Doha, Qatar (6 April 2011): Qatar's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector is growing at a rapid rate, with the market expected to expand to $3.7 billion by 2013. To support the growing ICT market and further energize the industry in Qatar, the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR) is hosting the first Qatar ICT Conference and Exhibition (QITCOM), from May 24-26, 2011 at the Doha Exhibition Center. QITCOM will be an opportunity for ICT leaders in Qatar to engage with global industry leaders and see first-hand the latest offerings and advances from major ICT enterprises.

"Qatar recognizes the enormous value a vibrant ICT sector can have in our advancement towards being a diverse knowledge-economy. ictQATAR is committed to growing and developing the ICT sector here, and we are aiming to accelerate the contribution of ICT to Qatar's economy and workforce over the next five years. QITCOM 2011 is an important part of our efforts in this regard. To have a vibrant ICT sector, we need to connect local leaders with the global ICT industry to help spur investment and locally grown innovation." said Marwan Mahmoud, Executive Director of ICT Industry Development at ictQATAR.

QITCOM 2011 already has numerous exhibitors confirmed including local companies such as Qatar Datamation Systems (QDS), World Connection, Total Soft, ATCOM and ICTUS Projects. QITCOM has also received ample support from multinationals, with industry leaders such as IBM, Huawei, SAP, Microsoft, Alcatel-Lucent and Oracle signed up to exhibit at QITCOM 2011 and considerable being received interest from many other big industry players.

Numerous prominent speakers have also confirmed for the conference portion, including former Apple Chief Evangelist and Co-Founder of Alltop.com Guy Kawasaki, ictQATAR Secretary General Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber, Chairman of the United States Access Board's Planning Committee, Phil Jenkins, Former Head of Usability & Accessibility at BBC Future Media Jonathan Hassell, and Regional Manager Gulf at Google Mohamad Mourad.

The conference and exhibition will run concurrently throughout the three days of QITCOM. The conference has a theme for each of the three days: Innovate, Connect and Transform. The "Innovate" day will feature a keynote address by Guy Kawasaki and have sessions focused on Arabic digital content, digitization and mobile development. The "Connect" day will explore broadband ecosystems and models for broadband deployment and development, as well as cloud computing and integrated government. The "Transform" day will address mobile payment, smarter cities, assistive technology, and enterprise mobility.

"We have developed a diverse program for QITCOM that will be relevant to entrepreneurs, IT professionals, policy makers, investors and business leaders. We anticipate a dynamic three days of information sharing and networking that will lead to lasting partnerships and new business opportunities. I fully expect QITCOM to grow in the coming years and become the leading ICT industry event in the region," said Mahmoud.

ictQATAR selected IFPQatar to be their organizing and event management partner for QITCOM 2011 based on their track record of organizing successful large-scale conferences and exhibitions in the region - most notably Qatar Career Fair and Project Qatar.

More information about QITCOM, including a detailed schedule, can be found online at www.qitcom.com.qa. Organizations interested in exhibiting at QITCOM should send an email to info@qitcom.com.qa.

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