A time for change

If there is one single theme that has stood out in the IT industry this year, it has been the need for change.

With an economic climate more harsh than the dot.com bubble bust, which barely touched the region, 2009 has been characterised by cut backs, reduced budgets and pressure to control costs, across every sector and size of company.

With signs of recovery slow to emerge, virtually every organisation has had to look to change processes, procedures and systems in the search for efficiency, whether to make vital savings, or to take competitiveness to new levels.

At the centre of this change is the IT sector. Now, often for the first time for many in the region, where IT has sometimes taken a back seat, or has simply been a cost centre, it seems that IT is the answer. Organisations are turning to their IT departments, and their solutions providers, to give them the edge in efficiency, and insight into processes that they are looking for.

The way companies handle their data, the control they have over their processes, their links to customers and their ability to use their data to make timely business decisions has come to the fore. The IT manager and CIO now find themselves right at the heart of the solution for guiding the business through difficult times.

It’s for this reason that GITEX Technology Week is more important than ever before, and why the ever evolving nature of the show, provides an accurate reflection of the needs of the industry.

The Middle East IT market can no longer afford to simply buy a solution from a big brand without a real understanding of the true value that the solution offers.

GITEX presents a golden opportunity to gain greater insight into the benefits of technology, with more companies participating than last year, and with new features such as Vendor Theatres which allow show visitors to gain a deeper insight into the solutions on offer.

In addition, although it may have taken a while for the recession to reach the Middle East, that delay provides an opportunity in allowing the region’s IT professionals to learn from counterparts and experts in other regions who have already tackled the challenges ahead. Through the expanded Global Conference and the other educational opportunities available, CIOs and IT professionals have a perfect window into the strategies and solutions they need to drive growth.

And as ever, GITEX provides a great venue to network with partners and peers to find out how they are preparing for the upturn. With so many ideas and opportunities on offer, this year’s GITEX looks set to be one of the most essential for the industry yet.

For comprehensive coverage of GITEX, visit our sister website ITP.net

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