“Digital is the ‘new oil’ for everybody”: Demetrio Russo

DUBAI / GULF TIME

Kerno Enterprises—FZE’s showcase of its products, enterprise-class servers, data storage, and AI-powered edge server attracted interest from visitors and exhibitors at GITEX Global 2024. Kerno’s CEO, Demetrio Russo, talks to Gulf Time’s Arunima Mishra about UAE’s digital-first economy, its suitable geographical location for businesses, and Kerno’s journey with the NextGen FDI initiative, among other topics. Russo is an industry veteran with 24 years of global experience in telecoms domains.

Please share your thoughts on how you plan to explore the UAE’s digital-first economy. What is the agenda behind your company’s participation this year at Gitex?
Of course, the digital-first economy is a new trend in the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates. We are implementing different tools to explore this potential. Gitex is a game-changer for Kerno, and it’s a great platform to meet industry leaders and explore new partnerships.
First, we will cooperate with local authorities in strategic initiatives like localization, gaining technology independence, and collaborating with local educational institutions. So, this is our made in UAE program, in which we design, develop, produce, and support our products in the UAE. We are proud to be part of the NextGen FDI initiative, which attracts technology-driven companies and supports them during the growth phase.
In Kerno, we recognize the immense potential of the Middle East region and the digital transformation journey UAE
is undergoing, and we are thrilled to participate in this endeavor. Kerno brings world-class technology know-how
to develop and build its enterprise-level product in the Middle East.

What was the main reason for choosing the UAE as Kerno’s headquarters?
That’s a great question (smiles)! If you think from a geographical point of view, it’s right at the center of the world. You can reach, let’s say, the Indian subcontinent in four hours. It takes approximately 3-4 hours to reach many European nations, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi connect the world seamlessly from an economic point of view. Second is the innovation that they are putting very firmly on the agenda. If we look at the growth of Emirati firms such as G42, e& — for example — have been the torchbearers of innovation. Also, big projects such as the Zayed International Airport are the best reference for digitalization. So, it’s all happening here, right in the UAE, where we need to fit at Kerno.

How is the technology landscape driving the UAE’s digital transformation? Please share some insights.
Since a couple of years ago, I’ve noticed that they are ahead of everybody from a technology-driven point of view. Even at Gitex, from e&, there are many innovative solutions, such as robotics and cloud computing, to name a few. The future holds to use IoT devices and artificial intelligence capabilities to manage the complexity of the data generated today. AI will be very important.
The UAE is very well positioned in this transition, as its policymakers are enabling digital transformation in the right direction. Hence, high-tech companies are attracted more to the region. And, undoubtedly digital is the ‘new oil’ for everybody.
Moreover, this is very much linked to talent attraction. Emiratisation is our main goal as well, as we will be the company that produces, designs, and generates the Next-Generation technology here at Kerno.

The “Made in UAE” mark signifies quality, authenticity, and the UAE’s commitment to local production. So, what is Kerno’s way forward?
Being made in the UAE means that our company has the necessary expertise. In simple terms, it involves focusing on local production, handling product maintenance and logistics in-house, and providing end-to-end solutions to better serve our customers.
Additionally, it’s important to have local R&D capabilities for further technological development. This aligns with our vision of promoting products that are made in the Emirates.

How do you see the UAE’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) with other countries will help companies like Kerno?
CEPA agreements are a major factor in our decision to establish our headquarters in Dubai Silicon Oasis. We appreciate the efforts of the Government of the UAE in signing trade agreements with strategically important countries that are also key markets for us, such as Indonesia, India, LATAM, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Africa.
This facilitates the export of products designed and made in the Emirates to global markets, and we are thrilled to be a part of it.