Ossama El Samadoni, General Manager at GBM Dubai, delves into their longstanding commitment to the region and belief in strong technology leadership in this exclusive interview.
How do you see your organisation contributing to the region’s bold and ambitious national digital economy agendas, and where do you believe private–public collaboration will be most critical in achieving these ambitions?
At GBM, we see our role as a trusted partner in helping governments and enterprises translate their bold visions into tangible outcomes. For over 35 years, with our local roots and global standards, we’ve had the privilege of supporting both public and private sector organisations across the region by building secure, scalable digital foundations and enabling organisations to embrace innovation with confidence.
We firmly believe that the path to achieving these ambitions lies in robust public–private collaboration. Transforming the digital economy requires tackling complex challenges, such as strengthening cybersecurity frameworks, accelerating AI adoption, and ensuring equitable access to technology. The private sector contributes unparalleled global expertise, agility in deploying emerging technologies, and access to innovative solutions, while the public sector provides the vital leadership, policy frameworks, and scale to ensure these efforts align with long-term societal goals.
Where the collaboration becomes most critical is in creating secure, resilient digital infrastructures and nurturing local talent. By combining technical innovation with human capital development, we can ensure that transformation is about technology adoption and building lasting capabilities within the region.
We remain deeply committed to walking this journey with our partners, helping the region not only keep pace with global change but lead it in a way that reflects local priorities and ambitions.
As emerging technologies such as Gen AI and Agentic AI continue to reshape industries, how do you strike the right balance between rapid adoption for competitive advantage and ensuring resilience, security, and regulatory alignment?
We at GBM see technologies like Generative AI and Agentic AI as powerful enablers of innovation, but we also recognise that they must be adopted responsibly. Striking the right balance starts with listening to our clients’ business priorities and helping them identify use cases where these technologies deliver real value. Equally important is ensuring resilience and security from the outset. We take a layered approach that combines robust governance, trusted architectures, and strong cybersecurity controls. This way, organisations can innovate confidently while safeguarding their data and operations. Regulatory alignment is another pillar. We help our clients navigate this landscape and remain compliant without slowing innovation. In short, the balance lies in moving decisively, while anchoring every step of adoption in trust, resilience, and long-term sustainability.
What role do you believe technology leadership should play in redefining business models and creating new value ecosystems across the Middle East?
Technology leadership today is about helping organisations rethink how they operate, compete, and create value. In the Middle East, where governments and enterprises are driving some of the most ambitious transformation agendas in the world, technology leaders play a pivotal role in contributing to this vision.
At GBM, we believe technology leadership extends beyond technology enablement. This could mean guiding organisations to reimagine business models, moving from product to service-driven approaches, building data-driven enterprises, or embracing platform-based ecosystems that bring together partners, customers, and innovators.
There is also significant discussion around the scope of fostering collaboration across industries. Many of the region’s next growth opportunities will come not from isolated efforts but from connected value ecosystems in areas like smart cities, energy transition, and digital health. Ultimately, we believe technology leadership should empower organisations to navigate uncertainty with confidence, while simultaneously unlocking new opportunities for growth and resilience across the region.
Looking ahead, which transformative technologies do you believe will define the region’s global standing over the next decade, and how are you preparing your organisation to lead in that shift?
Over the next decade, we believe key transformative technologies will be central to shaping the region’s global standing. Artificial intelligence in all its forms—generative, agentic, and beyond—will fundamentally redefine how industries operate and innovate. Alongside AI, advancements in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure will continue to underpin resilience and scalability. We also see significant opportunities in sustainable technologies, from smart energy management to digital solutions that support national sustainability agendas.
At GBM, our expertise is guided by a deep understanding of regional ambitions and strengthened by global best practices. From building secure, adaptable digital architectures to nurturing local talent poised to lead this transformation, we remain committed to anticipating and addressing the challenges of a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Most importantly, we see our role as enabling customers to adopt these technologies in a way that is not only fast but also inclusive, sustainable, and rooted in trust. By doing so, we help support organisations in the region to lead the technological shift while anchoring progress in values that resonate across the board.
Image Credit: GBM
