Gartner announces speakers for Gartner Symposium/ITxpo in Dubai

More than 500 senior business and IT strategists, including more than 150 CIOs, will gather for the insights, tools and solutions they need to ensure that they and their IT initiatives are key contributors to and drivers of their enterprise's success.

The luminary keynote speakers are:

• Gabor George Burt, internationally recognized expert on innovation, creativity and strategy development.
• Keith Ferrazzi, the world's foremost expert on relationship development

"This year's agenda is built around four key areas: high-impact business and IT trends, leadership and skills development for the CIO and senior IT executive, the skills needed to create a high-performance organization and industry-focused issues and opportunities," said Mary Mesaglio, research vice president at Gartner and conference chair for Gartner Symposium/ITxpo. "Given the forces of mobile, social, cloud and information, CIOs now have an opportunity, and a mandate, to free up resources and increase digital innovation in the enterprise."

This year's program revolves around five tracks, including the renowned CIO Program, that deliver on the needs and expectations of IT leaders as identified by Gartner clients. It's a mix of management and technology insight empowering senior-level IT and business people to make the strategic, organizational and technology investment decisions required to emerge with a competitive edge. The tracks include:

• Business Intelligence & Information Management
• CIO
• Industries - Energy and Utilities, Government, Financial Services, and Retail
• Infrastructure & Operations
• Strategic Initiatives

The Gartner Symposium/ITxpo agenda includes more than 90 sessions, workshops, how-to clinics, roundtables and led by more than 20 Gartner analysts and Executive Partners from around the world. Delegates have the opportunity to book one-on-one meetings with Gartner experts to discuss their specific challenges. Delegates will leave with personally relevant advice, stimulated thinking and an action plan for the year ahead.

ITxpo, a solution showcase teeming with leading providers of IT solutions aimed at driving business imperatives, will highlight the next steps in technology through live demonstrations, face-to-face meetings with exhibitors, and fast-paced presentations on key technology directions. More than 20 leading technology and service providers will be exhibiting at Gartner Symposium/ITxpo. Dubai Internet City is the 'Strategic Partner' Gartner Symposium/ITxpo.