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Many project management offices (PMOs) today are stuck in an outdated, theory-heavy approach to project management. Layers of governance and rigid processes, though taught by well-meaning theorists, end up bogging things down instead of accelerating strategic delivery. Why? For starters, project managers are often hired based on their certifications, signaling that their value lies in the credentials they hold. Naturally, they focus on applying everything they’ve learned in training, assuming that more process equals better results. Unfortunately, this turns many project managers into perfectionists of process rather than drivers of business value. Delivery teams, meanwhile, are rarely taught to measure the business impact of their projects. Instead, they default to what they know: tracking progress. Success becomes all about the triple constraint — time, cost, and scope — while the bigger question of whether the project is actually advancing the organization’s strategy goes unanswered. Redefining the role of a PMO If your goal is to accelerate the delivery of your strategy, a well-structured PMO can be a powerful asset, but only if you rethink its purpose and redefine its goals. When aligned with business priorities and focused on delivering outcomes that matter, a PMO becomes much more than a task management function. It becomes the engine that drives your organization’s success. source

During the summit, His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications noted than 55 years ago, the UAE didn’t even exist as a nation. In a region where every opportunity represents an opportunity for growth, Oracle’s mission has always been clear: to help businesses and governments unlock their full potential through technology. As Oracle continues to expand its footprint in the Middle East, its focus remains on fostering growth, empowering innovation, and ensuring that local organizations can take advantage of the latest technologies to transform their industries. What’s Next? The Future of Oracle in the Middle East Looking ahead, Oracle’s commitment to the Middle East is set to strengthen further with its continued expansion of cloud infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. Oracle recently announced the opening of a new cloud region in the Kingdom, marking a significant step in its efforts to support the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to diversify the economy and boost technological innovation. This new region will provide local businesses with enhanced access to Oracle’s cloud services, driving the adoption of AI, data analytics, and enterprise applications. With AI at the core of Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation, Oracle’s expansion will play a key role in enabling local organizations to leverage cutting-edge technologies to accelerate growth and innovation. As Oracle expands its footprint in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East, the company is focusing on fostering the region’s digital economy and supporting its AI-driven initiatives. The new cloud regions will provide the necessary infrastructure for businesses to scale their operations and for government entities to implement smarter, more efficient services. source

Overview Welcome back to another insightful episode of CIO Leadership Live Middle East. In today’s episode, we had the privilege of hearing from Abdullah Al Bahkali, the Head of Cybersecurity at Giesecke+Devrient KSA.Abdullah shared his fascinating 18-year journey into the world of cybersecurity, revealing how his early experiences in IT gradually led him to discover the critical role cybersecurity plays in enabling business continuity and growth. He discussed the evolving landscape of security, where it’s no longer just about defense but about aligning security strategy with overall business objectives. His approach ensures that cybersecurity isn’t just a protective measure, but a strategic enabler for organizations to thrive, all while managing risks and safeguarding valuable assets.Stay tuned as we continue to explore the strategic importance of cybersecurity with industry leaders like Abdullah and gain deeper insights into the ever-changing landscape of technology and leadership. Register Now source

Remember to keep the lights on With all the commotion around gen AI, many IT leaders aren’t spending enough time on the other things they should be doing. “The emphasis on efficient operations needs to come back,” says Prasad. “At some point, it’ll come back to you if you lose sight of the fundamentals of your job.” IT leaders should never forget that keeping the lights on (KTLO) remains a foundation of success, says Neal Sample, SVP and CIO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. While AI may be an exciting proposition, KTLO often offers a more certain payoff. Modernizing systems, consolidating platforms, and retiring obsolete solutions reduce complexity and create a more agile environment. “These steps not only lower costs and improve productivity, but also make IT more capable of supporting priorities like AI,” says Sample. For example, AI thrives on clean, reliable data, making traditional IT practices like data governance and integration indispensable. Poor-quality data undermines even the best AI models, reinforcing the importance of foundational IT work. “Stable IT operations ensure that AI-embedded tools work as intended, minimizing disruptions and preserving trust,” says Sample. “The exciting potential of AI simply can’t be realized without the solid groundwork KTLO provides.” source

AI is set to transform business operations, with the complex area of procurement ripe for digital innovation that will drive tangible impact. Procurement plays a crucial role in organizational success because it directly impacts operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and customer satisfaction. However, supply chains are becoming more complex, and teams often lack real-time visibility into the movement of goods, leading to delays and difficulties in managing inventory. By investing in digital transformation — and purpose-built AI solutions designed for the supply chain in particular — procurement teams can overcome these challenges, keeping costs in check while ensuring the right products are delivered to the right people on time. Procurement challenges According to Gartner, 90% of procurement leaders expect supply chains to become even more complex over the next two years. [1] “This complexity comes from system data and processes — all becoming more intricate as procurement takes on broader responsibilities,” GEP Director of Product Marketing Alex Zhong said in a recent webinar. “Procurement is no longer just focusing on cost savings; it now has to manage risk and sustainability.” Procurement teams are also held back by operational efficiencies stemming from inconsistent workflows, leading to delays that hinder operational agility. Manual repetitive tasks further exacerbate these issues, creating scalability challenges that limit the ability to respond quickly to market demands. Making matters worse, many organizations struggle to integrate procurement systems with other enterprise tools, which creates data silos that hurt collaboration. The absence of real-time visibility into supply chain operations only compounds these problems, preventing teams from making data-driven decisions quickly. On top of this, evolving customer demands are forcing teams to build faster, more efficient procurement processes to stay competitive. Organizations must therefore adopt AI to build a procurement function that can meet the demands of a dynamic, and increasingly digitized, economy. How AI can help AI is transforming procurement with real-time tracking and visibility capabilities that provide end-to-end supply chain transparency. In fact, one manufacturer reported a 95% increase in real-time supply chain visibility after implementing GEP’s AI solutions. This improved insight enables teams to make faster, more intelligent decisions to optimize procurement. What’s more, AI reduces lead times by streamlining processes, improving supplier relationships, and enhancing inventory management. With smarter tools, procurement teams can ensure timely deliveries and maintain ideal stock levels, avoiding costly overstock and shortages. At the same time, AI can automate repetitive tasks, transforming workflows; the same manufacturer increased automation levels from 20% to 80% with AI, giving their team more time to focus on strategic initiatives. AI is also reshaping the way the manufacturer manages contracts. “We expect that in the nine months, almost 75% of their contracts will be authored, amended, and managed using AI — what we call total orchestration of contracts,” said Santosh Nair, GEP’s Chief Product Officer. Additionally, AI ensures compliance and helps teams hit key milestones by monitoring processes and flagging potential risks. Taken together, all of these benefits can help teams set the standard for what procurement excellence looks like in 2025 and beyond. To learn more about how AI can optimize your procurement function, watch the full discussion. [1] Gartner, Radically Rethinking Supply Chain Reorganization, October 2024 source

“The role will likely remain in the C-suite as long as data is the differentiator,” he says. “Data is important for modern enterprises, and as AI evolves, having someone who can manage, protect, and strategically utilize that data is crucial.” However, CDOs need to demonstrate measurable value, such as operational efficiencies, new revenue from data-driven services, or improved compliance and transparency, Kearney says. “These outcomes will establish the CDO as an essential role rather than a temporary one,” he adds. Like many CDOs, Kearney sees the role as in a state of evolution, and CDOs need the vision required to translate multimodal data into valuable business insights, he says. source

“Public safety and innovation will inevitably pull in different directions when it comes to regulations,” said Abhishek Sengupta, Practice Director at Everest Group. “Most nations recognize the criticality of AI in preserving and enhancing their national influence on the global stage. Amidst this, it seems likely that at least in the near term, regulations may cede to the need for immediate AI innovation.” While industry voices have welcomed the removal of regulatory constraints, some experts warn that the lack of oversight could lead to uneven implementation and governance challenges. “Deregulation can spark short-term innovation, giving US enterprises the flexibility to experiment and deploy AI at speed,” said Abhivyakti Sengar, Senior Analyst at Everest Group. “However, repealing Biden’s AI executive order risks creating a fragmented landscape with uneven governance standards. Without clear frameworks, enterprises could also struggle to adopt AI responsibly, weakening America’s leadership by fostering inconsistent, patchwork solutions.’” source