Huawei in global top three for smartphone market share Huawei bucks industry trend with year-on-year growth of 30.2% in 2016 to capture 10% of the global smartphone market

Posted on February 24, 2017 by مشرف

According to data released by leading analyst firms Strategy Analytics and Counterpoints Research，Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) became the third largest smartphone manufacturer by market share, commanding 10% of the total global market. Meanwhile，total worldwide smartphone shipments grew by 2.3% year-on-year in 2016, totaling 1.47 billion units. The Chinese market contributed a large part of this total figure, with 467 million mobile phones shipped for the year. Of the top five vendors, Samsung, Apple, Huawei, OPPO, and vivo, the three Chinese brands together account for almost 20% of the global market share. Huawei ranked third overall, with nearly 10% market share, maintaining steady growth despite a weaker global market. In total, Huawei shipped 139.3 million units in 2016, up 30.2% on 2015.

Despite the softening of the global smartphone market, Huawei’s annual growth in shipments shows strong momentum and continues to perform above the industry average. Shipments grew from 75 million in 2014 to 108 million in 2015 and approximately140 million in 2016. This industry-defying growth has consolidated its position as the number three global vendor.

The Road to Consolidation: The Changed and the Unchanged

Huawei released HUAWEI P9 and HUAWEI Mate 9 in 2016, two flagship models that continue Huawei’s strategy of releasing high-performance smartphones that combine powerful technology, functional design and intuitive user experience to win global acclaim. Global sales of the HUAWEI P9 flagship series have so far exceeded 10 million units, making it Huawei’s first flagship model to reach that milestone.

“Huawei was a rising star in December 2016, an important achievement for Chinese companies,” said Tina Lu, Senior Analyst at Counterpoint Research. Commenting on Huawei’s aim to sell more smartphones than Apple in 2017, Lu added, “Performance in North America and Asian markets will be the key. If it can build on its strong position in Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, then it has a chance to accomplish this goal.”

Huawei has also modified its channel strategy, growing the total number of its offline service stores to more than 460, across 45 countries around the world. The company launched its “1,000-county plan” in China, aiming to set up shops in 1,000 counties across the country. Huawei has also established long-term and stable partnerships with thousands of distributors and retailers all over the world. The global public channel as a share of revenue increased to 71% in 2016, up 13 percentage points from 2015. The number of retailers offering Huawei devices across the world also increased to more than 70,000.

Tarun Pathak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, spoke highly of Huawei’s strategy, “Huawei has gained a foothold in the premium market with the successful release of P9 and Mate 8 and will continue to put more emphasis on the premium market going forward, challenging Apple. In 2017, we expect Huawei to reap the reward of its offline channel expansion strategy started in late 2015 to cover 1,000 provinces by the end of the year.”

The Road to Refinement: Investment and Partnerships

In the flagship P and Mate series, Huawei collaborated with international brands such as Leica and Porsche Design, building on and amplifying the Huawei brand concept while expanding its appeal through association with other leaders in their fields. These partnerships have directly impacted brand recognition for Huawei, winning acclaim from a growing list of respected global institutions. In 2016, Huawei was included in Interbrand’s 100 Best Global Brands for the second year, ranking 72nd. It was also ranked in BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands at number 50. This success in branding has also been reflected in global sales, acting as further proof that users favor Huawei mobile phones.

Global and Local Strategies for Success

Huawei consolidated its position as one of the world’s three largest smartphone vendors thanks to distinct domestic and overseas strategies that have solidified its advantages in some regions, while opening new markets through its continuous innovation and efficient operations.  “Huawei maintained third position with a record 10 percent global smartphone market share in Q4 2016, the first time the company has ever reached double figures. It was an impressive performance,” said Woody Oh, Director at Strategy Analytics. “Huawei’s overseas performance in markets like Western Europe is accelerating due to improved smartphone designs, more sophisticated marketing, and deeper retail distribution.”

 

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Middle East ICT Community Prepares to Set Sail as IDC Takes 10th Anniversary CIO Summit to the Seas

Posted on February 21, 2017 by مشرف

One hundred of the region’s most influential CIOs are preparing to set sail early next month as International Data Corporation (IDC) prepares to host the 10th anniversary edition of its flagship Middle East CIO Summit on board the luxurious Royal Caribbean Cruise ship, ‘Vision of the Seas’. Setting sail from Dubai on March 6 for a seven-day tour of the Gulf, the event’s three-day agenda will focus on the theme of ‘Enabling Dynamic Change for the Digital Era’, with IDC promising a conference experience like no other before.

The IDC Middle East CIO Summit has been at the forefront of ICT thought leadership since its inception in 2008. And with formal conference activities closing by 3pm each day, this year’s special installment is set to offer unprecedented opportunities for networking between the region’s foremost ICT decision makers and global experts from some of the most respected names in the industry.

Intimate focus groups featuring a maximum of 20 CIOs each will add a fresh twist to the agenda, with discussions centering on the role of data in driving digital transformation, the quest to enable agile business through open and secure datacenter networks, and the growing demands to implement true omnichannel customer experiences. These will be supplemented by six interactive CIO Workshops that will draw on IDC’s groundbreaking IT Executive Programs to provide attendees with in-depth insights into the following topics:

  • Developing Skills for the Digital World
  • DevOps Practices that Deliver Transformation & Cost Reduction
  • Leading in 3D: 100 Days to Set the Stage for Digital Transformation
  • The Shortcomings of Bimodal IT: Digital Transformation Demands a Full Spectrum Leadership Model
  • The CIO’s Guide to Strategic Architecture: How to use Architecture as a Tool for Digital Transformation
  • Cost-Benefit Analysis for Security Programs

And with Day 2 featuring two parallel technology tracks for CIOs to choose from – ‘Maximizing Performance with Software-Defined Infrastructure’ and ‘Truth or Dare: Reality & Risks in Today’s Digital Security World’ – there has never been greater scope for attendees to tailor their Summit experience to directly reflect their own individual needs.

IDC’s most renowned global names will be flying in for the event, with Meredith Whalen, Senior Vice President for IT Executive, Software, Services, and Industry Research, delivering the Summit’s keynote address and chairing a number of panel discussions. She will be joined by Steven Frantzen, Senior Vice President for EMEA and Managing Director for CEMA; Pete Lindstrom, Vice President of Research for Enterprise and NextGen Security; Stephen Elliot, Vice President of Research for DevOps; Mike Rosen, Vice President of Research for Strategic Architecture; and Jyoti Lalchandani, Group Vice President and Regional Managing Director for META.

Experts from some of the world’s leading ICT vendors will be on hand throughout the event to provide their own unique insights, while IDC has also invited a cast of visionaries from some of the region’s most pioneering end-user organizations to dissect their own digital transformation journeys and deliver a CIO Summit that truly has the interests of the CIO at its heart. These include Wesam Lootah, CEO of Dubai Smart Government; Mohamed Abuagla, CIO of Al Jazeera Media Network; Dr. Arwa Y. Al-Aama, Vice Mayor for IT Affairs at Jeddah Municipality; Dr. Jassim Haji, IT Director at Gulf Air; Colonel Khalid Nasser Alrazooqi, General Director of Smart Services at Dubai Police; Gopi Krishnan, CIO of Al Hilal Bank; Mohammed Mousa, Senior Consultant for GRC & IT Security at SABIC; C. Krishna Kumar, COO at Qatar Islamic Bank; Edward Ganom, CISO at Commercial Bank of Qatar; A. Qureshi, Head of Business Continuity at Riyad Bank; Jonathan Richards, Group Digital Strategy Director at Gulf News Media; Zubair Ahmed, Head of IT & Business Innovation at Emirates Islamic Bank; Sanjeev Menon, Head of IT Security at Commercial Bank of Dubai; and Sourav Sinha, CIO of Oman Air.

Partnering the 10th anniversary edition of the Middle East CIO Summit will be Etisalat, Dell EMC, and Intel as Summit Partners; Schneider Electric and Misys as Platinum Partners; Veeam, VMware, Red Hat, Fidelis Cybersecurity, Nutanix, and Fire Eye as Gold Partners; Juniper Networks, BARQ Systems, Commvault, and Nexthink as Focus Group Partners; and AGC Networks, together with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, as Lunch Partners.

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Hyundai Motor will Debut the All-new Accent at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto

Posted on February 19, 2017 by مشرف

Hyundai Motor Company will host the world premiere of the All-new 2018 Accent subcompact on 16 February, at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto.

Hyundai has released a teaser image and video ahead of the car’s public unveiling, suggesting a fresh, confident interpretation of the brand’s signature design language. The new car features the cascading grille, a visual signature that is integral to Hyundai Motor’s identity. It also hints at a slim and modern rear bumper, a sweeping roofline, and a sharp character line running the length of the car where it meets slim and sporty rear combination lamps.

“The Accent has been an enormously successful model for Hyundai, and we expect the new generation to sell strongly,” said Mike Song, Hyundai’s Head of Operations for Africa and the Middle East. “The current model already sets a high standard for style in the small car segment, and images released ahead of the launch reveal an exciting evolution of the Accent’s design.”

The teaser video can be viewed at: www.YouTube.com/HyundaiCanada.

Further details about the all-new vehicle will be revealed during the Hyundai press conference scheduled for 16 February, starting at 14:35 GMT. The company will also broadcast the debut live on its Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/HyundaiCanada.

 

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A GRAND EVENT IN COLLABORATION WITH EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALDIVES IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA.

Posted on February 19, 2017 by مشرف

Sun Siyam Resorts, together with the Embassy of the Republic of Maldives hosted a special evening in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh on the 13th of February at Four Points by Sheraton hotel.

The special event held to mark the opening of the Sun Siyam Group representation in Riyadh was focused on “A Glimpse into the Sunny Side of Life”.  This was mainly to provide the much needed information of Maldives as a destination, which has maintained its popularity in the Middle East.

The evening was brought to a start with the opening speech by His Excellency Abdullah Hameed, Ambassador of Maldives to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It was followed by a presentation by Director of Business Development of Sun Siyam Resorts, Evgenia Boyankova, who covered the topic on “Traveling to Maldives:  Everyone can find something special”. True to its title, Maldives definitely caters to one’s own needs. It is a destination for families, couples, singles, honeymooners, friends, the adventurous and the relaxed spa goers alike.

With the easy flight connections available from the KSA, Mr. Mamdouh AbdullRhaman AlMallouhi, Sales Manager for Riyadh from Saudi Airlines covered the convenience and ease “Connecting the Kingdom and Maldives” and shared the future plans to launch direct flights from Jeddah to Maldives.

During the event, there were raffles drawn with holidays to Maldives sponsored by Sun Siyam Resorts and tickets to Maldives sponsored by Saudi Airlines.

With a great turnout from the media and trade, it was a successful event with dinner and networking.

 

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MiSK and Google launch We Are All Online program to drive digital awareness among youth in KSA The program will be a multi-year initiative and will be executed through assembles on online literacy and safety in all private and public schools in Saudi Arabia

Posted on February 17, 2017 by مشرف

The Prince Mohamed bin Salman Foundation (MiSK) and Google launched Tuesday an initiative to promote the best practices and knowledge to Saudi youth on how to act smartly and safely online.

With the Saudi Ministry of Education’s support, We Are All Online will see Google-trained staff from MiSK lead student assemblies in 50 public and private middle schools in Riyadh during the second academic semester. The program leaders will teach students how to act responsibly and safely online using content developed and localized by Google for Saudi schools. We Are All Online will then expand to five other provinces by the beginning of the next academic year.

Speaking at the program’s launch in Riyadh, Minister of Education Ahmed Al Eissa reiterated the importance of information security especially among today’s youth and the education system’s role in spreading digital awareness.

The Minister also called upon the students who attended the launch to engage with the program’s trainers and content to make sure they get the best of the initiative. He also expressed his optimism for Kulluna Online.

Commenting about the launch, MiSk Secretary General Badr bin Mohamed Al Asaker said: “Given the notable growth of usage of the digital world whether through regular browsing or instant messaging applications, it was necessary that we find a creative initiative to spread awareness on digital safety. Kulluna Online was the product of MiSK’s belief that the Internet has become one of the most important languages of our time and a necessary tool for development. The program aims to spread digital awareness and to keep up with the latest global practices which ensure safe Internet browsing.”

“We are excited to launch the We Are All Online National Digital Awareness Program here in Saudi Arabia. With our partners at MiSK and the Ministry of Education, we want to equip young Saudis with the best practices and knowledge on how to get the best of the web while acting responsibly and safely online. These assemblies will leave a lasting impact on students and will lead to an even better and safer online community in Saudi Arabia,” Google Head of Government Relations and Public Policy for the Gulf Sam Blatteis said.

Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Mohamed Attia Alharthi said that “this program reflects the implementation of the 2030 vision, utilizing the relationship between the government and nonprofit sectors by launching this engaging program executed in cooperation with Google.”

“This program targets students in both primary and secondary schools and will include hour-long assemblies in each school. It will be executed over four academic semester and we expect that 10,000 students across 50 schools will benefit from the first phase of Kulluna Online,” he added.

Drawing from everyday-situations and questions young children face online, the content of the assemblies is based on a gamified experience that would help popularize the memorable key insights from the program.

The key pillars of We Are All Online include the following:

Post wisely: The assembly will encourage students to think thoroughly before sharing something online.

  • Stay secure: Students will learn how to keep their belongings online ( pictures, passwords, documents, etc.) secure.
  • Know your settings: Teachers will walk students through how to navigate and adjust their settings to keep their devices and accounts secure.
  • How to avoid fraud and identity theft: The program will help students become more critical of what they see on the web and to seek advice from parents and students.
  • Importance of being positive online: The program aims to promote a positive online community where students can feel safe.  

In addition to the school assemblies, the program will have its own website where all the material will be available online for anyone to view in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

Google launched similar programs around the world in recent years such as Internet Legends in the UK and the digital literacy school assembly program in the US. We Are All Online has the potential to reach one million middle school students and aims to have a large-scale impact that would elevate students’ awareness on how to stay safe and smart online.

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VisitBritain To Open Its First Office in Saudi Arabia 147,000 Saudi Tourists Visited UK in 2015, Office Will Build on Decades of Close Relations Says British Ambassador Saudi National, Bader Al Mandeel, Appointed VisitBritain Country Representative

Posted on February 13, 2017 by مشرف

Britain’s national tourism body VisitBritain today announced the opening of its first office in Riyadh to attract more visitors from Saudi Arabia to the UK.

The announcement, which was made at a press event at the residence of British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Simon Collis, includes the appointment of Saudi national Bader Al Mandeel as VisitBritain’s Country Representative.

British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Simon Collis said:

“The opening of the new VisitBritain office in Riyadh builds on a century of strong trade and cultural relations. Every year Britain welcomes more and more Saudis in the UK with thousands visiting on business, for tourism or to study. I would strongly encourage Saudis to go and see for themselves everything that the UK has to offer.”

VisitBritain Director Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (APMEA) Sumathi Ramanathan said:

‘Saudi Arabia is one of Britain’s most important and fastest growing outbound market. The appointment of Bader Al Mandeel to head VisitBritain’s operations signals VisitBritain’s strong commitment to the market. We value the support of our media, travel trade, airline and social media partners and Bader’s presence in market will help us to further build on these important relationships.’

As of the end of January 2017, Britain was 14% more affordable for visitors from Saudi Arabia compared with the same month in 2016.

Visitors from Saudi Arabia are some of the UK’s highest spenders, spending on average £3,769 per visit, more than six times the average for all markets. They also stay longer than other international visitors with an average length of stay of 18 nights, compared to an average of 8 nights for all markets.

Research by VisitBritain shows that Saudi visitors are interested in luxury shopping and enjoy Britain’s high-end department stores and outlet shops, with more than 60% likely to have shopped at an outlet or department store during their visit. They are also among the most likely to purchase clothes or shoes during a trip to Britain.

saudi Arabia is one of Britain’s top 10 most valuable inbound visitor markets with spend forecast to reach £772 million by 2020. In 2015, there were 147,000 inbound visits from Saudi Arabia to the UK, with visitors spending £556 million.

VisitBritain’s forecast for 2017 shows that overall inbound tourism growth is set to continue with 38.1 million visits, up 4% on 2016 which is likely to see about 36.7 million visits by year end.

Spending by overseas visitors is predicted to reach £24.1 billion in 2017, an 8% increase on spending last year which is expected to top out at £22.3 billion.

The appointment of VisitBritain’s new Country Representative, follows the development of a partnership with Al Tayyar Travel Group Holding Company which includes a campaign to promote London, Manchester and Edinburgh. The campaign will offer exclusive summer family travel packages to the UK and will offer Saudi travellers an exclusive upgrade to their visa processing through UK Visa and Immigration.

 

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Google Appoints New Managing Director for its Business in MENA

Posted on February 12, 2017 by مشرف

Google announced today that Lino Cattaruzzi has joined its business in the Middle East and North Africa to lead its operations as their new Managing Director. Lino Cattaruzzi comes with over twenty years of experience in the tech industry where he previously led the Google business in Mexico as Country Director and before that Argentina. Cattaruzzi also spearheaded the global Sales Strategy team for Online Media Solutions at Google’s headquarters in California; and was in charge of the Online Sales Organization for Germany, Switzerland and Austria while based out of Dublin.

Lino comments “After eight years at Google, I am excited to start a new challenge within the company and look forward to working with some very talented Googlers here in the Dubai office. I find the MENA region to be truly fascinating and believe there is a lot more to be done in unlocking its digital potential. Since Google established its presence in MENA eight years ago, a significant effort went in successfully boosting the wide adoption of digital across large and small businesses in MENA.”

In his new role, Lino will lead the efforts to enable local business partners scale growth online and engage with consumers, as well as help the wider digital ecosystem through scalable programs and initiatives.

Before joining Google, Lino held several managerial positions at AOL Latin America, including being President for Latin America and their subsidiary in Argentina.

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Saudi HealthCare Exhibition The biggest gathering of local and international healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia

Posted on February 12, 2017 by مشرف

The economic vision 2030 has set clear objectives to achieve sustainable economic growth, increase the contribution of non-oil sectors in the economy through enhancing Public Private Partnership.

The Health Sector being one of the vital sectors is gaining significant governmental support and has launched several initiatives which include increasing the private sector spending on health care from 25% to 35%.

Privatization, one of the initiatives adopted by the Saudi Ministry of Health, was launched over six stages during a three years period that will expand the private sector’s contribution in the health care sector by offering lucrative opportunities. In Saudi Arabia more than 249 public hospitals affiliated with the ministry of health, across the Kingdom, in addition to 39 public hospitals, and 127 Private Hospitals.

In line with the expected development in this sector, the Saudi HealthCare Exhibition 2017 comes to gather regional and international companies, key traders, distributors and service providers, officials and decision-makers in the Saudi health sector to communicate and initiate partnerships.

Based on the achievements recorded in the previous edition, with more than 551 exhibiting companies, from 42 countries, and 25, 351 visitors, the organizing company is expecting a resounding success for this year’s edition of the exhibition which will be held during the period between 8 to May 10, 2017 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

It is worth mentioning that Riyadh Exhibitions Co. Ltd., is a Saudi company specialized in organizing exhibitions, conferences and other trade events. The company caters to several activities for various economic sectors. Throughout its 35 years, REC has organized more than 440 unique and successful shows and conferences renowned for their innovation, professionalism and attention to details. REC boasts an international presence, supported by over 120 commercial & industrial bodies from more than 50 countries. Regionally, REC dominates with its wide range of events programs, serving 20 economic and financial sectors in the Middle East. REC’s leading events are certified by UFI.

 

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SOUQ.com and SAP Tie-Up to Accelerate Real-Time Transactions and Fuel Middle East E-Commerce

Posted on February 8, 2017 by مشرف

Real-time digital transactions will transform Middle East e-commerce by 2020, SOUQ.com, the region’s largest e-commerce platform, announced today in a tie-up with SAP. In line with this prediction, the partnership between SOUQ.com and SAP will help accelerate real-time transactions to support the scaling up of Middle East small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and further drive the e-commerce market.

According to a recent report by online payment provider Payfort, the Middle East’s e-commerce market is set to nearly triple in value, from USD 25 billion in 2015 to USD 69 billion by 2020.

Most of the Middle East’s e-commerce growth will come in a massive shift from business-to-consumer transactions in items such as mobile phones, clothes, and watches, to business-to-business items.

The rise in business-to-business will be experienced primarily by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), selling large quantities of items such as office furniture, rooftop solar panels, and medicine.

Partnership with global technology company SAP and systems integrator NTT Data for the digital roadmap will support SOUQ.com as well as overall e-commerce industry growth. The core is an end-to-end enterprise resource planning solution that runs on the real-time SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud.

“SOUQ.com enables regional SMEs to start and grow their online business using our solid technology platform, technical assistance, and market exposure. SMEs on our platform have seen unparalleled success.  In line with the region’s SME-backed e-commerce growth, the business-to-business market will be the next major digital economy growth driver,” said Ronaldo Mouchawar, CEO and Co-Founder of SOUQ.com.

The region is poised to become a key player in the global e-commerce market and today’s tech savvy and connected consumers expect access to everything wherever, whenever and in real-time. This partnership with SAP will further scale up our platform and provide real-time, robust, and secure e-commerce platform for SMEs to grow exponentially and sell thousands of items effortlessly at one time directly to large enterprises,” added Ronaldo Mouchawar.

“Real-time is the driver of e-commerce – whether in completing transactions or identifying new customer shopping habits. This partnership promotes the sharing of global best practices, further solidifying  SOUQ.com as the Middle East’s top e-commerce platform, driving the digital economy and embracing millions of more e-commerce sellers and buyers,” said Tayfun Topkoc, Managing Director, SAP UAE.

Wisam Daoud, COO of SOUQ.com, added, “As the largest e-commerce platform in the region, we focus on the value we bring through technology and making online shopping as seamless and enjoyable as possible for our customers. This partnership with SAP is our next step to further enhance our customer experience and operations and thereby boost the E-commerce industry

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Operating 9 hotels in 4 cities Dur Hotel Operations launches its first annual roadshow in Riyadh

Posted on February 8, 2017 by مشرف

Dur Hospitality’s hotel operation division launched its first annual roadshow that kicked off in Riyadh, on January 24th at Riyadh Palace hotel, and will continue to cover the cities of Jeddah and Mekkah.

This roadshow that gather senior representatives from Dur hospitality and Makarem hotels aims to promote Dur’s hotel operation expertise in Saudi Arabia, to their high-value clients and partners who will have the chance to experience firsthand the international standards and unique services the hotels provide to the guests.

The event will also shed light on the award winning Makarem Hotels, the Saudi Grown hotel brand owned by Dur hospitality, who had recently launched a series of exclusive services among which, the spiritual concierge the Karam Card and the 7 languages website that caters to its diversified clients’ portfolio visiting the hotels from all over the world.

Dr. Denis Sorin, President of Hotel Operations at Dur Hospitality, said: “This event presents a unique opportunity to communicate directly with our valued partners and present to them our diversified services.”

He added: “we at Dur hotel operation division follow a systematic approach that ensures the long and sustainable relations with our partners and with the help of our centralized sales services we make sure we cater to our client’s diversified needs.”

Dur Hospitality is committed to expanding its hotel operation portfolio where it had recently announced signing 2 agreements to operate two hotels at Dar al-Hijra project in Medina, and another franchise agreement by which it will be developing and operating the first Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn by Marriott properties in Yanbu

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