IBM operates a similar innovation facility in Abu Dhabi
IBM has opened a new industry and innovation center in the United Arab Emirates to offer clients access to advanced cloud and cognitive technologies.
The new facility located in Dubai is the second IBM innovation center in the UAE following the opening of the Abu Dhabi center in 2009. The Dubai center is connected to a full configuration of hybrid cloud infrastructure based at the Abu Dhabi center, which is already showcasing 40 live IBM solutions including customer proof of concepts. Demos and IBM solutions will focus on key industries including government, travel and transportation, oil and gas, telco, health care, banking, and retail.
The U.S. company said the Dubai innovation center will showcase IBM’s latest cognitive, big data, analytics and cloud-based technologies. The information technology firm also said that demos include Watson Internet of Things, cloud, security, analytics and social.
“Innovation is the key driver for growth in Middle East and Pakistan, and we are connecting our customers with the latest technologies,” said Amr Refaat, GM of Middle East and Pakistan for IBM.
The new IBM Industry and Innovation Center follows the recent IBM investment at the Dubai Design District with the launch of its IBM Dubai Studio earlier this year. The studio serves as a hub for IBM Design in the Middle East.
In the Middle East and Africa region, IBM also has innovation centers in Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Turkey. The center joins a worldwide network of innovation centers in 33 countries.
Zain’s revenue totals $912M in Q2, down 3% year-over-year
Also in the Middle East, Kuwait-based telecom operator Zain recorded 275 million dinars ($912 million) in consolidated revenue during the second quarter of 2016, down 3% compared to the same quarter last year. Net profit for the period amounted to 45 million dinars, up 14% year-on-year.
“We are committed to a growth strategy in which we are successfully leveraging our state-of-the-art 4G infrastructure and implementing numerous data monetization initiatives,” said Zain Group CEO Scott Gegenheimer.
“We are actively seeking and securing sources of incremental revenue in the digital space including enterprise [machine-to-machine]services and smart city solutions to governments and mega real estate projects across the region.”
Zain Group counted 45.2 million customers at the end of the second quarter. The telco has operations in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and South Sudan. In Lebanon, the group manages local operator Touch on behalf of the government. Zain said it currently offers LTE in its Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Jordan operations as well as in Lebanon.
In Kuwait, the telco ended the period with 2.9 million subscribers.
Zain expects to carry out tests of LTE-Advanced Pro technology, also referred to as “4.5G” technology by some vendors, across its regional footprint, Gegenheimer previously told RCR Wireless News. The executive confirmed the tests will be carried out in partnership with vendors Huawei and Ericsson.
