Latest news with #RehanShahid
Tahawul Tech
30-05-2025
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
GovTech Innovation Forum & Awards looks to a ‘reimagined future'
The GovTech Innovation Forum & Awards 2025 was held recently at the splendid Ritz Carlton JBR, Dubai under the theme of 'Reimagining the future of tomorrow with AI'. The awards are designed to celebrate the incredible achievements of those in our public sector, who every single day are leveraging the power of technology to improve the lives of every citizen across the UAE. Winners must demonstrate that they have executed their projects in uncommon, innovative ways: pioneering a new technology, applying a familiar technology to a new purpose and setting the bar higher for their competitors. Attendees were also provided with unique access to network with some of the most prominent individuals that work for government entities from across the UAE in addition to witnessing several keynote presentations and on-stage discussions. The event began with a welcome note by CNME editor Mark Forker, which was then followed by two back-to-back keynote speeches from Rehan Shahid, Regional Channel & Alliances Manager – Middle East & Pakistan, Hitachi Vantara and Thomas Rizkallah, Regional Sales Director – MENA, CITRIX respectively. Following these addresses, the event moved into its panel discussion for the evening moderated by Mark Forker titled 'Exploring the Future of AI Governance in the UAE: Challenges, Opportunities, and Global Leadership'. The panellist present included Anas Elsadig Eltahir, Francois Van Deventer, Director & CTO – Emerging Markets at CITRIX, Dr. Jassim Haji, President for the International Group of Artificial Intelligence and Renan De Lima, Solutions Consultant at Hitachi Vantara. During the panel they explored the need for greater AI governance frameworks, the impact of the US-UAE Stargate Initiative, and the challenge posed by a skills shortage when it comes to AI. Prior to starting the awards ceremony there was one last keynote speech by Ahmed Soliman, Country Manager at Pure Storage, followed by a presentation by Ekta Puthran, Sales & Regional Marketing Director, Barco and Georges Lemire, Area Vice President, EMEA, Neat. The pre-awards proceedings concluded with a fireside chat between Wolfgang Kroj, GM Sales, Middle East and Africa, Hitachi Vantara and Mark Forker. Wolfgang was excited about the 'pace' of AI, the importance of strong leadership and the need to understand the concept of 'cultural intelligence'. Kausar Syed, Group Publishing Director at CPI Media Group, said the event was a celebration of the extraordinary progress and success that has been by public sector across the UAE over the last 12 months. 'In other markets across the world, people look to the private sector to innovate and create, but across the Middle East, and especially in the UAE, it is the public sector, and the vision of the government that inspires so much entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation and weaves that into every fabric of our society. The remarkable success of government tech entities across the UAE stands as a testament to the nation's vision for a digitally empowered future. These organizations are not only setting new benchmarks for innovation and efficiency but are also inspiring a global shift toward smarter governance,' said Syed. The Winners of the GovTech Innovation Forum & Awards 2025 included: IT Team Excellence of the Year – Dubai Airports Ajman IT Department of the Year – Department of Digital Ajman AI Implementation of the Year – Dubai Police Government IT Leader of the Year – Dr. Majeda Mohamed Al Marzooqi from EDGE Group PJSC Ras Al Khaimah IT Department of the Year – Public Services Department, Government of Ras Al Khaimah Customer Happiness Entity of the Year – Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), Government of Dubai Government IT Trailblazer of the Year – Zainab Alnajjar from Al Kuwait Hospital Dubai, Emirates Health Services Government Pioneer of the Year – Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) Sharjah IT Department of the Year – Sharjah Airports Sustainable IT Leader of the Year – Farah Alsheraifi from Daman Health Digital Transformation Enabler for Public Sector – Citrix Data-Centric Security Leader of the Year – Seclore Excellence in AI-Ready Infrastructure – Hitachi Vantara Technology Business Leader of the Year – Feras Al Jabi from ITQAN Al Khaleej Computers Best AI Analytics Solution Provider of the Year – Raqmiyat Most Innovative AI Powered Pro AV Solutions Provider of the Year – Avientek Woman in Government of the Year – Her Excellency Mubaraka Ibrahim from Emirates Health Services Record Braker Personality of the Year – Fady Richmany from Commvault Dubai IT Department of the Year – Dubai Air Navigation Services (dans) Pioneer Woman of the Year in Government Leadership – Aisha Awadh Alhemeiri from the Department of Community Development, Government of Abu Dhabi AI for Good Award – Dubai Future Foundation Digital Transformation Project of the Year – Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) Knowledge and Innovation Leader of the Year – Jinson Pappachan from Emirates Policy Center Umm Al Quwain IT Department of the Year – Smart Umm Al Quwain Government IT Leader of the Year – Abdalla Al Ali from Dubai Multi Commodities Centre Authority (DMCC) Mobile App of the Year – The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) Public and Private Partnership of the Year – Emirates Integrated Registries Company (EIRC) Excellence in Talent Leadership Award – Rayan Awad from Ports & Customs Freezone Corporation Innovative Initiative of the Year – The Ministry of Community Empowerment Best AI Innovation of the Year for Business Transformation – The Ministry of Finance – United Arab Emirates Future IT Leader of the Year – Eng. Hamda AlMaazmi from the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) Best AI Implementation of the Year in Education – His Highness Sheikh Nasser Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Centre Best AI Governance Framework of the Year – Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, Government of Dubai Smart City Initiative of the Year – Abu Dhabi Mobility Knowledge and Innovation Excellence – Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO) Government Leader of the Year – Anas Elsadig Eltahir Image Credit: CPI Media Group
Tahawul Tech
26-05-2025
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
Hitachi Vantara roundtable highlights importance of resilient AI infrastructure
Hitachi Vantara, a global leader in data infrastructure hosted an exclusive roundtable entitled 'Lead with Intelligence, compete with data and win with trust' in Riyadh on May 22nd. The event brought together industry leaders and technology experts to explore evolving trends in AI infrastructure, hybrid cloud strategies, cyber resilience, and ethical AI. Moderated by Rehan Shahid, Regional Channel & Alliances Manager – Middle East & Pakistan at Hitachi Vantara, the session facilitated open dialogue among participants from public and private sector entities including ministries, financial services, and multinational organisations. The roundtable session had participants that contained IT personnel from the Ministry of Finance, a number of prominent Saudi holding companies, and entities operating in the FinTech and consulting space across the Kingdom. Key Highlights: 1. Defining Cyber Resilience The session began with a discussion on cyber resilience versus cybersecurity. Rehan emphasised that resilience is the ability of an organisation to recover from disruptions such as ransomware attacks—resuming operations swiftly post-incident. 'Cybersecurity is about prevention, while cyber resilience ensures recovery', said Rehan. The group acknowledged regulatory frameworks such as the EU's DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act) and similar emerging standards in the Middle East. 2. Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Strategies The discussion highlighted the shift from a public-cloud-only narrative to hybrid cloud adoption. According to Rehan, only 17-18% of workloads reside on public cloud, while the majority are managed through hybrid or private cloud setups. This was echoed by the Ministry of Finance, which is actively transitioning to certified cloud providers under regulatory supervision. 3. AI Readiness and Data Strategy Participants agreed that AI is a key driver of enterprise transformation. However, its success depends heavily on data quality and readiness. A fintech CTO shared concerns about over-reliance on AI: 'AI is powerful, but it's not universally applicable. Data integrity and contextual ROI are critical'. Rehan emphasised that AI must be validated with clean, structured data to avoid 'garbage-in, garbage-out' outcomes. He introduced the concept of 'agentic AI'—AI capable of making autonomous decisions—and noted that Hitachi has already implemented such use cases internally. 4. AI Investment Across the Middle East The region is witnessing unprecedented AI investment. Examples included: Saudi Arabia's $5B AI data centre project in NEOM. UAE's goal of becoming the first AI-native government by 2027. Abu Dhabi's $500M Stargate Project and planned €50B investment in AI data infrastructure in France. Al Patel, Head Of Distribution Sales & Technical Alliances EMEA And Channel Sales Director MEA, Hitachi Vantara, noted, 'Analysts predicted $15B in UAE AI investment by 2026. But we're already there. The market is outpacing predictions'. 5. Ethical AI and Governance The session explored challenges around fairness, accountability, and privacy in enterprise AI. 'No large language model is bias-free', Rehan explained. 'Transparency and trust must be built into AI models, especially in regulated industries'. 6. AI Infrastructure Needs Hitachi shared insights from a survey of 800 global enterprise customers, including BMW, Citibank, and NASA. Key findings: Top priorities: Reliability, flexibility, and scalability. Reliability, flexibility, and scalability. Deployment preference: 78% prefer on-premises infrastructure for performance and control. 78% prefer on-premises infrastructure for performance and control. Technology Shift: GPUs are becoming core to AI workloads; Hitachi predicts CPUs may diminish in relevance in the next decade. 7. Introducing Hitachi IQ Hitachi Vantara unveiled its AI platform, Hitachi IQ, which integrates: High-performance storage and compute infrastructure. Advanced file systems optimised for AI workloads. A modular, scalable architecture in partnership with NVIDIA and Hitachi Limited. The AI Discovery Service was also launched to help organisations define, validate, and prototype AI use cases across three phases—Discovery Sprint, Advisory Service, and Jumpstart Proof of Concept (POC). 8. Use Case Development & Data Sovereignty Participants raised concerns about intellectual property and regulatory compliance, especially regarding POC deployments involving sensitive data. Hitachi assured that IP rights remain with customers and emphasised the importance of data residency in solutions offered in-region. 9. Sustainability and Energy Efficiency As AI data centres consume increasing energy, sustainability was a pressing concern. 'An AI-powered data centre can consume more electricity than an entire city', Rehan noted. Hitachi's VSP (Virtual Storage Platform) was presented as the industry's most energy-efficient system, with four of the top five Energy Star ratings globally. Their upcoming VSP 360 aims to unify data storage management across SAN, NAS, object, and cloud environments. 10. Closing Remarks: Future of Agentic AI The roundtable concluded with a look toward the future. Agentic AI—capable of autonomous decision-making—is set to redefine enterprise roles, transforming IT departments into stewards of digital agents. 'Soon, IT will function like HR—provisioning, nurturing, and managing AI agents', Rehan predicted. The session reaffirmed Hitachi Vantara's commitment to enabling data-driven innovation through trusted infrastructure, ethical AI solutions, and industry-specific expertise. As AI adoption accelerates in the region, organisations must strike a balance between innovation, operational readiness, and sustainable growth. For further engagement, participants were invited to collaborate with Hitachi's local teams or explore proof-of-concept labs available in the Netherlands and the Middle East. Image Credit: Hitachi Vantara
Tahawul Tech
09-05-2025
- Business
- Tahawul Tech
Hitachi Vantara leads the charge in AI-powered, sustainable IT infrastructure
Rehan Shahid, Regional Channel & Alliances Manager – Middle East & Pakistan at Hitachi Vantara, spoke to Sandhya D'Mello, Technology Editor, CPI Media Group, about the transformational role of AI across its three defining phases—Perception, Generative, and the emerging Agentic AI—while addressing the complexities of hybrid cloud adoption and the urgent need for sustainable infrastructure. The following excerpts explore how Hitachi Vantara is helping enterprises navigate this rapidly shifting landscape—simplifying complexity, maximizing ROI, and driving purposeful innovation. Interview excerpts Hitachi Vantara is known for driving innovation through AI. How do you see AI transforming enterprise IT operations, and what role does your company play in this evolution? AI is truly transformative for enterprise IT operations, and at Hitachi Vantara, we've been at the forefront of this evolution for years. We view AI in two phases—Perception AI, which supports decision-making through data-driven insights, and Generative AI, which represents a more recent revolution fuelled by accelerated computing and GPU advancements. Generative AI, in particular, has democratised access to AI capabilities—enabling anyone to create new content, generate reports, and even build presentations simply by using prompts. However, success with AI isn't just about the technology—it's about knowing how to engage with it. Being able to prompt effectively and interpret results critically is what turns AI into a collaborative tool rather than a disruptive force. This is where human-AI interaction becomes central. At Hitachi Vantara, we don't just provide AI infrastructure; we distinguish ourselves by offering end-to-end AI solutions. We help enterprises define their AI use cases, build the infrastructure, and—most importantly—align each initiative with measurable ROI. This turnkey approach empowers organizations to adopt AI meaningfully, ensuring that technology serves business objectives and not the other way around. Sustainability is a growing priority in enterprise IT. How is Hitachi Vantara integrating sustainable practices into its solutions, and what impact do you see in the Middle East and Pakistan region? Sustainability has become a critical focus for everyone—from individuals to organisations and nations. With the rise of AI-powered data centres and their massive energy consumption, the urgency around sustainable infrastructure has never been greater. For context, powering a single gigawatt AI data centre can cost up to $40 billion, with global projections pointing to the need for 200 gigawatts—amounting to a staggering $8 trillion. This kind of energy demand can rival that of entire cities, making sustainability both an environmental and financial imperative. At Hitachi Vantara, we are taking a leadership role in driving sustainable enterprise IT. Our infrastructure is ranked among the world's most energy-efficient. In fact, four of the top five systems globally rated by ENERGY STAR for sustainability are from Hitachi Vantara. We are also ranked number one in the Carbon Product Footprint (CPF) initiative, which assesses the total environmental impact of a system—from raw material sourcing and manufacturing to shipping and energy consumption during operation. Our innovation in this space is underpinned by patented technologies that significantly reduce energy consumption. This is especially relevant for high-growth regions like the Middle East and Pakistan, where large-scale digital transformation and AI adoption are accelerating. As these regions invest in giga-scale projects, the need for sustainable IT infrastructure becomes even more crucial. Through our end-to-end CPF-qualified ecosystem and ongoing investment from Hitachi Ltd., we are committed to helping the region—and the world—achieve its long-term sustainability goals. Hybrid cloud adoption is accelerating across industries. What are the biggest challenges organisations face in implementing a hybrid cloud strategy, and how does Hitachi Vantara help simplify this transition? Hybrid cloud has emerged as the dominant model for enterprise IT, offering the flexibility to keep critical data under one's own control while leveraging the scalability of the public cloud. However, implementing a successful hybrid cloud strategy comes with its own set of challenges. One key challenge is determining which workloads should reside on-premises and which are better suited for the public cloud. This involves understanding application requirements, associated costs, and compliance or latency considerations. For 'Day One' customers just starting their cloud journey, the complexity lies in assessing this balance. Meanwhile, 'Day Two' customers—those already operating in the public cloud—often face cost overruns and begin re-evaluating what workloads might need to be brought back on-premises, a process known as repatriation. At Hitachi Vantara, we simplify this transition by offering a flexible, unified infrastructure and data management platform that supports seamless workload mobility between on-prem and cloud environments. We help customers optimise hybrid strategies not only for performance and compliance, but also for cost efficiency and operational control. Our approach ensures mission-critical applications can run securely on-prem, with the agility to shift to the cloud during peak periods—enabling enterprises to strike the right balance and future-proof their IT operations. Looking ahead, what key AI-driven and cloud innovations do you foresee shaping the future of IT infrastructure, and how is Hitachi Vantara positioning itself to support this transformation? The future of IT infrastructure is being redefined by the rapid evolution of AI, moving through three transformative phases. We began with Perception AI, which supported data-driven decision-making and reporting. Today, we're deep into Generative AI, which empowers users to create content through natural language prompts. But the next wave—Agentic AI—is where the most profound shift will happen. Agentic AI refers to systems that can take autonomous actions without human intervention. For instance, imagine your system noticing you're running late to a meeting and automatically notifying the next attendees. These AI agents will act on behalf of users in context-sensitive ways, making operations more seamless and responsive. However, with this power comes responsibility. Organisations will need to define clear boundaries for what agents can and cannot do—just like HR departments manage human roles. In fact, IT teams will increasingly resemble HR functions, responsible for creating, nurturing, deploying, and managing these digital agents. Hitachi Vantara is already preparing for this future. We're actively developing AI agents for use across sectors including finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and energy. Our work focuses not only on creating these agents but also on embedding them within secure, scalable, and sustainable hybrid cloud infrastructures. By combining our deep enterprise expertise with AI and cloud innovation, we're helping businesses transition into a future where IT is intelligent, autonomous, and adaptive. Image Credit: Hitachi Vantara
