KPMG: Tech leaders in UAE Gain More Value Due to Pandemic

Are you specialized in technology executive levels? Then, you might be one of the most in-demand candidates in UAE today's job market.

The majority of technology leaders, globally and in the UAE, foresee a rise in IT budgets, powered by an increase in operational efficiencies, customer engagement, and data-driven insights. This was among the main results of the KPMG survey 2020. This result was from 4200 tech leaders across 83 countries.

"The coronavirus pandemic disrupted every sector around the world and has catalyzed digital transformation. While the pandemic may not have necessarily altered business strategies, it has reaffirmed the importance of data, cloud, and cybersecurity. Technology is thus helping businesses to adapt and anticipate better in a volatile business environment," said Farhan Syed, Partner, Head of Advisory at KPMG Lower Gulf.

Organizations have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic in various ways, the KPMG report said. About half of the UAE respondents expect a gradual recovery and are pursuing a flexible, experience-centric technology transition to return more robust from the recession.

Technology Dominance

The KPMG report states that UAE digital leaders have surpassed their global counterparts regarding engaging in customer experience and engagement.

Data is the new oil for UAE businesses – 63% of CIOs (Chief information officer) rated data collection as their most successful digital offering than 42% of global CIOs. The KPMG report states that this has also contributed to a focus on the substantial value of the data and how important it is for businesses to produce actionable insights.

Simultaneously, 29% of UAE's digital leaders thought they were extremely effective in implementing enterprise-wide digital strategies, against the global average of 17%. "This is not surprising, given rapid innovation amongst local companies, reinforced by government initiatives," KPMG report said.

Almost two-thirds of UAE digital leaders have agreed that the pandemic is likely to increase their sector's impact significantly. As technology has become extremely valuable during the last 6 to 8 months, so does the tech chief's position. As per 70% of respondents to KPMG in the UAE, the pandemic has developed a culture of inclusiveness in technology teams—a total of 20% greater than the global average.

"To overcome new challenges, organizations continue to accelerate technology adoption, requiring increased collaboration between the business and technology teams. As many organizations evolve into technology-led companies, we expect to see the future of IT as a connected enterprise that is free of siloes, agile, and customer-obsessed," Wejdi Harzallah, Partner, Head of Digital Strategy at KPMG Lower Gulf, said.

Hiring IT Teams

When it comes to talent, UAE technology leaders are above all (30 percent) pursuing enterprise architecture skills, followed by AI experience (25 percent). Globally, 35 percent of respondents agree that cybersecurity is the highest in-demand skill.

According to the KPMG report, COVID-19 has changed employee priorities. Although pay rates were thought to be the most important pre-pandemic, it was replaced by a well-defined ethos and decisive leadership after the pandemic. Global adoption of remote working activities has helped both workers and staff, opening doors to new opportunities. In the UAE's dynamic IT workforce market, digital leaders prefer flexible working conditions over other expected benefits to maintain and recruit talent.

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