< PreviousCOVER STORY 30 ACN | Summer 2025 (D33) and UAE Centennial 2071—two interlinked visions driving the Emirates’ transformation from a trade-led economy to a knowledge- and innovation-based one. D33, for instance, aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy over the next decade, positioning it among the world’s top three global cities. Meanwhile, the Centennial plan targets deeper societal transformation—embedding sustainability, tech innovation, and global competitiveness into the country’s institutional DNA by 2071, the UAE’s 100-year anniversary. Seed’s alignment with these visions is more than rhetorical. It guides their investment thesis. Al Gurg has prioritised four growth sectors that map directly onto national goals: artifi cial intelligence, digital health, green energy, and advanced logistics. These aren’t just emerging technologies—they’re categories with regulatory buy-in, public-sector funding, and clear regional demand. But he’s also betting on what comes next. “Agri-tech and space tech are emerging sectors “People in this region do business based on trust,” Al Gurg explains. “If you have a short-term mindset, it will show”. Seed’s value is in navigating this fragmented environment. While many fi rms believe securing a trade license or a free zone offi ce is a green light, that’s only the start. What Seed provides is market conditioning—helping companies understand not just where they can operate, but how they need to operate to build credibility and scale. This goes beyond legal frameworks. In government-led economies, the line between policy and procurement is often blurred. What ministries prioritise in their 2030 or 2071 roadmaps informs how budgets are allocated, who gets invited to the table, and which technologies are considered essential versus optional. For Al Gurg, understanding those signals is what enables Seed to place its partners in positions of real infl uence. “We don’t just connect dots— we draw the map,” he says. For founders used to moving fast and breaking things, that map may feel like friction. But in the Gulf, it’s what determines who wins the contract— and who watches from the sidelines. LOOKING AHEAD Hisham Al Gurg isn’t just focused on scaling Seed Group. His lens is set fi rmly on what’s coming next—for the business, for Dubai, and for the region. “Everything we do is tied to the bigger picture,” he says. “When we choose partners, we ask: will this move the country forward? Will this create jobs, foster innovation, and make a real diff erence in the region?” That bigger picture is framed by long-term national agendas like the Dubai Economic Agenda Clean energy is rising fast—and shaping Seed’s investment outlook. Expo 2020’s legacy lives on—connecting innovators to the Gulf’s future. 2071 Target year for UAE’s Centennial Vision to become a global innovation leader ACN_March2025_26-31_Cover Story_13618136.indd 30ACN_March2025_26-31_Cover Story_13618136.indd 3003/06/2025 20:2203/06/2025 20:22COVER STORY ACN | Summer 2025 31 with long-term relevance,” he says. “As the region embraces high-tech self-suffi ciency, these areas will attract strategic investment”. He’s not wrong. The UAE has already committed billions to national food security initiatives— including vertical farming, climate-resilient crops, and water-tech. Meanwhile, its space programme, led by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, is accelerating its ambitions with Mars missions, lunar plans, and satellite partnerships across Asia and Europe. To Al Gurg, these moves aren’t branding exercises. They’re signals. “What really excites me is how fast things are moving and how open the UAE is to embracing bold ideas,” he says. “Innovation in the UAE isn’t just about being cutting-edge. It’s about making a diff erence, solving real challenges, and unlocking new opportunities”. The goal isn’t to follow trends. It’s to defi ne them. “Dubai is not just on track—it’s setting the pace,” Al Gurg says. And he points to rising foreign investment in technology, the growing contribution of the digital economy to GDP, and the government’s active engagement with entrepreneurs as proof. LEADERSHIP AND LEGACY Hisham Al Gurg’s infl uence spans both government and business—but in the Gulf, that line is often blurred. As CEO of the Private Offi ce of Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed Al Maktoum, he sits at the intersection of state ambition and commercial execution. His work aligns with royal family priorities, national policy, and the private sector’s role in delivering innovation on the ground. Yet despite his proximity to power, his leadership style is remarkably understated. “In my over 20 years of leadership experience, I’ve learned that impactful partnerships take time, alignment, trust, and preparation—especially in culturally nuanced markets,” he says. There’s no public posturing, no breathless optimism. Instead, Al Gurg builds quietly—with intention. “You earn trust here by showing up regularly, staying humble, and delivering results,” he explains. That consistency has made him a rare constant in a landscape where many fi rms pivot frequently, rebrand often, and scale prematurely. His caution isn’t about risk aversion. It’s about stewardship—knowing that trust, once broken in the region, is hard to repair. It’s also shaped how Seed Group operates. There’s no accelerator programme, no open call for applications. Everything is relationship-led, reputation-sensitive, and tied to broader policy alignment. Companies that make it through the front door are vetted not just for tech or market fi t—but for leadership resilience, operational maturity, and cultural sensitivity. When asked about his biggest professional goal for the years ahead, Al Gurg doesn’t talk in valuations or geographic expansion. He talks in legacy. “My focus is on expanding our global reach while deepening our local impact,” he says. “I want to see Seed Group and The Private Office become global benchmarks for innovation-led partnership models—operating with purpose, aligned with values, and always one step ahead”. That benchmark is already forming. Seed’s portfolio refl ects a disciplined, government- aware approach to growth. Its model is trusted by regulators, respected by peers, and increasingly sought after by foreign founders who don’t want to waste time—or cultural capital—getting it wrong. For Al Gurg, success isn’t just measured by the deals done. It’s measured by how many others he’s helped enter the system—and how long they’ve stayed once they got in. That’s not disruption. It’s legacy by design. The UAE’s Mars mission signals a region thinking far beyond Earth. Innovation in the UAE isn’t just about being cutting-edge. It’s about making a diff erence, solving real challenges, and unlocking new opportunities ACN_March2025_26-31_Cover Story_13618136.indd 31ACN_March2025_26-31_Cover Story_13618136.indd 3103/06/2025 20:2203/06/2025 20:22POWER LIST 32 ACN | Summer 2025 TOP IT LEADERS 2025 THE MIDDLE EAST’S The role of tech leaders—from Chief Information Offi cer (CIO) to Head of IT—has never been more crucial than today. As new technologies and threats emerge, these innovators play a crucial role in driving an organisation’s IT strategy and aligning it with bold business goals. In the Middle East, having the right technological leadership is a must. This is why ACN is proud to present the inaugural Middle East’s Top IT Leaders list. It highlights technology leaders who have made signifi cant impact. They demonstrate brilliant leadership, technical acumen and the superb ability to adapt to our increasingly tech-driven world. METHODOLOGY To compile the list, the editorial team gathered data through information requests sent to key leaders and reviewed publicly available sources. The featured game-changers were assessed based on the following criteria: overall experience, career progression and tenure in their current role; company size and performance; impact, innovation and thought leadership; and other achievements. This rigorous approach ensures the list accurately represents the most infl uential technological minds in the Middle East. POWER LIST ACN | Summer 2025 33POWER LIST 34 ACN | Summer 2025 Yasser AlOufi leads Alinma Bank’s IT operations, bringing a wealth of experience in banking technology. He works on business process re-engineering systems, enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction. Specialising in ISO 27001 and CRM, AlOufi has improved IT service management by implementing ITIL frameworks. Under his strong leadership, the bank has achieved eff ective technology solutions, aligning IT initiatives with strategic business objectives to foster growth and security. Wissam Al ADany, with 27 years in IT, has transformed underperforming departments into strategic assets across a wide variety of sectors. His tenure includes international experience in Brazil and Kazakhstan where he managed large-scale M&A and IT due diligence. He is now the CIO at ADES Holding. Specialising in IT strategy for heavy manufacturing industries, Al ADany enhances business value through technology solutions and focuses on return on investment (ROI) and risk. Sultan Moraished has played an integral role in advancing Red Sea Global’s technology and corporate excellence programmes. He has spearheaded initiatives in AI integration and data-driven decision-making, resulting in a 30 per cent increase in operational effi ciency. Under his leadership, the company has implemented cybersecurity measures to safeguard digital assets. His approach aligns technology initiatives with long-term sustainability goals, ensuring Red Sea Global is a competitive industry player. Rasha Abu AlSaud leads Saudi National Bank (SNB)’s strategic Information and cybersecurity initiatives, advancing resilience through cutting-edge cyber fraud and information protection practices. Her implementation of robust technology risk management systems has enhanced security protocols and governance frameworks. AlSaud’s infl uence is pivotal in fortifying SNB’s security and compliance posture. She also educates on cybersecurity trends and regulations as a frequent conference speaker. SULTAN MORAISHED GROUP HEAD TECHNOLOGY & CORPORATE EXCELLENCE RED SEA GLOBAL RASHA ABU ALSAUD CTO SAUDI NATIONAL BANK YASSER ALOUFI CIO ALINMA BANK WISSAM AL ADANY CIO ADES HOLDING INNOVATORS Rasha Abu AlSaudPOWER LIST ACN | Summer 2025 35 Thajudheen Mullaveedan has strategically advanced Qatar Fuel’s cybersecurity infrastructure, aligning with the National Cybersecurity Agency framework. His initiatives include establishing a Security Operations Centre, leveraging technologies such as SIEM and SOAR, thereby enhancing threat detection and response capabilities. His key achievements include implementing streamlined workfl ows and KPIs to optimise operations, and mentoring a skilled team and collaborative culture. Weldon DeSouza, with over 20 years in the industry, oversees IT and telecom strategies for Nexus Insurance Brokers across the Middle East. His expertise spans IT strategy, cloud infrastructure and project management. DeSouza has spearheaded IT platform development for fi rms like American Life Insurance and Zurich International Life. Chartered by the British Computer Society and a certifi ed computing professional, he drives innovation and effi ciency while aligning technology with business objectives. Sharjil Salem Bamzena has led major IT infrastructure upgrades at Panasonic, overseeing cloud adoption, data centre consolidation and SAP S/4HANA migration, reducing operational costs by 18 per cent. His focus on cybersecurity and AI-driven analytics has strengthened system resilience and business decision-making. He won the Panasonic IT Regional Achiever Award. Bamzena plays a key role in aligning technology with business strategy while building high-performing IT teams. Taskeen Khan has over 25 years of experience in technology leadership, emphasising strategic implementation of secure information systems. His expertise in enterprise architecture and cyber defence has optimised business continuity across highly regulated markets. Khan’s work in GRC processes supports multinational regulatory compliance, enhancing key operational effi ciencies and reducing regulatory fatigue. His strategic IT frameworks have enabled expansion into new markets and revenue growth. SHARJIL SALEM BAMZENA HEAD OF INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS PANASONIC MARKETING MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA TASKEEN KHAN CIO MASTERCARD TRANSACTION SERVICES THAJUDHEEN MULLAVEEDAN HEAD OF INFORMATION SECURITY QATAR FUEL (WOQOD) WELDON DESOUZA CIO NEXUS INSURANCE BROKERS INNOVATORS Sharjil Salem Bamzena POWER LIST 36 ACN | Summer 2025 Dr. Larry Murray leads AI advancements at Inception, a G42 company. He focuses on large language models, including JAIS and NANDA. JAIS enhances NLP and AI-driven applications in the Arabic world, while NANDA bridges AI language gaps for over one billion Hindi speakers. His eff orts in transitioning AI research into scalable products have boosted decision-making and automation across industries. He fosters AI inclusivity and collaboration in future AI experts. Stuart Rennie has spearheaded the creation of the Middle East’s fi rst fully digital cloud-based retail bank at Bank ABC / Ila Bank. Adept in digital transformations, Rennie optimises structures, processes and technology for start-ups and traditional banks. With over 20 years in strategic IT leadership, he excels in global projects and infrastructures. He drives innovation through AI, cloud technologies and digital banking strategies across multiple sectors. With 15 years of expertise in digital transformation, Shrenik Jain has signifi cantly impacted Siemens Middle East by driving projects in cloud adaptation, enterprise systems and ERP audits. Jain is renowned for aligning technology with business objectives. He’s a trusted advisor for CxOs on strategy and transformation. Jain’s IT governance and sourcing leadership have enhanced operational effi ciency, ensuring strategic solutions across diverse regions. Sheeba Hasnain has advanced technology leadership at Sentiente, where she implemented a cloud migration strategy that reduced operational costs by 20 per cent. Leading AI-driven innovations, Hasnain developed content optimisation and cybersecurity frameworks, cutting production costs by 30 per cent and data breaches by 50 per cent. Her leadership of the C5 automated cleaning machine increased cleaning effi ciency by 30 per cent. She aligns tech with goals, fostering sustainable innovation. SHRENIK JAIN CIO, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT IT SIEMENS MIDDLE EAST SHEEBA HASNAIN CIO SENTIENTE LARRY MURRAY VICE PRESIDENT OF APPLIED SCIENCE INCEPTION STUART RENNIE GROUP CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER ALRAYAN BANK GROUP INNOVATORS Sheeba Hasnain POWER LIST ACN | Summer 2025 37 Saad Chammah has transformed Almabani’s IT landscape. He leads digital transformation and IT infrastructure enhancement across Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. His achievements include transitioning to a hybrid cloud model, establishing the information security function and managing seamless migration to Azure Active Directory and M365. He played a key role in the Riyadh Metro Project, where he supported over 2,800 users. He also outsourced the security operations centre and signifi cantly reduced costs. Vesna Mrdak has been instrumental in managing Mercedes-Benz’s IT infrastructure in the Middle East since 2013. Her leadership in defi ning IT landscapes and optimising business processes has increased technological advancement. She manages IT demand coordination and resource planning while overseeing a multimillion-dollar IT budget. Mrdak ensures compliance with security standards, supports key business partners and directs signifi cant projects. With over 15 years in IT leadership, Mohamed Arshad Kuthubdeen has been a key player in driving digital transformation at Alserkal Group. He achieved AED1.3 million in annual cost savings and improved revenue through strategic invoice management. He led the implementation of key systems like CRM and ERP. He designed the FOGWatch system (a digital service platform) for Dubai Municipality, enhancing waste management. Kuthubdeen’s leadership fosters collaboration and continuous learning. S hino Thomas is the Group Head of Information Technology at Finance House in Abu Dhabi, drawing from over 21 years of expertise. Formerly at the National Bank of Oman, he doubled digital channel revenue and secured 30 per cent market share in payments. He led Oman’s fi rst digital KYC and prepaid card initiatives. His cloud migration and API modernisation eff orts reduced IT costs by 15 to 20 per cent. Certifi ed in PCI DSS and ISO standards, he ensures data security excellence. MOHAMED ARSHAD KUTHUBDEEN GROUP HEAD OF IT ALSERKAL GROUP SHINO THOMAS GROUP HEAD INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FINANCE HOUSE SAAD CHAMMAH HEAD OF IT ALMABANI GENERAL CONTRACTORS VESNA MRDAK CIO MERCEDES-BENZ CARS MIDDLE EAST INNOVATORS Mohamed Arshad Kuthubdeen POWER LIST 38 ACN | Summer 2025 Sewar Alzoubi is currently the CISO of Arab Bank. He has more than 15 years of cybersecurity expertise. He has successfully managed security functions encompassing infrastructure, networks and application security. Alzoubi also developed and implemented comprehensive security programmes, safeguarding the bank’s digital transformation initiatives, including APIs, Kubernetes and microservices. His strategic security design and architecture has enhanced adaptability and protection. Sumit S. Bathla has 23 years in technology leadership. He has orchestrated pivotal digital transformation across over 450 companies at Dubai Holding, achieving $200 million in revenue. His expertise in IT strategy, SAP, Oracle and AI has driven organisational growth. Notably, Bathla led multi-country transformations that saved $50 million annually through shared services and cloud migrations. He has implemented a global procurement initiative, achieving $20 million in savings. Bathla manages a team of 200 employees across the globe. Sebastian Samuel has over 20 years of experience in technology leadership. He drives business value through innovative digital transformations. At AW Rostamani Group, he created a 100 per cent cloud-native infrastructure across multiple sectors that enhanced effi ciency. Samuel is an expert in multi-cloud environments. He has delivered large-scale transformation programmes and managed mission-critical IT operations. His strategic initiatives include AI/ML and IoT adoption. As Group Chief Technology Offi cer, Razi Amin oversees IT operations to enhance organisational effi ciency at the National Bank of Bahrain Group (NBB Group). With a wealth of experience in IT project management, he has led complex system builds and integrations, improving network and technical support structures. Amin excels in crisis management and business analysis, ensuring robust IT service delivery. His tactics in hardware and software testing and system interfaces optimise performance. SEBASTIAN SAMUEL CIO AW ROSTAMANI GROUP RAZI AMIN GROUP CTO NATIONAL BANK OF BAHRAIN GROUP SEWAR ALZOUBI CISO ARAB BANK SUMIT S. BATHLA HEAD OF TRANSFORMATION - EMEA ORACLE INNOVATORS Razi AminPOWER LIST ACN | Summer 2025 39 Sathyanathan “Sathyan” Tharayil has over 20 years of experience in banking technology. At Emirates NBD, he played a pivotal role in the Emirates Bank International and National Bank of Dubai merger to form Emirates NBD in 2007. He managed treasury, risk and SWIFT systems. Previously, he spearheaded enterprise data warehouse and risk management at the National Bank of Dubai. Now, as the Head of IT at InvestBank, he aligns strategy with technology to enhance effi ciency. Saudi Jone Gilbolinga has fortified Global Health Company Co.’s cybersecurity infrastructure. He has over 20 years of experience in information technology, He implemented a robust cybersecurity posture using Securework, Fortigate Firewalls and TrendMicro. This enhanced security by mitigating risks and protecting critical data. His work improved security signifi cantly. It reduced vulnerabilities and ensured regulatory compliance, strengthening IT infrastructure against cyber threats. Shumon A. Zaman led digital transformation at Ali & Sons in Abu Dhabi. He leverages over 20 years of experience in the role. Zaman’s initiatives include AI-driven strategies saving over $16 million, cloud transformations that enhanced effi ciency by 20 per cent and ERP implementations achieving more than $20 million in savings. He has also developed digital businesses generating over $600 million in revenue, implemented Industry 4.0 applications and led global teams to achieve business goals. With more than two decades of experience in the technology sector, Mohamed Jamal-Eddine has spearheaded transformative digital initiatives in transportation and logistics, enhancing operational effi ciency. He has successfully implemented AI strategies and optimised supply chains, resulting in signifi cant growth. His leadership has driven digital innovation, aligning technology with industry advancement goals and reshaping the future of logistics through strategic IT implementations. SHUMON A. ZAMAN CHIEF INFORMATION & DIGITAL OFFICER ALI & SONS HOLDING MOHAMED JAMAL-EDDINE CHIEF DIGITAL & INFORMATION OFFICER AD PORTS GROUP SATHYANATHAN “SATHYAN” THARAYIL HEAD OF IT INVESTBANK SAUDI JONE GILBOLINGA INFRASTRUCTURE AND SECURITY MANAGER GLOBAL HEALTH COMPANY CO. INNOVATORS Shumon A. ZamanNext >