This keynote panel brings together the region’s most influential digital infrastructure and connectivity executives to explore the most pressing topics. With an ongoing boom in digital infrastructure, driven by AI and investment, connectivity providers have an unprecedented opportunity. How are leading operators seizing this moment, and what risks do we need to be aware of?

• How are executives evaluating the opportunities for investment across digital infrastructure? And which regions offer the greatest opportunities?
• How is service evolution enhancing customer experience and unlocking new revenues?
• What are the key challenges to unlocking continued growth, and how can we overcome them?

The demands of the region's economic transformation plans on digital infrastructure are immense, from the massive data centre investment needed for AI to the low-latency connectivity needed for autonomous vehicles. All of this requires world-leading fibre networks. To deliver on these ambitious plans, the entire digital infrastructure ecosystem must invest and collaborate. 

 

• What scale of infrastructure is required to meet demands in key markets? And is the industry ready?
• What are hyperscalers and leading AI providers looking for from connectivity and digital infrastructure operators?
• How clear is the investment case for AI infrastructure investment? Or do we need to better demonstrate the potential ROI?

Across the Middle East, national transformation agendas, such as Saudi Vision 2030, We the UAE 2031, Qatar National Vision 2030, Oman Vision 2040, Kuwait Vision 2035 and Egypt Vision 2030, are anchored in digital transformation. Achieving these goals depends on advanced wireless and mobile infrastructure, from nationwide 5G/6G networks and fibre backbones to edge data centers, IoT platforms, and smart-city connectivity. This session explores the infrastructure investments, partnerships, and innovations needed to deliver the mobile connectivity that underpins economic diversification, smart industries, and digital government services. 

As Middle Eastern operators and governments push toward their national visions, infrastructure sharing has become a critical enabler of faster rollouts, lower costs, and sustainable growth. Policies across the region are encouraging neutral hosting, while operators are restructuring their assets to unlock capital and scale. Alongside these moves, independent towercos and neutral hosts are entering the market with new models for in-building and small cell deployments. This session will explore how different sharing models are reshaping the telecom landscape, the role of regulators in accelerating adoption, and what lessons can be drawn from both early successes across the region and establioshed processes in international markets 

The GCC is positioning itself as a global leader in next-generation mobile networks, investing aggressively in 5G Advanced (5GA) deployments while exploring the path to 6G. Yet despite early leadership, there remain significant uncertainties around technology evolution, monetisation models, and network design. This session will examine what 5GA and 6G will demand in terms of wireless infrastructur, from active RAN upgrades and densified small cells to passive site requirements and backhaul capacity. It will also address energy implications, exploring whether networks will rely on software-defined upgrades or require substantial new hardware, and how to plan for capacity and sustainability amid evolving standards. Attendees will gain insight into what is known today, where assumptions must remain flexible, and how operators and towercos can prepare infrastructure investments to support the GCC’s ambitions while managing risk. 

Closing the connectivity gap is central to many national visions across the Middle East, from Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s digital transformation agenda to Oman’s efforts to extend coverage in rural areas. Yet the region is not homogenous - while GCC states push to deliver smart city services and ubiquitous 5G, more developing markets such as Iraq, Yemen, and parts of North Africa face the challenge of delivering affordable, reliable basic connectivity. This session explores the role of diverse technologies and business models in addressing these varied needs. From deploying low-cost sites and innovative rural coverage solutions, to leveraging Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) in suburban areas, and considering the role of LEO satellite constellations for hard-to-reach communities, the discussion will examine how operators, infracos governments, and investors can align efforts to ensure no community is left behind in the Middle East’s digital future. 

As the Middle East pursues digital transformation and national visions, network operators are under increasing pressure to reduce the carbon footprint of their mobile infrastructure. This session explores what is driving the green network agenda, from government sustainability targets and international ESG commitments to rising energy costs and grid constraints. It will examine the role of renewable energy, energy storage, and hybrid power solutions in powering base stations, as well as network design strategies that reduce overall power consumption, such as energy-efficient RAN and site consolidation. While some progress has been made, particularly in solar-powered sites and green RAN trials, significant upgrades remain to meet ambitious regional goals. This session will explore the roadmap for further decarbonizing telecom infrastructure across the GCC and wider Middle East. 

This session showcases three real-world case studies demonstrating measurable results in reducing energy consumption, lowering carbon emissions, optimising energy costs or improving network uptime.