IT experts play critical role in the new business world

Today, the role of IT professionals has evolved and is critical to bring in transformation in the new business world, said Abdulla Hashim, senior Vice President, Digital Services, Etisalat UAE. Etisalat along with the other summit partners announced the 7th IDC CIO Summit at a press conference held today. Mehdi Quraishi, Senior Director Product Management and Marketing, Etisalat, participated in a panel discussion held today focusing on ?Technology and Transformation'. Experts gathered to discuss key opportunities and challenges facing the IT industry today in bringing this transformation in an enterprise environment. At the event, the upcoming annual IDC CIO Summit held for the 7th year was announced which is scheduled to be held on 24-25 February, 2014 at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai. Hashim said: "In today's business environment, the role of IT professionals is constantly evolving and the infrastructure is becoming increasingly complex, creating the need for new skill sets. As technology becomes even more advanced there is an ongoing need for technology to bring in transformation to stay ahead of the curve. "The IDC CIO summit is a strategic event which helps us engage with the relevant stakeholders and showcase our range of services and solutions. Etisalat has always strived to offer an unparalleled level of expertise to implement, support and facilitate effective use of ICT applications and technologies." Jyoti Lalchandani, Group Vice President and Regional Managing Director for IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, said: "The consumerisation of technology has made it imperative for the CIO to balance business needs with opportunities and risks involved in business. Today they are actively involved in making business decisions as well as strategic long term partnerships of the organisation. "IDC's Middle East CIO Summit 2014 will not only celebrate the achievements of these key professionals but also explore some of the most pressing issues currently facing the ICT sector. The event will provide a common platform to exchange ideas and network with peers facing similar challenges in the region." Hashim is scheduled to give a key note at the 7th IDC CIO Summit on ?Digital Revolution-Advances that will transform life, business and the global economy on 24 February, 2014. On the next day, Sudhir Menon, Senior Manager Security Services, Etisalat will participate in a panel discussion focusing on the ?Evolving Threat Landscape in the Middle East'. The annual IDC CIO Summitwill see more than 300 industry professionals converge to hear a discussion on the new types of challenges faced by CIOs as a result of third platform technologies - the cloud, big data, mobility and social media.Now in its seventh year, the summit is the foremost gathering of CIOs in the Middle East. As well as establishing a peer-to-peer community, the event provides the region's most influential ICT end users with a vendor-neutral platform for sharing ideas and absorbing advisory services, ultimately helping them to drive positive transformations within their organisations.