The inaugural HR Tech Saudi Summit, organised by Dubai based QnA International, took place over two days, gathering policy leaders, key decision-makers and expert professionals from the HR and IT sectors in Saudi Arabia, at the Mövenpick Hotel, Riyadh.
The summit addressed the influx of technology into HR and the changing nature of work. The HR Tech MENA Summit was held in the UAE for the past four consecutive years and had led to numerous discussions, insightful exchanges and post-summit workplace conversations on implementation and change management.
“Its successful export to Saudi Arabia comes at an opportune time,” said Sidh NC, director, QnA International. “With the fast approaching changes in the country dictated by the implementation of government policy documents such as Vision 2030, business entities and government institutions will face immense changes. The summit was held amidst these currents of change, precisely to inform and discuss the various HR technologies that could be instrumental in the success of the organisation and implementation of the government policy.”
Some of the topics covered during the summit included, ‘The role of HR technology in the organisation’s digital transformation’; ‘The new digital world of work and how HR leads business transformation’; ‘AI and cognitive vs. hiring top expensive consultants’; ‘Building the organisation of the future’; ‘Reinventing HR’; ‘Leadership strategies to overcome human challenges in Saudi Arabia’; and ‘Shifting towards growing sustainable business through a global competent workforce’ amongst many others.
After one-and-half-days of panel discussions and keynote presentations on the newest trends, ideas and disruptions in HR technology, the HR Tech Saudi Summit broke into power packed roundtable discussions. Each of the three roundtables focused on a single topic, ensuring sufficient time for in-depth discussions. The topics for the roundtables were HR challenges in digital transformation, embracing modern HR technology to drive engagement and performance and the relationship between HR and IT.
The roundtable discussions proved to be a great medium of exchanging ideas that included experts from some of the leading IT firms, pioneering HR leaders, and government policy makers. “In addition to professionals discussing the prevalent challenges and opportunities inherent within the HR technology landscape, the results of the roundtables left us all with immense information to ponder on, in building future summits,” added Sidh NC.
Some of the influential speakers at HR Tech Saudi Summit included H.E Walid AbuKhaled, chief executive, Middle East, Northrop Grumman Corporation; Carle Quinn, Global VP, Human Resources, Digital HR Experience, SAP; Mohamed Emad El-Din, business unit executive, IBM Collaboration and Talent Solutions, Middle East and Africa; Bill Jensen, author, speaker, futurist, USA; Dato’ Rosman Bin Mohammed, managing director, Center of Excellence, Abdul Latif Jameel Motors; Bassam A. AlBokhari, chairman, Sustainable Development Council; Mohammad Hassoobah, CHRO, Tadawul; and Abraham Samuel, director of Corporate Development, Abdullah A.M. Alkhodari Sons Company among many other professionals and specialist who shared their expertise during panel discussions and the roundtables.
The inaugural HR Tech Saudi Summit was held from 20th to 21st November 2017.
