Overview
FUTURE OF AI IN DATA ANALYTICS SUMMIT (FAIDAS) makes its first Middle East debut in Dubai after a high-impact launch in India (2025). Building on the strong momentum of the India edition, FAIDAS Middle East is being introduced in response to growing demand from ecosystem leaders across the region—where AI, data platforms, and advanced analytics are rapidly becoming board-level priorities across governments and enterprises.
Hosted in Dubai on 20–21 May, FAIDAS Middle East is designed as a two-day strategic summit that convenes enterprise decision-makers, AI & data leaders, technology innovators, and regulators to explore how the region is deploying AI at scale, modernizing data ecosystems, and transforming real-world operations with measurable outcomes.
Why FAIDAS Middle East – Why Now
The Middle East is moving from AI ambition to AI execution at national and enterprise scale. With heavy investments in digital infrastructure, national AI strategies, cloud adoption, and smart governance models, the region is entering a phase where AI + data analytics is a competitive advantage—not an experiment.
FAIDAS Middle East positions itself as a platform focused on:
- Enterprise-grade AI deployment
- Data readiness & analytics modernization
- Responsible AI governance
- Industry transformation at scale
- ROI-led use cases across high-stakes sectors
Middle East Industry Landscape
FAIDAS Middle East will specifically spotlight industries where AI and analytics are mission-critical, regulation-heavy, and high-impact—making them the strongest engines for adoption and investment:
01
01
Energy, Oil & Gas, Petrochemicals
AI-driven predictive maintenance, operational intelligence, safety analytics, and optimization across upstream to downstream value chains.
02
02
Banking, Financial Services & Fintech
Fraud detection, risk intelligence, customer analytics, automation, compliance analytics, and next-gen credit & underwriting models.
03
03
Government, Smart Cities & Public Services
National data initiatives, digital identity ecosystems, citizen experience transformation, predictive governance, and city-scale analytics.
04
04
Aviation, Airports, Logistics & Supply Chain
Demand forecasting, route optimization, intelligent warehousing, supply chain visibility, and disruption-proof planning using real-time analytics.
05
05
Healthcare, Pharma & Life Sciences
Clinical data intelligence, patient outcome analytics, AI-assisted diagnostics, operational efficiencies, and future-ready healthcare systems.
06
06
Retail, E-commerce & Consumer Brands
Hyper-personalization, pricing intelligence, customer behavior analytics, inventory forecasting, and omnichannel optimization.
07
07
Real Estate, Construction & Infrastructure
Smart construction analytics, cost control, project risk forecasting, digital twins, and asset intelligence for large-scale developments.
08
08
Telecom, Cloud & Digital Services
Network analytics, customer intelligence, AI-enabled operations, and infrastructure readiness for scalable enterprise AI.
Speakers & Panelists
Ali Khalid
Head of Data Quality
leading airline in UAE
Olaf Penne
Lead Expert for Data Analytics & AI
Edge Bridge
Kevin Neogy
Group Head of Digital Transformation, AI & Robotics
The Kanoo Group
Gowtham Nair
Head of Data for Amazon Payments (MENA & APAC)
Amazon
Manish Agarwal
Chief Information Officer & Chief Information Security Officer
M.H. Enterprises LLC
Dr. Krishnadas Nanath
Deputy Head (CEI)
Middlesex University Dubai
Osama Morad
Chief Technology Officer & Founder
Orkatech
Dr. Hazem Ahmed
Lead Data Scientist and Head of GenAI Practice
Emirates Group
Prakash Logaiya
Group Head of Data & AI
Al-Futtaim
Gopi Maren
Chief Specialist
Data & AI Governance
Kirill Lyadov
Chief Data and Analytics Officer(CDAO)
R-Pharm
Manish Vaidya
Head of AI
Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi
Gyan Prakash Srivastava
Group Head Data Analytics, Data Governance and Regulatory Reporting
Mashreq
Abdelkader Es Slami Houssine
Director/AI e & enterprise
Etisalat
Sri Lakshmi Bannigol
Group Chief Information Officer
Switz Group
Deepak Kumar
Head of Data Science & AI
Alfuttaim Group
Wissam Al Adany
Group Chief Information Officer
Ades Holding
Krishnan Gopi
Group Chief Transformation Officer
Apparel Group
Introducing: FAIDAS ME 50 Power List
(Peer-Curated Recognition)
A major highlight of the summit will be the launch of the FAIDAS ME 50 Power List—a peer-curated recognition platform honoring 50 exemplary luminaries across AI, Data, and Data Analytics in the Middle East.
This recognition is an offshoot of a successful platform in India, now tailored for the Middle East ecosystem to celebrate:
Visionary Chief Data / AI leaders
Enterprise transformation champions
AI governance and responsible tech leaders
Analytics innovators driving
regional impact
regional impact
Builders of scalable data & AI platforms across industries
The FAIDAS ME 50 is designed to be credible, ecosystem-led, and outcomes-focused, reinforcing FAIDAS as not just a summit—but a recognition and leadership platform for the region.
FAIDAS Middle East: What the Summit Delivers
01
01
AI at Scale: From Pilots to Enterprise Deployment
Moving beyond experimentation into production-grade AI across core functions and business units.
02
02
Modern Data Foundations & Analytics Transformation
Data readiness, cloud migration, lakehouse strategies, metadata, governance, and building analytics-first operating models.
03
03
GenAI + Decision Intelligence for Real Business Outcomes
How enterprises are blending AI copilots, predictive analytics, and decision automation for measurable productivity and ROI.
04
04
Responsible AI, Governance, Risk & Compliance
AI ethics, security, regulatory readiness, model risk, explainability, and trust frameworks for high-stakes industries.
05
05
Industry Playbooks: High-Stake Sector Use Cases
Energy, BFSI, Government, Aviation & Logistics, Healthcare, Retail, Real Estate, Telecom — showcasing what’s working in the Middle East.
06
06
AI Talent, Org Design & Operating Models
The “how” of AI execution — CoEs vs federated models, AI leadership, data teams, skill-building, and change adoption.
07
07
Future Data Ecosystems: Real-Time, Edge, IoT & Platforms
Streaming analytics, edge intelligence, connected infrastructure, and next-gen enterprise architectures.
08
08
The AI-Ready Enterprise: Security, Cloud & Infrastructure
Compute, cloud stack, cybersecurity, sovereignty, interoperability, and scaling AI safely and sustainably.
FAIDAS Middle East – ROI Value Proposition & USP
FAIDAS Middle East is not a “talking summit.”
It is a deal-making, peer-led, enterprise outcomes platform built around high-stakes industries, where AI + data analytics is directly tied to:
It is a deal-making, peer-led, enterprise outcomes platform built around high-stakes industries, where AI + data analytics is directly tied to:
- operational efficiency
- risk reduction
- revenue acceleration
- compliance resilience
- decision intelligence
- faster time-to-production for AI
What makes FAIDAS ME different
01
01
High-stake industries only = faster budgets, higher conversion
FAIDAS ME is anchored around sectors that have clear AI spend, urgency, and real operational problems:
Energy | BFSI | Government | Aviation & Logistics | Healthcare | Retail | Telecom | Infrastructure
ROI impact: Sponsors meet buyers who already have allocated AI & data budgets and urgent transformation mandates.
02
02
Enterprise leadership density = shorter sales cycles
This is built for CXOs + functional heads—not general tech attendees.
ROI impact: Fewer “top-of-funnel” conversations, more mid-to-late funnel relationships with decision authority.
03
03
Execution-first agenda = high trust, high retention
FAIDAS prioritizes:
• implementation roadblocks
• deployment models
• adoption playbooks
• governance & risk
• real-world enterprise KPIs
ROI impact: Sponsors don’t have to “convince” the market—FAIDAS creates a trust environment where sponsors are evaluated as serious enablers.
04
04
Recognition ecosystem (FAIDAS ME 50) = influence and brand authority
The FAIDAS ME 50 powerlist becomes a permanent ecosystem asset, not just an on-stage moment.
ROI impact: Sponsors earn category credibility + ecosystem goodwill that improves:
• inbound interest
• brand recall
• leadership positioning
• partnership acceptance rates
05
05
Designed as a partnership platform, not just a conference
FAIDAS ME creates a structured environment where:
buyers + providers + regulators + innovators align around “what’s next”.
ROI impact: Converts event participation into:
• strategic alliances
• MoUs
• pilot programs
• cross-border deal access
• enterprise PoCs
Key Objectives of FAIDAS Middle East
Establish Dubai as the home for FAIDAS in the Middle East
A flagship platform aligned to the region’s pace of digital transformation and AI maturity.
Unite enterprise AI & data leaders across high-stakes industries
A leadership forum built for CXOs, Heads of Data/AI/Analytics, CTOs, CISOs, and transformation leaders.
Enable enterprise-grade adoption, not theoretical innovation
Curated discussions around implementation realities, enterprise challenges, and proven models.
Accelerate cross-industry learning and real partnerships
Driving collaborations between buyers, solution providers, regulators, innovators, and industry bodies.
Identify and celebrate regional excellence via FAIDAS ME 50
Launching a credible, peer-curated powerlist recognizing the region’s top AI + data luminaries.
Produce actionable direction for 2026–2028 AI investment cycles
Helping organizations benchmark priorities, budgets, and transformation pathways for the coming years.
Sponsor ROI Outcomes
Lead Quality - Lead Quantity
You generate fewer unqualified leads, more decision-driven opportunities.
Brand Authority in a credibility-first market
FAIDAS positions sponsors as ecosystem builders, not vendors.
Higher meeting-to-opportunity conversion
Because audience is pre-filtered by job seniority + industry relevance.
Faster enterprise access
Dubai-based HQ leaders + regional decision-makers in one place.
Multi-touchpoint visibility
On-stage + off-stage + recognition + networking = repeated brand influence.
Delegate ROI Outcomes (Why senior leaders attend)
- benchmark operating models
- validate investment priorities
- learn “what works” in the region
- meet solution providers without noise
- reduce AI adoption failure risks
- gain leadership visibility through FAIDAS ME 50 pathway
FAIDAS Middle East – Detailed Industry Landscape (Expected Participation %)
- BFSI & Fintech: 16–20%
- Government & Smart Cities: 12–15%
- Telecom, Cloud & Digital Infrastructure: 11–13%
- Energy, Oil & Gas & Utilities: 18–22%
- Aviation, Airports, Ports & Logistics: 10–12%
- Healthcare & Life Sciences: 8–10%
- Retail & E-commerce: 8–10%
- Real Estate, Construction & Infrastructure: 6–8%
- Consulting / System Integrators / Others: 6–10%
Who Attends
FAIDAS Middle East is designed for enterprise decision-makers and AI/data owners
responsible for strategy, execution, governance, and ROI.
responsible for strategy, execution, governance, and ROI.
C-Suite & Executive Leadership
- CEO | COO | CIO | CTO | CDO (Digital)
- Chief Data Officer (Data) | Chief Analytics Officer | Chief AI Officer
- Chief Transformation Officer | Chief Strategy Officer
- CISO | Chief Risk Officer
AI, Data & Analytics Leadership
- VP/Head of AI | Head of Data Science | Head of Machine Learning
- VP/Head of Data | Head of Data Engineering | Head of Data Platforms
- Head of BI / Advanced Analytics | Head of GenAI / Innovation Labs
- Head of Data Governance | Head of Data Quality / MDM
Technology, Platform & Architecture Leaders
- Head of Enterprise Architecture | Director – Cloud Platforms
- Director – Digital Transformation | Director – IT Strategy
- Data Architects | Analytics Architects | Platform Engineering Leads
Security, Risk, Governance & Compliance
- Head of Cybersecurity | Head of GRC
- Head of Privacy & Data Protection
- AI Governance / Model Risk Leaders | Compliance Analytics Heads
Business & Operations Leaders Driving AI Outcomes
- VP Operations Excellence | Head of Customer Experience (CX)
- Head of Supply Chain Analytics | Finance Transformation Leads
- Heads of Intelligent Automation | Contact Center Transformation
Attendee Demographics
Audience Seniority
- C-Level / EVP / SVP: 30–35%
- Director / Head of Department: 45–50%
- Senior Managers / Program Owners: 15–20%
80%+ of attendees are expected to be budget owners, transformation leaders, or final decision influencers.
Attendee Functions
- AI / Data / Analytics Leadership: 35–40%
- Technology / Cloud / Architecture / Platforms: 20–25%
- Business Transformation & Operations: 15–20%
- Cybersecurity / Risk / Governance: 10–15%
- Strategy / Innovation / Digital Programs: 8–12%
Organization Profile
Expected participation mix
- Enterprise End-Users / Buyers: 55–60%
- Technology Providers / Platform Vendors: 20–25%
- Consulting / System Integrators: 10–15%
- Government / Regulators / Authorities: 5–10%
Geography (Regional + Global Hub Audience)
- UAE-based leaders: 35–45%
- Saudi Arabia: 20–30%
- Wider GCC (Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait): 15–20%
- Extended MENA & Global HQ stakeholders: 10–15%
Ideal Attendance Volume
- 120–180 senior decision-makers (C-level + Heads)
- 30–40 expert speakers & contributors
- 25–40 solution providers & ecosystem partners
2 Day Program Agenda
DAY 1 – Market Outlook, Policy, Readiness & Adoption
08:00 – 09:00
08:00 – 09:00
Registration + Networking Breakfast
09:00 – 09:10
09:00 – 09:10
Welcome & Opening Remarks
09:10 – 09:55
09:10 – 09:55
Plenary Panel 1: Policy to Practice- Responsible AI & Data Governance in the Middle East
As AI adoption accelerates across the Middle East, enterprises must balance innovation with trust, compliance, and control. This plenary panel explores the region’s evolving regulatory landscape—covering data sovereignty, governance frameworks, model risk, privacy, cybersecurity, and responsible AI principles—and how leaders can build AI programs that are scalable, auditable, and aligned to national and sector regulations while enabling real business value.
09:55 – 10:20
09:55 – 10:20
Keynote: The Middle East AI & Data Outlook 2026–2028- What’s Next for Enterprise Transformation
A strategic address decoding the Middle East AI & data analytics landscape for 2026–2028, highlighting the region’s market momentum, investment priorities, policy direction, and the enterprise roadmap for scalable AI adoption and measurable ROI.
10:20 – 10:45
10:20 – 10:45
Sponsor Spotlight
10:45 – 11:15
10:45 – 11:15
Fireside Chat: From Experimentation to Execution; Scaling AI from Pilot to Production
A practical leader-to-leader conversation on what it truly takes to operationalize AI—building the right teams and operating model, overcoming deployment roadblocks, and establishing ROI and value-tracking frameworks that turn pilots into measurable enterprise outcomes.
11:15 – 11:45
11:15 – 11:45
Networking Break
11:45 – 12:30
11:45 – 12:30
Plenary Panel 2: Building the AI-Ready Data Enterprise- Modern Foundations for Scale
This panel explores how organizations across the Middle East are upgrading their data architectures to support enterprise AI—covering cloud modernization, lakehouse strategies, interoperability, real-time analytics, and platform readiness needed to drive faster insights, trusted data, and scalable adoption.
12:30 – 12:55
12:30 – 12:55
Showcase Talk: The AI Readiness Blueprint What Enterprises Must Fix Before Scaling AI
Before AI can deliver real business outcomes, organizations must strengthen the foundations that enable scale. This session outlines the essential readiness checklist—data quality, governance, security, operating model, and adoption planning—to ensure AI initiatives move beyond pilots into measurable, enterprise-wide impact.
12:55 – 13:55
12:55 – 13:55
Networking Lunch
13:55 – 14:40
13:55 – 14:40
Sector Mega Panel: AI at Scale in the Middle East High-Stakes Industry Transformation
This cross-industry mega panel brings together leaders from BFSI & Fintech, Government & Smart Cities, Energy & Utilities, and Aviation, Ports & Logistics to discuss how the Middle East is scaling AI and advanced analytics in high-stakes, mission-critical environments. The conversation will unpack real-world adoption journeys—from data readiness and governance to operational intelligence, risk and compliance, predictive decision-making, and measurable ROI. Speakers will also explore what it takes to move from pilots to enterprise-wide deployment while balancing trust, security, regulation, and speed of execution.
14:40 – 15:00
14:40 – 15:00
Sponsor Slot
15:00 – 16:00
15:00 – 16:00
Showcase Session (Unique Use-Case Format)
A rapid-fire showcase featuring 4 real enterprise AI & data analytics use cases from high-stakes industries such as BFSI, Government/Smart Cities, Telecom & Digital Infrastructure, Energy & Utilities, Aviation & Logistics, Healthcare, Retail, and Real Estate. Each case study will walk the audience through a clear execution journey — Business Problem → Data Approach → AI Model → Outcomes → ROI — focusing only on what has been implemented and measured.
Format: 15 minutes per use case total
- 10 minutes presentation (case study walkthrough)
- 5 minutes live Q&A (audience + moderator)
Total session time: 60 minutes for 4 use case
16:00 – 16:45
16:00 – 16:45
Closing Panel: The Productivity Stack- GenAI + Analytics + Automation at Enterprise Scale
The closing panel explores how leading organizations are combining GenAI copilots, predictive analytics, and intelligent workflow automation to unlock enterprise-wide productivity. Speakers will share what’s working in real deployments—covering adoption models, integration into business processes, and how to move from experimentation to measurable outcomes.
16:45
16:45
Onwards | Closing of Day one, High Tea & Networking
DAY 2 – Scale, Adoption & What’s Next in AI + Data + Analytics
08:00 – 09:00
08:00 – 09:00
Registration & Networking
09:00 – 09:15
09:00 – 09:15
Opening Address
09:15 – 10:00
09:15 – 10:00
Industry Panel - Scaling AI Across the Enterprise: From Successful Use Cases to Repeatable Capability
This cross-industry plenary panel unpacks how leading organizations are turning isolated AI wins into enterprise-wide capability. Speakers will share proven approaches to operating models (CoE vs federated teams), AI delivery governance, talent and execution structures, and how to scale beyond pilots with clear value tracking and accountability.
10:00 – 10:25
10:00 – 10:25
Sponsor Slot
10:25 – 10:50
10:25 – 10:50
Fireside Chat: The CIO/CDO Playbook, Lessons from Scaling Enterprise AI in MENA
A candid leadership dialogue sharing real-world lessons from the region’s AI scale journeys—what worked, what didn’t, and what enterprise leaders would do differently when it comes to data readiness, governance, talent, partner strategy, and delivering measurable business value.
10:50 – 11:15
10:50 – 11:15
Strategic Keynote: The Data-Driven AI Enterprise: Scaling Analytics, Operating Models & Measurable Business Value
A strategic keynote on how leading organizations are combining modern data foundations, advanced analytics, and AI adoption models to drive productivity, accelerate decisions, and deliver ROI at enterprise scale.
11:15 – 11:45
11:15 – 11:45
Networking Break
11:45 – 12:30
11:45 – 12:30
Beyond Dashboards: The New Analytics Stack for Decision Intelligence
This panel explores how enterprises are evolving from traditional BI to a new execution layer powered by predictive analytics, GenAI copilots, and intelligent automation—enabling faster decisions, smarter workflows, and measurable productivity gains across business functions.
12:30 – 12:55
12:30 – 12:55
Strategic Insight: Securing the AI & Data Enterprise: Cybersecurity, Privacy & Trust in the Middle East
As AI adoption scales across the Middle East’s high-stakes industries, cybersecurity becomes a critical enabler—not an afterthought. This session highlights how organizations can protect data pipelines, cloud platforms, AI models, and digital identities, while ensuring privacy, compliance, and resilience against evolving threats in an increasingly AI-driven enterprise landscape.
12:55 – 13:55
12:55 – 13:55
Networking Lunch
13:55 – 14:40
13:55 – 14:40
Stakeholder Panel: The Agentic Enterprise 2025–2029: From AI Assistants to Autonomous Ecosystems
A stakeholder-led discussion on the rapid evolution from AI assistants to task-specific and collaborative agents, and what it will take to build the governance, architecture, and operating models needed to thrive in an agent-driven enterprise future.
14:40 – 15:05
14:40 – 15:05
Closing Keynote: The Intelligent Enterprise Advantage: Winning the Next Era of AI & Analytics
A high-impact thought leadership keynote on what separates AI leaders from followers—moving beyond pilots to build enterprise intelligence as a repeatable capability. It explores the rise of agentic workflows, decision automation, trusted AI governance, and scalable data ecosystems, and how Middle East organizations can lead the next wave of transformation with measurable impact.
15:05 – 15:35
15:05 – 15:35
Networking Break
15:35- 16:35
15:35- 16:35
The Leadership Decision Room
Format: Live, room-wide decision-making simulation (moderated)
How it works:
- The audience is given 3 real enterprise dilemmas (AI + data leadership situations)
- Everyone votes live (QR / show of hands)
- 2–3 leaders on stage react to the vote and explain what they would do and why
Example dilemmas:
- Speed vs Risk: Deploy GenAI to customer service in 90 days—Yes/No?
- Build vs Buy: Build a data platform internally or partner?
- Data sovereignty issue: Multi-cloud vs national compliance constraints
16:35 – 17:45
16:35 – 17:45
FAIDAS ME 50 Recognition Ceremony
FAIDAS ME 50 – Middle East AI & Data Impact Power List
- Peer-curated recognition of 50 luminaries across AI, Data, Analytics and Transformation Excellence.
17:45 – 18:15
17:45 – 18:15
Closing Networking
ME50 celebrations, media moments, partner engagement