His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum opens 34th Gitex Technology Week

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, formally opened GITEX Technology Week today, as the 34th edition of the leading Information and Communication Technology (ICT) event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) got underway at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), the show organiser.

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was accompanied on the opening tour of GITEX Technology Week by His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and CEO, DWTC, as well as a number of leading dignitaries.

GITEX Technology Week 2014, which runs at DWTC from October 12-16, brings together more than 100,000 ICT professionals from 150 countries and 3,700 exhibiting companies from 61 countries to share transformational developments across the show’s four knowledge themes: Smart, Cloud, Big Data and Mobility.

“We are honoured that His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, has opened GITEX Technology Week,” said His Excellency Helal Saeed Almarri.“As Dubai prepares for its transformation into a Smart City by harnessing the power of technology to drive development and improve civic services, we welcome His Highness Sheikh Hamdan’s support for GITEX Technology Week, which once again unites the public and private sectors by bringing the world’s technology community together.’

“As a cornerstone of the international ICT landscape and a centre of knowledge exchange and learning – both regionally and beyond – GITEX Technology Week will play an important role in realising the vision ofHis Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai,to transform Dubai into the world’s Smartest City over the coming three years,” added Almarri.

As Dubai’s Smart City roll-out is predicted to catalyse an acceleration of Smart City initiatives in other GCC countries, GITEX Technology Weekwill showcase a pioneering app-based Smart Journey Tour featuring Smart technologyproduct and service insights from more than 26international companies and Dubai-based government entities.

The Big Data Conference on 14 October will educate on how Big Data can deliver new insights and enhance ROI in a global Big Data market poised to jump from USD 3.2 billion in 2013 to USD 15.1 billion by 2020.

On the same day, Cloud Confex returns as the region’s largest integrated cloud exhibition and conference. With the GCC cloud computing market due to post seven-fold growth and expand at a CAGR of 32.8% to reach USD 668.5 million by 2020, global leadersin data storage and management will present new cloud-based solutions at GITEX.

The Digital Strategies Forum on 15 Octoberwill help organisations use mobility to enhance customer interactions.

Global technology company Ericsson, GITEX GulfComms MEA Headline Sponsor, will demonstrate how mobility will enhance daily lives in Smart Cities.

GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK 2014 will also debut a range of innovative and exciting industry features catering to more than 1500 delegates and 150 speakers including the Cloud Confex, Big Data Conference, and Digital Strategies Forum.

At Industry Briefings – a key component of this year’s GITEX Trends – speakers will debate tech trends in cutting-edge, sector-specific knowledge platforms; GITEX After 5; the Bloggers Tweetup and Tech Talk Blogger Programme which will double attendance from regional and international bloggers.

Expanded event features include the official press reception ShowStoppers, online community ConneXions, live streaming of social media, trending topics and tech news via the Content Hub, the 2nd GITEX Hot Stuff Awards recognising top gadgets and GITEX TV – the 53-screen in-house broadcast presence.

Enhanced interactive elements include the GSM Exchange Zone, a platform for the mobile product industry, the C-Level Majlis Lounge for senior executive networking, free Smart Sessions for knowledge-sharing, the ConneXions Lounge and the SME Zone.

In addition to the GITEX Hot Stuff Awards, the GITEX Student Lab will recognise leading students in the field of technology innovation and connect them with industry professionals, while the 2nd GITEX

Cloud Awards will identity and recognise cloud computing excellence in the Middle East and Africa.

On the fringes of GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK, the second edition of the GSMA Mobile 360 Series: Middle East, a dedicated platform for senior executives from the region’s mobile industry, and the fourth edition of InfoComm MEA, the leading showcase of the latest professional audio-visual communications technology in the Middle East and Africa.

On the opening day of 12 October, GITEX Technology Week will host Google for Work, the first time the invite-only event, billed as ‘Unleash Your Creativity – Google Style’, will be held in the Middle East. Senior management and C-level executives can learn how to tackle complex problems and opportunities, and foster a culture of innovation within their organizations.

For more information on the 34th GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK – running at DWTC from 12-16 October, 2014 – visit: www.gitex.com.