Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 70 | Page 43

FEATURE : GITEX PREVIEW optimistic it will spur business confidence in the IT sector in the region .
Moussalam Dalati , General Manager , Liferay Middle East , said in the Middle East , direct contact and personal exchange are extremely important . “ We look forward to meeting our customers , partners , thought leaders and discussing digital projects in the rapid era of disruption . No video conference or phone call can replace this personal exchange . We were present in 2020 and nothing can stop us this year too ,” he said .
Gaurav Mohan , VP Sales , SAARC and Middle East , NETSCOUT , said whilst many businesses were thankfully able to adapt and focus on working from home , using meeting tools such as Webex and Zoom , the company genuinely believes that the best business relationships are conducted face to face . “ It has been a challenging time for everyone . GITEX will allow us to catch up with many customers and channel partners in a short period of time and we look forward to welcoming everyone onto our stand H1-E28 ,” he said .
Poly ’ s Bob Aoun , Regional Sales Director , Middle East and Africa , added : “ We couldn ’ t be more excited about being able to meet with our customers and partners in person . We will own the future of working together with events such as GITEX which allows us to reach a wider audience and ensures that no one will be missing out . It will also increase our reach with the organisations participating in the event towards potential customers and partners . It gives businesses the opportunity to explore new solutions for further improvement , whether it is by interacting with us in person or from the comfort of their homes . It will definitely be a positive experience for everyone involved .”
As is the norm at previous shows , companies always have a key message or theme for their customers and channel partners and this year it ’ s no different .
Rami Kichli – Vice President Gulf and Levant – Software AG , said some key highlights at GITEX 2021 include showcasing the truly connected enterprise , Future Disruptor ’ s Award and the demonstration of real and live innovative use cases harnessed by Software AG ’ s technology such as IoT and analytics , Integration and API management , and business and IT transformation . “ Software AG works on the philosophy of anything can be connected , anywhere – and smart cities – realise that every thing they do is enabled through software ,” he said . “ After a successful debut of the university showcase and competition at GITEX , the second edition of the award has some even better and interesting line up of AI and IoT powered projects by university students that could be integrated in the real world such as smart parking , smart social distancing and DigiStay for the hospitality sector .”
Kichli pointed out that the future will be built on unbreakable connection between people and things . “ The smart bike and the virtual customer service experience centre will bring this to life at our Booth at this iconic show ,” he said .
Mohammed Alkhotani , Area Vice President – Middle East and Africa , Sitecore , said Sitecore will showcase a wide range of marketing technology solutions , especially the Sitecore Experience Platform and the Sitecore AI solutions , which can enable Digital Transformation , personalisation at scale , campaign orchestration , integrated data , and agile content marketing .
Alkhotani said Sitecore ’ s demos will be aligned with three key industry verticals : banking , financial services and insurance ( BFSI ), government and public sector , and travel and hospitality . “ In the UAE and MENA , Sitecore is continuing to grow the business as strategic global markets and innovation leaders . We are expanding our customer base , our channel partner ecosystem and continuing to launch new research to support market needs .”
Mohammed Abushmais , Business Development Director , Technology Strategies Middle East , said GITEX is the optimum platform to reconnect and do business via in-person networking . “ The future is techled . The power of technology has proven overcoming the pandemic challenges and TSME was and will remain committed to support its clients to be futureready with proven solutions to having a stand in an ever-challenging tech-led world ,” he said . “ Turning challenges into opportunities and opportunities on-to successes . We are eagerly looking forward to this year ’ s show to meet and network with a base that is committed to drive their digital agenda , stay resilient and play a role in shaping the digital future .” p
Amir Sohrabi , Area VP , Emerging Markets , Citrix
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