DUBAI: This Ramadan, McDonald's UAE is bringing the spirit of the Holy Month to life across its annual Ramadan program with Emirates Red Crescent by launching The Cards for Good – a deck of playing cards designed to bring families and friends closer. For AED 5, you can purchase the playing cards in McDonald’s UAE restaurants or via delivery and one hundred per cent of the funds from the sale of the cards will be donated to Emirates Red Crescent’s Ramadan programs.The inspiration for The Cards for Good comes from McDonald's 'Live the Child Within' campaign, which encourages adults to draw inspiration from children and connect with their inner child during Ramadan. The campaign focuses on children's innate kindness, actions, and experiences, inspiring adults to perform light-hearted acts of kindness that promote the giving spirit of the Holy Month.McDonald’s UAE has been an established partner of Emirates Red Crescent for over 5 years now, collectively raising more than AED 1.5 million. In 2022 alone, the Quick Service Restaurant raised more than AED 310,000 through the sale of books for Al Ghadeer UAE Crafts, an initiative by Emirates Red Crescent.Commenting on the program, Walid Fakih, CEO at McDonald’s UAE, said, "One of our proudest achievements is our community work through partnerships such as Emirates Red Crescent. Our annual Ramadan program collects funds each year to assist those in need within the UAE, and it receives full support from our customers. We are confident that this year our customers will once again show their unwavering support and we look forward to seeing families come together to make a difference this Ramadan.”His Excellency Rashid Mubarak Al Mansouri, Deputy Secretary-General for Local Affairs at Emirates Red Crescent, praised McDonald's UAE's humanitarian initiatives and social involvement, stating “McDonald’s UAE plays a crucial role in promoting social responsibility, by providing continuous support for humanitarian causes, charity events and activations.” He added, “We at Emirates Red Crescent, are excited about the prospect of growing our humanitarian partnership with the company in the future."The cards will be available to purchase for AED 5 from the restaurant front counter, drive-thru and delivery. For more information please visit: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ae/en-ae/buy-the-cards-for-good.html

Duba: ASDA’A BCW, the region’s leading communications consultancy, has been named ‘Middle East Consultancy of the Year’ at the prestigious 2023 EMEA SABRE Awards, the world’s largest PR awards programme. This is the fourth agency of the year recognition for ASDA’A BCW in recent months, after it was named ‘Media Company of the Year’ at the Arabian Business Achievements Awards in January, and ‘Best Agency – UAE’ and ‘Best PR/Communications Agency’ at the Campaign Agency of the Year Awards in December 2022. At the SABREs this year, the annual ASDA’A BCW Arab Youth Survey also won the EMEA Innovation SABRE Gold for Best Agency Thought Leadership initiative, for the second consecutive year. PRovoke Media wrote: “ASDA’A BCW has always been a regional industry pioneer and continues to change the way PR is seen in the Middle East. From day one, it disrupted the industry model by targeting a market that had never used PR before: local governments, family businesses and emerging regional brands with global ambitions. ASDA’A BCW also continued to innovate in 2022 by becoming the first communications consultancy in MENA to launch a dedicated ESG advisory, OnePoint5, to meet the growing requirement for Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) services in the region.”Sunil John, President – MENA of BCW and Founder of ASDA’A BCW, said: “All awards are special, but the EMEA SABREs are arguably in a league of their own. The fact that ASDA’A BCW came out on top this year is a ringing endorsement of the work we deliver for our clients. Passion and commitment are truly a winning combination. This recognition reinforces our standing in the region as a talent-led and innovation-driven integrated consultancy creating exceptional value for our clients.”Rami Halwani, Executive Vice President for Client Services at ASDA’A BCW, received the SABRE honours from Paul Holmes, Founder of PRovoke Media, at a ceremony held in Frankfurt. With a strong presence in the corporate domain – including corporate reputation, consumer communications, public affairs, healthcare, finance, enterprise and technology, crisis management and employee relations, ASDA’A BCW further expanded its digital and data expertise in 2022. Last year, the Agency achieved record revenue growth in its history. This was led by near 100 per cent client retention and record new business wins. Serving more than 100 clients in the region, ASDA’A BCW ranked high in the 2021 BCW Global Client Satisfaction Survey, where 68% of respondents rated its overall performance at ‘8 or higher’ on a 10-point scale, and 83% said they are more likely to recommend the firm. The ASDA’A BCW Arab Youth Survey demonstrates the value that the PR industry brings to governments, businesses, and civil society by providing evidence-based insights on the hopes, attitudes, and aspirations of MENA’s largest demographic, its over 200 million youth. The 2022 edition was launched with strong global/regional impact, reaching over 500 million people within the first week of its launch in September 2022.

Dubai: Sennheiser Middle East is pleased to announce the appointment of Neville Nagesh as Business Development Manager for Business Communications in the Professional Audio division starting March 20, 2023. This division caters to the audio needs of businesses for conferences and meetings, presentations, assistive listening, and visitor guidance.With over 11 years of experience in Sales, Pre Sales & Engineering, Neville brings a wealth of experience in the audio & video segment to his new role. Prior to joining Sennheiser, he was working for Darwish Holding, where he provided audio, video, and lighting solutions to government agencies, private entities & conglomerates. Neville has a strong understanding of Sennheiser products, having worked with them previously.As Business Development Manager, Neville will report directly to Mig Cardamone, Director of Sales at Sennheiser Middle East. Neville is excited to leverage his experience to grow Sennheiser’s rapidly growing Middle East market for the Business Communications division. ‘Sennheiser’s innovative product range has enormous potential, and I am eager to tap into it”. He says..Mig Cardamone commented on the appointment, saying, “Neville has the right profile for the position. His wealth of knowledge of the market, associations, and relations will serve Sennheiser Middle East well. We wish him all the best in his new career with us.” Sennheiser Middle East looks forward to the contributions Neville will make to the organization.

Dubai: Ramadan is a time for giving and reflection, when families around the world connect and practice shared values, spiritual wellness and cherished traditions.In line with the values and teachings of Ramadan, Dole Sunshine Company, Food & Beverage Division ME has partnered with three families in the UAE to share their favourite memories and traditions for Ramadan. In addition to sharing their fondest Ramadan moments, the families advise for good nutritional eating habits designed to help you stay healthy and happy during the holy month – all the while helping reduce your food waste, too. Dole Sunshine Company – known for their delicious packaged fruits, juices and fruit bowls – has recruited Dubai One TV presenter Dina Butti, Abu Dhabi-based mother-and-daughter bakery owners Samia Madani and Mira Sleiman – best known as Yummy Bakes – and Pakistani social media star Wassay Mughal to help spread the word on how adding fruity goodness to Iftar and Suhoor meals can increase nourishment, hydration and help those fasting feel fuller for longer.The trio and their families appear in a series of videos launched on @DoleMiddleEast social media channels sharing intergenerational advice on how simple, delicious ingredient swaps and additions can have a significant impact on keeping people energised throughout Ramadan – without having to compromise on traditional or favourite foods.As well as some tasty recipes, the three families also share what they have learned about nutrition and wellness from their parents and elders as part of the Ramadan Moments series, which also aims to help minimise food waste over the holy month by highlighting opportunities to incorporate excess ingredients in different, creative ways.The initiative comes as Dole Sunshine Company seeks to take a leading role in highlighting the benefits of nutritional meal choices in helping you feel refreshed, hydrated and satiated during Ramadan, with ingredients like fruit being able to play a major role in that.Alpaslan Uzmez, Vice President & Regional General Manager of Food & Beverage Division at Dole Sunshine Company, Middle East, said: “Ramadan is a truly special time of the year, when we come together as families in a month full of faith, reflection and kindness.“This year, we’re helping remind those fasting on how we can make every day brighter for ourselves and for those around us, through the food we consume during the holy month. Good nutrition is a fundamental human right, and at Dole, we believe it should be like sunshine – available to all. “We wanted to be authentic in delivering the message of this year's Ramadan campaign, so we leaned into the fact that older generations tend to pass on advice and wisdom to younger generations – and vice versa. So, throughout Ramadan, we will share tips so everyone can get involved and feel the sunshine, with three different families leading that charge.”Research suggests that almost a quarter of food purchased goes to waste[1], placing additional strain on the environment. At the heart of Dole’s campaign is a selection of recipes rich in nourishment, helping reduce the need for excess food.TV star Dina Butti, who appears in the campaign alongside husband Omar, sons Faris (7) and Amir (5), and parents Mohamed El-Gamal and Amina Hedaiat, said: “What Dole is trying to encourage with their Ramadan Moments campaign struck a chord with my family. For as long as I can remember, my parents have always ensured that we understood and appreciated the importance of eating a well-balanced diet during Ramadan, and minimizing food waste, from a perspective of faith and well-being.“Those are the same lessons Omar and I now share with Faris and Amir, along with new learnings and traditions we've picked up, so to bring that advice to a wider audience with Dole is something I’m really excited about.”As one of the world’s largest fruit producers, Dole Sunshine Company is driven by the purpose of bettering the world through nutrition and delivering safe, high-quality food that is good for the people, the planet, and shared prosperity. To follow Dole’s Ramadan Moments this Ramadan and learn brighter eating tips, tasty recipes and clever ways to minimize food wastage, follow @DoleMiddleEast on Instagram.

Dubai:  Edgio, Inc., the platform of choice for speed, security and simplicity at the edge, announced it has appointed Eric Black as CTO/General Manager, Media. Having been at the forefront of digital video and live event streaming with NBC Universal for more than twenty years, Black joins Edgio to lead the company’s growth in delivering the highest quality linear, live and on-demand video experiences, to every device worldwide.Prior to joining Edgio, Black led NBC Universal’s media technology strategy across a host of digital properties during pivotal moments in the evolution of live streaming. He managed the first-ever live stream of a Super Bowl in 2010, delivered six Olympic Games (including the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the largest digital event in history at the time), 2018 FIFA World Cup, and Presidential debates. He also guided the team that launched NBC Universal’s Peacock in 2020. The systems built by Black have focused on both high concurrent traffic and scale, and now deliver more than 20,000 events per year, resulting in billions of consumed minutes.His enormous contribution to the success of live event streaming has been recognized with nine Emmy awards. He is also a two-time winner of the IOC Gold Ring for Best Olympic Digital Service for the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2018 Winter Olympics, and the recipient of the Edward R. Murrow Award for 9/11 coverage in 2004. In addition, he was honored with the 2013-2014 technology and engineering Emmy Award for Pioneering Delivery of Pay TV Linear Video to Consumer Owned and Managed Devices Over an IP Connection.“The appointment of such a well-regarded industry leader as Eric underscores the strength of Edgio’s standing today,” said Bob Lyons, CEO at Edgio. “We are extremely proud of our achievements in building digital video solutions that deliver successful business strategies for leading media and technology companies. Eric’s experience of the biggest live events is unparalleled, and he is the perfect fit for us as we enter the next phase of streaming at scale.”At Edgio, Black will be responsible for the management and growth of Edgio’s Media Platform, which includes Edgio Delivery, its global CDN network, and Uplynk, its streaming platform. Uplynk reduces the complexity of delivering live events, broadcast/OTT, and free ad-supported TV (FAST) syndication, and scales operations with minimal resources enabling customers to reach more viewers. Its advanced advertising solutions include server-side ad insertion (SSAI) and performance monitoring to help customers refine and perfect their revenue strategies. Powered by a secure global edge network designed for the unique demands of media, Uplynk ensures the best-viewing experiences regardless of where audiences are in the world.Edgio’s media solutions operate in a field in which Black has rich expertise, enabling him to hit the ground running and further propel the company’s growth. Edgio has handled hundreds of thousands of live events, including the world’s biggest sports events, such as the FIFA World Cup and Super Bowl. Its Uplynk solution generated 2.4 billion event views, 3.3 billion hours of streamed video, and more than 220 million hours of advertising in 2022 alone. With Black at the helm, Edgio is well-positioned to lead technology and business innovation in the next era of streaming, which will see concurrent viewing numbers surge even further.“I’m incredibly excited to work with the talented team at Edgio that has been at the cutting edge of streaming for over a decade now,” said Eric Black, CTO/GM Media at Edgio. “Customers trust Edgio as a valued partner – a trust that has been forged over a number of years by consistently solving the complexities of digital video in the most simple and scalable way. I’m looking forward to the future and the groundbreaking opportunities that Edgio brings to our customers.”Edgio was formed as the result of Limelight's acquisition of Edgecast in June 2022.

Dubai: Recruiters are the most infuriating and unreliable people in the UAE to deal with professionally, beating telemarketers and credit card firms in a race to the bottom, a new report from Insight Discovery (ID) shows.More than half (52%) UAE residents picked recruiters when asked about industries delivering the worst customer service, followed by telemarketers or call centre operatives at 33% and credit card issuers at 31%, according to ID’s ‘2023 Worst Reputation’ survey, their fifth annual study, which aims to highlight opportunities for companies to improve public perceptions and win new business. Recruitment firms have now had the dubious honour of topping ID’s ranking for three years in a row, with internal recruiters (20%) and executive search firms (11%) contributing to dissatisfaction with the industry. Real estate agents fared little better at 25%, where they were joined for the first time by a new category: social media influencers.Elsewhere, independent financial advisers (IFAs) vied with bank-employed advisers at 17%, marking a relative improvement for IFAs, who scored worse than their bank peers in previous surveys.Nigel Sillitoe, CEO of Insight Discovery, said: “It’s disappointing to see recruiters called out yet again for having the lowest professional reputation in the country. This matters because demand for talent is growing exponentially as more and more companies set up or expand in the UAE. Hiring managers and job seekers need efficient, trustworthy recruiters, and we all need them to succeed to keep the economy moving forwards.”“For those good recruiters out there, this is their time to shine and to gain advantage over those that are causing so much dissatisfaction. Simple steps, like being responsive and giving clear guidance to individuals who are looking for a new job, can make a big reputational difference quite quickly.”For this year’s study, ID allowed survey participants to select multiple industry sectors. Western expats seem to be the most dissatisfied, ticking more boxes than any other group. Arab expats, on the other hand, reported themselves to be the least dissatisfied, closely followed by UAE Nationals. When looking at the data in age brackets, people aged 25-44 were the most dissatisfied with recruiters, while those 18-24 and those over 45 were most dissatisfied with telemarketers and call centre operatives.Commenting on the arrival of social media influencers in the ‘‘Worst Reputation’ study, Sillitoe said: “I’m not surprised to see a quarter of UAE residents citing social media influencers as having the worst reputation. It isn’t always clear when influencers are being paid to promote products and this lack of transparency leads to a lack of trust. We should be especially concerned about the rise of so-called ‘finfluencers’ who post about financial products and who give financial advice. Often these influencers post about unregulated schemes, including cryptocurrency schemes, which can be highly risky or even outright illegal.”“For IFA firms the results from this year’s study will be encouraging,” Sillitoe added. “With so many new advisory firms setting up in the UAE, particularly in the DIFC and ADGM, our survey is well timed. As for why their reputation has improved it’s probably due to a number of factors, including greater transparency and tighter regulations”

Riyad/Dubai: WebEngage, a leading full-stack Retention Operating System, has announced its partnership with Dubai-based full-funnel marketing consultancy Team Red Dot. The partnership will enable Team Red Dot to provide its clientele with retention-marketing services by leveraging WebEngage’s full-stack solutions suite, which has garnered a reputation for best-in-class customer engagement, data analysis, and personalization across the GCC region and beyond. “Studies suggest that a mere 5% rise in customer retention rates can increase profits by 25–95%. Our partnership with WebEngage gives our clients access to a comprehensive acquisition and retention stack that facilitates meaningful interactions with customers throughout their journey, using real-time data, insights, and campaign activation. This capability is a valuable addition to our growing full-service offerings. The strategic partnership with WebEngage is a testament to our ascendency in media and advertising,” said Prashant Lodaya, General Manager, Team Red Dot.Team Red Dot’s core offerings, including integrated media planning & buying offering, performance media, lead generation & programmatic advertising, will benefit tremendously through the interplay with WebEngage’s Retention Operating System. WebEngage helps identify high-priority customer segments with RFM modelling or create on-demand segments based on customer personas and behaviours in real-time. Add to it, Team Red Dot’s capabilities in using actionable data insights to run targeted & personalised marketing campaigns is a win-win for marketers. Marketers looking to onboard new customers, or looking to reactivate silent customers can simply automate campaigns across their customers’ lifecycle with WebEngage’s marketing automation. All this is made simple using the journey builder using drag and drop triggers, actions and conditions to create custom journeys & activate campaigns. Previously, customer engagement strategies aimed at increasing retention rates were largely supported by third-party data. Lately, digital-forward brands are enriching their first-party data to optimize customer engagement. As the cost of customer acquisition continues to rise in the digital age, digital-first businesses must prioritize customer lifetime value by improving engagement programs and leveraging behavioural first-party data to target customers directly, reducing dependency on third-party cookies. WebEngage specializes in harnessing first-party behavioural data, developing insights, and driving personalized engagement — all adding to retention & therefore higher customer lifetime value. “The partnership with Team Red Dot is part of our ambitious goal to be synonymous with marketing technology across sectors. Team Red Dot’s clients will soon attest to the feasibility of retention-led growth. Likewise, irrespective of sector, customer retention is becoming the holy-grail for marketers to pursue. However, it requires cutting-edge data and automation platforms, personalization engines, and omnichannel campaign orchestration systems, which we are proud to offer under a single, full-stack model,” explained Luis Kashyap, Global Director of Partnerships,WebEngage. Over 800 brands across the globe swear by the full-stack solution’s ability to optimize engagement strategies and retain customers. Since its entry into MENA, WebEngage has added over 60 new clients across sectors each quarter, making a compelling case for supremacy in the regional “MarTech” domain. WebEngage’s association with Team Red Dot also exemplifies the growing cross-industry partnerships aimed at synergistic value creation in Dubai/Saudi Arabia. 

SolutionBuggy, which provides consulting and project management in manufacturing for the MSME segment, has forayed into the UAE market with its base in Abu Dhabi. The consultancy is currently executing a key soil-to-silk manufacturing unit in Abu Dhabi and is also in talks with a few projects in the organic fertilizers and pipes sector. In this interview Guruprasad Bangle, Co-founder & Chief Technology Officer, SolutionBuggy, tells BF Firos, Associate Editor, Adgully, about the reason for the UAE foray, challenges in its previous international projects, ensuring quality and transparency of services, the industries and types of projects SolutionBuggy is interested in, collaborations with trade bodies, etc. Excerpts:What inspired SolutionBuggy to expand into the Middle East market, and why did the company choose Abu Dhabi as its location for the new office?SolutionBuggy is India’s largest platform for consulting and project management in manufacturing for the MSME segment. Over the last six years, we have completed more than 3500 projects across India, and we have been well-recognised in neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh and Nepal from where we are working on a few projects.The gradual shift of middle east Asia’s economy from an oil-based economy to a sustainable-focussed one has given rise to immense opportunities for SMEs and manufacturing in all sectors is booming. This means there is a huge demand for experts and consultants across sectors. This prompted us to expand our digital presence initially in the middle east sector. We are currently executing a key soil-to-silk manufacturing unit in Abu Dhabi and are also in talks with a few projects in the organic fertilizers and pipes sector. All this means we have to look for a physical presence in the UAE and hence we feel Abu Dhabi to be meeting all the criteria to have a presence in this market. The ADIO is also offering good incentives for Indian startups focussing on technology and scaling. The IT sector is also offering a global tech ecosystem as part of its Hub71 programme which will be beneficial for startups like us.Could you describe some of the challenges that SolutionBuggy has faced in its previous international projects, and how the company has overcome them as you enter the UAE market?Manufacturing consulting has traditionally been a forte only for the Big4 consulting firms. But due to the nature of engagement and the cost structure, Big4 consulting is not feasible for the MSMEs across India and the rest of the world. Most of the prior international assignments that SolutionBuggy has taken up before have been in the realm of international market entry, feasibility study and new market tech transfer projects. But when it comes to the setup of industries in the new countries, there are a host of issues to be dealt with. This includes handling local govt authorities, different paperwork procedures, cultural differences and finally showcasing that an Indian firm is equally competitive with its technical expertise and offers the best prices as compared to the other countries.Some of the key things that worked well in the UAE were: the cultural difference more or less disappeared as we were able to build trust instantly when we showcased our technology expertise. There was some mistrust created by some Chinese companies and we were able to immediately address these issues and this helped a lot in creating trust in us. Next, since there is not much of a cultural difference between India and the middle east, it was much easier to understand the working differences and the expectations were addressed in the initial days of the engagement. To help us with the local govt authorities, we had an Emirati firm handle this as a subcontractor to us. So overall we believe except for a few glitches here and there, the UAE market has been very warm and we are very eager to work with more such firms who are looking to set up plants in sectors such as food and beverage, aerospace and defence, drones, EVs, chemicals, pharmaceutical, renewable energy esp in biogas, bio CNG, biodiesel and ethanol units.How does SolutionBuggy ensure the quality and transparency of its services when working with clients in different countries and cultures?SolutionBuggy provides clients with access to more than 12000+ experts in all sectors of manufacturing. The model of PMC is very transparent as there are experts across different price points and due to the inherent structure of working, the right expert is hired based on the quantum and quality of work required. This remains the same irrespective of the country of operation as SolutionBuggy follows an approach of offshoring most of the deliverables and only for key aspects such as plant layout preparation or machinery installation etc the expert onsite. This allows flexibility to the client to reduce costs. The dashboard also allows the client to track project progress on a real-time basis and also gives payment schedules in a detailed manner, which allows proper planning for all the stakeholders.What industries and types of projects is SolutionBuggy most interested in pursuing in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa?Currently, SolutionBuggy is working on projects in silk manufacturing, hose pipe manufacturing, chemicals, and renewable energy in the middle east. In Africa we are bidding for a few projects in process improvement for a bamboo paper manufacturing, ethanol plant, cornstarch and corn flour making, Isopropyl alcohol and PCB manufacturing unit. In Southeast Asia we are working with a local firm to bid for an edible oil and essential oil extraction unit, a rubber pre-processing unit and a fish and prawn feed manufacturing unit.Could you talk more about SolutionBuggy's collaborations with trade bodies and consults in Denmark, Israel, Germany, Malaysia, and France, and how these partnerships benefit both SolutionBuggy and the businesses involved?We are working with quite a few trade bodies and consulates in India to help companies from these countries set up their units in India, search for a local partner for a JV, help them to sell their technology through tech transfer initiatives or in some cases even look for companies in India to acquire companies in these countries.In the case of the Israeli consulate, we are working closely in helping many Israeli companies with renewable energy, drones for agricultural and defence purposes, food technology, biodegradable packaging and biofuels to set up a joint venture partner in India.In the case of Danish firms, they are very keen to work with waste-to-energy management and have efficient technologies that can be implemented across the world. We are in discussion with the company from Nepal for a technology transfer agreement.With respect to the German trade body in India, we are in discussion to get a partner for a few MSMEs in Germany to expand their presence with a joint venture with similar companies in India and Malaysia. We are also getting some experts from Germany for an oil and gas project based in the middle east which has been facilitated through the trade body.

Cairo, Egypt:  IBM Security released its annual X-Force Threat Intelligence Index finding that although ransomware’s share of incidents in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) held steady at 18%, globally defenders were more successful detecting and preventing ransomware. Despite this, attackers continued to innovate, with the report showing that globally the average time to complete a ransomware attack dropped from two months down to less than 4 days. According to the 2023 report, the deployment of backdoors, which allow remote access to systems, emerged as the top action by attackers in the MEA region last year. Backdoor deployments were detected in 27% of the cases X-Force responded to in this region in 2022. Ransomware and worms tied for the second-most common attack type in the region at 18% each. The uptick in backdoor deployments can be partially attributed to their high market value. X-Force observed threat actors selling existing backdoor access for as much as $10,000, compare this to stolen credit card data, which sells for less than $10 per card today.As organizations across the MEA region try to address the ever-evolving cyber threats landscape, Marwa Abbas, General Manager at IBM Egypt, added: “Our X-Force Threat Intelligence Index findings showed that attackers always find new ways to evade detection, with finance and insurance being the most targeted industry for cyberattacks in the Middle East and Africa region. As such, it is essential for enterprises to prioritize threat intelligence and strengthen defenses through a proactive security strategy in order to break free from cyber threats. IBM’s integrated portfolio of security products and services, infused with dynamic AI and automation capabilities, enables organizations to predict threats, protect data as it moves, and respond with speed and precision without holding back business innovation.”The IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence Index tracks new and existing trends and attack patterns – pulling from billions of datapoints from network and endpoint devices, incident response engagements and other sources. Some of the key findings in the 2023 report include:Extortion: Threat Actors Go-to Method. The most common impact from cyberattacks in 2022 was extortion, which was primarily achieved through ransomware or business email compromise attacks. Extortion and financial loss each accounted for half of identified impacts in incidents across the MEA region in 2021. Manufacturing was the most extorted industry globally in 2022, and it was again the most attacked industry for the second consecutive year. Manufacturing organizations are an attractive target for extortion, given the extremely low tolerance for down time.Cybercriminals Weaponize Email Conversations. Thread hijacking saw a significant rise in 2022, with attackers using compromised email accounts to reply within ongoing conversations posing as the original participant. X-Force observed the rate of monthly attempts increase by 100% globally compared to 2021 data. Over the year, X-Force found that attackers used this tactic to deliver Emotet, Qakbot, and IcedID, malicious software that often results in ransomware infections.Legacy Exploits Still Doing the Job. The proportion of known exploits relative to vulnerabilities declined 10 percentage points globally from 2018 to 2022, due to the fact that the number of vulnerabilities hit another all-time high. The findings indicate that legacy exploits enabled older malware infections such as WannaCry and Conficker to continue to exist and spread.Phishers “Give Up” on Credit Card Data. The number of cybercriminals targeting credit card information in phishing kits dropped 52% globally in one year, indicating that attackers are prioritizing personally identifiable information such as names, emails, and home addresses, which can be sold for a higher price on the dark web or used to conduct further operations.Finance and Insurance Remain Prime Targets for Cyberattacks in MEA: In the Middle East and Africa, Finance and insurance was the most-targeted industry in 2022, accounting for 44% of incidents and down slightly from 2021 at 48%. Professional, business and consumer services accounted for 22% of attacks, with manufacturing and energy tying for third place at 11%.The report features data IBM collected globally in 2022 to deliver insightful information about the global threat landscape and inform the security community about the threats most relevant to their organizations.

Middle East: The first car of Bentley’s Blower Continuation Series – known as Car Zero – is set to invoke the history of its ancestor by racing at a series of events across 2023. Completing its purpose of engineering validation while honouring its genealogy, Blower Car Zero will take to tracks in the UK, France and Belgium in a set of races that will test its performance and endurance.The Blower Continuation Series – the first pre-war continuation series ever created - has been built by hand using a combination of modern laser-scanned data and original drawings. Both the blueprints and the 3D data were taken from the 1929 4½-litre supercharged Team Car #2 – the most famous Bentley in the world, and one of the icons of the Bentley Heritage Collection. 93 years after that car competed at Le Mans (and elsewhere), Car Zero will assume the original Blower’s mantle and race to win – including at the Circuit de la Sarthe, in what will be the first Bentley works car to race at Le Mans since the Speed 8’s victory in 2003.Modifications to allow Blower Car Zero to go racing have been minor, and safety-related. They include the installation of a rain light, wing mirrors, towing points, a fire extinguisher and a battery isolation switch. The car also now holds an Historic Technical Passport (HTP), the certifies the car as eligible to compete in FIA-sanctioned events for historic vehicles.Blower Car Zero will compete at three tracks in 2023:Donington Park, UK, 29-30 AprilLe Mans, France, 29 June – 3 JulySpa, Belgium, 28-30 SeptemberAfter Car Zero, 12 further Blower Continuation Series cars have been commissioned through Mulliner – Bentley’s bespoke and personalisation division - with eight delivered and four still in-build. Some of these customer cars will compete alongside Car Zero at Le Mans in the summer, together with original Bentley Team cars from the 1920s.Paul Williams, Mulliner’s Chief Technical Officer, comments:“By going racing with Blower Car Zero, we will prove the performance, authenticity and durability of our Continuation Series by taking on the original competition, and give our customers confidence that they too can take their continuation cars to the track. We’ve already proved the quality of the engineering within the car by completing a tough test of several hours at race pace around Goodwood, and it’s now time for the car to be unleashed for real racing. We’ll take the learnings from this race programme and apply them to the upcoming Speed Six Continuation Series, for which the first engineering car is in build now.”To prepare for its racing debut, Car Zero recently completed a six-hour endurance test at full race pace, at the Goodwood Motor Circuit. Driven by Stuart Morley (GB), the car performed flawlessly throughout the test, covering 380 miles and averaging 83 miles per hour.Drivers for the race programme will be confirmed shortly, and will feature a mix of experienced motoring journalists with racing credentials alongside professional racing drivers. 

Riyadh: Amazon Saudi Arabia today announced the launch of ‘Iftar on Wheels,’ a meal donation program that will support thousands of families at Ramadan community iftars, leveraging the company’s delivery network across both central and remote locations within Saudi Arabia. Amazon will utilize its scale, logistics and technology to reach people in need across the entire country, from Makkah in the west to Dammam in the east, and from Abha to Al Qassim, to spread the joy of the season among local communities.In partnership with the Saudi Food Bank (Eta’am), the ‘Iftar on Wheels’ program continues Amazon’s tradition of helping underprivileged families through a combination of monetary donations, delivery services and volunteer support. Hundreds of Amazon employees across Saudi Arabia will engage in event organization, packing and delivering food and sharing in the iftar events.Faisal Al Shoshan, Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Food Bank (Eta’am), said, “We are pleased to partner with Amazon once again to make the Holy Month just a little easier and spread the spirit of giving to thousands of families in need. Leveraging the power of Amazon’s technology, people and the company’s vast delivery network, ‘Iftar on Wheels’ will help us reach even more families not just in central but also in remote locations across the country. Amazon’s operations and delivery support are invaluable in delivering meals directly to those in need.”Since its launch in the region four years ago, Amazon has delivered millions of meals to underserved communities in the Middle East and North Africa region, laddering up to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 to achieve ‘Zero Hunger.’Abdo Chlala, Country Manager, Amazon Saudi Arabia, said, “Amazon is committed to finding practical solutions to immediate community needs, such as hunger and natural disasters. This commitment takes on even greater significance during the Holy Month of Ramadan. As we continue to serve customers during this busy season, we are also leveraging our scale as a force for good. ‘Iftar on Wheels’ will utilize our logistics, delivery and people networks to deliver meals to families who need them the most. We continue to invest in programs that nurture a meaningful work environment where our teams have the opportunity to give back to the communities where they live and work.”‘Iftar on Wheels’ is a part of Amazon’s global community engagement pillar, ‘Right Now Needs,’ that seeks to eliminate the impossible choices posed by poverty, homelessness, hunger, and natural disasters. This pillar is one of many in Amazon’s community engagement program.Mohammad Badokhon, Operations Supervisor at Amazon Saudi Arabia, said, “Ramadan is a very important time of the year for me, and I do my best to embody its values of generosity, sharing and giving. This year, the ‘Iftar on Wheels’ program gives me yet another opportunity to give back to my community.”Amazon’s operations network in Saudi Arabia is powered by a combination of innovative technology, optimised transportation services, dedicated employees, and partners. Amazon’s transportation network consists of over twenty-five owned and third-party delivery stations across Saudi Arabia. The company continues to invest in scaling its network in the country and enhancing the customer experience, while focusing on the safety, well-being, and career advancement of the people across the operations network who make it all possible.

Apparel Group, the leading retail conglomerate, and premium lifestyle company, Tommy Hilfiger, celebrated their 17 years of successful partnership on March 13th, 2023. The partnership, which commenced in 2006, has grown significantly with 53 stores across the GCC and six e-commerce sites. Sima Ganwani Ved, Apparel Group Founder & Chairwoman, and Nilesh Ved, AppCorp Global Founder & Chairman, hosted an exclusive intimate lunch for Mr. Tommy Hilfiger to commemorate the successful long-term partnership and their shared values of sustainability and innovation. The intimate event hosted key business leaders, consul generals, media, and top-tier influencers & celebrities.Tommy Hilfiger has an ambitious sustainability vision to “Waste Nothing and Welcome All,” and the company continues to invest in innovation that drives the industry forward. As a gesture honoring the partnership and the companies’ shared commitment to environmental conservation, Apparel Group Global gifted 100 guests with a unique NFTree featuring the iconic TOMMY HILFIGER monogram that was projected on the Burj Khalifa in October 2022. For each NFT distributed, Apparel Group will plant a real tree in the Caspa region of Spain. Together, these 100 trees will help absorb 25,000 kgs of CO2 every year, and the recipients of these NFTrees will receive carbon tokens which they can trade or use to compensate for their emissions for the next 20 years."We express our heartfelt gratitude to Tommy Hilfiger for gracing us with his presence and making this event truly memorable. As a company committed to sustainability, Apparel Group has introduced NFTree as a token of appreciation for our guests, with a promise to plant a tree for each NFTree distributed. Let us all enjoy the TOMMY HILFIGER collection and make a positive impact on the environment together," said Sima Ganwani Ved, Founder & Chairwoman of Apparel Group.The celebration of the successful partnership between Apparel Group and Tommy Hilfiger marks another milestone in the journey of the two brands, as sustainability and innovation continue to be at the forefront of their strategies. The unique NFTree initiative is a testament to that commitment.

Dubai: Dubai Airports has been recognised as one of the Best Employer Brands in this year’s LinkedIn MENA Talent Awards under LinkedIn for companies above 1,000 employees.The Award recognises entities that focus on building a strong employer brand to engage with their audiences in a meaningful manner, with Dubai Airports being awarded for displaying the organisation’s culture and values across the platform, and engaging with its following of over 814,600 users.Dubai Airports’ second-place win is also a testament to the organisation’s presence on LinkedIn in regularly sharing content that helps to support its employees and its local community, while also creating compelling, real-life stories that humanise the brand and empower employees to become brand ambassadors and advocates.Meshari Al Bannai, Executive Vice President of Human Resources Development at Dubai Airports, said: “We truly believe that empowering our people throughout their careers is key to our success. LinkedIn is a powerful platform, and implementing a strategy that allows us to connect with our employees through engaging, human and emotive content helps us foster talent throughout the organisation”.“We utilise the platform to showcase our company culture, whilst sharing industry knowledge and expertise, helping us to inspire people of Dubai Airports. Recognition in this year’s LinkedIn MENA Talent Awards reflects our commitment to building communities across the business that empowers people to become the game changers of tomorrow”, he added.The winners were selected based on performance, results and impact of organisations leveraging their LinkedIn Talent Solutions. The criteria for selection included companies that have built a strong employer brand and engage with their audience in a meaningful way, company page views on the platform, percentage of follower growth on the platform and, the way talent engages with the company’s content via likes, comments and shares.LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network with over 530 Million members, celebrates the success of companies around the world that are innovating and leading the future of work.

Dubai: Géant, part of GMG, is reiterating its commitment to being the community’s preferred choice across the UAE with 2 strategic and timely new openings.Expanding swiftly across the UAE, the brand has opened its second Géant Supermarket in the Kalba Waterfront Mall, the largest retail and the first inclusive waterfront destination in the city of Kalba in Sharjah.Offering customers who live and work in the vicinity the great value and variety that Géant is synonymous with, highlights of the supermarket experience include an extended local fresh produce range, a large fresh food section and a live grilled fishery section serving cooked food for order and pick up. There’s also a special emphasis on catering to the primarily local audience with a product mix that reflects their specific needs and wants.From weekly promotions to a discount market with special deal on non-food items (AED 30 or less), convenience and cost-effectiveness is what customers can expect across this exciting new space that is conveniently-located, offers free parking and can easily be accessed from the mall entrance.Port de le Mer also gets its first Géant Express store, promising convenience, value and choice to residents of this exciting waterfront development in the heart of Jumeirah 1.From freshly prepared food to go, imported and local fresh produce, to quality meats, cheese and cold cuts, global foods and bakery products, customers can now find it all in their neighbourhood.Home delivery will also be available in the vicinity of both stores via local delivery platforms straight to your doorstep.“Our stores, be it supermarkets, hypermarkets or the more compact Express concept, continue to thrive and act as true hubs of the community. We make a conscious effort to understand the specific needs of the distinct audiences we serve to create a convenient shopping experience, tailored to the communities, ” said Marc Laurent, President, Retail Everyday Goods at GMG.Géant is also known regionally for its strong commitment to environmental sustainability and promoting a positive and cohesive community lifestyle, aligned with GMG's positioning as a global well-being company. All Géant Express stores and supermarkets, therefore, embrace and support UAE’s single-use plastic-free agenda with paper bags a norm. They also house local fresh produce and have a large organic and healthy food offering too.

Saudi / Dubai: WebEngage, a leading full-stack Retention Operating System, today announced its partnership with Dubai-based full-funnel marketing consultancy Team Red Dot. The partnership will enable Team Red Dot to provide its clientele with retention-marketing services by leveraging WebEngage’s full-stack solutions suite, which has garnered a reputation for best-in-class customer engagement, data analysis, and personalization across the GCC region and beyond. “Studies suggest that a mere 5% rise in customer retention rates can increase profits by 25–95%. Our partnership with WebEngage gives our clients access to a comprehensive acquisition and retention stack that facilitates meaningful interactions with customers throughout their journey, using real-time data, insights, and campaign activation. This capability is a valuable addition to our growing full-service offerings. The strategic partnership with WebEngage is a testament to our ascendency in media and advertising,” said Prashant Lodaya, General Manager, Team Red Dot.Team Red Dot’s core offerings, including integrated media planning & buying offering, performance media, lead generation & programmatic advertising, will benefit tremendously through the interplay with WebEngage’s Retention Operating System. WebEngage helps identify high-priority customer segments with RFM modelling or create on-demand segments based on customer personas and behaviours in real-time. Add to it, Team Red Dot’s capabilities in using actionable data insights to run targeted & personalised marketing campaigns is a win-win for marketers. Marketers looking to onboard new customers, or looking to reactivate silent customers can simply automate campaigns across their customers’ lifecycle with WebEngage’s marketing automation. All this is made simple using the journey builder using drag and drop triggers, actions and conditions to create custom journeys & activate campaigns.Previously, customer engagement strategies aimed at increasing retention rates were largely supported by third-party data. Lately, digital-forward brands are enriching their first-party data to optimize customer engagement. As the cost of customer acquisition continues to rise in the digital age, digital-first businesses must prioritize customer lifetime value by improving engagement programs and leveraging behavioural first-party data to target customers directly, reducing dependency on third-party cookies. WebEngage specializes in harnessing first-party behavioural data, developing insights, and driving personalized engagement — all adding to retention & therefore higher customer lifetime value. “The partnership with Team Red Dot is part of our ambitious goal to be synonymous with marketing technology across sectors. Team Red Dot’s clients will soon attest to the feasibility of retention-led growth. Likewise, irrespective of sector, customer retention is becoming the holy-grail for marketers to pursue. However, it requires cutting-edge data and automation platforms, personalization engines, and omnichannel campaign orchestration systems, which we are proud to offer under a single, full-stack model,” explained Luis Kashyap, Global Director of Partnerships,WebEngage. Over 800 brands across the globe swear by the full-stack solution’s ability to optimize engagement strategies and retain customers. Since its entry into MENA, WebEngage has added over 60 new clients across sectors each quarter, making a compelling case for supremacy in the regional “MarTech” domain. WebEngage’s association with Team Red Dot also exemplifies the growing cross-industry partnerships aimed at synergistic value creation in Dubai/Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia: The Saudi fintech market is witnessing unprecedented growth and in recent years begun to rival neighboring economies Egypt and the U.A.E. in startup investments, according to a report by the U.S.-Saudi Business Council.Saudi Arabia has one of the MENA region’s most developed and well-capitalized financial service sectors encompassing new technologies, which improve or automate financial services such as payments, lending, insurance, data management, and capital market services.Through August 2022, the Kingdom witnessed a 79 percent YoY increase in the number of operating fintech firms. Of the 147 active fintech companies operating in Saudi Arabia, only 10 were operating in 2018. This rapid expansion is due to liberalized business regulations, an active investment environment, and well-developed technology infrastructure.While the fintech private sector continues to grow, 2022 marked another record level of investment for Saudi fintech companies. Between September 2021 and August 2022, the fintech sector in the Kingdom saw SAR1.5 billion ($402.2 million) in total investments. Meanwhile, venture capital funding in Saudi Arabia surged more than threefold to SAR2.2 billion ($584 million) in H1 2022, surpassing the full-year total for 2021 as the Kingdom continues to invest in technology and digital transformation. Consequently, Saudi Arabia was ranked ninth globally for venture capital availability in IMD’s Global Competitiveness 2022 report, rising from 12th in the previous year.“In the first half of 2022, fintech accounted for the highest number of total investment deals. Fintech companies attracted investments from leading domestic and international firms such as Sequoia, 500 Global, and Mastercard. Well-developed technology infrastructure such as widely accessible 5G and cloud services, a high domestic demand for financial services, and continued government support have all supported ongoing growth” said Albara’a Alwazir, Director of Economic Research at the U.S.-Saudi Business Council.Saudi Arabia is aiming to reach a SAR13.3 billion ($3.6 billion) direct GDP contribution by 2030, up from SAR1.2 billion ($317 million) in 2021. The fintech sector will account for 18,200 direct jobs and reach 525 active fintech companies by 2030. Fintech is a key pillar of not only the financial services industry’s future, but as a cross-cutting enabler of numerous Vision 2030 initiatives such as raising private sector GDP, boosting small and medium enterprises (SMEs), attracting foreign investment, developing the digital economy, and enhancing the ease of doing business.By 2025, Saudi Arabia aims to meet several benchmarks that include raising the number of active fintech players to at least 230 companies, reaching 70 percent non-cash transactions, and boosting fintech’s GDP contribution to SAR4.5 billion ($1.2 billion).In addition to record rises in licensed fintech companies, the Saudi Cabinet approved the licensing of three local digital banks. The first involves the conversion of STC Pay into a digital bank with SAR2.5 billion ($667 million) in capital. The second involves Abdul Rahman bin Saad Al-Rashed and Sons Company, which established Saudi Digital Bank with SAR1.5 billion ($400 million) in capitalization. Most recently, D360 bank was licensed and became the third digital bank operating in Saudi Arabia. The PIF joined key investors in backing D360 Bank. These developments will introduce advantages that will provide payments services, consumer microfinance, and insurance brokerage services without requiring a physical business. The recent slate of digital bank licensing in Saudi Arabia brings the total number of licensed banks to 35 which includes 11 Saudi traditional banks, three Saudi digital banks, and 21 foreign banks. SAMA’s new Open Banking Policy is also expected to further boost competitiveness in the Saudi fintech sector as new financial products and business models may be developed as a result of open accessibility to consumer financial data.Demand for a variety of financial services among Saudi residents is particularly high, including banking, insurance, investment, asset management, and shariah-compliant financing. The high level of smartphone penetration and banked youth population enabled a relatively rapid transition to a burgeoning digital economy. Use of card and electronic payments in Saudi Arabia have surged in recent years, rising steadily since 2016 with a further acceleration due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Saudi consumer habits have also adapted quickly to the digital economic transition. A 2022 Mastercard report found that 89 percent of people in Saudi Arabia have used at least one emerging payment method in the last year.

Cairo, Egypt: noon.com, the Middle East’s leading online shopping destination, announces its biggest sale of 2023, the Big Ramadan Sale, live from the 26th of March until midnight on the 4th of April. The mega event is packed with up to 75% off hundreds of thousands of items, exciting bank offers, and split payment solutions.Get up to 80% off fashion brands like American Eagle, DeFacto, LC Waikiki, Nike, and Adidas with prices starting from 16 EGP, and up to 70% off the latest eyewear and watches from brands like Casio, Fossil, Michael Kors, and Rayban. Shoppers can also get special Ramadan offers encompassing a collection of essentials like abayas and prayer clothes, prayer mats, and prayer beads starting from just 9 EGP. They can also use valU to get 15% off Ramadan boxes.This Big Ramadan Sale, shoppers can get up to 50% off hair treatments and masks from Garnier, L'Oreal Paris, Olaplex, and Raw African. Beauty and fragrance purchases from leading brands like Maybelline, Garnier, and Jaguar are discounted by up to 70%, starting at just 17 EGP, as well as 70 EGP off Maybelline purchases worth 300 EGP.Customers can save even more money by using noon's Buy Now Pay Later option with valU. Additionally, shoppers can take advantage of our bank partnerships with NBE, CIB and Emirates NBD which offer up to 12 months of interest-free installments.Emirates NBD cardholders can save 20% on purchases of up to 200 EGP, while Banque Misr MasterCard credit card holders can save 40% on purchases of up to 400 EGP.Shoppers can save up to 55% on smartphones from brands like Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, and Infinix, as well as enjoy up to 70% off electronics ranging from TVs, laptops, and home appliances from prominent brands like Samsung, Black & Decker, LG, Fresh, and Toshiba. Home essentials and kitchen must-haves will also be heavily discounted by up to 70% from brands like Nouval, Grandi, Bosch, and Mintra, with prices as low as 4 EGP. In addition to discount codes of 40% on TrueVal, Energizer, Bosch, and Zinox.Baby brands like Molfix, Penduline, Philips Avent, and Petit Bebe are up to 70% off with a starting price of 16 EGP, alongside a Buy 4 Get 1 Free deal on Fine Baby products. Toys from brands like Bestway, Intex, Hamleys, and Jilong will be discounted by up to 75%.Customers can also stock up on their grocery essentials with up to 70% off from brands like Abu Auf, Crystal, Papia, and Italiano with prices as low as 3 EGP, as well as get 20 EGP off Lipton purchases worth 100 EGP.noon Minutes is also offering massive discounts of up to 70% off. Various products are on offer from brands like L'Oreal, TBS, Suhagy, and Olio, with speedy delivery in as little as 15 minutes.noon’s Big Ramadan Sale is live from March 26th until midnight on April 4th, with super-speedy delivery and thousands of amazing deals across fashion, beauty, home, electronics, appliances, and toys ready to wow customers.

Jeddah: A recent technical report confirmed that the activity of Internet users’ changes during the month of Ramadan in Muslim-majority countries, as activity peaks between 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. before suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and dawn prayers (Fajr), and slows down before Iftar time after 12 noon till 3 p.m.According to the Opensignal report, Saudi Arabia was found with the most significant variation in the average download speed of data on 4G Internet networks during Ramadan, as the pre-dawn activity of internet users increased, which resulted in a 25% decrease in data download speed over the previous month. (read the full report here:https://www.opensignal.com/2023/03/14/how-ramadan-affects-mobile-network-experience).OpenSignal conducted an analysis to determine the impact of changes in people's behaviour during Ramadan on mobile Internet experiences in five Muslim-majority countries: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, and Malaysia.When comparing the difference in network experiences between Ramadan and the month before it, the company discovered that these countries experienced more changes during Ramadan than other countries, as data download speed decreased by more than 15% during the pre-dawn period due to increased network congestion.Pre-dawn Internet usage grew in Muslim-majority Saudi Arabia (93%) and Pakistan (96%), which led to a decrease in the average download speed of data by 25% and 21.3% respectively, compared to the previous month, the report indicated.Owing to their last meal before the start of fasting, a large number of people remain awake increasing network traffic, which slows down the download speed.The report revealed a similar change in data download in Egypt with a 90% Muslim population and Indonesia (87%) where it decreased by 18.5% and 16.7% respectively. Even in Malaysia with 64% of the population, the speed was found to have decreased by 15.7% from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m.The report concludes that during Ramadan, the lifestyles of many people change dramatically, and changes in the mobile experience in Muslim-majority countries indicate that a large percentage of people change their daily routine during this month, as Muslims prefer to spend Ramadan in Worship and carry out his religious responsibilities.

Dubai: Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, one of the three chambers operating under Dubai Chambers, has announced the appointment of Saeed Al Gergawi as its Vice President. Al Gergawi will steer the chamber towards its goals of building the world’s best digital infrastructure for Dubai, transform the emirate into an international technology hub, support the interests of technology companies; and strengthen the role of the digital economy in the emirate. His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy, emphasized the importance of young national cadres in fulfilling the development objectives set by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for building a brighter future for the city. Al Olama has highlighted that the development of the digital economy in Dubai necessitates empowering the young and talented individuals with the requisite qualifications and experiences to solve future challenges, utilizing cutting-edge tools and approaches to expedite the implementation of initiatives and enhance the competitiveness of sectors that prioritize innovation and technology. This will contribute to the realization of plans that bolster the UAE and Dubai's aspirations to establish themselves as leaders in the global digital economy, thereby benefiting society at large. Al Gergawi was previously the Director of Dubai Future Academy, an initiative under Dubai Future Foundation. He also led projects for the foundation such as the Global Coders Initiative, the 1 Million Arab Coders project as well as the foundation’s upskilling program. Additionally, he has considerable experience at the MBR Space Center as Mission Strategist for the Emirates Mars Mission and Program Director for the Mars 2117 Programme. Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy supports the growth of Dubai’s digital economy by ensuring a conducive environment for digital companies to thrive, boost creativity and access new business opportunities. It works to create a global framework to build the economy of the future and offer world-class digital infrastructure to support the dynamic start-up ecosystem and create new opportunities for investors.SHAR

DUBAI: Machine customers represent one of the biggest new growth opportunities of the decade, and business leaders must act now to create a path to entry to a business megatrend that will eventually be more significant than the arrival of digital commerce, according to Gartner, Inc.A machine customer is a non-human economic actor who obtains goods and/or services in exchange for payment.In the new Gartner book, When Machines Become Customers, authors Don Scheibenreif, distinguished VP analyst at Gartner and leader of Gartner’s research on customer experience, and Mark Raskino, distinguished VP analyst, Gartner Fellow and leader of Gartner’s CEO research, explain that machine customers will be involved in a wide range of consumer and business purchases. In the book, they anticipate and unpack key challenges and opportunities for organizations, and how these organizations should tackle them.“The machine customer era has already begun,” said Scheibenreif. “There are more machines with the potential to act as buyers than humans on the planet. Today, there are more than 9.7 billion installed IoT devices, including equipment monitoring, surveillance cameras, connected cars, smart lighting, tablets, smartwatches, smart speaker and connected printers. Each of these has a steadily improving ability to analyze information and make decisions. Every IoT enabled product could become a customer. In fact, Gartner predicts that by 2027 50% of people in advanced economies will have AI personal assistants working for them every day.”Executives across the enterprise must collaborate to prepare for machine customers. This ranges from legal officers (general counsel) who will need to dig into definitions and start framing what risk-managed ways the company can engage commercially, to CIOs who must lead the construction of the platforms capable of serving machine customer markets, to marketing officers who must reconceptualize what a customer is and how to understand machine customer needs. HR officers, supply chain officers and revenue officers, like the head of sales, will also need to consider how machine customers will impact their organizations.Machine Customer Evolution in Three PhasesToday, is the first phase of the machine customers’ evolution, which can be seen in services such as HP Instant Ink, Amazon Dash Replenishment and Tesla’s automobiles. These are examples of automatically performing limited functions as “co-customers” on the owner’s behalf. People set the rules, and the machine executes them within a specific and prescribed ecosystem. These machines are therefore “bound customers”, and they represent the first in a three-phase evolution (see Figure 1).

Dubai: The road to market success for creatives is as much about finding the right ecosystem as it is about unleashing their inner muse. Artists, designers and performers with ambitious dreams are increasingly seeking to relocate to places that provide the supportive environment needed to turn their sparks of inspiration into agile enterprises. Dubai is emerging as a new destination for creatives from around the world looking for fresh pastures to unlock the business potential of their big ideas. The city has rolled out the red carpet and pruned all vestiges of red tape to help creatives speed up the journey to realising their dreams.Under the framework of the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy, the emirate has created an entire architecture of support services, incentives and business and legislative enablers to ease the journey of creatives across various stages of the creative value chain – from ideation to production, through to marketing and distribution.The launch pad of the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy is the Al Quoz Creative Zone, an integrated creative community being developed by the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) in cooperation with various government entities in the emirate that seeks to transform the creative cluster that has been organically developing in the Al Quoz area over the past few years into a comprehensive industry ecosystem.These initiatives are catalysing the Dubai Creative Economy Strategy’s aim to more than double the number of Dubai-based creative companies from 8,300 in 2020 to 15,000 by 2026, and increase creative jobs in the emirate, from 70,000 to 140,000 by 2026. Ultimately, the Strategy seeks to raise the contribution of creative industries to Dubai’s GDP from 2.6 per cent in 2020 to 5 per cent by 2026, in the process turning the emirate into the capital of the global creative economy.“Dubai’s vision to position itself as the nucleus of the world’s creative industry is being made reality by building an ecosystem that supports creative entrepreneurs in bringing their ideas to market,” said Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Member of the Dubai Council. “One of the primary objectives of Dubai’s Creative Economy Strategy is to make it faster, simpler and easier for people in the sector to set up and run their ventures in Dubai. We have rendered it possible for creators to go online and obtain a creative licence in seven minutes. The industry is already contributing more to Dubai’s economy than the global average, and over the next few years, we foresee an even bigger entrepreneurial surge in the sector. Ultimately, we seek to create a global hub for cultural and creative activity in Dubai where people in the industry can come together to expand the boundaries of artistic expression and entrepreneurship.”

Dubai - Binance, the global blockchain ecosystem behind the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, hosted the first-ever virtual super meet-up in the MENA region with the Global CEO, Changpeng Zhao. As part of the session, Binance revealed the most loved features in the Middle East including earn, savings, and spot. The three features allow users to trade and save crypto, where with earn you can deposit and earn daily rewards either for flexible-term or locked-terms. Spot trading offers a simple way to invest and trade, which users enjoy.The session also hosted other speakers from Binance’s Leadership team including Richard Teng, Regional Head of Europe and MENA, Gleb Kostarev, Regional Head of Asia, and Mayur Kamat, Head of Product.During the session, it was announced that Binance is always introducing new innovations and features to the Binance ecosystem. This means that people can expect to see a variety of upcoming features soon. Mayur Kamat, Head of Product said: “ The first quarter of the year was a busy one for Binance with hundreds of small tweaks and introductions of new features launched. We've introduced features like Binance Tax and User Feedback Tool, along with small improvements that make day-to-day use easier for users. These tools give people a new way to suggest new features that we should continue building for our community.”As part of the product discussion at the super-meet-up, Mayur introduced ‘strategy trading’ as coming soon to the MENA region. Additionally, he reminded people that Binance has launched a new tool for users to share their feedback. Binance has received hundreds of feedback pieces since the launch. The next phase of this project has just been released which sees product managers leaving replies to the feedback they’ve been given on the platform.Among the products that have been particularly popular on Binance.com through the region is Binance Pay, which has seen a 2-4 times growth since it launched. Binance Pay recently upgraded the Send Cash function where you can now easily access Binance P2P via Binance Pay's Send Cash function to trade digital assets with other counterparties and receive cash in your bank account or e-wallet. Using the balance in your Spot or Funding Wallet, you can now directly send cash to your family and friends. The Send Cash function on Binance Pay lets you use crypto to send fiat currency to your recipient via bank or e-wallet transfer. Using your crypto assets, you can now send cash directly to your friends and family. The new Send Cash function on Binance Pay lets you send from your crypto balance and the recipient will receive fiat currency in their bank account.Giving back through charity and community support are commitments that resonate greatly with Binance’s values. From March 22 to April 4, Binance is running different activities, rewards, and community initiatives every day for 14 days. On one of those days, Binance will ask its users across the globe to donate crypto to those in need via one of their Binance Charity initiatives. In keeping with the spirit of giving, there will be a total of more than $500,000 in rewards to be shared by their community. This Ramadan is dedicated to #ExchangeWithKindness.

Dubai: du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), has unveiled a brand-new community-focused campaign that celebrates the principles and spirit of Ramadan. Under the theme #KindnessConnectsUs, du is emphasising the value of sharing and the universal language of kindness throughout the holy month.du is encouraging all families in the UAE through its campaign video to demonstrate the #KindnessConnectsUs. By contributing to the local community, families can strengthen their bonds while also making a positive impact on society.Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO at du, said: “The spirit of compassion and goodwill is a cornerstone of Ramadan and serves as a reminder to all of us to be kinder and more empathetic towards one another. Overall, du's commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction is evident in our focus on commercial offers that enhance the experience of both individuals and businesses. As a result, du is poised to make a positive impact on the community, inspire others to do the same and contribute to the spirit of generosity during the holy month. We believe that by working together, we can create a better world for everyone, and our Ramadan campaign is just one way we are doing that.”This Ramadan, du aims to exemplify the virtue of unity bestowed by the UAE's leaders by igniting a sense of charity within the nation's social fabric by engaging with multiple organozations in the country such as Al Jalila Foundation. It has launched several initiatives and community events that aim to bring people together and encourage them to contribute to the betterment of society – helping to foster a culture of kindness and compassion among the UAE's residents. As part of its CSR initiatives, du will be supporting other entities in their initatives such as the One Billion Meals campaign as well as continuing their collaboration with Community Development Authority.In accordance with its longstanding commitment to delighting customers, du is introducing new offers that will bring families and friends closer together. The new offers include discounted rates on plans for mobile and home services. du customers can enjoy discounted prices on selected devices and avail discounts on Video On Demand (VOD) titles.

Dubai: Project Agora, one of the leading media technology firms in the EMEA region, has announced new strategic alliances with numerous renowned UAE news organisations, including Al Khaleej, Gulf News, and Khaleej Times.For Project Agora, the Middle East has always represented a considerable investment. By giving marketers access to a larger, more upscale, and brand-safe environment, this new generation of collaborations elevates the presence in the region.Elie Chammas, Regional Director of Project Agora, said: “The breadth and depth of the reach in the UAE through these partnerships, will allow advertisers to efficiently target consumers on the Open Web where they spent more than a quarter of their online time. This provides the foundation for us to further accelerate the growth of our long-standing relations with media agencies and brands.”Farhan Khan, Head Of Sales, Al Khaleej, said: “A deciding factor for us to partner with Project Agora was their strong local team, who are working to generate local premium demand for our website, right here in the UAE.”

Dubai: LandVault, the largest metaverse construction company, has announced its strategic funding round with several web3 firms, including The Sandbox, a leading metaverse platform backed by Animoca Brands and Softbank, the Gemini Frontier Fund, HodlCo, and Kingsway Capital, a $3B hedge fund and a large shareholder in Animoca Brands. This comes after LandVault raised a total of $37m, the last round being a $25m Series B in November 2021 at the time when the company was focused on in-game advertising. Since then, LandVault has pivoted into building metaverse infrastructures, and has completed over 100 million square feet in building experiences for brands including Mastercard, Heineken, Hershey’s, Standard Chartered and L’Oreal. With this round, LandVault is adding web3 investors and partners to its cap table.Having recently announced its expansion, the capital will be used to grow commercial operations across their hubs in Dubai, Europe, US, and Asia, and will further invest in technology, notably AI-powered tools to accelerate creation and monetization of metaverse content. The round is a good credibility boost at a time when the hype surrounding the metaverse is said to be down, valuations are discounted, and many projects have yet to pan out. The investor demand for metaverse infrastructure is still high, and paying testament to this is LandVault’s 9-figure valuation from last year. The global metaverse market size was valued at USD 100.27 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow to USD 1,527.55 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 47.6%. “In addition, the rising investment in retail and e-commerce and the surge in the adoption of platforms looking to showcase products in a virtual environment continue to bolster market growth.”“Like us, our new investors see the metaverse as the future of the internet, a more immersive platform to share experiences. Getting there will be a long road, and it is great to bring together investors and partners that are also committed to this vision” says CEO of LandVault, Sam Huber.Initially, LandVault grew as a development company within The Sandbox. Over time, the company scaled teams to build on other platforms, including photorealistic work on Unity and Unreal. Today the company counts over 130 full time builders, creating projects for the world largest organisations, and has used these experiences to take their data and monetization products to market, to help clients drive ROI in the metaverse.“LandVault has established itself in just a year as one of the most active metaverse builders" said Sebastien BORGET, COO & Co-Founder of The Sandbox. "We're pleased to support them further on this journey, as they continue to develop their activities and technology to inspire many other creators of the Metaverse".“Our vision has always been to accelerate the economy of the metaverse, and the latest progress in AI technology is helping us fast track our roadmap, " explains Huber. The metaverse needs a ‘Wordpress moment’ for anyone to build in the metaverse as easily as building a website, and we are investing heavily in R&D to build these tools”.

Dubai: Leading cybersecurity and compliance company, Proofpoint, has released research which shows that only 65% of the top 20 retailers in the Middle East have implemented the minimum level of DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance) protection, meaning 35% are taking no steps to prevent malicious actors spoofing their domain. Worryingly, only 6 out of the top 20 (30%) have the strictest and recommended DMARC policy (‘reject’) in place, meaning 70% are not proactively blocking fraudulent emails from reaching consumers.With the onset of Ramadan and discount sales, consumers are expected to spend a record breaking $66 billion on retail in the MENA region this year. Millions of shoppers will continue to scour the internet for not only the best Ramadan offers available but will also be inundated with emails promising deals that are too good to miss. Cybercriminals on the prowl often create tempting clickbait for unexpecting consumers and capitalise on the increase in email communication from retailers to trick shoppers with fraudulent emails.DMARC is an email validation protocol designed to protect domain names from being misused by cybercriminals. It is the best way for organizations to protect email traffic against phishing and other fraudulent activity. DMARC authenticates the sender’s identity before allowing the message to reach its intended designation. ‘Reject’ is the strictest and recommended level of DMARC protection, a setting and policy that blocks fraudulent emails from reaching their intended target.Emile Abou Saleh, Regional Director, Middle East & Africa at Proofpoint, said: “The retail sector in the Middle East continues to remain as vibrant as ever, with statistics showing that profits from grocery, apparel and electronics retail in the GCC are exceeding the global industry average. In fact, consumer spending in KSA was the highest in the region at over $16bn. With this high traffic of retail activity, Middle East retailers must protect their customers and brand from email fraud.”Emile added: “Email is the vector of choice for cybercriminals and the retail industry remains a key target. Organizations in all sectors should look to deploy authentication protocols, such as DMARC, to shore up their email fraud defences.”Proofpoint recommends consumers follow the below top tips to remain safe online while shopping for seasonal bargains: Use strong passwords:  Do not reuse the same password twice. Consider using a password manager to make your online experience seamless, whilst staying safe. Use multi-factor authentication for an added layer of security. Watch out for “lookalike” sites: Attackers create “lookalike” sites imitating familiar brands. These fraudulent sites may sell counterfeit (or non-existent) goods, be infected with malware, or steal money or credentials.Dodge Potential Phishing and Smishing Attacks: Phishing emails lead to unsafe websites that gather personal data, like credentials and credit card data. Watch out for SMS phishing too —aka ‘smishing’ — or messages through social media.Don’t click on links: Go directly to the source of the advertised deal by typing a known website address directly into your browser. For special offer codes, enter them at the checkout to see if they are legitimate.Verify Before You Buy: Fraudulent ads, websites, and mobile apps can be hard to spot. When downloading a new app or visiting an unfamiliar site, take time to read online reviews and any customer complaints. 

Dubai: DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island has hired Prism Digital, a Dubai-based full-service digital marketing company, to manage PR, social media, influencer marketing and performance marketing, following a multi-agency pitch.With a vision to have a consumer first digital approach, DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island has entrusted Prism Digital with building and growing the brand’s 360 degree social presence including performance marketing management. Prism Digital will also be taking care of press engagement for the hotel brand strengthening its media visibility in the region as well as conducting influencer outreach and engagement while elevating the brand presence in the region.Prism Digital Managing Director Lovetto Nazareth, (pictured above), said: “DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island is a big win for us, not only does it show faith by the best in the industry in our agency, but also because their values align with ours beautifully. We are extremely excited to work on campaigns that not only will drive engagement but also drive revenue through our AI based performance marketing across all platforms which will enable both the business and the brand to grow.” The resort, located 50 minutes away from Dubai, spans across 650 metres of private white sandy beach, villas with furnished balconies and views of the Arabian Sea. The resort offers 13 bars and restaurants, seven pools, paddle courts, a rejuvenating spa, and so much more. Alongside a full schedule of daily activities, guests can enjoy a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure, ensuring an unforgettable getaway.

Dubai: Gulf Business Machines (GBM) has announced the appointment of Mike Weston as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the company’s regional operations based out of Dubai.Weston joins from IBM, where he was most recently the Chief Revenue Officer for IBM’s MEA operations. “The board is delighted to announce Mike’s appointment as GBM’s CEO,” said Marwan Faraj Bin Hamoodah, GBM Chairman. “His decades of experience working in leadership roles for global IT players such as Cisco and IBM, with a proven track record in transforming businesses make him perfectly suited to lead GBM at this pivotal time in our growth journey. We believe Mike, alongside the executive management team, will continue to build on GBM's success over the past overseeing employee development and creating value for stakeholders. The Board looks forward to Mike’s contribution to GBM and its customers across the region.”Weston has over 30 years of experience, holding multi-leadership roles in technology companies across Europe Middle East and Asia Pacific. Most recently, he had relocated with IBM from Asia to the United Arab Emirates, with the goal of transforming and leading the Technology Group business to growth, whilst overseeing and supporting many other aspects of the business. “I am delighted to be joining GBM at such an exciting time and I’m looking forward to working with the team here to build on the successes of the past 33 years,” commented Weston. “GBM has made immense strides over the past three decades to establish and cement itself as a leading digital solutions provider in the region, and together with the team, I will continue to leverage and strengthen GBM’s strategic alliances and relationships with customers and vendors, while strengthening this growth trajectory focusing on the latest technology offerings.”

Saudi Arabia: There are many more women entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia today than there were six years ago, according to the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship (MBSC).According to Dr. Muhammad Azam Roomi, who spoke at the Fifth Gulf Businesswomen Forum in Jeddah, women across Saudi Arabia have become major contributors to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, placing the Kingdom fourth among the top countries in entrepreneurship.Held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Khalid Al Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Emir of Makkah, the forum was organized by the Federation of the Gulf Cooperation Council Chambers (FGCCC), the Council of Saudi Chambers (CSC), and the Jeddah Chamber. More than 500 GCC and Arab dignitaries attended the forum, titled Gulf Women: Between Empowerment and Leadership.In a session titled Women’s Entrepreneurship Development in Saudi Arabia: The Results of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (2016-2022), Prof. Roomi, who teaches entrepreneurship at MBSC and heads the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor’s team in Saudi Arabia, went over the GEM’s 2020-2021 report, which was released by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority (Monsha'at) and MBSC. The report covers the Kingdom’s new policies towards women, including their right to full business enterprise ownership.The Kingdom has come a long way in its mission to increase women’s national workforce representation, said Dr. Roomi, who has been writing the annual report since 2017. Thanks to bold initiatives that have created more employment opportunities for women, provided them with new funding avenues, and facilitated a number of new networking events, women’s representation had risen from 22 percent in 2019 to 31 percent in 2021.Dr. Roomi attributed the Kingdom’s entrepreneurial boom to the government’s awareness programs that have motivated more women to start businesses than ever before. Networking events such as the Biban forum have helped women from across the country showcase their business acumen. They have also found a great amount of support from various exhibitions and performance-based awards. The GEM report, he added, contains ample evidence to support the positive impact that these initiatives have had. It helps build a greater understanding of the traits and attributes of women’s entrepreneurship in the Kingdom, functioning as a study of effective policymaking and socioeconomic program design.The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor relies on 13 indicators to assess entrepreneurship in a given country, including that country’s financial environment, legislative priorities, bureaucracy and taxation in government legislation, the level and quality of government programs for entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurship across educational levels.The Gulf Businesswomen Forum is an international platform through which entrepreneurial women from GCC countries can express their aspirations, show off their plans to grow and expand their enterprises to become significant contributors to economic growth, and showcase their entrepreneurial and innovative achievements. It also aims to identity hurdles that may hinder entrepreneurial women’s quest to succeed, highlight investment opportunities in and for entrepreneurial enterprises, and showcase the success stories of GCC women.

Dubai: As the country prepares for Ramadan, business owners look for ways to keep their operations running smoothly and stay connected with customers. For a lot of businesses, this means using WhatsApp to connect with customers securely, reliably and privately. According to a Kantar study, 66% of people globally prefer to message a business than email them .To keep businesses on track, here are 5 WhatsApp strategies so you can continue doing what matters most: driving sales. 1. Create a great messaging experience for customers For many small business owners in UAE, WhatsApp is their business – their website or virtual store counter to showcase their products, answer customer queries and drive sales. So when customers come, you need to be ready. During Ramadan, that might be as simple as updating your business hours in your business profile in the WhatsApp Business app to let people know you’re open during the month – especially if your operating hours will be different than usual – or even putting up an away message to inform customers when you’re available or when you might be in morning or evening prayer.2. Makes people feel more connected to a business/brandPersonalized messages to create connection and enhance relevancy of messages, Guide the users through the journey using buttons (quick replies, list, call to action), and Product messages with in-thread cart and product selection. These are several things that businesses can do to build interactive experiences that increase stickiness and quality. If you have special items or deals and promotions during Ramadan, it’s best to highlight that in your catalog so people can easily find what they might want to buy. 3. Attract new customers The lifeblood of any small business is finding more customers. So once you’ve built a valuable experience for your customers, it’s key to drive more people to your WhatsApp channel. To start, add a QR code to your storefront, website, product packaging, marketing materials or anywhere else where people can easily scan to connect with you on WhatsApp. To find the QR code, go to Business Tools and Short Link. You can even share your QR code with others easily from the app. 4. Drive traffic from social media A lot of small and medium businesses are also present on Instagram and Facebook. From Business Tools, you can add a WhatsApp button to your Facebook or Instagram account, so when customers click it, it directly opens a chat on your WhatsApp Business app. That way, customers browsing your business on those platforms can easily start a conversation with you on WhatsApp to ask questions or place an order. To go a step further and find brand new customers, businesses can also create Facebook or Instagram ads that click to open a chat on WhatsApp. These ads are an incredibly effective and powerful way to attract new customers and get them to start messaging with your business. 5. Stay organized Ramadan can be an extremely busy month for businesses – especially with so much commerce condensed into a few hours of the day. With a potential influx of chats from new customers, it’s essential to keep your business and chats organized. One trick is using catalog Collections to group and organize products into specific categories so it’s simple for customers to browse your offerings. To stay on top of your chats, label specific ones with customizable descriptions to keep track of things like pending payments, new customers and more (the labels are visible only to you and not to customers). As your customer base and chat volume grow, businesses can even graduate from the WhatsApp Business app to the more powerful WhatsApp Business Platform where they can engage with customers at scale.

The Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC), has held its first periodic Board meeting for 2023. Chaired by HE Dr. Raja Easa Saleh Al Gurg, Founder & President of DBWC, alongside board members of the council. During the meeting held at the Council's headquarters in Dubai Chambers, the attendees discussed the main priorities for the current year and how to address the needs and requirements of the Council's members in Dubai's business environment.The Council also affirmed its commitment to promoting women's involvement in the holistic economic system of the Emirate of Dubai. To accomplish this objective, the Council will furnish women with essential support, resources, and opportunities, empowering them to engage in contemporary local and international business landscapes, as well as discover new frontiers in commerce and investment.This will also bolster their competitiveness in labor markets on local, regional, and global scales, aligning with the nation's ambitious objectives. Ultimately, these efforts will help realize the UAE Centennial Plan 2071.Lauding the wise leadership’s support, the council acknowledged that this support is the driving force behind its ongoing expansion, enhanced performance, and broadening network of connections.This support empowers the Council to cater to its members' needs, inspire and stimulate women to reach prominent roles, and attain success, distinction, and leadership in finance and business.During the meeting, members discussed the execution strategies for projects scheduled for the upcoming six months to further assist and nurture businesswomen and entrepreneurs in the emirate.The Council stressed that it will continue to foster investment in women’s capabilities, leadership, and interpersonal skills, while also capitalizing on the programs, services, and initiatives rolled out throughout the year to boost their competitiveness and capacity for growth in the business domain.Established in 2002 under the umbrella of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the Dubai Business Women Council is the UAE’s leading platform for the personal and professional development of business women in the Emirate of Dubai. It aims to support businesswomen and entrepreneurs taking their first steps in the world of business. The Council plays a vital role in enhancing the contribution of businesswomen to the country's economy and promoting economic development in all sectors of the business community.

Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, increased its community 102 per cent to more than 200 startups in 2022 with 51 new early-stage companies relocating to the UAE’s capital to scale exponentially. By the end of 2022, Hub71 had onboarded startups that have raised almost AED 4.5 billion (US$1.2 billion) collectively in venture capital and created more than 900 jobs since its inception. In a year dedicated to driving impact for startups and Abu Dhabi, Hub71 facilitated 41 POCs for corporate partners valued at AED 160 million (US$ 43.5 million) and enabled founders to save AED 81 million (US$22 million) in costs through its Incentive Program.In 2022, Hub71 expanded its range of initiatives designed to attract tech startups worldwide to Abu Dhabi and break into the market with access to a growing pool of investors ranging from over 30 VC firms to family offices and commercial partners. The work of Hub71 is enabling the continued economic diversification of Abu Dhabi and technological advancements in the UAE as the nation progresses to become an Entrepreneurial Nation by 2031.Hub71 published its 2022 Impact Report ‘Gaining Traction, Driving Impact’, available to download here.Badr Al-Olama, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Hub71, said: “Abu Dhabi has arrived at the intersection of transformation and innovation. Hub71 is the driving force behind the growth of so many successful startups and technology companies that are pushing boundaries in more than 20 sectors. By the end of 2022, our startups have raised more than AED 4 billion. With this achievement, we are now solidifying the impact we generate on a global scale by doubling down on breakthrough technologies that are poised to make transformational impact across multiple sectors.”Characterizing Abu Dhabi’s tech ecosystemCovering the period from January to December 2022, Hub71’s Impact Report shares data, insights, success stories and developments from in and around Abu Dhabi’s tech startup community. The year saw Hub71 surpass 200 startups for the first time, initiate fundraising roadshows, launch Tech Barza - an exclusive capital club for family offices and expand Ventures Lab, the Venture Building program. Nine of the 51 startups onboarded by Hub71 in 2022 raised more than AED 36.7 million (US$10 million) in funding each, reflecting AED 575 million (US$156.7 million) collectively. Its diverse entrepreneurial community has 48 nationalities represented and the companies scaling from Hub71 are present in more than 20 sectors such as ClimateTech, FinTech, HealthTech, and EdTech. Applications to join Hub71 grew 102 per cent cohort-on-cohort with almost a third sourced by referrals from partners.Ahmad Ali Alwan, Deputy CEO of Hub71, commented: “Like in the years past, our top focus remains on generating impact. Our Impact Report presents the growth and strategic development of Abu Dhabi as a global technology ecosystem that enables startups to grow and scale. As we continue our pursuit of building homegrown unicorns, our 2022 impact results reinforce that Hub71 is a platform that champions innovation among startups and technology companies while supporting the nation’s knowledge-based economy and its transformation.”In 2023, Hub71 is broadening its reach into specific technology subsectors by launching Hub71+ specialist ecosystems dedicated to unlocking the potential of technologies including Digital Assets, ClimateTech and BioTech. The tech ecosystem is diversifying the capital pool to increase flows of investment to startup founders and is elevating its presence on the global stage, capturing opportunities to create value and mutually beneficial cross-border partnerships for the benefit of founders and entrepreneurs in Abu Dhabi and internationally.

UAE: YAAP, a new-age specialized content and influencer marketing company, today announced the appointment of Nandita Saggu as Partner to help drive the company's growth and expansion in the Middle East. She is known for leading high-performing teams and striking high-value deals in the region. YAAP had recently made another high-profile appointment by onboarding Sadia Akhter as a Partner. Nandita Saggu has over 18 years of experience across sectors and domains, including healthcare, retail, hospitality, FinTech, e-learning, SaaS tech, AI, custom web and mobile development, and performance and social media marketing. Before joining YAAP, she was the Chief Growth Officer at DViO, leading the digital agency’s Middle East operations. Nandita has a demonstrated track record of building startups’ client bases from scratch and driving exponential revenue growth — stints with Facelift GmbH, Blue Logic Digital, and mid- and large-size firms such as Dun & Bradstreet and Future Group exemplify it. "We are excited for Nandita to join our growing team and help accelerate our growth in the Middle East," said Arshad Zaheer, Senior Partner at YAAP. "With her wealth of experience in digital technology and her proven track record in driving business growth, we are confident that she will be an invaluable asset to our team as we look to expand our reach in the Middle East."Digital technology is Nandita’s forte, nurtured throughout the evolutionary phase of digitalization in the last couple of decades. With YAAP, Nandita intends to identify and leverage technologies, such as Web 3.0 and AI, to tap into emerging opportunities, enhance customer engagement, and scale the business sustainably. In the short term, her priority is to execute high-value deals, drive profitable digital strategies, and build customer relationships on a foundation of trust and value creation."I am looking forward to adding impetus to YAAP's expansion across the region and enabling more businesses to scale their digital marketing efforts tangibly and effectively," said Nandita Saggu. “Through disciplined financial planning, pertinent technology adoption, and effective stakeholder management, I aspire to propel YAAP to new heights in the region and beyond.”High-profile additions to the board are accompanied by impressive all-around growth at YAAP. It posted a top-line growth of 97% and a 5X jump in profitability for FY21-22 before acquiring Crayons Communications, a reputable advertising agency in the Middle East. Most recently, it partnered with leading US-based influencer marketing tool, Tagger Media, a self-serve platform, facilitating the latter's entry into the Middle East and India. YAAP’s portfolio includes esteemed clients such as Coca-Cola, Visit Dubai, Lufthansa, RuPay, American Express, Disney, Amazon, and Square Enix. 

 Only 40% of marketing executives in EMEA are very confident that their company’s current Customer Experience (CX) strategies are capable of winning and retaining customers. With high quality products and affordability rated as some of the most important drivers of loyalty, more must be done to digitise the customer journey. This is according to the findings of an international CX study conducted by SAS, one of the world's leading providers of analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, in partnership with the CMO Council.The challenge is to orchestrate a great customer experience that hits all the right notes: from digital self-service to meaningful personalisation, privacy and trust, as well as seamless omnichannel, including a ‘hybrid’ blend of physical and digital experiences. Consumers want a frictionless, rewarding experience when buying great products at affordable prices despite volatile geopolitical and macroeconomic trends.For EMEA businesses, the majority are working on accommodating existing digital and physical engagement models (87%), balancing personalisation and privacy (87%), adjusting to supply chain issues (81%), reacting to customers in real-time with personalised interactions (73%), and managing the frequency and volume of customer interactions (70%).The biggest problem with implementing the CX strategy still is coordination between departments. Just 11% of EMEA marketing executives believe their company is well positioned in this area, while just as few study participants (11%) attribute sufficient maturity to their company when it comes to executing CX measures against the backdrop of a completely transformed digital infrastructure.Leveraging augmented, virtual, extended, or mixed reality had the lowest number of mature ratings across all 13 of the CX capabilities. The technologies that are predominantly invested in are marketing analytics, AI, and machine learning, according to approximately two-thirds of the survey participants in each case. Marketing attribution and technology for measuring success play an important role, as confirmed by 55% of respondents in EMEA.Given how third-party cookies are on the way out, respondents across EMEA indicated that they plan on using contextual targeting (44%) and ad experimentation and testing (44%) to track and target customers with programmatic advertising. What is interesting to note is that 79% of EMEA marketing executives believe that the role of hybrid CX that combines physical and digital experiences will be an important requirement in the next 12-months.Many consider this to drive personalisation, innovation, and customer engagement. However, it is much easier to deliver hybrid CX on top of a completely transformed digital infrastructure that provides a 360-degree view of the customer and their experience with the brand. And yet, fewer than 1 in 7 marketers say they have a mature digital infrastructure. The good news is that brands are working hard on this.

Jarir Bookstore, KSA’s longest established bookstore and leading consumer tech retailer, has announced an exclusive partnership with London-based technology brand Nothing, bringing Phone (1) to the Saudi Arabia market.Phone (1) will be available across all stores and Jarir.com starting from the 1st of March 2023. Also, through this collaboration, Jarir Bookstore will offer premium service solutions for repairs, warranties, and other service solutions to all Phone (1) consumers.“Jarir is excited to partner with another quick-rising tech company that is offering something unique and different to the Saudi Arabian market.”, said Nasser Abdulaziz Alaqeel, COO of Jarir Marketing Co. He added, “We look forward to bringing the iconic, and highly regarded, Nothing tech products to Saudi Arabia.”The Phone (1) has received international recognition for its innovative design, including the award for "Best Inventions of 2022" by TIME magazine for its transparent back and unique Glyph Interface composed of 900 LED lights, a new way of communicating that minimizes screen time. The unique light patterns, paired with individual contacts, allow the user to know who is calling with in-house designed ringtones- offering an ultimate personalized experience.The Nothing Phone (1) is equipped with the latest technology, featuring a custom-built Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 778G+ processor, a 50 MP flagship dual camera, and a refined Nothing OS. The phone also boasts a 120Hz OLED display, ensuring a premium user experience."We've been inundated with requests for the Phone (1) to make its way to Saudi Arabia, and therefore we're absolutely thrilled to announce our partnership with Jarir Bookstore who is the leading retailer here." says Akis Evangelidis, Co-Founder and Head of Marketing at Nothing. "With its unparalleled design and cutting-edge technology, Phone (1) has been one of the most anticipated smartphone launches in recent years. We are excited to bring it to a market like Saudi Arabia, where people have a genuine appreciation for innovation and great design."Phone (1) has a 100% recycled aluminium frame, making it light and robust, while over 50% of the phone’s plastic components are made with bio-based or post-consumer recycled materials - an industry-leading percentage.The addition of Phone (1) to Jarir’s product portfolio is a testament to the company's commitment to staying at the forefront of emerging industries and providing the latest technology solutions to its customers. Phone (1) is available now at all Jarir branches, in store, and online at Jarir.com.

Today, adidas kicks off its partnership with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), with the official launch of the team’s home and away jerseys. Inspired by the palm tree featured in the national emblem, the home jersey embodies the country’s growth, vitality, and prosperity with a touch of gold-like accents, adding elegance and a premium feel that will standout both on and off the field.The women’s national team will be wearing a slightly different jersey to the men’s team, with the home kit featuring a unique variation of the same palm tree-inspired design. This comes as the women’s team achieve another major milestone by becoming an official FIFA ranked nation for the first time in their history, further showcasing the federation’s commitment to the growth and development of women’s football in the Kingdom.The white away jersey features dark green sleeves inspired by the country’s flag, with the iconic adidas three stripes in gold. Both jerseys celebrate Saudi Arabia’s relationship between culture and football and is a must-have for all fans. Working together towards a common goal and vision, adidas cements the launch of the new kits with its “Weaved as One” campaign, which pays homage to the fabric of Saudi culture while simultaneously highlighting themes of unity within football communities and beyond. The inspirational campaign film follows men’s national team players, Mohammad Al Owais, Hassan Tambakti, Hattan Bahbri and Abdulelah Al Amri and women’s national team players Farah Jefry, Al Bandari Mubarak and Dalia Adel as they journey through Riyadh to present the official jersey to members of diverse communities that make up the DNA of Saudi heritage and sports culture. From the camel herding community of Northern Riyadh who have dedicated their lives to one of the oldest sports in the nation, to the women making waves at the forefront of the motorsports and rally racing industry, and finally the city’s passionate gaming and e-sports enthusiasts – each community is presented with the opportunity to be among the first to wear the jersey as a symbol of togetherness.The kit launch is the first in a four-year partnership between adidas and SAFF at a time where football continues to grow drastically at all levels across the country. The men’s team performed on the world’s biggest stage with their 2-1 win over Argentina at the FIFA World Cup, while the U-23 team won the 2022 Asian Cup while conceding zero goals. 2022 also saw the establishment of three new age groups (U-16, U-18, U-19) as part of the Kingdom’s investment in establishing a clear player pathway to the first team. In addition to the women’s team being a FIFA ranked nation for the first time, the growth of women’s football will be further enhanced through the introduction of a U-17 team.Both the home and away kits feature sweat-wicking, moisture absorbent AEROREADY technology and specially placed breathable mesh inserts, keeping the players feeling comfortable while competing on the pitch and fans feeling comfortable while showing their support. The range is also made using 100% recycled materials, continuing adidas’ commitment to help end plastic waste.Commenting on the official kit reveal and partnership, Bilal Faris, General Manager GCC, said:” We’re pleased to have worked closely with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to develop the new team’s kit for the season. Inspired from the Kingdom’s national emblem, palm tree, we have ensured that the design of the jerseys embody the country’s goals and growth. Through our partnership, we strive to support the federation’s strategy to enhancing access to sports for the country and support emerging talents. As we celebrate the intrinsic relationship between Saudi culture and football, it’s a collection that I’m hoping players and fans can wear with huge pride - on and off the pitch.”Celebrating the arrival of the new Green Falcons kit, Saudi Arabian Football Federation President Yasser Al Misehal, said: “We’re extremely proud to usher in this new era for Saudi football with the famous three stripes of adidas emblazoned upon our men’s and women’s national team kits. They are a symbol of unity and inspiration, and to see our men, women, boys’ and girls’ players and fans wearing it as one – side to side, shoulder to shoulder – is exactly how football should be."In adidas, we have a partner that places equal importance to the women’s national team, which reflects how we operate at the Federation. Together we are excited to continue building on the strong momentum of Saudi football across both the men’s and women’s game, while inspiring millions of young footballers along the way.”The home and away jerseys available on adidas.com and select adidas retailers from March 23rd.

LG MEA recently hosted its LG Showcase MEA 2023, which welcomed LG’s top executives, guests and partners to an exclusive platform complete with its innovations, products and solutions. The grand event provided visitors with an opportunity to experience the latest LG has to offer first-hand in an immersive setting highlighting the capabilities of each product.Held in Habtoor City Dubai, over 400 guests were welcome to have an exclusive look at the latest technological innovations that will be making its way into the MEA region. The showcase event also featured a dedicated area to exhibit their latest products and solutions that introduce a new category of evolving home appliances that are not only functional, but also offer unique upgradability and personalization.A key focus area during the exhibition was LG’s line-up of home appliance products, which includes refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, air conditioning solutions and more. The line-ups were also joined by the ultra-premium LG SIGNATURE range, which is a testament to LG’s commitment towards bridging the gap between luxury and technology in the home appliance market.Commenting on the event, Kim Sa Nyoung, President of LG Electronics Gulf said: “The LG Showcase MEA 2023 is one of our largest events and we are proud to have a platform here where our latest innovations are displayed. Every appliance here targets a certain need from the customer. Not only do we tackle that need, but we also provide our customers with a new and unique experience with our line-up, by introducing revolutionary features to reliable home appliances. With each of these products, our customers can truly enhance their day-to-day living while giving their homes a different look altogether.”During the event, LG unveiled its second-generation LG SIGNATURE home appliance line-up. A series of revolutionary premium products, these appliances offer timeless design and innovation that bring home convenience and style. The line-up includes the LG SIGNATURE 4-Door French-Door refrigerator with Dual InstaView™, a washer and dryer pair with 7-inch LCD touch panels, Over-the-Range Microwave Oven with smart InstaView™ as well as the double Oven Slide-in Range, automatic time and temperature-setting functionality.The event also served as the platform to introduce the LG refrigerator with MoodUP™ to the region. LG’s MoodUP™ feature is known for its exciting and unique color options, which add a spin to any home kitchen. This time, LG has collaborated with the world-renowned Pantone Color Institute, to add a year of color, Viva Magenta, a strong crimson red. The refrigerator comes with LED color-changeable door panels, which can be easily swapped according to the kitchen theme. Owners of the 4-Door French-Door model can mix and match from 23 colors on the top and 19 colors on the bottom panels respectively with more than 190,000 possible color combinations at their disposal. This is all controlled through the intuitive LG ThinQ ® app and without the cost and hassle of having to physically replace any of its exterior elements.LG will also take the opportunity to introduce the CordZero A9 Kompressor™ with Steam Power Mop. Displayed at CES, LG’s first stick vacuum with Steam Power Mop nozzle provides wet and steam mopping functionality, while being completely wireless. It also comes with an All-in-One tower, an automated dustbin-emptying system that acts as a space-efficient and fast-charging docking station features a replaceable dust bag, and an intuitive display that provides real-time status updates. While steam mopping, the mops heat up to 60 degrees Celsius for easy and complete cleaning, while dual sensors protect from over-heating. An advanced, automatic water supply system also keeps the mop pads wet during mopping.Air Conditioning units are not always the most appealing home appliances, but with LG ARTCOOL Gallery Air Conditioner that can be changed. Featuring a bright 27-inch LCD screen with a simple and sophisticated frame, this new air conditioner looks more like a framed work of art rather than an advanced LG air conditioner. Not only does it deliver energy-efficient cooling and heating with LG’s DUAL Inverter Compressor™ and 3-way indirect airflow, but it can be customized via the LG ThinQ ® app with a range of static and animated images or favorite family photos to give that personalized look. It provides a more hygienic performance with AI Dry™ and operates at noise levels as low as 20 decibels and closes its ‘hidden’ bottom vane in sleep mode so as not to disturb or disrupt users’ rest.LG also takes an interesting spin on washing and drying, showcased with the LG WashTower™ Compact laundry solution. Keeping in mind space-efficiency, this home appliance combines both a washer and dryer with an all-in-one control panel and advanced AI in a single, space-efficient unit. The washer offers a generous 13 kilogram capacity and its dryer, a 10 kilogram capacity, and requires less installation space than the average stackable or side-by-side washer and dryer pair of the same laundry capacity. It also comes with a flat, unibody design that provides an optimal laundry experience and brings a subtle and minimalist aesthetic. The WashTower™ also uses advanced laundry technologies such as Artificial Intelligence Direct Drive™ (AI DD™) to identify the most suitable washing pattern (drum motions, water temperature and wash cycle time) for each load, reducing fabric damage to help clothing last longer[1]. The Smart Pairing™ feature saves users time and hassle by syncing the dryer with the washer; automatically selecting the best drying cycle based on washer load settings, making it an excellent all-around performer.LG’s range of home appliances also include air purifiers, a line-up LG has actively merged with advanced technologies. The LG PuriCare™ AeroTower™ Air Purifying Fan with its True HEPA and UVnano™ LED, ensures powerful 3-step Filtration System for a thorough clean of the air at home, capturing 99.97% of fine dust and allergens [2]. Meanwhile, the Deodorization filter removes odors and airborne chemicals for easier breathing and a more pleasant indoor environment[3]. It is complemented by the exclusive LG UVnano™ LED Technology that kills 99.9% of bacteria on fan blades [4]. Not only can it adapt to small or large rooms with customized airflow, but it also offers 10 fan speeds with oscillation settings, all controllable from its simple controls on top or through the remote control or LG ThinQ® app.

MMS launches self-serve ad platform The MBC Group's commercial division, MBC Media Solutions (MMS), recently launched a new self-serve platform, MMS Works, allowing consumers to  advertise on the Arabic platform "Shahid."MMS Works will make it possible for companies, including SMEs, governmental organisations, people running smaller enterprises, and other newcomers to the digital advertising market, to take advantage of Shahid's Ramadan active users and maximise their brand's presence on Shahid AVOD. Ahmed Al Sahhaf, Chief Executive Officer, MMS says: “Shahid is the sought-after VOD platform for all Arab viewers, especially during Ramadan. With the increased content library offered since the beginning of 2023, all advertisers can now enjoy this meaningful scale-to-connect solution with their target audiences. The safe environment we offer is a testament of our continued commitment to offering our clients the most innovative and inclusive media solutions in the Kingdom and the region. MMS Works will expand the advertisement market potential and ease the way for brands to be present on Shahid, the world’s leading Arabic streaming platform.”

 In the presence of HRH Prince Muhammad Bin Nasser Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the Governor of Jazan, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Jazan Mountains Development Authority, Saudi Coffee Company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Jazan Mountains Development Authority. The signing was also attended by HRH Prince Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz Bin Muhammad Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Deputy Governor of Jazan Region and esteemed delegates from the Public Investment Fund - Yazeed Abdulrahman Ibrahim Al Humaid, Deputy Governor and the Head of MENA Investments and Majid Alassaf, Consumers Goods and Retail Sector Head.Saudi Coffee Company is a subsidiary of the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund established to transform Saudi Arabia’s coffee industry. At the signing ceremony, Saudi Coffee Company Chairman Fahad Alnuhait, signed the MOU with Dafer Al-Fahad, Director General of the Jazan Mountains Development Authority aimed at developing the Kingdom’s emerging coffee industry and elevating it to a global product. The new signing enables Saudi’s coffee producing region of Jazan, which has been growing coffee beans for over three centuries, with additional resources to boost the capacity of its farms, the quality of its output and the reach of its produce.Speaking at the event Fahad Alnuhait, Chairman, Saudi Coffee Company said: “When Saudi Coffee Company was set up in 2021, our primary goal was to ensure that the national coffee industry is enabled along its entire value chain, from bean to cup. Today, we have taken leaps towards the realisation of that vision, laying the foundations for a world-class coffee industry in Saudi Arabia, making Coffea Arabica from Saudi Arabia a major player in the global marketplace.”The MoU aims to enhance grassroots cooperation between the entities and ensure economic sustainability from the ground up. It will ensurea a robust supply of coffee seedlings from the Authority to the Saudi Coffee Company and a joint commitment to growing local expertise in coffee cultivation. Both entities also pledged to developing national talent through training academies and programmes, with both benefiting from the upskilling of local farmers.Speaking at the signing, Dafer bin Ayed Al-Fahad, Director General of the Jazan Mountains Development Authority said: “We have a strong legacy of coffee cultivation here in Jazan, and this collaboration strengthens the potential of our industry by bolstering our global presence as well as the infrastructural integrity and technical expertise of our local industry.”The signing facilitates Saudi Coffee Company’s plans to boost production capacity by implementing the highest standards and global best practices to empower the national industry’s growth; create new jobs and promote Saudi Arabia’s capabilities to export the highest-quality coffee beans to the global markets. Over the next ten years, the Saudi Coffee Company intends to invest nearly SAR 1.2 billion in to meet this goal.“By building up the local coffee infrastructure, we aim to inspire our community to adopt global best practices, ground-breaking farming techniques and a sustainable approach in order to elevate our product and benefit from global reach,” concluded Karim Chabara, Chief Executive Officer, Saudi Coffee Company said.

Themed "Unleash Digital with Everything as a Service", the second Huawei Cloud Summit Middle East & Africa kicks off in Dubai on March 21. This event brings together over 300 government officers, cloud native industry experts, and customer representatives from the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa, with the aim of exploring how to make the best out of cloud and the vital role of cloud in boosting digital economy.At the event, H.E. Zhang Yiming, the Chinese Ambassador to UAE, gave a keynote speech on the significance of cloud computing on digital economy. “China is poised to partner with the UAE and countries in the Middle East and Africa in their digital cloud journey. Together, we will invigorate the industry with innovation, expand pilot projects with partnerships, and promote technical advances with young minds. Together, we will achieve technology and industry development centered on cloud computing, and pave the way for digital transformation and digital enablement,” said Mr. Zhang. Jacqueline Shi, President of Huawei Cloud Global Marketing and Sales Service, delivered an opening speech. She shared the latest progress of Huawei Cloud in the Middle East, and stated Huawei Cloud's stance on paving the way to bigger success for local customers and partners, as well as the companies that want to run businesses there. “In 2020, Huawei Cloud established its business departments in the Middle East. This year, we are launching the Saudi Arabia Region. We keep developing. We keep going digital. And we want to share our latest technologies and proven digitalization experience to you. We are always ready to serve you best,” said Ms. Shi.Also at this Summit, Frank Dai, President of Huawei Cloud Middle East, delivered a keynote speech “Unleash Digital with Everything as a Service”. In his speech, Mr Dai shared the digital transformation trends in the Middle East, and how Huawei Cloud can pave the way to digital success by providing technical innovations, proven expertise, and ecosystem support. He said that, "It has become a consensus that the cloud is the best way to accelerate digitalization. Our responsibility is to help enterprises go cloud, use cloud, and manage cloud better, so we can better deal with challenges such as data security, ROI optimization, and new technology application."To cultivate local talent and support startups with high potentials, Huawei Cloud launched the Huawei Cloud Startup Program 2023 for Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa. Joining in the launch ceremony were representatives from the UAE Ministry of Economy, Dinarak (a licensed payment services provider from Jordan), Ignite (a VC firm from Pakistan), and Eyon TV (startup representative from Kuwait). Through three key initiatives — innovative cloud platform, entrepreneurship enablement, and business resources — Huawei Cloud will provide lifecycle support for startups in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa. Huawei Cloud is committed to building a global startup ecosystem to empower 1,000 local startups to innovate and grow on Huawei Cloud in the next three years.Huawei Cloud is poised to become part of the growth engine for the local economy. Huawei Cloud launched the UAE Region in 2021, providing seamless cloud experience to local users. An investment commitment of $400 million USD was announced for the next 5 years to build a cloud Region in Saudi Arabia, extending quality, secure cloud services to local customers for them to stay competitive.In recent years, Middle East has been a major destination of business opportunities for many Chinese enterprises. Huawei Cloud’s "Go Cloud, Go Global" program helps Chinese enterprises expand into the Middle East. In this Summit, Huawei Cloud invited more than 50 decision-makers from over 40 Chinese enterprises for business exchanges with local organizations in Saudi Arabia and UAE. These visits are the channels for Chinese enterprises to understand better the local policy support as well as the local business environment and development.Huawei Cloud aims to build a cloud foundation for an intelligent world with Everything as a Service. Looking ahead, Huawei Cloud will continue to expand its global cloud infrastructure and provide customers, partners, and developers with stable, secure, and sustainable cloud services.

Sanjeevv Bhatia has been promoted to the position of Managing Partner in Emirate. He took to LinkedIn to announce this with a post saying, "I'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position as Managing Partner at Emirates ODS LLC!" Sanjeevv worked with various companies including Teknoware Middle East and NETIX global BV.

“We were able to help a vast number of SMEs navigate the post-pandemic landscape with greater ease and confidence. Our templatized e-commerce solutions and consultation services proved to be a game-changer for many businesses looking to establish a robust online presence and capitalise on the vast potential of the digital market,” says Yogesh Khanchandani, Co-Founder & Chief Business Strategy Officer at PivotRoots.Pivotroots, currently present in India and Dubai, is a data- and technology-led full-service digital agency offering services across strategy and consulting, digital media planning & buying, UI/IX, social & content, data & analytics, and custom solution building. The agency has worked with over 60 brands, like EmiratesNBD, National Bank of Kuwait, Amazon Prime Video, Upgrad, etc. Pivotroots recently expanded its martech solutions under PivotConsult to offer clients cutting-edge custom tech solutions that are tailored to their unique business needs. “To achieve this, we acquired DEEPFLUX, a tech company comprising software engineers who work closely with our brand strategists to develop custom infrastructures that drive efficiency and effectiveness,” says Yogesh in this interview with BF Firos, Associate Editor, Adgully. Excerpts: In a competitive digital marketing industry, what sets PivotRoots apart from other agencies in the UAE, and how do you maintain your competitive edge?In today's industry, it is essential to possess talent, agility, and vision for the future in order to stay ahead of the curve. At our company, our unwavering focus has always been on designing and delivering consumer-centric solutions that are backed by an extensive, data-driven strategy. Over our seven-year journey of building PivotRoots, we have constantly evolved and innovated ourselves. Initially, we began as an end-to-end digital marketing agency, but we soon shifted our focus to become a martech-first digital agency. Today, as an integrated solutioning agency, we provide a more efficient and effective approach to problem-solving. Our commitment to our clients is to provide a comprehensive view of their business and deliver solutions that meet their unique needs.Can you walk us through a successful campaign you've worked on, highlighting the challenges faced, solutions implemented, and results achieved?One of our most successful campaigns was for Father's Day, which we executed for our client FnP last year.FnP, a global gifting brand, faced two significant challenges. Firstly, its audience were not aware that FnP offered more than just flowers as gift options, leading to a perception issue. Secondly, they faced slow growth resulting from the conventional gifting behaviour of the audience, where gifts were exchanged only during occasions, festivals, or personal and professional achievements.To tackle these challenges, a comprehensive strategy was developed after conducting extensive research on market behaviour and human insights. The primary objective was to communicate that every moment could be made special with a gift, and one didn't need to wait for a special occasion. The campaign, #FathersTurnToReceive, was based on the insight that fathers, irrespective of nationality or socio-economic status, always believe in fulfilling the needs and desires of their loved ones. They are like gifts that keep on giving, and Father's Day was the perfect opportunity to make them feel the joy of receiving a gift as an expression of love, gratitude, and respect.As a result of the campaign, the brand search volume for the word "fnp" increased by 50%, and there was a brand intent increase of up to 57% from the previous month. Furthermore, during the ten-day campaign period, close to 1000 purchases were made resulting in a major success for the brand!With the pandemic shifting consumer behavior and expectations, how has PivotRoots adapted its services to cater to changing market demands?In the aftermath of the pandemic, the entire industry was grappling with the challenge of rapidly accelerating their digital transformation. Amidst this X5 digital acceleration, we stepped in and provided crucial support to numerous small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through our templatized quick e-commerce set-up and consultation services.Our priority was to help these SMEs fast-track their digitization process and align with the evolving needs of today's consumers. By providing tailored consultation services, we enabled these businesses to adapt to the changing market dynamics and stay ahead of the curve.We were able to help a vast number of SMEs navigate the post-pandemic landscape with greater ease and confidence. Our templatized e-commerce solutions and consultation services proved to be a game-changer for many businesses looking to establish a robust online presence and capitalize on the vast potential of the digital market.How do you ensure that your team stays up-to-date with the latest trends and developments in the digital marketing landscape, and how do you encourage innovation within the company?At our company, we take pride in our strict in-house protocol for training and certifications, which plays a pivotal role in managing the upskilling of our talented workforce. We firmly believe that investing in our employees' development and nurturing their skill sets is key to driving our growth and success.Our comprehensive training and certification programmes are carefully tailored to the specific needs of our employees, and we closely link them to promotions and bonuses. This approach not only ensures that our employees are equipped with the latest industry knowledge and skills but also incentivizes them to pursue excellence and strive for growth within the organisation.Additionally, we maintain and encourage Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with all our media partners. Our JBPs focus on fostering innovation, exploring out-of-the-box solutions, and delivering exceptional value to our clients. Through these partnerships, we aim to stay at the forefront of the rapidly evolving media landscape and leverage the latest trends and technologies to drive impactful outcomes for our clients.What metrics do you use to measure the success of a campaign, and how do you ensure that your clients' ROI is maximised?At our company, we understand that each client has unique goals that are closely tied to their business objectives. For this reason, we always take a bespoke approach and tailor our media solutions to meet the specific needs of our clients.For example, for a retail furniture store, our focus would be on driving measurable footfall into their stores, which can be achieved through targeted and impactful media campaigns. Similarly, for D2C clients, we prioritise increasing their month-on-month revenue by leveraging a range of media channels and optimising campaigns for maximum ROI.For FMCG brands, our objective would be to improve their brand metrics through effective communication and targeting. This could involve developing engaging content, leveraging social media influencers, and utilising data-driven insights to target the right audience segments.Overall, our approach is driven by a deep understanding of our clients' unique goals and KPIs, and we work closely with them to develop customised media solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes. By aligning our strategies with our clients' business objectives, we are able to drive meaningful results and help them achieve long-term success.What future plans does PivotRoots have for expansion or diversification of its services, and what new technologies or trends are you most excited about?At our company, we recognize that technology is rapidly transforming the marketing landscape, and we are committed to staying ahead of the curve. That's why we recently expanded our martech solutions under PivotConsult to offer our clients cutting-edge custom tech solutions that are tailored to their unique business needs.To achieve this, we acquired DEEPFLUX, a tech company comprising software engineers who work closely with our brand strategists to develop custom infrastructures that drive efficiency and effectiveness. With a strong focus on data and technology, we are aggressively scaling up our verticals in areas such as ML/AI, CDP, audiences, and anomaly detection.Our approach is driven by a deep understanding of our clients' businesses and the unique challenges they face in today's rapidly evolving marketing landscape. By combining our strategic expertise with the latest in cutting-edge technology, we are able to develop innovative solutions that drive real business outcomes for our clients.Overall, our expansion into martech solutions under PivotConsult reflects our commitment to staying at the forefront of the industry and providing our clients with the best possible solutions to meet their business needs. We are excited to continue driving innovation and delivering value to our clients through the power of data and technology.What, according to you, are the effective marketing strategies for SMEs in the UAE? How conducive is the UAE environment for SMEs?My recommendation for SMEs would be to prioritise a consumer-centric marketing strategy, a fundamental and effective approach for businesses to adopt. It involves putting the customer at the centre of all marketing efforts and focusing on understanding their needs, preferences, and behaviours in order to deliver personalised and relevant experiences.By adopting a consumer-centric approach, businesses can improve customer satisfaction, increase customer loyalty, and ultimately drive revenue growth. This approach allows businesses to build stronger relationships with their customers by providing them with personalised experiences that are tailored to their specific needs and preferences.To achieve this, it is important to gather and analyse customer data in order to gain insights into their behaviour and preferences. This data can then be used to inform marketing campaigns and strategies that are designed to resonate with customers and drive engagement.In today's highly competitive marketplace, a consumer-centric approach can give businesses a significant competitive advantage. By placing the needs and preferences of their customers at the forefront of their marketing efforts, businesses can build stronger, more meaningful relationships with their customers and drive long-term success.

Myco, an innovative web3 video-streaming platform, powered by MContent, has collaborated with Xapads Media, a renowned programmatic adtech organization in the MENA region. Having worked with well-known brands across sectors such as fintech, e-commerce, and entertainment, Xapads has a solid presence in the region. Utilizing its state-of-the-art AI/ML-based tools and premium ad inventories, the adtech firm will execute Myco's performance campaigns targeting to increase its user base and retention rate. This will enable Myco to gather valuable user interaction and attract high-quality users. Ramneek Chadha, COO of Xapads Media, expressed his thoughts on the partnership with Myco, stating “we look forward to working closely with Myco to drive success for the brand. “He further added that “our expertise in programmatic advertising would be a benefit in helping Myco grow and expand its global reach, further establishing its position as a leading brand in web3 video streaming, funding, production, and distribution”.Myco is a platform that provides opportunities for both content consumers and producers. At present, it has nearly 1.5 million registered users from around the world, 500 top-notch content creator channels, and more than 100,000 user-generated videos. Additionally, it offers a range of original film productions (MyOriginals) and exclusive premium content. Gagan Uppal, Country Head, Xapads, MENA “I am really excited as through this partnership Myco is revolutionizing the industry by providing power to both the viewers and creators and we are happy to be a part of the journey. Hoping to achieve big things & grow together”!Tariq Jaser, the digital marketing manager at Myco, commented that “this partnership will leverage Xapads cutting-edge technology to target niche audiences and attract more quality users, driving new heights of success for the platform”.

Lemma, an independent Supply Side Platform (SSP) for large format ads, recently onboarded Ad Zone Global's Digital OOH screens in Kuwait. Ad Zone Global is one of Kuwait's fastest-growing digital out-of-home companies, with a screen network across 55+ locations. By integrating with Lemma, Ad Zone has become one of Kuwait's First Screen Networks to implement programmatic DOOH advertising. Ad Zone also gains from the integration as it can now instantly link its screens to programmatic demand worldwide, boosting revenue and giving clients better access to reach their target markets effectively. The integration will enable programmatic advertisers to trade DOOH inventory via global Demand side platforms alongside other programmatic campaigns. This new offering will give advertisers greater flexibility and control over their DOOH campaigns, allowing them to reach their target audience more effectively. The newly onboarded exclusive inventory is available on Lemma SSP in high-traffic areas such as busy roads, streets in and around shopping malls, Tech Parks, and other landmark locations across the region. These screens allow advertisers to reach a captive audience with high-impact, visually stunning ads. "Integrating Ad Zone Global DOOH screens onto our SSP platform is a game-changer for programmatic DOOH advertising in Kuwait," said Sabarish Pillai, Global VP Programmatic, Lemma. "Advertisers can now use this exculsive DOOH inventory from Kuwait to complement their digital campaigns and connect with a global audience in ways that were possible before. We are excited to see how this partnership with Ad Zone Global opens up new opportunities for creativity and engagement in the Digital Out of Home space."  "As one of the first screen networks to implement programmatic DOOH advertising, we're setting ourselves apart from the competition," said Mr. Moahmmed Mostafa, CEO at AD ZONE-Global for Advertising. "As the DOOH landscape continues to evolve, we are committed to staying at the forefront of the industry & partnering with Lemma is helping us attain this effectively and efficiently."

Keel Comms is the first and only 'purpose-driven PR & Communications, social media & content agency' in the Middle East and North Africa region with sustainability as the core of its operations. Keel Comms was founded by Baha Hamadi, a veteran publicist and communication professional in the region. Baha Hamadi is a board member of the Public Relations & Communications Association (PRCA MENA), and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Community of ESG Practitioners. He also serves as a mentor for Dubai Chamber’s Centre for Responsible Business.In this exclusive interview with adgully.me's BF Firos, Baha Hamadi, Founder & Managing Director, Keel Comms, dwells on the rationale of introducing ‘Purpose Relations,’ his vision for Keel Comms, the growth potential and challenges of the PR industry in the UAE, the changing dynamics and the future of PR, etc."Keel Comms strives to imprint a corporate citizenship mindset in its clients’ DNA. Whether at the inception, early or maturity phase, we advise clients on how to incorporate ESG factors into their operations and branding, ultimately helping them communicate and accentuate their efforts genuinely," Hamadi says. The main challenge the PR industry faces, says Baha Hamadi, is the one-size-fits-all approach that most PR agencies adopt. "The need to differentiate your service offerings has never been more important. Also, as agencies reach greater heights of success and expand, there is a risk that the special one-on-one client care will be sacrificed for overly commercial tactics," says Hamadi. Excerpts from the interview: What is your vision for Keel Comms?Considering the growing Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) movement globally, as well as the Year of Sustainability and COP28 locally, we aim to empower brands and individuals to play an active role during the Decade of Action and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs by 2030.Regardless of the SDGs and the deadlines we set for ourselves, we are on an endless mission to help make the world a more sustainable place—one company at a time. This is an ongoing exercise requiring a lifelong commitment. Unfortunately, we will never live in a world without problems. What we can do is extend a helping hand and be consistent about it.Whether through research, taking action, spreading the word or advocating for change, companies of all sizes and individuals from all walks of life are capable of creating meaningful impact.What is the USP of Keel Comms?Keel Comms is revolutionizing the MENA’s PR, social media and content sector by introducing ‘Purpose Relations’—the new face of Public Relations. Adopting a purpose-driven communications approach will help businesses make lasting impact while creating meaningful connections with their audiences.How do you define Keel Comms as a purpose-driven and sustainability-focused PR & communications agency?Keel Comms strives to imprint a corporate citizenship mindset in its clients’ DNA. Whether at the inception, early or maturity phase, we advise clients on how to incorporate ESG factors into their operations and branding, ultimately helping them communicate and accentuate their efforts genuinely.We recommend ways in which our clients can contribute to the SDGs—either through co-creating initiatives or by facilitating partnerships with other entities within our network. For non-profits whose values align with ours, we offer discounted rates.How can brands strike a balance between being socially responsible and staying true to the brand's values, while still achieving the marketing objectives?Brands can strike this balance by considering how each marketing effort aligns with their core values—which is a given—while ensuring their campaigns deliver social or environmental benefits. Adding the sustainability component to marketing is becoming increasingly important for brands across all sectors.Another way to maintain a balance between sustainability, brand values and marketing effectiveness in campaigns is by leveraging existing partnerships or creating new ones with organisations that share the same commitment to social responsibility. Through capitalizing on complementary strengths, partnerships have the potential to deliver exponentially greater outcomes than could be achieved alone.How do you evaluate the PR and communication industry in the UAE? What are its key growth potential and challenges?PR and communication in the UAE is one of the most vibrant and rapidly growing sectors across the Middle East region, driven by a wide range of market enablers, including a booming economy and increased demand for integrated marketing services. Key growth factors for the PR industry include an ever-increasing demand from both public and private companies for more advanced services such as ESG communications, reputation management, digital marketing, media relations, content creation, branding, and influencer marketing.The main challenge is the one-size-fits-all approach that most PR agencies adopt. The need to differentiate your service offerings has never been more important. Also, as agencies reach greater heights of success and expand, there is a risk that the special one-on-one client care will be sacrificed for overly commercial tactics. In other words, it can start to feel like clients are being processed through a factory instead of receiving personalized service from their agency partners. The traditional media landscape is undergoing drastic transformation with digital media and influencers assuming prominence. How will these aspects change the dynamics of the PR industry in the Middle East?The shift from traditional media to new media has had an immense impact. Digital channels present a much larger audience, providing brands with access to more potential customers. In addition, content is more easily disseminated and managed digitally, allowing for greater control over how campaigns are executed.Influencers have become increasingly important for driving engagement and creating a two-way dialogue between the brand and its target audience. This has allowed brands to create deeper relationships with consumers, while also providing a platform to spread organic messages in an engaging manner.What will be the future of PR in the region? Can you predict key industry trends?The future of PR in the Middle East region looks very promising as businesses continue to invest in their reputations. Key industry trends that can be expected to gain traction include an increased demand for content creation, storytelling, and reputation management; the use of AI to predict trends, drive engagement and personalize messaging; and a greater focus on influencer marketing to engage with audiences authentically.How will AI-powered analytics play a role measuring the effectiveness of PR campaigns?AI-powered analytics will play a crucial role as a PR measurement tool. AI algorithms can be used to collect and analyze data from various sources, such as website visits, social media followers, ratings and reviews, sentiment analysis, and more. This data can then be used to gain insights into how effective a certain campaign is and provide actionable recommendations for improvement.AI can also help detect anomalies that could affect the results of a campaign and alert marketers accordingly. Analyzing the data collected over time can also help PR professionals make informed decisions about future strategies based on past performance metrics.Is the emergence of AI-supported tools like Chat GPT/ BARD a boon or bane for the PR professional? The AI engine revolution can be both a boon and bane for communication professionals. These tools provide us with unprecedented levels of efficiency in producing customized content, while offering valuable data-driven insights that can inform decision-making and shape effective strategies.However, there is a concern about the accuracy of data output through AI. The other drawback is that AI could be used to spread misinformation or manipulate public opinion. It is up to us to ensure these tools are used responsibly, maximizing the benefits while mitigating any potential risks they may bring.

Yas Island Abu Dhabi has evolved as one of the world’s leading leisure and entertainment destination. It offers a plethora of adventure and endless entertainment opportunities with its world-renowned theme parks, top-notch sporting events and star-studded performances. If you are looking for a fun-filled destination during this summer travel season, Yas Island should be on the top of your list. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of your daily routine and indulge in thrilling experiences and plenty of high-end shopping. Be prepared to pack your bags and spend one of the most unforgettable summers of your life at Yas Island Abu Dhabi. It is an ideal holiday pick for travellers who are looking to spend some fun time with their family and friends.Access the holy trinity of enjoyment on each day of your stay when you book the Stay and Play package providing access to one theme park every night along with world-class stays and complimentary breakfasts. From award-winning family-friendly attractions to top waterfront dining experiences, and world-class hotels – Yas Island has it all!Mesmerize yourself with world-famous attractions!With the most iconic theme parks in the world, Yas Island has something for everyone. The highly sought-after Ferrari World Abu Dhabi distinguishes itself from other theme parks by offering rides that are both inspired by the Ferrari brand and suitable for all ages. Go on and beat the summer heat by taking a dive at Yas Waterworld known as ‘Water’s Greatest Playground’. The Waterworld features all things water, right from record-breaking slides to peaceful river rafting and its massive wave pools. Take the opportunity to immerse yourself in a fantasy land with the world’s largest indoor theme park – Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi and surround yourself with your favourite DC superheroes, and iconic cartoon characters. Each of these theme parks are sure to give you a distinguished experience and leave you with memories for a lifetime.Feel the thrill of driving like a Formula 1 champion at the Yas Marina Circuit or call shotgun and have yourself seated with a professional racing driver for the ride of your life. The circuit also allows you to indulge in activities such as top speed dragging, go-karting and so much more. Finally, level up and experience the two record-breaking adventures together at CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi, which includes the world’s biggest indoor skydiving flight chamber and the region’s tallest indoor climbing wall. The place features as UAE’s ultimate indoor adventure hub and offers year-round exciting sports experiences. Treat yourself to delectable dining experiences at the bustling waterfront dining hot spots Yas Bay and Yas Marina. Featuring wide variety of cuisines catering to all taste you are sure to be spoiled for choices with dining options such as Cipriani, Asia Asia, Amerigos, Diablito, Iris and many more.Keep an eye out for these enticing upcoming events at Yas IslandWhile Yas Island boasts unlimited attractions, it is also home to amazing recurring concerts and events. As the outdoor season begins in the UAE, the island has curated a spectacular month for your summer vacation with the most iconic boy band – Backstreet Boys on 07th May 2023. The five-member band will take you on a sensational musical journey and perform their chart-topping hits. Once again Yas Island is all set to roll out the red carpet and host the 23rd edition of IIFA on the 26th and 27th May 2023, bringing Bollywood megastars and many revered celebrities of the silver screen under one roof.As June begins, witness the Global rock phenomenon and one of the most successful American rock bands of all time ‘Guns N’ Roses’ as they light the stages of Etihad Arena on fire. This is just the tip of the iceberg with a plethora of events lined-up for the entire year.

The new-age consumer behaviour is fast-evolving. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region will see 147 percent growth in mobile wallet usage by 2025, according to Kearney. Further, it hints that 1 in 2 consumers in the MENA region is keen to experience Metaverse, and retailers are exploring Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to improve customer experience.More than 150 expert speakers shared their knowledge and insights with over 500 delegates and 300 companies on digital transformation and the growth of the e-commerce sector at the Internet Commerce Summit (ICS) 2023 held at the Conrad Dubai from 16-17 March 2023. Organised by IMAGES RetailME, the debut Internet Commerce Summit (ICS) MENA edition was built as a powerful platform that examined technology transformation, innovation and disruption across the e-commerce domain, for several business categories. This platform also brought to the front the future opportunities for the industry stakeholders to benefit from. Delegates at the two-day Summit, witnessed some exciting stories on digital transformation and innovative approaches, that is changing consumer behaviour and the way people shop.By the end of 2023, the MENA region’s e-commerce market size is expected to be worth US$100 billion. To catalogue the strongly evident growth of this vibrant market, IMAGES Group MENA unveiled its first ever E-Commerce Yearbook on March 17, 2023. This unique compilation in its debut edition has been dedicated to the homegrown digital commerce ecosystem. Through this volume, the Yearbook traces the growth of the regional e-commerce landscape mapping the journeys and success of indigenous brands across multiple categories. The Yearbook features 100 homegrown names in the e-commerce domain, highlighting how they have disrupted, set trends and created individualistic business models in their respective categories.Bhavesh Pitroda, Founder & Convenor of Internet Commerce Summit (ICS) was happy to see the confluence of great minds from across industries at the 2-day conference and said, "The good response of ICS MENA’s debut edition paves the way for more such thought leadership conferences to come. There is a lot of opportunity waiting to be explored within the domain of the digital e-commerce ecosystem. Every industry needs to utilise this untapped horizon to reach great heights. Customers will only get more demanding for a connected experience and it is now on all of us to make it agile and ready for them. That's the power of the internet and it will only grow manifolds." “We are pilot testing a project at Papa John’s Pizza that will capture multiple images of each of the pizzas prepared and served at our outlets and the software will scan the images to show if they were perfect by measuring the size of the pizza, ingredients, toppings and even the positioning of the pepperonis and other ingredients to show if each of the slices get equal amount of the toppings,” Tapan Vaidya, CEO of PJP Investments, franchisee of Papa Johns Pizza mentioned while speaking at the conference.“The software then analyses the images and sends quick feedback to the store management on the quality of the pizza. This is one of the ways we are trying to ensure the quality of our products and services, among many other developments to enhance customer experience,” he added.Piyush Chowhan, CIO of Panda Retail (part of Savola Group) said, “The customers are a step ahead and many retailers are still trying to catch up with their needs.”"E-commerce is a growing space in MENA. It is pivoting great success stories that are worth noticing. What is good to see is that these companies are spread across industries and they are powering category growth like never before. ICS helped connect these powerhouses with the enabler ecosystem and that makes the narrative even stronger. Moreover, it is so heartening to see that the enabler ecosystem piggybacking on technology advancement is always ready to offer customised solutions to brands and companies engaged in the internet business," Sudhakar Adapa, Founder & CEO, COMMERZIFY mentions.Justina Eitzinger, COO of IMAGES RetailME, when talking about the event mentioned, “The debut edition of the Internet Commerce Summit 2023 has been an out-and-out success with experts sharing their insights on the future of this evolving industry. As the consumers, industry and the government stakeholders in the Middle East are evolving, it is important to give them the best knowledge, information and insights so that they can help re-shape the industry as per the consumer demand.”A recent report by Amazon Payment Services indicates that consumers born between late 1990s and early 2010s are the driving force for digital payments, thriving on innovation, convenience and seamless experiences. However, it is the Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, who have the highest spending power.  The research shows that 51 percent of Gen Z in the UAE use digital or mobile wallets for daily payments, compared to 48 percent in Saudi Arabia, and 43 percent in Egypt. Moreover, 20 percent of UAE respondents reported a decline in cash usage, with 50 percent of Generation Z respondents confirming that they exclusively use cards for transactions. Tamana Padhi, Principal, Consumer Industry – Retail, said, “The global Metaverse market is set to grow at 33 percent reaching $1 trillion in 5 years. The MENA region is set to build a $360 billion economy around Metaverse in 10 years. Overall consumers in MENA are maturing.”Attendees at ICS covered the entire value chain of digital commerce businesses across MENA, India, Europe, and the US. A number of industry leaders, experts and changemakers spoke at the two-day summit, including Brandon Rowberry - CEO – Aster DM Healthcare - Digital Health; Nader Amiri, Founder - elGrocer; Leena Khalil, Co-founder and CCO of Mumzworld; Piyush Chowhan, CIO, Panda Retail Company (Savola Group); Anthony Nehaenko, Co- Founder and CCO of YallaMarket; Peter Gesper, Senior Vice President of IT, Noon; Sayed Habib, Director, Business Development, Franchise & E-commerce - Danube Home; Mouna Abbassy, Founder and CEO, IZIL Beauty; Sadeq Abdulrasool – Chief Digital Officer – Homiez.me, Adam Docrat – Head of IT- Aster Retail GCC, Shah Hassam – CEO, Jerdoni, Kartik Bhatt – COO – GCC – Sharaf Retail, Tarek Barakat – Marketing & E-Commerce Director – Beside Group. Imad Hammad – Founder / CEO – CarSwitch.com, Steve Webster – Digital Director – Liwa Trading Enterprise, Anish Mohamed- Group CIO – Lulu Group International, Mohammad Alabbar – Founder & CEO – Akaar Homes, Santosh Krishnamurthy – Head of Digital & Retail Transformation – BFL Group, Rehana Raj – Operations Head – Choithrams and Sandeep Sharma – Director Group Procurement & International Markets – Domino’s Pizza and several others.One of the key highlights of the event was the IMAGES ME E-Commerce Awards 2023, powered by Commerzify — the debut edition of MENA’s most authoritative recognition for excellence in e-commerce. This award in its debut edition celebrated some of the notable e-commerce journeys for brands across categories, tracing their growth across the digital runway.Internet Commerce Summit 2023 AwardeesNoCategoryAwardees 1IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: Beauty and WellnessLiht Organics 2IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: Food and GroceryLulu Hypermarket3IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: Food ServiceFilli Café4IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: Fashion and LifestyleBFL Group5IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: JewelleryEtika Jewels6IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: KidswearBabystore7IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: Pharmacy and HealthcareLife Pharmacy 8IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: FootwearDropkick9IMAGES ME Most Admired Ecommerce Company of the Year: Leisure and Gift LetsTango.com 10IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: MarketplaceMenakart11IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: Home and HousewareDanube Home12IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: Marketing and Customer ReachPetzone13IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: Customer ExperienceKibsons14IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: OmnichannelCapabilityLulu Hypermarket15IMAGES ME Most Admired E-commerce Company of the Year: Fulfilment and Customer ServiceKibsons16IMAGES ME E-COMMERCE PERSONALITY of the Year: FashionDharmin Ved, CEO, 6thStreet.com17IMAGES ME E-COMMERCE PERSONALITY of the Year: MarketplaceMohamed Alabbar, Founder, Noon.com

Bigo Live, a leading social livestreaming platform, is thrilled to announce its latest initiative for Ramadan in the MENA Region. The holy month of Ramadan is a time for spreading positivity and sharing joy. Bigo Live encourages broadcasters to create a chain of kindness by sharing religious stories, cooking food during Ramadan, or acknowledging good deeds and acts of kindness around them, Bigo Live users can join popular singer Bessan Ismail, actress Sara Mohannad, chef Amouna_cuisine, blogger Dyl3r, and more influencers to explore new ways to celebrate this season while building new communities that can last a lifetime.Bigo Live is inviting its users to join in the celebration of the holy month of Ramadan by sharing their favorite recipes, movies, insightful health tips, and how they are preparing for Ramadan on Community. For instance, users can join "Gathering is best in Ramadan," a growing community of around 13,000 global Muslim users who contribute health, fitness, and self-care information to engage with other users during the holy month. Additionally, users who share their Iftar meals in the food community will also have the opportunity to be awarded. As dressing conservatively is important for both men and women during Ramadan, Bigo Live has introduced new Ramadan clothes for avatars to try on under the platform's Virtual Live feature. With the most updated version of the platform, users can dress up their personalized 3D avatars from the available selection while going live, delivering a more immersive experience. This feature will enable users to showcase their fashion sense while also respecting the traditional values of the holy month.A spokesperson from Bigo Live said, “As we celebrate Ramadan, Bigo Live is dedicated to providing a safe and inclusive environment for all our users, and we will continue to work towards promoting positivity and togetherness on our platform. We are confident that our in-app activity for Ramadan will foster a sense of community and inspire our users to be kinder and more compassionate towards one another. We look forward to celebrating this special season with our users and wish everyone a blessed Ramadan.” Bigo Live will continue to spread positivity and joy on its platform and celebrate the spirit of kindness, caring, generosity, and solidarity during Ramadan. By encouraging its users to create a chain of kindness and share their unique and innovative content this Ramadan, the platform aims to foster a sense of community and togetherness during the holy month. 

HE Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South; HE Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET); HE Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs; and Mohsen Ahmad, CEO of the Logistics District - Dubai South and Mohamed Shael Alsaadi, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Consumer Protection and Fair Trade today witnessed the inauguration of Amazon’s latest Fulfillment Center in the UAE. Following the inauguration, the dignitaries were given a tour of the facility by Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Prashant Saran, Director of Operations for Amazon MENA and Zeina El Kaissi, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs for Amazon MENA.The new Fulfillment Center has a storage capacity of 2.1 million cubic feet, which will increase Amazon’s total storage capacity in the UAE by 70%. As the company gears up for increased customer demand during the Holy month of Ramadan, the investment will enable Amazon to delight customers with a wider selection of products across electronics, appliances, groceries, fashion, books and more. Amazon brings 25+ years of logistics technology and innovation to support the country’s ecommerce ecosystem. The new facility will house innovative solutions for its operations, close to three kilometers of conveyance equipment, spread across five floors and covering an area of more than 350,000 sqft.Supporting Dubai and UAE’s agenda for a digital economy, the enhanced capacity will provide entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) access to Amazon’s fulfillment capabilities and world-class logistics expertise. In order to reach a wider customer base faster and more efficiently, SMBs can take advantage of the Fulfilled by Amazon offering that allows them to store, pick, pack and ship customer orders through Amazon. The company recently announced its commitment to host products from 100,000 businesses, including local SMBs, on its UAE website Amazon.ae by 2026, in support of the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 to make Dubai a global digital economy.The facility is located in Dubai South’s Logistics District, enabling efficient services, speed, operations, and uninterrupted access to Jebel Ali Port and Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC). The district comprises of multiple zones that facilitate distribution, including a Freight Forwarding Zone; EZDubai, a fully dedicated e-commerce free zone strategically located in the heart of the district; and a Contract Logistics Zone.H.E. Khalifa Al Zaffin, Executive Chairman of Dubai Aviation City Corporation and Dubai South, commented: “At Dubai South, our mandate is to support the government’s economic diversification efforts through the different services and solutions that we provide to local and international companies. We have created a world-class logistics, supply chain and warehousing infrastructure ecosystem, making it an ideal location for Amazon’s new facility. We are thrilled to welcome the company’s second Fulfillment Centre in our Logistics District, as hosting a global e-commerce company like Amazon expanding its investment in the UAE brings us closer to our mission to catalyze the UAE’s economic growth.”Speaking at the inauguration, H.E. Helal Al Marri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) said: “Dubai’s leadership has outlined a clear economic growth roadmap for the coming decade that capitalizes on the emirate’s business enabling infrastructure and highly developed global logistic network to deliver accelerated expansion opportunities for both international and local companies, whilst offering a strong competitive advantage to those choosing Dubai. In line with our Economic Agenda 2033’s (D33) strategic objectives, we welcome the ongoing expansion of Amazon here and its catalyzing role in the wider development of an economy centered on innovation and technology that enables talent.”According to H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation: “Dubai has transformed into a significant hub for the world's largest e-commerce companies. The city's exceptional infrastructure and logistics capabilities have propelled it to become a launchpad for e-commerce worldwide. The launch of Amazon's new shipping center in Dubai South is a testament to Dubai's unwavering commitment to achieving global leadership in cross-border e-commerce. This achievement adds another remarkable milestone to Dubai's already impressive record of accomplishments in the field.Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon MENA, said, “At Amazon, we continue to emphasize our focus on providing the best and fastest selection of products to our customers in the UAE. Fulfillment Centers have a ripple effect across the economy, contributing significantly to the growth of ecommerce sales, building capacity and accelerating entrepreneurship by allowing sellers and start-ups to leverage Amazon’s world class fulfillment offerings to reach more customers with a wider selection of products. At the same time, we continue to invest in building the UAE’s talent capabilities, creating diverse career paths in an industry-leading workplace.”As a responsible employer, Amazon nurtures a diverse and inclusive workplace where every individual is encouraged to grow and advance their careers. Many of the leadership roles in the new Fulfillment Center are held by women. With access to a variety of roles ranging from operations, analytics, to health and safety and supply chain, all employees have access to training, upskilling and mentoring programs that benefit the country’s wider talent pool and equip them for the evolving labor market.Prashant Saran, Director of Operations for Amazon MENA, said, “We are excited to partner with Dubai South once again. With the opening of this facility, we are geared up to offer even more products to more customers during the busy time of Ramadan. The new Fulfilment Center will be equipped with Amazon’s latest global innovations to ensure speed, safety and reliability with every order. As a good corporate citizen, we always strive to create opportunities for employees, partners and the community while growing sustainably and responsibly.”Amazon is committed to embedding sustainable practices across all its operations as it expands its presence across the UAE. The new facility incorporates carbon-friendly design concepts, efficient control systems, data and analytics to improve energy efficiency. Amazon continues its relentless focus on the safety and well-being of its employees, deploying cutting-edge technology to assist employees and keep them safe while delivering for customers.Since its launch in the UAE, Amazon has been investing in strengthening its presence and launching various service offerings to enhance the order fulfilment experience for customers in the UAE. Today, Amazon Operations’ network across the UAE comprises of three Fulfillment Centres, three sort centres, eight delivery stations and a network of small and medium businesses working as Delivery Service Partners.  

IBM Security released its annual X-Force Threat Intelligence Index finding that although ransomware’s share of incidents in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) held steady at 18%, globally defenders were more successful detecting and preventing ransomware. Despite this, attackers continued to innovate, with the report showing that globally the average time to complete a ransomware attack dropped from two months down to less than 4 days. According to the 2023 report, the deployment of backdoors, which allow remote access to systems, emerged as the top action by attackers in the MEA region last year. Backdoor deployments were detected in 27% of the cases X-Force responded to in this region in 2022. Ransomware and worms tied for the second-most common attack type in the region at 18% each. The uptick in backdoor deployments can be partially attributed to their high market value. X-Force observed threat actors selling existing backdoor access for as much as $10,000, compare this to stolen credit card data, which sells for less than $10 per card today.As organizations across the MEA region try to address the ever-evolving cyber threats landscape, Frida Kleimert Knibbs, Security Leader at IBM MEA, stressed the critical role of threat intelligence in safeguarding against these threats. She commented: “Proactively managing security risks and evolving cybercrime tactics is a critical priority for organizations across MEA. The X-Force Threat Intelligence Index findings demonstrate the continued threat of ransomware and the increasing use of thread hijacking tactics.”She added: “To safeguard against these threats, it's imperative that companies remain vigilant and focus on effective incident response planning. As the security landscape evolves, it is crucial to prioritize threat intelligence and strengthen defenses”.The IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence Index tracks new and existing trends and attack patterns – pulling from billions of datapoints from network and endpoint devices, incident response engagements and other sources.Some of the key findings in the 2023 report include:Extortion: Threat Actors Go-to Method. The most common impact from cyberattacks in 2022 was extortion, which was primarily achieved through ransomware or business email compromise attacks. Extortion and financial loss each accounted for half of identified impacts in incidents across the MEA region in 2021. Manufacturing was the most extorted industry globally in 2022, and it was again the most attacked industry for the second consecutive year. Manufacturing organizations are an attractive target for extortion, given the extremely low tolerance for down time.Cybercriminals Weaponize Email Conversations. Thread hijacking saw a significant rise in 2022, with attackers using compromised email accounts to reply within ongoing conversations posing as the original participant. X-Force observed the rate of monthly attempts increase by 100% globally compared to 2021 data. Over the year, X-Force found that attackers used this tactic to deliver Emotet, Qakbot, and IcedID, malicious software that often results in ransomware infections.Legacy Exploits Still Doing the Job. The proportion of known exploits relative to vulnerabilities declined 10 percentage points globally from 2018 to 2022, due to the fact that the number of vulnerabilities hit another all-time high. The findings indicate that legacy exploits enabled older malware infections such as WannaCry and Conficker to continue to exist and spread.Phishers “Give Up” on Credit Card Data. The number of cybercriminals targeting credit card information in phishing kits dropped 52% globally in one year, indicating that attackers are prioritizing personally identifiable information such as names, emails, and home addresses, which can be sold for a higher price on the dark web or used to conduct further operations.Finance and Insurance Remain Prime Targets for Cyberattacks in MEA: In the Middle East and Africa, Finance and insurance was the most-targeted industry in 2022, accounting for 44% of incidents and down slightly from 2021 at 48%. Professional, business and consumer services accounted for 22% of attacks, with manufacturing and energy tying for third place at 11%.The report features data IBM collected globally in 2022 to deliver insightful information about the global threat landscape and inform the security community about the threats most relevant to their organizations. You can download a copy of the 2023 IBM Security X-Force Threat Intelligence Report here.

 MENA Fintech Association (MFTA), a leading industry association for fintech in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, is proud to announce that Akshay Chopra, Vice President, Head of Innovation & Design, CEMEA (Central & Eastern Europe, ME & Africa) at Visa, has joined its advisory board.Akshay brings over 16 years of experience across Asia-Pacific and CEMEA, with a focus on driving inclusive innovation and next-gen product development in payments and commerce. Akshay also holds 7 FinTech patents and is a serial venture investor in tech startups. In his role at Visa, he leads a team responsible for developing and executing the innovation strategy for the CEMEA region. Akshay has also been instrumental in driving adoption of new payment technologies such as tokenization, contactless payments, small merchant solutions and mobile wallets."We are thrilled to welcome Akshay to our advisory board," said Nameer Khan, Chairman of Mena Fintech Association. "His extensive experience in fintech and innovation will be invaluable to the fintechs in MENA and the wider community, as we work to promote the growth and development of the fintech ecosystem in the MENA region."As a member of the advisory board, Akshay will provide strategic guidance and support to MFTA, as well as help drive dialog with industry leaders and stakeholders. He will also play a key role in shaping the future of fintech in the MENA region.“MENA’s FinTechs are poised to transform real lives and businesses,” said Akshay. When these innovators act with ingenuity and an inclusive mindset, everybody wins. MFTA has played a key role in building the region’s preeminent FinTech community; I am honored to support its objectives and foster the ecosystem’s growth.”