Dell Technologies: 90 Percent of UAE & KSA Business Leaders Believe They Will Struggle to Meet Changing Customer Demands Within Five Years

Dell EMC today hosted its Dell Technologies Forum in Dubai, UAE. Themed ‘Make it Real’, this one-day free event brought together Dell Technologies’ seven technology powerhouses together, to help organizations in the UAE accelerate national and business transformation initiatives with speed and purpose.

With the 4^th industrial revolution defined by both digital opportunities and risks, it demands that organizations invest in transformation-enabling technologies to build capabilities that are more collaborative, immersive, mobile, and competitive. Highlighting these digital realities, Dell EMC revealed the findings of its recent Dell Technologies Digital Transformation Index (the DT Index). The DT Index, which was completed in collaboration with Intel, maps the digital transformation progress of mid to large-sized companies, and examines the digital hopes and fears of business leaders.

Based on responses from business leaders in the UAE & KSA, the study also revealed that 90 percent of regional heads of business believe that their organisation will struggle to meet changing customer demands within just five years, while 37 percent fear they’ll be left behind.

While many organizations are embracing their digital transformation journeys, many fail to even start. With the majority (90%) of businesses facing major barriers to digital transformation, only four percent of businesses in the UAE & KSA can be categorized as digital leaders. Defining the challenges, 87 percent of business leaders believe that digital transformation should already be more widespread throughout the organisation. Other key challenges are a shortage of in-house skill sets and expertise (30%), and a lack of the right technologies to work at the speed of business (24%).

“We’ve talked about being on the cusp of tremendous change for some time now. That’s no longer the case,” said Mohammed Amin, Senior Vice President, Middle East, Turkey and Africa, Dell EMC. “The next digital era has arrived and it’s reshaping the way we live, work, and conduct business. This means that time is of the essence; genuine transformation needs to happen now, and it needs to be radical. This is what we want to spotlight through the Dell Technologies Forum. We want to enable and support regional organizations – irrespective of size – to adapt and evolve, and become engines of human progress”.

The DT Index research also uncovered that businesses in the UAE & KSA are taking steps to overcome their barriers, and the threat of being outmanoeuvred, by turning to emerging technologies to power their transformation.

Planned investments within the next one to three years:

• 58% of businesses intend to invest in cybersecurity
• 35% of businesses intend to invest in multi-cloud
• 52% of businesses intend to invest in IoT technologies
• 36% of businesses intend to invest in Artificial Intelligence

“It’s an exciting time to be in business. We’re at a crucial intersection – where technology, organisations, and mankind meet to create a better, more connected world”, added Fady Richmany, Senior Director and General Manager, United Arab Emirates, at Dell EMC. “However, only technology-centered organisations will reap the rewards of a digital business model, such as the ability to move quickly, to automate everything, and to delight customers. This is why digital transformation needs to be a critical priority.”

The Dell Technologies Forum focused on delivering key insights and best practices to help organizations optimize performance demands and stay ahead in an increasingly competitive business environment. It featured keynotes and breakout sessions designed to help enterprises resolve their pressing business challenges.

In addition, the event was host to a panel discussion and presentations by ‘Women in IT’, which highlighted the critical and impactful role that women play in driving global economic growth and human progress through IT.

Research methodology

Independent research company, Vanson Bourne surveyed 4600 business leaders from mid to large-size companies, across 42 countries to gauge their organisations’ place on the Dell Technologies Digital Transformation Index. Vanson Bourne classified businesses’ digital business efforts by examining their IT strategy, workforce transformation initiatives and perceived performance against a core set of digital business attributes.