A
PUBLICATION
Providing Unparalleled Technology Intelligence
ISSUE 04 // www.intelligentcio.com
Company
honoured
Mada (Kuwait)
recognised for wireless
technology work
Cloud
security
Regulator welcomes
AWS’s launch of a
Middle East Region
Industrial
security
Tackling cyber-
risks in oil and gas
infrastructure
Steering automation
EdgeVerve Systems is leading Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait’s automation
journey utilising AssistEdge Robotic Process Automation.
IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS | LATEST INTELLIGENCE | REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATIONS
EDITOR’S NOTE
W
elcome to the latest edition
of Intelligent CIO Kuwait
magazine. We all know exactly
how important the oil industry is to Kuwait.
However, perhaps what is surprising is its
vulnerability to cyberattack.
Despite the industry making up nearly half
of the country’s GDP and around 95% of
its exports, maintaining the cybersecurity of
oil refineries represents some of the most
challenging work available in the IT sector.
Indeed, there are significant cyber-risks
facing oil and gas infrastructures that need
to be overcome in the current climate that
looks as if it is set to get worse.
With connectivity and data business-critical
to the industry and production downtime
not only impacting the bottom line but
also worker safety, the picture looks a bleak
one. This is because of the challenges
represented by plans to modernise plant
infrastructures with new, connected IoT and
automation systems.
Of course, such developments should in
themselves be welcomed as they bring many
www.intelligentcio.com
advantages. However, the downside is they
enlarge the attack surface with the potential
of presenting new and potentially lucrative
opportunities to cybercriminals.
While we urge you not to have nightmares,
it’s well worth getting better informed
about the issue and you can start by
turning to page 42.
As usual we have the latest news from
around the region and your favourite
features. If you would like to be included
in the magazine feel free to email me at
[email protected] and don’t forget
to visit www.intelligentcio.com/kuwait for
daily updates.
On a more upbeat note, this edition we
feature a case study focusing on how Al Ahli
Bank of Kuwait (ABK) is benefiting from its
work with EdgeVerve Systems, a subsidiary of
Infosys, to steer its automation journey.
The bank is doing this utilising AssistEdge
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and in an
exclusive interview with the bank’s Group
Chief Operating Officer, Somnath Menon,
we get the full lowdown on ABK’s strategy to
transition to the next level of innovation and
technology in banking.
Mark Bowen
Editor
He tells us that the bank’s automation
journey has enabled it to migrate repetitive
tasks to the digital workforce and reskill staff
to deliver more value-added activities. You
can find out more by turning to page 37.
INTELLIGENTCIO
21