GITEX Global 2023 may not get much publicity in Europe (yet). But the self-styled "world's largest and most inclusive tech event" celebrated its 43rd "edition" this year across two cavernous venues: the Dubai World Trade Centre and Dubai Harbour. It isn't just another impressive reminder of the burgeoning potential in the Middle East market. This year's show also provided CONTEXT with an invaluable opportunity to strengthen existing and build new partnerships with local distributors in the region. A growing force in global IT,  the Middle East is an increasingly important region for IT consumption. Despite the region as a whole suffering falling GDP growth this year due to high inflation and subdued oil prices, the technology industry is on a strong growth trajectory. Estimates predict IT spending will surge by 4% annually in 2024 to exceed $183bn, fuelled by ambitious government initiatives like Saudi Vision 2030 and Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030. These long-term projects aim to diversify the local economies of the Middle East away from a historic over-reliance on oil. Digital transformation lies at the heart of these initiatives, driven by government and foreign investment. They are moving fast, thanks partly to the fact that there's a relative dearth of legacy IT infrastructure in the region.

GITEX (Gulf Information Technology Exhibition) Global has been a showcase and a rallying call for this ambition for several decades. The strength and confidence of the current regional IT market is evidenced by its expansion to an estimated two million sq. ft of exhibition space. In fact, there are seven co-located tech events held under the GITEX banner: Global DevSlam, X-VERSE, Ai Everything, Fintech Surge, Marketing Mania, Future Blockchain Summit, and North Star Dubai.

AI everywhere

The theme for this year's event was: "The Year to Imagine AI in Everything." It couldn't have been a better fit, given that the past 12 months has seen generative AI (GenAI) in particular break through into mainstream and boardroom consciousness, thanks to ChatGPT and other large language model (LLM) technologies. At the show, there was plenty of discussion among keynote speakers, attendees and exhibitors about how the technology is already being embedded into a range of practical applications.

Compelling speakers included Dr. Luc Julia, Chief Scientific Officer of Renault Group and co-creator of Apple's AI-powered digital assistant Siri. He brought the subject to life by dispensing with the theoretical and helping the audience understand how AI is impacting the world around us today. And the value it can generate for businesses.

A networking nexus

GITEX Global 2023 wasn't just about AI. The exhibition floor offered a panoramic view of the latest technology innovations-from augmented reality to blockchain and sustainable tech. That offered CONTEXT a chance to dive deeper into global technology trends, whilst at the same time  taking the pulse of the local IT market.

As in previous years GITEX transcended the conventional boundaries of a trade show, serving as a nexus for networking and collaboration with industry professionals, decision-makers, and enthusiasts. However this year's exhibition held special significance for our company, playing a pivotal role in our growth trajectory through the strengthened relationships we cultivated with key businesses in the Middle East channel.

Gaining insight into local markets

CONTEXT has for over three decades delivered critical market insight, analysis and intelligence to help channel leaders make better business decisions. And although we're established in close to 40 countries now, there's always opportunity for further growth. That's why we are investing in the expansion our capabilities in regions such as Asia Pacific, Latin America, and of course the Middle East and Africa.Relationship and in-person interaction has always been the key to developing a successful business in the Middle East, and  in that respect, GITEX Global 2023 has been a crucial stepping stone for CONTEXT, seeing old friends, affirming existing relationships and paving the way for a revolution of the Channel in the region. Stay tuned for more.