Category: Innovation

Largest Utility Scale Wind Power Plant in Middle East Opened

The first and largest utility scale wind power plant in Jordan and the Middle East, The Tafila Wind Farm, was inaugurated on Thursday under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II.

The project is in line with a royal vision to diversify energy sources and promote greater reliance on renewable energy. The Tafila Wind Farm was developed in response to the 2010 renewable energy law, calling for around 10% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2020. Jordan imports around 96% of its energy needs at a cost equivalent to 20% of the country’s GDP.

His Majesty King Abdullah II announced the official launch of the wind farm before taking a tour of the plant, which is owned and managed by the Jordan Wind Project Company. At JD85 per megawatt-hour, the wind turbines will produce electricity at less than half the cost of generation for conventional power sources .The project will save the government around $50 million every year, and will supply approximately 3.5 percent of the country’s annual electricity consumption.

In his speech at the event, Chairman of the Jordan Wind Project Company, Samer Judeh, said the wind farm’s 38 massive turbines draped with the proud Jordanian flag would not be here had it not been for His Majesty King Abdullah’s vision and great leadership. Judeh added that His Majesty “spares no effort locally and internationally to promote investment in Jordan. This oasis of stability in an otherwise very rough neighborhood.”

Judeh also added; “The Tafila Wind Farm will contribute towards achieving energy security. The project is a quantum leap not only for Jordan but the Arab world as a whole, as it is the first to implement an effective solution for Jordan’s energy challenges through a partnership between the public and private sectors. We believe the project will stimulate the investment climate for similar renewable energy projects in Jordan to take place and will make Jordan a new and important destination for renewable energy investments in the region.”

Jordan Wind Project Company (JWPC) is an international coalition that includes, InfraMed Infrastructure Fund (France), Masdar (UAE) and EP Global Energy (Cyprus).

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Dr. Ibrahim Saif, said that Jordan has been emphasizing the importance of renewable energy sources in recent years. The government is implementing a number of studies and programs that improve and develop the use of alternative energy sources, in addition to efforts to create an attractive investment climate in the field of renewable energy. The minister stated that the project will produce energy from carbon free resources, displacing 235,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

“InfraMed Infrastructure Fund is proud to have contributed to the first utility-scale wind farm in the Near-East. Our fund’s involvement in this successful public-private partnership demonstrates European and North-African investors’ resolution towards Jordan’s economic development and stability, as much as renewable energies,” Frederic Ottavy, CEO of InfraMed Infrastructure Fund, said.

The project’s foundation stone was laid by JWPC in April 2014 while the construction was completed in August this year. 38 VESTAS V112 wind turbines were installed, where each turbines is 150 meters high including its blades. Tafila was chosen due to its steady, unobstructed wind flow, speed and direction.

Commenting on the launch Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Chairman of Masdar said; “The Tafila Wind Farm is a concrete example of how multi-stakeholder partnerships, coupled with the right policies, can solve critical challenges and expand access to new forms of clean and affordable energy across our region. Renewable energy contributes to achieving sustainable economic and social development, while also playing a pivotal role in reducing the impacts of climate change. Al Tafila Wind Farm will serve as the foundation from which we will explore future energy partnerships in Jordan.”

Chairman of EP Global Energy, Efthyvoulos Paraskevaides, said: “EP Global Energy is proud to have led the development of this pioneering and transformational project in Jordan and at the same time to have contributed to a greener planet.”

The International Finance Corporation, and the European Investment Bank arranged the financing of the project, while participants in the lender syndicate included the Dutch Development Bank, Europe Arab Bank, and OPEC Fund for International Development, with the Export Credit Agency of Denmark providing a guarantee for a portion of the loans.

Rubicon Project Working with Choueiri Group

Expands Global Footprint into MENA Region by Announcing Programmatic Partnership with Choueiri Group’s Digital Media Arm, DMS, to Reach over 120 Million Users

Rubicon Project has announced a partnership with Digital Media Services (DMS), which serves as the digital arm of the Middle East’s largest media representation house ‘ Choueiri Group.

DMS represents top bracket market-leading international and regional publishers, along with handpicked high-potential small-to-medium sized publishers and start-ups. The company’s portfolio currently reflects on a global reach of over 120 million unique browsers, covering the largest audiences across key verticals.

Embracing the vital driving pillars of creativity, state-of-the-art advertising technology and data-driven knowledge, DMS has positioned itself as a leader in digital media trading both regionally and internationally.Rubicon Project’s leading technology and programmatic marketplace will deliver mobile, display and video inventory for advertisers throughout MENA (Middle East and North Africa). Today’s announcement marks an important evolution for advertising automation in the MENA region and confirms the fast adoption of a technology that is revolutionizing and disrupting media buying and selling.

‘We are thrilled to help bring the power and scale of automation to help connect world-class brands and advertisers to tens of millions of consumers across the premium inventory portfolio of DMS,’ said Rubicon Project Managing Director for Southern Europe and MENA, Julien Gard’s. ‘DMS brings advertisers access to rich content spanning three continents and our partnership is a clear indication of the potential for growth of digital advertising throughout the region as media owners and advertisers continue to embrace automation and capitalize on the benefits it brings to their businesses.’

DMS’ Chief Operating Officer, Michel Malkoun added: ‘Our commitment to our clients and our industry has always compelled us to seek out and leverage the best technology platforms in the world, and Rubicon Project’s proven track record of delivering leading innovations for publishers globally makes them the ideal partner for DMS. As the MENA region’s largest programmatic marketplace we greatly look forward to this partnership with Rubicon Project as we continue to create exceptional value and efficiencies for our portfolio of leading desktop, mobile and video offerings.’

MEA Vacuum Pumps Market Boosted by Resurging Economy

The Middle East and Africa vacuum pumps market is progressing at a CAGR of 11.10% between 2015 and 2025.

The market was valued at US$199.5 mn at the end of 2014, according to data derived from a research report released by Transparency Market Research. The report is titled “Vacuum Pumps Market – MEA Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 – 2025” and is available for sale on the official website.

As mentioned in the report, the MEA vacuum pumps market is driven by the growth in energy demand to fulfil a resurgent economy that is focusing on large-scale projects. The projects are coming in after periods of economic slowdown and therefore have significantly boosted the demand for vacuum pumps. By range of application, the MEA vacuum pumps market is dominated by low pressure vacuum pumps. Low pressure vacuum pumps held nearly 47% of the MEA vacuum pumps market in 2014, primarily driven by rising demand from the packaging industry as well as the conveyance industry.

On the other hand, the segment of medium pressure vacuum pumps is expected to witness a significant rate of growth, owing to high demand from process industries. This list of process industries that require medium pressure vacuum pumps includes food and beverages, plastics, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, power, textile, and petrochemicals. The same process industries are also expected to up their demand for low pressure vacuum pumps in the coming years as well.

 It is stated in the report that according to type, the MEA vacuum pumps market is led by gas transfer pumps. Gas entrapment pumps held around 61% of the market in 2014 and are expected to be the leader in terms of demand. Among the multiple end-use industries of vacuum pumps, the MEA vacuum pumps market was dominated by the oil and gas sector, which held more than 36% of the market in 2014. The MEA vacuum pumps market is expected to continue growing in a consistent manner, with demand from small-scale industries on the rise. These small-scale industries may be from the power, process, and manufacturing sectors.

The GCC countries dominated the MEA vacuum pumps market in 2014, with a share of nearly 30% in 2014. The GCC countries are expected to significantly increase their demand for vacuum pumps due to an upswing in manufacturing and industrial activities. This includes the export of non-oil products, which has been consistently on the rise over the past two decades. Iran, however, is expected to overtake the GCC countries in terms of demand over the report’s forecast period, giving rise to new opportunities. The key players in the MEA vacuum pumps market are Sterling SIHI GmbH, Ebara Corporation, Dekker Vacuum Technologies, Inc., Graham Corporation, Tuthill Corporation, Atlas Copco AB, Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum GmbH, ULVAC, Inc., Pfeiffer Vacuum GmbH, and Gardner Denver, Inc.

First MEA focused Cloud Accelerator Program Launched in Bahrain

C5 Accelerate, working with Amazon Web Services and the  Bahrain Economic Development Board and Tamkeen, to provide boost for  entrepreneurs across the  region

C5 Accelerate Limited, the London- and Bahrain-based technology investment specialist, working with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB), today launched the first Cloud Accelerator in the Middle East and Africa, which will be located in Bahrain.

The Cloud Accelerator aims to drive growth in the local and regional business ecosystem by enabling the rapid adoption of cloud technology, which offers many distinct advantages over traditional IT infrastructure. The program will develop and fund businesses from across the region with a focus on technologies that align with the economic priorities of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), including, but not limited to, manufacturing, financial services and technology sector-development.  

The Cloud Accelerator will provide business with resources to develop a cloud-based commercial strategy, enhancing their ability to attract future investment. A cohort of up to ten qualifying businesses will be invited to work from the Cloud Accelerator premises in Bahrain for four months. During this time, they will benefit from interaction with fellow program participants, training in strategy and business principles, and mentoring from C5 Accelerate and its network of global business leaders.

AWS will further support each of the participants with established programs including AWS Activate, AWS Grants, AWS Training and Certification, and developer-level support, which have been designed to support businesses developing on the AWS Cloud.

The businesses will benefit from connectivity with potential customers, guidance from industry experts and the opportunity to work closely with a network of corporate partners which will provide a range of business assistance across areas such as commercialisation, venture funding, and business services.

Participant businesses will be eligible for funding from the Cloud Accelerator’s USD 100 million allied venture capital fund, the Gulf Technology Corporation, which will be managed by C5.

Daniel Freeman, CEO of C5 Accelerate Limited, said: “The Middle East and Africa region has a burgeoning startup scene and is well placed to leverage the potential of the cloud. Our Cloud Accelerator aims to drive this innovation further and boost the region’s economy. Our “AWS Activate” pilot program in Bahrain already demonstrates the investment potential of the region’s technology sector, and we are thrilled to be working with AWS, a leading cloud computing provider, to develop an innovation hub for the region and a catalyst for further investments. The Cloud Accelerator will be based in Bahrain, a location with outstanding human capital and a commitment to operating at the speed of technology when it comes to developing a world-class environment in which technology entrepreneurs can thrive.”

Teresa Carlson?, Vice President, Worldwide Public Sector at Amazon Web Services, Inc. said: “We’ve been so impressed with the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of businesses in the Middle East and Africa, and are committed to working with C5 and the Bahrain EDB to help these businesses grow and scale. In addition to technology resources, the Cloud Accelerator’s focus on education, training, and mentorship will help businesses reach their full potential, and AWS is excited to work with them to do so.”  

Khalid Al Rumaihi, Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board, said: “The GCC technology sector is expected to grow by ten per cent per annum over the next five years, whilst sector spending in the Middle East will reach nearly $200 billion in 2015. However, the region faces a number of challenges around attracting investment in the technology sector, including start-up costs and access to funding; regulatory barriers; and attracting, training and retaining human capital. Bahrain is addressing these challenges and building on its broader strengths to develop a strong ecosystem that encourages technology focused entrepreneurship. The launch of the Cloud Accelerator program is one important step towards achieving this.”

Amal Kooheji, Tamkeen’s Chief Operating Officer, said : “Tamkeen continues to support businesses and startups as a catalyst for entrepreneurial innovation and to encourage the establishment of new businesses, which is a prerequisite for developing a mature and sustainable private sector in modern economies.  This project will play a role in creating a cloud ecosystem in Bahrain that becomes an engine of economic growth, innovation and enhanced global competitiveness.

New Broadband Services Launched for Businesses in Qatar

Eutelsat Broadband inks its first distribution agreement in Middle East

Eutelsat Communications , one of the world’s leading satellite operators, has announced a distribution agreement between its Eutelsat Broadband subsidiary and Ooredoo, Qatar’s leading communications company, to deliver an enhanced VSAT service for businesses called ‘VSAT Internet’.The new service will be based on the high-performance KA-SAT satellite dedicated to broadband services.

By selecting the KA-SAT infrastructure, Ooredoo has chosen the fastest and highest-quality satellite broadband service in the Middle East. Ooredoo’s ‘VSAT Internet’ will deliver a reliable and competitively-priced solution that compares to terrestrial broadband, with download speeds up to 22 Mbps and upload speeds up to 6 Mbps. Through this service, Ooredoo aims to deliver communications support for a wide range of applications such as point-of-sale transactions, data processing, reservation systems and high-speed Internet access, ensuring business continuity.

Ooredoo’s new service is particularly useful for businesses in remote locations operating notably in desert and coastal waters. It provides immediate access and the benefits of a flexible connectivity model with on-demand volume booster, and a secure system with a 24/7 command control centre (CCC) for constant monitoring. It is designed to deliver tailored communication for businesses operating in sectors such as construction, hospitality, manufacturing, tourism and agriculture as well as government agencies and news agencies.

Waleed Al Sayed, Chief Operating Officer of Ooredoo Qatar, said: ‘We’ve launched this new VSAT service to ensure that Qatar’s businesses have the best connections available 24/7 anywhere in the country. We are confident that this solution, powered by Eutelsat’s innovative KA-SAT satellite, will help us to better match service to the specific requirements of our enterprise customers.’

Patrice Segura, Head of Sales France & MENA, Eutelsat Broadband, added: ‘This distribution agreement marks a first for Eutelsat Broadband in the Middle East, leveraging on Eutelsat’s broad experience in broadcasting in the region. We are convinced that the performance of satellite broadband through KA-SAT will be ideally suited for answering business needs in the Gulf States and coastal waters.”

‘VSAT Internet’ is available from QR 3,000 per month (774′). Data Packs are also available to boost volume after consuming the 200 GB monthly data quota. Customers benefit from one fixed public IP address per link.

Strong Growth Expected in Middle East & Africa Big Data Market

The Middle East & Africa Big Data market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 45.30% representing in huge opportunities in this sector.

This growth is driven by increasing penetration of big data, increase in analytics services and availability of affordable big data solution and services to end users according to new report by Research and Markets.

Middle East & Africa Big Data market controls market share of 4.50% in terms of revenue in Global Big Data market. It is expected to control fourth largest market position in 2020. UAE, Iran, Kuwait, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Nigeria are key countries in Middle East & Africa Big Data market.

Organizations worldwide are turning their attention to Big Data as a useful means to derive insights from the huge amount of data generated from various sources. Technologies such as NoSQL databases and MapReduce/Hadoop frameworks are at the core of the solutions heralding a paradigm shift.

This research found that high investment costs, lack of awareness and novelty have been the main threats for new entrants in the Big Data space. There are a few major players who control the entire value chain. However, many smaller players have mushroomed who provide consulting in the Analytics space. This research also found that most organizations misunderstand Big Data and it is important to educate the end users through face to face interactions.

Spanning over 116 pages and 75 exhibits, Middle East & Africa Big Data Market 2015-2020 report presents an in-depth assessment of the Middle East & Africa Big Data market from 2015 till 2020.

The report has detailed company profiles including their position in big data market value chain, financial performance analysis, product and service wise business strategy, SWOT analysis and key customer details.

NBAD Egypt Developing Their Internet Banking Capabilities

NBAD Egypt Selects CR2’s BankWorld to Drive Their Internet Banking Channel

CR2 is delighted to announce that National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) Egypt, has selected CR2’s BankWorld to ensure the further delivery of innovative self-service banking to its customers via the internet banking channel. With NBAD priding itself on its deep understanding of the dynamics of the Arab region and its connection to world markets, CR2 is the ideal partner to expand their internet banking offering and continue to compete at the highest levels.

Founded in 1968 by Emiri decree of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, NBAD is making great strides in its vision to become the World’s Best Arab Bank. This recent deal with CR2 is in line with both NBAD’s vision and mission to be core to their chosen customers, helping them grow by providing exceptional products and services across our West – East Corridor.

BankWorld Internet impressed NBAD Egypt with its ability to deliver a personalised customer experience and market-leading internet banking functionality while also enabling the bank to comply with the Central Bank of Egypt’s latest security requirements. NBAD Egypt was impressed with CR2’s dynamic solution and its ability to present NBAD Egypt customers with a host of next-generation functionalities and services, enabled through the following features:

• HTML 5 which enables convenient branding customisation
• Responsive design rendering to any device
• Segmentation capabilities to tailor screen design, menus and offers to specific groups of customers
• Sample branding off the shelf to help banks test new features which can enable fast roll outs with reduced costs

As an existing CR2 customer, NBAD Egypt has first-hand experience of working with CR2 as well as knowledge of CR2’s proven track record both in the region and globally. CR2 has long maintained a trusted partnership with NBAD and this latest project will see the two working closely together to deploy these powerful internet banking services to NBAD Egypt’s customers.

Mr. Ahmed Ismail, NBAD Egypt Country CEO mentioned: “As we move forward in our journey towards becoming the World’s Best Arab Bank, we want to offer our customers the very best experiences and services possible. We consider it to be of the utmost importance to hold our customer at the heart of everything we do and as such, we have responded to continued customer movements towards Internet Banking. We understand that internet banking is becoming ever more important to our customers in Egypt and we are pleased to be working with CR2 and their BankWorld Internet solution to bring our customers the enhanced and user-friendly internet banking experience they are increasingly demanding.”

Franky Van Damme, Chief Executive Officer, CR2 added; “We are pleased to announce NBAD Egypt’s decision to work with us to implement the next generation of Internet Banking through BankWorld Internet. At CR2, we have enjoyed an excellent and trusted relationship with NBAD over the years and are delighted to continue to work with them as they work towards their goal of becoming core to their chosen customers. BankWorld Internet is the perfect fit for the bank’s visions and will provide their customers with a secure, flexible and advanced internet banking facility to exceed customer expectations and create enduring customer relationships.”

Accelerating Mobile Broadband and Smartphone Adoption across Arab States

Mobile operators investing in networks, jobs and innovation throughout the Arab States according to new study.

Mobile broadband networks will support more than two-thirds of all mobile connections across the Arab States of the Middle East and North Africa by 2020, according to a new GSMA study published at the GSMA Mobile 360 Series ‘ Middle East conference being held in Dubai this week. The new study, ‘The Mobile Economy ‘ Arab States 2015’, finds that there will be 350 million 3G/4G mobile broadband connections in the Arab States by 2020, accounting for 69% of the region’s total connections by 2020, up from just 34% at the end of 2014. This rapid migration to higher-speed mobile networks is being driven by operator investments in 3G and 4G networks and rising smartphone adoption. The number of smartphones connections in the region is forecast to almost triple between 2014 and 2020, reaching 327 million.

‘The mobile landscape in the Arab States varies considerably in terms of market maturity, ranging from the fast-developing North African markets to the highly advanced Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, but the entire region is benefiting from the shift to mobile broadband networks and devices triggered by rising mobile operator investment,’ said Alex Sinclair, Acting Director General and Chief Technology Officer at the GSMA. ‘We encourage governments in the region to adopt policies that will further accelerate mobile broadband adoption, for example by releasing more internationally harmonised spectrum; introducing incentives that encourage the deployment of infrastructure in remote and economically challenging areas; and revising taxation and regulatory policies that can negatively impact uptake of innovative new mobile services.’Over the last four years, mobile operators across the Arab States have spent more than US$40 billion on capital investments, or approximately 18% of total revenue. Investments have focused on improving network coverage, increasing network capacity, and deploying 3G/4G mobile broadband networks. According to the report, 3G networks are now live in every country in the region except one, while there are 23 live 4G networks in ten countries in the region and 4G launches planned in a further eight markets.

A Diverse Mobile Landscape

The Arab States encompasses 18 markets across the Middle East and North Africa. The number of unique mobile subscribers in the Arab States as a whole reached 199 million at the end of 2014, equivalent to 54% of the region’s population. However, the levels of market maturity vary considerably across the region in line with economic development; the Arab States are home to three countries ‘ Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE ‘ that have penetration rates above 75%, but also four (Palestine, Sudan, Syria and Yemen) where fewer than half the population has a mobile subscription.

It is forecast that the number of unique mobile subscribers in the Arab States will reach 233 million by 2020, representing 57% of the expected population by this point. However, subscriber growth will be slower than the global average over this period and subscriber penetration will fall behind the 59% global figure expected by 2020. This can be attributed to several factors: the declining growth potential in already highly penetrated markets; the challenge of growing penetration in the lower income and rural-based groups in less developed markets; and the unstable political and economic conditions that currently exist in several regional markets.

Mobile Industry Delivering Economic Growth, Employment and Public Funding

In 2014 the mobile industry in the Arab States made a total contribution of US$115 billion to the regional economy in value-added terms, equivalent to around 4 per cent of the region’s total GDP. It is forecast that this contribution will grow to U$160 billion by 2020, equivalent to 4.5 per cent of projected regional GDP by this point.

The mobile industry is also a key source of jobs and public funding in the region. It is calculated that the industry directly and indirectly supported 1.3 million jobs across the Arab States in 2014, a figure expected to surpass 1.5 million by 2020. The mobile ecosystem also made a total tax contribution to the public finances of the region’s governments of US$12.6 billion in 2014, excluding regulatory fees and spectrum auction payments. It is forecast that this contribution to public funding will rise to US$14.3 billion by 2020.

‘The mobile industry has a pivotal role to play in addressing social and developmental challenges in the Arab States, challenges that are becoming increasingly acute in those regional markets that are seeing high unemployment levels, a youthful population, and ongoing social and political instability,’ added Sinclair. ‘In many of the region’s emerging markets, mobile is connecting unconnected populations by providing essential access to the internet where there are no other alternatives and enabling mobile-powered solutions in essential areas such as banking, healthcare and education. Meanwhile, in developed markets, mobile operators are launching advanced services in sectors such as digital commerce, digital identity, digital security and the Internet of Things.’

Middle East Technology Markets Overview

Middle East Already Embracing Five Technology Trends Affecting the Digital Transformation of Public and Private Sectors, Accenture Finds.

In its annual global technology outlook, Accenture (NYSE:ACN) has identified five technology trends that will re-shape markets by creating new digital ‘ecosystems’ and found that leading businesses and governments in the Middle East have new strategies and projects in place to capitalize on digital transformation opportunities.

The five trends identified in the Accenture Technology Vision 2015 report include the personalization of the internet ‘ Internet of Me; a shift in focus from selling things to selling results in an Outcome Economy; digital platforms that help build next-generation products and services in the Platform (R)evolution; intelligent software embedded across the enterprise, creating the Intelligent Enterprise; and intelligent machines and devices working alongside employees as a Workforce Reimagined.To supplement this report, Accenture interviewed more than 200 senior decision-makers in the public and private sectors of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A majority of respondents ‘ 62 percent in UAE and 83 percent in KSA ‘ have seen the pace of technology adoption in their organization increase over the past two years. About half the organizations in the Middle East (48 percent in UAE and 53 percent in KSA) are actively investing in digital technologies, while another four in 10 are assessing them (41 percent in UAE and 43 percent in KSA).

‘Now that digital has become part of the fabric of many organizations’ operating DNA, they are stretching their boundaries to leverage a broader digital ecosystem as they shape the next generation of their products, services and business models to effect change on a much broader scale,’ said Paul Daugherty, Accenture’s chief technology officer. ‘Leading organizations in the Middle East are already planning and executing on their digital transformation goals in response to the fast-changing needs of this digitally-savvy population.’

All (100%) of the survey respondents from UAE and 97 percent from KSA are already using or experimenting with mobile technologies to engage with customers, employees or business partners, compared with an average of 94% in other countries.

Some additional findings from the survey of Middle East respondents, broken out by the five emerging technology trends, are:

The Internet of Me is changing the way people around the world interact through technology, placing the end user at the center of every digital experience.

More than three-quarters of Middle East survey respondents (87% in UAE and 82% in KSA) said that having a personalized customer experience fits within their top three business priorities, and almost half (46% in UAE and 49% in KSA) said they are already seeing positive returns on their investments in technologies that enable this personalization. With the exception of mobiles and tablets, respondents from KSA are more bullish than their UAE counterparts on adopting digital technologies within the next four years, including wearables, connected TVs, connected cars, interactive kiosks and smart objects. When asked to identify the leading barrier to adopting personalization technologies, respondents in UAE cited a lack of technology maturity, while those in KSA cited security concerns.

• Digital devices on the edge are powering an Outcome Economy and enabling a new business model that shifts the focus from selling things to selling results.
  
• More than nine in 10 Middle East respondents (96% in UAE and 91% in KSA) expect that with more intelligent hardware, sensors and devices, organizations will increasingly shift from selling products or services to selling outcomes. While respondents from both UAE and KSA said that mobile, tablet and smart technologies are three of the most influential technologies, they differ widely in their views on the impact of wearable technologies, with more than three-quarters (76%) of KSA respondents ‘ but less than half (45%) in UAE ‘ identifying wearables as highly influential.
• The Platform (R)evolution reflects how digital platforms are becoming the tools of choice for building next-generation products and services, and entire ecosystems in the digital and physical worlds.

The vast majority of Middle East respondents ‘ 97% in UAE and 90% in KSA, higher than in any other country surveyed ‘ believe that industry boundaries will dramatically blur as technology platforms reshape industries into more interconnected ecosystems. It is not surprising, therefore, that Middle East respondents were more likely than their global counterparts to say they plan to engage with business partners from outside their own industry on digital initiatives like joint online or mobile solutions ‘ 49% in UAE, 50% in KSA, while only 40% in other countries, on average.
The Intelligent Enterprise is making its machines smarter ‘ embedding software intelligence into every aspect of its business to drive new levels of operational efficiency, evolution, and innovation.

More than two-thirds (69%) of the respondents in KSA ‘ and more than nine in 10 (95%) of those in UAE ‘ reported that managing the volume, variety and velocity of data being generated today is very or extremely challenging, compared with 55% in other countries, on average. At the same time, approximately 80 percent of all Middle East respondents said they believe that software will soon be able to learn and adapt to our changing world and make decisions based on learned experiences, with applications taking on human-like intelligence.

In a Workforce Reimagined, advances in more natural human interfaces, wearable devices, and smart machines are extending intelligent technology to interact as a ‘team member,’ working alongside employees.

The vast majority of Middle East respondents (93% in UAE and 86% in KSA) believe that we have reached a tipping point in the talent shortage for IT skills that will require companies to look at emerging technology solutions to augment their workforces. About two-thirds (60% in UAE and 66%in KSA) are considering using technologies that enable business users to complete tasks that previously required IT experts. However, about four in five (82% in UAE and 79% in KSA) believe that successful organizations will manage employees alongside intelligent machines, ensuring collaboration between the two. More than half the respondents (56% in UAE and 54% in KSA) said they are already using augmentation technologies, like wearables, to better train their workforce, and more than four in 10 (45% in UAE and 42% in KSA) said they are implementing training to improve human-robot collaboration.
‘The pace of innovation and technology adoption that is beginning to transform companies and governments across the Middle East is only going to increase,’ said Omar Boulos, regional managing director of Accenture in the Middle East and North Africa. ‘Pioneering organizations will focus on creating and becoming part of the broader digital ecosystems that now extend to customers, business partners, employees and other industries.’