Corning is proud to present its innovations at the inaugural CORTechX technology symposium in the Middle East, held on November 12, 2025, in Dubai. This event showcases how Corning’s cutting-edge technologies are enabling faster data connections, advancing medical breakthroughs, and creating energy-smart spaces — emphasizing its renewed commitment to the region’s vision for AI, smart infrastructure, life sciences, and sustainability.

Corning in the UAE and Gulf Corporation Council

Corning has had a presence in the UAE for nearly 20 years, empowering in-building networks with optical fiber and cabling solutions.

For over 10 years, Corning’s life sciences products have supported research, diagnostics, and bioprocessing in the region.

Corning maintains a network of local partners, distributors, and integrators in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, fostering collaboration and innovation through training and certification programs.

“For decades, Corning has been quietly enabling progress across the UAE and Middle East – supporting networks, laboratories, and technologies that connect people and data. From AI-enabling technologies, advanced diagnostics, consumer electronics innovations, and energy-smart spaces, Corning’s technologies are empowering industries across telecommunications, life sciences, mobile consumer electronics, sustainability, and smart infrastructure.” – Gokhan Doran, International Vice President and General Manager, Corning International

“The Middle East and especially the UAE is at an inflection point. With its vision for AI, smart infrastructure, life sciences, and sustainability, this region now mirrors everything Corning stands for – Innovation, Quality, Performance, and creating long-term value. We are here today to not only introduce Corning, but also reemphasize our commitment to the region.” – Sudhir Pillai, Managing Director, Corning India, President, Corning India, Middle East, and Africa.

Corning Transforming the telecommunications industry for nearly 50 years.

As the inventor of the world’s first low-loss optical fiber in 1970, Corning revolutionized global connectivity. Today, Corning’s fibers are 100 times better than the original invention, offering unmatched performance.

Corning’s Vision for AI Data Centers – Enabling Generative AI Through Glass

Generative AI (Gen AI) is transforming industries, and at its core is Corning’s revolutionary glass technology, which plays a pivotal role in enabling AI. From optical fiber networks to semiconductor components, Corning’s glass innovations are driving AI forward. Corning holds over 1,000 approved and pending patents related to data centers, with 100 patents filed in the last year alone.

Inside Data Centers: Scaling Fiber Density

Gen AI requires greater fiber density to network GPUs (Graphical Processing Units) effectively.

Optical fiber, invented by Corning over 50 years ago, is critical for high-speed data transmission and allows for compact server environments that maximize processing power.

With 72-GPU nodes, fiber density needs have increased 16x compared to traditional cloud architectures.

Corning is already innovating to meet future GPU demands, ensuring space optimization with slimmer fibers and connectors.

Outside Data Centers: Driving more fiber connections between cities

To accommodate growing GPU cluster sizes with the massive computer power required for today’s Gen AI learning models, data centers are expanding into campuses with multiple data halls. And operators need to quickly build out high-density connections to get these data enters up and running. Corning is uniquely positioned to meet these needs.

Power and land constraints, as well as varying regulatory frameworks, are prompting data centers to spread out into regional hubs – creating a need for long-haul networks to connect them. We call this our Data Center Interconnect segment, or DCI. DCI cables have to maximize data flow between data centers, and that requires high fiber density, lower attenuation and fast installation.

Corning GlassWorks AI – Tailored Solutions for Gen AI Data Centers

Corning’s GlassWorks AI provides a comprehensive suite of products and services to enable agile, scalable, and high-density networks for the demands of generative AI. Leveraging optical innovation and industry collaboration, we offer solutions that unlock AI’s full potential:

Corning SMF-28 Contour Optical Fiber: 40% slimmer than conventional fibers, enabling compact designs.

Corning Contour Flow Cable: Doubles the density of traditional optical cables for faster deployment.

Corning MMC Connector: Boasts 36x the density of standard connectors.

Customized Connectivity Solutions: Tailored designs for unique network architectures, accelerating installation and reducing errors.

Corning’s Groundbreaking Technologies Across Industries

Life Sciences

Corning has been a trusted partner to the scientific community since 1915, with innovations like PYREX glass. Corning’s investments in bioprocess, cell therapy, 3D cell culture, and genomics research are helping scientists cure diseases and push the boundaries of discovery.

For the Middle East, Corning offers a comprehensive range of innovative, high-quality products and solutions for life science research and bioproduction through an extensive dealer network to serve the local customers.

Corning is advancing medical breakthroughs through technologies like Corning Valor® Glass, which protects drugs better than traditional glass packaging.

Trusted brands like Falcon, Axygen, and PYREX are found in over 100,000 laboratories worldwide.

Mobile Consumer Electronics

Corning Gorilla Glass has revolutionized smartphone durability since its debut in 2007, enabling damage-resistant, scratch-proof devices. Over 8 billion devices globally feature Gorilla Glass.

Innovations like Gorilla Glass DX/DX+ enhance mobile photography with improved light capture and reduced reflections.

In March 2025, Corning introducedCorning Gorilla Glass Ceramic, an innovative, transparent, and strengthenable glass ceramic material to help bring advanced toughness to more mobile devices. Gorilla Glass Ceramic significantly improves drop performance on rough surfaces compared to competitive aluminosilicate glasses.

Corning’s advanced optics are enabling immersive experiences in augmented reality and 3D sensing.

Corning Enlighten Glass is rewriting the rules for window technology

As a long-time innovator, Corning is always looking for synergies where our material science and process manufacturing expertise intersect with critical global macro trends such as high-performance buildings and sustainable construction. One of the latest areas where we are applying our glass science and manufacturing expertise is the architectural industry. 

As one of the largest glass markets in the world, the architectural glass space is a natural fit for Corning, and we believe innovation in the windows industry is an important issue to work on. Nearly 25% of global energy production is used to heat and cool buildings* (Source: Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2019  )

While windows represent around 10% of the total surface area for buildings, they represent nearly half of a home or business’s heat loss**(Reference from Referenced by Stephen Selkowitz at the NGA Glass Conference, Jan 24-26, 2023)

Corning has been working on a suite of solutions to improve thermal performance within the fenestration industry.

Corning Enlighten Glass is an enabling technology for high-performance windows and doors that can significantly enhance the thermal performance, comfort, and aesthetics of built environments. 

Enlighten Glass is a lightweight center pane that that can be integrated into high-performance window and door designs for insulated glazing units or in laminate applications.

Enlighten Glass’ benefits include increased energy efficiency and occupancy comfort with 2-3x thermal resistance; weight reduction by 20-50% in IGUs, making installation and operation easier; and a reduced carbon footprint by 20-40% compared to soda-lime glass alternatives  

Enlighten Glass has an inherently lower Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) than soda-lime glass due to its boro-aluminosilicate composition, which means that Enlighten Glass has lower thermal stress under temperature gradients, so it does not need to be heat strengthened. Heat strengthening is necessary with soda lime glass to prevent its inherently higher risk of thermal field failure with its high CTE.    

Enlighten Glass is formed through Corning’s proprietary fusion draw process which has become the industry’s most efficient method for producing pristine, thin, stable flat glass.

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Dubai’s tallest commercial tower honors’ two decades of architectural innovation

OMNIYAT, Dubai’s visionary ultra-luxury developer, has officially launched LUMENA ALTA, a 380-metre landmark redefining the city’s skyline. Upon completion in 2030, it will become Business Bay’s tallest commercial tower.

The launch also celebrates OMNIYAT’s 20th anniversary, symbolizing two decades of design, craftsmanship, and creativity. Moreover, with a Gross Development Value above AED 5 billion, LUMENA ALTA continues the success of LUMENA and ENARA, reaffirming OMNIYAT’s position as a leader in luxury real estate.

A Vision Elevated

From its name, LUMENA ALTA captures light and ambition. “Lumena,” derived from the Latin lumen, evokes brilliance and creativity, while “Alta,” meaning elevated, conveys height and aspiration. Together, they express OMNIYAT’s guiding principle – The Art of Elevation.

Furthermore, the tower’s spiraling glass façade reflects sunlight by day and glows softly by night. Its fluid design embodies motion and progress, mirroring Dubai’s rise as a global capital of innovation.

Workspaces That Inspire

Designed for global visionaries, LUMENA ALTA blends performance, wellbeing, and prestige in one vertical destination. Triple-height sky lobbies, panoramic terraces, and bright atria bring openness and balance to every floor. In addition, landscaped sky gardens and private terraces connect work with nature, creating calm within energy.

Strategically located on Sheikh Zayed Road, the tower provides direct access to Downtown Dubai, DIFC, and the future Dubai Metro Gold Line. Together with its twin, LUMENA, it forms a luminous gateway to Business Bay – a landmark of connectivity, commerce, and culture.

A World Above Expectation

Crowning the structure, a five-star lifestyle hotel merges hospitality with architectural artistry. Its Sky Pool, suspended 335 metres above the city, will be the world’s highest infinity pool.

At the summit, the Sky Restaurant will deliver panoramic 360° views of Dubai’s skyline and coastline. Each evening will blend gastronomy, design, and spectacle – a sensory experience above the clouds.

Moreover, wellbeing defines the tower’s rhythm. Private fitness suites, hydrotherapy zones, vitality pools, and spa sanctuaries offer renewal throughout the day. A 25-metre indoor lap pool completes a lifestyle that balances achievement and serenity.

Service Beyond Space

As with all OMNIYAT masterpieces, LUMENA ALTA offers service that matches its design. A dedicated concierge team manages reception, meetings, and lifestyle coordination. Furthermore, residents and guests can access tailored experiences – from wellness scheduling and luxury travel to event planning and personal shopping.

Drawing inspiration from The Opus, One at Palm Jumeirah, and The Lana, OMNIYAT turns architecture into living art, ensuring every interaction feels seamless and refined.

Smart, Sustainable and Future-Ready

LUMENA ALTA is engineered to achieve LEED Platinum, Platinum WELL, Platinum WiredScore, and SmartScore Certifications. These standards emphasise sustainability, technology, and human wellbeing. Consequently, the tower establishes a new benchmark for intelligent, future-focused commercial spaces.

A Legacy of Ambition and Artistry

Reflecting on the milestone, Mahdi Amjad, Founder and Executive Chairman of OMNIYAT, said:

“Dubai attracts global enterprises that value excellence and creativity. As demand for premium space grows, OMNIYAT will keep reshaping the skyline with bold, intelligent designs that inspire progress.”

Over the past two decades, OMNIYAT has evolved from a developer into a curator of architectural art. With LUMENA ALTA, the company begins a new chapter – one where art, architecture, and ambition converge to define Dubai’s next horizon.

check this out Sobha Realty Sells 50% Downtown UAQ Within First Week

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The Middle East gaming market is booming. Competitive gaming has become a major attraction drawing in millions of fans across the region, where players vie for cash prizes in e-tournaments, which have become a major attraction, drawing millions of viewers across the globe. This phenomenon is particularly thriving in the Middle East, where many identify as gaming enthusiasts, competing in games like Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends, and Fortnite.

The Growth of Esports in the Middle East

The interest in e-sports in the region has been steadily growing, with the number of gamers expected to rise to around 87 million by 2026. Saudi Arabia has emerged as a dominant market for e-sports, largely driven by widespread mobile penetration and government investment in gaming infrastructure, including state-of-the-art gaming zones, like NEOM’s gaming hub. Currently, Saudi Arabia’s Esports World Cup is the globe’s largest e-sports tournament in the world.

In the UAE, the government’s vision for economic diversification is paving the way for improved digitalization and its emergence as an e-sports powerhouse. This is evident from recent investments in setting up gaming hubs, including Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC)’s new Artificial Intelligence (AI) centre in Dubai that integrates Crypto and gaming centres.

Why Telcos Are Winning in the Middle East Gaming Market

Telcos are eager to take part in the Middle East’s growing gaming scene.

With deep roots in tech and innovation, they’re now exploring ways to enable and monetize this opportunity. In Saudi Arabia, STC’s gaming platform, STC Play, allows users to browse content, buy digital gear, join tournaments, and connect with other players through built-in chat, creating a vibrant, interactive community.

Telcos in the Middle East, too, are also actively supporting the gaming ecosystem by offering a Gaming Pass that provides dedicated data for gaming. e&’s eLife TV Gaming service allows subscribers to access over 70 premium games in HD quality directly through its eLife TV set-top box.

Gaming Tourism and Hospitality Trends

The popularity of gaming has led to the rise of ‘gaming tourism’, with personalized, gaming-integrated hospitality experiences. Some hotels have fully equipped gaming rooms for gaming aficionados. For instance, Rove Hotels in Dubai offers gamer guests high-speed wired internet connection for their gaming needs, in addition to leisure facilities.

Gaming tourism is an attractive opportunity for telcos in the region to tap into this rapidly growing market and diversify their business. However, the next generation of gaming services enabled by 5G will require high-capacity, resilient networks that support today’s bandwidth needs.

How Telcos Support the Middle East Gaming Market

Telcos can promote gaming culture in the UAE in many ways. These include offering premium game subscriptions, supporting in-app purchases, and using data analytics to enhance user experience and streamline operations.

Across the region, telecom providers are also upgrading their infrastructure to meet growing demand. For example, e& UAE plans to deploy Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme, making it the first to deliver 1.6 Tb/s speeds in the Middle East.

In addition, e& UAE and Lenovo are working on a new 5G Edge-in-a-Box solution. This technology will allow for faster, more flexible deployment of 5G connectivity across various locations.

Meanwhile, STC in Saudi Arabia is expanding its fiber optic network to enable high-bandwidth, low-latency connections. These efforts support Saudi Arabia’s broader goals—powering mega-projects, enabling smart city development, and becoming a global esports hub.

Meeting gamers where they are

Telcos face a growing challenge: scaling their network resources to handle peak gaming demand. Gamers today are still tied to a single platform, physical hardware, and long software downloads.

But that’s changing. Players increasingly want more flexibility, mobility, and freedom in how they game.

As graphics improve and real-time mobile gaming gains popularity, latency—or lag—becomes a critical concern. To reduce this, telcos may need to rethink their network architecture. Solutions like edge networking and enhanced data center interconnects can help minimize lag and keep performance high

What’s Next for Gaming in the Gulf?

As the gaming industry in the region scales even further, analytics and network intelligence will be critical to identify congestion and latency during peak periods of usage and to activate additional network resources on demand. Instead of simply ‘throwing more bandwidth at the problem’, an adaptive network will put telcos in the driver’s seat, presenting gaming as a valuable monetization opportunity.

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Established in 2014, and through its new headquarters in DSO, Telr will enable businesses in the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, to transact in over 120 currencies with payment platform capabilities in 30 languages.

Dr Juma Al Matrooshi, Director General of Dubai Silicon Oasis, accompanied by Khalil Alami, Founder, and CEO of Telr, inaugurated the company’s regional headquarters within the Dubai Digital Park (DDP) at Dubai Silicon Oasis in the presence of officials of both entities.

Connecting e-commerce components

Khalil Alami said: “our mission is to build connections that remove the fragmentation in the e-commerce ecosystem. We make these connections to enable our customers to go cashless, digitizing how they accept payments.

Alami added: “The Dubai Digital Park at DSO provides an advanced infrastructure in the heart of Dubai with various benefits that help us enable businesses in the world of e-commerce and support the UAE’s vision of a cashless society.”

Virtual stores within minutes

Telr offers an integrated e-commerce platform that allows merchants to easily build their own virtual stores within minutes to provide services and products online. The Telr platform also facilitates a wide array of payment methods, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, UnionPay, Apple Pay, PayPal, Mada, Sadad, and STC pay.

The platform provides customers with various financial and business services, including social commerce through QR Codes and payment links, BNPL, Business Loans, Anti-fraud protection, and Shopping Cart Integrations.

Telr

Established in 2014, Telr is an award-winning, Dubai-based payment gateway solutions provider and the first PCI DSS Level 1 (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)) certified company in MENA.

The company’s wholly owned unique platform www.telr.com enables it to handle unique or complex payment methods or integrations in UAE and KSA. It is listed as one of the most funded and top FinTech companies in the Middle East.

Dubai Digital Park

Dubai Digital Park at Dubai Silicon Oasis provides smart services within a unified and secure platform that integrates the facilities’ operational requirements with the needs of its tenants and visitors of residential and commercial projects. The park includes office spaces, commercial units, smart residential apartments, plug & play offices, hotel rooms, furnished apartments, and a conference center.

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“Jedox powers businesses to achieve a culture of decisiveness and confidence. Customers can model virtually any scenario, integrate practically any data, and simplify cross-organizational planning to harness the insights that inform sharp decisions,” says Florian Winterstein, Jedox CEO. “For us, being recognized by Gartner is an enlivening confirmation of our contributions to the market.”

Gartner defines Financial Planning Software as “the key tool that enables organizations to manage their enterprise-wide financial planning, forecasting, and budgeting processes.” In fast-changing business environments, adaptability is key to driving confident decisions that reflect complex dynamics and accelerate growth.

“We believe the analysis by Gartner confirms there is a widening separation of capabilities within the financial planning software market,” says Dr. Rolf Gegenmantel, Chief Product Officer at Jedox. “With continued investments in solutions for sales performance management, workforce planning, and ESG initiatives, we’re confident Jedox will remain a vendor of choice for organizations who need to see the big picture and tie planning to strategic analysis, reporting, and investments.”

Jedox continues to expand throughout North America, Europe, and Asia with over 2,500 customers across the world. Jedox enables a culture of decisiveness and confidence so teams can plan for opportunities, react quickly to changes, and uncover what they didn’t know was possible.

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The fact that technology has become pervasive in our personal and work lives is not news. This is largely due to the benefits that new technologies bring to businesses and citizens around the world in delivering new, more effective, and increasingly efficient services.

However, the depth of technology’s integration into our lives, advances in its capabilities, and heightened awareness of its implications in society are also greater than ever and continue to accelerate.

Given this, many of the broad macro trends around the globe – spanning geopolitical issues, economic uncertainty, environmental concerns, and human rights – have implications for all technology sectors, the security industry included.

Ours is a sector making use of increasingly intelligent technology, one inherently involved in collecting sensitive data, and as impacted by geopolitical issues affecting international trade as any. Yet we’re still resolute in our view that our innovations will create a smarter, safer world.

These are the six key technology trends that we believe will affect the security sector in 2023.

A move towards actionable insights

The increasing application of AI and machine learning have seen a focus on the opportunity for advanced analytics in recent years. Moving forward, the shift in focus will move from the analytics themselves, to the actionable insights they deliver in specific use cases. It’s less about telling you something is wrong, and more about helping you decide what action to take.

A key driver for employing analytics to deliver actionable insights is the huge increase in data being generated by surveillance cameras, along with other sensors integrated into a solution. The data (and metadata) being created would be impossible for human operators to interpret and act upon quickly enough, even with huge and costly increases in resources.

The use of analytics can drive real-time actions which support safety, security, and operational efficiency. From prompts to call emergency services in the case of incidents to redirecting traffic in cities to alleviate jams to redeploying staff in busy retail outlets, to saving energy in buildings through more efficient lighting and heating, analytics are recommending, prompting, and even starting to take the actions that support human operators.

Beyond ‘live’ actionable insights, analytics can support forensic analysis post-incident. Again, given the vast amount of data being created by surveillance cameras, finding the relevant views of a scene can take significant time. This can hinder investigations and reduce the likelihood of suspects being found. Assisted search addresses this issue, helping operators quickly find individuals and objects of interest among hours of footage.

Finally, proposed actions promoted by analytics are increasingly forward-looking. Downtime in industrial sites and factories can be costly. A combination of sensors allows intelligent analytics to propose preventative maintenance ahead of outright failure.

“From analytics to action” will become a mantra for 2023.

Use case-defined hybrid architectures

As we’ve highlighted in previous technology trends posts, it’s now commonly accepted that a hybrid technology architecture is best-suited for security systems, mixing on-premises servers, cloud-based computing, and powerful edge devices.

No one architecture fits all scenarios, however. But here lies the solution: first assess what needs to be addressed in your specific use case, and then define the hybrid solution that will meet your needs. Several factors need to be considered.

Undoubtedly the advantages of advanced analytics embedded in surveillance cameras on the edge of the network are clear to see. Analysis of the highest-quality images the instant they are captured gives organizations the best chance to react in real time.

Equally, the data generated by surveillance cameras is now useful beyond the real-time view. Analysis of trends over time can deliver insights leading to operational efficiencies. This analysis often demands the processing power found in on-premises servers or the cloud.

And of course, there are the requirements – often define by regulation – around data privacy and storage that vary from country to country and region to region. These can define the difference between on-premises storage and the use of the cloud.

What’s essential is not to tie yourself to a single architecture. Remain open, and give yourself the flexibility to create the hybrid architecture best suited to your specific needs.

The emergence of cybersecurity sub-trends

The importance of cybersecurity is also highlighted through the requirement to remain compliant. For instance, the proposed European Commission’s Cyber Resilience Act will place greater demands on producers of hardware and software across all sectors to ensure the cybersecurity of their products, through fewer vulnerabilities at launch, and better cybersecurity management throughout the products’ lifecycles. The security and surveillance sector will, of course, be included.

The Act demonstrates both the importance and the complexity of cybersecurity. No longer can it be seen as one subject, but rather as several interlinked areas. Some of these are well-established, but others are emerging.

In the video surveillance sector, cybersecurity measures that ensure the authenticity and safety of data as it is captured and transferred from the camera to the cloud to the server will be essential to maintain trust in its value.

We will see a more proactive approach by technology vendors in identifying vulnerabilities, with ‘bug bounty’ programs becoming commonplace to incentivize external parties.

And customers will expect transparency regarding the cybersecurity of security solutions, with a Software Bill of Materials becoming standard in assessing software security and risk management.

Beyond security

One of the most significant trends for the security sector, and with it an equally significant opportunity, is the move beyond security.

Surveillance cameras have become powerful sensors. The quality of video information they capture, in all conditions, has increased year-on-year for decades. Today, through advanced analytics, they also create metadata – information about the video data – which adds another layer of detail and value.

This of course improves and enhances their ability to support safety and operational efficiency use cases in addition to security. The opportunity now exists to combine the data created by surveillance cameras with that from other sensors – monitoring temperature, noise, air and water quality, vibration, weather, and more – creating an advanced data-driven sensory network.

We’re already seeing some use of such networks in industrial environments through the monitoring of processes and supporting proactive maintenance. But the use cases in which this network could be applied are limited only by our imaginations, but without doubt they can help improve almost every aspect of our lives, including our safety.

5. Sustainability always, climate change at the forefront

Sustainability has been featured in several of our annual technology trends predictions, and we see no less of a need to maintain momentum behind sustainability initiatives in their broadest sense over the coming year. Ensuring that organizations continue to measure and improve the environmental, societal, and business governance practices of their businesses will be essential in respecting people, being a trusted business partner, innovating responsibly, and protecting our planet. All these aspects will come under increasing scrutiny from customers of security and safety solutions.

However, given the extreme conditions of the past year, we do expect a more acute focus specifically on addressing climate change in 2023. It’s clear that we are not yet doing enough to stop the acceleration of global warming, and every sector will be expected to double its efforts.

For Axis, a key step has been committing to the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) which will see us setting targets for reducing emissions, not only in our own business but through our entire value chain. And this is a key point. While organizations might make great efforts to reduce emissions from their own operations, these can be undermined if their upstream and downstream value chains are not aligned to the same targets.

For technology companies, however, scrutiny of their own business operations will be just one side of the climate change coin. They will also be expected to demonstrate how their products and services support the sustainability goals of their own customers, creating efficiencies that also help those organizations reduce emissions.

An increased regulatory focus

Inevitably, given its pervasiveness and power, the technology sector as a whole and specific technologies are coming under more regulatory and policymaker scrutiny. We still believe that the focus should always be on the regulation of the use cases for the technology, not the technology itself, and will always comply with local, regional, and international regulations. But it can be a complicated picture.

The European Commission is one of the most active in looking to regulate technology in an ongoing effort to protect the privacy and rights of citizens. Its proposed AI Act, part of the Commission’s European AI Strategy, aims to assign specific risk categories to uses of AI and would be the first legal framework on AI. Like the Commission’s AI Liability Directive, the AI Act will no doubt be the subject of much debate before it becomes law.

But whether in relation to AI, demands around cybersecurity, data privacy, curbing the influence of ‘big tech’, or establishing tech sovereignty, it’s clear that technology companies in the security sector will increasingly need to adhere to more stringent regulations. In broad terms, this should be welcomed as ensuring business transparency and ethical practice continue to be critical.

The greatest opportunity for our sector continues to be in aligning continued commercial success with our responsibility to address the critical issues facing the planet and our population. As ever, we’re optimistic that the combination of our human inventiveness, advances in technology, and ethical business practices can be combined to make the world a better place.

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The consideration for awards will be based on nomination and jury evaluation. Organizations and individuals that have presented distinctive qualities, raised benchmarks, and achieved spectacular success in meeting the expectations of partners and/or customers will be selected based on several criteria.

The following are the award categories:

Winning Nominations

Nominations are invited for recognition at ICT Champion Awards. After gathering and segregating nominations, a jury will be appointed to evaluate nominees.

If you wish to nominate anybody in these categories, you simply fill up the nomination form by clicking here.

The deadline for nominations will be September 30, 2022.

Sponsorships and Promotions

The sponsorship of the ICT Champion Awards is a great opportunity to enhance your brand visibility and connect with the region’s ICT channel. The award format offers multiple avenues for high-profile branding and communication before, during, and after the event – in print and online.

We also offer a live blog, on www.varonline.com, and social media promotions.

Key Benefits of Sponsoring JNS Media International ICT Awards

Exposure and Profile Building: Get benefit from high-profile branding before, during, and after the event in multiple mediums including print and online

Networking: Meet experts and decision-makers from leading companies in the IT industry

Enhance Your Visibility: Enhance visibility further by associating with the prestigious ICT Awards

Right Occasion to Present Key Messages to the Channel: JNS Media International’s ICT Champion Awards event would be an ideal occasion to reach out to key specific consumers and partners

Open Up for Potential Business Leads and New Partnerships: You’ll be benefited from fruitful interaction and engagement with prospective partners or clients

Reach out to info@var-mea.com or +971 56 404 0503 to learn more about participation and sponsorships at ICT Champion Awards 2022.

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While technology has played an important role in the hospitality and tourism industry over the last decade, the world witnessed its accelerated growth over the past two years brought on by the effects of COVID-19 making it the primary disruptive force, globally.

The pandemic exposed weaknesses in the architecture of many business operations, and the hospitality industry is not an exception. The new era has enforced the need to digitize and virtualize, which is critical for the progress of every business. As technology advances at a rapid pace, organizations must keep track of the latest developments, especially in the dynamic and highly competitive hospitality industry.

Frank Wolfe, CEO, HFTP

Key reasons behind technology playing such an important role

Hospitality saw a massive upgrade during the pandemic, which has brought about great enhancements including improved customer services, operational efficiency, and has also helped hoteliers reduce costs, inevitably leading to its success.

The pandemic contributed to a strong desire to keep a distance that manifested in increased trust in technology. While the human touch of the hospitality experience will never be replaced, as it is a crucial part of the industry, smart technology has certainly heightened the growing demand for self-service, enabling hoteliers to not only meet but exceed guests’ expectations through a contactless experience.

Whether it is a quick and painless check-in by scanning a QR code or ordering room service from a tablet, guests want an easy and smooth experience that will ultimately boost the overall travel experience.

Technology in the hospitality industry

Success in hospitality is inevitably linked to cost-profit optimization and with technology now playing a key role, it acts as a one-time investment as opposed to a regular outflow of cash. Additionally, handling various processes manually not only results in an unseen number of hours wasted, that could be handled productively, but is also prone to human error.

Automation can ensure a streamlined working process from managing reservations and housekeeping to updating inventory, as well as maintaining multiple POS outlets and handling accounting or billing processes, saving a significant number of man-hours.

Some of the key technology that has become a part of a hotel’s DNA includes:

AI Chatbots: Artificial intelligence (AI) has made a significant mark across all industries and verticals in recent years with Gartner has predicted that by 2022, organizations will have an average of 35 AI projects in place — a major increase from an average of just four as of 2019.

AI-powered Chatbots allow businesses to simulate the behavior of humans within a conversational environment and help guests with making reservations, getting recommendations, addressing grievances, and much more, which in turn establishes customer loyalty.

NFC technology: Near-field communication (NFC) technology has most certainly become a game-changer in the industry. It is the next-generation, short-range, high-frequency wireless communication technology that is based on identification by RFID (radio-frequency identification) that gives users the ability to exchange data between devices.

Big hotel chains have already seen an improvement with the use of NFC technology as it allows a seamless guest experience by not only allowing check-ins to be automatic, but also improves security since the tags cannot easily be lost, erased, or forged like magnetic strip cards.

Robots in Hotels: In the hospitality industry, we have already witnessed a few outlets introducing robotics to carry out tasks traditionally performed by humans, including welcoming guests, taking orders, cleaning, and providing them with important customer information.

Gain a Competitive Advantage in the Hotel Industry

While some hoteliers fear that the quality of customer service and guest experience may be impacted by the frequency with which new hospitality technology hits the market, it can surely be said that customers have grown accustomed to utilizing said technology and only have higher expectations now on how one should conduct their business.

In conclusion, technology is here to stay and as such, hotel managers need to be updated on all the latest technologies to give them an edge and outpace the competition.

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Digital acceleration is impacting how we work, live, and consume services. In addition, the digital evolution of Financial Services Organizations (FSOs) raises essential questions about the future of banking. One looming concern is how FSOs will compete against fintechs, including addressing the need for innovation to improve customer experience.

Ricardo Ferreira, EMEA Field CISO at Fortinet

Adapt to changing times

The top three strategic areas outlined in the IDC Infobrief, sponsored by Fortinet, “Accelerating Transformation Through Cybersecurity in Financial Services,” highlight the core priorities for financial institutions: Trust, Security, and Resilience. So, the question is, how can FSOs lead and win through innovation while ensuring that risks do not overwhelm a traditionally risk-averse industry?

Many FSOs have begun adopting new digital business models to help them thrive in a digital-first economy. These include prioritizing investments in key areas such as data-driven security, legacy modernization, and personalized and contextual customer experiences. But for these business models to work, they will need to rely on data, analytics, and cloud platforms.

So, when we ask, “what does success look like for the future-ready bank?” we see three major themes:

• Automation and cost reduction: Automation, managed services, and cloud platforms will enable FSOs to innovate faster. Automation allows business units to integrate with the rest of the organization, build self-service, and reduce manual labor costs, such as adopting Robotic Process Automation and artificial intelligence-powered chatbots to deal with insurance claims. In investment banking, robot advisors use machine learning-powered algorithms to help retail investors make better decisions. Thanks to cloud platforms and managed services, these new products and services are economically feasible because they shift traditional CapEx to activities that create more value.
• Customer intelligence and centricity: New platforms provide data and analytics for anticipating customer needs and hyper-personalizing the customer journey. Customer data, such as investment patterns, can guide a robot advisor to recommend portfolio choices aligned to customer preference. Similarly, natural language processing can help an AI system quickly assess a customer’s issue to redirect them to the nearest branch or get the appropriate representative involved.
• New value propositions: Open banking was a massive change for banks, helping them realize the power of APIs. Building Banking as a Service (BaaS) has allowed them to develop new services and create stronger partnerships.

But what about the customer experience?

Who is not irked when reminded of their first troubled mobile banking experience, with terrible UX and lack of integration? It’s why, when some fintechs launched their online mobile banking, it was a beacon of light in a dark room. A real-world security example that everyone might remember was the usage of biometrics for accessing online mobile banking. Big brands took a long time to adopt it, and while it might seem trivial from a UX perspective, it’s leaps and bounds towards progress.

Today, traditional brands regularly launch products that emulate offerings from nimbler fintech organizations. The lesson is clear: to gain a competitive advantage, banks must focus on creating a fast, intuitive, and seamless customer experience.

Are clouds grey in banking?

These business models require the accelerated consumption of new platforms, such as cloud computing. Financial organizations must understand they can create differentiated value and increase competitiveness by using the cloud to increase their speed of innovation and accelerate the go-to-market of new services and products.

Cloud platforms also serve as a bridge to modernize financial organization workloads. CIOs want to migrate workloads cohesively while ensuring the capabilities from their on-prem solutions are still available. Major Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) have jumped at the opportunity to integrate their environments into the same control plane.

Yes, but isn’t that risky?

Regulators have flagged the concentration risk. For example, the Bank of England has highlighted it in their stability reports. The latest Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) PS21/3 rules address third-party risk and operational resilience. And the European Union has gone a big step beyond with its Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA).

All these activities and proposals are designed to address these concerns. The European Systemic Risk Board has flagged cyber as a systemic risk to the European financial system due to the increase in cyberattacks—especially in the financial industry, which is 300 times more likely to be the target of cyberattacks. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) emphasizes that cyber events propagate risk through the entire financial system via three broad transmission channels: risk concentration, risk contagion, and erosion of confidence.

That is why cybersecurity is a priority as part of the EU’s “Europe fit for the digital decade” policy program. Programs such as EU-HYBNET, ACCORDION, and DORA for financial services ensure Europe works as a single entity by harmonizing requirements to increase resilience and protect citizens.

What can financial organizations do about it?

To start, security needs to be woven into transformation efforts to ensure that innovation and transformation are conducted securely. For this to work, security must be included from a project’s inception, not as a bolt-on after a project and its services are launched.

What about protecting financial assets?

55% of European financial organizations already use some form of zero-trust strategy for their authorization and authentication. Zero-trust shifts the traditional paradigm from the implicit trust for users and resources inside a static, network-based perimeter to an authentication model that focuses on users, assets, and resources. Zero-trust requires authentication and authorization to be performed every time access is granted to a specific resource.

How do we address the ‘weakest link’ problem?

While people are an organization’s most critical asset, they are also the primary source of data breaches and network compromise. Organizations must be prepared for a loss of control if their workforce is not educated on cyber awareness. Some large financial organizations have created partnerships with e-learning portals and vendors to provide tailored courses using nudges and financial instruments to reskill the workforce with new technologies. Similarly, financial organizations must plan to mitigate the rampant cybersecurity skills shortage, which will impact 90% of organizations by 2025, resulting in delays in the transformational journey.

What can we do?

Digital acceleration is essential for competing in today’s financial marketplace. However, it doesn’t come without risk. First, ensure employees are trained and reskilled in the organization’s technologies. Second, share data with industry peers to learn best practices and identify potential issues. Transaction Monitoring Netherlands (TMNL) is an excellent example of transaction data sharing to mitigate Anti-Money Laundering (AML).

Finally, work with vendors and partners committed to cross-vendor openness and integration. When vendors work together across the threat landscape, the sum of their products is greater than the individual parts, deepening your level of cyber protection.

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Global Chief Executive Officer of NTT, Abhijit Dubey, commented, “As one of the largest technology companies in the world, we have an obligation to make the world a more sustainable place. Employees, customers, and partners are demanding that companies become more purpose-led. This is a significant step for us and we will continue making investments in technology, people, and programs to achieve these goals.”

Marilyn Chaplin, Chief Human Resources and Sustainability Officer at NTT said, “It provides us with an opportunity to further support our existing initiatives, such as the Connected Conservation Foundation, which uses technology to reduce poaching, and ROBOCEAN, a start-up looking to reduce climate change through the conservation of seagrass.”

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