Laying the groundwork for a successful digital future

A fast-growing non-oil sector, new investments, and greater private and public consumption across Qatar will further boost the nation’s GDP in the coming years.

Supporting this boom are emerging technologies and innovations across a wide range of verticals. In an exclusive interview with Tahawul Tech, Travers Nicholas, Managing Director – Qatar at Dell Technologies, spoke to us about how Dell is helping Qatar harness these opportunities. He further shared insight on what it means to empower businesses and what it takes to become a trusted digital transformation advisor to organisations in Qatar.

1. What will be the key technologies that will champion change for businesses in Qatar over the coming year?

It is clear that 2024 is going to be dominated by some very powerful technologies. According to IDC, the annual digital transformation spending in the META region is projected to reach $74 billion by 2026.  Key trends and technologies driving this change over the next decade include advancements in AI and ML, Edge, cybersecurity and multicloud.

In order to thrive in the digital landscape of the future, organisations must be adept at navigating these transformative shifts. We believe modernising infrastructure, migrating to multi-cloud, building connected workforces, securing critical assets and more – are all elements that will lay the groundwork for a successful digital future, one that is aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030. It is imperative that businesses maintain a steadfast focus on advancing innovation to achieve positive business outcomes.

2. How is Dell helping enterprises in Qatar navigate this age of digital transformation?

From AI and edge computing to multi-cloud solutions and augmented reality, these groundbreaking innovations are revolutionizing business processes by introducing fresh opportunities for increased efficiency, enhanced customer interaction, and market competitiveness. Across Qatar, we’re seeing newer technologies play a bigger role in facilitating an agile flow between organisations, employees, customers and partners. Today our customers from sectors including telecoms, travel, education, retail, public sector, healthcare, banking and more, are looking for end-to-end enterprise-wide AI solutions.

We remain committed to helping organisations accelerate their digital transformation, building resilience and agility through IT simplicity, digital innovation and more. Dell’s end-to-end portfolio of solutions are helping businesses thrive in today’s digital economy. We believe innovation and technology are the driving forces behind human progress, shaping the way we live and work. We are excited about what the future holds for Qatar, especially as technology plays a fundamental role in strengthening its economy.

3. In your opinion, what are the primary obstacles confronting organisations?

Organisations face several obstacles, especially when attempting to undergo digital transformation efforts.  These challenges can vary from legacy systems to lack of an innovation roadmap.  Over and above this, however, are the top five unresolved challenges that hinder an organisation’s growth. These include the future of work, multi-cloud, AI, edge computing and cyber security.

The good news is that organisations can overcome obstacles by priming their people, processes and technology for innovation. It requires careful planning, strong leadership, investment in skills development, and a commitment to adapt and evolve as the digital landscape changes.

At Dell, what we design, and deliver is created to solve some of our customers’ greatest challenges. Our broad portfolio and capabilities are built on our ability to meet our customers’ greatest needs. From the PC to the core data centre to the cloud to the edge, creating deep customer insights and driving innovation is at the core of everything Dell does. We are uniquely positioned to deliver the solutions and expertise that turn organizations’ workforce, edge, data centre and cloud strategies into a single, powerful, modern IT strategy.

4. Would you tell us about Dell’s presence in Qatar and what does the year ahead look like?

Dell Technologies has been a part of Qatar’s business landscape for more than 30 years and has since supported some of the country’s leading public and private sector organisations with a wide range of advanced technologies. Over the years, Dell has become a trusted provider of hardware, software, cloud and digital solutions to companies across multiple sectors, including government, healthcare, education, banking and more.

Today, we are seeing several key technology growth areas that are specific to Qatar, including Cloud, Smart Cities, Digital Services, 5G, Edge Computing, AI and IOT. Our primary focus is to help our customers harness these transformation initiatives and thrive in a fast-evolving business landscape.

Over the last three decades, we have equipped local and global brands in Qatar to harness technology and build successful transformative businesses. We work closely with the public sector to help meet the nation’s growth vision. This long-standing commitment to Qatar has allowed us to demonstrate our expertise and today our customers and partners look to Dell to help them drive their IT strategies and infrastructure.

Technology has been vital to helping businesses tackle new challenges in innovative ways and driving them forward. In Qatar, our focus has always been to add value and support organisations with industry-leading solutions and services. In 2024, we are excited to continue this conversation and help Qatar businesses embrace emerging tech more efficiently.