Learning Solutions on World Hearing Day from Sennheiser

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Transforming the university experience with assistive listening over Wi-fi

Worldwide, tens of thousands of students with a hearing impairment attend university – often with legislation that mandates that technical equipment is provided to ensure their full inclusion. With easy access to Wi-fi having become students’ most important tech resource for studying, the move towards Wi-fi based assistive listening systems such as MobileConnect from Sennheiser is the logical next step.

Wi-fi based assistive listening systems offer substantial advantages over traditional systems

In terms of installation, usability and student acceptance, traditional assistive listening systems present several shortcomings, be it labor-intensive installation of induction loops or the risks of sharing IR or FM devices during pandemics. Most importantly, however, these solutions make students feel excluded, exacerbating “feelings of loneliness, isolation and frustration” that the WHO cites as emotional impacts of hearing loss.[1] With WHO projecting a significant uptick among hearing loss in children between now and 2050, this issue’s importance is only increasing.

Assistive listening over Wi-Fi, on the other hand, works simply and effectively: The lecturer speaks into a microphone, the audio signal travels to an AV station and is broadcast via the existing local Wi-fi network. Students can use their own smartphone with confidence to listen via an app, freeing them to sit anywhere they like.

Using their own smartphones with an app, students listen to the audio via headphones, hearing aids or cochlear implants 

Besides low cost of installation and maintenance, Wi-fi based systems are easily scalable and integrate readily with existing AV equipment. IT and AV managers can make system adjustments as needed using a software-based manager – but in many ways, assistive listening systems over Wi-fi are a set-and-forget solution.

Jakub Kolacz, Sennheiser’s Manager Product and Commercialization for MobileConnect, said: “Like so many others, we wish for a world where all people can be connected to each other and able to make the most of the opportunities that lie before them. This includes unrestricted access to information and teaching. With MobileConnect, we offer a fully inclusive, Wi-Fi-based assistive listening solution for the campus infrastructure of modern universities. With individually adjustable, lip-sync audio for as many as 100 students per room, it provides a productive, inclusive learning environment for higher education institutions.”

The Face Oil by Augustinus Bader is finally here

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Ultra-lightweight, fast-absorbing with effects that are long-lasting

The newest member of Augustinus Bader’s luxurious skincare range is finally in the UAE. The Face Oil is here to help support with skin hydration and moisture retention throughout the day. Designed for everyday use, The Face Oil is light-weight, which doesn’t leave any greasy residue, won’t clog any pores, and is allergen-free, without any harsh ingredients. Richly nourishing, it’s comprised of cold-pressed oils and Professor Augustinus Bader’s famously patented TFC8® technology, which delivers essential nutrients directly to skin cells, where they’re quickly absorbed.

“We wanted to offer our customers the option between a rich cream, a light cream, and now, an oil, so they can select the texture that works best for their facial skincare routine. Each of these offerings contains our specialized compound TFC8®, which transport natural mechanisms for skin repair. As long as you have one product with TFC8®, you will see results”

  • Professor Augustinus Bader

The Face Oil enhances facial skin wellness overall. From boosting cellular renewal to minimizing fine lines and wrinkles, it adjusts to the skin, and provides an array of unique solutions, all for a strong, renewed and evenly-toned complexion. The Face Oil combines Augustinus Bader’s innovative skincare technology with some of mother nature’s most potent ingredients that have been prized for centuries for their healing capabilities.

It contains:

  1. TFC8®: A complex of natural amino acids, high-grade vitamins and synthesized molecules naturally found in skin, which guides key nutrients and powerful natural ingredients to the skin cells, creating an optimal environment for the cellular renewal.
  2. Babassu Oil: A vitamin-rich seed oil that helps enhance the skin’s natural defenses against environmental aggression and water loss.
  3. Argan Oil: This cold-pressed seed oil is rich in essential fatty acids including linoleic acid (omega-6), supports the skin’s ability to restore its hydrolipidic film and prevents trans-epidermal water loss.
  4. Hazelnut Oil: Sourced from southwestern France, it is a nourishing oil that’s high in omega fatty acid content and supports improved moisture retention.
  5. Karanja Oil: Rich in flavonoids, this oil supports skin’s defense  against  the  damaging  effects of environmental aggressors and helps prevent premature aging. It also delivers soothing, antimicrobial  properties.
  6. Pomegranate Seed Extract: This anti-aging, antioxidant-rich oil optimizes the skin’s self-renewal mechanism, supports improved elasticity and reduces the appearance of wrinkles thanks to more than 60% punicic acid and linolenic acid.

The benefits:

  • Hydrates and soothes the skin, giving it a youthful, radiant glow.
  • Offers antioxidant and environmental protection.
  • Gives skin a supple, smoothened appearance.
  • Softens appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and improves hyper pigmentation.
  • Evens tone and texture.

Augustinus Bader’s promise is that you don’t need to use the entire range, or even multiple products from Bader family to see skin improvement – the power lies in using one product consistently. Just like all Augustinus Bader products that are filled to the brim with the most-nourishing ingredients, The Face Oil in and of itself is effective and will produce results.

The Face Oil (30ml) retails at AED 974 (including VAT) and is available exclusively in store at Harvey Nichols – Dubai and Bloomingdales Middle East, and online at Ounass.com and Bloomingdales.ae

Tranquility with Sun, Sea and Sand: Grand Park Kodhipparu

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By Shereen Shabnam

As one of the few countries currently open to tourists, Maldives has become the best place to be for GCC travellers with no quarantine, well-coordinated safety measures and in-resort PCR testing. We travelled to two different Islands to and find that Maldives as a travel destination is doing all it can keep the tourism industry alive safely during this pandemic.

After a four-hour flight with Emirates taking all precautions, we arrived at the Grand Park Kodhipparu taking a 20-minute speedboat ride from the airport. The first view of the island left us breathless with pristine beaches and stunning scenery while the welcome music and drinks put us into holiday mode right away.

Grand Park Kodhipparu is located in North Male Atoll famous for its dive sites, abundant marine life and enthralling underwater experiences. It is a one-island-one-resort destination and an oasis of tranquility.  

I stayed in one of the water villas that has a spacious and modern interior and a warm, rustic exterior. Highlights were direct lagoon access, a private plunge pool and an over water net for lounging. We had the opportunity to get up close and personal with a variety of turtles, stingrays and hundreds of colourful fish species directly from our water villa. 

A fully equipped Dive & Water Sports Centre includes a team of PADI certified professionals to introduce some of the best diving spots in the Maldives, suitable both for beginner and advanced divers, and a wide array of water sports activities, such as catamaran sailing, jet skiing parasailing, banana boat riding, kayaking, windsurfing and more.

The resort is also family-friendly with a wide array of children’s facilities including a kids club with dedicated staff offering engaging children’s activities. Babysitting service is available upon request.

For recreation, there is a gymnasium, yoga deck, games lounge, sauna rooms and of course a great meeting point is the 45m long infinity pool located at the Breeze Poolside Dining & Bar. Here we enjoyed welcome drinks, sundowners as well as post dinner drinks that came with live music.

Ocean front dining is a must for visitors to the resort at the pool bar, on the beach where couples can organize a candlelight dinner under the stars or head out for fine dining at Fire Door with a view of sharks and other marine life swimming while the chefs prepare a delectable meal in an open kitchen. Every meal at Grand Park Kodhipparu was a culinary delight.

Highlight of my trips abroad is always the spa experience. The warm ambience of treatment rooms at the Grand Park Kodhipparu were ideal for our massage with friendly therapists who helped us select the right oils for relaxation.

We were indeed sad to leave the Resort as we felt safe and at ease throughout our stay with social distancing in public areas, QR code menus and regular sanitisation all around the island. For tourists looking for a safe haven to rest and relax, Grand Park Kodhipparu offers an island sanctuary with pristine natural beauty, waves crashing against the shore, palm trees swaying, seclusion away from the crowds and a laid-back island life.

#Maldives #GrandParkKodhipparu #Hotel #Resorts #Destination #Travel #Staycation #Vacation #GlobalTrendMonitor #Island #IslandLife

Riva 76’ Perseo Super: he best-loved sport-fly becomes even more desirable

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The best-loved Riva sport-fly of recent years proposes new aesthetic solutions combined with unprecedented design and functional features for an increasingly sporty, elegant and high-performance yacht.

Improving a masterpiece with an incredible and long-lasting record of success is a challenge that only Riva can accept and win, thanks to an aesthetic and technological development effort that achieves a perfect balance of past, present and future.

Riva 76’ Perseo Super is the exciting natural evolution of the 76’ Perseo, which in recent years has become one of the sport-fly yachts best loved by owners around the world. The first unit has already been sold and will sail with its owner during Summer 2021.

The result of collaboration between the Product Strategy Committee led by Mr. Piero Ferrari, designer Mauro Micheli – the founder of Officina Italiana Design with Sergio Beretta – and the Ferretti Group Engineering Department, she has a length overall of 23.25 metres (76 feet) and a maximum beam of 5.75 metres (18 feet).

Riva 76’ Perseo has a sleek profile with over 40 square metres of glazed surfaces in the hull and superstructure. The exterior styling reprises and enhances the sporty look of the 76’ Perseo, with the introduction of new style elements.

Worthy of note is the mahogany and polished stainless steel detailing, a technical and design feature that forms part of the Sarnico-based shipyard’s legacy and pays tribute here to the Riva tradition. One of the main functional design features on this fantastic boat is the glass roof with an opening forward section positioned over the lounge, letting light and fresh air into the space below.

EXTERNAL AREAS
The stern area is designed to offer comfort for guests and to be practical for the crew.

Almost the entire swim platform can be lowered into the water, becoming an underwater surface to relax on and an aid to leaving the water safely.

When the garage door is open and the swim platform lowered, launching and hauling up the tender (up to 3.25 metres) are quick and easy operations. On request, a second water toy can be installed on the swim platform and two seabobs in the garage on
either side of the tender.

The cockpit offers an area for socialising, with a sofa in the aft section and a dining table seating eight. On request, the entire area can be converted into a big sun pad with a mechanism that lowers the table so that it can be covered with cushions. The entire area is enhanced with solutions that increase the level of comfort on this yacht, like the option of fitting a drawer refrigerator under the sofa.
On the left, under the stairs leading to the sun deck, is the entrance to the crew cabin on the lower deck. On request, a bar corner is available, with stools featuring mahogany and polished stainless steel detailing and a Corian counter top, complete with fridge, icemaker and sink.

The spacious sun deck is integrated into the yacht’s aerodynamic lines, offering somewhere to relax in total privacy, plus a helm station to pilot the yacht from a privileged vantage point. The deck has a big central sun pad covering about 4 square metres, with a forward-facing sofa at its edge. The second centrally positioned helm station is forward and surrounded on both port and starboard sides by other sofas. The helm station has one 16-inch touchscreen in the standard version and two in the optional version.

Here too, various solutions are available to increase your comfort, including an optional drawer refrigerator under the sofa next to the helm station.

The bow area, on the other hand, is fitted out as a big lounge with a front-facing sofa that can be sheltered by a hood. A big sun pad at the tip of the bow rounds out the fittings in this private relaxation area.

All mooring gear is hidden from view, in a solution designed not to detract from the yacht’s beautiful lines, without compromising on the practicality of technical manoeuvres and enhancing the ergonomics.
A third lateral manoeuvring station is also available on request.

MAIN DECK
The lounge is a big open space with a living area inside the glass entrance door, furnished with a sofa and a coffee table on the starboard side. The decor is rounded out by low furniture, an armchair and a pouffe. Further forward is the dining area seating eight, featuring an L-shaped sofa and an oak table with chairs by Arper. Forward on the starboard side and fitted with two Riva pilot seats is the helm station, equipped with integrated control, monitoring and navigation systems, plus three 16-inch touchscreens. A solution with three 19-inch touchscreens and a convenient and functional manoeuvring joystick is also available.

The dominant wood for the standard version is a sand-coloured oak, matched with light and dark lacquer and polished stainless steel detailing. Rosewood is available on request as the featured wood.

LOWER DECK
The lower deck has a lounge furnished with a big L-shaped sofa. Opposite it, on the starboard side, is a fully appointed galley with a door, complete with appliances, a work top, a hob and a sink arranged along the hull sides and in the stern area.

76’ Perseo Super has a standard layout with three cabins, each with its own private bathroom. There is also the option of a fourth cabin, with two single beds and its own bathroom.

The master cabin is in the centre of the boat, while the guest cabin furnished with single beds and a separate bathroom is on the starboard side, and the VIP cabin is in the bow, with a twin wardrobe and an en-suite bathroom with separate shower.

The decor in the cabins reprises not only the dominant wood on the main deck, but also the chiaroscuro contrasts and the same precious materials.

As always, there was a special focus on acoustic insulation in the cabins. All the forward and aft walls in the master suite have additional insulation to guarantee maximum comfort with regard to both other areas and the galley.

The crew cabin, entered from the cockpit and communicating directly with the engine room, extends horizontally to include a bathroom and a night area with two bunk beds.

PROPULSION AND TECHNOLOGY
The new Riva 76’ Perseo Super delivers excellent performance in line with all the other great success stories in the sport range. Fitted with two MAN V12 V-engines rated 1,550 MHP each, her top speed is 32 knots and her cruising speed 28 knots. The owner can also opt for a more powerful propulsion system featuring two MAN V12 engines rated 1,800 MHP each, in which case the top speed rises to 37 knots and the cruising speed to 32 knots.

Riva 76’ Perseo Super is fitted with automatic Humphree dynamic trim interceptors, guaranteeing maximum simplicity of use and optimised fuel consumption.

The optional AVENTICS manoeuvring joystick features docking mode functionality for easy handling in confined waters, such as when mooring alongside, with lateral movement obtained by the combined action of the main propellers and the proportional bow thruster.
Performance means comfort too and, on request, a Seakeeper NG18 stabilizer can be installed to minimise rolling at anchor.

Contec Global in US$200 million tie-up with Maithri Aquatech to bring sustainable ‘air-to-water’ solutions to the Middle East

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Contec Global, the UK-based conglomerate with a strong footprint in the Middle East & Africa in delivering sustainable AgriTech programmes, has marked a strategic tie-up with Maithri Aquatech, the developer of innovative air-to-water technology, to bring large-scale sustainable water solutions to the Middle East and Africa. The partnership aims to deliver a business of over US$200 million (AED 735 million) in atmospheric water generator (AWG) solutions in the region in the next three to five years.

The two entities will work together to provide safe, potable, clean water on a sustainable basis. They will focus on capacity building using Contec Global and Maithri’s joint expertise in delivering turn-key AWG projects for drinking water and micro-irrigation in acutely water-stressed areas.

Contec Global has strong business interests in agriculture, energy, information technology, automobiles, and manufacturing. Through Greenfields, its business that focuses on creating sustainable and profitable AgriTech solutions, the Group works in many Middle East countries in organic farming, providing bio-inputs that contribute to an increase in agricultural yield and reduces farming costs by up to 60 per cent.

Some of Contec’s ongoing initiatives include converting barren desert land into healthy livelihood alternatives, adopting multiple approaches including water and soil conservation, dryland farming, afforestation, pastureland, and animal husbandry development, and restoring the ecological balance. In MENA, its initiatives such as ‘the Great Green Wall’ are helping transform the landscape through good agricultural practices. The concentrated R&D backed efforts also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and bring down genetically modified organisms (GMO) from the food chain through sustainable, affordable, and precision-farming practices.

Contec Global is strengthening its presence in Middle East & Africa in providing sustainable water solution through Maithri Aquatech’s air-to-water technology, which is already widely deployed by governments, NGOs and private sector leaders. It is the only AWG solution approved by India’s Ministry of Water besides being a part of the UN Global Compact CEO Water Mandate, committed to achieving UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6&7).

Dr. Benoy Berry, Chairman of Contec Global, said“We are excited with this opportunity to showcase an innovative and cost-effective technology to deliver end-to-end water solutions for clients across the Middle East and Africa. In line with our core focus, the partnership with Maithri expands Contec Global’s offering to cover scalable water solutions that are capable of producing water from air on a mass scale and on a sustainable basis. Our solution is best suited to address the freshwater problem, which is expected to assume critical dimensions in the coming years.”

Ramkrishna Mukkavilli, Founder and Managing Director of Maithri Aquatech, said: “With the MENA region focused on ensuring national-level food and water security, our AWG solution is ideally placed to meet water requirements sustainably, as our technology creates a perennial and decentralised water generating source. In addition to making countries and communities water-secure, it will have a tremendous positive impact on the environment. Our vision is to be the largest air water company in the world by providing a viable solution to mitigate one of biggest existential problems faced by our planet. Through our partnership with Contec, we are building a global organisation with the best-in-class talent and state-of-the-art production facilities.”

“The Contec Global – Maithri Aquatech alliance is a sustainability improvement opportunity for both our companies. By providing our solutions through Contec Global’s established distribution system in the Middle East, it will help transform governments, corporates, communities, and others from being net consumers of water to becoming net producers of water, on a sustainable basis,” added Dr Berry.

The air-to-water solutions are suited to address the water scarcity challenge facing MENA region, which has an average water availability per person of only 1,200 cubic metres per year, compared to 7,000 cubic metres per year in other regions. They will also help address the water scarcity problem in the Middle East, where about 85 per cent of all water withdrawals are for agricultural purposes.

Contec and Maithri also see the AWG solutions as a good fit to the clean energy agenda of the region, where electricity and water production are closely related. A study by the International Energy Agency reported that the six biggest users of desalination in the region – Algeria, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE – used about 10 per cent of their primary energy from oil and gas resources for desalination. In MENA, desalination plants produce 48 per cent of the world’s total desalinated water, and as these plants are largely operated on oil, there is increased stress on hydrocarbon use, adding to the large carbon footprint.

The synergies created by combining Contec Global’s expansive network with Maithri Aquatech’s sustainable technologies open new horizons for both the businesses to address the needs of global markets for water solutions across different applications.

Nutanix Launches Cloud Bundles for the Second Year Running to Help Support its Channel Ecosystem

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– Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX), a leader in private, hybrid and multicloud computing, today announced that it will continue its successful Cloud Bundles channel initiative for the commercial market segment. The initiative will provide commercial customers with access to Nutanix cloud solutions and hyper-converged infrastructure software. Commercial customers can thus modernise their data centers and IT environments at attractive prices, drive digital transformation and support their business by becoming a faster and more flexible IT organisation. At the same time, distributors will benefit from more flexible options for marketing their offerings via the channel. This is a seamless continuation of the successful initiative previously known as Nutanix Cloud Bundles.

Initially offered in 2020, Nutanix Cloud Bundles help enable commercial customers to simplify the management of their infrastructure, ensure continued business operations and deal with rapidly growing data volumes and the corresponding challenges. That’s because the challenges commercial customers are facing are essentially the same as those faced by large enterprises.

“Accelerated digitisation is one of the key strategies for commercial customers to cope with the economic consequences of the pandemic and ideally to emerge from the crisis stronger than before. However, digitisation is taking place against the background of a general shortage of skilled IT people. For this reason, this is not solely a technology question of obtaining right technology, but also and above all, one of economic efficiency,” emphasizes Aaron White, Sr. Sales Director, METI at Nutanix. “Against this background, automation is the key to make IT teams more flexible and more productive. The role model here is the cloud, but not as a location, rather as an operating model. With our commercial packages, we are bringing the cloud and its operating model to commercial customers more easily and cost-effectively than ever before.”

Nutanix Cloud Bundles help enable commercial companies to manage virtual machines (VM) and containers, files, computing resources, storage capacities and network services in a unified way. With these packages, Nutanix extends the access to its solutions and meets the requirements and budget restrictions of commercial customers.

The packages for medium-sized businesses are available in three different versions:

  • The basic package contains the fundamental building blocks of the Nutanix stack: the enterprise cloud operating system AOS, the AHV hypervisor and the end-to-end management solution Prism.
  • The standard level also includes the file management solution Nutanix Files as well as Prism Pro with its machine learning (ML) management automation capabilities.
  • Commercial customers choosing the advanced level will benefit from the network security and micro-segmentation functionality of Nutanix Flow in addition to the components included in the standard package.

Depending on the selected service level, customers can subscribe to Nutanix software for server infrastructures with 24 (one node or server) to 192 cores (six nodes or servers). Commercial packages are compatible with all hardware platforms certified by Nutanix and include software support for three or five years.

Nutanix Cloud Bundles are aimed exclusively at new customers. Nutanix partners benefit from the same level of marketing support that they would otherwise receive when addressing the enterprise market. New partners who are interested in the Nutanix commercial packages must first register for the Nutanix Partner Program.

INNOVATIVE AND GLAMOUROUS : THE NEW OASIS 40M

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Shereen Shabnam

Benetti showed for the first time Oasis 40M, the revolutionary yacht with exterior lines by UK firm RWD and sophisticated interiors by Bonetti/Kozerski Architecture in New York.

In its 40 metres, Oasis 40M offers a new take on the concept of a lifestyle yacht. The exteriors show the beach house as an elegant lounge on the biggest pool ever, the sea. The interiors’ glamorous soul welcomes guests into spacious interiors that feature an elegant and sophisticated design.

Recently delivered to American owner Tim Ciasulli, represented by US broker Merle Wood & Associates, Oasis 40M was given its debut to a restricted audience of lucky friends at the Azimut|Benetti Group annual press conference, set against the evocative backdrop of Portofino.

Oasis 40M is a revolutionary 40-metre with a 385 GT and is made entirely of fibreglass. Addressing a modern clientele with a dynamic and casual lifestyle, the Oasis 40M has the look of an adventurous yacht but at the same time it shows an unexpectedly glamorous side that reveals an oasis inspired by the idea of well-being and total independence from the rest of the world.

RWD’s UK designers, who worked on the project with Benetti, created a beach area that’s never been seen before in the category, with a one-of-a-kind pool for yachts this size, appropriately called the Infinity Pool. Just a few steps from the sea, it is set in a big space clad entirely in teak, with side wings that open out to extend the floor space, turning the beach area into a huge lounge and terrace overlooking the water and designed to experience the life at sea in a completely new way.

Another bonus in design, construction and engineering of Oasis 40M is the wheelhouse that represents one of the most important innovations. Designed as a multifunctional space, it’s not just a helm station but a new area where Captain, Owner and guest can enjoy the cruise and decide the course from new a new point of view. Thanks to a futuristically designed steering position with a panoramic view, the space can accommodate six people all seated.  This space also features full-height windows and huge spaces, making a comfortable area for guests.

The exterior lines designed by the famous UK firm RWD are a perfect synthesis of Italian elegance and classic British lines, thanks to which guests can enjoy an unprecedented atmosphere of freedom and intense intimacy with the sea. The interiors – exuding relaxed and informal comfort – were designed by the New York firm Bonetti/Kozerski Architecture.

Featuring an excellent hull efficiency supplemented by a vertical bow, the yacht’s top speed is 18 knots. At 11 knots it consumes just over 100 l/h, with a range greater than the necessary to cross the Atlantic.

The Main and Upper Deck have large windows enabling natural light to be used as a design element. This characteristic and the unconventional layout of the spacious interiors are intended to underscore a desire for symbiosis with nature.

The three external decks are designed to guarantee a strong sense of continuity between exterior and interior spaces thanks to the prevalent use of pale materials and colours.

The yacht has 4 decks with 5 cabins for 10 guests and 4 cabins for 7 crew members included the comfy Captain’s cabin located on the Upper Deck close to the wheelhouse. Equipped with two MAN V12, Oasis 40M is a yacht for owners who are not in a rush and want to enjoy the cruise.

For Middle East enterprises, 2021 will be ‘the Year of AI’, predicts Dataiku

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Since its entry into Middle East market in early 2020, Dataiku’s innovative AI platform has helped regional organizations leverage the technology to build use cases to address industry-wide problems such as fraud, churn, supply-chain optimization, and predictive maintenance

Business intelligence driven by advanced machine learning will be a key differentiator for regional businesses as they try to position themselves in post-COVID-19 markets, according to Dataiku, a global leader in AI and machine-learning platforms.

Some Middle East countries, such as the UAE, had seen significant cloud-migration growth before the pandemic. But COVID-19 business practices, such as work-from-anywhere (WFA) and distance learning, accelerated the trend. As of December 2020, Deloitte expected growth in global cloud revenue to stay above 30% until 2025, and for 90% of the world’s enterprises to rely on hybrid cloud environments by next year.

The recent addition of regional cloud locations by global providers such as Oracle and Microsoft made it easier for organizations to make the transition. These businesses spent 2020 exposed to enterprise-grade technology suites, including advanced artificial intelligence that helped them adjust operational models and respond to market changes quickly.

Siddhartha (Sid) Bhatia, Regional Vice President, Middle East and Turkey at Dataiku believes that exposure to the benefits of such advanced capabilities will ensure that they become indispensable to competing players in several industries in the coming years. “We saw 2020 as the year of discovery of the benefits of cloud agility. But in 2021, I think we can expect to see Middle East businesses up their game as they stop merely trying to survive and look to thrive. So, I think we’ll see a significant number of organizations from different industries branching out into new use cases — 2021 will be the Year of AI.”

As organizations of all scales and industry bed in advanced BI solutions, Dataiku predicts that the formalization of AI in business workflows will follow, in the form of machine-learning and operations (MLOps). Just as DevOps integrates software development with day-to-day IT management, so advanced machine-learning capabilities will become part of the fabric of business through MLOps.

Bhatia oversees Dataiku’s recently established Middle East headquarters in Dubai, UAE. Leveraging a customer-centric engagement approach, the company has built a robust reputation across the region, empowering public and private enterprises with comprehensive AI solutions built on its innovative Data Science Studio (DSS) platform — a solution that democratizes data science by catering to a range of users, from the non-technical to statisticians and software developers. DSS is designed to remove friction in data access, cleaning, modeling, and deployment, leading to comprehensive information suites that greatly enhance operational efficiency, regardless of the scale or industry of the user base.

Dataiku’s Middle East client roster now includes more than a dozen large-scale organizations, including some of the largest airlines in the region, and majors from industries such as FSI, manufacturing and government. Implemented AI solutions for these clients have empowered them to address industry-wide problems such as fraud, churn, supply-chain optimization, and predictive maintenance.

The company’s entry into the Middle East and rapid growth comes on the heels of a US$100-million Series D investment round, which was completed in August 2020. This year, the company will focus on the expansion of its regional footprint. The company plans to double the size of its regional workforce by the middle of this year as its partner-centric go-to-market strategy continues to drive growth. Bhatia said, “We believe our channel program is central to our ongoing success. We build meaningful, lasting partnerships by carefully evaluating what each company gets from the collaboration, in terms of their individual strategy, capabilities, resources and offerings. Our partners range from large system integrators, global consulting companies and technology vendors to boutique houses focused on value-rich niche solutions.”

“After last year, many regional enterprises will find themselves at a crossroads,” Bhatia added. “They know that they need to become knowledge-based operators to drive future success, but they may feel at sea when trying to formulate a data strategy. Dataiku’s success has been built on understanding different stakeholders and their engagement level with actionable information. Our solutions bridge that spectrum, so no matter what you do, we can empower you to harness data and overcome real-world challenges.”

HPE Aruba Outlines 5 Focal Areas for Retail Industry Success

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By: Jacob Chacko, Regional Director – Middle East & South Africa at Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company

As retailers adapt how they serve customers to meet immediate and long-term challenges, they are transforming their services to do more. Business transformation requires a network foundation, digital tools, and new streams of data to be analyzed. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are emerging as innovative ways to drive profitable business outcomes while driving IT process efficiency.

Below are 5 key areas that retailers need to pay attention to if they are to succeed in the new normal:

1. Start with great Wi-Fi. Mobility is key to ensuring customers and associates devices and applications work. Customers must be able to seamlessly connect to the store network and associates must be able to use their devices to find goods and assist customers quickly. IoT-enabled store solutions like check-out point-of-sale devices, product scanners, scan-and-go apps and digital signage depend on reliable connectivity. Capacity limits make it critical to move customers in and out of stores quickly to optimize turn times.

2. Get a competitive edge using IoT. IoT devices are critical to delivering a multitude of new experiences and driving new efficiencies. Mobile readers, sensors, and smart shelves can allow stores to maintain accurate inventory in retail time. Footfall sensors and location beacons provide real-time analytics for contextual and personalized offers while supporting a safe shopping experience.

3. Don’t guess on application performance. Connectivity and mobility are the foundation, but the applications that customers, associates, and warehouse staff use must also perform flawlessly. IT teams have long prioritized business-critical applications so they perform at peak. Guest traffic is separated from associates’ applications, and transactions and payments are highly protected. But even with these steps to ensure optimal application performance, the user’s network experience is often hard for IT to discern until there are vocal complaints. A better way to ensure that shoppers, associates, and other staff receive a quality network experience is give IT a real-time view of the end-user experience along with clear action steps to resolve any issues before a service ticket is opened. 

4. Spend your time on innovation, not on network management. It is rare for every store to have an IT staff member. But it is common for IT to get bogged down into network management, rather than innovating with new digital use cases. A cloud-native, single-pane-of-glass network management solution can allow IT staff to work remotely while maintaining visibility and control over all vital network services. Cloud-managed networks enable retailers to scale back the network when the need for temporary drive-through or pop-up services pass—or scale up quickly as needed. Whether the site is a store, warehouse, or corporate headquarters, IT should be able to ensure a secure, high-performance network across all locations, including teleworker home offices.

5. Extend indoor services to outside. With the popularity of curbside pickup and the need to provide touch-free experiences, many retailers need to extend their Wi-Fi outdoors without compromising connectivity to applications and devices that associates need. Associates need mobile POS systems and inventory scanning devices to assist customers, while maintaining secure connectivity to payment transactions.

Aruba’s Edge Services Platform (Aruba ESP) addresses all these imperatives of the retail industry. It is the industry’s first AI-powered platform designed to automate, unify and protect the edge for businesses of any size or type. Aruba ESP includes attributes of Unified Infrastructure, Zero‑Trust Security, AI Powered Operations (AIOps), and Flexible Consumption/Financing Models. These attributes are designed for the unique challenges facing retail, including being able to adapt quickly for unknown future use cases. Aruba’s technology solutions provide retailers tested and proven integrations to support staff communications, electronic shelf labels, shopper analytics, real-time data and inventory management, and predictive machine maintenance.

Redefining Luxury Travel

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Turkish Airlines’ state-of-the-art lounges

Shereen Shabnam

Using Istanbul as a stopover when I head over to my Spanish home is a lot more fun now as the stop in Istanbul breaks the journey and gives us an opportunity to experience the luxuriously revamped airport lounges that Turkish Airlines is famous for amongst seasoned travellers.

The newly expanded airport lounges align with the Turkish Airlines’ brand of luxury and offer travellers a more rewarding airport experience. When flying with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul Airport, Business Class passengers and Economy passengers with Miles&Smiles membership can make use of one of the 2 international lounges, the Business Lounge or the Miles&Smiles Lounge depending on their eligibility, or they can use the Domestic Lounge for domestic flights.

The Business Lounge sprawls across 5,800 sq.m, seats 765 guests, and is easily one of the most well-equipped lounges in the world. With 13 private suites, shower cabins, a Turkish museum, a movie hall, and a variety of delicious Turkish food, the lounge offers world-class refinement and promises a one-of-a-kind experience.

The Miles&Smiles Lounge, designed for Turkish Airlines’ frequent fliers, also offers a diverse range of entertainment which make the transit between cities the best part of the journey. Open 24 hours, passengers can spend their downtime at the cinema, console gaming or use the spacious children’s playground where the fun never ends.

Meeting rooms and a library are also available. Turkish Airlines’ Miles&Smiles Lounge has an area of 5.600 m2 and can seat up to 765 people. The lounge houses 11 suites with 11 showers, comfortable couches and delicious treats of Turkish and world cuisines.

The Domestic Lounge is accessible through a special entrance gate located outside the terminal and is designed to help passengers relax and revive. With a brand-new children’s play area equipped with game consoles, and an interactive gaming experience, the lounge offers parents a chance to enjoy a stress-free experience as the play corners are overseen by a dedicated Turkish Airlines supervisor.

A selection from the Istanbul Modern Collection can also be seen at the Turkish Airlines Lounge in the airline’s brand new hub, Istanbul Airport. Turkish Airlines and Istanbul Modern entered into a cooperation to introduce Turkey’s modern art to the world.

As the Turkey’s first modern and contemporary art museum, a special selection from the Istanbul Modern will be displayed in Turkish Airlines Business Lounge at Istanbul Airport. Spanning 130 square-meters, the exhibition titled “A Selection from the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art Collection” will bring significant examples that represent four main dispositions of modern art of Turkey together.

Made possible with the collaboration of Turkish Airlines and Istanbul Modern, collection selections will be renewed three times annually within the project. Within the exhibition there will be varied type of artworks ranging from the early 20th century landscape painting tradition to the abstract paintings of artists looking for a synthesis between eastern and western arts during 1950s.

Housing the works that illustrate the daily life presence of figure painting, the exhibition will also display compositions that interpret cultural values of Anatolia with a new perspective.

Now with an advanced new hub and superior facilities, Turkish Airlines’ goal remains to continue expanding globally by increasing both its destination and fleet numbers, while providing passengers with unparalleled customer service in-flight and on the ground.