GITEX Technology Week Showcases the Future of Middle East Smart Tech
With the Middle East’s ICT growth outpacing the global average, international technology professionals from 150 countries are eyeing emerging market growth at this week’s GITEX Technology event at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Buoyed by region-wide investment in Smart technology spending, the region’s ICT market is set to jump from a projected $15 billion in 2014 to $20 billion in 2020, boosted by infrastructure spending by the government sector — the largest and fastest growing vertical market according to IDC.
GITEX is the largest ICT event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) – with this year’s event due to host more than 3,700 exhibiting companies from 61 countries and 100,000 visitors from 150 countries.
The event covers four knowledge themes: Smart, Cloud, Big Data and Mobility.
Helal Almarri, Director General, Dubai’s Department of Tourism & Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and CEO, DWTC, said: “Dubai is set to transform into a ‘Smart City’ by harnessing technology to create better living conditions and new forms of developments for all people in Dubai and the UAE.
“GITEX Technology Week is privileged to contribute to this vision by facilitating the public-private partnership in knowledge exchange and sharing of achievements between the world’s leaders in smart innovations and local organisations leading the smart transformation of Dubai.”
Market research company Gartner anticipates a growth rate of eight percent in regional ICT spending this year, compared with global growth of just 2.1 percent.
With Dubai's Smart City roll-out predicted to catalyse an acceleration of Smart City initiatives in other GCC Countries, GITEX will showcase a pioneering app-based Smart Journey Tour featuring more than 25 Smart technology leaders, as well as government-led updates on the progress of the Dubai Smart City initiative.
Marwan Bin Haider, Executive Director, Planning & Development, Dubai Smart Government, said: “The region’s Smart City developments demonstrate how GCC governments are increasingly innovating delivery of services to people and businesses.
“GITEX Technology Week is the leading platform to demonstrate best practices in government services and build support of Dubai Smart Government as one of the world’s most efficient systems architects.”
The Big Data Conference on 14 October will educate on how Big Data can deliver new insights and enhance ROI in a global Big Data market poised to jump from $3.2 billion in 2013 to $15.1 billion by 2020.
On the same day, Cloud Confex will return as the region’s largest integrated cloud exhibition and conference. With the GCC cloud computing market due to post seven-fold growth and expand at a CAGR of 32.8 percent to reach $668.5 million by 2020, global leaders in data storage and management will present new cloud-based solutions at GITEX.
GITEX 2014 will also debut a range of innovative and exciting industry features catering to more than 1500 delegates and 150 speakers including the Cloud Confex, Big DataConference, and Digital Strategies Forum.
The event comes to close on October 16.
