Every year Dubai hosts Gitex Tech Week, the largest technology exchange and marketplace for the Middle East & Africa. Taking place from 16th– 20th October at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the event brings together some of the biggest influencers and brands in technology.
Lloyd Cremer, Alex Hartley and Chris Redmond will all be attending from Salt. This is what they had to say in the lead up to the event:
Lloyd Cremer, Practice Lead
Is this your first year at Gitex? Yes! And I can’t wait!
What are you most looking forward to at Gitex this year? I really love the Dubai Start-up scene, so I’m looking forward to networking in the community of the most exciting new and disruptive technology-driven businesses in the UAE.
What makes it different from other tech events? Gitex creates more of a buzz in the industry than any other event in the region, people are talking about it for weeks before and are still talking about it for weeks after. It is an event of real scale, bringing together in one place over 4,000 global technology thought leaders, over 400 start-ups from over 60 countries. It’s a truly global event with an international feel, which is different to any other in this region.
How do you see digital and tech has changed in the Middle East in recent years? It’s all about investment and start-ups for me. In recent years there seems to be no end of exciting new start-ups, often very well-funded, popping up in the region. Initiatives such as Sheikh Mohammed’s 2bn Dirham innovation fund, the Dubai Futures Accelerator, Turn8 and Astrolabs give you just a taster of the kind of support there is out there for the Digital Start-up scene in the region. If ever there is a time to follow your dream of starting up a business in the UAE, it’s now!
How can people get in touch with you at the event? Drop me a call or whatsapp on 056 8222 394.
Chris Redmond, Managing Director EMEA
Is this your first year at Gitex? Yes
What are you most looking forward to at Gitex? Seeing who is represented, picking up on local themes around digital transformation and asking questions about what human capital needs exist in the digital arena in the Middle East.
What makes Gitex different from other tech events? The size and nature of the region. There are very few regions that come anywhere close to the Middle East when it comes to the speed of development in both political and commercial evolution. Saudi Arabia is one of the countries where the digital revolution is being adopted at national government level fastest.
How do you think digital and tech has changed in the Middle East in recent years? The way that banking and governments have adopted digital. Seeing new technology being embraced at this level means the population across the Middle East will have to use advanced digital tech in the day to day lives at work and home. I can’t think of any other global region driving digital traction in the public and commercial sectors as passionately as the Middle East.
How can people get in touch with you at the event? My email, Twitter and mobile
Alexandra Hartley, Consultant – Digital Sales
Is this your first year at Gitex? Yes
What are you most looking forward to at Gitex this year? Checking out the new gadgets, technology, start-ups and meeting new & interesting techie people!
What makes it different from other tech events? There is no other tech event that EVERYONE knows about like Gitex! It’s like the Dubai Oscars for technology!
How do you see digital and tech has changed in the Middle East in recent years? Two ‘buzz words’ that I hear a lot: Programmatic and “Digital Transformation” so that’s where I see BIG changes happening!
How can people get in touch with you at the event? I’ll be on my LinkedIn and emails so feel free to drop me a message.
You can find out more about Gitex here.
Find software engineer jobs in Dubai with Salt, a global Digital Recruitment Agency Dubai
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Every year Dubai hosts Gitex Tech Week, the largest technology exchange and marketplace for the Middle East & Africa. Taking place from 16th– 20th October at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the event brings together some of the biggest influencers and brands in technology.
