IDC continues SMB Roadshow tradition by examining how to leverage today's IT for success tomorrow

More than 200 SMB users from all industries across the UAE joined IDC experts, industry luminaries, and leaders of trade organizations at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel to discuss how to align ICT resources with business priorities in order to stay competitive.

The conference shed light on how hardware, software, and systems can be used to establish or advance business relationships and increase the operational efficiency of SMBs.

"Since SMBs will account for a third of all IT spending in the UAE in 2008, it is critical for IT vendors to understand the needs of this segment," said Robert Rosenthal, Manager of Vertical Markets, IDC Middle East and Africa (MEA). "IDC's SMB Roadshow presented vendors with a rare opportunity to approach companies directly. The managing directors and IT directors in the audience were able to listen to IT success stories from their peers, while vendors like Acer, Intel, Cisco, and BlackBerry presented their very latest strategies for mobility, security, virtualization, and managed services".

The conference opened with a welcome address from Jyoti Lalchandani, Vice President and Regional Managing Director, IDC MEA, in which he discussed the need for a fundamental change in SMB attitudes if their full potential is to be realized.

Robert Rosenthal then followed with a presentation that focused on making the most out of IT budgets.

He discussed new SMB-friendly offerings from IT vendors and highlighted spending patterns and success stories from around the world.

IDC was proud to announce two of the world's IT heavyweights, Acer and Intel, as Diamond Partners for the SMB Roadshow 2008.

Mr. Sanjay Kachroo, Regional Corporate Sales Manager, Acer Middle East, spoke about the critical importance of IT for a modern-day SMB and highlighted recent developments that enable all users across an organization to utilize the very latest technology with absolute ease.

Meanwhile, Intel's Regional Market Development Manager for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa region, Mr. Ferhad Patel, detailed methods of developing business through technology leadership and innovation.

The event's Platinum Partners were Cisco, HP, and Blackberry, while 3i Infotech was a Gold Partner, and Secure Way, Fortinet, Solutions Middle East, and Citrix made up IDC's Silver Partners for the event. Corporate Publishing International was the roadshow's official Media Partner.

The Dubai leg of IDC's SMB Roadshow 2008 was the fifth stop of an eleven-city tour of the Middle East and Africa, which has already visited Lagos, Casablanca, Nairobi, and Johannesburg, and will stop in Istanbul, Riyadh, Kuwait, Doha, Amman, and Cairo during May and June.