Jebin George is part of IDC’s Enterprise Infrastructure global research domain. He focuses on cloud, datacenter, and infrastructure adoption trends across the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa, with particular emphasis on how cloud strategies are evolving in the era of AI and increasing digital sovereignty requirements. His research provides strategic guidance to hyperscalers, telecom operators, system integrators, and enterprise CIOs as they navigate hybrid multicloud adoption, AI-driven infrastructure modernization, and sovereign cloud frameworks.

Jebin brings 20 years of technology market research experience, including 16 years with IDC Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa. Throughout his tenure, he has led syndicated research, custom consulting engagements, and executive advisory initiatives focused on the evolution of the cloud market, hyperscaler ecosystems, and enterprise digital transformation strategies. Prior to IDC, he worked with SunTec Business Solutions, where he supported global market research and consulting initiatives for international ICT markets.

In his role as associate research director for IT services and software across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa (META), Melih drives IDC’s regional research and consulting engagements in the areas of IT services, Cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), and intelligent automation.

He first joined IDC in 2012 as a senior research analyst located out of IDC’s Istanbul office, with various responsibilities for the firm’s IT services, cloud computing, software, and telecom domains — both in Turkey and across the wider META region. Between 2016 and 2021, Melih headed the international marketing and investor relations practice at P.I. Works, a global automation and AI software vendor that serves telecom operators.

Now back at IDC, Melih is leveraging his vast experience in the IT services, cloud, software, and telecommunications domains to advise clients on go-to-market strategies, technology marketing and promotion activities, and market trends analysis. He is also driving a wide variety of research and consulting projects across the META region.

Melih has also previously served as enterprise channel and marketing manager at Nortel Turkey and as business development and strategy manager at Netaş, one of the leading systems integrators in Turkey and a former Nortel subsidiary. He possesses a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and received his MBA from Esslingen University of Applied Sciences in Germany. He has worked as a business development specialist at HP and wrote his MBA thesis for the company, covering European retail channel trends and winning strategies for channel businesses.

Eren is a seasoned analyst with 20+ years of experience in the ICT sector. He directs all IDC ICT research and consulting engagements in Türkiye, and all sustainability research and consulting projects across the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa (META).

Based in Istanbul, Eren has been involved in projects ranging from market forecasts to strategic consulting engagements on market entry, competitive analysis, go-to-market strategies, technology marketing, and end-user studies. Eren’s vast experience in the IT services, cloud, software, and telecommunications domains helps IDC clients understand the impact of technology-enabled, sustainable transformation processes in the context of sustainable digital business strategies, operations, products, and services. In addition to his research and consulting activities, Eren is a speaker at industry events.

Prior to joining IDC in 2017, Eren spent more than a decade in IT industry roles spanning portfolio management, channel and business development, pricing, and software development at companies including Turk Telekom and TAI.

Eren earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering and an MBA focused on technology road mapping for strategy and innovation, both from Middle East Technical University. He received a master of science in information systems, with a thesis on modeling mobile telecommunications services, from Middle East Technical University. During his academic endeavors, he studied for one semester at the University of Copenhagen, and for one semester at Harvard University. He is pursuing a marketing PhD focused on sustainability.

Paul Potgieter is a technology leader at the forefront of AI and industrial innovation in the Middle East. As part of the senior leadership team at NEOM’s advanced and cognitive industrial city, Paul is driving the integration of artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, and sustainable industry to help shape the world’s most advanced manufacturing ecosystem as Chief Information Officer.

He also serves as board director of the South African Business Council, strengthening economic and technology collaboration between Africa and the Gulf region.

Recently recognized by MIT Sloan Management as one of the Top 50 AI Leaders in the Middle East, Paul is known for bridging the gap between boardrooms and borders, transforming ambitious ideas into scalable, real-world impact.

Filip Nekvinda is Chief AI & Digitalization Visionary at Petro Rabigh, leading the enterprise AI and Digitalization strategy to drive operational excellence, innovation, and business transformation within one of the world’s largest integrated refining and petrochemical complexes.

With more than 20 years of international experience across multiple industries, including oil & gas, automotive, retail, FMCG, aviation, logistics, and real estate, Filip has led large-scale transformation programs, cross-functional teams, and strategic technology partnerships across global markets.

He has been recognized among the leading CIOs in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East and is a regular speaker and panelist on AI, digital transformation, innovation, and enterprise technology.

I work on the layer underneath digital transformation.

Most initiatives don’t fail on ambition or on technology choice. They fail on what is already there: ERP customised past documentation, integration by spreadsheet, data nobody trusts enough to decide on, and no shared view of what transformation actually demands.

Eighteen years in that layer across Saudi enterprises. Technology architecture, ERP from Oracle and SAP to mid-tier, data and analytics, governance and security, integration, AI and automation. Savola, MYNaghi, Olayan, and now Emaar, The Economic City, where I lead Digital Transformation and Innovation at KAEC.

What interests me now: individuals build capable AI applications in a weekend, while enterprises meet data residency, security review, and systems of record that cannot be replaced or bypassed. Different problem. The one worth solving.

I make transformation happen, and enterprise AI usable.

Manal Albawardi is the Chief Information Officer of King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM), where she leads the university’s digital strategy, enterprise technology, and innovation agenda in support of education, research excellence, and national priorities.

She holds a Master of Science in software engineering from DePaul university in Chicago and an MBA from ie business school and has completed advanced executive education programs at Harvard University, London Business School, and the Wharton School, with a focus on leadership, strategy, innovation, and digital transformation. Manal is also a first-cohort graduate of the Misk 2030 Leaders Program, a flagship initiative designed to prepare national leaders to advance Saudi Vision 2030.

With deep expertise at the intersection of technology, governance, and artificial intelligence, Manal brings a pragmatic, strategic perspective on AI adoption, data-driven decision-making, and digital resilience in complex organizations. Her work emphasizes aligning emerging technologies with institutional strategy, ethical governance, and long-term sustainability.

As a CIO, she is an active voice in shaping conversations on the evolving role of CIOs in the age of AI, particularly within higher education and research-driven environments.

Hyther Nizam is the CEO of Zoho Middle East & Africa, overseeing operations and driving growth in the region. He also heads Zoho’s low-code platform (Zoho Creator), e-commerce platform (Zoho Commerce), and several other products, including Zoho Flow, Zoho Survey, and Zoho PageSense. With over 20 years at Zoho, Hyther has played a key role in building products from scratch to profitable businesses. He leads Zoho’s technology initiatives, including the development of its scripting language, Deluge.

Nadeem Qureshi is a senior business leader focused on helping enterprises turn technology transformation into tangible business value. With deep experience engaging CXOs and executive stakeholders, he brings a market-driven perspective on how organizations can prioritize modernization, optimize investment decisions, and align cloud strategies with growth, resilience, and operational efficiency. His work centers on bridging business intent with execution, enabling leadership teams to move beyond technology adoption toward sustained competitive advantage.

Jon Griffiths is Field CTO at Dynatrace, working with strategic customers and partners across EMEA and APAC on observability, automation, AI, and cyber security. With over 12 years at Dynatrace and prior roles at BAE Systems (cyber security) and IBM, he helps shape Dynatrace’s roadmap and guides enterprises toward resilient, autonomous operations. A frequent speaker at Dynatrace Perform, AWS re:Invent, QCon London, and IDC events, Jon focuses on moving IT from reactive to self-healing — without compromising governance or control.

Saddam is a recognized cybersecurity, cloud, and AI leader with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations navigate complex technology transformations and strengthen their cyber resilience. Over the past two decades, he has worked extensively across the cybersecurity industry, partnering with leading global technology providers and advising some of the region’s largest enterprises, government entities, financial institutions, and critical infrastructure organizations on their security and digital transformation strategies.

Today, as a sales leader at Cloudflare, Saddam focuses on enabling organizations to securely accelerate cloud adoption, embrace AI-driven innovation, modernize network architectures, and implement Zero Trust security at scale. His expertise spans cybersecurity, cloud platforms, AI, networking, data protection, and digital resilience, allowing him to bridge the gap between business objectives and technology execution.

Known for combining strategic vision with operational execution, Saddam has built high-performing teams, developed successful go-to-market strategies, and led complex engagements that deliver measurable business outcomes. He is a trusted advisor to executive and technology leaders, helping organizations leverage the power of AI, cloud, and cybersecurity to drive innovation, improve user experience, and reduce risk in an increasingly connected world.

Tarek Khattab is the Solutions & Services Country Manager at Saudi Business Machines (SBM), where he leads the delivery and execution of large-scale digital transformation programs across strategic sectors, including banking, telecommunications, government, insurance, and taxation. In his current role, he sets strategic direction, strengthens delivery operations, and drives service excellence, operational performance, and sustainable business growth.

With around 20 years of experience in technology leadership, enterprise architecture, and business transformation, Tarek combines deep technical expertise with strong executive and commercial leadership. He holds an MBA focused on digital transformation and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration in Strategic Management, with research focused on how AI capabilities and assimilation contribute to competitive advantage.

Tarek is recognized for helping organizations translate technology investments into measurable business value through enterprise AI, intelligent automation, data-driven platforms, and operational innovation. His work supports the

Tom Gamali is a seasoned Technology Executive and cybersecurity leader with over 20 years of experience driving strategic security and technology initiatives across Europe and the Middle East. He has served as Group CISO for several leading banks and major conglomerates, and has been a member of board risk committees for financial institutions, advising on cyber risk and digital resilience.

Tom is currently Field CTO and Strategic Advisor at Splunk and has also served on the EMEA Advisory Council for (ISC)², contributing to the advancement of cybersecurity leadership and professional standards across the region.

Charbel Khneisser is the Senior Vice President of Global Solutions Engineering at Riverbed Technology since January 2025. Prior to his current role, he led the Solutions Engineering team across EMEA. Being with Riverbed since 2013, Charbel has deep knowledge and expertise on Riverbed Platform and played key roles in shaping its roadmap and evolution.

Charbel is primarily responsible for leading the global solutions engineering team, ensuring customers are maximizing the full potential of the Riverbed Platform and its next-generation AIOps and observability solutions. Under Charbel’s leadership, his team focuses on helping enterprises streamline IT tools, navigate complex environments, and achieve significant ROI. Charbel also plays a pivotal role in shaping a consistent global solutions engineering model and delivering on the company’s ethos of ensuring exceptional business outcomes for its customers.

Charbel is a technology industry veteran with over 20 years of technical experience in the IT industry and specifically in Observability domains. Prior to Riverbed, he had several major roles which included being the Solution Architect Team Lead Consultant for the Saudi Ministry of Communication & IT (MCIT) e-Gov and PKI programs. In his spare time, Charbel currently lectures in the Faculty of Engineering at Saint Joseph University to graduates undertaking a first year Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering Security Practice.

Marwan AlHuthail brings 15 years of Enterprise IT expertise, marked by his leadership in helping organizations unlock their potential by delivering critical solutions for digital transformation. Prior to Veeam, Marwan served in impactful IT and customer-centric focused roles throughout Saudi Arabia. He is recognized for his strategic foresight and proven ability to lead initiatives in devising and implementing creative, practical strategies that significantly advanced Customer Experience, Digital, and Technology Transformation. His career reflects a strong commitment to driving positive outcomes through effective partnerships.

Ehsan Shariff is Managing Director at Nagarro, where he leads strategic global partnerships with Siemens and SAP while driving enterprise digital transformation across the Middle East. With extensive experience in SAP, Industry 4.0, AI, and cloud technologies, Ehsan helps organizations translate business strategy into measurable outcomes through innovation and technology. He has successfully led complex transformation programs across manufacturing, energy, retail, and public sector organizations. Recognized for his customer-centric and outcome-driven approach, Ehsan is passionate about enabling businesses to embrace intelligent, future-ready operations and unlock sustainable growth through trusted partnerships, digital innovation, and AI-powered enterprise solutions.

Pierre is a distinguished Sr. Sales Engineer with over 15 years of broad & international experience in data protection, cyber recovery, and cyber resilience. Currently holding the role of a Senior Sales Engineer at Commvault, Saudi Arabia, where he advises leading organizations across the financial and commercial sectors on building resilient, secure, and AI-ready cyber recovery strategies.

His career spans North America and the Middle East regions, with extensive experience supporting enterprise customers across North America, GCC, and Levant.

Ahmed Tarek is a data and analytics leader with strong experience helping organizations get real value from their data. He currently leads the Sales Engineering function at Incorta across the Middle East, working closely with major enterprises in sectors such as government, telecom, finance, and insurance.

Ahmed focuses on modern data architecture, operational analytics, and practical applications of AI. He has played a key role in supporting organizations in Saudi Arabia with their digital transformation and compliance with national data regulations, while accelerating time-to-insight for business teams.

With a background that combines business understanding and technical expertise, Ahmed is passionate about simplifying complex data challenges and turning them into clear business outcomes. He works directly with executives and data leaders to design strategies that improve visibility, performance, and decision-making.

Mohamed Assem is a strategic Solutions Engineering Director for Global Knowledge – MEA, bringing over 20 years of robust experience in the ICT industry. His expertise is highly specialized in Training, Strategic Technology Adoption, and Business Transformation Architecture. He consistently drives significant results by expertly converting complex customer requirements into tangible technical solutions and measurable business outcomes.

His deep technical mastery is underscored by holding the prestigious CCIE certification since 2009. He balances this with the executive strategy gained through a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). His doctoral research focuses on the strategic implementation of AI adoption for project managers, positioning him as a forward-thinking leader who delivers innovative, research-backed digital transformation solutions for clients across the Middle East and Africa.

Islam Saber is a seasoned technology executive with more than 20 years of experience in cybersecurity, digital transformation, and enterprise technology across the Middle East and Africa. As a strategic technology leader at Netskope, he works closely with CIOs, CISOs, and business leaders to help organizations modernize their security architecture, reduce cyber risk, and securely accelerate cloud and AI adoption.

Drawing on extensive experience in enterprise sales, business development, and executive advisory, Islam specializes in helping organizations implement Zero Trust and SASE strategies that strengthen resilience while enabling innovation. A frequent speaker at industry events, he shares practical insights on securing AI, protecting critical data, and building modern security architectures that support business growth in an increasingly digital world.

Waleed Marji is a Regional Sales Manager at Thales and has led the Digital Banking portfolio across the region since 2019. Over that time, he has become one of the region’s go-to voices on authentication strategy for banks and financial institutions, helping them move past static, one-size-fits-all MFA toward risk-based models that actually work. His expertise spans both sides of the equation: fraud prevention and customer experience, built through years of hands-on work with the teams responsible for each.

Umair Riaz is a Field Solutions Architect for Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa, accelerating digital transformation through multi-cloud and application modernization. An expert in ML models and fine-tuning LLMs, he empowers industries to build enterprise AI applications and integrate AI agents for impactful business use. 

Alexandru Savin is Senior Enterprise Sales Executive at Druid AI, where he advises enterprises on human-centric AI automation that improves the P&L, leads C-level engagements and helps grow Druid AI’s Accenture partnership. He brings nearly two decades in enterprise software, spanning conversational and agentic AI, intelligent automation (RPA, BPM), ERP, HCM, CRM/CX and business intelligence. Before Druid AI he held senior sales and product marketing roles at SeedBlink, Asseco South Eastern Europe and TotalSoft, serving banking, insurance, oil and gas, manufacturing, retail, healthcare and public sector clients. He holds a Master’s in Advertising and Communications from SNSPA Bucharest.