Technology as an enabler for future growth and prosperity

09:00 am to 09:45
Opening Ceremonies Keynote Addresses: Technology as an enabler for future growth and prosperity

09:50 am to 11:00
am Panel 1:
The Role of Education Disruptive changes to business models will have a profound impact on the employment landscape over the coming years. Many of the major drivers of transformation currently affecting global industries are expected to have a significant impact on jobs, ranging from significant job creation to job displacement, and from heightened labor productivity to widening skills gaps. The panel will discuss topics on how the education system has been and should be changed to include and coop with latest trends in the application of some of the modern technology tools. What skills are required in the near future and how could educational institutes provide the right skills to the future workforce.

11:00 am to 11:15
Coffee Break

11:20 am to 12:20
Panel 2:
Legal Framework for technology i.e. AI, Blockchain in EU and GCC The Fourth Industrial Revolution has brought about a new challenge. Given the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s extraordinarily fast technological and social change, relying only on government legislation and incentives to ensure the right outcomes is ill-advised. These are likely to be out-of-date or redundant by the time they are implemented. New competitiveness requires governments and private sector to re-imagine strategies, business models and operating principles. The 4th industrial revolution is disrupting almost every industry and creating massive changes in a world that strives for new innovations at massive speeds. Adopting and implementing the right regulation and legal framework to adhere to the effects of the 4th industrial revolution is vital for economies to strive and compete. This panel will discuss how the EU and GCC is preparing for the 4IR and what regulation and framework are already in place and which needs to be enhanced.

12:30 – 13:45pm
Parallel Panel 3A:
Technology in the Logistic Sector Improved technology has increased productivity in the supply chain, minimizing costs and errors. These advances benefit all areas of the logistics industry: trucking transportation, international transportation (ocean and air), supply chain management, and shipment tracking. The panel will aim to explore the role of technology in the logistics sector and how technology has assisted SME’s in the EU and GCC to compete in the global market.

Parallel Panel 3B:
Technology in the Manufacturing / Industrial Sector Industry 4.0 will make it possible to gather and analyze data across machines, enabling faster, more flexible, and more efficient processes to produce higher-quality goods at reduced costs. This in turn will increase manufacturing productivity, shift economics, foster industrial growth, and modify the profile of the workforce—ultimately changing the competitiveness of companies and regions. The Panel will aim to discuss the role of technology in driving the development and growth of the manufacturing and industrial sector in the EU and GCC.

Parallel Panel 3C:
E-commerce As EU and GCC E-Commerce industry continues its rapid growth, and online merchants continue to replace traditional retailers as the destination of choice for consumers, that growing popularity brings with it an array of new opportunities and challenges. The panel will tackle topics such as payment methods, regulatory environment and the diverse set of regulations as well as consumer protection, shipping products across international borders.

13:30 – 14:30 pm
Lunch Break

14:45 – 15:45
Panel 4:
Women in Technology – EU and GCC Women leaders in technology Literature examining the impact of women in the technology workplace — specifically women collaborating on teams and in leadership roles — demonstrates the need for and impact of having more women in technology. Greater gender diversity in technology can impact businesses’ bottom lines, as researchers indicated. Recruiting more women into the technology industry is an obvious solution. Interestingly, technology is the only STEM discipline where the participation of women has declined in the past 20 years. The need for tech professionals is not the only reason, nor is it the most important argument, for achieving better gender diversity in technology. A lack of women in technology can lead to a decrease in performance and profits, creating a missed opportunity for those businesses. EU and GCC women leaders will discuss the challenges and experience to attract more female tech entrepreneurs to the workforce and challenges and experience and how to support young female tech entrepreneurs and what programs and resources are in place to advance women in technology from the classroom to the boardroom.

16:00 ~ 18:00
Wrap up – by the panel moderators
End of the Business Forum & Network Reception