ThinkAnalytics today announced that Intigral, the media arm of stc Group, the Saudi Arabian Telco Conglomerate, and the leading provider of digital entertainment and sports content in MENA, has selected the Think360 personalized content discovery and viewer engagement platform for its stc tv and Jawwy TV streaming services. As well as launching personalized user experiences that increase engagement on these services, Think360 will underpin Intigral’s Master Aggregation strategy to provide all the top entertainment to its users, in one destination.Using Think360, Intigral will offer its subscribers across the region a frictionless and innovative way to discover content across services. Intigral’s deep entertainment library will be aggregated with content from regional and international partners for a seamless experience across all devices in multiple languages.With a significant increase in standalone OTT video offerings, Intigral looks to take advantage of its Master Aggregator business model to offer its users an intuitive browsing and viewing experience (content discovery, personalized recommendations, etc). Intigral chose to partner with ThinkAnalytics because of Think360’s proven success with major TV operators worldwide resulting in enhanced user experiences, and its success delivering advanced functionality including super-aggregation and contextual engagement.ThinkAnalytics is providing a fully managed service running on AWS for Intigral, delivering personalized live TV, on-demand entertainment and sports content across multiple platforms and devices. The premium stc tv service features over 200 live channels as well as a very large SVoD and TVoD library. It runs on platforms including mobile, Android TV, set-top boxes, Samsung and LG smart TVs, Xbox, and Apple TV in stc Group territories (KSA, Kuwait and Bahrain). The Jawwy TV streaming service is available for consumers across the wider MENA region, outside of stc Group footprint.Intigral will deploy the full suite of Think360 products available in the portfolio for both stc tv and Jawwy TV, including search and discovery, ThinkEditorial campaign management system, ThinkUX and ThinkInsight. With ThinkUX, the Intigral editorial team can select use cases to dynamically change the user experience across all devices. Intigral will use ThinkInsight to analyze large, complex data sets about viewing and content, and A/B testing, to better meet its business KPIs.William Sharp, Chief Technology Officer at Intigral, said, “We are constantly looking for ways to improve our service in order to provide the best streaming experiences possible. With Think360 we will achieve these goals by giving subscribers a personalized user experience with seamless search and discovery across our own content and third party services.”Samuel Sweet, CEO EMEA & APAC at ThinkAnalytics, commented, “One of the reasons for our roaring success in the MENA region is the quality and quantity of our multi-lingual capabilities including metadata in Arabic, which makes it easy for users to find content with a unified, personalized experience across all screens. We look forward to a long partnership with Intigral as we bring the most comprehensive and engaging experiences to its subscribers.”

60% of UAE residents are looking to purchase a new or used car during the Holy Month of Ramadan according to a survey commissioned by Audi Abu Dhabi. The survey explored consumer sentiment towards new car purchases and electric vehicle (EV) adoption ahead of what is considered a peak season for car purchases.Of the 60% looking to purchase a vehicle, petrol cars dominated the demand at 33% while 13% are considering an EV and 14% are still undecided.While the immediate prospect of EV purchasing is still niche, the survey revealed a growing number of consumers (52%) in the UAE are eager to buy an EV as their next car or in the coming three years. Almost half of the respondents also reported that they would purchase an EV if certain concerns related to EV ownership are addressed, such as improved charging infrastructure (28%) and understanding how much EVs total cost of ownership is (24%).Commenting on the findings, Audi Abu Dhabi General Manager, Mark Austin, said, "The rapid increase in the adoption of EVs in the region aligns with the country’s plans for sustainability. Audi is proud to play its part in the UAE government’s vision by having an ever-expanding range of e-trons. The potential customers looking to buy EVs in the near future is significant, with their adoption helping to fast-track and contribute to the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 initiative.”The Audi Abu Dhabi dealership offers a range of electric models under the Audi e-tron umbrella, reflecting the brand’s commitment to advancing electrification and finding sustainable ways to strive forward. The latest to join the line-up this year will be the new Audi Q8 e-tron, Audi’s top-of-the line electric SUV model. The new e-tron will offer the best in luxury comfort, an optimised drive concept, improved aerodynamics as well as better charging performance and battery capacity.The survey was conducted in conjunction with YouGov and polled over 1,000 UAE residents aged 18-50 years old.

Organizer NordStella today announced the details of the upcoming MENA Effie Thought Leadership Program (TLP) Dubai, scheduled for 3rd March 2023, at the Conference Hall, Dubai Knowledge Park. Part of the long-running MENA Effie Awards, the prestigious event revolves around the theme, ‘Leveraging the Full Potential of Immersive Marketing: Challenges and Opportunities’, and is designed to help marketers communicate and differentiate, using the power of marketing. “MENA Effie TLP Dubai’s central theme for this year, immersive marketing, can be likened to a fork in the road, where marketers have to make choices that will have far-reaching implications for the industry. This juncture calls for scholarly deliberations, a merging of varied perspectives, effective knowledge flows, and a coming together as a community — which is the key objective of the event,” said Sahar Rafique, Managing Director of NordStella, a company specializing in hosting and publishing meaningful, insight-rich, and in-depth-yet-entertaining content.The latest edition of MENA Effie TLP Dubai boasts over 15 speakers who are leading some of the marquee brands in the region: Tahaab Rais, Chief Strategy Officer at Publicis Groupe, and Vishal Badiani, Head of Creative Strategy at Snap, will feature in the long line-up of speakers. NordStella has planned an exciting repertoire of keynotes, panel sessions, and deep-dive discussions pertaining to immersive marketing. Entering its third year, the TLP series has garnered immense interest and admiration from the marketing community for its proven ability to not only delve deep into marketing niches and emerging technologies but also give it a strong regional context. The TLP series builds on the 13-year pedigree of the MENA Effie Awards, one of the region’s biggest and most-celebrated marketing events. After the Dubai edition, the series is set for a KSA debut on 6th March 2023, in Riyadh, owing to popular demand and requests from local marketing professionals. “The meteoric traction of the TLP series in a short span reflects the need for domain-specific knowledge-sharing, community building, and networking. And we are committed to delivering even more value to serve this need-gap,” explained Rafique.  

 Bahrain-based SINNAD Company, a leading Card Processing Payment Solutions and Digital Payments in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Rana Almaeeli as its Chief Executive, effective February 2023. This appointment comes as part of SINNAD’s efforts to drive its digital strategic vision and scale their business offerings across the GCC and the African market.Mrs. Rana Almaeeli has held a range of senior managerial positions at SINNAD and has a long history of excellence in the Card Processing, Payment Solutions, and digital payments realm. Rana has also worked as a General Manager at SINNAD for over 11 years, where she leveraged her extensive expertise in digital payments and Payment Solutions.It is also worth noting that Rana received the HRH Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa award in December 2015, under the theme “Women in the Financial and Banking Sector,” for the youngest General Manager in the banking sector.SINNAD, a subsidiary of The BENEFIT Company, was founded with the aim of supporting banks in growing their business with high efficiency, low operating cost and increased profitability by outsourcing their services. Through best-in-class technology and know-how, it provides banks with reliable, efficient and easy-to-use card issuings, ATM and Merchant Acquiring complete solutions from systems outsourcing to full operations. Over the years, SINNAD has established itself as one of the leaders in digital payments and Card processing in the MEA region.Commenting on the appointment, Mohamed Ebrahim AlBastaki, Chairman of SINNAD said, “I would like to congratulate Rana on her new role as CE and express my best wishes for her. Rana has been a valuable asset at SINNAD for over a decade now and has consistently shown her commitment and dedication to the firm through her work experience and invaluable contributions. She played an integral role in shaping SINNAD and helped to set many of the foundational cornerstones that it was built upon. We are confident in her ability to lead SINNAD’s further growth and evolution.”Addressing the promotion, Mrs. Rana Almaeeli commented, “I would like to express my sincerest gratitude towards the Board of Directors , senior management and my colleagues for their unwavering support throughout the years. I am honored to have been a part of SINNAD since the beginning of its journey. We have achieved incredible growth and reached countless milestones over the years, and I look forward to leading our future endeavors as CE.”“I am certain that my extensive knowledge and skills in fostering a progressive, strong financial services environment equips me to lead SINNAD into its next phase, and it is a great privilege to contribute to its success story in the Middle East and Africa regions.”

YAAP, a Dubai-based specialized influencer marketing company, today announced the appointment of seasoned media professional Sadia Akhter as a Partner. In a career spanning over 19 years across key verticals such as digital media, programmatic and influencer marketing, and advertising, Akhter has helmed successful campaigns for reputable brands, fostered and led multiple teams, and delivered measurable results. “Sadia Akhter joins us at a watershed moment characterized by growing partnerships with local and global agencies, expansion pan-GCC, and a foray into emerging avenues such as Web 3.0. Her stellar track record and wealth of experience accrued through an evolutionary period in digital media complement YAAP’s ambition of becoming synonymous with influencer marketing in the region,” commented Arshad Zaheer, Senior Partner, YAAP. Before joining YAAP, Sadia Akhter was leading Sociallyz, a data-driven influencer marketing company she co-founded. She was instrumental in driving the company’s influencer-marketing efforts for household names such as Microsoft and Pizza Hut. Her cross-cultural experience was shaped by stints across the UK and MENA, where she worked for organizations such as Monster, Vibrant Media, Ikoo, Addictive Mobility, and FreakOut Pte. Ltd.Commenting on her new role, Sadia Akhter said: “YAAP’s roadmap in the region and beyond aligns with my professional aspirations, especially in terms of my vision for influencer marketing and its prospects. My focus in the short term is to build an effective and agile influencer vertical through effective technology adoption, talent recruitment, and client onboarding. Over the long haul, I intend to support influencers become better subject-matter experts while positioning YAAP as a market leader.”YAAP’s pursuit of excellence saw it acquire Crayons Communications, a reputable advertising agency in the Middle East, last year after it posted an impressive top-line growth of 97% and a 5X jump in profitability for FY21-22. Its client portfolio includes Coca-Cola, Visit Dubai, Lufthansa, RuPay, American Express, Disney, Amazon, and Square Enix, among other leading brands in the Middle East and beyond. Sadia Akhter will work closely with Senior Partner Arshad Zaheer and Founder Atul Hegde as the company continues to enhance its full-suite services and blaze a new trail in data-driven influencer marketing in the region. 

Brands For Less (BFL) Group, one of the leading off-price and multi-brand retailers of the region, expanded its footprint in Saudi Arabia with the launch of a new store in Othaim Mall Rabwa, Riyadh; in light with the increasing retail activities across the country. The new store was inaugurated on February 22, 2023, as part of BFL Group’s plan to strengthen its market presence across the country.Retail activities in major cities across the Kingdom have been witnessing exponential growth within the past months. This expansion is in line with the country’s National Transformation Programme that prioritises the development of the retail sector. Moreover, the country’s retail market has been creating robust business opportunities for both international and regional players. The new BFL store aims to leverage new opportunities presented by the retail sector and embark on catering to the local needs of the Saudi market. According to reports, Saudi Arabia’s retail industry is forecasted to witness exponential growth leading to the year 2030. The catalyst to this growth is expected to be driven by the entry of new competitors to the market, future acquisitions and the advancement of the e-commerce platforms.  Toufic Kredieh, CEO and Co-Founder of BFL Group, said: “Opening our new store in Saudi Arabia is a notable achievement for us. Saudi Arabia’s economy is currently witnessing remarkable developments and several reports indicate that the country’s apparel and accessories sales have nearly topped among other products during 2022. The apparel and accessories market – in KSA is expected to continue this growth during the coming months, due to the evolving needs of the consumer base. We are optimistic that the high footfall at the mall will help us reach new sales records. We are committed to further expand our quality offerings to meet customer demands.” The new store, which is located on the second floor of the mall, combines BFL’s diverse brand offerings. Attributing to its strategic location, the new store is anticipated to welcome a high number of shoppers, maximising the overall growth of the group.Othaim Mall offers BFL the perfect opportunity to deliver a distinct shopping experience to its customers. The mall, which expects an increased footfall in 2023 amidst the vastly improving market conditions and the strong retail landscape of the country, will enable the company to further its business growth.

Ferrari, a UAE themed Park, dominated a 30-km stretch on Sheikh Zayed Road. along with Media Mix Advertising’s 21 unipoles.You can find Ferrari while you’re cruising on Sheikh Zayed Road (SZR) as the theme park.Media Mix implemented its unique strategy :a total takeover of 21 SZR Unipoles from Jebel Ali to Abu Dhabi.Media Mix previously attained 21 unipoles in July 2022 after which it coined the special execution “Total Takeover”.Media Mix has been successful in executing four takeover campaigns that featured Etisalat, Warner Bros, Hayatna and now Ferrari.

myco, a web3 video streaming, funding, production, and distribution platform, announced a partnership with MoEngage, a leading customer engagement platform. The partnership aims to enhance myco's viewer and creator engagement by leveraging MoEngage's insights-led platform, which includes push notifications as a channel.myco empowers viewers and creators in a fully decentralized video ecosystem with live monetization, crowdfunding, gating NFTs and fractional ownership of content. myco also pioneers an elevated content experience through the creation of the Cineverse (cinema in the metaverse). In the past year, myco has seeded, funded, and curated more than 40 film & TV productions through its self-sustaining ecosystem."myco's mission is to empower viewers by providing them with a decentralized and fair ecosystem for content creation and consumption. Our partnership with MoEngage allows us to take this mission to the next level by enabling first-party data and providing a level of personalization that is unmatched in the industry." said Tariq Jaser - Digital Marketing Manager at myco.MoEngage's insights-led customer engagement platform will allow myco to better understand its audience, their preferences and behavior and deliver tailored content that meets their needs. This not only enhances the viewer and creator experience but also allows myco to continue to innovate and push the boundaries of what is possible in the video streaming industry.“myco is revolutionizing the content industry by providing power to the viewers and creators alike through their decentralized and fair ecosystem for content creation and consumption. Their innovative use of blockchain technology to empower all stakeholders in the ecosystem is truly groundbreaking. We are excited to partner with myco and be a part of this revolution, helping them to enhance viewer and creator engagement through our platform and continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in the content industry.” said Sweta Duseja, Director of Customer Success, at MoEngage.myco joins the growing list of 1200+ global companies across 35 countries, such as Azadea Group, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Landmark Group, Apparel Group, Airtel, Jazeera Airways, GMG, Mashreq Bank, Alamar Foods, and many more, that trust MoEngage to deliver a consistent experience across multiple devices and touchpoints. 

Brand Dubai, the creative arm of the Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO), has partnered with the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), to showcase the unique culinary concepts and delicious creations of homegrown businesses from the ‘Proudly from Dubai’ network at the Sikka Art and Design Festival 2023.The 11th edition of the Festival is being held under the patronage of H. H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Member of the Dubai Council at Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood from 24th February to 5th March, 2023.As part of the collaboration, 28 of Dubai’s most-loved homegrown food outlets and cafes have brought a range of their best-selling and mouth-watering dishes, desserts and popular coffee blends to the ‘Proudly from Dubai Market’ at the Festival.Visitors to the Festival can savour a range of delectable food and beverages (F&B) and experience a diverse range of cuisines at the F&B space dedicated to the outlets.The Sikka Art and Design Festival is a pillar event of the #DubaiArtSeason that began on 1st February and runs until 20th March 2023.The Festival is a unique arts celebration held annually in Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, a key attraction highlighted in the #DubaiDestinations campaign.Fatma Almulla, City Branding Executive at Brand Dubai, said: “Brand Dubai has once again partnered with Dubai Culture to shine the spotlight on the entrepreneurial success stories of innovative F&B businesses that have emerged from Dubai. We believe the Sikka Art and Design Festival provides an ideal platform to introduce Dubai’s community to the unique blends, authentic flavours and original concepts of promising startups from our ‘Proudly from Dubai’ network. The latest participation of our members supports Brand Dubai and Dubai Culture’s shared vision to celebrate homegrown creative talent and further raise their visibility among various audiences.”Noor Khalfan Al Roumi, Sikka Art & Design Festival Project Manager at Dubai Culture, affirmed the important role of the partnership between Dubai Culture and Brand Dubai in promoting homegrown F&B concepts. “The festival is an important platform for attracting creative talent, innovative projects and members of the creative community in Dubai. The event is aligned with Dubai Culture's commitment to create a sustainable environment that can stimulate the growth of Dubai’s cultural and creative industries. The festival, through its rich programme of events and activities, gives the public the opportunity to explore Dubai's art scene, and learn about the creativity of our artists, as well as local and international trends in the art sector,” she said.The ‘Proudly from Dubai Market’ at the event shines the spotlight on the gastronomic creations of 28 Dubai-born outlets: Odd Job; The Grotto; Three By Eva; Mirzam; Al Khayma HEritage Restaurant; 21 Grams; Ugly Noodles; Mamarama; Maxzi The Good Food Shop; The Juice Merchant; Rascals Deli; Fifth Flavor; Must; Pinza; Go Nuts; Camellia Station; Iykyk; Yi-Fang; Sweet On Wheels; Blu Matcha; Mini Bbq; XVA; Birria Tacos; Haya's Kitchen; Hangerbur; Sage; Karak Inc; And Moreish By K.Sikka Art and Design Festival is a contemporary art event dedicated to showcasing the work of emerging Emirati and UAE & GCC-based artists.Hosted annually at Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, the 11th edition of the Festival provides a blank canvas to a new generation of artists to display their talent and creativity.Weaved through a well-curated 10-day programme, the festival, held under the theme ‘New Creativity, Same Path,’ showcases a diverse range of art forms such as exhibitions, art installations, murals, workshops, talks, photo walks, film screenings, musical performances and more.‘Proudly from Dubai’An initiative launched by Brand Dubai to highlight the success stories of businesses born and initiated in Dubai, ‘Proudly from Dubai’ aims to tell the story of innovation and creativity shaping Dubai’s emerging business and entrepreneurial culture

 DigiGlass by Redington, managed security services brand of Redington Value – the leading technology aggregator in the Middle East and Africa, has announced a strategic Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) partnership with Indusface, a leading application security SaaS company trusted by 5000+ global companies to detect, protect , and monitor against security risks on websites, mobile and API applications.Indusface’s award-winning fully managed platform AppTrana integrates web application scanner (DAST), cloud WAAP (WAF), DDoS & BOT Mitigation, secure CDN, and threat intelligence engine. With this collaboration, DigiGlass by Redington customers can integrate Indusface’s award winning offerings, including AppTrana, to create powerful security strategies that ensure threat actors are kept at bay.Cybercriminals have become more sophisticated and the range of attacks that they execute are increasingly complex, more integrated, and veiled. This partnership enables Redington’s customers to take advantage of Induface’s robust security solutions that will help them defend against new-age threats.According to a recent study done by Indusface titled ‘The State of Application Security’, the company analyzed 800M+ attacks. One of the key findings was that almost 60% of attacks were blocked using custom rules. While the core rules are comparable to most WAAP providers, the ability to act as an extended SOC team to write, test and manage custom rules while promising a zero false positive guarantee is the value that Indusface provides.Boasting more than 40 world-class cybersecurity vendors, DigiGlass by Redington covers applications, networks, endpoints, data, infrastructure, clouds, perimeters, and more, all with a range of service levels. The services include monitoring networks to help detect, identify, and respond to a multitude of known and unknown threats, enabling tech teams to prevent attacks from succeeding.Now with the capability to integrate Indusface along with its powerful services, DigiGlass is a compelling offering for customers to effortlessly secure their infrastructure and digital operations while being able to prioritize core business.Jayesh Warier, VP, Sales at Indusface, said, “Applications and data are at the heart of any digital business and Indusface offers strong security solutions to guard these prized components. We are excited to partner with a specialist like DigiGlass by Redington, with whom we can provide a holistic offering, including analytics and SIEM, for our growing customer base in the region. Customers can rely on the strength of our partnership for their end-to-end cybersecurity requirements.”Sayantan Dev, President, Redington Value, said, “In today's growing digital world, cybersecurity has become an essential requirement and the most important priority for organizations across all industries to protect their mission-critical corporate data. As businesses rely significantly on digital infrastructure, there is an urgent need for robust security solutions and services that offer continuous monitoring and protection of networks and applications.“At DigiGlass by Redington, we recognize the critical importance of cybersecurity, and we are proud to announce our partnership with Indusface, a pioneering leader in the field. Together, we will provide comprehensive security solutions and services that enable our customers to protect their applications and data with unparalleled effectiveness.”Dev added, “Our collaboration with Indusface will empower our ecosystem with cutting-edge security technologies that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning. By combining the power of Indusface's web application firewall (WAF) with DigiGlass managed security services (MSSP) expertise, we will deliver best-in-class network and application security solutions to our partners and customers.“We are committed to deepening our collaboration with Indusface to offer unique value and innovative security solutions to our customers. With this partnership, we are confident that we can help businesses of all sizes safeguard their digital assets against the constantly evolving threat landscape.”

Ooredoo Group has announced its participation at Mobile World Congress (MWC) for the 2023 edition of the event in Barcelona, Spain.This year’s Mobile World Congress, the largest and most influential connectivity event in the world, is set to be held from 27 February - 2 March 2023 at the Fira Gran Via, Barcelona. This year’s key themes are 5G Acceleration; Reality+; OpenNet; Fintech; and Digital Everything.A delegation of Ooredoo representatives will travel to Barcelona for MWC 2023. At the event, Ooredoo Group and operating companies across the world will share insights into the many exciting developments within these key themes, including new partnerships, products, services and solutions, as well as providing updates on recent ventures and achievements.Ooredoo's participation at the Mobile World Congress 2023 underscores the company's longstanding commitment to innovation and technology leadership within the telecommunications industry.The delegation of senior Ooredoo representatives attending the event will meet with their industry counterparts and many world-leading partners for top-level dialogue on issues affecting the industry and its stakeholders, as well as exploring new partnerships and business relationships opportunities.

The "Middle East and North Africa OTT TV and Video Forecasts 2023" report has been added to  ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.Middle East & North Africa OTT TV episodes and movies will generate $5.69 billion by 2028; double from $2.83 billion in 2022Turkey, Israel and Saudi Arabia together will account for 55% of the region's revenues by 2028. The 13 Arabic-speaking countries will generate $2.47 billion in 2028; up from $1.28 billion in 2022.AVOD will bring in $1.55 billion by 2028 - up by $1 billion on 2022. Turkey will supply 62% of the 2028 total, with Israel bringing in another 11% and Saudi Arabia 10%.SVOD is the revenue driver for OTT TV and video. SVOD revenues will reach $3.82 billion in 2028; up by $1.8 billion from $2.03 billion in 2022.Simon Murray, Principal Analyst, commented: "We forecast 42 million SVOD subscriptions by 2028, double from 21 million at end-2022. Netflix will have 11 million subscribers by 2028. Disney+ started in the Arabic countries, Israel and Turkey in 2022 - with 7.22 million subscribers expected by 2028."Key Topics Covered:Published in February 2023, this 126-page PDF and excel report comes in two parts:Insight: Detailed country-by-country analysis in a 65-page PDF document.A 62-page Excel workbook covering each year from 2015 to 2028 for 20 countries by household penetration, by SVOD subscribers and by OTT revenues for movies and TV episodes. As well as summary tables by country and by platform. NEW FOR 2023: Filter worksheet - every row on one spreadsheet, allowing for easy comparisons.Companies MentionedAmazon Prime VideoAmediatekaApple TV+beIN ConnectBlu TVCellcom TVDisney+HBOIviJawwyMegogoNetflixOSNParamount+Shahid VIPStarzPlaySting TVTivibuTurkcellVIPVodafone TVYes+

Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of the three chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, has hosted the seventh episode of a series of digital industry workshops – this time focusing on the gaming sector. This sector-specific workshop saw leading players in the gaming sector gather to discuss the opportunities and challenges the sector faces. The workshop series provides a platform for key players, start-ups, investors and interested parties to discuss the state of the sector and help create a framework for future success. During the event, H.E. Ahmad Bin Byat, Vice Chairman of Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, said: “With an affluent, youthful and gaming savvy population, the opportunities for local, global and regional game developers is incredible. We need to work fast, decisively and intelligently to create the right environment for all gaming sector companies to thrive. There’s no reason why Dubai cannot become a regional – if not global – gaming industry hub.”“We need to gain a holistic understanding of the gaming sector, working closely together to ensure that current government policies, initiatives and strategies promote innovation and business friendliness for gaming companies,” he added.The Vice Chairman told attendees that the Chamber is working to create a business environment supportive of the gaming sector, emphasising that the role of the Chamber is purely to act in support of digital industries, to help promote a well-organized, well-regulated and professional work environment for the ever-growing digital sector – of which gaming is a key part.“Dubai enjoys the market, infrastructure and investment that qualifies it to become a global leader in gaming, especially given the sector’s overlaps with emerging Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies including AR, VR and blockchain,” H.E. bin Byat concluded. Meanwhile, pundits suggest the GCC's gaming industry will increase in value from US$1.3 billion in 2019 to US$4.5 billion in 2025. Nine out of ten adults in the UAE currently play video games, according to data from Statista. The UAE’s extensive gaming audience is boosted by the rising popularity of mobile gaming and a blazing 5G network.Another topic during the workshop was the challenge of greater localization in gaming, especially given that Arabic is the fifth most spoken language globally.Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy will hold regular workshops in the future with key gaming industry players, to ensure gaming plays a valuable role in the emerging digital economy, and to track progress of the discussions, ideas and initiatives raised at the workshop. The Chamber is committed to involving all relevant parties in building a clear sector roadmap and assisting in finding solutions to any challenges discussed. Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy plays a prominent role in engaging stakeholders from various digital sectors to promote an environment conducive to growth of the digital economy.

Artificial Intelligence, more commonly referred to as AI, has already begun saving oil and gas companies millions of dollars a year by improving operational efficiency, the Al-Attiyah Foundation explains in its latest Energy Industry report.Although AI is generally associated with science fiction movies and visions of the future, machine intelligence that can identify patterns, learn from experience and solve problems has been in the making for decades.In 1966, SHAKEY, the world’s first “mobile intelligent robot,” complete with a television camera and bump detector, was unveiled. SHAKEY “could perceive its surroundings, infer implicit facts from explicit ones, create plans, recover from errors in plan execution, and communicate using ordinary English.”Thirty years later, AI had reached another milestone when it came up against Russian Grandmaster Garry Kasparov in an unprecedented and enduring battle of wits. Deep Blue, a machine designed by IBM and capable of computing 100 million positions per second, beat Kasparov in its first ever chess match but eventually lost the six-game series.After some amendments from IBM scientists, Deep Blue and Kasparov met for a replay a year later. In a darkened television studio in New York, global audiences watched in suspense as the world champion sat opposite the machine’s human surrogate.After a tense five match struggle, man and computer were level heading in the last round of the seminal encounter. In just 19 moves, Deep Blue defeated the human grandmaster to steal a historic victory.Since Deep Blue chess exploits, several AI applications have emerged across all segments of the oil and gas industry and are leaving an indelible mark.According to a recent survey by Ernst & Young, 92% of the global oil and gas companies are either currently investing in AI - or plan to - over the next five years. And, it is already beginning to have an impact, as 50% of the oil & gas executives (in the same survey) have already begun using AI to solve various challenges across their respective organisation.Its most common current application is predictive maintenance and machinery inspection. Here, AI technology analyses operational data such as drill maintenance or downtime, in addition to real-time decision-making and developing models that can predict equipment malfunction. This is crucial in running uninterrupted operations and avoiding costly downtimes and project overruns.Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) has already enhanced its operations with such technology. In 2021, the Malaysian company deployed AVEVA Predictive Analytics in the Microsoft Azure cloud to accurately predict and resolve equipment failures before they happen.Over 200 models were deployed in the first year – at a greater scale than would have been possible with human analysts – and the solution correctly identified 51 major early warnings. In the process, it delivered a value of $17.4M, with 14x return on investment (ROI). From the 51 warnings, 12 were high impact incident.AI technologies can optimise field development from exploration to production, allowing effective and efficient interpretation of seismic data to identify hydrocarbon deposits, in addition to identifying optimal locations for drilling operations.In September 2020, the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) discovered a new AI-based technique that helps analyse data from seismic waves (natural or induced by explosive material) to determine the geological features beneath the surface, thereby helping in discovering hydrocarbons, like oil and natural gas, in less time with high efficiency.ExxonMobil aims to use the deep-sea AI robot to enhance its natural seep detection capabilities. The corporation’s AI-powered robots are capable enough to detect these oil seeps, which will eventually reduce exploration risk and cause less harm to marine life.The AI revolution could also help major players like Saudi Aramco, BP, and Royal Dutch Shell in their quest to be carbon neutral by 2050. In 2022, engineers at Texas A&M University’s campus in Qatar announced they had partnered with Qatargas and Schlumberger to use machine learning to detect underground leaks of carbon dioxide and other gasses and fluids related to oil and gas production, helping reduce environmental and economic impacts.Elsewhere, BP turned to Silicon Valley to help reduce methane leakage, and with vendor Kelvin Inc. they’ve outfitted hundreds of its Wamsutter wells with cheap sensors that gather and transmit data into supercomputers where AI-driven algorithms crunch endless optimisation simulations.BP estimates that within six months of use, methane leakage from the wells declined by 74%. Along with cutting operational costs, such technology will help BP rapidly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions in its oil and gas operations.The potential applications of AI are near-endless in the oil and gas sector. The application of AI goes beyond “better” or “faster” operational processes, it has the potential to unlock efficiencies across the entire value chain from exploration to sales.To download the full report on how AI is transforming oil and gas operations and for more expert insights on the energy industry,

New Country Healthcare (NCH), a leading healthcare distributor in the UAE announced today the appointment of Nour Koudsi as Co-CEO alongside Co-CEO Dr. Nael Al Koudsi.With 19 years of professional experience, Nour brings with him a wealth of knowledge and a unique set of skills that will be of great benefit to NCH.Nour Koudsi started his career at New Country Healthcare in 2004, where he focused on enhancing business development and optimizing operational performance. He then embarked on a 13 year tenure across a few corporations where he honed his critical thinking, strategic planning, business development and leadership skills. His journey led him to tech giant Google, where he spent over a decade engaging in numerous roles and advanced to the position of Regional Lead of Android Partnerships covering EMEA’s Emerging Markets, leading Google’s Android business across a cluster of 27 countries.Dr. Ghazi Al Koudsi, Chairman of New Country Healthcare, said: "We are thrilled to have Nour back onboard as Co-CEO. He is a visionary leader with a strong strategic mindset, and is highly committed to enhancing the organization's long-term success, and I am confident that his knowledge and expertise will bring tremendous value to NCH. It is an exciting time for Nour to join and I am looking forward to seeing what he and Nael, Co-CEO, will accomplish together."Founded in 1978 as Country Pharmacy, New Country Healthcare was established in 1990 with a mission to provide local communities with high quality, innovative healthcare products through fast and efficient services.NCH is a leader in the healthcare sector with a UAE & regional footprint, 260 employees and a rich portfolio that includes over 1500 products manufactured in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Middle East.“Alongside NCH’s remarkable leadership, I am excited to be exploring opportunities that will expand NCH’s value proposition across numerous fronts, specifically vertical integration, new business ventures, healthtech and digitalization” Nour said aboutjoining New Country Healthcare. “With our partner centric approach and our drive to innovate and serve communities locally, regionally and globally, NCH will be an unstoppable force of positive impact. The world is our oyster and we look forward to achieving the impossible.”Nour is a graduate of the University of Toronto, where he completed an HonorsBachelor of Science, with a double major in Human Physiology and Human Biology. He then went on to earn his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from INSEAD, one of the world's leading business schools.New Country Healthcare's leadership is excited to have Nour rejoin and looks forward to the contributions he will make in driving NCH's mission and vision forward.

Samsung Electronics and DISH Network Corporation launched Samsung-supported sites for the DISH Wireless 5G network, marking the beginning of Samsung’s role in the operator’s nation-wide rollout. With Samsung supplying an initial shipment of 24,000 Open RAN-compliant radios1 and 5G virtualized RAN (vRAN) software solutions, the companies are accelerating the DISH network deployment across the U.S., which is poised to provide reliable and fast nationwide coverage to DISH Wireless network users. “Samsung is a key player in the DISH Wireless Open RAN ecosystem, created in collaboration with additional Open RAN leaders like Dell, VMware, AWS and others,” said Marc Rouanne, EVP and Chief Network Officer, DISH Wireless. “Samsung’s 5G vRAN solutions and our shared innovation process allow DISH Wireless to continue the DISH 5G multi-vendor, open and interoperable cloud-native network buildout, as we progress to covering 70 percent of the U.S. population.”Since the announcement of their multi-year agreement in May 2022, DISH Wireless and Samsung advanced their collaboration — progressing from field tests to successfully activating the first live Samsung sites within the DISH Wireless 5G network. For this rollout, Samsung provided its comprehensive portfolio of 5G solutions, including its virtualized distributed unit (vDU), virtualized central unit (vCU) and Open RAN-compliant 5G radios, which support the DISH spectrum bands. Samsung also built new dual-band and tri-band Open RAN-compliant radios specific for this deployment. “DISH Wireless is an innovator in mobile technologies and we are thrilled to reach new heights of connectivity together, validating the immense potential that virtualization and openness can bring to the industry,” said Junehee Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Global Sales & Marketing, Networks Business, Samsung Electronics. “This milestone advances the wide-scale deployment of Samsung’s vRAN in the U.S. and we look forward to continuing our work with DISH Wireless to accelerate 5G expansion and lead the delivery of next-generation connectivity across the country.” DISH Wireless and Samsung will continue to innovate within the DISH Open RAN architecture to provide their customers with reliable fast service and set the stage for DISH Wireless to offer enterprises a broad range of new services and enhanced capabilities.

 Empyre Communications, Dubai’s leading Public Relations and Marketing agency, which oversees a rich portfolio of luxury, hospitality, beauty, fashion, corporate and tech brands, has been appointed as the agency of choice by both The St. Regis Downtown, Dubai, and Delta Hotel, DIP, under Marriott International.The agency has been commissioned to handle all aspects of the St. Regis Downtown, Dubai property, from the hotel’s F&B outlets, including BASTA!, Hayal, The Library and the St. Regis Spa, down to the amenities which include the St. Regis Spa.A world-renowned luxury hotel brand, The St. Regis Downtown, Dubai features the celebrated traditions, cherished rituals, and bespoke service born at New York’s finest address of 55th and Fifth. The Downtown Dubai property seamlessly blends the brand’s storied history and heritage with the vibrancy of the destination. Delta Hotel, a North-American born premium chain, has appointed the agency to handle all internal communication as it expands its footprint across the GCC with its 100th property in DIP.Commenting on the agency's latest project win, Stephanie Farah, Managing Director & Founder of Empyre Communications, said: “This is an incredible milestone for the agency. To be representing such prestigious brands is a true testament and reflection of the exceptional work we have delivered over the years across the industry. The St. Regis and Delta Hotel add to our many recent acquisitions, kicking off the new season on a strong note. We’re thrilled to add these iconic properties to our ever-growing portfolio, and are proud to represent the brands across the GCC.”

The UAE’s top brands accelerated their digital transformation to improve engagement with customers during and after the pandemic, with Emirates, IKEA and Lulu Hypermarket overtaking a majority of retail brands with stellar customer experience. This is according to KPMG’s 2022 Customer Experience Excellence (CEE) report, which captured the views of more than 89,000 customers on their experiences with brands across the UAE.Emirates has retained the top spot for upholding its legacy of outstanding service and customer engagement. Leading in all six CEE pillars, Emirates demonstrated a well-executed end-to-end CX. IKEA earned a CX top ranking for its wide range of product categories available at a one stop-shop, as well as its home delivery service featuring real time updates on the status and progress of orders.Meanwhile, many companies steadily improved their CX rankings since 2017 as a result of accessibility of stores, high-quality of customer service and loyalty apps. Services such as digital solutions and immersive guest experiences, including upgrading their visual communications platforms to enhance scheduling flexibility and adding professional video syncing capabilities, earned companies a top spot with consumers.Goncalo Traquina, Partner in Management Consulting and Head of the Customer Advisory at KPMG Lower Gulf said: “The findings from the latest edition of the KPMG CEE report show that customers value brands that offer an interconnected experience across multiple channels. Many are leveraging AI-driven tools like predictive analytics to deliver a hyper-personalized experience that resolve issues before customers are even aware that they exist. From customizing website-based customer activity to intelligently recommending products, reaching out to customers with individualized offers and rewards at the right moment, UAE brands are going the extra mile to capture consumers. As they navigate the road ahead, they will need to remain agile as consumers seek out a blend of online and offline retail experiences.”

The MediaVantage, a media representation company based in the UAE, has bagged the media advertising and sponsorship rights for TIME magazine throughout the MENA area. The MediaVantage will represent TIME magazine, TIME's social media channels, TIME.com, its signature events, newsletters, and its branded content studio Red Border. The MediaVantage will support local customers and agencies with their digital and content initiatives for TIME.The MediaVantage draws upon over a decade of media sales presence in the Middle East region, representing newspapers, travel magazines, inflight media, websites, airport advertising, and out-of-home city media. The range of media it represents in key markets around the world enables Middle East-based clients to communicate globally to some of the most influential and important audiences in the world. Time is an American weekly news magazine that has been published since 1923. It was founded by Henry Luce, and its first issue appeared on March 3, 1923. Time magazine covers current events, including politics, business, technology, entertainment, and world news. It has a reputation for in-depth reporting, analysis, and opinion pieces, and has won numerous awards for journalism.

NVIDIA, in partnership with twofour54, has announced NVIDIA Studio Nights – a regional event specially curated to showcase and elevate the talent of content creators who are harnessing the power of the NVIDIA Studio platform and RTX GPUs in their designs. The inaugural Studio Nights will be held on March 15th, 2023, at twofour54’s Community Hub in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, and will feature a competition across three creative categories – 3D, Digital Art, and Videography/Photography.The competition will showcase original content created using advanced technologies of the NVIDIA Studio platform. By submitting their work in one of the categories prior to the event, the best creators will get the chance to walk away with prizes and trophies courtesy of NVIDIA Middle East. The free-to-attend event will also provide networking opportunities with NVIDIA spokespeople and interactive presentations on editing tips and streamlining content workflows.“NVIDIA Studio Nights is the perfect platform to acknowledge outstanding forms of art and imagination, and we are thrilled to have our first Studio Night with twofour54, where we will welcome incredible content creators and talent from the Middle East,” commented Chantelle Tavid – Head of Marketing, NVIDIA MENAT. “We wanted a space where content creators can pick up tips from each other and NVIDIA experts in person, and the Yas Creative Hub campus is the best location for them to experience supercharged creativity together.”NVIDIA Studio is much more than just a GPU. With over 75 creative apps that are accelerated by AI on RTX GPUs, including top apps for photography, videography, rendering, and broadcasting, such as Adobe Premier Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Blender, and Adobe Photoshop, artists can create faster and better on the NVIDIA Studio platform.Visitors attending Studio Nights have the opportunity to immerse themselves in multiple experiential demos and gain insight into how the industry-leading RTX GPUs paired with NVIDIA Studio drivers can dramatically improve challenging tasks in leading design applications. From AI-driven object removal to smoother 4K video playback, NVIDIA Studio drivers are designed to create at the speed of your imagination.Those who would like to attend the event or participate in any of the competition categories can visit https://bit.ly/nvidiastudionights-pr for registration details and more information. The competition is open until March 5th 2023, and winners will be announced on March 9th.

Nathan & Nathan Group, a leading provider of outsourced professional services and technology in the UAE have announced their expansion into Saudi Arabia with the opening of their first office located in the capital Riyadh. The professional services giant, which has grown rapidly in the UAE over the last decade now employs over 4,500 employees in the UAE and operates across 80 industries and multiple business lines.Their Joint venture partner for KSA, Fawaz Abdulaziz Al Hokair & Sons, is one of the most successful business groups in the kingdom, owning stakes in multiple public listed companies and a large portfolio of private businesses across mall operations, retail, healthcare, financial services, e-commerce and more.This partnership has launched Nathan & Nathan KSA, which will bring together the expertise and resources of both companies, accelerate the growth of both groups’ active customer bases, and support the development of future opportunities together to provide unparalleled professional services to clients throughout the kingdom.Nathan & Nathan are confident that this joint venture will be a success as it will help them service their customers in KSA and will help to further strengthen the business ties between the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Dubai Chamber of Commerce, one of the three chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, has launched six business groups within the F&B industry for HORECA traders, meat and poultry, bakeries, organic food, groceries as well as hypermarkets and supermarkets sectors.“We are on track to reach our goal of setting up 100 business groups by March 2023. These six new business groups will help boost the dynamism of Dubai’s F&B industry where UAE consumer foodservice outlets sales are expected to reach AED86.4 billion by 2027," said Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President & CEO of Dubai Chambers.“Business groups are imperative in ensuring representation of all the business and economic sectors in Dubai. They help facilitate mutual dialogue between stakeholders and government entities and are key to addressing policy matters and enhancing the competitiveness of their respective sectors,” he added.According to Euromonitor, UAE consumer foodservice sales value reached AED58.4 billion in 2022. This figure was driven by the rapid response and recovery from the pandemic as well as strong economic growth.Fresh food sales are anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 4.9 per cent between 2022 and 2027, while packaged food will see a predicted growth of about 3.9 per cent between the same period. Food manufacturers across the Middle East are predicted to grow profits by a CAGR of 3.6 per cent up to 2026.Positive outlookAccording to Euromonitor International, retail sales of traditional groceries are set to rise at a current value CAGR of 3% over the forecast period (2021-2026) to reach AED11.4 billion. Retail sales of supermarkets in the UAE are set to rise at a current value CAGR of 4% over the forecast period (2021-2026) to reach AED19.7 billion. Foodservice value sales of full-service restaurants in the UAE rose by 24% in current terms in 2022 to reach AED32.5 billion. The retail value sales of organic packaged food grew by 6% in current terms in 2021 to AED120 million. Dubai’s total trade of meat and edible meat offal reached AED32.4 billion during the period 2015-2021, whereas Dubai’s total trade of bread, pastry, cakes and biscuits reached AED11.3 billion during the same period.The food industry in Dubai and the wider UAE is set for a positive future. As integral parts of the industry, the business groups will focus on promoting the development of food companies, raising the profile of Dubai’s F&B industry in the international business community. By providing a forum that facilitates mutual dialogue between the sector’s stakeholders and government entities, the business groups will tackle industry-level challenges and address policy matters related to the industry, amongst others. 

With leadership skills and talent retention being hot business topics to stimulate and maintain growth, especially globally, Ush Dhanak of EQ Academy has created a new ‘Corporate EQ Programme’ for launch in the Gulf and worldwide.Following success of earlier programmes with corporate clients in Australia, both in the public and private sectors, Ush wanted to create a flexible programme that included the very latest ways of understanding and using emotional intelligence(EQ) to improve performance of employees at all levels.Ush said “ the aim of the programme is for leaders to discover and use techniques that will not only improve their own performance, but also enable them to develop first class teams that perform at high levels.”She added “ It is clear that talent retention in many sectors is also a real problem and our programme includes methods of getting teams and individuals to remain loyal and committed to organisations”The programme is delivered through a mix of online and in-person training and is typically done on an individual client basis, though group sessions involving several companies can be available too. Steve Parker, part of the EQ Academy global team added “the flexibility and convenience of the programme means clients can access at their convenience and when most needed and there are always opportunities for Gulf leaders and specialists to contribute and help to deliver locally.”

 International Data Corporation (IDC) today launched the 16th edition of its annual IDC Middle East CIO Summit at Dubai's Atlantis, The Palm. With more than 500 of the region's most influential ICT decision makers in attendance, the two-day event — which this year runs under the theme 'Enabling the Digital Economy's Leaders' — was opened by IDC's global president, Crawford Del Prete, as he presented the summit's keynote, 'Strategies for the CIO and Enterprise Innovation'."As storms of disruption continue to gather, it is crucial that CIOs are clear on what they need to do now — and in the future — to create an environment for long-term sustainable innovation," said Del Prete. "Central to this is the need to build a culture of trust across the entire organization and its broader ecosystem of partners and customers. We are increasingly seeing a move toward greater industry ecosystem-led innovation, and it is important that CIOs fully understand the implications of this ongoing decentralization. At the same time, enterprise leaders must view increased line-of-business investment as a springboard to greater innovation and not an end state in itself."The IDC Middle East CIO Summit has been a staple of the region's ICT calendar for 16 years, serving as the ICT community's premier source of learning about the industry's latest developments. As well as informative presentations, in-depth discussions, and expert-led panel sessions, this year's edition incorporates five different 'Transformation Zones' demonstrating pioneering use cases and technological advances in the areas of the metaverse, DevOps, customer experience, sustainability, and Industry 4.0.The rise of the digital economy was central to discussions on Day 1 of the summit, with IDC's group vice president and regional managing director for the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa, Jyoti Lalchandani, explaining that it is one of the hottest tech trends shaping investment in 2023. "We are seeing a growing focus across the region on developing the infrastructure, innovation platforms, and skills required to support the expansion of digital businesses," said Lalchandani. "To set themselves apart in an increasingly competitive market, organizations need to leverage infrastructure, data, and skills alongside critical technology enablers such as 5G, the cloud, and AI. Only then will they be able to successfully re-invent their business models, create new customer experiences, and drive innovation with their partners."The Day 1 agenda also included a series of fascinating 'For the CIO by the CIO' panel discussions, with expert insights from some of the region's most respected end-user tech leaders on topics such as:Talent Development and the Demand for New Skills: How to Optimally Structure Your TeamSustainable Strategies and Technologies: Operationalization, Impact Measurability, and Business Value CreationVendor Selection and Management: Best Practices and What to Look Out ForDay 2 of the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2023 commences at 9:00 am tomorrow and will include an exclusive keynote from His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Al Kuwaiti, head of cybersecurity for the UAE government. There will also be a show-stopping performance from contemporary artist Neil Harbisson, the world's first officially recognized human cyborg, while IDC's senior vice president and regional managing director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Steven Frantzen, will take to the stage to examine the unprecedented rate of disruption that is being caused by the emergence of a thriving digital economy."Digital-native firms, equipped with new business models and armed with substantial venture capital funding, have disrupted supply chains in numerous industries, fueling growth in areas such as ecommerce, direct-to-consumer services, digital payments, and cloud kitchens," says Frantzen. "With the metaverse and Web3 paradigms on the horizon, further disruption is expected to individual, enterprise, and industrial digital experiences."The agenda for Day 2 of the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2023 will also incorporate a series of expert-led technology track sessions focusing on the following key themes:Cyber Protection for Today and Tomorrow: Dynamic Security Strategies to Minimize RiskConnecting the Distributed Cloud: From the Edge to the Core     Enabling the Data-Driven Enterprise      AI and Analytics: How to Win in the Intelligent Economy The event will conclude with the IDC Excellence Awards 2023, which will recognize the efforts of the Middle East's leading technology executives across three categories: CIO of the Year; CISO of the Year; and Women in Technology & Business.To learn more about the IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2023, please click here or contact Sheila Manek at smanek@idc.com / +971 4 446 3154.The IDC Middle East CIO Summit 2023 is supported by the UAE's Ministry of Industry & Advanced Technology, the UAE's Cyber Security Council, Kuwait's Central Agency for Information Technology, and Dubai Municipality. IDC is also honored to have a wide range of partners on board for the event, including:Host Partner: Gulf Business Machines (GBM); Strategic Partner: Microsoft; Smart ICT Partner: Red Hat; Digital Solutions Partner: MDS System Integration; Trailblazer Partners: VMware, Huco; Sustainability Partner: Cisco; DX Partner: Tech Mahindra; Innovation Partner: HCL Tech; Summit Partners: Google Cloud / Mandiant, Zero&One, Riverbed, AWS, UiPath; Platinum Partners: eMudhra, Fortinet, SentinelOne, Denodo, f5, Snowflake, ServiceNow, Micro Focus, Boomi, HUMAN Security, Tenable, Recorded Future; Technology Focus Group Partners: Crayon, Equinix, Veeam, OpenText, Hyland, SquareOne, Kaspersky, Manage Engine, RiCSOC / Sahara Watira, Kyndryl, Swimlane, Advanced Technology Consultancy / Huawei, Pure Storage, Mendix, NetApp / Ingram Micro; Sustainability Transformation Zone Partner: Microsoft; Industry 4.0 Transformation Zone Partner: Infor; Exhibit Partners: SER Group, Rimini Street, Freshworks, Truspeq, Infinidat, SymphonyAI Summit, New Smart Office Automation, BMC; Associate Partners: Emirates Digital Association for Women, UAE Banks Federation, Women in AI, Women in Cyber Security Middle East; Media Partners: Tech Magazine, IE Industry Events, AI Time Journal, DX Talks, GCC Business News, Security Middle East Magazine, Global Business Magazine, CoinPedia, Coinspeaker, U.Today, International Business Magazine, TechX, Media 7, DigitalsetGo.

Veeam® Software, the leader in Modern Data Protection, today announced the appointment of Dustin Driggs as the company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Driggs will lead Veeam’s global financial function including strategy and reporting as Veeam continues to gain market share and provide best-in-class secure backup and fast, reliable recovery that keeps businesses running.Driggs is an accomplished finance leader with more than 30 years’ experience in successfully building and managing large multinational businesses. He joins Veeam from Barracuda Networks where he worked for over 16 years, most recently as Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President leading the finance and accounting function. Prior to Barracuda Networks, Driggs held senior leadership roles at Cisco Systems and PwC.“Veeam is helping to keep businesses running when the unexpected happens, whether it’s ransomware, natural disasters, human error, outages, or a cyber-attack. That’s an incredible value proposition that in turn creates huge opportunity in a fast-growing market,” said Dustin Driggs, CFO at Veeam. “I’m excited to join such a talented and innovative team and look forward to the opportunity to contribute to Veeam’s continued global success.”“Dustin brings great experience, insights and skills to Veeam,” said Anand Eswaran, CEO at Veeam. “With more than 5,000 employees, 450,000 customers and well over $1B in ARR, it’s an exciting time in our development and evolution; we’re growing rapidly by keeping businesses running. In a digital world, our value proposition of proactively protecting data across every type of environment and helping companies rapidly recover from unexpected events is incredibly critical to every organization. Dustin is a valuable addition to our strong leadership team at Veeam, and I’m confident his expertise and experience will make a great impact here.”Driggs succeeds Chuck Garner who is leaving Veeam after successfully leading the company’s finance, strategy, and operations functions and having completed its $5 billion sale to Insight Partners in 2020. Garner said, "I have enjoyed partnering with our leadership team and investors over the last four years as Veeam has achieved record growth and extended its market leadership position."Eswaran added, "I want to thank Chuck for his leadership and dedication at Veeam. He's made valuable contributions to the company, and I wish him much continued success."Veeam recently announced the NEW Veeam Data Platform, a single platform delivering more advanced data security, recovery, and hybrid cloud capabilities than ever before. The Veeam Data Platform, which includes Veeam Backup & Replication (VBR) v12, provides best-in-class secure backup and fast reliable recovery that keeps business running. It brings together the latest features offered from Veeam into a robust solution that is offered in three enterprise-grade editions for protecting Cloud, Virtual, Physical, SaaS, and Kubernetes applications across complex and expanding IT environments and the increasing set of challenges facing every organization from outages to errors and ransomware. Veeam will highlight the New Veeam Data Platform during VeeamON 2023, the community event for data recovery experts, which will take place May 22 – 24 in Miami, FL and online. Designed by and built for the backup and recovery professional, attendees will expand their skills, celebrate with the community, and share industry knowledge with special content from Amazon Web Services, (AWS), Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and more. Registration for the in-person event is now open.

Empyre Communications, Dubai’s leading Public Relations and Marketing agency which oversees a rich portfolio of tech, hospitality, luxury, beauty, fashion, and corporate brands, has been appointed as the agency of choice by Ultrahuman, the world's most advanced metabolic fitness platform.The UAE-based, digital health powerhouse, Ultrahuman, is a unique interplay of hardware and software that seamlessly monitors important biomarkers in the body. Ultrahuman’s innovative products include the Ultrahuman M1, a continuous glucose monitoring platform, and the Ultrahuman Ring, a metabolic health-tracking wearable, which are set to propel health and longevity in the region.Commenting on the agency's latest project win, Stephanie Farah, Managing Director & Founder of Empyre Communications, said: “We are proud to be adding such an innovative, digital-health brand to our tech and wellness portfolio. We look forward to representing the brand and its innovative products in the UAE.

Publicis Groupe has announced the appointment Nadim Ghrayeb as business lead for Studio M, which is a part of Leo Burnett and the bespoke agency solution meant for McDonald’s GCC region. Studio M has been envisaged as an entity for consolidating the Groupe’s capabilities into a seamless offering for delivering end-to-end solutions for the brand.“It's been just over a month since joining as the business lead of STUDIOm Leo Burnett MEA (Middle East & Africa) and working on such an iconic brand as #McDonalds. The team at STUDIOm had wrapped up a great campaign prior to my joining and really excited and happy to see the hard work go live and get to share it! I'm looking forward to learning and working closely with both my team and the great teams at McDonald's here in the GCC,” Nadim wrote on his LinkedIn page. Nadim Ghrayeb will take the brand’s position to a greater heights while identifying new growth opportunities under the Groupe’s Power of One model. “Nadim’s credentials and collaborative approach made him a natural fit to lead Studio M which was borne out of the Power of One. His multi-disciplinary experience in the region will be an asset in unlocking further growth opportunities for McDonald’s GCC while scaling solutions across the Groupe’s capabilities,” said Nathalie Gevresse, CEO of Publicis Communications UAE, the creative communications division of Publicis Groupe.Nadim Ghrayeb is a marketing maverick having worked on integrated campaigns across all disciplines for iconic brands such as Cadillac, BMW, Audi, Nike, Red Bull, Absolut, etc.

FIFA dominated YouGov’s Global Sport Rankings 2023 in UAE, with FIFA World Cup leading the table with a Buzz score of 61.2 points. Following it in second was the FIFA Club World Cup, with a score of 40.3.YouGov SportsIndex measures the public’s perception of sports brands on a daily basis across a range of metrics. YouGov’s Global Sport Rankings 2023 are based on the Buzz scores, which measures whether respondents have heard something positive or negative about a brand recently. Football dominated the rankings, with five events making the top ten list. Along with the top two events, UEFA Champions League, English Premier League and La Liga also appeared in the list, in third (24.9), seventh (22.8) and ninth (18.8), respectively.Cricket based sporting events also featured prominently, with the ICC Cricket World Cup ranking fourth (24.0) and the ICC World Twenty20 taking the sixth place (23.6).Formula One was the only non-football or non-cricket event in the top five, ranked in fifth (24.0).Finally, Dubai Marathon and UAE Tour- the only domestic events to feature in the list- completed the rankings in eighth (19.8) and tenth (16.3), respectively.  MethodologySportsIndex is one of YouGov Sport’s signature tools. It operates in 35 markets around the world, tracking 200 key domestic and international competitions across more than 30 sports. A core of 21 properties is tracked in every market, allowing for international comparison. Many other events, leagues and tournaments appear in multiple markets; while some competitions are tracked only in the country which hosts them. The 2023 Buzz Report provides insight into all the sports events we monitor against just one of the 16 metrics we measure – ‘Buzz’.Every day, we ask 100 people these questions...“Over the past two weeks, which of the following sports events/leagues have you heard something positive about?” and “Now which of the following sports/events leagues have you heard something negative about over the past two weeks?” From the answers we collect, we derive a Buzz score for each event, or the difference between the percentage of respondents hearing positive news and the percentage hearing negative news about an event in the previous two weeks. So, depending on what is going on, an event’s Buzz score can reveal whether conversations around a property are positive or negative at a point in time.Buzz scores can range from +100 (where everyone we asked has heard something positive) to -100 (where everyone we asked has heard something negative). A completely neutral score, therefore, would be zero. A score of 45 would show positive sentiment towards a property, by a margin of 45 percentage-points.For our Buzz rankings here, we look at the highest average Buzz score each property has scored each calendar month. Then we take the highest of those twelve scores and compare them with highest monthly scores of every other property we track in that market. We track up to 80 properties in each country but for the sake of this report, we display only the top ten in each market overall (typically a mix of domestic and international). In addition, we show a top five or top ten ranking for each market for those competitions hosted or held (in part or in their entirety) in each market over the year.

 Spacee, which provides the best computer vision and AI solutions for retailers and consumer brands, is proud to announce that its President, COO and Secretary of the Board, Mirna Abyad Baloul, has been nominated among 50 of the most innovative leaders in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry.Mirna's nomination is a testament to her leadership and expertise in driving Spacee's mission of delivering solutions that make a meaningful impact on the retail industry. Under her direction, Spacee has developed Hovertouch, a unique solution that brings products to life using computer vision and requires no screen or customer device. In addition, the company has also introduced Deming, a mini-robot supply chain solution that provides retailers with accurate, near-real-time visibility on inventory levels, helping them improve efficiency and reduce costs and waste while ensuring Planogram compliance."I am honoured to be recognised among 50 innovators in AI and to be part of a team that is shaping the future of the retail industry," said Mirna Abyad Baloul. "At Spacee, we are committed to delivering progressive solutions that positively impact retailers and consumers alike. Our solutions are designed to help retailers optimise their operations, increase efficiency and reduce waste while providing an engaging and convenient shopping experience for customers.""Mirna's nomination is a testament to her leadership and expertise and reflects the innovative spirit of our entire team," said Skip Howard, founder and CEO of Spacee. "Our expansion to the UAE is a consolidation of our progressive journey, and I am confident that with Mirna at the helm, we will continue to drive growth and success for Spacee and our customers."Mirna is responsible for global operations at Spacee and holds a Juris Doctor, MBA with an emphasis on IT, and a Bachelor of Science in electrical and computer engineering. She is a seasoned executive with a wealth of experience in both the private and public sectors. Before joining Spacee, during her time at Texas Instruments, Mirna led a global team of analogue patent attorneys and developed and executed intellectual property processes, systems, and practices based on business strategy, changing laws, market data, licensing interests, potential adverse cases, and senior management goals. She also successfully negotiated multimillion-dollar agreements with international, external customer companies and presented annual strategies and reviews to Sr. Vice Presidents in all technical areas of analogue business. Before that, at Motorola, Mirna designed and ran automated test scripts using Micrographics, TTCN, PTK, and Visual C++ and developed systems for BlueTooth and GSM platforms. Her expertise in IP protection and extensive technical knowledge have been invaluable in her role as President, COO, Board Member & Secretary at SPACEE, where she brings strategic leadership and operational excellence to the forefront

 His Excellency Mohammad Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Museum of the Future, announced today that the museum has received more than one million visitors from 163 countries in the year since its official opening, which was in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on February 22, 2022. The one-million mark constitutes a milestone in Dubai and the UAE’s path to imagine, inspire and design the future. Commenting on the landmark visitor count, His Excellency said: "We pledged that the museum of the Future would host one million visitors in its first year, and today we celebrate the achievement of this target and the launch of a new year for the museum, during which we will continue to design the future for a better world for all in the coming years and decades.”His Excellency added: “Since opening, the Museum of the Future has contributed to bringing about a clear shift in the traditional view of museums, and has proven the importance of harnessing future foresight, in line with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision to transform the designing and creation of the future into a complete institutional framework. Imagining the future and implementing its changes and advancements is a pivotal pillar towards the success of governments and societies.“Mohammed bin Rashid’s vision has allowed the Museum of the Future to become home to the world’s top experts, scientists, great minds and architects of the future and the most prominent international institutions foreseeing the future. Meanwhile, humanity is becoming more assured that the future can be designed and that the changes to our environment should not be ignored. The Museum of the Future, with its unique architectural design, has become a global symbol of the future and a key regional and international hub for the advancement of science and knowledge-sharing.”His Excellency stated that the Museum of the Future has reinforced Dubai's global position as one of the top cities of the future, while embodying a successful global model that proves that cities of the future can employ and implement technological transformations to serve their societies. He added that the museum sends an important message from the UAE to the world, that the future requires more positive collaboration and action for the benefit of our future generations.Landmark achievementsSince opening, the museum – an initiative by the Dubai Future Foundation – has hosted more than 180 local, regional and global activations, events, conferences and forums that cover technology, entrepreneurship, economy, space, tourism, culture and varied futurist-specific sectors, all while receiving more than 200 media delegations from around the world.More than 1,000 international dignitaries, ministers, officials and experts visited the museum throughout the past year, including around 20 heads of government and official delegations from South Korea, Estonia, Luxembourg, China, Greece, Hong Kong, Thailand and Rwanda and Mauritius, among others.International awardsSince its inauguration, the Museum of the Future has won ten international awards from global institutions and specialized industry magazines for its museum content quality, future sciences, and architectural design, in addition to attaining the LEED Platinum status certification – the ultimate certificate of recognition a building can obtain for sustainable and environmentally friendly design, construction, and operation. International institutions and organisationsDuring the past year, the Museum of the Future hosted many heads and representatives of international institutions and organizations, including Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation, Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Maimunah Sharif, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, Arturo Brice, Director of the World Competitiveness Centre of the International Institute for Management Development, and Dr Samira Asma, Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization.Future TalksThe museum also led global discussions through the ‘Future Talks’ series, with each session highlighting, discussing and exploring humanity’s latest discoveries as well as those yet to come. ‘Future Talks’ hosted some of the most prominent visionaries and thought leaders in the world, including Professor Greg Clark, Global Head of Future Cities and New Industries at HSBC Group. Alex Kipman, Technical Fellow and Vice President of Microsoft Technologies, Artificial Intelligence and Mixed Reality, Professor Osama Al-Khatib, Professor of Computer Science and Director of the Robotics Lab at Stanford University, also partook in a Future Talks session, in addition to actor and IFAD Goodwill Ambassador, Idris Elba, yoga instructor and environmental activist Sadguru Jagadish Vasudev, and global leader in the field of mind-body medicine and motivational speaker, Deepak Chopra.Global partnershipsAs the Museum of the Future sought to enhance its role as a global headquarters for future-shaping institutions around the world, while enhancing collaboration and knowledge exchange between them, during the 2022 edition of the Dubai Future Forum, the Dubai Future Foundation signed cooperation agreements with the World Futures Studies Federation, The Millennium Project and the Public Sector Foresight Network, among other entities.The Dubai Future Forum was hosted by the Museum of the Future under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Dubai Future Foundation. More than 400 prominent international personalities, government officials and futurist experts and specialists from around the world participated in the Forum, in addition to more than 45 international organizations and institutions, in the largest global gathering of its kind for future experts. The next edition of the Dubai Future Forum will be held on November 27 and 28, 2023.Centre for Arab brillianceThe Museum of the Future is now recognised as centre for futurists across various sectors in the region and the world, becoming a comprehensive testbed for testing and developing emerging technologies and ideas. During the past year, the museum has established its keenness to invest in the creative minds of the Arab region – embracing ideas, projects, initiatives, research and studies that bring added value to products and services of the future. The aim is for these creative energies to accelerate Arab scientific development and create a better future for the people of the region.Future ExperienceIn its first year, the Museum of the Future gave visitors from across the world the unique opportunity to witness fundamental experiences that show potential future scenarios for humanity. Across its several floors, the museum uses advanced technologies to depict the future. A distinguishing feature, the museum’s elevator, is a crucial part of the museum’s journey-based narrative, with a simulation of OSS Hope – the museum’s very own spaceship – to help guests learn about potential life aboard a space station. The experience introduces visitors to the exciting concept of visiting space in the near future, as well as a reimagined landscape of Dubai and the world in the year 2071 through efforts made in restoring the natural ecosystem and sustainability of the planet's resources. The journey then continues to unravel an array of different scenarios and adventures that encourages visitors to take charge of their own future.Future TechnologiesThe museum employs the latest technologies of the future, such as artificial intelligence, and interaction between humans and machines, to launch meaningful dialogues that motivate visitors to draw their own perceptions about the future.The museum, standing at 77 metres high and extending over an area of 30,000 square metres was designed to be an engineering marvel that connects the past to the future, with an architectural style that differs entirely from the concept of traditional museums to appeal to innovative thinkers and future-curious visitors from around the world.

Red Sea Global (RSG), the multi-project developer behind the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism destinations, The Red Sea and Amaala, has revealed two new brands, WAMA and Galaxea, set to deliver incredible guest experiences at RSG destinations.Last year the developer rebranded as Red Sea Global, promising the establishment of a series of RSG-owned subsidiary businesses that prioritized stringent sustainability standards while continuing to support the evolution of RSG developments into destinations that will play a critical role in the Saudi tourism sector.WAMA and Galaxea are the first two subsidiary businesses to be announced since then, ahead of The Red Sea welcoming its first guests this year.“Creating experiences is just as important as building hotels, and WAMA and Galaxea are sure to deliver unforgettable adventures for our guests. Whether it’s kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddleboarding, foiling, kite surfing, sailing, or exploring the Red Sea’s incredible submarine world, WAMA and Galaxea will create extraordinary moments and beautiful memories that last a lifetime,” said John Pagano, Group CEO of Red Sea Global.“What’s more, these brands have been created with sustainability at their core and will continue to build on our ambition to deliver a regenerative approach to tourism development and operations. It is our hope that eventually they will become standalone brands operating at destinations around the world.”In line with this approach, Galaxea is working closely with Saudi Water Sports & Diving Federation, alongside PADI International to ensure that all diving facilities operated by Galaxea lead in regenerative tourism standards and set the blueprint for future diving development around the world.WAMA, named from combining the word ‘water’ in English and Arabic, is responsible for creating invigorating water sport adventures, from Stand-up Paddleboarding through the destination’s mangrove forests, to sailing the Red Sea’s soft swells.Galaxea is named after a bold and vibrant coral prevalent in the Red Sea and will offer diving experiences that let guests explore life below the water.Last year, an eleven-month long research study of the Al Wajh lagoon revealed an exceptionally rich diversity of habitats, flora, and fauna. These include a significant number of endangered and critically endangered species such as the Halavi Guitarfish, Hawksbill Sea Turtle and Sooty Falcon, as well as a thriving, eight-meter-high single coral colony estimated to be around 600 years old.It is hoped that future divers will also be able to explore an 18th century ‘merchantman’ shipwreck which is currently the most intact and best-preserved wooden shipwreck in the Red Sea. The site boasts a spectacular cargo of jars, porcelain and spices, a testament to the history of trading activities the region.Rosanna Chopra, ED of Destination Development explained, “When we consider people, planet, product, and process alongside visitors, community, and marine life, we must look to how we protect these best while ensuring our environment can still flourish. By owning and operating water sports and diving activities we can grow in line with the strategy defined by RSG and implemented across all our destinations.”“Through the creation of strong brands, we will enjoy dynamic relationships with industry partners, federations, brand partners, activity specific groups and event IP’s. We will continuously look to the latest innovations both in natural power and hydro and electric powered equipment and hope to become a hub and a home for sport to grow.”RSG is currently hiring for roles across WAMA and Galaxea and expects to employ more than 250 people by 2026. This includes Sailing and Water Sports Instructors, Divemaster’s, technicians and Dive Boat Captains, plus roles for those entering the industry for the first time wishing to discover a new career at the highest level of service and standard. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to live at Turtle Bay, the brand-new sustainable community RSG created for employees and their families.“When we first announced The Red Sea, we promised exciting career opportunities in new industries for Saudi Arabia. WAMA and Galaxea mark a new phase in delivering on that promise, and already we’re seeing huge interest from international talent as well as young Saudis looking to start their careers in this sector”, added Mr. Pagano.RSG recently revealed an exciting partnership with The Ocean Race, born of a shared commitment to ocean health and vision to drive regeneration of life above and below water.The Ocean Race has provided the ultimate test for sailing teams since 1973. Known as ‘sailing's greatest round-the-world challenge’, it is widely recognized as the pinnacle of achievement for sailors across the world and has created legends of the sport throughout the years.The partnership is intended to not only drive benefits for the natural environment, but to help inspire the next generation of Saudi sailors, promoting a new sport to a Kingdom that has enjoyed a crucial and historic relationship with the sea for over 4,000 years.Three resorts at The Red Sea will open this year along with the first phase of the Red Sea International airport. A further 13 hotels will open in 2024, and upon full completion in 2030, the destination will comprise 50 resorts, offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and more than 1,000 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. The destination will also include luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment, F&B, and leisure facilities.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Regional Project and Commercial Management Consultancy firm, PMKConsult strengthens its ownership structure with the partnership of two senior team members. The consultancy celebrates the new alliance of Jon Whyte and John Vint, both of whom have senior leadership roles within the commercial and cost management business stream.“The addition of Jon Whyte and John Vint as partners reiterates our commitment as a company to elevating our team and growing from within. This partnership demonstrates that commitment. Our recent company annual event had many leadership announcements and several of the team have had their growth trajectory mapped within the business. There is a lot of excitement and positive momentum in our offices around the region,” commented Kevin Woolley, CEO of PMKConsult.  Jon Whyte has been a team member of PMKConsult for the past several years and leads the Commercial Management discipline for the consultancy. His vast portfolio of commercial management clients ranges from multi-platform real estate projects to hospitality, leisure, residential in addition to many other sectors. Jon Whyte’s notable assignments include the completion of a high-end residential neighbourhood in Abu Dhabi, the QE2 upper deck, and a commercial real estate project delivering over 50,000 sqm meters of floor area. He has also delivered commercial management services for major infrastructure projects in the UAE and the UK.  John Vint joined PMKConsult through the acquisition of his previous entity, ACS Cost Consulting. Since the acquisition John Vint has grown the commercial management business stream for PMKConsult and guides a 20-member team along with Jon Whyte. Key wins for the business include commercial new-build and fitting-out, healthcare, hospitality, engineering, and airport related schemes. He is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a qualified Expert Witness who has recently contributed his expertise on cases that have all ruled in favour of his clients. He is actively growing this service within the business and has been throughout his career involved in many high-profile arbitration cases.Keenan Grote, Chief Operating Officer of PMKConsult added: “Both Jon Whyte and John Vint have played an integral role in elevating PMKConsult’s business in particular the commercial management practice. Jon Whyte is taking leadership of the cost management delivery stream ensuring that our distinct and elevated client services are maintained throughout the business across regions while John Vint is building the specialist services offering within the commercial management practice area. On the whole, the business stream has grown considerably under their guidance. This move strengthens the foundation of our organization and I believe that the team and our collaborators and clients will benefit.”PMKConsult’s Commercial Management business has recently grown to include assignments in KSA and the UK with the addition of considerable key remits ongoing within the UAE including hospitality, residential, offices, medical, infrastructure and retail.

Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development (Dubai SME), one of the agencies of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), in cooperation with the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, is participating in the 28th edition of Gulfood, taking place from 20 to 24 February at Dubai World Trade Centre.Dubai SME will showcase Dubai’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, with a focus on the F&B sector; highlight its projects and local emerging enterprises and their products; and help SMEs to connect and network with international vendors to help them gain access to new markets and opportunities. This will contribute to the growth of SMEs in the emirate, which represent 99% of private-sector companies operating in Dubai.His Excellency Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO of Dubai SME, said: “At Dubai SME, we are keen to provide our members with the most prominent opportunities to participate and promote their products and communicate with the business community and consumers to develop their businesses. The Gulfood 2023 exhibition is one of the most prominent platforms in which we regularly participate due to its importance in the F&B sector. Bringing rings together thousands of companies from all over the world under one roof, along with the most renowned global chefs and intellectual leaders in this sector, the forum is capable of bringing about change in the culture and orientation of small and medium-sized companies, providing them with more opportunities for growth and expansion.”Al Janahi added: “2023 is set to become an exceptional year, following the launch of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which seeks to double the size of Dubai’s economy and position the emirate among the top three global cities in the world. This encourages us to further motivate small and medium-sized companies in the F&B sector to contribute and participate actively in this strategic journey to further enhance our city’s international standing, taking advantage of the opportunities, infrastructure and incentives provided by Dubai to reach their goals of achieving excellence, creativity and innovation in their diverse businesses and projects.”Her Excellency Alia Al Mazrouei. CEO, Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development, said: “We are delighted to participate in Gulfood exhibition for the seventh year in a row with nine funded Emirati projects supported by the Khalifa Fund. We are excited to see the outstanding opportunities that are available for these projects at this event. By presenting their products to well-known suppliers from all over the world, small and medium-sized enterprises will be empowered and can have better access to new markets. With Gulfood 2023 allowing enterprises to explore unique business deals, we look forward to supporting the success of these projects through this exhibition.”Dubai SME is being represented at the event, the largest of its kind in the world, by 10 companies including Liwa Dates, Health Way General Trading, Health Choice General Trading, Ibubble Tea House for food & beverages trading L.L.C, Special foodz zone foodstuff trading, Prog Tech Solutions, Mayamen Trading, Albarni foodstuff trading, Twenty Eight Coffee Trading, Fab Trading One Person Company L.C.C Proprietorship LLC.The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development represents Khairat Al Yemen Honey & Natural Herbs, P&P Cups, Al Diyafa Hotel & Catering Supplies, Felix & Norton Cookies, SIMPIOZ (Confectionery Factory), Soil Store Foodstuff Trading, Iconic Solutions General Trading, Al Thiqa Foodstuff Trading, Emirates Dates Factory, F&B Innovation Lab.Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for SME Development (Dubai SME) is keen to maintain a competitive business environment for SMEs and to provide innovative support and financing solutions in line with the directives of the visionary leadership to support business continuity, especially SMEs in the F&B sector.

AD Gaming, the entity driving Abu Dhabi’s fast-growing gaming industry, has signed a partnership agreement with SAWA Group, a leading game publishing and esports company, to facilitate expansion of publishers in the MENA region.SAWA Group is a pioneer in the localisation of global video games, largely developed in China, and esports content, making SAWA’s established game library more accessible to Arabic speakers across the MENA region. In relocating to Abu Dhabi, SAWA group will be positioned in the heart of the region’s largest community of game developers. With SAWA Group’s game development expertise and access to content from the Asian continent, the local industry will continue to see unprecedented growth in the coming years.The partnership agreement will bring together two leaders of industry in the gaming world, helping to facilitate the international expansion of Chinese gaming and esports companies through Abu Dhabi and providing the local industry with access to reach new content hungry audiences. Simultaneously, SAWA Group will benefit from being part of the largest cluster of gaming companies in the region, with opportunities to work alongside the ever-growing AD Gaming community on new and exciting projects.Sultan Al Riyami, Head of Gaming & Esports at AD Gaming, said: “Demand for high-quality gaming content across the Arabic-speaking world has never been higher. The opportunity to tap into this market from Abu Dhabi is substantial, and SAWA’s expertise in the localisation of gaming esports content addresses this head on. Since its inception, AD Gaming has succeeded in building an ecosystem that supports all segments of the gaming and esports sector. Bringing SAWA into the fold both diversifies and expands our community as we continue to advance Abu Dhabi’s gaming industry.”Jing Wang, CEO of SAWA Group, said: “Aligned with AD Gaming, SAWA Group is dedicated to enhancing the gaming and esports ecosystem in the UAE, creating more opportunities for the country’s passionate gamers to experience global content in their native language. By supporting its thriving community, we are confident that Abu Dhabi will become a premier global destination for gaming and esports. “Through the collaboration and partnership with AD Gaming, SAWA Group hopes to balance game publishing and esport exposure to make Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE one of the world’s top centres for the gaming industry.”SAWA Group newly published the deep localised SLG game, Infinity Kingdom, which has been downloaded millions times across different app stores. Along with its own multi-channel network, SAWA Group also has partnerships with top tier TV channels in the MENA region, including MBC Group, through which SAWA try to build up the deep connection of game developer globally and the core of Arabic culture and all age’s players and users in MENA area.

Authored By Raviteja Dodda, CEO & Co-Founder, MoEngageConsumers across the MEA region effortlessly converted into digital shoppers during the pandemic buying groceries, personal care and household supplies from the comfort of their homes. Reports say that around 91% of customers in the Middle East and North Africa region have become digital converts and the trend is expected to continue. Predictions say that MEA’s e-commerce sales was $50bn in 2022, up from $32 billion in 2021. Latest estimates from Redseer say that the total MEA e-commerce market size will be worth US$100 billion in 2023. Good news all around for digital marketers in the MEA region. But sheathed inside are hitches like prevailing complexities related to integration of data and insights into consumer behavior. Because what started as a comfort has become a convenience for customers and a requisite for successful businesses. The dynamics of online business are changing drastically and marketing teams are keeping pace to keep a steady handle on the transforming customer, their demands and the competitive landscape. Marketers have to move away from making business decisions based on current campaigns and instead take an analytics-driven approach. This automatically routes them on a better engagement course with their customer throughout the purchase journeys. For this, they need to get the right information at the right time from colossal mines of data, which can only be done with an advanced high-quality marketing platform. Recognizing the big data flawAlthough marketers are flooded with several marketing platforms, most of them come with limitations, like failure to measure current campaigns or working in siloes. They merely skim through huge amounts of data, lack in analytics-based insights; completely missing out on catching consumer shopping behavior in real time. The result is that brands are stuck with not-so-clean data like outdated buyer information and preferences. What they actually need to do is create campaigns based on data and not create data based on campaigns. Digital marketing platforms should not limit themselves to measuring digital marketing campaigns. They should provide brands with accurate insights and profitable recommendations. The need of the hour is an all-in-one digital marketing platform that can help them analyze and plan for marketing campaigns across all mediums to gain the greatest marketing efficiency and effectiveness.  The reason for this is simple: customers now want to be met where they are and they will not move to meet the brand. So there should as many different engagement strategies as there are customers. All this is possible only with an integrated marketing technology stack that comes with a bag of tools that fosters personalized engagement.Getting proactive about insights and analyticsMarketing analytics platforms serve as customer experience report cards for brands as they indicate which marketing campaigns are getting the maximum results and how to go about with course correction. Analytics also ensure that consumers get to see a greater number of targeted and personalized ads that fulfil their specific needs and interests, rather than a one-size-fits-all communication that tends to annoy.With the use of a marketing analytics platform, for example, businesses can track the engagement rates on all channels and identify the exact time when there is a drop off or a sudden customer interest in their brands. Insights based on these analytics tells businesses how customers are responding to the content put out by businesses. It educates brands on what type of content attract customers, when do they get interested in brands and when do they drop out and leave for a competitor. All this information should guide marketers toward future marketing and content strategies, increase efficiency of their ad spends and test the viability of new products, channels and markets. They can get this from platforms that can leverage unified marketing data from across various channels and campaigns and simplify analysis. Get a tech stack where platforms talk to one anotherA smart marketing tech stack is an integrated tool that gives marketers insights not just from a single team or function, but offers a holistic approach to customer engagement. It doesn’t just answer the what of the customer behaviour, but also how, when, where and why. This information supports marketers in deciding which plans work for them and which do not, and more important, switch to Plan B or C before any mishaps occur.Consistency across channelsAnalytics and insights built into a smart platform help brands give a consistent narrative across all channels. For example, a brand recall is reinforced if the same message is beamed across social media, TV or websites giving an omni-channel experience to the customer. Unique customer experiencesIntegrated tech stacks offer customer experiences that are unique; whether it’s through an app notification, website messaging, emails or SMS. They start conversations that convert to sales.  Engagement with analytics is the new way forwardCustomer data doesn’t do much when it’s siloed in different locations. Smart marketing platforms unify data from different channels to build a 360-degree view of every single customer. Teams are therefore looking for an integrated martech stack so they do not waste time hopping between tools or wasting time seeking information from other functions or teams. These tech stacks inherently enable all platforms to talk to one another and lead the customer through the channel they want. Smart martech platforms do not just give huge amounts of data that make marketers busy. Instead, they free up marketers’ time as they make efficient use of marketing data. They understand their customers better and create and target campaigns based on the insights that come from the platforms, thus leading to more leads and converts for their brands. 

Ego, a ride-hailing app based out of Saudi Arabia, has partnered with MoEngage, an insights-led customer engagement platform to drive data-driven strategic decisions and tactics.Founded in 2018, the transportation brand will use the engagement platform as a main source for all communications. Ego will leverage MoEngage to analyze the best time and channel to send messages and focus on increasing retention and customer lifetime value.“Earlier, we used various messaging and engagement tools, which became a challenge to handle. With MoEngage, we’re aiming to resolve this with a single omnichannel marketing platform and effectively reach the customers with the right message at the right time using the most relevant channel for their unique use case,” said Laith Abdallah, Chief Growth Officer at EgoThe nature of the ride-hailing business is that of high-frequency transactions. Hence, for Ego, engaging both the customers and drivers is crucial to maintain retention and increase the lifetime value. Integrating MoEngage with Mixpanel will help Ego to increase the conversion of first-time installs to booking to repeat customers.With an aim to create affordable transportation in the region, the brand will focus on engaging customers using the AI capabilities of MoEngage - Sherpa. In fact, Ego aims to decrease churn and customize its messaging to specific user segments with MoEngage and its customer success.“We are excited to partner with one of the first movers in the ride-hailing industry within Saudi Arabia and are more than happy to assist Ego in its steadfast endeavor to unlock the next phase of customer engagement with insights-led personalization,” said Sweta Duseja, Director of Customer Success at MoEngage.Ego joins the growing list of 1200+ global companies across 35 countries, such as Azadea Group, Commercial Bank of Dubai, Landmark Group, Apparel Group, Airtel, Jazeera Airways, GMG, Mashreq Bank, Alamar Foods, and many more, that trust MoEngage to deliver a consistent experience across multiple devices and touchpoints. 

The UAE Padel Association (UAEPA), which governs the sport of padel across the UAE, has revealed the opening event of this year’s inaugural Mashreq Padel Tour - the country’s first dedicated community tournament series for amateurs – welcomed “exceptional turnout and quality”.Taking place from February 17-19 at World Padel Academy in Dubai, the opening leg of the eight-leg Tour got underway with three competitions: UAEPA 100 (Open), UAEPA 10 (Men’s), and Under-16 (Boys).With the top-ranking UAEPA 100 competition boasting prizes of AED 12,000, AED 6,000 and AED 4,000 for first, second and third place teams, respectively, Sergio Icardo and Javier Lopez took top spot with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Francisco Rodriquez and Jordi Cassanova in the final.In the UAEPA 10 event, which boasts prizes of AED 4,000, AED 3,000 and AED 2,000 for teams finishing first-to-third, Ranjan Pradeep and Victor Arruiz sealed top spot after a 6-3, 6-2 final win over Rashid Alrais and Omar Alabbar.And in the Under-16 competition final, Mahmood Alattar and Mohammed Sayed Alhashimi took home first-place honours with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Hamdan Abdalla and Humaid Alkokhardi.“What we have seen at World Padel Academy this weekend exceeded our expectations. The exceptional turnout and quality of players across all competition categories underlines the significance of the Mashreq Padel Tour - it has arrived at precisely the right time to leverage the sport’s meteoric growth across the UAE. This exciting nationwide Tour will enrich the Padel community, improve tournament standards, and develop our players’ competitive experiences,” said Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, UAEPA President.Commenting on the Tour’s inaugural tournaments, Ahmed Abdelaal, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mashreq, added: “We congratulate all the players and winners of the inaugural Mashreq Padel Tour event at World Padel Academy. As part of our commitment to supporting the growth and development of sports in the UAE, we are excited to see the Tour roll-out across the country in coming months, with amateur players showcasing their skills and competing for substantial prize purses. The era of Padel is only beginning in the Emirates.” Conceived to increase adoption of the world’s fastest growing sport across all nationalities, age groups, genders, and abilities, the Mashreq Padel Tour will feature 20 tournaments in various categories played at six padel clubs in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ajman between February and December. The Tour’s debut season carries a season prize purse of AED 350,000.The Tour now moves to NAS Sports Complex, where five tournaments will be contested from March 23 to April 4 in what is the biggest round of the inaugural season. The NAS Sports Complex tournaments include UAEPA 100 (Open), UAEPA 10 (Men’s), UAEPA 10 (Women’s), the hotly anticipated UAEPAE&E (Men’s), which must feature two-player teams comprising an Emirati and an expatriate, and Under-16 (Boy’s).Registration for the NAS Sports Complex tournaments is open until March 3. To find out more about the Mashreq Padel Tour 2023, or to enter tournaments, players can visit www.uaepa.ae 

Dubai Lynx, MENA’s Festival and Awards, has announced Khaled AlShehhi as Advertising Person of the Year, Outstanding Contribution. It is considered to be one of the most important awards that celebrates efforts and contribution of individuals to MENA’s advertising.Khaled AlShehhi is one of the leading leaders, known to make amendments in the way the UAE Government communicates, producing content that has witnessed huge impact locally, regionally, and globally. He is a renowned motivational speaker around the world as well.Khaled has gained leadership roles at the Global CMO Growth Council led by Cannes Lions and the ANA, Brand Advisory Board (BAB) for The World Media Group, New York Festival AME Advisory Council, Executive Board Member in The Public Relations & Communications Association and Strategy Board Member in the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA). He has also won the World Media Award (WMA) for Content Leadership & Innovation for 2022 and the Honorary Award of the 2022 Effie MENA, and got featured in the Arabian Business’ 2021 Power List of individuals.After receiving this prestigious award, Khaled AlShehhi, executive director of marketing and communication at UAE Government Media Office, said: “Looking at the impressive pedigree of previous recipients, joining the exclusive club of Advertising Person of the Year at Dubai Lynx is an immense and amazing honour. In the marketing roles I have held in the last few years, I have been driven by the desire to innovate and achieve the best results possible for our humanitarian or nation-building campaigns. All I wanted was to serve my country to the best of my abilities and being awarded this title for me is the validation that I have met this ambition. This is the recognition of a lot of hard work by my team and the industry partners who inspire and support us, bound as we are by the same mission and dream. I not only thank them all but also dedicate this trophy to them as well. Advertising is the fruit of collaboration.”

 Omnicom Media Group (OMG), the media services division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC), today announced the launched of its dedicated Google Marketing Platform and Google Cloud Platform consultancy TRKKN in the Middle East.Founded in Germany in 2008 as Trakken, the Analytics, Marketing & Cloud Technology consultancy has become one of the largest Google Marketing Platform (GMP) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Reseller in Europe. It was acquired by OMG in 2015 and is now expanding rapidly around the world, growing from five European countries to 14 markets in APAC, Europe and North America in just eight months.Under OMG’s ownership, TRKKN’s offering has expanded from Google reseller to also include a wide range of services to help clients manage their Google Marketing and Cloud stack, including digital analytics, ad tech, conversion optimization, advanced analytics and AI, cloud engineering, training and support, advanced builds and full strategy planning across Google products. When more clients are initiating or developing their digital transformation, in-housing or hybrid media operations, TRKKN is responding to this shift in demand with a service model that offers greater flexibility.The Middle East has some of the fastest growing economies globally and a huge appetite for digital transformation. With over $700M invested in start-ups across the UAE alone, businesses are seeing huge growth in the region and are investing in AdTech and MarTech to ensure they have the right foundations in place to scale effectively across MENA. The region’s advertisers also aim to unify their marketing and advertising technology to manage cost and try to better understand their consumer’s behaviour, whilst always striving for better media effectiveness. TRKKN’s GCP and GMP certified partnership allows clients to tap in to best-in-class experience and help drive on-going value from their technology stack.“We're thrilled to now bring the global TRKKN brand and its advanced offering to our markets, as it will help advertisers capitalize on the scale and scope of the Google Stack. With the launch of this established Google Marketing and Cloud partner, we will be even better placed to accelerate our clients’ digital transformation. Our mission is to help them build deeper consumer connections and increase their digital efficiency with technology,” Elda Choucair, CEO of Omnicom Media Group MENA, commented. “I am also delighted to welcome Vimal Badiani to OMG MENA as TRKKN’s Managing Director for the Middle East. His deep understanding of the marketing and technology landscape, combined with his passion for driving results, make him the perfect person to lead TRKKN and deliver value and agility to our clients.”Vimal Badiani joins TRKKN from Merkle MENA where he held the same position. “As the digital ecosystem becomes increasingly fragmented, clients need expertise to effectively manage their Google Marketing infrastructure. We’re meeting this demand with our team of experts who are renowned for their ability to impart insightful clarity, deliver substantial value, and ensure complete transparency in their operations,” Badiani added. “Our Google Marketing Platform and Cloud Platform specialist consultants provide a technological solution that strikes a balance between personalized marketing and data privacy control and adapt to the evolving attention patterns of consumers. In doing so, TRKKN meets the needs of both brands and agencies.”

The universal desire to experience joy, wonder and amazement remained constant in 2022, with people expecting similar experiences that evoke ‘kando’, or an emotional connection, in 2023. These are among key technology trends identified by Sony Middle East & Africa, which has charted strong growth in the Middle East in 2022 as it supports the region’s growing media, entertainment and gaming industry with better services and products.Joebin Joejoe, Deputy Managing Director at Sony Middle East and Africa, said: “We are increasingly witnessing people’s offline lives and emotions becoming deeply intertwined with their digital lives. At Sony, we believe technology is a tool to add more value and opportunity for a richer, more emotional life – and we will be focused on delivering enhanced experiences through emerging technologies in 2023.”Sony has identified three key trends that are set to dominate the digital landscape in 2023.Rise of the metaverseNetworks are rapidly expanding into an interactive entertainment space that delivers live experiences while also providing a social element, in the form of the metaverse. Sony views the rise of the metaverse from a less dystopian perspective in 2023 and anticipates the rise of a social and live network space where games, music, movies, and anime intersect. Mocopi, Sony’s wearable motion-tracking system makes metaverse more engaging and fun. A PoC (proof of concept) is being conducted by Sony with English Premier League football club Manchester City to realise the next generation of online fan communities and engagement by experiencing metaverse content as if they were in Etihad Stadium. Fans can create their own customisable avatars, connect with millions of fans across the globe, and access various services to increase engagement.Emergence of adaptive and generative AIThe use of state-of-the-art AI is set to take off in 2023, especially Adaptive AI and Generative AI. Conventional AI can only detect and analyse picture elements like colour, contrast and clarity individually, with the picture element enhanced to only a certain level. But the way the world is perceived is based on all kinds of information coming from our eyes and ears to our brain. For example, Sony’s technology in its Alpha 7RV mirrorless camera features an advanced AI focusing system that can accurately detect not only human faces, but also birds, animals and insects. Similarly, Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR™ cross-analyses hundreds of thousands of elements at once and delivers immersive realism. Meanwhile, Sony’s new high-tech electric vehicle Afeela will have AI, virtual reality and augmented reality, representing the concept of an interactive relationship where people feel the sensation of interactive mobility by utilising sensing and AI technologies. 3D Optical TechnologyThe 3D content and animation market will continue to grow in the coming years. Despite the 3D optical developments in recent years, the need for 3D glasses or precise viewing angles limited the adoption rate and potential applications for 3D optical displays. Sony’s Spatial Reality Display (SR Display) technology reproduces the real world with 3D spatial images on a 2D screen – so that specially crafted 3D content can be viewed by the naked eye without special glasses or headsets. SR Display allows viewers to see the depth, texture, and appearance of the object with a real sense of presence, reproducing medical images and product designs more realistically.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA today announced the appointment of Fahad Abdulrahim Kazim as Chief Executive Officer, spearheading the brand’s strategic growth in the region.Fahad brings more than twenty years of regional experience across the real estate and professional services industries, having worked in various leadership roles with prominent real estate developers in Dubai. Fahad has a deeper understanding of the brand from an ownership lens and with this wealth of knowledge aims to reinforce the Millennium Hotels & Resorts brand as a regional specialist with a strategic focus on community-driven initiatives and introducing talent programmes to boost localization.Commenting on his appointment, Fahad says, “It is an honour to be appointed as CEO of Millennium Hotels & Resorts, Middle East & Africa. I have closely watched the brand establish and grow its position as a key contender in the regional hospitality space. I now look forward to supporting the growth and solidifying the brand’s vision as it enters a new phase of expansion and development. We will strengthen our position as a regional specialist in the industry through empowering our hotel teams to deliver exceptional guest experiences that build brand advocacy.”Ali Hamad Lakhraim Alzaabi, President, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA, commented: “I am delighted that Fahad has joined us at this exciting time in our company’s evolution. The combination of his experience, culture, and drive makes him an ideal fit for Millennium Hotels & Resorts, MEA to enable the next stages of our growth. I hope our company will reach new achievements under his strategic direction.”Fahad has also been appointed CEO of Tetra Hospitality Investment, the company that owns and operates numerous prime hotel assets across the region, including Millennium Hotels and Resorts.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: The Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) has been recognized as one of KSA’s top 10 Best Workplaces for 2023 in the Large Enterprise category according to the Global Authority on Workplace Culture, which rigorously monitors and evaluates each nominated workplace’s culture, placing DGDA on its prestigious list for the second year in a row.This classification highlights the authority’s interest in building a positive work environment for employees across all its departments.The announcement also follows DGDA’s recognition as one of KSA and Asia’s Best Workplaces in 2022, further solidifying its reputation as a premier employer.

AW Rostamani Group (AWR), the trusted automotive provider in the UAE, launched its first luxury used-car showroom, NXT Luxury, on 15th February 2023. This milestone marks the growth of the used-car segment in the UAE, with AWR extending its offering to meet the demands of its customers.“We are truly honored to launch NXT Luxury, our first luxury showroom for used cars in Dubai,” said Michel Ayat, CEO of AWR. “Our commitment to providing our customers with the best service and experience in the used car market comes in line with the growth of this segment in the UAE. Under the guidance of the wise leadership, the UAE has become a thriving environment for businesses like ours to grow and succeed, driving us to continue providing our customers with the best service. We look forward to the future of NXT and our role in shaping the used car market in the UAE,” Ayat concluded.NXT Luxury is the first of many milestones for the brand; AWR plans to offer a ‘phygital’ business model with the launch of the NXT website and application in 2023, giving customers the choice to buy, sell, or trade in their cars online, through the showrooms, or via a mix of both. All cars sold at the NXT Luxury showroom are thoroughly checked for mileage and service history to ensure the reliability of the vehicle and undergo a comprehensive process of reconditioning by skilled technicians and stringent quality checks. New showrooms are planned for Dubai and Sharjah for multi-brand used cars in 2023, with a planned expansion to Abu Dhabi in 2024.AW Rostamani Group is a hallmark of innovation and progress in the UAE, consistently setting new standards in the automotive industry. With a rich history dating back over six decades, it has established itself as a partner to both individuals and businesses across the country, building a reputation of high integrity and trust through its commitment to a customer-centric approach.This dedication to excellence is reflected in the group’s continuous investment in the latest technology and its commitment to sustainability, ensuring that it remains at the forefront of the industry.NXT will offer a wide range of vehicles and solutions for customers, including a wide range of models, luxury cars, commercial vehicles, value miles (an affordable selection), and assisted selling (the hassle-free way to sell your car).

IFZA Dubai, the UAE’s most dynamic and truly international Free Zone, has announced the sponsorship of the Gold Cup Title at the Dubai Polo Club series, running from 15 February until 4 March 2023.The signing ceremony took place at Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club, and was attended by Mohammed Khalaf Al Habtoor, Vice Chairman and CEO of Al Habtoor Group, Founder of the Dubai Polo Gold Cup series (DPGC) and President of the UAE Polo Federation, and Martin G. Pedersen, IFZA Chairman.The IFZA Gold Cup 2023 marks the 14th season of the tournament and has recently achieved a 20-goal handicap status, which ranks Dubai's polo scene among the most prestigious polo capitals in the world. Mohammed Al Habtoor said, “We are proud to partner with IFZA as Gold Cup Title sponsors this season. Thanks to our partnership with IFZA, we will be able to continue supporting the world’s best teams to compete for international recognition.”Martin G. Pedersen commented, “As one of the leading free zones in the UAE, we are delighted to support the prestigious Dubai Polo Gold Cup series in its 14th season. The tournament brings the best Polo talent from across the world to Dubai, placing the emirate at the forefront of the international polo circuit. We look forward to introducing our international network of Professional Partners and other guests to this elite sport.”The sponsorship secures IFZA's presence during the Club's calendar of polo events for the year. IFZA will also continue to host its hospitality lounge for its guests and Professional Partners at the Al Habtoor Polo Resort hotel.

Despite current challenges, CEOs of the world’s largest companies are embracing the positive and seeing the opportunities in turmoil. Over half (61%) of CEOs in the Middle East expect a stable or positive worldwide economic outlook over the next three to five years. Arthur D. Little (ADL), the leading management consultancy firm with the longest-standing presence in the Middle East region, elaborates on this and many other findings in their new 2023 CEO Insights study, which englobes insights from nearly 250 CEOs from companies worldwide with turnover of more than $1 billion.Thomas Kuruvilla, Managing Partner, Arthur D. Little Middle East, said: “In the Middle East, we see good examples of an industry’s moves to improve both efficiency and innovation in the travel and transportation industry. The COVID crisis pushed airlines and airports into large-scale efficiency programs to achieve major cost reductions, impacting thousands of jobs. However, at the same time, these companies are forming new partnerships to offer new services to passengers, such as combined intermodal mobility offerings (e.g., bringing together aircraft, rail, and mobility on-demand services). The next eight years will showcase tremendous advances in new client segments in the region as more investment is poured into reskilling initiatives for employees in the manufacturing and energy and utilities sector, ultimately contributing to competitive sustainability projects in the run-up to COP."What are the drivers of future growth?Despite the current energy crisis, all CEOs are focusing on innovation when it comes to drivers of future growth. Following the global trend of new geographies, Gulf executives will put less emphasis on diversification and disruptive offering to focus more on new client segments. Globally, over a quarter (26%) listed technology innovation as the most critical factor to growth, well ahead of raw material/energy prices (11%). Factors such as supply chain, and cyber risks both outranked raw material prices globally.However, there are clear regional differences:Environmental and climate change issues are a key focus in Europe, North America, and Asia, but receive less attention in other regions. Though more and more CEOs in the Middle East (7%) are prioritising environmental and climate change as a factor in future growth, they remain closely aligned to their global (10%) counterparts.Cyber risk is viewed as a key, urgent factor by 15% of CEOs in Africa, 14% in Asia, and 13% in Middle East and Africa (MEA)/South America, ahead of their peers in Europe and North America. Additionally C-suite in the Middle East believe the most critical factor in economic growth is technology innovation at 29% as compared with the global average of 26%.Francesco Marsella, Managing Partner, and Global Practice Leader, Strategy & Organization at Arthur D. Little, comments: “In a downturn, conventional business wisdom is to cut costs and focus on survival. Despite current challenges and many dark macroeconomic previsions for 2023, most CEOs we spoke to are optimistic for the future working with passion, entrepreneurship, and creativity to manage performance today while building the future. They see opportunity in adversity, looking beyond the current crisis to embrace a more positive future for their companies and wider society.”Overall, there will be a moderate need employee reskilling in the GCC for the telecommunications industry, travel and transportation and financial services. By comparison, healthcare (25%), manufacturing (33%) and energy & utilities (33%) see the highest volume of reskilling endeavours in the workplace.The Arthur D. Little 2023 CEO Insights Study interviewed nearly 250 global CEOs leading companies with a turnover of more than $1 billion. Study respondents are split between key industries and geographies to give unrivalled insight into the minds of those running the world’s biggest organizations.

 India's leading bottled mineral water brand, Bisleri International, sets up its first overseas operations in UAE. The brand has partnered with the established and well-known Gulf company - Nasser Abdulla Lootah Group. The manufacturing and bottling will be under the flagship of Emirates Drinking Water, which is part of the Nasser Abdulla Lootah Group of Companies in the region. The association will help strengthen Bisleri International's presence across Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. The operations will begin in April 2023. Bisleri – mineral water and Vedica - the Himalayan Spring Water will be available in 500ml and 1.5ltrs at mass-premium general and modern trade stores along with HoReCa and e-commerce platforms. The UAE bottled market is displaying significant growth projections. As per a recent market study, the bottled water industry is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 11% over the next five years. This is driven by an increasing number of immigrants and the growing tourism sector, leading to a surge in demand for functional water. Besides, the Indian expatriate community is the largest ethnic community constituting approximately 30% of the country's population. Bisleri, a legacy Indian brand synonymous with the category, has an emotional connect with the audience. Thus, entering the global market with UAE is a perfect time to connect with the Indian diaspora and strengthen the trust amongst the audience. Angelo George, CEO, Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd, elaborated on plans of penetrating the Global Middle East market with the oldest and reliable brand of UAE, "The UAE market indicates healthy growth projections with a noticeable appetite for Indian brands and products. Bisleri, a legacy Indian brand, holds a strong connect with the Indian diaspora living in the region. Our partnership with the Nasser Abdulla Lootah Group will strengthen our reach in the market. UAE is a beginning to our expansion plans, and we are committed to increasing our presence overseas."Mr. Sunir Sulaiman, Chief Operating Officer and Mr. Felix Francis, General Manager of Emirates Drinking Water, commented about the collaboration with Bisleri International: “We are happy to associate with Bisleri, the oldest water brand in India. We are confident that Bisleri’s India legacy along with our expertise complement each another. The bottling will be done under the flagship of Emirates Drinking Water. Along with Bisleri we are poised to achieve our goals in the competitive market of UAE.With a legacy of over five decades, Bisleri International is India's largest-selling mineral water brand. The strategic vision of extending Bisleri International's best-in-class offerings to international consumers and expanding its presence in the UAE region is a first step into this dynamic journey of taking the Indian heritage brand globally.

Diriyah Company has signed an agreement with the Saudi Arabian Equestrian Federation (SAEF), establishing the company as the strategic sponsor. The agreement forms a key part of the federation's plans to achieve its strategy, enhancing the role of the various sectors in supporting the equestrian sports that it supervises.Underlining the support that equestrianism, a major pillar of the Kingdom’s history and Arabian identity, receives from the Kingdom’s Leadership, HH Prince Abdullah bin Fahad stated that the partnership between the federation and Diriyah Company would play an instrumental role in uplifting the equestrian sector, strengthening interest in the sport on both the national and international levels.“We are extremely excited to have Diriyah Company serve as both a strategic partner and supporter of tournaments supervised by SAEF,” said Jerry Inzerillo, Chief Executive Officer of Diriyah Company. “This partnership comes as an extension of Diriyah’s ongoing collaboration with the federation which will continue to set industry precedents by hosting national and international equestrian championships, developing equestrian training centers, jointly planning training programs for horseback riders, jockeys, coaches, judges and referees and creating measures to exchange expertise in the field.” Inzerillo stated.Through this, SAEF seeks to promote the equestrian culture and its close association with Saudi history. The federation intends to establish an equestrian center, in cooperation with Diriyah Company, as one of the upcoming collaborative efforts between the equestrian federation and the Diriyah Company.

Tanmiah Food Company (“Tanmiah” or the “Company”, 2281 on the Saudi Exchange) has announced several key developments with the MHP SE (LSE: MHPC, ‘MHP’), Agricultural Development Fund (ADF), Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), and National Center for Vegetation Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) to improve sustainable food security and production, increase recycling capabilities, and improve quality of life.As the only listed poultry company in the Kingdom and amongst the leading integrated producer and supplier of poultry and other meat products in the MENA region, Tanmiah signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ADF to launch the “10miah farmers initiative”. The project focuses on supporting the Company’s target of producing 1.2 million chickens per day, contributing to the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture's target of 80% local poultry meat production by 2025.Tanmiah signed another MoU with the SIRC to develop a framework for enhanced cooperation and integration to recycle agricultural waste from the poultry industry to preserve our environment, increase greenery, and support carbon reduction.Tanmiah also entered into a MOU with NCVC to develop a framework to support the vegetation cover at national parks, preserve their natural components, and develop the green infrastructure in Riyadh Governorate.In addition, with a focus on bolstering the Kingdom’s food security and self-sufficiency, Tanmiah’s subsidiary, Desert Hills for Veterinary Services Company Ltd, partners with the leading producer of poultry meat in Europe, MHP. The joint venture’s primary focus will be developing and operating poultry breeding facilities, including establishing a greenfield hatchery in Saudi Arabia to hatch 108 million hatching eggs per annum and investing in feed milling facilities to produce 137 thousand tonnes of feed per annum.Zulifqar Hamadani, CEO, Tanmiah Food Company, said, “We have a responsibility to not only provide for the needs of today but also to preserve the resources and ecosystems for future generations. Our initiatives demonstrate a strong commitment and uncompromised dedication to supporting the Kingdom and its citizens in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Our agreements envision a collaboration to develop frameworks to establish models and infrastructures that bolster joint efforts toward a more sustainable future.”With Tanmiah’s continuous support of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, the Company is launching the first of its kind in the Middle East; a new fresh, healthy product line; Tanmiah Life. The new product line is a locally grown fresh chicken range fortified with Omega3 to nurture our consumers with health benefits that support heart, eye, and brain functions.Ahmed Sharaf Osilan, Executive Board Member & Managing Director of Tanmiah, Food Company, said, “As we steer toward implementing a sustainable long-term action plan, our initiatives are carefully selected to improve the quality of life and protect the Kingdom and the planet for future generations. With a fully integrated production, processing, and distribution business model, we are in an unrivalled position to drive innovation and sustainability through the entire value chain.”The introduction of Tanmiah Life further strengthens Tanmiah’s position as one of the leading innovative and future-focused food production companies in Saudi Arabia.

Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of the three chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, has hosted the sixth episode of a series of digital industry workshops focusing on the e-commerce market.Attended by Dubai's e-commerce industry leaders, the workshop saw discussions on topics surrounding regulations, funding, talent, and infrastructure. The dialogue sought to provide clarity and a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by e-commerce companies.“Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy is committed to supporting the growth of Dubai’s digital economy and cement the emirate's position as a global destination for digital companies. As such, we will continue to support members through various initiatives including events like this, to ensure we involve all stakeholders in building a roadmap and finding solutions to the challenges faced by digital industry leaders,” said Mohammad Ali Rashed Lootah, President & CEO of Dubai Chambers.“With such a rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape, engaging with stakeholders in a transparent setting is essential in helping us understand the challenges companies face and enables us to carry out our role in advocating to improve Dubai’s business environment and establish the emirate as a leading e-commerce marketplace,” he added.The UAE’s e-commerce landscape has thrived in recent years, through major investments, acquisitions and partnerships with global companies. According to ecommercedb.com, it is the 27th largest market for e-commerce with a projected revenue of US$17.2 billion by 2027 at a compound annual growth rate of 8.4% between 2023-2027.The growth momentum of the UAE’s e-commerce sector is expected to continue, supported by rising demand for online shopping, improvement and modernisation of payment systems and services, as well as steady infrastructural investment flows.The Chamber is committed to involving all relevant parties in building a roadmap and finding solutions to the challenges discussed and aims to reconvene with representatives of these sectors to continue the conversation and track the progress that the discussions, ideas, and initiatives have made.Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy plays a prominent role in engaging stakeholders from various digital sectors to promote an environment that is truly conducive to the growth of the digital economy and the role of advanced technology in society.

Skyline Automotive, a company of Jaidah group has introduced the new Geely Tugella in Qatar. The 2023 model is currently displayed at Geely’s cutting-edge newly expanded showroom on Salwa Road, where drivers can experience the new Tugella, discover the Geely range of vehicles and the latest and greatest technologies from the leading manufacturer.Tugella’s new features include improvements and additions to its exterior, such as a thunderbolt accumulation front face, thunderbolt claw, star shuttle trim, four exhausts, a black top & shark fin, and a revamped interior and configuration.The sporty car also boasts a front bumper with three powerful scars that help reduce or prevent physical damage in case of low-speed crashes. The strips on the exterior are imprinted with the word ‘CMA’, showcasing the vehicle’s Modular Compact Architecture. The car’s sport tail also provides wind resistance for further on-road stability and the interstellar cockpit’s asymmetrical design comes with an electric-optic green dynamic package for a comfortable feel. The ambient lamp around the car’s center console features eight colors that automatically switch with the speed of sound and the car’s BOSE multi-speaker surround-sound system features 12 speakers, ensuring that drivers can enjoy an immersive audio experience.Tugella’s configuration also provides additional driving assistance functions, such as blind spot detection, rear collision warning, rear crossing traffic alert, lane change assist, head-up display, and door open warning. A three-millimeter wave radar has been added for scanning to minimize the blind area and to ensure driving safety. When reversing at low speed, pedestrians and vehicles approaching laterally can be detected in real-time, warning when a collision may occur.All the current unique features including CMA, powertrain, active safety function, passive safety function, and BorgWarner’s 4WD have been retained. The existing smart engine 2.0TD has high performance with a maximum horsepower of 175kw. The four HD wide-angle cameras on all sides collect real-time information about road conditions around the vehicle, and seamlessly splice 360°real-time monitoring images.Tugella recently surpassed the global auto industry reliability verification standards, derived from performance tests conducted in 57 environments.Skyline Automotive has recently completed a sizeable extension of its Salwa Road showroom to enable it to display more Geely models. The extension will also cater to the company’s anticipated further expansion of the Geely range, enabling it to exhibit more vehicles and give ample space for customers to comfortably inspect them.