Q: Digital transformation has been a buzzword for over a decade, yet many initiatives still fail to meet expectations. Is this due to technical challenges or something more fundamental in how organisations approach transformation?

A: It’s tempting to blame the technology, but in reality, all too often, the root cause lies in how organisations structure their transformation efforts. According to McKinsey, the majority (70%) of digital transformation initiatives fall short of their goals. And that’s despite the fact that we now have incredibly powerful tools at our disposal.

The real issue is a structural one. There’s a growing IT skills shortage across the Middle East, and IT teams are already swamped with backlogs. Business teams, on the other hand, are full of untapped potential. These are people who live and breathe the processes that need transforming. Give them the right tools—specifically low-code and no-code platforms—and you suddenly magnify your development capacity overnight.

These ‘citizen developers’ can build apps that solve problems immediately relevant to their work. We’ve seen HR teams create onboarding workflows, logistics teams optimise fleet management, and finance departments streamline approvals. The result isn’t just faster transformation, but smarter transformation.

Q: How has this message been received in the Middle East? Are organisations on board, or is there still work to do in terms of education?

A: The response has been incredibly positive. The region is moving fast, and there’s a clear appetite for platforms that can match that pace. Organisations here want to innovate quickly, but they also need to do so without compromising on compliance, scalability, or security. When they see that Kissflow can deliver both agility and enterprise-grade performance, the message lands.

The UAE has been a natural fit for us. We set up our office in Dubai Internet City and have already built a strong customer base across banking, logistics, government, and retail. Demand has grown so much that we’re now doubling our team in the UAE.

Saudi Arabia is equally exciting. Vision 2030 is fuelling digital transformation at every level, and low-code is becoming the go-to strategy for scaling innovation without overwhelming IT. We’re seeing firsthand how organisations are empowering business teams to take the lead in creating digital solutions.

Q: But doesn’t giving non-technical users access to application development raise concerns around security and governance?

A: Absolutely—and rightly so. But the beauty of modern low-code/no-code platforms is that they’re designed with these concerns in mind. At Kissflow, we’ve built enterprise-grade security directly into our platform: role-based access, audit trails, encryption, and full compliance with standards like ISO 27001 and SOC 2.

What this does is create a safe sandbox. Business users can innovate within guardrails set by IT, who still define the parameters, approve integrations, and monitor activity. Rather than being bypassed, IT becomes the enabler—the architect of a secure, scalable innovation ecosystem.

This approach provides the perfect balance in a region like the Middle East, where data sovereignty, uptime, and compliance are non-negotiable. You get speed and innovation without compromising security.

Q: AI has dominated tech conversations recently. Where does low-code/no-code fit into the AI story?

A: It’s a great question because there’s a real risk of seeing AI as a magic fix. But AI is only useful if people can actually use it. That’s where low-code and no-code come into play.

AI has traditionally been the domain of data scientists and specialised teams. But with platforms like Kissflow, we’re changing that. We’re embedding AI directly into the tools that business users already understand, enabling them to create powerful applications even more intuitively.

This is the next level of democratisation of IT, and AI is the catalyst of this revolution. For the Middle East, where transformation is urgent and talent is in short supply, this approach puts AI to work immediately.

Q: Once organisations understand the value of low-code, how do you differentiate Kissflow in such a competitive market?

A: We welcome the competition because it validates the market. But not all platforms are created equal. Some prioritise ease of use but lack depth. Others are so complex that they defeat the purpose of low-code entirely.

Kissflow is perfectly balanced. Our platform is intuitive enough for business users to adopt on day one, but powerful enough to handle serious enterprise use cases. We integrate seamlessly with legacy systems like SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft, which is critical in a region where those systems are still the backbone of many businesses.

Another key differentiator is our track record. We’ve been in this space from the beginning. While others are now entering the low-code race, we’ve spent years refining our platform in collaboration with customers. That longevity matters, especially in a market like the Middle East, where trust and consistency are critical.

Ultimately, we’re not just offering a tool. We’re helping organisations rethink how they build, scale, and evolve. And in a region where digital ambitions are sky-high, that makes all the difference. It’s already been an exciting journey, and as digital differentiation becomes ever more important to businesses, we only expect to go from strength to strength.