According to IDC research, 63% of CIOs in the Middle East have brought their digital roadmaps forward by at least one year as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. With digital acceleration in full swing, and many organizations now on their way to recovery, the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2022 will explore the ongoing shift in priorities as it hosts some of the biggest names in ICT.

Taking place in a hybrid format, the 15th edition of this highly anticipated event will run under the theme 'Accelerating Your Journey to a Digital-First World', with a physical event taking place in Dubai on February 22 at the Ritz-Carlton, DIFC, to be followed by a two-day digital installment for the wider GCC region on February 23 and 24. 

The IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2022 will feature a series of presentations, panel discussions, real-life use cases, and individual technology tracks. With Days 2 and 3 hosted on IDC's fully immersive virtual platform, delegates will be able to explore a broad range of themes central to their ongoing digital journeys and take an exclusive look at the very latest developments in technological innovation.

"As the uncertainty wrought by the pandemic continues, and many organizations strive to recover, they are taking a digital-first approach to building resilience into their operations," says Jyoti Lalchandani, IDC's group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. "This means that the journey to becoming a 'Future Enterprise' has accelerated, spurred by significant investments in new customer experiences, new digital ecosystem business models, digital supply chains, and 'Future of Work' models.

"This all needs to be supported by resilient, cloud-enabled digital infrastructure and applications, rapid app development, digital platforms, data-driven and AI-enabled intelligence, comprehensive security, and unwavering trust. Effective leadership, an appetite for innovation, a broad range of skills, and a sound strategy for addressing regulations will be key to driving the digital agenda. Technology suppliers must also adapt as they position their solutions and work with customers to help address these new priorities and buying requirements. 

"With all this in mind, the annual IDC Middle East CIO Summit is the place to come for thought-provoking, in-depth discussions about cutting-edge tech solutions, emerging use cases, and proven strategies for driving success. For 15 straight years, it has served as the ICT world's premium source of learning about the industry's latest developments."

Senior business leaders, influential IT heads, and respected industry analysts will converge on the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2022 to share their collective expertise on how best to meet the unique challenges of these unprecedented times. Following the immense success of last year's event, the 2022 edition will see the return of the CIO Masterclass Arena that attendees can access throughout the course of the event. This section of the virtual platform will showcase a series of exclusive CXO best-practice presentations, fireside chats, and panel discussions with more than 50 international and regional industry pioneers.