Business Chief Middle East & Africa – May 2019

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA EDITION MAY 20 19

Healthcare undergoes technology transformation

Advisian Digital DISRUPTION TO STAY COMPETITIVE

Chalhoub Group

Where tourism meets business

TOP 10

City Focus

Tallest buildings in the Middle East

ACCELERATING OPERATIONS THROUGH TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION Iyad Rahme on how the leading retail business has optimised its HR function

FOREWORD

W

elcome to the May edition of

month, we spoke with Tony Nitchov,

Business Chief Middle East

Managing Director of Advisian

& Africa!

Digital’s Global Services operations,

In this month’s issue, Business

to find out how the firm is negotiating

Chief spoke with Chalhoub Group

digital disruption in the Middle

about its major digital transformation

Eastern market. “It presents many

in the retail industry. Head

advantages and challenges for

of HR Technology, Iyad

organisations operating in

Rahme, discusses

the region,” says Nitchov.

the digital platforms

“If we consider digital,

implemented across

there is an immense

the company. “We are

enthusiasm for

always scouting for new technologies that

Iyad Rahme, Chalhoub Group

companies to embrace digital technologies

can simplify our processes

across all market

and provide our current and

segments, from oil and gas

future employees with a seamless experience,” says Rahme.

Additionally, we interviewed

operators to consumers.”

Elsewhere in the magazine, we look at what Dubai offers from a

Bashar Balish, CIO of the strategic

business and tourism perspective

partnership between Cerner and the

and also count down the tallest

UAE Ministry of Health, to discuss

buildings in the Middle East.

the journey to embracing digital in the healthcare sector.

In our leadership feature this

m i d dle ea st .busines s chief. co m

Enjoy the issue!

Sean Galea-Pace. sean.galea-pace@bizclikmedia.com

a fri c a .busi ne ssc hief. com

03

MEA EDITION EDITOR IN CHIEF

SEAN GALEA–PACE MANAGING EDITOR

OLIVIA MINNOCK

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CONTENTS

CHALHOUB GROUP

leveraging on technology transformation in retail

10 24

Advisian Digital

34

ACHIEVING GROWTH THROUGH A DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

MAKING THE CASE FOR CYBERSECURITY

INVESTMENT

42 How to win the war for skilled talent

54

64

D BAI U DUBAI City Focus

Bringing greener cities to life through connectivity and innovation

74 TOP 10

Tallest buildings in the Middle East

88 Cerner’s

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF POPULATION HEALTH

Covering every angle in the digital age The Business Chief platforms offer insight on the trends influencing C and V-level executives, telling the stories that matter

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w w w.bu si nessch ief.com

10

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CHALHOUB GROUP

leveraging on technology transformation in retail WRITTEN BY

SEAN GALEA-PACE PRODUCED BY

K ANE WELLER

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a f r ic a . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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CHALHOUB GROUP

Iyad Rahmeh, Head of HR Technology at Chalhoub Group, discusses how his company’s digital transformation is impacting its HR function with impressive results

A

s technology disrupts the operations of businesses worldwide,

Chalhoub Group is in the process of under12

going a major digital transformation in the retail industry. Their aim is to achieve their North Star Vision to become a hybrid retailer bringing luxury experiences to the fingertips of customers everywhere.

Overseeing the human resources (HR) technology department at Chalhoub is Iyad Rahme. “Our Group is going through a major transformation which started from within,” explains Rahmeh. “We don’t just want to give the best experience to our external customers, we also aim to enable our employees with the necessary tools that help them focus better on their stakeholders. In terms of HR, our customers are also our employees and we make sure to keep them at the heart of everything that we do.”

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CHALHOUB GROUP

“We are always scouting for new technologies that can simplify our processes and provide our current and future employees with a seamless experience” — Iyad Rahme, Head of HR Technology, Chalhoub Group

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘THIS IS THE CHALHOUB GREENHOUSE!’ 15

IMPLEMENTING DIGITAL PLATFORMS

why this mobile app was necessary

During the past year, Chalhoub Group

and been so successful.”

HR has implemented eight digital

With the aim of introducing a smooth

platforms, including a new social

interface between employees and HR

media platform for all its employees.

at the forefront of Chalhoub Group’s

“Last year, we launched our employee

plans, the firm implemented SAP

mobile app,” says Rahmeh. “It’s a

SuccessFactors solutions to acceler-

Beekeeper SaaS solution with the aim

ate its technological capabilities. “Most

of connecting colleagues wherever

of our HR processes have become

they are and help them communicate

digital; our talent acquisition, perfor-

and collaborate to share knowledge

mance management, learning manage-

and expertise. We are a retail and

ment because going digital enables us

distribution business with 70-80% of

to track each employee’s progression

our taskforce being mobile, which is

and development” says Rahmeh. “We

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CHALHOUB GROUP

“Technology is there to help us and not replace us” — Iyad Rahme, Head of HR Technology, Chalhoub Group

16

are always scouting for new technolo-

upgrade its services. “We’re always

gies that can simplify our processes

looking at ways to gather data as the

and provide our current and future

more data we have, the more we can

employees with a seamless experi-

ensure we are taking the right approach

ence. We recently launched our first

and base our strategy on solid grounds”

ChatBot, in collaboration with Easy

explains Rahmeh. Chalhoub Group

Recrue, called TIM (Talent Interactive

recently introduced Qualtrics — an

Matchmaker) to help candidates apply

experience management platform

for a position on our career website.

allowing them to survey every

We also introduced a pre-recorded

interaction people experience within

video and live interviews to be able to

the Group to spot opportunities for

reach talents at all times.”

improvement. “We gather data at every

Operating with a data-driven approach,

touch point we have with our current

Chalhoub Group leverages on data to

or future employees,” he says. “It starts

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E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Iyad Rahme Iyad Rahme is the Head of HR Technology at Chalhoub Group.

In his role, Iyad scouts for HR digital platforms and manages their implementations and support. In 2018, together with the Head of Competence Centers of the Group, Iyad successfully implemented eight digital platforms including an employee mobile app, a Chatbot and an employee engagement and surveying tool.

Iyad studied Economics at Saint Joseph University in Beirut and kicked off his career in HR as a recruiter at one of the banks in Beirut. He moved to Dubai to work in Rewards for Chalhoub Group and was part of the implementation team of SAP SuccessFactors.

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CHALHOUB GROUP

1955

Year founded

12,000+

Approximate number of employees

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mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

a f r ic a . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

Passion for Innovation Nextmoves develops SAP SuccessFactors Addons to enrich and optimize your HR organization and its processes within the SAP SuccessFactors suite. Our Add-ons include easy document generation, a secure and digital personnel file and a flexible benefits solution.

Visit Nextmoves: LEARN MORE www.nextmoves.nl | info@nextmoves.nl

from their initial experience of applying

our business to the next level,” says

for a role within the Group up until their

Rahmeh. “We don’t want to introduce

offboarding experiences.”

a new digital platform for the sake of having lots of different platforms. Our

INTRODUCING THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY

aim is to make sure to facilitate and

With technology having an increased

simplify our way of doing business –

impact on businesses and its influence

therefore, we ensure to partner with

showing no signs of slowing, Rahmeh

our employees and businesses before

understands the importance of

initiating any digital platform.”

introducing processes which will enable

“One of our guiding principles at

the company to accelerate operations

Chalhoub Group is to collaborate

without rolling out technology for the

with startups as they benefit from our

sake of it. “It’s important that we imple-

expertise in the market and allow us a

ment the right technology that will take

lot of flexibility due to their enthusiasm

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“Most of our HR processes have become digital; our talent acquisition, performance management, learning management because going digital enables us to track each employee’s progression and development” — Iyad Rahme, Head of HR Technology, Chalhoub Group mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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CHALHOUB GROUP

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“It’s important that we implement the right technology that will take our business to the next level” — Iyad Rahme, Head of HR Technology, Chalhoub Group

and eagerness for new challenges.

countries, Rahmeh looks at how the

It’s much easier for us to work with

Group can remain sustainable moving

them because they are flexible, fast

forward. “It’s important for us to keep

and agile and this embodies our work

searching, learning and innovating.

principles perfectly.”

We have to stay on the move and be

Having achieved substantial growth

agile in order to achieve our North Star

over the past few years which has seen

Vision,” explains Rahmeh. “It is key

the Group’s workforce reach over

for us to be fierce, to keep up with

12,000 team members in nine different

technology and the changing environ-

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ment that we live in. Technology is

Rahmeh. “It’s important to keep

there to help us and not replace us.”

enhancing, developing and looking for

Looking to the future, Rahmeh has

better solutions because it’s the only

clear ideas in mind on how the Group

way we can keep moving forward and

can continue to achieve success. “We

differentiating ourselves from others

can’t stop here — we have to keep

to achieve our goal of becoming the

enhancing our services. Last year we

employer of choice.”

implemented eight digital platforms, this year we might bring in ten,” says mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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LEADERSHIP

Advisian Digital

ACHIEVING GROWTH THROUGH A DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST 24

Business Chief speaks to Managing Director of Advisian Digital’s Global Services operations, Tony Nitchov, about the importance on digital disruption in the Middle Eastern market WRITTEN BY

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LEADERSHIP

W

ith technology having a major impact on the

way companies conduct their business, it has become vital for firms to adapt to the

latest trends in order to differentiate themselves

from rivals.

Managing Director of Advisian Digital’s Global Services operations, Tony Nitchov, believes that the challenge of digitalisation in the Middle East has caused numerous obstacles for companies to overcome in the region. “The Middle Eastern market presents many advantages and challenges for organisations operating in the region. If we consider digital, there is an immense enthusiasm for 26

companies to embrace digital technologies across all market segments, from oil and gas operators to consumers,” says Nitchov. “Digitalisation, supported by a capable digital labour market, is a key part of these nationalism undertakings. The ability to move local labour from administrative-type work to more complex value-adding roles can come from digital technology adoption. The challenge, however, is the accessibility to a digitally skilled local labour force is limited, which constrains the ability of organisations to develop talent locally.”

As the global consulting arm of the WorleyParsons Group, Advisian Digital helps to advise clients in the hydrocarbons, infrastructure, minerals, metals and chemicals sectors. The company provides services and solutions with a primary focus in the energy, oil and gas industries in 45 different countries.

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“ I F WE CONSIDER DIGITAL, THERE IS AN IMMENSE ENTHUSIASM FOR COMPANIES TO EMBRACE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES ACROSS ALL MARKET SEGMENTS, FROM OIL AND GAS OPERATORS TO CONSUMERS” — Tony Nitchov, Managing Director, Global Services, Advisian Digital mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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LEADERSHIP

Advisian has developed a variety of digital solutions that address a wide range of problems such as data collation, integrity and remediation platforms ranging to sensor integration and machine learning.

Having joined Advisian in 2017, Nitchov is based in Melbourne and is responsible for overseeing an experienced team.

“Joining Advisian Digital with a strong technical background and deep domain knowledge in business operations and project delivery, I’ve always been appreciative of various clients’ operations and the drivers for their success. I have been

28

blessed with interesting and dynamic roles which supported my development,” explains Nitchov. “With digital advances evolving so quickly, being a member of Advisian Digital where we continually develop, partner, deploy and innovate digital solutions, my past experiences afford me the ability to recognise and help clients understand how our digital solutions can improve their operations.”

EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY By operating as a company that provides digital solutions designed to help its customers’ businesses grow in an everincreasing technological world, Nitchov M AY 2 0 1 9

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘OUR STORY – ADVISIAN DIGITAL’ 29 believes Advisian ensures it meets its

fit-for-purpose digital strategies to

customers’ demands by understanding

improve efficiency. With our strong

their needs and requirements. “As digi-

WorleyParsons delivery heritage

tal technology, data and capability have

across all sectors and markets;

continued to grow at ever-increasing

we lead from experience. Not many

rates, the oil and gas sector has faced

organisations can say that.”

pressures to reduce budgets and

With the importance of standing out

increase revenues due to the industry

from other companies vital to achieving

downturn. Therefore, our clients

continued success, Nitchov affirms

expect innovation to drive efficiencies

that Advisian Digital’s ability to enable

and to facilitate new opportunities.

digital has allowed the firm to differenti-

We support our clients to navigate the

ate its offering from its rivals. “Our

digital landscape by being ahead of the

differentiator is that we are not just

curve, assessing and trialling cutting-

defining digital but enabling it – offering

edge technologies and implementing

real value to organisations,” he explains.

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LEADERSHIP

“Our deep domain expertise from our heritage WorleyParsons business and our understanding of delivering engineering, procurement and construction projects across all industry sectors, in combination with our global reach, enable us to predict, initiate and implement new innovations and improve existing practices.

We understand the ’what’ and ‘why’ of digital and through our engagement, we can advise and direct the ‘how’ to make it happen.”

30

MAINTAINING SUCCESS Advisian Digital is currently involved in a number of projects that include a variety of different technologies and solutions, such as continuing its work as a leader in the field of additive manufacturing, asset performance manufacturing and the implementation of Requis – a digital supply chain e-commerce platform designed for enterprises. “We’ve recently engaged with a major oil and gas operator to use our latest 3D metal printing technology to re-design the way heat exchanger components are manufactured. In doing so, it is anticipated that the M AY 2 0 1 9

“ M Y PAST EXPERIENCES AFFORD ME THE ABILITY TO RECOGNISE AND HELP CLIENTS UNDERSTAND HOW OUR DIGITAL SOLUTIONS CAN IMPROVE THEIR OPERATIONS” — Tony Nitchov, Managing Director, Global Services, Advisian Digital

operational efficiency will improve when compared to traditional manufacturing techniques. We can design and build equipment that traditional tools and manufacturing processes couldn’t have previously done before,” explains Nitchov. “Equipment surplus is capital inefficient so Requis allows operators and businesses to unlock new streams of revenue by selling excess material online. The Requis marketplace user base is growing by more than 10% month-on-month and it has demonstrated clear benefits to energy asset operators.”

In order to achieve mutual gain, it has become important that companies form strategic partnerships to maintain success. With technology evolving on a consistent basis, Advisian Digital has established key partnerships with Aurora Labs, which provides a pre-eminent metal 3S printing enterprise called AdditiveNow, and SaltGrid. Nitchov believes these key partnerships have been critical to ensuring his company maintains its position as a leader in the field.

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LEADERSHIP

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“ W ITH THE DIGITAL SPHERE EVOLVING SO RAPIDLY, MANY TRENDS ARE FORMING. CLOUD STORAGE AND PROCESSING IS SUPPORTING BET TER USE OF DATA WITH INCREASED PROCESSING POWER” — Tony Nitchov, Managing Director, Global Services, Advisian Digital

parts manufacturing for energy and

highest risk. SaltGrid uses predictive

resource operators by combining the

analytics to uncover patterns and

deep technological expertise of Aurora

trends to predict outcomes before they

Labs with the demonstrated energy,

occur. This enables organisations to

resources and infrastructure engineer-

implement targeted pre-emptive ac-

ing experience of Advisian Digital,”

tions to improve the way they work and

says Nitchov. “SaltGrid helps organisa-

hopefully reduce incidents.”

tions minimise health, safety and envi-

With the future of technology con-

ronmental incidents by leveraging

tinuously transforming, all companies

machine learning and artificial intel-

must continue to adapt

ligence to accurately forecast areas of

to change. Nitchov believes the future

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is bright for Advisian Digital and will

vate servers with limited adaptability

ensure it continues to adapt to the lat-

are well behind us. This processing

est trends in the industry. “With

power brings back data analytics,

the digital sphere evolving so rapidly,

mental automation, mental augmenta-

many trends are forming with some

tion and physical automation to an ex-

quicker than others. Cloud storage and

citing stage of revolution. The future

processing is supporting better use of

really excites us.”

data with increased processing power effectively on tap,” he says. “When you consider the cost of processing is continuously falling, then the days of primid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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TECHNOLOGY

MAKING THE CASE FOR CYBERSECURITY INVESTMENT 34

Spencer Young, Regional Vice President EMEA at Cybersecurity leader Imperva explores how businesses need to take decisive action and address today’s complex cybersecurity threats WRITTEN BY

SPENCER YOUNG

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2

018 turned out to be a significant

year for cybersecurity with breaches and attacks making

formal cybersecurity policies in place.

While this discrepancy is worrying, it shines the spotlight on why business

the news far too often. In fact, a recent

leaders are yet to fully embrace the

report released by the Department

value of cybersecurity.

for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Although we’re in the era of digital

revealed that over four in ten businesses

transformation, many organisations

(43%) in the UK experienced a

are looking for guaranteed returns

cybersecurity breach or attack last year.

from their technology investments.

The same report goes on to highlight

Therein lies the problem – with

that despite the growing number of

increasingly tight budgets, senior

cybersecurity threats and attacks fewer

leaders view of cybersecurity systems

than three in ten businesses (27%) have

is currently framed as insurance. So,

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“ALTHOUGH WE’RE IN THE ERA OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION, MANY ORGANISATIONS ARE LOOKING FOR GUARANTEED RETURNS FROM THEIR TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS. THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM” — Spencer Young, Regional Vice President, EMEA at Imperva

how do we shift this mindset so that

required to prepare for these new

senior leaders can better understand

compliance landscapes, they are

that the value of protecting business

putting security strategy decisions at

critical data extends far beyond just

the top of the priority pile of boards

covering your assets?

and exec teams.

Board members, in particular, are

CYBERSECURITY AND THE BOARD

responsible for establishing good

In recent months, we’ve seen the

governance practices and policies for

introduction of new regulations such

driving better financial performance

as the EU’s GDPR, as well as

and growth. For this reason, it is vital

constantly shifting privacy laws in

that they have a comprehensive view of

nearly every geography. While there

their organisation’s cybersecurity

are considerable levels of effort

strategy, and the required level of

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TECHNOLOGY

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“ A RECENT REPORT RELEASED BY THE DEPARTMENT FOR DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT REVEALED THAT OVER FOUR IN 10 BUSINESSES (43%) IN THE UK EXPERIENCED A CYBERSECURITY BREACH OR ATTACK LAST YEAR” — Spencer Young, Regional Vice President, EMEA at Imperva

investment for buying down their risk.

Where cybersecurity may have previously been considered one subset of operational IT, a cursory glance over the press clippings in recent years will have alerted them to the real challenge. A growing number of business leaders are awakening to the fact that a data breach is all but inevitable. What they need to know is, how they can limit the scope of damage from a data breach with the right level of investment.

STEP 1: MAKING THE CASE TO SENIOR LEADERSHIP As the levels of liability for failing to govern risk and protect critical data are transferred from the IT department to senior leadership, these leaders need a quantified measurement of risks including:

• Compromised customer data • Diminished brand and reputation • Loss of investor and consumer confidence and loyalty

• Stolen sensitive intellectual property • Compliance and regulatory sanctions • Business disruptions M AY 2 0 1 9

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘MEET THE NEW IMPERVA – DEFENDING YOUR BUSINESS GROWTH TODAY AND TOMORROW’

STEP 2: ASSESSING THE CURRENT SITUATION

The next step requires you to conduct a

Once these risks are quantified, due

thorough inspection of your current

diligence will require leaders to

security posture.

assess the steps their partners and

STEP 3: DO A COMPLETE AUDIT

This involves understanding where

competitors are taking to avoid

your critical data currently resides, who

exposure. Relationships with

requires access to it and more critically,

technology suppliers and lenders then

who actually has access to it.

become less transactional, and more

While it’s a drum we beat perpetually at

of a long-term advisory partnership,

Imperva, many leaders don’t understand

as they’re best placed to provide

the risks of a potential data breach by

advice on the current trends within

careless, compromised, and malicious

your marketplace.

insiders. Not all data assets carry the

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TECHNOLOGY

same level of risk, and not every employee should be given carte blanche access to all organisational data.

While this may be time-consuming, leaving no stone unturned at this stage of the audit will give you a clear understanding of where your security measures stand currently and benefit you greatly in the long run.

FINAL STEP: DETERMINE THE RIGHT INVESTMENT FOR YOUR BUSINESS By appraising your data assets in 40

terms of their value and risk, you can then begin targeting your investments towards timely threat detection and incident response.

No matter the time and effort invested, it is important to remember that data breaches are inevitable.

Framing this approach as a risk/ reward equation and using a tiered security approach ensures that your organisation can protect high-value targets that would cause significant harm if they were compromised.

At the very least, senior leaders need to be made aware of the growing threat they face every day from external cyberattacks and internal data M AY 2 0 1 9

“A GROWING NUMBER OF BUSINESS LEADERS ARE AWAKENING TO THE FACT THAT A DATA BREACH IS ALL BUT INEVITABLE” — Spencer Young, Regional Vice President, EMEA at Imperva

41 breaches. A single breach has the potential to irreparably damage the financial condition of even the most successful business, and ruin the careers of those leaders involved.

Rather than packaging your cybersecurity spending rationale within IT investments, these really need to be highlighted as a high-level risk mitigation strategy.

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PEOPLE

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How to win the war for skilled talent THE SKILLS GAP IS OFTEN CITED AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES FACING BUSINESSES TODAY. ARE YOU READY TO BEAT IT? WRITTEN BY

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PEOPLE

T

hanks to technology, the way we work is set to change forever. You need only look at the impact of driverless

cars to see just how disruptive the next generation of technology will be. In fact, accord-

ing to a McKinsey Global Institute report, as many as 375mn workers (or 14% of the global workforce) might need to switch occupation categories because of digitisation, automation and artificial intelligence (AI). It’s a mammoth shift for workers, but it’ll impact business too.

Tomorrow’s business leaders will need more 44

analytical, digital-savvy skills than ever before if they want to keep up with the blistering pace of digital transformation – but will companies be able to find these skills? Research by the Korn Ferry Institute forecasts that the existing talent shortage will reach its worst levels in 2030, whereby an expected 85.2mn job openings will go unfulfilled worldwide. In previous decades, the ‘war for talent’ dominated the headlines, but looking forward it seems that it will be the skills gap that will define the business agenda.

AN ANALYTICAL MIND Many tout data as ‘the new oil’, and as a result, data literacy has quickly become a highlycoveted skill for today’s business leaders.

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“We paired legacy employees with millennials and this helps to break down the paradigms you develop over decades of business.

It makes the business open to new ideas” — Dayne Turbitt, Senior Vice President of Dell EMC’s Enterprise Sales Division

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PEOPLE

Gartner has even gone as far as to

exclusive interview with Gigabit, CEO

predict that, by 2020, 80% of organisa-

Adam Selipsky, said: “Recent estimates

tions will have to start to roll out data

from the IBC suggest that between

literacy initiatives to upskill their work-

now and 2025, the amount of data in

force. One such company, powering

the world that’s subject to analysis is

ahead with such training is data visuali-

going to grow 50-fold. I think a lot of

sation giant, Tableau Software. The firm

organisations are just going to get

recently launched Academics, a progr-

crushed under the weight of that data

amme that has helped around 680,000

whilst many others are going to see

students and faculties use Tableau’s

brand new opportunities to develop

software, and on top of this, it has also

insights and make better decisions

partnered with British training partner

based on all of that data. Regardless

AVADO to launch apprenticeships and

of whether your organisation sees data

training programmes in the UK. In an

as a problem or an opportunity, there’s

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘THE HIDDEN WOMEN OF STEM – ALEXIS SCOTT – TED X, MOUNTAIN VIEW COLLEGE’ 47 an urgent need for analytical capabilities to deal with it, and again, to make better decisions faster.”

DIVERSITY MATTERS It’s no secret that many businesses have a diversity problem. In fact, according to stark research conducted by INvolve, more people called David and Steve lead FTSE 100 companies than women and ethnic minorities. Diversity matters but recent research shows that it also pays: in a 2015 study, McKinsey found that companies in the top quartile for gender or racial and ethnic mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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PEOPLE

“We need to increase the pipeline of women in STEM and that starts with education” — Neelam Sandhu, Senior Director of Business Operations, Office of the CEO at BlackBerry

48

diversity are more likely to have financial

think that’s changing. For example, we

returns above their national industry

can see that two leaders of General

medians. Bringing a broad range of per-

Motors – the CEO and the CFO – are

spectives, diversity is a critical asset for

both women.” Another hurdle lies in

businesses looking to address the talent

education. “We need to increase the

gap. For Neelam Sandhu, Senior Director

pipeline of women in STEM and that

of Business Operations, Office of the

starts with education,” adds Sandhu.

CEO at BlackBerry, one of the biggest

“We need to work on creating an

hurdles lie in the lack of female role

environment where women feel comfor-

models in male-dominated fields.

table learning STEM topics. Not only is

“Women don’t have those same role

the professional environment male-dom-

models or examples as men to look up

inated, but the education environment

to or emulate,” she observes. “But I do

is too. So, creating that environment

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49

or community where women feel

whereby it pairs more seasoned

comfortable in STEM is important.”

employees with new graduates to encourage cross-generational peer-

REVERSE ENGINEERING

to-peer training. “I think it’s been

Any CIO will admit that digital transfor-

a huge learning curve for us,” says

mation isn’t just about new gadgets

Dayne Turbitt, Senior Vice President

and technologies, it’s also about the

of Dell EMC’s Enterprise Sales

people. At its annual Dell Tech forum,

Division. “We paired legacy employ-

for example, Dell Technologies singled

ees with millennials and this helps

out workforce transformation as a cru-

to break down the paradigms you

cial stand of any digital disruption

develop over decades of business. It

programme. Within the firm, Dell Tech-

makes the business open to new

nologies has implemented what it

ideas, it fosters a new culture of inno-

describes as ‘reverse engineering’,

vation. We’ve done some amazing

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50

things in the past year and it’s down to this speed of innovation.”

PROCUREMENT VALUE Many procurement professionals will tell you that their job is no longer a support function, it’s a business driver. With procurement now at the fore of many business strategies, skilled workers in this field are in high demand. The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) has played a pivotal role in the professionalisation of procurement across the M AY 2 0 1 9

world, offering a range of highly-valued training courses. Sam Achampong, Regional Head & General Manager of CIPS MENA, believes that this is crucial to the upskilling of the procurement field. “We work very closely with companies to create a licensed procurement function whereby everyone in their procurement team is qualified to do procurement. We have created the infrastructure to make qualifications available through an increased number of study centres, universities and accredited degrees. For people, we have also set up a number of professional networks that support these people so that they can continue to share knowledge.” Achampong also underlines the importance of working with local communities, noting: “The key thing is for us to be working with local people in this region, so we’ve worked very hard with the prominent local organisations to make sure that we are helping the capability development of Middle East locals to get credible procurement qualifications and skills.”

PEOPLE POWER Looking forward, it’s clear that if you want to build the workforce of the mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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PEOPLE

“We should never underestimate the power and need of human interaction” — Johan Reventberg, President EMEA at JDA Software

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future you need to act proactively.

survey, McKinsey pointed out that

Business leaders should be vigilant

75% of executives were optimistic that

about workforce gaps and be aware

reskilling and training would help to fill

of the skills needed in the future. They

at least half of their talent needs. Amid

should also create a robust plan to

the war for talent and hiring difficul-

hire, upskill and contract the right

ties, businesses need to be productive

skills and be sure to establish a dedi-

if they want to tackle the challenge of

cated cross-functional team, with

skills and training. It may be easy to

a forward-thinking HR team. In a recent

get caught up in talk of digital disrup-

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tion or supply chain transformation

people behind. If people get left behind,

but without the people behind it, it’s

they will then be a threat to themselves

near impossible.

and to the companies because they’re

“We should never underestimate the

not going to keep pace with the company.

power and need of human interaction,”

If we don’t train our people, we’re not

agrees Johan Reventberg, President

enabling the workforce of the future.”

EMEA at JDA Software. “The risk is that if your company doesn’t educate and train your workforce, you will leave the mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

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Bringing greener cities to life through connectivity and innovation Hosting half the world’s population on 2% of the planet’s surface poses a unique set of challenges, says Mike Hughes, Zone President UK and Ireland, Schneider Electric WRITTEN BY

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MIKE HUGHES

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S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

T

ackling climate change and

population is expected to grow by over

creating sustainable cities in the

1bn people over the next thirteen years,

face of rapid population growth,

reaching 8.6bn in 2030.

ageing infrastructure and the

Meanwhile, the increasingly digital,

pace of technological change has

connected and electric nature of our

never been more important. Cities

lives means that we each as individuals

make up 2% of the world’s surface

have greater energy needs than ever

but house more than half of the world’s

before. Is this pace of growth sustain-

population and consume 75% of

able for urban centres and cities like

energy resources. By 2030, urban areas

London or Paris, let alone megacities?

are projected to host 60% of people

The answer is yes, but only if we make

globally. Very soon, one in every three

our cities ‘smarter’.

people will live in cities with at least half a million inhabitants, as the world’s 56

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Incorporating renewables into our energy mix is a vital part of reducing

our environmental impact, but their potential is being wasted by our inefficient use of that energy. Modern technologies, smart sensors and services that can help us identify and tackle energy waste can and must help to improve cities’ efficiency, sustainability, and resilience.

For any city, going ‘smart’ can be difficult. The sheer size and complexity involved in building a truly integrated

“ Creating sustainable cities means creating smart cities, powered by clean energy that is responsibly consumed and saved” — Mike Hughes, Zone President UK & Ireland, Schneider Electric

and sustainable smart city is difficult to comprehend. In India, Schneider Electric is helping to build Naya Raipur, 57

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“ The only way we will tackle climate change and create cities fit for the future is by rethinking our relationship with energy as individuals, businesses and nations” — Mike Hughes, Zone President UK & Ireland, Schneider Electric

a project which aims to build an entirely new capital city for the newly created state of Chhattisgarh. The funding, expertise, organisation, planning and collaboration to create this smart city from the ground up is incredible. Smart cities at this scale require multi-level governance, expert consultants, technology firms and vendors working together to make the concept a reality.

But the vast majority of the world’s population live in existing towns and cities, not brand-new developments.

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Naya Raipur is a smart city project located in the newly formed state of Chhattisgarh in India Photo © Smart Cities Council India

Ageing city infrastructures pose connectivity and network management challenges. At the same time, a 24/7 society and a wide array of IoT-enabled devices and electric vehicles (EV) are fuelling greater energy demand. While cities are tasked with improving services and building new transport networks, hospitals, schools, and homes to accommodate population growth, they do so with tightening budgets. Critical infrastructure (old or new) – such as hospitals, airports, live entertainment venues, schools and office buildings – must be reliable, functional but also efficient if we are to build a sustainable future. And it is in efficiency where there is potential to

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CLICK TO WATCH : ‘TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR’S NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART STADIUM WITH ADVANCED ENERGY MANAGEMENT FACILITIES’ 59 unlock huge financial savings that

of projects to improve their water

could, in turn, reduce running costs,

systems, local or regional energy grids,

helping to fund future investment.

transport infrastructure or buildings.

Developed cities considering going

These precincts or district-scale

‘smart’ simply don’t have the option to

developments are not city-scale, but

rebuild everything from the ground up.

they are large enough to form multiple

They are busy, functioning ecosystems

smart city domains and become a

that need to continue to work whilst

visible and useful reference point to

improvements are made. As a result,

encourage future investment. Indeed,

a piecemeal approach to making cities

by working collaboratively with both

smarter is the only option. It is essen-

public and private sectors, Schneider

tial, therefore, that incentives and

Electric has successfully delivered

regulation are introduced to drive

smart city project applications to more

organisations and individuals to

than 250 cities worldwide.

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One such example is our recent a f r ic a . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

partnership with Tottenham Hotspur to help build and manage the energy distribution and consumption at the club’s new state-of-the-art stadium – a landmark in sports venue efficiency and connectivity. As the stadium’s official Energy Management Supplier, Schneider Electric performs 60,000 automated checks every five minutes to ensure that every aspect of energy usage is monitored and optimised, ensuring such aspects and optimal temperature and lighting conditions.

Designed for visitor enjoyment and 60

comfort, the stadium is also helping to regenerate the surrounding area of Tottenham, bringing the smart city reality one step closer.

The ripples of projects such as these, ambitious in scale and innovative in nature, not only improve energy efficiency, but also set a new standard of living and urban regeneration, whilst also starting to change perceptions of energy use. Take for example the Edge building, Deloitte’s headquarters, in the Netherlands. This building not only delivers a cutting-edge digital workspace and meets the highest environmental standards, but it was created with the goal of being a ‘net neutral’ M AY 2 0 1 9

Tottenham Hotspur’s new state-of-the-art stadium

“ Projects such as these, ambitious in scale and innovative in nature, not only improve energy efficiency, but also set a new standard of living and urban regeneration” — Mike Hughes, Zone President UK & Ireland, Schneider Electric

building and the potential to be ‘net positive’. The Edge is a building that is self-sufficient in terms of the energy it requires to function, and at times (such as at night or weekends) returns excess energy produced to the grid.

Forward-thinking projects such as these start to enable us to imagine a future where perhaps the majority of homes, businesses, schools and hospitals could be at worst net neutral and ideally net positive. Imagine receiving an income from your home or place of work, instead of paying bills. It would completely change the way we think about energy generation, distribution, and consumption. Digitisation paves the way for more and more net neutral or net positive buildings, generating their own energy on-site with smart systems that give excess energy back to the grid.

Whilst net neutral and net positive buildings are currently just a dream for all but a few, the road to achieving this starts with tackling waste. Something that every government, business or individual can do. With demand for energy rising, unlocking untapped energy efficiency potential has never been more urgent, or easily achieved.

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S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

Investing in smart systems that monitor energy use and efficiency across every aspect of your energy infrastructure is something that can be realised today.

By understanding how, where and when energy is used, opportunities for efficiencies can be identified and actioned. Our Global Digital Transformation Benefits Report 2019 identified 12 ways that the digital transformation of energy management and automation drives benefits in CapEx, OpEx, based on interviews with 230 businesses. These companies have realised 62

savings in energy consumption of up to 85% and up to 80% on energy costs.

Energy efficiency projects are becoming a C-suite priority, as board members recognise the competitive edge that projects can deliver, at the same time as delivering on sustainability commitments which employees, customers and governments are driving for.

Projects like these demonstrate that rethinking energy is not only a major enabler of innovation. It powers progress and life.

As the global population grows and our world and lives become increasingly electrified, creating sustainable cities means creating smart cities, M AY 2 0 1 9

S TAT I S T I C S

• Cities make up 2% of the world’s surface but house more than half of the world’s population and consume 75% of energy resources • By 2030, urban areas are projected to host 60% of people globally

Crossrail Place Roof Garden in Canary Wharf, London Photo Š Jason Williams

powered by clean energy that is responsibly consumed and saved.

The fact is it is far easier to save a unit of energy than it is to create one. The only way we will tackle climate change and create cities fit for the future is by rethinking our relationship with energy as individuals, businesses and nations.

Deloitte’s headquarters, The Edge Building in Amsterdam

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CITY FOCUS

DUB DUB City Focus

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As the largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, Business Chief explores how Dubai has become a major business and economic hub in the Middle East WRITTEN BY

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SEAN GALEA-PACE

BAI mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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CITY FOCUS | DUBAI

C

onsidered one of the fastest growing economies worldwide, Dubai is a focal point in the exportation of trade in the

Middle East with a growth rate of 6.1% (2014).

The city has also become a global hub for service sectors such as IT and finance, according to Dubai.com. A key example of this is the Dubai Media City, which houses over 2,000 regional and international media companies including global offices 66

of BBC, Sky News and CNN as well as IT giants including Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard and Dell.

BUSINESS IN DUBAI Similarly to other regions in the Middle East, Dubai has undergone a significant transformation as it seeks to diversify from oil. As a result, it is believed that 95% of Dubai’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is non-oil based. Due to the city’s increased interest in tourism, oil is thought to only total less than 1% of Dubai’s income. In addition to tourism, Dubai has embraced a variety of different industries such as banking, property and investments and is home to a number of global companies.

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‘ Similarly to other regions in the Middle East, Dubai has undergone a significant transformation as it seeks to diversify from oil’ DUBAI HOLDING The global investment holding firm develops and manages a number of global companies which specialise in industries such as investments, financial services, real estate, specialised business parks, hospitality and telecommunications. Dubai Holding has played a key role in helping to diversify the city’s economy across 12 industries in order to support the UAE’s Government Vision 2021. Dubai Holding has a range of subsidiaries that include; mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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CITY FOCUS | DUBAI

Jumeirah Group, Dubai Properties

employees across 70 different nation-

Group, TECOM Group, ARAB Media

alities working for the group, making

Group, Dubai International Capital,

it one of the most culturally diverse

Dubai Group and Emirates Integrated

employers in the UAE. The NBD has

Telecommunications Company.

operations in other countries such as Egypt, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and the

EMIRATES NATIONAL BANK OF DUBAI (NBD)

United Kingdom. With total assets

As one of the leading banks in Dubai,

believed to be worth $134bn, the NBD

NDB is listed in the Dubai Financial

was announced as being the “Most

Market and has more than 9,000

Innovative Financial Services Organization of the Year” at the 2017 BAI Global Innovation Awards.

EMAAR PROPERTIES

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Founded in 1997, Emaar Properties has cemented itself as one of the world’s biggest real estate development firms. During the first quarter of 2018, Emaar experienced an increase of 37% to its total revenue as it saw its revenue reach $1.52bn, according to Arabian Business. The firm specialises in properties, shopping malls, retail, hospitality and leisure. Emaar Properties chairman, Mohamed Alabbar, said: “Our strategy to build long-term value for our shareholders is to focus on creating future cities that are

Emirates National Bank of Dubai Photo © Patano M AY 2 0 1 8

relevant to our new generation, and to continue to drive the success of our

CLICK TO WATCH : ‘15 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT DUBAI’ 69 hospitality, malls, leisure and entertain-

reports. In the report, Helal Saeed

ment businesses. We’re a customer-first

Almarri, director general, Dubai Tourism,

company, and we focus on rapid con-

commented: “The first six months of

struction and project delivery.”

2018 have both generated and sustained a steady performance, supporting

A HOT-SPOT FOR TOURISTS

strong growth across our global feeder

Dubai is a well-renowned tourist desti-

markets. Attracting 8.10 million visitors

nation for travelers and the city is the

during the first half of 2018 stands us

seventh most visited destination in

in good stead as we accelerate

the world with approximately 15.8mn

momentum towards our visionary aspi-

visitors annually, according to British

ration of becoming the most visited

market research institute Euromonitor.

city in the world.” Following the end of

During the first six months of 2018,

2017, it was confirmed the sector was

Dubai saw a record 8.1mn international

worth approximately $29.7bn annually,

tourists visit Dubai, Arabian Business

according to the tourism department.

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3.1mn+ Population of Dubai (2018)

1833

Year founded Nearest Airport 70

4.6km

Dubai International

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‘ The Burj Khalifa is a popular tourist spot with visitors coming from all over the world to experience the landmark’

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According to the Dubai Media Office, tourism in Dubai is set to rise during the next four years to coincide with the hosting of the World Expo 2020. It is expected that approximately 20mn international tourists will have visited Dubai by 2020. The World Expo 2020 will provide a platform for millions of people to share ideas, promote collaboration as well as highlight innovation.

The expo, which is held once every five years over a six-month period, will be based in the Middle East for 72

the first time ever. With Dubai providing the platform, key global issues such as mobility, sustainability and opportunity are set to be discussed. Dubai was the clear winner as it beat second-placed Yekaterinburg in Russia by 69 votes.

Following the announcement in 2013, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said: “I am proud of our teams who earned this victory for Dubai with two years of hard work, dedication and commitment.

We renew our promise to astonish the world in 2020.”

Emaar also developed the world’s M AY 2 0 1 8

‘The city is set to host the World Expo 2020 which provides millions of people an opportunity to share ideas, promoting innovation and collaboration’ 73

tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, in the city. At a total height of 829.8m (2,722ft), it became the tallest building and structure worldwide in 2008 and is described as the company’s headlining

Photo © Atlantis, The Palm Photo © Emaar Properties

accomplishment. The Burj Khalifa is a popular tourist spot with travelers coming from all over the world to experience the landmark. Dubai is home to a number of other tall skyscrapers, such as Marina 101 at 425m high, Princess Tower (414m) and 23 Marina (393m).

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T O P 10

TOP 10 Tallest

buildings the Middle East in

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Business Chief ranks the top 10 tallest buildings in the Middle East, according to the Skyscraper Centre. Out of the top 10, seven of the region’s largest structures are located in Dubai. The remaining three places are claimed by buildings in Kuwait Cit y, Abu Dhabi and Mecca. In 2020, the Jeddah tower — which will become the heart of the Kingdom’s Jeddah Economic City — will surpass the current world number one by over 500ft. Until that happens, let’s see which skyscrapers rule the Middle East WRITTEN BY

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HARRY MENEAR

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10

Almas Tower 1,181ft

Overlooking Jumeirah Beach in the South of Dubai, the Almas Tower was completed in 2008 and stands 1,181ft tall at the centre of the Jumeirah Lake Towers Free Zone. Designed by architecture firm Atkins, the structure has 68 floors above ground and five below, and is dedicated to office space.

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09

The Address Boulevard 1,214ft

Also designed by Atkins, the Address Boulevard stands 1,214ft tall in the heart of downtown Dubai, a few hundred feet from the Burj Khalifa.

The building opened in 2017, and is one of the city’s leading luxury hotels, with rooms starting at US$416 per night. It has 196 hotel rooms, operated by The Address Hotels + Resorts, as well as 530 serviced residential apartments spread over 73 floors. Also, with only 196, it has the smallest number of parking spaces of any building in the top 10.

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08

Elite Residence 1,250ft

Located between Dubai’s famed marina and the artificial island of the Palm Jumeirah, Elite Residence stands 1,250ft tall with 87 floors above ground and four below. Designed by Adnan Saffarini of Tameer Holding Investment LLC, the structure contains 697 luxury apartments ranging from one-bed apartments to four-bed penthouses. The building also contains fully equipped sports and recreational facilities, including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a gym, billiards and table tennis rooms, a multi-function room, a separate children’s play area, and retail facilities, according to the Skyscraper Centre.

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Photo Š Foster + Partners

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07

Burj Mohammed Bin Rashid 1,251ft

The Burj Mohammed Bin Rashid was completed in 2014 and stands 1,251ft tall. The tallest building in Abu Dhabi, it is the only structure from the United Arab Emirates in the top 10 not located in Dubai.

Designed by Foster & Partners, the Burj Mohammed Bin Rashid has 88 floors above ground and five below, which are divided between office space, luxury apartments and a hotel. The facility also contains a traditional souk and seven floors of retail installations.

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06

23 Marina Tower 1,287ft

Completed in 2012, the 23 Marina building is located in Dubai with views of the Arabian Gulf. The luxury residential skyscraper stands 1,287ft tall and contains 289 apartments over 88 floors, making it the second tallest residential structure in the region. Marina 23 was designed

by Hafeez Contractor and KEO International Consultants.

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05 Al Hamra Tower 1,354ft

The tallest building in Kuwait, the Al Hamra Tower stands 1,354ft tall in the heart of Kuwait City.

The structure was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP,

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and has 80 floors above ground with three below. Completed in 2011, the building is dedicated to office space, except for a restaurant located at its top with views of the surrounding Kuwait Bay.

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04

Princess Tower 1,358ft

Overlooking the Palms Jumeirah resort, Princess Tower is the tallest residential-exclusive building in the Middle East, standing 1,358ft tall.

Upon its completion in 2012, it was the tallest residential building in the world, until 432 Park Avenue, New York, overtook it in 2015. The 101-floor structure contains 763 luxury apartments, complete with several innovative safety features, including high-speed wind alarms installed in upper-floor apartments to warn residents before opening balcony doors.

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03

Marina 101 1,394ft

Completed in late 2017, Marina 101 is the newest building on the top 10 list – although the skyscraper officially opened to the public in late 2016, prior to construction finishing. The building stands 1,394ft tall and is divided between residential and hotel space, with the lowest 33 floors dedicated to a five star Hard Rock Hotel. Designed by the Kingdom’s National Engineering Bureau, the structure stands out from the emerging style of postmodern Arabian architecture by incorporating elements of Art Deco design. The building has 101 floors above ground and six below, the same configuration as Princes Tower.

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T O P 10

02 Makkah Royal Clock Tower 1,972ft

Built in 2012, on the site of the historic Ottoman Fortress Ajyah, the Makkah Royal Clock Tower sits in the heart of 84

Mecca, directly adjacent to the grand mosque and centre of the Islamic faith.

Each year, during the Hajj period, up to 2mn visitors pass through the mosque each day. The Makkah Royal Clock Tower provides luxury accommodation to these travellers. Standing 1,972ft tall, it contains 858 hotel rooms spread over 120 floors. It is also the most expensive building in the world, costing an estimated $15bn to construct, more than 10 times the cost of the Burj Khalifa.

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01

Burj Khalifa 2,722ft

The Burj Khalifa stands almost 1,500ft taller than any other building in Dubai. At a total of 2,722ft tall, the building contains 163 floors and is a symbol of the city’s

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wealth, modernity and aspirations. The project was completed in 2010 and has remained the tallest building in the world for nine years. It is expected to remain in the number one position until the completion of the Jeddah Tower in 2020. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, the Burj Khalifa was designed with great attention to its aerodynamic shape, which minimises wind resistance and reduces strain on the structure. The building is mixed use, shared between luxury hotels, restaurants, retail space, apartments, and an observation deck.

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Cerner’s

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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF POPULATION HEALTH WRITTEN BY

HARRY MENEAR PRODUCED BY

K ANE WELLER

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CERNER MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

Bashar Balish, CIO of Cerner’s strategic partnership with the UAE Ministry of Health, discusses the digital transformation of the healthcare industry

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world without medical error is, for many people, an impossible dream. In 2017, the World Health Organisation estimated

the global cost of medication-related errors at US$42bn annually. In the United States, medical error accounts for anywhere between 210,000 and 400,000 deaths per year – making it the third largest cause of mortality in the country, according to a report by Patient Safety America. However, Missouri-based healthcare information technology (IT) company Cerner Corporation is working toward the goal of a world without medical error.

“We consider ourselves to be a healthcare company more than an IT company. Our focus is on healthcare and helping the organizations we serve to mature and materialize the value of the healthcare IT in their industry,” says Bashar Balish, MD, Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the strategic partnership between Cerner and the UAE MOHAP.

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“Our vision is to know the population better, to connect different variables around health care to one platform and manage that population in order to improve the health of our communities” — Bashar Balish, CIO, Ministry of Health Strategic Partnership

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Founded in 1979, Cerner has spent more than 40 years providing IT solutions to healthcare operations around the world, ranging from single physician practices to entire countries. With a network of over 29,000 associates in more than 35 countries, Cerner specialises in innovative end-to-end solutions that allow its clients in the health space to provide more effective medical care to their patients. Since 2014, Cerner has been engaged in a partnership with the United Arab Emirates Ministry of M AY 2 0 1 9

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Health and Prevention (MOHAP),

is the first of its kind for the company

overseeing the digital transformation of

outside the US. “We have a dedicated

the organisation’s IT infrastructure and

team working for the MOHAP on IT

operations. “In my opinion, healthcare

applications, change management,

IT is no different than any other tool

physician and nursing adoption, provid-

that physicians and nurses use. We

ing technology support, a help desk

are the CT or the MRI interpretation for

and other IT functions. In addition to

the physicians. We are the assisting

that, we also manage their data centre,”

physician, nurse or clinician to the

says Balish. We sat down with Balish

caregivers, and we exist wherever

to discover more about this unique

they exist,” says Bashar Balish, MD,

partnership and how Cerner is propel-

Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the

ling MOHAP further along its digital

strategic partnership between Cerner

transformation journey, as industry 4.0

and the UAE MOHAP. The relationship

continues to disrupt and reshape one

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of the world’s oldest professions.

“I’ve been in the healthcare industry

between our roadmap and the client’s roadmap. The relationship needs to

for close to 20 years,” says Balish.

create synergy between the two

“I started as a physician. In 2001,

organisations,” he explains. A signifi-

I shifted to the business side and then

cant proportion of the work done by

got introduced to healthcare IT in

Cerner in partnership with the MOHAP

2003.” As a medical professional and

is helping the organisation align its

IT specialist, Balish is acutely aware

goals with those of the UAE’s Vision

of the need for synergy between

2021. Launched in 2010, the UAE

a healthcare organisation and its IT

government’s plan centres around

solutions providers. “There really

the social and economic development

needs to be an alignment between our

of the nation towards a diversified,

vision and the country’s healthcare

knowledge-based economy. One that

vision; there needs to be an alignment

can “compete with the private sector

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“In my personal opinion, health care IT is no different than any other tool that physicians and nurses use” — Bashar Balish, CIO, Ministry of Health Strategic Partnership 95

E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE

Bashar Balish A graduate of Damascus University, Bashar has a bachelor’s degree in medicine. He is also a certified Health Care CIO. Bashar joined Cerner in 2011 as a client executive, and has held a variety of roles with the company, including business development executive, client result executive and senior operation leader. During this time Bashar has helped Cerner significantly expand its global ITWorks footprint. Bashar has more than 18 years of experience in health care. Before joining Cerner, he held different leadership and business/product management roles with GE and Carestream “Kodak”, covering Middle East Africa region.

mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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CERNER MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA

1991

Year founded in Saudi Arabia

300+

Approximate number of employees

96

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“Analytics are an important module in our population health platform. We look at the trends, we look at the behaviour of the data, the behaviour of the population and we connect the dots” — Bashar Balish, CIO, Ministry of Health Strategic Partnership

push it to the next level by providing both an automated way of running things and smart analytics.”

Balish believes that analytics will increasingly reshape the way healthcare organisations approach population health, an idea that he places at the forefront of the healthcare industry’s unfolding story. “Over the last 15 to 20 years, we’ve seen healthcare management extend past the four walls of the hospital. The factors that interfere with your health are your school, your place of worship, your home, etc. Our vision is to know the population better, to connect

in terms of the calibre of service it

different variables around healthcare

provides,” according to Emirates

to one platform and manage that

Crown Prince his Highness Sheikh

population to improve the health of our

Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

communities,” says Balish. “Analytics is

Balish says, “We’ve been working

an important module in our population

closely with the physicians and nurses

health platform. We look at the trends,

in order to achieve their organisation’s

we look at the behaviour of the data

goals of becoming smarter and more

and the behaviour of the population

relevant to their business, as well as to

and we connect the dots. We predict

the community they’re serving and

trends, predict behaviours in the

enabling. My own role is focused on

population and suggest protocols to

making sure that the tools these

manage these trends. We are seeing

physicians and nurses use are smart

that analytics have shifted the opera-

enough to support the program and to

tional model of the organisation

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“There needs to be an alignment between our roadmap and the client roadmap; the relationship needs to create synergy between the two organisations” — Bashar Balish, CIO, Ministry of Health Strategic Partnership

towards data driven behaviour, and

this stage. At present, a solid platform

that’s wonderful.” Balish also notes

that provides affordable health to the

that the power of new healthcare

population does not exist. Technolo-

technologies includes their ability to

gies for this platform – analytics, AI and

scale across regions, continents and

deep machine learning – do exist, but

the world. “Analytics will drive the

at an affordable price? We’re not there

bigger programs of population health

yet. I don’t think the industry has yet

management,” he predicts.

matured enough to fully utilise the

However, he acknowledges that

technologies available.” Looking to the

mass adoption is struggling to take

future, Balish aims to “ensure that the

hold. “All of these are the concepts and

strategy leverages all the available

new trends that we’re focusing on at

technologies, tackles the current adop-

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101

tion issues and ultimately delivers

on transferring data between different

quality care and a lower cost.” He sees

organisations.”

this realisation dawning across the rest

While Balish is “very optimistic about

of the industry. “I think everyone is

the future”, he maintains: “The future

starting to realise that no one can do it

will not realise its potential until all

alone. Cerner has started a common-

healthcare providers, companies and

Well health Alliance IT. We work with

vendors work together with one vision,

other healthcare IT providers, even

which is consumer benefit. Healthcare

our competitors, on exchanging data.

can’t afford to stay still.”

That’s the only way to do it: write standards, change protocols, make it more affordable for the market to work mid dl e e a s t . b u s in e s s c hie f. c o m

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