HCLSoftware, the enterprise software division of HCLTech, kicked off its high-octane Executive Summit at Madinat Jumeirah on June 3. The invitation-only event blended Formula 1 energy with enterprise innovation, drawing C-suite leaders and technologists eager to explore how the company’s Scuderia Ferrari partnership and the new Experience (X) Data (D) Operations (O) (XDO) framework accelerate digital transformation across the region.
Kalyan Kumar, CPO, HCLSoftware led the unveiling, demonstrating how XDO integrates human-centered experience design, unified data intelligence, and AI-orchestrated operations into a self-managing growth engine. “Dubai embodies speed, precision, and visionary outcomes— exactly what XDO delivers,” KK told delegates. “With the XDO framework we’re not retrofitting AI onto legacy systems; we’re creating a unified engine that blends experience, data, and operations to keep enterprises ahead of the competition.”
The summit’s highlight featured an exciting case study from Ferrari’s Digital Platforms team, showcasing how HCL AppScan delivers a holistic approach to application testing through a single platform, thus directly supporting the team’s Digital+ initiative. In the high-stakes racing environments where performance and reliability are paramount, HCL AppScan provides end-to-end testing capabilities, eliminating the need for multiple tools, delivering automated testing with unified visibility via a centralized dashboard across a complex, evolving applications landscape—giving the team complete transparency and control.
Attendees also engaged with a compelling Deloitte keynote on GenAI mindsets, a customer panel featuring UAE banking and retail brands, and rapid-fire spotlights on AI-driven IT operations and outcome-based service models. Fresh off Deloitte Digital’s new research report “Mindset Matters | Four Keys to Creating GenAI Experiences,” yesterday’s summit spotlighted a high-energy session led by Shakeel Sawar, Partner – Advertising, Marketing & Commerce, Deloitte Middle East.
Drawing on findings that segment consumers into Optimists, Maybes, Unawares and Avoidants, Sawar showed how transparency, consistency, user-control and delight convert generative-AI pilots into revenue-producing experiences. Attendees left with a practical checklist that dovetails perfectly with HCLSoftware’s XDO blueprint, ensuring future AI-infused journeys stay human-centric while delivering the operational velocity and data intelligence Gulf organisations demand.
“Generative AI’s promise is no longer science fiction; it is a billion-dollar growth lane visible in quarterly P&Ls,” said Shakeel Sawar, Partner – Advertising, Marketing & Commerce, Deloitte Middle East. “Yet adoption hinges on mindset, not just model size. Customers want efficiency, creativity and learning—but only when they feel informed, in control and secure.”
KK also underscored HCLSoftware’s alignment with the “We the UAE 2031” vision, pledging to grow local talent and partner ecosystems as Gulf enterprises pivot from cost-centric IT to outcome-oriented Digital+ services. “We’re here to help customers trade spreadsheets for telemetry, queues for seamless journeys, and bolt-ons for built-ins—without ripping out what already works,” he said.
With a new Dubai hub coming online this quarter, HCLSoftware will extend its portfolio—from Unica+ MarTech platform to Actian Data Intelligence Platform and BigFix secure automation to organisations eager to balance scale with speed. The event drew strong participation from leading global system integrators (GSIs), such as Deloitte, along with key business partners from across the region. The exciting launch event concluded with the inaugural HCL Software Awards and a raffle, which sent one lucky guest to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
