Sponsor News
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CRS advises the University of Strathclyde
Congratulations to CRS who have recently advised the University of Strathclyde on the incorporation, establishment, and operations of its Innovation, Research, and Education Hub in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Hub, developed in partnership with S Eleven Educational, will expand the University’s presence in Bahrain; the CRS team played a pivotal role in advising the University to ensure the new Hub could be operational in time for the 2023/24 student intake…Read more
Industry News
UAE
e& purchases slice of PPF in Eastern Europe
UAE-based telco e& has acquired a 50% plus one share in the Czech PPF Group’s telecoms business in Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia. The deal is valued at $2.3bn with a potential earn-out of up to $377m if agreed financial targets are met within three years of closing. The new company, e& PPF Telecom will act as a standalone entity and excludes PPF Telecom’s telco business in the Czech Republic. This marks a major milestone in e&’s journey, extending its footprint ‘’to 20 countries and the overall footprint of e& operations to 38 countries, across the Middle East, Asia, Africa, and now Central and Eastern Europe’’ comments Hatem Dowidar, group CEO at e&…Read more
InfraX and Aurum Equity sign MoU to accelerate edge infrastructure
InfraX, a subsidiary of Digital DEWA, and American private equity firm Aurum Equity, have signed an MoU to collaborate on expanding edge infrastructure in the UAE and MENA region. This MoU, which has a strong focus on sustainability and ESG best practices, seeks to meet the demand for localised, high-performance edge data centres (particularly as AI, 5G, and Cloud Adoption continue to grow). The agreement endeavours to support technologies such as ADAS, Smart Cities, and blockchain-based decentralised finance (DeFi) – all of which require advanced data centre designs with a focus on security and energy efficiency…Read more
Khazna Data Centres announces 100MW Ajman Data Centre
UAE-Operator Khazna Data Centres has announced plans for a 100MW data centre in Ajman, UAE. The AI-optimised facility, claimed to be the largest in Khazna’s current portfolio, is set to feature 20 data halls, each boasting 5MW of IT capacity. This announcement follows the launch of Khazna’s 40MW facility and planned 30MW facility, both in Abu Dhabi; further cementing the company’s position as the UAE’s largest data centre provider (after its merger with G42 and Etisalat Group)…Read more
Vietnamese conglomerate and UAE partners to explore $3.5bn data centre project
Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup has signed MoUs with several UAE-based companies to explore investment opportunities, including a US$3.5bn data centre project. The most significant collaboration involves Vingroup and Benya Technologies, representing a consortium of Middle Eastern and African investors. The two entities will assess the feasibility of developing a hyperscale data centre with an estimated capacity of 300MW, to be built in three phases. These MoUs mark a significant step in the UAE’s digital transformation journey…Read more
Saudi Arabia
Google Cloud announced a partnership with PIF to expand our Dammam cloud region with new AI infrastructure to support growing AI demand in the Middle East, Africa and beyond. This partnership is set to position Saudi Arabia as a global leader in AI innovation.
Landmark strategic partnership signed at FII8 expands Google Cloud region with new state-of-the-art infrastructure. AI hub is expected to generate thousands of job opportunities and increase the GDP of Saudi Arabia by $71 billion over eight years.
Advances in Arabic-language models along with AI and digital upskilling programs to revolutionize and transform AI experience…Read more
PIF renews focus on domestic investment and AI
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) plans to reduce its foreign investments to about 18-20% of its total assets, focusing more on domestic funding and artificial intelligence (AI). Despite this reduction, the absolute dollar amount of foreign investments is still growing, with PIF’s assets now around $930 billion. This shift comes as Saudi Arabia aims to become a global economic power, leveraging its strategic location and resources. At the Future Investment Initiative (FII) in Riyadh, PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan highlighted the kingdom’s goal for AI to contribute 12% of its GDP by 2030. Saudi Arabia recently revised its foreign direct investment (FDI) figures, doubling the 2023 inflow to $25.5 billion, with a target of $100 billion annually by 2030. The kingdom’s focus on AI and renewable energy technologies is part of its broader economic development plan, despite potential challenges from US-China rivalry over AI technologies…Read more
Oman
MTCIT partner with UTAS to enhance digital skills in Oman
The Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Information Technology (MTCIT) in Oman has partnered with the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS) to advance the government’s digital transformation efforts. This collaboration aims to prepare future leaders with essential skills for innovation in the digital era.
As part of this initiative, the MTCIT and UTAS will launch a Master of Science program in Digital Transformation and Innovation, under the Government Digital Transformation Programme (Tahawul). This program is designed to enhance cooperation between the government and academia, improving the skill sets needed to navigate digital advancements; in broad terms, this with accelerate Oman’s drive towards digital transformation and level them closer to their GCC counterparts….Read more