Page 74 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2022

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

IDC Announces Strategic Partnership with The CITC for ICT Indicators Forum

International Data Corporation (IDC) is impact of government initiatives on digital Arabia." The ICT Indicators Forum 2022
delighted to announce its partnership transformation enablement across various will demystify Saudi Arabia’s digital
with the Communications and Information sectors of the Saudi economy. "As Saudi journey through detailed discussions
Technology Commission (CITC) for the Arabia navigates the realities of the post- on trends and major transformations in
annual ICT Indicators Forum 2022 that pandemic 'New Normal', the impetus on collaborative digital regulations and its
will take place in King Abdullah Financial re-vamping and implementing digital role in stimulating the digital economy
District, Riyadh on March 29. This strategic strategies will be a key priority for Saudi which is considered pivotal in building the
event will incorporate IDC's signature 'IDC organizations," says Hamza Naqshbandi, future of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and
Directions 2022 Saudi Arabia' industry IDC’s associate vice president for Saudi the world. It will also deep dive into the
forum within its agenda. The enthralling Arabia and Bahrain. "For the last seven latest emerging use cases and the future
program will feature an impressive lineup years, IDC Directions has been a key forum trends of the ICT sector that will support
of speakers, including the leadership where ICT leaders across the ecosystem Saudi-based organizations unleash the
of the Saudi ICT-enabling public sector converge to understand IDC’s view and power of emerging technologies in an
entities as well as senior global and local predictions on the state of ICT in Saudi exciting phase of the Kingdom’s evolution.
management from IDC and representatives
of prominent telecom operators and
ICT vendors, to name just a few. The
forum will combine presentations, panel
discussions, and real-life use cases to give
delegates a bird’s eye view of the current
market situation. It will shine a light on
Saudi Arabia’s journey towards becoming
a digital economy by highlighting the

MENA IT Spending Set to Top US$180 Billion in 2024: Gartner

IT spending in the Mena region is projected PCs) from the past two years are finally spending on enterprise applications and
to total $169.2 billion in 2022, an increase dissipating and are starting to spill over infrastructure software into double-digit
of 1.12% from 2021, and is expected to hit into software and services. With the growth in 2023. The Russian invasion of
$180.7 billion in 2024 said global research current dearth of IT talent prompting more Ukraine is not expected to have a direct
and advisory firm Gartner in a new report. competitive salaries, technology service impact on global IT spending. Price and
Globally, IT spending on track to reach providers are increasing their prices, wage inflation compounded with talent
$4.4 trillion in 2022, an increase of 4% which is helping to increased spending shortages and other delivery uncertainties
from 2021, according to the report titled growth in these segments through 2022 are expected to be greater impingements
“IT Spend Forecast, 1Q22 Update”. “This and 2023. Software spending is expected on CIOs’ plans in 2022 but will still not
year is proving to be one of the nosiest to grow 9.8% to $674.9 billion in 2022 and slow down technology investments.
years on record for CIOs,” said John- IT services is forecast to grow 6.8% to “CIOs anticipate having the financial and
David Lovelock, distinguished research reach $1.3 trillion. The rise of enterprise organizational ability to invest in key
vice president at Gartner. “Geopolitical application software, infrastructure technologies throughout this year and
disruption, inflation, currency fluctuations software and managed services in the near next,” said Lovelock. “Some IT spending
and supply chain challenges are among and long term demonstrates that the trend was on hold in early 2022 due to the
the many factors vying for their time and toward digital transformation is not a one- Omicron variant and subsequent waves but
attention, yet contrary to what we saw at or two-year trend, rather it is systemic and is expected to clear in the near-term. “CIOs
the start of 2020, CIOs are accelerating long-term. For example, infrastructure as who keep their eye focused on key market
IT investments as they recognize the a service (IaaS) underpins every major signals, such as the shift from analog to
importance of flexibility and agility in consumer-focused online offering and digital business and buying IT to building
responding to disruption. “As a result, mobile application, accounting for a it, as well as negotiate with their vendor
purchasing and investing preference will significant portion of the almost 10% growth partners to assume ongoing risks, will fare
be focused in areas including analytics, in software spending in 2022. Gartner better in the long-term. At this point, only
cloud computing, seamless customer expects digital business initiatives such the most fragile companies will be forced
experiences and security.” Inflation impacts as experiential end-consumer experience to pivot to a cost cutting approach in 2022
on IT hardware (e.g., mobile devices and and optimization of supply chain to push and beyond.”

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