News

IDC CIO Summit 2022 Is Coming To Qatar

In addition to the insightful panels, attendees will also have the chance to win exclusive prizes, take home personalized caricatures, and watch entertainment events.

Published

3 years ago

September 9, 2022

David Morelo

As the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology sector, International Data Corporation (IDC) is perfectly positioned to explore the increasing pace of innovation in Qatar and examine the country’s evolving technology landscape.

On September 27, 2022, IDC will host its IDC Qatar CIO Summit 2022 to bring together regional and global technology experts, who will discuss the hottest ICT issues inside the Al Silia grand ballroom of Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel & Villas, a 5-star luxury resort located just 6 minutes away from the Lagoona Mall and 4 km from The Pearl-Qatar island.

Here are some of the topics, discussions, panel sessions, and keynote presentations that will be on the agenda during the IDC Qatar CIO Summit 2022:

IDC Keynote: Innovating in a Digital-First World (Ranjit Rajan, Vice President of Research at IDC)
Single, Hybrid, or Multicloud? How to Craft Your Cloud Transformation with Confidence (Sriram Narasimhan, Associate Vice President of Solutions at Cloud4C)
Powering the Digital Economy with Data-First Modernization (Mohammad Al-Jallad, Chief Technology Officer & Director at Hewlett Packard Enterprise)
Panel Discussion: Talent Development & The Demand For New Skills: How Do You Structure Your Team Optimally (Alexandra Tarazi, Executive Director of Health Information and Communication Technology at Public Health Care Corporation)
How to Recover from a Ransomware Attack: Cyber Recovery Services (Hakan Dincel, Regional Manager at GlassHouse)
Combining NetOps with SecOps to Break Down Cyber Security Silos (Sammy Elyan, Business Development Manager at Fortinet)

End users can attend the event free of charge, and registrations are already open. Besides the opportunity to hear what some of the brightest and most talented people in the ICT sector have to say, attendees will also have the chance to win exclusive prizes, take home personalized caricatures, and watch entertainment events.

The IDC Qatar CIO Summit 2022 will take place ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is scheduled to happen in Qatar from November 20th to December 18th, 2022. The 2022 FIFA World Cup is expected to attract many international visitors who have no previous experience with the plethora of new digital products and services introduced in recent years by Qatari organizations.

According to 2022 IDC research, CIOs in Qatar have rapidly digitalized operations and enabled new digital business models and ecosystem partnerships for the tournament and beyond, with 70 percent of them successfully increasing cost efficiencies as a result.

The technology implementations carried out by CIOs in Qatar include process automation, cloud migration, and the development of agile infrastructure, just to give three examples. Together, they help drive the country’s digital economy and expand its ICT ecosystem by creating a sustained demand for competitive IT services and solutions.

IDC was founded in 1964 by American businessman Patrick Joseph McGovern. Since then, its worldwide network of analysts, who offer global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 110 countries, has exceeded 1,300. You can learn more about IDC and the IDC Qatar CIO Summit on its official website.

News

UAE’s Etihad Rail Launches In 2026 — What You Need To Know

A 1,200 km passenger network will transform public transport, with 11 connected cities, and high-speed trains cutting inter-emirate travel times.

Published

1 day ago

May 19, 2025

Nour Nasir

Etihad Rail

Etihad Rail has confirmed that its long-anticipated passenger train service will officially launch in 2026, ushering in a new era of high-speed, inter-emirate travel. The UAE’s national railway developer shared the announcement on X (formerly Twitter), as work continues on a 1,200 km passenger network set to connect 11 cities across all seven emirates.

The news marks a major leap in public transportation for the country, with passenger trains designed to reach speeds of up to 200 km/h. Travel times will be significantly reduced — Abu Dhabi to Dubai is expected to take just under an hour, while the journey to Fujairah will be cut to around 105 minutes. A separate high-speed line, capable of reaching 350 km/h, is also in the works to link Abu Dhabi and Dubai in just 30 minutes.

The backbone of the network was completed in 2023, when Etihad Rail launched its 900 km freight service linking key industrial and logistics hubs across the UAE, including ports in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Fujairah. Now, the focus has shifted to passenger infrastructure.

The first station will be located in Sakamkam, Fujairah city centre, and a second is confirmed near University City in Sharjah. Dubai’s main station is expected to be adjacent to Jumeirah Golf Estates Metro Station, while Abu Dhabi’s is anticipated along the corridor separating Mussafah Industrial Area and Mohammed Bin Zayed City.

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Once completed, the passenger network will link cities including Al Sila, Al Ruwais, Al Mirfa, Dubai, Sharjah, Al Dhaid, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. Integration with Oman is also part of the long-term vision. A new cross-border project — Hafeet Rail — will span 303 km between Sohar and Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba area. Developed by Etihad Rail in collaboration with Oman Rail and Mubadala, the link is expected to deepen trade and tourism ties between the two countries.

Etihad Rail’s passenger trains will carry up to 400 passengers each and feature Wi-Fi, entertainment systems, charging points, and onboard food and beverage options to ensure a comfortable experience. To further simplify access, passengers will be able to pay with their nol cards, thanks to a partnership between Etihad Rail and Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The collaboration aims to integrate fare payments and booking systems under one unified platform.