Kingston Technology Europe Co LLP, an affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, is highlighting how its embedded and industrial memory and storage solutions are enabling the next phase of industrial digitalization across the Middle East.

As governments and enterprises across the region invest in smart infrastructure, automation, artificial intelligence, connected transportation, manufacturing modernization, and energy transformation, industrial systems are generating and processing larger volumes of data. This is increasing the need for memory and storage technologies that can deliver consistent performance, endurance, and reliability in demanding operating environments.

According to Mordor Intelligence, the Middle East digital transformation market is expected to grow from USD 71.64 billion in 2026 to USD 146.09 billion by 2031, reflecting the pace at which organizations across the region are modernizing their operations and investing in advanced technology infrastructure.

Kingston’s embedded and industrial portfolio is designed for OEMs, system integrators, manufacturers, and technology partners developing solutions for applications including industrial automation, smart city platforms, intelligent transport, energy infrastructure, surveillance, networking, robotics, edge computing, AI, and Industrial IoT.

The company’s portfolio includes embedded NAND, DRAM components, industrial SSDs, design-In DRAM modules, Industrial SD and microSD cards, eMMC, eMCP, ePoP, and UFS solutions. These technologies are used in systems where stable performance, long-term availability, and reliability are essential.

“Across the Middle East, industries are becoming more connected, automated, and data-driven,” said Antoine Harb, Team Leader Middle East, Kingston Technology. “This shift is creating greater demand for memory and storage technologies that can operate reliably in critical environments, from factory automation and transportation systems to smart infrastructure and edge AI applications. Kingston works closely with OEMs, system integrators, and technology partners to help them design platforms where endurance, consistency, and long-term stability are critical.”

Industrial and embedded systems often have longer deployment lifecycles than consumer technologies. In sectors such as energy, manufacturing, transport, utilities, and critical infrastructure, system stability and component consistency are central to operational continuity. Kingston addresses these requirements through quality control, reliability testing, lifecycle management, controlled bill of materials (BOM) control and firmware consistency, and technical support during the design-in phase.

As more data is processed closer to the source, edge computing is becoming an important part of industrial transformation. Devices deployed in factories, transport networks, energy facilities, and smart city environments must capture, process, and store data efficiently, often while operating in space-constrained or rugged environments. . Kingston’s embedded and industrial memory and storage technologies help enable these applications by supporting fast data access, system responsiveness, and dependable operation.

Beyond its product portfolio, Kingston works with manufacturers, system builders, and integrators to help identify the right memory and storage technologies for specific application requirements. Its engineering  expertise, manufacturing capabilities, and global supply network help customers simplify integration, accelerate development, and maintain consistency across long-term deployments.

Through its worldwide network of partners, distributors, chipset vendors, and manufacturers, Kingston continues to support embedded and industrial customers across the Middle East as they build systems for increasingly connected, intelligent, and data-intensive environments.

“Reliable memory and storage are no longer  just technical components; they are  foundational to industrial modernization,” added Harb. “As regional organizations continue to invest in smarter infrastructure and mission-critical digital systems, Kingston remains focused on providing technologies and technical expertise that help these systems perform consistently over time.”

Delinea, the identity security control plane that secures access across human, machine, and AI identities, and Cyera, the fastest-growing AI ​​S​​ecurity​ ​Platform, have announced a product integration that connects privileged access to sensitive data exposure, automatically correlating identities with the data they can access. Together, Delinea and Cyera help security teams identify, prioritize, and remediate the highest-risk access paths across every human, machine, and AI agent.

As identities multiply and AI agents interact with data at machine speed, security teams struggle to govern which privileged identities can reach critical data, and act on that risk before a breach occurs. With Delinea and Cyera, identity security becomes data-aware: accounts with access to mission-critical data are automatically elevated in risk scoring, and teams can prioritize access reviews and least-privilege enforcement based on the sensitivity of the data at stake.

“Organizations cannot afford to manage access risk in one tool and data risk in another and hope someone connects the dots,” said Chris Kelly, president of Delinea. “As human, machine, and AI identities multiply, security teams need better context to prioritize risk and govern access with confidence. Delinea and Cyera help bring identity and data context together so teams can focus on the risks that matter most.”

​​The Delinea Platform and Cyera Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) integrate via API to deliver data-aware identity security at scale. Cyera continuously discovers, classifies, and monitors sensitive data across cloud and on-premises datastores. Data classification labels and exposure context flow from Cyera into Delinea, where each identity is automatically correlated with the data it can access, translating data classifications and exposure context into a continuously updated risk picture. Security teams can then prioritize remediation, access reviews, and privileged access controls based on the sensitivity and exposure level of the underlying data.

With Delinea and Cyera, security teams can:

• Remediate the exposures that matter most: Risk scoring automatically reflects data classifications, so teams close the highest-impact gaps first rather than working through an undifferentiated queue of privileged accounts.
• Spend less time chasing every alert: Entitlements alone no longer drive the alert queue, only accounts with real exposure to critical assets require immediate attention.
• Get the full picture, in one place: Human, machine, and AI identities connected to their complete exposure context, giving teams a single source of truth for identity and data risk.

To learn more about Delinea’s integration with Cyera and others, visit https://delinea.com/partners/integrations-center

GCC region’s retail real estate sector is expanding rapidly, but traditional space-centric models are insufficient. A new report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) titled “Imagining the Future of Retail: Beyond Space” offers a comprehensive examination of the strategic readiness of retail real estate developers across the Middle East.

Drawing on BCG’s project experience and interviews with senior leaders across the GCC’s major mixed-use, retail, entertainment, and lifestyle developments, the report says that the region’s retail real estate sector is witnessing its most ambitious physical expansion in generations, with millions of square meters of gross leasable area (GLA) under development across megaprojects in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dubai, and Doha. In several GCC markets, luxury retail space expansion has already outpaced growth in addressable consumer spending, reshaping sales per square meter and current development strategies. In addition, competition is intensifying as new supply comes online. Up to 25% of revenue at leading assets comes from non-GLA sources. Assets that lack digital and data capabilities may need to evolve to stay relevant in future customer journeys.

“The forces reshaping retail are converging faster than most operators recognize, and traditional space-centric models are no longer sufficient for what lies ahead,” said Andrea Pierobon, Partner at BCG Middle East. “The GCC has built world-class retail destinations, and the opportunity now is to rethink what retail real estate actually delivers in terms of moving from space-centric models to capability-led approaches.”

Factors Transforming the Traditional Retail Operating Model

The report identifies five converging forces that are systematically transforming traditional retail operating models. Retailers are reducing store size and numbers, opening smaller formats, and experimenting with new space as online commerce grows. The omnichannel imperative means retailers and developers can no longer treat digital and physical as separate strategies. Experience-led consumption is fundamentally shifting what consumers expect from physical retail environments, demanding immersive engagement rather than transactional convenience.

Retail media monetization represents an emerging value stream that most GCC operators have yet to capture, with global retail media revenues forecast to grow by $213 billion by 2028. AI-powered discovery is transforming how consumers navigate their shopping journeys, with more than half of consumers under 34 already using AI tools as part of their purchasing decisions.

BCG outlines three disruption scenarios (not predictions) that retail real estate leaders must actively plan for now:

1. What if: over 50% of retail sales move online, fundamentally challenging the economics of traditional mall development, as we see in advanced markets around the world
2. What if: Data replaces product margins as the primary value driver, shifting power toward operators who can capture and monetize customer intelligence, as we already see with many leading global retailers
3. What if: AI agents become the primary decision-makers in consumer journeys, disintermediating traditional brand and retailer relationships, as we see adoption of Gen AI and Agentic tools accelerating.

Three Archetypes, One Imperative

The analysis also identifies three distinct strategic archetypes emerging across GCC retail real estate, each requiring a different operating model, capital allocation strategy, and capability set. Community and convenience retail serve localized, high-frequency needs with efficiency and accessibility at its core. Experience-led destinations compete on immersive engagement, cultural programming, and social connection rather than transactional retail alone. Ecosystem platform developers position themselves as orchestrators of broader consumer and commercial ecosystems, capturing value through data, partnerships, and integrated services.

“There is an immediate opportunity to shape the next chapter of GCC retail real estate, and to innovate for future retail needs, rather than continuing with the traditional development model,” said Andy Veitch, Managing Director & Partner and Head of Consumer Practice, BCG Middle East. “Those who act decisively, by choosing a clear archetype, investing selectively in enabling capabilities, and shifting from space delivery to business model innovation, will define the category for the next generation.”

The report outlines future-proofing levers that operators must activate: redefining the value proposition, repositioning the tenant mix, creating experiential programming, building data and analytics capabilities, developing retail media offerings, enabling omnichannel integration, investing in sustainability and ESG, forging strategic partnerships, and transforming organizational capabilities.

However, the report reveals that most organizations remain tied to more traditional leasing models, siloed functions, and occupancy-led KPIs. Without targeted investment in data and analytic capabilities, customer experience design, and agile decision-making infrastructure, progress against these imperatives will remain uneven.

A key focus of the discussion was Nokia’s shift from strategic advisory to real-world execution through its dedicated Automation Excellence Practice, helping operators translate ambitious transformation roadmaps into measurable outcomes. The conversation also highlighted the growing importance of integrated, intelligent and secure networks that can support rising AI workloads, eliminate infrastructure bottlenecks and unlock tangible business value, while maintaining the highest standards of security, privacy and resilience

Could you begin by telling us about your role at Nokia and the journey that brought you here?

I lead Nokia’s Advanced Consulting Services business across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. My journey with Nokia spans nearly seventeen years, beginning at a time when consulting was largely focused on network transformation initiatives. Over the years, I have worked closely with operators around the world on transformation programmes, analytics adoption, customer experience management and digital modernization.

As the industry evolved, so did our consulting focus. Following the Nokia and Alcatel Lucent merger, we established what is today known as Advanced Consulting Services. The organization now spans several domains, including Security, Business monetization, Cloud and Technology transformation, Autonomous Networks, and Data & AI.

More recently, we launched an Automation Excellence Practice. The idea was simple. Customers often appreciated our strategic blueprints but needed practical expertise to implement them. Today, we have specialized engineers who combine telecom expertise, AI capabilities and software development skills to turn strategic visions into real automation pipelines, AI-driven workflows and production-ready use cases. Our role is to help customers move from concept to measurable business outcomes.

Nokia is often associated with connectivity, but the company is increasingly talking about AI readiness. How does Nokia’s infrastructure portfolio support this transition?

AI is creating what we describe as an AI Supercycle. It is transforming everything from data centres and cloud infrastructure to network architectures and edge computing. Supporting this shift requires a complete ecosystem rather than isolated technologies.

Nokia’s portfolio addresses this across multiple layers. On the network side, we continue to innovate in radio technologies, including AI-RAN capabilities developed alongside strategic partners such as Nvidia. We also have a strong optical networking and IP portfolio that enables the high-capacity connectivity required between data centres, edge locations and cloud environments.

One area that excites me is our innovation in data centre networking. We are introducing highly efficient coherent optical technologies and advanced switching platforms that significantly reduce infrastructure footprints while improving performance and energy efficiency. These innovations are becoming increasingly important as organizations invest in AI factories, AI grids and large-scale inference environments.

Beyond connectivity, we also provide intelligent automation layers through our Autonomous Networks platforms, enabling operators to manage complex, multi-vendor environments more efficiently and intelligently.

What are some of the biggest infrastructure bottlenecks you see operators and enterprises facing as AI adoption accelerates?

One of the biggest challenges is understanding that AI infrastructure is not just about compute power. Organizations often focus heavily on GPUs and processing capabilities, but connectivity can quickly become the limiting factor.

You can deploy the most powerful AI infrastructure available, but if the network cannot support the required data movement between racks, data centres and edge locations, performance suffers. This is where intelligent networking becomes critical.

At Nokia, we are helping customers design what we call AI-ready connectivity. This includes high-capacity optical networking, intelligent routing and the seamless interconnection of compute environments. As AI workloads become increasingly distributed, the ability to move data efficiently becomes just as important as the ability to process it.

On the consumer side, Nokia has been showcasing AI-driven Wi-Fi management capabilities. How does this improve the end-user experience?

The home network has become far more complex than it was a few years ago. Consumers expect flawless connectivity across multiple devices, applications and services.

Our AI-enabled Wi-Fi solutions continuously monitor network performance and user experience. They can identify coverage gaps, detect congestion, analyze interference patterns and even recommend or automatically implement corrective actions.

The goal is to create a self-optimizing network environment where many issues can be resolved autonomously before they impact the user. This reduces support requirements for service providers while delivering a more consistent and reliable experience for customers.

The Middle East is witnessing an unprecedented surge in data centre investments. How do you see this shaping Nokia’s opportunities in the region?

The Middle East has emerged as one of the most dynamic markets globally for AI infrastructure investments. Governments and enterprises are actively investing in sovereign AI capabilities, advanced data centres and digital ecosystems.

This creates significant opportunities, not only for Nokia but for the broader technology industry. The success of these initiatives depends on having secure, scalable and efficient connectivity between compute resources, cloud environments and end users.

Our role is to help customers build these foundations. Whether it is data centre interconnectivity, optical networking, intelligent routing or autonomous operations, Nokia’s technologies are designed to support the scale and performance requirements of AI-driven economies.

As data volumes continue to grow, security and data sovereignty are becoming increasingly important. How is Nokia addressing these concerns?

Security is deeply embedded into Nokia’s strategy and innovation roadmap. As a European technology company, trust, resilience and security have always been fundamental principles in how we design and operate our solutions.

While we continue to invest heavily in AI innovation, we are equally focused on strengthening security capabilities across our portfolio. This includes advanced network security architectures, AI-driven threat detection and preparations for future technologies such as quantum-safe networking.

We are actively engaged with industry bodies, standards organizations and ecosystem partners to help define the next generation of secure digital infrastructure. As AI becomes increasingly pervasive, security must evolve alongside it, and that is an area where Nokia continues to invest significantly.

Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of AI-driven networks?

What excites me most is the convergence of AI, automation and connectivity. Networks are evolving from passive transport layers into intelligent platforms that can learn, adapt and optimize themselves.

The future will be defined by autonomous operations, AI-native networks and real-time decision-making at scale. Organizations that successfully combine these capabilities will unlock entirely new business models and levels of operational efficiency.

For us, the opportunity is not just about deploying technology. It is about helping customers transform the way they operate, innovate and create value in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Informatica from Salesforce has announced a comprehensive series of strategic partnership expansions designed to empower enterprises to build, deploy, and scale trusted agentic AI workflows across their entire technology estate. The innovations span integrations with Amazon Web Services (AWS), Databricks, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and Snowflake, positioning Informatica as the unified data foundation for the agentic enterprise.

The announcements address a critical market reality: organizations adopting agentic AI are held back by unreliable, fragmented, and ungoverned data. With 89% of data leaders believing agent interoperability will soon be required to do business, and 89% stating that a strong data foundation is the most critical factor for successful AI adoption, enterprises need enterprise-grade data management embedded directly into their AI agent workflows.

“The organizations that win the AI race will be those that put trusted, governed data in front of their agents from day one,” said Rik Tamm-Daniels, Vice President, Ecosystems and Technology, Informatica from Salesforce. “These announcements demonstrate our unwavering commitment to being the data intelligence layer across every major cloud and data platform. We’re giving enterprises the confidence to operationalize agentic AI at scale.”

Headless Data Management as the Agent Enabler

Across all partnerships, Informatica is making its Headless Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC) available through Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers, a rapidly emerging interoperability framework for AI agents. This approach eliminates the need for custom integrations, allowing enterprises to invoke Informatica’s core data services — metadata search, address verification, master data management, and data quality — directly within agentic workflows on any cloud.

Partnership Highlights

Databricks: Agentic Enterprise Data at Scale: Informatica brings four new capabilities to Databricks, enabling joint customers to fuel Agent Bricks with governed data. The innovations include native headless IDMC integration with Databricks Agent Bricks (Private Preview, summer 2026 GA), a purpose-built Lakebase connector optimized for agentic use cases, an MDM extension for automatic publication of trusted golden records into Databricks SQL, and governance tag federation between Informatica and Databricks Unity Catalog. The result: enterprises can move trusted master data and governance metadata seamlessly into their Databricks intelligence layer, enabling production-ready agentic deployments.

Snowflake: Trusted AI With Open-Data Confidence: Informatica deepens its collaboration with Snowflake by delivering headless IDMC integration with Snowflake Cortex AI (Private Preview moving to GA summer 2026), row-level access policy management for Snowflake Tables (generally available), and metadata scanners for Snowflake Managed Iceberg Tables. These capabilities enable enterprises to build trustworthy agents on Cortex AI, enforce unified access governance across Snowflake assets, and extend governance standards to open-data architectures with confidence.

AWS: Enterprise Data for Agentic Workflows: Informatica’s MCP servers and CLAIRE Agent skills are now available in AWS Agent Registry and Amazon Quick, enabling organizations to embed governed data directly into agentic workflows on AWS. The Metadata Explorer MCP ensures agents understand sensitive classifications; the Master Data Management MCP prevents agents from acting on fragmented records; and Data Quality MCPs validate information at the point of entry. Informatica MCP Servers on Amazon Quick are generally available in U.S. regions, while CLAIRE Agent skills on AWS Agent Registry and Amazon Quick are available in global preview.

Google Cloud: Conversational Intelligence and Open Interoperability: Informatica brings two innovations to Google Cloud: CLAIRE GPT, a conversational AI assistant for enterprise data management now generally available on Google Cloud (enabling natural-language discovery, metadata enrichment, quality assessment, and governance resolution), and A2A Protocol support (Fall 2026 release) enabling CLAIRE agents to collaborate with agents across heterogeneous enterprise agent ecosystems.

Microsoft: Trusted Data for AI and Analytics at Enterprise Scale: Informatica’s headless IDMC MCP servers are now generally available in Microsoft Foundry, enabling Azure customers to integrate data management services — governance, metadata search, address verification, and data provisioning — into their AI agents. Additionally, expanded IDMC support for Microsoft Fabric brings mass ingestion and Change Data Capture for Fabric Data Warehouse, allowing enterprises to ingest billions of rows monthly and keep data synchronized while minimizing compute costs.

The Outcomes Enterprises Need

These partnerships deliver three critical capabilities for enterprise agentic success:

• Metadata Context: Agents understand asset classifications, business terms, and governance policies, knowing which data is safe to act on and which is sensitive.
• Unified Master Records: Agents operate on single source-of-truth data, preventing personalization and compliance failures caused by fragmented or duplicate records.
• Point-of-Entry Quality: Data validation occurs immediately upon ingestion, preventing errors from propagating downstream and undermining agent accuracy.

By making these capabilities available across Databricks, Snowflake, AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft — the platforms enterprises are standardizing on — Informatica ensures that high-quality data management is accessible to all business personas, not just technical teams.

Availability & Support

Informatica’s MCP servers and agentic integrations are rolling out across cloud partners with varying general availability timelines — from immediate availability in Microsoft Foundry and Google Cloud to preview status on AWS and summer 2026 GA for several Databricks and Snowflake capabilities. Customers can discover and activate these integrations directly within their cloud platform partner ecosystems.

Dr Esraa Khatab, Assistant Professor at the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Dubai

As we celebrate International Women in Engineering Day (INWED), attention is increasingly focused on how to prepare young women not only to participate in engineering but to lead its future. In a world shaped by artificial intelligence, sustainability challenges, and rapid digital transformation, education must go beyond technical instruction. It must cultivate what we can call engineering intelligence, a combination of technical expertise, problem-solving ability, creativity, and leadership confidence.

For young women, this preparation is most effective when education is intentionally designed to inspire, support, and position them as future innovators and decision-makers.

Inspiring Young Women Through Meaningful Learning

Engaging young women in engineering begins with making learning relevant and purposeful. When engineering is connected to real-world challenges, such as improving healthcare systems, designing sustainable cities, or developing climate solutions, it resonates strongly with students who are motivated by impact.

Project-based learning plays a key role here. When young women work on designing smart applications, building prototypes, or solving community challenges, they begin to see themselves as capable engineers contributing to society. Thes experiences move engineering from an abstract concept to a meaningful pathway where their ideas matter.

Initiatives such as the UAE’s “One Million Arab Coders” and international programs like “Girls Who Code” have successfully introduced thousands of young women to coding, AI, and digital innovation. These initiatives are powerful not just because of the skills they teach, but because they create an early sense of belonging in technology-driven environments.

Mentorship: Unlocking Potential and Building Confidence

For young women, mentorship is a transformative element of engineering education. It provides not only guidance but also reassurance, helping students navigate academic and career pathways with clarity and confidence.

Connecting young women with mentors, whether through universities, industry partnerships, or outreach programs, offers them valuable insights into emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and renewable energy. These relationships make career paths more tangible and achievable.

In classroom settings, mentorship can be embedded into learning through project collaborations and industry engagement. When young women receive feedback from

professionals, present their ideas, and engage in real-world problem-solving, they begin to develop both confidence and professional identity.

Mentorship also nurtures leadership. By observing and interacting with experienced professionals, young women gain exposure to decision-making, teamwork, and innovation processes, essential components of future tech leadership.

Expanding Opportunities Through STEM Outreach

STEM outreach initiatives are vital in reaching young women early and sustaining their interest in engineering pathways. Programs that focus on hands-on, creative engagement, such as robotics competitions, coding bootcamps, and innovation labs, are particularly effective in building confidence and curiosity.

These initiatives create safe and encouraging environments where young women can experiment, take risks, and learn collaboratively. Importantly, they shift the narrative from simply learning technology to actively creating it.

Digital platforms have further expanded opportunities for young women in engineering. Virtual labs such as “MIT OpenCourseWare” and interactive simulations (e.g., PhET) allow learners to experiment and build practical skills remotely, with research showing strong gains in engagement and motivation. Online hackathons, including initiatives like the “UAE InnovAIte AI” Hackathon, provide young women with collaborative spaces to design real-world solutions using emerging technologies. At the same time, AI-powered tools such as “Khan Academy’s Khanmigo” offer personalized guidance, helping learners build confidence through continuous, self-paced support.

Together, these platforms create flexible and inclusive pathways that enable young women to actively engage, experiment, and grow within today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape. By introducing young women to emerging technologies early, outreach programs help them build familiarity and confidence in fields that will define the future of work.

Encouraging Young Women to Lead in Emerging Fields

Emerging engineering domains, such as artificial intelligence, smart systems, biotechnology, and sustainable energy, offer significant opportunities for innovation and leadership. Encouraging young women to explore these areas requires intentional effort within education systems.

This can be achieved through:

• Early integration of advanced topics: Introducing AI, data science, and sustainability concepts at foundational levels.
• Interdisciplinary approaches: Encouraging young women to apply engineering skills in healthcare, environmental science, and social innovation.
• Experiential learning: Providing opportunities for internships, research projects, and innovation challenges in emerging fields.

These experiences allow young women to build not only technical expertise but also the confidence to navigate complex, real-world challenges. They begin to see themselves as contributors to cutting-edge developments, rather than observers.

Building Confidence and Leadership Identity

For young women to thrive in engineering, education must also focus on building confidence and leadership skills. This includes creating environments where their voices are heard, their ideas are valued, and their contributions are recognized.

Encouraging young women to lead team projects, present their work, and participate in competitions helps them develop essential soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.

Representation also plays an important role. Highlighting the achievements of women engineers and innovators, both globally and within local communities, reinforces the message that leadership in engineering is both attainable and expected.

Importantly, leadership development should be embedded into the learning journey. Innovation challenges, entrepreneurship programs, and community-based projects provide platforms for young women to take initiative and drive impact.

Looking Ahead: Empowering Young Women to Shape the Future

The future of engineering will be defined by those who can think creatively, solve complex problems, and lead with vision. Preparing young women for this future is not just about education, it is about empowerment.

By combining meaningful learning experiences, strong mentorship, expanded outreach, and opportunities in emerging technologies, we can create an ecosystem where young women thrive as engineers and leaders.

As we celebrate INWED, the focus is clear: to ensure that young women are equipped not only with skills, but with the confidence and ambition to lead. When this happens, they do more than contribute to technological advancement, they shape it.

How is WSO2 sailing through in the region amidst the uncertainty?

The Middle East continues to be one of the most dynamic technology markets globally. While there is uncertainty in the broader geopolitical and economic environment, we see that organizations across the region remain committed to their digital transformation programs and continue to invest in the areas of API modernization, application integration, Identity and access management, data connectivity, cloud transformation and AI enablement. This is because digitization is now a business necessity rather than a discretionary investment.

For WSO2, this has translated into continued demand for solutions that help enterprises modernize systems, securely manage digital identities, integrate increasingly complex technology landscapes, and adopt AI responsibly. We are seeing particularly strong interest from government, financial services, telecommunications, and energy sectors, where organizations are focused on improving operational agility while maintaining security, compliance, and resilience.

Any new products / solutions that have been introduced for the region?

One of the most significant developments for us is our vision for the Agentic Enterprise and the introduction of WSO2’s Agentic Enterprise Fabric. Rather than treating AI as a standalone capability or bolt-on feature, we have embedded AI capabilities into the very fabric of our platform.

The Agentic Enterprise Fabric enables organizations to securely connect data, APIs, applications, identities, and AI agents across the enterprise. This creates a foundation where intelligent agents can operate with the right context, governance, and security controls while delivering measurable business outcomes.

The WSO2 Agent Manager is an open platform for the full life-cycle of enterprise grade AI agents. The WSO2 AI gateway helps in governance by monitoring the usage, applying guardrails, optimizing costs & exposing APIs as MCP tools so that AI agents can safely interact. The WSO2 agent ID helps to register, authenticate, authorize and audit AI agents as first class identities.

This approach is resonating strongly in the Middle East, where organizations are moving beyond AI experimentation and looking for scalable, enterprise-grade AI implementations that can be governed and integrated into existing business processes.

What are the key solutions that have kept WSO2 ahead of its other competitors in the region?

Our differentiation comes from helping customers address  key critical challenges simultaneously: APIs, integration, identity, and AI adoption.

Our API management platform helps companies ship, govern and monetize APIs, AI and MCP across any gateway or any cloud. Our integration capabilities enable organizations to connect legacy and modern systems quickly, helping accelerate digital initiatives.  Our identity and access management solutions provide the security and trust layer needed for large-scale digital services. Last but not the least, our Agentic Enterprise Fabric brings AI into the core of the enterprise architecture rather than layering it on top as an afterthought.

All of this combined with our open-source heritage, flexible deployment options, and ability to support sovereign cloud and hybrid environments, gives  customers the freedom to innovate with zero lock-in. This flexibility is critical in the Middle East region, where organizations increasingly prioritize digital sovereignty, data control, and long-term technology independence.

What are your plans for the coming few months in the region?

Our commitment to the growth and development of the Middle East region remains. We have just completed registering our office in KSA which reiterates our focus on deepening our engagement with customers and partners across the GCC and wider Middle East. We are investing in helping organizations move from AI pilots to production-ready deployments, while continuing to support large-scale modernization and digital transformation initiatives.

We also plan to strengthen our partner ecosystem, expand our presence in key markets, and work more closely with organizations pursuing digital sovereignty initiatives. As governments and enterprises accelerate their AI and digital agendas, we see significant opportunities to help them build secure, connected, and intelligent digital platforms for the future.

What’s your anticipated growth for the digital / tech sector in the coming few years?

The outlook remains very positive and we are optimistic. Over the next three to five years, I believe the region will move from digital transformation to intelligent transformation, where AI becomes embedded in core business operations rather than existing as isolated applications. Organizations that successfully combine AI with strong integration, identity, governance, and data foundations will be best positioned to create sustainable competitive advantages.

This shift will create significant opportunities for technology providers, system integrators, and enterprises alike.

The new headquarters reinforces Hisense’s long-term commitment to the Middle East and Africa, establishing a strategic hub to strengthen the company’s growing operations, partnerships, and innovation initiatives across the region. The milestone event brought together distinguished guests including Dubai Internet City’s top management and Hisense’s key partners, distributors, and main retailers across the region.

“The opening of our new office in Dubai Internet City represents our commitment to the UAE market and the broader Middle East region,” said Jason Ou, President at Hisense Middle East & Africa. “With the launch of our new UR9 and UR8 RGB MiniLED Series, we are bringing the most advanced display technology available to consumers here, delivering an unparalleled viewing experience that sets a new benchmark for premium home entertainment.”

“Dubai Internet City is home to a diverse community of global technology companies and more than 31,000 professionals that continue to advance the digital economy in the region and globally,” said Ammar Al Malik, Executive Vice President of Commercial at TECOM Group and Managing Director of Dubai Internet City. “Hisense’s new regional headquarters reflects its long-term commitment to the region and underscores Dubai’s position as a global hub for innovation, in line with the objectives of Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’.”

Dubai has been home to Hisense’s regional HQ for many years and continues to play a key role in the company’s growth across the Middle East and Africa. The UAE’s commitment to innovation, supportive business environment, and wealth of opportunities has made it an ideal strategic hub for regional expansion.

The inauguration also served as the platform for Hisense to unveil its most advanced television technology to date: the UR9 and UR8 RGB MiniLED Series. Designed to capture every thrilling moment of live sports and entertainment, the flagship models deliver stunning detail, vibrant colours, and true-to-life picture quality that brings fans closer to the action from their own homes. As an Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 26 and a proud supporter of the first-ever Sensory Inclusive FIFA World Cup, Hisense is helping create dedicated sensory spaces across all host stadiums, ensuring more people can enjoy the world’s biggest football tournament.

Powered by next-generation MiniLEDs, the technology delivers more accurate and vibrant colours, higher brightness, and deeper contrast, while reducing blue light exposure and optimizing power consumption.

Leading the range, the UR9 Series represents Hisense’s most advanced expression of RGB MiniLED innovation. Delivering what the company calls “Natural and Real Color,” the UR9 achieves authentic and vivid colour reproduction with exceptional brightness and contrast performance. The technology produces more natural skin tones and lifelike imagery, creating visuals that are not only striking but also comfortable for extended everyday viewing.

The UR8 Series extends the benefits of RGB MiniLED technology to a broader audience, offering high-performance displays across screen sizes ranging from 55 to 100 inches. Combining vibrant colour accuracy, impressive brightness, eye-friendly viewing, and energy-efficient performance, the series brings premium large-screen entertainment to more consumers across the region.

At Hisense, the belief in “Innovating a Brighter Life” inspires the company to develop technologies and experiences that make everyday life better and bring people closer to the moments that matter.

Unveiled in 1999, Dubai Internet City has nurtured the digital economy by uniting global leaders through its world-class ecosystem. According to an impact study conducted by the district in partnership with Accenture in February 2025, Dubai Internet City contributed AED 100 billion to Dubai’s GDP in the past 15 years.

UiPath, Inc. (NYSE: PATH), a leader in business orchestration and automation, today announced Maestro Case, a new AI-native UiPath agentic case management capability. Available today as part of the UiPath Maestro business orchestration capabilities, Maestro Case extends governed orchestration and automation to complex and exception-laden case management, allowing enterprises to manage dynamic, long-running cases with greater visibility, control, and execution speed.

In a recent UiPath survey of nearly 600 C-Suite and IT practitioners at large companies ($1B+ in revenue), 52% reported that the presence of hybrid workflows—a combination of static, repeatable processes and dynamic, context-dependent processes—across their day-to-day operations. Those dynamic processes, such as customer requests, investigations, and approvals, are managed through disconnected emails, spreadsheets, and point solutions, creating delays, inconsistent outcomes, and limited visibility.

Without a coordinated view of a case, with people, systems, data, and AI agents in a single workflow, it becomes difficult to ensure the right actions occur at the right time. Additionally, the valuable context of those actions can be lost as the case moves through teams and the organization, impacting resolution speed, compliance, and transparency, making it harder to scale operations without increasing complexity.

Maestro Case is designed for enterprises living in hybrid environments that need more than orchestrating defined paths. As a new capability with UiPath Maestro, Maestro Case treats the case as a dynamic business entity that carries its data, participants, timeline, and execution context across stages, actors, and systems. Configurable case and stage management agents help move work forward, while robots, AI agents, and people execute tasks within governed workflows. Human review and escalation can be built into the process for exceptions, compliance needs, and decisions requiring judgment. Additionally, as an AI-native offering, Maestro Case is fully supported by any coding agent of choice across every stage of a case, including build, test, debug, deploy, and operate.

“Modern case management is no longer about tracking work—it’s about orchestrating dynamic complex processes, where exceptions are the norm,” said Raghu Malpani, Chief Technology & Product Officer, UiPath. “With Maestro Case, organizations can bring together people, AI agents, systems, and business processes into a single coordinated experience. Teams can resolve complex cases faster, adapt to changing business needs, and deliver the visibility, governance, and agility required in today’s enterprise environment.”

Early design adopters are already seeing measurable results, reporting a 60–80% reduction in average case handling time, a three-to-five times increase in cases resolved without human intervention, and SLA compliance improvements of more than 25 percentage points. One financial services adopter projects more than $12 million in annual savings from leveraging Maestro Case to automate dispute resolution and KYC case workflows.

Exclusive interview with Uday Shankar Kizhepat- Vice President and General Manager for ME

How is WSO2 sailing through in the region amidst the uncertainty?

The Middle East continues to be one of the most dynamic technology markets globally. While there is uncertainty in the broader geopolitical and economic environment, we see that organizations across the region remain committed to their digital transformation programs and continue to invest in the areas of API modernization, application integration, Identity and access management, data connectivity, cloud transformation and AI enablement. This is because digitization is now a business necessity rather than a discretionary investment.

For WSO2, this has translated into continued demand for solutions that help enterprises modernize systems, securely manage digital identities, integrate increasingly complex technology landscapes, and adopt AI responsibly. We are seeing particularly strong interest from government, financial services, telecommunications, and energy sectors, where organizations are focused on improving operational agility while maintaining security, compliance, and resilience.

Any new products / solutions that have been introduced for the region?

One of the most significant developments for us is our vision for the Agentic Enterprise and the introduction of WSO2’s Agentic Enterprise Fabric. Rather than treating AI as a standalone capability or bolt-on feature, we have embedded AI capabilities into the very fabric of our platform.

The Agentic Enterprise Fabric enables organizations to securely connect data, APIs, applications, identities, and AI agents across the enterprise. This creates a foundation where intelligent agents can operate with the right context, governance, and security controls while delivering measurable business outcomes.

The WSO2 Agent Manager is an open platform for the full life-cycle of enterprise grade AI agents. The WSO2 AI gateway helps in governance by monitoring the usage, applying guardrails, optimizing costs & exposing APIs as MCP tools so that AI agents can safely interact. The WSO2 agent ID helps to register, authenticate, authorize and audit AI agents as first class identities.

This approach is resonating strongly in the Middle East, where organizations are moving beyond AI experimentation and looking for scalable, enterprise-grade AI implementations that can be governed and integrated into existing business processes.

What are the key solutions that have kept WSO2 ahead of its other competitors in the region?

Our differentiation comes from helping customers address  key critical challenges simultaneously: APIs, integration, identity, and AI adoption.

Our API management platform helps companies ship, govern and monetize APIs, AI and MCP across any gateway or any cloud. Our integration capabilities enable organizations to connect legacy and modern systems quickly, helping accelerate digital initiatives.  Our identity and access management solutions provide the security and trust layer needed for large-scale digital services. Last but not the least, our Agentic Enterprise Fabric brings AI into the core of the enterprise architecture rather than layering it on top as an afterthought.

All of this combined with our open-source heritage, flexible deployment options, and ability to support sovereign cloud and hybrid environments, gives  customers the freedom to innovate with zero lock-in. This flexibility is critical in the Middle East region, where organizations increasingly prioritize digital sovereignty, data control, and long-term technology independence.

What are your plans for the coming few months in the region?

Our commitment to the growth and development of the Middle East region remains. We have just completed registering our office in KSA which reiterates our focus on deepening our engagement with customers and partners across the GCC and wider Middle East. We are investing in helping organizations move from AI pilots to production-ready deployments, while continuing to support large-scale modernization and digital transformation initiatives.

We also plan to strengthen our partner ecosystem, expand our presence in key markets, and work more closely with organizations pursuing digital sovereignty initiatives. As governments and enterprises accelerate their AI and digital agendas, we see significant opportunities to help them build secure, connected, and intelligent digital platforms for the future.

What’s your anticipated growth for the digital / tech sector in the coming few years?

The outlook remains very positive and we are optimistic. Over the next three to five years, I believe the region will move from digital transformation to intelligent transformation, where AI becomes embedded in core business operations rather than existing as isolated applications. Organizations that successfully combine AI with strong integration, identity, governance, and data foundations will be best positioned to create sustainable competitive advantages.

This shift will create significant opportunities for technology providers, system integrators, and enterprises alike.