January 4, 2012

The demand for consumer electronic goods and appliances in Dubai remains strong, with sales expected to peak at USD 3.97 billion by 2015, according to a recent report from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI). In line with this ‘harman house’, the leading retail chain in home, professional and car infotainment in the Middle East, has revealed that it will be offering a 10 to 40 per cent value back through bundle offerings of high end home entertainment products at DSF 2012. ‘harman house’ is upbeat in targeting 40 per cent sales increase during the month-long run of the DSF, which will be held from January 5, 2012 to February 5, 2012. The confident outlook also complements the company’s direction towards achieving its target of over USD 300 million in revenue for the Fiscal Year 2012.

The increase has been driven by popular electronic devices such as LED and 3D TV sets, Blu-ray DVD players, 3G handsets, smartphones, and computers, and ‘harman house’ has noted that this has directly increased the demand for home theatre systems, headphones, docking stations and feature rich audio products. Recent consumer market reports have also shown that consumers across the Middle East region have demonstrated a demand for versatile yet high-quality options for the multitude of applications and devices they deal with on a day-to-day basis.

“We are very excited to participate in this year’s edition of the DSF where we plan to offer customers some exciting and unique promotions and bundle offers that is aimed at giving our customers the best value for their money,” said Amit Malani, President, Harman Middle East. “Today’s consumers have demonstrated a key shift in buying preferences with the emergence of new marketing techniques like online global launches and product information that can easily be accessed on your phone or your laptop. Consumers are now learning more about the products they purchase, its technology and features, cost, value add-ons and benefits, and we are certain ‘harman house’ products and pricing meet these needs.”

At ‘harman house’, for this coming DSF the price of a 32-inch LED TV will start at AED 1,399 and above, while home theatre systems will start at AED 2,299 and above. Pricing is also one of the other main drivers for sales as ‘harman house’ is expected to stand out because of its offers on flat screens and premium home theatre systems.

The leading company is focused on throwing the spotlight on the harman kardon BDS series, which are the latest additions to its integrated line of home entertainment systems and the JBL OnBeat Extreme, a high-performance wireless speaker dock equipped with Bluetooth wireless technology. Participation at DSF 2012 follows after its recent announcement of the ‘Beautiful Sound’ campaign, which is touted to be its largest ever ad campaign. Adding more colour to the campaign is the presence of internationally acclaimed recording artist and actress Jennifer Lopez who has signed on as their new brand ambassador. The ‘Beautiful Sound’ campaign continues a year of notable artist signings for Harman. Earlier, it launched the ‘Hear the Truth’ brand campaign for JBL, with ads featuring Maroon 5 and international superstar AR Rahman. Additional prominent artist agreements will be announced in 2012.

ProMedia, a subsidiary company of Omnix International, the leading Building Information Modeling (BIM) solution provider, has expressed its confidence in increasing market share within Qatar’s rapidly developing construction industry. The company has also revealed its plans to strengthen its market presence as the country prepares for an expected influx of some USD 700 billion worth of new investment projects predicted in Qatar by 2020, and around USD 86 billion alone will be spent on infrastructure projects. Looking to increase more awareness on the immense potential of utilizing BIM software and solutions, the leading company successfully hosted a seminar entitled, ‘Autodesk Live Event 2011’ at the Marriott, Qatar. Qatari based companies are expected to advantageously gain from the key and essential data produced by Autodesk BIM, further helping realize real business results like quality, efficiency, productivity and sustainability. 

The figures cited are part of a report from Frost & Sullivan, a leading business intelligence and research firm. The report further shows that Qatar will be a significant driver of the overall emerging Middle East economy in the next decade. A growth of 46 per cent over the next five years in construction has been predicted in Qatar, which currently has a population of about 1.7 million. Though the construction industry at present accounts for five per cent of Qatar’s GDP (which is the highest in the world in terms of per capita), it has the highest percentage growth and, especially with various large-scale projects to be completed before the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In line with this, ProMedia has revealed that the emergence of Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology as a strategic design and planning tool to generate and manage building data is now being foreseen as a major business driver for Qatar’s growing number of infrastructure projects.

“These are exciting times for Qatar’s construction industry and we are confident that our wide range of Autodesk BIM solutions will play a key role in the completion of these major projects that have been rolled out in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup,” said Deepak Mehta, Manager of Autodesk Services, ProMedia. “Our company’s current turnover in the CAD segment is more than USD 50 million, with around 25 to 30 per cent coming from Qatar. With the expected influx of more projects, we are confident to increase our market share. Our overall goal is to reach USD 136 million in profit over the next few years and we are expecting 50 per cent of this to come from Qatar.”

ProMedia has also revealed its move to increase more awareness on the release of the new HP Z Workstation, a next generation system for architecture that offers faster performance through an enhanced set of HP optimization and built-in HP reliability. The new workstation solution is being targeted across Qatar’s engineers, architects, designers and analysis experts, which will highly benefit from using the HP Z solutions package. The company has further shared that Autodesk has been standardized on the HP Workstations, ably making HP the No.1 hardware partner for Autodesk.

“The Qatar release of the new HP Z workstation has been timed to meet the need of the country’s design and engineering professionals for specialized workstations. ProMedia Qatar has been Autodesk solutions Gold partner for years and has also recently tied up with HP as ‘Gold partner \Workstations Specialist’ to help customers choose the right Z-series workstation that can match with their environment and Autodesk software verticals,” said Jinesh Thomas, Product Manager – HP workstation, ProMedia Qatar.

Among these solutions is AutoCAD 2012, which is the latest edition of the Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) application for 2D and 3D design. The new Autodesk software solution package provides a comprehensive set of tools to help users address a variety of workflow needs - from project design, visualization and simulation to documentation and construction. The visualization technology offered by Autodesk BIM solutions helps improve efficiency by making visualization an integral part of the entire design process. Each suite offers a cost-effective way to respond to changing business requirements, providing access to the latest design and visualization tools through a single, economical and convenient purchase.

“Our strategic line of Autodesk BIM solutions is being packaged as an essential tool for the design process, most especially for the MEP segment. More often than not, these construction companies spend more on MEP designs and later revisions, as the planned designs for electric, HVAC, plumbing and fire fighting systems tend to clash, so a lot of money gets wasted in the process. Using a key solution like Revit MEP can detect clashes at an early stage and work on a strategic design that will not only save on time but also on cost,” concluded Mehta.

Experts to discuss targeted and digital marketing at Total Marketing Summit, targeting region’s expansive social media users

Dubai – November 2nd, 2011: According to recent statistics, the MENA region is home to approximately a 10th of the world’s Facebook users. Currently, the region has over 56 Million Facebook users, representing a market penetration of 16 percent  and total number of Twitter users in the Middle East is estimated to be about 6.5 million people . These figures show how marketers cannot ignore digital natives that increasingly turn to social media in their daily lives. In this digital age with an increased reliance on technology, marketers need to be consultative in their approach to consumers, according to a top marketer.

“We need to find a way to be consultative marketers and evolve to become digital natives. We have to adapt our marketing approach in a consultative way, or we will be forced to,” said Jeremy Foster, Head of Marketing, Government and Industry Relations, Ericsson – UAE and key speaker at the forthcoming IIR Middle East Total Marketing.

Foster further states: “The successful future for marketing is connecting to people in the moment that they’re in a natural cycle. A natural cycle, for example, is being hungry at lunch time. If you understand the context of cycles, the consumer will feel in control.”

The summit to be held from 20-23 November 2011, at The Address hotel, Dubai Mall will address the complete marketing strategies needed to meet the growing needs of the increasingly-integrated marketing responsibilities faced by industry executives.

Hasan Fadlallah, Founder and Managing Director of BrandLounge, Branding and Marketing Strategists elaborates saying: “The role of digital marketing cannot be neglected anymore nor can it be looked at as a complimentary tool. Digital marketing is now the focal point where marketers and brand agencies turn to at the start of any brand activation and engagement program. Our presence as gold sponsors for the Total Marketing summit comes as a natural step due to our belief in the program, content and structure of the topics and the need to redraw the branding and marketing roadmap in times of severe competition and change.”

Speakers from across the Middle East, Europe and Asia will be converging at the renowned event, to discuss the future of marketing, the latest consumer and research trends, as well as provide practical solutions for marketers in the industry by identifying key trends. A series of case studies will be presented and numerous networking opportunities will be available at the event.

Foster concludes saying: “Consumers have changed. Marketers need to learn how to control consumers, by adding context in their natural cycles and by using consultative marketing.”

Dubai-UAE: 25 October, 2011 – Increased community acceptance in the UAE that domestic violence is intolerable is gauged by the rise in the reporting of such cases, according to Afra Al Basti, Executive Director of the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC), the first-licensed shelter in the UAE and a home for victims of domestic violence, child abuse and human trafficking. 

She added: “An increase in number of people seeking help reflects victim’s willingness to break their silence, unlike the past. Earlier, people were hesitant to report what was considered an internal family matter.”

Al Basti’s comments came ahead of a seminar on ‘Domestic Violence in the UAE’ at the Dubai School of Government (DSG), a research and teaching institution that focuses on public policy in the Arab world. To be held on 25 October, the event will be hosted as part of DSG’s Gender and Public Policy Programme for policy makers, scholars and community leaders.

Dr May Al-Dabbagh, Director of the Gender and Public Policy Programme, will moderate the seminar that will examine the legal structures that need to be instituted for addressing such issues, as well as the current policies in the UAE and their limitations.

Lack of data was pointed out as one of the main challenges facing DFWAC and similar organizations working within this field, according to Al Basti. As part of its endeavour to close the gap, the Foundation and its partners aim to launch a nationwide study on domestic violence that will assess the magnitude of the problem. This survey will be the first-of-its-kind to be conducted in the UAE.

Dr. May Al-Dabbagh said: “Raising both social and legal awareness on the issue is imperative to help combat domestic violence. An ignorance of the laws makes women and children more vulnerable to acts of violence. Outreach is an important component of the work of the Gender and Public Policy Programme at DSG. Through our seminar series, we raise awareness on critical issues faced by women in the UAE.”

The UAE government prioritises the prevention of violence and exploitation of women and children’s rights. In March, Dubai Police held a specialized training programme to enable female officers to reach out to victims of domestic abuse and encourage reporting.

Afra Al Basti said: “No longer can we think of domestic abuse as a taboo subject. We cannot have a healthy society unless we ensure a solid and safe family unit. Despite government outreach programmes and civil society organisations playing a vital role in spearheading successful initiatives to reverse the trend, there is much to be done in our battle against domestic violence and abuse of rights.”

The Dubai School of Government was established in cooperation with the Harvard Kennedy School, to promote good governance through enhancing the region’s capacity for effective public policy. It is committed to the creation of knowledge, the dissemination of best practice and the training of policy makers in the Arab world.

For more details, visit www.dsg.ae or call 04 329 3290.

Resurging sentiment in the economies of the Middle East and continuing growth in demand for consumer goods and services are expected to boost interest from the region in the upcoming spring trade shows being organised by Messe Frankfurt in Germany.

Senior officials from the world-leading Frankfurt-based trade fair and conference organiser during a recent visit to Dubai, expressed optimism at the increasing demand from suppliers, distributors and buyers from the region, who are making their presence felt on the international market.

Messe Frankfurt officials were in Dubai to promote their upcoming shows - Heimtextil, Christmasworld, Paperworld, Creativeworld and Ambiente – which are to be held in January and February 2012 at the Messe Frankfurt exhibitions grounds in Germany. All the events are leaders in their respective sectors and attract widespread international participation, including increasing numbers from the Middle East both in terms of exhibitors and trade visitors.

Mr. Stephan Kurzawski, Extended Board of Management, Messe Frankfurt, said: “This region is a very important area for us strategically, both in terms of our German shows and also for the shows our Dubai subsidiary hosts here. Paperworld Middle East, for example, has evolved from our mother fair, Paperworld in Frankfurt and we are delighted to see it having taken off in the Middle East region, opening up a new marketplace for us.”

Mr. Ahmed Pauwels, Chief Executive Officer of Epoc Messe Frankfurt – Messe Frankfurt’s Middle East subsidiary, said: “Demand from the region for the very latest product lines, styles and trends is increasing as consumers become more discerning. We have received a large number of inquiries about visiting and participating at the upcoming trade shows from buyers in the region. The spring shows – Heimtextil, Christmasworld, Paperworld, Creativeworld and Ambiente – not only reflect the latest trends and products but are also considered important indicators of the future direction of their respective industries,” Pauwels added.

For each of the shows the contract business is rapidly developing with a large amount of exhibitors specializing in this area. For furnishing specialists, interior architects, boat builders, restaurateurs and superior hotel operators, this is a major benefit as they can source larger quantities of high-quality products for their businesses. For the many trade visitors from the Middle East operating in the high end luxury business sector this is a great added convenience.

Considered the trendsetter and bell weather trade show for the home, household and contract textile industry, Heimtextil, being held from January 11-14, 2012, will feature a wide range of textiles for bed, bath and table to product ranges for windows, upholstery, floor, wall and sun protection. The event has a major focus on sustainability driven by an approximate 10% growth rate for sustainable textiles in the bed and bathroom segments in Europe and North America.

The world’s biggest trade fair for home and contract textiles will be accompanied by a host of special shows, specialist lectures, award ceremonies and industry events. Last year the event attracted 1,171 trade visitors from the Middle East, with the largest numbers coming from the UAE, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

Already fully booked up, Ambiente, considered to be the world’s most important consumer goods fair will be held from February 10th to 14th, 2012. This event will feature 4,500 exhibitors spread out over 330,000 square metres. Ambiente covers the complete range of consumer goods for the table, kitchen, housewares, dining, giving, interior design and furnishing sectors. The 2011 edition attracted 1,694 Middle Eastern trade visitors, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon leading the way.

Representing the world of paper, office supplies and stationery, Paperworld is the parent show of the recently-launched Dubai event. The upcoming Frankfurt show, taking place from 28th to 31st January, 2012 is further streamlined with an optimized hall concept to enable a more efficient visitor experience. An interesting variety of complementary events and campaigns are on the cards for visitors and exhibitors alike, including a series of lectures at the Paperworld Forum on topical issues including the ‘green’ debate. Last year’s edition of Paperworld saw 879 trade buyers and visitors from the Middle East.

Running alongside Paperworld are Creativeworld and Christmasworld. Creativeworld (January 28th to 31st, 2012) is the world’s largest trade fair for the creative sector and is a highlight for the hobby, crafts and artists’ requisites segments. Christmasworld (January 27th to 31st, 2012) deals with event decoration and is the world’s leading trade fair for all types of event decorations, presenting the trends and innovations for each and every festival conceivable.  

The synergies generated by the three international trade fairs in Frankfurt offer unparalleled benefits for visitors. Nowhere else in the world can trade visitors find such a multi-faceted spectrum of products and get the opportunity to expand their horizons.

SAS Middle East showcases integrated suite of Data Lifecycle solutions at Software Congress 2011

July 5, 2011

Carel Badenhorst

The increased demand for effective and reliable Business Integration solutions is expected to drive in over USD 33.9 billion in global revenue reflecting a 6.5 per cent increase from the previous year, according to a recent report released by the International Data Corporation (IDC), a global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications and consumer technology markets. The report reveals that Business Integration solutions have emerged as an integral and essential element for combining differing sets of data for today’s companies and organizations. In line with this, SAS Middle East, the leading provider of business analytics software and services in the Middle East region, showcased its integrated suite of Data Lifecycle solutions during this year’s edition of the Software Congress 2011, which was held at The Address Hotel in Dubai Marina.

During the congress, Carel Badenhorst, Head of Technology Practice, SAS Middle East, gave a presentation on the company’s integrated suite of Data Quality Lifecycle software, which provides an enterprise solution for profiling, cleansing, augmenting and integrating data to create consistent, reliable information. He also discussed key topics relevant to the growing demand for Business Integration software and explained the significance of being able to merge different sets of data for today’s companies. According to Badenhorst, utilizing a SAS Data Lifecycle solution will allow users key benefits like the ability to profile, monitor and actively manage the quality of enterprise data; integrate and standardize data across multiple systems and business units; define data correction rules to reflect organizational changes and cleanse data and provide decision makers with trustworthy information.

“Businesses today have demonstrated a key demand for an effective and highly reliable solution that can incorporate differing sets of data and seamlessly integrate it into their data systems. This demand is expected to drive in more that USD 33.9 billion in revenue for 2011 and will represent a large chunk of today’s IT and Software segment,” said Carel Badenhorst, Head of Technology Practice, SAS Middle East. “The forecasted growth represents an opportunity for us to leverage our strategic line of Data Quality Lifecycle solutions across companies from different industry verticals. Utilizing SAS applications allow our customers the key advantage of being able to automatically incorporate data quality into data integration and business intelligence projects that can lead to a dramatic improvement on returns.”

Software Congress 2011 was attended by over 100 participants, which included industry experts, A-Level CIOs, Information and Network Consultants and key decision makers from some of the Middle East region’s top companies. The event acted as a strategic platform for the participants to interact and participate in content creation and the learning process. SAS Middle East, which was the Gold Sponsor for the event, revealed its move to increase participation in key, select IT and Software conferences and workshops in the region.

“We are very pleased with the turn out of this year’s edition of the Software Congress. The event proved to be an opportune time for us to promote our diverse range of solutions and also share the benefits and advantages gained from using our solutions. SAS Middle East is looking towards participating in more conferences and workshops across the Middle East in an effort to increase more knowledge about our products, reinforce our ties with our customers and at the same time develop new contacts and partnerships,” concluded Carel Badenhorst.

USD 180 billion worth of infrastructure and housing projects underway in Saudi Arabia

June 27, 2011

Saudi Arabia continues to be the GCC’s largest and most dynamic infrastructure market with over USD 100 billion worth of infrastructure projects underway and USD 80 billion worth of pledged housing projects, according to the latest edition of the Saudi Arabia Infrastructure Report for the Third Quarter of 2011 from Business Monitor International (BMI). The large number of projects has created an accompanied demand for heat reflective and eco-friendly paints. To help address this, Jotun Paints, one of the world’s leading producers and distributors of paints and powder coatings, has revealed the launch of ‘Jotashield Extreme’, Jotun’s superior range of exterior paints that provides thermal indoor comfort and a longer-lasting finish with superior exterior protection at a competitive price.

“‘Jotashield Extreme’ is a result of Jotun’s extensive efforts to develop an exterior paint product that can not only reflect heat but also promote a reduction in energy use. This new offering reflects our move to raise the benchmark of environment friendly production techniques and products within the paint manufacturing industry and demonstrates our commitment to promote the adoption of more eco-friendly products and solutions to today’s businesses,” said Faisal Karim, Marketing Manager, Jotun Paints - Saudi Arabia. “These are very exciting times for Saudi Arabia’s construction market with over USD 180 billion of projects in the pipeline or are currently underway. However, the increasing number of projects has also created unique demands for unique products, particularly in paint products that can ably reflect heat and the damaging effects of the sun.”

The continuing development in urban areas in Saudi Arabia is expected to produce an Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, a phenomenon where metropolitan areas become slightly warmer than its surrounding rural areas. Studies have shown that the temperatures in urban air domes in Saudi Arabia can run up to four degrees centigrade warmer than the surrounding countryside. The UHI effect prompts an increase in air conditioning costs and also creates more air pollutants. Jotun’s ‘Jotashield Extreme’ makes use of revolutionary pigment technology that allows surfaces to enjoy a darker shade of color but with a thermal indoor comfort and longer lasting protection. To date, ‘Jotashield Extreme’ is the only product in the Middle East that provides significant temperature reductions upon application.

Jotun has invested over USD 25 million into research and development initiatives aimed at developing key eco-friendly products that conform to the growing demands presented by users. ‘Jotashield Extreme’ exceeds the international GS-11 standards for paint and offers twice the heat reflective capabilities of ordinary exterior paints. The revolutionary exterior paint product promotes indoor thermal comfort with its heat reflective pigments and protects surfaces from Near Infrared (NIR) effect by reducing temperature that also results in a reduction in energy consumption. ‘Jotashield Extreme’ also comes in multi-color tintable choices.

Up to 25 per cent of Emirati public school students abandon studies after finishing second year

November 01, 2010

ICDL GCC Foundation, the governing body and certification authority of the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) program in the Gulf region and Iraq, calls on intensive collaborative to address the silent social epidemic dealing with dropping out of school. This is an international dilemma but in the UAE between 21 to 25 per cent of Emirati students are dropping out of public schools after their second year.

Recent figures from the UAE Ministry of Education revealed that more than 10,000 secondary public school students have dropped out from schools, while statistics from Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) show that 22% among boys and 14% among girls drop out from schools in Dubai.

ICDL GCC Foundation highlighted that the decision to drop out of school does not happen overnight; it comes after years of frustration arising from students lacking interest, motivation, resources and support. School quitters are likely to become a burden on society and the economy as dropouts may eventually become unemployed, forcing them to seek government assistance, live in poverty or end up in prison.  The very same problem is also being faced by developed countries. In the United States for example, school dropouts account to an estimated 1.2 million students, highlighting a trend that forced the government to implement drastic measures to resolve this problem. Some of the initiatives carried out by certain states included the institution of a law that forces the completion of high school by linking driving permits to the achieving the high school diploma. Other states instituting a law that early exit from education is only allowed under certain circumstances and with the consent of parents or the appr
oval of the local authority. Other countries instituted a law that punishes dropping out of school in form of fines.

Jamil Ezzo, Director General of ICDL GCC Foundation, said: “New approaches in education relevant to the 21st century are badly needed. Schools must operate in accordance to internationally recognized standards and teachers must be trained on applying best practices in education. ICT has become a priority in our everyday life and pertinent skills are critical at all educational levels. Technology helps students become resourceful and self-learners at their own pace. The vast resources available on the Internet supports students’ learning process and help create for them a healthy learning environment boosting their confidence, moral and commitment to achievement. We call on all policymakers to further invest in education reform whereby technology becomes the platform for teaching and learning. We further call on all schools, public and private, to increase the adoption of international standards in teaching and institute a high-school graduation requirement not only for English and math, but also for ICT.”

“Although there has been an initiative by governments to rise the compulsory education age, we believe that this can only be partially effective, as other important issues that lead to increasing dropouts include the lack of motivation and creative subjects that cater to the students’ particular interests. In this regard, the introduction of ICT in schools will serve as an excellent complementary program that would help create a more conducive learning and teaching environment, as ICT opens endless possibilities for educators to develop teaching models that match the specific needs of their students. Moreover, the internationally acclaimed ICDL certification that is being introduced in various academic and training institutions will ensure that graduates are equipped with the right ICT skills that will make them contribute positively and easily adapt to a knowledge-based society,” added Ezzo.

ICDL is an integrated digital literacy program recognized worldwide. The program empowers individuals with the essential skills and knowledge of computer and practical use of common desktop applications. ICDL is based on a recognised global standard acknowledged through testing and proves that the certificate holder has fundamental skills in IT, using the computer and managing files, word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, and information and communication (internet and e-mail). Available in more than 41 languages, the program is endorsed by education ministries, universities and government organisations and is accredited by more than 148 countries.

Demand for increased local programming, new production technologies and potential of media zones - key focus issues

Dubai – July 4th, 2010: Research reports state that total advertising spend across local TV in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) maintained its share of four percent in 2009 but will grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of seven percent until 2013. Further, this growth will be achieved through a consistent focus on production of quality local content across the UAE, which in turn will result in larger audiences, an improved talent base and finally, stronger advertising revenues .

“The integrated co-operation between advertising and production has become highly important. In my opinion, the coming phase would be of highly studied partnerships or alliances between the two sectors. The ‘Media and Marketing Show’ remains one of the most important opportunities waiting to be seized for such partnerships and alliances,” said Abdullah Al Qeht, Director of Information & Media Documentation Center, Gulf TV & Radio and partner of the forthcoming Media and Marketing Show (MMS) 2010. 

There is a huge demand across the region for quality local content. Elaborating on this need, Fadi Ismail, General Manager, O3 Productions said: “The region needs to realize that local content is king. The UAE being a hub for the production industry within the Gulf region needs to produce more local programs. In order to facilitate better local output, the media zones across the UAE have provided a comprehensive platform for production companies.”

The emergence of media zones across the region has had significant impact on the growth of the industry. New entities such as Al Dafrah, Fayrouz Production, Gulf TV

and Radio, CMS Creative Media Solutions and O3 Productions have added significant value through new programming technologies.

Elaborating on the positive impact of media zones, Ghassan Al Asad, Partner and Managing Director, Creative Media Solutions said: “These media cities have had a great impact on the regional TV sector by serving as a single platform for any production requirement. They have also helped in procuring new investments and investors from the region and globally.”

The Media and Marketing Show will be held from December 13th – 15th, 2010 at the Sheikh Saeed Halls S1, S2, S3, Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, from 10.00 - 19.00 daily.