GCC Tech Talks

What’s in this episode?In this episode of GCC Tech Talks, ⁠Tom Stroud⁠ and ⁠Sye Rahman chat with Leina Essakalli — a data scientist and AI transformation leader with a rare background spanning biomedical engineering , bioinformatics at Harvard, and scaling AI across healthcare in the UAE.Leina shares what it really takes to make AI work in high-stakes environments: data quality, trust, regulation, and starting from business pain instead of vendor buzzwords.We cover:• Why data work is mostly cleaning + standardisation (especially in healthcare) • What it takes to meet the bar for regulated environments (and why it matters) • How the UAE is investing in genomics and preventative health at scale • A practical framework for AI use cases: where you lose money, where you can gain, and how to build the business case • When you don’t need AI (and it’s just automation)Join us to listen to Leina Essakalli's  journey and a practical approach to deploying AI responsibly at scale in the UAE.

What’s in this episode?In this episode of GCC Tech Talks, Tom Stroud and Sye Rahman sit down with Faisal Ali, an Emirati Group CIO with a career spanning IBM/Microsoft, government, and the private sector. We talk about how tech leadership has evolved from the early days of infrastructure (yes, physical firewalls and dot-matrix printers) to today’s reality: AI moving at a pace that punishes slow decisions. Faisal shares practical leadership principles, how to introduce AI responsibly, and one unforgettable “go-live” story where a patch nearly derailed a major launch. We cover:• The CIO journey: tech-first roots, infrastructure, and leading transformation • Why decision cycles of “weeks” don’t work in the AI era • “Eat your own dog food”: adopt internally before scaling across the business • AI ROI reality: why you don’t jump from 0 → 50x (and how to build momentum)• “Automation without oversight is negligence” — governance and accountability • A war story: Patch Tuesday, a broken release, and the fastest contingency plan ever • Advice for the next generation: passion, risk-taking, and owning mistakes This episode is a discussion about leading in the AI era - decision speed, responsible automation, real ROI expectations, and hard-earned project lessons.

What’s in this episode?In this episode of GCC Tech Talks, Tom Stroud and Sye Rahman are joined by  Omar Abdellaoui to unpack the real startup lessons founders learn the hard way  from trust and validation to building an MVP that doesn’t become an expensive distraction.Omar shares his journey (startup → corporate → building in Dubai) and what he’s learned about launching in the UAE/GCC ecosystem: how to test demand early, avoid overbuilding, and find the right people to execute.We cover:• Why startups often fail on execution, trust, and validation not the idea• The biggest risks for non-technical founders (and how to de-risk delivery)• How to validate demand before you build (including real market feedback)• Why MVPs should be simple, testable, and outcome-led• Lessons on hiring/working with developers vs agencies• How Dubai’s events and ecosystem can help you find the right partners• What to do when momentum drops and how to keep moving without burning cashIf you’re building in the UAE/GCC (or thinking about it), this episode is a practical guide to avoiding common founder mistakes and building the right MVP at the right time. 

In this episode of GCC Tech Talks, Tom Stroud and Sye Rahman sit down with Sumit Srivastava, a transformation leader who’s spent decades across Silicon Valley, Canada, and beyond  and recently returned home to Dubai.We unpack the GCC’s pace of execution, the AI data center boom (and whether some of it becomes “dead investment”), and the real tension leaders face between speed, governance, and ROI.We cover:• Why the UAE is accelerating from vision to execution• Data centers: compute vs storage, ROI, sustainability, and demand• The “risk of inaction” (and why many organisations under-model it)• Why innovation must be a living system, not a one-off project• How to deliver value in small, measurable steps• Omnichannel, data-driven customer journeys, and AI-powered personalisation• What’s next: conversational commerce, agents, and customer-owned dataListen to the full episode about debate about the GCC’s big bet on AI infrastructure, and the hard trade-offs leaders face between innovation speed, governance, and ROI.

In this episode of GCC Tech Talks, we take a different angle: less tech, more talent — and what it really takes to build teams in the UAE’s fast-growing financial ecosystem.Tom Stroud and Sye Rahman are joined by Oscar Orellana-Hyder, founder of a boutique recruitment firm focused on DIFC and ADGM, to unpack how the market has evolved - from regulation and compliance hiring, to the end of “fly-in, fly-out,” to how AI is changing recruitment workflows.We cover:Why commitment to the region now matters more than everThe rise of compliance, governance, and regulation as growth enablersHow global firms are treating the UAE as a real investment hubWhat AI is changing in hiring -  and what still needs a human touchThe shift toward family offices, private capital, and new asset classesIf you’re hiring, relocating, or building in the GCC -  this is a practical look at what’s driving the UAE’s next wave of growth.

In this episode of GCC Tech Talks, Tom Stroud and Sye Rahman sit down with Richard Steward — a transformation leader with 35+ years advising CEOs on large-scale digital and AI-led change.Most digital and AI transformations don’t fail because of the tech — they fail because of unclear leadership, slow decisions, and misaligned priorities.We cover:• Business-first thinking (technology second)• Clarity and decision speed as momentum builders• Why people and data matter more than tools• When to stop, pivot, or kill a transformation programme• What leaders should know about AI, agentic systems, and data foundations• Why “failed” projects are often just expensive feedbackIf you’re navigating AI, data, or digital transformation in the GCC, this episode is about cutting through the hype and focusing on what creates real value.

In this episode of GCC Tech Talks, Tom Stroud and Sye Rahman sit down with Mark Primett, a project and programme manager who has led complex digital transformations across fintechs, financial services and large organisations in the GCC.Mark shares what project management really looks like on the ground: from moving to Dubai and building a career in delivery, to starting the Project Management Collective community for practitioners in the region.We talk about:Why demand for strong project managers is growing in the GCCProject management methods and best practices that actually work in technology and transformationWhy project and programme management are critical for digital and AI initiativesReal project examples and the business outcomes they deliveredThe qualities every good project manager should haveHow organisations should prepare for digital/AI transformations – tools, roles, responsibilities and governance includedWhat might change in the GCC over the next 10–12 months, and whether leaders really need to spend time learning AIIf you’re leading projects, technology or transformation in the GCC – or you want a clearer view of how work really gets delivered beyond the slideware this episode is for you.

Most “digital transformations” don’t fail because of the tech – they fail because of culture, governance and how decisions actually get made in the organisation.In this episode of GCC Tech Talks, Tom Stroud and Sye Rahman sit down with Ezzeddine, a digital transformation and sustainability leader with 25+ years’ experience across banking, utilities and the GCC, to unpack what real transformation looks like beyond the slides and buzzwords.They talk about:Why culture is the real blocker (or accelerator) for data & AI, not the toolsHow to turn tools into products the business actually understands and usesBringing governance and internal audit in from day zero instead of cleaning up laterUsing sustainability as a data project that links decisions, emissions and ROIHow transformation leaders should work with the CFO and the board to link change to financial impactIf you’re leading data, technology or transformation in the GCC or trying to move a large, successful organisation beyond “8–5” ways of working this one’s for you.

We’re launching a new podcast exploring real stories from the GCC’s technology and innovation leaders – cutting through the hype to get into what actually works, what doesn’t, and everything in between.Our Intro Episode – “GCC Tech Talks: Who We Are and Why We’re Here” features hosts Tom Stroud and Sye Rahman talking about why the GCC needs more real talk on tech and innovation, and what you can expect from the show.Stay tuned, hit subscribe, and sign up to get new episodes as they go live.

This intro episode of GCC Tech Talks by 7Dxperts, recorded in Dubai, sets the scene for a podcast focused on real stories from the people actually building technology, data and digital products across the GCC. No buzzwords, no fluffy panels – just operators talking about what works, what doesn’t, and everything in between.Hosts Tom Stroud and Sye Rahman discuss:• Why the GCC needs more real talk on tech, data and AI• The gap between slides, buzzwords and what’s really happening inside organisations• Who this show is for – and what to expect from upcoming episodes• How stories from both startups and large enterprises will shape the seriesWhether you’re leading a data team, driving digital transformation or just curious how things really get built behind the scenes, this episode sets the tone for what GCC Tech Talks is all about.