Yango Tech, B2B technology solutions provider by Yango Group, launches a new business practice focused on developing and deploying autonomous industrial AI agents. These AI agents are designed to execute real operational tasks across customer service, analytics, compliance, and decision-making, serving industries such as fintech, medtech, e-commerce, logistics, smart cities, and the public sector. Yango Tech offers both ready-to-deploy solutions and a customizable platform for building AI agents tailored to the specific needs of each business. This new business direction addresses the rapidly growing demand across the Middle East for scalable AI systems that deliver measurable business impact, as the region accelerates toward a projected $320 billion AI economy by 2030.

AI Agents connect directly to enterprise applications and data sources, including CRM, HR and finance systems, allowing AI to act like digital employees with memory, execution capabilities and built-in security. For governments and enterprises building digital workforces and smart cities, Yango Tech deploys AI employees across customer support, sales, recruitment and debt recovery, delivering 95% first-contact resolution, faster hiring and up to $100K in monthly operational savings. Its Smart City stack enables digital twins, emergency navigation, mobility optimization and real-time urban analytics, helping municipalities accelerate decision-making, improve traffic flow, and reduce energy and operational costs through AI-powered city modelling and dispatch optimization.

In the medical world, Yango Tech reduces physician admin workloads through appointment transcription, smart search across electronic medical records, imaging analysis and AI and BI command centres. The solutions automate documentation, surface unified patient data in seconds, improve diagnostic accuracy and enable clinicians to treat more patients. In financial services, AI functions support front-, middle- and back-office transformation through AI-powered chatbots, smart search, credit scoring, anti-fraud analytics and workflow automation.

Commenting on the launch, Vladimir Razuvaev, Chief Executive at Yango Tech, said: “Enterprises today are under pressure to turn AI into practical outcomes. Our AI Agents were built to help organizations deploy autonomous digital employees that integrate securely into existing systems and deliver measurable productivity gains. With around 84% of GCC organisations adopting AI, the opportunity now lies in execution. Our vision is to help healthcare providers, banks, private firms and cities scale AI responsibly while strengthening performance, transparency and service quality.”

The launch reinforces Yango Tech’s alignment with the UAE’s national innovation agenda and broader regional ambitions for AI-led economic growth, smart infrastructure and digital government. By enabling sovereign deployments, local data control and enterprise-grade security, the platform supports the UAE’s vision for future-ready public services and knowledge-driven economies while helping organizations move faster from strategy to implementation.

DoubleTree Nathiagali Pakistan: Hilton’s first foothold

The debut signals clear confidence in Pakistan’s tourism trajectory. As Guy Hutchinson, President, Middle East & Africa, notes, destinations with rich heritage and natural charm are primed for growth. Therefore, placing Hilton’s first flag in Nathiagali feels both strategic and guest-centric: travelers gain access to an international hospitality standard, while local tourism benefits from global visibility and jobs.

Where alpine scenery meets warm hospitality

Steps from Lalazar Park, the hotel sits within easy reach of Mushkpuri Top, Miranjani Peak, Ayubia National Park, the Dunga Gali Pipeline Track, and St. Matthew’s Church—many within five kilometers. Consequently, guests can plan mellow strolls, scenic drives, or summit days without long transfers. Meanwhile, pine forests and rolling meadows frame the property, creating postcard views in every season—from crisp summers to snow-blanketed winters.

Rooms, dining, and wellness for every season

DoubleTree Nathiagali Pakistan features 110 rooms, including 14 suites that look toward the Mushkpuri and Miranjani hills. Thoughtful layouts, plush bedding, and mountain-view nooks make downtime feel restorative after a day outdoors. For dining, the lobby-level Coffee Shop serves fresh brews and gourmet bites; Shogun brings a refined Pan-Asian menu; and Zareen on the third floor spans breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a global touch. At the Lalazar Terrace Café, guests can linger over specialty teas, high tea, or a barbecue buffet under an open sky.

Wellbeing is central here. A curated spa menu covers soothing massages and holistic therapies, while a fully equipped fitness center supports daily routines. Additionally, the indoor infinity pool—with floor-to-ceiling panoramas—turns every swim into a viewpoint.

Meetings, celebrations, and memorable gatherings

Whether you are planning a board meeting or a mountain wedding, the property offers flexible venues and experienced support. Two signature banquet halls—Mushkpuri and Miranjani—each host up to 200 guests, ideal for receptions, conferences, or gala dinners. For more intimate sessions, Sohni and Nouri provide smaller meeting rooms. Moreover, tailored catering, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, and in-house audiovisual support help events run smoothly from first brief to final toast.

New experiences on the horizon

DoubleTree Nathiagali Pakistan will soon introduce the country’s first mountain padel court, a private-cinema lounge, a children’s zone, and beauty salon services—enhancing the “all-ages, all-seasons” profile. Additionally, the on-site helipad simplifies arrivals and departures, particularly for celebratory occasions or executive retreats that benefit from time-saving transfers.

Partnerships shape successful openings. Owned and managed by The Baron Pakistan (Pvt) Limited, the hotel aligns international brand standards with local stewardship. As Managing Director Imtiaz Muslim underscores, the collaboration supports regional tourism while delivering lasting value to guests and communities. In practice, that means more training, broader career pathways, and a hospitality experience that honors place as much as it embraces polish.

Hilton Honors benefits, made simple

Members of Hilton Honors can unlock familiar advantages when booking directly via Hilton’s preferred channels. Because the app streamlines check-in, room selection, and Digital Key access, guests can move from arrival to relaxation quickly. Furthermore, the flexible Points-and-money slider helps members tailor stays to their budget—useful for families or groups planning longer mountain breaks.

Plan your Nathiagali escape

The Galiyat hills combine fresh air, pine scent, and sweeping viewpoints with easy access from Islamabad. Therefore, DoubleTree Nathiagali Pakistan makes a compelling base: mornings can start with a summit walk; afternoons might drift into spa time; evenings can stretch over terrace tea as the valleys glow. With new activities debuting soon, travelers will find more reasons to return—across seasons and occasions.

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The cutting-edge data center highlights SurveySparrow’s dedication to data security. The company firmly believes in ensuring that customer data remains safe and secure, a top priority in today’s digital landscape.

Shihab Muhammed, Founder and CEO of SurveySparrow said, “We are thrilled to embark on this new journey in the MENA market. This region is a dynamic hub of innovation, culture, and growth. Dubai is a gateway to the MENA and GCC region, which has some of the best global brands such as Emirates, and Etisalat and prominent banks like Mashreq. With our expertise in crafting highly engaging feedback surveys and delivering better completion rates, we look forward to helping businesses in the region connect with their audiences in meaningful ways.”

Aldrin Kenneth, an industry veteran with over two decades of experience in the GCC region, has joined SurveySparrow as the Director of the Middle East and Africa division. His expertise is expected to accelerate the company’s growth trajectory in this promising market.

Aldrin Kenneth, Director of Middle East and Africa, SurveySparrow said, “I’m determined to establish SurveySparrow as a leader in innovative customer experience solutions and the voice of customer segment in the GCC market. SurveySparrow’s commitment to creating engaging and conversational surveys resonates with my belief in the power of personalized interactions. I’m excited to contribute my expertise to provide a distinctive insight into customer expectations and challenges.”

SurveySparrow’s expansion plans in the MENA region include offering multilingual surveys with Arabic support to enable brands to communicate effectively in specific customer languages. The company’s capabilities cater to various industries, such as retail, hospitality, healthcare, and automobiles, among others. Some of the notable clients include Dubai Tourism, Neom, Shurooq, Majid Al Futtaim (MAF), and Eros Group. As a prominent thought leader in experience management, SurveySparrow will host a premium event titled RefineCX where eminent CX leaders will engage and share their industry expertise and future outlook on October 17, 2023, at Hotel Taj, Business Bay, Dubai.

SurveySparrow’s unique approach to surveys, with the help of a conversational UI, has reimagined the feedback collection process. Shihab Muhammed had earlier stated that the shift toward personalized communication inspired the creation of conversational surveys. This approach adds a human touch, enhances engagement, and boosts response rates, ultimately ensuring that customers feel heard.

The platform’s mobile-first design and customizable domain names for branding purposes have played a significant role in achieving higher completion rates and more effective feedback collection. SurveySparrow has consistently delivered response rates exceeding 40%, far surpassing the industry average of 15%, and sometimes even reaching an impressive 80-90%.

The platform’s key features include AI-generated surveys, an extensive library of over 900 survey templates, white-labeling options, WhatsApp integration for distribution and feedback collection, ticket management for issue resolution, and reputation management for cross-platform brand reviews. These help brands enhance customer experiences across every touch point.

SurveySparrow’s journey has been supported by a significant seed funding round of $1.4 million from Prime Venture Partners, which has accelerated its product and technology development. Shihab’s personal investment has further fueled its growth, leading to innovative solutions in the realm of experience management.

The experience management software market is poised for significant growth, with a projected worth of 52.54 billion USD by 2030 and a remarkable CAGR of 16.6%. SurveySparrow is a pioneer in this market, offering innovative solutions tailored to meet evolving business needs.

The pandemic accelerated remote work for many Saudi organizations. 91% of organizations now have remote employees, up from just 34% in early 2020.  Moving forward, the vast majority of organizations (91%) plan to adopt this remote working model permanently.

To facilitate the new world of work, cloud adoption has surged. Seventy-seven percent of Saudi organizations have moved business-critical functions to the cloud — including human resources (80%) and accounting and finance (60%).

However, this change to working practices has increased organizations’ risks. By their own admission, 63% of Saudi organizations are prepared to support new workforce strategies from a security standpoint, while 67% believe moving business-critical functions to the cloud exposes the organization to increased cyber risk.

When looking at the impact of this increased risk, threat actors are taking advantage. Ninety-eight percent of organizations experienced a business-impacting cyberattack in the last 12 months, with 33% falling victim to five or more. Fifty-seven percent of Saudi organizations said these attacks targeted remote employees.

“Remote and hybrid work strategies are here to stay and so will the risks they introduce unless organizations get a handle on what their new attack surface looks like,” said Amit Yoran, CEO, Tenable. “This study reveals two paths forward — one riddled with unmanaged risk and unrelenting cyberattacks and another that accelerates business productivity and operations in a secure way. CISOs and CEOs have the opportunity and responsibility to securely harness the power of technology and manage cyber risk for the new world of work.”

IT and security teams are quickly rolling out tools for connectivity, collaboration, and productivity, while also moving business-critical data to the cloud to support a remote and hybrid working environment. Organizations must reevaluate their approach to maintaining security, aligned to the business, to effectively reduce the risks introduced.

“The pandemic has seen the corporate perimeter shattered,” said Maher Jadallah, Senior Director Middle East & North Africa, Tenable. “Cloud adoption and remote working practices were being cautiously adopted in Saudi, but in the last eighteen months, this transition has exponentially accelerated. Attackers have seized on the opportunity, as this study reveals, which means understanding what poses a risk to the business and managing that risk effectively is imperative.”

Forrester Consulting conducted an online survey of 20 security leaders, 37 business executives, and 47 remote workers (i.e., full-time employees working three or more days from home) in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These are a subset of a wider study of 426 security leaders, 422 business executives, and 479 remote workers as well as six telephonic interviews with business and security executives, to explore shifts in cybersecurity strategies at large enterprises made in response to the pandemic. The study was fielded in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and the US in April 2021.

The Huawei Cloud Oasis Program was launched during the Cloud Summit held virtually this year in September. The annual event connected business leaders and Huawei partners.

Eric Wan, VP of Cloud Marketing, Ecosystem & Partner Development at Huawei Middle East, said: “Since launching Huawei Cloud, we have sought to nurture a localized, innovative cloud ecosystem in all the markets where we operate. The Huawei Cloud Oasis Program will thus provide truly unique and rewarding offerings to local businesses.”

An official release of the company stated, “The Huawei Cloud Oasis Program has set a target to assist 3,000 experts in the region, support over 1,500 consulting and technical partners, and empower more than 100 SMEs to develop their cloud capabilities.” The latest investment includes USD7.5 million being allocated for partner development, over USD2.5 million to be put behind credits and other cloud resources, and more than USD4.5 million in marketing support for program projects.

Currently, Huawei Cloud has more than 220 services available, with 18 global and one local data center providing these services.

Since 2015, Business Rules Solution, now known as OMA BRS, operates not only as a representative for the Group’s solutions in Morocco and Africa, but also as a local R&D center for developing unique cutting-edge payment technologies and banking solutions adapted to the needs of Banks, Governments and Retailers in the region.

Mr. Niranj Sangal, Group CEO and Managing Director of OMA BRS, said “This acquisition is part of our company’s strategy to strengthen its African footprint and the group’s vision to enlarge our value proposition to more than 25 countries worldwide by 2020.” He further adds “By fully acquiring BRS, we aim to spread our know-how and expertise to the Moroccan market and beyond, add value for our clients and position ourselves as a ‘one stop shop’ offering an entire range of products and solutions that caters to the African market needs and ever-changing trends.”

This total acquisition allows OMA Emirates a stronger footing to achieve a rapid expansion and growth in the African continent for a future rich with promising business opportunities.

“While IT delivery is still a responsibility of the CIO, achieving revenue growth and developing digital transformation were identified most often as top business priorities for organizations in 2018. If CIOs want to remain relevant, they need to align their activities with the business priorities of their organizations,” said Andy Rowsell-Jones, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner.

Twenty-six percent of the CIO respondents in EMEA said they expect their jobs to become more business-oriented, and 22 percent expect a greater focus on analytics. They identified business intelligence and analytics (26 percent) and digitalization (17 percent) as technology areas that will help their businesses differentiate themselves and succeed.

Gartner analysts presented the survey findings during Gartner Symposium/ITxpo in Barcelona, Spain. The 2018 Gartner CIO Agenda Survey gathered data from a record 3,160 CIO respondents in 98 countries and all major industries, representing approximately $13 trillion in revenue/public sector budget and $277 billion in IT spending. 1,069 CIO respondents were from the EMEA region.

“‘Digital’ is here and is mainstream,” said Rowsell-Jones. “CIOs are moving from experimentation to scaling their digital business initiatives.” In this context, the challenge for CIOs is to grow these initiatives to deliver economies of scale and scope. The survey revealed that 29 percent of the CIO respondents in EMEA are designing digital initiatives, 29 percent are delivering them, 15 percent are scaling them and 4 percent are at the “harvesting” stage.

Some CIOs in EMEA are struggling to scale their digital business initiatives. The survey revealed that the biggest barrier is culture. Forty-eight percent of EMEA CIOs identified “culture” as the biggest hurdle to scaling up from the initial phases of digital business transformation.

“Culture is not specifically labeled,” said Mr. Rowsell-Jones. “You can’t change what you don’t make explicit. Start by clearly articulating why change is required from a business point of view, then delve into what specifically will change.”

Adoption of digital technology is increasingly forcing the role of the CIO to widen. Forty-six percent of the EMEA CIO respondents are in charge of the digital transformation within their organization, and 41 percent are responsible for innovation. Furthermore, many of EMEA CIOs said their organization has already deployed, or is experimenting with, digital security (76 percent), the Internet of Things (39 percent) and artificial intelligence (28 percent).

CIOs have a number of ways in which to develop digital business in their organization. The survey found that in EMEA, 47 percent of the CIO respondents have a dedicated digital business team. It also revealed that few of these teams (16 percent) are made up of IT associates only. For 47 percent of CIOs their digital business team will run as a separate digital team that reports to business unit leaders or to the CEO directly, and for 23 percent of them that team will report directly to the CIO.

“Your role as a CIO is transforming in light of the accelerating adoption of digital business and the fast pace of technological innovation,” concluded Mr. Rowsell-Jones. “It no longer suffices just to be responsible for IT delivery, and it is of paramount importance to address broader business objectives as well. The time has come to master your new role as a business executive.”