As our region emerges from the immediate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are entering a new phase of transformation, which will be massive in scale and extremely fast moving.
Download the reportFive long-term transformational changes were already at work shaping our world - the "megatrends".
Unemployment reached 8.2% in KSA in 2020 ... read more
Abu Dhabi Sweihan solar power park was largest in the world when it started operating in 2019 ... read more
China, India, Japan and South Korea are KSA’s biggest export markets ... read more
^ 93% of KSA citizens between the ages of 10 and 73 are internet users ... read more
2.5 million pilgrims travelled to Mecca for the Hajj in 2019 ... read more
Even prior to COVID-19, leaders needed to respond quickly, changing their strategies and approach to address the challenges created by the rapid pace of change. We captured these in our ADAPT framework. Both globally and locally, the impact of COVID-19 has made a significant, and generally negative, impact on each of the ADAPT forces – catalysing change at even greater speed.
Globally, governments and societies will re-evaluate what success looks like in the future. In the past, putting GDP growth and shareholder value above all other measures resulted in unprecedented globalisation and wealth creation, and lifted many people out of poverty. But over time, this model has produced extreme disparities, put jobs at risk in many countries, weakened communities and social cohesion and damaged the environment. Going forward, we need to define a local-first and more interdependent and inclusive definition of success.
To achieve the new definition of success in the GCC region, many interdependent factors must be considered. However in five key areas, an accelerated cycle of repair, rethink and reconfigure will be vital to achieving massive and fast transformation.
A Middle East government had a portfolio of digital and non-digital government services which were delivered in a fragmented way through multiple platforms. They included healthcare, education, business, culture and tourism, housing, transport, and law and order. The government wanted to unify all these services using a single platform to provide citizens with a seamless, fully integrated and digitised experience for all their needs and requests.
During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health ministry of a Middle East government became concerned that people who needed medical attention were staying away from hospitals and clinics, and wanted to find a way to use digital tools to continue to offer care remotely, both for initial diagnoses and on-going treatment.
A transport authority in the Middle East wanted to understand its current artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and needs, and accelerate AI adoption and innovation across the organisation. The authority is responsible for the city’s transport networks and services, including public transport operations, road maintenance, traffic management and driver and vehicle licensing.
One of the world’s leading global and regional industrial companies, and a leader in the GCC region, wanted an independent review of the cybersecurity of its core manufacturing operations, covering both the information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) used in its plants worldwide. The aim was to ensure a consistent level of cybersecurity control at every site, and across both types of technology.
