GITEX 2024: From Strategic Partnerships to Global Tech Innovations

There are many different tech events that bring together the global tech community from all over the world every year. GITEX Global 2024, held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from October 14-18, was one of the prominent ones among others, featuring an incomparable display of innovation, ambition, and collaboration. The event gathered international tech giants, leading governments, visionary startups, and industry enthusiasts under one roof, focusing on the latest technology developments and specifically highlighting the AI-centric transformation of Dubai. 

AI - the star attraction of GITEX 2024 - captivated all kinds of audiences with its groundbreaking potential while industry leaders and tech pioneers put on display transformative AI innovations across sectors, from digital finance to healthcare, from sustainable tech to education, transportation and more. It is apparent that the UAE is heavily investing in the development of AI in all these sectors, with a huge focus on education, preparing future generations to be AI-savvy. 

According to the Director General of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, Helal Saeed Al Marri, the country is second only to the USA in attracting top talent in AI. He also claimed that they want to develop AI with only one condition, that it will be used ethically, and with the sole purpose to improve people’s lives, without causing misalignment with their values. While GITEX Global focused on showcasing the innovative and game-changing power of AI, it also highlighted the importance of its responsible use, addressing ethical, social, and environmental concerns. 

Our team at Spark, our people and strategy management platform, had the opportunity to be present at GITEX Global 2024 too, engaging with fellow tech enthusiasts and industry experts to share knowledge on the latest trends and innovation in AI and beyond. It was a unique chance for us to connect with potential partners, be inspired from the impressive lineup of technologies, and contribute to the conversations on the future of AI and its impact on people and strategy management solutions. 

Interview with the Spark Team on GITEX Global 2024

We talked to our representatives at GITEX Global, Susanna Aleksanyan, Product Sales Manager at Spark, and Inesa Asatryan, Business Development Manager at VOLO, who shared their insights with us from the event, highlighting key trends, innovative solutions, and the exciting discussions they participated in that will shape the future of technology.

What were your overall impressions of GITEX Global 2024 as an attendee?

Susanna: It was an event of such scale that you cannot even find the right words to describe it. The organization of the whole event was on next level. So many people and so much diversity in a single place - it was both very inspiring and a bit anxiety-inducing as well. 

Inesa: GITEX Global 2024 in Dubai was an explosion of innovation, culture, and networking. It spanned 40+ halls across two locations (Dubai World Trade Center and Dubai Harbour). This setup allowed for an extensive showcase of technological advancements and featured dedicated spaces for sectors like artificial intelligence, smart cities, and health tech. It was a wonderful experience to be a part of.

How did this year’s event stand out in terms of showcasing new technologies and innovations?

Susanna: This year everything was focused on AI. AI in Healthtech, EdTech, Fintech, and in sustainability solutions (like smart cities, clean energy, and mobility). The other highlights included Blockchain and Cybersecurity (especially innovations related to AI-threat detection, zero-trust architecture, and other innovations in the field).

Inesa: Discussions on the use of AI in important fields, such as its possible role in digital governance, business transformation, and election security, took center stage. Prominent companies such as Google, Microsoft, and NVIDIA demonstrated breakthroughs that have the potential to transform sectors including healthcare and finance. The side events included in-depth discussions and workshops on ethical AI applications, machine learning, and natural language processing.

How did you approach networking and building connections at GITEX Dubai?

Susanna: Networking and building connections started way before the event itself. Using the mobile app, we found the target companies we wanted to interact with and connected with them via the GITEX Plus app. 

So, first we approached the companies we had already interacted with beforehand. 

It’s also important to mention that there were spontaneous meetings and interactions during the event itself which turned out to be productive as well since they opened a new perspective for us.  

Inesa: As Sussanna already mentioned, we had some more or less beforehand planned meetings at the event. Other than that, I want to note that events like GITEX extend the generous opportunity to meet people from various countries, cultures, and descents. As a visitor, being open to different backgrounds is vital - it lays ground for real human connection and networking that won’t fizzle out after the event is over. 

Most attendees are open to chit-chatting, no matter how intimidating they seem, so that was an important thing to keep in mind as well when approaching different booths.

Did you have productive meetings with potential clients, partners, or vendors?

Susanna: Our main objective was to find partners in the MENA region and not just find clients for the product. We look for long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships that are based on trust and loyalty. This is why we mainly interacted with consulting companies as well as companies providing system integrations for their clients. 

Inesa: Our main objectives at the expo were to present our People and Strategy Management Platforms - StratEx and Spark, and to explore partnership opportunities. Luckily, even with the huge scale of the event, we were able to find companies who were interested in collaboration in different formats. We are hopeful that our discussions will lead to lasting connections with companies based in the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the USA, and the UK. 

Were there any unexpected conversations or opportunities that emerged from informal interactions?

Susanna: Yes, there were a few opportunities that emerged from informal interactions and they turned out even better than some of those planned beforehand. 

Inesa: It’s always easier networking in smaller groups and more informal environments. I recall an interesting connection made through matching accommodation, where we met GITEX participants at breakfast and exchanged contacts. 

Which talks or panels did you attend, and what were the most valuable takeaways? Were there any sessions that particularly resonated with our company’s services?

Susanna: While I wasn't able to attend specific sessions, I closely followed GITEX 2024's key trends and innovations, particularly in AI and HR tech. The event's focus on AI-driven solutions and cybersecurity aligned with the latest demands for secure, people-centered strategies in digital workplaces. For instance, one panel explored AI's role in predictive talent management, showcasing tools that analyze employee engagement, skills gaps, and career growth, which is closely related to Spark's emphasis on optimizing people strategy.

Additionally, cybersecurity discussions underscored a strong trend towards zero-trust architectures and cloud security - this is important since organizations increasingly rely on cloud-based people and strategy platforms like Spark. GITEX also featured talks on workforce empowerment through digital transformation, emphasizing the importance of integrating strategy and employee engagement within software solutions, a core area Spark addresses in its services.

Inesa: Given the immense volume of attendees, booths and halls of the exhibition our main focus was visiting as many companies as possible. This left little time for me also to attend keynote panels and talks. However, the IBM x KPMG Risk Hub talk on managing the Governance, Risk and Compliance in companies through AI was quite insightful  - it provided a good retrospective on the increasing amount of innovations since the industrial revolution and stressed the need to be prepared on all accounts (government, company, citizen).

What were the major trends in people and strategy management or emerging tech discussed at the event? How do these trends align with our company’s direction? 

Susanna: The major trends were the following:
 
   - AI-enhanced decision-making, workforce analytics, and cybersecurity.
   - AI and Predictive Analytics for Talent Management: Many panels emphasized AI-driven solutions that provide predictive insights into workforce needs, engagement levels, and retention strategies. Spark provides extensive reports on Talent Management and different AI solutions in this regard.
   - Data Privacy: Data privacy is a top priority at the moment taking into account the increasing digital transformation of companies. Spark is a cloud-first, multi-tenant, and a very secure solution so this resonated with the panel discussions regarding data protection. 
   - Digital Transformation and Employee Empowerment: GITEX also highlighted the role of digital transformation in empowering employees. These align well with Spark's mission to integrate people-focused strategies with digital tools, making it easier for companies to execute on strategic priorities while keeping employees motivated and engaged.

Based on your observations and conversations, what market opportunities did you identify for our company?

Susanna: While GITEX Global was not really about in-depth conversations, I did identify some market opportunities for Spark:
 
   - AI-Powered People Analytics: Enhancing the Analytics is one of the directions that Spark is moving toward. 
   - Cybersecurity and Cloud-Based Solutions: There was a huge trend on every tool becoming cloud-based rather than on premise. Spark is a cloud-first solution so this is also a good opportunity to shine.
   - High Customization and Easy Integrations with Other Tools: I found out that even though there are legacy products in this field, they are not highly customizable and/or cannot be integrated with other tools to streamline processes. Spark is highly customizable and thanks to its APIs, can be integrated with any tool. 

Inesa: The Middle East region as a whole is relatively new for us but what was found through our sales department research proved to be true during GITEX 2024. There are plenty of projects to provide IT services with as the GULF countries are moving forward at an unprecedented pace and digital solutions are prioritized on a government level. This means that once we find our niche target we have an immense potential of penetrating the market. An important takeaway is building fruitful partnerships with local companies. 

What are the top insights from GITEX Global 2024 that we can apply to our people and strategy management?

Inesa: Some of the key insights that we were already familiar with but could always improve on were about emphasizing sustainability in company strategy, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and ecosystem development through strategic partnerships.

How can we leverage the networking and knowledge gained from GITEX Dubai to accelerate our growth?

Susanna: The short answer would be, we need to expand to the MENA market. The MENA region is a buzzing tech hub growing at such a rapid pace, it’s even hard to comprehend. Becoming a part of this ecosystem could really accelerate our growth. 

Inesa: The knowledge gained from the event will be vital for our upcoming local and international events. We gained interesting insights on the organizational aspect of the event which can be used locally but with a smaller ratio given the number of attendees. For upcoming international events we now have more experience on planning our visits and making it efficient even with limited resources and unplanned circumstances. 

Parting Thoughts 

GITEX Global 2024 provided Spark with a valuable platform to engage with key industry leaders and forward-thinking professionals in AI and people and strategy management. Our representatives, Susanna Aleksanyan and Inesa Asatryan, maximized the networking opportunities and gathered insights to help drive Spark’s future strategies. The event, once again, highlighted Spark’s commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation, ensuring our solution evolves along with the latest advancements in technology and meets the dynamic needs of people-centric management.

If you are not sure whether or not your business needs a people and strategy management solution, feel free to contact our experts at Spark.work and let them guide you in your journey of improving the potential of your workforce and ensuring alignment of strategic goals across your organization.