A
PUBLICATION
Providing Unparalleled Technology Intelligence
ISSUE 41 // www.intelligentcio.com
Competitive
advantage
CommScope expert
on data connectivity
for businesses
Increasing
productivity
Smart City
service to enhance
business efficiency
Key
enabler
Real estate company
streamlines property
sales process
Empowerment and trust
With extensive global management experience to draw on, we
talk to Khalid Jalal, Senior Group ICT Manager at GARMCO, about
the pillars of his success, CIO versatility and the progressive IT
scene in Bahrain.
Intelligent
ITSM Partner
Intelligent
Phishing Partner
Intelligent Business
Solutions Partner
Global ICIO
Knowledge
Partner
Intelligent
Partner
GISEC
Partner
Intelligent Threat
Management
Partner
Intelligent Data
Management
Partner
Global Innovation
Partner
Intelligent Data
Security Partner
Intelligent
Partner
Enterprise
Firewall Partner
Intelligent Access
Management
Partner
EDITOR’S NOTE
H
ello and welcome to the latest edition
of Intelligent CIO for the Middle East.
My favourite aspect of my job editing
this magazine is to interview leading IT
figures from the Middle East region.
It’s always good to have an in-depth
conversation with a true expert in their
field, with extensive experience and
compelling opinions.
This month’s cover story sees the result of a
conversation I had with Khalid Jalal, Senior
Group ICT Manager at GARMCO and one of
the leading IT figures in Bahrain.
Jalal explained how advanced the IT scene
is in Bahrain and its digital progress has
largely been achieved by the talents of the
country’s people.
However, he does stress that, in his opinion,
Bahrain should talk more loudly about its
achievements so the World knows about
its progress despite the limitations of its
relatively small size.
Turn to page 55 to read more about Jalal’s
views on management strategy and the
importance of CIOs having excellent
communications skills.
Elsewhere on pages 23 to 25 we look at
how smart communities will enrich the lives
of residents and make local governments
more efficient in responding to their
citizens’ needs.
www.intelligentcio.com
Ehab Kanary, Vice President of Enterprise,
Middle East and Africa, CommScope, tells us
that from security to convenience to revenue
generation, Smart City applications will
change the way cities operate and the way
we live and work.
“Overall, data connectivity is becoming the
Fourth Utility in cities – it’s a must-have
to do business, and cities are recognising
this,” he says. “Connectivity in homes and
businesses is a competitive advantage for
cities, and they are rushing to implement it.”
Smart Cities is also the theme for this
month’s Country Focus.
This highlights a Smart City project in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia involving Orange
Business Services which has been awarded
a Smart City consulting contract for a
development by the Al Widyan Saudi Real
Estate Company.
by providing them with tools and features
that support them in their daily work.
“The Smart City services can also be a driver
to generate broader sustainable revenue
for real estate developers, and also optimise
operational expenditure.”
Turn to p48 to find out more about the
fascinating project and the part Orange
Business Services has to play.
We have all the usual features and news
from throughout the region.
Please feel free to send an email to
[email protected] if you wish to
contribute to the magazine.
The project is an enormous proposition
being a seven million square metre real
estate development in Riyadh’s northern
growth corridor.
We were lucky enough to speak to Hicham
Abdelmoula, Managing Consultant – KSA
Smart City and Healthcare, Orange Business
Services, about the project.
He told us: “The Smart City service aims to
enhance the lifestyle of tenants and visitors
and increase the productivity for businesses
Mark Bowen
Editor
INTELLIGENTCIO
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