Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Tuesday, April 3rd 2012 [ME NewsWire]
UAE-based SMEs are beginning to realise the value of ICT investments such as lower operating costs, improved human resource efficiency and business effectiveness as well as increased revenue generation in many cases, according to John Lincoln, business thought leader and currently working as Vice-President Marketing – Du, an UAE-based telecom service provider and business partner of Dubai Internet City (DIC).
He added: “Investments in ICT are also of paramount importance to increase an SME’s productivity. A minimal 10 per cent increase in a SME’s productivity can sometimes determine whether the business remains competitive and sustainable. Additionally, economic and well-planned deployment of ICT is critical to the success of small and medium sized enterprises. A non-optimal selection of a solution or a provider can have negative consequences for an SME, which can be further compounded due to its limited financial and human resources. As most SMEs do not have the necessary in-house ICT expertise to undertake related projects on their own, it is imperative that an SME selects an ICT partner that is reliable, knowledgeable and offers the best value for money.”
Lincoln was the keynote speaker at Dubai Internet City Excellence Series on the ‘Art of ICT Investments for SME’ held on 21 March at Thuraya Hall,located at Dubai Internet City. He is a specialist in this segment with over 20 years’ experience globally and working in telecom and technology start-ups from concept development to market launch to holding senior positions in very large and established companies.
Majed Al Suwaidi, Director at Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource, said: “SMEs today seek to make the right investments in ICT to churn out profits for the long term and increase value in business. While the levels of ICT awareness vary, for identifying an optimal solution, it is essential that SMEs consider the total cost of ownership taking into account its specific needs and invest wisely to generate returns for business.”
SMEs contribute a majority of the GDP in most countries and are also the largest job generators in the global economy. Recent studies carried out by Du, in association with Frost and Sullivan, showed that 98.5 per cent of the UAE businesses are SMEs. Companies in the UAE spend about AED9.8 billion for their ICT needs and SMEs account for 50 per cent of the expenditure.
Dharmendra Parmar, General Manager, Marketing, FVC attendee at the event and business partner of Dubai Internet City said: “SMEs in the region are more aware on ICT investments and the impact of technology on their business. Today’s session highlighted the relevance of IT in an organisation irrespective of their size of the business. It also pointed out the importance of new age technologies like cloud and on the usability in business.”
Piero Ricotti, Managing Director, Tecnosistemi and President of Italian Industry and Commerce office in UAE said: “DIC Excellence series focusing on such topics which are of prime importance today adds value to the community and their business partners. SMEs are a growing sector in the region and the country as there is an increasing focus on these companies by major technology companies. These businesses need to be advised on the right usage of technology and its impact on the longevity of their business.”
The Excellence Series hosts monthly sessions that feature distinguished speakers and tacklekey topics relating to business, best practices, case studies, personal growth and more. The event invites business partners across TECOM Investments to gain insights from experts across different fields and understand the impact of implementing best practices and cutting-edge methodologies on the corporate bottom-line.
The next module of Excellence Series will be held in April and Hari Krishnan, Chairman and Founder of UniPropitia, will lead a session on ‘Demystifying Entrepreneurship’.
At the forefront of the region's ICT industry, Dubai Internet City remains committed to supporting emerging technology trends in the region and continues to play an instrumental role in developing the industry while contributing to Dubai's drive for creating a knowledge-based economy.
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About Dubai Internet City
Dubai Internet City (DIC), a member of TECOM Investments, was established in 2000. It is currently regarded the Middle East's largest information and communications technology (ICT) cluster. Built as a strategic base for companies targeting emerging markets in several neighbouring regions, DIC’s core focus area extends from the Middle East to the Indian Subcontinent, and from Africa to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), covering nearly three billion people with a GDP of over US$10 trillion. As a knowledge-oriented business model, DIC has created a dynamic international community of IT companies hosting business partners that include most of the Fortune 500 brands, as well as a number of small and medium enterprises and ventures. In 2009, 135 new companies joined the DIC cluster. For more information, please visit: www.dubaiinternetcity.com
Contacts
Nancy Sudheer
APCO Worldwide
(JIWIN Public Relations)
Email: NSudheer@apcoworldwide.com
Tel: + 971 4 369 2834
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