Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 01 | Page 8

NEWS KSA IDC forecasts ICT spending in KSA to top $36 billion International Data Corporation (IDC) has said it expects ICT spending in Saudi Arabia to top the $36 billion mark this year, as organisations gear up for a whole new era of enterprise computing by ramping up their investments in emerging technologies such as cloud, mobility, big data analytics, and the Internet of Things. These pronouncements were made as the research and consulting firm hosted the latest edition of its Saudi Arabia CIO Summit at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh. Held over two days, the event was hosted under the patronage of the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and attracted over 150 of Saudi Arabia’s most influential CIOs, technology decision makers, and government advisors from across the Kingdom’s entire vertical spectrum. Running under the theme ‘Where IT Meets Business’, the Summit discussed the importance of closely aligning IT and business functions at a time when organisations Kaspersky ramps up investment in the Kingdom across the region are facing up to the challenge of implementing emerging products and services while simultaneously trying to improve operational efficiency. Kaspersky Lab has announced it is expanding its presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to bring its technologies closer to customers and partners in the country. Together with local partner Miatech, the company has established a dedicated team of specialists at the office in Riyadh. The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia continues to witness a surg R