experiences that would boost satisfaction and net promoter scores). And because of the integration options associated with unified digital-workflow platforms, this “background” AI can feed the frontline GenAI to either automate action for customers or advise human agents in real time of opportunities to enhance experiences.
Because of lower entry barriers in digital economies, new players can emerge overnight to challenge legacy banks. Mainstay players can no longer take for granted that they will lead in technology. Just having the staff and resources to develop bespoke core-banking solutions is no longer enough when workflow platforms exist to bring out-ofthe-box agility and scalability. If legacy players adopt unified platforms, they can play in the same sandbox as the nimblest newcomers. But because of their historic buildup of market and transaction data, not to mention their sizeable customer base, a legacy bank can more easily reach the heady heights of Liv or Mashreq Neo and partake in the UAE’s digital-banking goldrush.
Fred Crehan, Area Vice President Growth Markets at Confluent, lists out five GCC trends for 2025 that will pave the way for a new era of real-time data-streaming
Hindsight is 20/20” is a phrase often used to absolve oneself of responsibility for paths not taken. Such cynicism is absent in the Arab Gulf region, where 20/20 hindsight is replaced with 2030 foresight. Vision 2030 (2035, in Kuwait) is the touchstone for innovators across the region, and technology has been the means to that end. In 2024, we found this toolbox come alive in ways of which we could previously only have dreamed. Generative AI continued to astound us and pervade more and more everyday applications and devices; we talked more about high-performance computing, foreshadowing next decade’s possible debut of quantum computing; and we saw the AR and VR tools move ever closer to becoming everyday realities for the masses.
Against this insatiable appetite for innovations, the need for real-time datastreaming platforms (DSPs) has never been so acute. Agility can only come from insights, which requires having the right data at your fingertips around the clock. It is the tool of constant vigilance. So, let’s examine the 2025 trends that underpin this reliance on DSPs.
As global economies stabilise, the alreadysteady GCC business environment can take advantage of new opportunities. The region led in 5G rollouts, and it has long been predicted that Internet of Things use cases would take many regional industries by storm. Ericsson’s most recent Mobility Report, published in Q4 2024, predicts the GCC will have the world’s highest 5G consumer penetration by 2030, beating Western Europe and North America. Other technologies like GenAI and VR- and ARpowered solutions can also benefit from 5G.
Confidence in emerging technologies is becoming more concrete, and when this confidence is combined with the renewed sense of optimism in global markets, we will see an uptick in technology investment across the GCC. Digitalisation budgets will increase as businesses seek to introduce greater efficiency
into workflows and trim cost-heavy practices. Many of these activities will rely on real-time insights that can only come from data-streaming, so we can expect to see a significant portion of 2025 investment go towards DSPs.
The region’s awareness of data streaming increased in 2024. Its potential is now widely known. However, business adoption remains in its infancy even as proof-of-concept projects gather steam. A widespread assumption is that data access is already working well, so why disrupt the business to introduce something new just for the sake of change? Some of those legacy systems include batch processing, which means insights come periodically, if at all. DSPs, conversely, not only decrease the lag between datagathering and actionability; they can enable new technologies, such as AI and IoT, and they can democratise data access, allowing more employees to contribute to innovation. This cultural transformation can lead to real-world opportunities –new customers, new revenue streams, new cost savings. DSP investment is therefore strategic, and as awareness of its value grows, cultures will be reshaped to make way for it.
Minimise costs and maximise revenue growth to optimise profitability. The more things change, the more they stay the same. The tech toolbox may be humming with new additions, but companies will still look to the customer experience as the best way to succeed. However, the pace of change, more than anything else, is what challenges today’s business leaders in their pursuit of traditional goals. Real-time data streaming has become a
FRED CREHAN
Area Vice President Growth Markets at Confluent
critical enabler of superlative customer experience – and hence, of maximised revenues and minimised costs. Legacy batch-processing systems can hold innovators back while DSPs can slash costs while delivering timely, accurate customer insights to those who need them most.
Generative AI in the GCC is estimated to be a half-billiondollar (2024 projections) market that could become a US$5-billion market by 2030 –a CAGR of more than 46%. The
inherent risks and challenges of boarding this runaway train call for a reliable flow of clean, accurate data. DSPs can feed the GenAI beast, placating it with the sort of data it needs to ensure robust ROI. Not only do current data architectures not fulfil the needs of a GenAIready organisation; they are fractured into silos. DSPs break down silos, allowing a new collaborative leadership culture to zero in on lucrative opportunities.
There is an inherent stress in relying on gut-reaction in a business environment. No amount of experience can compete with the raw power of modern technology when the appropriate data is on hand. Given the right data culture that promotes accessibility and actionability, great strides can be made in competitiveness and market share. But a recent Confluent study showed more than half (58%) of C-level executives must still rely on gut instinct despite 90% reporting they must now make decisions in real time. According to our findings, this problem stems from the fact that data is out of date by the time it reaches decision makers. Some 52% of respondents told us this was the case. All of this can change with a DSP.
DSPs drive innovation. In 2025, as GCC businesses look to the international business stage, they can go further, stepping into the spotlight as leaders in AI, IoT, and more –all thanks to real-time datastreaming.
Sammy Zoghlami, SVP EMEA at Nutanix, explains focus on reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions is now a must, to meet pressing needs
As pressure on data centres mounts due to energy consumption and a spotlight on how they impact net zero ambitions, organisations have to face up to reality. Despite incredible efforts to ‘green’ data centres in recent years, their ability to balance the demands of technology change with environmental concerns continues to be questioned.
In EMEA alone, data centres demand over 98 TWh of energy annually, equivalent to the consumption of an entire country like Belgium. And we are only at the start of an AI revolution. As IDC predicts, perhaps unsurprisingly, demand for AI is going to go through the roof over the next five years, so how data centres react and manage this demand is going to define the industry’s future role. Will it become an industry in constant flux, always trying to catch-up with data demands and compromising on sustainability concerns?
This is a trade-off. As businesses increasingly adopt AI, the infrastructure supporting it is under immense pressure. The question now is whether data centres can handle this surge sustainably? Most data centres are not built to cope with the high compute demands that AI workloads bring. The increased reliance on GPUs, necessary for processing AI tasks, leads to energy spikes and intensifies the cooling requirements, putting strain on existing resources. If left unaddressed, the gap between AI’s demands and data centre capabilities will widen, pushing the industry towards a breaking point.
One of the biggest challenges facing the data centre industry is the perceived trade-off between energy efficiency and performance. With AI, businesses often assume that to get the best performance, energy use must increase exponentially. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Hyper Converged Infrastructure (HCI) and next-gen cooling systems present viable
solutions that offer both high performance and energy savings. By consolidating compute, storage, and networking, HCI reduces hardware needs and lowers energy consumption, making it a key enabler of sustainable AI operations.
As an Atlantic Ventures report Improving Sustainability in Data Centers 2024 reveals, in just seven years, modernising data centres with HCI could save up to 19 million tCO2e in the EMEA region, equivalent to the emissions of almost 4.1 million cars. It could also save €25 billion by 2030 from improved energy and operational efficiencies.
The point is that the technology already exists to address many of the challenges currently facing the data centre industry and as IT budgets are under pressure and electricity prices are soaring, energy efficient data centres and cloud operations are key levers for profitability and sustainability. And as the report confirms, hyperconverged infrastructure is at the forefront of transforming data centres into more energy-efficient and climatefriendly operations.
As well as cost and contribution to net zero, there are also regulations to consider. The regulatory landscape is evolving rapidly, and data centres are under the microscope, especially as they now account for around 2% of the world’s energy consumption.
Sustainability initiatives like the European Union’s Green Deal and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) are forcing companies to take action. Failing to meet energy efficiency and carbon reduction targets could lead to fines, reputational damage, and loss of business. The decision to reject Google’s Dublin data centre expansion
SVP EMEA at Nutanix
is just the beginning. As governments crack down on high energy consumption and carbon emissions, organisations will need to proactively adopt green technologies or face harsh consequences. While organisations are integrating AI into their operations, they must also align these advancements with their
ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategies. The growing focus on ESG reporting means businesses need to demonstrate how their AI operations meet sustainability standards. This requires not only managing energy consumption but also using renewable energy sources and more sustainable infrastructure.
Forward-thinking companies are already exploring hybrid cloud models, where AI workloads are dynamically shifted to greener regions or times of the day when renewable energy is most abundant. But for many, making these adjustments is a daunting task, especially as AI demand continues to skyrocket. So, the future of data centres will depend on their ability to adapt.
The Atlantic Ventures report also found that switching from traditional 3-Tier architectures to HCI, can reduce energy consumption by more than 27% annually, helping companies cut both operational costs and emissions. Modernising data centres is now crucial, to cut the risks of facing a “doomsday scenario” where AI demand far outstrips available resources, leading to higher costs, more frequent service outages, and greater environmental degradation.
The solution lies in bold investments in energyefficient technologies, smarter infrastructure, and renewable energy sources. As AI becomes more entrenched in our daily lives, the industry’s ability to balance its demands with sustainability will define its future - and the future of the planet.
Canon EMEA announced Shinichi ‘Sam’ Yoshida as President & CEO for Canon Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), succeeding Yuichi Ishizuka who is retiring after seven years in the role and a successful 44-year career with Canon.
Sam Yoshida was previously based in the USA where he held the position of Executive Vice President & General Manager of the Marketing Strategy Unit, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of Canon Solutions America, Inc. and Canon Financial Services, Inc. He will assume his new responsibilities as President & CEO of Canon EMEA from 1st March 2025.
He takes over a regional sales organisation which has operations in 120 countries, employs approximately 12,300 people and contributes about a quarter of Canon’s global revenues annually.
NTT DATA announced the appointment of Nidal Abu-Saadeh as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Nidal’s appointment highlights NTT DATA’s commitment to strengthening its position as a top global systems integrator in the region.
Nidal will lead initiatives to leverage NTT DATA’s global expertise to develop innovative solution offerings and drive strategic partnerships. He will also support KSA Country General Manager in upskilling local workforce, enhance customer experiences, and accelerating business growth in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s national digital transformation agenda.
“It is my distinct pleasure to announce the appointment of Nidal as our new CTO.” Said Rami Beidas, Country General Manager in Saudi Arabia for NTT DATA. “His appointment is a significant step forward in strengthening our brand recognition and capabilities in the Kingdom. Nidal brings an extensive background in technology and a forward-thinking vision that will undoubtedly propel our organization to new levels of innovation and excellence. We’re confident that his leadership will be instrumental in achieving our strategic goals
Proofpoint has appointed Kenan Abu Ltaif as Regional Lead for the Middle East and Turkey. With almost three decades of leadership experience in the IT industry, the cybersecurity expert will continue to drive Proofpoint’s expansion in the region.
In his new role, Abu Ltaif will be responsible for managing the business operations in the region, acquiring new customers, developing the high-performing local team and driving innovation and growth in the market. This new appointment underscores Proofpoint’s ongoing commitment to investing in a high-growth region that is strategically important to the company.
Abu Ltaif brings more than 28 years of leadership experience in the IT industry. Having held key roles at global leaders such as Cisco AppDynamics, Citrix, Symantec, McAfee, and NCR, he has consistently demonstrated expertise in driving results and fostering growth.
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