Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 31 | Page 52

COUNTRY FOCUS: KUWAIT Digital transformation is set to be the very foundation of Kuwait’s future. Different sectors are moving towards digital platforms for energy efficiency such as smart meters, creating a major opportunity for the development of smart cities, with developers increasingly wishing to incorporate smart utilities and energy efficient solutions into buildings. ///////////////// Moving towards digital transformation T he growth of Kuwait’s economy has had a positive impact on the country’s IT market with substantial expansion expected in the forthcoming years and the software market predicted to enjoy especially strong success. Every industry vertical in Kuwait is set to undergo digital transformation with digital innovations enabling future innovations such as autonomous vehicles, digital banking services, geo-location-based shopping offers and smart ports to make the processing of deliveries easier. Data is also at the heart of the deployment of digital oilfields, focusing on full automation and control of onshore oil wells and pumps. 52 INTELLIGENTCIO Awareness of the need for effective cybersecurity is growing in the country. For instance, Kuwait’s Central Agency for Information Technology (CAIT), in partnership with cybersecurity specialists Kaspersky Lab and regional IT specialists, Diyar, recently hosted a major cybersecurity conference. The inaugural Cyber Defence Conference aimed to raise cybersecurity awareness in different industries to enhance preparedness and readiness across government and private organisations. Khalied Al Hatem, Head of Prevention and Incident Response at CAIT, said: “Raising cybersecurity awareness is a critical need across public and private sector organisations in the region. “We strongly believe that, when it comes to cybersecurity, awareness is the best prevention. Numerous groups and individuals look to the region as a target due to its enviable global position and it requires a cross-industry approach to build the level of education needed to secure Kuwait, both today and in the future.” We spoke to Sam Taha, COO, SAP Kuwait, which is co-innovating with Kuwait’s largest and most innovative public and private sector organisations, and Maged Elserougy, General Manager – Kuwait, Schneider www.intelligentcio.com