Events
IDC to Explore the Future of Saudi Arabia’s Digital Economy at CIO Summit in Riyadh

Spurred by a growing influx of foreign direct investment and a $7 trillion development plan for the Kingdom’s giga projects, ICT spending in Saudi Arabia is poised to top $34.5 billion this year. That’s according to the latest forecast from International Data Corporation (IDC), with spending on software (including cloud) and IT services set to increase at compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 11.4% and 8.7%, respectively, over the 2022–2026 period.
The government sector will be the country’s biggest IT spender in 2023, with spending on AI, IoT, cybersecurity, and big data analytics alone set to exceed $574 million as innovative technologies become foundational to the aim of building an ‘Experience Economy’. Finance, communications, energy and resources, and manufacturing will be the Kingdom’s other top spenders in 2023, although the fastest growth over the next five years will be seen in the healthcare, finance, retail/wholesale, professional services, and education sectors.
“To harness the full potential and widespread benefits of the digital economy, governments and businesses must implement strategies to measure and cultivate it,” says Jyoti Lalchandani, IDC’s group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa. “Creating regulatory environments and nurturing talent will be critical to success. Today, technology plays an ever-increasing role in enabling, measuring, and reporting on sustainability initiatives and diversity and inclusion drives, with government and business leaders prioritizing these issues on their digital agendas.”
Such issues will sit at the heart of the agenda during this year’s IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit, which will take place at the Fairmont Riyadh on September 13-14. Addressing the theme ‘Enabling the Digital Economy’s Leaders’, the event will bring together the Kingdom’s foremost IT and telecom leaders, digital government pioneers, regulators, and industry thought leaders. Expert speakers will assess the current state of the digital economy, evaluate its ongoing impact on citizens, customers, employees, and operations, address key challenges, and outline proven best practices and strategies to drive future success.
IDC’s chief research officer, Meredith Whalen, will open the day’s proceedings with a keynote titled ‘Strategies for the CIO and Enterprise Innovation’, during which she will highlight IDC’s latest research findings on building a culture of trust, examine the move toward industry ecosystem innovation, and highlight the impact of tech decentralization.
“CIOs are no longer just technology leaders,” says Whalen. “They are strategic partners who have a critical role to play in driving enterprise-wide growth and it is important that they fully understand what needs to be done now — and in the future — to create an environment for long-term sustainable innovation. The IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit is the perfect place for CIOs to learn from their peers, network with industry leaders, and get the insights they need to succeed in the digital age.”
The agenda will also feature a series of dedicated CIO-led panel sessions and technology focus groups addressing topics such as:
- Talent Development and the Demand for New Skills: Optimal Team Structuring
- Sustainable Strategies and Technologies: Operationalization, Impact Measurement, Business Value Creation
- Vendor Selection and Management: Best Practices and Considerations
- Cyber Protection for the Threats of Today and Tomorrow: Dynamic Security Strategies to Minimize Risk
- Connecting the Distributed Cloud: From Edge to Core
- Enabling the Data-Driven Enterprise
- Transitioning Through AI and Analytics: How to Win in the Intelligent Economy
Events
Positive Technologies to Host Positive Hack Talks in Cairo

Positive Technologies is set to host an open event for cybersecurity professionals in Cairo on 26th February. This event, will bring together cybersecurity professionals, students, and aspiring researchers, both Russian and local experts in an important in-person interaction to share their knowledge and expertise.
Egypt is a regional leader in digital technology. Between 2022 and 2024, the number of internet users in the country increased by 6.3 million, exceeding 82 million. According to the 2023–2024 report by the International Telecommunication Union, Egypt was one of 12 nations to receive the highest rating in the Global Cybersecurity Index. Meanwhile, the rapid digitalization has caught the attention of cybercriminals: Positive Technologies ranks Egypt second in Africa for the number of cyberattacks, accounting for 13%.
In 2024, Positive Technologies uncovered over a hundred listings on dark web forums offering stolen databases for sale or free distribution. These databases contained confidential information belonging to Egyptian citizens and organizations. Most of the reports about data breaches involved individuals (40%), followed by e-commerce (22%), as well as the service and transportation sectors (10% each). One of the posts, for example, advertised the sale of personal data of 85 million Egyptian citizens. Safeguarding companies’ cybersecurity and protecting client data have become top priorities for both businesses and the government.
Dmitry Serebryannikov, Chief Hacking Officer at Positive Technologies, said, “The meetup in Cairo will mark a significant step forward in building a global community of cybersecurity experts. We see this as our mission: to share knowledge, collectively enhance security, and combat the rising tide of cyberthreats worldwide.”
Ilya Leonov, Regional Director for MENA, Positive Technologies, stated, “In Egypt, our company is represented through local partners: last year, we signed cooperation agreements with several providers of cybersecurity services and solutions in Egypt and the broader region. We will continue to expand our partner network in the Middle East and Africa, support the development of human resources through joint educational projects, and share our rich expertise and practical experience with our colleagues.”
At Positive Hack Talks in Cairo, speakers will cover key cybersecurity topics, including business logic vulnerabilities, client-side attacks, GraphQL security, and IoT exploitation. They include Ahmed Qaramany, Penetration Tester at DeepStrike, LLC, who will be demonstrating a structured approach to pentesting GraphQL; Fares Walid, Senior Security Consultant at Buguard, who will be exploring unconventional techniques for identifying business logic bugs and analyzing JavaScript; and Ksenia Naumova, Senior Malware Analyst at Positive Technologies, who will be sharing insights on detecting new threats using generic network rules. The event will also feature discussions on eBPF security, JVM fuzzing, and high-impact hacking techniques, offering attendees valuable knowledge and networking opportunities.
Positive Technologies kicked off its global meetup series in 2024. In October, an open cybersecurity event was held in Bengaluru (India), and in November, the meetups continued in Hanoi (Vietnam).
Events
Record AED 9.77 Billion in Contracts Signed Over Two Days at IDEX and NAVDEX 2025

Tawazun Council – the government authority responsible for managing acquisitions, procurement, and contracts on behalf of the Ministry of Defense and security agencies – announced the signing of 5 deals worth a total of AED 5.8 billion with local and international companies on the second day of IDEX and NAVDEX 2025.
With these agreements, the total value of contracts signed during the first two days of the exhibitions has reached AED 9.77 billion across 18 deals. The announcement was made during a press conference attended by Majed Ahmed Al Jaberi, Mohammed Saif Al Zaabi, and Mahra Bilal Al Dhaheri, the official spokespersons for Tawazun Council.
The press briefing detailed the council’s contracts for the Ministry of Defense at IDEX and NAVDEX 2025, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and organized by ADNEC Group in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense and Tawazun Council.
Mahra Bilal Al Dhaheri stated that the second day’s local deals amounted to three contracts worth AED 5.57 billion. These included a contract with “Calidus Aerospace” to Procure HEDA Missile System (Phase 1) worth AED 3.76 billion, a contract with “International Golden Group” for the procurement of ammunition worth AED 492 million, and an agreement with “DTEC Industries Limited” to purchase 50 meter marine traffic boats worth AED 1.38 billion.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Saif Al Zaabi announced that international contracts for the second day of IDEX and NAVDEX 2025 amounted to two deals worth AED 213 million. These included an agreement with the French company “MBDA” to provide spare parts, maintenance, repairs, and technical support for naval equipment, valued at AED 32 million. Additionally, a contract was signed with “Augusta Westland Aviation Services “of Italy to provide technical, engineering, and logistics support, along with aircraft spare parts, worth AED 181 million.
Majed Ahmed Al Jaberi highlighted Tawazun Council’s commitment to enhancing cooperation between leading local and international defense companies. He pointed out that IDEX and NAVDEX 2025 serve as pivotal platforms for showcasing the latest technologies and innovations. Al Jaberi further remarked that these contracts play a key role in supporting the nation’s strategy to bolster its defense capabilities and expand its local manufacturing base—efforts that contribute to sustainable development and stimulate investment in advanced technologies.
Events
EDGE Unveils Advanced Electronic Warfare, Radar, and Electro-Optical Systems at IDEX 2025

EDGE, one of the world’s leading advanced technology and defence groups, is unveiling a next-level range of new electronic warfare (EW), radar, and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) systems at the International Defence Exhibition & Conference 2025 (IDEX 2025). These cutting-edge systems mark a significant expansion of EDGE’s portfolio, reinforcing its position at the forefront of high-performance sensor and electromagnetic technologies that are critical for modern operational theatres.
EDGE is unveiling its most advanced suite of radars and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) systems, seamlessly expanding its all-domain portfolio. In the radar category, EDGE is introducing the NEMUS family, multi-threat active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars engineered for a broad range of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) operations. Additionally, EDGE is launching next-generation 3D radars – the next generation TAWAQ family of ground radars, with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
EDGE is also showcasing its MIRSAD family of advanced EO/IR systems, designed for high-precision surveillance and targeting across air, naval, and ground domains. Equipped with cutting-edge imaging, tracking, and laser designation technologies, the MIRSAD family enhances situational awareness and operational effectiveness, delivering superior performance in complex environments.
In the EW domain, EDGE is unveiling two new variants of the GPS PROTECT GNSS anti-jamming system, the GPS PROTECT-4 and GPS PROTECT-8. Utilising advanced digital signal processing and array antenna technology, the new systems effectively protect users’ GNSS receivers from radio-frequency (RF) interference signals. EDGE is also unveiling two new variants of the SKYSHIELD counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), the SKYSHIELD-N (Naval) and SKYSHIELD-T (Trailer-mounted), designed to identify UAS and jam their command-and-control (C2) channels within the full range of the GNSS spectrum.
Making its debut at IDEX 2025, BORDERSHIELD is EDGE’s new end-to-end surveillance system, designed for superior border security operations. Featuring AI-driven automatic detection of UAS, personnel, and vehicles up to 15km, BORDERSHIELD integrates a high-power cellular system (operating across GMS, UTMS, LTE, and 5G NSA frequency bands), a thermal optical camera, a high-resolution radar, and a C2 system to provide real-time, persistent situational awareness.
EDGE’s expansion into critical electronic warfare, radar, and EO/IR technologies is underpinned by the strategic consolidation of expertise within its newly established Technology & Innovation (T&I) cluster. This cluster is designed to accelerate innovation, optimise production through dedicated Centres of Excellence, and transform advanced research into deployable solutions. As a strategic initiative, it enhances efficiency, sovereignty, and technological leadership, reinforcing EDGE’s position as a global leader in defence technology.
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