The GEC Awards 2025, the region’s most prestigious stage for excellence and innovation, lit up Dubai with its 12th milestone edition on October 13, 2025, at the Habtoor Palace Hotel. Coinciding with the global technology extravaganza, GITEX, this year’s edition took on a spectacular theme – “Carnival: A Celebration of Colour, Code & Champion.”
True to its name, the evening unfolded as a vibrant celebration of digital brilliance and transformation. The carnival-inspired ambience brought together ICT visionaries, innovators, and industry leaders from across the region for a night of recognition, rhythm, and revelry.
The evening commenced with a lively performance, setting an energetic tone for what followed. Dave Crane welcomed the guests as the emcee, followed by an official opening address from Ronak Samantaray, CEO of Global Enterprise Connect.
A special moment featured the World CIO 200 Summit Recap, showcasing on-screen highlights from the country editions and the grand finale, capturing the global journey of CIOs and technology leaders across continents.
A major highlight of the evening was the launch of the Global Technology Council (GTC) by Akashdeep Singh, Executive Director, Global Enterprise Connect, marking a new chapter for global collaboration in the technology ecosystem. Positioned as The Leadership & Partnership Council for the Global Tech Ecosystem, GTC aims to unite the entire technology value chain under a neutral and visionary global institution.
Arun Shankar and Jeevan Thankappan, Managing Editors of Global Enterprise Connect, extended their heartfelt thanks to the industry for its continuous support. They also announced plans to further expand the group’s publications, brands, and editions into new regions and countries in 2026 — a move that aligns with the dynamic pace of regional expansion and globalisation emerging from the UAE.
The night also featured a compelling BrandVoize presentation, showcasing the agency’s exceptional work in conceptualising and executing world-class events across continents. Adding a touch of glamour, the Best Dressed Queen and King were crowned for their style and carnival flair.
Across its various categories – Top Distributor, Top Reseller, Innovative Vendor, Top MSP, Top Project Execution, and Top System Integrator – the GEC Awards 2025 once again honoured those redefining excellence and driving transformation across the ICT sector.
In its 12th year, the GEC Awards reaffirmed its legacy as the ultimate celebration of innovation, leadership, and the ever-evolving digital future.
