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Transformation with Innovation

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Dr. Cherif Sleiman, Vice President, Middle East & Africa shares an overview on the technological innovations that are happening around the ICT domain. He also spoke about how Infoblox is adding value in today’s market requirements.

According to you, what are the major driving trends of today’s ICT market?

Trends such as cloud, Big Data, virtualization, security and mobility are showing great impact on the Middle East market and they are creating significant pressure as well as opportunities for some of the largest enterprises in the energy, government, telecom and finance sectors.  We are in the midst of a wave of IT transformation and modernization and Infoblox is playing a critical role in helping enterprises manage and secure their IT infrastructure. The above mentioned trends are leading to some great transformational technology innovations.

How is information security landscape evolving in the enterprise ICT market?

Regional organizations in the Middle East and Africa region are focusing on security as their top priority area within their IT spends. Given the fact that not only is the threat landscape constantly changing, but also the political turmoil in certain countries is adding another dimension of cyber warfare. DNS Security is an area that we believe regional organizations will start paying greater attention to as they begin to understand the damaging consequences of inadequate DNS security measures including lost revenue due to downtime, diminished customer satisfaction and lost productivity.

We are working on educating the overall market including customers and partners about Infoblox’s credentials of being the only vendor worldwide to provide holistic end-to-end DNS security and defense against the widest range of DNS-based attacks such as volumetric, exploits, and DNS hijacking attacks.

How do you witness the growing complexity of ICT environment impacting your business?

Networks are growing, applications are getting advanced but, ICT budgets are not growing as per the growing complexity of ICT environments. We at Infoblox, consider this as a great opportunity as we focus on bringing the element of affordability in the advanced technologies.

Software Defined Networking (SDN) has also become a major trend in today’s data center environment. According to you, what are the advantages of SDN?

Agility and efficiency are the two major advantages of SDN.  Unlike traditional networks that required the setting up of physical racks, with SDN, you basically have drawers of services – storage, compute, security, memory etc. Organizations can access these drawers and pull information elements as and when they need in order to respond to a specific market shift, business unit need or a market trend, something that would be impossible with the current archaic IT infrastructure.

Similarly, efficiency also comes as bundled with SDN. Approximately 80% of IT budgets are spent on keeping the lights on. By switching to SDN, organizations can optimize capabilities of commoditized hardware which translates to lower CapEx. Also, many of the mundane and manual network administration tasks can be automated which should translate in to lower OpEx. These CapEx and OpEx savings can be ploughed back in to the business, be it for technology upgrades or R&D or to focus on other innovations.

What is your advice to enterprises moving to SDN?

When it comes to trends, I like to draw the analogy between technology and fashion – what is in vogue one day is out the next (and sometimes back in again!). The point I am trying to make is that in the technology world, we shouldn’t just adopt trends because they are cool. There always has to be a business case – the trend needs to cause sufficient disruption in the productivity or in the way we do business and the current economics before we decide to adopt the new technology.

So to that end, before an organization decides to make the transition to SDN, it should take into account three critical considerations:

Firstly, the organization should define exactly what SDN means for its enterprise – what is the disruption that it will cause, how does it map to what is already available on the market today and finally and probably most importantly what will be the benefits of making the switch to SDN.

Secondly, with the adoption of SDN, there is a blurring of lines between applications and services and the networks that they ride on. This will require new organizational models in terms of accountability, responsibility and governance. The organization needs to determine if it is culturally agile enough to be able to realign internal teams to meet these requirements.

Finally, SDN is a multi-vendor, multi technology platform and the organization needs to ensure that the SDN vendor it chooses can support a rich ecosystem of integration and interoperability.

In order to expand and grow in the Middle East region, what is your go-to-market strategy?

Channel is the key area for us. Since there is a great action in the technology landscape and we are witnessing many newer trends it is high time for partners to respond to these market changes. Partners must have to work on enhancing their capacities and upgrade their skillset to deliver the best at the customer level. We are working closely with our partner network in order to help them grow in the right direction.

In last 18 months we have registered 10X growth and the credit to such great success goes to our channel partners. Our priority is to further strengthen this area.

Which are the flagship technology innovations that Infoblox has designed for market trends such as Cloud, Big Data and Mobility?

Our Cloud Network Automation technology was introduced early 2015, which bought a scalable network control to the next generation of private cloud deployments. Infoblox Cloud Network Automation delivers control that scales from pilot to production to multi-platform, so that private cloud deployments—regardless of size and scope—aren’t hobbled by manual processes for managing core network services.

Similarly, Infoblox’s Global Server Load Balancing can significantly enhance network response times and availability by distributing traffic among different servers based on server load, server health, and geographical proximity to the user. Infoblox DNS Traffic Control is the first solution to add global server load balancing to enterprise-grade DNS appliances—enabling customers to use a single appliance to provide critical DNS network services while leveraging DNS to optimize network performance by intelligently directing traffic to appropriate servers.

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Big Ticket joins DP World ILT20 Season 4 as Official Partner

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A professional cricket player for the Desert Vipers in mid-swing during a match. The batsman is wearing a dark green and black patterned jersey with red accents, a red helmet, and black protective leg pads. He is holding a wooden cricket bat high in a follow-through motion after playing a shot. The background shows a crowded stadium with purple and blue seating and a "DP World" branded wicket.

Big Ticket, the largest and longest-running guaranteed raffle draw in the Middle East (known for cash prizes, dream luxury cars, gold bars and coins) has joined the DP World International League T20 Season 4 as an Official Partner.

In recent years, Big Ticket has become more than just a raffle, it has gained the reputation of being a brand built around rewarding dreams and celebrating ambition, growing into one of the region’s largest and one of the most anticipated monthly draws in the UAE.

DP World ILT20 – the 34-match cricketing extravaganza – the biggest T20 tournament in the region featuring some of the most renowned global cricket stars is currently being played at the Dubai International Stadium, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

A cricket player from the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders standing at the crease, ready to receive a ball. The player is dressed in a purple and gold uniform with matching gold-colored leg pads and a gold helmet. He holds the bat upward in a standard batting stance. The stadium background features blue seats, a "UAE Cricket" sign, and another player in an orange uniform in the distance.

DP World ILT20 Head of Partnerships Ishan Chopra: “We are delighted to welcome a UAE born raffle giant like Big Ticket as an Official Partner of the DP World ILT20. Their legacy of helping dreams come true aligns perfectly with our vision of delivering unforgettable, fan-first experiences across the league. This partnership strengthens our commitment to creating moments of excitement both on and off the field, and we look forward to elevating Season 4 together. With a household name like Big Ticket on board, we are confident of unlocking even more opportunities for fans to engage, celebrate and go All In for Cricket.”

Meanwhile, DP World ILT20 match tickets across all categories are available for the remaining tournament matches. Various spectator stand tickets start at AED 20 and hospitality packages start from AED 325. Fans can also book the new Sixes Lounge experience for AED 395, which includes unlimited food and beverages. Tickets can be purchased by visiting tickets.ilt20.ae or Virgin Megastores.

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The Maritime Standard Awards 2025 winners list showcases high levels of innovation and operational excellence across the maritime sector

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The maritime sector’s leading awards event, The Maritime Standard (TMS) Awards 2025, has announced this year’s winners, honoring outstanding companies and industry leaders from across the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent. The Awards showcased achievement and innovation in 25 categories covering shipping, logistics, ship repair, offshore services, marine technology and related sectors, as well as a series of special awards for individual achievement. The prestigious event took place at Atlantis The Palm, Dubai on October 29th, attracting over 1000 senior executives, decision-makers and industry leaders, from the region, and across the globe.

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, the event recognised organisations and individuals for setting new standards in operational excellence and leadership in the sector amid significant shifts in the industry, including decarbonisation, digitalization, and a renewed emphasis on supply chain resilience. From clean-fuel projects and AI-powered port operations to international collaborations that boost trade efficiency, the 2025 Awards showcased the industry’s progress in turning goals into tangible outcomes.

The evening was hosted by Yalda Hakim, a renowned international correspondent and documentary filmmaker, whose engaging presence added distinction to the occasion. The keynote address was delivered by Captain Abdulkareem Al Masabi, CEO of ADNOC Logistics and Services, who shared valuable insights on the evolving maritime landscape and the UAE’s leadership in advancing sustainable and innovative practices across the sector.

Clive Woodbridge, Editor of The Maritime Standard and Chairman of the Judging Panel, stated, “This year’s competition was exceptionally tough, and we received an unprecedented number of entries across all categories. Each finalist demonstrated remarkable achievements and operational standards over the past year, which underlines the significant advances that continue to be made in the regional maritime sector.”

A rigorous assessment process was conducted as part of the award selections, and this was supervised by an independent panel of distinguished judges that included some of the most prominent names in the maritime industry.

Trevor Pereira, Managing Director of The Maritime Standard, commented, “These Awards are not just about celebrating success, but also about encouraging excellence. This year’s event recognised innovative concepts, exciting new initiatives, and outstanding performance standards. As the region continues to expand its maritime infrastructure and digital port systems, with significant developments across the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent, events like The Maritime Standard Awards play a key role in reinforcing its position as a global leader in shipping and maritime.”

 Reaction from the individual winners on the night of October 29th was highly appreciative. Captain Mohamed Al Ali, Senior Vice President, Operations (Offshore Logistics), at ADNOC L&S, who received the Outstanding Achievement Award, added: “It was one of the greatest honours of my professional career to receive this Award. It really means a lot to me to have TMS recognise the years of dedication and hard work.”

Tony Dagher, the Founder and Managing Director of TMC Shipping Group was the recipient of the Young Person in Shipping and was similarly honoured. He said: “I have been fortunate to have had great support from many people during my journey in shipping, and to have a fantastic team around me now. This Award is as much for them as it is for me.

Over the past 12 years The Maritime Standard Awards has consolidated its standing as one of the most prominent annual gatherings within the global maritime calendar, gaining worldwide recognition for recognising excellence and promoting a more resilient and sustainable maritime future.

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Deep Dive Dubai Launches Sunken City Walk, a Cinematic Underwater Experience that Makes Adventure Just a Step Away

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Deep Dive Dubai

Deep Dive Dubai has unveiled its newest attraction for experience seekers with the launch of Sunken City Walk. The guided underwater activity invites guests to step into a cinematic cityscape filled with surreal details. From an underwater swing and motorbike to a café table that looks straight out of a movie scene, this is Dubai’s latest must-try attraction.

Deep Dive Dubai

The hour-long journey begins with a full briefing and safety overview, followed by guests changing into wetsuits and equipment provided on-site. They then join trained instructors for a 20-minute guided underwater walk through the Sunken City—an accessible, certification-free experience that requires no swimming skills, making it ideal for guests aged 10 and above. Currently offered at an introductory price of AED 600, with an optional 30-second keepsake video for AED 200, the experience is currently available in four daily slots at 11 AM, 12 PM, 2pm, and 3pm.

Jarrod Jablonski, Director, Deep Dive Dubai, said that “With Sunken City Walk, we’re continuing to shape Dubai’s reputation as a city of unforgettable experiences. It’s a unique attraction that reflects Dubai’s spirit, where visitors can discover adventure in ways they never thought possible.”

The launch reflects a global trend that travellers are choosing experiences over possessions. Supporting this, Shamal’s Experience Economy Report stated that 75% of UAE residents are more willing to spend on experiences, with 80% allocating a dedicated monthly budget. The launch also aligns with Dubai’s commitment to strengthening its global tourism appeal. According to Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the city welcomed 9.88 million international visitors in the first half of 2025, a six percent increase year-on-year, reinforcing its position as one of the world’s leading lifestyle and tourism hubs. Sunken City Walk at Deep Dive Dubai adds a new way for visitors to experience the city’s spirit of reinvention, where adventure is always just a step away.

While Sunken City Walk offers a first taste of underwater adventure, guests can plunge into the incredible world of diving at Deep Dive Dubai, choosing from experiences such as scuba diving, freediving, and specialised diving courses.

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