The cloud is one
of the major
technologies that
businesses are
turning to.
partners adapt their strategies in order to
maintain profitability and sustainability.
I would also encourage partners to think
about the opportunities with AI especially
as the technology is playing a big role in the
healthcare sector.
What are the latest trends you see
emerging across the channel?
AI is turning out to be the most attractive
prospect for the channel today, especially
in the UAE. However, as COVID-19 has
somewhat rewritten IT investment trends,
we are seeing the channel largely focused on
helping customers with Business Continuity
solutions. I see this trend continuing into
the next year. Partners have been taking
advantage of their access to our cloud and VDI
solutions, and helping businesses make the
right choices. The increase in cloud adoption
and the consumption model hold lucrative
prospects for the channel now. We are
pleased that NetApp is playing an important
role in helping partners be future-ready.
What is your
management philosophy?
I believe in leading by example; giving
enough room for my team to play out their
expected roles while also making them feel
that they are part of building and executing
a strategy. It ensures that the team is strong
enough to deliver on time and know exactly
what is being expected from them. I believe
that leadership is showing your team mates
the path to success and placing trust and
confidence in their abilities.
When you look back at your career
what has been the most memorable
achievement?
I believe the relationships I’ve built during
my career in the industry are among my
most remarkable achievements.
What made you think of a career
in technology?
I loved maths as child, and that’s what
prompted me to take up computer
engineering as my major in college. I also
developed a strong preference for practising
logical thinking – a key feature that gave me
the motivation of changing the world through
IT. I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer
Science from Notre Dame University in
Lebanon. After university, there were a lot of
opportunities in the IT field, and I knew that
the competition back then was fierce. But I
confidently stepped outside of my comfort
zone and landed working on projects that
had direct business impact. Over the years,
I have chosen roles that are strategically
important to the business. I have learned
to be clear about how my work will fit into
the company’s goals. I am also lucky to have
worked with mentors who were able to guide
me in understanding the bigger picture.
What do you think will be the hot
technology talking point of 2020?
Considering the global business scenario
today, I strongly believe that technologies
that enable Business Continuity will be
crucial. As businesses have started to adapt
to the ‘new normal’, while the impact of the
pandemic will remain for the foreseeable
future, we believe businesses will get back on
their feet. However, businesses will now look
wisely at investing in the right technologies
that will ensure Business Continuity in the
event of future disruptions. The cloud is one
of the major technologies that businesses are
turning to; whether it is a private or public
cloud, on-premises, hybrid or a hyperscale
partnership. At NetApp, our aim is to change
the world with data, and we have a strong
solutions portfolio and a robust strategy
that helps us future-proof our product
development. Our partners have access to our
Data Fabric to help customers accelerate their
Digital Transformation strategy.
What are your personal interests
and where do you like to spend
most of your time after work?
I spend most of my personal time with family.
I also strongly believe in giving back to the
community and society. I am actively involved
in charity work, especially across initiative that
help the underprivileged. As much as I would
like to talk about it, I feel that charity work
should be seen more than talked about. •
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