Companies to Demonstrate How Digital Business Transformation will Prepare Middle East Organizations for the next Wave of the Internet

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, October 11, 2015: Cisco announced today, that it will be strategically partnering with Gulf Business Machines (GBM), Alpha Data and Intel at GITEX Technology Week 2015. The three companies will have a presence at Cisco's Stand number Z-B40 in Zabeel Hall - Intel as Technology Sponsor, GBM as Titanium Sponsor and Alpha Data as Platinum Sponsor.

Embracing the overriding themes of the 'Internet of Things (IoT) and the 'Internet of Everything' (IoE), the companies will join Cisco to demonstrate 'real life' Smart City scenarios to visitors as well as showcase their key business architectures and technology solutions that will help facilitate digital transformation in the IoT/IoE era.

Highlights at the stand will include an augmented reality city as well as a government transportation demo. Other areas of the stand will showcase the key business architectures and solutions that will be key for digitization including Security, Cloud, Data Center and Virtualization, Mobility and Collaboration. The companies will also use the platform to demonstrate how smart technology solutions are and will play an increasingly important role in improving the quality of life, not just for upcoming generations, but for everyone today.

The Stand for the first time will also feature a Social Media Wall which will enable people to submit their social messages based on hashtag. The messages will then be displayed in real time on the Wall with accompanying profile pictures within the boxes surrounding the screen.

"We very pleased that GBM, Intel and Alpha Data, will be joining forces with Cisco at GITEX Technology Week this year. Together, we can drive a stronger message of how digitization will be vital for Middle East countries and organizations to embrace the IoT/IoE era. Digital disruption has the potential to reshape markets faster than perhaps any force in history by increasing a country's GDP, reducing spending and creating much needed jobs. Together with GBM, Intel and Alpha Data, we plan to unveil our 'Digital Acceleration' strategies and demonstrate how organizations can become fully digitized in the 21st century," said Rabih Dabboussi, General Manager - UAE, Cisco.

"We have been long-term partners of Cisco in the region and GITEX Technology Week provides an excellent platform for us to highlight the success of our collaboration and look at ways to drive the industry forward. Our latest Security Survey has highlighted the importance of both human and digital behaviours and practices in the region and we look forward to being able to discuss those findings during GITEX," said Hani Nofal, vice president of Intelligent Network Solutions at GBM.

"Dubai's exceptional efforts to build the 'Smart City' of the future are reflective of a growing region-wide passion for integrating digitization into national development. Alpha Data is fully committed to supporting this vision of establishing genuine digital societies across the Middle East through the deployment of cutting-edge integration solutions based on leading Cisco technologies. As one of the region's top IT expos, GITEX Technology Week is the perfect platform for showcasing Cisco's outstanding capabilities in advancing the digital revolution and how Alpha Data facilitates their adoption in this part of the world," said Amar Singh, Head Of Enterprise, Alpha Data.

"Intel brings more than 30 years of experience connecting intelligent systems and our collaboration with Cisco and its partners at GITEX Trade allows us to demonstrate some of these innovative solutions.  Intel's role is shaping IOT deployment standards to support open and interoperable environments, ensuring that security is designed in end to end, and enabling an eco-system that can deliver on the digital transformation requirements that organizations and countries are expecting in our hyper connected world," Taha Khalifa, Regional Director Middle East and North Africa, Intel Corporation.

-Ends-

About Cisco:
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected. For ongoing news, please go to thenetwork.cisco.com

Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries.  A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

About Gulf Business Machines (GBM)
Founded in 1990, Gulf Business Machines (GBM) is the region's number one provider of IT solutions, leveraging industry-leading technologies, fulfilling the IT requirements of local, regional and international organizations in the GCC.

GBM is the sole distributor for IBM- excluding selected IBM products and services -throughout the GCC, except for Saudi Arabia. GBM's momentum was further enhanced in 1999, when the team secured the Cisco portfolio. Today GBM holds the highest level of recognition in the region from Cisco, Gold Partner status, in addition to the Cisco Borderless Network Architecture Specialized Learning Partner status.

GBM offers an extensive range of IT infrastructure, IT solutions and services ranging from consulting, resource deployment and integration to after-sales support, through 1000 professionals and over 20 solid strategic partnerships forged with internationally-recognized IT solution providers.

The company, which is ISO-9001 certified since 1999, has offices in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah), Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain. GBM also has established a presence in Pakistan, where the company now operates three offices, one each in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore as an IBM Premier Business Partner. The Pakistani operation also holds a Silver Partner Status from Cisco.

In 2014, GBM achieved Cisco Channel Customer Satisfaction Excellence, the highest distinction a partner can achieve within the Cisco Channel Partner Program. For more information please visit www.gbm4ibm.com

About Intel Corporation
Since its founding in 1968, Intel Corporation has grown into the world's largest semiconductor company (based on revenue). The company employs nearly 100,000 people across more than 50 countries.

Intel's products and technologies are at the heart of computing solutions that have become essential parts of businesses, homes and schools around the world; and are being used to tackle some of the world's most complex problems - in areas that include education, healthcare, economic development, and environmental sustainability. The company's products include microprocessors, chipsets and other semiconductor products that are integral to computers, servers, note- and netbooks, as well as consumer electronics, handheld devices and connected "embedded" products becoming part of cars, shopping kiosks and bank ATMs.

Intel's focus in not solely on the products it delivers. From primary schools to leading universities, Intel is committed to improving the quality of education around the world. Over the past decade alone Intel has invested over USD 1 billion and Intel employees have donated over 2.5 million hours toward improving education in more than 50 countries.

Intel is headquartered in Santa Clara, California (USA). Additional information about the company is available at blogs.intel.com.   

About Alpha Data:
Alpha Data is the leading system integrator with a proven track record of over 30 years. Founded in 1981, Alpha Data draws from the expertise of it's over 750-strong workforce to deliver ICT solutions for thousands of organizations in the Middle East. Its business approach is to establish long-term partnerships that encourage success through mutual benefit. The company is based in Abu Dhabi, UAE with satellite offices in Dubai and Qatar. Visit http://www.alpha.ae.  

© Press Release 2015