The IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit will take place from September 13 to 14 2023 at the Fairmont Riyadh, under the theme ‘Enabling Leaders of the Digital Economy’.
The Saudi Arabia CIO Summit will bring together the region’s foremost IT and telecom leaders, digital government pioneers, digital regulators, as well as authorities, and industry thought leaders.
The expert speakers will assess the current state of the digital economy, evaluate its ongoing impact on citizens, customers, employees, and operations, address key challenges, and outline proven best practices and strategies to drive future success.
International Data Corporation (IDC), the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets, will explore the future of Saudi Arabia’s Digital Economy at the CIO Summit.
IDC’s chief research officer, Ms. Meredith Whalen, will open the day’s proceedings with a keynote titled ‘Strategies for the CIO and Enterprise Innovation’, during which she will highlight IDC’s latest research findings on building a culture of trust, examine the move toward industry ecosystem innovation, and highlight the impact of tech decentralization.
Meredith Whalen Chief Research Officer IDC
“CIOs are no longer just technology leaders. They are strategic partners who have a critical role to play in driving enterprise-wide growth and it is important that they fully understand what needs to be done now — and in the future — to create an environment for long-term sustainable innovation. The IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit is the perfect place for CIOs to learn from their peers, network with industry leaders, and get the insights they need to succeed in the digital age.”
IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit to explore various issues
Spurred by a growing influx of foreign direct investment and a $7 trillion development plan for the Kingdom’s giga projects, ICT spending in Saudi Arabia is poised to top $34.5 billion this year.
According to the latest forecast from International Data Corporation (IDC), spending on software (including cloud) and IT services are set to increase at compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 11.4 percent and 8.7 percent, respectively, over the 2022–2026 period.
The government sector will be the country’s biggest IT spender in 2023, with spending on AI, IoT, cybersecurity, and big data analytics alone set to exceed $574 million as innovative technologies become foundational to the aim of building an ‘Experience Economy’.
Finance, communications, energy and resources, and manufacturing will be the Kingdom’s other top spenders in 2023, although the fastest growth over the next five years will be seen in the healthcare, finance, retail or wholesale, professional services, and education sectors, as per the reports.
These topics and the development of various sectors will be discussed during this year’s IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit.
The agenda will also feature a series of dedicated CIO-led panel sessions and technology focus groups addressing topics such as:
Talent Development and the Demand for New Skills: Optimal Team Structuring
Sustainable Strategies and Technologies: Operationalization, Impact Measurement, Business Value Creation
Vendor Selection and Management: Best Practices and Considerations
Cyber Protection for the Threats of Today and Tomorrow: Dynamic Security Strategies to Minimize Risk
Connecting the Distributed Cloud: From Edge to Core
Enabling the Data-Driven Enterprise
Transitioning Through AI and Analytics: How to Win in the Intelligent Economy
“To harness the full potential and widespread benefits of the digital economy, governments and businesses must implement strategies to measure and cultivate it. Creating regulatory environments and nurturing talent will be critical to success. Today, technology plays an ever-increasing role in enabling, measuring, and reporting on sustainability initiatives and diversity and inclusion drives, with government and business leaders prioritizing these issues on their digital agendas,” commented Mr. Jyoti Lalchandani, IDC’s group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa.
