#middle east

Different Arab money

Saudi VC firm STV looking to raise $1bn for Middle East tech fund

Interest in the technology industry in the Middle East has increased the past few years

Three rules for successful business transformations in the Middle East

Companies that reap the most rewards also set up a transformation management office that is different from a typical programme management office

Frank Dai named new president of Huawei Cloud Middle East

The cloud division aims to provide the best public cloud services in the region including optimal latency and ultimate experience

Esports

UAE-based Yalla Esports announces new strategic partnerships

Collaboration with Zain Esports and Tokyo Games involves unlocking the potential of regional talent – players, casters, analysts, and commentators

Hisense and FGT FZE

Hisense Middle East partners with FGT industries to enter the UAE market

FGT will be an advance fulfilment partner for Hisense in the UAE for the brand’s TV business

Playkey cloud gaming

Playkey.me is now available in the Middle East

The playkey.me application is compatible with Mac OS X 10.7 and higher and Windows 32- and 64-bit

US-based 500 Startups closes largest fund to date

Firm expands strategy beyond accelerator and seed investments, doubles down on global thesis

The role of auditors in fighting fraud

In the Middle East, issues relating to fraud and corruption are of concern because of the lack of anti-fraud legislation in place

data centre

Charging the future

With the increasing use of lithium-ion batteries in data centres, the market is expected to grow significantly by 2025

Middle East M&A activity scales 59% in H1 2021

Overall deal activity in the region continued its upward trend with 307 deals in the first half of the year

Nissan pre-owned warranty

Nissan rolls out manufacturer-backed warranty for pre-owned programme in the Middle East

All Nissan Certified Pre-Owned vehicles will receive a two-year or 60,000km manufacturer warranty

Nexans opens office in Saudi Arabia to provide local on-ground support

In addition to Nexans hub in Dubai, this move increases its presence in the Middle East

Ayman Kattan

Retaining talent requires culture change from regional enterprises

Through careful, thoughtful management, organisations can leverage the hybrid working space to satisfy the preferences of a digital workforce

Responsible AI

The path to responsible AI

Hundreds of billions of dollars in commercial AI revenue is expected to flow to the Middle East by 2030, and contribute heavily to double-digit GDP growth

Kath Kerry GCI Health

Four trends that will shape the future of healthcare in the Middle East

Regional healthcare infrastructure investments in the GCC are expected to reach $89bn by 2022

Making strides to diversify and enrich the region’s cloud services market

Events of the last year have focused the spotlight on the benefits of cloud-based solutions

Dubai tech startup Zeta raises $250m to accelerate growth

The investment values Zeta at $1.45bn

Saudi backs Palestinian state based on 1967 borders – foreign minister

Israel and Hamas are near a possible cease-fire deal, according to media reports

How Middle East businesses can rise to the net-zero challenge

Banks and FI’s are in a position to play a key role in accelerating the transition to a low carbon economy

Publicis Groupe appoints Bassel Kakish as CEO for Middle East and Turkey

Kakish will continue to be based in Dubai and report to the executive chairman

Top US startup Stripe begins Mideast foray with Dubai office

The San Francisco and Dublin-based company has opened an office in Dubai Internet City

Calling the right numbers: Monty Mobile

Making a mark in the regional telecom industry has been challenging and yet rewarding, states Mountasser Hachem, founder and CEO of Monty Mobile

Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman

Saudi Crown Prince announces two massive green initiatives to combat climate change

The overall regional tree planting programme (with 50 billion trees) is claimed to be the largest reforestation programme in the world

Celine Bremaud

How data and AI are transforming regional organisations in 2021

The people and organisations who adapted to the crisis the quickest did so with technology

Akshay Chopra, Vice-President, Head of Product Innovation and Design for CEMEA and Africa copy

How mobile network operators can drive the next wave of financial inclusion in MENA

Mobile network operators have direct access to a large customer base that includes the harder-to-reach segments of the underbanked and unbanked

Anghami

MENA music streaming platform Anghami merges with Vistas Media, to list on Nasdaq New York

The agreement will result in Anghami becoming the first Arab technology company to list on Nasdaq New York

Spotify to add 85 new markets with 1 billion people

Spotify is the largest paid music service in the world, and has become the single biggest source of revenue for the recording industry

science

Northern Ireland’s healthtech expertise to spur growth in the Middle East

Northern Ireland’s two main universities – Queens University Belfast and Ulster University – rank among the top 10 in the UK for bioscience research

Qatar Airways adds flights to Africa as carrier expands network

Its network currently stands at 120 destinations, with plans to reach 130 routes by the end of March

Power Letters 2021: Tony Douglas, CEO, Etihad Aviation Group

As part of Etihad Wellness, the airline introduced the Covid-19 global wellness insurance for all its guests