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APPLAUDING THE LEADERS BUILDING THE REGION’S TECH FUTURE

Launching October 2021

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With an increase in digital capabilities, keeping up with fast-changing technical trends is essential

010 2021

Cover Story OPPO aims to find opportunities to deliver unforgettable experiences

ALTHOUGH THE CLOUD HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A DECADE OR MORE, ADOPTION AND NEW DIGITAL WAYS OF WORKING WERE STEADILY GROWING” – Hadi Anwar, Group CIO, G42

Gitex Special This year’s event will feature six shows under one roof

Interview The authors of Digital Nation provide insight into the UAE’s vision for the future 0 0 3

SAVE THE DATE NOVEMBER 23, 2021

ONE OF THE MOST HIGH-PROFILE EVENTS IN THE GCC, ATTRACTING THOSE LEADING THE REGION’S BUSINESS LANDSCAPE.

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The Review Editor-in-chief Obaid Humaid Al Tayer Managing partner and group editor Ian Fairservice Group director Andrew Wingrove andrew.wingrove@motivate.ae

EDITORIAL Editor Aarti Nagraj aartin@motivate.ae aartinagraj

Tech editor Divsha Bhat divsha.bhat@motivate.ae

Deputy editor Varun Godinho varun.godinho@motivate.ae varungodinho

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Contributor Zainab Mansoor

The first ink tank printer to be made from over 25 per cent recycled plastic

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Art director Freddie N. Colinares freddie@motivate.ae

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PRODUCTION General manager – production S Sunil Kumar Assistant production manager Binu Purandaran Production supervisor Venita Pinto

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Issue 1 | October 2021 Printed by Emirates Printing Press, Dubai Cover: Freddie N. Colinares Follow us on social media: Linkedin: Gulf Business/GBTechTalk Facebook: GulfBusiness/ GBTechTalk; Twitter: @GulfBusiness; Instagram: @GulfBusiness

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Group marketing manager Dominic Clerici dominic.clerici@motivate.ae 0 0 5

THE HARD-HITTING STORY OF ONE OF DUBAI’S TOP

BUSINESS LEADERS

A V A I L A B L E AT A L L M A J O R R E TA I L E R S A C R O S S T H E U A E A N D O N B O O K S A R A B I A . C O M

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THE FEED

010 2021

TECH-DRIVEN MIDDLE EAST The UAE has been ranked fourth globally for cybersecurity and first in the Arab region for artificial intelligence: report

5G In the Middle East, the 5G technological revolution is set to transform society radically

CLOUD Business expansion by regional market leaders has led to a boom in cloudbased investment

AI Artificial intelligence can bring substantial benefits to cyber defensive operations

F E AT U R E S THE FEED

TOWARDS A DIGITAL FUTURE AS ORGANISATIONS TRY TO CREATE NEW DIGITAL CAPABILITIES TO INCREASE RESILIENCE FOR THE POST-PANDEMIC AGE, KEEPING UP WITH FAST-CHANGING TECHNICAL TRENDS IS ESSENTIAL B Y D I V S H A B H AT

ast year, when the world went into isolation during the pandemic, digitalisation stepped in to fill the gaps created by mandatory lockdowns. The crisis led to significant shifts in the workforce – from new opportunities and challenges, such as remote working, to the massive adoption of e-commerce and other digital platforms

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G B T E C H TA L K

UAE ﬁrst globally in mobile broadband internet subscriptions

Tech-driven Middle East he Middle East and Africa region, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been on the verge of huge digital disruption. The Digital Transformation in the UAE Report 2020 by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Authority (TDRA) highlights the UAE’s leading global position in this space. The UAE has topped several international and Arab records in diverse fields, including smart government, education, telecommunication, and healthcare. The report also states that the country has been ranked fourth globally in cybersecurity, first in the Arab region in artificial intelligence and first globally in mobile broadband internet subscriptions and mobile phone network coverage. Earlier this year, Digital Transformation Index 2020, a report by Dell Technologies, also revealed that organisations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are two steps ahead of the rest of the world in terms of digital transformation. According to the study, 90 per cent of organisations in both countries have fast-tracked, at least some of their digital transformation programmes this year – accomplishing in a few months, what would usually have taken years. Recently, the UAE government announced the launch of the Fourth

Industrial Revolution network to encourage the adoption of advanced technologies in the national industrial sector. Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology, stated that it is a comprehensive programme and focuses on two fundamental areas – the first is building a foundation for technology within the current industries and second is promoting the development of technologyintensive sectors across the economy. She noted that if the UAE achieves the second goal of the programme, it will add Dhs25bn to the national economy by 2031. Saudi Arabia is also investing heavily to diversify its economy. The kingdom is developing a strong digital infrastructure to accelerate digital transformation. The country has been ranked second among G20 countries in the Digital Competitiveness report issued by the European Centre for Digital Competitiveness. Supporting the kingdom’s Vision 2030 of a cashless society, Saudi Payments and Saudi Central Bank have also introduced several projects. As organisations try to create new digital capabilities to increase resilience for the post-pandemic age, keeping up with fast-changing technical trends is essential.

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F E AT U R E S THE FEED

The revolution

ccording to a Gartner, the worldwide 5G network infrastructure revenue is on pace to grow 39 per cent to total $19.1bn in 2021, up from $13.7bn in 2020. Michael Porowski, senior principal research analyst at Gartner, said that the Covid-19 pandemic has spiked demand for optimised and ultrafast broadband connectivity to support work from home and bandwidth-hungry applications, such as streaming video, online gaming and social media applications. In the Middle East, the 5G technological revolution is set to transform society radically. The Gulf nations have been at the forefront of adopting and deploying 5G, demonstrating the GCC’s status as a digital technology leader. Bahrain is the first country in the region to secure 5G coverage for its entire population. On the Ookla global index of 5G networks, Abu Dhabi has been ranked the third-fastest In the Middle East, the 5G technological revolution capital globally, with an average is set to transform society radically. The Gulf data download speed of 421.26 nations have been at the forefront of adopting and megabytes per second in the first six months of 2021. deploying 5G, demonstrating the GCC’s status as a In August 2021, Digital digital technology leader. Bahrain is the first DEWA, the digital arm of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority country in the region to secure 5G coverage for its (DEWA) and du entered into entire population a strategic partnership that

421.26 MEGABYTES PER SECOND Abu Dhabi’s average data download speed, according to the Ookla global index of 5G networks

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resulted in the region’s first industrial private 5G slicing through 5G standalone technology. Through this collaboration, Digital DEWA’s InfraX, the subsidiary responsible for ICT services, will be the first in the region to offer the utility industry private 5G slicing driven via edge computing, reported Dubai Media Office. In Qatar last year, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Thani, the CEO of Ooredoo, said that the operator’s 5G mobile network coverage in the market had reached more than 90 per cent of populous regions. According to the Peninsula newspaper, the operator’s CEO stated that users may currently access 5G internet speeds of up to 2.2Gbps. “During the pandemic, 5G provided connectivity for remote offices and education to tens of thousands of families with little fibre coverage across the GCC. In Kuwait, for example, more than 500 schools are connected by 5G to ensure the best learning experience for students and teachers,” Li Xiangyu, vice president of Huawei Middle East, earlier told Gulf Business. Moving to the Mediterranean region, Egypt plans to deliver high-speed internet to over 60 million people in rural regions as part of an ambitious effort to open new economic growth. As part of the initiative, the country will invest $360m on fibreto-the-home (FTTH) for a million households. Egypt has previously spent more than $2bn to boost average internet speeds in large cities – from 6.5 to 42.5 megabytes per second in only two years. To increase its economy, the government will continue to enhance its urban internet infrastructure. With 5G accelerating rapidly, it is believed that a more dynamic and powerful computing environment will emerge, spurring the adoption of IoT applications and services across the industry.

G B T E C H TA L K

Cloud usiness expansion by regional market leaders, the Covid-19 outbreak, growing investments in cloud-based technologies for smart city projects, and governmental initiatives have expedited cloud computing growth and cloud-based solutions. An IBM study conducted by IDC says that 85 per cent of C-suite executives in the UAE are planning to implement hybrid cloud strategies in their organisations. However, the study says 32 per cent of UAE organisations are currently in the implementation stage, while over 50 per cent are in the planning phase. For instance, Abu Dhabi-based Yas Island developer Miral chose the Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications to automate its core business processes, including finance and human resources, earlier this year, while Saudi Arabia’s Edarat Group selected IBM cloud satellite to provide services in hybrid cloud environments to its customers in the kingdom. Meanwhile, Intellect Global Transaction Banking (iGTB) announced its wholly reimagined digital transaction banking on a cloud platform. This platform is driven by a complete product suite that includes cash management, payments, account services, self-onboarding, liquidity, and virtual accounts. In the healthcare space, Etisalat Digital launched its cloud electronic medical record, a solution that allows healthcare providers in the UAE to share data in real-time. The solution intends to connect more than 3,000 UAE-based public and private healthcare providers in the near future. The gaming sector has also not lagged behind. Recently, Playkey, a cloud gaming service that lets players worldwide play video games on low-spec PCs and laptops, launched in the Middle East. Having servers in UAE means millions of gamers across the GCC region can now enjoy high resolution, fast frame rate, and low latency gaming at affordable prices. Popular Abu Dhabi gaming podcast, Adgame.ae, referenced Playkey.me in one of their latest episodes. “Cloud gaming is heating up, the service is quite eye-opening and may make you start to consider whether having the latest PC or console in the living room is really necessary.” Cloud computing will be ubiquitous by 2025. Not only will cloud fuel technology innovation, but it will also serve as a foundation for business innovation, predicts Gartner.

In the healthcare space, Etisalat Digital launched its cloud electronic medical record, a solution that allows healthcare providers in the UAE to share data in real-time. The solution intends to connect more than 3,000 UAE-based public and private healthcare providers in the near future

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F E AT U R E S THE FEED

Artificial intelligence ince the beginning of the fourth industrial revolution, organisations in the Middle East have begun to shift their emphasis to emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). According to PwC, AI may contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the world economy by 2030, with the Middle East accounting for 2 per cent of total global benefits, which equates to $320bn. The GCC nations have been pioneers in this technology, and the UAE has been a trendsetter among them; Egypt and Qatar have also launched measures to improve AI’s applicability. The UAE’s adoption of AI comes at a time when the country is nurturing emerging technologies to strengthen and diversify its economy. The Informatics and Smart Health Department at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) recently launched the first AI policy for healthcare in Dubai. It aims to determine the regulatory requirements for the use of AI in healthcare. Meanwhile, the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) launched an executive programme designed to assist the UAE’s government and business elite in unlocking the potential of AI to ensure smart management, increased efficiencies, and enhanced productivity; all of which contribute to economic growth. The private sectors in the country are also not far behind. Majid Al Futtaim launched the region’s first checkout-free store, Carrefour City+, in Dubai. The outlet uses AI technology, which allows shoppers to access the store by using the app on their phones, choose products and exit the store without paying at any counter. Instead, the total value of the shopper’s basket is automatically charged to their registered card as they leave the store.

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On the other hand, Tradeling, the eMarketplace for business-to-business transactions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) launched Tradeling Pro, an artificial intelligence and a machine learning digital procurement solution for multinational businesses. The soloution streamlines the purchasing process for large companies by offering flexible payment periods and combining bills into a single monthly invoice regardless of the number of vendors involved. During the pandemic, one of the major issues was handling the tracking of the disease, especially new variants and their mutations as they spread through a community and from country to country. In South Africa, researchers used an AI-based algorithm to predict future daily confirmed cases of Covid-19. It was based on historical data from South Africa’s past infection history and other information, such as the way people move from one community to another. With the rapid maturity of this technology, artificial intelligence can also bring substantial benefits to cyber defensive operations across organisations.

The UAE’s adoption of AI comes at a time when the country is nurturing emerging technologies to strengthen and diversify its economy. The Informatics and Smart Health Department at the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) recently launched the first AI policy for healthcare in Dubai. It aims to determine the regulatory requirements for the use of AI in healthcare

G B T E C H TA L K

Cybersecurity he enterprise attack surface is vast and continually evolving. As a result, AI-based cybersecurity technologies have developed to assist information security teams in reducing risk and improving their security posture. “In the past few months, the Middle East has seen a surge of cyberattacks ranging from phishing, scams, data breaches, and ransomware. The consequences for enterprises ranged from critical data loss to financial damage. As we know, adversaries thrive on constant innovation. Attacks will only grow more complex, and threat actors will continue to discover and weaponise new attack vectors designed to exploit the vulnerabilities exposed by this enormous digital shift. Therefore, security professionals must remain vigilant to protect the critical infrastructure that connects and enables the modern world,” says Gaurav Mohan, vice president – sales – SAARC and Middle East, Netscout. AI and machine learning (ML) have the ability to rapidly analyse millions of events and identify a wide range of threats – from malware exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities to identifying risky behaviour that may lead to a phishing attack or the download of malicious code. A new feature called ‘search and destroy’ was launched by Sophos and it connects intelligence from endpoints to email security solutions. “This is a full ecosystem of both Sophos and non-Sophos products that feeds information into a data lake, which is leveraged with the help of AI to detect suspicious behaviours and incidents faster and respond automatically. All that information is tunneled through XDR which goes beyond the endpoint, allowing human intelligence to augment artificial intelligence across the

AI and machine learning (ML) have the ability to rapidly analyse millions of events and identify a wide range of threats – from malware exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities to identifying risky behaviour that may lead to a phishing attack or the download of malicious code whole spectrum,” says Harish Chib, vice president, Middle East and Africa, Sophos. It is important for organisations and sectors to safeguard their digital transformation journeys in order to keep up with technological advances. As a result, safeguarding email, networks, and cloud-based communication tools and settings is the prudent course of action. Cybercriminals will continue to watch an organisation’s shift at each stage – from reading emails to moving whole workloads to the cloud to configuring networks – in order to identify weak points. They will utilise unique tactics on a continuous basis, which not only disrupts the process but also makes identification and prevention more difficult. The need of the hour is a holistic cybersecurity approach that provides complete visibility and defence across the organisation. Businesses must realise that investing in cybersecurity is vital and beneficial to protect their customers and data. ‘SEARCH AND DESTROY’ connects intelligence from endpoints to email security solutions

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PODCAST

WALID HASSOUNA CEO, EFG HERMES NBFI

Revolutionising payments Due to its unparalleled shopping experience, merchants and brands are offering ‘buy now, pay later’ at their checkouts, and the technology has proven beneficial to all

Q: DIVSHA The buy now, pay later business model has gained much traction during the pandemic. So, how does this model work, and how is it different from the existing payments methods? WALID I am very happy that we started our buy now, pay later platform - valU at the end of 2017. So, it was not even relevant to what happened in the pandemic. We started in December 2017 in Egypt. So, everyone in Egypt was sceptical about this model, [asking] ‘what are you trying to do, are you replacing the bank card? Are you providing unbanked finance’ and things like that. But luckily enough, with the pandemic, everyone started shopping online. Buy now, pay later is online; it’s also physical, but it’s more popular for online transactions. So [after] we started this in 2017, we got some traction in 2018 – it was not very promising, to be fair. In 2019, we began to see an increase; we grew three times. In 2020 with the pandemic, actually, we [witnessed up to] five times growth. This year also, we are growing. With all the players that

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emerged in Saudi Arabia, in the UAE, in the Middle East, it has become the most important topic everywhere.

DIVSHA So, do you think this platform can help retailers drive consumer demand? WALID Yes, it helps retailers, right, so let’s look

at what buy now, pay later can actually do. What is the product? The product is easy, providing minimal extended payments anywhere between 30 days and 60 months. Not all companies have the same model. So, the retailers are pleased with that. The only issue they have is how much they need to pay to get the security. And there are also different models. Again, some models are zero fees and

EFG HERMES NBFI

BRAND VIEW

DIVSHA What are the EFG NBFI’s future plans for the region? WALID We have a complete package of financing solutions and payment solutions in Egypt. We think it’s about time for some of those products to get into bigger markets. So I believe valU will enter a second market for sure in the next six to nine months. We are in between two markets right now; I am in Dubai because of discussions with potential partners. And I think we will make up our mind before the end of the year and we will start [in another location]. We are also starting our SME financing company in Egypt. We already tried and had the pilot on that, and it’s working very well. So, these are the two things that we will be bringing to the region [between now and next year].

THIS YEAR ACTUALLY, WE ARE GROWING. WITH ALL THE PLAYERS THAT EMERGED IN SAUDI, IN THE UAE, IN THE MIDDLE EAST, IT HAS BECOME THE MOST IMPORTANT TOPIC EVERYWHERE zero interest. This is all covered by the merchant or retailer, so they’re not very happy with it, but it drives demand. The valU model is actually a mix between interest and zero interest, and we have customised a dashboard for each and every merchant. We try to be very flexible with the merchant, especially with the dimensions in the Middle East; the margins are very slim.

DIVSHA Going back to what you said, 2018 and 2019 were not great years and the pandemic in 2020 changed the equation. But do you think consumer behaviour is going to change again post-pandemic? WALID No. 2018 was not great because we were the only buy now, pay later [platform] in the Middle East. Even when we

picked a name, we chose [something] that’s not relevant to EFG. We did not use the EFG name to support the company because of two things – frankly, if it fails, [we] didn’t want it to be [an] EFG fail. And if it’s going to work, then it should be on a standalone basis. So, 2018 was very difficult; we were trying to pave the way for all other players and the merchants to understand that we can do this. In 2019, before the pandemic, we grew three times. And this is the reason I think other buy now, pay later players emerged in Saudi and in the UAE. Actually, the first company to launch after valU was in 2019, in March, and in June 2019, the second company launched. I’m talking about the companies that have raised massive funds. Currently, our figures are going up; we are growing month-over-month by at least 10 per cent and securing more than 40,000 transactions per month.

DIVSHA So, how does valU stand apart from the rest? WALID valU has already established high-entry barriers in the market. [As EFG], having been in the market for 40 years, we are like the generic brand of monopolies. The best thing for us was to place ourselves as the first mover, make sure our brand is recognised. We also have access to financing, which is not the same case for the other players in the region. We got financing from banks, we got our first securitisation, which was extremely important because we were able to securitise our portfolio. We have partnerships with Apple, Ikea and Samsung. And I believe we also have a very good team. Our average age on the team is 26. And accordingly, I think those people are growing the business faster than anyone else because most of our users are in this age bracket. When we decide to go outside Egypt, we [will] make sure that we have the same offering.

To listen to the complete podcast, visit www.gulfbusiness.com

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F E AT U R E S DEVICES

AMAZON WORKING ON LARGE WALL ECHO, SOUND BAR AND NEW AUTO DEVICE THE TECH GIANT IS WORKING ON THE INITIATIVES AT ITS LAB126 DIVISION, WHICH CREATED HIT PRODUCTS LIKE THE ORIGINAL ECHO AND THE ALEXA VOICE ASSISTANT

mazon is developing a bevy of new devices and services as it delves into additional markets, including a larger Echo with a wall-mountable screen, a TV sound bar, more advanced car technology and wearable gear.

ECHO FOR WALLS The company is planning a large Alexa-controlled Echo with a roughly 15-inch display, codenamed Hoya, that can either be mounted on a wall or placed on a table with a stand, according to internal documents and people familiar with the matter. The device is designed to be a smart-home control panel for activating appliances, lights and locks. It also could serve as a window into the status of inbound Amazon packages. And the product will have a user interface that can show widgets for weather, timers, calendar appointments and photos. Amazon is designing the device to appeal to users in the kitchen, letting them view recipes or watch cooking how-to videos. Like other Amazon products, it will also run third-party video streaming apps such as Netflix. HOME ROBOT Outside of its Alexa division, Amazon has been working on a home robot codenamed Vesta for several years. 0 1 6

The robot, which uses the Alexa interface, was conceived as a security tool. But that focus has shifted as Amazon’s Ring lineup, which began as a smart doorbell, solidifies its role as the company’s main security offering. Amazon announced a Ring-branded flying security camera drone last year, and now it’s harder to tell where the robot fits in. If the device does ultimately launch, it’s likely to be a low-volume item with a high price: Some early versions were expected to cost around $1,000. Several months ago, Amazon began testing prototypes inside employee homes. One version had a roughly 7-inch display, while another had a 10-inch screen that could adjust on its own. It would follow a user around and could remind them of upcoming calendar events. The computer vision technology was seen as effective, being able to map out a home’s layout accurately. However, it lacks arms and can’t use stairs. SOUND BAR AND CARS Amazon has also eyed a sound bar for TVs -a long, horizontal device for beaming sound across the room. The company had originally

G B T E C H TA L K

Amazon has been working on a second generation model of its Echo Auto technology codenamed Marion

Alexa directly from the dashboard entertainment system without needing a phone, downloading an app or pressing a button.

planned to release it in 2021, but it’s now unlikely to meet that shipping timeline. There are already several third-party sound bars with Alexa support, but Amazon sees room for its own spin on the concept. Amazon has been working on a version with a front-facing camera. The product, codenamed Harmony, also would let customers take video calls from their TVs -- similar to Facebook’s portal product -- according to internal documents. The company is also planning a larger push into the automotive space. Amazon is working on a second-generation model of its Echo Auto technology codenamed Marion. The current product, which has been panned by some consumers, pairs with a smartphone over Bluetooth and lets you access Alexa through a car’s speakers using the device’s microphones. The updated version will have a new design and may be able to charge a user’s device with inductive technology. Amazon is forging closer relationships with carmakers as well. The company recently launched a deep partnership with Ford Motor to embed Alexa in 700,000 cars this year. That system lets a user access

OUTSIDE OF ITS ALEXA DIVISION, AMAZON HAS BEEN WORKING ON A HOME ROBOT CODENAMED VESTA FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THE ROBOT, WHICH USES THE ALEXA INTERFACE, WAS CONCEIVED AS A SECURITY TOOL

SPEAKERS AND WEARABLES PUSH Amazon is also weighing a larger wearables push beyond its recently launched Halo fitness tracker. The company has internally discussed a slew of new offerings, including a model geared toward kids and another for senior citizens that would detect when they fall and monitor activities. The company has explored building an Alexa-powered karaoke microphone codenamed Jackson and planned to release the device this year. But the team working on that product has been disbanded. Amazon has also looked into adding a suite of health sensors to its devices, along with baby-monitoring features. The company has discussed using ultrasound-based sensors to track temperature, sleep and snoring, and breathing quality. And it has explored features that would help users cope with hearing disabilities. NEW CHIPS Amazon is also discussing major changes to the underpinnings of its devices. It has a team working on new custom chips for future versions of the Echo and is looking to better align its software across its multiple device categories. Fully dedicated processors could help improve artificial intelligence and may be a step up from the technology it’s developed with MediaTek, that company has supplied chips that include elements for processing, which Amazon calls AZ1. Apple which has designed its own main processors since 2010, launched a so-called neural engine component for AI tasks in 2017. Since then, Alphabet’s Google has introduced a similar chip for its Pixel phones. And chips are already a major area of focus for the Amazon Web Services cloud division, which has been embedding custom processors in its server racks for years. Another focus is getting products to work together more smoothly. Amazon is looking to better align its Alexa and Fire TV operating systems to help integrate its Echo and TV devices. Bloomberg 0 1 7

W O R L D

N E W S

THE LATEST TECH NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD

Oxford University and Oracle collaborate to detect Covid-19 variants faster Oxford University has partnered with Oracle to develop a Global Pathogen Analysis System (GPAS) that allows scientists and decision-makers to identify Covid-19 variants faster. Built using Oxford’s Scalable Pathogen Pipeline Platform (SP3), Oracle APEX, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), the GPAS is a cloud platform that provides a unified, standardised system for analysing and comparing the annotated genomic sequence data of Sars-Cov-2. Researchers are using the system to upload pathogen data and receive comprehensive results within minutes. With user permission, the results may be shared with participating laboratories around the globe in a secure environment.

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Cybercrime attacks on Australians increase to 1 every 8 minutes Australian authorities are blaming the pandemic for a 13 per cent rise in cybercrime, saying malicious actors have pivoted to exploit those working from home and targeting vulnerable people and health services to conduct espionage and steal money and sensitive data. The Australian Cyber Security Centre received more than 67,500 cybercrime incidents in the 12 months to June 30 — or one every eight minutes. Ransomware-related cybercrime reports increased nearly 15 per cent in that time, according to its annual report.

Amazon’s Ring targets pro security market with new services Amazon’s Ring smart doorbell launched a $20-a-month subscription that offers monitoring and backup cellular web connection, designed to kick in if the home internet service goes out. The new offering was launched alongside the $250 Ring Alarm Pro, which can store video locally and on Ring’s servers. With a separate service, called Virtual Security Guard, customers can have Ring forward video that triggers a motion alert to third-party monitoring companies. Depending on what agents on the other side of the video see, they can tap into the camera’s speaker to communicate with the person, activate a camera’s siren or call emergency services.

Mastercard offers installment plans as ‘buy now, pay later’ booms Mastercard will make it easier for banks to offer installment plans as consumers flock to options for paying off purchases over time. With Mastercard’s new push, lenders will be able to approve consumers for an installment loan before a purchase or offer the option during checkout, the company said in a statement. According to Linda Kirkpatrick, Mastercard’s president of North America, the new initiative will allow lenders to utilise individuals’ financial data – information it gained access to after buying the data aggregation company, Finicity last year – in their underwriting decisions.

Salesforce raises sales outlook on strong software demand Salesforce raised its revenue outlook for fiscal year 2022 to range between $26.25bn and $26.35bn. The company had already reported a strong gain in quarterly sales in its second quarter, with profits topping analysts’ estimates. At the time, the company said sales in the current fiscal year ending January 31, 2022 would reach as much as $26bn. Salesforce also forecast in a statement that sales during the fiscal year 2023 will reach between $31.65bn and $31.8bn.

Netflix’s gaming push is coming together, but lacks release date Netflix co-chief executive officer Ted Sarandos said he’s thrilled with the company’s efforts to expand into gaming, but the timing of the plan remains foggy. Sarandos discussed the push into video games at the Code Conference in Beverly Hills, California, saying there was no hard deadline for the move. The embrace of video games marks Netflix’s first significant foray beyond TV shows and films. At the conference, Sarandos also tamped down the idea that Netflix might buy a cinema chain. He said that movie theaters will survive the streaming era, but they’ll become more expensive. He also said Netflix wasn’t thinking about being acquired.

- WITH INPUTS FROM BLOOMBERG

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COVER STORY OPPO

UNLEASHING

IMAGINATION

OPPO, ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING SMARTPHONE COMPANIES GLOBALLY, LAUNCHED THE NEW RENO6 SERIES WHICH FEATURES ENHANCED PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY CAPABILITIES B Y D I V S H A B H AT 0 2 0

“P

hotography is the only language that can be understood anywhere in the world,” said Bruno Barbey, a Moroccan-born French photographer. This is very true since a photo conveys a message, a mood, and an emotion. And, with smartphone usage increasing at an exponential rate – both in the region and worldwide – it has become the layman’s camera to capture lives. As the shutter-hungry populace – particularly the younger generation – is seeking better images, smartphone manufacturers globally are in a constant battle to deliver improved photography experiences through their phones. Intending to create a device that can capture every emotion, OPPO, one of the fastest-growing smartphone companies globally, launched the new Reno6 Series which features photography and videography enhancements. With three new variations – Reno6 5G, Reno6 Pro 5G and the Reno6 Z 5G, Reno6 Series smartphones are designed for trendsetting individuals, gaming enthusiasts and the next generation. The Reno6 specialises in AI Portrait videos, enhanced with a plethora of capabilities to create a cinematic effect. These features will enable customers to record key life events professionally and creatively, enabling them to capture moments, memories, and feelings within a beautiful, one-of-a-kind setting. With the launch of the Reno6 series, OPPO reaffirmed its commitment to providing GCC customers with technology that fits their lives.

From the ultra-connectivity of 5G to professional-level videography and photography, the launch also saw the company unveil two true wireless earphones – the OPPO Enco Air and OPPO Enco Buds, which it says are the perfect accessory for the Reno6 Series. “This launch reverberates Reno Series’ distinct blend of trendy aesthetics with a light, thin and comfortable design, to make the phone not only look good, but also very practical in resisting fingerprints and scratches due to the patent-granted Reno Glow process,” says Tarek Zaki, senior product manager – MEA at OPPO. To date, the Reno Series serves more than 70 million users across the world each month on average, capturing over 236 million memories through video. “OPPO takes no shortcuts” OPPO has always been particular about the design, display, and performance of their devices. The new series of smartphones has had to undergo durability, and performance quality tests involving environmental and mechanical stress,. Explaining the new benchmark, Zaki explains that the company ensures that every device delivers an all-round, optimal user experience. “Stability and reliability are among the main factors that define whether a device passes the test – and OPPO takes no shortcuts when it comes to quality. We pride ourselves on our rigorous testing, undertaken at the OPPO QE Reliability Lab with the aim of maintaining high, standardised product quality across the board. From product development to mass production, the lab is tasked with testing products against the strictest quality standards. An OPPO device reaches consumers after a journey of 150 tests – including stress, durability, performance and more,” he adds. Out of the box To give a premium feel, the OPPO Reno6 Pro 5G, the hero variant of the Reno6 Series, is designed to appeal to a younger audience with unique colours and an innovative finishing. Addressing the 0 2 1

COVER STORY OPPO

The DOL-HDR technology (IMX766) utilises a “quasi-simultaneous” technique to take both long and short exposures of the same shot in a significantly reduced amount of time” The smartphone also features a large 4500mAh battery and 65W SuperVOOC 2.0, which can charge from 0 to 100 per cent in only 31 minutes, in addition to a slew of power-saving technologies.

Staying true to its tagline, ‘capture every emotion in portrait’, the smartphone’s focus tracking function automatically locks and tracks focus on faces

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new generation’s needs, the smartphone company states that mobile phones are no longer just communication tools, instead, they represent one’s taste and style. The Reno6 Pro 5G is a thin 7.99mm device that weighs 188g and inherits OPPO’s Reno Glow, the company’s patented design, with two additional colours - Arctic Blue and Lunar Grey. While Arctic Blue has an improved Reno Glow effect, Lunar Grey has a gleaming, transparent, and pure metallic silver finish. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G mobile platform with a Kryo 585 CPU, operating at up to 3.2GHz. OPPO’s Reno6 Pro 5G also has 12GB of RAM and OPPO’s self-developed RAM expansion technology. Some of the available ROM storage can be converted to RAM space when the feature is turned on. In addition, the Reno6 Pro’s original 12GB of RAM may be augmented by an extra 3GB/5GB/7GB of memory as needed, allowing it to function smoothly even when multiple apps are running simultaneously. The smartphone also features two sensors on the front and rear of the phone that detect ambient light to enable 360-degree light sensing. Consequently, auto-brightness accuracy has significantly increased, ensuring that the viewing experience is as comfortable as possible.

Lights, camera, action ”After conducting market research, OPPO found that many tech-savvy consumers were seeking brand affinity and a 360-degree experience with their smartphones, beyond specifications and features,” says Lucy Aziz, senior PR and communication manager – GCC at OPPO. Hence, the company was heavily focused on innovating to cater to this market segment. The smartphone tech giant developed an enhanced series to ensure that the best camera and flash charging experience would remain available to all. With a 50MP AI quad-camera matrix on the back, and a 32MP selfie camera on the front, the Sony IMX766 sensor, and OPPO’s AI capabilities, users can effortlessly shoot professional-looking portrait films with the new Bokeh Flare Portrait Video. The feature adds DSLR-like cinematic bokeh flare effects to portrait movies with improved, AI highlight video and flash snapshot. The powerful image sensor behind the primary camera – Sony IMX766 – is what sets it apart, states OPPO. The DOL-HDR technology (IMX766) utilises a “quasi-simultaneous” technique to take both long and short exposures of the same shot in a significantly reduced amount of time. As a result, one can

TAREK ZAKI Senior product manager – MEA OPPO

ON Bokeh Flare Portrait

capture both shots almost simultaneously, reducing the ghosting and motion blur observed in standard HDR images. In addition, real-time previews of HDR images are also available on the Reno6 Pro 5G display. The Bokeh Flare Portrait Video.- which gives the smartphone video a cinematic bokeh effect, essentially transforms background lights into spheres to make the subject in the frame stand out. Another interesting feature, the AI highlight video, creates more transparent, brighter, and vividly coloured portrait films, whether filming at night or with intense lighting during the day. Staying true to its tagline, ‘capture every emotion in portrait’, the smartphone’s focus tracking function automatically locks and tracks focus on faces, people, emotions, and pets. “We have honed in on our customers’ wants and needs, especially with the Reno6’s AI Portrait Video capabilities, aimed to provide OPPO users with a superior portrait video experience,” says Zaki. Mobile gaming Smartphone gaming has witnessed accelerated growth in the Middle East in the last few years. According to a report by Newzoo, mobile gaming in the region is projected to grow to $4.4bn by 2022. Given the region’s young demographic, smartphone manufacturers are keeping up with the new generation’s demands by introducing mobile gaming. The OPPO Reno6 Pro 5G delivers realistic progaming sound. All status bars, gestures, buttons, floating windows, and alerts are disabled when gamer mode is enabled, ensuring total immersion in the virtual environment. A co-created functionality for PUBG mobile game situations has also been added in the Reno6 Series. Users can momentarily exit the game, respond to messages, or use other applications while still keeping an eye on the countdown progress of the plane’s launch via a little floating. Once ready to return to the action, or the parachute leaping is about to begin, a click on the quick return bubble and the player would be back on the gaming ground in no time. Regionally Recognised OPPO has gained significant traction in the Middle

East and Africa market since its launch five years ago, with the Reno Series achieving great success. “We were overwhelmed by the initial response to the Reno6 Series in the GCC, which has surpassed Reno5 pre-orders by an incredible 300 per cent since its launch was OFF Bokeh Flare Portrait first announced on September 7, 2021,” says Aziz. “Our brand philosophy resonates with consumers, and this motivates us to continue to serve our customers with all our heart,” she explains. OPPO is also investing heavily in regional partnerships with exciting plans lined up for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup taking place in the UAE and Oman with OPPO as the global partner. “Additionally, we are hosting a gaming tournament in collaboration with PUBG mobile later this year following a long-standing partnership with the gaming platform,” explains Aziz. The company will also exhibit a strong presence at GITEX Global. OPPO has some amazing collaborations, exciting launches, and unique campaigns in the pipeline. However, the brand has chosen not to reveal details so as to keep customers on their toes.. OPPO is committed to delivering unforgettable experiences that inspire users to fully express themselves. LUCY AZIZ Senior PR and communication manager – GCC OPPO

Our brand philosophy resonates with consumers, and this motivates us to continue to serve our customers with all our heart” 0 2 3

COVER STORY OPPO

RENO6 PRO 5G POST-PRODUCTION MAGIC

AI PALETTE Apply the style of photos you you like from online images onto your own in just one click

REAR

50MP MAIN CAMERA • Sony IMX766 sensor • 1/1.56‘’ large photosensitive area • f/1.8 aperture • Supports OIS

ADD A PERSONAL TOUCH

FRONT

DUAL-VIEW VIDEO users can record videos from both the front and rear-cameras simultaneously

AOD PORTRAIT SILHOUETTE use an outline from a portrait photo as your phone’s lock screen

PERFORMANCE Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor

ARCTIC BLUE COLOUR features improved OPPO Reno Glow effect BOKEH FLARE PORTRAIT VIDEO adds DSLR-like cinematic bokeh flare effects to portrait movies

Available across OPPO’s regional websites and retail partner stores in the UAE and lower Gulf at a recommended retail price of Dhs2,999 0 2 4

INTERVIEW WITH THE CEO

‘OPPO’RTUNITIES AHEAD In an exclusive interview, Ivan Wu, CEO at OPPO GCC, explains more about the brand’s plans for 2022

OPPO Reno6 Pro 5G takes the experience to a whole new level by providing the industry’s first exclusive camera feature to accurately identify the main human subject in any complex background”

IN THE NEW RENO6 SERIES, WHAT WAS THE IDEA BEHIND THE BOKEH FLARE PORTRAIT VIDEO? The enhanced video and photography functions available in the Reno6 Series were created to allow consumers to professionally and artistically capture precious life moments, helping them preserve memories and emotions within a beautiful, unique context. The previous generation of the OPPO Reno Series featured the bokeh video feature, which blurred the background while keeping the subject in focus as the video is recording. The OPPO Reno6 Pro 5G takes the experience to a whole new level by providing the industry’s first exclusive camera feature to accurately identify the main human subject in any complex background, turning lights into dreamy spheres with rich colours that make subjects pop.

The concept was created with the aim of having instant access to a phone or tablet device without the screen creases often associated with traditional folding screens. It is testament to OPPO’s technical expertise and research built over the years, as well as the company’s vision and exploration of experimental form factors. The device represents OPPO’s continuous research on potential interactions between people and their phones, as well as shaped-screen devices. The product and all the work that has gone into bringing it to its current state will serve as a guide for the future transformation and evolution of consumer electronic devices. Through the development of concept products, OPPO continues to accumulate proprietary technology, patents, talent, and knowledge, all used to drive business success and provide our consumers with superior offerings. The OPPO X 2021 rollable concept handset marks the arrival of the third generation of foldable smartphones. With its infinitely adjustable screen size and traceless bending screen, it represents the beginning of an entirely new experience for electronic devices. With the rollable phone, you hold an infinite world in your hands.

WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON THE ROLLABLE PHONE, VERTICAL FOLD AND HORIZONTAL FOLD? HOW DO YOU SEE THE FUTURE OF SUCH PHONES? At OPPO, we embrace the future and what it means for technology. Last year, we unveiled the OPPO X 2021, a rollable concept phone featuring a scroll-like display. Built with an OLED flexible screen that measures 6.7 inches and 7.4 inches, thanks to a dynamic sliding frame, it extends and retracts smoothly with no hard folding involved.

WHAT’S IN OPPO’ S PIPELINE FOR 2022? Underpinned by our brand mission, ‘Technology for Mankind, Kindness for the World’ , we will actively roll out unique campaigns and initiatives to convey our message to a wider audience in 2022. Additionally, we will continue to provide impeccable customer service and strengthen our brand presence with our premium product offering and services.

HOW DO OPPO SMARTPHONES ENSURE A RELIABLE USER EXPERIENCE? OPPO innovates for the future, in the present, and with this continues to develop pioneering technology in imaging, flash charge, 5G, and design to enrich the entire experience for users. In addition to being at the forefront of advanced research and development, OPPO is the world’s only smartphone brand offering an independent global service system, enticing customers and adding to our key differentiators to stand out from competition.

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GGGIIITTTEEEXXX

THE THE REGION’S REGION’S LARGEST LARGEST EXHIBITION IT EXHIBITION HAS HAS BEEN BEEN THE REGION’S LARGEST IT IT EXHIBITION HAS BEEN DEFINING DEFINING THE THE NEWEST NEWEST TRENDS, TRENDS, PRESENTING PRESENTING INDUSTRY INDUSTRY DEFINING THE NEWEST TRENDS, PRESENTING INDUSTRY SPEAKERS SPEAKERS AND AND DISPLAYING DISPLAYING PRODUCT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS DEVELOPMENTS SPEAKERS AND DISPLAYING PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS FROM FROM ACROSS ACROSS THE THE WORLD WORLD FOR FOR OVER OVER 40 YEARS. YEARS. THIS THIS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD FOR OVER 4040 YEARS. THIS YEAR’S YEAR’S EVENT EVENT WILL WILL FEATURE FEATURE SIX SIX EVENTS EVENTS UNDER UNDER ONE ONE YEAR’S EVENT WILL FEATURE SIX EVENTS UNDER ONE ROOF, ROOF, SHOWCASING SHOWCASING NEW NEW CONCEPTS CONCEPTS A REGIONAL A REGIONAL ROOF, SHOWCASING NEW CONCEPTS TOTO ATO REGIONAL AND AND GLOBAL GLOBAL AUDIENCE AUDIENCE AND GLOBAL AUDIENCE

GGGLLL 0 20 620 62 6

LOBAL

G ITE X SPECI A L

itex Global, the UAE’s annual tech event, is back with its 41st edition and set to run from October 17-21, 2021 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The event that attracts thousands of technology enthusiasts from across the globe will focus on artificial intelligence, 5G, cloud, blockchain, cybersecurity, big data, quantum computing, immersive technologies, fintech and other emerging technologies. Some of the participating tech giants include Huawei, Cisco, Ericsson, Avaya, Etisalat, Epson, Honeywell, Dell Technologies, Kaspersky, VMware, AWS, and Infor. The event will feature many innovations and provide the opportunity to attend six tech events all at once: Gitex Global, Gitex Future Stars, Future Blockchain Summit, AI Everything, Marketing Mania and Fintech Surge.

WHAT’S NEW IN 2021? GITEX GLOBAL VISIONS SUMMIT This summit will showcase the visions and digital revolutions of the region’s government leaders on the occasion of the UAE’s golden jubilee.

GITEX YOUTHX With a unique programme focused on bringing emerging talents closer to the practitioner ecosystem each year, this platform supports the development of young talents.

GITEX DATA ECONOMY This platform will concentrate on the most critical aspects of digital transformation, including data science, coding, and development. Gitex’s DevSlam will be the region’s first and only developer event aimed at empowering young programmers. Three accredited trainings and two certified workshops will also take place.

CREATIVE ECONOMY The re-imagine creative economy circle will bring together the energetic change makers and tech revolutionaries from the fields of art, fashion, music, and sports. Global industry names, like The Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, ABRIESP, and Studio of Brazil have already signed on as partners to enhance the Creative Economy project, with many more to follow, reported Magnitt.

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G ITE X SPECI A L Gitex Future Stars – the startup arm of Gitex Global will have

700+ C O M PA N IE S F ROM 60+ C O U N T R IES

Some of the key speakers at Gitex Future Stars will include Faisal Al Hawi, head of accelerator and incubators, Dubai Future Foundation; Sharif El-Badawi, CEO, Stealth VC Fund; Sandy Grigsby, founder, BrioFIVE; Baher Al-Hakim, CEO, Medicus AI and Imad Hammad, founder and CEO, CarSwitch.

AI EVERYTHING

WOMEN IN TECH The global finals of the TiE Women pitch competition will be held at Gitex, where women-led businesses from more than 40 locations will compete for equity-free cash awards, mentorship, investor networking, and visibility. The grand finale will be held on October 19 at GitexFuture Stars. The Women in AI and Data event will provide mentorship, soft skills development, and networking opportunities to empower women via technology and data. With almost 14,000 women educated worldwide, the MENA branch will debut in Dubai in October. Gitex Global will also offer accredited artificial intelligence and data science training programmes. In addition, attendees can also participate in workshops for business professionals.

GITEX FUTURE STARS Gitex Future Stars – the startup arm of Gitex Global will feature more than 700 companies from over 60 countries. The global entrepreneurs will have access to the region’s expanding tech market, while regional companies will have the opportunity to get international visibility. The Gitex YouthX Unipreneur, the first-ever entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership programme for young tech firms, will also debut in 2021. The YouthX Unipreneur, which is open to both universities and student startups, will dedicate two days of seminars, a Youth Pitch Battle, and a dedicated display area to the innovative concepts developed by them.

[ABOVE] 3D printer surrounded by colorful mugs [RIGHT] Internet of Things and smart city concept

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When it comes to digital transformation, the pandemic has taught organisations and industry leaders valuable lessons. Using new technology such as artificial intelligence is one of the most persuasive teachings. AI has the potential to fundamentally disrupt markets in the Middle East by creating innovative new services and entirely new business models. With the eruption of AI, some of the market leaders in 10, even five years, may be companies you’ve never heard of, says PwC. In line with this growth, Ai Everything, the global artificial intelligence ecosystem, brings together industry experts to form an impactful conference, where innovators gather to showcase the most significant cross-sector tech events.

GITEX GLOBAL WILL ALSO OFFER ACCREDITED ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND DATA SCIENCE TRAINING PROGRAMMES. IN ADDITION, ATTENDEES CAN ALSO PARTICIPATE IN WORKSHOPS FOR BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS

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G ITE X SPECI A L FUTURE BLOCKCHAIN SUMMIT Future Blockchain Summit, launched in 2018 by the Dubai Government, is the first Blockchain expo and conference in the MENA region, bringing together the community’s entrepreneurs and investors. Three key subjects will be addressed throughout the event. 1. Blockchain in Finance, which includes DeFi, digital currencies, and CBDCs. 2. Blockchain as an alternative investment option, including crypto and NFT investments 3. Blockchain beyond cryptocurrency, with applications and use cases in every industrial area.

FINTECH SURGE Contactless payments have recently increased by 70 per cent in the MENA, with the region's fintech sector expected to be worth $2.5bn by 2022, according to a

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report by Clifford Chance. Fintech Surge, which brings together global fintech experts, entrepreneurs, and financial centres, is poised to be the most influential and visionary event for the Middle East and North Africa’s fintech sector. From digital banking to paytech, insuretech, wealth and asset management and regtech, Fintech Surge will see financial sector tech-revolutions and presentations by industry experts and entrepreneurs. Some of the key exhibitors at this event include Accurascan, Beehive, Credolab, Al Fardan Exchange, and YAP.

MARKETING MANIA Marketing Mania, an event for mar-tech experts, will be hosted in conjunction with GITEX Global to discuss innovative and inspiring methods for marketers to engage customers.

QUICK SHOWCASE Mimecast Mimecast will showcase its security services during the show – advanced email and web security solutions, brand protection capabilities and awareness training. The company will also introduce their artificial intelligence offering, Mimecast CyberGraph. “CyberGraph is a new add-on for Mimecast Secure Email Gateway (SEG) that is engineered to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to help detect sophisticated phishing and impersonation attacks. CyberGraph creates an identity graph which is built to store information about relationships between all senders and recipients,” says Werno Gevers, regional manager, Mimecast.

Liferay Liferay will exhibit the complete digital experience – from understanding the customer with data to delivering value with commerce, and its capabilities within a suite of connected applications built with full security on a single platform. “We aim to identify opportunities that accelerate implementation of

innovative solutions in the digital transformation matrix of driving future smart economies. We complement digital transformation initiatives led by many vendors such as Microsoft, Software AG, Red Hat amongst others for better experiences for our combined customers,” says Moussalam Dalati, general manager, Liferay Middle East.

Ring Ring plans to showcase its suite of smart home security products, which includes video doorbells and cameras – all wifi enabled and equipped with HD video, motion-activated alerts, two-way talk, and night vision. It also plans to place the spotlight on its wired video doorbell as well as its stick-up cams and indoor cam. “We have seen a strong traction for Ring in the Middle East region and this trend is continuing to grow. Our plan is to expand our regional footprint further. We are also adding a new line-up of products that will complement our current offering as well open new opportunities in different target verticals,” says Mohammad Meraj Hoda, vice president of business development – Middle East Africa, Ring.

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G ITE X SPECI A L

ManageEngine ManageEngine will showcase its suite of IT management solutions for the GCC market, a portfolio of over 40 products, ranging from IT service management, operations management, active directory management, IT security, analytics, endpoint management and more. “We always look forward to announcing important company and product developments at Gitex Global for maximum reach in the region. This year we intend to announce some key feature and compliance updates within our IT security portfolio. Further, we will also be launching an endpoint data loss prevention solution and an add-on product for ransomware detection within our unified endpoint management solution - desktop central,” says Nirmal Kumar Manoharan, regional sales director, ManageEngine.

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Pure Storage Pure Storage will showcase their two new solutions — Pure fusion and Portworx data services that will significantly progress the company’s vision of modernising how customers work with data. “Since our founding, Pure has delivered simplicity and reliability at scale — what organisations need more than ever as they increasingly adopt cloud native architectures and modern applications like AI/ML and advanced analytics,” said Charles Giancarlo, Chairman and CEO, Pure Storage. “Our new software innovations further our goal of making infrastructure invisible to developers, using it as simple as calling an API, and delivering it as a service.”

Software AG At this year’s Gitex Global, visitors to the Software AG booth will be able to witness IoT use cases including ones developed by university students under Software AG’s ‘Future Disruptors Award’. These include a smart parking system, social distancing detector and a digitalised hotel check-in system. “The showcase also includes a gamified Smart Bike built with IoT and Edge capabilities combined. This will convert data into value by analysing the rider’s information such as posture impact on cycling speed, and other KPIs such as average speed, power and total distance, reiterating how IoT and Ai can also help in sporting endeavours,” says Rami Kichli, VP – Gulf and Levant, Software AG.

Mandiant This year, Mandiant will showcase several solutions including Mandiant Advantage, which is a SaaS platform that offers a controlsagnostic suite of products to help organisations understand their external and internal risks and provides the automation to operationalise it effectively and efficiently. “Mandiant Advantage productises attacker expertise and threat intelligence capabilities into accessible, automated solutions that instantly provide the scale and capability that security teams so desperately need. Supporting more than 60 security technologies, cloud platforms and network management tools, the Mandiant Advantage SaaS platform works with best-of-breed, multi-vendor controls to deliver world-class XDR capabilities,” says Gordon Love, VP – MEA, Mandiant.

Avaya

Infor Infor will demonstrate solutions including its CloudSuites for industrial manufacturing, distribution, healthcare and automotive. Infor will also showcase its enterprise applications and enterprise resource planning (ERP) engines which are designed for specific industries. The company will also feature distinct zones enabling visitors from specific industries to understand how their organisation can transform and gain the full advantages of cloud, positioning them to embrace new technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. “Because of our industry focus, we can offer a complete 360-degree, endto-end transformation of our customer’s enterprise, not just the finances or inventory,” says Amel Gardner, VP and GM for Infor, MEA.

N.Thing N.Thing is a Seoul-based agritech company which entered the UAE market in 2020 when it partnered with Sarya Holdings to build vertical farm Smart Acres. The company will showcase at Gitex Global its IoT technology and will present its ‘Cube’, a modularised container vertical farm for hydroponic smart farming, which fully controls the growing environment, growth duration, and product quality with IoT technology and dedicated OS. The CEO of N.THING, Leo Kim, shares, “We are delighted to be able to exhibit N.Thing’s technology to like-minded innovation seekers at Gitex 2021. Our company has spent years developing our modular containers, and after a successful year working with Smart Acres following our proof of concept stage, we are happy to share what our company has achieved.”

Avaya will showcase a vision of 'Total Experience' that enables organisations to compose the solutions they need to address these trends with Avaya OneCloud, the AI-powered experience platform. The company’s presence will also host a number of Experience Builders, a global ecosystem of partners and customers accelerating digital transformation, meeting the API economy head-on, and elevating employee and customer experiences. “With the Avaya OneCloud solutions and Experience Builders we’re showcasing at Gitex 2021, organisations are being given the composable solutions they need to re-imagine the experiences they provide, and empower their employees to drive customer retention,” says Nidal Abou-Ltaif, president, Avaya International.

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BRAND VIEW

EURONET

Digitally driven Euronet aims to enable payment digitisation across the Middle East and provide consumers with the state-of-the-art payment experiences they want to use

with our networks’ worldwide reach and real-time power, these capabilities provide us – and our customers – a presence in every level of the global payments value chain across countries worldwide. As of July 2021, this extensive payment network includes 46,246 ATMs, approximately 375,000 EFT-POS terminals and a growing portfolio of outsourced debit and credit card services which are under management in 61 countries; card software solutions; a prepaid processing network of approximately 748,000 POS terminals at about 333,000 retailer locations in 60 countries; and a global money transfer network of roughly 490,000 sites serving 160 countries. How long have you been with the company? Also, can you elaborate on its presence in the MEAP region? Having been with Euronet for 20 years, I have been privileged to launch operations in Africa and the Middle East in 2001 and 2005, respectively, and in Pakistan in 2011.

As of July 2021, this extensive payment network includes 46,246 ATMs, approximately 375,000 EFT-POS terminals” Can you outline the unique solutions that you oﬀer? Euronet Worldwide is an industry leader in processing secure electronic financial transactions. The company offers payment and transaction processing solutions to financial institutions, retailers, service providers and individual consumers. These services include comprehensive ATM, POS and card outsourcing services, card issuing and merchant acquiring services,

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MOHAMED MOUSA VP-Euronet Worldwide and chairman – Euronet Middle East

software solutions, cash-based and online-initiated consumer-to-consumer and business-to-business money transfer services, and electronic distribution of digital media and prepaid mobile phone time. Euronet has built a unique platform of networks that drives transactions in the quickly evolving global payments landscape through diverse cash-based and digitally driven services for consumers and businesses. Combined

What are the main challenges being faced within the payments industry? The payments industry is facing multiple challenges, including uncertainty, regulations, fraud and disruption. The pandemic has affected the ability of institutions to adopt short, medium, and long term plans and altered the way the whole industry is operating. On the positive side, it has accelerated the rollout of digitisation. We have seen giant steps taken in these directions, with some projects being completed within a year that might have taken decades without the pandemic. At the centre of the speed and scale of this digital transformation are fintech companies, which are moving with giant steps to meet consumer demands for real-time payments and other payment services. In addition to the challenges created by these rapid changes, regulations imposed by the government to streamline the relationships between providers and consumers to ensure

G B T E C H TA L K

AT THE CENTRE OF THE SPEED AND SCALE OF THIS DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ARE FINTECH COMPANIES, WHICH ARE MOVING WITH GIANT STEPS TO MEET CONSUMER DEMANDS FOR REAL-TIME PAYMENTS AND OTHER PAYMENT SERVICES”

the security of operations and to legalise the digital transformation. Finally, all the new processes and increased dependency on digital operations has increased the possibility for fraud. Fraudsters are now highly sophisticated and complete business units are being built within the payment industry to fight the issue through new processes and techniques. Every business or sector has been affected in some way or the other by the ongoing pandemic. How did Euronet Worldwide manage to maintain business continuity during this crucial period? Like all other companies worldwide, Euronet was affected by the pandemic. At the same time, the company took a very positive approach and

adopted an expansion strategy where it looked at these challenges as opportunities. Since day one of the pandemic, it started with taking a conscious call not to let go of any of its employees worldwide. Instead, the company looked for opportunities to acquire companies to complement its portfolio and expanded its ATM/EFT business to enter new countries and deploy additional ATMs. As a result of the accelerated dependency in the market for payments digitisation during the pandemic, Euronet continued its focus on digital products, accelerating its deployment of new products, resulting in record sales for its epay business segment and money transfer segment. Also, Euronet accelerated its focus on its state-of-the-art payments software, REN, which

fulfils the needs of the fintech sector and real-time payments deployment worldwide. By adopting these strategies, Euronet has effectively managed the pandemic situation despite the challenges. What makes Euronet Worldwide stand apart from the rest of the players/competitors in the market? Euronet is one of the few players in the world that is a true one-stop shop for any financial institution, providing it with everything it needs, including software, EFT outsourcing, digital products and contents, money transfer systems, ATM/POS networks around the world that can accept its cards, and unique access to 3.6 billion bank accounts where funds can be sent and received. Furthermore, Euronet has offices in over 60 countries and is one of the few financial providers in the world that uses the same software that it licenses to customers. What plans does Euronet have for Expo 2020? Euronet has been very focused on this event and already deployed some of its products like dynamic currency conversion with banks in UAE to ease the ATM money withdrawal for tourists planning to visit the country during the Expo period. We continue to work with banks for expanded deployment of such products and services in the market. What are your key goals for the rest of the year and 2022? For the rest of 2021, we will continue to execute the expansion strategy that we have adopted for the region, resulting in more clients across the Middle East and Pakistan. We plan to enable payment digitisation across these countries and provide consumers with the state-of-the-art payment experiences they want to use.

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BRAND VIEW

N E TA F I M

We also accelerated our digital transformation by enhancing and enabling online platforms” ELAD LEVI VP - head of MEA Netafim

Driving the future of farming with innovation “Netafim is ideally suited to serve the GCC region as our roots are founded in desert-agriculture,” says Elad Levi, VP - head of MEA, Netafim Can you tell us about Netafim, its specific business model and what sets the company apart from the rest of the competition? Netafim was the first company globally to invent and commercialise drip irrigation technology back in the 1960s. Today, it is the world’s largest irrigation

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company, and we continue to innovate within the sphere of precision irrigation to fight the scarcity of food, water, and land by providing advanced agricultural technologies and services. Our technology comprises over 150 registered patents with 250 pending, illustrating our position at the

forefront of this field. Our offerings include systems resistant to extreme conditions, water filtration technologies for harsh water, micro irrigation for various applications, alongside other durable and labour-saving products for irrigation systems, all of which are monitored and operated by our digital farming solutions. We are an end-to-end irrigation projects company. We design, install, maintain and operate irrigation projects ranging from a few hectares to many thousands of hectares per project. Uniquely, Netafim specialises in large scale irrigated projects. We deliver projects from the water source to plant roots, providing pumping stations, water conduction grids, reservoirs and all in-field components. We offer unique service models to large-scale customers including “irrigation-as-a-service”, enabling customers to implement advanced irrigation solutions with minimised irrigation-related risk in a lease-like model. We also offer operation and maintenance packages that shift the management attention related to irrigation from the customer to Netafim’s experts, allowing farming entities to focus on maximising the value from their farms. We also provide crop expertise and solutions. Netafim employs over 150 agronomists worldwide, constantly developing best practices in crop cultivation. For example, our recent drip irrigation solution for rice saves 70 per cent water compared to traditional rice farming. Tell us in brief about digital farming and your solution – ‘NetBeat’ Netbeat is the first irrigation system with a ‘brain’. Operated remotely via a smartphone or computer, the system provides the key elements of irrigation and fertigation operation including monitoring soil, climate, and plant condition alongside analysis of field conditions including providing recommendations to the farmer. What is the future of irrigation technology? Irrigation technology centers on

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developments will be embedded in agricultural applications such as agromachinery, irrigation, fertigation, crop protection and post-harvest processes. Coupled with this, remote and autonomous operations of farming activities are increasing, enabling farmers to maximise the effectiveness and efficiency of the farm while minimising resources. In turn, this will benefit consumers with fresher, healthier food and the use of these technologies significantly reduces the footprint of CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural production.

WE CAN OFFER GCC COUNTRIES AGRICULTURAL SOLUTIONS CREATED TO WORK IN HOT AND CHALLENGING CLIMATES WITH SANDY SOILS AND MARGINAL WATER USE” delivering water and nutrients to plants in a precise and efficient manner, enabling optimal growing conditions and higher yields with minimum use of resources. By making drip systems even more robust, easier to operate and with lower pressureenergy requirements, we believe drip technology will replace low efficiency methods like flood irrigation. The “pixelisation” of irrigation blocks – we see the need to make irrigation even more precise, reaching management of crops by tree level. This trend follows the remote sensing abilities that are evolving exponentially. What is your business strategy post-pandemic? The pandemic highlighted the vital need of food security to governments and we experienced record demand for our products and solutions including greenhouses and controlled environment technologies. We reshaped our strategy to support this demand via innovation, production capacity and M&As, including acquiring of Gakon (a leading Dutch greenhouse company) and completing our in-house capabilities for

protected agriculture. We also accelerated our digital transformation by enhancing and enabling digital platforms, providing our customers with online access to vast knowledge. How are you tackling the GCC region’s food security challenges? Netafim is ideally suited to serve the GCC region as our roots are founded in desert-agriculture. We can offer GCC countries agricultural solutions created to work in hot and challenging climates with sandy soils and marginal water use. From growing vegetables, grains and forage crops, whether in an open-field or controlled environment, our track record in desert farming is unparalleled. Talking about smart agriculture, what do you think farms of tomorrow will look like? We see two main trends that are woven together. Across the world, there is a natural transition of farming businesses between generations, and the younger generation is likely to accelerate the adoption of top agricultural technologies. AI, robotics, big data and other technological

Can you share some examples of successful projects in the Middle East and Africa region? In Africa, we have partnered with the government of Rwanda to build a water and irrigation infrastructure for 5,600 hectares of land (Phase A) including a fully automated drip irrigation and fertigation scheme – both for the local community as well as multinational investors – fulfilling the vision of Paul Kagame, the President of the Republic of Rwanda. We supplied irrigation and consulting to Azam Group company, one of the Africa’s conglomerates for more than 2000-hectare sugarcane project. The maximum yield for sugarcane in this location is up to 45 tonnes per hectare. Azam Group together with Netafim achieved more than 180 tonnes per hectare, showcasing the potential of advanced irrigation technologies across all climatic and soil conditions. In Gabon, we recently kicked-off the largest drip-irrigation project in the world. In Morocco we have accomplished a fourth yearly double-digit growth in a row and we are getting prepared to establish a manufacturing plant during the second half of 2022. In the GCC, we are serving multiple customers at various scales. We are exploring partnerships, both with private and government sectors, focusing on serving our partners globally while developing advanced solutions in order to jointly address the issue of regional food security and prosperity.

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F E AT U R E S EDTECH

REVOLUTION UNDERWAY IN EDUCATION SECTOR AS TECHNOLOGY TAKES HOLD ALTHOUGH COVID RESTRICTIONS HAVE EASED IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD, THE PROGRESS MADE IN DIGITISING EDUCATION WILL REMAIN RELEVANT BY DAVID NDICHU

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Education technology, or edtech, was instrumental in enabling hundreds of millions of students globally to continue their education during the Covid-19 pandemic. While most leveraged basic teleconferencing tools at the time, the pandemic revealed the potential of technology to revolutionise education. In the post-pandemic era, countries in the region can accelerate the transformation to knowledgebased economies by innovating the education sector. According to research firm Markets&Markets, the global edtech and smart classroom market size is expected to grow from $85.8bn in 2020 to $181.3bn by 2025, at a CAGR of 16.1 per cent during the forecast period. The researchers attribute this growth to “increasing penetration of mobile devices and easy availability of internet users, growing demand for edtech solutions, impact of Covid-19 pandemic and growing online teaching-learning models to keep running the education system.”

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21st century education Although Covid restrictions have eased in many parts of the world, the progress made in digitising education will remain relevant. Authorities in many parts of the world can build on this digital foundation to create a genuinely 21st century education system that blends traditional teaching models with the technology tools that have emerged in the last two years. One of the benefits of online education is that it dramatically expands teaching methods. While traditional education still relies on a chalkboard setting or similar, videos, podcasts, games and virtual reality greatly expand the repertoire of tools available to educators. This variety caters to the idea that we all respond differently to different stimuli, allowing students to choose what works best for them. The most important of these is video. Studies have shown that using short videos enables better processing and memory recall. Young people already consume thousands of hours of videos on YouTube and other social media platforms. Extending lessons to video allows students to process information in a way that’s natural to them. Podcasts have surged in popularity in recent years. The reason they are growing in popularity in the classroom is the same reason millions worldwide are hooked on podcasts – they are a great way to make content accessible, engaging and informative. Podcasts take learning beyond the classroom limits – for example, students could listen to a podcast on their way to school to catch up on lessons. Gamification is becoming increasingly popular in educational settings to boost engagement, collaboration and learning in remote, hybrid, and in-person learning setups. The addictive nature of gaming produces similar engagement results when game-based features such as point scoring, peer competition and teamwork are applied to the learning environment. Virtual reality (VR) is another technology gradually making its way into the education sector, a natural next step for the evolution of education. VR can improve education by providing students with memorable and immersive experiences by learning through experience. Anyone who has used a VR set knows how easy it is to forget that VR experiences aren’t real. There’s a reason flipped education is seen as the holy grail of learning. Learning materials are introduced to students through technology, usually in videos online, where they can learn while being at home. And homework is done in the classroom with the teachers by their side to guide. Flipped education marks a transition from focusing primarily on the teacher to one centred on the student.

GAMIFICATION IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS TO BOOST ENGAGEMENT, COLLABORATION AND LEARNING IN REMOTE, HYBRID, AND IN-PERSON LEARNING SETUPS The Middle East is one of the leading edtech hotspots. One of the pioneers in the region is Alef Education, whose meteoric growth since its launch in 2016 is a testament to the potential for education evolution in the region. Starting with just one school, Alef now provides solutions for 418 schools, 121,000 students and more than 10,000 teachers. The company uses the latest technologies such as AI to advance education and recently announced a partnership with the Ministry of Education in the UAE to roll out the Alef Platform to more than 200 schools across the northern emirates. The region’s educators have also emerged as true edtech pioneers. When Microsoft announced its Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Experts for 2020, 2,013 educators in the list were from the UAE, a more than six-fold growth. The UAE made up the lion’s share of the MIE Expert programme, which seeks to improve student learning through technology, with one in 10 out of 20,000 featured worldwide. “With the challenges that Covid-19 has presented for all our communities, educators have become more vital than ever. At a time of great reimagining and change, they help to reshape our world by imparting knowledge and expertise,” said Ahmed Ameen Ashour, education director, Microsoft UAE. Personalised learning Technology will not replace teachers. VIRTUAL Data from around the world shows that, REALITY IS over time, teachers’ roles become more ANOTHER central – and not peripheral – due to the TECHNOLOGY introduction of new technologies. How- GRADUALLY ever, introducing new technologies will MAKING ITS replace some of the things teachers do WAY INTO and liberate them to take on new and EDUCATION creative duties and responsibilities. Additionally, edtech enables educators to deliver personalised learning so that all students learn at their own pace, anytime and anywhere. The technology also allows students to comprehend difficult lessons better by using effective learning techniques such as engaging videos, activities and games. Teachers can then use data in the decision making, ensuring that education delivery is more effective and impactful. 0 3 9

F E AT U R E S H E A LT H T E C H

ADVANCING HEALTHCARE DELIVERY THROUGH TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP UNLEASH A FUTURE WHERE HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT IS MORE INNOVATIVE, PERSONAL AND PROVIDES THERAPIES FOR DISEASES THAT HAVE SO FAR ELUDED SCIENCE BY DAVID NDICHU

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echnology’s true value lies in its positive impact on society and delivering real human benefit. This impact is most profound in healthcare where advanced technology can enable better health outcomes and save lives. This was seen during Covid-19 when technology was applied in the entire pandemic management chain, from helping to accelerate R&D into vaccines to managing mass vaccination campaigns, contact tracing and more. Building on this foundation can help unleash a future where healthcare management is more innovative, personal and can even find therapies for diseases that have eluded science. Digital technology will cause a significant shift in healthcare systems worldwide in the next decade, improving care while also driving down medical costs. The McKinsey Global Institute estimates the costs saved could lie anywhere between $1.5 trillion and $3 trillion a year by 2030, thanks to a range of interventions such as remote monitoring, artificial intelligence and automation. The healthcare industry generates massive amounts of data, which, if analysed, could hold the key to transforming healthcare management and enabling better informed public policy decisions. However, due to the highly sensitive nature of health data, much is out of reach to researchers, halting discovery and innovation. Another problem is that data is siloed even where it is available, making it impossible for researchers to access the most up-to-date information or the most comprehensive datasets. This can slow the development of new treatments and curtail critical findings that lead to needed treatments or cures.

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But there’s hope with new technologies emerging to better protect and decentralise data to address many of these challenges, such as federated data models. Federated data leverages a particular distributed database management system to help connect data sources while accounting for privacy. Access to quality healthcare is a significant challenge even in more advanced economies. Major health facilities and medical specialists are typically in major population centres, with people in rural areas finding themselves with limited access to healthcare. But the latest e-medicine technology allows specialists to consult with patients or doctors wherever they are. Also, the rise in robotic surgery will deliver lifesaving and sophisticated medical procedures from anywhere in the world.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is helping administrative teams streamline patient flows by doing everything from accurately calculating wait times to predicting peak busy hours for staff scheduling. Meanwhile, chatbots can get through preliminary questions and prioritise schedules, so doctors can use their time more efficiently.

The use of AI and big data analytics provides a real impetus to enable data-driven healthcare decision making

Wearables in healthcare Healthcare has traditionally been the exclusive purview of medical professionals. But easily accessible technology such as wearables allows people to take a more hands-on approach to their healthcare outcomes. Wearables have made rapid progress in the last few years and now include medical-grade sensors that measure everything from stress to sleep patterns. The latest smartwatch from Fitbit (Fitbit Sense) incorporates an EDA (electrodermal activity) sensor that measures stress. Measuring EDA responses should help users understand their body’s response to stressors and help them manage their stress levels. The Fitbit Sense also features a new heart rate sensor that can detect and notify if your heart rate is outside the normal threshold. Wearables may play an essential role in detecting infectious diseases by acting as an early warning system for our bodies. Early findings from a Fitbit Covid-19 study suggest that changes in some health metrics can be detected by Fitbit devices simultaneously with the onset of Covid-19 symptoms, and in some cases, even before. Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled devices have made remote monitoring in the healthcare sector possible, empowering physicians to deliver better care. It helps reduce the duration of hospital stay and prevents re-admissions. IoT also has a significant impact on reducing healthcare costs and improving treatment outcomes.

Regional developments The healthcare infrastructure in the region is impressive, providing the government and healthcare providers with a solid foundation to build a tech-driven healthcare system. Dubai Healthcare City is a world-renowned destination for quality healthcare and a key driver for Dubai’s medical tourism push. Meanwhile, the King Fahd Medical City is one of five healthcare-related mega projects already operational and under development in the kingdom. These projects lie at the intersection of medicine, innovation, training and research and will revolutionise healthcare delivery in the region. The rolling out of integrated digital platforms such as UAE’s Riayatti, which enables the exchange of medical information within health facilities, will serve as one of the foundations of healthcare’s future. In the private sector, UAE-headquartered Aster DM Healthcare launched in 2019 a Centre of Digital Health Excellence (Aster CDHE). The platform uses data analytics to better manage workflows, patient flow, personnel flow and dynamically adapt capacity to demand proactively. “Aster’s innovation centre aims to achieve key milestones such as the introduction of innovative solutions for home healthcare with a focus on digital primary care; establishing an ecosystem of digital health partners from startups to academia, and starting digital health, informatics and medicine as a stream for future healthcare workers,” Dr Azad Moopen, founder, chairman and managing director, Aster DM Healthcare said. The healthcare industry is on THE HEALTHCARE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE the cusp of a massive revolution, a process accelerated by Covid-19. REGION IS IMPRESSIVE, PROVIDING THE With vast amounts of data genGOVERNMENT AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS erated by hospitals, the use of AI and big data analytics provides a WITH A SOLID FOUNDATION TO BUILD A TECHreal impetus to enable data-driven DRIVEN HEALTHCARE SYSTEM healthcare decision making. 0 4 1

BRAND VIEW

DELL TECHNOLOGIES

Bracing for cyber cover in today’s data era For businesses to be ahead of the curve, they need to make investing in security measures a top priority and proactively address data privacy rather than wait to address it after an attack occurs

MICHEL NADER Senior regional director – Data Protection and Cyber Recovery Solutions, MERAT Dell Technologies

n today’s always-on, always-connected economy, businesses are under pressure to enhance their cybersecurity strategy and prove to their customers that data protection is critical to their engagement strategy. As the world economy continues to digitise operations, supply chains, business transactions and employee and customer services, cyberattacks continue to be cited as one of the major threats to the world. Why businesses must act As more organisations align their businesses with digital transformation initiatives, they’re encountering new and complex risks that are expanding their attack surface. Regardless of the industry or size of the organisation, cyberattacks continually expose businesses and governments to compromised data, lost revenue due to downtime, reputational damage and costly regulatory fines. To reduce business risk caused by cyberattacks and to create a more cyber resilient approach to data protection, businesses and governments need to modernise and automate their

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recovery and business continuity strategies and leverage the latest intelligent tools to detect cyber threats and defend against them. Reacting in real-time to a cyberattack is already too late. Managing the risk requires agility, meticulous alignment across the business and testing to maintain awareness – it’s about being proactive rather than reactive. In the Middle East, cybersecurity is a critical priority for governments and businesses thanks to rapid digitisation. For example, the UAE has strengthened its cybersecurity framework and formed a new council to develop a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. The UAE also jumped 33 places to rank fifth in the Global Cybersecurity Index 2020 owing to its advanced awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. In addition, countries across the GCC, including Saudi Arabia, are implementing stringent cybercrime regulations and robust national cybersecurity strategies supported by skills training to protect national infrastructure. Defending against catastrophic data and business loss Defending a business from the worstcase scenario, mission-critical data loss requires cybersecurity expertise and a holistic approach to resilience. Synergy between technology and business processes is where true resiliency is attained where every arm of the business needs to understand where their most sensitive data and services sit and the level of risk around them. For this reason, regular scans and analysis of the internal landscape

are essential to understand these changes and the impact. By not recognising security as a potential business inhibitor, businesses open themselves to blind spots and vulnerabilities that can cause severe financial losses and reputation risks. To overcome the challenges and engage their employees, organisations must embrace a multi-pronged approach to security that includes: Providing security training to staff: It is critical that all employees understand why data security is critical at every level and how they are an important part of keeping it secure. Risk management: As data continues to grow exponentially, it is essential to leverage a variety of data protection strategies across continuous availability, replication, backup and archives, creating an effective data protection solution that can scale. Building a digital vault: Ensure there is a healthy copy of business-critical data that is kept in an isolated environment that can be recovered in case of any cyberattack. Security consistency: For businesses to be ahead of the curve, they need to make investing in security measures a top priority and proactively address data privacy rather than wait to address it after an attack occurs. This means implementing IT solutions (i.e. laptops, servers, storage) that have security already built into the foundation. With the progress of digital transformation initiatives at risk and a severe uptick in data breaches across every industry, we are at a critical point where businesses simply cannot assume that having the right tools in place is enough to make the organisation immune to a targeted, complex attack. The right security posture will require an investment in people and processes to help create secure infrastructure that optimises cyber resilience to ensure your organisation has a path to recovery from edge-core-cloud.

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010 2021

46 DR NOURA AL DHAHERI

44 HADI ANWAR

50 SUNIL PAUL

48 ALAIN PENEL

THE TALK

Featuring the top IT decision makers, vendors and partners from the region who are responsible for the growth and continued development of their organisations 0 4 3

C I O TA L K | G 4 2

Catalyst for growth AI AND DATA ANALYTICS HAVE ENABLED THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY TO RAPIDLY RESPOND TO THE PANDEMIC, REVEALS HADI ANWAR, THE GROUP CIO OF UAE-BASED COMPANY G42

In conversation with

HADI ANWAR

Group CIO, G42

How did G42 respond to the pandemic? As a CIO, how did you guide the organisation through this crisis? Covid-19 took global workplaces by storm. As a technology company, we at G42 knew we had a role to play in mitigating the risk of the pandemic, first and foremost for our employees. Internally, our IT department was extremely busy to facilitate remote working for over 1,000 staff members. This was of course our top priority for business continuity and to safeguard everyone’s health. As the group CIO, it was very important for me to understand the organisation’s priorities and accordingly devise a plan to deliver the technology capabilities.

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Enabling a secure digital transformation for the hyper growth of the business was another key priority for me. We worked very closely with our strategic partners to implement and enable the technology to conduct business in a hybrid working environment, including secure remote access and collaboration platforms, using cloud services. The IT department went into support and remote working enablement mode. We structured our teams to optimise remote support. Additional support hotlines, end point builds, collaboration software rollout, monitoring and capacity expansion of key infrastructure; this is where the focus was shifted towards. We established virtual rooms with key business leaders to make sure there was constant alignment and feedback on our continuity posture and tech enablement. We rapidly uplifted our cybersecurity capabilities to protect the company from emerging cyberthreats targeting the remote workforce. We provided continuous user awareness and training, while keeping G42 data safe and secure at all times. The pandemic also became a catalyst for hyper growth for G42 through our healthcare arm. IT became the enabler for the relentless execution of business strategy at G42 Healthcare. We supported not only the day-to-day operations, but also enabled significant business growth.

With regard to the healthcare sector, what innovations do you think is driving this industry in the Middle East? How has G42 contributed to this sector? ICT has transformed the healthcare business significantly. AI and data analytics have enabled the healthcare industry to rapidly respond to the pandemic. Our cloud technology platform provides processing speed with the combination of AI and data science capability. Healthcare combined with technology and AI will drive new ways of dealing with the pandemics of tomorrow. Data is key. How can IT decision makers drive digital transformation by maximising the value of cloud? Although the cloud has been around for a decade or more, adoption and new digital ways of working were steadily growing. However, Covid-19 accelerated the digital transformation agenda for many businesses around the world. More organisations are now adopting a cloud first strategy and realising the value of migrating to the cloud. CIOs or IT professionals bring their experience of cloud services, automation capabilities, API, integrations etc. and establish relations with executive leadership within the business and explain the power of cloud services. However digital transformation is not just IT nor just cloud. There is significant change in the way we work and how we work our internal processes. How can CIOs build the skills needed to implement emerging technologies like AI, blockchain? Partnerships with vendors and universities to build in-house capabilities, skills and training of AI, data science and blockchain technologies and their business values are key. Investing in training is important. Along with traditional learning methods through courses, degrees and certification, real-world

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application brings a whole new perspective to learning. Fortunately, AI is our core business and G42 operates across all industries. So, having programmes where we second staff on a rotation basis between business units allows individuals to accelerate their learning and experience of how AI is developed and applied across different industries. Partnerships with establishments such as the Mohammed Bin Zayed University for AI (MBZUAI) – the world’s first AI university in Abu Dhabi is also a great way of attracting young talent. Post pandemic, how is the role of a CIO changing? The CIO narrative has changed drastically over the last year. CIOs no longer own and make IT led business decisions and build empires of hardware and data centres. With the adoption of cloud services and SaaS business solutions available, business leaders are now buying their own cloud services, shifting from a centralised IT to decentralised. CIOs need to shift their focus from holding on to central IT to understanding the business

ALTHOUGH THE CLOUD HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A DECADE OR MORE, ADOPTION AND NEW DIGITAL WAYS OF WORKING WERE STEADILY GROWING. THEN CAME COVID-19, WHICH ACCELERATED THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AGENDA FOR MANY BUSINESSES AROUND THE WORLD” well to influence executives and leaders through experience on how technology can bring business transformation and help the organisation adopt smarter ways

of working. Today’s CIOs must relentlessly execute the digital transformation strategy to enable the growth and continuity of the business in post-pandemic times. Last year, G42 opened an office in Israel. Can you tell us about the Israel operations in brief? The new office in Israel will allow access to advanced AI based, data analytics and cyber technologies and most importantly will help us harness the talent available in the country. Furthermore, the office will be a gateway for Israeli companies seeking to expand their operations in the UAE and the wider Middle East region. Could you let us know about your future plans? Any partnerships for the year ahead? Partnerships are a core part of our corporate DNA and in a time of increased decoupling of the world’s major economies, we remain committed to working with the best technologies, partners, and the best minds we can find globally, offering our solutions not just to the world’s biggest markets, but to every market. CIOs must relentlessly execute the digital transformation strategy to enable the growth and continuity of the business

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C I O TA L K | A B U D H A B I P O R T S

A ray of hope Having achieved complete digitalisation of ports operations and sea-side logistics in 2017, AD Ports now offers a range of services to facilitate international trade

In conversation with

DR NOURA AL DHAHERI

Head of digital Cluster, AD Ports Group and CEO of Maqta Gateway

How does AD Ports Group drive growth in business through innovation? Over the last decade, Abu Dhabi Ports Group’s efforts to evolve the UAE’s trade, logistics, and industrial landscape have culminated in an exciting phase as we pave the way for a new era of digital transformation that sees us introducing innovative solutions for all stakeholders and consumers involved. As the digital arm of AD Ports Group, Maqta Gateway is the central pillar of this strategy. Our team has developed and operates the first Port Community System in the UAE called Maqta PCS (mPCS), which also led to the launch of the

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Advanced Trade and Logistics Platform (ATLP). Managed by Maqta Gateway under the supervision of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, ATLP serves as Abu Dhabi’s single window for service requisition and fulfilment to all economic operators and government agencies via sea, air, land, industrial and freezones. With over 700 services and unified payment solutions and integrated with 40 government entities across the entire value chain, ATLP is enabling its users to facilitate their supply chain and trade requirements, as well as better manage their resources. Since our establishment in 2016, we have efficiently processed more than 51 million transactions related to marine shipments, with full traceability. We believe that innovation must always serve the greater good which is why, in response to the global challenge of Covid-19 immunisation, we pooled our capabilities through an Abu Dhabi-based public-private partnership, known as the Hope Consortium, which is focused on delivering millions of Covid-19 vaccines globally. What new innovations have been implemented to ensure AD Ports Group’ sustained growth? It is important to us that we ease customer processes at AD Ports Group by building innovative digital solutions that prioritise efficiency and effectiveness. Having achieved complete digitalisation of ports operations and sea-side logistics in

2017, we are in a position to offer a range of services, solutions, and ultra-modern infrastructure to facilitate international trade. Take for example, Khalifa Port, the first semi-automated container port in the GCC region. In addition to the past additions of 42 automated stacking cranes at the maritime facility, Khalifa Port’s CSP Abu Dhabi container terminal, the first greenfield project of Cosco Shipping Ports Limited (CSP), recently became the first terminal in the region to trial and adopt an autonomous port truck system. Consisting of a total of six electric Qomolo Q-Trucks, the automated trucks, which feature 360-degree sensory system with traffic monitoring and driving guidance, have been tasked with supporting mother vessel loading and unloading activities within the facility’s container yard. They have a maximum load capacity of 80 tonnes and an operating range of 200km. The past few years also saw the launch of several new additions to our digital service portfolio, including a marine management app called Marsa. Accessible on both mobile devices and through a web portal, Marsa enables port operators to better manage marine traffic and services of vessels calling at AD Ports Group’s maritime facilities. Utilised primarily by Safeen and the Harbour Master at AD Ports, the app covers the vessel registration and vessel call processes, providing clear visibility of marine traffic and enabling the organisation to better coordinate operations and resources. In 2019, we unveiled the Marsad platform, a solution that collects data related to vessel scale, cargo type and capacity. This information is then blended with infrastructure and dynamic data sets associated with the global movement of vessel cargo, which provides AD Ports Group with actionable insights to align its commercial strategy alongside macro-economic trends. Other innovations include Margo,

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a digital marketplace for cargo clearance and delivery solutions. Margo provides a complete range of services including air and sea freight, warehousing, truck booking, express parcel delivery, and last-mile delivery, all through a single-window platform. Last year, AD Ports Group launched the blockchain platform. How do you see the growth of this technology in the UAE? As a founding member of the Hope Consortium, Maqta Gateway is employing mUnity, a custom-built digital solution, that tracks and traces the journey of Covid-19 vaccines through the consortium’s supply chain. mUnity is our proprietary custom-built digital solution built upon the tried and tested digital technology that we originally developed for managing marine shipments and port communities. It uses blockchain technology to track and trace Covid-19 vaccine sourcing, storage, shipment, and all related data in real-time along every step of the vaccine journey. The system features end-to-end visibility of every vaccine, starting from the manufacturing facility, to when they arrive at vaccination centres in the UAE and other destinations worldwide. mUnity also has the ability to adapt to multiple journeys, different vaccine

involves managing safety risks at every stage. Shippers, airlines, and storage facilities all use data in different ways and various formats. Where do you see the role of The import and export of pharmablockchain in addressing the ceuticals is strictly regulated and challenges of the complex carefully controlled, and the rules supply chain of vaccines? and requirements vary according The race to achieve global immunito the source and recipient country. sation against Covid-19 represents Covid-19 vaccines are temperaturethe largest healthcare and logistics sensitive and have precise handling challenge of our lifetime. Through and storage requirements; failure to the Hope Consortium, we have comply can render them ineffective. deployed the technology, science, Furthermore, there is a very real and partnerships needed to handle threat of nefarious actors seeking to over 100 million vaccine doses profit from the disruption of vaccine and counting, across 40 countries supply chains, whether from hackaround the world. But with most ing attempts, counterfeit vaccines or of the world still waiting to be fully theft of data and supplies. vaccinated, we recognise that our Blockchain can help us address work is not yet done. As we face all of these risks by providing realthe task at hand, we cannot overtime updates on all the storage and state the significance of blockchain handling environment parameters and IoT in ensuring a smooth vacalong the supply chain, including cine supply chain. vaccine storage levels, temperature The journey of Covid-19 vaccines, controls, stock levels, and quanfrom manufacturers to end users, tities of ancillary supplies. Each transaction in the chain is documented THROUGH THE HOPE CONSORTIUM, WE HAVE DEPLOYED supply on the blockchain, with secuTECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE, AND PARTNERSHIPS NEEDED TO rity and privacy built into system from within. This HANDLE OVER 100 MILLION VACCINE DOSES ACROSS 40 the unalterable chain of data helps prevent the development of COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. BUT WITH MOST OF counterfeit shipments from THE WORLD STILL WAITING TO BE FULLY VACCINATED, hacked data and pinpoints any incidences of tampering WE RECOGNISE THAT OUR WORK IS NOT YET DONE during shipment. characteristics, and specific stakeholder requirements.

Margo provides a complete range of services including air and sea freight, warehousing, truck booking, express parcel delivery

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BRAND VIEW

V E N D O R TA L K

Tell us about Fortinet’s expanding portfolio of security services Enterprises need more than siloed solutions in today’s complex and rapidly changing threat environment. Fortinet security fabric answers their security challenges; the integrated platform is designed to span the extended network while providing consistent security and performance across all edges. Our portfolio broadly encompasses solutions spanning network security, secure SD-WAN, switching and wireless access, network access control, authentication, public and private cloud security, endpoint security, and AI-driven advanced threat protection solutions – all built on a common operating system, FortiOS.

ALAIN PENEL Regional vice president – Middle East Fortinet

We collaborate with global leaders to foster a skilled, inclusive and diverse cyber workforce”

Comprehensive security Continuing to differentiate themselves by accelerating the convergence of networking and security, Fortinet has focused in the last two decades on developing a comprehensive security platform designed to protect all network edges

How do you think the Middle East cybersecurity landscape has evolved since the start of the pandemic? What new trends have you witnessed? No one can deny the speed and efficiency at which the Middle East, particularly the UAE, has transformed its remote workforce strategies and its remarkable capability to cope with the changes in how organisations interact with their customers. This swift change introduced

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challenges – be it cybersecurity or connectivity – these challenges have accelerated the market demand for technologies that the cybersecurity industry has had on the introduction and growth slopes for a while. Technologies and practices such as remote worker security solutions, multifactor authentication, zero trust approach with Zero Trust Access (ZTA) and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), further cloud adoption and SASE are actual examples.

Closing the cyber skills gap remains critical today. How is Fortinet shaping the future of cybersecurity and developing new talent? Fortinet is working to close the skills gap with programmes like the NSE Training Institute and its Training Advancement Agenda (TAA) initiative in order to provide cybersecurity training and certifications, career growth resources and hiring opportunities to make a career in cyber attainable for all. In addition, we collaborate with global leaders to foster a skilled, inclusive and diverse cyber workforce and through our education outreach programme, partnerships extend to various sectors, including academia, government and nonprofits. We are also helping develop a cyber-aware workforce with the information security awareness and training service, introduced in 2020 free of cost for organisations of all size, suitable for the entire workforce, from technical to non-technical employees and contractors. With 2022 only a few months away, what is in store for customers when it comes to safeguarding their businesses for the future? The threat landscape is unpredictable,

Automated threat detection and AI remain essential to enable organisations to address attacks in real-time

THE THREAT LANDSCAPE IS UNPREDICTABLE, WITH MANY MOVING PARTS AS WELL AS SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGES AFFECTING IT ALL OF THE TIME

with many moving parts and social and economic changes affecting it all of the time. Ransomware is one of the most concerning threats to come out of the semiannual FortiGuard Labs Global Threat Landscape Report, and so is malware and botnets. Apart from taking a holistic approach to security, automated threat detection and AI remain essential to enable organisations to address attacks in real-time and mitigate attacks at speed and scale across all edges. In addition, cybersecurity user awareness training is as vital as ever, with anyone being a possible target of cyberattacks. Moving towards the business angle, what is driving the growth of Fortinet in the Middle East? Among all the cybersecurity solutions

we offer, we see strong interest for secure SD-WAN as well as for public cloud migration, and along with it, its security best practices. Moreover, OT (Operational Technology) is gaining momentum in the region. Which are your key markets in the region, and how do you plan to expand your footprint? Some of our key markets in the Middle East region are government, financial services, telcos, oil and gas, utilities and transportation, among others. Thanks to our resources across the region, we stay close to our customers and partners. In addition, the solutions we provide allow businesses to stay ahead of cybercriminals and support their digital innovation initiatives. What are the advantages of working with distributors/channel partners? Despite the increased competition in the market, how do you ensure they work with you? Fortinet supports partners’ goals for their business, allowing them to differentiate offerings and helping them leverage the breadth of the security fabric. Thanks to the Fortinet engage partner programme, they can meet

new and changing customer demands created by the new hybrid-work model. A few months ago, we added new consumption models for various products, including FortiSIEM and FortiEDR, enhancing benefits for cloud partners and introducing new specialisations such as zero-trust access, operational technology and security operations. In addition, customised training, certifications, and programmes are available for each of these specialisations.We look forward to continuing to contribute to our partner’s success. Being one of the leading security vendors, what set you apart from the rest? We continue to differentiate ourselves by accelerating the convergence of networking and security. For the past 21 years, Fortinet has focused on developing a comprehensive security platform designed to protect all network edges, adapt to digital innovation requirements, and unify networking and security functions into a single solution. As an integral part of the Fortinet security fabric, our FortiGate Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs) enable a security-driven networking approach to protect any network edge and any user at scale while ensuring high performance.

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BRAND VIEW

PA R T N E R TA L K

‘Digital transformation is not a destination, but a journey’ Finesse has constantly been playing a key role in the region, helping its clients choose the right technologies. In line with this trend, during GITEX Global 2021, the company will showcase how organisations can power and secure their digital transformation journeys in the post-pandemic world

SUNIL PAUL Co-founder and managing director, Finesse

During the pandemic there has been a clear acceleration of digital transformation. How has this transformation impacted the Middle East? What changes have you seen in the past year? The pandemic has accelerated digital journeys of businesses not just in the Middle East, but all across the globe. Earlier, businesses were hesitant about going digital, taking years to even approve digital initiatives. The pandemic changed that – businesses were required to rethink how they operate on a daily basis, customers were demanding services to be provided to them from the safety of their homes, and employees were required to support customers remotely. In short, businesses needed to adapt to new ways of working quickly. Going digital was the only way most businesses could remain relevant during the pandemic. Those businesses that had invested in digital transformation, or started

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investing in digital transformation during the pandemic were able to pivot their businesses to the needs of their customers and employees, quickly and effectively. Those that did not struggled, and will continue to struggle even with the pandemic slowing down, as the post-pandemic world will look very different from what it was prior. Throughout the pandemic, Finesse continued to be a reliable partner to its digital transformation clients in the Middle East and helped them choose and implement the right technologies in furthering their digital journeys. Depending on the type of business clients were in, Finesse has seen increased adoption of digital initiatives through the use of technology solutions like AI chatbots, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Intelligent Process Automation (IPA), Blockchain, Business Intelligence (BI) and Analytics, Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Internet of Things (IoT). But while some transformation initiatives succeed, others fail. Why? Digital transformation initiatives, when done right, have the potential to bring in a lot of benefits to organisations. One of the many, but an important reason, as to why organisations are not able to derive great value from digital initiatives, is because they fail to understand what technology solutions will best

serve their respective business. The digital journey for each company is very different from the others, even so for companies operating in the same domain. Digital initiatives that worked for other companies might not be the best solution for your company. Your company’s digital journey is unique, and needs to be planned as such – taking the needs of your customers and your stakeholders into consideration. Companies need to understand how digital transformation can best serve their business and then set a roadmap. It is true, some digital initiatives will take longer to bring results, especially in times like these when the pandemic has changed business models overnight. It is imperative though for companies to learn from these failures, and tweak their approach on these initiatives to reach a satisfactory outcome. Digital transformation is not a destination, but a journey – where the company as a whole changes its mindset to build digital businesses that will drive growth and scale. Companies need to understand this, and plan their digital journeys for the long-haul. With remote working being the new norm, what cybersecurity measures do you suggest organisations take to prevent and detect attacks? Digital transformation is important but securing your business’ digital transformation is equally important. Giving due consideration to both aspects allows you to gain maximum benefit out of your business going digital. Here are a few ways organisations can avoid becoming victims of cyberattacks. But like all things good, the journey is not glamourous, and it requires the support of everyone in the organisation. First and foremost – make cybersecurity part of your digital transformation roadmap right from the start. This means engaging security experts at the very start of the digital transformation journey and aligning security strategies to business goals.

G B T E C H TA L K

AN IMPORTANT, BUT OFTEN OVERLOOKED PART OF THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY, DIGITAL RISKS ARE VERY REAL, AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO ERODE CUSTOMER CONFIDENCE Second is to boost cyber-resilience. While systems should be resilient to cyberattacks, they should also be able to recover and fall back to the earlier status quickly. Third – partner with security experts/implementation partners that take cybersecurity seriously, trust them to make the best decisions, empower them to act and thus protect your company and its customers from future pain. Final and most important – remove silos around cybersecurity within the organisation. Cybersecurity should be embedded into each product and service the company provides, and within each team in the organisation. Cybersecurity is everyone’s job, not just of the security team personnel. How do MSSPs empower businesses during uncertain times like the Covid-19 pandemic? Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) provide outsourced monitoring and management of your company’s security systems, so that your company has a secure digital business future. These providers enable your company to offload the often tedious work of managing hundreds of security incidents and events a day to an experienced team of outsourced security personnel, instead of hiring, training and retaining such personnel who are in much demand at the moment.

Most importantly, MSSPs bring in expertise in digital security, which allows them to be quick and nimble to react to evolving security incidents within your company. They also often provide 24/7 high-availability security operations centres, which will keep your company safe from cyberattacks at all times. Can you tell us about the innovations/challenges in the education sector? How is Finesse addressing these challenges? Although educational institutions have been using technology solutions for the past few years, the importance of digital transformation in the education sector went mainstream during the Covid-19 outbreak. Finesse has partnered with schools and universities in building digital ecosystems that respond to the needs of stakeholders in the education sector – mainly students, faculty and staff. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has been one of the common solutions implemented within the educational sector. Use of RPA has reduced paperwork and manual processes, parents are informed of student grade-assessments through RPA bots, the student enrolment process has become smooth, and accounts departments have been able to complete the fee collection process in a seamless manner.

Tell us about your participation at GITEX Global 2021. What are your main objectives and expectations from the show? Finesse has been a regular participant at GITEX for the last 10 years and has since been a strong proponent of the benefits digital transformation can bring to organisations. The pandemic has further amplified the need for organisations to embrace digital transformation to remain relevant. Companies that invested in digital solutions were able to pivot to serve their customers quickly and effectively, while those who did not struggled throughout. Finesse has continued playing a key role in the region during these trying times, helping its clients choose and implement the right technologies in furthering their digital journeys. In line with this trend, during GITEX 2021, Finesse will be showcasing how companies can embrace their digital transformation journeys in the postpandemic world. We will be employing a twopronged strategy that can bring the best results to an organisation’s digital journey during the show. The first part would be through ‘enabling digital transformation’. Targeted at organisations looking to enhance their digital footprint, Finesse will be showcasing state-of-the-art digital solutions like AI chatbots, BI and analytics, blockchain, CRM/CEM, Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Intelligent Process Automation (IPA), and managed IT services. The second part will be that of ‘securing digital transformation’. An important, but often overlooked part of the digital transformation journey, digital risks are very real, have the potential to erode customer confidence, and have reputational, legal, and financial consequences for the business. Finesse will showcase how organisations can secure their business on the digital front through the use of digital risk and compliance, zero trust, cloud and applications assurance, digital identity, data protection and privacy, and managed Security Operations (MSSP).

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OCTOBER 2021

I N F O G R A P H I C S

CONNECTING THE FUTURE THE MEA TECH MARKET IS EXPECTED TO WITNESS EXPONENTIAL GROWTH OWING TO GOVERNMENTAL DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OBJECTIVES AND ADOPTION OF DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

CLOUD COMPUTING The digital disruption

Data sovereignty regulations

Security

Vendor lock-in

Skills gaps

Existing data centre investments

A MINUTE ON THE INTERNET IN 2021

FIVE CHALLENGES TO CLOUD ADOPTION

$2.3bn

Estimated amount of data created on the internet in one minute

Twitch

Netflix Instagram

28,000

views spent online

stories shared

9,132

swipes

5,000

500 hours

e-mails sent

downloads of content uploaded

E-mail

Messenger YouTube

TikTok

40%

MENA MOBILE ECONOMY

UNIQUE MOBILE SUBSCRIBERS

MOBILE INTERNET USERS

SIM CONNECTIONS

SMARTPHONES

458m

357m

709m

80%

394m

264m

636m

2019

2.5%

CAGR: 2019-2025

2025

2019

5.1%

CAGR: 2019-2025

2025

2019

1.8%

CAGR: 2019-2025

(excluding licensed cellular iot)

00 55 22

The cloud adoption rate among private sector companies in Qatar

of all enterprise workloads will be deployed in CIPS by 2023 - Gartner

MENA’s mobile industry has largely managed to keep social and economic activities afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic despite unprecedented data traffic levels

2025

$58.3m

The anticipated spend on public cloud services in Oman by 2024 - IDC

197.6m

69m

Swipe

connections made

98%

of CEOs in Saudi Arabia to invest in cloud technology in 2021 - KPMG

$1.6m

695,000

messages sent

E-commerce

subscribers watching

The expected size of the GCC cloud market by 2024 - IDC

(excluding licensed cellular iot)

2025

48%

62%

30%

% OF TOTAL CONNECTIONS

2019-2025

2019

G B T E C H TA L K

28.8%

UAE

33.5%

KUWAIT, QATAR, OMAN , BAHRAIN

IMPACT OF AI IN MEA The average annual growth in the contribution of AI by region between 2018-2030

31.3%

SAUDI ARABIA

25.5%

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION IS A KEY ENABLER OF COMPETITIVE DIFFERENTIATION AND IS THE CATALYST FOR TRANSFORMING MANY INDUSTRIES” —BRIAN BURKE Research VP, Gartner

EGYPT

CYBERSECURITY

Robotics process automation to reach nearly $2bn in 2021: Gartner

e alu ments v p i h c s ice mi v o e d on ve c i t E a ul us e n m i .3ION ipments u s h s e 3 C e ic $TRILL vic v e e d .5ION D al 7 shipments u e L c 3 BIL 4 n n evi . d N A O 6 16BILLI fi ice shipments i v e 2 d 4I.LLION W 6E fi i B 2N ublic access p . p W l O 2ILLI oin ba B o ts l 8 TRENDS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC CLOUD

N 3 3 LIO

+N 0 0 LIO M

CLOUD UBIQUITY REGIONAL CLOUD ECOSYSTEMS SUSTAINABILITY AND CARBON-INTELLIGENT CLOUD CIPS

TOP FIVE COMPANIES: EMEA TRADITIONAL PC SHIPMENTS

LENOVO (FUJITSU)

SOURCES: Lori Lewis via AllAccess (statista), PWC, IDC, Gartner, GSMA

UAE organisations report increased cyberattacks during the pandemic

TECH STARTUPS Etisalat points out the top five sectors driving startup growth

Healthtech/ Biotech

WIFI

BY THE NUMBERS 2021

E-commerce

Edutech

Fintech

DELL

ACER

ASUS 00 55 33

INTERVIEW

DRIVING DIGITAL INNOVATION Dr Saeed K. Aldhaheri and Ranjit Rajan, authors of Digital Nation: How the United Arab Emirates is Building a Future Based on Tech Innovation, provide insights into the country’s plans

effort of the individuals leading this transformation across the nation. That triggered a discussion between us which culminated in the book a year later. What did writing the book Digital Nation teach you? What surprised you the most?

Dr Saeed I have personally learnt from writing Digital Nation that transformation is AUTHOR not about technology but more about empowering people to achieve business DIGITAL NATION objectives. Technology serves as an enabling tool that provides better outcomes if people are at the centre of digital transRANJIT RAJAN formation and are well prepared to make the most out of it. UAE leaders and execAUTHOR utives understood this very well and adopted this approach in the execution DIGITAL NATION of the UAE digital vision. I was surprised by the wide acceptance and demand for the book locally and internationally. Others quoted and mentioned the book at several international events, including Norway Innovation Week and Barcelona Smart City Expo. At one point, it was one of the bestselling technology books on Amazon.ae. Ranjit The writing process was a journey full of learnings. We wanted to capture the personal stories and experiences What were your inspirations for the book? of key personalities in the private and public sectors Dr Saeed who were playing pivotal roles in the transformation. We wanted to document the digital transformation To achieve this, we interviewed them at length. The journey of the UAE in the past 20 years as we thought personal stories of these indithis would inspire leaders, entrepreneurs and practividuals were fascinating – all “WE WANTED of which we couldn’t include tioners around the world about the digital mindset and approach of the local leaders and executives in how to in the book for lack of space. TO PROVIDE use technology for the betterment of people and society. A few of the aspects that surAnd we wanted to provide takeaways and lessons for prised us were the high levels TAKEAWAYS other leaders and innovators around the world. of motivation and pride and AND LESSONS the deep levels of involveRanjit Dr Saeed and I have had the opportunity to witness ment of these executives, FOR OTHER the digital transformation journey of the UAE at close their willingness to take on quarters over the past couple of decades. In 2018, we LEADERS AND seemingly improbable goals, realised that, despite the fact that several articles had and their almost unshakeaINNOVATORS been published on the UAE’s objectives and achieveble belief that the UAE can be ments, no book had been written. The articles and the world leader in technology. AROUND THE aSince your book was presentations at various conferences that we saw did published, what are the not fully capture the passion, motivation and personal WORLD” DR SAEED K. ALDHAHERI

Q: 0 5 4

G B T E C H TA L K

notable examples of digital transformation that have you come across?

“DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE WITNESSED THE RISE OF MANY “BORN-DIGITAL” FIRMS THAT COULD TAP INTO THE CHANGED CONDITIONS SUCCESSFULLY”

Dr Saeed Digital transformation is progressing at such a rapid pace in the UAE. It is worth mentioning that the recent World Bank report ranked the UAE government as one of the very high Govtech leaders in the world. In a step to accelerate the transition to the digital economy and adopt new workplace practices, the UAE Cabinet has renamed the title of the Minister of AI to the Minister of AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, emphasising the UAE government’s vision for the digital economy and adoption of new business models and practices in the workplace. In March 2021, Dubai Digital Authority revealed the results of the Dubai paperless strategy that was declared in 2018 and announced that the Dubai Electricty and Water Authority (DEWA) was the first government department that went 100 per cent paperless, eliminating paper transactions and providing all its services using digital channels. At the same time, other government departments are moving ahead as per the plan to achieve 100 per cent digitisation by the end of 2021. Furthermore, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has deployed a chatbot service called the virtual doctor for Covid-19 to support the public when doctors and medical staff were busy attending to patients. People can use the service to assess whether their symptoms could be associated with the Covid-19 virus. These are just a few examples of many other digital innovations that came out since publishing the English version of Digital Nation in 2019. Ranjit Our book was published before the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic has led to a tremendous acceleration of digital transformation in the UAE. The overnight shift towards contactless digital services for government and financial services, the unprecedented large-scale growth towards remote (and now increasingly hybrid) work models, the adoption of online and hybrid learning, the increased reliance on online commerce and direct-to-consumer (D2C) services, and the rapid adoption of teleconsultation in healthcare, are just a few of the many trends that are continuing to reshape the digital economy in the UAE. In the fast-moving digital world, how do you keep up with the changing technology trends?

Dr Saeed I think anticipation and foresight are critical nowadays for organisations to navigate the uncertain and rapidly changing situation. Being a “future-ready”

organisation requires a future vision that comes from foresight exercise capacity building in terms of skilled talent, leadership adopting the digital mindset and a digital strategy that is value-driven and very well aligned with the business strategy. Ranjit Keeping pace with technological disruption is not a choice but a necessity for any country or organisation to be competitive in the global digital economy. A culture shift is often required - from consumption of enabling technology to technological innovation. This may sound like a cliché, but leadership is critical. In the UAE, the national leaders have successfully set the tone by articulating a technology vision and then galvanising government departments, businesses, citizens, and residents to rally around them to execute that vision. Devolving ownership for technology-led innovation down the pyramid is critical. Digital talent development must be a priority. In addition to developing technical skills in specific technologies such as AI or others, critical thinking and creativity must be fostered to drive tech innovation. What would be your advice to organisations who are looking to maintain momentum in their digital transformation journeys?

Dr Saeed 1. Adopt a customer-centric approach to digital transformation focusing on customer experience, whether that’s internal or external customers. 2. Invest in building skilled talent and the technology infrastructure to execute digital transformation DEWA WAS initiatives effectively and in an agile way. THE FIRST Ranjit GOVERNMENT During the pandemic, we witnessed the rise of DEPARTMENT many “born-digital” firms that could tap into the THAT WENT changed conditions successfully. At the same time, 100 PER CENT we also saw several traditional organisations adapt PAPERLESS and rapidly launch digitally augmented products, services, and experiences to compete and, in many cases, dominate their industries. Organisations need to focus on digitising every step of the customer journey and continuously improve the experience at every touchpoint. To do this, they must constantly extract insights from customer data using analytics, AI and algorithms, personalise experiences, offer next-best actions, and collect feedback. Digital Nation, published by Motivate Media Group, is available, in both English and Arabic editions, at all major bookstores and on BooksArabia.com 0 5 5

OCTOBER 2021

INTERVIEW

THE FUTURE OF VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS The technology that we have trusted to keep us connected personally and professionally through the pandemic is more than simply “pandemic technology”

Q: SAM TAYAN MANAGING DIRECTOR, MENA

How has virtual communications technology transformed key sectors such as business, education, professional services and healthcare?

No industry was immune from the economic impact of the pandemic, but some were able to make dramatic shifts in behaviour to adjust. Therefore, we commissioned the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to survey how the healthcare, education, technology, and professional services sectors embraced remote collaboration to enable continuity during the pandemic and how the trends may continue in the future. Most companies consider a flexible remote working model in healthcare and professional services because of successful remote collaboration through video conferencing solutions. There has been a massive increase in the use of video conferencing solutions in education since the pandemic. ZOOM

How can organisations prepare for the shift to hybrid work?

After the pandemic, some workers will go back into the office, but most will still collaborate virtually as remote or hybrid employees. Therefore, organisations and their employees must work together closely to create an effective hybrid work environment. Some of the best practices for organisations looking to implement a hybrid work model are: 1. Maintain constant connection with your teams: Working with dispersed teams requires constant communication and collaboration, so be sure to leverage effective solutions such as a workplace messaging application or business phone solution to ensure you can connect effortlessly with your coworkers. 2. Create a robust resource library: Provide robust resources to help your dispersed teams navigate their roles, maintain the security of their devices and 0 5 6

accounts, and train them to use your workplace technologies and solutions. Creating a library of recorded training materials and sessions will allow employees to access the information and materials they need to be successful. 3. Ensure consistency across your workplace solutions: By implementing a unified communications solution, your employees can enjoy a frictionless experience where their phone, chat, webinar, and video meeting communications can all be found on the same platform. 4. Create an infrastructure for organisation-wide communication: Leveraging an effective video communications solution that can scale to support large events and meetings makes it easy to host all-hands, town halls, and issue organisation-wide communications in a more personalised and direct way. 5. Provide solutions that give all employees the same capabilities: With some of your employees in the office and others working remotely, you should provide them with the solutions they need to create an enterprisegrade communications experience, regardless of where they are. What’s next for video communications as we approach recovery?

Even after Covid-19 concerns subside, most people will continue to use video communications for many aspects of their lives, according to a survey done by Qualtrics Research, which focuses on video communications’ impact on our day-to-day lives. Since the pandemic started, people around the globe who had never before been exposed to any video communication experience began to learn how to use video conferencing, primarily out of necessity. A majority of people now use video conferencing frequently and participate in regular video classes, holiday gatherings, doctor appointments, and work meetings. Therefore, it’s not surprising that so many people can now imagine some level of virtual communication being a part of their lives moving forward. Video communications will play a signi�icant role in our lives in the future. Perhaps the really interesting part of all this, however, is what happens next. What are businesses large and small doing to meet their customers – and potential customers – where they want to be? The technology that we have trusted to keep us connected personally and professionally through the pandemic is more than simply “pandemic technology”. Virtual conferences can accommodate exponentially more people than those that only offer in-person attendance. Whether patients, employees, students, consumers, and humans, we have globally tasted the power and convenience of video ondemand option. Business leaders who can’t deliver on that option will get left behind.

ENTRUST

Building blocks of trust With the ongoing evolution of multi-cloud deployments and emerging technologies, organisations need to be agile deal not just with regulations, but with an ever-changing threat landscape, says Hamid Qureshi, regional sales director, MEASA-Entrust

HAMID QURESHI Regional sales director, Middle East, Africa and South Asia, Entrust

Given the current landscape, what do you see as the top threats faced by banking and financial sectors? What can they do to better protect themselves? The threats facing the current landscape can be broken down into four primary threats, which are distinct, but interconnected. The first is protecting data from both malicious attacks and from accidental mistakes by employees. A vital aspect of this approach is to redefine how you think about your security, moving away from thinking of creating a wall around your data and focusing on protecting the data itself. The second challenge is that of regulation. While regulatory mandates drive a lot of the data protection activity, it is dangerous to just do this as a check box exercise. The focus should be on understanding what the regulation is trying to achieve and formulating an approach that meets not just the letter of the law, but the spirit of it as well. The third challenge is the rapidly changing technological landscape. While cloud adoption is relatively mainstream and provides an opportunity to be more agile and scale better, but it is also an opportunity to lose data if mindsets don’t change. Financial institutions need to be developing

strategies that set out how they plan to deal with blockchain and cryptocurrencies and establish a post-quantum encryption posture. Last - but not the least – is the rise of the new entries into the financial world like neobanks. These institutions typically don’t have the legacy systems or physical overheads of their traditional counterparts, which enables them to be more agile and dynamic, but equally they sometimes don’t have the charter or compliance to offer a complete set of financial services. For these challenger banks it’s imperative that they can demonstrate the highest levels of security to build customer trust, while traditional banks need to update their processes and capabilities with features like instant card issuance and modern applications to retain customer loyalty. How is Entrust helping its customers secure identities, payments and data? Entrust core technology represents the building blocks of trust: managing IDs and credentials, authenticating users, ID proofing bound to credentials, physical access management, encrypting data and managing security policy. Now, more than ever, customers can turn to Entrust for solutions, for key use cases that enable digital transformation with security and identity – from certificate lifecycle management and identity and access management to digital signing workflows and seamless travel solutions. How does Entrust help organisations deploy safe and secure vaccine credentials and passport programmes?

BRAND VIEW

The digital enabling technologies already exist to ensure both powerful data security and minimal check-in disruption. Let’s take a closer look at a few of the encryption and authentication tools vaccine passport initiatives currently have at their disposal. Digital signatures: Enabled by proven public key infrastructure (PKI) technology, these can be deployed within a person’s mobile device or a physical smart card to securely identify the individual and validate their documentation. Digital identity proofing: Mobilebased identity proofing tools empower ID solutions to integrate ID verification into a streamlined mobile experience. Multi-factor authentication: Confirms user authenticity with a range of different secondary authenticators – such as OATH tokens, mobile push, OTP, biometrics, and more. Adaptive risk-based authentication: Each time users request access; the access context is automatically assessed in real time by machine learning policy engines created to notice subtle irregularities in contextual attributes – such as biometrics and device reputation. Hardware security modules: This tamper-resistant cryptographic hardware provides a strong root of trust to keep encryption keys secure. With 2022 only a few months away, what is in for customers when it comes to safeguarding their businesses for the future? As we start to find ways to navigate the ‘new normal’, many people are starting to return to their offices as new working routines are being outlined. With many organisations considering a more permanent approach their hybrid/distributed workforce, the coming months are the ideal time to examine the ‘bubblegum and duct tape’ that was needed by IT teams to keep their respective organisation’s functioning and take stock of how to more robustly and securely manage their IT workforce going forward.

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OCTOBER 2021

INTERVIEW

TAKING FARMING VERTICAL Krispr’s closed-loop water-saving nutrient systems and indoor environmental controls allows it to create the ideal conditions for plants to thrive, helping the company deliver fresh produce soon after harvest

Q: KHADIJA HASAN FOUNDER AND CEO

Can you tell us about Krispr, its specific business model and what sets it apart from the rest of the industry/competition?

Krispr’s aim is to achieve food self-sufficiency without depending on land, climate, light, or water, as traditional agriculture does. In addition, we want fruits, vegetables and other foods to be seen as the primary source of good health. Better eating equals a healthier body, mind and a stronger immune system and food should be considered as the first medicine, as someone once said.

KRISPR

Tell us in brief about vertical farming and the kind of plants you can grow

Vertical farming is a way of capitalising on cubic space by growing up instead of across. The same amount of acreage can therefore fit in more crops. Plants that can currently be grown include leafy greens, some fruits, root vegetables and certain mushrooms. What is your business strategy post-pandemic?

We launched Krispr during the pandemic with our strategy targeting e-commerce channels as much of the purchasing was happening online. We are now looking at more mainstream channels such as B2B and retail. How are you tackling the GCC region’s food security challenges?

The GCC’s food security is impacted by a challenging climate, water scarcity and limited arable land. As a result, food imports are critical. Any strategy to tackle this must overcome these obstacles to achieve consistent quality and quantity of production. Our indoor growing technology aims at tackling most of those factors – environmental controls provide 0 5 8

optimum conditions for plant growth, water saving technologies reduce water requirements by at least 80 per cent, and water-based nutrient delivery systems eliminate the need for arable land. How are you transforming food production and reversing nutritional decline without damaging the planet?

Let us begin with ‘without damaging the planet’: 1. We grow using water-saving techniques and no pesticides. This avoids pesticide runoff in the soil, which would lead it to deteriorate. 2. Water is used sparingly – only as much as the plant requires – with the remainder recirculated, cleaned and replenished. 3. We don’t need to cut down trees to create room for arable land since we can grow within existing buildings, of which there are many. 4. We are able to grow in urban areas, where the produce is largely consumed, which drastically reduces the length of the supply chain and the carbon footprint associated with imports. Reversing nutritional decline: Because of the demands for maintaining freshness during imports, produce is often harvested before it is ripe and ready to consume. Supply chains are not perfect, and once a plant is cut, it starts to lose its freshness and nutrients. However, shorter supply chains (growing near places of consumption) and on-demand harvesting can preserve freshness, flavour and nutrition.

G B T E C H TA L K

INTERVIEW

BANKING IN A DIGITAL WORLD Businesses cannot afford to rely on a single layer of security to safeguard their consumers against fraud and scams. As a result, risk experts advise businesses to use the ‘Swiss cheese’ model SAEED AHMAD MANAGING DIRECTOR, MENA CALLSIGN

The rise of digital banking brings fresh security concerns. What can banks do to prevent the security risks successfully?

Banks and online businesses must employ the appropriate technologies to determine when action is required to prevent fraud. For example, by looking for anomalies and unusual behaviour patterns throughout the user experience rather than simply at certain instances. Consumer warnings must also be clear, relevant and timely, which means putting information in front of customers at the precise moment when they are vulnerable to fraud. Scams and social engineering risks are on the rise, in addition to traditional frauds such as account takeover. To avoid this sort of fraud, banks and online businesses must deploy the appropriate technology, such as a dynamic intervention product, to identify when action is required. Businesses cannot afford to rely on a single layer of security to safeguard their consumers against fraud and scams. As a result, risk experts advise businesses to use the ‘Swiss cheese’ model. The idea behind it is that businesses need to put as many layers of security as possible between their customers and scammers. So even if criminals make it through one layer of protection – much like a slice of Swiss cheese – they will never be able to get through the whole block. With this model, businesses must pick the suitable layers to maximise the effectiveness of their security. It’s essential to approach the challenge from a place of understanding and appreciation of the human condition to make security as intuitive as possible. How is Callsign changing the rules of identity?

We are completely rethinking digital identity, utilising artificial intelligence and machine-learning models to help organisations seamlessly and securely identify their users. We use real-time data to confirm if a device is recognised and that it’s free from malware, alongside behavioural traits such as how a person types or swipes, the pressure their finger places on the screen and the angle they hold your phone, as well as a wealth of other intelligence factors.

We secure online transactions and payments and reduce both fraud and friction in the user experience. And it’s all done in a privacy-preserving manner. Unlike most approaches, which require constant surveillance, we put privacy at the centre. By collecting data at each transaction and analysing against previous behaviour, not individuals themselves, we know who you are without knowing who you are. How do you ensure your customers have the most streamlined and secure customer journeys?

Firstly, in the past and even today, many technologies were not able to deliver a streamlined and secure journey, and as a result, organisations have to decide whether to prioritise security at the expense of customer experience or vice versa. This is a no-win choice that either drives up fraud costs or drives down revenue through customer loss. We have designed our solution from the ground up to ensure the highest security with minimal friction using passive intelligence gathering, minimising or removing the need for these trade-offs. The second facet is the more complex. Customers have different technology and preferences, so identity solutions need a strong orchestration capability to offer different customer group journeys. In addition, it is imperative to test journeys, which is why we built A:B testing into our orchestration module and have made it a low code no code product so that organisations can test journeys without incurring expensive development time. Can you elaborate on your AI-based identity and authentication solutions?

Our intelligence engine combines information such as device, location with inherent behavioural data such as how a user has swiped their phone or the pressure they used to type. By gathering broad categories of contextual data, our Machine Learning (ML) models can learn what normal behaviour is for an individual. The intelligence engine then checks to make sure this information is not being duped by malware. It then delivers a confidence score on how likely someone is who they say they are. If the score isn’t very high, authentication or authorisation requests can be triggered – all in real-time. As a result, we can stop a bad actor from gaining access to a legitimate user’s account, even if they know their username and other credentials like passwords. 0 5 9

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03 Lowering operational costs

The power of AI In today’s age of vast connections in which the Internet of Things is flourishing, it is safe to assume that companies that have mastered AI and big data related technologies have adapted to the technology of the future

rtificial intelligence (AI) has been the talk of the town over the past couple of years and is becoming increasingly relevant for companies seeking to retain a competitive advantage. According to a recent survey undertaken by McKinsey to understand the state of AI in 2020, 20 per cent or more organisations from a variety of industries attributed their earnings to AI and these companies have planned to invest even more in AI in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its acceleration of all things digital.

It is often said that people you work with are the pillar of every successful business. Even the government plays a significant role in boosting the sector by supporting the companies in the adoption of innovative ways to grow business. The UAE government has set a great example to support businesses through its appointment of a Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, the first in the world, and later with the appointment of a Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and SMEs. These two appointments by the UAE government have opened doors for new business ideas and fast-tracked the implementation of AI initiatives across mainstream industries – a commendable job in accelerating digital transformation in the country. In line with the fourth industrial revolution, the UAE aims to be the capital of AI in the next decade and is cooperating with friendly countries and international partners to achieve this goal. According to recent studies, artificial intelligence is expected to contribute $320bn to the Middle East’s GDP by 2030, with $57.6bn spent on AI globally by 2021. 0 6 0

The sharp increase in computing power, big data and machine learning is allowing us to reach new heights through the power of AI, as it is also accelerating the deployment of deep data application services in the era of big data. PER JOHANSSON GENERAL MANAGER ROBERT BOSCH MIDDLE EAST

FOUR REASONS TO IMPLEMENT AI IN YOUR BUSINESS It is essential for companies to realise and understand the importance of investing in AI and the benefits associated with it.

01 Increasing revenue

AI involves the use of hyper-intelligent algorithms that enable machines to learn, understand and act accordingly. This results in more accurate lead sourcing, presents products differently by providing a unique experience, and manages sales better to ultimately drive more positive outcomes.

02 Improving efficiencies

AI enables companies to provide customers with 24/7 uninterrupted service, helps extract meaningful information from a very large sum of data, automates complex services that support developers to get rid of tedious tasks giving them an opportunity to focus on more vital tasks, and enhanced security for the most critical information of the business regardless of the platforms.

$320 BN

THE AMOUNT THAT AI IS EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE MIDDLE EAST’S GDP BY 2030

Intelligent automation and the actionable insights through AI drive high volume of workflows, significantly reducing the probability of a human error. Intelligent actions allowed by AI can be used to further refine how they function, and deep learning is now a progressive tool for perception that provides the highest level of accuracy.

Improving overall customer experience

The information gathered by AI and machine learning techniques helps organisations understand their customers better. More accurate understanding of the customer’s history and behavioural data gives an opportunity to take real-time decisions and hyper personalisation of content and offers. AI-based chatbots are among the most successful tools as they can respond to customers immediately, accurately and are consistent. They even collect important data and also learn from the data collected, a win-win situation for both customers and businesses. Bosch established a centre dedicated to AI in 2017 with an aim to deploy AI technologies across its products and services. By using data from various business divisions, Bosch conducts novel research that focuses on designing and implementing AI for smart, connected and autonomous technologies. In today’s age of vast connections in which the Internet of Things is flourishing, it is safe to assume that companies that have mastered AI and big data related technology have adapted to the technology of the future. AI has the potential to completely reshape and redefine the way we live and work, how we move and what we do on a daily basis. Autonomous cars, facial recognition, medical diagnostics, human-like robots, and digital assistants are only a few examples of AI in action, and its potential is immense. These AI and machine learning tools can help create innovative user experiences with better results.

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Technical debt— the corporate leech For years, the term technical debt has been tossed around with a plethora of definitions and connotations. But, in a nutshell, it is the code you currently have to perform as a result of prior shortcuts

uring the pandemic it became clear that being digitally savvy was no longer just an advantage; it was a necessity. Companies rushed to create digital strategies and implement software that could not only keep their lights on but could help them meet immediate customer and employee needs. According to the Digital Transformation in the UAE 2020 report, 9.84 million people in a population of 9.94 million are internet users. The UAE has also ranked first in the Middle East and 8th globally in the Online Services Index (OSI), which measures the evolution of governmental smart services, proving that the country highly values its ability to access needed services through online platforms.

As the pandemic forced companies who did not provide online services to adapt, organisations attempted to adjust their service offerings overnight, whether through employee- or customerfacing platforms. While some have been using legacy applications that remain outdated, others have quickly built software that is bound to face challenges in terms of efficiency and adaptability to changing business needs and requirements. Both practices will ultimately hinder growth and cause the slow erosion of the organisations’ efficiency, innovation, and effectiveness. The cost resulting from these complications is coined “technical debt”. For years, technical debt has been tossed around with dozens of definitions and connotations. But simply put, technical debt is the coding you have to do now because of the

RODRIGO CASTELO VP, MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA OUTSYSTEMS

9.84

MILLION PEOPLE

IN A POPULATION OF 9.94 MILLION ARE INTERNET USERS Source: Digital Transformation in the UAE 2020 report

shortcuts you took in the past. It’s the technologies and time spent maintaining old, bad and broken code, rather than developing new ideas and innovations. PAYING THE PRICE OF TECHNICAL DEBT The price occurs when companies prioritise rapid repairs over scalable solutions in their design and development processes. Instead of retooling and modernising flawed solutions, companies have applied a band-aid which ultimately incurs technical debt. OutSystems polled over 500 IT leaders worldwide in June 2021 to further delve into the topic. We discovered that technical debt consumes about one-third of a company’s IT budget on average, and it accounts for 41 per cent of a company’s IT expenditure for enterprises. Technical debt destroys much of a company’s budget in verticals such as healthcare, which ranked first in terms of financial damage, with banking and finance following closely behind. Many factors might contribute to technical debt. Too many development languages/frameworks (52 per cent), turnover within the development team (49 per cent) and accepting flaws to reach release dates (43 per cent) are all cited by IT leaders in the research. All these factors make it hard for businesses to maintain and rework critical systems – and won’t disappear on their own. In fact, the increased demand for digital tools that businesses experienced during the pandemic will persist in 2021 and beyond, threatening to exacerbate the problem for companies of all sizes.

no and low-code solutions. However, many of these tools are developed for speed and aren’t designed to alter or scale. The results of our research suggest two solutions to relieve the problem: reducing development staff turnover and limiting the number of new programming languages and frameworks an organisation embraces. Other approaches include inventorying assets to determine the presence and impact of legacy technologies. Organisations must rethink and reorient their strategy away from simply sustaining historical dependencies and addressing and replacing them with current styles. By carefully aligning modern application development platforms, organisational structures and team priorities, any company is capable of steadily chipping away at their debt without compromising the timelines of their current projects. Cutting technical debt takes time and strategy, just like paying off financial debt. This necessitates a shift in emphasis from short-term benefits to long-term success and the development of instruments that support both. This is the first step towards developing a culture of innovation and acknowledging the organisational need for change. Freeing themselves off technical debt allows businesses to flourish and thrive moving forward, much like paying off that last home mortgage payment.

CUTTING STRINGS LOOSE The first step in addressing technical debt is to avoid adding to it in the first place. We know that IT departments are under more pressure than ever before to manage current systems while also planning for the future. That’s one of the reasons companies are rushing to adopt 0 6 1

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AI: Cost centre to revenue source To master AI as a revenue catalyst requires first understanding its costs

lmost immediately after it became apparent that the world was changing under our feet, artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as an enabler across the region. Suddenly, these technologies were not just being advocated by their vendors, but by analysts who pointed out that AI could help not only with battling the Covid pandemic, but in fomenting slick, robust economic recovery. Each industry could do something concrete to reinvent itself in the wake of seismic shifts in customer needs. Analysis of economies across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) predicts the region will respond dramatically to these arguments. The benefits of machine learning and advanced data analytics are now well known, but not everyone is enjoying success with these tools, because not everyone has the optimal migration methodology in place. If ingenuity does not flow quickly from AI investment, costs can outweigh gains before the technology has had a chance to add value. To prevent this, it is advisable to analyse each use case to see which will add the greatest benefits in terms of productivity, operational efficiency, customer retention, and so on, and then price each of them to arrive at a cost-benefit ratio. Lower cost use cases can be leveraged to build trust in AI, by demonstrating value for each business stakeholder. But management of projects must happen at an umbrella level. Allowing unit heads to run their own projects in isolation can quickly lead to failure. Of course, this enterprise-wide AI approach hinges on being able to accurately analyse costs. So, what are the costs of AI? How can they be separated and examined in isolation? 0 6 2

SID BHATIA REGIONAL DIRECTOR – MIDDLE EAST AND TURKEY DATAIKU

DATA IS FOOD FOR AI. IF NOT PROPERLY FORMATTED, THEN YOUR AI WILL CHOKE

GETTING DATA READY Data is food for AI. If not properly formatted, then your AI will choke. Value generation can only come from effective collation and preparation, which takes time and represents a cost. Another term for this process is data wrangling — further indicating just how difficult and time-consuming this phase of the digital transformation project can be. This is where the umbrella strategy will reap dividends. By taking an enterprise-wide approach to use cases, data can be warehoused on the same basis, meaning the organisation’s data-cleaning phase is implemented once, bringing siloed stores together in a uniform fashion rather than having separate datahomogenising projects for each use case. DEPLOYING SOLUTIONS Moving to production brings several headaches, especially when each project may involve a variety of workflows and stakeholders. Operationalisation, therefore, can contribute greatly to costs, as development cycles spill over from weeks into months. Here, costs emerge not only from labour but also from lost revenue because the solution is not in place in a production setting. Solutions to these costs can be found in process optimisation. Consistency in the development lifecycle can serve all use cases. Creating these directives can be thought of like the data-cleaning phase. If it is done properly in advance, it no longer arises as a concern in subsequent use cases. When development teams already know how to assemble and package code, and are well-versed in the formalities of releasing it, then business value can be added more quickly.

ACQUIRING AND RETAINING TALENT By getting the first two costs under control, the third becomes a more straightforward issue. The region is amid a skills crisis within the types of roles that typically deliver digital transformation. Data scientists and AI specialists are rare and expensive to attract. And while the cost of acquisition may be an externality that organisations cannot control, the retention or loss of such skills is entirely of their own making. By ensuring repetitive tasks like data-cleaning are reduced to oneshot projects, enterprises create roles that are more about solving problems than about chore-like grinds. In this regard, proper resourcing will be a vital component of ensuring that an organisation needs only acquire a skillset once, rather than having to spend money and time on repetitive recruitment. MAINTAINING MODELS AND TECHNOLOGIES When data changes, the results from existing models may not tally with reality, leading to a potential cost, and such a cost applies to each use case. So-called MLOps can be a means of controlling maintenance costs, unifying the task across use cases. At the same time, AI technologies themselves are evolving and attracting different stakeholders to new capabilities. Again, if an organisation has kept its enterprise-wide strategy in place, it can more readily evaluate new business cases. FROM COST CENTRE TO REVENUE SOURCE The region’s innovators will struggle to realise the potential of AI if costs are poorly understood. As smart technologies take more prominent position among the economic activity of nations, enterprises must look for efficiencies in their implementation. By scaling with due diligence, winners will accrue benefits more reliably and ensure that AI becomes a source of revenue, rather than a drain on investment.

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Why cybersecurity is a matter of national security It is time to stop relying on antiquated technologies designed to protect against threats from 20 years ago, and time to invest in cutting-edge prevention, detection and resilience solutions

fter months of escalating cyberattacks that have affected critical infrastructure providers, the food supply chain, and even disrupted distribution of Covid-19 vaccines and hospitals struggling to treat Covid patients, it is time to draw a line in the sand. The SolarWinds breach, followed by the Hafnium attacks against vulnerable Microsoft Exchange servers, and the massive ransomware attacks against Colonial Pipeline and JBS Meat Packing make it increasingly evident that the lines have been blurred for cyberattacks and today, cybersecurity is a matter of national security for all nations. Against this backdrop, CEOs from 24 leading tech companies, critical infrastructure providers, banks, insurers, and educational institutions recently met at The White House with US President Joe Biden and top advisors. After the meeting, the White House announced a number of bold initiatives. For instance, The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will collaborate with private sector partners to develop a framework to improve security and integrity in the supply chain. They also formally expanded the industrial control systems cybersecurity initiative beyond electric utilities to include natural gas pipelines. Major tech companies agreed to chip-in with a variety of initiatives. Apple will improve supply chain security, Google will expand zero

YONATAN STRIEM-AMIT CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER AND CO-FOUNDER CYBEREASON

trust programmes, Microsoft will accelerate efforts to integrate cybersecurity by design into systems and Amazon will make its internal security awareness training available to the public for free. One of the most reassuring facets of the meeting, though, was the emphasis on education and training. The UAE is already making strides in this arena. The government recently launched a programme in collaboration with some of the tech giants that were part of the White House meeting to train coders, several who will no doubt end up making invaluable contributions in the fight against cybercrime. These initiatives underscore the importance of public-private partnerships in the fight against cyber threats. It is time to stop relying on antiquated technologies designed to protect against threats from 20 years ago, and time to invest in cutting-edge prevention, detection and resilience solutions. We should also address escalating cyber espionage and nation-state cyberattacks by introducing financial regulation of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to fight ransomware and limit the ability to monetise cybercrime, as

well as legislation to update the penalties associated with cybercrimes, work with our allies to update treaties for extraditing cybercriminals and foster global cooperation to fight back. After the United States and the European Union condemned China for the Microsoft Exchange server attack, it was a wakeup call to other nation-state adversaries that in the future there will be a cost to cyberattacks on global targets. More condemnations are needed along with the establishment of clear rules of engagement for offensive operations. One of the core values at Cybereason is “win as one”. That philosophy also applies here. We face a constantly evolving and expanding landscape of threats, and increasingly sophisticated attacks that blur the lines between cyberattacks and cyber espionage. It will take a collaborative effort between many nations, private and public sector vendors, and government agencies to exchange intelligence and knowledge to improve our ability to fight the rising tide of advanced cybercrime. Cybersecurity is national security for all nations.

AFTER THE UNITED STATES AND THE EUROPEAN UNION CONDEMNED CHINA FOR THE MICROSOFT EXCHANGE SERVER ATTACK, IT WAS A WAKEUP CALL TO OTHER NATION-STATE ADVERSARIES THAT IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE A COST TO CYBERATTACKS ON GLOBAL TARGETS 0 6 3

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Cybersecurity can’t be ignored post-pandemic Victims of phishing and ransomware attacks can experience huge financial losses, with studies showing that on average ransomware attacks cost businesses $133,000

hile the world has paid great attention to physical health and wellbeing over the past 18 months amid the events of the Covid-19 pandemic, digital wellness has also shot up the agenda of governments, corporations, and individuals. Remote working, designed to help prevent the spread of the virus, accelerated the amount of corporate activity and business conducted in the digital space. However, despite the range of benefits, the rush to take business online has made companies and individuals more susceptible to a different illness, in the form of a cyberattack. Seizing on opportunities presented by companies lacking the right levels of cybersecurity or awareness of the importance of having the right systems in place, cybercriminals launched 726 million attacks around the world in 2020 against online resources, while a report from cybersecurity specialists Deep Instinct states that malware increased by 358 per cent last year. Lacking budget, cybersecurity knowledge or willingness to invest in 0 6 4

GEORGES CHIDIAC EVP DAMANA

online protection, small to medium enterprises (SMEs) became an obvious target, particularly in this region where SMEs amount for approximately 90 per cent of the business base. Indeed, data from Trend Macro shows that in the first half of 2020 alone there were more than 50 million cyberattacks in the GCC. To better understand the cybersecurity needs in the region, we surveyed Damana’s client portfolio, canvassing the views of CEOs and senior management at SMEs across the region on the impact of online attacks. The findings show that more needs to be done to raise awareness of the importance of cybersecurity protection within organisations and making staff aware of their role in protecting critical information both online and offline. Some 60 per cent of those surveyed said they had experienced an email phishing attack within the

past 12 months, while 42 per cent said they had experienced ransomware attack. Victims of phishing and ransomware attacks can experience huge financial losses, with studies showing that on average ransomware attacks cost businesses $133,000. More damaging for companies is the impact of data breaches. With SMEs such a crucial cog in the region’s economic wheel, it is clear that cybersecurity can no longer be low on the priority list. There are positive signs, with 64 per cent of respondents to the Damana survey recognising the importance of cybersecurity and cyber awareness training for their staff. Equipping teams with the right tools and knowledge to understand cyber risks, how to detect them and how to handle a situation are key to ensuring better protection. Training will ensure a strong layer of defence. Although awareness training is vital in protecting companies, it is also critical that SMEs take further steps to ensure protection. Insurance against cyberattacks may well seem an unnecessary cost, however it significantly mitigates financial and reputational damage. With the digital world continuously evolving, now is the time for business leaders to take appropriate action to protect their company and teams. We believe that all businesses, no matter the size, should take the time to research and identify the right approach to ensure protection. Don’t wait until it happens, stay ahead of the issue so that you aren’t part of the statistics.

EQUIPPING TEAMS WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE TO UNDERSTAND CYBER RISKS, HOW TO DETECT THEM AND HOW TO HANDLE A SITUATION ARE KEY TO ENSURE BETTER PROTECTION

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Global chip shortage UAE deserts may hold the key to the next economic miracle

shortage of semiconductors has sent jitters throughout the global economy, squeezing supplies of everything from cars to headphones. There are chips in nearly everything electric you own, from phone to computers to washing machine, refrigerators and even an electric toothbrush. The scarcity of chips has exposed the world’s reliance on these tiny components, the basic building blocks of computers that enable electronic devices to process data. FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHIP SHORTAGE As the pandemic caused the world to shut down, many factories closed with it, making the supplies needed for chip manufacturing unavailable for months. Meanwhile, the global transition to a remote lifestyle caused an explosive surge in demand for electronic devices. People stuck at home were using more phones and other streaming devices than ever before, skyrocketing the need for chips beyond what companies could manufacture. Manufacturing problems were also worsened by the lack of geographical diversification among semiconductor fabs. Despite the global need for chips, over 80 per

VIJAY VALECHA CIO CENTURY FINANCIAL

50+

BILLION TONNES

THE AMOUNT OF SAND THE WORLD IS USING EVERY YEAR

cent of semiconductors were created in Taiwan, South Korea and China, and over 50 per cent of the world’s chips were fabricated by a single entity. An unbalanced market share made a supply chain disruption inevitable. Meanwhile, at the onset of the pandemic, car companies decided to cancel their orders for chips because they assumed the economy was about to take a lengthy hit. On the other hand, consumerelectronics companies didn’t react as severely. As a result, chip companies switched to making chips for consumer products, attempting to meet the explosive demand caused by the pandemic-driven stay at home economy. WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE ECONOMY Semiconductors might be the new oil – which could make the 2020s the new 1970s. If oil was the necessary component for the 1970s economy, chips have an equally important role in the 2020s. Of the industries impacted, the automotive industry has taken the hardest hit with estimates suggesting US manufacturers will make at least 1.5-5 million less cars this year. Meanwhile, the consumer electronics industry is also feeling the pinch now, with Apple announcing that the chip shortage is expected to delay iPhone production and is already hurting sales of iPads and Macs. IS THE CHIP SHORTAGE OVER? While there were expectations that the semiconductor shortage in the automotive industry would ease following indications of the slated chip output increase by major foundry players such as Taiwan’s TSMC, recent reports from automakers don’t sound as optimistic. Toyota Motors is expected to cut global production in September by 40 per cent, while Ford is projected to halt production for one week at a US

plant. In fact, there are claims that the shortage could last for years. Chip shortages have started to hit the consumer electronics industry as well. Prices of popular models of some laptop computers have crept up. PlayStation and Xboxes are also in short supply. HOW CAN THE UAE CAPITALISE ON THIS OPPORTUNITY? By now, we might all agree that semiconductor chips have gone further than any other technology in connecting the world. But do you know what this tiny component is made of? In your wildest of dreams could you imagine that this technology that has spread across the world is made from – sand? And unquestionably, if the UAE has something to offer in abundance, it is sand. However, semiconductor chips are not fabricated from just any sand, it requires silica sand, specially quarried for this purpose and having high concentrations of quartz content (silicon dioxide) – as high as 95 per cent. Desert sand grains, eroded by the wind rather than water, are too smooth and contain a little under 50 per cent silicon rendering it unfit for the manufacturing of semiconductor chips. But what if desert sand can be augmented to meet the silicon requirements? This would be a windfall opportunity for the Emirates. As impossible as it might seem, the world is running out of sand — not desert sand, but the stuff found on riverbeds and under the sea. As the single most important vital component in every road and building, not to forget its starring role in glass and now the tiny silicon chips that virtually power everything electronic, the world is using more than 50 billion tonnes of sand every year – and rising. If technological advantages can eventually make desert sand viable for semiconductor chips and construction material, the UAE deserts may hold the key to the next economic miracle poised to transform the region. 0 6 5

F E AT U R E S GAMING

GAME ON

THE 2021 ESI DIGITAL SUMMER EDITION SHED LIGHT ON THE POTENTIAL OF THE EDUCATION SECTOR IN ESPORTS AND HOW LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE MAKING THEIR IMPACT IN THE SPACE

he 2021 edition of ESI Digital Summer took place on September 8-9 with a number of new panels that covered topics ranging from the latest esports and education developments to in-game advertising and fan monetisation. The event also witnessed the return of The Clutch, a pitch investment competition that gives esports focused startups a platform to propose their ideas to a panel of judges and network with some of the industry’s personalities and brands. In his introductory remarks, Sam Cooke, managing director of Esports Insider, announced two forthcoming ESI physical events in London. Cooke also hinted to an event at Oxford Street on October 9, promising to reveal more later. In addition, Cooke also announced the return of the flagship ESI London on November 8-9. Building and sustaining esports communities Several sessions during this year’s ESI Digital Summer focused on creating a community around a game or an organisation. Because many organisations operate on a global scale, reaching out to their audiences and building connections has now become a pressing priority. Acknowledging different cultures around the world helps with a company’s understanding of the local communities and ensures the brand message comes across accurately. In the Plussing Up the Fan XP panel, Team Liquid emphasised the importance of giving back to their fans,

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connecting with them and creating a space where fans can interact with each other. This became a reality with the launch of the Liquid+ platform, which fans use to collect points, claim rewards and experiences to bring them closer to their favourite team. Belong Gaming Arenas also spoke on the topic of esports impact on local communities, as it recently rolled out multiple gaming centres across the US, providing local gamers with the opportunity to watch, play, and compete across a range of titles. Other topics discussed at ESI Digital Summer included the surge of esports activations in education, whether at a high school or college level. Esports is heavily involved in offerings by educational institutions, from university courses and modules to BTEC at a college level. But, what value do these carry for students? During the Esports and Education 2021 panel, Matt Watson, head of research, learning and development at the International Federation of Esports Coaches (IFoEC), spoke of people’s growing interest in the subject: “We’re seeing a shift in the perspective of why we are interested in esports and why esports is a suitable medium to deliver

“ESPORTS IS A SUITABLE MEDIUM TO DELIVER EDUCATION AND TO OFFER YOUNG PEOPLE A CHANCE TO BE PART OF IT”

education and to offer young people a chance to be part of it, because we see a lot of potential for positive development, beyond just the kind of sort of game-specific stuff.” Besides providing gamers with the right tools to succeed, Atle Stehouwer, founder and CEO of Team Singularity, also emphasised how important it is to take care of teams all-around. He said: “I think one of the things that we as esports clubs can learn from the sports ecosystem and how it’s grown, is how important performance coaching is, and taking care of the whole human.” This year also marked Nerd Street Gamers joining forces with National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) to create collegiate esports league NACE Starleague. The Brand Showcase explored how the Brawl Stars Master League came to be and its current course, featuring speakers from Master League, Rsquare Entertainment, the holding owner, and Chivas Esports. The Clutch 2021 In partnership with Level 256, The Clutch became a focal point of ESI Events, with ESI Digital Summer hosting the fifth iteration of it this year. Judges for the competition included Spike Laurie from Hiro Capital, Vincent Vercelli from Level 256 and Helen Sarah Gammons from HSBC Private. Returning for the closing remarks, ESI managing director Sam Cooke announced iTero Gaming as the winner of The Clutch. iTero will receive an exclusive place in Level 256’s €5,000 incubator programme, alongside extensive promotion and access to guidance and mentorship.

F E AT U R E S GAMING

System requirements The Playkey application is compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 and higher and Windows 32- and 64-bit. The bare minimum required for data interchange with the Playkey server is 4 Mbps. However, the suggested speed for running games at 720p resolution is 10 bps, and 25 Mbps for running games at 1080p resolution. How to upload saves to the Playkey cloud Game saves are stored in the Playkey cloud and, if enabled by the publisher, in the clouds of gaming providers. It is not possible to upload your saves to the cloud or move them to another account; however, synchronisation is available. If you want to delete your saved file, you can do so by contacting the support staff.

THE PLAYKEY APPLICATION IS COMPATIBLE WITH MAC OS X 10.7 AND HIGHER AND WINDOWS 32- AND 64-BIT

laykey, a cloud gaming service that lets players worldwide play the newest video games on lowspec PCs and laptops, is now accessible in the Middle East. Gamers in the region can now access hundreds of full-fledged PC games that run at maximum settings, are rendered, and then delivered to any low-end device through a low-latency video stream without the need for expensive gear or regular hardware and software upgrades. How to play Users may play a game by going to Playkey. me and signing up for a membership plan. There are hourly and monthly plans that are accessibly priced. Casual gamers may choose an hourly rate and play as needed without worrying about credit expiry, while dedicated users can join up for a monthly membership and enjoy unlimited access to top-selling titles. After subscribing, players may explore hundreds of games in the Playkey.me

library. To connect to the service, a lightweight client must be installed. Because the material is streamed rather than downloaded, it takes up no storage space on your smartphone, and the experience feels like you are using a full-fledged gaming PC on your very own device. How to use Playkey service The registration process of the cloud gaming service is simple. Once the email address has been validated on the website, and the subscription package has been confirmed, the picture and internet quality will be checked, and the player will be able to begin playing immediately.

Cloud gaming in the Middle East Cloud gaming is the next generation streaming service that allows users with low performing devices to play the latest AAA game titles. Having servers in UAE means millions of gamers across the GCC region can now enjoy high resolution, fast frame rate, and low latency gaming for an optimal experience at very affordable prices. Playkey.me doesn’t compromise server or network performance, and its hardware and software are carefully engineered to deliver content in the shortest latency possible to reduce lag and give the users a seamless streaming experience. Playkey.me marks the entry of cloud gaming into the GCC and has been highly anticipated by the region’s gaming communities. Popular Abu Dhabi gaming podcast, Adgame.ae, referenced Playkey. me in one of their latest episodes. “We’ve all been waiting for this. The Gulf gaming community is just excited for this new development. Cloud gaming is heating up, the service is quite eye-opening and may make you start to consider whether having the latest PC or console in the living room is really necessary.”

PLAYKEY.ME DOESN’T COMPROMISE SERVER OR NETWORK PERFORMANCE, AND ITS HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE ARE CAREFULLY ENGINEERED 0 6 7

BRAND VIEW

HUMAN LOGIC

Corporate upskilling 2.0 With a portfolio of end-to-end solutions that helps accelerate digital transformation of corporate learning and upskilling, Human Logic focuses on employee engagement

SOMAROY GABBITA General manager - Human Logic

gic

How does Human Logic help organisations enhance the process of learning and sharing information? Traditionally, L&D and corporate training initiatives were led by HR departments to gauge and develop skills. Human Logic, on the other hand, focuses on employee engagement by designing employee centric and employee driven learning. This has empowered HR and L&D departments to enhance their upskilling effort across the levels of hierarchy to make the process engaging, be it through visually rich gamified courses for blue-collar staff who grapple with minimal access to devices, technology, tools and subject-understanding, or the use of crisp, information-packed microlearning bundles targeted at the C-suite who thrive on quick bites of learning. Can you tell us in brief about your solutions on learning portals and corporate learning? Human Logic offers a unique portfolio of end-to-end solutions that help accelerate digital transformation of corporate learning and upskilling. Our products span over a variety of systems including Learning

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Management Systems (LMS), Training Experience Platforms (TXP) and branded mobile apps that enable anytime anywhere e-learning and can also be configured to be accessed only through secure corporate networks. In addition to these, Human Logic is also an expert at developing custom-designed, rich and engaging e-learning courseware that is aligned to andragogic gamification techniques, adaptive to learner profiles, and is delivered in platform-agnostic forms (LTI/SCORM). During the pandemic, the region witnessed massive growth in the adoption of cloud. But with this acceleration, did you notice any challenges in the implementation? The pandemic provided a new dimension to remote learning. Although e-learning was an established technology, it gained higher acceptance and adoption during the pandemic, making it a trusted channel of learning. We overcame implementation challenges by providing secure, AI proctored environments for e-learning, and also ensuring that the market demand for mobile learning available only through secure corporate applications and networks is met. Through this we empowered corporates to leverage learning activities through mobile, cloud-based systems. Please tell us about your recent partnerships Our recent partnerships have been carefully established to synergise and propel our strategic focus on L&D and our competitive strengths in the e-learning space. To empower

customers with powerful AI-based analytics, advanced business intelligence and reporting capabilities, we partnered with Intelliboard, a comprehensive reporting and analytics platform. Our partnership makes Human Logic the first Intelliboard partner in the UAE, allowing them access to service GCC customers. We also partnered with Amazon Web Services to strengthen our relationships and position once their regional datacentre is operational. We also established a unique partnership with GO1, the world’s largest off-the-shelf content aggregator offering over 250,000 e-learning assets across a wide range of topics. As a prominent contributor of over 700 courses to the “Netflix of courseware”, as they are popularly known, Human Logic also unlocked synergies though this partnership, making our e-learning portfolio comprehensive. What new innovations/solutions do you have planned for 2022? The coming year will see exciting new product offerings from Human Logic. These include a subscription-based cloud library of over 900 engaging e-learning courses. What makes this catalogue unique is that the topics are handpicked based on market gaps and popular demand and are built to cater to the requirement of quality bilingual offthe-shelf courseware that is built for the region. The catalogue will enable corporate customers to deploy these courses in their environment irrespective of the platform they own. We are also thrilled about our innovative strides on an AI based tool and recommendation engine for corporate learning, that provides recommendations based on user learning patterns, learning behaviours and skill requirements. This tool is Human Logic’s contribution to the edtech space as it is designed to be platform-agnostic and can be used to empower any LMS with its features.

THE RE V IE W

010 2021

HP SMART TANK 700 SERIES Helps families and entrepreneurs stay productive while working and learning from home

NOW PLATFORM ROME Employee centre serves as a unified portal for employees to access HR, IT and other departments

SURECOLOR SC-T5100M Features a simple toploading scanning workflow with a 600dpi scanner

LOGITECH MX KEYS MINI Connects up to three wireless devices with bluetooth 0 6 9

P R O D U C T

FEATURES Employee centre serves as a unified portal for employees to get services easily from HR, IT and other departments Employee journey management creates connected cross-departmental experiences with pre-configured workflows Automation discovery identifies opportunities to automate using ServiceNow apps based on intelligent recommendations Health log analytics enhancements identifies potential service issues before they can impact the business

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OCTOBER 2021

R E V I E W

NOW PLATFORM ROME

ow Platform Rome by ServiceNow delivers several upgrades designed to support organisations to adapt to the hybrid work era including evolving business models, managing the employee fatigue crisis, and scaling automation and app development across the enterprise. With this platform, employee-focused solutions delivered via a unified platform allows organisations to create simple, engaging employee experiences from anywhere, so employees can navigate work moments that matter with ease.

G B T E C H TA L K

P R O D U C T

R E V I E W

FEATURES • Scan at 600dpi up to 2.72M • Print and scan direct to and from USB • Scan to encrypted PDF, PDF, JPEG, TIFF • Easy to share – scan to USB, mail (secure), FTP server (secure), network folder • Interface with your printer via built in wifi, AirPrint, USB/LAN • Up to 100m roll capacity, cut sheet up to A1 • Epson precision core micro TFP permanent printhead

SURECOLOR SC-T5100M

E The 36-inch SCT5100M printer is compact, reliable and cost-effective

pson’s SureColor SC-T5100M 3-in-1 printer is for businesses that require a multi-function large-format printer but have limited workspaces. The 36-inch SC-T5100M printer is compact, reliable and cost-effective. It is ideal for technical drawing, CAD plotting, GIS mapping and printing various assets for the retail and hospitality industries. The printer features a simple toploading scanning workflow with a 600dpi scanner that accurately replicates documents (up to 2.72M) into multiple formats and sends them securely to various destinations, as well as scaling original copies. In addition, a tray supports scanned

documents to avoid any valuable originals being damaged on the floor. The range has been designed to be dust-free as standard – print quality and internal components are protected, making it extremely suitable for environments such as construction site offices and high footfall areas. The compact design of the SC-T3100M means it can fit into the smallest of spaces and enables it to be transported from one location to another with ease. The Epson cloud solution PORT platform supports the SC-T5100M. Epson cloud solution PORT is free and enables users to update and monitor equipment across several sites, from the production floor to remote locations. 0 7 1

P R O D U C T

OCTOBER 2021

R E V I E W

KEY FEATURES • Manage tasks with a magic touch panel that appears only when needed • Smart-guided lighting for an intuitive experience • Integrated display and tank lights make it easy to see ink levels • Easy set up through the HP smart app • Reliable self-healing dual-band wifi • Automatic two-sided printing • Up to 18,000 black or 8,000 colour pages included

HP SMART TANK 700 SERIES

Smart Tank 700 series to help families and small business owners stay productive and creative while working and learning from home. The new series offers a seamless and versatile printing experience that does not comprise on speed, affordability, or quality. Building on HP’s long 0 7 2

history of developing products with sustainability in mind, the HP Smart Tank 700 Series is its first ink tank printer to be made from over 25 per cent recycled plastic. In the UAE, the Smart Tank 700 is priced between Dhs1,049 – Dhs1,299 and will be available at leading retailers from November onwards.

G B T E C H TA L K

P R O D U C T

R E V I E W

KEY FEATURES • Equipped with perfect stroke, Logitech’s non-mechanical typing technology • Increased key stability reduces noise • USB-C quick-charging • Connects up to three wireless devices with bluetooth • Compatible with Windows, Chrome, Linux and Android, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, bluetooth and Logi Bolt USB receiver • Optimised for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS

Comes with three new functions designed to optimise your work experience

LOGITECH MX KEYS MINI

he Logitech MX Keys Mini offer the standard-sized MX Keys in a minimalist wireless keyboard designed for any space you work, whether a large designer desk in the studio or a home setup. MX Keys Mini is available in three colours – rose, pale gray and graphite. Three new functions designed to optimise your work experience when using Logitech are available in MX Keys Mini: a dictation key (feature provided by Windows and macOS, available in select countries), mute/unmute microphone key and an emoji key. 0 7 3

G B T E C H TA L K

COMPETITION

WIN THESE!

Tech quiz whiz Do you pride yourself on being a tech genius? Do you code in your sleep? Do you know why SSDs are superior to standard hard drive technology? If that’s you, make sure to participate in our quiz – which will be at this same spot in every GB Tech Talk issue – and stand a chance to win exciting prizes. Just email your answer to divsha.bhat@motivate.ae and wait to hear from us. Stay tuned to our social media platforms GB Tech Talk on LinkedIn and Facebook and find out if you have won.

Here’s the first question (yes, we’ve kept it fairly simple this time, but no peeking from Google!)

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What was the name of the chessplaying computer that made history when it defeated world champion Garry Kasparov in 1996?

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FEATURES INTERVIEWS WITH OVER 20 INDUSTRY EXPERTS ENGLISH AND ARABIC EDITIONS AVAILABLE AT ALL MAJOR RETAILERS ACROSS THE UAE AND ON BOOKSARABIA.COM

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Detach me to always mirror your expressions

EVERY EMOTION IN PORTRAIT CAPTURE IT ALL ON

Detach me to always mirror your expressions

EVERY EMOTION IN PORTRAIT CAPTURE IT ALL ON