DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION SUMMIT UAE 2026

This keynote delivers a much-needed reality check: the true value of AI emerges not from tools alone but from how an enterprise thinks, learns, and adapts. For CIOs, CTOs, and forward-thinking C-suite leaders, this means reframing AI as a strategic enabler, much like ERP or cloud computing once were—integrated across functions and deeply embedded in decision-making processes.

• How Quantum AI enhances machine learning by leveraging quantum systems
• Transformative potential across industries
• The imminent threat of quantum decryption and the vulnerability of RSA/ECC
• AI’s evolving role in proactive and adaptive cyber defence
• Governance and frameworks to ensure equitable access and responsible development
• Standards development for ethical and secure Quantum AI use
• Building internal capabilities for a quantum-accelerated future
• Understanding timelines: What’s hype, what’s real, and what’s next?

The road to scaled deployment is riddled with challenges: misapplied use cases, ballooning costs, and inadequate oversight mechanisms. Many projects stall in the proof-of-concept stage or are quietly cancelled due to unclear ROI or unresolved risks. As AI agents are given greater autonomy, robust governance is no longer optional—it’s essential. 2025 will see the rise of “AI Governance Platforms,” offering policy enforcement, audit trails, and role-based access as core infrastructure for deploying agentic systems responsibly.

This session explores how organizations can prepare their people and culture for meaningful AI integration by focusing on three essential pillars: Enablement, Governance, and Growth. From leadership alignment to training, transparent communication, and stakeholder engagement, successful adoption demands more than implementation; it requires trust, purpose, and a human-centered approach.

• High-impact use cases in IT, agile development, procurement, and customer service
• Foundations for successful GenAI scaling: data, infrastructure, and talent readiness
• Aligning IT operating models with shifting enterprise priorities
• Establishing clear policies, ethical guardrails, and regulatory frameworks
• Communicating risks and value effectively across the C-suite
• The CIO's role in fostering an innovation-ready culture
• Reinvention-readiness: What CIOs must prioritise to keep pace with evolving tech and market forces

• Managing multi-vendor quality and hardware inconsistencies
• Standardizing configurations to simplify support and IT management
• Identifying and prioritizing tech debt across legacy applications and hardware
• Creating a phased strategy for IT asset rationalization
• Aligning IT, procurement, and business units for collaborative decision-making
• Establishing clear evaluation criteria: security, scalability, supportability
• Negotiation tactics and vendor management best practices for long-term success

• Why organizations struggle to link digital and AI investments to bottom-line outcomes
• Moving from pilots to enterprise-scale initiatives that deliver sustainable value
• Defining and aligning success metrics across the C-suite
• Bridging the disconnect between CIO, CTO, CDO, and CFO roles
• Strategies for integrating financial oversight with digital execution
• Building shared roadmaps for cross-departmental transformation
• The CFO’s evolving role in funding, validating, and de-risking innovation