“With the role of technology and the value of big data amplified even more during the pandemic, Ajman Free Zone is equipped with the latest technologies to leverage Big Data in providing services to its partners and prospective clients and not miss out on leading trends. As our operations are linked to other major and strategic partners, we ensure that these networks are active and operational. AFZ places huge importance on IT infrastructure in its strategy, realizing how data matters for the organization and to all stakeholders. To align with this strategy, we have invested in many integration systems, including recovery data systems, service management, as well as information security system. AFZ has also fully employed robotics in overseeing certain processes. We are excited and we look forward to using more innovative solutions such as AI in the near future”

H.E. Eng. Ali AlSuwaidi, Director General, Ajman Free Zone

“Smart Cities projects is pushing us to be in a high demand to keep our services innovative so we can be sustainable and smart in the market and able to provide a quality of life for citizens through our smart solutions. In National Energy Centre we drive innovation starting from our employees to all our stakeholders to create successful smart cities projects”

Laila Abdullah AL Hadhrami, Smart Cities Development Manager, National Energy Center- Oma

“Big data has emerged over the past decade without any warning. Given the pace of digital change, the wave of data has brought fundamental changes around the world, bypassing traditional trade barriers and creating a digital landscape of exponential data driven economic potential and an industry worth billions of dollars. The topic will revolve around how to read weak single related to data disruption and the current data investments and mechanism for transforming the market value of some companies based on data, addressing data-based economies through the UAE model for future foresight, which includes building future scenarios for key sectors such as the data-based digital economy”

H.E. Mohamed Hassan Ahli, Executive Director of the National Statistics and Data Sector, Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, United Arab Emirates

“In the public sector, the role of data in the ongoing digital transformation has come up against legacy technologies, skills shortfalls and legal obstacles. Some countries have made significant progress in strengthening the capacity to use data strategically to improve policy making, service delivery or performance management. Individual organisations have also produced impressive results”

H.E. Belal Hafnawi, Commissioner – Board Member at Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Digitization, Technology, Digital Transformation, AI, IoT, Blockchain, leadership, Strategy and Regulatory Expert), Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, Jordan

“With proliferation of data, governments need to be able to covert collected data to valuable information and drive insights to improve decisions making. This will never be achieved if different entities working in silos with a structure way of collecting this data, many solutions were proposed like creating a centralized data hub to collect an disseminate those data. But the problem always remains in the type of shared data and how it will be assessed before sharing it with public or different entity.”

Eng. Ali Abuzinjal, Director of Digital Transformation, Sharjah Research Technology and innovation Park Authority, Sharjah

“Information is power. Governments that take advantage of data and technology can really provide citizens with smart public services, making life easier for them while increasing efficiency, effectiveness, and responsiveness. In other words, timely, relevant, and reliable data can help governments achieve customer excellence, results excellence, and operational excellence. Data-driven decision making allows decision makers to take out the guess work from the equation and base their strategies, policies, and actions on facts – allowing for better allocation of limited public resources. For instance, Seoul Metropolitan Government has used big data analytics to design better bus routes for night travelers. By analyzing billions of data points, they were able to predict which routes to run and at what times to create maximum impact for its residents. ”

Mohammad J Sear Digital Government and Public Sector Consulting Leader, Ernst & Young, MENA, United Arab Emirates

“The Rise of data and digital technologies are rapidly transforming economies and societies, with enormous implications for governments’ daily operations. Twenty-first century governments must keep pace with the growing expectations of their citizens, manage increasing pressure on their budgets and react to new policy challenges. Any failure to adapt to this new and changing environment could expose them to damaging risks and a consequent diminishing of public trust. It is re-inventing government decision making, policy development and quality of life improvement. Governments decision making have made significant progress in strengthening the capacity to use data strategically to improve policy making, service delivery or performance management. Individual organisations have also produced impressive results. Nevertheless, the use of data is not yet viewed -- or resourced – as a fundamental means of creating public value.”

H.E. Irfan Karamat Ali, United Nations Volunteers, Bahrain

“Governments has significant data sources that if properly structured and converted into a useful information, it will help decision makers make an informed decision for the benefit of their citizens and organizations. Data can help provide a simpler way to deliver public services, reduce human error, increase operation efficiency, and potentially provide cost effectiveness to the government’s spending. Therefore, it is important to adopt data-based decision making.”

Eng. Fahad A. Alhamed, Chairman of the Board, Saudi Cloud Computing Association, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia