Business News & Insight Archives - Page 14 of 20

Delivery Business Excellence in the UAE

Posted on October 2, 2018 | by root

Delivery Business Excellence in the UAE

InstaShop is an online platform dedicated to fast grocery delivery. In July, InstaShop was recognised in MEA Markets Magazine’s annual MEA Excellence Awards, with the title of Most Outstanding Grocery Shopping Platform of the Year for 2018. On the back of this win, we spoke to the Co-Founder and CEO, John Tsioris, to find out how this company has become one of the leading e-commerce sites in the Middle East.

As long-standing stalwarts of the commercial sector move to adopt a ‘cyber-identity’ by integrating physical storefronts with online fortifications, the future of business appears to be based in binary. Indeed, the vast majority of new start-ups are utilising digital developments to break new ground and break further into new markets. This innovative streak permeates InstaShop’s chemistry ‘ offering a service that speaks of convenience in an environment that nurtures outside-of-the-box thinking.

John agrees and builds on that notion, ‘The ease & convenience of the service is the reason why it is the leading start-up in the on-demand grocery delivery market in the UAE. Backed by Jabbar.com & Amazon.com, the platform has over 300,000 active users. InstaShop is currently present in four countries and expanding and has been nominated for two consecutive years as one of the most promising start-ups in the Arab world by Forbes.’

Based in the United Arab Emirates, InstaShop has capitalised on the region’s appetite for innovation and technological evolution, ‘New technologies are always on the rise in the UAE and adapting to them in timely manner can be challenging. This, along with the fact that we are a user oriented company that is always listening to our customers feedback, has allowed InstaShop to shape according to the needs and wants of individuals. With expansions that have taken place in other countries, it is the perfect opportunity to customise our services accordingly. No one size fits all.’

John continues, building on what made the United Arab Emirates the ideal location to realise their vision, ‘The UAE is an extremely diverse country with individuals from all walks of life. These individuals are living in a fast paced, tech savvy environment who are already preconditioned to pick up the phone and call the supermarket, rather than visit the store physically to do their grocery shopping. This is the audience we tapped into.

‘As busy professionals working long hours, I personally felt the need for an on-demand grocery service to buy me that extra time, skip the long supermarket queues, and avoid traffic all the way to the store. This need is what brought InstaShop to life and that resonated with the audience who prefer the convenience of ordering groceries online especially after a long day at work. And if you don’t have cash with you, card payments can be done right from the couch.’

Touching back on the fast-moving developments of the sector, John emphasises the importance of forecasting, and adopting the latest trends, ‘The online e-commerce industry is constantly changing; what may be popular today, suddenly becomes irrelevant the next day. New features and technologies are introduced on a daily basis and is picked up by users quickly. It is important to not only adapt but also forecast emerging trends to improve user experience. The challenges are even bigger when the operations are in different countries, as what might work in one country may not work in another where technology advancements are slower to be accepted.’

Fundamental to a future-centric firm is the reliance on users ‘ like many online applications, the consumer is at the heart of the service, ‘Our main focus – what moves the company – is our users. Customer feedback is the trigger to all the new features that are released in order to offer the best service to fit our audience needs. This is why we pay the utmost attention to the reviews our users give us regarding the service and have regular meet ups with our most loyal users to discuss their ideas and needs helps us to get direct feedback. Moreover, our in-depth integrated system allows us to track changes in customer behaviour and consumption shifts, allowing us to improve our services to provide better user experience.

‘Customer service has now become a high-power demand rather than an added bonus, as quick response turnarounds are expected. This is specific to online queries including social media. Although in the past, a 24-hour response rate was acceptable, this time has now reduced to an hour maximum. Real time response via online customer service has become the preferred method more than a waiting time, and this trend is on an upward sloping demand curve.’

As to be expected for this ambitious firm, InstaShop has plans for the future that speak of global expansion beyond the Middle East, ‘We aspire to be the largest on-demand grocery shopping service in the MENA region, and a sizable global player that focuses on delivering top customer service. Being a fast-growing start-up means that our company never sleeps. We are always looking for new opportunities and partnerships, and we aspire to lead the way to innovate and bring brick and mortar supermarket to the digital era in all key MENA market.’

‘We are keeping an ambitious direction in 2018 to further expand in Egypt, as well as other countries. 2018 is also the year we launched our web e-shop with various new features launched specific to the operational country. More app features, expansion plans and partnerships with big international brands are coming up.’

By all regards, InstaShop looks set to make quite an impact on the e-commerce sector.

Contact: [email protected]

Company: InstaShop

Address: Swiss Tower, Cluster Y, Dubai, PO Box 24645, United Arab Emirates

Website: https://instashop.com/

Telephone: 00971 443 18753

The differences between GRC approaches in Europe and the Middle East

Posted on March 16, 2018 | by root

The differences between GRC approaches in Europe and the Middle East

The governance, risk and compliance (GRC) industry is constantly evolving, adapting and responding to a plethora of stimulants including economic, governmental and organisational changes. Global economic events such as the 2008 financial crisis were particular markers that changed the way organisations all over the world viewed GRC and financial services. Following this, GRC programmes were reimagined and implemented holistically to reunify and prevent the organisational silos that had formed in the race for maximum growth pre-2008.

The West and the regulatory environment

In the West, governments took to implementing stringent regulations, enforced by regulatory bodies such as the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) in Europe and the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) in the US to name a few. These bodies seek broadly to enforce regional legislation and issue sanctions to keep organisations in check in the hopes of preventing any future financial disasters.

Now, a decade on from the 2008 financial crash, Europe continues to be a heavily regulated region and faces ongoing regulatory evolution, with new laws such as MiFID II already implemented this year and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) due to be enforced on the 25th May. In addition, the regulatory ramifications following the Brexit vote could see many more changes in the UK to come. However, the approach to GRC adoption within European organisations has shifted from the wide-scale implementation to more ad hoc. GRC initiatives across Europe are becoming specific to one factor, such as the implementation of GDPR, bringing the threat of fixing one GRC ‘leak’ only to see another emerge elsewhere.

Reputation and regulation in the Middle East

Yet, it seems the shoe is on the other foot in other regions, such as the Middle East. While regulatory bodies’ legislations and sanctions have remained fairly low, enterprises have been faced with intense scrutiny from customers and partners in recent years. In today’s age of transparency, the customer view and voice has been magnified by on-demand news and social media, as well as sites such as change.org that demand action from businesses all over the world.

This has been a particular issue for financial market participants in the Middle East, with the global spotlight focusing on anti-money laundering (AML) and terror funding initiatives due to high-profile incidents that have graced global news platforms. Over recent years, multiple court cases have linked financial institutions with money laundering or terror funding investigations and, regardless of their outcomes, they have influenced the West’s decision to invest in financial institutions throughout the Middle East and wider region.

Increasingly, consumers want to buy from businesses that are acting ethically. As a result, banks and other financial institutions in the Middle East feel they’re under higher-levels of pressure than they would face from a regulator or government and are seeking to project a stable and responsible company image outward to the global market. Often this is a decision coming from C-level executives, rather than ‘ like the West ‘ as a response to departmental requirements. Boards and executives in the Middle East have realised that fixing a specific issue due to a point regulatory pressure doesn’t remove the spotlight on them simply because of who and where they are ‘ so they react by looking at enterprise GRC holistically.

Implementing a strong GRC programme and corporate culture

Companies that are looking to bolster GRC processes successfully throughout their organisation need to look at the internal culture and existing systems in place and foster buy-in from employees. This can be done by encouraging three changes in how employees and programmes work and then slowly but surely how they think will follow.

Unify and integrate GRC systems

In order to view the company and risk ecosystem as a whole, firms should unify any siloed GRC operations that may have branched off in separate departments or locations. Following reunification, organisations should implement holistic and integrated GRC processes to standardise compliance management, taxonomy and operations processes across the board. Mapping each regulation to global objectives, business processes, risks, controls and policies will help identify patterns across multiple business units and areas of compliance. Decision makers and board executives will be able to assess risks and compliance requirements across multiple regulations that are affecting the entire organisation.

Monitor internal and external sentiment

Customer sentiment, particularly toward financial services organisations in the Middle East, is constantly changing and affected by global news and events. Organisations can track a variety of intelligence sources ‘ including regulatory agencies, trade associations, industry publications, national publications and social media ‘ to stay informed on current issues and regulatory intelligence. As such, ethical behaviour can lead to increased brand respect in the global market and organisations with self-governance programmes are seen as a safe pair of hands.

In addition, organisations need to monitor employee engagement with new GRC programmes. One of the best practices for this is to push changes from the top-down and the bottom-up. Educating senior employees on how their role helps to achieve the business’ objectives enables ethical management and employees lower down the chain follow. Furthermore, encouraging employees to interact with systems using a recognition scheme facilitates interaction with programmes as well as improvement from a user-level.

Utilising consumerised technology

Technology is changing the game. Today, since information is readily available on-demand users in organisations have low tolerance for out-of-date, slow enterprise software, vital applications are often bypassed and don’t serve their intended function. By turning to consumerised GRC technology, organisations can ensure employees actively, or passively, engage with GRC processes. Automating business programmes will streamline activities, reducing costs of admin and data heavy processes, and free up employee time, boosting productivity, while reducing risk exposure.

Market regulation is undoubtedly vital, however, as seen in the West, overregulation can stifle holistic GRC innovation. As such, soon some of the best benchmarks in corporate GRC may well be found in the Middle East instead of Europe. Despite fewer regulations, Middle Eastern companies are having to self-govern themselves to a higher-standard to attract global investment and their GRC programmes are flourishing as a result.

Regardless of location or industry, culture change within an organisation is hard to achieve and harder to measure. But, if organisations onboard these changes to create a living GRC programme with centralised, technologically advanced systems that are regularly assessed and updated from all ends of the employee chain, they have the best chance at preventing, adapting and anticipating GRC risks in the organisational ecosystem.

By: John Palmiero, SVP of EMEA at MetricStream

‘SANS Abu Dhabi 2018’ Announced

Posted on March 7, 2018 | by root

‘SANS Abu Dhabi 2018’ Set to Arm Middle East Security Professionals with Skills Needed to Detect and Mitigate Cyber Threats

Recognising the need for Middle East enterprises to identify and react to cyber-attacks as rapidly as possible, SANS Institute, the global leader in cyber security training, today announced ‘SANS Abu Dhabi 2018’ a series of training courses focused on helping regional cyber security professionals skill-up in digital forensics, intrusion detection, and the defence of Industrial Control Systems (ICS).

The Ponemon Institute’s 2017 Cost of a Data Breach Study[1] found that companies on average take 206 days to detect a data breach. ‘With so many business processes and so much sensitive data now digitised, the resulting damage to business can be catastrophic with long lasting implications. And the longer an attack or breach goes undetected, the more serious its potential impact,’ explained Ned Baltagi, Managing Director, Middle East & Africa at SANS. ‘With this range of training courses, we will fully equip attendees with the knowledge and skills needed to detect attacks, take the necessary steps towards threat containment and remediation, and through the application of digital forensics, understand attacks so as to harden their organisations’ defences and prevent reoccurrence.’

The event will be held from the 7thto the 12thof April 2018 at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi and will feature two courses, FOR500: Windows Forensic Analysis and SEC503: Intrusion Detection In-Depth that run for the entire duration of the event, as well as the five-day ICS410: ICS/SCADA Security Essentials course that will commence on the 8th of April.

The decision by SANS to include the course on ICS defence follows overwhelmingly positive responses to the same course at recent events in Dubai and Riyadh. Historically, ICS systems have been designed chiefly with automation and reliability in mind. But given that Shamoon and other internet-based attacks have specifically targeted the industrial sector in the Middle East, there is a clear need to reassess the effectiveness of ICS defences. By attending the SANS training course, IT professionals will be able to increase the availability, reliability and security of their ICS systems while reducing the business risk and downtime due to cyber threats.

Professor Thomas Brandstetter, who is teaching the ICS security essentials course, commented, ‘There is a definite skills gap when it comes to securing industrial control systems. In addition, both information technology and operational technology roles have converged in today’s industrial control system environments, so there is a greater need than ever for a common understanding between the various groups who support or rely on these systems. Those attending the ICS course will learn the language, the theory, and the basic tools for securing industrial control systems across a wide range of industry sectors and applications.’

Depending on which course they chose to attend, participants will be prepared for the GCIA, GCFE or GICSP certification.

Aruba Appoints Rabih Itani to Develop Security Business

Posted on March 2, 2018 | by root

Aruba Appoints Rabih Itani to Develop Security Business in Middle East and Turkey

In its latest show of commitment to advancing its much needed 360 Secure Fabric solutions and propositions in Middle East and Turkey, Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, has appointed Rabih Itani to lead its Security business development across the region. Rabih Itani is a network and security industry veteran who is tasked with helping organizations reduce risk in today’s changing threat landscape and address new and unknown threats.

Osama AlHaj-Issa, Regional Channel Director, Middle East, Mediterranean and Africa region at Aruba says, ‘In his previous role at Aruba, Rabih has achieved great success in growing the Telco business in very challenging market conditions. While with his previous employer, he has had the distinction of spearheading the first deployment of many network security solutions in the region. Rabih possesses the perfect blend of deep technical knowledge of intelligent edge security solutions combined with a sharp business mindset and I believe he will be instrumental in driving our security business to new and greater heights as he helps regional organizations combat a sophisticated cyber threat landscape’.

Rabih is an ICT industry veteran with over 25 years of experience. Rabih enjoys a track record of leading many of the first and largest network and security deployments in the Middle East and has led this region’s first transformation effort towards mobility defined systems and processes. He joined Aruba in early 2012 as system engineering manager for the Telco sector across Middle East and Turkey and rose to manage the business in 2015. During this period, Rabih successfully engaged with leading telecommunication providers and positioned Aruba as a leader across the region in providing next generation seamless and secure public Wi-Fi hotspot services.

Aruba sees the security business as a huge growth area for the company. It is changing the security landscape with the Aruba 360 Secure Fabric, an enterprise security framework that gives security and IT teams with an integrated and more comprehensive way to gain visibility and control of their networks and the users and devices that connect to them. Aruba is the only vendor that combines a complete campus, branch, and cloud-connected network infrastructure with built-in security, advanced threat detection and response and secure network access control. Aruba 360 Secure Fabric offers security and IT teams an integrated way to quickly detect and respond to advanced cyberattacks from pre-authorization to post-authorization across multi-vendor infrastructures, supporting enterprises of all sizes.

In earlier days, it used to be a matter of defending the castle (the corporate network) with a moat (security products at the entrance and exits). Now it’s about protecting a borderless, uncontained collection of employees, contractors and partners ‘ all using multiple devices from anywhere, at any time ‘ from outside and within the secure boundaries of the corporate network.

For this reason, Aruba is innovating in User and Entity Behavioural Analytics (UEBA) and is introducing its ‘IntroSpect’ product family to the Middle East and Turkey market. Aruba ‘IntroSpect’ integrates advanced AI-based machine learning, pinpoint visualizations and instant forensic insight into a single solution. Attacks involving malicious, compromised or negligent users, systems and devices are found and remediated before they damage the operations and reputation of the organization.

‘I am excited to lead Aruba’s security business in the region amidst the major challenges organizations are facing in controlling their networks and the users and devices that connect to them. We are seeing an increased interest in our security solutions as more and more organizations in the Middle East from different verticals and across all sizes are realizing the importance of protecting their networks, at the internet edge as well as from inside threats. They see Aruba as a vendor that not only can provide the speeds and feeds of a LAN or a WLAN infrastructure, but also deliver a true intelligent network edge – an edge that is secured 360 degrees,’ says Rabih Itani, Regional Business Development Manager – Security, Middle East and Turkey at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company.

Aruba’s focus in the upcoming year will be to accelerate and extend its reach to organizations in need of the company’s 360 Secure Fabric by fine tuning the capabilities of Aruba’s strong channel partners and increasing market awareness of its security solutions. In parallel, as vendor partnerships and alliances are critical in the security space, Aruba will be aligning its go to market strategy with its technology alliance partners to bring together best-of-breed solutions to customers and provide an end-to-end security proposition.

NIGERIA COULD BE KEY BREXIT TRADE ALLY, SAYS COMMONWEALTH BUSINESS CHIEF

Posted on February 13, 2018 | by root

NIGERIA COULD BE KEY BREXIT TRADE ALLY, SAYS COMMONWEALTH BUSINESS CHIEF

Lord Marland of Odstock gives us his thoughts on the opinion that Britain is Nigeria’s second-largest trading partner, after South Africa, with the bilateral relationship worth around £3.8bn per year.

Lord Marland of Odstock, the Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), said it was time for the UK to set up a post-Brexit trading zone, with Nigeria, Singapore and Malaysia offering major opportunities. Speaking in an interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph, ahead of the 2018 Commonwealth Business Forum (CBF), Lord Marland said: “The UK doesn’t want to be seen to be initiating anything but actually people look to the UK for leadership. If the UK wants to initiate something, which is a starting block for a commonwealth trade zone, it will start.”

“There are one or two really encouraging, optimistic places on the horizon. You’ve got the big populations such as Nigeria, which is going to be 320m people – bigger than the united states – in under 10 years. They love British products…it’s a huge consumer market. Fundamentally there is a lot of disposable wealth.” he added.

Asked which other products Nigerians were particularly keen to buy, he replied: “Everything.’

Lord Marland added that leaving the EU’s customs union was one of the UK’s ‘great negotiating strengths,’ as it would grant the freedom to stimulate trade by lowering tariffs and other trade barriers.

The benefits of doing so would extend beyond the Commonwealth, he said, as a potential free trade deal with Japan was already ‘worrying’ German car manufacturers who rely on exports to the UK.

Britain is Nigeria’s second-largest trading partner, after South Africa, with the bilateral relationship worth around £3.8bn per year.

The CBF will be organised alongside the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), set to take place in April 2018 in London, for the first time in 20 years. Discussions will focus on key themes such as:

‘ Easing the pathway for business and growth

‘ Harnessing Commonwealth technology and innovation

‘ Creating a new attitude to sustainable business

‘ Mobilising an export economy, and

‘ Attracting inward investment

With the Commonwealth’s cumulative population standing at 2.4 billion, the combined GDP of the nations is set to reach US$14 trillion by 2020. Intra-Commonwealth trade, which was estimated to be worth $525 billion in 2015, is projected to surpass $1 trillion by 2020. CWEIC’s ambition is to encourage and grow intra-Commonwealth trade and investment, and assist member organisations in developing high quality trade and investment opportunities.

The CBF is an invitation only event and will convene 800 senior business leaders with approximately 30 Heads of Government at three iconic Central London venues.

The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), an organisation facilitating trade and investment throughout the 53 states of the Commonwealth and supporting private sector companies and governments to promote economic activity.

Kyle Whitehill leaves Liquid Telecom South Africa to return to the UK

Posted on February 2, 2018 | by root

Kyle Whitehill leaves Liquid Telecom South Africa to return to the UK

Liquid Telecom South Africa, part of the leading pan-African telecoms group Liquid Telecom, has announced today that CEO Kyle Whitehill is leaving the company at the end of his contract to return to the UK to be with his family.

Since joining Liquid Telecom South Africa, Whitehill has helped reshape the business as a leading communications services and solutions provider, enabling more customers to access high-speed, reliable connectivity across South Africa.

Nic Rudnick, Group CEO at Liquid Telecom, said: ‘Kyle has decided to return home to be with his family who remained in the UK during his time in South Africa. We thank Kyle for his determination and drive that has seen the company go through many positive changes and renewed focus. With our strong leadership team in place, the company will continue to build Africa’s digital future.’

Kyle will depart the company effective March 20 2018 following the end of his contract.

Total Uprising Solutions

Posted on January 11, 2018 | by root

Total Uprising Solutions

Elevator Engineering Enterprises (EEE) is the only comprehensive vertical transportation solutions provider who is committed to constantly advancing technology in elevator and escalator products and services. We invited Khalid Al-Qaqa to tell us more about the firm and the UAE region.

EEE brands itself as ‘Total Uprising Solutions’, supplying a spectrum of Elevators for high and low-rise buildings, Customized Elevators, Escalators, Elevator and Escalator Maintenance, Building Maintenance Units, Parts and more products and services to come in the near future. EEE always sets its goals in terms of positioning products and services towards the growing market needs, technology development with superior quality. Khalid is featured as Vice PresidentPurchasing of the Year 2017 in Dubai ‘ Deira, as a 2017 UAE Leading Decision Maker. He explains a bit more about the products, both those that are in production and those that are being readied to be released.

‘Regarding our products which are set for release in the near future, all of these will come at an extremely competitive price. We aim not just to be the leading provider in the market, but committed to fully satisfying our customers’ demands, plus we aim for the top, placing a focus on excellence.’

Currently, within UAE, there are many challenges facing EEE, and Khalid explains what particular challenges are facing the company itself. Within Dubai, Khalid touches on the fact that some of the firm’s systems and standards have been implemented in neighbouring countries.

‘Essentially, we have taken our unique location in the vibrant UAE market to develop our systems and standards so they can be implemented in neighbouring countries, and today we operate in most of the MENA markets. It is all run and managed from our Dubai HQ, but political problems are always seen as challenges in our region, especially where we had to quit some markets and refocus on other markets. Our latest experience was in Erbil- Iraq where we had to pull out our teams from projects there, after years of developing that market we had to stop due to the situation over there, but on all cases operating from Dubai always gave us an opportunity to easily switch to other markets and compensate whatever was lost.’

Following on from discussing the challenges of being based in UAE, Khalid then tells us about the advantages of being based in the region, and what opportunities will open up in the future.

‘UAE has always been unique, it’s a place designed to make establishing and running a business an easy process. The accessibility from and to the country is great, as you can get anywhere in the region by direct flights, plus. the infrastructure in the city makes it easy to host businesses events or exhibition to include decision makers from across the region. Additionally, the existence of free zone concepts, 100% foreign ownership, free capital and profit transfers are again unique in this market compared to the other markets in the region.’

Finally, the company operated under different names, and is now focusing on its new brand EEE. Khalid signs off by predicting what the future holds for the company, commenting on what the company wants to be known for, as well as boasting about its excellent customer service, which will surely continue to see many returning clients.

“Moving forward as EEE, we want to be known as the yes company when it comes to vertical transportation solutions, meeting the requirements of whatever the client needs or whatever is the problem. EEE will always have the solution, and we have just completed our new HQ building in Dubai south, which includes our company management, MENA operations management, show room, warehouse and local company operations, plus a 24/7 call centre. Lastly, the firm has also invested about AED 25 million, which is a message we send to the market, and our customers that we are investing in the future of UAE and the region. Basically, we are here to last and we have got a long term vision for our activities in the region.’

Company: Elevator Engineering Enterprise LLC

Contact: Khalid Al-Qaqa

Contact Email: [email protected]

Address: EEE House, No WA-47, logistics City, Dubai South, UAE

Phone: 00971 4 8703999

Web Address: www.eeegroup.me

Signtrade confirms its presence at SGI Dubai 2018

Posted on June 20, 2017 | by root

Dubai, UAE – International Expo Consults (IEC) part of Falak Holding, stated that Signtrade one of the oldest SGI Dubai exhibitor confirmed its presence at SGI Dubai 2018. For almost 30 years, Signtrade has continuously emerged as the market leader of the Signage Industry in the Middle East. Signtrade provides innovative and reliable signage technologies with unparalleled customer service, through a growing network, that spreads all across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

SGI Dubai is one of the most eagerly awaited events of the year in the region to cater to the needs of exhibitors and visitors in the Signage, Outdoor Media, Screen and Digital Printing, LED and Textile Printing industries. The ‘SGI Dubai 2018’ show will be held from January 14th to 16th at the Halls 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Sharif Rahman, CEO of IEC said, ‘We are delighted to state that Signtrade has continued its support with SGI Dubai. We are also pleased that the SGI Dubai 2018 show has been steadily selling out its floor spaces. The industry in the Middle East is growing at a rapid pace and we have seen a lot of interest from the exhibitors from across the globe. Leading names across the region and beyond have signed for the exhibition and will showcase the industries’ best kept secrets on the decisive three days. The journey so far would have not been possible without the support of all our esteemed exhibitors.’

Sign and Graphic Imaging Dubai (SGI Dubai) is an ideal converging point where visitors and exhibitors can reach out with architects, sign makers, print and production manufacturers, media agencies, real-estate developers, brand and image consultants among others. The event is a well-established business forum, which is recognised globally and constitutes workshops and seminars held by industry experts.

Talking about SGI Dubai, Yasin Merchant, Managing Director, Signtrade, stated, ‘We are pleased to be associated with SGI Dubai – one of the distinguished shows in the region. Our massive participation at SGI Dubai, spanning an entire hall, none-the-less manifests our commitment to the growth and success of the Signage industry, in the MENA region. But SGI Dubai 2018, is more special. In addition to Signtrade celebrating its 30th anniversary, we plan to exhibit the latest technical innovations and disruptive technologies, coupled with industry talks, to give our visitors an exceptional, valuable experience. Positive attitude in the backdrop of innovation is the key element that drives us, as we lead the sign, graphics and textile industry.’

Talking about the expansion history of the company, Yasin stated, ‘Our operations, are spread all over the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia, with state of the art headquarters in JAFAZ (Jebel Ali Free Zone), UAE and a flagship showroom in Dubai, along with 15 showrooms, all connected seamlessly through an comprehensive logistics network. In 2010, we expanded our reach to the African continent, through a facility in Nairobi, Kenya. Year 2015, saw our extensive growth in the South Asian markets with large facilities in Karachi and Lahore, Pakistan. Furthermore, in 2017, we plan to inaugurate our operations in Kuwait, thus finally completing our unparalleled network, all across the Gulf.’

IEC is the driving force behind the 21-year old ‘SGI Dubai show’, one of the most awaited exhibitions in the MENA region within the print, signage and imaging industries.

Sign and Graphic Imaging (SGI Dubai) is a key platform where visitors can reach out to exhibitors who comprise of architects, sign makers, print and production manufacturers, media agencies, real-estate developers, brand and image consultants among others. The show is a globally recognised business forum which entails seminars and workshops led by industry pioneers.

SGI Dubai 2018, is roping in exhibitors and trade visitors across the globe including, USA, UK, Germany, China and Japan, among others. The industries best kept secrets and trends are set to be unveiled as the 21st edition of the show is touted to receive thousands of visitors from different countries.

The exhibition is a one stop shop for the ever growing needs of signage (digital and conventional), graphic imaging, retail POP/SOS, screen and digital printing industries. Recognised as one of the pioneers in the trade shows in the region for over two decades, SGI Dubai showcases the current trends and technologies to a robust platform which brings thousands every year to the annual show.

The SGI Dubai 2017 show witnessed billion-dollar deal contracts which were signed at the three day show. The exhibition also hosted seminars and workshops conducted by industry experts. The show welcomed over 400 global exhibitors from across 36 countries spread over 22,000 m2 and registered over 40 new exhibitors.

SGI Dubai 2017 had several leading brands that had signed up for the exhibition which included Signtrade, Agfa Graphics, Canon Middle East, Flex-Europa, ADS Advertising Materials, Afford Inks, Al Tarkeez Stationery Trading, Chemica France, Dynagraph, Egygrafx, Fast Signs Advertising, Fortune 7 Adv, Blue Rhine, Jackys, Frimpeks, Graphic International, Magic trading, Mono General trading, Prime Sign International Limited, Reflective SAS, Sharpmax limited, Signmax Advertising, Starflex, Talib Trading and Verseidag Indutex GmBH among several others.

Sofitel signs milestone project in Dubai

Posted on June 13, 2017 | by root

Dubai, UAE – Sofitel has announced the largest Sofitel property in the Middle East with development partner MKM Commercial Holdings LLC. Expected to open in early 2019, Sofitel Dubai Wafi will join the luxury brand’s growing portfolio of 14 hotels and 4,400 rooms in operation and under development in the Middle East.

Sami Nasser, Chief Operating Officer, Luxury Brands, AccorHotels Middle East, commented: ‘We are delighted to work with MKM Commercial Holdings, one of our long standing partners, to develop this impressive project that will undoubtedly become a future flagship for Sofitel in the region. The development of this property is aligned with our strategy to operate one of our leading luxury brands across strategic locations in the Middle East.’ He further added, ‘Within the United Arab Emirates, we’ve established a strong presence with four operational hotels across landmark locations including Abu Dhabi Corniche, Downtown Dubai, the Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Residences, and now Wafi ‘ a major shopping destination set to undergo a comprehensive retail and leisure expansion.’

Sofitel Dubai Wafi will feature 501 luxury guestrooms, inclusive of 86 suites, ranging in size from 55 square meters to 625 sqm, in addition to 97 studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom serviced residences to be operated on an extended-stay basis. The property will offer a number of dining concepts including an Asian specialty restaurant, gastro pub, a unique destination restaurant, bar and lounge on 43rd and 44th Floors, a French lobby caf’, an all-day restaurant and a pool bar. Guests will have the option to relax and unwind at the SoSpa or use a comprehensive gymnasium, outdoor pools, private cabanas and a kids club. Business travelers will have access to 10 meeting rooms in addition to a 1,115 square meter ballroom.

Guests of Sofitel Dubai Wafi will enjoy close proximity to Wafi Shopping Mall, Downtown Dubai, Business Bay and the Dubai International Airport. Corporate clientele will have convenient access to primary business and exhibition centers including the Dubai International Financial Center, Dubai Healthcare City and the Dubai International Conference and Exhibition Centre. Located adjacent to the iconic Raffles Dubai, both properties will form a luxury cluster within Wafi offering guests a range of shared amenities and services.

H.H. Sheikh Manna Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Chairman of MKM Commercial Holdings said: ‘We are excited to sign this agreement with AccorHotels, our trusted partner for the Sofitel Dubai Wafi. We are confident that the Sofitel, through its distinct brand positioning and expertise in the luxury segment, will be able to complement our existing Raffles Dubai while cementing the strength of hospitality offerings present within the expanded and revitalized Wafi.’

Sofitel Hotels & Resorts offers luxury hotels with a difference, that combine French origin ‘ a unique combination of elegance, savoir-faire and the art of hospitality ‘ with the best of local culture in each destination. Sofitel Dubai Wafi will infuse the brand’s essence with Arabic culture and design elements reflective of Wafi. Over the coming years, Sofitel will introduce stunning new hotels with the openings of Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara, Sofitel Singapore City Centre, Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour and Sofitel Mexico City Reforma.

‘Sofitel Dubai Wafi signifies our ongoing commitment to expanding AccorHotels’ presence in the luxury segment through our landmark design and quality driven concepts. Sofitel operates luxury hotels and resorts across key destinations in the Middle East including the Sofitel Beirut Le Gabriel, Sofitel Jeddah Corniche, Sofitel Cairo Nile El Gezirah and the Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea & Spa. Through the development of the region’s largest Sofitel, we look to strengthen AccorHotels’ luxury offerings and cement our position as a leading luxury hotel operator.’ concluded Nasser.

AccorHotels has 39 existing properties in the UAE, in addition to 23 others under development. In the Middle East and Egypt, AccorHotels currently operates 96 hotels encompassing 28,800 rooms across the luxury to economy segments. The Group’s regional network is expected to double in number, bringing over 25,000 additional rooms and nearly 2,400 branded residences to the Middle East.

About Sofitel
Sofitel, AccorHotels’ authentic luxury brand, blends local culture and French art de vivre to create magnificent moments for international travellers seeking a uniquely elegant experience.

Guests staying at one of Sofitel’s 120 addresses will enjoy design, culture, gastronomy and wellness. All over the world, Sofitel promises travelers looking for contemporary accommodation, a skillful blend of local culture and French art de vivre. Each address is distinctive, with its own ‘cousu-main’ service, stylish interior, and inspired and creative gastronomy. The brand’s hotels are located in large cities like Paris, London, Berlin, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Dubai, Bangkok, Singapore and Shanghai, or set against wonderful landscapes in destinations like Morocco, Egypt, Thailand and even French Polynesia.

AccorHotels is a world-leading travel & lifestyle group and digital innovator offering unique experiences in more than 4,000 hotels, resorts and residences, as well as in over 2,500 of the finest private homes around the globe.

Achieving Electrifying Success

Posted on March 15, 2017 | by root

PHOENIX CONTACT: Achieving Electrifying Success

Phoenix Contact is a leading manufacturer of electrical connection, electronic interface, and industrial automation technology. General Manager Iyad Madanat talks us through how the firm has achieved its current success.

Established in 2008, Phoenix Contact Middle East in Dubai under Tecom, following several years of operation through its representative office also in Dubai, the firm draws on the expertise of its parent firm Phoenix Contact, which was founded in 1923, with headquarters in Germany.

‘It is our reliable presence in the region which brings Phoenix Contact’s products and expertise into closer proximity to our clients and partners in the Middle East and Northeast Africa’ Iyad states. ‘Our highly trained and qualified sales, marketing, technical support, logistics, and operational teams are available to support and accommodate the growing demand of our clients throughout the area.’

The firm’s latest incarnation is Phoenix Contact Electrical Equipment Trading LLC was established in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi at the end of 2012, and is the latest addition to the group’s expanding structure in the Middle East region. With this new company which is located in Mussafah Industrial zone, customers can now benefit from a closer local presence that provides them with improved technical and commercial support, a higher level of logistics services, and same-day product availability in many cases. Iyad, who is General Manager of the group’s Middle East faction, explains how the firm operates and why this approach helps it to better meet the needs of its clients.

‘Phoenix Contact Middle East in the United Arab Emirates is an independent subsidiary with its own local management, sales, training, support and its own logistics operations. Along with our local partner network, and our own team located in six major cities across the region, we cover the individual needs of our customers in 23 countries in the Middle East and Northeast Africa. And this is typical of Phoenix Contact: personal contact with our customers ‘ quickly and on site. This way, we can work together with our customers in an optimal manner, and always offer them the right solution with the most innovative products.’

Currently there are a number of exciting changes going on in the global automation technology and electronics market, as Iyad emphasises.

‘This is a very interesting time for our industry. We see a lot of changes globally in the way business in conducted. Certainly the new trend of digitalization of the industry, a concept also known as ‘Industry 4.0’ is also a key focus area for Phoenix Contact, and we are transforming our company so that we too are ready and actively involved in this new industrial revolution.

‘In the Middle East and Africa, we also see the trend of digitalization very clearly in the oil and gas industry, in smart city applications, as well as several areas of the energy and infrastructure industries. The aim is to always do things in a faster and more efficient manner, so that the growing needs of the population are always met in the best possible way.

‘To achieve this, our core approach revolves around thinking and working in partnership. At Phoenix Contact, our strategy is based on solid foundation of trust and partnership. This motivates us to take responsibility and gives us the freedom to come up with new ideas. We really enjoy working together to meet objectives. In this way, we are also safeguarding our economic success in the future and remaining a competitive and reliable partner for inspiring technology.’
With regards to the future, Iyad believes that the firm’s winning combination of strong client service and industry leading innovation will serve it well as Phoenix Contact looks to build upon its current success.

‘As a global player Phoenix Contact are represented in markets all over the world, and as such we are successfully involved in shaping the digitalization of the industry. Therefore, moving forward, we will continue to operate as an independent, family-owned company, and look forward to the opportunities this will bring.’

Company: Phoenix Contact Middle East FZ LLC

Name: Iyad Madanat

Email: [email protected]

Web Address: www.phoenixcontact.ae

Address: P.O. Box 345002 Dubai, U.A.E.

Telephone: 971 4 43 70 324

Thales Envisions Al Maktoum International Having ‘Metro’

Posted on March 10, 2017 | by root

The French transport services supplier Thales says it will bid on Dubai Metro’s Green Line when it is tendered, whilst keeping an eye on developments at Al Maktoum International.

Thales also expects the automated people-mover system at the new airport to be closer to a fully-fledged metro line due to the volume of passengers expected in the next decade, according to Marc Duflot, vice-president – business development for Ground Transportation Systems.

Speaking in an interview at the Middle East Rail event on Tuesday, Duflot said: ‘It’s going to be such a big transit system that it’ll likely be more of a metro than a people mover, with 240 million passengers eventually travelling through the airport, all needing to be transported around.’

Thales’ vice-president – sales for Ground Transportation Systems, Denis Laroche, added that the company would be in a ‘stronger position to win the work if it did turn out to be a metro rather than a people-mover,’ as the former is Thales’ forte.

By 2022, Al Maktoum International will have a new terminal, two new concourses, and three runways in operation. At that point, the new airport will have capacity for 135 million passengers, growing to 240 million after that.

Duflot confirmed that Thales was in talks with the Dubai government about Al Maktoum International. ‘We are already looking at how to partner on this project, and we’re already in early discussions with the Dubai authorities about this,’ he said.

The French firm has previously worked on people-movers at Walt Disney World in Orlando, and at Washington Dulles International Airport, amongst other locations.

In Dubai, Thales provided fully automated train control systems on both the Green and the Red lines of the metro, in addition to access gates and ticket vending machines.

Currently working on the 15-kilometre extension of the Dubai Metro Red line from Nakheel Harbour and Tower Station to the Expo 2020 site, Duflot told Gulf News that the company also intends to participate in the Green Line extension.

‘We will bid on the extension of the Green Line. It will be a very important project for us in the next two or three years, but not as critical in terms of time as the Red line,’ he said. ‘In terms of the Red line, for our part we have to deliver the signalling by 2019, and we are on track to finish by then.’

Regarding the on-hold UAE megaproject to connect the emirates, Duflot remarked that ‘Etihad Rail will be done one day. The uncertainty is when. We are hearing different rumours that it will start this year, or next year. I am sure they will do it, because they need it, it’s just a matter of when.’

Dubai Airports Speeds Aircraft Boarding

Posted on February 6, 2017 | by root

Dubai Airports continues to use technology to improve service and boost capacity as part of its DXB Plus programme designed to elevate capacity at Dubai International (DXB) to 118 million by 2023.

The latest innovation takes the form of an Intelligent Traffic System (ITS), which optimises the coordination of buses used to shuttle passengers from Terminal 2 departure gates to the aircraft.

‘It is another world first for DXB. It is the first time this technology has been implemented and used in this manner,’ said Bryan Thompson, Senior Vice President ‘ Development at Dubai Airports. ‘The system is fail-safe, and provides a fully automated solution to coordinate bus scheduling which in turn reduces wait times for departing passengers.’

The new system improves efficiency by ensuring buses are fully utilised increasing the average number of passengers per bus trip from 40 to over 60. It reduces the number of bus trips by 20 per cent which in turn limits fuel burn and emissions. And it alleviates congestion during peak operations.

‘DXB Plus initiatives are in line with smart government and proof that technology can be applied to many parts of our business to improve the passenger experience, boost efficiency and help us augment capacity,’ said Thompson.

Category: Business News & Insight

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