< PreviousTECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARDS 50 EDGE | Saudi Special A s Director of IT at Sharjah Maritime Academy, Muhammad Aff an has been instrumental in steering the institution’s digital transformation as maritime education enters a new era. He modernised core academic and administrative systems through cloud-fi rst platforms, immersive learning tools, and integrated student services that streamline campus life end-to-end. His leadership also strengthened cybersecurity and network resilience, while deploying advanced maritime simulators to elevate hands-on training. With a people-fi rst approach, he equipped faculty and students with the skills and support needed to adapt confi dently. By aligning technology with academic excellence and industry standards, Muhammad has positioned Sharjah Maritime Academy as a benchmark for agile, future-ready learning in the UAE. In the past year, his focus on continuous improvement—from digital onboarding to performance dashboards and hybrid learning enablement—has enabled smoother academic operations and richer learning experiences. CIO OF THE YEAR – EDUCATION MUHAMMAD AFFAN SHARJAH MARITIME ACADEMY A s the Executive Director at KEO International Consultants, Damir Jaksic has redef ined how digital transformation creates value within the construction sector. Moving beyond traditional cost-driven approaches, he led the shift towards innovation as a growth enabler—introducing a structured, agile roadmap that aligned technology initiatives with business goals and client outcomes. Under his direction, KEO launched its Digital Advisory Services, a practice that helps clients navigate smart city planning, sustainability analytics, and digital twin implementation. By fostering a culture of collaboration and experimentation, he turned internal resistance into advocacy, embedding digital thinking across operations. Through par tnerships with technology providers and academia, Jaksic has positioned KEO as a leader in data-driven design, project optimisation, and the digital evolution of the built environment. CIO OF THE YEAR – CONSTRUCTION DAMIR JAKSI, KEO INTERNATIONAL CONSULTANTSTECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARDS EDGE | Saudi Special 51 A t Media One Hotel, as the Chief Technology Offi cer, Mahmood Ahmed has reimagined hospitality through the lens of technology and human experience. Leading one of Dubai’s most dynamic boutique hotels, he has transformed guest engagement by embedding smart, data-driven systems into every touchpoint — from intelligent room automation to personalised digital concierge services. Under his direction, Media One has adopted cloud-based platforms that optimise back-end operations while enhancing sustainabilit y through energy- ef f icient monitoring. His forward-thinking approach ensures that technology complements, rather than replaces, the human connection at the heart of hospitality. By balancing innovation with empathy, Mahmood has turned Media One into a model for modern, tech-enabled hospitality that serves both people and performance. CIO OF THE YEAR – HOSPITALITY & HEALTHCARE MAHMOOD AHMED MEDIA ONE HOTEL - UAE A t Almarai, the world’s largest vertically integrated dairy company, as the Head of Enterprise and Information Technology (EIT), Dr Faisal Al Nasser has reimagined how technology drives business resilience and growth. He led the enterprise-wide rollout of ServiceNow and SAP S/4HANA, integrating fragmented systems into a unifi ed digital backbone that improved service delivery and governance across thousands of users. By embedding AI, cloud, and data-governance frameworks, he strengthened operational visibility and cybersecurity while ensuring compliance with national regulations. His creation of specialist teams such as the Operational Integrity & Resilience Team and Enterprise Cloud & Collaboration Team positioned IT as a strategic enabler of innovation. Through this approach, Dr Faisal transformed Almarai’s digital landscape—balancing scale, security, and agility to set new standards for the region’s FMCG industry. CIO OF THE YEAR – MANUFACTURING & RETAIL DR. FAISAL AL NASSER, ALMARAI - SAUDI ARABIA TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARDS 52 EDGE | Saudi Special B orn out of Abu Dhabi’s G42 ecosystem, Inception has transformed from a research institute into a product-driven company that brings AI into the rhythm of real business. Instead of building generic tools, its team focuses on industry-specifi c solutions that solve real operational and regulatory challenges. Among its standout products, (In) Business Procurement has helped organisations cut sourcing cycles by nearly 40%, while (In) ExecEdge gives executives AI-powered assistance for decision-making in real time. Complementary platforms like (In)Alpha and (In) Energy further extend AI into fi nance and energy, turning data into faster, smarter outcomes. Inception’s story is one of steady reinvention — proving that AI, when applied with intent, can deliver measurable change across every sector it touches. The company has earned trust by proving AI in live enterprise environments. And as industries move toward agentic AI, Inception is helping lay the foundations for autonomy that enhances human expertise. AI INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR INCEPTION – A G42 COMPANY W ith over three decades of regional exper tise, GBM has redef ined how organisat ions approach cybersecurity and digital transformation t h ro u g h i t s i n te g r a t e d G B M S h i e l d framework. The platform unifi es Managed Security Services, advisory, and advanced technologies into one AI-driven ecosystem that helps enterprises detect and respond to threats faster while cutting incident-handling time by more than 60%. Built to be vendor- agnostic and scalable, GBM Shield translates complex securit y data into ac tionable insights, empowering both technical teams and executives to make informed decisions. Accredited by the Dubai Electronic Security Centre (DESC) and a member of CREST, GBM continues to set new benchmarks for trusted, compliant, and innovation-led cybersecurity — enabling businesses across the region to grow securely in the digital age. SECURITY PROVIDER OF THE YEAR GBMTECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARDS EDGE | Saudi Special 53 V entureOne has quickly established itself as a catalyst for AI adoption across the Middle East by bridging the gap between research and real-world application. Through its ecosystem of strategic investments and collaborations, the company supports startups and enterprises in deploying AI solutions that solve industr y-specifi c challenges — from predictive analytics in energy to automation in fi nancial services. Over the past year, VentureOne has accelerated enterprise access to generative AI tools, helping organisations experiment safely and scale responsibly. Its work in developing frameworks for ethical and transparent AI governance has also set a standard for regional innovation. By enabling access, capability, and trust, VentureOne is empowering businesses to turn AI from concept into competitive advantage. This focus on responsible scale is what makes it a true next-gen AI enabler. NEXT-GEN AI ENABLER OF THE YEAR VENTUREONE B ringing together AI, robotics, and motorspor t, ASPIRE’s Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) redefi ned what’s possible at the intersection of science and speed. Led by Stéphane Timpano, the team built the world’s fi rst league dedicated to high-speed autonomous car racing — a feat that demanded breakthroughs in real-time decision-making, safety systems, and sensor intelligence. Within just a year, A2RL has drawn global teams and research partners, turning Abu Dhabi into a live testing ground for next-generation mobility. Beyond racing, its impact extends to autonomous transport and smart city innovation, showcasing how vision, persistence, and collaboration can position the UAE as a leader in frontier technologies. It’s a reminder that progress isn’t confi ned to labs — it accelerates on the track. BEST TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION OF THE YEAR ASPIRE – ABU DHABI AUTONOMOUS RACING LEAGUE (A2RL)TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARDS 54 EDGE | Saudi Special C loudf lare has proven it s met tle over the past year by absorbing a record-setting DDoS attack of 11.5 Tbps without disruption—an achievement that speaks volumes about its global-scale, cloud-native network and its role as a critical backbone of the internet. With its infrastructure spread across 300+ cities in more than 120 countries, Cloudfl are handles the equivalent of roughly 20 % of global internet traffi c, safeguarding performance, trust and continuity for businesses and governments alike. Beyond brute force protection, Cloudfl are has stepped into the next frontier of digital trust by launching initiatives such as Pay- Per-Crawl and AI Labyrinth. These tools aim to give content creators control over how AI models use their data—demonstrating that resilience in the internet era is not just about staying online, but about enabling fair and secure innovation too. INTERNET RESILIENCE & PROTECTION LEADER OF THE YEAR CLOUDFLARE B ased in Dubai and operating across multiple MENA markets, ZainTECH is the digital solutions arm of the Zain Group that is helping enterprises and governments leap into the future. It develops and implements technologies such as IoT, cloud, digital twins and automation across sectors like smart cities, energy, healthcare and retail. For example, it formed a strategic partnership with Tencent Cloud to introduce digital - t win plat forms that s treamline operations, cut maintenance cost and boost energy effi ciency. By combining a regional footprint with global partnerships and focusing on tailored frameworks rather than one- size-fi ts-all, ZainTECH is delivering scalable innovation and making emerging technologies genuinely accessible. EMERGING TECHNOLOGY INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR ZAINTECHTECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARDS EDGE | Saudi Special 55 I n just three years, Dubai World Trade Centre has transformed GITEX from a regional technology exhibition into the world’s largest and most culturally attuned tech event brand. Expanding into Europe, Africa, and Asia, GITEX has built platforms that refl ect each region’s unique ambitions — from supporting Egypt’s AI strategy to uniting Europe’s fragmented tech landscape and creating new investment corridors across Southeast Asia. More than 417,000 global executives and 2,000 investors engaged across editions in 2025, reinforcing its infl uence as a connector of economies and ideas. By aligning each event with national priorities and innovation goals, GITEX has redefi ned what global collaboration looks like — evolving from a showcase of technology to a catalyst shaping the future of digital ecosystems worldwide. PROJECT OF THE YEAR DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE – GITEX GLOBAL EXPANSION E r i c s s o n co n t i n u e s to re d e f i n e connec tivit y through innovation, sustainability, and global collaboration. Supporting more than 187 of the world’s 316 live 5G networks, the company has strengthened par tnerships across the Middle East to accelerate 5G adoption and digital transformation. Over the past year, Ericsson expanded its collaboration with e& UAE, du, Ooredoo and TAWAL to build high-capacity 5G networks and introduce 5G Advanced solutions like RedCap. Alongside connectivity, Ericsson’s “Breaking the Energy Cur ve” initiative and Product Take-Back Programme help operators reduce energy use and e-waste. Its Connected Recycling platform with stc Group’s IoT squared and Alshaya Group refl ects a focus on circular innovation. By pairing technology leadership with climate responsibility, Ericsson is setting new benchmarks for network effi ciency, resilience, and sustainability in the 5G era. NETWORK INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR ERICSSONTECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARDS 56 EDGE | Saudi Special I BM has navigated one of the most complex new-business launches in the region by serving as Master Systems Integrator for Riyadh Air. Starting from no IT infrastructure, IBM implemented more than 50 core platforms and over 300 application integrations within eighteen months — a feat few can match. The fi rm applied its WWPMM and MOSAIC frameworks to bring methodical governance across 58 workstreams, integrating project, technical and change practices. Simultaneously, IBM embedded its watsonx AI-foundation and cloud architecture to underpin the carrier’s digital-native strategy. By combining rigorous programme delivery, agile innovation and industry-specifi c insight, IBM proved to be a partner that turns strategic ambition into operational reality. Beyond delivery excellence, IBM has become a strategic advisor — shaping business and IT roadmaps before code is written, and accelerating innovation through agentic AI, world-class solutions.. ENTERPRISE PARTNER OF THE YEAR IBM T he Technology Innovation Institute (TII) has cemented the UAE’s place on the global AI map with the launch of Falcon-H1, a groundbreaking family of hybrid large language models designed and trained entirely in Abu Dhabi. The models combine the sequence- modelling strengths of Transformers with the effi ciency of Mamba architecture, achieving exceptional performance across reasoning, coding, and multilingual tasks — all while using fewer resources. Available in sizes up to 34 billion parameters and supporting 18 languages, Falcon-H1 also introduced Falcon Arabic, the region’s fi rst native Arabic AI model. Fully open- sourced and downloaded more than 55 million times, the Falcon ecosystem refl ects TII’s mission to make advanced, ethical, and accessible AI a reality for research, industry, and public good worldwide. The company has turned ambition into global infl uence & set a new benchmark for sovereign innovation at scale. OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT OF THE YEAR TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION INSTITUTE (TII)TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARDS EDGE | Saudi Special 57 F or EMW, innovation in the cloud has been years in the making. After fi ve years of development, the company launched Harmony for Webex — the region’s fi rst carrier-grade cloud PABX platform hosted on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The solution delivers 99.99 per cent availability, replacing bulky on-premise systems with a scalable, pay-per-user model that transforms traditional CAPEX into OPEX. Designed for hospitality, service providers, and enterprises, Harmony for Webex enables faster deployment, zero-touch provisioning, and seamless integration with existing services — all while meeting UAE regulatory standards. Approved by global hotel brands such as Marriott, Accor, and Hilton, EMW’s innovation marks a defi ning leap in regional cloud adoption, reshaping how voice and collaboration are delivered across industries. It’s an example of cloud innovation built locally — and already improving experiences globally. CLOUD INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR EMW M oro Hub has reimagined workplace productivity with Smart Offi ce, an AI-powered super app that brings all core business functions — from HR services and approvals to meeting summaries and document management — into one seamless, mobile-fi rst platform. Developed to address the complex digital needs of government and enterprise users, Smart Offi ce enables employees to work ef f iciently any time, anywhere, turning even idle moments into productive time. Built on Moro Hub’s green data centre infrastructure, it reduces paper use, accelerates decision -making, and enhances operational agility. Validated through deployment within DEWA, Smart Offi ce stands as a tested, scalable solution redefi ning how public and private sector organisations in the UAE experience digital transformation — intelligently, sustainably, and on the move. By consolidating fragmented tools into a single experience, it eliminates complexity and boosts user adoption across entire organisations. SOFTWARE INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR MORO HUB - SMART OFFICE PLATFORMTECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARDS 58 EDGE | Saudi Special K aspersky is redefi ning cybersecurity by embedding protection directly into technology architecture. Through its proprietary Cyber Immunity methodology, the company has created systems that are inherently resilient to cyberattacks, eliminating the need for traditional antivirus layers. This vision came to life with Kaspersk y Thin Client 2.3, the world’s fi rst commercially available Cyber Immune thin client, built on Kaspersk yOS. Designed for government, f inance, and industrial environments, it enables secure remote desk top access while reducing total cost of ownership through minimal patching and maintenance. Despite global supply chain challenges, the product was launched successfully and is now protecting critical infrastructures. By turning the concept of built-in digital immunity into reality, Kaspersky has set a new global benchmark for proactive, architecture-level cybersecurity innovation. SECURITY INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR KASPERSKY I n an era defi ned by evolving threats and expanding attack surfaces, Check Point has stayed ahead by transforming cybersecurity from reactive defence into real-time prevention. Over the past year, the company has continued to strengthen its Infi nity Platform, integrating AI-powered threat intelligence, cloud security, and unifi ed management into one adaptive ecosystem. Its regional collaboration with enterprises and government entities has helped organisations across the Middle East detect and neutralise threats before they escalate, all while simplifying security operations. By combining decades of expertise with continuous innovation, Check Point remains a trusted name in cyber resilience — one that empowers businesses to stay secure, compliant, and confi dently connected in an increasingly digital world. Check Point’s focus on consolidated security gives organisations the clarity and control they need to safeguard critical services without slowing innovation. SECURITY LEADER OF THE YEAR CHECK POINTTECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP AWARDS EDGE | Saudi Special 59 P ure Stor age is re def ining how organisations manage and scale data in the AI era through its Enterprise Data Cloud (EDC) — a unifi ed platform that delivers simplicity, automation, and resilience across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Backed by technologies such as Pure Fusion™, FlashArray™, and FlashBlade®, the platform allows customers to manage global data estates as intelligent, autonomous systems that evolve without disruption. In Saudi Arabia, its collaboration with the Saudi Investment Bank (SAIB) showcases this impac t — accelerating transac tion speeds by 80%, ensuring zero downtime, and strengthening cyber resilience. By pairing real-world reliability with future-ready design, Pure Storage continues to set new standards in data infrastructure, empowering enterprises to innovate securely, sustainably, and at scale. It is making data not just manageable — but meaningfully transformative for business. STORAGE INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR PURE STORAGE S olarWinds has redefi ned IT observability b y helping organisat ions see, understand, and optimise every layer of their digital infrastructure — from hybrid cloud to on-prem environments. Through its SolarWinds® Obser vabilit y Platform, the company enables teams to monitor performance, prevent downtime, and make faster, data-driven decisions. In the past year, SolarWinds has deepened its presence across the Middle East, supporting enterprises and public sector entities in simplifying complex IT environments while maintaining compliance and reliability. With a strong focus on visibility, security, and user experience, SolarWinds continues to turn infrastructure management into a source of confi dence rather than complexity — helping businesses stay agile, resilient, and ready for what’s next. Its work empowers IT teams to shift from fi refi ghting to forward-planning — enhancing service quality across the board. INFRASTRUCTURE INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR SOLARWINDSNext >