Interview: Ahmed Al-Saadi talks about digitalization

In an extensive conversation with Persian Gulf tradeAhmed Al Saadi, VP Middle East and Africa at Splunk talks about modern data analytics solutions and how these innovations are driving advancements across industries.

s. What opportunities does the technology landscape offer in the MENA region?

The dynamic technology landscape of the MENA region is full of opportunities. Digital acceleration provides the basis for advancing development in various sectors such as healthcare, sustainability and citizen well-being.

There are a number of different trends driving this forward in the region. First, there is the growth of overall investment in the technology itself. Information and communication technology (ICT) spending in the Middle East, Turkey and the African region is expected to see strong annual growth of nearly 4 percent, surpassing a remarkable $234 billion this year, according to forecasts by the International Data Corporation (IDC). gone. .

In addition, the widespread adoption of 5G will act as a pivotal catalyst for digital transformation. Notably, GCC markets have achieved significant 5G penetration, with Kuwait leading the way at 39.4 percent and even the vast Saudi Arabian market at 23.5 percent, according to OpenSignal. This leap promises innovative opportunities and redefines industry operations.

The emergence of digital technologies, including cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. PwC estimates that the Middle East is set to reap 2 percent of the global benefits of AI in 2030, equivalent to $320 billion. Industries that widely embrace these technologies to remain competitive.

Finally, cyber security in the MENA region is highlighted by significant investments by companies and governments, which highlights the commitment to protect digital assets and data, thereby fostering digital resilience. At the same time, there is a growing demand for data analytics solutions that support decision-making and operational efficiency and drive sustainable growth.

These combined efforts help strengthen organizations and their digital systems in an ever-evolving technology landscape.

Q2. What are the current trends in modern data analytics solutions and how are these innovations driving advancements across industries?

In our rapidly evolving technological landscape, data analytics solutions have emerged as a driving force for advancement in various industries. These innovative solutions, underpinned by cutting-edge trends, will transform the way organizations use data for informed decision-making and operational excellence. Among the notable trends in modern data analysis solutions are:

Augmented Analytics: Augmented analytics integrates machine learning and artificial intelligence into the analytics process, automating data preparation, insight discovery, and sharing. This allows non-technical users to access and effectively interpret the data. Industries such as retail, healthcare, and finance benefit from augmented analytics by democratizing access to data and promoting data-driven decision-making at all levels.

Real-time analytics: With the increasing amount of data generated every second, real-time analytics has become very important. Industries such as e-commerce and finance use real-time analytics to gain instant insight into customer behavior, market trends, and financial transactions. This helps in making quick decisions and reacting quickly to changing conditions.

Predictive and prescriptive analytics: Predictive analytics uses historical and real-time data to predict future trends and outcomes. It is used in areas such as supply chain management, where demand forecasting and inventory optimization are critical. Prescriptive analytics takes it a step further by suggesting actions to achieve desired outcomes. Healthcare uses these analytics to personalize patient treatments and optimize resource allocation.

Edge Analysis: Edge analysis processes data at the source, reducing latency and bandwidth usage. This is especially important in IoT, manufacturing and autonomous vehicle applications, where timely decision making is essential. Edge analytics minimizes the need to send data to central servers and improves response time.

Natural Language Processing (NLP): NLP enables machines to understand and process human language. This is especially valuable in industries like customer support, where chatbots use NLP to provide immediate assistance. It is also used in healthcare to analyze unstructured patient data and in content recommendation systems for personalization.

Data governance and privacy: As data privacy regulations tighten globally, data governance and privacy have become top priorities. Solutions for data anonymization, encryption, and consent management are in high demand. Industries that handle sensitive data, such as healthcare and finance, adopt these practices to ensure compliance and build trust.

Cloud-based analytics: Cloud-based analytics solutions are becoming increasingly popular due to their scalability and affordability. Organizations across industries are moving their analytics workloads to the cloud, making data more accessible and enabling remote collaboration.

Automation based on artificial intelligence: Automation in data analysis frees analysts from routine tasks. AI-based tools handle data cleaning, model building, and even report generation. This speeds up the analysis process, reduces errors, and allows analysts to focus on strategic tasks.

These trends are driving progress across industries by providing deeper insights, improving decision making, optimizing operations, and enhancing customer experiences. Whether it’s predicting market trends, personalizing health treatments or streamlining supply chains, modern data analytics solutions are playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of businesses and industries.

Q3. How do modern real-time monitoring and observation tools help ensure the reliability and optimal performance of digital systems?

Modern monitoring and real-time visibility tools are essential to ensure the reliability and optimal performance of digital systems. They play a pivotal role in various dimensions, providing deep insight, centralizing information, helping with troubleshooting and providing end-to-end visibility. These tools provide deep insights into data, optimize performance and enhance customer experiences. They collect and aggregate telemetry data such as logs, metrics, and traces, enabling teams to proactively debug and understand their systems.

In a microservices architecture, visibility tools create centralized dashboards to monitor distributed systems and facilitate rapid problem identification and resolution. This reduces downtime and ensures consistent performance. They are critical for troubleshooting and performance evaluation, especially in complex and distributed environments. Without visibility, timely problem resolution in such environments will be nearly impossible.

Modern visibility platforms integrate tracking, metrics, and reporting, making applications, infrastructure, and third-party services fully visible. This enables proactive problem solving and optimization at any scale. These integrated platforms include monitoring, logging and tracking capabilities and provide a comprehensive view of an organization’s digital systems. They foster real-time visibility and situational awareness, which are critical for a variety of IT use cases, from DevSecOps to digital experience management.

Q4. Can you share some insights on the growth of the cybersecurity market in the region?

As the frequency and complexity of cyber threats increase, the region is increasingly focused on strengthening digital defenses and is becoming a center of excellence for this. This dynamic shift is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape, creating a growing market poised for significant growth.

Firstly, the MEA cyber security market is on an upward trajectory and is expected to grow at a strong CAGR of 16.2% during the forecast period. This means significant market expansion, with global estimates predicting an increase from $153.65 billion in 2022 to $424.97 billion by 2030.
This increased growth is in direct response to increasing cyber threats and attacks in the MEA region. As the digital landscape expands, so do the number and complexity of these threats.

As a result, businesses and governments are investing significantly in advanced security solutions. These investments are critical not only to protect digital systems, but also to protect critical data and ensure uninterrupted operations.

Digital transformation initiatives will further contribute to the growth of the cyber security market in MEA. As organizations move their operations to cloud platforms, they recognize the need for cybersecurity solutions to bolster their defenses against evolving threats. The development underscores the proactive approach that businesses and governments in the region are taking to protect their digital assets.

Additionally, stringent regulations and compliance requirements have become a driving force behind the adoption of cybersecurity solutions. Businesses and governments in the region understand the need to comply with these regulations, thereby strengthening their commitment to digital security.

These investments in cybersecurity include a range of advanced solutions, including information management and threat response, identity and access management, data loss prevention management, security and vulnerability management, integrated threat management, and enterprise risk and compliance. These comprehensive approaches provide organizations with the necessary tools to effectively repel cyber threats.

Q5. Can you elaborate on Splunk’s role as a catalyst for digital transformation across sectors?

Splunk plays an important role as a catalyst for digital transformation in these diverse sectors by enabling organizations to increase their digital agility. Digital transformation involves using technology to improve processes, innovate and ultimately grow. However, this transformation journey is fraught with risks, including cyber threats, system failures, and operational bottlenecks.

Splunk helps digital agility and, in turn, digital transformation by providing:

Fundamental visibility: Splunk’s integrated security and visibility platform provides fundamental visibility by providing end-to-end insights into an organization’s technology stack. This visibility is essential to monitor, identify and mitigate potential threats and vulnerabilities in real time. It enables organizations to make data-driven decisions quickly and improve operational efficiency and security posture.

Prioritized actions: Through advanced threat intelligence and risk-based alerting, Splunk helps organizations prioritize their actions effectively. With so many threats and alerts out there, it’s important to focus on the issues that have the greatest business impact. Splunk’s capabilities guide IT and security operations teams to quickly address critical issues and prevent potential disruptions.

Proactive response: Splunk enables organizations to proactively respond to threats and issues before they escalate. By automating repetitive tasks, incident investigation, and response processes through Splunk SOAR, teams can increase efficiency and productivity. This proactive approach minimizes downtime, reduces potential financial losses and protects an organization’s reputation.

Optimized Experiences: Delivering exceptional digital experiences is essential for customer satisfaction and retention. Splunk Observability solutions, such as synthetic monitoring and real user monitoring, optimize web and application performance. They ensure that end users have a seamless experience and help organizations build trust and brand loyalty.

Splunk’s role as a catalyst for digital transformation lies in its ability to foster digital agility, enabling organizations to embrace change, withstand disruption, and seize new opportunities.

In an increasingly digital world, Splunk’s integrated security and visibility platform provides the essential tools and insights needed to navigate the complexities of modern business environments. By supporting digital agility, Splunk not only drives growth, but also increases operational efficiency, making it a critical partner for organizations embarking on their digital transformation journeys.