A N I T P M E D I A G R O U P P U B L I C AT I O N | DECEMBER 2020 | VOLUME 26 | ISSUE 06 Celebrating two decades of helping enterprises and decision makers meet strategic business goals, Network Middle East announces a new transformation CHANGING THE GAME GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 Here’s what you can expect from this year’s event GITEX 2020 Special Report” Celebrating 40 years of innovation and excellence in the Middle East’s tech sector 17//Interview> Moro Hub: Enabling the transforma- tion of the energy sector We caught up with Mohammad Bin Sulaiman, CEO of Moro Hub to understand how organisations can realise their digital potential while meeting relevant global envi- ronmental standards 5 12// Interview > S mart Dubai at GITEX 2020 In an exclusive interview, H.E. Younus Al Nasser, Assistant Director General, Smart Dubai & CEO, Dubai Data Estab- lishment, discusses the emirate’s digital readiness, GITEX plans and the road ahead 26//Interview> Google Cloud We sat down with Saad Ouchkir, the head of Customer Engineering META at Google Cloud to discuss how the conversation around cloud security has shifted towards data encryption and understand how regional privacy regulations apply to an organisation’s compliance requirement Volume 26 Issue 06 December 2020 // CONTENTS / DECEMBER 2020 // DECEMBER 2020 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / 3// WWW.ITP.NET ///Inside> 31 22244042 20// REGIONAL UPDATE Ericsson announces cloud RAN portfolio 22// REGIONAL UPDATE STL to acquire Optotec 24// SECURITY UPDATE Palo Alto Networks and PwC partner 25// SECURITY UPDATE Thales launches Covid-friendly biomet- ric solution 40// VENDOR PROFILE We profile AVEVA, a global leader in engineering and industrial software driving digital transformation across the entire asset and operations life cycle of capital-intensive industries 42// FIVE MINUTES Five Minutes with Tarek Kuzbari, re- gional director – Middle East & Turkey, Cybereason 28// FEATURE The next big thing in security: We sat down with security experts to under- stand how the security landscape may shape up next year 31// EVENT REPORT Finastra hosted its first-ever CXO roundtable in the Middle East, initiating a discussion on fostering a customer- centric and collaborative culture for successful digital transformation. // CONTENTS / DECEMBER 2020 // WWW.ITP.NET /// 4 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / DECEMBER 2020 /5 EXTRA ORDINARY D A YS T O POWER THE FUTURE OF Y OUR BUSINESS AFTER A YEAR OF MISSED OPPOR TUNITIES GITEX PRESENTS New safety protocols: Advance, online registration at gitex.com and Print@Home badges issued only. Strictly no registration / badges issued on-site. File Photo GITEX 2019 6-10 DEC 2020 6 - 9 D E C 2020 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE THE ONLY GLOBAL TECH & STARTUP EVENT IN 2020, LIVE 280 HOURS OF NON- STOP HARD HITTING CONFERENCES WITH SPEAKERS FROM 24 COUNTRIES VENUE SAFE SAFETY ASSURED BY DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE BIG TECH AND STARTUPS FROM 60+ COUNTRIES ON BIG TRENDS IN 5G, AI, CYBER, FUTURE MOBILITY, CLOUD & EDGE COMPUTING, FROM DELL TECHNOLOGIES, ETISALAT, HUAWEI, KASPERSKY, LENOVO, MICROSOFT, NOKIA INAUGURAL UAE-ISRAEL FUTURE DIGITAL ECONOMY SUMMIT FEATURING MINISTERS AND THE MOST INFLUENTIAL TECH AND BIZ LEADERSImportant Notice: 6-10 DECEMBER DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE BUY YOUR PASS AT: BRYAN SEELY FIRST TIME IN THE REGION: KEYNO TE SPEAKER SEE YOU AT GISEC 2020! IS UNHACKABLE FACE-TO-FACE 200200 XX 265265 GIGISECSEC ADAD AWAW2i2inddndd 11200 X 265 GISEC AD AW2 indd 1MMMMAA66 AA363688:3:300 882020//228/8/88//11//11118888663300MMMMMMMMAA22//11//111111/11/18/18/2020 88:36:36 AMAM11/18/20 8:36 AMs the only face to face tech event scheduled to take part anywhere in the world during 2020, you hardly need any more reasons to attend. This year’s show will bring together the biggest and best tech companies from across the world with businesses here in the UAE. Here are our top 5 reasons to attend the show this year: AN INTERNATIONAL EXTRAVAGANZA GITEX 2020 will be a truly international tech showcase, bringing together the crème de la crème of business innovation solutions and first time launches from more than 60 countries including Japan, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Italy, France, Egypt and India, to name just a few. GITEX 2020 will bring the world of tech to the streets of Dubai. A TOP 5 REASONS TO ATTEND GITEX 2020 AI AND 5G FOCUS The UAE has one of the most progres- sive and ambitious digital economies in the world, with 5G and Artificial Intel- ligence set to play a pivotal role in the growth of businesses across the coun- try. GITEX 2020 will offer valuable insight into the transformative power of Automation & AI, 5G, Cloud & Edge platforms, Deep Learning and Big Data initiatives across a swathe of industry verticals. If you work for an SME or fin- tech firm, you really can’t afford to miss this year’s show. HEAVYWEIGHT PLAYERS GITEX always attracts the biggest names in tech and this year will be no exception. Huawei, Lenovo, Avaya, Hon- eywell, Etisalat, NetApp, Software AG and Zoho are just some of the many en- terprises showcasing their cutting edge innovations at this year’s show. FIVE SHOWS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE This year, GITEX is putting 5 jaw- dropping shows under one roof. Attendees will get the chance to experience all 5 events when they purchase their GITEX 2020 pass. The show will comprise of GITEX 2020, GITEX Future Stars, GISEC, Future Blockchain Summit and Marketing Mania. CONTENT IS KING Visitors to this year’s show will get to experience a stunning 70+ hours of free content, covering the Africa In- vestment Forum and Security X-Labs. They will also be given the opportu- nity to listen to key insights from the best AI companies and the world’s most wanted hackers live on stage. This year’s show will be a veritable feast of information. GITEX 2020 is just around the corner, so here are our top 5 reasons to visit the show and whet your appetite TOP 5 REASONS TO ATTEND / GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 // // DECEMBER 2020 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / 7// WWW.ITP.NET/his year the Middle East’s best loved tech extrava- ganza, GITEX, will bring together five mind blow- ing shows under one roof. Attendees will be able to sample a packed conference agenda from GITEX 2020, GITEX Future Stars, GISEC, Fu- ture Blockchain Summit and Marketing Mania. The UAE is open for business and GITEX 2020 is opening its doors to the world’s premium tech firms and an army of tech fans. This year’s show will of- fer a veritable cornucopia of technology launches and innovation, so attendees will be able to get hands on with the lat- est gadgets and devices. This year’s event will host the in- dustry’s key players from more than 60 countries including Japan, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Italy, Nigeria, Turkey, Belgium, Romania and India. Held in the Dubai World Trade Cen- tre, GITEX 2020 will apply the most rigorous health and safety standards, as laid out by government authorities, including Dubai Health Authority and Dubai Municipality, to ensure the health and safety of everyone on its premises. Attendees can visit the event in full con- fidence that the highest standards of safety and hygiene are being applied. As the only face to face technology event to be held in 2020, GITEX 2020 attendees will be able to hear key in- sights from a huge range of international speakers and influencers and interact with exhibitors across the five shows. So, let’s take a closer look at what’s on offer at GITEX 2020… GITEX 2020 Now in its 40th year, GITEX needs little introduction. As the region’s premium T GITEX 2020 BRINGS 5 CUTTING EDGE TECH SHOWS TO DUBAI technology event, GITEX will bring to- gether the leading players from the glob- al tech sector. GITEX 2020 will be the only major technology show to be held in a face to face setting this year, so this is your only chance to get up close and personal with the plethora of new tech and gadgets that will be on display dur- ing the show. The packed conference agenda and exhibition areas will centre on the key themes of 5G, AI, Analytics, Future Mobil- ity, Digital Economies, Cybersecurity and Cloud and Edge computing – everything that will underpin our future digital lives. GITEX FUTURE STARS GITEX Future Stars is the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia’s biggest start up event. Playing host to a plethora of startups from across the world, the event will provide a platform for some of the world’s most innovative young companies. The show will attract a host of global investors and accelera- tors in 2020, GITEX Future Stars will bring together financers and startups to fast track their development. The show will hear insights from international business moguls, including Brett King, founder and CEO of Move; Nolan Bush- nell, founder of ATARI and Halfa Al Kaylani, founder and chairman of The Arab International Women’s Forum. GISEC GISEC will bring together attendees and exhibitors from the international secu- rity sector, from multinational distribu- tors to the world’s most promising cyber- security companies and startups, with a focus on enterprise, AI, blockchain, 5G, IoT and cloud based technologies. The event will bring together show- case innovations from the industry’s leading players, with SPIRE Solutions, Etisalat Digital, emt Technologies, Fort- inet, Ingram Micro, Qualys and Huawei all confirmed as exhibitors at GISEC 2020. FUTURE BLOCKCHAIN SUMMIT Blockchain solutions will inevitably be at the very foundation of our future digital lives – underpinning the digital transformation initiatives of businesses looking to emerge quickly and proac- tively from the Covid 19 slump. The Future Blockchain Summit will expand the conversations, business op- portunities and innovations across the industry. The event will welcome top Blockchain enterprises, startups and the most influential minds of the industry for five days of power networking and learning, unlike any other show you will have experienced. MARKETING MANIA Marketing Mania promises to be a cap- tivating learning experience, for mar- keters across the tech sector. The event will bring together the brightest and most forward-thinking CMOs, brand strategists, creative directors, and heads of marketing from some of the world’s leading firms. The event will offer keynote ad- dresses from a selection of rockstar speakers from across the marketing world, including Magnus Djaba, global president & CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi; So- phie Devonshire, CEO, The Marketing Society; and Matthias Schranner, CEO and Founder of The Schranner Nego- tiation Institute. The packed conference agenda will span a huge range of topics, offering attendees valuable insight into the work practices of some of the world’s premium marketing gurus. From the 6th–10th December 2020, GITEX 2020 will lead the tech world from the front with a special bumper edition co-locating with 4 sister shows // GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 / SPOTLIGHT // WWW.ITP.NET/// 8 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / DECEMBER 2020 /USINESS TRENDS IN 2020 Accelerated digital trans- formation is a major trend that continues to affect our business this year. As expected, organi- sational dependence on technology has increased substantially due to the pan- demic, and enterprises continue to re- quire greater digital capabilities to suc- ceed in their respective sectors. Looking ahead, the importance of technology and deploying those with the capabili- ties to meet requirements for an array of sectors will only increase. Therefore, we are experiencing greater demand for open source software. Widespread digital transformation is driving our presence and influence in several areas of IT technology development across different sectors, and the open source software and solutions we provide will continue to drive sustainability and suc- cess for enterprises moving forward. SHOWCASING THE FUTURE, AT GI- TEX 2020 From our perspective here at Red Hat, we are attending GITEX 2020 to intro- duce new innovations to the market, network with new and existing clients, and interact with industry personnel and representatives from public and private sector organisations across the GCC. As we all know, GITEX is the re- gion’s flagship technology show. We are proud of our long-standing association with the event, which is a focal point for the majority of regional technology users. We are also attending GITEX be- cause the event is a formative platform B GITEX 2020 IS THE PERFECT PLATFORM TO INTRODUCE NEW INNOVATIONS TO THE MARKET for showcasing and experiencing the future. As such, we are looking forward to demonstrating how open source will benefit the enterprise community in the months and years ahead. HYPERSCALE CLOUD IN THE GCC Because global hyperscale cloud provid- ers have been established in countries across the region, we aim to reach out to as many public and private sector or- ganisations as possible at GITEX 2020. We want to engage with them concern- ing the many benefits that hybrid cloud services provide, such as scaling com- puting resources, minimising costs, and generating revenue. At the same time, we hope to inspire an array of organisa- tions and technology vendors, discuss their roles and what they will entail in the future, and promote open source solutions so that more will apply them to their respective operations. Flex- ibility, speed, security, agility, sustain- ability, and cost-efficiency are all advan- tages sure to come to fruition with open source services and solutions that we provide. Therefore, we aim to utilise the platform GITEX provides to introduce an influx of potential new customers to open source. EMERGING FROM THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC Now that the region is emerging from the crisis and events are resuming, busi- nesses and representatives can come to- gether and hold discussions in-person regarding the future and how best to achieve success. Of course, the has world changed, and the GITEX 2020 audience will naturally expect a different experi- ence of the event and of Red Hat. Digi- tal disruption and transformation are already driving more and more enter- prises to explore digital channels with a view to achieving operational sustain- ability. As the capabilities of digital tech- nologies continue to be recognised and showcased, industries and enterprises must adapt to the evolving digital land- scape so they remain competitive and cater to customer needs. Remote meet- ings of recent times have proven to be a very effective means of communication, yet face-to-face shows are perhaps the greatest form of communication. From our perspective, these condi- tions offer an opportunity to create a new and different experience, one the feels deliberate rather than a consequence of Covid-19 circumstances. This is where an automated self-service booth expe- rience comes in. At the Red Hat booth this year, H6-A20, we are aiming to in- tegrate digital elements for guidance and experience navigation, demonstrate the playfulness and interactive nature of our brand, and invite attendees to ‘Go Slow, Look Closer, and Dig Deeper’. We will be showcasing products, solutions, and new functionality, taking attendees on a journey through the virtuous cycle of cutting edge tech that includes Red Hat open source, edge computing, open hybrid cloud, and digital transforma- tion and verticals. We are looking for- ward to interacting with our customers through both virtual pre-booked meet- ings with our team and on-site bookings that are available for detailed product deep-dives. Adrian Pickering, regional general manager, EMEA, Red Hat, looks at the issues that are affecting businesses in the region, and explains why attending GITEX Technology Week 2020 is so important for his company RED HAT / GITEX SPECIAL REPORT 2020 // // DECEMBER 2020 / NETWORK MIDDLE EAST / 9// WWW.ITP.NET/Next >