techitup middle east

Dear Readers,

Hope 2024 has started on a positive note for everyone as it has for us.

After almost 8 months of launch of our online news portal www.techitupme.com, we are proud to announce that the platform is clocking 35K-40K visitors each month. I am both humbled and thrilled that the platform has been well accepted by the industry leaders and the audience. We remain dedicated to providing valuable content that bridges the gap between the Tech and Enterprise Industries. As a young company, we are already on track to becoming the fastest-growing technology and business media platform across Middle East and Africa region.

The technology landscape has been taking interesting turns each day and will continue to surprise us in the years to come. Investments around 5G, 5.5G, AI, GenAI, Cloud, Cybersecurity & Data Privacy, Sustainability, Automation, Software & Applications have grown multifold in the last few years. This will only see a growing trend in 2024 and Beyond.

This serves as an opportunity for us also, in terms of widening our reach and the channels we use to distribute our media. Bearing this in mind we are happy and excited to introduce our monthly periodicals both in digital and print versions, with exclusive content from Tech & Business space.

Our Feb 2024 edition will unlock interesting topics from industry experts on the Outlook of Tech space in 2024 & Beyond. I encourage you to read exclusive views of experts and their take on the future of technology. For any recommendations and feedback, you can reach out to me directly and I am more than happy to take suggestions.

Thank you for your trust in us!

I wish you a great 2024 and look forward to your continuous support.

Christopher David Founder & Managing Editor Techitup ME- A David Media Company

PUBLISHERS:

The David Media FZC LLC

Christopher David Founder & Managing Editor

Nelson Nworie Manager Social Channels

Jignesh Parmar Head Developer

Ajman Media City Free Zone United Arab Emirates

General inquiries: info@techitupme.com

Editorial: chris@techitupme.com

Business & Media Relations: chris@techitupme.com

ASBIS and AMD Mark 20 years of Partnership

ASBIS Group, has enjoyed a solid and long-standing partnership with AMD, a global player specializing in the development of semiconductor products and technologies. The partnership has endured for 20 years since the distribution agreement was signed, demonstrating the strength of their collaboration.

During the preceding two decades, a partnership characterized by broad and productive cooperation and synergy has developed between ASBIS and AMD, resulting in

mutual benefit. The partnership has thrived, encompassing over 40 countries in the EMEA region and featuring an extensive range of vendor products. The products include processors for desktop PCs, servers, and workstations, as well as Radeon PRO Graphics.

“Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has been an invaluable strategic partner to ASBIS, forming an integral part of our business infrastructure for the last two decades. Our partnership has been leveraged to achieve remarkable success, and together, we have catalyzed significant

advancements in the technology industry. As a dynamic duo, we continue to drive innovation and transformation in the sector. ASBIS takes immense pride in being a reliable distributor for AMD, and we are committed to supporting AMD in all its developmental endeavors. The long-term strategic partnership between AMD and ASBIS is a testament to our mutual success and shared vision. Together, we strive to elevate the industry and strengthen its foundations.” said Martin VRBA, Senior Business Development Manager at Asbis Middle East.

Check Point Software Unveils

New Partner Program

Check Point Software Technologies Ltd., announced the launch of its innovative new Partner Program. Amidst an ever-evolving cyber security landscape, this program aims to strengthen partner capabilities and fuel growth.

With a partner dedicated business model, Check Point’s new Partner Program strengthens the company’s commitment to partners while maximizing opportunities for joint growth. It is tailored to enhance partner performance and satisfaction. It focuses on boosting deal closure rates, which drives business growth, and streamlines quoting processes for quicker customer response.

The program strengthens Check Point’s partnership engagement and encourages partners to develop specialized expertise, adding more value to their services. It also provides easier access to essential tools and resources, improving operational efficiency for partners.

“For over 30 years, Check Point has blazed the path for innovation in cyber security. In light of the current climate and increasing rate of cyber threats, we are launching a new, partner program to help our partners accelerate their efforts in providing the best cyber security,” said Francisco Criado, Check Point’s VP of Global Partner Ecosystem Organization. “We are excited to continue this journey with our partners, providing them with the

Francisco Criado VP, Global Partner Ecosystem Organization, Check Point’

best tools, resources, and support they need to thrive in our dynamic industry.”

The enhanced Partner Program is strategically aligned with Check Point’s comprehensive platform, focusing on its end-toend AI-powered, cloud-delivered security. This program enables partners to effectively cross-sell and up-sell advanced security solutions from Check Point’s comprehensive portfolio, covering a broad spectrum of attack surfaces, addressing needs in SASE, email security, cloud environments, SD-WAN, and mobile security. The

program’s upgrades are geared toward leveraging these cuttingedge technologies, ensuring partners are equipped to meet diverse cyber security challenges. It features a range of enhancements including:

• Simplification and tier progression: new, consolidated tiering model to help increase participation across all levels. Partners are now given an Advanced, Professional, Premier and Elite status depending on size of business opportunity.

• New pricing Model: customerfocused pricing framework that is not only predictable and marketaligned, but also features the most significant discount structure ever offered by Check Point. Deal registrations have been increased by 100%, with a new incumbent partner program that delivers deal protection on renewals

• Free Certification: free certifications to meet partner-level compliance. Introducing customized tracks based on how the partner goes to market

• Specialization: additional training & certification to unlock additional benefits associated with specialization that can lead to additional 20% discount

• App relaunch: new and improved app, which has increased usage fivefold. New use cases provide access to training and enablement, subject matter experts and instantaneous deal registrations

Mindware Cloud Marketplace Launched in Ivory Coast

Khanfir Director of Cloud, Mindware

Mindware, one of the leading regional IT Value-Added Distributors in Middle East and Africa, announced the launch of its Cloud Marketplace in Ivory Coast to serve the sub Saharan Africain countries. The Mindware Marketplace will enhance Cloud adoption by providing the channel community with an exceptional transactional experience, along with an extensive range of Cloud solutions and services. Clients and partners in Ivory Coast and neighboring countries can now take advantage of the Marketplace for purchases in Central African CFA franc currency.

Mindware’s objective is to be the ‘Cloud Distributor of Choice’, aggregating multiple Cloud solutions and helping partners create and commercialize subscriptionbased Cloud and Anything-as-a-Service (XaaS) solutions.

Mr. Silmi Khanfir, Director of Cloud at Mindware comments: “We are excited to launch the Mindware's Cloud Marketplace in our sub Saharan Africain Hub,

Ivory Coast, to offer our partners a range of aggregated Cloud solutions from various hyperscalers, private cloud providers, and ISVs, in addition to our Cloud professional and support services. This approach helps partners and their clients with their digital transformation journey and enables them to cross-sell and up-sell, with the convenience of pricing and billing being in local currency. The Marketplace provides a smooth user experience, and the platform's API integrations automate the subscription and consumption management required for high-volume Cloud and XaaS business.”

The launch is a part of Mindware’s Cloud related geo expansion strategy in Africa, keeping in mind the positive growth expectations in Ivory Coast and West Africa in general. The Marketplace will, in addition to making Cloud services purchase easy and intuitive, offer partners the ability to set up and manage their own “white labeled storefront”, thereby offering Cloud solutions directly to end-customers. It will allow partners to deliver Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings via the platform.

With the inclusion of Ivory Coast, the Cloud Marketplace has expanded its reach to a total of ten countries, encompassing the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia.

“In the last 3 years, we witnessed an accelerated shift from the traditional on-premise and perpetual licensing model to the subscription model, leading to a significant increase in the deployment of online marketplaces. This transformation is being driven by two key factors. Firstly, customers and resellers are demanding a better user experience when purchasing vendor solutions. Secondly, vendors are increasingly moving towards XaaS, Cloud consumptionbased, and subscription models. These trends have created a need for marketplaces that offer improved user experiences, automated ordering, invoicing, and billing processes, as well as insights into purchased solutions and consumed services, ” concluded Khanfir.

Silmi

SecureNet and QSAN Boost Digital Security and Efficiency

QSAN Technology Inc., has announced a strategic partnership with SecureNet, a value-added distributor specializing in cybersecurity & enterprise storage solutions in MEA region. This collaboration aims to redefine and enhance digital security and data management for businesses. By combining SecureNet’s advanced cybersecurity services with QSAN’s innovative data storage solutions, the alliance pledges unmatched protection and efficiency for organizations across the MEA region.

Through this partnership, businesses can now effortlessly integrate cutting-edge cybersecurity protocols with robust data storage infrastructure, ensuring comprehensive protection against evolving cyber threats while optimizing & streamlining data management processes. This synergy between SecureNet and QSAN underscores a mutual commitment towards innovation and excellence, empowering enterprises and SMEs to confidently navigate the complexities of the digital age with resilience and assurance.

“Through our collaboration with QSAN, we can deliver Enterprise Unified Storage solutions to both customers and partners, offering unparalleled storage optimization. By accelerating enterprise workloads, we help customers in managing their workload demands effectively” said Samentemurty Sadasivan, Solution Architect- Data Center at SecureNet FZC.

“Collaborating with SecureNet is an exciting step forward for us in ensuring comprehensive data protection and management solutions for our clients,” says Steven Lin, Vice President of QSAN. “This partnership exemplifies our commitment to delivering

cutting-edge technologies that not only secure data but also streamline its storage and accessibility, empowering organizations to thrive in today’s digital landscape.”

Samentemurty Sadasivan

Solution Architect- Data Center, SecureNet FZC

StarLink Targets 40% of the MEA Cybersecurity Market Share

Starlink, an Infinigate Group company has announced its ambitious plans to achieve 40% of the MEA market share in 2024. This will position StarLink as the distributor with largest market share in cybersecurity across the Middle East and Africa accentuated by the superior technologies and delivery expertise compared to the competition.

Commenting on the 2023 achievements and roadmap for 2024, Nidal Othman, CEO – StarLink said, “The success of 2023 is behind us. It was a remarkable year with a YoY growth of 26%. As we look forward, we are close to achieving the 40% market share mark which will be a significant achievement and all our efforts would be towards realizing this major milestone.”

“The cybersecurity industry is growing at a fast pace and the factors driving this rapid growth is the demand for digital transformation due to the rising number of cyber-attacks. We bear the responsibility of guiding our customers in adapting to this evolving landscape in every step of the way, ensuring the security of their data and infrastructure,” he added.

Strategic plans and numbers were revealed at the Annual Sales Meet on 23rd January in Dubai that welcomed the MEA StarLink teams. 2024 SKO witnessed the launch of new initiatives channelled to enhance business opportunities

for the StarLink stakeholders –vendors, partners, and customers. These latest initiatives will expedite the transformation of specialized channel partners to MSSPs, leverage cloud solutions and advocate for vendor MSSP offerings. Additionally, also delve into untapped markets and midmarket segments by leveraging on the commercial channel expertise to cater to the commercial business needs of vendors. Lastly continue to position integrated solutions and foster technology collaborations to bring robust integrations and enhance customer experience.

Commenting on the SKO success, Mahmoud Nimer, President – StarLink mentioned, “The unity of our team is a testament to the company’s strength. Sales Kick-Offs are not only emotionally charged but also infused with a profound

sense of power and team spirit. In that context, StarLink embodies collective efforts and innovation is in our DNA. We take pride in designing groundbreaking ideas to empower our ecosystem, foster mutual value propositions and to spark growth. We will continue to focus on uncovering hidden opportunities –those that are in plain sight yet often overlooked. Acting as the guiding light for our channel, our Sales and Technical teams will empower them to venture into newer markets, improve their capabilities, and expand their business.”

To summarize, the year has started off in an excellent manner. StarLink is all geared up to trailblaze once again keeping a laser focus on its roadmap for 2024 and beyond. With this commitment, the industry can expect even greater achievements in the future.

2024 & Beyond

Expect Major Upgrades in Connectivity

Hussain, Director - Sales and Marketing at

D-Link

Middle East shares his insights on trends to expect in 2024 & Beyond and how Digital Transformation will touch every industry in these exciting times.

What key trends do you foresee shaping the future of networking, especially in the Middle East region in 2024 & beyond?

Looking ahead, the future of connectivity in the Middle East is exciting. With 5G expansion and edge computing, we're looking at a major upgrade in how we connect and communicate. Cybersecurity will be a top priority, with investments pouring into strong defences to keep our data safe.

At the same time, cloud technology and AI automation will revolutionize how businesses operate, making things more efficient and dynamic. This digital transformation will touch every industry, changing the way we work and interact with technology.

But as we embrace these advancements, ensuring security will be crucial. Expect to see even more sophisticated measures to protect our online information. It's an exciting time to be part of this evolving landscape.

With the rise in hybrid work model and digital transformation, how has D-Link adapted its products/ solutions to meet the evolving needs of businesses?

As businesses shift towards hybrid work, D-Link is rolling out user-friendly tools that fit seamlessly into

remote setups, making collaboration a breeze. The D-Link AQUILA PRO products, caters to hybrid work by offering seamless connectivity and collaboration tools. With its robust features, including high-speed Wi-Fi and advanced security protocols, it ensures reliable communication for remote and in-office teams. Its user-friendly interface and compatibility with various devices make it easy for employees to stay connected and productive, whether they're working from home or the office. Plus, its flexibility allows businesses to adapt to the evolving needs of hybrid work environments with ease.

With digital transformation in mind, expect D-Link's innovative solutions to boost productivity and adaptability, keeping up with the fast-paced changes of the modern workplace.

Can you talk about some of your recent launches and of course the upcoming ones?

D-Link is at the forefront of improving home networks, a critical aspect in our highly connected world. Leveraging AI to optimize network performance is a smart move, especially in households with high data demands. D-Link is focusing on enhancing home networks, which is increasingly important in today's connected world.

Sakkeer

D-Link AQUILA PRO AI is a cutting-edge router that integrated artificial intelligence to optimize and manage home networks effectively. Utilizing advanced AI technology, the router could automatically identify network issues and optimize performance, ensuring a smoother and more reliable connection for users. Its intelligent bandwidth management allows prioritization of critical applications and devices to prevent network congestion and maintain consistent performance for high-demand tasks.

How does D-Link support sustainability and environmental considerations in its product manufacturing and technology solutions in the Middle East?

D-Link has been dedicated to environmental protection through its "D-Link Green" project since 2007. This project focuses on the 3Rs (Recycle, Reuse, Reduce) and incorporates measures such as restricted or limited substance management, energy-efficient product development, easy disassembly for recycling and reuse, and reduced packaging to minimize the negative environmental impact of products at every stage of their lifecycle. We later launched the "D-Link Green Pack" project in 2022, aiming to achieve environmental sustainability through eco-friendly materials, plastic-free packaging, and optimal material volume. Overcoming technical challenges, we successfully released our first product with a casing made from post-consumer recycled plastics, marking a crucial step towards environmental sustainability.

What role do you see D-Link playing in the digital infrastructure development and smart city initiatives in the Middle East?

In the Middle East, D-Link can contribute to building smart cities by providing reliable networking solutions like routers and surveillance cameras. These technologies help in tasks such as managing traffic and ensuring public safety.

Additionally, D-Link's focus on innovation and adaptability can support the evolving needs of digital infrastructure development in the Middle East, providing scalable and reliable networking solutions tailored to the specific requirements of smart city projects.

With D-Link's expertise, cities can develop efficient digital infrastructure for a smarter future.

Sakkeer Hussain Director, Sales & Marketing D-Link, MEA

With digital transformation in mind, expect D-Link's innovative solutions to boost productivity and adaptability, keeping up with the fast-paced changes of the modern workplace."

Human Centric Approach to Tech Transformation

Endava has been emphasising the importance of human-centric technology transformation. Is this due to concerns around humans being made redundant by AI? Our ethos of people-centric business and tech transformation predates the far more recent advancement of AI. For any technology, AI or otherwise, to yield business benefits, it must be deployed in the service of people — failing this, these investments will almost certainly fall short of their goals.

This has most recently been evidenced in Endava research which shows that more than half (54%) of Middle East organisations reported wasted digital transformation investments. The fact that of all the reasons cited for getting into digital transformation in the first place, globally only 42% of organisations say they were trying to improve the employee experience (productivity, satisfaction, and retention) strongly suggests that failing to leverage the human advantage sets a business up for a fall.

The success of digital solutions is inherently reliant on understanding how people will respond to new technologies. Nurturing incredible products and services demands a human-centric approach throughout every stage of digital evolution. In practice, this is all about people — understanding user needs and expectations, working through

David Boast, General Manager – MENA at Endava shares insights on their human-centric approach to tech transformation and empowering organizations in the Middle East with their transformation goals.

David Boast

General Manager - MENA, Endava

cultural barriers to adoption and collaborating with employees to build engagement from the outset.

It may be hard for technologists to wrap their heads around a term like people-centric innovation – something that perhaps is more the domain of marketing and HR experts. How should IT professionals interpret this paradigm and translate it into the technologies they implement?

Dealing with digital change relies on more than domain expertise alone. It demands a deep understanding of organisational dynamics, strong relationships with technology partners and a people-centric approach to business. The bottom line is that without people, technology is pointless. Whether it is customers, employees, suppliers or anyone else in the product value chain, humans must be at the heart of the decision making and the critical success factors.

For IT professionals, it starts with a fundamental change in their mindset towards outcomes. To set out greater productivity, customer satisfaction, revenues, or other metrics such as KPIs, is to place the cart before the horse. Instead, transformation needs to be approached from the perspective of how it will enhance the lives of the user groups it is intended to serve. That is at the very heart of the Endava ethos — “technology is our how. And people are our why”. Setting people-centric KPIs will require teams to think outside the box — as enforcing traditional technical success metrics falls short as a measure of human impact. If you want to see revenues grow, you need to ensure customers are engaging

more frequently and meaningfully with your digital service; if you want productivity to increase, you need to make sure your digital processes actually address the pain points employees face and are more intuitive than the de facto standard.

Every stakeholder should be part of the process so KPIs can reflect the concerns, biases, and comfort levels of everyone who may be impacted by the change. Timelines should be realistic, and expectations should be aired and managed. Goals should be mutual and clearly understood by all.

How is Endava partnering with Middle East organisations to empower them on their peoplecentric transformation journeys?

At Endava, we follow a model of shared success and investment in digitisation outcomes. We believe that an organisation cannot realistically meet all the demands their digital-business ambitions place on them. At least, not without help. They must weigh so many market pressures and anticipate future headwinds. Economic downturns and inflation may be confined to Europe

and the Americas for now, but that could change. And the competition for talent is always present.

It makes sense, therefore, to look to the regional partner ecosystem. With our extensive experience, and regionally based teams of subject matter experts, Endava can support a visionary enterprise as it digitises. We serve as the independent, knowledgeable external partner, bringing a wealth of industry experience and the ability to recommend alternative approaches that can accelerate digital transformation initiatives. We work to augment and assist, plugging skills and resource gaps. We apply a phased approach to every transformation so as to save our clients from 'analysis paralysis'. Setting tangible, delivery focussed targets on the journey, we drive digital acceleration, using each milestone as an inflection point to change, pivot and adapt. In this way, we empower organisations to achieve lift-off and meet goals. The end benefits are widely known — optimised processes, reduced costs, and increased revenues.

Nurturing incredible products and services demands a human-centric approach throughout every stage of digital evolution. In practice, this is all about people — understanding user needs and expectations, working through cultural barriers to adoption and collaborating with employees to build engagement from the outset."

AI & AR integration in CPQ Solutions - a Winning Strategy

Vibhu Kapoor Regional Vice President - Middle East, Africa & India, Epicor

CPQ offers the flexibility to individualise customisable offerings for each customer, independent of scale. Onboard pricing tools account for volume discounts, promotions, and other deals based on business rules that tie configuration to cost, allowing profitability and competitiveness to walk hand in hand. All of this happens quickly, accurately, and with a professional polish.

Is there potential for AI in CPQ solutions and if so, what value would its integration deliver?

quotations is therefore no stretch. With AI blended into CPQ solutions, conversion rates and loyalty can go through the roof.

What are other, innovative ways in which CPQ can transform the sales approach Customer Experience?

What are the latest trends in the tech space that Epicor plays in and the business drivers behind these?

Epicor has traditionally been seen as an ERP provider, and while we remain a market-leader in this segment, we have been investing to develop our portfolio of complimentary solutions. Of these, Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) has resonated especially well with businesses in the region. Currently, much of the challenge Middle East organisations face is not in finding opportunities, but rather in working fast enough to be able to capitalise on all. CPQ, which enables powerful, streamlined formalisation of the sales pipeline, does precisely this.

Yes, it is indeed true that it’s rare to see new technology projects being implemented today that don't at least offer potential for enhancement using AI. And this is certainly the case with CPQ as well. AI and machine learning are transforming CPQ solutions, and such use cases can be seen everywhere — from online shopping pages to brick-and-mortar outlets. Smart technologies can get involved in the analysis of customer data and preferences for the purposes of purchase recommendations — not just for individual products but for customisation options. Pricing, of course, mirrors chosen options but also reflects market conditions, past consumer behaviour, and the goals of the business, all in real time.

As many of us have seen, AI is now able to turn its hand to content creation; the task of generating professional and personalised

Positive customer experiences are pivotal to the sales process and here too CPQ has the ability to be transformative. One of the most exciting areas is in its integration of Augmented Reality (AR) systems — a market which in the UAE alone, is expected to top US$88 million this year. CPQ can use AR to present products to remote customers in new and engaging ways. This is not just good for checking out the aesthetics of, say, furniture or clothing. Interaction is also possible through AR, so customers can see how a solid product would look and feel when changing features — functional or aesthetic — and also see how different configurations affect price.

AR in CPQ allows customers to get to grips with a product or service more deeply and intuitively, leading into to greater confidence and trust. Additionally, AR reduces the time needed to generate a quote because self service allows quotes to be generated almost in real time, right before the browsing customer’s eyes. The end result is increases in sales revenue and profitability and more effective upselling and cross-selling.

Vibhu Kapoor, Regional Vice President - Middle East, Africa & India at Epicor discusses the importance of AI & AR integration in CPQ Solutions for enhanced customer experiences and revenue boost.

Decoding App Install Trends in UAE

Could you share details about the latest AppsFlyer research on app installs and what this means for brands in UAE?

Our analysis of app utilisation by UAE consumers suggests that they are easily disenchanted by the mobile applications offered by brands. We found that the majority (56.44%) of Android applications are uninstalled within just 30 days of being downloaded. This figure is notably higher than that for more mature markets, such as the United States and United Kingdom, where the average 30-day uninstall rate for Android apps stands at 46.76% and 47.82% respectively. Combine this with findings from research we previously commissioned which showed that an overwhelming majority (84%) of businesses in the UAE view mobile apps as essential for staying connected with their customers, and we can infer that brands that fail to implement effective user acquisition and retention strategies are exposing themselves to significant risk.

How can brands acquire users when the app ecosystem is only getting more crowded by the day?

In the UAE, the larger portion (55%) of app installs is non-organic — driven by successful conversions of marketing efforts — so there is no doubt that paid campaigns are fundamental to user acquisition.

There are several factors at play when it comes to maximising

for app categories such as finance, food and delivery, mobile games, and eCommerce to rapidly grow their user bases.

How can UAE brands ensure they can retain hard earned app downloads and keep users engaged?

user acquisition campaigns. These include choosing the right media partner (such as Instagram, Twitter, Tik Tok or others based on the demographics of your target user base), crafting compelling marketing collateral (here AI is increasingly helping with content generation and A/B testing), creating seamless journeys from physical or digital channels to the install page on the appropriate app store and so on. Of course, a large part of this is also effective measurement using tools like AppsFlyer as without insight and data, it’s impossible to recognise trends and optimise campaigns.

It is also important for mobile marketers to consider the timing of their campaigns. For example, Ramadan, which will soon commence, is a great opportunity

When it comes to user experience, app performance is one the most important aspects. Consumers need to be able to get to their desired action as quickly and with as little friction as possible. Here, one of the overlooked aspects is the hosting service — the short-term savings with a cheap option will be quickly rendered meaningless in the long run. A cheap, slow back-end will lead to cheap, slow app performance, with the result that users will simply abandon the app. A quality server is required for a quality app.

To prevent and manage app failure, brands need to collect and understand data — for example, how often the app is failing, how many users it’s affecting and where in the user journey it is happening.

Optimise the web-to-app journey such that content is placed on the web browser and sends the user directly to the app store or to the relevant page in the app using deferred deeplinking. This enables marketers to create better onboarding experiences which are intimately linked to better conversion rates, and a more seamless journey for consumers.

Paul Wright General Manager, Western Europe and MENAT, AppsFlyer

Paul Wright, General Manager, Western Europe and MENAT at AppsFlyer speaks about the app install trends in UAE and how brands can go wrong with user acquisition and retention strategies.

Artificial Intelligence can Make all the Difference

Justin Jacob Head of Sales & Marketing

Advanced Integration

How are you supporting enterprises with their AI needs and strategy goals?

Advanced integration was founded in 2019 as an AI Solution Provider, so we actually had foreseen the need for AI solutions quite early. We started with our initial partnership with Nvidia focusing on Artificial intelligent solutions but today we cover all portfolio of Nvidia products with customized solutions based on customer requirements and objectives. Advanced Integration provides the most comprehensive computing, storage and networking portfolio for Datacenters. Today not only in UAE but we are serving are much larger customer base across other middle eastern customers to

build and deploy best AI technology solutions. With our strong marketing and technical expertise, we have a lot to offer to our enterprise customers, helping them design and size their project requirements. Our company’s constant focus is on innovation, quality, reliability, and support of excellence. We are also on the path to invest in more talent in the fields of AI to increase our team’s strength for better facilitation.

What industries do you cater to at the moment?

We have deployed multiple large AI solutions with large enterprise customers and quite a few project discussions are in the execution stage. Our customers in the region are absolutely AI futuristic. Currently we addressing Healthcare, Smart cities, Higher education, Telecommunication, Defense, Energy, Cloud service providers etc. Artificial intelligence is a new era in the IT industry, and every vertical gains from an AI driven workflow for better efficiency and accuracy.

Can you talk about the solutions used for projects so far?

Most of the unique projects we have deployed are in the Middle East region. We are not liberty to discuss the project names due to the NDAs signed. However, here are some of the solutions that we have deployed so far and continue to work around.

• BIS (business intelligence solution) for marketing & communication data

• GeForce Gaming platform for sub-scribers

• ISP 4G/5G enabled Edge device computing

• Commercialize GPU as a service

• GPU based HPC solutions for leasing

• DL & ML platforms for AI data scientists etc.

• Smart city traffic violation and vehicle tracking solutions

• People identification detection

What key trends are you seeing in AI and accelerated computing across MEA region?

Most Middle Eastern countries have launched ambitious AI strategies and their AI vision in the last few years. Multiple initiatives have also been launched by the government bodies revolving around AI. These programs include funding for research, development, and the adoption of AI technologies. Universities and research institutions are actively working on AI projects and collaborating with industry partners. The healthcare sector specifically has been quite aggressive in adopting AI for tasks like disease diagnosis, telemedicine, and patient management etc. So we are seeing positive trends across all major industries and this will continue an upward graph.

at

Justin Jacob, Head of Sales & Marketing at Advanced Integration shares insights on how the company is simplifying workflows for Industries using AI and what solutions are in demand.

4 Tech Predictions that will Prepare UAE Leaders for the Road Ahead

By Fred Lherault CTO Emerging Markets, Pure Storage

The rise of generative AI, the hosting of the COP28 conference, and a world still trying to figure out how to do more with less. These are just some highlights from 2023. Now we must look to the future. What are the opportunities ahead? And how do business leaders and other decision makers take advantage of those opportunities to build efficient, profitable, sustainable operations?

The world is changing, and business must change with it. Technology can and must support that change.

I offer four predictions for the coming new year that should prepare IT and business decision makers for the challenges they will face.

PREDICTION 1 — Demand for generative AI solutions will spark a new surge in container adoption

A recent study by McKinsey predicted that US$150 billion (or 9% of combined GDP) of value could be added to GCC economies by artificial intelligence, but went on to state “that figure could be quickly surpassed” by the adoption of technologies like generative AI. Next year, we can expect to see the widespread adoption of containers — already a growth market — to facilitate generative AI’s integration.

The open-source Kubernetes, and containers in general, are widely seen as the best way to achieve the required agility to adopt AI at an organization’s own pace. Containers play vital roles in the curation, cleaning, and formatting of data, as well as in model training, largely because the tools used in these stages all reside in containers.

This will be the third phase of growth for containers, the first being the containerization of workloads and the second involving databases and applications. Now that AI and its supporting tools are migrating, we will see the reliance on containers continue to rise, through 2024 and beyond.

PREDICTION 2 — New regulation will impact technology purchasing in 2024

Regulatory compliance will continue to be a priority in 2024. Following COP28, there will be renewed focus on initiatives such as Dubai’s Green Building Regulations and UAE Net Zero by 2050, led by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE). And the ongoing surge in cyber incidents, exacerbated by the rise of generative AI, will see

organizations once again consulting guidelines such as the UAE Information Assurance Regulation.

ICT resilience and sustainability are both indivisible from technology. Digital solutions can help with the reporting of Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, including the capture of information from along the supply chain. For cybersecurity, enterprises must look to a range of issues, from identity and access management (IAM) to the protection of endpoints within a hybrid work environment. Banks, telcos, and utilities must also deal with the threat to critical infrastructure posed by the merging of IT and OT.

All these issues will affect the decisions made regarding technology purchases. Procurement teams must allow for their organization’s obligations to minimize waste, protect data, and a range of others. These decisions not only affect a business’s internal IT suite, but the products and services they provide. And strong reputations in cyber resilience and sustainability will bring competitive advantage in the years ahead.

PREDICTION

3 — Energy consumption and power costs will accelerate the shift from CapEx to OpEx

Continued concerns about the state of the economy, difficult business conditions and high energy costs will have a significant influence on the tech market in 2024. This will accelerate the trend towards OpEx spending over CapEx.

Subscription services will continue to be very attractive as customers only want to pay for what they use, scale up and down as needed and, avoid the need for large CapEx outlays. Besides direct budget constraints, we’ll continue to see subscriptions growth being driven in part by uncertainty about the full utilization of new assets. It makes sense to opt for a subscription to a service and avoid CapEx expenditure when there’s a reasonable possibility that a CapEx asset will not be used to full capacity. However, subscription services will only succeed if they are backed by relevant SLAs. With so many subscriptions available on the market, buyers are becoming more discerning about what to invest in, and are demanding SLAs which guarantee crucial

areas of the service including data protection and energy efficiency/sustainability.

This trend is also being observed in data centers, with operators beginning to favor on-demand models that enable just-in-time provisioning of assets. This allows them to better control energy costs through lower power consumption, which also helps them realize their sustainability goals. From a sustainability point of view, platform usage in data centers over a three to five year period is going to be the biggest factor in carbon emissions. Organizations are becoming aware of this and factoring it into their purchasing decisions for the year ahead and beyond.

PREDICTION 4 — Demand for greater efficiency and innovation in data centers to grow as capacity crunch hits

Many organizations that are reliant on data centers are reporting that their most pressing issue right now is one of capacity. A growing number of data centers are full, and don’t have the space or power available to deploy new platforms.

In 2024, this will result in widespread efforts to achieve efficiency gains, even on existing data center platforms, as this is the only way they will be able to reclaim space and power to accommodate the use of new technologies inside the data center.

To optimize the sustainability of existing data center footprints, we’ll see operators looking to switch to new, more power efficient technology, with smaller space and cooling requirements. This is in essence extending the life of the data center — an essential factor when considering the need for new technologies in the wake of the rise of AI.

GETTING AHEAD IN THE YEAR AHEAD

The UAE has always been a thriving business community. It faces down challenges and turns them into opportunities. In 2024, businesses that align with the needs to optimize every asset, build sustainable operations, protect data and systems, and make use of new tools like generative AI will emerge as leaders.

Positive Technologies Announces $650,000 Bug Bounty

Positive Technologies is constantly refining its approach to result-driven cybersecurity: as part of the bug bounty program Positive Dream Hunting, security researchers from around the world can attempt to trigger two non-tolerable events. The first person who can inject malicious code into the company’s products or steal money from its accounts will be rewarded with more than $650,000.

Over the past two years, Russian companies have been hit by a record number of cyberattacks. Many companies started implementing result-driven cybersecurity by identifying and verifying nontolerable events, monitoring key and target systems, conducting regular cyber exercises, and participating in bug bounty programs. Middle Eastern countries where companies and critical infrastructure are increasingly being hit by cyberattacks, 83% of which are targeted, can also put Positive Technologies experience to use.

Alexey Novikov, Head of the PT Expert Security Center at Positive Technologies, said: “Launching a bug bounty program focused on non-tolerable events is the only way for a company’s CISO and senior management to test the effectiveness of its security systems.”

Positive Technologies was the first in the industry to dare

Alexey Novikov Head of the PT Expert Security Center, Positive Technologies

to change the rules and goals of bug bounty programs by starting to engage independent security researchers to analyze how nontolerable events can be triggered. In November 2022, the Standoff 365 platform hosted a bug bounty program in which participants were challenged to steal money from corporate accounts—a true non-tolerable event for Positive Technologies. With the help of payment agents, Standoff 365 can pay rewards to researchers in different currencies in Russia and abroad.

Companies have started to take a keen interest in analyzing scenarios of non-tolerable events; the number of bug bounty programs

has also increased.

Three months after conducting the exercises on the cyberrange, Positive Technologies is launching an open program on the bug bounty platform with a $650,000 reward. The reward will be granted to a bug hunter (or a team of bug hunters) who will be able, in accordance with the program rules, to place a malicious build with malicious code on the gus.ptsecurity.com internal update server or on the update. ptsecurity.com public servers. This participant must also prove that the build can be downloaded, by providing a screenshot with the necessary permissions. Researchers are prohibited from using a modified build. In addition, Positive Technologies internal security mechanisms prevent any malicious update from spreading to products used by the company’s customers.

White hat hackers who manage to come close to causing a nontolerable event (those who get within several steps of being able to do it) will also receive a reward.

To ensure result-driven cybersecurity, Positive Technologies uses its own products, with the latest features. MaxPatrol SIEM security information and event management system collects logs from all corporate assets, PT Sandbox inspects email attachments and files from traffic, and PT Application Firewall protects web resources.

PPNY Launches CS3150 M.2 NVMe

SSD with RGB Heatsink

Speed – Style – Enhanced Management

NY CS3150 M.2 NVMe SSD with RGB Heatsink isn’t your average storage drive. It’s a powerhouse built for extreme performance, efficient cooling, and a touch of personalization, now with the added benefit of powerful management software.

UNLEASH THE BEAST: GEN5 NVME SPEEDS

At the heart of the CS3150 lies the PCIe Gen5 x4 interface, the latest and fastest connection standard for storage devices. This translates to mind-blowing read speeds of up to 11,500 MB/s and write speeds of up to 8,500 MB/s. Booting up your system, launching applications, and transferring large files become lightning-fast experiences.

STAY COOL UNDER PRESSURE: INNOVATIVE DUAL-FAN HEATSINK

The CS3150 doesn’t just boast raw power; it also ensures sustained performance. Its unique dual-fan heatsink effectively dissipates heat generated during demanding tasks, preventing throttling and maintaining peak performance even under heavy loads. This makes it ideal for PC enthusiasts, gamers, and content creators who push their systems to the limit.

LIGHT UP YOUR RIG: CUSTOMIZABLE RGB LIGHTING

The CS3150 goes beyond just performance. It features PNY’s EPIC-X RGB™ technology, allowing you to

personalize your lighting with a variety of colors and effects. This adds a unique touch to your PC build, reflecting your style and creating an immersive atmosphere.

POWER FEATURES & BENEFITS:

Dramatically faster boot times and application loading compared to traditional hard drives and even Gen4 NVMe SSDs.

• Smoother gameplay and improved responsiveness in demanding games.

• Seamless multitasking and faster content creation workflows, allowing you to handle heavy workloads with ease.

• Efficient cooling ensures sustained performance and prevents thermal throttling.

• Customizable RGB lighting adds a personal touch to your PC setup.

• PNY VelocityX software provides advanced monitoring, performance optimization, and data management tools, allowing you to gain deeper insights into your drive’s health and performance, fine-tune settings for optimal efficiency, and manage your storage space effectively.

If you’re looking to take your PC’s performance to the next level, add a touch of flair, and gain comprehensive drive management capabilities, the PNY CS3150 M.2 NVMe SSD with RGB Heatsink is the perfect choice.

Qualys Expands CyberSecurity Asset Management

Qualys Inc., has announced it is expanding Qualys CyberSecurity Asset Management to identify unmanaged and untrusted devices in realtime. Leveraging the Qualys Cloud Agent to continuously monitor the network, this passive discovery method complements scans, agents, and API-based discovery to build a comprehensive asset inventory, calculate the TruRisk of every asset, and eliminate risk based on business impact.

Sixty-nine percent of organizations said they experienced at least one cyberattack resulting from an exploit of an unknown or unmanaged asset such as software, cloud-based workloads, user accounts, and connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Staying on top of a changing attack surface requires constant vigilance. Qualys is tackling this critical issue by enriching its Cloud Agent to offer passive sensing, empowering security teams to protect against threats that originate within the internal network, without disrupting operations.

With this new capability, Qualys CyberSecurity Asset Management strengthens its position as the industry leader in combining

internal and external attack surface management. By leveraging Qualys Cloud Agents to sniff network traffic, customers have identified an average of 34% more unmanaged and untrusted assets, seamlessly integrating them into their vulnerability management programs with business context and risk assessment.

Qualys CyberSecurity Asset Management with passive sensing provides organizations with:

• Complete Internal Attack Surface Coverage: Incorporates the final component of a comprehensive asset inventory to detect risk from IoT devices, unauthorized cloud instances and any network devices that may have been previously missed. By adding previously unmanaged and untrusted network device inventory, organizations can perform automated vulnerability management and compliance scans to identify vulnerabilities and misconfigurations, calculate TruRisk, and prioritize remediation actions based on business risk—all within a single platform.

• Lays the Foundation for Zero Trust Security Architecture: CyberSecurity Asset Management proactively identifies devices connected to the network that are

not authenticated, missing security agents, or otherwise untrusted in real-time. This provides cyber risk assessment—without additional overhead, cost, or resource deployment.

• Turbocharges CMDB Accuracy and Coverage: Automatically add discovered assets to the configuration management database (CMDB), enabling IT with comprehensive visibility required to manage asset inventory lifecycle and remediate cyber risk.

“By adding passive discovery to Qualys’ more than 100 million deployed Cloud Agents, we are providing organizations with a unique expansion of attack surface coverage that requires no additional overhead, cost, or resources to maintain,” said Sumedh Thakar, president and CEO of Qualys. “Bringing significantly more visibility to unknown devices as part of their risk management programs, CISOs now have an ace-in-the-hole to defend against shadow IT; a huge step as organizations move toward a Zero Trust Security Architecture.”

AVAILABILITY

The Qualys Cloud Agent Passive Sensor is now available as part of Qualys CyberSecurity Asset Management app.

OPSWAT Invests $10M in Cybersecurity Skills Gap Scholarship Program

OPSWAT, announced that it is launching a $10 million scholarship program to offer essential CIP training courses. This initiative is designed to address the increasing demand for certified cybersecurity professionals, particularly within critical infrastructure industries.

ICS2 estimates in its 2023 Cybersecurity Workforce Study that 4 million cybersecurity professionals are needed globally, marking a significant 13% increase from 2022. The CIP landscape has become more complex, requiring expertise in safeguarding both Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT). Additionally, the data sharing between these domains, coupled with complex technologies, intensifies the need for specialized knowledge around how to protect it. OPSWAT recognizes these challenges and is committed to bridging the skills gap in this specialized field.

In response to the urgency outlined by the U.S. Executive Orders and the National Cybersecurity Strategy, OPSWAT’s scholarship program will provide OPSWAT Academy courses through authorized partnerships with educational institutions and government agencies. These collaborations aim to empower both students and seasoned professionals by offering them free access to courses that cover the latest technologies in cybersecurity and are tailored to equip participants with the skills necessary to protect critical infrastructure environments from a dynamic threat landscape.

“Through our commitment to education and workforce development, OPSWAT is taking a significant step towards closing the cybersecurity skills gap,” said Benny Czarny, Founder and CEO at OPSWAT. “Our goal is to ensure that individuals, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to develop their cybersecurity expertise and join OPSWAT’s mission in protecting the world’s critical infrastructure.”

Acknowledging the importance of public-private

partnerships, OPSWAT emphasizes that collective efforts are vital in addressing the cybersecurity workforce gap. By supporting this scholarship program, OPSWAT not only contributes to the growth of the critical infrastructure community but also aligns with government initiatives focused on enhancing cybersecurity measures.

To learn more about the OPSWAT Scholarship Program, including eligibility requirements and application details, please OPSWAT website.

Benny Czarny Founder and CEO, OPSWAT

Barracuda: New Chief Legal Officer & Chief HR Officer

Barracuda Networks, Inc., has announced Nell O’Donnell as its new Chief Legal Officer and Kim Mota as its new Chief Human Resources Officer. Both leaders bring extensive years of executive leadership experience to Barracuda, with successful track records of leading companies through business growth and expansion.

As Chief Legal Officer, Nell is a seasoned general counsel with a wealth of experience in the areas of cloud technology and data security.

Nell comes to Barracuda from her recent role as SVP, Chief Legal Officer at ServiceMax (acquired by PTC). She has also served as SVP, General Counsel for McAfee and Brocade.

As Chief Human Resources Officer, Kim brings extensive experience in human resources leadership where she has successfully managed global teams in multi-site enterprises of varying sizes. Kim joins Barracuda most recently from Integrated Device Technology (acquired by Renesas

Electronics Corporation) where she led the worldwide Human Resources function. Prior to that she held HR leadership roles at Poly (acquired by HP).

“As we continue to accelerate growth in our business and people teams, we are thrilled to expand the executive leadership team with these new leaders,” said Barracuda President and CEO, Hatem Naguib. “The invaluable expertise that Nell and Kim bring aligns perfectly with our business vision and commitment to our team.”

Nell O’Donnell Chief Legal Officer Barracuda

Kim Mota Chief Human Resources Officer Barracuda

Reshma Naik appointed as Emerging Markets Director of Systems Engineering

Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX), announced that IT industry veteran Reshma Naik has been appointed Director of Systems Engineering, Emerging Markets. Reshma will report directly to Paulo Pereira, VP, Systems Engineering, EMEA and will oversee the expanding team of systems engineers in emerging markets.

The Systems Engineering team is dedicated to delivering presales consulting, offering technical guidance, and providing support to customers and channel partners. Collaborating closely with the sales teams, these systems engineers offer recommendations and design optimal solutions for customers, leveraging Nutanix’s extensive portfolio.

Speaking about her appointment, Paulo Pereira, VP Systems Engineering for EMEA at Nutanix, comments, “Reshma’s dedication to technology, customer advocacy, and the creation of effective, empowered teams that find joy in their hard work and bring value is truly commendable. As Nutanix looks to make further strides in Emerging Markets, Reshma’s extensive experience in technical management positions, coupled with her keen business acumen will prove highly advantageous to the company in capitalizing on various market opportunities, introducing innovation and enhancing customer satisfaction.”

With an extensive IT career spanning over 20 years, Reshma has held various positions in engineering, solution selling, and management at NetScaler, Citrix Systems, and her last role at VMware as Director, Solution Engineering.

“What impresses me most about Nutanix is the company’s leadership in the cloud computing domain through its continuous commitment

to innovation – transforming complexity into simplicity. The rapid growth of Nutanix in recent years is remarkable, and I am fully prepared to embrace the challenges that come with my new role. Surrounded by a highly skilled team and an unparalleled technology portfolio, I eagerly anticipate contributing to the advancement of Nutanix’s leadership in hybrid multi-cloud infrastructure,” says Reshma.

Reshma Naik Emerging Markets Director, Systems Engineering, Nutanix

Philips and Malaffi Join Forces at Arab Health 2024

Royal Philips has announced a pioneering collaboration with Malaffi, operated by Abu Dhabi Health Data Services, a M42 company, the region’s first Health Information Exchange (HIE) platform and strategic initiative of the Department of Health –Abu Dhabi (DoH). By signing an agreement during Arab Health 2024 – the Middle East region’s largest healthcare event, Malaffi is officially recognized as a global reference site for Philips’ Image Exchange Solution.

This is an extension of a successful partnership established in 2022 that enabled the Malaffi HIE platform to include the exchange of medical images among diverse facilities and IT systems. Malaffi facilitates the seamless and secure transfer of key patient healthcare information such as allergies, laboratory results, diagnosis, conditions and others.

This agreement underscores Philips’ commitment to showcasing the best practice of how its technology facilitates sharing medical images across different facilities, fully integrated within a Health Information Exchange (HIE) platform. The HIE Solution ensures a reliable and standardized method for exchanging patient and clinical data and is a catalyst for revolutionizing healthcare interoperability, empowering providers to share information and medical images seamlessly

Kareem Shahin CEO of Abu Dhabi Health Data Services

and securely, ultimately enhancing patient care to unprecedented levels.

Dr. Samir Said, General Manager, Connected Care and Healthcare Informatics, Philips Middle East, Türkiye and Africa (META) said; “This global reference site agreement with Malaffi showcases the incredible impact of Philips technology on shaping the future of healthcare. Together with Malaffi, we are setting a new standard for sharing medical images digitally and securely, a move that is bound to enhance patient care and outcomes. We’re on a mission to revolutionize how medical information is shared, setting the stage for a seamless and efficient future in healthcare.

This collaboration isn’t just about technology; it’s about making healthcare better for everyone.”

Kareem Shahin, CEO of Abu Dhabi Health Data Services, commented; “We are immensely proud to have joined the ranks of leading HIEs globally with our fully integrated Image Exchange Solution, a result of our partnership with Philips. This feature has been transformative for our clinicians and patients and has spearheaded our leadership in digital healthcare innovation. Setting a new standard in the dynamic landscape of healthcare technology, being inaugurated as a global reference site for Philip’s solution enables us to advocate for cutting-edge interoperability solutions that have a profound impact on the entire healthcare eco-system.”

The Image Exchange Solution facilitates swift collaboration among physicians, enhancing diagnostic speed and treatment outcomes. This accomplishment highlights Abu Dhabi’s visionary strides in digital transformation within the healthcare sector.

As a part of its Enterprise Informatics Solutions portfolio, Philips provides a comprehensive suite of image exchange solutions that can be tailored to meet the distinct requirements and regulatory frameworks of various health systems, health information exchanges (HIEs), and exchange networks globally.

Tech Mahindra Implements NextGen Digital Platform for Sunrise

Tech Mahindra, announced the successful implementation of the greenfield digital MVNE (Mobile Virtual Network Enabler) platform for Sunrise. Headquartered in Zurich, Sunrise is the largest private (not state-owned) telecom operator in Switzerland that offers industry-leading mobile, internet, TV, and fixed network services to private and business customers.

The cloud-native MVNE platform will enable Sunrise to drive digital-first and simplified customer journeys for MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators). The implementation will assist MVNOs in accelerating market time, optimizing technology architecture, and reducing costs. It will empower Sunrise to achieve Zero-Touch and Zero-Trouble MVNE operations. Additionally, it provides robust data protection measures, ensuring data security and integrity, aligning with the requirements of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Vikram Nair, President, EMEA Business, Tech Mahindra, said, “The seamless onboarding and integration of MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) on their network is a challenge for Telcos as it is complex, tedious, and expensive to manage in the long run. The need of the hour is to leverage a truly digital, comprehensive Business Support Systems (BSS) platform using Microservices and Open API (Application Programming Interface) standards for agility, flexibility, and scalability. Our implementation of the BSS platform has supported Sunrise to reduce their onboarding time of MVNO significantly. This accomplishment further strengthens our long-standing partnership with them.”

Tech Mahindra delivered the MVP (Minimum Viable Product) for this platform within a timeline of less than nine months. The platform was then commercially rolled out by Sunrise, subsequent to which they onboarded their first MVNO on this platform, a post-paid reseller.

Robert Redeleanu, Chief Business Officer at Sunrise, said, “Tech Mahindra has fully fulfilled our expectations

in delivering a robust and best-fit MVNE (Mobile Virtual Network Enabler) solution to kick start a new digital era for our MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) partners. The state-of-the-art solution has supported us to deliver fully digitalized customer experiences. We are looking forward to leveraging this platform within our wholesale and B2B (Business-to-business) sector to offer new products and solutions.”

This partnership is in line with Tech Mahindra’s NXT. NOW™ framework, which aims to enhance ‘Customer Centric Experiences’ and focuses on investing in emerging technologies and solutions that accelerate digital transformation and help us to meet the evolving needs of our customers.

Vikram Nair President, EMEA Business Tech Mahindra

Dubai Industrial City Boosts Regional Manufacturing

Dubai Industrial City is reporting robust annual growth for 2023 with 12 new F&B customers joining the district during the year, cementing its role as a proponent of advanced manufacturing and the regional circular economy.

The new F&B customers represent cumulative investments worth AED 800 million, reflecting the appeal of Dubai Industrial City, one of TECOM Group PJSC’s 10 dedicated business destinations for six strategic economic sectors, to food manufacturers and innovators from around the world. Overall customer growth reached 17% during 2023, with more than 1,000 local, regional, and global manufacturing leaders, including F&B industry innovators and heavyweights, now based at the district.

The district’s leadership revealed this growth on the side-lines of Gulfood 2024, the world’s largest annual F&B trade exhibition held in Dubai on 19-23 February. The industrial hub is showcasing innovations from 10 customers including Patchi, Al Barakah Dates, and Barakat Quality Plus at the event, as well as spotlighting the crucial role of mobility in food security through its Make Brilliance global awareness campaign.

“Advanced manufacturing is the cornerstone of global food security, and it must be relentlessly

promoted to ensure a sustainable food system for generations to come,” said Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at TECOM Group PJSC. “A resilient circular economy can accelerate nutrition security by conserving resources and creating new economic opportunities, and we are proud to catalyse such win-win solutions for businesses, the environment, and future generations through the holistic ecosystem that is Dubai Industrial City’s F&B zone.”

More than 300 factories are operational at Dubai Industrial City, which was established in 2004 with an intelligent and sector-focused masterplan to foster collaboration and minimize waste reduction in the base metals, machinery, minerals, F&B, transport, and chemical sectors.

The district’s F&B zone, which spans 23.5 million sq.ft., is home to global and regional F&B industry giants such as Asmak, Barakat Quality Plus, and Silver Line Gate Group. Dubai Industrial City’s sector-specific infrastructure, including industrial lands, storage and logistics spaces, and cold-storage facilities, enables national socioeconomic and environmental mandates by supporting advanced agricultural practices and sustainable production.

“Strategies like Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’, Operation 300bn, and National Food Security Strategy 2051 are creating a future where food is abundant, accessible, and nutritious for all, and Dubai Industrial City’s commitment to this vision is unwavering,” said Saud Abu Alshawareb.

Dubai Industrial City’s performance underscores its dedication to cultivating a dynamic and competitive F&B sector in the UAE as well as its continued support for innovation and sustainability to enable advanced manufacturing for global good.

The district’s connectivity to critical local and national road networks, Al Maktoum International Airport, Jebel Ali Port, and an Etihad Rail terminal strengthen the supply chain of its F&B customers such as A.P. Moller – Maersk, which opened the doors to its first cold store in the UAE, at Dubai Industrial City last year to safeguard the integrity of perishables in its operations.

UDST and Huawei Jointly Launch AI ICT Academy Lab

The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST), in collaboration with Huawei, proudly unveils the cutting-edge AI ICT Academy Lab, marking a significant stride in Qatar’s educational landscape. The inauguration garnered the presence of esteemed government officials, underscoring the pivotal role public – private partnerships on advancing AI capabilities in Qatar.

As AI is ushering in fourth industrial revolution, upskilling initiatives to address the AI-powered digital divide will be fundamental to drive innovation and cultivating a skilled workforce to drive Qatar’s digital future. Coupled with Huawei Cloud capabilities, the AI ICT Academy Lab is targeted at unlocking the potential of AI in the education sector, empowering students with advanced AI skills necessary to transform their competence to new levels in-line with Qatar’s National AI Strategy focused on six pillars: education, data access, employment, business, research, and ethics, that together will guide Qatar towards the transition to an AI future. Central to the opening ceremony was the presence of an AI Avatar, symbolizing the convergence of technology and education. This dynamic showcase vividly depicted the transformative potential of AI in fostering digital ambassadors and revolutionizing educational paradigms, laying the groundwork for a future where innovation thrives.

Dr. Salem Al-Naemi, President of UDST, emphasized the monumental importance of the partnership, stating, “The launch of the UDSTHuawei AI ICT Academy Lab represents a pivotal moment in our dedication to nurturing innovation and excellence in education. This collaboration underscores our commitment to empowering students with the requisite skills and knowledge to thrive in the digital era.”

Mr. Alex Zhang, CEO of Huawei Technologies LLC, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the collaborative effort in propelling technological advancements forward. “Huawei takes immense pride in partnering with UDST to inaugurate the AI ICT Academy Lab,” he remarked. “Together, we are empowering students to explore the limitless possibilities of AI and spearhead Qatar’s digital transformation journey.”

Dr. Khalid Abdulla Al Ali, Minister advisor at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, commended

this initiative, affirming, “The collaboration between UDST and Huawei underscores the critical importance of fostering excellence in AI education. This partnership will undoubtedly fortify Qatar’s endeavors in cultivating a skilled workforce for the future.”

Looking ahead, Huawei is slated to organize a Hackathon aimed at honing student capabilities in leveraging Model Arts in education through the Huawei Cloud. This collaborative endeavor underscores Huawei’s commitment to fostering educational initiatives and empowering students with practical skills in AI and cloud computing.

The launch of the UDST-Huawei AI ICT Academy Lab heralds a new era in Qatar’s journey towards becoming a leading digital hub. Through strategic partnerships, innovative initiatives, and a shared vision for the future, UDST and Huawei are paving the way for a brighter, more connected future for generations to come.

5 Predictions for 2024; How UAE's Security Leaders can De-risk their Businesses

Nothing stays the same. As we roll from 2023 to 2024, the cyberthreat landscape continues to evolve. Attacks are more frequent. According to the UAE government’s Head of Cybersecurity, Dr. Mohammed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, the nation fends off 50,000 attacks a day. These are deterred attacks. Attacks that fail. And there are more than 18 million of them in a year. About two for every member of the population.

What about the ones that succeed? IBM Security tells us the average cost of a breach for the UAE and Saudi Arabia sits at around US$8 million. While that is a shared average, we can easily see the scale of the problem for UAE security stakeholders.

And yet, there is hope. In the year ahead, I predict five changes in approach that will deliver us into a safer age despite the growing attack surface, increasing sophistication in infiltration methods, and talent gaps.

1. FROM CONSOLIDATION TO SIMPLIFICATION

Global averages for the number of security tools installed by organizations reach as high as 90. Thus far, consolidation has been the go-to strategy for CISOs, including those based in the UAE. But in 2024, security leaders will go one step further and look to simplify security processes. Ultimately, the tools that best help organizations de-risk their business by effectively measuring, communicating and eliminating cyber risk will be the ones that win out. We will see automation help SOCs to find the genuine risks and ignore the false alarms by taking a risk-based approach to security alerts and allowing AI to triage threats. Remediation will become more automated, allowing cyber talent to be put to its best use.

2. AI’S BIG BREAK

While AI’s hype has caused suspicion among tech pros, the potential of this basket of tools cannot be ignored. In 2024, we can expect enough pilots to create enough

By Hadi Jaafarawi Managing Director – Middle East, Qualys

measurably positive results to build momentum in adoption. The security team will see other business units adopt AI and create more data and more vulnerabilities than ever before. And analysts will reflect on the AI capabilities of threat actors that must be countered. Security leaders will deduce that more attack surface and more sophisticated attack methods could mean trouble if they do not enlist help from AI. In addition, the CISO and the SOC must educate themselves on all things AI, so they can advise other business units on how to adopt it safely. This advice will shape compliance and risk management across the region. CISOs and GRC officers cannot hope to stop the adoption of AI any more

than they could stop cloud migration or any other digital transformation initiative. Instead, they must exert what influence they can to avoid the worst mistakes.

3. LESS SKILLS, MORE AI

AI has a role to play in plugging skills gaps. Virtual agents can help junior cybersecurity analysts to be more effective from day one. And automation can take lengthy, tedious, or repetitive tasks off the plates of employees who could be used more effectively elsewhere. In this way, AI augments rather than supplants professionals, which is timely, given the incidence of burnout and attrition we see across the industry. In one study, 69% of cyber talent in the UAE said they dealt with up to 50 incidents daily and almost half (42%) agreed the word “inundated” was appropriate to describe their workload. In 2024, security leaders will need to take a fresh look at their teams’ health and wellbeing if they are going to maintain an effective cybersecurity function. AI can help with some aspects of this problem by taking some of the load off, but the rest will be down to human interaction, empathy, and building an inclusive, caring culture.

4. SOFTER SKILLS

Tech cannot do it all. It can do little to counter malicious insiders who compromise the organization from within. And let us not forget that any credentials theft, whether through phishing or insider duplicity, can leave a threat actor unchallenged as they burrow their way into the IT suite. In 2024, organizations will spend more time on training employees at all levels in their responsibilities. Developers will be urged to manage identities more securely in their code to make credentials more difficult to steal. And endusers will be taught to understand vectors like business email compromise (BEC), social engineering, and phishing. None of this will happen in isolation. Security will work more closely with other business functions to come up with ways to make training more memorable and impactful. Content will be infused with humor or memes concocted by professionals outside the security and IT teams to truly help those lessons stick.

5. SECURITY TAKES OWNERSHIP OF DATA

Since data sits at the heart of so many core business

applications, 2024 will be the year that security finally, and uniformly, addresses the need for organizationwide compliance. We will see security being involved in every instance of data access. This security presence will extend to everyday operations. Even the machinery of OT will not be exempt. Security teams will end up conducting performance diagnostics because such screenings require data, and data is going to be the domain of security. While this may appear to be the end of autonomy for business units, we have long seen technology professionals from inside and outside the security function talk about information silos and their potential to stymie effective operations. By placing data in the hands of a single function, we won’t slow down operations, instead it’ll allow the security team to offer consistent protection while adding business value.

THE YEAR OF SAFETY

As we make resolutions for 2024, what will you prioritize and fix? I hope this list has helped provide some ideas and that the coming year will be more secure for you than ever before.

Tech cannot do it all. It can do little to counter malicious insiders who compromise the organization from within. And let us not forget that any credentials theft, whether through phishing or insider duplicity, can leave a threat actor unchallenged as they burrow their way into the IT suite."

How Cloud Computing is Transforming the Middle East

By Emad Fahmy Systems Engineering Manager, Middle East, NETSCOUT

According to a recent report by IDC, an increasing number of businesses are adopting cloud technology, as well as investing significantly in artificial intelligence (AI); these investments are expected to reach $6.4 million by 2026.

COMPANIES ARE EXPECTED TO ADOPT MULTIPLE CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURES

With a wide range of cloud computing deployment models, organizations that are looking to stand out and gain a competitive advantage should consider adopting multicloud infrastructure. Indeed, 87% would stress that it would positively impact their business. This would be convenient to Middle Eastern companies that are looking to grow, making 76% of these companies increase their cloud budget, as reported by MEA Markets. This step

is crucial in building strong multicloud infrastructures.

CLOUD ADOPTION IN ME

The Middle East edition of Strategy& and PwC has reported that 85% of companies have already adopted the cloud and started using it, while 32% of companies have applied the cloud to at least one of their departments. On the other hand, we can see that over 35% have applied it across multiple departments and that 18% have applied it throughout their entire business.

SAFEGUARDING DATA:

With the above data being mentioned – and with 72% of worldwide organizations already considering integrated hybrid cloud usage as part of their main strategies while they conduct business – it is important to consider the safety of sensitive data, especially given that cloud-powered companies in the Middle East region have seen a revenue increase of 88% over the past six to nine months, compared to 76% of non-cloudpowered firms.

There are public clouds and there are private clouds, but hybrid clouds are the ones that stand out. By combining the strengths of public and private clouds, they help businesses enhance their security, and flexibility, and make operations less costly for them.

CLOUD LITERACY TRAINING

While cloud solutions are seeing

significant growth, there are still some concerns about it. 78% of organizations complain about the lack of cloud specialists in the industry. The cloud infrastructure can be considered a whole world on its own, with lots of details and complexities. Cloud specialists also need several diverse skills to understand cloud environments, and the constant evolution of cloud technologies, which can be highly complex, is the main cause behind the lack of cloud specialists. However, to address this problem, organizations are constantly looking for ways and allocating resources to enhance their employees’ skills, especially in the cloud, by actively organizing specialized training programs to train their employees on that.

ZERO TRUST AND SOVEREIGN CLOUDS RESHAPE THE CLOUD PARADIGM

Security is one of the main elements to prioritize when adopting cloud technology. A survey indicated that in terms of priorities, cloud security specialists in the Middle East have claimed that zero trust should be the main priority when companies think of adopting cloud technologies in the upcoming year.

Additionally, the ‘Future of Cloud Security in the Middle East‘ reports that 56% of regional cloud security experts are already implementing zero trust strategies, and 43% of them implement data and privacy best practices.

CONFIRMED:

Nothing Announces Phone (2a)

London-based technology company Nothing has confirmed the name of its new smartphone, Phone (2a). The name announcement came as a part of Nothing’s latest quarterly Community Update.

In 2023, Nothing focused on expanding its engineering capabilities across seven offices worldwide, resulting in the successful launch of two second-generation products.

Building on the success of Phone (2), Nothing recognises that some users prioritise cutting-edge specifications, while others seek a seamless blend of core functionalities and innovative design. In response to this. Phone (2a), codenamed Aerodactyl, has been engineered to deliver a great daily smartphone experience, while embodying Nothing’s iconic identity.

Phone (2a) has been engineered with a focus on providing the optimal daily smartphone experience, doubling down on core user needs, with all of Nothing’s expertise and craftsmanship. Phone (2a), codenamed Aerodactyl, leverages some of the most loved Phone (2) features, while ensuring a clear upgrade compared to

Phone (1) on every front.

In addition to the name of the new device, the company shared that it’s launching Glyph Developer Kit, which gives 3rd party Android apps the ability to control the Glyph Interface, unique to Nothing smartphones.

Furthermore, Nothing named Jillian Gerngross the new VP of Marketing. With 12 years of experience at Amazon Music, she will oversee the global marketing strategy, including launches of Nothing phones and new products on the audio side, promising to make this category even more fun.

Other updates included State of Business Update from our CFO, Tim Holbrow, and notes from the latest Nothing Board Meeting, as witnessed by Rohit Pakalapati, the newly-elected Community Board Observer.

Outside of the Community Update, CMF by Nothing announced that CMF Buds and CMF Neckband Pro are coming soon. For further information head to the CMF by Nothing Instagram.

HONOR Announces the Launch of HONOR Magic V2 in the UAE

The thinnest and lightest foldable phone measuring 9.9mm while boasting an industry-leading 5,000 mAh battery and 5 cameras

HONOR has announced the launch of the HONOR Magic V2 in the UAE market. This nextgeneration flagship foldable smartphone will become the thinnest and lightest book-style foldable smartphone on the planet upon release. The release is a bold statement by HONOR which will surely redefine industry benchmarks with significant improvements across form factor, battery, display and user experience.

“We are excited to introduce the HONOR Magic V2 to users in the UAE, we believe it will achieve significant success by exceeding consumers expectations across the region, especially with existing users of foldable devices.” Said Mr. Mafeijian (Mr. House), CEO of HONOR GCC. “With a folded design externally resembling the look and feel of traditional smartphones, the HONOR Magic V2 signifies our commitment in

making foldables more practical and accessible. This masterpiece presents next-generation versatility, enabling consumers to adopt the latest in smartphone technology seamlessly.”

Before the official release, HONOR unveiled the exciting V Future Pioneer initiative, aiming to gather valuable feedback from early adopters of foldable technology.

In addition, HONOR collaborated with renowned Emirati artist Mattar Bin Lahej for the UAE launch of HONOR Magic V2, creating an artistic Arabic calligraphy design inspired by the device’s futuristic and sleek design.

LIGHTWEIGHT AND ULTRA-SLIM, MEASURING A TOTAL OF LESS THAN 1CM. In pursuit of best-in-class portability, HONOR

has meticulously refined the product structure, manufacturing process, and material selection for its latest flagship smartphone. Weighing only 231g and measuring 9.9mm in thickness when folded, the HONOR Magic V2 pushes the boundaries of innovation when it comes to foldables.

The HONOR Magic V2 features a Super-light & extra hard Titanium Hinge, which provides the perfect balance between weight and strength. HONOR’s SGS certified proprietary steel has been expertly created for use in the hinge’s main body of the HONOR Magic V2, providing added robustness and durability to the hinge mechanism. Thanks to these breakthrough innovations, the HONOR Magic V2 earned the coveted durability certification from SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance) ensuring the hinge to withstand up to 400,000 folds, which gives it a minimum lifespan of ten years when folding the device 100 times a day!

BREAKTHROUGH SILICON-CARBON BATTERY TECHNOLOGY FOR EXTENDED PERFORMANCE

The HONOR Magic V2 debuts with the thinnest dual Silicon-carbon Batteries with an average thickness of only 2.72mm. The innovative battery features HONOR’s revolutionary low-voltage charge energy-gathering technology for greater power output at the same voltage compared to graphite-based battery systems. With battery capacity of 5000mAh and supporting 66W HONOR SuperCharge, the HONOR Magic V2 ensures users stay connected without constant recharging.

HONOR’S SIGNATURE HUMAN-CENTRIC TECHNOLOGY FOR DISPLAY

The HONOR Magic V2 features a breathtaking foldable OLED LTPO display, offering an immersive user experience with support for 1.07 billion colors and exceptional color accuracy. HONOR’s industry-leading 3840Hz PWM Dimming technology minimizes eye strain, ensuring comfortable viewing even during extended use.

Incorporating human-centric innovation, the HONOR Magic V2 features Dynamic Dimming, which mimics natural light rhythm, stimulating ciliary muscle movement and reducing eye fatigue. The display’s brightness level adapts automatically to external lighting conditions and screen time duration, ensuring

optimal comfort for the human eye.

Additionally, the Circadian Night Display adjusts the screen to warmer colors and reduces colors known to be significant circadian stimuli. This feature is tested to increase melatonin levels, promoting longer and better sleep quality for users.

UPGRADED CAMERA CAPABILITIES FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC EXCELLENCE

The HONOR Magic V2 features a remarkable total of 5 cameras split between a triple rear camera setup and a dual front-facing camera setup, one on each display.

The rear cameras include a 50MP Main Camera (f/1.9), a 50MP Ultra-Wide Camera (f/2.0), and a 20MP Telephoto Camera (f/2.4). The dual front-facing camera setup features two 16MP Cameras (f/2.2) and supports various capture modes, allowing creators to discover new styles of creating content.

EXPERIENCE A SMOOTH AND SECURE ANDROID-BASED OPERATING SYSTEM

The HONOR Magic V2 is based on Android 13 supercharged by HONOR’s Magic OS 7.2, delivering a smooth and feature-rich user experience tailored to various usage scenarios, including social interactions, lifestyle, entertainment, information, office, and travel. To protect user privacy and security, a new parallel space feature is also making a debut with HONOR Magic V2, which runs an independence virtual instance of the device simultaneously, allowing users to easily separate work apps from personal apps with a single gesture.

PRICE AND AVAILABILITY

The HONOR Magic V2 will be available in a range of elegant colors: Black, Purple, and a special version in Black with a vegan leather back.

HONOR Magic V2 is available now for pre-order in the UAE via hihonor.com, Emax, Jumbo, Sharaf DG, Amazon, noon & Etisalat by e& at a price of AED 6899.

Upon purchase, consumers will get free gifts worth AED 4744, including Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones, HONOR Watch GS3, HONOR Magic V2 Case and HONOR VIP Care+ includes 24 months screen replacement warranty, extended 30 days replacement guarantee, and extended 24 months battery warranty.

Samsung and Google Cloud Bring GenAI to Galaxy S24 Series

Google’s Gemini Pro and Imagen 2 to deploy in production new text, voice, and image features on the new Samsung Galaxy S24 series

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd and Google Cloud have announced a new multi-year partnership to bring Google Cloud’s generative artificial intelligence(AI) technology to Samsung smartphone users around the globe. Starting with the Samsung Galaxy S24 series announced today at Galaxy Unpacked in San Jose, California, Samsung will be the first Google Cloud partner to deploy Gemini Pro and Imagen 2 on Vertex AI via the cloud to their smartphone devices.

“Google and Samsung have long shared deeply held values around the importance of making technology more helpful and accessible for everyone. We’re thrilled that the Galaxy S24 series is the first smartphone equipped with Gemini Pro and Imagen 2 on Vertex AI.” said Janghyun Yoon, Corporate EVP and Head of Software Office of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “After months of rigorous testing and competitive evaluation, the Google Cloud and Samsung teams worked together to deliver the best Gemini-powered AI experience on Galaxy.”

Samsung is the first Google Cloud partner to deploy Gemini Pro on Vertex AI to consumers. images, and video. Starting with Samsung-native applications, users can take advantage of summarization feature across Notes, Voice Recorder, and Keyboard. Gemini Pro on Vertex AI provides

Samsung with critical Google Cloud features, including security, safety, privacy, and data compliance.

Galaxy S24 series users can also immediately benefit from Imagen 2, Google’s most advanced text-to-image diffusion technology from Google DeepMind to date. With Imagen 2 on Vertex AI Samsung can bring safe and intuitive photo-editing capabilities into the users’ hands. These features can be found in Generative Edit in S24’s Gallery application.

As part of this partnership, Samsung is also one of the first customers to test Gemini Ultra, Google’s most capable and largest model for highly-complex tasks. The S24 series will also use Gemini Nano, an on-device LLM delivered as part of the Android 14 operating system, the most efficient model of Gemini for on-device tasks.

“Together with Samsung, Google Cloud sees the tremendous opportunity for generative AI to create meaningful mobile experiences that stimulate and strengthen connection and communication for millions,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud. “With Gemini, Samsung’s developers can leverage Google Cloud’s world-class infrastructure, cutting-edge performance, and flexibility to deliver safe, reliable, and engaging generative AI powered applications on Samsung smartphone devices.”

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