Hitachi Data Systems shared a number of the key trends driving digital transformation in the Middle East, providing sector specific insight and data in the financial services, telecoms, government and oil and gas industries.
By 2018, digital transformation will be central to strategy for 67% of Global 2000 CEOs. Data continues to grow across the wider region at an alarming rate, and many organisations are struggling to get a grip on data regulations, making the risks of non-compliance or security breaches more likely. The rapid rise in business data within the GCC, Levant and North Africa, which is on a trajectory to grow YoY, means that the volume of information businesses need to store, manage and report on is becoming more difficult to govern.
Additionally, the types of data that need to be captured are increasingly complex, and include instant messaging, text, voice and social media interactions, so-called unstructured data. Hence, it is no surprise that since 2000, 52% of the names on the Fortune 500 list are gone.
Hitachi Data Systems works with companies in the Middle East and globally in order to put them on the journey towards digital transformation through the use of the data that they must make compliant within their own organisations. Many businesses simply do not yet have sophisticated enough technology, tools and policies in place to support this data, and, inevitably, legislation changes vary across borders and can expand rapidly.
However, strategies must be found as the consequences can be severe, data management costs skyrocket and companies face huge potential fines and long term damage to their organisation and brand. The rewards for companies are real, it is found that companies are truly reaping the benefits of their digital transformation initiatives from improving customer service, productivity and key innovation.
Earlier in the year, Hitachi and the city of Copenhagen joined forces to launch an integrated data platform. Copenhagen, Denmark, is aggressively moving towards becoming a smart, carbon neutral city by 2025 with smart city programmes such as smart lighting, sensor-based traffic management, intelligent business management and more.
“Given the global trend toward compliance and reporting in different industries, companies must adhere to specific data storage and management as part of their business requirements, not just in their local countries, but also across the world. We are finding that this process, along with the movement toward digital transformation, has companies moving in a very different direction. Successfully implementing a digital transformation enables companies to utilise information in order to better serve their clients while improving cost management,” said Peter Sjoberg, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Hitachi Data Systems.
Assaad El Saadi, General Manager, Middle East and Pakistan, Hitachi Data Systems added, “We are empowering our customers in this journey towards digital transformation. We have made substantial progress as an organisation across this region where we have continued to build and strengthen the ties with existing customers, and grow relationships by creating innovative solutions using HDS’ strategic approach. We are providing our customers with what we call the enablers for future technologies, like the Internet of Things, which is growing exponentially.”
A key enabler that Sjoberg and El Saadi discussed with customers in the Middle East is Hitachi Content Anywhere. It is a file sharing software for enterprises and service providers and is based on the Hitachi Content Platform object store. Hitachi Content Platform has received high scores in the Gartner 2016 Critical Capabilities for Object Storage report, published earlier this year. Hitachi Content Platform has become the platform of choice among organisations that have the most stringent security, compliance, cost efficiency and scale requirements. Many leading organisations entrust Hitachi Content Platform with their data, including leading banks, insurance organisations, media organisations, premium cable networks and construction companies.