IDC Announces Strategic Partnership with the Saudi Data & Artificial Intelligence Authority Ahead of Virtual CIO Summit

International Data Corporation (IDC) is delighted to announce that the Saudi Data & Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) will participate in the upcoming virtual edition of the IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit 2021 as the event's Strategic Partner, while the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) will feature as Government Partner.

Taking place on Wednesday, September 15, the IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit 2021 will address the theme 'Innovative Digital Strategies: Evolving to the Demands of a New Reality' and feature exclusive insights from Dr. Mishari Almishari, CEO of the SDAIA's Strategy Management Office and deputy director of the National Information Centre, as he presents the Summit's keynote speech.

"The SDAIA seeks to establish Saudi Arabia as a global center that turns the best of data and AI into reality," says Dr. Almishari. "We aim to achieve this by developing an innovative national infrastructure, unlocking the potential power of data using AI technologies, and building a national system that stimulates emerging companies in the field."

The IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit 2021 will demystify Saudi Arabia’s digital journey by analyzing the impact of next-gen technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, and cybersecurity. It will contextualize the latest technological innovations and digital transformation developments to help Saudi-based organizations unleash the power of emerging technologies and adapt to the unprecedented realities of the post-pandemic 'New Normal'.

"As Saudi Arabia navigates the realities of the post-pandemic 'New Normal', the impetus on re-vamping and implementing digital strategies will be a key priority for Saudi organizations," says Hamza Naqshbandi, IDC’s associate vice president for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. "Given that the execution phase of the landmark Vision 2030 is rapidly approaching, the demand for widespread digital transformation among public- and private-sector organizations will create pockets of opportunities and related challenges. Against this backdrop, the IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit 2021 will provide an ideal platform for advising the Kingdom's businesses and government organizations on enabling competitive business models and exploiting opportunities for growth and sustainability by leveraging the power of disruptive technologies."

The event will combine presentations, panel discussions, real-life use cases, and individual technology tracks to give delegates a bird’s eye view of the current market situation and an exclusive look at the very latest technological innovations. And for the very first time, this year's edition will also incorporate a dedicated CIO Masterclass Arena that will showcase exclusive CXO best-practice presentations, fireside chats, and panel discussions with more than 50 international and regional industry pioneers.

IDC is honored to have a wide range of partners on board for the  IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit 2021, including: the Saudi Data & Artificial Authority (SDAIA) as Strategic Partner; the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD) as Government Partner; VMware, Red Hat, Salesforce + Tableau, Oracle, and Avaya as Summit Partners; IBM, Blue Prism, Fortinet, Trend Micro, Nintex, Cisco, NetApp / MDS-CS, and Dell Technologies as Platinum Partners; Zoho Corp, MicroStrategy, Incorta, Darktrace, Veeam, FireEye, BlackBerry, Nozomi Networks, DigiCert, Rackspace, and Commvault as Technology Focus Group Partners; Lenovo, VMware, and T2 as Dinner Partners; and Zoom as Exhibit Partner.