EC-MEA May Issue 2023 by GEC Media Group

INSIDE

| The World CIO 200 2023 ‘Rise of the Power’

PA G E S 6 0 VOLUME 10 M AY 2 0 2 3

ISSUE 10

W W W. E C - M E A . C O M

BEYOND BORDERS

HOW E-COMMERCE IS DISRUPTING GLOBAL

SUPPLY CHAINS

DRIVING OPERATIONS AND PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE YOUR PARTNER FOR

Cloud & Digital Transformation

Enterprise Applications

Analytics & Automation AI & ML as a Service

Cyber Security Solutions

Management Consulting, Advisory and Quality Assurance

An unit of

“Delivery centres in US, Middle East and India”

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

PUBLISHER TUSHAR SAHOO TUSHAR@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM EDITOR SONAL B CHHIBBER SONAL@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM CO-FOUNDER & CEO RONAK SAMANTARAY RONAK@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM GLOBAL HEAD, CONTENT AND STRATEGIC ALLIANCES ANUSHREE DIXIT ANUSHREE@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM GROUP SALES HEAD RICHA S RICHA@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM PROJECT LEAD JENNEFER LORRAINE MENDOZA JENNEFER@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM

Dear Readers,

elcome to the latest issue of Enterprise Channels MEA. This edition is focused on E-commerce and Supply Chain. With the rapid growth of e-commerce in the region, businesses must have a strong supply chain strategy in place to meet the demands of customers. In this issue, we will be exploring the latest trends and technologies in the e-commerce and supply chain space, including the use of artificial intelligence, blockchain, and big data analytics. We will also be featuring interviews with leading experts in the industry, who will provide insights into the challenges and opportunities that come with implementing an effective supply chain strategy for e-commerce businesses. Moreover, we will be showcasing case studies of successful e-commerce and supply chain initiatives in the region, highlighting the strategies that have worked well for businesses, and how they have been able to achieve success in a highly competitive market. Our aim with this issue is to provide our readers with a comprehensive understanding of the evolving e-commerce and supply chain landscape in the MEA region. We believe that the insights and experiences shared in this issue will help businesses develop effective strategies to better meet the needs of their customers and stay ahead of the competition. We are excited to present this issue to our readers and look forward to their feedback. We hope that it will serve as a valuable resource for businesses looking to improve their e-commerce and supply chain capabilities and help drive growth in the region. Happy reading and do write back.

SONAL B CHHIBBER EDITOR S O N A L @ G E C M E D I A G R O U P. C O M

SALES AND ADVERTISING RONAK SAMANTARAY RONAK@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM PH: + 971 555 120 490 DIGITAL TEAM IT MANAGER VIJAY BAKSHI PRODUCTION, CIRCULATION, SUBSCRIPTIONS INFO@GECMEDIAGROUP.COM CREATIVE LEAD AJAY ARYA GRAPHIC DESIGNER RAHUL ARYA DESIGNED BY

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PRESENTS

SEC_RITY IS NOT COMPLETE WITHOUT U! 1 1 t h Ma y, 2 02 3 Dusit Doha, Qatar 1 8 t h Ma y, 2 02 3 Al Faisaliah Hotel, Riyadh 2 5 t h Ma y, 2 023 Address Dubai Mall, UAE

BROUGHT TO YOU BY

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNERS

MAY 2023

VOLUME 10

ISSUE 10

CONTENTS 26-33

COVER STORY

BEYOND BORDERS

HOW E-COMMERCE IS DISRUPTING GLOBAL

SUPPLY CHAINS 03

EDITORIAL 07-10

VIEWPOINT

18-21

CHANNEL

43-44

PRODUCTS

22-24

REAL LIFE

46-55

GUEST COLUMN

EVENTS 12-13

The World CIO 200 2023 ‘Rise of the Power’

56-57

SOCIALLY SPEAKING

14-15

The GITEX Impact 2023

16-17

GITEX AFRICA 2023

36-37

FEATURE Sustainability: A key focus for business operations

EXECUTIVE MOVEMENTS M AY 2 0 2 3

MEA

Under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI 31 MAY O2 JUNE 2023

31 MAY O1 JUNE 2023

Presenting

MARRAKECH

Africa’s largest and most influential tech & startup event

GITEXAFRICA .COM

9OO+ 250+ INVESTORS 95+ COUNTRIES

EXHIBITORS & STARTUPS

GITEX AFRICA will unlock the limitless opportunity of the world’s rising tech continent , where the most

advanced companies amplify Africa’s digital aspirations and the best minds elevate culture and society.

The time for Africa is now and you’re invited! GET YOUR EVENT PASS - GITEXAFRICA .COM

DIAMOND SPONSOR

STARTUPS INVESTORS LOUNGE SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSOR

CYBER SECURITY CONFERENCE SPONSOR

CYBER SECURITY COUNCIL UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF

SILVER SPONSOR

HOSTED BY

Hosted by

AI CONFERENCE SPONSOR

BRONZE SPONSOR

GITEX CONNEXION LOUNGE SPONSOR

LANYARD SPONSOR

REGISTRATION SPONSOR

United Arab Emirates

ORGANISED BY

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INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS

VIEWPOINT

Unlocking the Power of Next-Generation Networks with Automation Advanced network automation solutions leverage AI and machine learning to comprehend network behaviours, deliver predictive analysis and provide advice to network operations teams by analysing meta-data and using model-driven network programmability.

Yarob Sakhnini Vice President, Emerging Markets, EMEA, Juniper Networks

hile networks have typically formed the backbone of every modern organisation’s operation, in today’s rapidly transforming landscape, their significance has come under the spotlight. Yarob Sakhnini says that the introduction of new technologies, the rise of cyber-threats, and, most importantly, the urgent need to deliver a seamless customer experience that considers long-term sustainability, necessitate that enterprises rethink their network approach and strategy. In this context, network automation – the process of automating the planning, deployment, operations, and optimisation of networks and their services – is increasingly seen as essential. Remarkably, the worldwide market for network automation is expected to reach USD 9.56 billion by 2027, up from USD 2.78 billion in 2021.

The Pressing Need for Automation With legacy networks, enterprises face challenges with device activation and onboarding taking days or weeks, service delivery breaking, and the threat of network failure. Many enterprises in the Middle East have adopted the cloud in some capacity or are transitioning to one to address these problems. As a result, now all networks, whether on-premises or “in the

cloud,” are expected to be highly reliable, flexible, and available with minimum interruptions. Network automation is a game-changer in the toolbox of IT teams. According to Yarob Sakhnini Advanced network automation solutions leverage AI and machine learning to comprehend network behaviours, deliver predictive analysis and provide advice to network operations teams by analysing meta-data and using model-driven network programmability. Automation solutions can be configured to remedy network issues even before they arise. While automation by itself does not necessarily diminish the complexity of the underlying infrastructure, it can effectively mask that complexity from operators and end users. Therefore, organisations can boost network resilience, reduce downtime and free up valuable time for IT professionals to focus on business innovation rather than maintenance and provisioning networks. Thanks to enhanced network visibility and control, IT operations can become more flexible and responsive to change.

Effective Automation and How to Get There The challenge of network automation is that, although it simplifies every aspect of network operations when executed properly, it requires more than just the push of a button to be fully realised. Many organisations have tried to be creative but with underwhelming results. According to Analysys Mason, only three percent of organizations surveyed have been fully satisfied with their Do-It-Yourself (DIY) in-house network automation approach. And many organisations relying on legacy vendor

automation solutions struggle to deliver real business outcomes. With the right partners on board, organisations can confidently embark on their network automation journey. Although the cost of such an investment is not negligible, the returns can be remarkable. A Total Economic Impact study conducted by Forrester Consulting found that the potential return on investment (ROI) that organisations can achieve by deploying a network automation solution can be as high as 320 percent over three years.

The Future of Network Automation The future of network automation is intentdriven and AI-enabled, and in some cases, cloud-delivered. The simplicity of a SaaS automation platform reduces deployment times, translating directly to faster time-to-market and increased revenues. Once deployed, SaaS automation platforms allow organisations to add new use cases faster than with traditional approaches, while saving in hardware, staffing, and operational costs compared to installing and maintaining their solutions are significant. When it comes to AI, it makes sense for organisations to use the cloud so they can tap into the collective intelligence from anonymised data, machine learning models, and knowledge from a vast array of sources. Enterprises that wish to harness the advantages of networking technology advancements must accelerate their network automation efforts. However, for automation to be successful and yield successful results, it must break traditional silos and cover all network infrastructure elements, teams, and operations support systems. Ultimately, this is only feasible with flexible, open standards-based solutions that have demonstrated their ability to deliver best-in-class experiences.

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2023

www.btxshow.com

1 5 J UN E SO F I T E L A B U D H A BI C O R N I C H E - U A E 0 8 J UN E - K S A

TRANSFORMATION IN

SECURITY NETWORKING BUSINESS APPLICATIONS IT & COMPUTING TRANSFORMATION IN

TRANSFORMATION IN

D RIVI NG BUSINESS EX CE L L E NCE & TO TA L EXP ER IENC E TRANF ORM AT I ON

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VIEWPOINT

Paessler is driving a channel-f irst strategy Paessler, a network monitoring software company, has adopted a channel-first strategy that prioritizes building and maintaining strong relationships with its channel partners, such as value-added resellers and managed service providers. Thorsten Theuer, VP EMEA, emphasizes the importance of understanding customer business goals and where they are in their digital transformation journey to provide effective support. Paessler aims for significant growth in the network monitoring industry and is focused on understanding and meeting the needs of its channel partners to achieve this goal.

Thorsten Theuer, VP EMEA, Paessler

etting goals and values, a framework for success

During his tenure at an IT Consulting Company, Thorsten Theuer, VP EMEA at Paessler, gained significant experience in understanding the business goals of clients and providing support to help achieve those goals. This experience has proven valuable in his current role, as digitalization has become more pervasive across clients’ infrastructure. Theuer recognizes the importance of understanding clients’ digital transformation progress, areas of difficulty, and where they require assistance to provide effective support. He believes that understanding the customer is vital, as it is impossible to provide meaningful help without it.

Growth of EMEA market Thorsten says that the growth of EMEA market has been over-impressive and the company echoes the sentiments of the same. The growth is completely IT and digital driven, which further drives Paessler vision for the regional enterprises and they are seeing a huge surge in their solutions.

Towards a broader objective To effectively monitor the infrastructure of a business and achieve their objectives, a thorough assessment of the infrastructure and business goals is necessary. Once this is completed, the appropriate tools can be selected to monitor various components of the infrastructure. Paessler’s portfolio is

strong because it offers a wide range of monitoring solutions, not just limited to in-depth monitoring. This means that when customers engage with Paessler and its partners, they can find a product that integrates with all types of infrastructure components and can integrate monitoring solutions into other systems as well.

Milestones or plans for progression The vertical solutions are for a new chapter because they are coming out of IT monitoring. “Now the next chapter is to enlarge this footprint into more parts of the organization and the vertical solutions are one element for this because it helps us to bring value to other verticals as well”, says Thorsten Theuer. Paessler is prioritizing a channel-first strategy, particularly in this region with regards to pricing and partner support. Their commitment to channel partners is undeniable, but they recognize that there is still room for improvement and are actively seeking ways to enhance their channel program. Paessler recently brought on board a new global channel director, Manuele Rodz, to spearhead this effort and make the channel program more appealing and beneficial for their partners. By driving a channel-first strategy, Paessler is focusing on building strong relationships with all its channel partners.

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EXCERPTS OF THE INTERVIEW BETWEEN THORSTEN THEUER, VP EMEA FROM PAESSLER AND GEC MEDIA GROUP’S CHIEF EDITOR, SONAL B CHHIBBER.

MEA

VIEWPOINT

Transform your retail business into a successful e-commerce platform Yango Deli Tech is a global tech company that provides proprietary technologies and expertise for retailers and E/Q-Commerce.

Max Avtukhov, CEO of Yango Deli Tech

ango Deli Tech provides proprietary technologies and expertise for retailers and e-grocery. They offer a universal set of tools that help traditional retailers to transition from brickand-mortar business models to online trade and unlock full e-grocery potential. They also help e-grocers improve operational effectiveness, allowing them to deliver goods on time and in-full.

Staying competitive in the retail market Traditional retailers have long focused their core expertise on areas such as assortment management, supply chain, and marketing, leveraging these strengths to build successful businesses. However, in today’s world, technology plays an increasingly critical role in the retail landscape. Building a customized technology solution can be a complex and expensive process, making it challenging for traditional retailers to keep up with their techfirst competitors. As a result, they risk losing market share to companies that have built their success around effective tech solutions. Yango Deli Tech can allow them to focus on their core strengths and remain competitive in the everevolving retail market. End-to-end supply chain visibility means tracking all aspects of the supply chain from procurement to delivery. It enables data-driven decisions and rapid response to changes in

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demand or supply chain disruptions. Predicting the exact number of particular products to be sold by a particular date has always been a challenging task. Max Avtukhov pointed out that being a tech company, Yango Deli Tech have applied the most powerful big data and ML tools to tackle this issue. By automating replenishment and monitoring inventory levels in real-time they can significantly reduce food waste, contributing to more sustainable development.

Digital Transformation: How technology is changing business? E-commerce and e-grocery are rapidly growing industries, and companies that don’t embrace digital transformation in these areas risk losing their customers to more tech-savvy competitors. With the shift towards online shopping and the increasing demand for convenience, it’s clear that the future of retail lies in e-commerce. Businesses need to act now and jump on the digital transformation bandwagon to secure their future in this rapidly evolving industry. Digital transformation can significantly impact job roles and responsibilities. By automating tasks and integrating new technologies, companies can streamline workflows, reduce manual intervention, and increase efficiency. This leads to the more cost-effective use of resources, an increase in productivity, and more resources for growth and development. As an example, from their experience, integrating batching and automatic shift planning can increase hourly orders delivered by couriers by more than a quarter without requiring additional staff.

Future plan and focus The current and future technological landscapes offer many advantages, such as the ability to run businesses more efficiently, adapt to changing customer demands quickly, and access information instantly. However, the pace of progress is so fast that it’s challenging for companies to keep up, requiring constant improvements. “We at Yango Deli Tech can help companies stay ahead of the curve by constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible with technology, developing new solutions, and providing support and guidance throughout the transformation process. With our expertise, businesses can unlock the full potential of digital transformation and remain competitive in the ever-evolving technological landscape”, says Max Avtukhov. The future of the supply chain lies in leveraging technology to automate processes and enhance visibility across the entire network. By adopting a digital-first approach, businesses can gain real-time insights into their operations, identify bottlenecks, and make data-driven decisions. Max Avtukhov believes that technology is the key to unlocking the full potential of the supply chain. By automating the fulfilment processes, businesses can reduce the time and cost associated with manual processing, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction. Yango Deli Tech offers a universal set of tools that help traditional retailers and marketplaces transition from brick-and-mortar business models to online trade successes. Their tech stack includes various solutions for fulfillment and delivery processes, commerce, client experience, and analytics.

www.futureitsummit.com

UNVEILING THE FUTURE AT #FUTUREITSUMMIT

2023

Cloud and Automation Towards a Sustainable Business and Economy JUNE 2023 SINGAPORE I INDIA

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNERS

I N AS S O C I AT I O N

M AY 2 0 2 3

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EVENTS

2 023

R OA D S H OW

RISE OF THE POWER One of the most celebrated events in the IT regime, The World CIO 200 Summit, is back in its full glory this year. Global CIO Forum recently released a sneak-peek into the event this year with an imagery of the majestic Eagle and the theme of ‘Rise of the Power’. The Roadshow is touring 50 countries in 2023 (40 countries in 2022) and will be conducted in the month of July-September. As the tradition goes, after completion of the roadshow, the Great Grand Finale of the event will be held in September in Baku, Azerbaijan on September 20- 22. With Year of the Eagle, we are reminded of the great strength and vision of this majestic bird. In many cultures, the eagle symbolizes leadership, power, and vision but most importantly - FOCUS. We believe that these are key qualities that IT leaders need to cultivate in order to succeed in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business environment. WCS200 is much more than just a conference, it is a year-round hive of activity across the globe, dedicated to keeping its finger on the pulse of the sector and communication within the industry alive. The conversation never stops with exclusive invitation only country specific briefings, celebrating success of local CIOs for their contribution & designed to inform the content of the main event. This is supplemented by post event networking session, and advisory boards. As experts in the market, WCS200 shares insight and intelligence throughout the year with its community & celebrate the success of entire industry. The World CIO 200 2023 roadshow is designed to help IT leaders develop and enhance these qualities. Through a series of workshops,

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knowledge-sharing sessions, thought-provoking life experiences, keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking events, we will explore the latest trends and innovations in IT leadership. The World CIO 200 Summit Roadshow is an event that brings together top CIOs from around the world to share knowledge and experiences on topics related to information technology and digital transformation. The event is attended by leading IT companies and organizations, and it provides an opportunity for CIOs to network, learn from peers and industry experts, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in the field of IT. CIO 200 event will identify industry experts and their great achievements from 50 countries, and will honor them with the CIO 200 Awards. THE WINNERS ARE DIVIDED INTO 4 KEY CATEGORIES: l LEGEND CIO: Lifetime achievement awards for more than 20 years of experience l MASTER CIO: Experience of 15-20 years and unparalleled technological experience in the career life span l LEADER CIO: Experience of 10-15 years and multiple domain expertise l NEXT-GEN CIO: Experience of 5-10 years or less and undertaking mammoth projects in a shorter period of time The program will conclude in a grand finale in Baku, Azerbaijan, with the 200 best CIOs chosen from these nations qualifying for The World 200 Awards 2023.

THE WORLD CIO 200 WILL BE A MIX OF PHYSICAL, VIRTUAL, AND HYBRID SESSIONS HELD IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES Morocco

Northern Africa

Jun 1, 2023

Physical

Tunisia

Northern Africa

Jun 1, 2023

Hybrid

Algeria

Northern Africa

Jun 1, 2023

Hybrid

Libya

Northern Africa

Jun 1, 2023

Virtual

Nigeria

Western Africa

Jul 6, 2023

Virtual

Ghana

Western Africa

Jul 6, 2023

Hybrid

Ivory Coast

Western Africa

Jul 6, 2023

Hybrid

Mauritiana

Western Africa

Jul 6, 2023

Hybrid

Ivory Coast

Western Africa

Jul 6, 2023

Hybrid

Ethiopia

Eastern Africa

Jul 6, 2023

Virtual

Tanzania

Eastern Africa

Jul 6, 2023

Virtual

Kenya

Eastern Africa

Jul 6, 2023

Virtual

Uganda

Eastern Africa

Jul 14, 2023

Physical

Zimbawe

Eastern Africa

Jul 14, 2023

Hybrid

Rawanda

Eastern Africa

Jul 14, 2023

Hybrid

Egypt

Northern Africa

Jul 10, 2023

Physical

South Africa

Jul 12, 2023

Hybrid

Botswana

South Africa

Jul 12, 2023

Physical

UAE

GCC

Jul 17, 2023

Physical

Bahrain

GCC

Jul 20, 2023

Physical

Qatar

GCC

Jul 24, 2023

Physical

Kuwait

GCC

Aug 1, 2023

Physical

KSA

GCC

Aug 5, 2023

Physical

Oman

GCC

Aug 7, 2023

Physical

Srilanka

Asia

Aug 1, 2023

Virtual

Brazil

South America

Aug 3, 2023

Virtual

Aug 9, 2023

Virtual

Taiwan

East Asia

Aug 14, 2023

Virtual

Phillipines

South East Asia

Jul 19, 2023

Physical

Malaysia

South East Asia

Jul 24, 2023

Physical

Thailand

South East Asia

Jul 24, 2023

Virtual

Singapore

South East Asia

Jul 28, 2023

Physical

Indonesia

South East Asia

Jul 25, 2023

Physical

Vietnam

South East Asia

Jul 25, 2023

Virtual

Hong Kong

Soth East Asia

Aug 5, 2023

Physical

India

Asia

Aug 24, 2023

Physical

Bangladesh

Asia

Aug 24, 2023

Virtual

Pakistan

Asia

Sep 5, 2023

Physical

Belgium

Europe

Aug 4, 2023

Virtual

Spain

Europe

Aug 24, 2023

Virtual

TURKEY

Europe

Sep 4, 2023

Virtual

Switzerland

Europe

Sep 7, 2023

Physical

Italy

Europe

Sep 7, 2023

Virtual

Netherlands

Europe

Sep 7, 2023

Virtual

France

Europe

Sep 7, 2023

Virtual

Germany

Europe

Aug 24, 2023

Physical

USA

Aug 28, 2023

Physical

Canada

Aug 28, 2023 M AY 2 0 2 3

Virtual MEA

EVENTS

The GITEX Impact 2023 14

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EVENTS

structure, city planning, development, investing, and technology for the creation of tomorrow’s livable cities. GITEX IMPACT will feature over 200 global highlevel speakers, over 150 global exhibitors, over 100 urban tech and ESG tech startups, over 15,000 visitors, over 50 Ministry delegates, over 1,000 delegates, and over 800 1-1 Meetings & Consultations. Over one hundred and twenty Smart City leaders, Government stakeholders, and City Mayors will share their perspectives on the inspiring regional smart city ecosystem and ESG frameworks with the goal of creating sustainable, safer places, and profitable green businesses. This event will serve as a catalyst for the global market to shape a sustainable environment in the coming years. Government, EdTech, Safety & Security, IT & Telecom, Mobility & Transport, Buildings & Infrastructure, Energy & Environment, and Healthcare will be covered by GITEX IMPACT 2023. THE AGENDA OF THE EVENT IS AS FOLLOWS: l Unleashing Innovation-Driven Cities l Quest to Create Hyperconnected Safe Cities l The Pursuit of Smart Buildings l Exploring Sustainable Financing l Sustainable Mobility l Megacities in Motion l Urban Healthcare Ecosystems l Creating Blueprint-Secure Smart Cities l Energy Efficiency as the Primary Fuel in Energy Policy l Shaping Net Zero for Cities

GITEX Global, the largest technology exhibition in the world, will return to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from May 10th to 12th, with the theme ESG Summit and Sustainability. This year will see the gathering of a number of innovative companies that will generate novel ideas to improve business, the economy, society, and culture. This event will bring together the international spectrum of stakeholders required to achieve ESG objectives, which are a global public and private necessity. It will be a gathering of board members and senior executives, top global companies from a variety of industries, prominent public policymakers and non-governmental leaders, innovators, and disruptors. Three days of thought leadership, high-level networking, and business meetings will feature the most influential smart city leaders, mega project owners, and regulators from the Middle East and Africa. GITEX IMPACT is co-located with FUTURE URBANISM, the region’s new exhibition and conference focusing on infra-

THE EVENT’S SPEAKERS WILL BE AS FOLLOWS: l H.E. Saud bin Nasser Al Khusaibi, President, GCC Standardization Organization, KSA l Ahmed Abdelhady, Director of Quality and Environmental, Holding Company for Water and Waste Water, Egypt l H.E. Ali Al Jassim, Chairman, Emirates Green Building Council, United Arab Emirates l Dr. Mohammed Al Muhairi, Infrastructure Development Sector Executive Director, Municipality and Planning Department of Ajman, United Arab Emirates l Andrew Rippon, Smart City Director, The Royal Commission for AlUla, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia l Sofia Mouro, Municipal Director – Urbanism, Lisbon City Council, Portugal l Jan Vapaavuori, Former Mayor of Helsinki & Senior Advisor The event will serve as a venue for showcasing innovative solutions to meet energy needs, end unsustainable consumption patterns, combat climate change, and build the innovative cities of the future.

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EVENTS

ONE Africa Digital Summit spearheads multi-sectoral conference programme at inaugural

GITEX AFRICA 2023 16

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ONE Africa Digital Summit will spearhead a power-packed programme of mind-stretching conference content at the inaugural GITEX AFRICA 2023 in Morocco, unifying government and private sector leaders, policy makers, investors and academics, to steer Africa’s transformation into a single digital market. The one-day summit on 31 May 2023 in Marrakech is poised to be the world’s most influential and outcome-focused forum for dialogues, exchanges and collaborative intentions, accentuating the vast potential of the globe’s youngest continent and shaping the vision for a more connected, sustainable, inclusive, and tech-driven digital economy. Organiser KAOUN International expects impactful partnerships to be announced, from collaborations on digital infrastructure projects and capacity building initiatives, to agreeing on solutions to boost regional interconnection. With more than 80 per cent of Africa’s population having mobile subscription, the digital economy is becoming one of the main drivers of cross-continental growth. This is coupled

with strong talent development and a spike in public and private sector investments. To ensure that positive developments continue at a fast pace, heads of States and Governments adopted a bold strategy to unify the continent into a secure Digital Single Market (DSM) by adopting policies and regulations, and leveraging Africa’s economies at scale. For the common digital market to become a reality, a lot needs to be done with regards to mobilising investments in digital infrastructure and developing the common regulatory frameworks on national and regional levels which will be examined, debated, and pledged during One Africa Digital Summit. That will be one of many lofty goals among specific high-level panel sessions on the day covering crucial topics from the state of play in Africa’s digital economy and fast tracking integrated and inclusive Digital Public Infrastructure, to amplifying Africa’s resilience towards global economic crises, and rolling out 5G connectivity across the continent. An historic launch in the world’s next biggest digital economy One Africa Digital Summit will raise the curtains and set the scene for the inaugural GITEX AFRICA, the continent’s largest all-inclusive tech event, connecting tech titans, governments, SMEs, start-ups, coders, investors, and academia, to accelerate, collaborate, and explore new ventures in the world’s next biggest digital economy. The super-connector event will take place from 31 May-2 June 2023, launched in partnership with the Digital Development Agency (ADD), a strategic public entity leading the Moroccan government’s digital transformation agenda under the authority of the Moroccan Ministry of Digital Transition and Administration Reform. GITEX AFRICA is the first overseas venture for GITEX GLOBAL, the influential tech brand trusted by international tech executives, its record-breaking 42nd edition in October 2022 at the Dubai World Trade Centre attracting more than 170,000 attendees from 176 countries.

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CHANNEL

Nutanix discusses ‘powering digital economy with data-first modernization Nutanix, a leader in hybrid multi-cloud computing, together with technology partner HPE, and channel partner Mannai – HP Solutions, a business unit of Mannai Trading Co. WLL, participated as Gold sponsors at the recently held IDC Qatar Cloud and Datacenter Roadshow in March. Mr. Mohammed Abulhouf, Senior Director

& GM EMEA Emerging Markets at Nutanix, and Mohammad Alrehaili, Managing Director, Middle East at HPE jointly delivered a keynote address entitled ‘Powering digital economy with data-first modernization’. The session (rated a 4.8 out of 5 – the highest score for a speaker and content) was attended by over 180 tech, audit, and compliance executives across government,

banking, finance, education, public services, oil & gas, and healthcare industries. Organizations today require IT infrastructure and services to be deployed faster. While the adoption of hybrid cloud has accelerated, on-premises infrastructure continues to play a major role in most organizations. The HPE GreenLake edge-to-cloud platform brings the cloud experience to apps and data irrespective of where they live—in edges, colocations, and data centers—enabling organizations to free up capital and talent, accelerate what’s next and boost operational and financial flexibility. At the same time, enterprises count on Nutanix software for its flexibility and scalability to run their database services, private cloud, and virtualized desktop infrastructure. HPE and Nutanix jointly deliver a new way to operate and pay for infrastructure – delivering on the promise of the cloud, across key workloads and regulated industries. Together they bring to life an organization’s hybrid and multi-cloud strategy – delivering performance while allowing organizations to eliminate overprovisioning risk, gain greater visibility into consumption and performance, and even access turnkey management services with a fully HPE-managed hybrid cloud solution.

Fortinet survey finds 78% of organizations felt prepared for ransomware attacks Fortinet, the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, unveiled its 2023 Global Ransomware Report. The report is based on a recent global survey conducted by Fortinet and explores cybersecurity leaders’ perspectives on ransomware, particularly how it impacted their organizations in the last year, and their strategies to mitigate an attack. Fortinet’s research revealed there was a large disconnect between respondents’ level of preparedness with existing strategies and their ability to stop a ransomware attack. Although 78% of organizations stated they were “very” or “extremely” prepared to mitigate an attack, the survey found 50% fell victim to ransomware in the last year, and almost half were targeted two or more times. Specifically, four out of the five top challenges to stopping ransomware were people or process related. The second largest challenge was a lack of clarity on how to secure against the

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threat as a result of a lack of user awareness and training, and no clear chain-of-command strategy to deal with attacks. With concerns about ransomware still high and despite a challenging global economic environment, nearly all organizations (91%) expect increased security budgets in the next year. Based on the technologies viewed as most essential to secure against ransomware, organizations were most concerned with IoT Security, SASE, Cloud Workload Protection, NGFW, EDR, ZTNA, and Security Email Gateway. When comparing to 2021, the number of respondents citing ZTNA and Secure Email Gateway increased by nearly 20%. Given email phishing remained the most common attack entry method for the second time, it was promising to see respondents view Secure Email Gateway (51%) with higher importance, however, other essential protections, such as Sandboxing (23%) and Network Segmentation (20%) remained low on the list.

John Maddison, EVP Products and CMO at Fortinet.

CHANNEL

Edgio’s advanced Bot Management Edgio, the platform of choice for speed, security, and simplicity at the edge, today announced availability of their new Advanced Bot Management solution that proactively mitigates a wide range of evolving malicious bots while providing observability into good bots. Leveraging massive amounts of data continuously drawn from the platform’s extensive global deployment, Advanced Bot Manager applies machine learning to detect bots based on both signature and behavioral fingerprinting. The solution runs natively on every server across the entire Edgio global network to inspect all traffic for bots in real time. Bad bots continue to consume resources and overwhelm organizations, accounting for at least a quarter of all internet traffic. Proper bot management is critical to any online business or organization with internet-facing applications. Edgio’s threat research and data science teams built the solution to mitigate a wide range of

prevalent bot attacks, including account takeover (ATO), credential stuffing, fake account creation, gift card fraud, inventory scalping, scraping, application DDoS and more. The solution is easily deployed in minutes and eliminates the need for code changes, SDK integrations or JavaScript injections that add complexity and impact user experience. It is infrastructure and network agnostic, giving customers complete freedom to easily integrate with their cloud, hybrid cloud or on-premises infrastructure. In addition, the Edgio Advanced Bot Manager agentless solution protects both web and mobile apps as well as API endpoints against all bot attacks. Advanced Bot Management provides a simple and predictable pricing model based on the number of bot management policies, not on request volume or traffic. Therefore, the cost does not increase as a customer is getting attacked. The solution is an integral component

Ajay Kapur, CTO and General Manager, Applications, at Edgio. of Edgio’s multi-layered security portfolio, which includes Web Application & API Protection (WAAP), DDoS Protection, Origin Shield, Authoritative DNS, and TLS Encryption for comprehensive web security.

SentinelOne achieves FedRAMP High In-Process designation SentinelOne announced that the SentinelOne Singularity Platform has achieved the FedRAMP High In-Process designation from the FedRAMP PMO. The FedRAMP High designation builds upon SentinelOne’s current status as FedRAMP Moderate. The company is working closely with MindPoint Group to achieve full authorization to operate by the end of the year. Federal agencies are tasked with improving their cybersecurity posture and leveraging next-generatioan capabilities to protect against sophisticated threats. Many agencies are short-staffed and use multiple, disjointed security tools that are difficult to operate and costly to manage. SentinelOne enables agencies to overcome these challenges with Artificial Intelligence-driven context and automation to provide industry-leading protection and response. SentinelOne is committed to delivering innovative and impactful cyber technology solutions that allow public sector agencies to keep up with a growing list of cyber adversaries operating in an increasingly complex cyber threat landscape. SentinelOne Singularity Platform is uniquely designed to arm federal, state and local organizations with the tools they need to automatically identify and respond to threats in real-time and reduce the burden on understaffed and overloaded SOC teams.

Dale McCloskey, Vice President, Federal Sales, SentinelOne.

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Mindware expands distribution to cover Jordan and Iraq Mindware, the leading Value Added Distributor in the Middle East and Africa announced that the company has extended its region of distribution with Dell Technologies to cover Jordan and Iraq. Mindware currently transacts with over 400 channel partners in Jordan and Iraq, including system integrators, corporate and SMB resellers, cloud providers, independent software vendors, integrated service partners, and small computer retail stores. In an effort to drive business, Mindware will conduct a thorough market analysis to understand the needs and preferences of businesses and consumers in these countries; develop and grow the partner’s ecosystem in order to ensure proper market and vertical coverage; target untapped market segments and verticals along with existing and potential partners; propose end-to-end technology solutions that meet the specific needs and

requirements of different verticals; and develop an effective marketing and advertising strategy to promote Dell Technologies’ solutions and services. Across the region, Mindware maintains an extensive ecosystem of more than 4,000 partners, all of whom are skilled in various domains and always supported by the distributor’s team. Mindware employs a dedicated Dell Technologies Business Unit that constantly works closely with the vendor and promotes and deploys solutions with excellent service quality and technical support. The distributor also has been running a dedicated Cloud practice which is fully aligned with Dell Technologies to achieve its vision in the region. The company has been training and enabling its partners to deploy Dell Technologies’ solutions for Cloud migration, which is one of the major digital transformation drivers today for any enterprise.

Toni Azzi, General Manager at Mindware Qatar, Africa, and Levant

Delinea carries strong channel momentum into 2023

Timothy Puccio, Senior Vice President of Global Channels and Alliances, Delinea

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Delinea, a leading provider of solutions that seamlessly extend Privileged Access Management, today detailed 2022 performance results in its global channel that indicate significant momentum entering 2023, highlighted by nearly 30% year-over-year growth in global channel-sourced bookings. As Delinea extend PAM to meet identity and access control requirements of modern, hybrid enterprises, it is imperative that thay also have a successful, enabled channel that can extend their reach into global markets. Their global channel program continued to make huge strides in 2022, setting up for greater success this year as they further expand their footprint. Delinea saw a significant increase in the number of engineer accreditations, attributed to the introduction of Delinea Secret Server boot camps throughout 2022. These intensive five-

day enablement and training events were hosted across regions on five continents, resulting in new reseller partner certifications. The company also rolled out a new Partner Portal in 2022 that improves the ease of doing business with Delinea for VARs, System Integrators, MSPs, and Distributors. Participants in Delinea’s partner channel program who are active in ongoing sales and technical training activities, attractive cash incentives, and merit-based market development programs are frequently the most successful producers in the ecosystem. This makes engaging with Delinea even more advantageous to their bottom line. A low barrier to entry offers many partners within Delinea’s partner community an opportunity to advance their place in the PAM market, which continues to grow at an impressive pace.

CHANNEL

Sprinklr introduces new self-service plan and Chat GPT-enabled tools Sprinklr, the unified customer experience management platform for modern enterprises, today announced the launch of a self-service version of its industry-leading social media management solution Sprinklr Social. Social media teams can now access Sprinklr Social on a self-service basis by subscribing to its ‘Advanced’ Plan. This out-of-the-box version of Sprinklr Social includes publishing, engagement, and reporting tools integrated with OpenAI’s generative AI models to help enterprise social media teams create better content, more quickly, with fewer resources.

Sprinklr Social (Formerly Sprinklr Social Engagement & Sales) has long served many of the world’s most iconic brands. However, smaller enterprise social media teams have expressed the need for out-of-the-box solutions that are quick to deploy and easy to use. 2023 is the year that the enterprise finally puts AI to work at scale. For more than a decade Sprinklr has helped many of the most iconic brands process oceans of unstructured customer experience data from 30+ digital channels and millions of data sources to identify and understand trends, drive better-informed business decisions, and make their own customers

happier. With an out-of-the-box, self-service option, they can bring the most powerful social media platform on the market to enterprise social teams of any size. Generative AI has become table stakes as quickly as any technology in recent memory. However, differentiation is not through integration alone. Sprinklr is well positioned to help enterprises apply this technology effectively because they have built an architecture from the ground up to unify, centralize, and ensure the quality of all CX data on one platform. The quality of Sprinklr data will make Sprinklr generative AI game-changing.

Tenable chosen by Wärtsilä to solve Challenges Tenable, the Exposure Management company, has confirmed that Wärtsilä has selected Tenable OT Security to manage its operational technology (OT) asset inventory collection and provide holistic visibility into its OT environment. The deployment allows Wärtsilä to answer its customers’ questions around asset delivery, reducing supply chain risks and taking a proactive stance on cybersecurity. Wärtsilä will extend the Tenable solution to its customers, allowing them to visualize their own OT environments. Previously, this information was collected manually with the data being reported using spreadsheets. This process was time consuming and susceptible to errors and the data could have inconsistencies both in the way it was collected and reported. With Tenable OT Security, an industrial security solution for the modern industrial enterprise, Wärtsilä can identify assets, com-

Amir Hirsh, general manager of OT, Tenable. municate risk and prioritize action all while enabling its IT, security and OT teams to work better together. The detail provided by Tenable OT Security — which includes firmware versions, serial numbers, anomalous network activity and more — allows Wärtsilä to report to customers

accurate and consistent information about their OT environment. This includes information about current project delivery whilst also detailing cyber risks within their environments that need to be addressed allowing both parties to move beyond reactive cybersecurity to a proactive exposure management program. As OT networks continue to grow, converge with IT and become more complex, they introduce new risks and challenges for the organization to address. Understanding the nuances within the organization and broader industry is key to implementing an effective OT security strategy. All teams — those tasked with securing IT and OT — should have complete visibility of the entire infrastructure and relevant interdependencies. This means knowing exactly which assets exist, their configurations and full situational awareness of both sides of the house, empowering the security team to see and understand the big picture.

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Barracuda signs VAD agreement with Ingram Micro Barracuda Networks, Inc., has announced a distribution agreement with Ingram Micro for the Gulf region. The relationship enables Ingram Micro to offer Barracuda’s complete portfolio of email, application and cloud, network, and data protection solutions to resellers through its widespread channel network across the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Yemen, and Pakistan. The channel remains at the epicentre of their success and ongoing expansion across the Middle East. Acting as an extension of the local team, Ingram Micro will serve to expand their on-ground presence across the region. Their expertise aligns with their commitment to their valued partners by strengthening their enablement capabilities. Together, they will empower

Giovanni Goduti, VP, EMEA Sales, Barracuda and Dr. Ali Baghdadi, SVP & Chief Country Executive, Mea Ingram Micro. their partners to identify opportunities in the market – particularly in the education and mid-market segments – and confidently bid for deals. As a distributor, Ingram Micro will focus on providing channel organisations with support in onboarding, product training, and certification, as well as on developing the POCs, demos, and presentations needed to advance opportunities with end customers. In its efforts to accelerate its partners’ ability to go to market with comprehensive solutions

built on best-of-breed technologies, Ingram Micro will collaborate with Barracuda to provide solution bundles that address some of the most pressing needs of regional businesses. Among these are the combination of Microsoft 365 with Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud Backup to deliver search and restore for Office 365 data including Teams, Exchange Online, SharePoint, and OneDrive; enhanced Microsoft 365 email security with Barracuda Email Protection; and secure, zero-trust-based access to Microsoft Azure with Barracuda’s CloudGen Firewall.

BWT Alpine F1 teams up with Sprinklr BWT Alpine F1 Team is pleased to confirm a three-year partnership renewal with Sprinklr (NYSE: CXM) as official partner and Unified-CXM platform provider for the team and the wider Alpine brand. The team will leverage all four Sprinklr product suites – Sprinklr Service, Sprinklr Insights, Sprinklr Marketing, and Sprinklr Social – as part of its project to maximize engagement with its loyal fans. Sprinklr’s Unified-CXM platform will help the team future-proof its marketing, customer service, and engagement strategy to stay competitive and continuously evolve their experience strategy. BWT Alpine F1 Team is one of the most exciting brands in the world of professional sports. Sprinklr is proud to support their

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vision for growing fan and community engagement as F1 continues to expand in popularity. They are also proud of the cultural shifts they are making to create more inclusive, equal, and fair opportunities for everyone who wants to participate. They are delighted to extend the partnership for three more years with the BWT Alpine F1 Team to help them put all fans at the center of their digital strategy. Alpine uses Sprinklr’s products to listen to the world of F1 across more than 100 million sources, taking unstructured data and transforming it into actionable insights, which allow Alpine’s marketing and content creation team to shape more targeted and personalized content for Alpine’s fans and connect with them in real time.

Ragy Thomas, Founder and CEO, Sprinklr

REAL LIFE

IFZA partners with World Free Zone organisation IFZA Dubai, the UAE’s most dynamic and truly international Free Zone, has announced its support of the 2023 Annual International Conference & Exhibition, hosted by the World Free Zones Organization (World FZO), taking place from 1-3 May 2023. The signing ceremony took place on 14 February 2023 at IFZA Headquarters and was attended by Dr. Samir Hamrouni, World FZO CEO, and Martin G. Pedersen, IFZA Chairman. The World FZO’s flagship annual international conference draws more than 1,000 delegates from 120 countries each year. It facilitates an in-depth exchange of ideas and information as well as holds strategic discussions among the Free Trade Zone and investor community through addresses, keynote speeches, and panel discussions. Previous editions of the conference were hosted in Montego Bay (Jamaica), Barcelona,

and Cartagena among others. This year, participants will focus on the theme: ‘Global Trade 2.0: Zones, An Ecosystem of Trust Driving Prosperity’, and how a Free Zone’s network of trust can be leveraged to drive competitiveness, attract FDIs, and gain buy-in from the public and policymakers. The two-day event will focus on five-panel discussions, which highlight themes on designing, building, and sustaining ecosystems of trust, mitigating and managing disruptive events, keeping zones dynamic to deliver prosperity, navigating the changing rules of corporate governance, and the digital tools used to help build trust. The event also includes a special session on achieving net zero targets and decarbonization of Free Zones. At the conference, IFZA will be participating in several thought leadership discussions alongside global industry leaders.

Martin G. Pedersen, IFZA Chairman and Dr. Samir Hamrouni, World FZO CEO.

AiFlux and Software AG collaborate to propel energy sector transformation AiFlux Limited, creator of intuitive technology platforms for the energy sector to unlock the true value of heavy assets, has entered into a full-spectrum partnership with Software AG to jointly fuel opportunities in the sector. The collaboration will augment transformational initiatives and allied industries resulting in the creation of fully connected and simplified enterprises. The partnership is a result of successful capabilities created through Cumulocity IoT and Integration, across AiFlux’s enterprise-wide systems. Under the extended collaboration, both companies will jointly deliver high-level digital expertise and best practices to enterprises in the energy & utilities industry and across government entities. This will be extended through the well-proven capabilities of Software AG’s suite of solutions delivered via the SiteFlux

(Left to right) Mr. Hani El Kurd, CEO of, AiFlux and Rami Kichli – Senior Vice President, of Middle East and Turkey for Software AG. Connected Resources SaaS platform, founded on Cumulocity IoT. Both companies will facilitate customers to achieve a truly connected status by unlocking maximum business growth potential for energy, utilities, and public sector enterprises. The energy sector is in transition, experiencing fundamental change at a rapid pace – from rapidly declining renewable energy costs to widespread electrification and technological breakthroughs, thereby driving this energy transition. These changes are urging compa-

nies to focus on improving asset and industrial efficiencies for enhanced revenue generation and effective resource utilization. With joint aspirations and common goals of AiFlux and Software AG, they aim to facilitate sustainable simplified truly connected enterprises and the creation of end-to-end fully digital ecosystems. Software AG’s Cumulocity IoT and analytics along with the webMethods Integration stack is highly regarded and consistently ranked as leaders by multiple industry analysts such as Gartner and Forrester to name a few.

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awareness, professional training and certification while contributing to the development of the local cybersecurity ecosystem. This collaborative approach helps forge a robust talent pool within the local cybersecurity ecosystem in the UAE. Moreover, ongoing collaboration between (ISC)² UAE Chapter and

Huawei helps to proactively respond to UAE’s capacity-building efforts in cybersecurity. As the leading global organization involved in cybersecurity training and certifications, (ISC)² UAE Chapter has been consistent in their support for UAE’s cybersecurity, digital security protection and digital trust with world-class skilled experts, advanced ideas, and practical knowledge. Their efforts also help furnish UAE cybersecurity professionals with the skills and competencies to safeguard the country’s digital economy. Further, their partnership with Huawei efficiently expands their interaction with the local cybersecurity ecosystem to help protect the country’s critical assets.” The collaborative exhibition between (ISC)² UAE Chapter and Huawei at GISEC is one in a series of partnerships to develop a strong and vibrant local cybersecurity ecosystem. Simultaneously, the presentations at GISEC mark a new milestone in strengthening a cybersecurity ecosystem with talented and professional cybersecurity experts. This collaborative showcase is an excellent model for industry players and professional associations in the UAE. Such collaboration can also encourage more organizations to join to further boost the ecosystem.

& Central Asia, on behalf of Huawei and witnessed by HE Dr Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cyber Security, UAE Government. The world faces an acute cybersecurity talent shortage, with 56% of security professionals globally saying that cybersecurity staff shortages are putting their organizations at risk. It is, therefore, imperative that all stakeholders work together to enhance capacity and skills development in the sector. Huawei participated at GISEC Global 2023 as the Lead Strategic Partner, where it displayed

the diverse range of its latest cybersecurity solutions, innovations for digital transformation, and successful use cases. At the event, Huawei was also awarded the Network Security Innovator of the Year at the ITP.net Security Leadership Awards held against the backdrop of GISEC Global 2023 for its Multilayer Ransomware Protection Solution. Judges picked Huawei for developing the industry’s first Data Center Multilayer Ransomware Protection solution, transforming cyber security protection capabilities from passive response to proactive defense.

(ISC)² UAE Chapter partners with strategic partner Huawei (ISC)² UAE Chapter, the world-leading and advanced cybersecurity expert organization, partnered with Huawei to showcase its portfolio and share its expertise in the cybersecurity industry with visitors during the recently concluded GISEC Global 2023. The joint participation aimed at promoting cybersecurity

Huawei and Cloud Security Alliance UAE Chapter sign MoU The Cloud Security Alliance UAE Chapter, a non-profit professional organization dedicated to defining and raising awareness of best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, and Huawei, have signed an MoU to promote cloud security awareness, professional training and certification. The MoU was signed during Gulf Information Security Expo & Conference Global 2023 by Shivani Jariwala, President of Cloud Security Alliance UAE Chapter, and Frank Dai, President of Huawei Cloud Middle East

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#changemakers #2023trailblazers

9TH EDITION

2023

Honoring the best #iamacatalyst

JUNE 2023 SINGAPORE I INDIA

BROUGHT BY

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNERS

I N AS S O C I AT I O N

COVER STORY

How to Build a Shockproof Supply Chain Strategy Businesses rely significantly on a reliable supply chain system to manage the entire manufacturing process, from the procurement of raw materials to the distribution of finished goods to customers. Integration, operations, procuring, and distribution are the four elements of the supply chain that collaborate to create a cost-effective and competitive path to competition.

turing sites, and how you relate to larger environmental and social goals. As you look out at the long term, five years from now the strategy you put into place should not only be able to support your company’s projected growth but also ensure that risk mitigation tactics are built in.

hat are the typical challenges that a channel partner faces in large and medium-sized businesses regarding Supply Chain?

For supply chain leaders, it isn’t a stretch to say it has been a street fight over the last 30 months to execute steadily on cost, quality, and delivery — the three pillars of any top-performing supply chain. And the challenges continue, which makes it more critical than ever to make sure your company’s supply chain is as shockproof as possible. The goal: Seeing your enterprise through immediate needs as well as mid-term and longerterm growth.

How companies can counter the challenges in their e-commerce and supply chain departments? I think companies can think both strategically and tactically to understand where they are now and where they want to go. It encompasses everything from the relationships you have with your partners, the knowledge you have about your manufac-

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What strategies can companies adopt for the effective functioning of their organisational structure? Any 12-month plan is by its nature very tactical with some strategic activities in play. The 12- to 36-month view should become “stra-tactical” — tactical but with a strategy for crossing the chasm in terms of developing more mature processes. Three to five years out is more visionary around where you want to be with foundational tenants in place — consider your must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key elements for building a shockproof strategy.

What are your thoughts on Supply chain collaboration or the relationship factor? Developing strong relationships with both upstream and downstream partners and with customers is critical. With suppliers, active listening regularly helps facilitate communication and collaboration. Talking to supply chain peers among your customers, meanwhile, can help them understand what you are going through, and help you understand

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There’s nothing like getting down on a factory floor and watching things happen. It’s a great way to look for opportunities for optimization because you can see things that others miss. It can be as simple as asking somebody on-site, “Why does this product go from here to there and back again? Why not keep it in one place.” Identifying small efficiencies can add up.

How can one balance the tactical with the visionary? Even factoring in anomalies like the pandemic’s urgent need to focus on the tactical, any mature supply chain strategy requires a healthy balance of both the tactical and the visionary. Day to day, you must continue to sharpen performance measurement and management techniques. At the same time, it’s incumbent upon the leadership team to shape and define the direction you’re heading and the measures of success for when we get there. Here’s an analogy: You might be able to drive a car fast, but if you don’t know where you’re going, that’s irrelevant.

What is your opinion on Over-index on mitigating and managing risk? Scenario planning — reflecting on “if X happens, how are we going to respond” — is an invaluable exercise that can build muscle for dealing with the unexpected. Creating a business continuity or disaster recovery plan and thinking it’s one and done-is not a good practice. You must keep it recent. To maximize its effectiveness, view it as a living document: If there is a tsunami somewhere, taking an outdated document out of the drawer won’t do you a lot of good.

Mike Fitzgerald VP Operations, Pure Storage

what their needs and desires are, what their concerns are, and what information they need to be able to quell anxiety from their teams. A side benefit for your colleagues on the sales side of the house: Having this level of visibility can improve your company’s ability to be responsive to customers’ product and service needs.

What is your view on The “factory rat” mindset? I’m a factory rat, and it is a trait to encourage on your team.

How companies can commit to reducing environmental impact? Prioritizing environmental and social aspects of your supply chain strategy can go a long way in helping your organization meet and uphold its commitments, by ensuring the ethical treatment of workers, for example. It is also good for the bottom line. One option is to look at nearshoring strategies that keep supply closer to demand. This carries benefits for minimizing disruptions, reducing logistics associated with moving products, and reducing carbon footprint/environmental impact. This shortening of your supply chain can also be a catalyst for driving product packaging redesigns to promote recycling and reuse. The pandemic has forced us all to get a sustained view of the impact of stretched lead times for products and last-minute cancellations from suppliers. The ability to meet customer demands has never been more complex. Creating and maintaining a shockproof supply chain strategy can put your company in a position of strength for meeting any new headwinds. ë

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Sustainability is critical for long-term success NETSCOUT is committed to promoting sustainability through its products and services. The company’s cybersecurity solutions are designed to help its customers protect their data and reduce their environmental impact.

analytics to empower its customers to accelerate and fortify their digital transformation initiatives.

How can companies navigate digital transformation in the current and future technology landscape?

hat are the core business and activities of your organization?

NETSCOUT protects the connected world from cyberattacks, performance, and availability disruptions through the company’s unique visibility platform and solutions powered by its pioneering deep packet inspection at scale technology. NETSCOUT serves the world’s largest enterprises, service providers, and public sector organizations. NETSCOUT’s market and technology leadership stems from combining its patented smart data technology with smart analytics. Their unique Smart Data technology and continuous monitoring are designed to penetrate the many layers of services, applications, and hybrid cloud servers that make up enterprise digital architectures. The company offers comprehensive, real-time visibility and

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To remain competitive and keep up with the connected world of digital business, forward-thinking businesses should consider discarding the “old” perspective to achieve new digital methods for consumer engagement and business growth. Our increasingly interconnected world, fueled by exponential development in mobile devices, high-speed broadband, 4G, and connected ‘things,’ will place even greater demands on data-driven business. In this digital landscape, harnessing insights from data or smart data is therefore critical. It will enable the transformation required to stay ahead of the emerging trends and disruptions affecting many firms.

What is end-to-end supply chain visibility, and why is it important for businesses to achieve it? Manufacturers have long recognized the value of implementing cutting-edge technology and best design practices to manage operations and services, such as updating automation processes, increasing efficiency, and retaining tighter control over the supply chain. With IoT, which helps streamline and automate operations, analytics, which drives global initiatives, and hybrid cloud, which in turn enables CRM,

COVER STORY

with timely and clear insights. When this occurs, the organization can consistently maintain high levels of production, minimize costs, shorten delivery times, and acquire operational agility to match supply with demand.

Modernizing and automating the supply chain has become one of the top priorities in the agenda of business transformation. There is a dire need to readdress and rethink the supply chain network and call for a more agile and resilient technology that can future-proof the global supply chain. What’s your opinion on this? Volume is everything in mass manufacturing situations. ‘Build, sell, ship, bill,’ is the mantra. Since finished goods cannot be stored in most high-production situations, any system disruption can be costly. Moreover, because most multinational manufacturers have plants all over the world, any disruption to IT systems and services might have an impact on the entire value chain, from order processing to manufacturing lines, shipping, and accounts receivable. As a result, organizations are constantly searching for technology advancements to streamline and reinvent operations. Companies also need business analytics powered by smart data that is well-structured, contextual, available in real-time, and based on end-toend pervasive visibility across the entire organization. To build a truly future-proof supply chain, organizations must gain critical insights into service delivery, business operations, and other vital business performance indicators.

Discuss the role of supply chain automation in promoting sustainability. Gaurav Mohan VP, SAARC & Middle East, NETSCOUT

ERP, and other services, new opportunities have emerged. Now, IT systems and services encompass everything from order processing, production line automation, shipping, supply chain logistics, and accounts to CRM, CAD/ CAM design, and even DNS availability. Any disruption in a highly connected production system, where there is no ‘off button,’ can result in a production stoppage or slowdown, costing the organization both time and money. To triage performance issues and ensure service delivery, the IT department must have end-to-end visibility

Many organizations are prioritizing supply chain automation to streamline their operations. Automation can optimize various processes, including routing, delivery orchestration, hub management, distribution, and international logistics. Many organizations struggle to achieve their sustainability goals because their supply chains are characterized by extremely dynamic logistical movements and frequent disruptions. Automation can assist enterprises in maintaining operational continuity while reducing their carbon footprint. ë

NETSCOUT is committed to giving back to the community through various charitable initiatives. The company supports organizations that work on issues such as education, health, and poverty reduction, and encourages its employees to volunteer their time and resources. NETSCOUT’s sustainability initiatives demonstrate the company’s commitment to creating a more sustainable future, both within its operations and in the wider world.

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Turning data into value is more complicated than ever Software AG simplifies the integration of transactional, device, and process data to power the data foundation at the core of your business.

hat are the core business and activities of your organization?

At Software AG, we simplify the connected world and deliver the modern experiences that employees, partners, and customers expect. Our technology creates the digital backbone that integrates applications, devices, data, and clouds; empowers streamlined processes; and connects “things” like sensors, devices, and machines via our industry-leading suite across integration & API management, IoT & analytics, and business transformation.

As a vendor, what is the challenge that you see a channel partner faces when it comes to the transformation of organizations across large and medium-sized businesses? Today’s logistics and distribution world continues to struggle, facing supply chain execution challenges in maintaining shorter fulfillment requirements, decreased cost, and on-time deliveries. Businesses hence need to identify the targeted need for digitalization to develop relevant and crucial use cases for today’s application in the industry. Therefore, in 2023 vendors, and channel partners are playing a vital role in enabling organizations to develop focused

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digital transformation initiatives that immediately impact operations. Speaking of use cases, where there is a process in business, mining can help. Some of the most crucial process mining use cases to improve business operations include: l Customer experience: Identify any customer process that takes longer to resolve than others and ensure the right information to the customer is provided at the right time. l Supply chain management: Analyse logistical operations to identify the weak links in the supply chain and become more resilient and less vulnerable to disruptions. l IoT process improvement: Identify happy paths in your productions to increase efficiency and lower cost. l Procure to pay: Optimize procurement by eliminating payment term discrepancies and maverick buying. l Order to cash: Maximize touchless orders, reduce order-to-delivery cycle time, and ultimately speed up payment collection.

How do you see end-to-end supply chain visibility, and why is it important for businesses to achieve it? Modern manufacturing is an intricate web of supply chains and one disruption can leave businesses vulnerable. It is undoubtedly vital to maintaining a lean structure for businesses to insulate themselves from unseen risk. The solution lies in implementing a digital supply chain that provides end-to-end visibility, allows right-time respon-

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Discuss the role of supply chain automation in promoting sustainability and how you empower your customers to achieve it. Sustainability is only possible with optimized processes in place. It is imperative to integrate sustainability into the process management of the business itself. Mitigating climate risks, ensuring compliance with laws and regulations, and maintaining a brand reputation to stay ahead of the curve are all in line with achieving organizational goals.

What impact does digital transformation have on operations and overall innovation? Strategically delivered digital transformation implemented in line with an organization’s business goals delivers true innovation. At Software AG, we empower our customers to build sustainable future ready simplified connected enterprises. We thereby enable fourth-generation cities, modernize government processes, empower and deliver efficient and personalized citizen-centric experiences, accelerate business transformation, and build powerful-data-driven IoT and Integration ecosystems.

Vlad Postelnicu Director Alliances and Strategic Partnerships, Middle East & Turkey, Software AG

siveness, and ensures maximum resilience. Software AG’s Process mining stated above enables organizations to optimize the supply chain network to achieve resilience and therefore economies of scale. Not paying attention to meeting customer needs more reliably and remaining ahead of the curve when supply chain issues occur, end-to-end visibility can provide insight into all of the upstream and downstream links in an organization’s supply chain. The critical aspects of a supply chain visibility solution include: 1. Enables every supply chain participant to connect to the network easily and cost-effectively 2. Takes a format-agnostic approach to partner communications 3. Ensures flexibility in prioritizing responses to issues, customers, and suppliers

In general, what do your customers see as key advantages and disadvantages of technology adoption and the overall current and future technological landscapes? Digital transformation has clear advantages that customers see and that include improved efficiency, enhanced customer experience, increased innovation, greater agility, and improved data-decision making and disadvantages of implementation challenges, resistance to change, the potential for job losses, etc. However, in today’s times, it is most important for, businesses to be able to deliver an immediate impact on the end customer/ end user with digitalization initiatives. Technology adoption today has become very specific and the use case is driven vs. generic largescale implementations earlier. This is a significant benefit from the customer’s point of view when it comes to technology adoption vs. not witnessing the immediate desired impact on the end user.

When data flows freely across applications, devices, data, and clouds, you can accelerate outcomes, that is why the largest companies in the world trust Software AG to help simplify the connected world.

What are your current expectations from channel partners and the larger ecosystem? Mutual and synergized goals remain a vital part of the combined vendor-partner strategy as it combines resources and expertise to garner optimum value for the customer and results in creating a profitable and fruitful ecosystem for everyone involved. Moreover, it is less a transactional perspective and more a longterm vision that brings success to life. ë

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New technologies can fuel business growth Shipsy empowers businesses to save costs, boost productivity, predict delivery failures, ensure sustainability, enhance CX, and build self-governing supply chains through their 25+ modules.

Soham Chokshi CEO & Co-Founder Shipsy

hat are the core business and activities of your organisation?

Shipsy’s smart logistics management platform empowers global businesses to automate, optimize, orchestrate, track, and simplify end-to-end logistics operations. We empower businesses to save costs, boost productivity, predict delivery failures, ensure sustainability, enhance CX, and build selfgoverning supply chains through our 25+ modules. These include digital CX, route optimization, ShipsyBI, book

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engine, hub ops and mid-mile management, shipment execution, container tracking, finance operations, multi-carrier management, and more.

What are the typical challenges that a channel partner faces in large and medium-sized businesses? It’s critical to provide channels with hands-on training on products to display our solutions’ full potential to customers. Other areas that need focus will be improving the ability of channel partners to provide complete visibility of sales opportunities, customizing solution demonstration based on the customers’ unique challenges, and adhering to SLAs.

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In general, what are the advantages and disadvantages of the current and future technological landscapes? Shipsy’s partner program helps boost revenue, enhance domain authority, and market brand to improve reach.

What is end-to-end supply chain visibility, and why is it important for businesses to achieve it? End-to-end supply chain visibility enables realtime tracking of goods’ journeys across various touchpoints. It also entails transparency over data flow, finances, drivers and vehicles, and field operations. This brings numerous qualitative and quantitative benefits for an organization, such as curbing cost leakages, saving person-hours, mitigating risks, improving logistics operations and customer service, etc.

Discuss the role of supply chain automation in promoting sustainability. Automation-powered route planning and optimization engines automate route and vehicle selection. Such modern technologies help reduce the miles traveled per package and ensure that the miles traveled are greener. They factor in consignment data to automatically prioritize eco-friendly modes of transportation, helping businesses lower their carbon footprint.

How do you think digital transformation affects a company’s brand name? Digital transformation helps businesses to get data-driven insights into their operations. It allows them to leverage new-age technologies such as AI, ML, automation, Big Data, etc., to optimize and automate logistical operations and further enhance decision-making through actionable insights. It helps ensure on-time deliveries, real-time delivery visibility, flexible payments, personalized delivery experiences, and more, associating a brand with positive customer experiences.

What impact does digital transformation have on job roles and department responsibilities? Digitization offers greater opportunities for the gig economy, ensures high productivity levels, and helps optimize resource utilization. Digital transformation allows departments to ensure faster, data-driven decision-making, leverage analytics to constantly identify optimization pockets, unearth opportunities to save costs, predict failures, build proactive supply chains, and boost customer experience.

Modern technologies like AI, ML, and predictive and prescriptive analytics are helping businesses save costs, identify new revenue streams, boost productivity, drastically improve the management of 3PLs and provide personalized delivery services. Creating strong privacy policies around the application of disruptive technologies and investing in building robust datasecurity infrastructures will only help businesses accelerate the adoption of technologies like AI.

As digital culture amongst the next generation of workers and potential customers grows, how are you changing your products’ look and feel brand, and social appeal? The human element is critical while building B2B software. Today, individual users in enterprises are exposed to fantastic applications in their personal life. Imagine how easily we order food, groceries, medicines, and retail items. We need to provide enterprise users with similar experiences. For instance, Shipsy enables business users to track shipments in real-time and access accurate ETAs. Raise vehicle requests, identify invoicing errors, onboard riders, and more, all in real-time and with a few clicks.

Modernising and automating the supply chain has become one of the top priorities in the agenda of business transformation. There is a dire need to readdress and rethink the supply chain network and call for a more agile and resilient technology to future-proof the global supply chain. What’s your opinion on this? Investing in advanced technologies such as AI will help make global supply chains more resilient by accurately predicting and proactively addressing delivery failures. For instance, besides automatically gauging and alerting the delivery manager if delivery will be delayed, the system will also suggest remedial actions, such as assigning the delivery to another driver, to avoid breaching delivery SLAs. Similar use cases can be mirrored when moving goods across borders to drastically reduce transportation risks. Such predictive and prescriptive capabilities can be extremely useful in real-time incident management, demand management, courier performance monitoring, and incentive management.

What are your current expectations from vendors, stakeholders, and consultants? We all need to collaborate and work towards transforming logistics using AI, ML, Predictive and Prescriptive Analytics, and other state-of-the-art technologies. It will build more wellconnected, agile, resilient, and proactive supply chains. In conclusion, new technologies can fuel business growth by increasing efficiency, enhancing customer experience, improving decision-making, increasing scalability, and providing a competitive advantage. Businesses need to stay up-to-date with new technologies and adopt them when necessary to stay ahead of the competition. ë

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The Next Generation Launchpad for Blockchain Gaming & Metaverses Enjinstarter is the premiere IDO & INO launchpad for gaming, metaverse & P2E projects.

Vasseh Ahmad, Managing Director of Enjinstarter MENA.

What are the typical challenges faced by large and medium-sized businesses in your industry? hat are the core business and activities of your organization?

Enjinstarter is a launchpad and incubator for promising Web3 gaming, metaverse, and entertainment startups, and an advisory company that helps Web2 and Web3 companies looking to implement or augment their Web3 solutions. We are also a strong supporter of Web3 sustainability projects.

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One of the biggest challenges is crypto asset price volatility. High prices generate a lot more mainstream interest and give rise to an increased number of projects. The opposite is true when prices are low. We feel that continued investor education and ease of adoption can help smoothen these challenges. The other major challenge is the fluidity of regulations from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Dubai and the UAE are making great strides in this regard by implementing a coherent and consistent regulatory framework.

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Discuss the role of Web3 in promoting sustainability. Web3 brings with it two primary advantages for sustainability. The first is the ability to represent climate assets—such as carbon credits—on-chain through a process called asset tokenisation. This unlocks the liquidity of these assets and introduces a level of trust and transparency that the carbon markets desperately need. This also enables retaillevel participation and contribution towards climate protection initiatives. The second is the possibility of spinning up decentralised autonomous organisations to collectively manage funds earmarked for sustainability projects, which can allow all token holders the flexibility to participate and support projects that resonate strongly for them.

How do you think digital transformation affects a company’s brand name? In today’s world where technology is advancing rapidly, it’s important to demonstrate to your stakeholders that you are taking the necessary steps to maintain your competitive advantage by adopting new technologies and digital processes. Businesses that fall behind the curve can easily be replaced. Over time, we’ve come to recognise that companies who commit to consistent modernisation are perceived positively by their customers, employees, and other key stakeholders. Web3 is a good example. Nike, for instance, was quick to implement Web3 solutions as a means to engage customers in new ways. Starbucks and others have seen similar success in experimenting with Web3-based loyalty solutions.

What impact does digital transformation have on job roles and department responsibilities? Digital transformation often means creating new job roles and making others redundant. However, we see technology as an enabler that creates efficiencies that allow better focus on creative and high-value tasks. It enables data-driven decisionmaking and a stronger focus on improving customer experience.

Interestingly, if we look at companies integrating Web3 solutions, we don’t see many roles being made redundant. On the contrary, new roles are being created, such as community manager, blockchain, metaverse architect, and blockchain forensics analyst. Marketing departments, for example, are having to take on greater responsibility with Web3 solutions. The metaverse and NFTs have created a whole new channel for consumer engagement, so marketers have had to learn quickly and think outside the box.

In general, what are the advantages and disadvantages of the current and future technological landscapes? We all know that technology continues to evolve rapidly. Sometimes the change is a major advancement with far-reaching impact, other times it’s a fad that is gone as fast as it arrives. The current technological landscape has been dominated by Web3 and AI. Both offer commercial and reputational advantages, such as increased efficiency and improved decision-making processes. They also come with significant barriers to adoption, such as the cost of implementation and security risks. Companies need to leverage the knowledge and experience of specialised service providers to get the most value from these technologies. Looking to the future, we’re likely to see Web3 and AI mature and become more accessible.

As digital culture amongst the next generation of workers and potential customers grows, how are you changing the look and feel brand and the social appeal of your services? As a Web3 solutions provider, we’re placing a major focus on education. We need, as an industry, to help our potential customers evolve their knowledge of what Web3 can do and the value it can deliver. One of the ways we are addressing this is through the launch of our Afterburner education program. Afterburner is designed to shed light on how Web3 works, from terminology to tokenisation. We’re also emphasising sustainability. The climate is in crisis and we need to take collective action so that the earth remains liveable for future generations.

What are your current expectations from vendors, stakeholders, and consultants? One of our core aims is to increase awareness and adoption of Web3 and its significant advantages. We hope that our stakeholders will continue to explore the endless possibilities and experiment with the technology as the evolution continues. Whether it’s finding ways to represent real-world assets as NFTs, establishing a metaverse presence, or setting up a DAO to govern a climate initiative, there are several ways in which Web3 can add value, bolster a brand, and prepare a company for the future. Enjinstarter aids in bringing together gamers, guilds, publishers, gaming studios, etc. to build a sustainable metaverse gaming & entertainment ecosystem. ë

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Sustainability: A key focus for business operations Veritas Technologies, a California-based company that provides data management solutions, has made sustainability a key focus of its business operations. The company believes that sustainability is critical to its long-term success and to creating a better world, and has set ambitious targets to drive progress in this area.

he latest research from Veritas comes at a very apt time for the UAE, with Cop 28 set to take place here later this year and 2023 being the Year of Sustainability. What were some of the main findings from this research?

This is indeed an exciting time for us to launch the findings of our study that focused on the impact of data-related pollution. The UAE has announced its commitment to curbing greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain, and as one of the region’s – if not the world’s – leaders in digital transformation, the impact of data storage on carbon footprint must be understood so that organisations can scale up action and support the nation’s journey towards net zero by 2050. There are some very interesting findings from UAE survey respondents within this research. For example, our study found

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that there is a high level of concern amongst UAE consumers about the environmental impact of poor data management by organisations. A majority (60 percent) of respondents in the UAE said that they are concerned about environmental pollution and avoidable energy wastage caused by online data storage. The UAE ranks third highest in the world in this sentiment, next only to China (65%) and France (62%), and significantly higher than the global average of 50 percent. Furthermore, compared to just 47 percent globally, nearly two-thirds (60%) of UAE respondents said they would stop buying from a company if they knew it was wilfully causing environmental damage by not controlling how unnecessary or unwanted data is managed.

To what extent do businesses storing unnecessary data harm the environment? Today with increased digitalisation of processes, data centres run 24x7 and are estimated to be using up as much as 8 percent of all electricity generated globally. Most of these centres are powered by fossil fuels and generate about the same amount of CO2 as the airline industry, which is why the opening of a solar-powered data centre by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority is such a welcome move. But what makes it even more significant is understanding that much of the data stored in these centres is irrelevant. Typically half of the data that enterprises store is redundant, obsolete, or trivial (ROT).

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It is, therefore, now business-critical for enterprises that handle large volumes of data to consult with data management specialists to get the best tools and advice to manage and secure their data in the most effective way possible. The opaque understanding of where data is stored is further impacted by the adoption of a multi-cloud provider strategy.

What are some of the consequences of improper data management for businesses? I would like to highlight one of the less discussed – but extremely important – consequences of improper data management, and that relates to employee efficiency, productivity, and profitability. On average, employees lose two hours a day searching for data, resulting in a 16 percent drop in workforce efficiency. Conversely, organisations that invest in the effective day-to-day management of their data have reported cost savings and better employee productivity as a result.

What steps can businesses take to start addressing and mitigating the environmental pollution caused by data storage?

Yudum Yonak, Channel Director of International Emerging Region, Veritas Technologies

The first step is to implement a data management strategy that helps eliminate ROT and dark data and focus on business-critical data. As another of our studies revealed, more than half (53%) of UAE organisations do not have full visibility of their data. For enterprises handling vast volumes of data, addressing this challenge needs to be part of a full and ongoing data management and protection programme. Enterprises handling large volumes of data can consult with data protection and management specialists to get the best tools and advice. These experts can guide them through sorting out their data with data visibility tools, setting up management policies and protocols to keep important data and destroy waste data, and the adoption of AI and machine learning software help to make this data classification and management process faster and easier to deploy. ë

At a channel level, do you see a need to update and adapt approaches in line with the concept of sustainable data management? There is absolutely no doubt that a channel-level data management strategy is imperative today, especially with digitisation gaining unparalleled traction. According to the International Energy Agency, 90 percent of all data today was generated over the last two years alone, and with internet traffic tripling in the past five years, we are witnessing a real data explosion.

Veritas is committed to giving back to the community through various charitable initiatives. The company supports organizations that work on issues such as education, health, and poverty reduction, and encourages its employees to volunteer their time and resources.Veritas’ sustainability initiatives demonstrate the company’s commitment to creating a more sustainable future, both within its operations and in the wider world.

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Zeki Turedi, Chief Technology Officer, EMEA, CrowdStrike

Attack surface expansion is the number one threat to a business’s cybersecurity Gartner research shows that attack surface expansion is the number one trend for increasing potential cyber threats. Not only that, but according to the Enterprise Strategy Group’s research report on security hygiene and posture management, nearly seven in ten (69%) organisations admit that they have experienced at least one cyber-attack that started through the exploit of an unknown, unmanaged, or poorly managed internet-facing asset. The reality is, cyberattacks aren’t going anywhere, and with many businesses permanently moving to remote and hybrid working conditions threats are constantly increasing.

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or content-management modules. And finally, review all digital assets and disable unnecessary applications. Alternatively, companies can outsource their attack surface cybersecurity via Attack Surface Management (ASM) solutions. ASM is the continuous discovery, analysis, remediation, and monitoring of the cybersecurity vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors that make up an organisation’s attack surface. This enables security teams to establish a proactive security posture in the face of a constantly growing and morphing attack surface. ASM solutions provide real-time visibility into vulnerabilities and attack vectors as they emerge, allowing companies to stay one step ahead of threat actors at all times. It also allows them to close security gaps by employing an outside-in view of the enterprise attack surface. This empowers teams to prioritise and manage all exposed internet-facing assets.

hat is the attack surface?

A company’s attack surface is the sum of all possible security risk exposures in an organisation’s software environment. Essentially, it is all potential vulnerabilities, known and unknown across all hardware, software, and network components. Companies must be aware of their entire attack surface, allowing them to place sufficient security measures in place. Attack surfaces can generally be categorised into three types. First, digital. The digital attack surface encompasses the entire network and software environment of an organisation. It can include applications, code, ports, and other entry and exit points. Second, physical. This includes all of an organisation’s endpoint devices such as desktop systems, laptops, mobile devices, IoT, and USB ports. And lastly, Social engineering attacks. Social engineering attacks prey on the vulnerabilities of human users. The most common types of attacks against organisations include spear phishing and other techniques that deceive an employee into giving up vital company information.

What to Look for in Attack Surface Management Solutions Businesses must choose the correct and most effective ASM solution for their specific needs. The best solutions provide an outside-in view of the enterprise’s attack surface. This allows security teams to prioritise and manage all exposed internetfacing assets that are centralised or remote across on-premises environments, subsidiaries, cloud, and third-party vendors, all with a zero-touch approach. It is also important to choose a solution that is backed by intelligence. Leading ASM solutions prioritise potential risks by leveraging industry-leading adversary intelligence to guide precise actions based on the most critical risks. They’ll also use a proprietary real-time 24/7 engine to scan the entire internet across the globe, enabling organisations to see how their attack surface looks from an adversary’s country-centric view. This provides a holistic view of every possible exposure and allows proactive prevention. Effective ASM solutions would also generate automatically, for every identified risk, quick-to-implement, actionable remediation steps for IT and security teams to apply for real-time vulnerability mitigation.

Why companies need to be aware of their attack surface As an organisation’s digital footprint rapidly expands, the risk created by exposed assets grows too. Recent trends such as digital transformation, hybrid work, the Internet of Things (IoT), and more have led to the rapid expansion of many companies’ Internet-facing assets, but unfortunately, their cybersecurity has not kept up with this expansion. Traditionally, workloads, websites, user credentials, storage, and other invaluable business information were controlled by central, on-premise IT managers. But today, most digital assets are located outside the traditional enterprise perimeter. This means that their visibility and control have become limited. The result? A dramatic increase in many organisations’ risk profiles.

How companies can manage their attack surface The number one tactic companies can use to reduce the chance of a breach is to reduce their attack surface. This involves making sure a firewall is in place to limit the number of accessible TCP/IP ports, applying relevant security updates and patches, and limiting the amount of code that is exposed. On top of that, companies can also limit access to customers or registered users and administration

How to protect your attack surface in 2023 Constant, real-time asset management is essential to any thorough cyber security strategy particularly as cyber attackers become more sophisticated in their methods of attack. Companies that do so are more likely to survive the cyberattack onslaught.

Cybersecurity is a cat-and-mouse game, with adversaries’ techniques for finding exposed and vulnerable assets often outpacing an organisation’s ability to discover the problem. In general, adversaries often have a better sense of organisational risk exposure than the organisation itself. A thorough attack surface management solution can support teams to deploy a watchful eye over their digital perimeter. ë

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Ismael Valenzuela, SANS Senior Instructor & Vice President of Threat Research & Intelligence, BlackBerry Cylance

Reducing cyber threats One of SANS Institute’s key initiatives is its focus on helping organizations reduce cyber threats, which can have a significant impact on the sustainability of business and communities. Cyber attacks can disrupt critical infrastructure, compromise sensitive data, and cause economic damage, among other negative impacts. By training organizations to prevent cyber attacks, SANS Institute helps protect the sustainability of businesses, their customers, and the wider society.

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licly accessible and that identity is no longer binary (authenticated yes or no). Rather your identity is not only who you are but also what system you are using and the context around that, where the behavior of these entities is continuously monitored to implement adaptive trust based on risk scores.

ince its inception, how has the Zero Trust Network Architecture evolved?

The fundamental principles behind Zero Trust remain the same. However, some of the concepts that were described in the original research were very theoretical, lacking clear and concise practical guidance that could be implemented by the industry. An example of that was the concept of the Segmentation Gateway, described by Forrester in the original research, a security device that combines all network security technologies into a single gateway for the purpose of segmenting networks based on tiers of users, applications, or data. Today we have mature technologies like Next Generation Firewalls, and Software Defined Networks (SDN) that make this possible along with new strategies like micro-segmentation via Zero Trust Network Access that are becoming more popular. Zero Trust has also evolved to become more identity-centric with a strong focus on visibility, analytics, automation and orchestration across hybrid environments.

Is the adoption of Zero Trust technologies becoming more widespread? Some new solutions are definitely becoming more mainstream, such as Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), but a comprehensive Zero Trust architecture requires the integration of multiple technologies across multiple pillars, including users, devices, networks, applications, and data. Zero Trust is not just about introducing new products but also about the integration of existing infrastructure with new processes and technologies to implement less implicit trust.

Do cyber professionals today need to adjust their approach, moving from the Castle-andMoat model towards Zero Trust security? Absolutely! For many years we have designed our networks from the inside out by building perimeters around internal assets in the hope that we could keep the bad guys out. The problem is that we need to allow users to access our systems, data and applications to conduct business and in today’s threat landscape is not easy to identify who are the bad guys and who are the good ones. That’s the main change in mindset that is required. I still hear some architects and engineers saying things like ‘don’t worry about that application, it’s behind the firewall!’. Designing with a Zero Trust mindset requires thinking that any user, any application, and any connection is potentially hostile and that there’s no more inside or outside. That anything is potentially pub-

How can organizations get started with Zero Trust? Implementing Zero Trust can look intimidating. Organizations can’t expect to turn their networks into a Zero Trust architecture overnight. It takes time. It is a multi-year, multi-project journey. My recommendation is to start thinking about places where you can start implementing less implicit trust today. Have you placed excessive trust in contractors accessing your network through VPNs? Start with a ZTNA project. Have you placed excessive trust in your identity management system, maybe Active Directory, with too many privileged users? Start there. Have you placed excessive trust in your protection mechanisms without investing in managed detection and response? Any of these investments can start yielding results quickly while you work your way to adopting a Defensible Security Architecture across the organization.

Can Zero Trust controls prevent all cyber risks? What are the limitations of the model? Cybersecurity is about trade-offs and risk management. No technology will ever provide 100% protection against cyber attacks. There’s no such thing in life as 100% security and the cyber world is not that different from the physical one. Zero Trust is not just about prevention. A defensible security architecture designed with Zero Trust in mind will help reduce the time taken to detect and respond to attacks though, mitigating their impact and limiting the damage. That’s ultimately the goal of any successful security strategy. One of my favorite quotes is ‘all models are wrong, but some are useful’, from George E.P. Box. Although the British statistician was referring to statistical models, I think the same can be applied to any security model, including Zero Trust. Zero Trust doesn’t have to be perfect, nothing is. It just has to be useful, and it’s definitely the most effective cyber defense strategy and philosophy that organizations can adopt today. Any strategy will always be limited by the actual implementation of it, and that’s where we need to include the human factor. Organizations need to continue investing not only in technology, which will always have flaws, but also in cybersecurity professionals that with their skills and knowledge can help take a security program to the next level. ë

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www.futureitsummit.com UNVEILING THE FUTURE AT #FUTUREITSUMMIT

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Infopercept launches Invinsense 4.0 Intercept, a global cybersecurity solutions, and services company announced today that it has launched Invinsense 4.0., a cybersecurity platform that covers offensive, defensive, and security compliance. The platform is now available in Software as a Service (SaaS) form. In addition to traditional IT and Cloud setups, Invinsense 4.0 now covers security in Operational Technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) setups. Since the launch of the first version, Invinsense was designed to cover all three pillars: offensive, defensive, and compliance. With the exponential digital transformation happening in the entire world, all organizations have either started or matured their cloud journey. Infopercept

has been supporting born-in-the-cloud organizations by providing security in the cloud. Making Invinsense 4.0 available in Software as a Service (SaaS) mode was a step further to help organizations in their secured cloud journey. With the launch of Invinsense 4.0, they have further consolidated their IP-led services model by adding more intellectual properties to their service offerings. They have expanded Invinsense 4.0 on three fronts: Covered more landscapes, it now supports IT, cloud, OT, and IoT landscapes; improved user interface and experience, with only three consoles covering offensive (attacker’s mind) and defensive (defender’s brain) security and security compliance; changed mode of offering

Jaydeep Ruparelia, CEO and Co-founder of Infopercept Consulting Pvt Ltd.

through SaaS model. With this version, they have also structured and aligned their respective Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services with different teams for offensive, defensive, and compliance modules.

Trellix launches comprehensive Endpoint Security Suite Trellix, the cybersecurity company delivering the future of extended detection and response (XDR), today announced the launch of Trellix Endpoint Security Suite. Trellix Endpoint Security Suite’s products and advanced capabilities empower Security Operations Center (SOC) analysts with superior visibility and control in a single pane of glass to proactively secure all endpoints. Endpoint security is foundational for any organization’s security program and the baseline for securing the enterprise, as each endpoint serves as an entry point into the business. Trellix Endpoint Security Suite provides Trellix customers with a complete end-to-end security solution, helping organizations confidently confront today’s most advanced threats. In its approach to unified security, Trellix is aiming to be outcome-focused, from IDC’s perspective, we concur and reinforce that one of the outcomes should be methodically reducing cyber risk. Endpoint remains the first line of defense for every organization. To strengthen operational resiliency, organizations need a seamless, comprehensive solution for endpoint protection, detection, and response. By integrating endpoint detection and response workflows with deep forensic capabilities, Trellix Endpoint Security Suite is the best solution to effectively manage endpoint security.

Aparna Rayasam, Chief Product Officer, Trellix.

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HP releases Z by HP workstations using HP Anyware Remote System Controller HP announced its new Z by HP high-performance workstation desktop lineup, engineered to change what is possible within complex, data rich workflows. HP is advancing hybrid workforce management with the HP Anyware Remote System Controller, a device that gives IT departments the management capabilities to support high performance devices from

anywhere. The complex workflows in industries spanning media and entertainment, data science, and engineering mean increased time pressure and the need for more compute power to deliver faster results. They also highlight a need to iterate with remote teams and push creative boundaries to deliver more accurate results.

The new Z by HP Z4, Z6, Z8, and Z8 Fury desktops, powered by Intel®, deliver the scalable balance of CPU and GPU compute needed to fuel new levels of speed, accuracy, and creativity. Z by HP innovations start with the customer to deliver the performance benefits needed whether it’s importing and working with large models and assemblies, running complex simulations, or training complex deep learning and machine learning models faster. The latest Z workstation desktops include up to 56 CPU cores and four high-end GPUs in the Z8 Fury G5. The Z4, Z6, Z8, and their all-new Z8 Fury, provide a variety of configurations to meet every workflow challenge for each of these segments. Full suite of hardware alerts available with select Z desktop workstations. See datasheet for details. HP Anyware Remote System Management required to view consolidated reports from all devices paired with HP Anyware Remote System Controller or HP Anyware Integrated Remote System Controller. HP Anyware Integrated Remote System Controller not compatible with Z2 Mini platforms and not recommended for non-Z devices. HP service and support not available for non-Z devices

AVEVA announces launch of AVEVA Predictive Analytics software The new release features automated model building. This new capability enables users to autonomously deploy new predictive models in a single action. This greatly reduces the time required to deploy and scale the predictive maintenance solution while reducing errors and ensuring consistency in model development. With rising market pressures industrial organizations must find ways to facilitate agile, resilient, and profitable operations. The predictive analytics market continues to evolve as the technology has advanced to a point where the data can be leveraged in such a way that asset stakeholders can easily operationalize predictive monitoring of their assets at scale enabling rapid improvements in asset reliability and performance. Key for success is connecting data, systems and processes, enabling people throughout operations and maintenance to make, and act upon, decisions confidently. Scalability of predictive maintenance efforts for maximum return on investment will definitely be seen as a must have for many industries going forward. AVEVA continues to deliver on market and customer requirements with a bring your own algorithm capability. This enables data science teams to add their own artificial intelligence algorithms and intellectual property to the solution. Furthermore, deep integration with the AVEVA PI System ensures AVEVA’s customers are continuing to capture increased value from their existing industrial software investments.

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David Bleackley, Value Chain Optimization Lead at AVEVA

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Embracing Tech Should be First Priority in Last-Mile Delivery Customer demands and expectations are greater today than they’ve ever been before. Technology advancement ensures that last-mile logistics organizations in the UAE can remain at the center of the growth story that is expected to unfold in the coming years.

ustomer demands and expectations today are greater than they’ve ever been. Consequently, one of the main challenges courier businesses face is the heightened intolerance today’s customers have of bad delivery experiences. One late delivery will send them to social media pages, where they will broadcast their displeasure far and wide. This hurts the market reputation and internal morale. One projection for the UAE courier, express, and parcel (CEP) market is a value of more than US$ 1.6 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 7.5% across the next five years. This growth will be driven by consumers looking for convenience and businesses looking to fulfill their promises. Technology is the way to deliver these things and here are three key benefits to be expected when embracing tech in last-mile delivery operations.

Enhanced customer experience The business models of industry giants like Amazon are built on kept promises. If they say it is going to be there by 4 pm on Wednesday, then it arrives by 4 pm on Wednesday. Customer expectations rule in the digital economy. But another thing the business world has learned in the past few years is that modern consumers’ expectations go beyond the basic promise of on-time delivery. On-time delivery is a given. What else can you offer me? Technology can enhance a consumer’s experience of the order lifecycle before delivery. Instead of wondering whether and when their package will arrive, they can watch its journey on their mobile device.

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Technology allows companies ready access, through easy-to-use apps, to outsourced fleets to manage demand spikes.

While this is particularly useful when ensuring a recipient is there to receive the parcel, the capability can be extended. Customers can be sent notifications and pictures for confirmation of delivery if they are unable to receive it in person. Delivery time windows become easier to calculate and allow more deliveries per round trip, leading to massive cost savings that can be passed on to the consumer to further enhance their experience. And as a bonus, tech is so good at optimizing routes and multiple drop-offs that express delivery options become viable.

Lower operational costs We have already seen how technology can enable more deliveries per round trip, leading to cost reductions. Fuel prices are on the rise. This, along with a range of other factors affecting

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other areas of the business, are beyond the control of stakeholders. But that does not mean they cannot compensate. Routing algorithms that optimize delivery trips can cut down on fuel costs. Dispatching and batching algorithms that optimize fleet utilization allow companies to reduce their fleet sizes. Fewer vehicles mean reduced OpEx. Missed deliveries represent another cost that can be eliminated by tech that gives real-time updates and two-way communication with customers. Package recipients can collaborate on the scheduling and rescheduling of deliveries. And the number of calls to customer support — a major cost to B2C enterprises — also falls drastically when real-time monitoring is offered. Additionally, technology allows companies ready access, through easy-to-use apps, to outsourced fleets to manage demand spikes.

Optimizing operations Map tech, public traffic data, and machine learning have combined to offer incredible options for the automation of logistics operations. By analyzing the common times of day or year when deliveries spike, firms can plan more efficiently and enlist the support of a third-party provider in time for peak seasons. Similarly, having information about the origin of orders can tell business leaders the optimum location for warehouses and self-pickup boxes. In conjunction with analytics, delivery companies can experiment with different speeds and modes of delivery for different types of goods, consumers, and districts. Technology gives us the ability to change rapidly, so as soon as operators experience a market shift, they can try something new — expand or shrink their fleet, offer different services, or simply adjust an element of workflow for efficiency or cost cutting. Such nimbleness will allow them to remain effective and relevant in the last-mile space despite external factors.

The growth story

Agam Garg General Manager, Yango Delivery UAE

Logistics is a somewhat conservative industry, subject to many different standards. Technology will not only enhance the customer experience, cut costs, and optimize operations. It will also serve the need for transparency and unified standards. Technology advancement ensures that lastmile logistics organizations in the UAE can remain at the center of the growth story that is expected to unfold in the coming years. For those unwilling or unable to build their solution, technology partners can eliminate the barriers to entry, ensuring even the smallest of businesses can go beyond mere pledge fulfillment and truly delight customers. ë

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Peripherals and Parts Trading offers an air-gapped backup tape solution Peripherals and Parts Trading deals in buying and selling computer hardware components and accessories. These components and accessories are used to enhance the functionality of computers and other electronic devices.

lease describe the solution stack available from Peripherals and Parts Trading in the area of Air-Gapped Backup/ Data Storage.

Peripherals and Parts Trading offers an air-gapped backup tape solution that is secure and reliable for storing and protecting critical data. This solution involves transferring data to offline tape media, which is then physically stored, preferably in a remote location. The tapes are not connected to any network, making it nearly impossible for them to be hacked or infected by malware. This cost-effective enterprise solution is used by Fortune 500 companies and can also be beneficial for small businesses.

What are the typical underlying pain points for IT and security decision-makers that these solution stacks are addressing? You can share industry statistics. The biggest concern for IT and security decision-makers is the threat of cyber attacks that can compromise or destroy critical data, especially ransomware. With over 130 strains of ransomware in use and the platforms that offer ransomware as a service, these attacks are only increasing. Air-

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gapped backup solutions, such as tape backup, guarantee an uninfected backup. Another pain point is regulatory compliance, as many industries have strict data retention and protection requirements. Tape backup is the most costeffective and the most reliable technology for long-term data retention.

What are the typical intended use cases and benefits for IT and security decision-makers from these solution stacks? You can share industry statistics. The benefits of tape backup solutions include cost savings, reliability, and security. Tape backup has the lowest cost per TB (around US$4 per TB) and a 30-year shelf life, making it a reli-

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able medium for storing data for a long time. Additionally, it provides a truly immutable copy of your backup, offering added security.

How difficult is it to implement a tape backup solution, and what is the cost involved? The implementation of tape backup solutions generally involves acquiring tape drives or libraries, tape media, and backup software. For small and medium businesses, a single tape drive, which costs around AED 10K, can work. For larger organizations, autoloaders with multiple slots and drives or libraries with thousands of slots and hundreds of drives can be used. Although there is an initial upfront investment, this solution ultimately provides cost savings over time compared to other backup methods since the cost of tape media is very low. We determine the specific needs of a client and offer them a full solution at a cost that works for them.

Please give an overview of the operations of Peripherals and Parts Trading, vendor partnerships, technology and solution skills, and target markets.

Akash Jain, Sales Director, Peripherals and Parts Trading LLC (Part of Satrah Computers)

Peripherals and Parts Trading specializes in data storage and protection solutions, including NAS, disks, flash, and tapes. The company has sub-distribution and service partnerships with QNAP and Synology for NAS, and it partners with WD and Seagate for disks and Kingston and Exascend for flash. For tapes, the company works with HP, IBM, and Quantum. In addition, the company distributes turtle cases (tape carry cases and protection at rest) and Tri-optic (LTO barcodes). By working with industry-leading vendors for data storage and protection solutions, Peripherals and Parts Trading offers flash, disk, and tape-based solutions to meet the needs of different target markets. ë

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10 Keys to Building the Public Sector Technology Journey In a context where the Private Sector is having a great influence, expectations are rising and we expect to have the same capabilities as citizens, businesses, or public employees in the Public Sector. Taking advantage of modern platforms is crucial for Public Administrations to offer the expected services and information to address large and diverse audiences from citizens to businesses to public employees.

ccording to a recent Accenture study, people want more digital interaction with their respective governments, increasing from 29% to 39% in just the last two years. However, more than half of the respondents (53%) said accessing public services is frustrating and only one-third (36%) find government processes and interactions intuitive

10 Key Capabilities for a Digital Public Sector The capabilities we identify as critical for the digital evolution of governments are aimed at increasing employee efficiency while optimizing the investment already made. Multisite Capability: Creating Different Sites on the Same Platform Multi-site capability allows you to rapidly create the solution you need and lay the foundation to grow and develop in an agile, stable, and sustained way through a single platform provides the following benefits: l One place to administrate all sites. l The capability to share information, content, documents, and assets dynamically between all sites. l A single point of integration between the rest of your legacy technology systems.

Single Management Point for Reducing IT Complexity Global IT spending is expected to increase to around 4.66 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. Having tools that allow IT employees to be freed up to dedicate their time to higher-value tasks is key to providing added value. Therefore, prioritizing the reduction of tech stack complexity is vital so IT resources can be used for strategic tasks.

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One major obstacle to increasing the productivity of IT teams lies in the need to manage different systems. Therefore, platform management should be simple. Administrators need to be able to configure the complete platform through the UI itself. Reducing complexity by unifying management on a single platform saves time and money every single day that platform is in use.

2. Agile Deployment of Custom Digital Solutions A large part of transforming the public sector is the iterative process of digitizing the services that a public entity offers to its citizens and businesses while giving government workers the capability to manage these services. For this purpose, it is necessary to have pre-built features provided in a platform to minimize the cost and the effort to build a custom solution, without losing quality in the application development process

3. Low-code/No-code: Empowering Non-IT Users Low-code/no-code solutions help you to overcome challenges through high-speed application delivery and rapid customization. Low-code/no-code solutions can reduce development time by up to 90%. The Public Sector needs to empower non-technical users by providing capabilities to create content, websites, and landing pages without relying on IT support. When creating web content, it is valuable in terms of productivity to have Out Of Box (OOTB) tools that improve the user experience and increase productivity.

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users, whether citizens, businesses, or public sector employees, makes your platform much more relevant and rewarding to your audience. All of this can be delivered with a personalized experience for each segment of users. For example, specific service announcements for a citizen, available applications for a city hall officer, suggested similar content based on what a visitor is viewing, and help with the completion of forms when a user finds it too complex, among others. Learning and adapting to your user behavior and feedback is especially valuable nowadays.

7. Class-Leading Integration

Moussalam Dalati, General Manager, Middle East, and Africa, Liferay

4. Self-Service as a Strategic Approach Self-service empowers citizens and businesses to complete any transaction via a digital channel. 40% of consumers now prefer self-service over in-person service. Having a tool with search capabilities, forms, workflows, responsive displays, omnichannel and user-friendly- experiences will be key to achieving this. Achieving unmatched operational efficiency, cost savings and increased productivity is the aim.

5. Commerce Capabilities To offer the full range of digital services to citizens, it is necessary to empower them to carry out payment transactions online which makes integrated commerce solutions a valuable addition. Modern commerce capabilities reduce overhead processing costs and improve the experience for your citizens and businesses.

6. Personalization at Scale Delivering personalized digital experiences to your

Public administrations have the great responsibility of creating a solid technology strategy for digital transformation to transform the day-to-day life of citizens, businesses, and public employees while taking advantage of the existing legacy tech stack and employee knowledge.

Integration as a means to break down silos by having a flexible platform that can integrate with anything provides options when bridging new technology to your existing IT ecosystem. This is critical when creating modern experiences that bring all data and services into a common portal for the best user experience. 80% of government IT spending is on operating and maintaining legacy systems. This can’t be replaced overnight. But as it is, it can not provide the experiences that your users need. 8. Connecting modern and legacy systems is key in a context where data is fragmented or incomplete. If offered an integrated portal, 51% of citizens say they would increase their use of government services. A fully integrated IT environment allows you to build modern experiences on top of legacy tech that previously held you back.

9. Cloud as a Means to Reduce Costs While Fueling Innovation 83% of public service agency leaders agree or strongly agree that the cloud is essential to fuel innovation and new business models. Adopting cloud solutions allows savings in infrastructure because you spend less than you would on hardware and personnel to maintain on-premise applications. Thus, resources are freed to provide added value and be invested in innovative digital solutions that citizens expect and need. With less demand on your IT team, they can focus on delivering more value and reducing the time-to-market of new solutions. Migration to the cloud is driven by three objectives: increased citizen value, faster time-to-market for new services, and resource savings. Although the sector has been one of the last to join this trend, according to Gartner, 62% of Governments will invest in Cloud Platforms in 2023.

10. Analytics: Monitor to Improve Delivering personalized experiences is one of the top priorities for the Public Sector. We need user information gathered by monitoring site activity, in addition to robust analytics obtained from platforms like the one included in Liferay DXP. These include a complete analytical view at the site, page, and asset levels which can provide additional data points to segment users and personalize their experiences, whether they are known or anonymous. ë

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Data capabilities: bold maturity ambitions within grasp for Middle Eastern companies The private sector in the Middle East has set bold ambitions to achieve top-tier data maturity levels by 2023. Reaching these ambitions requires the vast majority of companies in the region to advance significantly, and those that develop a substantial maturity build-up across all capabilities give themselves a huge advantage. Furthermore, Middle Eastern companies’ ambitions would place them as the most mature region, indicating the highest data capability increase globally. Given the accelerating pace of technological development and the ubiquity of data, that advantage can become self-reinforcing over time, as companies become smarter in their use of data and more efficient in how they tailor future investments. Conversely, laggards may find that the performance gap becomes too large to overcome.

eeping pace with the industry

In BCG’s recent, third, Data Capability Maturity Assessment (DACAMA) survey, the Middle East ranks close to leading regions for most industries yet drops far behind in the least mature ones. Approximately 1,100 companies participated worldwide, with around 50 companies from the Middle East. When it comes to building data capabilities, most companies worldwide are making steady headway. Yet our comprehensive survey shows that while some are gaining a clear advantage from data, many still fall short of their goals—leading to a growing advantage for leaders. Generally, companies in the Middle East keep pace with more data-mature industries—technology, telecom, healthcare, and consumer—but are behind in less data-mature industries. For example, the energy industry’s maturity is almost 30% lower than other regions. Automotive and industrial companies are

Elias Baltassis, Partner & Director, BCG GAMMA, Lead for the Middle East 52

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Rami Mourtada, Partner & Director at Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

that becomes sustainable over time. It requires companies to become smarter in their use of data and more efficient in focused future investments. The gains in maturity were relatively broad, companies showed higher maturity index scores across all seven data capabilities. The biggest gains were in foundational capabilities: data governance, data platform, ecosystem and partnerships, and leadership, change, and enablement. Global experience from most mature companies across regions shows three factors are critical to success: 1. Focus on business outcomes. Data capabilities are a means to an end, not a goal. Identify business problems and use cases to unlock value. 2. Apply a capability-based approach. Invest in all the core data capabilities: overarching vision, use cases, analytics setup, data governance, data platform, ecosystem & partnerships, and leadership, change & enablement. 3. Build incrementally. Build data capabilities over time in a deliberate, steady manner. Adopt an agile mindset of the test, learn, and improving, and focus on key enablers with the biggest maturity gaps Data is now akin to oxygen in most industries, and companies know they need to build core capabilities to capitalize on it. Data maturity is a top-priority strategic agenda item as companies worldwide continue to pursue increased maturity scores to grow and meet their business models, customer expectations, and commercial ambitions in increasingly competitive environments. As indicated by our recent survey, data maturity is particularly important in the Middle East where companies can be data competitive in some areas but data lacking in others, and there is a material gap compared to both bold ambitions and global best practices. ë

in weaker positions still. Thus far, many manufacturers do not have the capabilities to capitalize on the emerging data opportunities and companies are becoming more realistic about the difficulty of developing data capabilities.

Achieving top-tier data maturity ambitions in the Middle East Given the accelerating pace of new technologies and data and the rapid global focus on data maturity, companies must ensure a correct approach to data capabilities—one

Success in reaching high ambition in the region requires a comprehensive, bold but balanced approach, to establish data maturity trailblazers and then drive up more companies into better data capabilities.

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To drive growth and efficiency, CIOs must embrace “business intimacy” As technology becomes increasingly significant, a company’s success and growth depend on whether the CIO can move to a strategic business leader.

cross every industry, leaders have been asked to be more efficient and productive as we face unprecedented headwinds and economic uncertainty. For CIOs and IT leaders, identifying where technology can drive growth, increase efficiency, and create more business value will be incredibly important in helping their organisations navigate challenging times. When the stakes are high, CIOs and their teams must help the entire company do more with the tools and resources at their disposal. To be successful, CIOs must embrace “business intimacy” — focusing on ensuring direct alignment with colleagues across every line of business to truly understand their needs. CIOs can increase their relevance and ability to deliver business value by bringing a new set of skills and operating processes to the executive table during a radically different business environment.

support teams in driving down costs and boosting efficiency. According to Salesforce research, the vast majority (91%) of organizations have reported that demand for automation from business teams has increased over the last two years. By taking the time to better understand the strategic priorities of business partners across sales, service, marketing, commerce, IT, HR, finance, and other teams, CIOs can benefit from a micro and macro understanding of business operations and technology.

Lean into operational excellence and profitability Maintaining a durable, resilient business that can drive success now is no small feat and is increasingly challenging. Gone are the times of “doing more with less.” The tried and tested methods that have got companies where they are today are not necessarily what will enable continued success in the future - especially in today’s turbulent climate. As businesses mature, companies must shift from a “high-growth at high-cost” startup mindset to one that is dedicated to operational excellence and profitability by doing “more with more.”

Champion “business intimacy” as a strategy Closely partnering with key business leaders can help CIOs prioritize amid budget constraints and deliver the technology they need to increase efficiency, improve results, and lower costs. But to do this, they first need to understand broader business needs — what are the priorities, the pain points, the processes, the investments and, most importantly, the technologies their colleagues are dealing with. Only once CIOs understand the full picture, can they effectively

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In today’s economic environment, the stakes could not be higher and CIOs will play a crucial role in ensuring success now.

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For CIOs, gaps in an operating model can lead to inconsistent delivery, duplicative work for teams, inconsistent roles and responsibilities, and confusion for business partners. Scaling IT support and optimising operations is the very definition of ‘more, with more’ — more operational rigor, more automation, more training, more clarity on roles and responsibilities, more flexibility and agility, and more process excellence, to name a few.

Leverage Automation and AI at every level Today, CEOs and other leaders are focused on efficient growth, cost savings, and increased productivity. Automation and AI can achieve these goals and fuel-efficient near-term and long-term growth for technical to non-technical departments like sales, customer service, marketing, and commerce. Automation can play an integral role in helping to reduce the ‘work of work’ that teams and individuals grapple with on a daily basis. By removing mundane, repetitive processes and tasks, automation can support every line of business in driving productivity as well as revenue. According to a Salesforce survey of over 3,500 customers, the average company uses nearly 1,000 applications to run its business and store customer data. This isn’t efficient, effective, or affordable. Organizations using Salesforce technology are seeing, on average, an estimated 25% savings on IT costs and a 26% increase in employee productivity using Salesforce. Companies must prioritize tools that maximize time and reduce admin - namely reporting, CRM and account/contact management - and enable teams to focus more on customer service. To reduce time switching from tool to tool, we can expect to see more businesses consolidating their tech stack over the coming months. Together, collaborative and automation capabilities are making teams more agile and effective, helping them deliver greater value for customers and grow the business.

This will not be the last time companies need to adapt

Thierry Nicault, Area Vice President – Middle East and North Africa-Salesforce

With business intimacy, doing “more with more,” automation and AI, and a focus on productivity, CIOs can help fuel growth by increasing customer satisfaction and lowering costs. In today’s economic environment, the stakes could not be higher and CIOs will play a crucial role in ensuring success now. In an increasingly tech-driven business landscape, the CIOs are considered as a legitimate contender to lead the business. The CIOs and their team were involved from the very beginning in determining the data and analytics capabilities needed to fulfill the company’s business strategy. ë

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What’s trending

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EXECUTIVE MOVEMENTS

Sophos announces president appointments Sophos, a global leader in innovating and delivering cybersecurity as a service, today announced the promotion of Joe Levy to president of the Sophos Technology Group (STG). Sophos also appointed Bill Robbins as President for Worldwide Field Operations. Levy is currently Sophos’ chief technology officer and chief product officer, and will retain these titles and the organizational structure of STG. As president, Levy will continue expanding Sophos as a leading global cybersecurity as a service provider, driven by its fast-growing Sophos Managed Detection and Response and Incident Response services and a more than $1 billion product portfolio that spans endpoint, network, email, and cloud security. Sophos MDR is the fastest growing detection and response service worldwide, supporting more than 15,500 customers. STG also includes Sophos X-Ops, a cross-operational threat and cybersecurity intelligence team of more than 500 experts. Levy will continue to report to Sophos Chief Executive Officer Kris Hagerman.

WSO2 promotes Asanka Abeysinghe to CTO WSO2, the leader in digital transformation technology, today announced that Asanka Abeysinghe has been named chief technology officer. Asanka, who has held several technology leadership roles at WSO2 since 2008, most recently served as the company’s chief technology evangelist. He brings more than two decades of experience in software architecture and development, helping organizations implement digital transformation programs that result in consumerdriven digital applications. Thousands of organizations, including hundreds of the world’s largest corporations, top universities, and governments, rely on WSO2’s cloud native software as a service offerings and open-source software to drive their digital transformation—executing 60 trillion transactions and managing over 1 billion identities annually. Using WSO2 for application development, API management, integration, and identity and access management, these organizations are harnessing the full power of their APIs to securely deliver their business capabilities as digital experiences.

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Oliver Norman appointed VP at Veritas Technologies Veritas Technologies, the leader in secure multi-cloud data management, today announced that Oliver Norman has joined the company as VP of Channel & Alliances, EMEAI. In this role, Oliver will develop and execute a growthoriented channel strategy that will help to build on the company’s leading position in business and cloud resiliency. He will report to Mike Walkey, Senior Vice President, Global Channel and Alliance at Veritas and will be part of the Veritas International Leadership Team. Oliver is a proven technology leader with decades of international sales experience. Most recently, he served as Area Vice President for BMC Software – which helps customers run and reinvent their businesses with open, scalable, and modular solutions to complex IT problems – where he headed up the channel sales function for EMEA. Prior to this, he worked at Morse, a consulting, IT services and technology company, with proven expertise in business applications services and infrastructure services and technology.

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Articles inside

What’s trending

To drive growth and efficiency, CIOs must embrace “business intimacy”

Data capabilities: bold maturity ambitions within grasp for Middle Eastern companies

10 Keys to Building the Public Sector Technology Journey

Peripherals and Parts Trading offers an air-gapped backup tape solution

Embracing Tech Should be First Priority in Last-Mile Delivery

AVEVA announces launch of AVEVA Predictive Analytics software

Veeam introduces new Competency Program

Infopercept launches Invinsense 4.0

Reducing cyber threats

Attack surface expansion is the number one threat to a business’s cybersecurity

The Next Generation Launchpad for Blockchain Gaming & Metaverses

New technologies can fuel business growth

Sustainability: A key focus for business operations

Turning data into value is more complicated than ever

Sustainability is critical for long-term success

How to Build a Shockproof Supply Chain Strategy

IFZA partners with World Free Zone organisation

BWT Alpine F1 teams up with Sprinklr

Barracuda signs VAD agreement with Ingram Micro

Tenable chosen by Wärtsilä to solve Challenges

Sprinklr introduces new self-service plan and Chat GPT-enabled tools

Delinea carries strong channel momentum into 2023

Mindware expands distribution to cover Jordan and Iraq

Edgio’s advanced Bot Management

Netskope named a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant

Pure Storage announces availability of File Services for FlashArray

GITEX AFRICA 2023

The GITEX Impact 2023

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Transform your retail business into a successful e-commerce platform

Paesslar is driving a channel-first strategy

Unlocking the Power of Next-Generation Networks with Automation

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