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Saudi Broadcasting Authority ropes in AFL to produce reality TV show
Saudi Broadcasting Authority has joined forces with Dubai production house Art Format Lab (AFL) to launch a reality show on fashion and lifestyle titled Yalla Nyghayer (Let’s Change). It spotlights three Saudi women entrepreneurs who have achieved major success in their careers as designers, stylists and beauty specialists -- Mona Al-Noman, Banan AlJefri and Noha Al-Sindi, who have a beauty and lifestyle consultancy centre in Riyadh.
The show airs every Wednesday on SBC at 9:30pm KSA time and follows the daily life of the three fashionistas and their team of specialists, with four clients seeking a makeover, beauty treatments or a lifestyle consultancy. With twelve 30-minute episodes, it is presented by the three entrepreneurs and actress Saraa AlOtaibi, who plays a comic receptionist.
The show showcases the spring/summer 2022 collections of popular prêtà-porter and haute couture brands. It is shot at various locations in the Qurtuba neighbourhood of Riyadh, with international DoP Michal Sosna joining a team of more than 50 experienced crew members.
“This is the first Saudi makeover show with a fully local cast,” claimed Khulud Abu-Homos, CEO of Art Format Lab. “This show has premiered at a time when the Kingdom is witnessing a lot of changes with serious initiatives to establish the fashion industry, with plans to open doors for modelling, design and fashion business initiatives. This in turn supports the Saudi leadership’s 2030 vision.”
With the Saudi fashion industry import market estimated to be worth more than $2.9bn and the Islamic fashion sector expected to increase from $270bn to almost $361bn by 2030, the show seems well placed to capitalise on this demand.
“This makeover show needed a lot of expertise in beauty shooting. It has been a huge learning experience for our three cameramen working with Sosna. The other major challenge was having to shoot our makeovers in real time, which almost takes five to six hours each,” explained Abu-Homos.
While she concedes that there are a lot of makeover shows, she claims this is an original format developed by Art Format Lab and implemented for the first time in Saudi Arabia.
The Yalla Nyghayer production team.
Jason Monteiro exits Shahid, joins HBO Max as GM for Southeast Asia
WarnerMedia has appointed Jason Monteiro as GM of HBO Max Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. He will temporarily report to Johannes Larcher, head of HBO Max International, until a new MD for the broader India, Southeast Asia and Korea region is named.
In this new role, Monteiro will oversee the day-to-day operations of WarnerMedia’s D2C business, taking the lead on content experience, brand, marketing, subscriber management, digital partnerships and data analytics. He will also be responsible for the existing HBO Go streaming service and the eventual launch of HBO Max in the region, and will build and lead a cross-functional team to maximise the success of the service.
Monteiro has extensive OTT leadership experience across APAC and the Middle East, most recently serving as Director of AVOD at Shahid. No date has been confirmed for the launch of HBO Max in Asia, with WarnerMedia focused on the growth of HBO Go, its existing streaming service in the region.
Jason Monteiro.
StarzPlay and Discovery expand ties to offer GolfTV
StarzPlay has joined forces again with Discovery, Inc. to offer GolfTV, an add-on channel for MENA golf fans. The streaming platform has been building up its live sports catalogue for popular sports in the region like football and cricket, and with golf and rugby is making access to the niche sports category convenient. GolfTV will be available as a stand-alone channel on StarzPlay for $9.99, and existing StarzPlay subscribers can access it free for a year.
Danny Bates, Chief Commercial Officer, StarzPlay, said: “We have witnessed impressive success in launching and live streaming sporting events such as UFC, the epic AFC Asian qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, rugby and ICC T20 Cricket World Cup, and we are proud to expand our portfolio of live sporting events to include golf. The Discovery, Inc. add-on GolfTV on StarzPlay will bring the incredible sport closer to millions of fans in the MENA region. We aim to strengthen our sports portfolio by offering more choices.”
IBC2022 invites technical papers
IBC has opened submissions for its Technical Papers programme for the IBC2022 Conference.
The programme welcomes entries from all industry sectors across the media, entertainment and technology industry and from every discipline.
At this initial stage, IBC is looking for a 300word synopsis giving a concise overview of the concept that will be the key topic of the paper, highlighting what is unique and explaining its background. The submissions deadline is February 9.
Dr Paul Entwistle, Chair of IBC's Technical Papers Committee, said: "Last year, we learnt of conversational robots, industry challenging approaches to privacy management, practical improvements to streaming systems and the standardisation of AI/ Machine learning. The technology impacting our industry is broad. So, whether your advance is futuristic, alternative or practical – in production systems, content creation, delivery or human experience, we welcome your technical/ scientific submission."
Reem Moustafa begins filming for Arabic version of Suits
Egyptian actress Reem Moustafa has started filming the Arabic version of American TV series Suits. She will co-star alongside Aser Yassin, Saba Mubarak, Ahmed Daoud, Mohamed Shaheen and Tara Emad. The series is directed by Maryam Ahmadi, with script and dialogue by Mohamed Hefzy, Mohamed Galal, Mahmoud Nassar and Nadine Badrawi. The show is the second collaboration for Moustafa and Yassin – Al-Tamanya (The Eight) will premiere soon on MBC’s Shahid.
PlayBox reports spike in demand for broadcast solutions in 2021
PlayBox Neo founder and CEO Pavlin Rahnev has announced that despite the challenges posed by Covid-19 last year, the company witnessed sustained demand for the PlayBox Neo range of TV chªnnel playout and channel branding equipment and services.
He stated that orders were particularly strong in the telecommunications sector as major service providers around the world responded to the increasing popularity of terrestrial, satellite and streamed television.
“We have been busy on projects ranging from system updates and expansion to the complete renovation of playout infrastructure. Demand for our AirBox Neo-20 and Cloud2TV offerings surpassed a total installed base of 19,000 branding and playout channels in Q3. Updates to our Channel-in-a-Box, AirBox Neo-20 and Capture Suite were announced during 2021, adding new features designed to make TV channel management, branding and playout easier than ever.
He added that the company also anticipated an increased demand for software-as-aservice solutions such as its Cloud2TV.
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Red Sea Lodge invites submissions to 2022 edition from Arab filmmakers
The third edition of Red Sea Lodge is now open for submissions from Saudi and Arab directors, producers and scriptwriters until February 11.
Red Sea Lodge offers a tenmonth creative and professional training programme covering five workshops that take participants through every step of the film creation process, with guidance and mentorship from industry professionals, tutors and speakers from around the world with varying backgrounds in the film industry. For filmmakers on the cusp of their big break, the Red Sea Lodge, in partnership with TorinoFilmLab, selects projects for creative and professional mentorship, development and next-level industry opportunities.
Red Sea Lodge Manager Jumana Zahid said: “We are so excited to see the raw talent and ingenuity that we will uncover with the third edition of the Red Sea Lodge. The intensive training programme was created to mould a concept into a live piece of art on the cinema screen. We want to help aspiring Saudi and Arab filmmakers inspire others through the stories they tell in their films and leave their mark on the film industry locally and internationally. Our aim is to see the Saudi film industry flourish by investing in our talents and giving them the tools and guidance they need to excel.”
The programme is open to teams working on a feature film project at any stage of development. A maximum of twelve project teams will be selected, at least six of which will be Saudi, with the remainder from across the Arab world. The 2022 programme includes five workshops, three online and the other two in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The workshops will be conducted in English, with Arabic translation available. There will also be ongoing script development sessions and producer coaching programmes.
Following the intensive development process and meetings with industry professionals, teams will have the opportunity to pitch their projects to investors and financiers at the festival’s project market, the Red Sea Souk. They will also compete for the annual Red Sea Lodge Production Awards, with two winning projects awarded a grant of $100,000 each. The winners will also receive an Arab premiere for their film at the next Red Sea International Film Festival.
Team members and delegates from the 2021 edition of Red Sea Lodge.
ARRI has appointed Dr Matthias Erb as Chairman of the Executive Board, effective immediately. With this addition, the Executive Board will once again consist of three members. Erb is also responsible for the strategic alignment of the business, along with the Finance, HR, Legal and Quality Management departments. Dr Michael Neuhaeuser will continue to focus on Operations and Technology, and Markus Zeiler will continue to oversee Business and Sales. The new configuration will ensure that Executive Board members can focus even more intensively on their respective areas while facilitating the further development of technologies and business models.
Dr. Matthias Erb.
HBO Max appoints Turkey Director-General
WarnerMedia has appointed Baris Zavaroglu as its DirectorGeneral for HBO Max in Turkey, ahead of the platform’s launch there later this year. He will be responsible for leading the D2C business in the newly created role, overseeing the launch and growth of HBO Max in Turkey, aligned with the streamer’s wider strategy in the EMEA region. Zavaroglu joins from Turkcell’s OTT and pay-TV business TV Plus, where he was GM.
KSA box office registers 95% increase from 2020 to $238m in 2021: Comscore
Saudi Arabia continued its exponential growth as a theatrical box office market in 2021 with revenue totalling $238m, a 95% increase compared to $122m in 2020, according to the latest figures provided by Comscore. It has now consolidated its status as western Asia’s top theatrical market in terms of gross box office revenue, surpassing the UAE’s $130m in 2021.
Saudi cinemas showed 340 new films in 2021, up from 222 in 2020. The top-grossing title was Egyptian comedy Waafet Reggaala (A Stand Worthy of Men), which pulled in over $15m, the most since moviegoing was reinstated in January 2018. The top-grossing Hollywood title was Spider-Man: No Way Home with $11.2m, followed by Cruella with $9.1m and Guy Ritchie’s Wrath of Man with $8.3m. Egyptian comedy Mesh Ana (Not Me) weighed in at no. 5 with $8.2m and another Egyptian film, Mama Hamel (Mom Is Pregnant), came in at no. 10 with $5.9m.
The surge in box office revenue coincides with the doubling of the number of cinemas. The number of multi-screen movie theatres in Saudi Arabia grew from 33 at the start of 2021 to 53 by December 2021, according to Comscore. Saudi-owned Muvi Cinemas operates the most cinemas, with 21 locations across the Kingdom. The aim is to increase the number of cinema screens from 430 to 2,600 by 2030, commented Bahaa Abdulmajeed, Business Development Manager at the Saudi Ministry of Investment, during the recent Red Sea Film Festival. Saudi Arabia is predicted to become a billion-dollar movie market in the next few years.
Anghami collaborates with Amazon Alexa to deliver interactive experience
Music streaming platform Anghami has announced the launch of its new Alexa skill, which offers users in the UAE and Saudi Arabia a seamless experience in Arabic and English.
As one of Amazon Alexa’s first skill partners in the Middle East, Anghami aims to deliver a seamless localised music experience in Khaleeji Arabic for its Arabic-speaking users. Alexa understands Arabic Khaleeji dialects, Modern Standard Arabic (Fus’ha) or English.
With Anghami’s Alexa skill, users can stream podcasts, control millions of songs and play music that fits their mood using just their voice. Users can also listen to Quran recitals in the voice of their favourite Qari. Customers with Alexa-enabled devices will simply need to connect their Anghami accounts to access the wide range of content available on the platform by asking Alexa to play a playlist, artist, genre or podcast.
Elie Habib, co-founder and CTO of Anghami, said: “In recognition of the importance of our Arabic language, this cooperation will further enhance the experience for our customers and help to spread our culture worldwide. As part of our continued commitment to elevating the music industry and incorporating leading technology capabilities, we are thrilled to team up with Amazon to bring an innovative experience to our customers in KSA and UAE.”
Anghami hopes to deliver a seamless experience in Khaleeji Arabic.
Iranian film A Hero makes Academy Awards 2022 shortlist
Iranian producer Asghar Farhadi’s latest film A Hero has been Oscar-nominated in the Best International Feature Film category, after a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film last month.
The film, Farhadi’s fourth, had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, where it won the Grand Prix.
Farhadi won an Oscar in 2012 for A Separation, the first Iranian film to do so. In 2017, he won another Academy Award for The Salesman.
GlobalData predicts Netflix slowdown as more international services emerge
Netflix last year commanded a 21% share of the US subscription video-ondemand market, but with competition increasing, it has been experiencing a slowdown, according to data analytics firm GlobalData.
GlobalData Associate Analyst Francesca Gregory said: “We have already started to see Netflix branching out to different areas with the launch of Netflix Games in November 2021 and a costreaming partnership with Twitch. Reaching different audiences will continue to be a key strategy. I wouldn’t be surprised if the company looked to experiment with more gaming streaming platforms in the future.
“Netflix experienced a slow start to 2021, following a light slate of content as pandemic production problems came to the fore. Although fresh content in its Q3 boosted subscribers to 214m, competing platforms are experiencing explosive growth. Disney+ amassed 118m subscribers by November 2021, just two years after its launch. Bezos also boasted that 175m Amazon Prime subscribers had streamed content last year.
“Although subscriber accounting across platforms varies, it is clear that 2022 will be characterised by increased competition. As the number of streaming platforms increases and the market approaches peak fragmentation, SVoD platforms will use content portfolios to differentiate themselves. The trend of huge content spending will continue, with franchises that are likely to attract a loyal fanbase standing to benefit in the next year. This trend is already in motion, with Amazon committing $1bn on its Lord of the Rings series before a single episode has hit viewers’ screens.”
Gregory concluded: “The ‘all-you-can-eat’ business model has proven popular with streamers so far. However, this means that to grow revenues, streaming platforms will need to seek new audiences. A series of strategic partnerships between video streaming, gaming and podcast companies will take place. The launch of Netflix Games in November 2021 and a co-streaming partnership with Twitch for select content is evidence of some of the ways this diversification will take place.”
GlobalData said Netflix remains the undisputed leader, but competition is forcing platforms to provide more evocative content.
OSN extends HBO licensing agreement
OSN has strengthened its partnership with HBO and extended its exclusive licensing agreement. As part of the deal, OSN Streaming will continue to be the exclusive home of complete boxsets for HBO series including Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Sex and the City and The Wire.
MENA pay-TV revenues to drop by $1.5bn: Digital TV Research
Pay-TV revenues for 20 MENA countries are set to fall by 38% between the peak year of 2016 ($3.84bn) and 2027 ($2.39bn), according to Digital TV Research. Pay-TV revenues for the 13 Arabic-speaking countries will be $915m by 2027, down from $1.571bn in 2016, and pay-TV subscriber numbers will fall from 3.70m to 3.14m for the same period.
Turkish pay-TV revenues will be $722m in 2027, $188m down from 2016. However, the number of pay-TV subscribers will grow from 5.92m in 2016 to 8.25m in 2027. Cord-cutting in Israel will see 46% of its pay-TV subscribers lost between 2014 and 2027. Pay-TV revenues will fall from $1.15bn to $437m over the same period.
Candle Media acquires Faraway Road Productions
American firm Candle Media has acquired Israeli studio Faraway Road Productions, the company behind hit action show Fauda. The deal was completed for just under $50m.
Faraway Road Productions is set to premiere season four of Fauda later this year on Israel’s Yes TV, streaming worldwide on Netflix.
BeIN Sports reports 450m viewers for 2021 Arab Cup
During the 2021 Arab Cup in Qatar between November 30 and December 18, 2021, BeIN Sports reportedly had more than 450m cumulative views. Matches were available free-to-air across the MENA region on beIN Sports 1 and beIN Sports 2, and on YouTube in 33 countries.
According to research statistics, there were over 387m views on linear channels, with the final between Algeria and Tunisia recording the highest audience with 40m views. Next came the Tunisia versus Egypt semi-final with 37m and Qatar versus Algeria with 32m. Egypt’s six matches were all among the ten most-watched on beIN Sports 1 and beIN Sports 2.
The number of viewers on beIN Sports 1 and beIN Sports 2 on YouTube hit record levels, with a total number of 79m cumulative views for live streams. The final set an EMEA record with 2.3m concurrent viewers; BeIN digitally aired it in the MENA region and France, Turkey, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Timor Leste, Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines.
GSL Professional has appointed Ibrahim Abu Assi as Head of Broadcast. Abu Assi previously worked as Broadcast Director at Sharjah Media Corporation. He has extensive broadcasting experience since 1996 and has worked with companies such as QvestMedia.
Al-Nahar TV network ditches Choueiri and returns to Trenta
Egyptian network Al-Nahar TV's exclusive advertising rights have been moved back to Trenta, after a year of exclusive collaboration with Choueiri Group’s C-Media. This came into effect last month.
A press release from Al-Nahar TV said: “The decision was taken by the parties’ respective managements, following a year of collaboration. In a short period of time, Trenta and C-Media have built trust between each other and with the Egyptian advertising market that will endure beyond the termination of their agreement and pave the way for future collaborations.”
E-junior completes 21 years in UAE
E-junior, an exclusive children’s channel available on eLife TV, fully owned by E-Vision and a part of Etisalat, has completed 21 years in the UAE. Since its rollout in 2001, ejunior has consistently been rated as the most-viewed children’s TV channel in the UAE. It has also maintained its number one ranking in the children’s category on the eLife TV network in the region, according to Etisalat’s Television Audience Measurement (TAM) data.
Kuwait’s 88.8 radio frequency licensed to Tamdeen Group
Kuwaiti mixed-use property developer Tamdeen Group has secured a five-year licence to operate the radio frequency of Q8Pulse 88.8, a major radio station in Kuwait, through a competitive bidding process run by the Kuwait Ministry of Information. The station has now been rebranded as 360 FM.
Talal Alyagout, CEO of Q8Pulse 88.8, will retain his role. The station will also continue broadcasting live from 360 Mall throughout the week.
Rebecca Campbell to helm Disney's international content group
Disney has formed a new international content group to expand its pipeline of content in local and regional markets and bolster its global subscriber numbers. This will be helmed by Rebecca Campbell. She will be responsible for expanding the international content creation pipeline, amplifying the company’s localised content strategy. She will continue to oversee the company’s teams in APAC, EMEA, India and Latin America.
OTT service LIVENow launches in MENA
Global live video streaming platform LIVENow has launched in the MENA region to bring further growth to its media and entertainment market and bring sports, music and entertainment into the comfort of homes. The platform is now established in 35 different countries across 10 languages and 19 currencies, with over half a million registered users. It has hosted concerts by a range of high-profile international artists including Dua Lipa, Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5, SZA, Lizzo, Gorillaz and Ellie Goulding. Sports events have included MMA, rugby, cricket, basketball and international football.
With the service now available in the MENA region, it aims to reshape the way that music, sport and culture is consumed. The first live concert was from Emirati/Yemeni artist Balqees, streamed on January 18. She has a huge global following with more than 30m online fans and premiered two tracks exclusively during the LIVENow stream.
The video wall lets up to 100 users become part of the live stream, while the chat app allows the creation of instant fan communities that can share knowledge and information across the region. In addition, the platform offers multicam options, record and send video options, and virtual hangouts where up to four friends can live-stream together.
LIVENow is available across a wide range of devices, including the desktop website, iOS app and Android apps, plus Chromecast.
MultiChoice launches new channels for Mozambique and Angola
Pan-African pay-TV operator MultiChoice has launched two new TV channels – Maningue Magic and Kwenda Magic – for audiences in Mozambique and Angola respectively. The Portugueselanguage channels will show dramas, telenovelas, local versions of hit reality shows, comedies, dubbed international content and homegrown music on DStv and GOtv platforms.
Over the past 18 months, MultiChoice has grown its local content offering through channel launches including Pearl Magic Prime, Akwaaba Magic and Abol TV in Uganda, Ghana and Ethiopia, as well as investing in international coproductions like Reyka and ongoing local productions like Big Brother Naija.
The group produced an additional 2,692 hours of local content in 2021, up 41% year-on-year.
Egyptian actress Yousra begins filming for new Ramadan series
Egyptian actress Yousra has started filming for her new role in the upcoming Ramadan series Ahlam Saaeda (Happy Dreams).
The series is written by Hala Khalil and directed by Amr Arafa, who previously collaborated with Yousra on Saraya Abdeen.
Yousra stars alongside Ghada Adel, May Kassab, Nour Mahmoud and Nabil Nour Eddine, in addition to a group of other actors who will be announced later.
Yousra is known for taking up television series that discuss important societal issues.
Amazon Prime Video inks deal with Nigeria’s Anthill Studios
Amazon Prime Video has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with Nigerian production company Anthill Studios.
The streamer will have exclusive worldwide distribution rights to Anthill’s slate of theatrical releases starting this year, with titles including Progressive Tailors Club.
Anthill Studios was founded in 2010 by Niyi Akinmolayan and is behind Nollywood hits including Prophetess, Day of Destiny and Elevator Baby. This is Amazon Prime Video’s second exclusive output agreement with a Nigerian studio, following on from the Inkblot deal announced last month.
Niyi Akinmolayan, founder and Creative Director of Anthill Studios, said: “I am really excited because with this licensing deal we can explore more story ideas, including genres new to Nollywood like sci-fi and animation, for a global audience.”
Azercosmos and MEASAT draw up new deal for Africa
A new agreement between Azercosmos and Malaysian operator MEASAT Satellite Systems will see MEASAT utilise all Azerspace-1 C-band capacity to provide satellite services throughout Africa. Azercosmos will ensure the continued seamless distribution of broadcasting, data, video and audio services to more than 100m African households and the reliable provision of data connectivity in rural areas and emergency situations.
The agreement was based on advice from Fieldfisher, led by John Worthy, Partner and head of the Fieldfisher Satellite and Space Projects group. Worthy also advised Azercosmos on its initial collaboration with MEASAT in 2010.
“With its excellent knowledge of legal matters in the telecommunications space industry, the Fieldfisher team efficiently reflected Azercosmos’ requirements in the transaction,” commented Ilgar Abdullayev, Director of the Legal department, Azercosmos.
“We are delighted to have worked closely with the Azercosmos team to secure this strategic expansion of their international reach,” commented John Worthy. “Building the foundation for the next stage of this longestablished partnership has been enormously exciting, drawing on our many years’ space experience. We look forward to seeing this collaboration flourish over the years to come.”
Euroconsult: Space economy worth $370bn in 2021
The global space economy totalled $370bn in 2021, up 6% on 2020, according to space consulting and market intelligence firm Euroconsult’s annual Space Economy report. This includes commercial space revenues and government procurement for space activities contracted to the private sector. Other spending from government organisations to conduct space activities, including internal costs and R&D, came to another $33bn.
The space economy is expected to grow 74% by 2030 to reach $642bn (6.3% CAGR), renewing its strong growth pattern following a 4% decrease in 2020 with the impact of the Covid crisis on commercial space services. The largest revenue drivers remain satellite navigation and communications, which account for 50% and 41% respectively of total market value, driven by B2C applications.
In comparison, EO still accounts for a marginal 5% of total value but with a much higher proportion upstream. Satnav has surpassed satcom, growing from about 37% of total revenue in 2016 to over 50% in 2021, largely due to services enabled by GNSS services and related devices. In the space market value chain, service providers generated $285bn while manufacturers and satellite operators generated $25bn and $15bn respectively.
Starlink India head Sanjay Bhargava resigns
Elon Musk-backed satellite broadband company Starlink’s India head Sanjay Bhargava stepped down as Country Director and Chairman of the Board “for personal reasons”, he stated in a January 4 LinkedIn post. Bhargava managed SpaceX’s India operations for three months, having been named Country Director in October.
Starlink’s India subsidiary was incorporated on November 1 and the company is in the initial stages of setting shop in India. It has been looking to provide satellite broadband services through low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites from December 2022.
Starlink has faced regulatory issues for the past few months, with industry players such as Reliance and Delhibased NGO Telecom Watchdog raising an outcry against its taking pre-orders without a commercial licence to provide satellite internet services. The Department of Telecommunications raised an issue as well, which caused the company to suspend and subsequently refund $99 pre-orders.
EgSA produces educational satellites for Egyptian universities
Egyptian Space Agency celebrated the production of the country’s first educational satellites (Space Keys) along with several dignitaries last month in Egypt.
Space Keys was conceived to enhance space innovation across 32 engineering and science colleges across Egypt, and received support and funding from EgSA and the Egyptian Academy of Science and Technology. Space innovation laboratories are scheduled to be opened at each Faculty of Engineering at Ain Shams University, Arab Academy of Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, and Helwan University.
Dr Khaled Abdul Ghaffar, Egypt’s Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said: “The initiative falls within the framework of the joint space programme between the EgSA and Egyptian universities to consolidate space technology in different universities, leading to a progressive plan for sustainable development by 2030. To this end, it is necessary to implement projects and create affiliations with different parties to ensure that the goal is met.”
He hailed the project as a key avenue to create synergies between the government and universities and to raise students’ level of awareness of space technology. He also pointed out that the Egyptian space programme introduced by the government aims to build human and scientific capabilities, help in infrastructure and industrial development, build space missions systems, engage in outer space exploration and foster cooperation with foreign space agencies.
Egypt has entered into cooperation agreements with numerous countries and organisations with exceptional experience in several space fields. Furthermore, it has partnered with several universities and research institutes that align with the objectives of the National Space Programme and the development of the right human resources in different space fields.
Dr Al Qousi, CEO of EgSA, added that the AfDev satellite project will be introduced to five African countries that have joined the agency (Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Sudan), to implement the African development satellite project to measure and monitor climate change.
Manjula Sriram joins Iridium as VP and CIO
Iridium Communications Inc has appointed Manjula Sriram as Vice President and Chief Information Officer (CIO). Reporting to CFO Tom Fitzpatrick, Sriram’s new role includes leading Iridium’s IT business as it implements information systems to support both distributed and centralised business operations.
Sriram joins Iridium with more than 12 years of senior IT management experience. As VP and CIO, she will drive the strategic and tactical planning, development, evaluation and coordination of Iridium’s technology roadmap, and provide the vision and leadership necessary to drive the company’s IT infrastructure into the future.
This includes overseeing the implementation, maintenance and compliance of the entire enterprise-wide technology, security and billing systems.
Sriram has a degree in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management at DeVry University, and is currently working on a second master’s degree from Arizona State University in Cybersecurity Policy.
Manjula Sriram.
SES names JohnPaul Hemingway as CSPO
John-Paul Hemingway, the new SES Chief Strategy and Product Officer, is charged with translating the firm’s corporate vision into strategic action for its networks and video markets. The role brings together the Corporate Strategy, Product, Commercial Operations, Fleet Development, Innovation, and Marketing & Communications teams.
With this appointment, SES is eliminating the role of SES Networks CEO while retaining the focus on its video and networks businesses. The resulting organisation is flatter, leaner and more customer-oriented.
