The World CIO 200 Summit 2025 – Oman Edition, hosted by Global CIO Forum, concluded successfully at the Omantel HQ, bringing together the region’s most influential CIOs, technology experts, and digital leaders for a day of insightful dialogue, collaborative networking, and visionary strategies.
The event commenced with an inspiring opening address by Country Ambassador Abdullah Al Barwani, CISO at Omantel, who emphasized the evolving role of CIOs in Oman’s digital ecosystem and the importance of visionary leadership in driving national transformation.
The summit featured compelling sessions and engaging panel discussions, kicking off with a thought-provoking dialogue on “The Next Decade of IT Leadership.”
Moderated by Meslum AlKindi, Area IT Director at IHG Oman, the panel included industry leaders:
- Meer Shizan Ali, ABQ Education Group
- Thuraya Al-Harthi, Ministry of Transportation, Communication and IT
- Padmakar Boyapati, NBO
- Saleh Rashid Masoud Al Himali, Omantel
- Talal Al Aasmi, ALMAHA Petroleum Products Marketing Co.
This was followed by an eye-opening keynote by Gopan Sivsankaran, Sales Director – ME Enterprise, Sophos, titled “Think Like Attackers: The Shift Beyond EDR,” focusing on proactive cybersecurity strategies in the AI era.
After a productive networking break, the agenda continued with another power-packed panel discussion on “Key Technologies Driving CIO Priorities,” moderated by Dr. Haitham Al Hajri from Oman Housing Bank. The panel featured:
- Nicholas Johnson, Oman Arab Bank
- Manoj Kumar, Renaissance Services
- Ahmed Mohammed Abdullah Al Shuaili, Omantel
- Sanjeev Madavi, PWC
In the subsequent keynote, Dhiraj Patil, Territory Manager at Barco, shared insights on “The Evolving Workplace – Creating Spaces that Drive Engagement and Culture,” exploring the human-centric design of digital workspaces.
The spotlight then turned to AI in Financial Services, with a compelling presentation by Hemesh Dogiparthi, CTO at Exelixi AI, offering a deep dive into AI-powered financial transformation.
One of the summit’s highlights was the CIO 200 Awards ceremony, which recognized and celebrated technology leaders under four categories: Next-Gen, Leader, Master, and Legend – applauding their unwavering commitment to innovation and digital excellence.
The day concluded with closing remarks and reflections delivered by Meslum AlKindi, who summarized key takeaways and extended appreciation to all speakers, partners, and participants for making the Oman Edition a resounding success.
