Enterprises across the Middle East have undergone a fundamental change, going from followers to leaders in the global IT sector. Organisations across the region are adopting the most advanced technologies, and are demanding more from IT suppliers.

This hunger for high-tech systems and high-end service has made the Middle East one of the most exciting global regions to work in technology, as regional enterprises roll out some of the most challenging and pioneering implementations in the world today.

‘Pioneer’ is a key word when describing the Middle East, now one of the largest green-field sites in the world. This simple fact means that regional enterprises are unencumbered by the baggage of existing equipment or practices – they can skip straight to the head of class by implementing best-of-breed systems and services which can bear comparison with far more established global enterprises.

The role of the vendors in this transformation should not be underplayed; enterprises need strong partners in their quest to achieve the region’s most advanced implementations. Vendors from the region and around the world have stepped up to the plate, providing the right advice and global best practice to ensure success.

But success means little without the recognition and acknowledgment of one’s peers in the IT community. This October, the ACN Arab Technology Awards, held in association with the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX), will honour the best corporate and individual examples of achievement in enterprise IT, honouring the projects that exemplify excellence in both initiative and execution.

The ACN Arab Technology Award 2008 is more than just a trophy – ACN has successfully charted the progress of enterprise computing in the Middle East for close to a quarter of a century. It’s the name CIOs turn to when they need expert, relevant insight and advice into the latest trends and undercurrents in the fastest evolving – and most challenging – IT sector in the world.