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DIRECT APPROACH
By Editor

Senior Regional Manager at networking vendor DrayTek Joseph Tsai discusses the firm’s MEA vision
Please discuss your participation in the In Search of a Champion (ISoaC) training event in particular and your regular training programmes in general
Our participation in the ISoaC event was to update the market on the latest DrayTek technologies and products. We also wanted to see how sales staff could learn about our products. Our previous focus was on the SI segment and we are realizing that the resale market would be an important market for us. With this event we have found the staff, although in sales, possess the basic technology background and understand what we are talking about.
We carry out regular training events all over the world with our partners in their locales to introduce and provide market training for partners and customers. DrayTek also holds an annual distributor re-union event in Taiwan where we invite all the distributors to our headquarters to experience our products first hand while also getting product updates through training and meetings. In return, we get to receive feedback directly from the market so we can improve our new product plans.
Discuss your partnership with DVCOM
We have been working with DVCOM for the last six years. We began with basic partnership development-finding the right resale partners, the right target and the right channels. At that time, the market was very challenging for us due to price wars and having partners who were basically box movers without broadcasting the benefits of our products to users. But our recent experience with DVCOM has changed all that. We saw a change in our experience because the people at DVCOM want to learn about the benefits and the value and the services they can deliver to partners. We have thus seen things turn around for us. We believe in the partnership we have with DVCOM.
We undertake a lot of initiatives with them such as technical support and training, allowing our SI partners stay connected with the latest technology from DrayTek; after sales service, technical support product offering, as well as attend trade shows either by DVCOM or co-sponsored events. With business growing, we expect to see different channels coming up. This will lead to more focus on the product, strategy and product portfolio and especially in channel management.
How important is the Middle East market to DrayTek?
The Middle East market is contributing more and more to our bottom line. Our focus has been with the SI segment that in turn provides our solutions to SMBs. In the last two years especially, our business development in the Middle East has only gotten better. We expect to double what we had last year and rise even higher in coming years.
What are some of the key DrayTek products and features attracting the regional consumer?
Our most popular product in the Middle East market is the 2830 router model mainly focused on system integrators who have come to realize the value that comes with our products and technology. Before, many of them were only concerned with just getting the lowest-priced product out there. But they are now aware of the value and DrayTek’s reputation and that is why more and more customers are choosing the brand. In comparison with our competitors, we are adding premium features to our networking products without complicated license fees. An example is the free traffic analyser utility that comes with our routers. This is for customers who want to monitor their internet traffic without any extra charges or license fees. We also offer VPN, load balancing, content filtering, all for free. All this can be accessed and managed through an easy-to-use interface. We are an engineering-oriented company. We own the fundamental capabilities for engaging in product development with up to 40% of our staff members being engineers
Discuss how you are able to stay competitive in a fast-evolving Middle East market
For one, we try to localize our products and solutions because market conditions are different. For instance, provision of internet infrastructure varies widely across various countries in the region so we have to adopt different product strategy for different areas. With a more developed internet infrastructure in the UAE for example, there’s more demand for broadband routers. We also keep pace with all the technology advancements in the networking industry including the latest AC protocols. We then add more features to our devices such as management features for wireless and access points. Word of mouth has been also very crucial in the growth of our business in the region. People who have used DrayTek have found features that they find very useful and passed the information around.
The Taiwan Excellence label is very prominent in your marketing campaigns. Discuss the certification and what it entails for DrayTek
The Taiwan Excellence programme is run by the Government of Taiwan to encourage innovation among Taiwanese based firms. As part of the submission to get the award, we have had to prove our quality and the reliability of our products. 2013 is the 4th year we submitted for the Taiwan Excellence accreditation and most of our products have been awarded with the honour. During GITEX, Taiwan Excellence will have its own pavilion where they will showcase more brands that carry the tag, among them DrayTek products.
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WHY PERSONALISATION IS THE NEW CURRENCY IN WEALTH MANAGEMENT

By Kalpesh Khakhria, Group Chairman at Klay Group
Everyone in the wealth management industry claims to offer “personalisation.” Yet, for most traditional institutions, it remains a hollow buzzword, a superficial exercise of sorting investors into predefined “conservative” or “aggressive” risk boxes. This transaction-led and product-pushing model is fundamentally broken for today’s ultra-high-net-worth families, whose lives, businesses, and assets span multiple global jurisdictions. Real personalisation is a structural necessity that requires a radical overhaul of how advice is delivered.
We are operating in an era where wealthy families are building complex, cross-border portfolios. A business might be headquartered in the GCC, hold properties in Europe, and have beneficiaries residing across continents. The most critical point is “What does this capital need to achieve across generations?” Traditional banking silos, driven by high client-to-advisor ratios and transactional commissions, simply lack the agility and independence to answer this effectively.
While personalisation is a growing trend across the broader service industry, in wealth management, it has become the new currency. It is the primary driver of growth and retention, shifting the industry standard from generic products to trust-based, tailored advice. The future of wealth management will be exclusively influenced by trust and deep customisation. True personalisation relies on two specific, uncompromising differentiators: structural independence and relationship-plus-data intelligence.
First, it is impossible to fully understand a family’s cross-border tax realities, liquidity needs, or succession plans if an advisor manages multiple different accounts. Personalisation requires time and undivided attention. That is why boutique advisory models that deliberately cap an advisor’s roster, such as limiting it to just 20 families, are so critical. By removing the pressure of aggressive sales targets and replacing transaction-led commissions with a transparent advisory fee structure, advisors gain the freedom to ask the “why” behind a client’s wealth. This structural independence aligns the advisor’s interests directly with the client’s long-term outcomes, enabling the advisor to act as a true partner.
Second, modern personalisation demands the seamless integration of advanced financial technology. We have entered the era of “Wealth 3.0,” where artificial intelligence and data analytics are fundamentally changing how the industry forecasts risk and segments clients. AI must be utilised to codify a family’s complex constraints, such as multi-currency exposures, jurisdictional rules, and legacy holdings, into actionable, real-time portfolio adjustments and proactive stress testing.
However, the industry must draw an uncompromising line between automation and autonomy. While AI powerfully accelerates scenario analysis, it cannot replace the human connection. The nuanced human judgment, discretion, and contextual understanding required to navigate complex, multi-generational wealth remains absolutely irreplaceable. Technology provides the speed and the insight, but seasoned human strategists must retain ultimate autonomy to ensure that personalisation scales without compromising suitability or compliance.
Wealth management today must transcend simple market timing. It is about actively building multi-generational partnerships. The families that succeed over time are those who partner with independent advisors who are unconditionally in their corner. By combining bespoke human expertise with cutting-edge data intelligence, true personalisation transforms wealth from a static collection of assets into a powerful, coherent legacy that thrives across generations.
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ZAHRA’S KITCHEN SHARES ITS GUIDE TO EASIER SUMMER EATING IN THE UAE
As summer routines shift across the UAE, Zahra’s Kitchen, the UAE homegrown premium food brand, is encouraging consumers to rethink convenience food with simple, flexible meal ideas designed to make everyday eating easier, more flavourful and less time consuming. The seasonal guide comes as the brand expands its ready meal range with three new additions and prepares to launch a limited edition single-portion collection exclusively on Noon Minutes this summer.
Created for busy everyday routines, Zahra’s Kitchen offers handcrafted ready meals, snacks and nibbles inspired by comforting recipes and familiar flavours. Made using responsibly sourced ingredients, with no artificial additives or preservatives, products are frozen at peak freshness to help preserve flavour, texture and nutritional value, while offering greater ease, flexibility and variety throughout the week.
This summer, the brand is spotlighting one of the simplest ways to approach mealtimes at home. One ready meal does not need to mean one meal. Instead, Zahra’s Kitchen is sharing how its dishes can become the starting point for multiple meal ideas, helping consumers create more variety with less effort.
Simple ways to rethink summer meals include:
- Beef Bolognese: Serve with pasta for an easy dinner, or turn it into lasagne, pasta bakes, stuffed vegetables or eggplant fattah.
- Chilli Con Carne: Use as a base for tacos, enchiladas, nachos, rice bowls or loaded baked potatoes.
- Butter Chicken: Pair with rice and naan, or fold into wraps, flatbreads, sandwiches and pizzas for a quick lunch or casual dinner.
- Plant-Based Sweet Potato and Chickpea Red Curry: Enjoy on its own, or serve alongside grilled fish, chicken or vegetables for an easy summer meal.
The expanded ready meal range now includes Lentil Soup, Chicken Freekah and Plant-Based Sweet Potato and Chickpea Red Curry, joining customer favourites including Beef Bolognese, Butter Chicken, Beef Meatballs, Chilli Con Carne and Basmati Rice.
Currently available in two-serving portions, the ready meal range has been designed to offer flexibility, value and multiple meal occasions. The upcoming limited edition single-portion range, launching exclusively on Noon Minutes this summer, has been developed for consumers looking for greater flexibility during busier days.
Alongside its ready meal collection, Zahra’s Kitchen also offers a range of snacks and nibbles rooted in Middle Eastern flavours and entertaining traditions, including Musakhan Rolls, Beef Kibbeh, Falafel and Spinach Puff Bites. Ideal for sharing platters, lunchboxes, family gatherings, casual hosting or everyday snacking, the range reflects the same commitment to quality ingredients and ease.
Zahra’s Kitchen is available through Talabat Mart, Noon Minutes, Kibsons and selected retail partners across the UAE.
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MOONWALK INTO JUNE

Lucky Voice Goes Full Michael Jackson This Summer
Lucky Voice, the iconic karaoke and entertainment venue at Grand Millennium Hotel Dubai, is dedicating the first half of June to the one and only King of Pop. Kicking off with a midweek open mic night on the 10th, building through a glittering Friday night party on the 12th, and closing out with a legendary themed brunch on the 13th, three days of non-stop Michael Jackson magic await.
Whether you’re stepping into the spotlight at the mic or raising a glass over a three-hour brunch, Lucky Voice has crafted three distinct experiences that celebrate the greatest entertainer of all time.
The Experiences
Open Mic: MJ Week — Wednesday, 10th June
The MJ takeover begins on Wednesday evening with Lucky Voice’s Open Mic night, reimagined in full King of Pop fashion. This is your chance to take the stage, choose your favourite Michael Jackson track, and own it. With an electric crowd and a venue dressed for the occasion, even the shyest singer will find their inner MJ. As part of the celebration, guests can compete for the title of best Michael Jackson impersonator or performer, with the winner receiving a brunch for two voucher.
Details at a glance: Date: Wednesday, 10th June, 8 PM – 1 AM | Venue: Lucky Voice, Grand Millennium Hotel Dubai

Summer Bash Party — Michael Jackson Edition, Friday 12th June
Two days later, Lucky Voice turns up the energy for its Summer Bash Party, Michael Jackson Edition. From 8 PM onwards, the venue transforms into a full-on MJ celebration, with a DJ spinning all of Michael Jackson’s greatest hits and keeping the dance floor alive all night.
With ladies’ packages starting at AED 99 and gentlemen’s at AED 250, this is one of the most accessible nights out on the Dubai social calendar and easily one of the most unforgettable.
Details at a glance: Date: Friday, 12th June | Timings: Starting from 8 PM | Venue: Lucky Voice, Grand Millennium Hotel Dubai | Price: AED 99 per lady | AED 250 per gentleman | Includes: 3 hours unlimited food & drinks, Live DJ

Retro Rewind: Don’t Stop ‘Til You Brunch Enough — Saturday 13th June
The weekend closes with a brunch that dares you to sit still. Retro Rewind: Don’t Stop ‘Til You Brunch Enough is a Michael Jackson-themed afternoon experience running from 1 PM to 4 PM, where unlimited food and drinks are paired with open mic karaoke, a live MC, and a DJ spinning nothing but classic MJ hits. It’s equal parts feast and performance, and entirely impossible to leave without singing at least one song.
Guests can choose from three beverage packages: starting at AED 195 for unlimited soft drinks, AED 275 for unlimited house beverages, or AED 350 for unlimited sparkling, making it easy to tailor the experience to the occasion, whether it’s a birthday, a girls’ day, or simply a Saturday well spent.
Details at a glance: Date: Saturday, 13th June | Timings: 1 PM – 4 PM | Venue: Lucky Voice, Grand Millennium Hotel Dubai | Packages: AED 195 (soft) | AED 275 (house) | AED 350 (sparkling) — all inclusive of unlimited food | Highlights: Michael Jackson theme, open mic karaoke, Live MC & DJ
Grand Millennium Hotel Dubai Hosts Michael Jackson Tribute. Grand Millennium Hotel Dubai presents Lucky Voice Michael Jackson nights, brunch, karaoke, and summer entertainment.
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