Business Transformation Issue 69

SU P PLEMEN T OF ENTERPRIS E CHANNEL S MEA

DECEMBER 2024

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The ext fro tier The Next Phase of Digital Transformation Unveiled

2024 STATE OF THE THREAT: A YEAR IN REVIEW

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EDITOR’S PREFACE

BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION THE CHANGE TO FUTURISTIC BUSINESS

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NEW GAME, NEW RULES Since the pandemic, digital transformation has been the cornerstone of business resilience since the pandemic. The focus, initially, was on business continuity and time-to-market.

Enterprises, regardless of size, rushed to streamline operations, modernise applications and adopt digital tehnologies to ensure survival.

As we move into 2025, now DX has entered a new era – one where innovation and cost optimisaiton take center stage. Welcome to Digital Transformation 2.0.

This next phase is characterized by a dual approach: leveraging emerging technologies while extracting greater value from legacy systems. Companies are no longer content with merely "keeping the lights on." They are now asking, “How can we harness cuttingedge tools like AL, ML, and cloud to drive efficiency and growth?

And how can we do so without discarding the systems that have served us well?” The answers lie in integrating the old with the new, creating a seamless synergy that amplifies ROI and fuels innovation.

The year 2024 will go down in the annals of history as a breakout year for AI. Its potential moved from theoretical to practical, with organizations deploying AI solutions across industries at scale.

One key area of AI’s expansion is decision-making. Enterprises are increasingly turning to AI to support complex, data-driven decisions, optimizing operations in ways that human analysis alone could never achieve. Another promising domain is AI-driven automation. In 2024, we’ve already seen significant strides in automating repetitive tasks, but the next wave will target more nuanced and strategic activities, such as financial forecasting and supply chain management.

But this journey is not without its challenges. With greater reliance on AI comes the pressing need to address ethical concerns, data privacy issues, and talent gaps. Enterprises must strike a balance between innovation and responsibility, ensuring that the adoption of these technologies aligns with regulatory frameworks and societal expectations.

I wish our reader happy holidays and a happy new year.

Jeevan Thankappan jeevan@gecmediagroup.com

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CONTENTS D E C E M B E R 2024

03

06-12 NEWS

EDITOR’S PAGE

18-33 INTERVIEW

14-165 COVER STORY

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THE NEXT FRONTIER

Secureworks CEO Wendy Thomas discusses plans to redefine MDR leadership following Sophos deal.

20

Raja Zeidan, COO of RDK Group, discusses the key trends in the branded residence sector.

22

Sanjay Borkar, Co-Founder and CEO – FarmERP, on revolutionizing agribusiness with digital tools and AI-driven insights.

34-41

OPINION

42

PEOPLE

NEWS

Pure Storage Introduces New GenAI Pod to Accelerate AI Innovation

Dan Kogan, VP, Enterprise Growth and Solutions, Pure Storage Pure Storage has announced the expansion of its AI solutions with the new Pure Storage GenAI Pod, a full-stack solution providing turnkey designs built on the Pure Storage platform. Organizations can use the Pure Storage GenAI Pod to accelerate AI-powered innovation and reduce the time, cost, and specialty technical skills required to deploy generative AI (GenAI) projects. Pure Storage also announced the certification of

FlashBlade//S500 with NVIDIA® DGX™ SuperPOD™, accelerating enterprise AI deployments with Ethernet compatibility.

Innovative Turnkey, Full-Stack Validated Designs for Automated Deployment of GenAI Initiatives Companies today face significant challenges deploying GenAI and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) in private clouds.

This includes navigating the complexity of deploying hardware, software, foundational models, and development tools that power GenAI workloads in a timely and cost-effective manner. At the same time, they need a single, unified storage platform to address all of their storage needs, including the most critical challenges and opportunities posed by AI.

The Pure Storage GenAI Pod, built on the Pure Storage platform, includes new validated designs that enable turnkey solutions for GenAI use cases that help organizations solve many of these challenges. Unlike most other fullstack solutions, the Pure Storage GenAI Pod enables organizations to accelerate AI initiatives with one-click deployments and streamlined Day 2 operations for vector databases and foundation models. With the integration of Portworx®, these services provide automated deployments of NVIDIA NeMo and NIM microservices through the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform, as well as the Milvus vector database, while further simplifying Day 2 operations.

Inception and MBZUAI launch AraGen leaderboard with first generative tasks for arabic LLM ecosystem Inception, a G42 company specializing in AI-native products, in collaboration with the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) today announced the launch of AraGen Leaderboard, a framework designed to redefine the evaluation of Arabic Large Language Models (LLMs).

Powered by the new internally developed 3C3H metric, this framework delivers a transparent, robust, and holistic evaluation system that balances factual accuracy and usability, setting new standards for Arabic Natural Language Processing (NLP).

Serving over 400 million Arabic speakers worldwide, the AraGen Leaderboard addresses critical gaps in AI evaluation by offering a meticulously constructed evaluation dataset tailored to the

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DECEMBER 2024

Andrew Jackson, CEO of Inception unique linguistic and cultural intricacies of the Arabic language and region. The dynamic nature of this leaderboard tackles challenges such as benchmark leakage, reproducibility issues, and the absence of holistic metrics to evaluate both core knowledge and practical utility.

The introduction of generative tasks represents a groundbreaking advancement for Arabic LLMs,

offering a new dimension to the evaluation process. Unlike traditional leaderboards that primarily focused on static, likelihood accuracy-based benchmarks, which fail to capture real-world performance, AraGen’s Leaderboard addresses these limitations. This highlights the transformative impact of the new benchmark in fostering AI innovation and enhancing model performance.

“The AraGen Leaderboard redefines Arabic LLM evaluation, setting a new standard for fairness, inclusivity, and innovation,” said Andrew Jackson, CEO of Inception.

“By addressing the gaps in previous benchmarks and introducing generative tasks, the platform empowers researchers, developers, and organizations to create culturally aligned AI technologies.”

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NEWS

AIQ and World Wide Technology Partner to Advance AI Transformation in the Energy Sector

AIQ has entered a strategic partnership with World Wide Technology (WWT), a global leader in technology solutions and services, to fast-track the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered innovations across the global energy industry.

Signed at ADIPEC 2024, this collaboration combines AIQ’s pioneering AI expertise with WWT’s deep industry experience, bringing transformative AI advancements and data intelligence to optimize efficiency,

productivity, and sustainability in energy operations.

The partnership between AIQ and WWT is designed to unlock new opportunities in the energy sector by advancing the development, scalability, and application of AI solutions at every stage of deployment.

By streamlining the transition from concept to large-scale implementation, this collaboration will maximize both reach and impact across energy operations.

Magzhan Kenesbai, Acting Managing Director at AIQ commented, “Partnering with World Wide Technology enables us to accelerate our shared vision of driving impactful AI innovation within the energy sector.”

Together, AIQ and WWT will also work to expand the infrastructure and resources dedicated to AI innovation in the energy sector aiming to deliver comprehensive end-to-end solutions. Their AI Lab as a Service program will democratize access to compute infrastructure and AI talent across the energy sector by delivering sandbox environments for proof of concepts, and piloting advanced AI systems in record time.

Warrick Cramer, Managing Director-International of World Wide Technology said, “Through our collaboration with AIQ, we are bringing transformative AI solutions to the energy sector, with a focus on efficiency and sustainability.”

UAE-Based PhyGrid and VoiceComm Partners with Microsoft to Bring Store Digitalization Platform to the U.S. Phygrid has announced a strategic partnership with VoiceComm, a distributor of mobile device accessories and Microsoft. This collaboration will introduce cutting-edge retail technology solutions to the U.S. market and support over 52,000 retail locations nationwide, embodying the principle of ‘saving the day for customers, saving the sale for the retailer’.

As the retail landscape evolves, in-store shopping is becoming more digital, with retailers integrating advanced tools like AI-driven endless aisles, mobile payments, virtual queuing, and personalized recommendations.

This shift is fueled by consumer demand for convenience, seamless online-offline experiences, as well as the need for faster, more efficient service.

The UAE, a leader in retail

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innovation, has been at the forefront of this digital transformation with interactive digital kiosks and smart fitting rooms to AI-powered customer service solutions.

These advancements have set a global benchmark, demonstrating how digitalization is shaping the future of shopping. As U.S. retailers aim to stay competitive, adopting these technologies will be key to meeting the expectations of today’s techsavvy consumers.

Leveraging Phygrid’s global success and utilizing Microsoft’s Azure cloud technology, VoiceComm will offer retailers access to solutions that drive substantial return on investment through these benefits:  Increased Revenue: Drive online sales from in-store with AI-powered endless aisle technology.

Andreas Hassellöf, CEO of Phygrid Enhanced Customer Experience: Reduce wait times with virtual queuing and self-service solutions.  Operational Efficiency: Streamline operations through digital staff management and smart store systems.

Andreas Hassellöf, CEO of Phygrid, stated, “Thanks to our Microsoft Azure technology collaboration, our technology has transformed retail operations across the globe and we’re excited to now team up with VoiceComm to bring our solutions to the U.S. market.” 

DECEMBER 2024

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NEWS

UAE National Day: Women Choice applauds UAE’s diversity, leadership efforts

Nezha Alaoui - Founder and CEO of Women Choice As the United Arab Emirates (UAE) prepares to celebrate its 52nd National Day, Women Choice proudly reaffirms its dedication to championing diversity, equality, and leadership across all sectors.

In recognition of the UAE’s remarkable progress toward gender parity and inclusivity, Women Choice celebrates the pivotal role of women leaders in building a brighter, more equitable future.

With a strong presence in the region, Women Choice has hosted

and participated in over 100 events across seven countries, half of which took place in the UAE. This milestone underscores the organization’s impactful efforts in promoting diversity and leadership, reflecting its alignment with the UAE’s vision of empowering women.

The UAE’s dedication to empowering women is evident, with women constituting 66% of public sector workers and 50% of the UAE Federal National Council (FNC) members being women – one of the highest representations globally . Women Choice echoes this spirit, advocating for inclusive leadership and equal opportunities in workplaces, education, and entrepreneurship.

Nezha Alaoui, Founder and CEO of Women Choice, reflects on the

UAE’s achievements: “As we celebrate the UAE’s National Day, we also honor its remarkable progress in diversity and equality. Women Choice stands aligned with this vision, empowering women to lead, innovate, and inspire.

True leadership flourishes when opportunities are inclusive and diverse perspectives are embraced.”

Women Choice’s initiatives are grounded in actionable steps to drive change, including leadership training programs, mentoring opportunities, and advocacy campaigns. Ahead of National Day, Women Choice calls on organizations and individuals to strengthen their commitment to building a more inclusive society.

Trend Micro recognized as a Leader in 2024 Gartner Peer Insights Report for Network Detection and Response Trend Micro Incorporated has earned a customers’ choice badge for the Midsize Enterprise in the 2024 Gartner Peer Insights Voice of the Customer for Network Detection and Response (NDR).

This recognition underscores Trend Micro’s exceptional product performance and unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.

Trend Micro has been recognized as one of only 9 vendors out of 53 considered and is among just 2 of 53 vendors to receive the “Midsize Enterprise Voice of the Customer” distinction for the $50M to $1 billion market segment. This honor reflects a substantial volume of positive reviews, a remarkable “Willingness to Recommend” score of 95%, and

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DECEMBER 2024

Dr. Moataz BinAli, Regional Vice President & Managing Director MMEA, Trend Micro high satisfaction with Trend Micro’s product capabilities and support experience.

The 2024 Gartner Peer Insights Voice of the Customer for NDR report provides a comprehensive

analysis of customer feedback on NDR solutions. It features user reviews and evaluates vendors on product capabilities, support experience, and overall satisfaction.

The report highlights vendors with outstanding ratings and positive customer sentiment, helping organizations make informed decisions in selecting NDR solutions.

“Our recognition with the customer choice badge from Gartner Peer Insights is more than just an accolade; it is a heartfelt affirmation of the dedication and expertise our team has invested in Trend Vision One,” said Dr. Moataz BinAli, Regional Vice President & Managing Director, MMEA, Trend Micro.”

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NEWS

Gartner predicts global public cloud spending will reach $723 billion by 2025

Sid Nag, Vice President Analyst at Gartner Worldwide end-user spending on public cloud services is forecast to total $723.4 billion in 2025, up from $595.7 billion in 2024, according to the latest forecast from Gartner, Inc. “The use of AI technologies in IT and business operations is unabatedly accelerating the role of cloud computing in supporting business operations

and outcomes,” said Sid Nag, Vice President Analyst at Gartner.

Gartner predicts that 90% of organizations will adopt a hybrid cloud approach through 2027, and the most urgent GenAI challenge necessary to address over the next year will be data synchronization across the hybrid cloud environment.

Overall, all segments of the cloud market are expected to record a double-digit growth rate in 2025 highlighting how I&O leaders are pressured to effectively integrate I&O into their GenAI strategies and prepare for running AI and GenAI infrastructure at the edge.

IAAS AND PAAS SPENDING DYNAMICS The growth of industry and vertical-specific GenAI models,

which are curated, private, and secure and that require advanced training, inferencing, and finetuning, will continue to drive the growth of public cloud services spending globally.

In 2025, organizations will increasingly be attracted to the efficiencies of cloud infrastructure and platform services (CIPS) offerings. Gartner defines the CIPS market as a full-featured platform in which IaaS and PaaS capabilities are delivered as integrated cloud services.

Gartner expects end-user spending on CIPS will grow 24.2% in 2025 to reach $301 billion. In 2025, CIPS offerings are projected to account for 72% of IT spending on IaaS and PaaS, up from 70% in 2022.

Omnix International Ties-up with Matterport to Drive Digital Twin Solutions in the Gulf Region Omnix International has announced a strategic partnership with Matterport, a leading spatial data company driving the digital transformation of the built world.

This new collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of digital twins, creating immersive, highquality virtual experiences of physical spaces across various sectors, including real estate, construction, hospitality, and insurance, allowing for virtual exploration and remote collaboration.

By combining Matterport’s cutting-edge 3D technology with Omnix International’s expertise in technology integration, customers are now empowered to make real spaces accessible from anywhere, which can drive sales, enhance

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customer satisfaction, and streamline operations.

Walid Gomaa, CEO of Omnix International, said, “Our commitment to leading the way in digital transformation is further solidified with our partnership with Matterport. We are excited to offer our customers innovative spatial data solutions that improve accessibility, documentation, and decision-making, while also

reducing costs.”

“This partnership will combine Matterport’s cutting-edge spatial data technology with Omnix’s deep industry insights, delivering enhanced solutions for customers focused on Industry 4.0, environmental sustainability, and cross-functional collaboration,” said Nick Halls Senior Director for Channel Sales EMEA at Matterport.

DECEMBER 2024

9

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Global Enterprise Connect

NEWS

BenQ Launches MA Series Monitors: The Perfect Match for MacBook Users

BenQ has announced the launch of MA Series, the industry’s first monitors specially designed for MacBook users. With a sleek style that perfectly complements MacBooks, MA series sets a new standard for external MacOS monitors by providing perfect color consistency and seamless integration with Mac devices.

“Most external monitors struggle to replicate the exact colors displayed by MacBooks,” said Manish Bakshi, Managing

Director, BenQ Middle East. “MA Series debuts our proprietary Mac color-tuning technology, ensuring MA Series monitors provide consistent, true-to-life Mac colors that perfectly match those of your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.” Overcoming the color discrepancy between MacBook screens and external monitors, the BenQ Color Lab experts, renowned for their authority in color science, apply meticulous Mac color-tuning technology to BenQ MA series monitors. This ensures high color consistency and provides a unified visual experience across both MacBook and MA Series screens.

MA Series monitors also

offer seamless integration with MacBooks, featuring brightness and volume sync with MacBook controls and Mac-like simplified settings via BenQ Display Pilot 2 software with one-tap screen setup.

No longer limited to the size of MacBook screens, the 27” and 32” 4K MA Series monitors provide users ample workspace with flexible height and angle adjustments for optimal viewing comfort and productivity.

Equipped with two USB-C ports, two HDMI ports, and singlecable connectivity with USB-C power delivery, MA Series even provides always-on power charging to keep Mac devices conveniently charged.

LinkShadow to Showcase Latest DSPM and NDR Innovation at Black Hat MEA 2024 LinkShadow is excited to bring its recently introduced Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) to Saudi Arabia. This cuttingedge technology is poised to redefine how organizations safeguard their sensitive data in an increasingly complex and dynamic digital landscape.

LinkShadow has evolved significantly over the years, enhancing its NDR technology powered by AI. With innovative features like “Identity Intelligence” and “Asset AutoDiscovery,” the focus has broadened to strengthening data security. By incorporating Data Detection and Response (DDR) into its NDR framework, LinkShadow ultimately achieves Data Security Posture Management (DSPM), delivering deep insights into sensitive data and providing a holistic

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overview of both structured and unstructured data across on-premises and multi-cloud environments.

In today’s interconnected world, data breaches and compliance failures represent significant business risks. LinkShadow’s DSPM addresses these challenges by tracking sensitive data and ensuring compliance with robust protection measures. “With the launch of Data Security Posture Management, we are taking data

security to new heights,” said Fadi Sharaf, Regional Sales Director at LinkShadow. “This advanced technology empowers businesses to better protect their data, mitigate breaches, and enhance privacy and compliance. This is more than just a product launch; it is a significant advancement in the evolution of data security.”

The implementation of Saudi Arabia’s Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) in September 2024 mandates that organizations across the Kingdom take urgent steps to ensure compliance with its stringent data privacy requirements.

The law establishes clear guidelines for the collection, processing, and storage of personal data, making it critical for businesses to adopt robust data protection strategies to avoid penalties and safeguard sensitive information.

DECEMBER 2024

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NEWS

SANS Khobar December 2024 to Address Cybersecurity Skills Gap for Saudi Arabia’s Digital Growth

Ned Baltagi, Managing Director, Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, at SANS Institute SANS Institute has announced SANS Khobar December 2024 (7-12 December) at the Holiday Inn & Suites Hotel, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. This event, which will feature both in-person and live online courses, will address the cybersecurity skills gap in the Middle East and support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030’s goals of creating a diversified and knowledge-based economy.

Saudi Arabia ranked first globally for cybersecurity in 2024

by IMD’s World Competitiveness Yearbook, an achievement that the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) attributes to proactive local and global training initiatives. However, according to the World Economic Forum, there is a global skills shortage of almost 4 million cybersecurity experts, impacting the Middle East disproportionately as it expands its digital infrastructure. To support regional economic initiatives such as Vision 2030, bridging this gap is essential to both national security and workforce development.

“The shortage of cybersecurity skills can pose a major challenge for economic growth and stability in the Middle East,” said Ned Baltagi, Managing Director,

Middle East, Turkey, and Africa at SANS Institute.

At SANS Khobar, participants can choose from two expertled courses, designed to build foundational skills across multiple cybersecurity disciplines: SEC401: Security Essentials – Network, Endpoint, and Cloud and FOR500: Windows Forensic Analysis.

SEC401 is tailored for both emerging and experienced cybersecurity professionals, providing essential skills to secure on-premises and cloud environments. Participants will learn to develop and implement defensive strategies against modern cyber threats, equipping them with the core techniques needed to protect critical infrastructure across network, endpoint, and cloud domains.

Check Point Software Named Leader in GigaOm Cloud Radar for Cloud Security Innovation and Threat Prevention Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. has been recognized as a Leader and Fast Mover in the latest GigaOm Radar Report for CloudNative Application Protection Platforms (CNAPPs).

In its assessment of 17 leading CNAPP solutions, GigaOm identifies Check Point as a Leader in the Innovation and Platform Play quadrant of the Radar, highlighting its strong focus on prevention and a cohesive strategy for cloud security.

According to GigaOm, Cloudnative application protection platforms (CNAPPs) represent a combination of technologies that solve the complex security problems faced by modern cloudnative environments. GigaOm analyst Chris Ray notes, “Check Point CloudGuard scored 5/5 on a number of features. The solution’s

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Paul Barbosa, VP of Cloud Security at Check Point Software Technologies comprehensive approach makes it valuable for securing cloud-native applications, managing cloud misconfigurations, and protecting against advanced threats in cloud environments. Its ability to integrate with DevOps processes makes it useful for organizations adopting DevSecOps practices.”

Check Point CloudGuard delivers robust, all-encompassing

cloud security, emphasizing automation and real-time threat detection. As a component of the Infinity Platform, CloudGuard seamlessly integrates with other Check Point solutions, providing a multi-layered, collaborative and cohesive security strategy.

As enterprises accelerate their transition to the cloud, they need security solutions that protect across various multicloud environments, offering automated protection against new and evolving threats.

Alarmingly, Check Point’s 2024 Cloud Security Report revealed that 96% of respondents were worried about managing emerging cloud risks effectively, underscoring a significant change in perception from prior years.

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Global Enterprise Connect

COVER STORY

THE NEXT FRONTIER How enterprises can prepare for the next wave of digital transformation

T

he pandemic-induced digital transformation era has redefined the enterprise world, but the next chapter promises an even deeper evolution. As artificial intelligence, hyper-automation, and quantum computing converge, enterprises are poised to unlock unprecedented efficiencies, intelligence, and adaptability.

Yet, this transformation is not merely about adopting new technologies—it is about reshaping organizational culture, workflows, and the very fabric of decision-making.

It is imperative for enterprises to embrace the next phase of digital evolution, balancing innovation with ethical considerations, agility with governance, and the human workforce with advanced digital counterparts. This is not just the future—this is the next frontier.

Andy Coussins, Epicor Executive Vice President, International

WHAT WILL DEFINE SUCCESS IN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION EFFORTS 2-3 YEARS FROM NOW? Jessica Constantinidis, Innovation Officer – EMEA, ServiceNow, says companies that cultivate a culture of continuous learning, challenge the status quo and embrace new technologies like AI will outpace competitors. “It’s not about AI replacing jobs, but rather about leveraging it to become more efficient and faster to market, thereby enhancing competitiveness. Agility will allow organisations to quickly adapt to changing environments and capitalise on new opportunities. Senior leadership buy-in is crucial, as top-down support fosters a culture of innovation, ensures flexibility in budgets, and drives KPIs aligned with transformation goals. Success will be defined by a company’s ability to embrace change and continuously evolve.”

According to David Boast, General Manager – MENA, Endava, in both the near and long term, successful digital transformation undertaking will be characterised by their harmonious blend of human-centric strategies, advanced technologies, operational optimisation, and sustainability.

At its core, transformation efforts will prioritise people, ensuring that technology serves as an enabler rather than a disruptor. A human-centric approach—focusing on engagement, cultural alignment, and a test-and-learn

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David Boast Managing Director MENA at Endava

Heidi Custers, Digital transformation Director at Backbase

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COVER STORY

methodology—will be crucial, as organisations recognise that culture consistently outweighs strategy in driving change.

“Process optimisation will remain critical, with businesses seeking to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) while maximising revenue streams and market share. Continuous measurement and real-time insights, delivered through intuitive dashboards, will empower teams to make datadriven decisions quickly and effectively,” he adds.

Andy Coussins, EVP, International at Epicor, adds a different perspective: Perhaps the most influential factor will be how effectively businesses can transition their critical systems to the cloud. Cloud adoption enables seamless access to data and fosters connected, integrated systems, empowering organisations to make informed, real-time decisions.

Businesses that embrace this shift will gain agility, scalability, and a

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Jessica Constantinidis, Innovation Officer – EMEA, ServiceNow, competitive edge, leveraging the cloud’s capabilities to innovate and adapt rapidly.”

He adds that the ability to harness cloud-driven insights, break down data silos, and create interconnected ecosystems will define market leaders, while those that lag in cloud adoption risk falling out of step with the pace of digital evolution.

In Heidi Custers’s opinion, Digital Transformation Director at Backbase, it is all about delivering real value to customers. In 2-3 years, organizations that offer

effortless, tailored value propositions — whether online, in person augmented by digital, or a hybrid — will stand out.

It’s not just about having the latest tech; it’s about how well you use it to adapt quickly and make data-driven decisions.

“Embedding AI into relevant business processes, agile ways of working and fostering a culture of innovation will be key. For banks in regions like the Middle East and Africa, success will also mean using technology to drive inclusive growth of high volume segments while staying focused on creating meaningful customer and business impact for high-value segments,” she says.

HOW CAN ENTERPRISES PREPARE FOR THE NEXT WAVE OF DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, SUCH AS QUANTUM COMPUTING AND ADVANCED AUTOMATION? “The Middle East has been an active enabler of emergent technologies such as AI and ML capabilities that have disrupted

DECEMBER 2024

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COVER STORY

Sascha Giese, Global Technical Evangelist, SolarWinds

Sujoy Banerjee, Associate Director at ManageEngine

almost every sector in various industries.

However, there have been scenarios where the expected results or outcomes have not been achieved by leveraging such advanced technology. Before investing in a new technology, organisations should have a clear idea or a roadmap of sorts to understand how such emergent technologies can be leveraged for achieving better results and also if there is a need to make use of them at that particular point of time, says Sujoy Banerjee, Associate Director, ManageEngine.

According to him, the best way possible to prepare for the upcoming wave of disruptive technologies would be to be as informed as possible regarding such technology and look out for use cases where it can be integrated.

As technology develops, there will be more ideas and innovative ways to how it can improve operations and provide utility to the business.

Walid Gomaa, CEO of Omnix International, suggests enterprises should consider establishing dedicated "innovation teams" to monitor, evaluate, and pilot emerging technologies such as quantum computing and advanced automation.

It is equally important for organizations to invest in workforce readiness

by upskilling and reskilling employees to effectively collaborate with these technologies.

Additionally, enterprises should collaborate with research institutions and technology service providers to exchange best practices and use cases, while gaining valuable insight into the risks and costs associated with implementation.

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HOW SHOULD ORGANIZATIONS APPROACH THE INTEGRATION OF LEGACY SYSTEMS WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGIES? Industry experts say oganizations can achieve a balanced approach, maintaining their legacy systems' reliability while harnessing the capabilities of modern technologies.

“Legacy systems, sometimes called technical debt, are a real challenge in some organizations.

In specific sectors, we still use programs written in Cobol, running on decades-old AS/400 machines.

Many attempts to migrate those particular workloads failed, so engineers started stitching old and new together; an unenviable task.

Nonetheless, the future will bring solutions that could help with such tasks, and I consider AI an important player here. But let's avoid making the mistake here and consider this a simple code-by-code migration. Look

how an airline works. Each endpoint needs to be updated, and the whole organization requires training. This will come with human mistakes. Does an airline have a high tolerance for errors? It's a complex undertaking,” says Sascha Giese, Technical Evangelist, Observability at SolarWinds.

Boast from Endava highlights integrating legacy systems with modern technologies requires a strategic, risk-aware approach that balances innovation with operational continuity.

Organisations should begin by thoroughly understanding their existing systems through comprehensive discovery audits. This process identifies code intricacies, data flows and connectivity issues, uncovering risks such as outdated documentation or reliance on a few individuals familiar with the original systems.

Walid from Omnix has the last word on this: “In the journey towards digital transformation, integration of the existing legacy systems with the latest technology is a crucial step every organisation would need to address at some point of their operations. Organisations should prioritize on what needs to be retained or preserved while integrating with the latest technological innovations.

Having a clear-cut set of objectives and focusing on a particular end goal would enable organisations to prioritize on what needs to be updated or retained. From a cybersecurity POV, it is important to stay ahead of the curve and to update systems as and when required, considering legacy systems are particularly vulnerable against new age cyberthreats which also uses the aid of emergent technologies.”

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INTERVIEW

BUILDING A STRONGER CYBERSECURITY FUTURE Secureworks CEO Wendy Thomas discusses plans to redefine MDR leadership following Sophos deal.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE SOPHOS DEAL MEANS TO YOUR CUSTOMERS AND PARTNERS?

move forward.

We see a great opportunity to build a broader, stronger security portfolio. There are mutual strengths that we can combine, and that’s the vision: to serve small, medium, and enterprise customers. At Secureworks, we’ve primarily focused on mid-sized to enterprise customers, whereas this deal leans more toward the SMB segment. Together, this gives us a full-spectrum capability to serve customers by leveraging our respective technologies.

Sophos has a leading channel partner goto-market model and an exceptional partner ecosystem. In fact, when we first entered the market, many partners pointed to their model as one to emulate. While we’re still early in our journey—just over a year and some change—we see this deal as a way to accelerate our joint go-tomarket approach.

I think there are a couple of key points. First, with this combination with Sophos, we should become the number two MDR player in the world.

That’s not a small achievement—it’s significant for customers to know that we have the resources to invest in both our team and their development, as well as in the technology platform that supports them.

SECUREWORKS STARTED IN 1998. HOW HAS THE VISION EVOLVED EVER SINCE?

WHAT WOULD YOU SAY DIFFERENTIATES SECUREWORKS IN THE XDR AND NOW THE MDR MARKET? What has always set Secureworks apart will continue to differentiate us. This includes the unique combination of a technology platform powered by 25 years of threat intelligence, the way we originally built the company—with some of the best security operations centers globally—and the third pillar: our advisory and consultative services.

These services help customers mature their security programs over time and support them through various initiatives, such as acquisitions or adapting to other changes in their business.

These three elements remain central to our value proposition. With this combination, we’ve simply made them bigger, better, and stronger as we

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We started out by providing managed security services at a time when even the market didn’t fully understand what those were or why they were needed—unless they were a financial institution.

Over the years, as threat actors began targeting organizations beyond government and financial institutions, the number of security products, point-prevention solutions, and security controls expanded significantly.

As Secureworks, we were leading the Gartner Magic Quadrant for services and managing an evergrowing number of point products. What we and our customers discovered was that it’s extremely challenging to scale and operate effectively across so many tools. Initially, we managed around 30 different leading controls, but that number eventually grew to over 300. This complexity led to the vision for building what we now call an XDR platform. The goal was to bridge the gap between security operations and automate workflows across all these technologies in an interoperable way for security purposes.

This vision culminated in the creation and launch of the Taegis platform in 2019. It was never about moving away from our security services heritage— it was about ensuring our services could stay ahead of evolving threat actors, especially in the age of AI and automation.

This is the age of AI. Do you leverage AI and ML within your platform as well?

Yes, we do. The Taegis platform was originally envisioned to address both the data challenges and opportunities in the security domain. We have a tremendous amount of data in the platform, which is utilized for training models for our proprietary detectors. It is also used to predict where threat actor attacks may occur.

The platform incorporates a risk-scoring model that leverages machine learning and statistical learning. Additionally, we utilize automation within

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its assets and nation-state activities, it becomes clear that Secureworks has significant opportunities to collaborate with organizations to implement scalable and affordable cybersecurity solutions.

YOU'VE LAUNCHED A NEW IDENTITY SOLUTION. WHAT HAS THE MARKET FEEDBACK BEEN LIKE?

WENDY THOMAS

CEO at Secureworks

the platform. As I mentioned, the dwell time for threats has dropped from five days to just 24 hours. This is due to the powerful, automated, and recommended response mechanisms, which ensure that actions are taken quickly and correctly the first time.

WHAT IS DRIVING THE SUCCESS OF SECUREWORKS IN THE UAE REGION RIGHT NOW? It is a combination of the evolving threat landscape and the vibrant, growing economy in the UAE, particularly its diversifying economy, that unfortunately makes it a target for cyberattacks.

When we examine the threat landscape in the region, including

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Identity is the fuel for threat actors, and we’re cutting off the supply. We’ve found that 95% of organizations have some type of identity misconfiguration, such as excessive access granted to too many people, too many applications, or other sensitive data.

SecureWorks' ability to scrape the dark web for compromised credentials and force password resets within an organization represents the proactive side of our approach.

Additionally, our ability to detect the use of compromised identities for infiltration and data extraction is key to protecting organizations from emerging threats.

We also saw news about a more tailored, personalized experience for managed detection and response customers. What drove the need for introducing this into the UAE market?

Yes, we recently launched an MDR service that acknowledges that in the UAE, one size does not fit all. To address this, we introduced an enhanced MDR that allows us to personalize the experience for customers, catering to the growing reporting requirements for regulatory compliance, performing proactive health checks, and conducting sophisticated hunts in their environment. This approach elevates their security program to the next level. Notably, our first customer signed up for this enhanced service shortly after its global launch.

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INTERVIEW

THE FUTURE OF BRANDED RESIDENCES Raja Zeidan, COO of RDK Group, discusses the key trends in the branded residence sector.

HOW IS THE GROWING APPETITE FOR BRANDED RESIDENCES IN THE UAE REFLECTING THE SHIFT IN PREFERENCES OF HNWIS, EXPATRIATES, AND FOREIGN INVESTORS TOWARDS BRANDED LUXURY ASSETS? The branded residence sector is evolving with key trends like wellness-focused living, hybrid workspaces, and advanced technology.

Developers are creating homes that cater to modern needs while offering the elevated living standards associated with global hospitality brands, ensuring both lifestyle appeal and investment value.

HOW IS THE GROWING APPETITE FOR BRANDED RESIDENCES IN THE UAE REFLECTING THE SHIFT IN PREFERENCES OF HNWIS, EXPATRIATES, AND FOREIGN INVESTORS TOWARDS BRANDED LUXURY ASSETS? Branded residences offer a luxurious lifestyle with prestige, curated experiences, and investment potential. They are particularly attractive to HNWIs and expatriates who seek exclusivity, convenience, and comfort.

Additionally, they are regarded as reliable and safe investments, with the brand association boosting its attractiveness. The UAE’s prime location and favourable business climate attract an international clientele, while the unique architecture and design of these properties align with modern aesthetics.

Also, branded residences contribute to an uplift in PSF between 15-30% depending on the brand, offering, amenities and location.

IN WHAT WAYS ARE BRANDED RESIDENCES ATTRACTING INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS AND CONTRIBUTING TO DUBAI’S ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION, AND WHAT RIPPLE EFFECTS DOES THIS HAVE ON LOCAL BUSINESSES AND HOSPITALITY? Branded residences are drawing international investors to Dubai by offering high-quality luxury living associated with prestigious global brands, which enhances their investment appeal and also motivates brands to create unique offerings. Additionally, as these

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properties attract more affluent residents, they drive demand for local services like retail and dining, benefiting local businesses. The collaboration between branded residences and luxury hotel brands further enhances the hospitality sector, while positioning Dubai as a global luxury hub.

HOW DOES MARRIOTT RESIDENCES IN DUBAI MERGE PREMIUM HOSPITALITY WITH HIGH-END LIVING, AND WHAT BESPOKE SERVICES AND EXCLUSIVE AMENITIES ARE OFFERED TO ENSURE SEAMLESS LUXURY LIVING? Marriott Residences Al Barsha South expertly blends premium hospitality with upscale living by providing a range of tailored services and exclusive amenities. Residents can unwind in the sophisticated Owner’s Lounge and benefit from a 24/7 concierge service that attends to all personal needs, from dining reservations to bespoke event planning. The residences feature spectacular views of iconic landmarks like the Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab, adding to the allure of luxury living. Additional offerings, such as a fitness centre, a swimming pool, and exclusive dining options, further enhance the experience.

WHY DO INTERNATIONAL INVESTORS PERCEIVE BRANDED RESIDENCES AS STABLE ASSETS, AND HOW DO THEY COMBINE HIGH RENTAL YIELDS, CAPITAL APPRECIATION, AND THE PRESTIGE OF GLOBAL HOTEL BRANDS? International investors perceive branded residences as stable assets due to their unique blend of high rental yields, capital appreciation potential, and the prestige of renowned hotel brands. The association with established brands guarantees high-quality standards and services, drawing affluent tenants and buyers, which helps sustain strong demand and rental returns. Moreover, these properties typically maintain value, bolstered by the brand’s reputation and the resilience of the luxury market. This combination of reliable

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THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY, ARE SHAPING THE LIVING EXPERIENCE IN BRANDED PROPERTIES?

RAJA ZEIDAN

COO of RDK Group

income generation and longterm value growth, alongside the allure of owning a property linked to a prestigious name, makes branded residences a compelling investment for those seeking stability in real estate

WHAT ARE RDK GROUP’S PLANS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ALIGN WITH DUBAI VISION 2030, AND HOW DO THESE PLANS FOCUS ON SUSTAINABLE LUXURY AND MEET EVOLVING MARKET EXPECTATIONS? RDK Group is committed to developing sustainable luxury projects that align with Dubai Vision 2030. Their future developments will incorporate more sustainable elements, smart home technology, wellness amenities, and flexible living spaces. These features cater to the evolving needs and preferences of modern residents, prioritising sustainability and well-being.

WHAT KEY TRENDS, SUCH AS WELLNESS-DRIVEN LIVING, HYBRID HOME-OFFICE SPACES, AND

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As a developer attuned to evolving lifestyle preferences, we’ve observed and incorporated several key trends that are reshaping the branded residence sector.

First, wellness-driven living has become a fundamental expectation rather than a luxury.

Beyond traditional fitness cenres, we’ve created spaces that promote holistic well-being, including landscaped gardens for outdoor relaxation and meditation. Our design philosophy emphasises natural light through floor-toceiling windows and the use of natural materials and textures, which studies show positively impact residents’ mental wellbeing.

The rise of hybrid work models has significantly influenced our approach to space planning. Our units are designed with dedicated areas that can seamlessly transition into productive home offices. Additionally, our Owner’s Lounge includes two well-equipped meeting rooms, providing residents with professional spaces for business meetings or collaborative work, essentially bringing the convenience of a business center to their doorstep.

These trends reflect our commitment to creating homes that not only meet today’s lifestyle needs but are also adaptable to future changes in how people live and work.

Additionally, the association with a respected brand enhances the development’s appeal to investors, as hospitality brands bring an elevated standard to living experiences.

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INTERVIEW

SMARTER AGRICULTURE Sanjay Borkar, Co-Founder and CEO – FarmERP, on revolutionizing agribusiness with digital tools and AI-driven insights.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT FARMERP? We are a digital ERP platform designed to help agribusinesses enhance productivity, profitability, and predictability. Our platform supports farms and plantations, contract farming companies, and exporters by providing digital tools to boost business efficiency and profitability. We’ve been operating in this space for over two decades, and about three years ago, we launched FarmGyan, an AI and machine learning-based solution for agribusinesses. This intelligent layer sits on top of the ERP system, providing predictive analysis to support better decision-making and profitability.

Currently, we’ve deployed this solution in nearly 30 countries, covering around 800,000 acres of farmland. That, in brief, is FarmERP and FarmGyan.

Talking about FarmERP’s use of AI and machine learning, how is it helping to address food security and climate change in the Gulf?

Recently, climate change has increasingly threatened food security due to various climate adversities and extreme events. Agriculture is often the first sector affected, especially openfield farming, which suffers from extreme heat, excessive rainfall, cold snaps, and untimely weather changes. These conditions severely impact productivity, ultimately jeopardizing food security.

Using AI and machine learning, FarmERP provides growers with predictive insights on crop health, yield forecasts, and tailored recommendations. For example, we advise on preventive sprays, appropriate nutrition based on crop conditions, and measures to achieve optimal productivity. Our machine learning models, developed over time, provide valuable guidance to FarmERP users.

Additionally, we support carbon reporting, helping users monitor carbon sequestration and emissions to maintain a sustainable balance. In brief, these tools empower farmers to increase productivity and sustainability in a changing climate.”

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW FARMERP’S CLIMATE-SMART 22

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SANJAY BORKAR

Co-Founder and CEO – FarmERP

ADVISORY WORKS AND ITS IMPACT ON CROP YIELDS AND SUSTAINABILITY? Certainly. Let’s take potatoes as an example. To achieve optimal yields, farmers need to follow best agricultural practices, which include timely agronomic operations, irrigation and nutrition in the right amounts and at the right times, pest and disease prevention, and harvesting at the ideal time. To manage all these factors, growers require advisory support that guides them on when to plant, which operations to perform, and how much nutrition and irrigation to apply based on factors like soil type and weather conditions.

For instance, if there is heavy rainfall, minimal rain, or a high rate of evapotranspiration, FarmERP can provide specific irrigation advice tailored to the region’s weather conditions, indicating the exact amount of water required.

If growers have details about their machinery, FarmERP can even suggest the run time for pumps or motors, such as running them for two or three hours to deliver the optimal water volume.

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INTERVIEW

BEYOND THE BASICS Dmitry Volkov, CEO of Group-IB, discusses how the company targets threat actors to combat cybercrime.

WHAT ARE YOU SPOTLIGHTING AT BLACK HAT THIS YEAR? First of all, we aim to showcase almost everything we do, focusing on two main areas. The first is, of course, delivering innovative security services and products. We have a very diverse product portfolio that includes threat intelligence, managed cybersecurity services, EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response), XDR (Extended Detection and Response), network diagnostic analysis, brand protection, and more.

We are particularly well-known for our expertise in threat protection, especially in financial threats. This is why, when we observe significant fraudulent activity in the region, it becomes our responsibility to counter it. We know how to address these challenges, and we’ve been working successfully here in Saudi Arabia. This is what we are presenting at Black Hat. The second area of focus is our services.

We started our company as a cybersecurity services provider more than 20 years ago.

From the very beginning, our mission was to be unique. Twenty years ago, we began as a digital forensics and incident response company. At that time, we realized we could add an extra layer to our offerings. While similar disciplines existed in countries like the United States, such as computer forensics and incident response services, we saw an opportunity to innovate further.

We understood that we could enhance our capabilities by conducting not only defensive operations but also investigations. This became our mission. Today, we provide digital forensics, incident response, and cybercrime investigation services, working extensively across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

WHAT WAS YOUR VISION WHEN YOU SET UP THIS COMPANY? HOW HAS IT EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS? First of all, you need to understand that when we started, there were very few cybersecurity service companies. At that time, I was a student, as was my partner. We were just in the first year of our university studies. We were incredibly eager to gain knowledge—practical knowledge—about how cyber attackers managed to execute such

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amazing cyberattacks that bypassed all security controls. It became clear to us that this type of knowledge would never be taught at university.

So, what could we do? The idea was simple: let’s analyze real incidents. That’s how we started as a digital forensics and incident response community. Almost immediately, we realized that what we wanted to do was investigations. You need to understand the mindset of a student—there are no limitations, and your imagination is completely free. So, we decided, “Let’s do this.”

Later, we understood something else: no matter how big an organization is, how many security solutions they already have in place, or how mature their teams are, if we were being called to respond to incidents, it meant that something had already gone wrong. The attackers had bypassed all defenses. We saw gaps, and we started thinking about how we could help close those gaps because our clients were suffering from these vulnerabilities.

That’s how we began developing technologies.

Initially, we created simple tools, such as solutions for collecting predictive threat intelligence, traffic analysis, and sandboxing.

Over time, these technologies became more sophisticated, modular, and mature.

Our vision has always been to build a cybersecurity company that knows more than anyone else about incident response. We started as a company that was hungry for knowledge, and that hunger has defined us ever since.

WHY IS IT SO HARD TO MITIGATE RANSOMWARE ATTACKS OR DDOS ATTACKS? Mitigating DDoS attacks is not necessarily complex. If you have a robust telecommunications infrastructure in place—through your internet service provider rather than at the client level— it’s possible to protect against such attacks. This is especially true if the provider uses the right technologies. There are exceptions, such as when traffic is extremely dense, but these are rare. For an average dealership or mature organization, adequate protections should already be in place.

You can simply subscribe to the appropriate service and forget about it.

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threat actors themselves, not just individual cyberattacks.

This enables us to stop them at their source.

Another differentiator is our ability to hunt threats globally. Let me illustrate this with an example: Most cybersecurity vendors are highly centralized and based in regions like the United States or Israel. While these vendors are strong in cybersecurity, their focus is often limited to their local threats. Issues arising in other regions may receive less attention or be deprioritized. Our approach, however, is decentralized. We actively develop technologies that address threats globally, ensuring comprehensive protection regardless of location.

HOW DO YOU APPROACH THREAT HUNTING? DO YOU HAVE A SOC IN THIS REGION?

DMITRY VOLKOV CEO of Group-IB

Ransomware, on the other hand, is more complex. It operates like malware, and regardless of the specific type of ransomware, attacks are still possible. In large organizations, the sheer number of users and devices creates multiple vulnerabilities. Human error remains the weakest link. If even one device is compromised by malware, the attacker can perform lateral movements.

This means they explore your network, gain more privileges, identify critical systems, and target them to cause maximum damage.

In such cases, businesses are often pressured to pay a ransom to regain access to their systems.

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WHAT DIFFERENTIATES GROUP IB IN THE CYBERSECURITY MARKET? The cybersecurity market is highly challenging, but our differentiation lies in two key factors.

We don’t just focus on patching vulnerabilities. Many organizations take a reactive approach: addressing phishing with one solution, antivirus with another, and so on.

However, this approach creates a false sense of security because it only addresses symptoms, not the root cause. Cyberattacks are carried out by real people.

If an attacker successfully breaches your system once, they are likely to try again and again. Our approach targets the

Yes, and this is another key differentiator for us. Let me share a story to provide some context. When we were based in a single country, we quickly realized the importance of developing localized threat intelligence. Many vendors in cybersecurity focus heavily on centralized regions like the United States or Israel. While they excel in addressing threats in those regions, they often overlook threats in other parts of the world.

Our success comes from our ability to build solutions tailored to regional needs, ensuring that we can address threats wherever they occur. This localized expertise, combined with our decentralized approach, enables us to provide better protection for businesses globally.

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INTERVIEW

DRIVING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AVEVA's Chief Product Officer Rob McGreevy discusses Net Zero, AI, and sustainability at ADIPEC CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR MAIN FOCUS AT ADIPEC THIS YEAR?

helping our customers.

First of all, energy transition is top of mind for everybody. How are we helping with that through digital software and technology?

The second major focus, I would say, is digital transformation—transforming the manufacturing and industrial value chain. And the third thing on everyone's mind is AI. What’s real? How do we use it to help build safer and more efficient standards?

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE? HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO THAT?

WHEN YOU SAY ENERGY TRANSITION, YOU MEAN TRANSITIONING TO THINGS LIKE HYDROGEN AND OTHER ENERGY MOLECULES, RIGHT? WHAT ARE THE KEY TOPICS UNDER ENERGY TRANSITION? There are two main topics. First, how do we meet the increasing demand for power? Demand is only rising significantly—certain industries, like data centers, are expected to see power demands triple within the next 10 years. So, part one of the energy transition is meeting that demand.

The second piece, of course, is doing this sustainably—through wind, solar, hydrogen, nuclear, and other energy sources.

YOU’RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE CONNECTED INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY. WHAT IS THE BASIC CONCEPT BEHIND THAT? The idea is that we can’t operate in silos anymore.

All parts of the value chain—planning, supply chain, logistics, transportation—are tightly interconnected. Any disruption in one area has a ripple effect on others.

So, in this connected industrial economy, a digital backbone—in our case, software— stitches these pieces together. It drives optimizations across the integrated value chain.

How are you helping your clients meet their net zero ambitions or goals?

Sure. First, we help them capture and collect all forms of energy data—water, air, gas, steam, electricity, for example. Then, we enable them to visualize where the usage is. Finally, we optimize that usage—reducing emissions, water consumption, and waste. That’s how we’re

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No, but there are companies doing incredible work in that space. For example, a startup called Brilliant Planet grows green algae to capture carbon and put it back into the ground for reclamation. There are many real, commercially viable carbon capture solutions today, and some of those companies are our partners. This technology is moving forward, and I think you’ll see it expand.

DO YOU THINK TECHNOLOGIES LIKE AI HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND OPTIMIZATION? Absolutely—huge. We’ve already seen cases where our technologies help deliver more sustainable solutions. For instance, running AI algorithms on power plants can optimize equipment usage, reduce emissions, and improve fuel efficiency.

AI also impacts other areas of the value chain. For example, in design, AI can create more effective and sustainable designs for power plants, assets, and equipment.

ARE THERE SPECIFIC AI TOOLS THAT YOU OFFER TO THE MARKET? Yes, we offer several. Generally, we infuse AI into all our products, so it shows up in various areas.

The most popular today is our Industrial AI Assistant—like a co-pilot for industrial operations. You can ask it questions about processes or production, and it will provide guidance, instructions, and help to operate plants and facilities more efficiently.

We also offer generative AI tools for design.

As you design new plants or facilities, the AI system optimizes the design for efficiency and sustainability. It’s very exciting technology.

ARE YOU INVOLVED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OPEN AI STANDARDS? DO YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMMUNITY? We do. We work closely with standards bodies. Our Connect platform is open and neutral, supporting industry standards, interfaces, and techniques.

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Second, even if sustainability isn’t the primary driver, it still delivers business value.

Using less water, steam, or electricity reduces costs while benefiting the environment. For example, reducing electricity consumption while maintaining production is good for business and sustainability.

I think many companies here are serious about delivering sustainable solutions because sustainability aligns with business value.

THE ENERGY SECTOR HAS BEEN SLOW TO ADOPT DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION. DO YOU SEE THAT CHANGING? Yes, I do. Many companies are taking digital transformation seriously because it’s now a necessity to remain competitive and adapt to geopolitical and supply chain challenges. A digital operating model allows companies to react quickly to market conditions.

Additionally, the workforce is demanding it. New generations entering the workforce are more accustomed to digital technologies and expect to operate differently.

That’s another reason companies are accelerating digital adoption.

ROB MCGREEVY

Chief Product Officer at AVEVA

AVEVA HAS A CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER. DO YOU HAVE NET ZERO GOALS FOR THE COMPANY ITSELF? We’re committed to ensuring AI has appropriate guardrails for security and reliability.

THERE’S A LOT OF GREENWASHING GOING ON. DO YOU THINK COMPANIES HERE TAKE SUSTAINABILITY SERIOUSLY? WHAT’S THE INCENTIVE FOR DECARBONIZATION? I’d say two things. First, there are companies with a genuine interest in decarbonizing.

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Absolutely.

We’ve set sustainability targets for scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3 emissions, and we publish our progress every year. We’re on track to achieve our commitments.

The other major impact we have is through our handprint— helping our customers decarbonize and improve their sustainability. While our internal goals are important, the work we do with the industry at large has an even greater impact.

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INTERVIEW

SOLVING THE GENAI DATA CHALLENGE Ravi Shankar, Denodo's CMO, discusses how to speed up GenAI with AI-ready data COULD YOU START BY TELLING US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DENODO?

UNSTRUCTURED, IS IT ACTUALLY POSSIBLE TO EXTRACT MEANINGFUL INFORMATION FROM IT?

Denodo is a leader in data management and has been in the industry for the past 25 years. We are innovators in data virtualization, which is a virtual approach to bringing data together from multiple sources. This has been our primary focus.

We are now a global company with over 1,000 customers and operations in 25 different countries.

Our primary target market is enterprises, with customers spanning 30 industries, the largest being financial services. In the Middle East, which is a significant market for us, we have operations in multiple countries, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

There’s often a gap between data environments and AI. How does your platform bridge that gap and make the process more seamless?

Approximately 47% of the GenAI fail and this has led to significant cost overruns. Many organizations are investing heavily, but they are not addressing the root cause of the inefficiencies.

I was in India recently and visited a prospect of ours in Mumbai. They are a large automotive manufacturer currently spinning up around 50 different Gen AI projects. They already recognize that this could spiral out of control without proper data provisioning. While Gen AI projects are excellent at pulling data from public sources, the challenge lies in integrating corporate information in a meaningful way within the organization.This is where a principle called RAG (retrieval augmented generation) comes into play, helping organizations ensure they manage their data efficiently and effectively.

It is the best way to integrate corporate data effectively within a Gen AI project is by providing contextual information using a logical data pattern. This approach enables quick and easy data provisioning.The gap lies in the data—the disconnect between your Gen AI project and the existing corporate information. The Logical Data Fabric serves as the bridge, seamlessly and efficiently connecting corporate data to your project.

Yes, absolutely. Let me give you an interesting example. According to Gartner, about 70% of data is unstructured, though some estimate it to be as high as 85%. Currently, LLMs can process structured data quite effectively. However, when it comes to unstructured data, it needs to be processed differently.

The typical approach involves using a vector database. Unstructured data is parsed, tokenized, and stored in the vector database, enabling LLMs to read and process it. This is because LLMs cannot directly process raw text documents.

At Denodo, we’ve been handling unstructured data from the very beginning. We can work with structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data, allowing us to provide comprehensive and unified information.

What we are currently doing is leveraging the Logical Data Fabric to support vector databases by using metadata to provide contextual information from company sources—wherever they reside— quickly and efficiently. This approach has significant advantages in handling unstructured data. It eliminates the need for LLMs to separately access a vector database for unstructured data and a SQL database for structured data. Instead, the Logical Data Fabric seamlessly combines all data types into a single, unified solution.

HOW ABOUT UNSTRUCTURED DATA? SINCE MOST DATA IS 28

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WHAT ARE SOME OF THE USE CASES FOR YOUR PLATFORM, AND WHICH INDUSTRIES ARE ADOPTING IT? From a platform perspective, the biggest use case is providing a unified, semantically-driven data platform for consumption. Many underlying data sources lack contextual information. Denodo bridges this gap by translating technical data (organized in tables and columns) into a semantic format, enabling reporting solutions to consume this data meaningfully. For example, when a business question like, "What was my profit for the last quarter?" is asked, the raw data resides in technical tables. Denodo provides this translation semantically and in a logical or virtual manner, eliminating the need to access multiple data sources directly. This makes data consumption

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SO WHAT WOULD YOU SAY DIFFERENTIATES DENODO’S PLATFORM FROM THE COMPETITION? WHAT’S YOUR KEY DIFFERENTIATION?

RAVI SHANKAR

CMO, Denodo

much easier and supports Gen AI capabilities seamlessly.

Denodo's technology is utilized across 30+ industries, with financial services being a significant sector. Many companies in this space allocate over 6% of their revenues to datarelated investments, making it a major area for Gen AI adoption as well. For instance, we have banks in Egypt and several top banks in Saudi Arabia leveraging our platform to manage corporate data effectively.

Beyond financial services, Denodo is rapidly gaining traction in other industries like oil and gas, with a strong customer base in the United States, Canada, and globally.

The U.S., being the largest oil producer, represents a major market for us. Similarly, we have clients in telecommunications; for instance, one of the largest telecom providers in this region is among our customers.

Our presence in the region spans multiple industries and countries, underscoring the versatility and value of our platform.

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Our differentiation lies in accessing data faster and at a lower cost. There are two main approaches to data integration, and I often say it’s like a "religion" in the data world.

The first approach, which the majority follow, involves the physical consolidation of data. For example, when organizations need to provide corporate data for AI or other use cases, they often move all the data into a centralized data lake, data warehouse, or similar storage solution. However, this process requires significant time, effort, and resources to move and consolidate the data.

Our approach is fundamentally different. We leave the data where it resides—we don’t move it. Instead, we provide the capability to unify and access the data through a logical layer.

This approach offers three key benefits: • Freshness of Data: The data remains as fresh as its source. When you physically move data, it often results in duplication and introduces a lag between the source and the consolidated location.

Our approach eliminates this issue by directly accessing the source data in real time.

• Cost-Effectiveness: Our solution requires only onethird or one-fourth of the developers typically needed for traditional methods, significantly reducing costs.

• Time Efficiency: By not requiring physical data movement, our approach is faster—taking about onefourth of the time compared to traditional approaches.

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INTERVIEW

INDUSTRY COMMENTS

SHAPING THE EXPERIENCE Ahmed Seleem, VP - META at Nexthink, discusses the growing importance of the digital employee experience, the role of collaboration tools, and how AI and proactive IT support are transforming the modern workplace WHY IS DIGITAL EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE IMPORTANT? Nowadays, what we’re seeing is that the demand for a strong digital employee experience has significantly risen—particularly over the last three years, post-COVID. When remote work became widespread—whether working from home or "work anywhere"—organizations began relying more heavily on technology and collaboration tools to communicate, make decisions, and drive business outcomes that ultimately impact revenue.

Gartner and Forrester have also been actively analyzing this domain over the past few years, and it’s clear that the overall employee experience is now heavily influenced by the digital experience.

For organizations aiming to attract and retain the best talent in the market, these talented individuals expect a certain level of technology quality. Employers recognize that hiring top talent to achieve the best business outcomes requires investing in superior digital experience platforms.

WHAT ARE THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS NEEDED TO BUILD A STRONG DIGITAL EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE?" I think the critical components go beyond tools or technology—it’s about the mindset and processes organizations adopt from the beginning.

• Boosting Employee Productivity: Organizations need to understand that boosting employee productivity makes the most significant difference. A productive employee is a happier employee, and ultimately, happier employees drive better business results.

• Employee Engagement: Tools and platforms that engage employees are key. Many IT departments rely heavily on technical reports and indicators, but just because a server is running at 100% doesn’t mean employees are happy or productive. The focus must be on engaging employees and addressing their specific needs.

• Persona-Based Experience: Organizations must tailor experiences to the unique needs of different departments, roles, or business

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verticals. For instance, some employees may prefer performance-heavy tools like VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) for stability, while others may need flexible, customizable solutions. A persona-based approach ensures that technology aligns with employee expectations.

Business Software Adoption: Another critical factor is the adoption of business software. Many organizations invest heavily in enterprise solutions—like SAP, Oracle, or other essential tools—but employees often don’t utilize them fully. Organizations must identify where employees face challenges, analyze usage data, and improve adoption to maximize the value of these investments.

Proactive Support: Proactive IT support has been essential for years but remains a common challenge. It’s frustrating for employees to report a problem, wait for investigation, and then hear that the issue has already resolved itself. Support teams need to become proactive—identifying and resolving issues before employees even notice them.

WHAT ROLE DO COLLABORATION TOOLS AND PLATFORMS PLAY IN SHAPING THE DIGITAL EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE?" Collaboration tools—like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and similar platforms—play a critical role in today’s organizations. While I wouldn’t say companies fully depend on them, they certainly rely heavily on these tools.

Enhancing the experience for employees involves ensuring they adopt and utilize these tools effectively, with minimal disruption. Proactively addressing potential issues and optimizing these platforms is essential, as they directly impact employee productivity and experience.

ARE THERE COMMON CHALLENGES ORGANIZATIONS FACE WHEN IMPROVING THE DIGITAL EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE? Yes, absolutely. The most common and significant challenge is determining the starting point—similar to assessing your overall health when visiting a hospital. Organizations often ask, “How do I compare to industry benchmarks? Am

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INTERVIEW

AHMED SELEEM

VP - META at Nexthink

I performing well, or do I need improvement?”

At Nexthink, we addressed this challenge by creating the Digital Experience Score (DEX score). This combines technical performance metrics with employee sentiment data, giving organizations a real, holistic picture of the employee experience. For example, if the

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DEX score is 7 out of 10, you can identify key factors to improve and aim to meet or exceed industry benchmarks.

Other challenges include: • Comparing Performance to Other Organizations: Companies often need to factor in their specific geographical presence and sector dynamics. For example, government entities in the GCC region often aim for excellence and higher employee satisfaction goals compared to other industries.

• Customization Based on Organizational Needs: A manufacturing organization’s needs differ vastly from those in government or banking.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so companies must tailor digital experiences to their unique goals and personas.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE THE NEED FOR SECURITY WITH FLEXIBILITY IN THE DIGITAL EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE? Balancing security and flexibility has always been one of IT’s oldest challenges. The key is to start with the Digital Experience

Score to measure and analyze the real employee experience. For example, technical performance might look excellent, but employee feedback could reveal dissatisfaction due to strict security measures—like blocked websites or restricted access.

The solution begins with user education—explaining the purpose of security policies (e.g., protecting sensitive data, complying with regulations like GDPR). Over time, organizations can fine-tune security policies based on data without compromising safety. Metrics help identify areas where small changes can enhance flexibility while maintaining risk control.

If you can measure it, you can improve it.

HOW DO AI AND MACHINE LEARNING INFLUENCE THE DIGITAL EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE? AI and machine learning are significant buzzwords right now, but when linked to employee experience, they serve a specific purpose.

Employees today are more tech-savvy than they were 1520 years ago. They no longer need IT support for basic troubleshooting like restarting a machine or reconnecting to a network. AI platforms must focus on predictive analysis—solving problems before they occur and driving smarter business decisions.

For example, if an organization wants to switch to a new laptop brand, AI can analyze usage data and recommend the bestperforming devices for specific departments—potentially saving 20% on costs while improving employee experience.

In short, AI helps organizations make better decisions, optimize costs, and enhance the digital employee experience.

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INTERVIEW

INDUSTRY COMMENTS

ADDRESSING TALENT CRUNCH Nikhil Nanda, Director of Innovations Group, sheds light on the challenges and solutions shaping today’s evolving job market.

WITH THE 69% INCREASE IN BLUE-COLLAR JOB OPENINGS IN THE UAE, WHAT FACTORS ARE DRIVING THIS SURGE, AND HOW ARE COMPANIES RESPONDING TO CHALLENGES IN SOURCING SKILLED TALENT TO FILL THESE ROLES? There is a huge surge of demand within the construction and logistics industries. Due to UAE’s aggressive real estate approach on delivering mega residential projects through 2026-2029, off-plan residential sales have hit record highs. As a result, the construction activity within the city is at full swing leading to a large requirement of blue-collar workers. Furthermore, with the ongoing instability in the middle east region, trading routes through the red sea and other areas are resulting in lot of cargo coming through UAE ports. This is resulting in large O&M activities being carried out within UAE’s ports. Both the above factors are just small examples on why blue-collar job openings are on an upward trend.

The best way to approach the challenges to meet the required demand is to engage large recruitment and staffing agencies to help with overseas export of workers. Staffing agencies such as Innovations Group have the ability to recruit and assess talent across the globe. Furthermore, they take the onus of mobilisation, facility management and payroll for their clients. This allows specialised service providers to focus on their core competency

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rather than having to worry about building such large back-end team to manage recruitment, HR, compliance and facility management associated with hiring such a large volume of workers in such a short period of time.

DESPITE THE EXPANDED RANGE OF ROLES, WHITE-COLLAR HIRING HAS DECREASED BY 21%. WHAT FACTORS DO YOU BELIEVE ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS DECLINE, AND HOW ARE COMPANIES ADJUSTING THEIR RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES TO ATTRACT QUALIFIED CANDIDATES? White collar hiring has decreased due to a large influx of service providers and businesses being opened in UAE. There is a huge influx of global successful business owners that have made UAE their base. As a result, the natural tendency is to also expand their business processes into the region.

These businesses are already well established in much larger markets and have centralised teams outside of UAE working across various regions. As a result, some business processes such as customer service, finance, sales etc is being done through their centralised teams outside of the UAE.

CERTAIN ROLES LIKE SALES EXECUTIVES, ACCOUNTANTS, AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVES ARE IN HIGH DEMAND ACROSS INDUSTRIES. WHAT SKILLS OR QUALITIES MAKE CANDIDATES FOR THESE POSITIONS ESPECIALLY VALUABLE, AND HOW ARE EMPLOYERS

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INTERVIEW

DIFFERENTIATING THEMSELVES TO ATTRACT TOP TALENT IN THESE FIELDS? Sales and business development are generally more people dependent roles rather than process dependent. As a result of the influx of new businesses within UAE, the main roles new organisations have to start off with are sales and business development. Market knowledge, sales ability, personal ambition and a strong network are keep components making these positions tougher to source for and lower in supply. Employers generally differentiate themselves through incentives, work culture and sales support strategies such as marketing, pricing etc.

NIKHIL NANDA

Director of Innovations Group

White collar hiring has decreased due to a large influx of service providers and businesses being opened in UAE. There is a huge influx of global successful business owners that have made UAE their base. As a result, the natural tendency is to also expand their business processes into the region. These businesses are already well established in much larger markets and have centralised teams outside of UAE working across various regions

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SPECIALIZED ROLES SUCH AS A/C MECHANIC, ACCOUNT MANAGER, AUTO ELECTRICIAN, AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION DIRECTOR ARE RARE IN THE CURRENT JOB MARKET. WHAT UNIQUE CHALLENGES DO EMPLOYERS FACE IN FILLING THESE NICHE POSITIONS, AND WHAT STRATEGIES CAN THEY EMPLOY TO REACH QUALIFIED CANDIDATES FOR THESE ROLES? Same as above: "The best way to approach the challenges to meet the required demand is to engage large recruitment and staffing agencies to help with overseas export of workers. Staffing agencies such as Innovations Group have the ability to recruit and assess talent across the globe.

Furthermore, they take the onus of mobilisation, facility management and payroll for their clients.

This allows specialised service providers to focus on their core competency rather than having to worry about building such large back-end team to manage recruitment, HR, compliance and facility management associated with hiring such a large volume of workers in such a short period of time."

DECEMBER 2024

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OPINION

BUILDING THE SMART CITY OF THE FUTURE Dr Ryad Soobhany, Associate Professor at School of Mathematical & Computer Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, writes about the key technologies and trends shaping smart cities.

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he basis of smart city development revolves around digital technologies that connect the different elements, such as citizens, infrastructure and resources of the smart city. Over the past couple of decades much of the emphasis has been on how to enhance the quality of life within smart cities. Building the smart city of the future still aims to enhance the quality of life with the additional focus on sustainable development, augmented citizen interaction and optimising the use of resources. The integration of IoT (Internet of Things), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and predictive data analytics are seen as vital for future smart cities.

IoT technologies across the smart city allow for improved data collection and sharing. IoT devices can collect real-time data using their integrated sensors and process or share the data with relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, the sensors can be integrated within the infrastructure of the city to create so-called smart infrastructure. The large amount of data, so-called big data, gathered by IoT sensors are mostly used by AI and machine learning (ML) technologies, which improve the automation of manual processes as well as perform predictive analytics. The implementation of AI tools withing the realms of everyday life, education, healthcare, transport and energy usage are expected in smart cities. The large collection of data amassed can be used for predive analytics, where facility providers and governing bodies can analyse the data to identify patterns and trends to better predict issues and challenges.

Intelligent traffic management systems (ITMS) include smart cameras, smart traffic lights strategically placed that can monitor real-time traffic and manage the traffic during peak hours or during events that affect the flow of traffic. ITMS can also enable the widespread use of autonomous vehicles for public and private personalised transport (e.g. automated taxis). With further development in wireless

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charging technologies, wireless electric roads can be a feature of smart cities to charge electric cars while driving. Smart energy management systems (SEMS) in public buildings and private homes can optimise the use of resources by predicting the energy use during different times of the day and year to optimise the use of heating and cooling services. The implementation of smart grids to allow the integration of energy generated from different renewable sources such as solar, wind, biomass among others. A smart grid network will also enable optimised distribution of electricity.

A shortcoming of renewable energy resources, at the moment, is the lack of constant energy production at different times of the day or year.

With the development of more efficient energy storage technology, e.g. battery cells, electricity can be produced during the day from solar power and stored to be distributed to homes at night.

The examples of ITMS and SEMS contribute to augmenting the sustainability of managing smart cities. Many countries and cities have signed up to the net-zero target at some point within this century, and smart cities can aid in reducing the greenhouse gas emissions. Waste management systems can help to reduce emissions from smart cities of the future by using smart bins and waste collection. By enabling citizen participation with real-time monitoring and feedback on waste management, the waste recycling system can be improved. To improve the sustainability of smart cities, IoT and AI technologies can be used to improve urban farming such as vertical farming and rooftops farming which enable the smart city to decrease reliance on food from outside (less transport cost and pollution) and increase self-sustenance for food and water. AI can be used to maximise productions of crops and to optimise use of resources, another example is the use of digital twins that can assist to monitor and predict the behaviour of crop production.

Another advantage of enhanced urban farming is the improvement of the air quality, which is being monitored in real-time across the city.

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OPINION

DR RYAD SOOBHANY

Associate Professor at School of Mathematical & Computer Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Dubai.

The smart city of the future can improve the interaction of citizens with everyday services, which will lead to improved citizen engagement.

The application of P4 medicine (Predictive, Preventive, Personalised and Participatory) approach in smart cities to improve the overall wellness of citizens. The personalised and participatory part of P4 medicine can be delivered with the aid of AI, predictive analytics and IoT. Patients will receive personalised healthcare services, such as personalised treatments based on their

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medical history. Citizens will be more involved in monitoring their health by using IoT devices in smart environment, for example, by wearing smart heart rate monitor that can provide data in real-time to the clinical personnel.

Telemedicine can improve the participation of citizens by providing remote appointment with doctors via dedicated platforms using immersive technologies (augmented reality or virtual reality).

Citizen engagement can also be improved by using digital applications to allow citizens to participate in decision making about the city. Citizens can provide feedback on services and report issues to relevant authorities.

A primordial part of implementing the smart city of the future is enhanced connectivity across all parts of the city, without black spots.

The adoption of 5G networks can provide better connectivity between a larger number of interconnected devices with faster data transfer. 5G would allow real-time data to be collected from more sensors across the city and transferred to different servers.

The advancements of the future smart city will lead to collection and transfer of more data, which will raise issues about security of the infrastructure against cyberattacks and privacy of its citizens. There is also the issue of fair treatment of different types of citizens to ensure they are treated equitably. The smart city of tomorrow will be supported by IoT devices powered by AI technologies with better connectivity and the hope is that it will enhance the quality life within its limits.

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OPINION

TURNING STRESS INTO SUCCESS Vibhu Kapoor, Regional Vice President - Middle East, Africa & India, Epicor, writes about how manufacturing CFOs’ greatest challenges are solved by CPQ

I

n recent years, the manufacturing sector has borne the brunt of supply-chain disruptions that have led to rising material costs and longer sales cycles. This, together with competition from low-cost entrants, along with a laundry list of other issues, has put unprecedented pressure on industry decision makers. One decision maker who, today, bears the brunt of these stresses is the chief financial officer (CFO).

What is a CFO to do when externalities crowd out all other fires? Do they choose to price more competitively? To cut down response times for proposals? Perhaps. But whatever they choose to do, the time lag between stimulus and response is stretched by the tools finance professionals use for analysis. Spreadsheets, emails, and online documents are out of date. These artefacts of old may be digital in the strictest sense, but compared to up-to-date alternatives, working on a spreadsheet has become tantamount to manual labor.

ERP platforms have long been a CFO’s best friend. As technologies have emerged, ERP systems have onboarded some of the most advanced ones in service of the finance function.

CPQ (configure, price, quote), a digitalization of the sales specialist that streamlines the quotation process, is one such tool. CFOs tend to embrace it because it factors in a range of variables like features, volume discounts, and customization — factors that a sales professional would normally have to work out manually. Where complexity can lead to error in humans, CPQ is not susceptible. A lengthy task is taken from the plates of salespeople

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who can dedicate that time to more value-adding activities. And since the quote is delivered quickly, the customer is also happier. Here, in more detail, is how CPQ delivers three key benefits eagerly sought by manufacturing CFOs.

INCREASED REVENUE AND SECURE CASHFLOW Being a visual tool, CPQ empowers sales reps, web visitors, distributors, and partners to configure and sell products easily and accurately in a variety of digital environments such as 2D, 3D, or augmented reality. With its powerful in-built automations, it drastically reduces the time spent on laborintensive tasks, allowing it to directly impact revenue growth and cashflow management, especially since digitalizing the quotation process can minimize human errors and the costly misquotes that they cause. In this way, CPQ is a way to make quotes more precise.

CPQ can also be easily integrated with a range of other digital tools such as process-automation and streamlining systems which then positively impacts related areas such as make-to-order (MTO), configure-to-order (CTO), engineer-to-order (ETO), and make-to-stock (MTS). Integrations like these can end up allowing CPQ automation to have a positive influence on operational efficiency across the enterprise, not just in the quotation process.

It makes products more appealing to customers because customization options give buyers control over precise functionality, and yet policies can be set to ensure customers do not stray outside the bounds of manufacturing standards and regulatory restrictions.

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OPINION

new predefined rules and costing structures. This goes on to bolster the reduction in risk of underpricing or overcommitting on capabilities, which is another way of saying “better forecasting”.

ENSURE COMPLIANCE

VIBHU KAPOOR

Vibhu Kapoor, RVP – Middle East, Africa India at Epicor ENHANCE FORECASTING CFOs are expected to see round corners and over horizons.

Forecasting is a part of commercial life, but its accuracy is heavily reliant on timely access to high-quality data. Because of CPQ modules’ integration capabilities, they can merge with ERP systems, giving CFOs the real-time visibility into sales pipelines they need to make informed decisions. With more accurate revenue forecasting, the business can bob and weave with the market, pleasing customers regardless of externalities.

Access to ERP data has further perks. Historical data on quotes, order conversions, and lead times, allows the organization to refine predictions even further to align them with financial targets.

And predictions can subsequently be used to continually ensure accuracy in pricing by introducing

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In the Arab Gulf region, regulatory frameworks continue to expand for reasons of privacy, workplace safety, public health, and national security.

While maintaining accuracy and bolstering efficiency, CPQ also helps ensure compliance by centralizing data and automating the tracking of approvals, pricing rules, and discount structures. Further, its integration with other financial systems makes it easier for all stakeholders to spot risk and to comply with standards such as the GAAP of revenue recognition.

By embedding business rules and regulatory requirements into the CPQ system, organizations can ensure every quote adheres to relevant regulations, be they regarding pricing rules, discount policies, tax calculations, or product configurations. Noncompliance can be a costly affair, so CPQ is again adding business value, this time by preventing audits and fines.

FROM STRESS TO SUCCESS It prevents human error; it gives customers more control over the products they buy; it reduces costs in labor and compliance; it can integrate with other parts of the business to improve their performance; and it can improve forecasting. With these benefits, CPQ solves many of the key challenges manufacturing CFOs face. This makes its the next rational investment for the aspiring regional manufacturer — an investment that, for the CFO, can turn stress into success.

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OPINION

2025: THE YEAR TO FUTUREPROOF OR FALL BEHIND Matthew Palmer, Head of Systems Engineering at META, writes about the tech trends that will dominate 2025.

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e always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years and underestimate the change that will occur in the next ten. Don't let yourself be lulled into inaction.”Bill Gates With every technological inflection point, it becomes harder and harder to predict what the next year will bring for businesses. How do we prepare for a new paradigm shift such as Gen AI, when industries are still navigating the previous ones?

To me – the answer is that in 2025, enterprises should be focusing on future-proofing their operations and networks. That involves not only building the infrastructure to capitalize on today’s technology trends but also preparing people and systems for the next tech evolution – whatever it may be.

SECURING YOUR BUSINESS Cyberattacks and data breaches becoming increasingly more frequent and complex and the cost of preventing them is also growing. It’s no surprise then that in a survey of CIOs conducted

by Extreme and Dynata, we learnt that, even with new and flashy technology holding a lot of industry attention, network security remains a top priority, with 57% of respondents ranking the need to protect networks against potential threats as one of their top three challenges.

Why may this be happening? Experts and research indicate that growing numbers of businesses going hybrid or offering remote jobs are opening up networks to outside risk.

At the same time, 96% of CIOsin the same survey agree the network is the foundation step for cybersecurity and risk management. This is where technologies like Zero Trust Network Access play a role – implementing strict controls on all users and devices on a network, with continuous verification. We expect this technology to be a major focus next year for IT leaders and CIOs, as part of their agendas to secure their businesses as they become more

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distributed in nature.

ALL-IN ON CLOUD Cloud technology has never been more powerful.

Our survey shows that 92% of CIOs agree that using cloud-based network management can help combat workforce challenges, address security concerns, and provide network analytics. For those who have made the leap to cloud, it’s clearly paying off.

In PwC’s 2024 Cloud and AI Business survey, a group of ‘top performers,’ were twice as likely to realize benefits such as profitability, productivity, faster time to market and improved customer experiences. What are these entities focusing on? 63% of them are increasing cloud budgets, 72% have an “all-in” approach to cloud data modernization and are twice as likely to have adopted cloud for security, AI and migration as other companies surveyed.

With this in mind, it’s safe to say investments in cloud will be a top priority for technology leaders as they proactively take steps to set up and fine-tune cloud infrastructure for their success, now and in the future.

IT MANAGERS IN THE AGE OF AI Many industry veterans have already witnessed IT managers shift from task performers to technology strategists. With AI, we are seeing the next stage of evolution. IT managers are now overseeing the dawn of AI-driven networking, which can handle service-level agreement maintenance, troubleshooting and monitoring, prevention of downtime and other day-to-day tasks. Network administrators can then focus on more strategic value creation, optimizing performance, detecting security threats, and using AI-captured insights to improve operations more proactively.

CTOs and CIOs understand the importance of this role transformation, and with the continued tech talent shortage, we can expect to see more focus on training and upskilling to meet growing demand for more advanced expertise and experience. Not only does this benefit companies but industries

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OPINION

MATTHEW PALMER

Head of Systems Engineering at Extreme Networks

overall in the long run.

CONVERGING SECURITY, CLOUD AND AI Perhaps one of the biggest trends for 2025 will be seeing more ways these three fields intertwine. As IT managers further explore AI, they will be implementing related technologies for network security, given their current priority. Faster migration to cloud will lead to more advanced security measures to protect against cyber threats. Closing the loop, enterprises will use cloud-driven AI applications and systems to extract the full value of AI.

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Beyond this though, we have noticed a fast-growing trend for platformisation. 88% of companies responding to the Extreme Networks survey stated their preference for a single platform to combine AI, security and cloud – helping reduce complexity and enhance visibility on the relevant operations.

Platformisation will likely also help to prepare enterprises for future challenges. As we discussed, security concerns are only growing greater, cloud technologies more advanced and AI capabilities more comprehensive. With a unified, single platform, companies would be able to scale up solutions, oversee multiple embedded components and ensure a single, manageable user experience that will be of benefit in the years of technological development to come. In an era of unprecedented advancement, but with highly diverse industry and enterprise operations, nothing is certain. The emergence of Gen AI as a game-changer, growing globalization and competitiveness, rise in hybrid work models post-COVID-19, and gaps in technology talent are all shaping our landscape in a way we couldn’t have foreseen mere years ago. The same holds true for the next five years, decades and more.

However, while we cannot definitely say what the future will hold, we can ensure we are ready for whatever is to come. By embracing future-proof strategies that combine digital resilience, cutting-edge expertise, and new technologies, we can today place ourselves on the frontlines of an uncertain – but exciting – future ahead.

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OPINION

POWERING ENTERPRISE AGILITY Omar Akar, Regional VP, META & CEE at Pure Storage, on why a ‘platform’ approach makes good sense for enterprise data management.

T

he success of some of the world’s largest and best-known companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, and Amazon stem from the ecosystems, or platforms, that they have built. These platforms have simplified customer experiences and enabled the companies to power new innovations, services and capabilities. It is the reason why they have been disruptors in their respective industries and earned the loyalty of their customers.

A platform is made of building blocks that deliver more value, as a whole, than the sum of the parts. It enables the delivery of services and the upscaling of capabilities. It connects users and eases interactions, transactions and value creation. By streamlining operations, optimizing processes, eliminating silos, and improving communication, platforms bring greater agility in developing and delivering new innovations while reducing risks. Platforms also enable self-service — a convenience that consumers cherish, for everything from hiring a ride to booking a vacation.

COMPANIES THAT EXEMPLIFY THE POWER OF PLATFORMS Apple is one of the best examples of a platform in the consumer tech world. They have their own silicon, app store, operating systems, and electronic products. And while these products

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work fine independently, they work even better together — as a well-orchestrated symphony that allows users to synchronize their data and preferences across devices. Software updates are pushed to the users as the platform evolves.

In the B2B space, Cisco offers the Cisco Networking Cloud platform that unifies disjointed solutions and helps IT and security teams deal with the complexity of multiple clouds, myriad thirdparty apps, IoT, and security threats. NVIDIA, meanwhile, has gone beyond Graphics Processing Units and built an AI platform, AI training services, and AI models — all held together by AI Platform software. This has eased the entry point for their customers into AI.

APPLYING THE PLATFORM APPROACH TO ENTERPRISE DATA MANAGEMENT Data is the most valuable asset an organization can have, and the manner in which it is used often determines business outcomes and customer experiences. Data must be available and delivered when it is needed, and with the required level of performance. This calls not for point storage solutions, but for efficient, reliable, and scalable solutions focused on data workflows. It calls, in other words, for a platform approach to enterprise data storage.

An enterprise data management platform should address all the needs pertaining to data acquisition, storage, analysis, governance, and security. It

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OPINION

software. This will enable the company to deliver software updates automatically and carry out hardware upgrades non-disruptively, without any downtime to the business.

The organisation should be able to deploy data and apps at any location – at the edge, in the data centre, or in the public cloud. The apps could be modern, traditional, or both. The platform could be used either as-a-service or traditionally, with payment made on either an operational or a capital expenditure basis.

Such an arrangement would give the customer the freedom to deploy data services in any conceivable combination — all within a single ecosystem.

GOOD PROSPECTS, LOOKING AHEAD

OMAR AKAR

Regional VP, META & CEE at Pure Storage must be able to support large numbers and diverse types of workloads, users, cloud-native deployments, and enterprise applications. Data should be fully integrated, constantly updated, and heavily protected, available only to those authorized to access it. Everything that can be automated should be automated.

An enterprise data platform helps in distilling actionable insights from data for powering innovation, improving efficiency, accelerating growth, and enhancing customer experience.

A platform approach can greatly help enterprises manage their data across environments.

The platform could be unified by a common operating system that runs across all hardware and is managed by a single “pane-of-glass” management

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Medium-term projections by research firms for the growth of the enterprise data management market vary widely, but they all point to robust growth.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global enterprise data management market was valued at $92.18 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow from $101.04 billion in 2024 to $224.87 billion by 2032 at a CAGR of 10.5 percent.

The era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is upon us, and enterprise data platforms will have to deliver the performance and the capabilities required for complex AI workloads. There will be a growing need for storage automation solutions and GenAI co-pilots for storage as organisations strive to deliver ROI. Companies that keep pace with the times and adopt the latest technologies have a very good chance of becoming market disruptors.

And we know the world loves a good disruptor.

DECEMBER 2024

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PEOPLE

WSO2 Expands Executive Team WSO2 has announced the addition of two executives: Jeff Paul and Isabelle Mauny. Together, they will play strategic roles in expanding global adoption of WSO2’s offerings via initiatives aimed at customer advocacy, education and counsel.

Jeff Paul joins WSO2 as senior vice president and global head of sales. He brings more than two decades of technology sales experience, including vice president roles at Red Hat, Intel and IBM. • Isabelle Mauny rejoins WSO2 as vice president – chief developer advocate. She has 25-plus years of integration and API industry experience, including roles as a 42Crunch co-founder and WSO2 vice president of product management.

“We are on a mission to empower enterprises to thrive in the digital economy— supported by our transformative, next-generation technologies and seasoned team of experts,” said Dr. Sanjiva Weerawarana, WSO2 founder and CEO.

•

Jeff Paul, Senior vice president and global head of sales at WSO2

BeyondTrust names new Senior VP tof global partner ecosystems

Jim Ortbals as Senior Vice President of Global Partner Ecosystems

BeyondTrust has appointed Jim Ortbals as Senior Vice President of Global Partner Ecosystems. With over 25 years of channel leadership across tech giants such as Cisco, VMware, Zscaler and Deep Instinct, Jim brings a track record of building high-performing ecosystems that deliver real results.

“Jim’s proven ability to empower partners and drive business growth makes him an ideal leader to take BeyondTrust’s partner ecosystem to the next level,” said Brent Thurrell, Chief Revenue Officer at BeyondTrust. “His visionary approach to building collaborative alliances and supporting programs aligns perfectly with our mission to protect Paths to Privilege for our customers and partners worldwide.”

At BeyondTrust, Jim will spearhead the global channel strategy, emphasizing market share growth through the company’s growing global partner ecosystem. BeyondTrust remains committed to advancing its channel momentum by enhancing partner engagement and enablement, utilizing intellectual property, and providing strategic and financial support to partners. These elements are integral to a world-class channel framework and underscore BeyondTrust’s dedication to partner success.

NetApp appoints new senior director for Middle East and Africa

Suhail Hasanain as the new Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa region

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NetApp has announced the appointment of Suhail Hasanain as the new Regional Director for the Middle East and Africa region. In this role, Suhail will be responsible for driving business growth, fostering strategic collaborations, continuously developing the ecosystem, and delivering exceptional results across all sectors in the region.

With over 20 years of experience in strategic planning, operational excellence, and leadership, Suhail brings a wealth of expertise to his new position. His indepth understanding of customer and partner needs, combined with his ability to bring together cross-functional teams, will be instrumental in driving NetApp's success in the Middle East and Africa.

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