Targeting Emerging Markets

INSIDE

| Top twenty industry players and executives

PA G E S 8 4 VOLUME 11 | ISSUE 03 OCTOBER 2023 WWW.EC-MEA .COM

TARGETING EMERGING MARKETS NetApp’s strategies for staying competitive, its impactful partnerships, and insights on emerging tech trends.

M AYA Z A K H O U R Dire ct o r Cha n nel Sa l es Ea s ter n Eu ro p e, META , Ibe ria , a nd L a t in Ameri ca

PRESENTS

1 6 A P R I L - Q ATA R | 17 A P R I L - PA K I S TA N 18 APRIL - KSA | 23 APRIL - UAE APRIL - EU | APRIL - US

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNERS

MEA PUBLISHER TUSHAR SAHOO TUSHAR@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM CO-FOUNDER & CEO RONAK SAMANTARAY RONAK@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM

Tech Alchemy: Industry Insights, GITEX 2023, and the Glittering CPCA Awards

T

he theme of this issue has been focused on the special areas of the industries and their contributions to the market, and our contributors have truly outdone themselves by providing us with a wealth of information.

In the words of Neil Armstrong, “One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Similarly, we’ve taken small but significant steps to bring together all tech enthusiasts under one comprehensive platform, and we’re eagerly anticipating a fantastic outcome.

In this edition of the Enterprise Channel, we’ve delved deep into the world of technology to uncover the inner workings of Netapp. Through our insightful conversation with Maya Zakhour, we’ve unveiled the strategies that are driving their competitive edge in the industry.

But that’s not all; we’ve also explored the technological landscape through the lens of industry giants like Red Hat, Manage Engine, AMD, Vertiv, Zebra Technologies, Sophos, Solar Winds, Kingston, Dataiku, Aruba, and many more. Each of these innovators has shared their unique perspectives, contributing to the rich tapestry of technology concepts within these pages.

And how could we not mention the technology extravaganza, GITEX 2023? It’s an event that never fails to stir our excitement, and this year is no exception. We’re thrilled to share that we are participating with full enthusiasm, and we extend the same fervor to our partners who will join us there.

But there’s an even more exciting development on the horizon. In the ever-evolving landscape of the future, we witness the emergence of a groundbreaking event—the CPCA Awards - Channel Partners Conclaves Awards. These prestigious awards are poised to celebrate and honor the top channel partners for their unwavering dedication and outstanding contributions. Make sure to mark your calendars for the award ceremony, scheduled for November 8th in the UAE and November 22nd in KSA. It’s a momentous occasion you won’t want to miss.

Happy reading!

GLOBAL HEAD, CONTENT AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES ANUSHREE DIXIT ANUSHREE@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM ASSISTANT EDITORS REHISHA PE REHISHA@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM SEHRISH TARIQ SEHRISH@GCEMEDIAGROUP.COM GROUP SALES HEAD RICHA S RICHA@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM PROJECT LEAD JENNEFER LORRAINE MENDOZA JENNEFER@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM SALES AND ADVERTISING RONAK SAMANTARAY RONAK@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM PH: + 971 555 120 490 DIGITAL TEAM IT MANAGER VIJAY BAKSHI PRODUCTION, CIRCULATION, SUBSCRIPTIONS INFO@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM DESIGN TEAM CREATIVE LEAD AJAY ARYA SENIOR DESIGNER MADAN SINGH GRAPHIC DESIGNERS JITESH KUMAR SEJAL SHUKLA DESIGNED BY

SUBSCRIPTIONS INFO@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM PRINTED BY Al Ghurair Printing & Publishing LLC. Masafi Compound, Satwa, P.O.Box: 5613, Dubai, UAE Office No #115 First Floor , G2 Building Dubai Production City Dubai United Arab Emirates Phone : +971 4 564 8684 31 FOXTAIL LAN, MONMOUTH JUNCTION, NJ - 08852 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PHONE NO: + 1 732 794 5918

R O N A K S A M A N TA R AY ro n a k @ g e c m e d i a g ro u p . c o m

A PUBLICATION LICENSED BY International Media Production Zone, Dubai, UAE @copyright 2013 Accent Infomedia. All rights reserved. while the publishers have made every effort to ensure the accuracyof all information in this magazine, they will not be held responsible for any errors therein.

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

CH ANNE L PARTNE R CON CL AVE & AWARDS 2023

UA E 0 8 NOVEMBER 2 023 KS A 2 2 NOVEMBER 2 023 POSSIBILITIES THROUGH OPPORTUNITIES

# C P CAWO R L D

C P CAWO R L D. C O M

Info@gecmediagroup.com

+ 971 4564 8684

OCTOBER 2023

VOLUME 11

ISSUE 03

CONTENTS 38-42 COVER STORY

NETAPP’S GLOBAL EXPANSION STRATEGY

TARGETING EMERGING MARKETS

03

EDITORIAL 07

VIEWPOINT 8-17

EVENTS 19-27

CHANNEL 27-37

REAL LIFE

45-85 / INDUSTRY SPECIAL

INDUSTRY’S TOP TWENTY VENDORS AND EXECUTIVES

86

CONTRIBUTED CONTENT

|

V I E W P O I N T

|

5 best practices to maximize ROI In the UAE’s cybersecurity landscape, MDR services provide essential Attack Signal Intelligence through shared responsibility, integration, and workforce augmentation.

Taj El-khayat, Area VP – South EMEA, Vectra AI

T

he extent to which the region is under attack from cybervillains continues to startle and unsettle even the most seasoned security professionals.

One study shows a 151% year-on-year surge in UAE-based incidents during the third quarter of last year. More than one in three of the nation’s operational technology computers — workstations used as part of industrial-control systems in sectors such as manufacturing and petrochemicals — were targeted by threat actors in 2022.

Unfortunately, the tactics, techniques and procedures used by the modern threat actor have become more sophisticated. In what could arguably be called a “gentrification” of the Digi-criminal underground, backroom louts have become part of an industry that offers cloud services such as Malware-as-a-Service and Ransomware-as-a-Service and organizes itself into formal teams like RansomOps. We may refer to them in criminal terms (“gangs”, “cabals”), but they are no less effective as a result. If we want to beat them, we must meet them on their terms.

But delivering such capabilities is a challenge, as is ensuring coverage for ever-expanding environments that encompass premises, clouds, identity platforms, and all the subenvironments, workloads, applications, and services within. Attempts at addressing this tech swamp often reach for more and more point solutions.

Here are five best practices that allow organizations to optimize their ROI on MDR services.

Shared responsibility Whether utilizing MDR to supplement an existing SOC or using it as a securityoutsourcing model, the best outcomes will emerge from a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities among the various stakeholders on the client and provider sides. Transparency around who does what will infuse the security ecosystem with a critical element of predictability. Not only will SLAs assign tasks, but system logs will record who does them and when. Omissions and errors then become clear for everyone and much-needed trust can be built between MDR and customer teams.

Erase noise and tackle unknown threats Zero-days can easily slip under the radar at the quietest of times. MDR’s AI clamps down on the alert noise that attackers can use to mask their infiltrations. MDR teams are in constant tuning mode — tweaking policies and configurations to ensure the security apparatus becomes an active listener and not a reactionary alert factory. MDR, as a function, learns from each alert and incident to perfect the security ecosystem and ensure that only genuine threats consume the time of human professionals.

Collective onboarding

Extend the security team

Strategy and policy should be understood by both teams. Even if the customer is outsourcing the security function, a liaison team should be in place to oversee plans, decisions, and actions. Much of the activity that occurs during an incident is time-sensitive, but also must account for the nature of the business.

Response teams, whether they be MDR, customer, or a combination, must be able to act quickly with due consideration of a customer’s business operations.

A recent study indicates a third of UAE cybersecurity teams see increased absenteeism after an attack and 46% of the national industry’s professionals intend a job change inside the next two years. The expertise and policing abilities of MDR allow inhouse analysts and threat hunters to enjoy a more positive employee experience, which dials down attrition rates. MDR gives organizations whatever they previously lacked. If they have no security team, MDR can perform the role in its entirety, under adequate supervision from a customer’s liaison team. If the customer’s SOC simply needs more staff, this too can be provided, and the MDR team can report to the customer’s CISO. More tools? No problem.

Seamless integration MDR must integrate with existing tools, solutions, and cloud infrastructures — those that serve the cybersecurity function, IT, and core business operations. One of the goals of MDR is to reduce complexity, but it must do so with zero impact to day-to-day operations. Investigation expertise, configuration optimization, and global visibility through Attack Signal Intelligence allows the MDR provider to navigate integration to the benefit of the customer and minimize disruption. MDR’s cloud-native offerings should integrate with leading endpoint detection and response - EDR solutions to enhance the effectiveness of Attack Signal Intelligence.

MDR brings Attack Signal Intelligence Being able to see and mitigate a threat before it does damage. It seems like such a simple requirement and yet the challenges behind it consume the region’s cleverest CISOs. MDR removes many of these challenges — lack of resources and staff, for example — and puts the owner of the IT stack back in control of their digital assets.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

7

| E V E N T S

|

The World CIO 200 Summit 2023

Grand Finale Redefining Innovation, Leadership and Collaboration in Baku

In a symphony of innovation that reverberated across borders, The World CIO 200 Summit 2023 grand finale brought together Chief Information Officers (CIOs) from 50 nations. This grand culmination not only redefined collaborative excellence but also the world’s premier innovation and leadership program, orchestrated by GEC Media Group and the Global CIO Forum. Took place at the luxurious Marriott Hotel Boulevard in Baku, Azerbaijan, from September 17th to 19th, this event delved deep into the theme of ‘Rise of the Power.’

The World CIO 200 2023 roadshow was meticulously crafted to empower IT leaders with the qualities of leadership, influence, vision, and unwavering focus. The Grand Finale of The World CIO 200 Summit 2023

8

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

held in Baku transcended expectations, gathering top-tier technology leaders from around the world for a monumental three-day event. This summit serves as the crowning achievement of an extraordinary journey that commenced in 2017 with the aim of establishing a global platform for CIOs and technology leaders to collaborate, share invaluable insights, and ignite innovation within the ever-evolving tech landscape. Over the years, it has evolved into one of the most esteemed and eagerly anticipated gatherings for CIOs and technology executives spanning diverse industries.

The event featured a day filled with enlightening sessions and collaborative engagements. It commenced with an invigorating yoga

|

session, setting a mindful and innovative tone for the day. Ronak Samantaray, Co-founder & CEO, GEC Media Group expressed his excitement about the World CIO 200 Summit Grand Finale, highlighting its significance as a platform for CIOs and tech leaders to converge, exchange ideas, and chart the course for the future of technology. Visionary insights from thought leaders were followed by discussions among tech leaders on the industry’s latest trends and advancements. John Mattone, Top Executive Coach & the Co-Founder of the ILEC engaged the audience with his profound understanding of leadership development and executive coaching. He explored key leadership challenges facing CIOs and IT executives in the digital age and offered practical strategies for enhancing leadership effectiveness. Adding a harmonious dimension to the event, the audience was treated to musical musings

by Mahesh Vinayakram, World-renowned Indian Singer & Composer. Notably, the award session recognized exceptional achievements in the technology sector, paying tribute to exemplary CIOs and organizations.

Additionally, workshops and roundtable discussions provided a platform for in-depth knowledge sharing and valuable networking opportunities. Altogether, this summit created an indelible impression as it united some of the

E V E N T S

|

brightest minds in the tech world.

Swami Brahmaviharidas, a revered Spiritual and Humanitarian Leader, graced the occasion with his presence and unveiled this extraordinary book, BOTS. BOTS, The Book of Titans is not just a compilation of success stories; it is a testament to the relentless pursuit of excellence in the field of information technology. These 200 CIOs have reshaped industries, driven technological advancements, and, in doing so, have transformed the world.

Their stories serve as an inspiration for the current and future generations of tech leaders.

Two exceptional workshops took centre stage at the grand finale. John Mattone’s workshop on Intelligent Leadership by LiTT empowered leaders to navigate the complexities of today’s world with a winning mindset. During the workshop, a deep dive into the intricacies of Design Thinking took place, equipping attendees with valuable skills essential in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.

The program spotlighted crucial elements such as empathy, ideation, prototyping, and iteration, all of which form the cornerstone of successful Design Thinking practices.

A central theme woven throughout the workshop was “user-centered design,” underscoring the significance of empathizing with end-users to craft products and solutions

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

9

| E V E N T S

|

that authentically address their needs.

Participants were actively encouraged to explore innovative approaches to prioritize user satisfaction and leverage their insights to propel product and service enhancements forward. Simultaneously, the “Design Thinking Innovation - Fundamentals” workshop by Windmill delved into the creative process of solving complex problems through innovation. In a world marked by constant volatility, uncertainty, chaos, and ambiguity, leadership has evolved into a new paradigm.

The workshop underscored that skills once regarded as the ‘new normal’ have now become indispensable for leaders across all levels. These crucial skills encompass effectively overseeing remote teams, leading and managing change with precision, and employing problemsolving techniques that yield a multiplicative impact.

The tech sessions served as an invaluable knowledge-sharing platform, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas, best practices, and strategies among technology leaders from diverse industries.

10

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

|

E V E N T S

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

|

11

| E V E N T S

|

Empowering Tech Leaders: Insights from the Tech Sessions

Charbel Zreiby, Dell Technologies: In his session titled “Unlock Your Status Quo With Generative AI,” Charbel Zreiby, a distinguished expert from Dell Technologies, delved into the transformative power of Generative AI and how it is reshaping industries by pushing the boundaries of innovation.

Ali El Kontar, Founder & CEO, Zero & One: Ali El Kontar captivated the audience with his presentation, “The Art of Possible.” He explored the limitless possibilities that emerge when we harness technology and creativity, shedding light on the future of innovation.

12

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

Amr Elkessi, Regional Channel Manager, Middle East, Commvault: Amr Elkessi’s session, “Data Protection Redefined,” provided valuable insights into the evolving landscape of data protection and how organizations can adapt to meet the challenges of a digital age.

Naveen Hemanna, Regional Head META, xoxoday: Naveen Hemanna explored the strategy of “Building A Total Digital Rewards Strategy That Works,” shedding light on the importance of employee motivation and engagement in the digital era.

Rajesh Radhakrishnan, Entrepreneur, Director of F9 Infotech, Cloud Visionary: Rajesh Radhakrishnan, a visionary in cloud technology, shared his thoughts on “Innovate, Elevate & Empower.” His session inspired attendees to embrace innovation and seize opportunities in the ever-changing tech landscape.

In addition to the enlightening tech sessions, the World CIO 200 Summit Grand Finale featured two dynamic roundtable discussions that brought together thought leaders, industry experts, and CIOs to delve deeper into critical technology topics and challenges.

|

E V E N T S

|

SWISS GRC Roundtable Swiss GRC, the leading software company in the development and implementation of GRC solutions hosted an enlightening roundtable discussing the ‘Latest Trends, Challenges, and Best Practices in GRC.’ The Swiss GRC Roundtable provided a unique opportunity for attendees to delve into the critical aspects of Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance (GRC). Esteemed experts led discussions on how organizations can effectively navigate the complexities of GRC to

ensure their operations are secure, compliant, and resilient in an era of constant change.

Swiss GRC, the leading software company in the development and implementation of GRC solutions hosted an enlightening roundtable event at the grand finale of The World CIO 200 Summit 2023 discussing the ‘Latest Trends, Challenges, and Best Practices in GRC.’ The event brought together industry leaders, experts, and innovators from various sectors to explore and share insights into the ever-

evolving landscape of GRC. The Swiss GRC roundtable featured a diverse panel of speakers who delved into critical topics related to GRC, shedding light on the current state of the industry and the path ahead. The Swiss GRC roundtable provided a platform for attendees to network, exchange ideas, and gain valuable insights into addressing the intricate GRC challenges of today’s business environment.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

13

| E V E N T S

|

Xoxoday Rountable Xoxoday, a rapidly growing fintech SaaS firm that propels business growth through human motivation hosted a roundtable that began with an engaging introduction of the distinguished speakers, creating an immersive and enlightening atmosphere. Attendees delved deep into the world of Xoxoday as the company revealed its unique value proposition in commission and incentive management, emphasizing its innovative approach and solutions. The audience was inspired by realworld success stories as Rohit Pareek presented

14

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

a compelling case study, demonstrating how Xoxoday Compass had transformed commission and incentive structures for enterprises, producing exceptional results that challenged traditional norms.

A live product demonstration showcased the future of commission and incentive management, featuring the user-friendly Xoxoday Compass app that provided realtime access to incentive and commission data. Gamification added transparency and reduced errors, enhancing the experience for

all participants.

During a dynamic Q&A session, attendees engaged with Rohit Pareek, delving into the intricacies of Xoxoday Compass and gaining deeper insights into the innovative solutions propelling businesses forward. Rohit Pareek’s unwavering commitment to innovation and his proven track record of delivering tangible results solidified his position as a pioneer in driving performance and revenue through digital transformation.

|

GALA Dinner

The grand finale of the summit was marked by a prestigious GALA dinner, which honored the outstanding achievements of CIOs and CISOs, celebrated the dedication of country ambassadors, and recognized the exceptional contributions of GCF Preferred Partners. The evening was a celebration of excellence and innovation in the world of technology.

The World CIO 200 Awards recognized and celebrated the achievements of 200 exceptional Chief Information Officers (CIOs) from around the world who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in the field of technology and digital transformation The pinnacle of the event was the DX Inspire Awards, which acknowledged organizations and individuals who have made a significant

E V E N T S

|

impact in driving digital transformation. These awards celebrated innovation, leadership, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in the tech industry.

In recognition of the critical role played by Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) in safeguarding digital assets and data, the Middle East CISO Conclave Awards celebrate the top 25 CISOs who have demonstrated exemplary expertise in cybersecurity and risk management.

The Country Ambassadors Awards are presented to individuals who have served as exceptional ambassadors for their countries in the realm of technology and innovation. They have not only driven digital transformation within their own nations but have also acted

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

15

| E V E N T S

|

as global trailblazers for positive technological change.

As part of the World CIO 200 Summit Grand Finale, the GCF Preferred Partner Awards took center stage to celebrate and honour the outstanding contributions of technology partners who have played a pivotal role in advancing the summit’s mission and the broader technology landscape.

The GCF Preferred Partner Awards are a

16

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

testament to the critical role that technology partnerships play in driving innovation, growth, and success in the digital age. These awards acknowledge the exemplary efforts of companies that have collaborated with the World CIO 200 Summit to provide cuttingedge solutions, expertise, and support to CIOs and technology leaders around the world.

The GCF Preferred Partner Awards ceremony at the World CIO 200 Summit Grand

Finale is a moment of celebration, recognition, and appreciation for the vital role that technology partners play in driving innovation and progress. It showcases the commitment of these partners to empowering CIOs and organizations worldwide with the tools and solutions needed to navigate the complex and ever-evolving technology landscape.

The sponsors of the event had not only provided financial support but had actively

|

engaged in the summit’s mission, demonstrating a shared commitment to advancing technology leadership on a global scale. The Title partners of the event were Mindware and Dell Technologies. Moto Challenge Partners were Logitech and Microsoft. Platinum Partners include Zero&One, F9 Infotech, StorIT and Commvault. Gold Partners were Paessler, Connor, Swiss GRC, Ramco and Redington. The Knowledge Partners include

GCF Academy, Litt, Windmill and Intelligent Leadership. The Majlis Partner was Quixy and Silver Partners were Truspeq, CloudHost, BITS, emt, Finesse, Forcespot and Claroty. The Entertainment partners were Jabra and Alpha Tech. Digital reward partner was Xoxoday and Registration partner was ITQAN. Conversational AI Partner was Twixor and AI Applications Partner was V Group Inc. and Cybersecurity Partner was Spire Solutions.

E V E N T S

|

Supporting partners were Acronis, HPE Aruba, HTP, +971 Cyber Security, DigitalTrack and Spade Infotech. Finally, the Global Strategic Partners were CAAS and OPX Technology.

With the reverberations of this grand finale still echoing, the legacy of The World CIO 200 Summit 2023 continues to inspire, shaping a brighter and more collaborative future in the dynamic landscape of technology and leadership.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

17

LOGITECH SIGHT Tabletop companion camera with intelligent multi-participant framing.

Get the best front-and-center view of the room, from anywhere.

OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY Logitech is committed to creating a more sustainable world, using lower carbon materials like post-consumer recycled plastics for our products whenever possible. We are actively working to minimize our environmental footprint and accelerate the pace of social change.

MADE WITH RECYCLED PLASTIC

Unlock Endless Possibilities with Video Collaboration

VISIT THE LOGITECH STAND AT

STAND: H1.D90

RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING

|

C H A N N E L

|

Microsoft and Oracle to jointly manage Oracle Database@ Azure for multi-cloud customers Oracle and Microsoft announced Oracle Database@Azure, which gives customers direct access to Oracle database services running on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and deployed in Microsoft Azure datacenters.

Oracle Database@Azure delivers all the performance, scale, and workload availability advantages of Oracle Database on OCI with the security, flexibility, and best-in-class services of Microsoft Azure, including best-in-class AI services like Azure OpenAI. This combination provides customers with more flexibility regarding where they run their workloads. It also provides a streamlined environment that simplifies cloud purchasing and management between Oracle Database and Azure services.

Multicloud Made for Customers The new service delivers a fully integrated experience for deploying, managing, and using Oracle database instances within Azure. It enables organisations to drive breakthroughs in the cloud using their existing skills to leverage the best of Oracle and Microsoft capabilities directly within the Azure portal.

The new service is designed to eliminate

(L) Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft and (R) Larry Ellison, Oracle Chairman and CTO customers’ biggest challenges in adopting multicloud architectures, including disjointed management, siloed tools, and a complex purchasing process.

As a result of this expanded partnership, customers will have the choice to deploy their Azure services with their fully managed Oracle

Database services all within a single datacenter, including support for Oracle Exadata Database services, Oracle Autonomous Database services, and Oracle Real Application Clusters (RAC).

Oracle and Microsoft have also developed a joint support model to provide rapid response and resolution for mission-critical workloads.

Cisco and Nutanix partner to sell Cisco Unified Computing System, Cisco Intersight, Nutanix Cloud Platform Cisco and Nutanix, announced a global strategic partnership to accelerate hybrid multicloud deployments by offering the industry’s most complete hyperconverged solution for IT modernization and business transformation.

IT organizations continue to face significant operational hurdles and urgent sustainability and security concerns as a result of increasing multicloud complexity. This new partnership answers these challenges by simplifying and accelerating the delivery of infrastructure and applications, at a global scale, through bestin-class cloud operating models, unparalleled flexibility, and automated resiliency with industry-leading customer support.

The new offering integrates Cisco’s

Tarkan Maner, Chief Commercial Officer at Nutanix SaaS-managed compute and networking infrastructure (Cisco Unified Computing System with Cisco Intersight) with the Nutanix Cloud Platform (Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure, Nutanix Cloud Manager, Nutanix Unified

Storage, and Nutanix Desktop Services) and will be sold by Cisco using its extensive go-tomarket reach. Customers will benefit from a fully integrated and validated solution that is sold, built, managed and supported holistically for a seamless end-to-end experience. The solution will offer flexible deployment options with support for Cisco UCS rack and blade servers, including initial support for C-Series Servers and planned, future support for UCS X-Series, winner of the 2023 SEAL Sustainable Product of the Year Award and CRN’s 2023 Tech Innovator Award. The new offering will integrate advanced Cisco servers (UCS), networking and security (ACI), and management (UCS Manager, Intersight) with the Nutanix Cloud Platform software.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

19

| C H A N N E L

|

Salesforce and Google partner to integrate Salesforce AI CRM and Google Workspace Salesforce and Google announced an expansion of their strategic partnership to bring together Salesforce, the #1 AI CRM, and Google Workspace, the world’s most popular productivity tool, to drive productivity with AI. This partnership will deliver new bidirectional integrations that allow customers to bring together context from Salesforce and Google Workspace, including Google Calendar, Docs, Meet, Gmail, and more, to power generative AI experiences across platforms.

With these integrations, users will be able to seamlessly work across platforms through Salesforce and Google Workspace’s generative AI assistants, Salesforce’s Einstein Copilot, and Duet AI in Google Workspace. Customers can use their own account, contact, and opportunity data from Salesforce to generate customized Google Slides and Docs while

Google Meet summaries and context from Gmail and Google Calendar can be brought into Salesforce to update records and trigger workflows, such as saving a signed contract to Salesforce and closing the opportunity with a win-loss report generated in Docs.

As part of this collaboration, Salesforce and Google have worked together to make their generative AI assistant offerings extensible and each will be the first partners to integrate with the other’s newly available third-party platforms.

Significance: Generative AI is reshaping the way businesses and people work. In fact, 77% of senior IT leaders say generative AI will help their organization serve customers faster, and 64% of businesses expect AI to increase their workforces’ productivity.

This expanded partnership will help drive

David Schmaier, Chief Product Officer at Salesforce increased productivity by providing the right data and context at the right time, and unlocking generative AI benefits in the flow of work.

Mindware announces distribution agreement with BitTitan for cloud migration solutions Mindware announced its distributor partnership with BitTitan, a premier provider of cloud migration solutions. As per the terms of the agreement, Mindware will market and distribute BitTitan’s suite of migration solutions for managed services automation, enabling the vendor to broaden its SaaS migration services within the Middle East and Africa region. This strategic partnership aims to provide regional businesses of all sizes with a seamless and efficient experience when they need to migrate data to the Cloud or between tenants.

Companies and organizations around the globe are migrating to the cloud and between cloud tenants in response to ongoing trends. Migration activity has increased as a result of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Moreover, companies are requiring migrations as they move more to the cloud to support remote work and workplace modernization. Technology changes, including cybersecurity concerns and Microsoft’s upcoming end to active and

20

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

Silmi Khanfir, Director of Cloud & XaaS at Mindware

Lon Clark, Sr. Director, Global Channel Sales, at BitTitan

security support for Exchange Server, are also driving migration activity. IT teams and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are looking for an intuitive yet customizable migration tool that will handle projects of every size and type.

The two companies will work together on several key initiatives including identifying

cloud partners who align with the vendor’s goals; offering BitTitan product and technical training and certification; digital marketing campaigns including webinars and social media activations; and joint participation at live in-region events to build brand awareness, generate demand, and attract the attention of industry leaders and decision-makers.

EXPERT ADVICE

|

C H A N N E L

|

Ingram Micro expands its cyber security portfolio with Okta Ingram Micro announced a distribution agreement with Okta, a leader in cybersecurity solutions to cover Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt.

This collaboration enables Ingram Micro to expand its security solutions portfolio for resellers and managed service providers by providing access to a growing range of options for identity and access management solutions.

This includes solutions for authentication via SSO (single sign-on), adaptive MFA (multifactor authentication), and the ability to easily manage user profiles for companies of all sizes.

Okta’s solutions, combined with Ingram

Micro’s technical expertise and services, can help make identity and access management easier for customers and provide a new level of reliability when connecting to any technology from any device, anywhere.

“Cybersecurity is one of Ingram Micro’s 2023 strategic priorities in the cloud, and I’m delighted we are now an Okta distributor.

Together, we can offer managed security service providers and resellers the identity solutions they need to securely connect their teams, end customers, and enterprises to technology and work smarter to avoid ransomware attacks,” said Dr. Ali Baghdadi, SVP & Chief Country Executive – MEA Region, Ingram Micro.

Dr. Ali Baghdadi, SVP & Chief Country Executive – MEA, Ingram Micro

G42 and Microsoft partner to announce sovereign cloud offerings, advanced AI capabilities G42 and Microsoft have embarked on the next phase of their ongoing strategic collaboration and announced a multifaceted plan to make available sovereign cloud offerings, co-innovate and deliver advanced AI capabilities, and expand the existing data center infrastructure in the UAE. Microsoft’s sovereign cloud offering will allow UAE public sector and regulated industries to use new platform capabilities for securing sensitive data, providing access to the latest cloud and AI features available on Azure public cloud and helping them comply with local privacy and regulatory requirements. G42’s deep understanding of UAE sovereignty requirements and technical capabilities are central to customizing the offering to help address customer’s specific needs. By combining their expertise and existing capabilities, the companies will also focus on bringing cutting-edge, AI-enabled industry specific solutions for health and life sciences, energy, sustainability and projects of national significance, for example the COP28 conference being held in the UAE this year.

In addition to setting new milestones for public sector cloud computing security and innovation, G42 and Microsoft will further empower the wider technology ecosystem by

delivering new in-country services, extend go-to-market opportunities for partners, and unlock considerable value for Microsoft’s partner ecosystem to deliver industry-specific

solutions to local entities. The partnership will also see Microsoft expanding its Azure services footprint in the UAE via Khazna Data Centers, a joint venture company between G42 and e&.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

23

| C H A N N E L

|

GoDaddy partners with du to offer Ecommerce Starter Kit, Digital Starter Kit for SME customers GoDaddy announced its collaboration with du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company. This new partnership and collaboration aims to empower entrepreneurs, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) by providing them with essential connectivity solutions and enabling their online presence.

In today’s digital age, connectivity and a strong online presence are crucial for businesses to thrive. Recognizing this need, GoDaddy and du have joined forces to offer a suite of services specifically tailored to meet the requirements of, startups, entrepreneurs, SMEs and solopreneurs. With this partnership, businesses in the UAE can now access a range of connectivity and digital tools to kickstart

their online journey.

The heart of this partnership lies in the powerful Ecommerce Starter Kit provided

by GoDaddy. All SMEs subscribing to du’s broadband plans will receive Godaddy’s starter kit, free of charge for one year, unlocking a world of potential opportunities. For businesses looking to take their digital presence to the next level, du offers premium 5G and fiber internet plans that provides the small businesses with their connectivity needs By leveraging the power of the GoDaddy Digital Starter Kit and du’s broadband plans, businesses can unlock their full potential and tap into the countless opportunities offered by the digital landscape.

The impact of an online presence cannot

G42’s Inception announces opensource release of Jais, the Arabic Large Language Model

Inception, announced the open-source release of Jais, the world’s highest quality Arabic Large Language Model. Jais is a 13-billion parameter model trained on a newly developed 395-billion-token Arabic and English dataset.

With a name inspired by UAE’s highest peak, Jais will bring the advantages of generative AI across the Arabic-speaking world. The model is the result of a collaboration between Inception, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) — the world’s first graduate research university dedicated to AI — and Cerebras Systems. It was trained on

24

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

Condor Galaxy, the recently announced multiexaFLOP AI supercomputer built by G42 and Cerebras. Jais’ release marks a significant milestone in the realm of AI for the Arabic world. It is a model homegrown in the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi, offering more than 400 million Arabic speakers the opportunity to harness the potential of generative AI. It will facilitate and expedite innovation, highlighting Abu Dhabi’s leading position as a hub for AI, innovation, culture preservation, and international collaboration.

By open-sourcing Jais, Inception aims to

be underestimated. According to GoDaddy’s MENA Small Business Survey, nearly 50% of businesses in the UAE that utilize online channels earn up to 20% of their annual revenue through these platforms. Furthermore, in the UAE businesses acquired more than 70% of their customers through online channels compared to other markets.

engage the scientific, academic, and developer communities to accelerate the growth of a vibrant Arabic language AI ecosystem. This can serve as a model for other languages currently underrepresented in mainstream AI. Jais outperforms existing Arabic models by a sizable margin. It is also competitive with English models of similar size despite being trained on significantly less English data. This exciting result shows that the model’s English component learned from the Arabic data and vice versa, opening a new era in LLM’s development and training.

In tandem with the model release, Inception and MBZUAI also established an academic partnership to give early-release access to current and future Arabic LLMs developed by the team for testing purposes. Academic partners for the launch included Carnegie Mellon University, Ecole Polytechnique, Hamad bin Khalifa University, Sorbonne Paris Nord – LIPN, NYU Abu Dhabi’s CAMeL Lab, and The University of Edinburgh. Several organizations, including the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Etihad Airways, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), and e& will start utilizing Jais, offering valuable insights to further enhance the model.

CloudQuarks

By Redington

Step into the Digital Future of Cloud Customer Management

Subscription Management

Simplified Management

CloudQuarks offers a single, aggregate

Subscription management, or recurring

With CloudQuarks multiple vendor

view into your customer base allowing

subscription billing, to store payment data

invoices vanish and you get a single

you to easily identify up-sell and cross-sell

and processing charges to automatically

itemized invoice and pay once rather than

opportunities and win more business.

take care of recurring revenue.

follow multiple payment cycles.

Scan the QR Code to know more

Visit us at GITEX Global 2023 (16-20 Oct) - Hall 5, Stand A1

DRIVING OPERATIONS AND PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE YOUR PARTNER FOR

Cloud & Digital Transformation

Enterprise Applications

Analytics & Automation AI & ML as a Service

Cyber Security Solutions

Management Consulting, Advisory and Quality Assurance

An unit of

“Delivery centres in US, Middle East and India”

Phone: +971528732716 | Email: hello@opx america.com | www.opxtechnology.com

|

C H A N N E L

|

Orange Business partners with King Abdullah Financial District Company to deliver Smart City Platform Orange Business, has signed a deal with the King Abdullah Financial District Development and Management Company to design, build and run a Smart City Platform that will integrate and connect existing digital technologies at Saudi Arabia’s prime business district, KAFD, while leveraging the power of AI and data analytics. Orange Business will also provide a range of Digital Master Systems Integration services and orchestrate its partner ecosystem by working alongside company experts on systems integration and new use cases. The agreement was signed today at a ceremony hosted at KAFD in conjunction with a panel discussion titled ‘Secure, Smart, and Sustainable: The Future of Smart Cities,’ and which was attended by guests including tenants and media representatives.

Considered as one of the world’s most sustainable business districts, KAFD aims to create a high-quality urban environment and lifestyle for businesses, residents, and visitors in line with Saudi Vision 2030’s Quality of Life Program and its objectives of enhancing the livability and competitiveness of the Kingdom’s cities.

Under the new agreement, Orange Business will provide a range of services to KAFD, including the industry-leading Orange Smart City Platform. It is compatible with a wide range of systems and technologies and covers big data, data management, descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive data analytics, and governance.

AI-related use cases will include geolocation-

based sentiment analysis of social media, analyzing, collating, and sharing contextual data in areas ranging from water supply to traffic situation awareness, and energy optimization across commercial office buildings. By integrating a digital twin with the Smart City Platform, architects and engineers will be able to analyze real-time data to optimize building design.

Confluent named Google Cloud Technology Partner of the Year in data and analytics Confluent announced an expanded partnership with Google Cloud, and also announced that it was named the Google Cloud Technology Partner of the Year for Google Marketplace–Data and Analytics.

Through their long-standing partnership, Confluent and Google Cloud make it easy for customers to connect and process real-time data flows throughout their entire organization to power modern applications and analytics.

To help more companies access real-time insights at scale, Confluent has deepened its partnership with Google Cloud for expanded technical, marketing and sales investments.

As more companies seek to deliver personalized customer experiences and context-rich business operations, there is a growing demand for real-time data

connectivity across diverse locations to update applications in real time. Available through Google Cloud Marketplace, Confluent is the connective tissue that allows real-time data from multiple sources to constantly stream across the organization. It feeds real-time data into best of breed Google Cloud services such as BigQuery, Google Cloud Storage, Dataflow, Dataproc, and VertexAI for organizations to build cutting edge machine learning, artificial intelligence, and streaming analytics use cases.

Confluent’s expanded partnership with Google Cloud deepens commitments across several focus areas and initiatives. Added technical support will further integrations between Confluent and Google Cloud’s data and analytics services. And, with enhanced go-to-market resourcing, there will be more

Erica Schultz, President of Field Operations, Confluent awareness of the unique value that Confluent brings to Google Cloud customers, driving greater alignment across sales, marketing and engineering teams.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

27

| R E A L

L I F E

|

Extreme Networks launches regional data center in UAE Extreme Networks, announced the launch of a new regional data centre (RDC) in the UAE, to meet growing business needs for faster data transmissions, easy access to cloud solutions and heightened data security. Through AI and machine learning functionality with the ExtremeCloud IQ platform, the RDC enables both government and enterprise customers to run their operations more efficiently while in accordance with local data laws. The new RDC is one of 18 regional data centres established

by Extreme Networks and is expanding the company’s cloud footprint globally. It includes the company’s industry-leading cloud management platform ExtremeCloudIQ, which provides network insights and analytics

Maan Al-Shakarchi, Regional Director, Extreme Networks, META that help organizations streamline operations, gain visibility into network performance and troubleshoot issues. The need for data centres in the region continues to grow as local and global companies face added demand for cloud computing, smart services, next generation e-commerce experiences and remote work capabilities. The UAE also recently announced

a landmark federal data protection law in 2022, that requires stricter data protection and storage efforts and also has a “Cloud First” policy, which requires government entities to prioritise cloud solutions when procuring IT services. Extreme’s RDC is crucial to ensuring reliable and low latency services and greater data security and sovereignty.

Burjeel Holdings approves AED 125M services contract for Oracle Health’s EMR solution Burjeel Holdings, announced that its Board of Directors has approved entering into a strategic agreement with Oracle Health. The agreement will see the Group adopt Oracle Health’s Electronic Medical Record solution in an effort to deliver significantly improved clinical outcomes, in addition to boosting operational and financial efficiencies.

As part of the agreement, Burjeel’s Board of Directors approved the award of a AED 125 million service contract to Oracle Health to establish the omnichannel and integrated EMR platform, enabling the integration of Burjeel’s clinical ecosystem across its network of healthcare assets. As one of the first regional healthcare providers to adopt and implement a new Oracle Health EMR solution running on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud Dubai Region, Burjeel is well-positioned to continue delivering on its value-creation strategy of driving operational excellence through technology whilst also enhancing clinical outcomes and patient experience.

In addition, Burjeel will also be able to support

28

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

Mr. John Sunil, CEO, Burjeel Holdings (L) and Mr. Alaa Adel, Senior Vice President, and Managing Director - International, Oracle Health, (R) signing the agreementduring a ceremony at Burjeel Medical City future care delivery approaches that require real-time care coordination and information exchange among multiple providers, patients, and locations. These benefits will provide the Group with significant opportunities to integrate its growing portfolio across MENA as it pursues its preferred capex-lite approach to network

expansion.

Burjeel’s updated EMR system and integrated solution will be implemented across the Group through a structured three-year rollout program, which will see it launched across Burjeel Medical City, Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi, and Burjeel Day Care Surgery Center during the pilot phase.

Accelerate Intelligent Outcomes Everywhere with AI to Win We are witnessing the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) at an unprecedented pace and scale, with a market forecast to reach the $500 billion mark in 2023*.

Dell Technologies and NVIDIA have the AI-optimized end-to-end solutions to help you adapt to the enormous change being driven by increasing amounts of data, advancing technological capabilities and the large-scale adoption of connected devices.

Illuminate the opportunity Identify, curate and activate high-value data Enable effective data access, scale and control across your organization from edge to core to cloud to create measurable value Put AI to work anywhere in any way Power your choice of AI workloads with modern IT infrastructure that supports on-premises, cloud or hybrid environments with protection across boundaries Achieve success at any scale AI-optimize your business with AI solutions and analytics at any scale to match growing data and as your use cases change *IDC Forecasts Companies to Increase Spend on AI Solutions by 19.6% in 2022.

IDC, Feb 2022.

Partner CTA Add Partner Logo

|

R E A L

L I F E

|

UAE food services distributor, Aramtec targets 14% productivity improvement with Zebra warehouse automation Zebra Technologies announced that Aramtec, a prominent United Arab Emirates premium food service distributor, will deploy a Zebra warehouse automation solution to further digitise and enhance its warehouse operations. Through this transformation, Aramtec aims to increase productivity by around 14%. Since its inception in 1979, Aramtec has operated as a family-run business, supplying premium quality food to the UAE’s hospitality industry. The company imports and distributes worldwide selected food brands and products across the region including Qatar. With over 2,500 stock keeping units (SKUs), it delivers to more than 3,500 customers including luxury hotels, restaurants, airlines and other commercial food and beverage outlets.

Aramtec is modernising its entire warehouse operations through digital transformation so it can respond faster to growing customer reach and changes in its supply chain environment.

Aramtec is collaborating with Zebra partner Al Tarmez Digit System Technology LLC who recommended Zebra’s warehouse automation

mobile solution including Zebra’s MC3300X mobile computers, MC9300 ultra-rugged mobile touch computers, and ZQ320 Plus Series mobile printers with Certified Zebra supplies. Aramtec will also benefit from Zebra’s OneCare support services which includes technical support, comprehensive repair coverage, advance replacement and the latest

software releases. Al Tarmez is supporting the implementation which kicked off in June 2023.

Aramtec is deploying the Zebra solution in its Dubai and Abu Dhabi distribution centres for inbound and outbound material management applications, and the printers are being used for shelf edge labeling in the warehouse and price tags.

69% top CISOs dedicate recurring time on calendars for professional development finds Gartner A recent survey of chief information security officers by Gartner revealed that 69% of topperforming CISOs dedicate recurring time on their calendars for personal professional development. This is compared with just 36% of bottom-performing CISOs who do so.

The data was collected from 2020 through 2023 as part of a Gartner benchmarking survey of 227 CISOs. Respondents were measured on key areas of CISO effectiveness, with those scoring in the top one-third ranked as “top performers.”

The research identified five key behaviors that significantly differentiate top-performing CISOs from bottom performers. On average, each of these behaviors is at least 1.5 times as prevalent in top performers than in bottom performers.

For example, the survey found that 77% of

top-performing CISOs initiate conversations in the enterprise on evolving national and international security norms, such as hacking back and threat attribution. This is compared with just half of bottom performers who do so.

Additionally, 63% of top-performing CISOs proactively engage in securing emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and blockchain, compared with just 38% of bottom-performing CISOs. Top-performing CISOs proactively engage with senior decision-makers across the business, such as by building relationships outside the context of projects (65%) and by collaborating to define enterprise risk appetite (67%). Furthermore, the most effective CISOs regularly meet with three times as many non-IT

Chiara Girardi, Senior Principal, Research at Gartner stakeholders compared to IT stakeholders, such as heads of sales, heads of marketing and business unit leaders.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

31

| R E A L

L I F E

|

ServiceNow adds Microsoft courses to RiseUp with ServiceNow to skill one million by 2024 ServiceNow is enhancing its training program with an expanded curriculum to include partner courses. The more comprehensive curriculum builds on the momentum of the RiseUp with ServiceNow goal to skill one million individuals on the Now Platform by the end of 2024.

Courses from Microsoft will be the first to be included. Combining ServiceNow and Microsoft technology expertise in one program benefits individuals with broader education on two of the largest platforms in use today—and expands the skills ecosystem from which organizations can find and hire talent that can excel on both platforms. The comprehensive training program will help accelerate talent readiness needed for customers and partners to take full advantage of the ServiceNow and Microsoft ecosystems. Individuals can build foundational knowledge on ServiceNow and Microsoft tools by accessing courses directly through

Now Learning, ServiceNow’s certification hub.

ServiceNow and Microsoft have been strategic partners since 2019 and launched ServiceNow on Azure for Regulated Markets in Australia and Singapore in 2021. In 2023, the companies’ expanded their offerings with the development of new integrations to M365 and ServiceNow on Azure for the US National Security Cloud and select commercial customers in the United

States. RiseUp with ServiceNow expands beyond the capabilities of other education initiatives by covering holistic skills necessary to build successful technical careers, such as critical thinking, interpersonal communication, and creativity. Launched in October 2022, RiseUp with ServiceNow has already reached 400,000 individuals, 380,000 completed courses, and 41 new academic and placement partnerships.

There is currently tremendous amount of innovation in cybersecurity driven by automation says Fady Younes Cisco The past decade has seen a massive adoption in machine learning and artificial intelligence, and an increasing number of organizations have been leveraging such technologies to automate their operations to make their products and services better. Despite the extensive use of ML and AI by organizations for some time now, many individual users only had their first interactions over the past few months, and mostly in the form of generative AI like ChatGPT. As with any innovation, the use of AI is expected to have both positive and negative effects on global culture. It’s expected that few will benefit quite so handsomely as cybercrime, though. We live in a digitized age when cyberattacks are becoming increasingly common, and AI can help streamline criminals’ operations, making them more efficient, sophisticated, and scalable while allowing them to evade detection and attribution.

32

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

Empowering cybercrime A major area of impact of AI tools in cybercrime is the reduced need for human involvement in certain aspects of cybercriminal organizations, such as software development, scamming, extortions, etc., which in turn will decrease the need to recruit new members and lower operational costs due to a lower headcount.

AI presents another avenue for cybercriminals to exploit by utilizing it to analyze enormous amounts of information, including leaked data.

Counteracting cybercrime On the other side, cybersecurity professionals, defenders, and law enforcement agencies can harness the power of AI to counteract the advancements made in cybercrime. They can utilize AI to develop innovative tools, tactics, and strategies in their fight against malicious activities.

Fady Younes, Cybersecurity Director, EMEA Service Providers and MEA, Cisco Areas such as threat detection and prevention will be at the forefront of AI security research.

| R E A L

L I F E

|

AI has become the essential technology for accelerating the servitisation shift finds IFS IFS, has released the first sets of results of its research into the role of technology in realizing business benefits and driving value as companies shift to a servitized business model. The research polled 2,000 senior decision-makers – VP and above – in France, Germany, Japan, Nordics, UK, USA and the UAE – across Manufacturing, Services, Telecoms, Energy & Resources, Construction & Engineering, and A&D industries. 43% of respondents stated that the momentum behind shifting their business model to a servitized one remained a clear priority for executives.

The research also reveals a divide between the “Leaders” and “laggards” in completing the move, 19% and 23% respectively. The primary cause for some organizations’ slow progress in building momentum in their organization is the need to clearly define the impact on their workforce, processes, and technology landscape. Across industries,

Alex Rumble, SVP of Product Marketing, Analyst Relations and Competitive Intelligence at IFS

AI has become the essential technology for accelerating the servitization shift and value realization by improving operational efficiency (28%), capturing new customer segments or targeting new markets (28%), increasing customer satisfaction (27%), improving customer retention (26%), and securing higher profit margins (25%). The urgency behind building AI capabilities is most prevalent in the Manufacturing and Services sectors (58%), followed by A&D (51%), Telecoms (50%), Construction and Engineering (48%), Energy, Utilities and Resources (48%). Driving innovation and continuously building differentiation within their respective markets continue to be seen as the foundation to increase revenue growth and profitability.

The importance of financial health and driving business resilience are high on the value agenda across the organization, with the CEO (54%) and CFO (49%) leading the charge.

AWS finds contribution of cloud computing to Kuwait’s economy could reach $16.8 billion by 2033 Amazon Web Services, commissioned a new report quantifying the relationship between cloud computing adoption, national productivity, and economic growth in the Middle East and North Africa region. The report highlights the potential for Kuwait to unlock $16.8 billion in additional economic value over the next decade (2023-2033).

The study, performed by Telecom Advisory Services, and directed by Raul Katz, Director of Business Strategy Research at the Columbia Institute for Teleinformation (Columbia Business School), provides a cutting-edge econometrical method for calculating the aggregate productivity gains realised by economies that adopt cloud computing. It extends previous economic research focused on firm-level productivity by establishing cloud adoption as a driver of national productivity

34

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

and economic growth.

Economic Power of Cloud Computing in Kuwait In 2021, public cloud adoption made a significant impact on Kuwait’s economy.

According to the report, it contributed 0.59% to the country’s GDP, generating an economic value of $798 million. The report finds that a 1% increase in cloud adoption by Kuwait organisations will result in a 0.05% (USD 63.86million) average GDP growth. transformation and unlock new opportunities for economic growth and social development.”

The study demonstrates that the economic impact of cloud computing is guided by returns to scale – greater adoption of cloud computing will lead to proportionally greater productivity gains and economic impact.

2024 TRANSFORMATION IN

SECURITY NETWORKING BUSINESS APPLICATIONS IT & COMPUTING TRANSFORMATION IN

TRANSFORMATION IN

TRANSFORMATION IN

02 MAY - UAE 09 MAY - KSA

2024 09 FEB - UAE 11 FEB - KSA 09 MARCH - MUMBAI 11 MARCH - CHENNAI MARCH - SINGAPORE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNERS

IN ASSOCIATION

|

R E A L

L I F E

|

Netskope expands NewEdge Network in Middle East with four datacentres in UAE, Saudi Arabia Netskope announced the expansion of its NewEdge Network in the Middle East with four data centers now across the UAE and Saudi Arabia. With this expansion the network can better serve in-region & multinational enterprise customers.

Consolidating Netskope’s promise to secure data and organisations in the Middle East, the expansion of the NewEdge network complements the growing GCC data center market, which is expected to reach a value of $5.5 billion by 2028 from $3.44 billion in 2022. Spurred on by regional government initiatives such as ‘We The UAE 2031’ and Saudi Vision 2030. NewEdge is the world’s largest, and highest-performing security private cloud. It powers the real-time, inline security services of the Netskope SASE

platform allowing security to be deployed at the edge where and when it’s needed. Its architecture ensures there are no performance trade-offs when implementing the security features. The NewEdge network is extensively peered with the most commonly used web/ content-delivery networks, cloud, and SaaS providers to deliver fast, optimised access to the content, apps, and data enterprises most care about. The addition of the NewEdge data centers will be especially helpful in promoting the adoption of a Zero Trust security model within Middle East organisations. It enables the delivery of real-time inline and out-ofband API-driven services like Cloud Firewall, Secure Web Gateway, Cloud Access Security Broker, Zero Trust Network Access, and Cloud and SaaS Security Posture Management.

Jonathan Mepsted, Vice President, Middle East and Africa at Netskope

Proofpoint releases second annual research, Cybersecurity: The 2023 Board Perspective report Proofpoint released its second annual Cybersecurity Report: The 2023 Board Perspective report, which explores board of directors’ views on the global threat landscape, cybersecurity priorities, and relationships with CISOs. The findings reveal that nearly three-quarters (73%) of those surveyed feel at risk of a material cyber-attack, a notable increase from 65% in 2022. Likewise, 53% feel unprepared to cope with a targeted attack, up from 47% the previous year.

Interestingly, recent research from Proofpoint illustrates similar sentiments are shared by CISOs in the Middle East, with 55% of KSA CISOs and 75% of UAE CISOs admitting they feel at risk of experiencing a material cyber-attack in the next 12 months. Half of CISOs in the Middle East believe their organization is unprepared to cope with a targeted cyber-attack.

This year-over-year change may reflect the ongoing volatility of the threat landscape, including lingering geopolitical

Ryan Kalember, Executive Vice President of Cybersecurity Strategy at Proofpoint

tensions and rises in disruptive ransomware and supply chain attacks.

The emerging risk of artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT may also be contributing to these sentiments: 59% of board members believe generative AI is a security risk for their organization. Global board members have those concerns even though 73% view cybersecurity as a priority, 72% believe their board clearly understands the cyber risks they face, and 70% believe they have adequately invested in cybersecurity.

The Cybersecurity: The 2023 Board Perspective report examines global, thirdparty survey responses from 659 board members at organizations with 5,000 or more employees across different industries.

In June 2023, more than 50 board directors were surveyed in each market in each of the following 12 countries: the U.S., Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Japan, Brazil, and Mexico.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

37

|

C O V E R

S T O R Y

|

NETAPP’S GLOBAL EXPANSION STRATEGY

TARGETING EMERGING MARKETS We delve into NetApp’s strategies for staying competitive, its impactful partnerships, and insights on emerging tech trends.

Maya Zakhour Director Channel Sales Eastern Europe, META, Iberia , and Latin America

I

n a dynamic global business landscape, companies must continuously seek opportunities for growth and expansion. NetApp, a renowned leader in data management and cloud services, is no exception.

As we look ahead to the coming year, NetApp is actively formulating strategies to target new markets and regions for expansion. With a distinctive partner-led model and a product strategy tailored to smaller businesses, NetApp is poised to delve deeply into emerging markets and reach even smaller, underserved regions.

38

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

This strategic initiative is expected to result in a significant increase in NetApp’s market share in the Emerging Europe, Middle East, and India (EEMI) region.

Globalization Strategy: Navigating the Challenges of a Connected World In interconnected global marketplace, maintaining competitiveness is an ongoing challenge. The increasing globalization of technology services has compelled companies to rethink their strategies continually. NetApp’s approach to remaining competitive in this ever-evolving landscape is multifaceted and forward-thinking. At the core of its globalization strategy is the embrace of localization. By understanding and adapting to the unique needs of local markets, NetApp ensures that its solutions resonate with customers worldwide.

Building strategic partnerships is another cornerstone of NetApp’s strategy. Collaborating with like-minded organizations allows NetApp

to leverage complementary strengths and expand its reach. Whether partnering with hyperscale cloud providers like Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure or technology giants like Nvidia and VMware, NetApp’s collaborations enhance the value of its products and services.

Innovation remains a driving force in NetApp’s competitiveness.

The company invests heavily in talent development, encouraging its workforce to think creatively and drive innovation across its product offerings. Customer experience is a top priority, as NetApp understands that satisfied customers are more likely to remain loyal and recommend its services.

Technology Trends on the Horizon The technology landscape is in a constant state of flux, and businesses must proactively prepare for emerging trends. NetApp highlights several impactful technology trends that will shape the business landscape in the

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

39

|

C O V E R

S T O R Y

|

next few years. These trends include: AI and Machine Learning: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are poised to revolutionize industries by automating processes, analyzing data at scale, and providing valuable insights.

IoT : The proliferation of IoT devices will continue to generate vast amounts of data, requiring advanced data management and analytics solutions.

Cybersecurity and Data Privacy: With the growing threat of cyberattacks and increased data regulation, businesses must prioritize robust cybersecurity and data privacy measures.

Blockchain: Blockchain technology has the potential to transform industries by enhancing transparency, security, and trust in transactions.

Augmented and Virtual Reality: AR and VR technologies are finding applications in gaming, education, healthcare, and more, offering immersive experiences.

Quantum Computing: Quantum computing promises to solve complex problems at speeds unimaginable with classical computers, opening new possibilities for scientific research and optimization.

Sustainable Technologies: Sustainability is a growing concern, and businesses should adopt technologies that contribute to environmental conservation. This includes embracing renewable energy sources, implementing energy-efficient solutions, and harnessing the power of IoT and AI to optimize resource usage and reduce waste.

Nurturing Channel Partner Relationships: The NetApp Partner Sphere Program Channel partners play a pivotal role in delivering solutions to customers. NetApp recognizes the significance of maintaining robust and mutually beneficial relationships with its channel partners. To this end, NetApp has developed the NetApp Partner Sphere Program, designed to solidify the company’s commitment to a partner-first culture.

The NetApp Partner Sphere Program offers a unified engagement model, allowing partners to seamlessly transition between sell-to, sell-through, and sell-with sales motions. By aligning with NetApp’s strategic objectives, partners can deliver greater value to their customers and accelerate their revenue growth.

This program offers 11 Services Certified tracks and 19 Solution Competencies, enabling partners to expand their services portfolio and become trusted advisors to their customers.

40

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

Through the NetApp Partner Sphere Program, partners can capture greater market share by focusing on growing flash revenue, accelerating cloud adoption, and leveraging partner-led solutions and services. This collaborative ecosystem fosters innovation, drives customer-based outcomes, and positions partners for sustained growth in the rapidly evolving technology services industry.

In-Depth Examination of NetApp’s Global Expansion Strategy Expanding into new markets is a strategic move that requires careful consideration and planning. NetApp’s decision to target emerging markets and allocate resources towards reaching smaller markets signifies a commitment to unlocking untapped potential and broadening its global footprint.

Unique Partner-Led Model: NetApp’s partner-led model sets it apart in the industry. Rather than relying solely on its own sales force, NetApp collaborates closely with channel partners and resellers. These partners often have intimate knowledge of local markets, making them invaluable assets when entering new regions. By empowering partners to understand their customers’ unique requirements and craft tailored solutions, NetApp ensures that it can effectively penetrate and thrive in emerging markets.

Product Strategy for Smaller Businesses:

In addition to its partner-led model, NetApp’s product strategy focuses on addressing the needs of smaller businesses. Traditionally, technology giants tend to target large enterprises, but NetApp recognizes the significant potential in catering to smaller organizations. Smaller businesses, particularly those in emerging markets, often face unique challenges and resource constraints. NetApp’s tailored product offerings for this segment demonstrate a commitment to providing accessible, scalable, and cost-effective solutions.

Embracing Emerging Markets: The decision to target emerging markets is not arbitrary; it reflects NetApp’s strategic foresight. Emerging markets, such as those in the EEMI region, offer tremendous growth opportunities. As these markets develop and technology adoption increases, the demand for data management and cloud services is poised to surge. NetApp’s early entry into these markets positions it as a frontrunner to meet this burgeoning demand.

Reaching Underserved Regions: While larger cities and business hubs often receive the lion’s share of attention, NetApp’s strategy also extends to reaching underserved regions within emerging markets. These areas may not have received the same level of technological infrastructure and support as their urban counterparts. By extending its reach to these regions, NetApp not only expands its market

|

C O V E R

S T O R Y

|

share but also contributes to digital inclusion and economic development.

NetApp’s Globalization Strategy: Adapting to Local Markets Globalization is a double-edged sword for technology companies. While it opens doors to new opportunities, it also exposes them to diverse and complex market dynamics.

NetApp’s globalization strategy revolves around adaptability and understanding local markets.

Embracing Localization: One of the central tenets of NetApp’s globalization strategy is embracing localization. This approach recognizes that technology solutions are not one-size-fits-all. What works in one region may not work in another due to variations in culture, regulations, infrastructure, and customer needs. NetApp’s commitment to localization means tailoring its solutions and approaches to meet the unique demands of each local market.

Fostering Innovation: Technology is a constantly evolving field, and innovation is a key driver of competitiveness. NetApp invests significantly in fostering innovation across its product offerings. By engaging its global workforce and promoting a culture of creativity, NetApp remains at the cutting edge of technology, ensuring that its solutions meet the changing needs of customers in different regions.

Prioritizing Customer Experience: Customer experience is a universal currency.

Satisfied customers are more likely to become loyal advocates and recommend a company’s products and services. NetApp places a strong emphasis on delivering exceptional customer experiences, regardless of geographical location. This commitment translates to superior support, service, and responsiveness, which are critical in retaining and expanding its customer base.

The Role of Strategic Partnerships in NetApp’s Competitiveness In the modern tech landscape, strategic partnerships are more than just collaborations; they are integral to a company’s competitiveness. NetApp’s strategy includes forming and nurturing partnerships that enhance the value of its products and services.

Hyperscale Cloud Partnerships: Cloud computing is a driving force in the tech industry, and hyperscale cloud providers wield immense influence. NetApp’s partnerships with Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft Azure are emblematic

42

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

of its strategy to integrate seamlessly with cloud ecosystems. These partnerships allow NetApp to provide customers with comprehensive solutions that harness the power of cloud computing and data management.

Specialized Offerings: NetApp’s collaborations extend to specialized offerings.

For instance, the launch of Google Cloud NetApp Volumes, a fully managed storage service for data and applications, demonstrates NetApp’s commitment to delivering tailored solutions in collaboration with leading cloud providers. Additionally, solutions like FSX for

Innovation, localization, and strategic partnerships are the pillars of success in today’s interconnected world.

NetApp ONTAP with Amazon and Azure NetApp Files with Microsoft expand NetApp’s reach and address diverse customer needs.

Technology Giants: NetApp’s partnerships extend beyond cloud providers to encompass technology giants such as Nvidia and VMware.

These collaborations enable NetApp to integrate its solutions with various platforms and applications, enhancing interoperability and expanding its footprint. By partnering with technology leaders, NetApp ensures that its solutions remain at the forefront of innovation.

Enabling Seamless Integration: Integration is key in today’s interconnected tech ecosystem.

NetApp’s strategic partnerships allow organizations to leverage its data management capabilities within their existing technology ecosystems. This seamless integration ensures that customers can derive maximum value from NetApp’s solutions while maintaining compatibility with their existing infrastructure.

Preparing for Emerging Technology Trends Staying ahead of emerging trends is essential for long-term success. NetApp recognizes the

importance of preparing for these trends and is actively guiding its customers to do the same.

AI and Machine Learning: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are no longer on the horizon; they are here and transforming industries. NetApp advises businesses to explore AI and ML to automate processes, gain insights from data, and remain competitive.

IoT: The proliferation of IoT devices continues unabated, generating vast amounts of data.

NetApp encourages organizations to invest in advanced data management and analytics solutions to harness the potential of IoT. Cybersecurity and Data Privacy: With the ever-increasing threat of cyberattacks and stricter data privacy regulations, businesses must prioritize robust cybersecurity measures.

NetApp emphasizes the importance of data protection and privacy to maintain customer trust.

Blockchain: Blockchain technology holds the promise of enhancing transparency, security, and trust in transactions. NetApp encourages exploration of blockchain applications to improve business processes and security.

Augmented and Virtual Reality: AR and VR technologies are no longer confined to gaming; they have applications across industries. NetApp suggests businesses consider how these technologies can create immersive experiences for their customers.

Quantum Computing: Quantum computing is on the horizon, offering the potential to solve complex problems exponentially faster than classical computers. While it may not be mainstream yet, NetApp advises businesses to monitor developments in this field and prepare for its eventual impact.

Sustainable Technologies: Sustainability is an increasingly critical concern. NetApp highlights the importance of adopting sustainable technologies, including renewable energy sources, energy-efficient solutions, and technologies like IoT and AI to optimize resource usage and reduce waste.

In conclusion, NetApp’s strategic approach to global expansion, staying competitive, and nurturing channel partner relationships reflects its commitment to innovation and customercentricity. As it ventures into emerging markets, embraces globalization, and prepares for upcoming technology trends, NetApp remains at the forefront of the technology services industry. With a strong focus on collaboration and partnership, NetApp is well-prepared to navigate the challenges and opportunities of an interconnected world.

#TimeForSports GEC

JOIN CORPORATE CHAMPIONSHIP

BADMINTON CRICKET CYCLING FOOTBALL SWIMMING TENNIS TABLE TENNIS GOLF TEAM BUILDING TASK TUG OF WAR ATHLETIC FITNESS CHALLENGE BOWLING VOLLEY BALL BASKET BALL PADDLE GO KARTING

FUN & THRILL WEEKENDS challenge yourself

PARTICIPANTS

3000+

SPORTS

15

techpluschallenge.com

MATCHES

150+

PRESENTS

16 OCT 2023 CONRAD, DUBAI | 7PM ONWARDS

#GECAWARD2023 #JAZZNIGHT

REGISTRATION PARTNER

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

• Aginode • AMD • Dataiku • Delinea • dU • Entrust • Freshworks • HPE Aruba Networking • Kingston Technology • Kissflow • ManageEngine • NetApp • Pure Storage • Red Hat • Riverbed Technology • ServiceNow

INDUSTRY’S TOP TWENTY

VENDORS AND EXECUTIVES

• SolarWinds • Sophos • Vertiv • Zebra Technologies O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

45

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

AGINODE

MAKING ENTERPRISE COMMUNICATION SIMPLE, SAFE Aginode’s proactive approach to innovation empowers seamless communication and secure networks, driving digital transformation for diverse sectors globally

A

ginode pioneers cutting-edge connectivity solutions for digital networks, catering to FTTx, mobile, LAN, and datacentre markets. With over 30 years of expertise, the company focuses on delivering innovative infrastructure solutions globally. Its diverse product range includes LANmark, LANsense, LANactive for LAN and datacentres, and XPLORER, BRIGHTBOX, INFRABIRD, and UPSKY for the FTTx and mobile markets.

The company harnesses cloud platforms to power its innovative products, enabling seamless communication over vast geographical areas and connecting remote sites to a central software platform. One such solution is the LANsense Automated Infrastructure Management system, which

46

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

allows effortless communication between branch offices. The solution comes with central software for logging and reporting data connectivity details.

Similarly, the Aginode INFRABIRD solution enables remote access to street cabinet details

for enterprise and datacentre environments.

Its products facilitate communication speeds exceeding 10 Gbps over copper connections, supporting Power over Ethernet for smart building applications. Additionally, its fibre optics connectivity supports speeds up to 400

Aginode is geared up for upcoming technologies like Single-Pair Ethernet, ensuring their solutions align with emerging industry standards. via the Internet. This allows organisations to locate cabinets, perform maintenance tasks, and record sensor data effectively.

Aginode plays a key role in seamless digital transformation within organisations by offering cutting-edge structured cabling technologies

Gbps for modern datacentres.

The integration of Aginode’s LANsense AIM solution enhances network security by monitoring devices, ensuring secure connections, and providing detailed electronic documentation of data connections.

|

Aginode offers diverse approaches to empower their business partners, ensuring the delivery of reliable solutions to endusers. They initiate the process by providing comprehensive certification training to partners, conducted through various channels including their e-learning portal, in-class sessions, and hands-on training programmes. These initiatives are designed to enhance the skills of channel partners, enabling them to develop dependable designs and solutions. Aginode further supports its partners through rebate programmes and active participation in industry events at the regional level.

The company has maintained its position as an industry leader through active involvement in industry standards committees, enabling it to anticipate

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

technology trends and innovate proactively.

Aginode is also geared up for upcoming technologies like Single-Pair Ethernet, ensuring their solutions align with emerging industry standards.

In the past 12 months, Aginode has achieved significant successes across various countries and sectors, including hospitality, education, banking, military, and security.

Notable achievements include collaborations with prestigious organisations such as The Red Sea Development Company, Qassim University, and Rose Hotel in Saudi Arabia, Crown Prince Court in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah University, the National Bank of Bahrain, and the Jordanian Armed Forces. These successes underscore Aginode’s diverse expertise and effectiveness in enterprise and datacentre networks.

TOP EXECUTIVE As the Managing Director for Aginode in the Middle East and Africa, Yousef oversees all aspects of the company’s operations in the region.

His responsibilities include managing office activities, driving sales and marketing efforts, nurturing key customer relationships, developing strategic initiatives, and fostering partnerships.

ARAF AT G H A L E B Y O U SE F Managing Director, MEA, Aginode.

Yousef also plays a crucial role in internal operations, overseeing human resources, accounting, and audit functions. Additionally, he serves as the legal representative for Aginode’s Middle East office, representing the corporation’s interests.

Under his astute leadership, Aginode has forged impactful strategic partnerships across various sectors, including government and private entities. These collaborations are instrumental in expanding the company’s presence in the region, offering new avenues to engage with decision-makers in multiple countries within the geographical expanse of Aginode Middle East and Africa.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

47

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

AMD

ARCHITECTING A SUSTAINABLE DIGITAL TOMORROW AMD leads the charge in high-performance computing, providing energy-efficient solutions, including the 4th Gen EPYC processors and Instinct MI300X.

A

MD focuses on driving innovation in highperformance computing, graphics, and visualisation technologies. It develops leading, high-performance, and adaptive products that push the boundaries of what is possible, encompassing consumer, enterprise, and datacentre CPUs, GPUs, and APUs, as well as the industry’s largest portfolio of FPGAs and adaptive computing solutions.

With the ongoing increase in demand for computing performance and connectivity, alongside the rise in global energy costs, reducing power consumption has become a paramount concern for organisations utilising and operating data centres. AMD’s 4th Gen EPYC CPUs power the most energy-efficient x86 servers globally, delivering exceptional performance and aiding in the reduction of power consumption for enterprise, datacentre, and cloud customers.

The AMD 4th Gen EPYC processors can help organisations reduce cost and energy consumption, and save physical space. Enterprises managing thousands of servers could achieve significant savings by adopting servers powered by these processors.

These servers offer energy-efficient high performance, enabling businesses to advance their sustainability goals.

The full potential of AI will be realised when the technology becomes pervasive, extending seamlessly from the cloud to the edge and endpoints. AMD’s solutions span various domains, including datacentres and cloud computing, adaptive and embedded computing, PCs, and gaming. AMD is driven by its focus on products, architecture, and

48

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

an open ecosystem. This involves delivering a broad portfolio of high-performance and adaptive computing engines for AI, building products based on cutting-edge dataflow architectures to accelerate AI processing, and facilitating proven, open solutions through collaboration with ecosystem partners.

In June 2023, AMD made a significant announcement by introducing the AMD Instinct MI300 Series accelerator family to its portfolio. This includes the world’s most advanced accelerator designed for generative AI, marking a substantial leap forward in AI technology.

Across the Middle East, organisations are heavily investing in digital transformation initiatives. Industries such as education, oil and gas, aviation, financial services, healthcare, and the public sector are witnessing a surge in demand for high-performance computing capabilities. Furthermore, as the

processors can support digital transformation goals by taking advantage of more scale-out cloud workloads and Cloud-Native computing, optimising infrastructure and applications through technical computing and relational databases, and accelerating connectivity with intelligent edge deployments.

AMD collaborates closely with a variety of organisations, including cloud service providers, hardware manufacturers, original design manufacturers, software vendors, operating system vendors, and hardware vendors, to design, integrate, deploy, and optimise solutions. Its Partner Programme operates on a tiered structure, providing partners with a range of benefits. These include financial support, access to resources, marketing assistance, referral programmes, technical guidance, and essential materials.

The AMD Partner Portal provides up-to-date online information to partners, with content

The full potential of AI will be realised when the technology becomes pervasive, extending seamlessly from the cloud to the edge and endpoints digital landscape continues to expand, major economies like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are enhancing regional connectivity and telecommunications infrastructure, further fuelling the need for advanced computing solutions.

Enterprises using AMD 4th Gen EPYC

tailored to help them grow and prosper with its broad, leading-edge technology portfolio.

Within this programme, distributors, system builders, retailers, and e-tailers are recognised as Elite, Premier, Provisional Premier, and Select partners based on predefined criteria.

As partners ascend to higher tiers, they become

|

Z A I D G H AT TA S

Regional Commercial Manager, MEA and Turkey, AMD.

eligible for enhanced benefits.

AI is shaping the upcoming era of computing, driving AMD to collaborate closely with customers and partners to unlock the myriad benefits of AI technology. From facilitating groundbreaking medical research to alleviating urban congestion and simplifying everyday tasks, AMD is at the forefront of these innovations.

AMD is committed to continuous investment in the development of cutting-edge, high-performance, and adaptive computing products. These products are not only designed to redefine the limits of what technology can

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

achieve but also to address some of the world’s most complex challenges.

In November 2022, AMD announced its 4th Gen EPYC processors, termed as the world’s fastest and most energy-efficient x86 datacentre CPUs. Furthermore, in June 2023, AMD expanded its portfolio by introducing Instinct MI300X, the most advanced accelerator for generative AI. This remarkable addition to the AMD Instinct MI300 Series accelerator family promises to revolutionise AI capabilities, showcasing AMD’s dedication to staying at the forefront of technological advancement.

TOP EXECUTIVE In his capacity as the Regional Commercial Manager, Zaid Ghattas spearheads the drive for commercial revenue for AMD across the META regions. He focuses on executing AMD’s strategy within AI, High-Performance Computing, edge, and cloud computing.

Managing a dedicated team dispersed throughout the region, he collaborates closely with esteemed clients, enhancing AMD’s market share in both servers and client domain.

Ghattas joined AMD in 2019, initially serving as a Business Development Executive. His prowess and dedication saw him swiftly ascending into a leadership role in 2021. Before his tenure at AMD, Ghattas garnered extensive experience with renowned global technology giants including VMware, Intel, and HP. His impressive track record includes steering technology infrastructure projects in over 20 markets, spanning locations such as Australia, Dubai, and the USA, from project conceptualisation to flawless execution.

In his role, Ghattas has cultivated robust relationships with key AMD clients in the region, bolstering awareness and adoption of AMD’s advanced technology portfolio. He has strategically assembled an adept team, providing invaluable support to clients while consolidating AMD’s network of channel and OEM partners within the META region. His primary focus revolves around positioning AMD as the preferred vendor for High-Performance Computing and AI projects.

the overall growth of the technology sector and AMD. His passion lies in leveraging his expertise to champion new technologies and, notably, in his day-to-day mission of elevating the AMD brand in the Middle East region.

ROLE MODEL

Ghattas holds Dr. Lisa Su, CEO of AMD, as his role model. He admires her transformative leadership within the organisation, considering her achievements as a wellspring of inspiration for everyone within AMD. On a personal level, he finds motivation in Dr. Su’s visionary approach, strategic direction, and flawless execution of AMD’s overarching strategy.

OFFLINE

Ghattas is an avid cross-country motorbike rider, accomplished musician, and fitness enthusiast. In his free time, he channels his passion into mentoring budding entrepreneurs and startups, guiding them on their journey within the dynamic landscape of the technology industry.

DREAM ROLE

Ghattas is motivated by a multifaceted drive, including fostering

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

49

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

DATAIKU

PIONEERING THE FUTURE OF AI AND MACHINE LEARNING Dataiku DSS is empowering enterprises with groundbreaking technologies while fostering collaboration, transparency, and innovation.

a wide array of industries, breaking down traditional silos and fostering collaboration, thereby driving value creation from data.

D

Innovations in AI

ataiku DSS or Data Science Studio stands at the forefront of the Artificial Intelligence or AI and machine learning revolution, empowering enterprises to pave their unique paths to AI success. Central to Dataiku’s ethos is the conviction that fostering a data-driven culture across the entire enterprise, rather than compartmentalising data, is the key to AI deployment and scalability.

At the heart of Dataiku DSS lies a comprehensive suite of tools, seamlessly integrated within a user-friendly interface.

This end-to-end solution simplifies data wrangling, mining, visualisation, machine learning, deployment, and monitoring based on a collaborative and team-based user interface. The collaborative platform caters to a diverse audience, ranging from seasoned data scientists to business analysts, ensuring accessibility for all.

One of the unique characteristics of Dataiku DSS is the breadth of its scope and the fact that it caters both to technical and non-technical users. Its user-centric approach appeals to

50

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

In a groundbreaking move, Dataiku unveiled Dataiku 12, a milestone release that revolutionises the AI landscape. This transformative update boasts enhanced

and tooling. The company has pioneered 16 groundbreaking generative AI use cases, ushering in a new era of industrialscale development and deployment. These applications, the Predictive Maintenance Data Explorer, LLM-Enhanced Next Best Offer, and IT Support Advisor, address real business needs, providing automated, accurate, and efficient solutions.

The user-centric approach of Dataiku DSS appeals to a wide array of industries, breaking down traditional silos and fostering collaboration transparency and robust governance features, empowering organisations to leverage AI in advanced analytics initiatives. Notably, Dataiku 12 integrates OpenAI’s GPT models seamlessly, enabling users to extend datasets and perform tasks through intuitive visual interfaces and natural language prompts while upholding transparency and trust.

Dataiku has recently achieved remarkable strides in generative AI, revolutionising enterprise applications, safety protocols,

Here are some examples of generative AI use case collection.

• Predictive Maintenance Data Explorer: Privacy-preserving, automated generation of insights into the performance of factory machines.

• LLM-Enhanced Next Best Offer: Legalapproved, automated generation of promotional emails, including highly accurate product recommendations.

• IT Support Advisor: Always-accurate

|

SI D D H A R T H A B H AT IA

Regional Vice President and General Manager – MEA and Turkey, Dataiku.

assistants that query complex policy documents and contracts, accelerating the work of support agents, During the year, Dataiku is celebrating a series of achievements, globally as well as in the Middle East region. In the region, the company witnessed substantial growth, onboarding numerous new customers and expanding its footprint among existing clients. The flourishing partner ecosystem, marked by an increasing number of certified partners, has bolstered Dataiku’s ability to

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

support its customers effectively.

To support Dataiku’s rapid expansion and to ensure its customers receive the best possible service, the company has also expanded its team in the Middle East. Additionally, Dataiku has made strategic investments in customer success management roles, engagement managers, and customer-facing data scientists. These investments reflect Dataiku’s unwavering commitment to fully support its customers and help them realise their full business potential.

TOP EXECUTIVE Bhatia has been the driving force behind Dataiku’s remarkable success in MEA and Turkey. Under his leadership, the company swiftly became the preferred platform for nearly 50 of the largest organisations in the Middle East. With over 15 years of dedicated experience in the data and AI domain, Bhatia brings a wealth of expertise to his career. He has held leadership positions at renowned companies such as Cloudera, IBM, and Sybase, showcasing his versatile skill set.

One of Bhatia’s defining achievements is his pivotal role in establishing operations for two successful startups in the Middle East. He was the first person on the ground for Cloudera in 2016 and joined Dataiku in 2020, demonstrating his commitment to fostering transparent, accountable, and collaborative practices.

Bhatia’s leadership style combines hands-on engagement with a strong emphasis on empathy-driven action. He fosters an environment conducive to innovation and continuous progress, empowering teams to excel. His approach nurtures strategic thinking, intelligence, and effective deal-making, all while prioritising diversity and collaboration. His unwavering dedication deeply resonates with C-suite executives and key clients focused on data.

to success.

In line with this, Bhatia’s dream role is to be a leader who can assemble and nurture such a team. He wants to create an environment where talented individuals come together, share a common vision, and collaboratively work towards achieving ambitious goals. He aspires to go beyond personal success and empower others to excel and make a difference. He aims to drive meaningful change, both within the organisation and in the broader context of the industry and society.

ROLE MODEL

Simon draws inspiration from iconic figures like Steve Jobs, Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, and Bill Gates. These individuals, he believes, reshaped the world with their unwavering dedication and commitment to getting the job done, regardless of the challenges they faced.

OFFLINE

DREAM ROLE

According to Bhatia, employees who work under great leaders tend to be happier, more productive, and more connected to their organisation, positively impacting the business’s bottom line. He believes that dream roles are not as important as a dream team to execute one’s vision; with hard work, dedication, strategic planning, and the right people, one can drive the team

Besides participating in leadership forums and start-up workshops, Bhatia is dedicated to industry conferences and panels, showcasing his expertise and social responsibility. Additionally, his role as a mentor and coach underscores his investment in talent development, while ongoing executive education reflects his commitment to staying at the forefront of industry knowledge. When he is not hard at work, he can be found relaxing with his family or out on the golf course.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

51

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

DELINEA

ENABLING SEAMLESS PRIVILEGED ACCESS MANAGEMENT With automated access controls and end-to-end monitoring, Delinea is enabling just-in-time and just-enough access to critical business data.

and time to value, high availability and greater stability, and expert maintenance for patches, upgrades and new feature rollouts, Customers avoid hardware costs and management issues while having total control over licensing costs via a flexible, subscription-based price model.

T

he Delinea Platform allows users to extend the Privileged Access Management solution or PAM across their entire expanded IT ecosystems. Being cloud native, the platform allows users to easily add PAM capabilities to their hybrid and multicloud environments, automatically scaling as needed and integrating seamlessly with thirdparty solutions. It also empowers end-to-end visibility, dynamic privilege controls, and adaptive security.

Delinea offers PAM in the cloud, or PAM as a service, hosting and managing installation, maintenance and updates on behalf of customers on Azure or AWS cloud environments, depending on the solution.

PAM in the cloud provides faster deployment

52

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

access controls can properly support large-scale cloud transformation initiatives and answer the needs of the current hybrid environments, which require external access to all services.

The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of modern PAM solutions that

In 2023, Delinea achieved significant recognition, earning leadership positions in the Frost Radar for the PAM report and Gartner’s Magic Quadrant As organisations progress along their digital transformation journeys, the challenge of growing complexity in IT environments cannot be ignored. Delinea believes that only a modern privileged access management approach with automated and context-aware

provide the right users just in time and just enough access to critical data, servers, and applications. It also provides end-to-end monitoring and reporting to identify abuse of privilege and quickly thwart attacks.

Key features of Delinea’s partner

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

MOH A MMA D I S MAI L

VP Middle East, Africa and Turkiye, Delinea.

TOP EXECUTIVE programme include deal registration and margin protection, exclusive access to the Delinea Partner Portal, sales and technical training, sales and marketing resources, as well as lead generation assistance. In addition, depending on their partnership level, partners can also access certified consultant training and receive support from dedicated partner managers.

Amidst escalating cyberthreats and rising insurance costs, the company aims to enhance its product portfolio to successfully meet these challenges. It aims to bolster Delinea Platform’s capabilities and support partners to enhance their skills across the entire product value chain to tackle these challenges effectively.

In 2023, Delinea achieved significant recognition, earning leadership positions in the Frost Radar for the PAM report and Gartner’s Magic Quadrant. Additionally, the company received two Future Security Awards, including ‘Best Privileged Access Management Vendor of the Year’ and ‘Evolutionary Security Solution’ for the Delinea Platform launch.

In his role as VP – Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, Ismail leads Delinea’s regional sales and channel teams, aiming to fortify the company’s position and expand market share. With Ismail at the helm of regional sales, Delinea is well-equipped to help organisations enhance their cybersecurity defences, leveraging the full potential of its portfolio.

Ismail has over 22 years of experience across Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the US. Prior to joining Delinea, he served as the Vice President of sales at Shifra. His early career includes roles at Nortel Networks, Gemalto, Schlumberger, Check Point, and Utimaco.

Mohammad holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical and computer engineering from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and is a certified CISSP professional.

OFFLINE

Ismail’s passion for football sees him playing twice a week, and he aspires to develop formal coaching skills to mentor a young team. His reading interests span economics, technology, and Arabic literature and poetry.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

53

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

du

CREATING A SUSTAINABLE DIGITAL WORLD FOR ALL du’s intelligent core boosts data, fostering innovation with actionable insights, analytics, AI, and data lakes, enhancing business outcomes.

A

s a brand, du offers a range of telecommunication services, including mobile and fixed telephony, broadband connectivity, and IPTV. It provides solutions for businesses, carrier services, and satellite uplink and downlink services for TV broadcasters. du offers business plans, postpaid plans, and prepaid plans, along with a complete portfolio of ICT solutions to accelerate digital transformation, including cybersecurity, cloud, datacentre, and other advanced solutions like the Internet of Things or IoT, Artificial Intelligence or AI, and Blockchain.

The products and solutions of du utilise cloud platforms to migrate applications and data to the cloud, enabling the secure adoption of new technologies, integrating data and processes, and facilitating continuous digital transformation. du helps organisations build digital platforms that integrate and orchestrate data between core and external IT systems. By leveraging an intelligent core, du enhances data and generates actionable insights, analytics, artificial intelligence, and data lakes to drive

54

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

innovation and improve business outcomes.

The company employs various AI technologies, such as generative AI, conversational AI, and other machine learning capabilities. During a showcase, du experts demonstrated how their AI platform, powered

by Microsoft Azure, uses models like GPT, DALL-E, and Azure Cognitive Speech Services to enhance customer engagement.

One particular use case, the ChatGPT showcase, highlighted the application of AI in creating a futuristic economy. It showcased features such as AI-generated campaign

major challenge they face is integrating their core and external IT systems. Nearly 60% of CIOs in the UAE have separate digital technologies operating outside their core IT platform. This results in innovation silos and hampers the scalability of digital transformation efforts. du addresses this challenge by assisting organisations in building digital platforms that seamlessly integrate and optimise processes. It orchestrates data between the core and external IT systems. With an intelligent core, du continually enhances its data and utilises actionable insights, analytics,

du leverages the power of cloud platforms to go beyond migrating applications and data to enable secure adoption of new technologies creatives, a GPT Commentator avatar for sports commentary, personalised AI-generated artwork, and interactive conversation capabilities. du aims to empower businesses, drive efficiencies, and fulfil their corporate social responsibility commitments.

Organisations and businesses in the UAE actively pursue digital transformation. One

artificial intelligence, and data lakes.

The company collaborates with capable business owners or startups interested in selling and providing services to potential and current du customers. These channel partners possess strong sales expertise in the service industry and maintain a substantial enterprise clientele, comprising more than 15 staff members.

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE FA H A D A L HA SSA W I CEO, du.

Through e-procurement, du establishes electronic connectivity with suppliers and business partners, ensuring round-the-clock accessibility. Additionally, du adheres to a corporate policy prioritising Emirati Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, registered with Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development and Dubai SME, reflecting their commitment to support and engage with local businesses. du has plans to launch industry-specific solutions, leveraging advanced technologies like IoT, Machine Learning, AI, robotics, drones-as-a-service, data analytics, Blockchain, cloud solutions, and datacentres. It focuses on cybersecurity solutions to build digital trust, while its Industry 4.0 champion status drives advanced digitalisation for manufacturing and other sectors. Other focus areas include smart cities, smart manufacturing, agritech, and sustainability.

At du, sustainability and ICT are central to its mission. In the past year, it has made significant strides, focusing on a digital-first strategy that enhances customer experience while meeting evolving business needs. du’s achievements include offering Power Plans with unlimited data, enabling seamless connectivity and enhanced productivity for businesses. Additionally, its use of 5G technology allows it to provide innovative networking solutions like mobile private networks and edge computing for enterprise customers. By embracing sustainable practices and leveraging the power of digital technology, du is committed to driving progress and creating a better future for all.

Al Hassawi oversees the telecom operations of du and Virgin brands, along with the digital lifestyle and innovation divisions. He manages infrastructure development, technology, and network investment, focusing on driving innovation, accelerating digital transformation, and fostering an industry-leading telco.

Throughout his career at EITC since 2006, Al Hassawi has held various roles, including Chief Commercial Officer at du and Deputy CEO of EITC. He assumed the position of CEO in September 2020, guiding the organisation towards consistent growth.

In his current role, Al Hassawi is credited with leading du through a new phase of growth and expansion, driving accelerated digital transformation. He leads a transformational mandate, cultivating a purpose and performance-driven culture, implementing a faster go-to-market strategy, and delivering a deeper and personalised customer experience.

DREAM ROLE

Al Hassawi is committed to shaping the future of the UAE’s youth, paving the way for Emirati entrepreneurs and leaders. His efforts and initiatives have been influential in creating pathways and opportunities for young Emiratis, enabling them to develop their entrepreneurial skills and leadership capabilities.

ROLE MODEL

Al Hassawi draws inspiration from the UAE’s culture and its commitment to innovation. He is motivated by organisations, institutions, and business executives prioritising innovation, sustainability, and social responsibility. He is inspired by technology leaders who drive cutting-edge solutions and embrace digital transformation.

OFFLINE

Al Hassawi has a diverse range of interests and passions. He is a sports enthusiast, enjoys exploring new destinations, immersing himself in different cultures, and trying diverse cuisines. He also has a strong passion for giving back to the community, aiming to bring about positive change in society.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

55

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

ENTRUST

EMPOWERING BUSINESS TRUST AND DATA SECURITY With diverse solutions and commitment to security and trust, Entrust is playing a key role in driving digital adoption in the region.

levels of security and meeting sovereign data requirements. This flexibility allows customers to choose the environment that aligns with their needs and legal requirements. Services like HSM-as-a-service, PKI-as-a-service, and ID-as-a-service are hosted in secure datacentres, providing a secure operational model while reducing capital expenditure.

The company continues to evaluate and develop systems using the latest Artificial

E

ntrust plays a pivotal role in ensuring the world operates securely by facilitating trusted experiences for identities, payments, and digital infrastructure. The company provides an extensive array of solutions that are vital in establishing trust across multi-cloud deployments, mobile identities, hybrid work environments, machine identities, electronic signatures, encryption, and beyond.

The deployment model across the solutions offers customers a wide range of options. All solutions can be accessed in the cloud via a subscription or as a service. They can also be deployed on-premises, a crucial consideration for the Middle East region. Additionally, a hybrid deployment is available, leveraging cloud advantages while maintaining the highest

56

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

Many companies worldwide have been striving to lead in digital transformation for competitive advantage. Entrust simplifies this process. Customers, when engaging in cross-border activities, making purchases, accessing e-government services, or logging into corporate networks, benefit from Entrust’s comprehensive digital security and credential issuance solutions, ensuring the highest level of trust in all interactions. Entrust’s core mission

Entrust’s core mission revolves around enabling trust, driving its value proposition, and guiding the development of innovative technologies Intelligence, AI, models. As the security and data protection arena continues to change and adapt, so do the threats and attacks, sometimes at a faster rate. AI is not only a major threat to data security but also an enormous aid in developing more secure solutions, if used ubiquitously while strengthening overall organisational cybersecurity structures.

revolves around enabling trust, driving its value proposition, and guiding the development of innovative technologies for global clients.

The company operates one of the largest partner programmes, drawing upon extensive research and deep expertise to create invaluable protection tools. Companies no longer need to piece together solutions from various vendors;

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE S I M O N TAY L O R

Channel Sales Director, MEASA, Entrust.

Simon Taylor serves as the Channel Sales Director for MEASA at Entrust, where he plays a pivotal role in driving channel sales and managing the company’s partner community across the Middle East and African regions.

With over 15 years of experience in cybersecurity, Simon has a proven track record in channel management, spanning MEA regions and Northern Europe. His success is grounded in his ability to foster strong relationships and enhance educational initiatives.

Simon’s contributions include forging more strategic partnerships with Entrust’s associates, enabling them to expand into new territories and gain a deeper understanding of Entrust solutions. This strategic approach has resulted in substantial revenue growth and market development for the company. Simon Taylor is at the forefront of shaping Entrust’s channel sales strategy and building valuable alliances in the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity.

DREAM ROLE

Entrust provides a straightforward and reassuring solution.

Recognising that data security requires agility, Entrust continually enhances and expands its portfolio through acquisitions, research, and development efforts, positioning itself for the future. When it comes to safeguarding individuals, machines, and data, Entrust serves as a one-stop shop for comprehensive solutions.

Entrust maintains a steadfast commitment to infusing trust into every aspect of its operations. Their mission remains consistent: to empower both their customers and their customers’ end-users with the freedom to explore the digital world while ensuring secure online experiences, facilitated by their array of Zero Trust products.

Quantum computing poses a significant threat to data privacy and confidentiality, impacting entities like banks, governments, and financial institutions. Entrust stands as a global leader in delivering high-assurance, post-quantum-ready network and data security solutions. They hold a substantial stake in this transformative process, having pioneered the application of encryption standards many years ago, resulting in the world’s first public key infrastructure.

Simon’s current position at Entrust is more than just a job; it is his dream role. Here, he nurtures companies, guiding them towards growth and securing their future—a fulfilling endeavour that aligns with his passion for safeguarding the future. His love for public speaking finds an outlet in his role, allowing him to share and educate others about his commitment to ensuring a secure future.

ROLE MODEL

Simon draws inspiration from iconic figures like Steve Jobs, Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, and Bill Gates. These individuals, he believes, reshaped the world with their unwavering dedication and commitment to getting the job done, regardless of the challenges they faced.

OFFLINE

Beyond his professional endeavours, Simon’s passions include cars, cricket, and rugby. He relishes quality time spent with friends over delectable cuisine, all while maintaining a healthy balance through regular exercise and fitness routines.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

57

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

FRESHWORKS

REVOLUTIONISING CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT WITH AI SOLUTIONS Freshworks leads the way in customer service, offering innovative AI solutions for seamless and personalised engagement experiences.

F

reshworks software is purposebuilt for IT, customer support, and sales and marketing teams.

Through its Customer Service Suite, Freshworks offers a unified omnichannel solution driven by Artificial Intelligence or AI, for self-service, conversational support, and ticketing.

This is complemented by Freshservice, the company’s cloud-based ITSM software that aids IT organisations in delivering and managing services for their customers and employees.

Freshservice utilises ITIL best practices and AI to deliver efficient and intelligent service experiences.

Its products are cloud-native SaaS solutions built on AWS. As Freshworks is cloud-native, its customers can swiftly deploy the vendor’s solutions using a low-touch model. The products are intuitive and easy to onboard.

While the company provides professional services for more complex organisations,

58

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

most smaller customers can be operational in a matter of days, a significant improvement compared to the months required by other platforms in the market.

In 2018, Freshworks introduced Freddy AI to harness machine learning from the vast number of tickets processed through the platform. With the recent availability of OpenAI generative AI, Freshworks integrated LLM into its AI solutions, enhancing its

Freddy Copilot provides contextual assistance, handles repetitive tasks, and boosts team productivity by enabling developers and employees in support, sales, and marketing to use conversations to complete their tasks.

Freddy Self Service delegates repetitive work to bots to scale support and deliver exceptional customer experiences, while Freddy Insights automates the analysis of daily productivity and offers recommendations to enhance business

Freshworks offers a unified omnichannel solution driven by Artificial Intelligence for self-service, conversational support, and ticketing platform with unique features.

Freshworks has unveiled Freddy Self Service, a conversation AI for customers to find answers; Freddy Copilot, a generative AI for assisting agents; and Freddy Insights, prompt-based analytics using generative AI. These offerings make generative artificial intelligence accessible to every workplace.

impact. Collectively, Freddy’s generative AI capabilities empower businesses to automate, scale, and gain actionable insights from their work.

At the beginning of 2023, Freshworks revamped its global partner programme, introducing a revised commission structure focused on new business. The company

|

SA N D I E O V E R T V E L D

Senior Vice President – APJ and MEA, Freshworks.

continues to refine its partner programmes to align with its evolving customer segments.

Freshworks is actively seeking specialist CX, EX, and CRM system integrators to support its expanding base of enterprise customers in deploying and managing their solutions.

The company is increasing its investment in marketing and market development funding and skills certification, working closely with its channel partners.

The company primarily operates in three key market segments: customer support, CRM, and IT service management. The recent launch of the Freshworks Customer Service Suite combines

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

the conversational experience of Freshchat and the capabilities of Freshdesk in support.

With years of AI enhancement and the recent generative AI updates, Freshworks provides value to businesses of all sizes, assisting them in better serving their customers and employees. The company plans to explore cross-selling opportunities, leveraging the seamless integration of its product suite. This integration fulfils the promise of a unified customer record, connecting internal processes and approval workflows with external customer engagement, and facilitating the shift from reactive to proactive engagement.

TOP EXECUTIVE As Senior Vice President for Freshworks’ APJ and MEA markets, Overtveld oversees the company’s growth efforts in these regions and collaborates with brands to prioritise customer and employee satisfaction in their business strategies.

With over 30 years of experience, Overtveld is a renowned thought leader and digital transformation expert. He has a proven track record in growth and portfolio strategy development and execution in complex global matrix organisations such as Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, and Zendesk. Most recently, he served as the APJ leader of WalkMe, pioneering digital adoption platforms globally.

In his current role, Sandie is driving digital transformation for large businesses in the region. Traditional MEA entities like the Chalhoub Group, The Foschini Group, African Bank, and Multichoice have chosen Freshworks for their customer and employee engagement needs. Simultaneously, newer digital native brands like BitOasis, Webbeds, and MumzWorld rely on Freshworks for enhanced customer and employee engagement through seamless API integration.

achieving hyper-personalisation and natural language interactions in customer service and employee engagement through a unified customer record and Generative AI. In his industry position, Sandie aims to enable this future, working closely with Freshworks’ team to guide regional businesses toward this vision.

ROLE MODEL

Overtveld draws inspiration from organisations like Amazon, particularly how Jeff Bezos has driven continuous innovation despite its status as a tech giant.

He admires Amazon’s ability to innovate with initiatives like Prime and Alexa, emphasising the importance of such innovation for all companies.

OFFLINE

DREAM ROLE

With a front-row view of the unfolding digital future, Overtveld envisions a world where bad customer experiences are obsolete, employees experience seamless onboarding and can focus on their tasks without navigating internal systems. He anticipates

Apart from his professional pursuits, Overtveld is passionate about technology and actively invests in Kickstarter projects. He believes in constant innovation and appreciates entrepreneurs pushing boundaries, unafraid of occasional failure and the valuable lessons it brings. During his leisure time, he enjoys fly-fishing in isolated streams and dams in South Africa and France, or strives to improve his golf handicap.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

59

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

HPE ARUBA NETWORKING

HARNESSING AIOPS TO TRANSFORM ENTERPRISE NETWORKS Using AI-powered network management, agile NaaS subscriptions, and advanced cybersecurity, HPE Aruba Networking is shaping the future of businesses.

H

PE Aruba Networking is a leader in edge-to-cloud networking solutions, powered by Artificial Intelligence, AI, for network automation and data-driven outcomes. A key focus at GITEX this year is the next generation of HPE Aruba Networking Central, a cloudnative network management solution using AI for IT operations or AIOps to streamline tasks and allow teams to concentrate on strategic projects.

Another core element is the agile Networkas-a-Service or NaaS capabilities for customers and channel partners to access, deploy, and manage services through a monthly subscription on the HPE GreenLake platform.

HPE Aruba Networking Central is built on a cloud-native architecture. It is an AI-powered solution that simplifies IT operations, improves agility, and reduces costs by unifying the

60

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

management of network infrastructure. With HPE Aruba Networking Central, IT operations teams can provision, configure, and maintain networks by orchestrating all operations from a cloud-native dashboard.

The solution can be hosted in public and private cloud environments which provides an always-on network for mission-critical environments. Customers can also deploy it

Networking Central is redesigned to streamline network management using AI for IT operations. It aids enterprise IT teams in simplifying operations through AIOps-driven cloud management, delivering diverse business outcomes such as automated operations, customised experiences, reduced emissions, and omnichannel retail for seamless shopping experiences.

HPE Aruba Networking Central uses smart technology to assist IT professionals in identifying and resolving network issues as a SaaS application or via managed service options. Flexible subscription terms ensure alignment with budgets and project timelines.

Additionally, HPE Aruba Networking’s agile NaaS framework simplifies on-demand networking for partners to offer and customers to adopt.

The next generation of HPE Aruba

HPE Aruba Networking helps businesses transition to the digital era, focusing on innovation and security. HPE Aruba Networking Central uses smart technology to assist IT professionals in identifying and resolving network issues. The importance of network-based security solutions like security service edge or SSE and secure access service

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE

SHERIFA HADY

VP and General Manager EMEA Sales, HPE Aruba Networking.

Hady oversees business operations spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at HPE Aruba Networking, reporting to Alain Carpentier, SVP and Head of Global Sales.

Joining the company in November 2019 as Channel Sales Director for the EMEA Region, she was recently promoted from VP, EMEA Channel Sales to GM and VP, EMEA Sales. Previously, she served as interim HPE Managing Director in South Africa, accumulating 23 years of diverse experience in category management, channel reseller sales, and retail marketing across MESA and CERTA. Hady treasures her achievements, culminating in her recent appointment as General Manager of EMEA Sales. She eagerly anticipates this pivotal role, aiming to enhance the company’s presence regionally.

Her expertise promises to establish a robust foundation for scalability, drive business transformation, and contribute significantly to overall growth.

DREAM ROLE

edge or SASE is growing, emphasising the network’s role in business transformation. A unified approach, grounded in Zero Trust principles, is vital for safely harnessing these technologies.

Partners play a critical role, with over 90% of business flowing through them. HPE Aruba Networking’s partner ecosystem equips them with skills, tools, and expertise for edge-tocloud and as-a-service experiences. The HPE Partner Ready Vantage Programme focuses on partners with as-a-service practices, offering tailored enablement, training, go-to-market initiatives, and sales tools across three tracks: build, sell, and service. This empowers partners to meet customer needs, identify opportunities, and enhance customer relationships.

In the next couple of years, the company aims to lead in cybersecurity and network transformation, leveraging emerging technologies like 5G, AI, and the Internet of Things. The focus will be on elevating functionality and offerings. A unified approach incorporating SASE and SSE will facilitate safe innovation, addressing the demand for robust network security and efficiency amidst the increasing adoption of hybrid working models.

Beyond mere aspiration, making a difference in the lives of her colleagues, customers, partners, and distributors excites Hady the most. She believes that every person has something special and it is her dream to harness the unique potential within each individual, including herself, fostering a positive workplace environment.

ROLE MODEL

Her late father remains her enduring role model. He encouraged her to be independent, true to herself, and to go above and beyond in her pursuits. Despite his diplomatic background, he insisted she face life’s challenges like everyone else, fostering her independence and shaping her character.

OFFLINE

Hady is an adventurer who enjoys exploring new activities. Besides spending quality time with family, tanning on the beach or sweating at the gym, she finds joy in motorbike rides, discovering new eateries, and socialising with her closest friends when not travelling.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

61

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

KINGSTON TECHNOLOGY

FACILITATING SEAMLESS ADOPTION OF NEXT-GEN TECHNOLOGIES In a data-driven world, Kingston Technology stands as a strategic partner, empowering enterprises with top-tier server memory and SSD solutions.

K

ingston is more than just a part; it is a strategic partner. In today’s data-driven business landscape, the demand for efficient data storage and management has surged dramatically across datacentres, cloud services, edge computing, the Internet of Things or IoT, and co-locations.

Kingston steps in to empower enterprises to offer a robust selection of rigorously tested, top-tier server memory and SSD solutions.

The company’s products and solutions are known for enabling cloud platforms. The increasing adoption of cloud-based storage has intensified the pressure on storage and memory infrastructure. Kingston’s high-performance SSDs play a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency of cloud services, addressing the unique requirements of each data type processed. Organisations can strategically place data on the appropriate tier through a tiered storage model, striking a balance between costeffectiveness and performance optimisation.

62

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

As the big data explosion continues, so does the significance of AI and machine learning, ML. Kingston Technology emerges as an enabler of evolving technologies such as AI, ML, the Internet of Things or IoT, and edge computing, similar to its cloud computing offerings. Companies aspiring to stand out from the competition must first understand how to manage and store their

burgeoning creation and utilisation of content and data. Datacentres, serving as the vital hub for newly generated data, are undeniably pivotal. They are the stepping stones to the success of digital transformation.

Amidst the evolution of datacentres and the escalating demand for datacentre hardware, understanding current and future requirements is crucial. With strategic guidance and the right

Kingston has maintained its position as the #1 supplier of SSDs in the channel and the #1 third-party DRAM module supplier globally data. Subsequently, they can leverage AI and ML to discern hidden patterns in customer, competitor, and supplier data, affecting market behaviour and performance. Therefore, the need for swift and reliable SSDs becomes paramount in facilitating this level of growth.

In the broader context, digital transformation signifies evolution, a progression spurred by the

partners like Kingston Technology, enterprises can navigate these challenges, ensuring seamless technology adoption and successful adaptation to the ever-changing macro environment.

Kingston offers an array of tools to support partners, including the company’s Partner Programme, providing customers with all

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE ANTOINE HARB

Business Development Manager, Middle East and North Africa, Kingston Technology.

the necessary resources for a seamless selling experience. From product specifications to campaigns, Kingston assists partners with various marketing materials.

The Kingston Academy, the company’s online catalogue portal, offers training resources for partners. It encompasses technical training on memory and storage topics, enabling partners to enhance their understanding of the products. This knowledge, in turn, allows partners to provide superior service to their customers.

Additionally, Kingston’s team of business development managers for the ME region is readily available to assist both corporate and channel partners. The “Ask an Expert” service ensures that corporate end-users receive the latest information to aid them in making purchasing decisions tailored to their current and future needs.

Despite challenges, Kingston has successfully maintained its position as the #1 supplier of SSDs in the channel and the #1 thirdparty DRAM module supplier globally. This achievement underpins its robust relationships with customers and channel partners, locally and globally, and further exemplifies the #KingstonIsWith ethos.

Harb serves as the Business Development Manager and Team Leader for Kingston Technology in the Middle East and North Africa, overseeing the company’s channel business in the MENA region. With a wealth of experience spanning 23 years in the technology industry, Harb joined Kingston in 2005 after working in reputable IT companies with extensive expertise in multichannel product distribution and product development within the region.

In his role, Harb has successfully built strong brand recognition and a reputable standing, positioning Kingston as one of the top vendors in their business line model within his regions.

DREAM ROLE

As a team leader, Harb aims to motivate his team members to excel and ensures transparent communication of company goals. He emphasises the significance of working within a team dedicated to achieving both the economic and cultural objectives of the company, fostering personal and collective growth to elevate everyone within the organisation.

ROLE MODEL

Harb finds inspiration in Kingston founders John Tu and his Partner David Sun for their remarkable achievements within the company.

OFFLINE

Beyond business, Harb is deeply passionate about sports, particularly Tennis and Padel, pursuits he began a few years ago. He is committed to honing his skills in these sports during his leisure time.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

63

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

KISSFLOW

TRANSFORMING WORK MANAGEMENT WITH LOW-CODE SOLUTIONS Kissflow redefines work processes, uniting low-code solutions and AI, empowering businesses for efficient and intuitive operations.

K

issflow offers a solution for seamless work management across all facets of the modern enterprise.

Combining low-code, no-code, process automation, collaboration, and analytics offerings, the company’s unified work platform consolidates capabilities for app development, process management, task management, case management, data management, integrations, analytics, and collaboration.

The Kissflow low-code platform is offered as a fully integrated Software-as-a-Service or SaaS product, compatible with both public and private clouds. Public cloud users incur no additional charges as it is seamlessly included in the subscription pricing.

Generative AI or Artificial Intelligence,

64

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

when paired with low-code, emerges as a transformative force, effortlessly connecting end users with systems to develop applications without coding expertise, even for fundamental components like forms and fields. Kissflow has plans to embed generative AI into its platforms

26 million developers, but over 500 million business users, Kissflow has championed the ‘democratisation of IT’, enabling business users to create powerful applications and automated workflows without the need for technical skillsets.

Kissflow has integrated generative AI features, like AI-suggested fields to assist users in quickly creating processes and applications and democratise application development. The company has integrated generative AI features such as AI-suggested fields to assist users in quickly creating processes and applications.

Recognising that globally, there are only

Launched in May 2023, Kissflow’s new partner programme features an unmatched potential for commissions and rebates, unrestricted access to a world-class training programme, and the flexibility to support

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE S U JAY PAT IL ,

Regional Director – MEA, Kissflow.

Hady oversees business operations spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at HPE Aruba Networking, reporting to Alain Carpentier, SVP and Head of Global Sales.

Joining the company in November 2019 as Channel Sales Director for the EMEA Region, she was recently promoted from VP, EMEA Channel Sales to GM and VP, EMEA Sales. Previously, she served as interim HPE Managing Director in South Africa, accumulating 23 years of diverse experience in category management, channel reseller sales, and retail marketing across MESA and CERTA. Hady treasures her achievements, culminating in her recent appointment as General Manager of EMEA Sales. She eagerly anticipates this pivotal role, aiming to enhance the company’s presence regionally.

Her expertise promises to establish a robust foundation for scalability, drive business transformation, and contribute significantly to overall growth.

ROLE MODEL

its partners’ preferred go-to-market model.

Kissflow stands out by not only providing commissions during initial sales but also for annual renewals. Additionally, partners achieving specific sales goals over a 12-month period are rewarded with the iconic Tesla Model 3.

Recently, Kissflow augmented its lowcode platform with a robust Security and Governance layer. As the usage of low-code platforms proliferates, security, compliance, and governance have become paramount concerns for enterprises. Kissflow addresses these concerns, allowing more flexibility for citizen development within a secure framework.

Furthermore, Kissflow aims to simplify application development by leveraging generative AI, enabling business users to orchestrate processes without coding expertise, using intuitive drag-and-drop visual interfaces.

Patil finds inspiration from corporate leaders who encourage him to step out of his comfort zone, notably Suresh Sambandam, the driving force behind Kissflow, and a contributor to his State and Country’s growth. Sujay admires Sambandam’s commitment to investing in the UAE, aligning with the government’s vision. Additionally, visionaries like Dell CEO Michael Dell and Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger continue to motivate him with their leadership.

OFFLINE

Patil is a passionate sportsman and draws a correlation between the corporate world and sports. Both demand discipline, hard work, and stepping beyond one’s comfort zone daily. He enjoys playing and watching cricket and football, experiences that mirror the excitement of his successes managing Kissflow in the MEA region.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

65

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

MANAGEENGINE

ADDING TECH POWER TO REDEFINE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS By integrating AI and bringing in the flexibility of the cloud, ManageEngine is transforming IT management and security, enhancing business decision-making.

M

anageEngine provides a versatile array of IT management solutions, featuring prominent offerings such as ServiceDesk Plus, ADManager Plus, and Desktop Central. These solutions empower streamlined IT services, effective Active Directory management, and precise control over endpoints. ManageEngine’s suite encompasses comprehensive tools for network monitoring, application performance, and security. Complemented by expert services including consulting and analytics, ManageEngine delivers holistic support for robust IT infrastructure management.

ManageEngine utilises cloud platforms for licensing and delivery, enhancing flexibility and scalability for its products and solutions.

Customers have the option for cloud-based licensing models, like subscription-based or pay-as-you-go, eliminating the need for on-premises hardware and providing costeffective scalability.

Numerous ManageEngine solutions are accessible as cloud-based services, enabling straightforward deployment and updates without intricate installations. This cloud-

66

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

focused strategy enhances accessibility, reduces maintenance efforts, and enables organisations to efficiently manage their IT infrastructure and operations, regardless of their scale or location, leveraging the convenience and agility that cloud technology offers.

The company integrates Artificial Intelligence or AI and Machine Learning technologies into its products and solutions, boosting user productivity. Generative AI automates mundane tasks such as report generation, slashing manual effort and expediting decision-making. Conversational AI-driven chatbots aid users in IT inquiries and issue resolution, offering instant support

data-driven decisions, leading to enhanced overall productivity and streamlined IT management.

ManageEngine products, solutions, and services play a pivotal role in facilitating digital transformation by streamlining IT operations, enhancing security, and improving overall efficiency. They provide centralised control over IT resources, enabling organisations to adapt to the rapidly changing technological landscapes.

Through automation and analytics, they help optimise workflows, minimise downtime, and ensure compliance. By offering cloud-based options and mobile device management, they

ManageEngine utilises cloud platforms for licensing and delivery, enhancing flexibility and scalability for its products and solutions and liberating IT teams for strategic tasks.

Furthermore, AI-powered analytics and predictive insights pinpoint performance bottlenecks, security threats, and compliance issues, enabling proactive issue resolution.

These technologies empower users to work efficiently, resolve problems swiftly, and make

support remote and agile work environments.

With their focus on user-centric experiences, ManageEngine empowers organisations to harness technology more effectively, enabling them to innovate, scale, and stay competitive in today’s digitally transformed business landscape.

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE

S U JO Y B A N E R J E E

Associate Director – Sales and Channel Business, MEA Region, ManageEngine.

ManageEngine’s Channel Partner Programme is designed to collaborate with IT service providers, value-added resellers, and managed service providers. The programme offers partner levels like Silver, Gold, and Platinum, based on sales performance and expertise. Partners can achieve skills certifications to demonstrate product proficiency and gain access to exclusive resources, support, and incentives.

Roadshows and events provide opportunities for partners to network, learn about product updates, and expand their knowledge. This comprehensive programme empowers partners to deliver value-added services and solutions to their customers, promoting mutual growth and success in the IT management space.

Going ahead, ManageEngine is focused on AI-driven automation, enhancing cybersecurity solutions, and expanding cloudbased offerings. They will likely continue to improve user-centric experiences, including mobile app enhancements. Additionally, expect innovations in data analytics for predictive insights and compliance management to meet evolving IT management needs in the coming years.

The company achieved notable milestones during the past 12 months, enhancing its AI-driven automation capabilities.

ManageEngine also expanded its cloudbased service offerings and strengthened its cybersecurity solutions. It also continued to receive industry recognition for their IT management products, solidifying their position as a trusted provider in the field.

As the Associate Director at ManageEngine, Banerjee leads sales teams across the MEA regions, setting targets and driving revenue growth. In this role, Banerjee develops sales strategies, nurtures vital client relationships, and collaborates with senior management to achieve business objectives.

He provides mentorship and guidance to sales professionals, ensuring they meet performance goals and contribute to the company’s success. Banerjee reports to the Regional Director of Sales and Channels.

Banerjee began his journey as a Sales Executive in North America and swiftly ascended to the position of Manager within a few months. He later transitioned to the MEA market as a Senior Sales and Channel Manager and eventually rose to his current role as Associate Director.

His recent accomplishments as a Sales Director include surpassing yearly sales targets by a quarter in the UAE region, leading a successful sales team expansion, securing and retaining key enterprise client accounts, and implementing a data-driven sales strategy that significantly increased conversion rates.

DREAM ROLE

Banerjee aspires to lead a global sales organisation, shaping high-impact sales strategies, driving revenue growth, and becoming a key executive contributor to the company’s success. He is passionate about mentoring the next generation of sales leaders, aiming for a transformative impact within the industry.

ROLE MODEL

Banerjee draws inspiration from Zoho, where he works alongside Berkshire Hathaway because Buffett’s investment prowess and business acumen have valuable lessons for sales directors. He admires Elon Musk for his visionary leadership in the electric vehicle industry. He also admires Brian Tracy, a prolific author and sales trainer, whose insights have shaped many successful sales careers.

OFFLINE

Banerjee enjoys networking and building relationships, staying updated on industry trends, mentoring aspiring sales professionals, and participating in community or charitable activities. He finds relaxation and inspiration in hobbies such as sports, music, travel, and spending quality time with family and friends.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

67

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

NETAPP

ADVANCING SUSTAINABILITY IN DATA MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS NetApp is enabling seamless cloud adoption and driving business efficiency through innovative data solutions and strategic partnerships.

N

etApp, a global datacentric software company, empowers organisations to navigate the digital age effectively. The company provides systems, software, and cloud services that enable organisations to run applications optimally from datacentres to the cloud.

NetApp offers solutions for developing in the cloud, transitioning to the cloud, or creating cloud-like experiences on-premises. With versatile solutions for diverse environments, NetApp helps organisations build their data fabric and securely deliver data, services, and applications to people worldwide.

The NetApp portfolio offers data, application, and storage solutions for managing applications and data across hybrid multi-cloud environments. With 30 years of innovation, NetApp is a proven leader in all-flash storage.

It offers an enterprise-grade storage OS natively available on major public clouds. NetApp’s data services prioritise security and protection. They also provide CloudOps services for optimising cloud work.

Achieving digital transformation requires adeptly managing exponential data growth, its value, and fluidity. This involves managing

68

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

data across datacentres, the cloud, edge devices, and interconnected external applications and platforms. NetApp’s data fabric solutions play a pivotal role in helping organisations confront these challenges and thrive in the digital transformation era. Their solutions include cloud backup and data synchronisation across cloud and on-premises environments.

The NetApp Partner Sphere Programme underscores the company’s commitment to

outpace competition.

The programme comprises 11 Services Certified tracks and 19 Solution Competencies aligned with three key focus areas. This enables partners to expand their services portfolio and become trusted advisors, unlocking value and accelerating revenue growth through ongoing service engagements.

NetApp, driven by a commitment to innovation, collaborates closely with

Achieving digital transformation involves managing data across datacentres, cloud, edge devices, and interconnected external applications and platforms fostering collaboration and innovation in the partner ecosystem. This programme aims to capture greater market share by growing flash revenue, accelerating cloud adoption, and leveraging partner-led solutions and services.

The programme encourages partners to align with NetApp’s strategy and deliver customer value. Partner Sphere offers a unified engagement model, allowing partners to seamlessly transition between various sales motions to drive customer outcomes and

partners and customers to create forwardlooking solutions. Their history includes pioneering advancements like unified storage and deduplication. Their expertise in cloud solutions is evident through their partnership with VMware, aiding customers in managing enterprise workloads across various environments.

NetApp’s Spot portfolio enhances cloud infrastructure optimisation for public cloud applications. The company continues to invest

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE M AYA ZA K H O U R Director Channel Sales Eastern Europe, META, Iberia and Latin America, NetApp.

in this portfolio, adding features like intelligent traffic flow and extending stateful Elastigroup to Microsoft Azure. They also develop Ocean Insights to optimise Kubernetes cluster efficiency and cost-effectiveness. NetApp remains focused on prioritising business efficiency and addressing customer needs.

In terms of data mobility, NetApp solutions play a crucial role in AI. A NetApp-powered data fabric simplifies data access, bridging gaps between different data locations, which is vital for federated learning environments accommodating diverse enterprises and data storage setups.

NetApp serves a diverse global customer base across industries and sizes, from startups to large enterprises. In the Middle East, NetApp has played a pivotal role in advancing information and communication technology across public and private sectors for the past two decades. They have provided on-premises solutions to streamline operations in the oil and gas industry, support cost reduction, and enhance AI and HPC capabilities. NetApp is also a trusted partner in the financial and retail sectors, offering hybrid cloud solutions to meet growing IT demands. Their footprint extends to the public sector, contributing to research and development in healthcare, education, e-commerce, smart cities, utilities, and safeguarding sensitive applications.

NetApp engages in regional collaborations, including a partnership with the solarpowered green datacentre Moro Hub, as well as technology collaborations with iconic brands like Aston Martin, Porsche Motorsport, Ducati, and DreamWorks Animation. Their focus is on promoting sustainability and ensuring partners have timely access to data.

As the Director of Channel Sales for EEMI, Zakhour oversees NetApp’s regional Channel, Distribution, and Alliances landscape, focusing on expanding channel coverage across Eastern Europe, META, Iberia, and LATAM. She plays a crucial role in building a robust partner ecosystem in the region and leads her team in implementing partner and pathways strategies. Additionally, Zakhour concentrates on developing the company’s services business through partners and oversees the commercial and velocity business.

She is a seasoned sales professional with over 20 years of experience in channel and sales roles at leading international companies, including B2B high-tech enterprises. She has held various senior positions and managed significant organisational operations with some of the region’s top companies. Before joining NetApp in 2017, Zakhour served as the Channel Director for the Middle East at Fortinet, the Strategic Alliance Manager at Dimension Data, and held roles as Channel Development Manager and Partner Account Manager for UAE at Microsoft.

Zakhour is credited with transforming the regional channel into its current state, offering partners and customers a consistently positive experience while engaging with NetApp’s technology. This transformation is supported by a dedicated team that provides channel support, and expertise, to ensure customers’ needs are met. She is dedicated to delivering a superior post-sale experience, measured through customer loyalty indices.

DREAM ROLE

Zakhour values a work environment that promotes creativity and open communication. She thrives in collaborative teams where members support one another and freely share ideas. Her ideal workplace includes a culture of mentorship, encouraging the development of future leaders. NetApp provides her with the perfect platform for personal and professional growth, fulfilling her aspirations for continuous advancement and learning.

OFFLINE

Outside of work, Zakhour cherishes moments spent with her family. When not travelling for business, she satisfies her adventurous spirit by exploring exotic destinations and indulging in her love for travel

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

69

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

PURE STORAGE

MANAGING DATA WITH SIMPLIFIED, SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS Going beyond mere innovation, Pure Storage is dedicated to creating products that enable customers to minimise their carbon and energy footprint.

P

ure Storage revolutionises the way businesses harness data, simplifying infrastructure management and reducing costs.

By offering genuine storageas-a-service, Pure empowers customers with unparalleled agility to adapt swiftly to evolving data demands. Beyond mere innovation, Pure is deeply committed to environmental sustainability, crafting products that help customers minimise carbon and energy footprint. Here’s an overview of their key products: •

•

•

70

FlashArray: This unified block and file storage solution provides enterprise-grade performance, reliability, and scalability, powering critical business services effectively.

FlashBlade: Pure Storage’s consolidated scale-out platform boasts an innovative architecture designed for managing unstructured data. It delivers efficiency, simplicity, and top-tier performance.

Evergreen: Recognised as the industry’s most comprehensive subscription portfolio, Evergreen offers unmatched

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

choice and flexibility in storage procurement and consumption.

• Portworx: This fully integrated solution facilitates persistent storage, data protection, disaster recovery, data security, cross-cloud and data migrations, and automated capacity management for applications running on Kubernetes.

Legacy storage systems pose significant challenges for enterprises, straining IT teams and budgets. They are difficult to manage, demand substantial power and cooling,

Evergreen.

Pure Storage’s offerings surpass industry standards by meeting stringent environmental goals. They provide two to five times more power and space efficiency than all-flash alternatives and are ten times more efficient than traditional disks. Additionally, they ensure a 50% lower TCO, or Total Cost of Ownership, compared to competing flash and hard disk solutions. It also outperforms competitors with over ten times the reliability and significantly reduced manual operation requirements.

Legacy storage systems are difficult to manage, requiring substantial power and cooling, posing significant challenges for enterprises and straining IT teams occupy extensive space, and suffer frequent component failures, risking valuable data and causing disruptions. In contrast, Pure Storage offers solutions tailored to meet the growing data storage needs of enterprises. It addresses these issues through solutions delivered via Pure1, a consolidated management platform, and a flexible consumption model provided by

Moreover, Pure’s Cloud Operating Model empowers customers to manage storage with cloud-like automation and availability, setting them apart as industry leaders.

The company operates exclusively through channel partners, emphasising collaborative success. Deals are never taken directly, ensuring partners are integral to every transaction.

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE OMAR AKAR

Regional Vice President, Middle East & Emerging Africa, Pure Storage.

Pure Storage provides tools, campaigns, and initiatives to bolster partners’ efforts, fostering long-term relationships. Their innovative solutions cater to diverse channel ecosystems, including managed service providers, distributors, and alliance partners.

Innovation is ingrained in Pure Storage’s culture. The company invests approximately 19% of its revenue in research and development, focusing on key themes such as Artificial Intelligence or AI, data management, flexible consumption models, and sustainability.

They prioritise efficient management of massive unstructured data generated by AI technologies. Their focus extends to simplifying data management, rendering storage nearly invisible to end-users. True-as-a-service flexible consumption models, supported by robust Service Level Agreements, are pivotal, aligning with evolving customer needs.

Sustainability discussions are gaining prominence. Customers seek energy-efficient solutions with minimal datacentre footprint.

Pure Storage’s offerings are tailored to these demands, anticipating a heightened focus on sustainability as organisations adopt Environmental, Social, and Governance or ESG goals.

In the forward-thinking Middle East, Pure Storage plays a vital role in delivering innovative solutions to meet futuristic needs. Their dedicated team has successfully supported customers across sectors, fostering the company’s growth. Pure Storage’s innovative approach, commitment to sustainability, and collaborative partnerships position them as pioneers in the dynamic data storage landscape.

Akar leads Pure Storage in the Middle East and Emerging Africa, where he oversees a highly skilled team dedicated to delivering all-flash solutions to our customers and prospects. He reports to the Emerging Market leader.

Before joining Pure Storage, Akar worked with several technology companies across the region. In an era of digital disruption and evolution, he sought to expand his experience in digital technologies and join a high-growth, innovative company. This drive led him to Pure Storage in 2022.

Akar is credited with expanding Pure’s presence in key markets, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Egypt. Some of these regions experienced remarkable growth; for instance, in Saudi Arabia, according to the IDC Q2 AFA tracker, Pure’s growth exceeded 2,000%. He also played a crucial role in consolidating the local strategy to ensure optimal support for customers. Additionally, Akar is responsible for enhancing Pure’s regional channel partner ecosystem and strengthening existing relationships.

DREAM ROLE

Akar aspires to build upon Pure Storage’s reputation and foundation in the region, aiming to position the company as the foremost provider of next-generation data storage solutions. Alongside his colleagues, his significant goal is to eradicate the outdated practice of using spinning disks in datacentres. Instead, he envisions delivering the most efficient and sustainable solutions to customers.

ROLE MODEL

Akar finds inspiration in individuals who disrupt entire industries and perceive the world differently. He admires those who conceive revolutionary ideas and effectively implement them, emphasising the importance of planning, teamwork, and customer-centricity. Steve Jobs epitomised these qualities.

OFFLINE

Akar is passionate about teamwork sports such as volleyball and Padel.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

71

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

RED HAT

STREAMLINING THE DELIVERY OF CLOUD-NATIVE APPLICATIONS Red Hat is using the power of AI and Machine Learning to build, deploy, and manage applications across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

A

t the forefront of innovation, Red Hat offers its flagship product, Red Hat OpenShift, a cloud-native application platform empowering organisations to seamlessly build, deploy, and manage applications across hybrid and multicloud environments. It also provides managed cloud services, including hosted and managed platforms, applications, and data services, streamlining the delivery of cloud-native applications.

Red Hat maximises the potential of cloud technology through Red Hat Cloud Services, utilising cloud platforms for the licensing and delivery of its products and solutions. This approach ensures organisations enjoy a secure, flexible, and scalable cloud platform founded on Red Hat OpenShift.

By embracing cloud platforms, businesses benefit from enterprise-grade security, compliance, proactive support, and simplified management for their cloud-

72

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

native applications. Red Hat Cloud Services, coupled with Technical Account Management, guarantees a smooth transition to the cloud, offering expert guidance and support throughout deployment and operation.

The company also harnesses the power of Artificial Intelligence or AI and Machine Learning or ML to enhance user productivity and drive business outcomes. These technologies empower organisations to extract insights from data, automate tasks, optimise services, and create unique digital experiences.

and operations.

Red Hat’s products, solutions, and services play a vital role in facilitating digital transformation for organisations. With opensource technologies like Red Hat OpenShift and advanced AI and ML capabilities, Red Hat empowers businesses to effectively handle and extract value from vast amounts of data. By automating processes and fostering innovation, Red Hat’s solutions help businesses overcome digital transformation challenges. They leverage the potential of cloud-native applications, AI,

Open-source technologies like Red Hat OpenShift and advanced AI and ML capabilities empower businesses to extract value from vast amounts of data Red Hat’s AI and ML capabilities facilitate increased customer satisfaction, streamlined business operations, cost reduction, and additional revenue generation. Leveraging AI and ML on Red Hat OpenShift accelerates workflows, enabling the delivery of intelligent applications that transform business processes

and ML technologies to enhance operational efficiency, provide personalised digital experiences, and gain a competitive advantage in the digital era.

Its channel partner programme fosters collaboration among experts, delivering integrated solutions and exceptional customer

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE AD R I A N P I CK E R IN G General Manager – MENA, Red Hat.

experiences. It provides partner levels and certifications, showcasing expertise in Red Hat’s enterprise open-source solutions.

Through roadshows and events, Red Hat engages partners, promotes knowledge sharing, and encourages collaboration. The programme grants access to Red Hat’s opensource technology solutions, enabling partners to integrate Red Hat technology with their cloud services, ensuring secure, scalable, and consistent enterprise cloud deployments.

The company remains at the forefront of innovation, focusing on advancing cloudnative application development, expanding AI and ML capabilities, enhancing security and compliance features, enabling edge computing, and driving automation and efficiency in IT operations to improve its products, solutions, and services.

During the last year, Red Hat has accomplished significant milestones, including hosting successful hybrid events like Red Hat Summit and AnsibleFest, launching the Code Comments podcast, earning consecutive recognition in Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For, and unveiling new versions of flagship products such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9. Additionally, the company celebrated notable anniversaries and corporate achievements.

Pickering serves as the General Manager for the MENA region at Red Hat, overseeing operations, sales, partner development, and services.

He is also responsible for driving business growth and achieving regional objectives, having been at the forefront of transforming the technology landscape in the region.

With over 30 years of experience in the technology industry, including roles at Nortel, Cisco, and Juniper Networks, Pickering has a proven track record in sales and leadership across diverse regions like MEA, Russia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America.

Pickering is pivotal in driving business growth and achieving regional objectives, transforming the technology landscape in the Middle East and North Africa. He has led successful teams in sales, partner development, and services, achieving significant milestones for Red Hat. His accomplishments include expanding market presence, driving revenue growth, and establishing strategic partnerships.

DREAM ROLE

Pickering’s vision for the future involves driving technological innovation and global digital transformation. He aspires to continue fostering business growth, promoting innovation, and supporting open-source initiatives on a global scale.

ROLE MODEL

Pickering looks up to organisations like Red Hat for their leadership in the open-source solutions industry, emphasising collaboration and innovation. He draws inspiration from leaders who have successfully navigated complex business landscapes, fostered a culture of entrepreneurship, and driven technological advancements.

OFFLINE

Pickering is passionate about staying updated on technology trends and exploring innovations in the field. While specific personal interests were not provided, his dedication to technology suggests a continuous quest for knowledge and exploration within his domain.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

73

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

RIVERBED TECHNOLOGY

ELEVATING DIGITAL EXPERIENCES WITH AI, ML AND DATA SCIENCE Riverbed offers seamless digital experiences with Unified Observability and Acceleration solutions, enhancing efficiency and collaboration across sectors.

R

iverbed offers two industryleading solution portfolios: Alluvio by Riverbed, a differentiated Unified Observability portfolio that unifies data, insights, and actions across IT, enabling customers to deliver seamless, secure digital experiences. Riverbed’s Acceleration solutions provide fast, agile, and secure acceleration of any app over any network to users anywhere.

By applying Artificial Intelligence or AI, Machine Learning or ML, and proprietary data science techniques across disparate data streams, including third-party data, Riverbed Alluvio assists organisations in detecting anomalies and changes. IT can identify crucial issues faster and with precision, allowing for better prioritisation, and enabling IT teams to focus on more strategic tasks.

74

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

Leveraging the potent combination of AI and ML-enabled automation, Riverbed customers gain context-rich, filtered, and fixfirst insights, ready for IT action. These insights facilitate effective cross-domain collaboration by providing a single source of truth, enabling more efficient decision-making to accelerate the mean time to resolution.

and meet users’ demand for seamless digital experiences. Coupled with its Acceleration portfolio, Riverbed helps customers illuminate and accelerate every interaction, enabling organisations to deliver exceptional digital experiences.

Through its award-winning Riverbed Rise partner programme, the company

Leveraging the potent combination of AI and ML-enabled automation, businesses can gain context-rich, filtered, and fix-first insights Riverbed provides a unique approach to unified observability that is comprehensive, unified, and user-friendly. Riverbed’s Alluvio unified observability solutions assist customers in quickly finding actionable insights, turning them into business value to maintain competitiveness, and productivity,

offers partners exclusive benefits. Selective incentives and promotions empower partners to increase profitability and earn higher margins with product specialisations and targeted offerings. Partner levels and deal registration enable partners to attain additional discounts, while business development funds

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

MEN A MI G A LLY

Regional Vice President, Emerging EMEA, Riverbed Technology.

TOP EXECUTIVE

support their strategic activities to enhance pipeline activity and growth. The vendor also provides additional compensation to partners identifying, developing, and closing maintenance and support opportunities.

Recently, the company launched its Riverbed ACE programme, incorporating partnermanaged SaaS Digital Experience Management or DEM service, focusing on expanding opportunities for partners and scaling the Alluvio Aternity DEM business.

Riverbed plans to innovate the Alluvio Unified Observability platform and suite as a central data foundation, utilising AIOps to eliminate blind spots, address complex questions, and drive intelligent automation across the evolving IT landscape at scale. The company also aims to enhance its acceleration solutions for customers.

Riverbed remains a leading technology provider to all industries in the region, with a particularly robust presence in the banking, energy, oil and gas, and public sectors. Notable regional customer wins include Shelf Drilling, Ghabbour Auto, Halkbank, and ELARABY in recent years.

Migally leads Riverbed’s sales and technical teams in the emerging EMEA region, enhancing the company’s position as the premier provider of Unified Observability and Acceleration solutions for superior digital experiences.

Before joining Riverbed in 2014, Migally held diverse roles in the channel, sales, and executive leadership, shaping a significant part of his two-decade-long career. His experience includes six years at IBM, as well as positions at Lenovo and Sanofi before joining Riverbed.

Expanding territories from the Middle East to EMEA Emerging, Migally has been able to scale the learnings and success from one region to another while continuously learning and adapting from one another.

This resulted in continuous growth in revenues and business interest or funnel, as well as continuous investments to ensure the sustainability of Riverbed’s growth.

DREAM ROLE

Migally’s “dream role” is to empower teams and individuals to achieve success and deliver value and results consistently. He takes pride in providing dependable outcomes, a responsibility he has fulfilled at Riverbed.

OFFLINE

Migally is an avid collector of classic cars, primarily BMWs, and finds the process of restoring them both relaxing and rewarding. He is also a music enthusiast, skilled in playing bass and rhythm guitar. When not with family or engaged in hobbies, he enjoys socialising with friends and colleagues.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

75

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

SERVICENOW

BUILDING A UNIFIED PLATFORM FOR DIGITAL ENTERPRISES By integrating AI into enterprise workflow, ServiceNow is elevating productivity and enabling intelligent service delivery across diverse industries.

T

he Now Platform serves as a unified foundation for enterprise digital workflows, providing essential solutions across various domains. The key solutions for IT, employee, customer and creator workflows include different offerings.

• IT workflows: IT Service Management, IT Operations Management, ServiceNow Cloud Observability, Strategic Portfolio Management, IT Asset Management, Security Operations, and GRC. • Employee workflows: HR Service Delivery, Workplace Service Delivery, Legal Service Delivery, Procurement Service Management, and Supplier Lifecycle Operations.

• Customer workflows: Customer Service Management, Financial Services Operations, Order Management, and Public Sector Digital Services, • Creator workflows: App Engine, Integration Hub, and ServiceNow App Store, etc With nearly a dozen strategic acquisitions in the Artificial Intelligence or AI space since 2017, ServiceNow’s goal has been to embed it within the DNA of the Now Platform. With thousands of customers using the company’s AI technology on the platform today, that goal is already being realised.

76

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

In the September release of the Now Platform, a significant update was the introduction of the Now Assist family of solutions, specifically focusing on generative AI. Now Assist for IT Service Management, Customer Service Management, HR Service Delivery, and Creator incorporates the capabilities of generative AI into all workflows on the Now Platform. This integration accelerates productivity, enhances experiences, and boosts agility for customers. The newly introduced features within Now Assist leverage

delivers intelligent experiences, intelligent automation, and intelligent optimisation directly within the Now Platform, enhancing efficiency and user satisfaction.

• ServiceNow’s Virtual Agent chatbot and AI Search empower end-users with efficient problem resolution, ensuring faster answers and smarter service delivery.

• Intelligent automation streamlines tasks, enhancing productivity and reducing errors, allowing employees and customers

The Now Platform serves as the backbone for automating and orchestrating essential tasks across various departments, vendors, partners, and customers a domain-specific ServiceNow large language model, Now LLM, designed for the enterprise to ensure precision and uphold data privacy.

The Now Platform serves as the backbone for automating and orchestrating essential tasks throughout the enterprise. It acts as the foundational framework for all workflows, seamlessly connecting digital experiences across various departments, vendors, partners, and customers.

Utilising native AI technologies, ServiceNow

to focus on meaningful work.

Through real-time visibility and insightful analysis, Intelligent optimisation enables quick value realisation, aiding in trend anticipation and process improvement for confident decision-making.

Early in 2023, ServiceNow introduced a significant transformation in its partner programme, aiming to enhance partner growth and customer success. This multi-year initiative is strategically designed to support •

|

M A R K A C KE R M A N

Area VP, Middle East and Africa, ServiceNow.

the $500 Billion market opportunity for the Now Platform and associated partner services.

The programme’s redesign incorporates key elements such as: • Enhanced flexibility for value creation: ServiceNow established four distinct modules: Build, Consulting and Implementation, Resale, and Service Provider that enable partners to align better with unique roles and routes-tomarket within the ServiceNow ecosystem.

• New incentives fostering partner growth: ServiceNow introduced fresh incentives to optimise partner

•

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

investments and create additional opportunities to showcase expertise.

Qualifying partners now have access to the Partner Development Fund, a co-funded investment initiative, along with simplified discounts and rebates, accelerating growth and profitability.

Revamped partner experience: ServiceNow introduced an updated partner experience, offering tailored benefits corresponding to different partner modules and recognising the unique contributions partners bring to the ecosystem.

TOP EXECUTIVE Ackerman oversees strategy, sales, and operations in the MEA Emerging Markets, managing both direct and channel sales and driving regional go-to-market strategy while continuing ServiceNow’s remarkable growth. His career journey began in the Call Centre and Business Continuity sector at the age of 23.

Throughout his career, he balanced roles in sales and technical leadership across four countries over 16 years. Before joining ServiceNow in 2015, Ackerman spent six years with a leading systems integrator, three of them as the CTO. Under Ackerman’s leadership, ServiceNow has achieved significant growth in the past year, especially in Saudi Arabia, where prominent enterprises and government entities like the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Ministry of Justice have chosen ServiceNow to accelerate their digital transformation initiatives.

The highlight of the year for Ackerman was the recognition of ServiceNow UAE as a Great Place to Work within EMEA. This certification is a testament to the dedication, teamwork, and enthusiasm demonstrated by each member of the ServiceNow UAE team, and Ackerman could not be prouder of the team’s contributions to the region.

treated. This approach guides his moral compass and decisions daily.

In his future endeavours, Ackerman aims to leave behind a legacy he can be proud of. Currently, he is fulfilling his dream role, contributing to an organisation with a profound purpose: making the world of work, work better for people.

ROLE MODEL

One of Ackerman’s business inspirations is Ray Dalio, an American billionaire investor and hedge fund manager. Dalio discovered a set of unique principles that have led to Bridgewater’s exceptionally effective culture, which he describes as “an idea meritocracy that strives to achieve meaningful work and meaningful relationships through radical transparency.”

He frequently revisits these principles, striving to incorporate them into his professional journey.

OFFLINE

DREAM ROLE

An avid sportsperson, Ackerman is always competitive. He believes that winning is not about a specific end but about how an end is met. Vision, strategy, and execution all pale in comparison to how people are

Ackerman cherishes quality time with his wife and two children, engaging in sports and outdoor activities. His passion extends to motocross and desert Baja racing, where his competitive spirit fuels his active participation in local championships and occasional international rallies or Baja events.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

77

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

SOLARWINDS

ELEVATING THE IT LANDSCAPE WITH AI-POWERED SOLUTIONS SolarWinds is leveraging cutting-edge AI solutions to enhance efficiency, predictive analysis, and proactive issue resolution in digital services.

S

olarWinds portfolio spans four key areas. With SolarWinds Observability, it delivers unified and comprehensive visibility for cloud-native, on-premises, and hybrid custom and commercial applications to help ensure optimal service levels and user satisfaction with key business services.

Similarly, it offers IT Service Management solutions to help simplify help desk ticketing, IT asset management, and end-user support.

The company also provides IT security management tools, with solutions designed for accelerated time-to-value and helping organisations maintain a more secure operating environment without a full-blown security operations centre, SOC. The company’s database solutions help monitor, analyse, diagnose, and optimise database performance and data ops that drive business-critical

78

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

applications and unify on-premises and cloud database visibility, control, and management across multiple vendors.

SolarWinds solutions are ready to deploy from the major Cloud Solution Provider marketplaces, accelerating the Return on Investments and helping organisations improve customer experience, drive down resolution times, and enhance operational efficiency at a

SolarWinds’ AIOps-powered solutions help organisations analyse huge amounts of data in real-time, enabling them to identify and predict digital service issues and resolve them before business activities or clients are affected.

In May 2023, the company added transformative Artificial Intelligence or AI and Machine Learning or ML capabilities to its IT Service Management solutions, including

The AIOps-powered solutions help analyse huge amounts of data in real time enabling them to predict digital service issues and resolve them lower Total Cost of Ownership.

To help customers accelerate digital transformation and reduce IT complexity, the company supports the SaaS Observability solution from AWS datacentres in North America and Germany and the Azure marketplace in Australia.

a virtual agent to help users solve routine IT problems and guided incident resolution to empower agents with the information they need to effectively resolve complex issues.

Developed in close partnership with more than 1,500 partners across the globe, SolarWinds Transform Partner Programme

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE ABDU L R E H M A N TA R IQ

Regional Sales Director – Middle East, SolarWinds.

As the Regional Sales Director, responsible for the sales and channel functions at SolarWinds, Rehman focuses on translating and adapting the company’s global strategy across the Middle East region, leading the team to successfully execute his strategies.

Rehman started his career in technical roles before moving to sales and channel management. Having worked for companies like Cisco, Juniper, Brocade and Pulse Secure, he is familiar with the unique business and technology challenges Middle East organisations face and is adept at working with customers and partners to find effective solutions.

He has been responsible for the consistent year-on-year growth of SolarWinds in the region over the last two years. Rehman has also worked towards strengthening the company’s channel ecosystem and fostering strong trust-based relationships with partners.

DREAM ROLE

offers multiple paths to success, allowing all types of partners to focus on the strategic IT priorities best aligned with their businesses.

The programme is designed to help partners grow and features expanded field coverage, financial benefits, expert product training, marketing development funds, and partner rewards programmes.

Built around the company’s partner ecosystem, this programme supports distribution partners, value-added resellers, global system integrators, managed service providers and cloud partners, including hyperscale and ecosystem partners.

The evolution of its portfolio is exemplified in the unveiling of its new unified SolarWinds Platform, which provides a simpler user experience while laying the groundwork for autonomous operations. The company has also transitioned to a subscription-first model to serve a broad customer base across IT Ops, DevOps, SecOps, and CloudOps teams. With these moves, it aims to lay the foundation for autonomous operations through both monitoring and observability solutions built to empower customers to move forward on their cloud and digital transformation journeys.

Rehman believes that he is already working in his dream role. His passion lies in collaborating with both startups and established vendors, helping them thrive, expand, and optimise their operations in the region. Looking ahead, he aspires to become a Chief Revenue Officer or worldwide sales leader, responsible for multiple geographies.

ROLE MODEL

Rehman has had the privilege of collaborating with industry luminaries such as Taj El Khayat, Yarob Sakhnini, Marcus Jewell, and Paul Donovan, all of whom he deeply admires. Additionally, he finds inspiration in the leadership of SolarWinds CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishnan. Outside of the IT sphere, he looks up to the wisdom of thought leaders like Simon Sinek and the legendary football manager Alex Ferguson.

OFFLINE

Rehman is a semi-professional cricketer and a seasoned cricket commentator. He has covered international and club cricket matches in UAE.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

79

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

SOPHOS

MITIGATING CYBERTHREAT THROUGH CLOUD-BASED SOLUTIONS By integrating AI and ML models into its security platform, Sophos is providing protection to over 564,000 organisations and 100 million users worldwide.

A

ll Sophos’ services and products are managed through Sophos Central, the world’s most trusted cloudbased management platform, which defends more than 564,000 organisations and over 100 million users globally from active adversaries, ransomware, phishing, malware, and more. Sophos Central is hosted on a distributed set of secure AWS datacentres around the world and enables Sophos to deliver a broad portfolio of incident response services as well as endpoint, server, network, email, and cloud security technologies that help organisations defeat cyberattacks on-premises as well as in the cloud.

Sophos has integrated over three dozen Machine Learning or ML models into our cybersecurity solutions. Behavioural detection and prevention models in its endpoint and server security prevent the execution of new variants of malware, ransomware, and handson-keyboard attacks by active adversaries.

80

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

The Extended Detection and Response and Managed Detection and Response or MDR platforms leverage Artificial Intelligence or AI and ML to automatically prioritise detections and initiate case investigations.

The company also integrated generative AI policy enforcement into a network security platform which identifies the applications, backend APIs, and websites. This enables organisations to enforce Generative AI policies

misconfigurations. Their network detection and response capabilities identify unprotected devices and technologies like Sophos Factory automate processes to eliminate human errors.

Their comprehensive products and services ensure security in home, office, and cloud environments, allowing seamless transitions between these spaces.

The company is developing products and processes with long-term strategic commitment

Behavioural detection and prevention models in endpoint and server security prevent the execution of new variants of malware and ransomware and modify them as they evolve.

Sophos enables digital transformation by consistently evaluating and optimising security configurations. It conducts account health checks, provides tamper protection, and offers cloud security posture management to help organisations visualise vulnerabilities and

and a “Partner First, Partner Best” approach.

The Sophos Partner Programme is tailored to assist resellers, Managed Service Providers, and Cloud Security Providers. It offers five partner levels: Authorised, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Select. Sophos certifications are designed to help Sophos Partners grow their

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE H A R I S H C H IB

VP Sales – MEA and CIS, Sophos.

business, secure new customers and reach a higher partner level. These certifications also highlight a partner’s expertise in the realm of cybersecurity. Through regional roadshows, live online events and robust marketing support, partners are equipped to enhance their revenue streams.

Sophos continues to innovate, offering increased scalability to its customers and partners through new managed services.

Their focus on automation in endpoint and server security, incorporating context-sensitive defences, remains pivotal. Simultaneously, their network security solutions are ever-evolving to facilitate secure access from any location, emphasising enhanced performance, high availability, and advanced protections.

With over 18,000 customers for its MDR solution, Sophos has introduced an incident response services retainer. Additionally, the company offers MDR for Microsoft Defender, ensuring 24x7 human-led detection and response services for organisations utilising Microsoft’s Business, E3, and E5 environments.

Notably, their endpoint security offerings now feature Adaptive Attack Protection, automatically reinforcing defences upon detecting an active adversary.

Chib oversees the localisation and implementation of sales strategies across 70+ countries in the Middle East, Africa, and the CIS region for Sophos. As the VP leading Sales for MEA and CIS Countries since 2014, he leads a team of over 50 sales professionals, ensuring the growth of business and market share. His role involves assisting clients and partners in safeguarding their crucial business information from contemporary cybersecurity threats and internal risks.

Before joining Sophos, Chib served as the Senior VP, Global Sales at Cyberoam Technologies and as an Ad-hoc lecturer at an engineering college. His significant contribution lies in transforming sales teams and resellers, transitioning them from network security business to establishing a comprehensive ecosystem with cybersecurity products and services, including Managed Detection and Response.

In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Chib provides counselling and guidance to startup entrepreneurs. He assists them in overcoming strategic and operational challenges, enhances their domain knowledge and skills, and fosters their success through robust networking initiatives.

ROLE MODEL

Chib finds inspiration in Ratan Tata’s visionary leadership and strategic decision-making, which strengthened Tata Group’s global presence. Ratan Tata’s transformative efforts turned the conglomerate from a predominantly India-focused entity into a global business giant, generating over 60% of its revenue from international operations.

OFFLINE

Beyond his professional pursuits, Chib dedicates his offline hours to activities such as yoga, meditation, and astrology, nurturing his interests beyond the realm of work.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

81

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

VERTIV

POWERING SUSTAINABLE CRITICAL IT INFRASTRUCTURE Vertiv’s innovative datacentre solutions, including liquid cooling, aim to deliver seamless, efficient, and green IT systems in the Middle East.

V

ertiv brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to enable its customers’ vital applications to run continuously. Vertiv solves the most important challenges facing today’s datacentres facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions that extend from the cloud to the edge of the network.

As an enabler for cloud platforms, the company is working closely with the datacentre community in the region to ensure a robust implementation of its state-of-the-art datacentre technologies for customers. Besides, it is also investing in technologies like liquid cooling to support the increasing demands of datacentres, including high-performance computing, Artificial Intelligence or AI, and generative AI. Vertiv’s global R&D investments

82

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

come at a critical time for the datacentre industry with operators expanding rapidly to meet increasing capacity needs, whilst at the same time seeking to minimise their environmental impact.

Technology underpins and enriches almost every aspect of human life and drives the global demand for data. Vertiv products, solutions

performance and enable seamless operation of digital services.

Additionally, Vertiv’s expertise in edge computing and renewable energy integration supports the expansion of digital capabilities to remote locations. It empowers organisations to embrace digital transformation confidently, enabling uninterrupted connectivity in an

The advanced power and thermal management solutions help optimise datacentre performance and enable the seamless operation of digital services and services play a key role in facilitating digital transformation by enhancing the efficiency and reliability of critical infrastructure. The company provides products and services infrastructure needed to manage that data. Its advanced power and thermal management solutions help optimise datacentre

increasingly digital world.

The company also takes the responsibility of nurturing its channel partners and empowering them with various tools and benefits very seriously. It has put in place a partner programme powered by a desire to make it easy for them and their customers

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE TA S S O S PE P PA S

Regional Director – Middle East, Turkey and Central Asia, Vertiv.

to achieve business goals. The Vertiv Partner Programme allows them access to multiple key sales enablers like marketing centre, training certifications, and solution designer tools through a user-friendly Vertiv Partner Portal. The efforts have also been recognised by multiple industry awards globally.

With high-density computing rising, due to the use of applications such as AI, alternative cooling technologies are emerging and are further supporting the increase of the datacentre efficiency and sustainability. One such technology that Vertiv recently launched is Liquid Cooling, a new generation of thermal management systems that supports liquidcooled servers and enables the control of liquid quality, flow and pressure.

As one of the leading players in thermal management, Vertiv brings a holistic approach to liquid cooling. The company also collaborates with leading universities, and industry associations, and partners with emerging technology providers to drive its R&D efforts.

As the Middle East takes centre stage in the datacentre industry, Vertiv is working towards ensuring that the market continues to experience the advanced critical IT infrastructure to support the growing demand.

Vertiv extended its factory in Ras Al Khaimah earlier in 2023 to support the increasing regional demand.

Peppas is responsible for managing the company’s performance in the Middle East, Turkey, and Central Asia regions, delivering high-quality services for customers and partners. Having spent 12 years at Vertiv, he brings in a lot of experience necessary for the role.

He began his industry journey at the Hellenic Army Forces HR Office, followed by a pivotal role at Alpha Grissin SA Datacentre Specialists, contributing to projects in Greece, Bulgaria, and Ukraine. Joining Emerson Network Power in 2012, now Vertiv, he held various roles, including GCC Sales Manager, Thermal Sales Manager MENA, and Sales Director for the Middle East and Levant.

With over two decades of datacentre sales experience, Peppas started by selling Liebert-Hiross products. His passion for the industry is matched by his admiration for its individuals. He believes in fostering a results-oriented atmosphere through teamwork. Peppas excels in creating an environment where people thrive and develop. His commitment to exceeding customer expectations is unwavering, making him invaluable to the team.

In his current role, Peppas led the regional restructuring of Vertiv, unifying the Middle East, Turkey, and Central Asia into one METCA region. His key achievement involves building a capable regional team and implementing effective go-to-market strategies over the past nine months.

DREAM ROLE

Peppas envisions a future where he can contribute towards exponential growth within the next three years. His dream role involves crafting an organisation that offers enhanced customer service, enabling him to secure a leadership position.

ROLE MODEL

Peppas looks up to Elon Musk, admiring his visionary approach and disruptive innovations at companies like Tesla and SpaceX, redefining industries and pushing technological and sustainable boundaries, inspiring him to take bold steps.

OFFLINE

Peppas finds joy in spending quality time with his family, especially focusing on the upbringing and well-being of his children.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

83

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES

PAVING THE WAY FOR DIGITALERA INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES By blending AI, machine vision, and automation, Zebra Technologies is enabling industries to accelerate workflows and overcome digitisation challenges.

D

igital solution provider, Zebra Technologies, connects data, assets, and people intelligently, aiding organisations in monitoring, anticipating, and accelerating workflows for their frontline. The portfolio encompasses software, machine vision innovations, automation, and digital decisioning, supported by scanning, track-and-trace, and mobile computing solutions.

Zebra’s products incorporate software both on-device and in the cloud, offering customers and partners tools to utilise their data effectively, enhancing security, manageability, and analytics for improved business performance.

Zebra’s software-as-a-service portfolio includes workforce and task management solutions, Artificial Intelligence or AI-powered demand forecasting, Zebra Prescriptive Analytics or ZPA, and Aurora machine vision with deep learning capabilities.

The cloud-based Zebra Savanna data platform aggregates and analyses data from

84

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

edge devices, revealing actionable workflow insights and powering next-gen applications.

Zebra Data Services, operating as a cloudbased capability, assists software developers and Independent Software Vendors in building applications.

Zebra’s portfolio integrates AI to support customers with automation, analytics, and inspection. Its Aurora machine vision software suite utilises deep learning for heightened accuracy, speed, quality, and compliance in manufacturing. ZPA provides prescriptive analytics using data and AI to enhance sales and address inventory anomalies in retail

budgeting, scheduling, and in-store pilots.

The rapid pace of digitisation across industries poses challenges for businesses, demanding technology for modernisation, automation, and agility. Zebra invests 10% of its global revenue in R&D, collaborating with partners to develop innovative solutions.

These include machine vision and AI-powered software addressing demand forecasting, workforce, and task management needs.

Additionally, Zebra has launched a series of new specialisation efforts within its partner ecosystem, including location and tracking, software-as-a-service, and advanced machine

Zebra invests 10% of its global revenue in R&D, collaborating with partners to develop machine vision and AI-powered solution stores. Additionally, their demand forecasting software utilises AI with internal and external data to assist retailers and Consumer Packaged Goods or CPG suppliers in predicting future demand and meeting order-to-promise agreements. The Workforce and Task Management software includes AI features for

vision, to meet evolving customer demands.

On the partnership front, the company’s PartnerConnect Programme caters to diverse business models, encompassing reselling, distributing, influencing, integrating, and solution development. With over 10,000 partners spanning 100 countries, the global

|

I N D U S T R Y

S P E C I A L

|

TOP EXECUTIVE

HOZE F A S AY L A W A L A Middle East Director, Zebra Technologies.

PartnerConnect ecosystem, including around 250 Middle Eastern partners, serves various sectors. These include retail, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, healthcare, and energy across markets like the GCC, Egypt, and Levant, constituting over 93% of Zebra’s revenues in EMEA. Driven by constant innovation through R&D and acquisitions, Zebra continually enhances its portfolio to align with customer expectations and bolster their automation and digitisation journeys. This commitment to innovation spans products, services, and solutions, addressing diverse sectors, from machine vision in manufacturing to software in retail and RFID solutions in warehousing and healthcare. Furthermore, Zebra actively communicates its latest developments to clients, partners, and the media, ensuring stakeholders are abreast of the company’s advancements.

Over the past year, Zebra has introduced new products, established fresh partner incentives, and launched specialised programmes, complemented by comprehensive global studies on warehousing, retail, and automotive sectors. The company also strategically expanded its offerings through acquisitions, such as the recent integration of Matrox Imaging, reinforcing its customer value proposition by merging cutting-edge technologies with Zebra’s existing portfolio.

In his current capacity, Saylawala leads enterprise and intelligent edge solutions across 14 countries in the region, collaborating closely with Zebra’s customers and channel partners. His primary objective is to drive growth and enhance the penetration of Zebra Technologies’ innovative solutions centred around Enterprise Asset Intelligence, employing the ‘sense-analyse-act’ approach and harnessing the power of the Internet of Things.

Saylawala has 20 years of experience in B2B enterprise technology, with nearly all his expertise honed in the Middle East. Before joining Zebra in 2015, he held senior positions with Hewlett-Packard, Dell, and Motorola.

His areas of expertise include enterprise devices, track and trace technology, and data analytics tailored for front-line workers across diverse industries.

The most fulfilling aspect of Saylawala’s role is his close collaboration with customers, assisting them in an increasingly intricate world. Understanding our customers’ businesses and empathising with the challenges they face in an ever-evolving technology landscape, rife with both opportunities and threats, is crucial. Providing effective solutions remains paramount in his approach.

DREAM ROLE

Saylawala expresses immense satisfaction in his current position, realising his dream of delivering environmentally sustainable business outcomes to industries, ensuring that “Everything and everyone is visible, connected and optimised.”

He achieves this goal by leveraging new generative AI tools alongside technologies that empower workers and assets at the edge of the enterprise.

ROLE MODEL

Saylawala draws inspiration from organisations like Zebra Technologies, as well as other trailblazers and thought leaders such as Alphabet, Boston Consulting Group, and McKinsey and Company. His list of executive role models includes transformative corporate figures like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Jack Welch.

OFFLINE

Saylawala is an avid adventurer, undertaking mountaineering expeditions to renowned peaks like Mont Blanc, Kilimanjaro, Carstenz Pyramid, Monte Rosa, and Gran Paradiso. He also finds joy in cooking for family and friends during weekends, which serves as a great stress buster.

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

85

|

C O N T R I B U T E D

C O N T E N T

|

MULTIPOINT

AnyDesk Software Makes Grand Debut at GITEX 2023 in Thrilling Partnership with Multipoint Group Leading Remote Desktop Software Company Set to Showcase Cutting-Edge Solutions at GITEX Technology Week 2023

transforming the way people connect remotely.

With the global shift toward hybrid and remote work models, reliable and secure remote desktop software is more critical than ever.

AnyDesk’s cutting-edge technology provides businesses with a seamless and efficient way to access their desktops and data from anywhere, ensuring productivity knows no boundaries.

Alberto Fernandez Director EMEA Sales and Global Channel Sales at AnyDesk Software

I

n an exciting milestone for the tech industry, AnyDesk Software is gearing up for its first-ever appearance at GITEX Technology Week 2023. As a testament to its commitment to innovation and global expansion, AnyDesk has joined forces with Multipoint Group, a renowned distributor in the field of IT solutions. This strategic partnership promises to bring groundbreaking remote desktop solutions to the forefront of GITEX, solidifying AnyDesk’s position as a key player in the industry.

GITEX Technology Week, one of the world’s most influential technology exhibitions, will be the stage for AnyDesk Software’s debut, and the company is poised to make a significant impact.

With a rich history of pioneering remote access solutions, AnyDesk is set to showcase its latest advancements, demonstrating why it’s trusted by millions of users worldwide.

Revolutionizing Remote Connectivity AnyDesk’s presence at GITEX 2023 is a testament to the company’s dedication to

86

O CTO B E R 2 0 2 3

MEA

Strategic Partnership with Multipoint Group The partnership with Multipoint Group is a strategic move that strengthens AnyDesk’s presence in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Multipoint Group, a leading distributor of IT solutions with an extensive network, is well-equipped to promote and distribute AnyDesk’s software solutions to a broader audience. This collaboration represents a fusion of expertise, innovation, and market reach.

What to Expect at GITEX 2023 Attendees at GITEX 2023 can anticipate an immersive experience at AnyDesk’s booth.

The company will offer live demonstrations of its state-of-the-art remote desktop software, showcasing its lightning-fast performance, crystal-clear video quality, and top-notch security features. Visitors will have the opportunity to interact with AnyDesk’s team of experts, gaining insights into how the software can streamline their operations and enhance remote collaboration.

“We are thrilled to be a part of GITEX 2023 and are eagerly looking forward to introducing our solutions to a wider audience in partnership with Multipoint Group,” said Alberto Fernandez, Director EMEA Sales & Global Channel Sales at AnyDesk Software.

“In today’s world, where remote work is the new norm, our technology plays a pivotal

role in keeping businesses connected and productive. We believe GITEX is the perfect platform to demonstrate how AnyDesk can empower organizations and the hybrid work ecosystem.”

The AnyDesk Advantage AnyDesk’s remote desktop software has garnered a reputation for its speed, simplicity, and security. Users benefit from quick and easy access to their desktops and data, whether they’re in the office, at home, or on the go. With end-to-end encryption and multi-layered security protocols, AnyDesk ensures data remains confidential and protected during remote sessions.

Future-Proofing Connectivity As technology continues to evolve, AnyDesk remains at the forefront of innovation. The company is committed to delivering solutions that adapt to changing needs and challenges, helping organizations future-proof their remote connectivity strategies. With its user-centric approach and commitment to excellence, AnyDesk is well-positioned to shape the future of remote access.

Join AnyDesk and Multipoint Group at GITEX 2023 GITEX Technology Week 2023 promises to be an event like no other, and AnyDesk Software, in partnership with Multipoint Group, invites attendees to visit their booth H23-18 and H2317, and explore the world of remote desktop solutions. Discover how AnyDesk’s technology can elevate your remote work experience, boost productivity, and enhance security.

Mark your calendars for GITEX 2023 and be sure to visit AnyDesk Software and Multipoint Group at their booth to experience the future of remote connectivity firsthand.

MAY-SEPTEMBER 2024

UNVEILING ON 16TH OCTOBER 2023

I am CaaS

A Strategic Imperative

TechOps Streamline their IT infrastructure and improve operational efficiency, which can result in lower costs and increased productivity.

Competency Framework

TechSust Align

Assess your current capabilities architecture and identify areas for improvement, helping you to make informed decisions about where to invest your technology resources

Optimize and improve your technology systems, ensuring they are operating at peak efficiency and effectively supporting your business goals.

iamcaas.com

Biz Insights

DXT

Provide advanced analytics services, leveraging the latest technologies and techniques to help you turn your data into actionable insights.

Develop a digital strategy that aligns with your business objectives, enabling you to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing digital landscape.