Global Innovation Magazine - Sponsored by Dubai Government

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DUBAI - A NEW WORLD OF INNOVATION SPONSORED BY

FREE ISSUE 6 MAY 2016 DUBAI SPECIAL


CONTENTS SPONSORED BY DUBAI CUSTOMS

FOUNDER James O’Flynn CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aidan Creed SALES Hannah McKinney Published by SoMoGo Publishing/ admin@somogopublishing.co.uk/ www.somogopublishing.co.uk Global Innovation Magazine is published every quarter /Copyright SoMoGo Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be stored or transmitted or reproduced in any form or by any means, including photocopying, scanning, or otherwise without the written permission of SoMoGo Publishing Ltd. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. Acceptance of advertisements does not imply official endorsement of the products or services described. While care has been taken to ensure accuracy of content no responsibility can be taken for errors and/or emissions. Readers should take advice and caution before acting upon any issue raised in the magazine. The publisher reserves the right to accept or to reject advertising and editorial material supplied. The publisher assumes no responsibility for the safe return of unsolicited photography, art or writing.

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001 | FOUNDERS VOICE WELCOME TO DUBAI

019 | CARPOOL ARABIA FACING THE SOLUTION HEAD ON

003 |

DUBAI THE CITY THAT INVITED INNOVATION INTERVIEW WITH HIS EXCELLENCY SULTAN AHMED BIN SULAYEM, GROUP CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF DP WORLD AND CHAIRMANOF PORTS, CUSTOMS AND FREE ZONE CORPORATION (PCFC)

021 |

007 |

GE INTERVIEW WITH RANIA ROSTOM, CHIEF INNOVATION AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER FOR GE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA AND TURKEY

013 |

WOMEN IN CONTROL INTERVIEW WITH SACHA FITCH AND VERONICA MUNRO, TWO OF DUBAI’S LEADING FEMALE DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS

TURN8 INVESTING IN SMART IDEAS: INTERVIEW WITH TARIQ SYED, A BUSINESS CONSULTANT AND LEAN DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT INNOVATION 360

023 | NEWS A FEW THINGS THAT CAUGHT OUR EYE IN DUBAI 025 | INNOVATING AT THOMSON REUTERS INTERVIEW WITH KATHERINE MANUEL, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, INNOVATION AND GAUTAM JAIN, HEAD OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND OPERATIONS, MENA 029 | RINGING THE CHANGES WITH MOBILEAID INTERVIEW WITH KHLALID SHARAF

015 | SYNECHRON INTERVIEW WITH THEIR HEAD OF INNOVATION, DAVID HORTON

FRONT COVER PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF WILERSON S ANDRADE - FLICKR


WELCOME TO DUBAI

FOUNDER’S VOICE Everyone has an opinion on

with the Government department

Dubai. Even people who have

it’s more than likely you can

never been there.

service your request at the click of a screen.

That was me. I had never set foot anywhere near the region until

Dubai is a place that is always

I visited for this edition, and I

looking to improve, to make

arrived with a mixed sense of

things better; in terms of

excitement and trepidation.

infrastructure and in terms of how people go about their everyday

There are a number of visual sites

lives and business.

that are quite obvious as soon as you arrive, such as the height of

There is a sense of reflection here.

the buildings, and the scale of

People remember how far the city

development. This instantly tells

has come in such a short space

you Dubai has ambition.

of time.

But Dubai is also a place with

However it’s this looking towards

stories which take a little longer to

a better tomorrow that seems

hear. Stories about how 20 years

to be the essence of Dubai that

ago this dessert behemoth was

I walk away with most strongly.

little more than a few roads - a

The thing with Dubai is that you

small place, where the populous

just know it will achieve whatever

was really just a local one. Stories

it sets its mind to.

suggestions for image on this page?

about how even though people thought its vision was not possible,

Dubai is all of this and more and I

could not be engineered, little by

can’t wait to go back.

little it was achieved. Everyone has a personal story about how

James O’Flynn

the city came into being. People will also tell you that Dubai is a tolerant place where layers of different cultures, belief systems, religions and opinions live side by side. This can be seen as soon as you arrive. It is also an ‘e’ city where every service is possible on your mobile phone, and if you need to deal

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

DUBAI SPECIAL |002


THE CITY THAT INVITED INNOVATION “I MEANT THAT ALL OF YOU MUST CHANGE YOUR PATTERN OF THINKING TOWARDS POSITIVITY, YOU MUST BREAK AWAY FROM DEFEATIST THINKING, AND YOU SHOULD ACCEPT THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A DEADLOCK. MY TEAM HAS NO ROOM FOR WHOEVER CAN’T BEHAVE LIKE THIS.” HIS HIGHNESS SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN RASHID

DUBAI

a bluster aimed at everyone. I was

trade: the airport free zone, the

Dubai as a city that communicate

so worried that I couldn’t wait but

Jebel Ali free zone, etc. The 1990s

electronically so he started with

immediately ask His Highness

was about tourism - early in that

government and everyone in

what he intended by that remark.

decade we had around 35,000

the private sector followed. At

Dubai is a city driven by innovation; its core, its heart - its

He answered smilingly: “I meant

tourists a year; today we have

very existence - is based upon doing things anew. Dubai is the

that all of you must change your

15 million. We wouldn’t have

frontier where anything is possible - as long as you imagine it,

pattern of thinking towards

reached this point if we hadn’t

Government, but will people

it can be done. What makes Dubai really interesting is the role

positivity, you must break away

started laying the foundations

embrace this? Won’t people want

the government plays in bringing innovation to life. Private

from defeatist thinking, and

then. It was also the dawning of

to go back to their old habits ?”

industry, dreamers, entrepreneurs and technologists all

you should accept that there is

the digital age in the 1990s, going

play their part but the catalyst to getting things done, driving

no such thing as a deadlock. My

paperless in Government. From

“Well, people used to stand in line

change and harnessing the power of innovation is surprisingly

team has no room for whoever

2000 onwards it has been about

for hours to renew their driving

nowhere more at play than in central government.

can’t behave like this.”

Will people want to go back?”

I was involved with the free zone

that could be reached and communicated with 24/7

such entities at the heart of the Government of Dubai that are

which I started in 1985, and then

via smartphones.

pushing and driving improvements and change, in the way they

DP World in the 1990s. A lot of

No, people want the most convenient option.

things that have happened in

Global Innovation Magazine Founder, James O’Flynn, travelled

and necessity is the mother of

to Dubai to take a look for himself and to interview His

invention. People often ask, “why

Excellency Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and

do you have so many high rise

Chief Executive Officer of DP World and Chairman of Ports,

buildings in Dubai?” - this is a

Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC).

necessity. Dubai is a small place; if we didn’t opt to go vertically

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

licenses physically, and today we do it from our mobile phones.

(the Jebel Ali free zone - JAFZA),

Dubai evolved from necessity,

SULTAN AHMED BIN SULAYEM

Smart Government and in 2010

Corporation (PCFC), Dubai Customs and DP World are two

OVER THE YEARS, WHICH OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH SPRING TO MIND WHEN YOU HEAR THE WORD “INNOVATION”?

Sheikh Mohammed answered:

we started to see a Government As integral parts of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone

support both their customers and their staff.

the time, a journalist asked him, “Today you have an electronic

HOW HAS THE CHANGE IMPACTED THE WAY IN WHICH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS FUNCTION?

Sheikh Mohammed says: As a leader, I am a pioneer. I find new ways and my people follow me, I don’t copy others in case they made a wrong decision and follow blindly.

Let me tell you, through customs,

then our children would never see

ports, airports and free zones,

There were only 10 leading

nature, as the whole place would

we process about 18-19 million

traders at the time and most

have been covered.

documents a year. That is about

COULD YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND?

1.5 million documents a month.

of the heads of government departments attending, when His

When I talk about Dubai and what

Before we launched the electronic

I grew up and went to school here

highness uttered (in Arabic): “I

I did, you can characterise it in

Government, we would never

in Dubai. I then went to Temple

need people with vision and

blocks of ten years. In the 1970s

have been able to deal with so

University in Philadelphia,

innovation to be part of my team.

it was more about infrastructure;

many, because it is not simply

and majored in business and

These are going to be the leaders

the United Arab Emirates was

a process, but a process with

economics. After that I came back

The first time I ever heard the

of tomorrow.” I never understood

established, the federation was

inspection and delivery all in one.

I worked for the Government

word ‘innovation’ was in 1987

what he really meant but read

signed, and we had huge projects

At that time, the Government

in the ports and customs

from His Highness Sheikh

between the lines as if he was

building schools, universities,

was clever. His Highness Sheikh

department. My job was in Jebel

Mohammed bin Rashid during a

criticizing me personally. Upon

hospitals, roads and ports. Jebel

Mohammed wanted to establish

Ali, and back in 1982 it was a

get-together with the traders and

leaving the place, some of the

Ali port was built to accommodate

an electronic Government. It

small place.

merchants of Dubai at a Ramadan

government officials who were

all the construction materials

was part of his management

gathering at His Highness’s

present told me that what we had

that were going to arrive. In

style. He managed by example

sports club.

just heard from His Highness was

the 1980s it was about enabling

and his intention was to have

DUBAI SPECIAL |004


THIS IS THE FREE TRADE ZONE, AS WE NOW KNOW IT, IN JEBEL ALI?

storage, some are concerned

the thinking is that we should go

the world, and then we will

convince them because when a

find new ways, to come up with

with manufacturing. I came

vertical. If I can do a minimum of

invest with them as a start-up.

person is as passionate as you are,

innovative ideas.

back and I said to my boss, “I

five stories, then good, but that’s

It’s working, it’s going very well

they will achieve the goal. The

think we can create something

the challenge we are facing today.

and we have people from many

biggest difficulty is not creating

Yes. I remember the words of

here”. He was hesitant, but

my Director at the time that I

didn’t want anything to do with it

joined. He said: I have good news,

and asked me to take the matter

and I have bad news. The good

directly with the government. So

news is that you have a job, the

I spoke to His Highness in 1983.

bad news is that it’s in Jebel Ali,

He liked the idea and he started

so when I went there I couldn’t

a dialogue with the merchants.

help but be influenced by his

In 1985, he issued the decree of

words. However, I was young and

establishing Jafza and appointed

enthusiastic and I felt sure we

me as Chairman.

the idea, but convincing your

from our employees, and our

people of the idea.

customers. In the 1980s, I used

inventor we had who brought us a

The way I lead is that I want

week where I would invite free

very interesting idea. He came up

people to challenge ideas and talk

zone companies, employees and

with a camera that can translate

to me without hesitation. I like

customers. We would brainstorm

Another example is of one

to have a breakfast meeting every

sign language into words. Who

to hear other opinions, so when

and come up with ideas. When

might be interested in this?

people bring new ideas I am

you listen, you learn so much.

A lot of the time, I will admit, that

People in immigration for a start,

extremely accommodating. I

Sometimes people want to talk,

innovation has come from within

as it allows communication to

welcome every single idea. What

they want to hear themselves

[the organisation, rather than

occur in customs departments,

happens then is that ideas can

talking, and they miss so much.

I was very young and very excited.

from the top]. For example, in

which is a brilliant idea.

be refined and adapted to find

Listening is an amazing art.

another way.

could do something to improve the area. I could never have

different countries working there.

AS A LEADER, HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE AND FOSTER INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT YOUR ORGANISATION?

imagined that one day we would

The first country I visited was

airport customs, they come up

have needed to expand Jebel Ali.

Hong Kong - we thought that

with amazing initiatives out of

It never came into my mind, at

many of the businesses would

necessity - not because we were

least not in my lifetime. Yet here

leave once it was handed back

pushing them, but because they

we are today, we are expanding,

to China. Armed with that

found a way that takes them less

it’s been a lot of hard work.

conviction, off we went - but we

time to do their job with precision.

ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE INSPIRED YOU WITH THEIR INSIGHT OR THOUGHTS?

were surprised to know that the

One of the issues we had at

Looking back, I remember doing

Chinese government decreed the

customs was the length of time

some research and found a decree

concept of one country with two

it took to take a suspect package

Mohammed called My Vision.

signed by Sheikh Rashed in

systems. We were disappointed

or consignment to the lab and

It is a very inspiring and

1980. So I researched free zones.

but we started to think of other

back, especially considering how

enlightening book. He explains

Well, I run many different

I remember finding out as a

ways to attract business, so we

busy we are at the airport. What

how he turned around Dubai

businesses; the port, customs

There is a book by HH Sheikh

ARE THERE ANY STRATEGIES OR DEVELOPMENTS COMING UP OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS THAT PARTICULARLY EXCITE YOU?

trainee that both Hong Kong and

started to market ourselves

they did was take a golf buggy and

and made it into such a vibrant

and the free zone, and they are all

Singapore were free practicing

as a distribution hub and we

added all the necessary sensors,

place. As a leader of a company

exciting. Sometimes people look

countries, so I went to both of

convinced many companies to

devices, cameras and analysis

I come up with many initiatives,

at customs and think that this is

those places and did some further

set up.

equipment to create a moving lab.

but the biggest problem I find is

just the government authority,

Today they can come to the belt

not passion itself regarding these

but so many good ideas come

and do the analysis immediately.

ideas, but making the people you

from customs. We are turning

study abroad between 1982 and 1983 that included Masan in Korea, Colon in Panama, Hawaii Foreign Trade Zone No. 9, Fort Worth in Texas, Port Authority of

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE OTHER CHALLENGES YOU FACED WITH JEBEL ALI?

Every day in the port they come

work with as passionate as you

into an enabler of trade, we are

up with new ways, and they adapt.

are about these ideas. When I

not a hindrance. The challenge

We encourage this innovation.

have an idea I try to sell it, I try

is always the balance between

to convince people. You know,

adhering to your procedures but

New York, and New Jersey FTZ No. 49.

When we started we had one

We also have our own

as a boss, you can always just

at the same time enabling trade.

hundred million square metres,

collaboration - an incubator

tell people to do things, but if it

You have a goal. I want to protect

I visited these countries to get

today we have eighteen. Basically

called TURN8 - which DP World

fails they will just say, “I wasn’t

our country, but how do I do

a better understanding of free

I only have twenty per cent of

launched. We spend money on

convinced”. That’s why I always

this in a way that doesn’t hinder

zones; some are concerned with

the land, so the challenge and

people who have ideas to help

try and work with my people to

trade? So we encourage people to

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

Much of our success comes

© Wilerson S Andrade - Flickr

DUBAI SPECIAL |006


INTERVIEW WITH RANIA ROSTOM, CHIEF INNOVATION AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER FOR GE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA AND TURKEY

GE Rania Rostom is the Chief Innovation and Communications Officer for GE in the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. GE, of course, is well known for its work globally in areas such as industrial technology, energy, healthcare, aviation and lighting products. But to keep near the front of those fields, innovation must be at the forefront of your efforts. Rania spoke to Global Innovation Magazine’s founder James O’Flynn about what makes the UAE so special, and how they approach open innovation to ensure they are producing exactly what their customers want.

CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME BACKGROUND ABOUT YOURSELF RANIA? I was born in Cairo, but I grew

I started my career in a PR and

rural healthcare, life sciences and

advertising agency in Cairo, and

digital transformation. We really

from there returned to Dubai. I

try and focus on the customer,

have now been back in the UAE

and that’s what excites us. The

for around 17 years.

innovation centres leverage the best of GE, not just here, but from

up in the UAE. We moved to Abu

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR WORK AT GE.

across the world.

went to school. It was a wonderful place. I then moved to Egypt and

I lead both the corporate and

We know it’s important for us to

attended the American University

marketing communication

look outside our own organisation

functions as well as the

as well. Open innovation and

and mass communications

innovation function. I work

crowdsourcing is something

and minored in English

for the global growth part of

we are very passionate about

Dhabi in 1977 which is where I

in Cairo. I studied journalism

the organisation so we are

because we know great ideas

responsible for enabling growth,

can come from outside our walls.

finding new opportunities

This is particularly true for this

State University

and both building upon and

region, where so much of the

in the United

strengthening our position.

literature. Afterwards, I got a scholarship to do my junior year at Penn

was a fantastic experience.

population is under 30 years old. There is an incredible dynamic,

States, which We operate in a number of

entrepreneurial spirit here, and

innovation centres in the

we must tap into that dynamism

region. These are our industrial

and energy to make sure we are

incubators - places where we

getting the best out of the region

convene with our customers, state

and doing the best for the region.

owned entities, ministries, and think tanks, and collaborate on issues such as energy efficiency,

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

DUBAI SPECIAL |008


“I LOVE THE CREATIVITY IN DUBAI, IT’S BOLD. THERE IS A SENSE OF COURAGE AND VISION HERE. A VISION WITH A HIGH ‘SAY, DO’ RATIO, WHICH MEANS THAT INCREDIBLE THINGS CAN HAPPEN.”

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

DUBAI SPECIAL |010


TO PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT PLEASE SHARE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT HAS COME FROM YOUR APPROACH TOWARDS INNOVATION?

parts, and then teach them basic

insights into how the power

coding to make the robots move.

of collective collaboration and

It is hoped that the girls will learn

creativity can achieve wonders.

more, and get a taste of emerging technology, maths and coding -

If my reply on books isn’t telling

all skills which will be crucial

enough, I genuinely enjoy an

going forward. We are passionate Masdar is an organisation in the

about the programme.

UAE; they have a broad scope

‘escape’ when it comes to the movies. With two wonderful children aged 10 and 12, that

of work but a strong focus on

Last year, the UAE launched a

energy efficiency. Last year we

national innovation strategy and

see everything MARVEL and Star

got together and agreed an area

it has a clear roadmap. As we

Wars, and I love it!

of partnership around water

look to this, how we bring the

treatment, the idea being that

young people on board will be

you can’t look at water without

crucial. We are passionate about

looking at energy - they are

technology and innovation at

intertwined. The output of this

GE and we need to keep in tune

‘escape’ these days takes me to

WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU LOVE ABOUT DUBAI?

is a technology collaboration

with young people as part of our

programme where we are

drive. Innovation after all is so

bold. There is a sense of courage

considering how to become

important, it impacts all our lives.

and vision here. A vision with a

more energy efficient in water reuse. Through a pilot we are integrating areas of technology for the first time to increase productivity and efficiency within a water reuse plant. This, coupled

high ‘say, do’ ratio, which means

ANY BOOKS OR FILMS YOU HAVE SEEN RECENTLY THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO OUR READERS?

with a software and analytics programme, will further increase efficiency. The ultimate goal is an energy neutral waste water treatment.

I have recently read Ed Catmull’s ‘Creativity Inc.’ I absolutely loved the book, and it’s not only because I am a huge fan of how Pixar has transformed our world

ANY OTHER PROJECTS THAT SPRING TO MIND?

I love the creativity in Dubai, it’s

that incredible things can happen. Living here and seeing the changes to the region is inspiring.

IS THERE A PIECE OF ADVICE THAT SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY HAS GIVEN YOU, THAT HAS STAYED WITH YOU AND YOU HAVE IMPLEMENTED WITHIN YOUR LIFE?

with movies that brought together great storytelling with path-

Of course, over the years, my

breaking technology. Catmull

parents have shared many words

If we think about the region and

takes us behind the ‘behind

of wisdom. One that has always

the young people, we are also

the scenes’ and unravels the

stuck with me is “scarcity breeds

focusing on how we bring the

ingredients of how he has a built

creativity”. I’ve found that every

next generation closer to us. One

a team, culture and environment

time I was resource-constrained,

programme is called ‘GE Garages

where innovation and creativity

it has pushed me harder to find a

for Girls’. What we try and do

thrive above everything and

way. There is always a way.

over the period of a few weeks

everyone. The book takes you on

is work with a group of girls to

a journey of how his leadership

create robots using 3D-printed

has transformed Pixar, sharing

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

DUBAI SPECIAL |012


INTERVIEW WITH SACHA FITCH AND VERONICA MUNRO, TWO OF DUBAI’S LEADING FEMALE DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS

WOMEN IN CONTROL “When a woman succeeds, she reaches out to those around her

first-hand the passion and pride

forum reinforced our belief that

what is really possible for them. It

looking at TED talks for relevant

of the many successful Arab and

we can make a difference through

is structured in a way that brings

material - www.ted.com/topics/

international women leaders. We

supporting the development and

personal, as well as professional,

women. We would recommend

were in no way disappointed, as

continuing success of women in

growth throughout the journey.

initially; Eman Mohammed The

they stood out as role models

the region.

We want to empower women both

courage to tell a hidden story, Amy

and pulls them up with her. That is why, if you empower a

for the thousands of attendees

woman, you empower a whole society.” Queen Rania of Jordan

and offered inspiration to every woman looking to fulfil her

In February this year, Dubai hosted the Global Women’s Forum

potential. While each speaker

with the theme Let’s Innovate! This historic gathering was the

brought something different, the

first ever event of its kind in the Middle East, bringing together

common thread was the sense

leading stateswomen from around the world to share their

of purpose and belief that they

stories and encourage and enable women’s contributions to business and society. It hosted a glittering array of some 200 speakers, including

female colleagues, mentoring and

Power of Vulnerability and Sheryl

developing them in turn. It is our

Sandberg Why we have too few

hope that this innovative program

women leaders, all of which can be found easily on the ted.com

contributing to both the economic

website. Sheryl Sandberg is the

delivered. Alongside this was the

inspirational place to be right now.

growth and happiness of

COO of Facebook and has written

energy of 2,000 motivated women

There is a real energy here which

this region.

an international bestselling book

coming together to meet, learn and

makes you feel that anything is

collaborate with each other for the

possible if you want it enough. The

Queen Rania and IMF head Christine Lagarde, as well as one

first time in the region. This sense

growth of the city itself is a story

of excitement and opportunity

of innovation and achievement

numerous awards, Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al

resonated throughout the forum.

that would seem incredible were it

Veronica Munro, two of Dubai’s leading female development

who you are, Brene Brown The

creates a virtuous circle of change,

of the most powerful Arab women in the world and winner of

Global Innovation Magazine spoke with Sacha Fitch and

Cuddy Your body language shapes

to act as role models forjunior

For both of us, Dubai feels a truly

Qasimi, Minister of State for Tolerance in the UAE Government.

Lean In which draws on her own

WHO ARE YOU TARGETING WITH YOUR PROGRAMME, ‘EMPOWER AND INSPIRE’?

not true. What we love is that it is

WHATIN PARTICULAR DID YOU TAKE AWAY FROM THE FORUM?

leadership experiences and shares her ideas on what women can do to help themselves. Elsewhere there is an excellent

constantly evolving and changing,

The programme is designed

blog by Jane Horan (www.

and all the while becoming more

to be run for groups within an

thehorangroup.com/blog) with

aware of what it means to be a

organisation or government

a number of interesting articles

globally important city in the

department, but in reality it would

on development and career with a

For us, the primary take-away

modern world. We are inspired

work with any group of women

focus on women.

was that we are in the midst of

by the positive attitudes we have

who want to develop and grow.

an amazing time for women in

come across regarding women

One of the major advantages of

We first met several years ago

the Middle East. There was an

in work and as leaders, and also

having our own bespoke product is

while working in leadership

overwhelming sense of positivity at

by the steps taken by Sheikh

that we can tailor it to meet specific

development at one of the top

the forum with ideas being shared,

Mohammed to promote more

circumstances or environments

international banks here in Dubai.

new networks being established

women into senior cabinet roles

while maintaining the overall

We are both experts in executive

Almost immediately we discovered

and a real optimism about what

this year.

integrity of the structure.

You can find more details online at

coaching and experiential

we had a shared passion for

could be achieved in the future.

facilitation, with over 40 years

bringing out the best in people and helping them to achieve their

As two professional female

dreams. It seemed only natural

achievers ourselves, we appreciate

WHAT OTHER RESOURCES WOULD YOU RECOMMEND TO WOMEN LOOKING TO BEGIN THEIR OWN DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY?

and_ inspire/

of combined global corporate

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP SUPPORT WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE EAST?

professionals, about the forum and their own initiative for developing women leaders, called ‘Empower and Inspire’.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELVES AND YOUR BACKGROUNDS

experience. This includes working with both senior leaders

that at some point in our careers

just how challenging it can be

we would work together to build

for women to build a career and

We have been working together

diverse range of cultures and

something based on this theme.

realize their goals. Together we

to develop a leadership program

share an aspiration to contribute

that is designed specifically to

numerous programmes to drive organizational and personal

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE OF THE GWF?

performance, including specialised initiatives for

What excited us about the forum

female leaders.

was the opportunity to experience

HOW DO PEOPLE FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YOUR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME?

www.fitchbradley.ae/empower_

and emerging talent across a businesses. We have developed

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT DUBAI SPECIFICALLY THAT INSPIRES YOU?

to realize their own goals and

Alternatively, you can email Veronica (contact@veronicamunro.com) or Sacha (sacha@fitchbradley.ae) directly for further information.

more fully to the country and

take women on an exciting and

Nowadays, the best place to start is

community in which we have lived

inspirational journey; to discover

online where you will find a wealth

for over eight years. Attending the

their true value and to understand

of free resources. It is always worth

DUBAI SPECIAL |014


SYNECHRON

INTERVIEW WITH THEIR HEAD OF INNOVATION, DAVID HORTON

Synechron is a fast growing digital, business consulting and technology services provider based in New York, but with a global reach, including a base in Dubai. Understanding innovation is key to their ‘offer’ as a business working at the cutting edge of banking and finance, so we spoke to Head of Innovation David Horton to discuss (amongst other things) what inspires him and how he keeps up-to-date with fast-paced technological change.

COULD YOU SHARE A BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT YOURSELF, DAVID?

and teaching showing people how to use Microsoft Windows, which was valuable. Essentially showing people how to use computers, but

I am one of those people who is

in a very human way. It was great

a bit of a traveller; my parents

in learning how to talk to people

moved around the world. I was

in a non-technical way. I always

born in Zimbabwe, and moved

think this helped me in many

to South Africa when I was very

ways, particularly in the work that

young. My parents returned to

I do now.

the UK, then did a stint in the Middle East, so I did seven years as an ex-pat child here. I finished school and university then moved back to London where I worked for several years, before marrying, having children and moving back to the Middle East. It was a logical move for us, but I have

I GUESS WHEN YOU ARE WORKING WITH CLIENTS YOU HAVE TO TAKE QUITE COMPLEX IDEAS IN TERMS OF EMERGING OR PROVEN INNOVATION, AND EXPLAIN IT IN FAIRLY SIMPLE TERMS?

been all over the place to be honest.

Yes, exactly. When you speak with

In terms of work experience,

or technology, they want you to

my background is really on the

put things in business terms. It

business users about innovation

technology side of things - IT. Starting from being the guy you rang up on the helpdesk who helps everyone out, I found a few niche areas. I did some training

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

DUBAI SPECIAL |016


has to connect with their business

prototypes and demos and we can

digital transformation experts,

We also have other technologies

work; artificial intelligence, that

vision, and essentially how it

talk them through how they work

with lots of impressive sales

from drones and virtual reality, to

kind of thing.

will translate into a profitable

and the benefits.

techniques and tools, but as

robotics or natural language. It

a customer it is hard to know

is a fun experience as well as an educational one.

investment. Otherwise it’s a difficult sell. Ninety per cent of

The other part of my work is

where to go. Building a place that

what I do is around explaining

about building up the brand and

allowed people to make up their

HOW DO YOU KEEP ON TOP OF MOVEMENTS AND TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION?

technology in terms of how it will

providing thought leadership in

own mind was the next step. It

Over the last few years there has

benefit businesses if they decide

the area of financial technology,

seems to have worked as we have

been a convergence of innovation

to invest in it.

perhaps producing white papers,

been inundated with requests to

and it is really opening up doors

that kind of thing. It’s a mixture

see the space, both from people

to do things that were just not

By doing lots of reading. The one

of things and no two days are

local to the area and from people

possible a few years ago. For

thing that social media does is

the same.

internationally.

example, products such as

it allows you to follow and keep

HOW DID THE INNOVATION CENTRE IN DUBAI EMERGE?

WHAT CAN BE FOUND WITHIN YOUR DIGITAL INNOVATION CENTRE IN DUBAI?

TALK US THROUGH THE TYPE OF WORK YOU GET INVOLVED WITH ON AN AVERAGE DAY. Synechron is a fairly young company, operating since 2001.

Amazon Echo - a wireless speaker

in touch with thought leaders. I

and voice commend device that

follow five or six people on twitter,

uses natural language, opens up

particularly around FinTech,

really exciting possibilities for

which gives me a good oversight

customers. These kind of areas

of what is happening in London

are really accelerating. Blockchain,

or Silicon Valley. LinkedIn is also a valuable place to learn.

My work with them focuses quite

It was an easy decision to make.

heavily on digital innovation

When I first joined I was known

It is very much focused on retail

although in its early stages, is

for the banking industry and

in the local banking community

banking. When you walk into

another area that is definitely

financial services. As of now we

and one of the previous projects

the Centre we have built a mock

going to cause some disruption,

Just be observant. Kids do

are a US$320 million company

I had worked on was a ‘digital

digital branch, featuring digital

not just in banking but across so

things so differently, so watching

employing about 5,500 people

branch’, an innovative hub where

queue management solutions and

many areas. Certainly in the next

them and looking at where

across the globe, including Dubai.

customers would come in and

options to view and browse the

five to ten years entire industries

they are shining their lights is

will be quite different.

also valuable. I try to observe environment. I have a great

service their bank accounts or

bank’s products through digital

I don’t think any two days are the

financial products. Every so often

walls or digital tables. Even the

same, but typically I will have at

when clients came to meet me

fulfilment side is there - applying

least one client meeting, often

and ask about the previous work I

for a product in a self-service area.

about a specific challenge they

did, they were keen to talk about

It is all very visual for people to

have or an area of innovation

the ‘digital branch’.

see and touch.

ARE THERE ANY BOOKS OR FILMS THAT YOU COULD RECOMMEND TO OUR READERS?

When you show people around

We have integrated ‘beacons’ into

Probably the book that had

really well. It is an incredibly

or so doing a presentation or

a place that is real, tangible and

the Centre which demonstrate

the most influence on my work

exciting area of work, and one

perhaps a demonstration on some

concrete it becomes an easy sell.

the potential for bank loyalty

was Bank 2.0 by Brett King. He

that constantly moves forward.

technology or innovation area.

It is not a presentation - people

schemes. As customers walk past

was the first person that I felt

can experience and feel the new

a particular point they get tailored

truly challenged the traditional business model.

as much as I can around my

they are interested in. This could mean spending an hour

so we often sit together and discuss opportunities and build prototypes which seems to work

More and more we are inviting

customer journey for themselves.

‘beacon’ alerts on their phone.

clients in to see our digital

I was convinced that if we could

This solution allows customers to

innovation centre because in

replicate that kind of experience

walk into a particular restaurant,

Personally, I am a big fan of

the space of a few hours they

in our office it would be a good

for example, and get an alert

science fiction movies. Things

can really get a feel for all the

sales and education tool. There

telling them they qualify for a

like the Back to the Future

latest technologies and how they

are hundreds of companies

special discount because of their

series. Anything that looks at

apply to banks. We have built

putting themselves out there as

loyalty package with their bank.

how technology in the future will

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

team with a big imagination,

DUBAI SPECIAL |018


FACING THE SOLUTION HEAD ON

CARPOOL ARABIA

I took the big step of quitting my

Hindsight is a great thing, but we

job and at a start-up weekend I

don’t have that luxury in business

anything related to sharing time

met one of my co-founders and

unfortunately.

or resources. BlaBlacar in Europe

Chief Product Officer, Guillaume It’s quite possible that whenever your car slows in traffic, and

Arnaud. We pitched the idea over

again was a great influence.

SO HOW DOES IT WORK, HOW DO I USE THE SERVICE?

HOW DO YOU MAKE MONEY? At the moment we take a

you start to look around and wonder why, that you will notice

the weekend, saw its potential,

something. Most cars have only one person in them. You will

and decided to continue working

then more than likely move forward and cast that thought

on it after the event was finished.

aside like paper into the bin.

The company was bootstrapped

Download the app, create a profile,

with a $50,000 investment, and

get matched with commuters

commission from each ride, about

the website CarpoolArabia.com

heading to the same direction,

15 per cent. The passenger pays a

major world city, in that for the majority of us, driving in our

officially launched on February

chat with them, or see if you

small contribution to the driver an

cars is a solitary experience.

18, 2014.

belong to the same community.

on average it’s four times cheaper

Carpool Arabia brings a solution to Dubai. Car sharing,

WHAT WAS DIFFICULT ABOUT THIS PERIOD?

That’s the problem, and Dubai is no different to any other

cutting costs, making new friends and turning the drudgery of the daily commute into an interesting experience. We caught

That helps a lot. If you need a

than taxis. Drivers do not make

ride home or to your office, just

a profit. We also make revenue

tap one button to notify all your

through helping organisations,

commuting buddies. We are the

through promoting car pooling within their businesses.

up with company co-founder Benjamin de Terssac to bring the

The key challenges were the same

largest carpool community in the

story to life.

as they are now actually; educating

region so there is lots of chance

people and changing behaviour

you get matched with someone

is the most difficult thing. You

looking to carpool. The process

HAVE YOU LIVED IN DUBAI FOR SOME TIME?

are asking to people to break

needs to be effortless for the user.

went travelling to Australia for

ingrained habits, which is tough.

We want to show you only people

We launched two years ago, and

that could be a real match, not all

we were web-based, but we

I am originally from France. I

for another six, always doing

We didn’t know how people

have been in Dubai for the last

internships in different locations.

would want to use it at the start.

four years, but I was already in the

I wanted to continue travelling

For example, would people use

region, so in total I have been here

with my work, so we moved to the

it for specific events, or just at

for around eight years.

region, to Bahrain.

the weekend? However, it soon became clear that lots of people

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT DUBAI?

HOW IS IT ALL GOING THEN?

and law at university there. I six months, then to Vietnam

HOW DID THE BUSINESS IDEA COME ABOUT?

the people on the app.

getting a door-to-door service.

WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU WOULD HAVE KNOWN AT THE START OF THIS JOURNEY?

realised we needed a mobile application which we launched

ARE THERE ANY BOOKS OR FILMS THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO OUR READERS?

wanted to use it for commuting,

about 12 weeks ago. We have around 5,000 users and we grow at around 35 per cent week on week. We still have lots of education to do with the users

The Lean Start Up Book, by Eric

around expectations, but overall it

Ries is great but it’s not just books.

is going really well.

Its size, it’s a major world city,

I was travelling every day between

there are many things and

Abu Dhabi and Dubai. I was

activities to do here, I like it here

sharing the ride with my wife,

a lot.

which was nice quality time

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.

car pooling was very popular in

There are thousands of things.

mistakes from others is useful.

America and Europe so I started

How can I find users? What is

Even if it’s not related to your area

thinking about how could I make

the best medium to talk to users?

it can add a lot of value.

I grew up in Toulouse in the south

it work here. There are hundreds

Which are the popular and up-

west of France, and stayed there

of thousands of people making

and-coming areas of town that

I’m a big advocate of the sharing

until I was 25. I studied business

their journeys alone.

we can focus on? So many things.

economy, so something like

but it was super tiring. I knew

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

Airbnb was very influential,

I would recommend hanging out with other entrepreneurs, or start up people, everybody has their own journey, their own story but understanding how you can avoid

DUBAI SPECIAL |020


TURN IT ON - START IT UP The TURN8 programme is an initiative between Innovation 360 (a Dubai-based innovation consultancy) and DP World which offers support to individuals, organisations and start-ups with

INVESTING IN SMART IDEAS: INTERVIEW WITH TARIQ SYED, A BUSINESS CONSULTANT AND LEAN DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT INNOVATION 360 IT WOULD BE GREAT TO LEARN A BIT ABOUT YOU TARIQ.

innovative business ideas, both within and outside of Dubai. It aims to encourage innovative entrepreneurship worldwide.

I was born and brought up in

at creating an innovation centre

here in Dubai, but in places like

Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen

internally, but were also looking at

eastern Europe where there are a

Forces That Stand in the Way of

how they could do external work to

lot of start-ups that see Dubai as

True Inspiration by Ed Catmull.

improve their innovation activities.

a good market to test and initiate

Both are great books and are really

TURN8 is funded by DP World,

their businesses. This has been a

worth reading for inspiration.

but operated by Innovation 360.

success. It helps Dubai’s ecosystem develop. Previously, there was

Every day we interact with start-

lots of talk about non-disclosure

IF I WANTED TO BE SUPPORTED BY TURN8 WHERE SHOULD I START?

ups and there are multiple things

agreements before people would pitch their ideas, so the

for future accelerator rounds.

atmosphere was closed and quite

The website is a good starting place

Sheikh Mohammed. He has had a

The companies tend to be here

protective. Things have opened

for information on how to apply,

vision for innovation which he has

for around four months in Dubai,

up, people understand that there

and what’s involved, so I would

implemented and led from

so we have a programme that

are lots of ideas but everything

advise people to go there www.

the front. He is an incredibly

turn8.co/

inspiring leader.

evolution has meant there is more talking, networking and a greater

to the next level.

elements is an accelerator, starting

understanding of timing, launch,

in late 2016 when we hope the

funding and the wider picture.

CAN YOU THINK OF SOME GOOD ADVICE THAT SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY GAVE YOU?

Investors here also look at equity

My dad told me that it was always

six-month-old child.

a Business Analyst on the telecoms

HOW DID YOU END UP DEVELOPING THE PROGRAMME WITH DP WORLD?

I don’t have a mentor as such but I do look up to the ruler of Dubai,

fund for start-ups, and one of the

marketable ideas and supports them with funding, mentoring

DO YOU HAVE ANY PEOPLE AROUND YOU THAT HAVE INSPIRED YOU OR DEVELOPED YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS INNOVATION AND BUSINESS?

going on. We shortlist applications

forward we will be providing a

I am married and have a

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

financial planning.

Elon. The other book is Creativity

supporting start-ups to take them

large IT company for four years as

about his work.

book inspires everyone as does

the globe. We don’t just work

as mentoring, coaching and

as an engineer then worked for a

While I was doing my MBA I

encourage start-ups from across

really depends upon the team

that can be refined and brought to market through a “seed

Consultant and Lean Development Manager at Innovation 360,

an accelerator, either internally or externally. They were looking

and how they execute them. This

accelerator” - a program that selects start-up teams with

which has a campus in Dubai.

becomes one of the main issues,

looks at things such as training,

Personally, I am 29 years old,

Global Innovation Magazine spoke to Tariq Syed, a Business

few clients on their books. This

Quest for a Fantastic Future. This

mentorship and coaching. Going

school. I moved to India to study

side. I completed my MBA at Hult

Elon Musk: Tesla, Space X and the

What we do as a programme is

on the innovation front, as well

The programme actively looks for people with ingenious ideas

International Business School,

There have been a lot of changes.

one of the end goals is to create

We work on educating corporates

Kuwait, which is where I went to

and training.

our own innovation framework and

fund will be operational. We do seed funding already but

much more rather than ownership,

important to plan and have your

what the new fund will do is

so that’s a big change also. Lots of

future in mind, so if you have

provide that follow-on financial

family funds are now becoming

any money that comes in, look at

investment. There will be more

angel investors, so that kind of

utilising and saving that money

stakeholders for the fund going

awareness is interesting and

towards your longer term plan.

forward, which is attractive.

progressive.

I believe that works a lot in the

TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE SUCCESS STORIES IN THE PROGRAMME.

ARE THERE ANY BOOKS OR FILMS THAT HAVE INSPIRED YOU RECENTLY?

had an internship at Innovation

start-up world, so when they get

360, the innovation management

We were doing a consulting

consulting firm where I now work.

assignment for DP World. We have

their seed money often companies won’t plan, or save or think about the fact that they have only a

DUBAI SPECIAL |022


NEWS

A FEW THINGS THAT CAUGHT OUR EYE IN DUBAI

World Federation of Future Sports

The Drone Cup

Dubai Museum of the Future

currency system that has its own

amount of trust needed, every

and putting time into the area,

Ever wanted to watch driverless

A British teenager has won the

Foundation Launches -

value, can be compared to other

time you view your bank account

and the results could be game

car racing, drone racing, a

World Drone Prix that was held

Global Blockchain Council

currencies, and can allow you to

there is an element of trust, every

changing across multiple sectors.

cybathlon competition or robotic

in Dubai in March, so reports the Associated Press. Luke Bannister

purchase a plethora of goods on

time you get an email read receipt

The Global Blockchain Council

soccer, running, swimming, table

the internet. Bitcoin allows you

you are trusting your email

is going to explore transactions

tennis and wrestling competitions?

from England led his team, the

What’s the Dubai Museum of

to trade with complete strangers

provider to tell you the truth.

through the blockchain platform,

You are in luck. The first edition

Tornado XBlades Banni UK, to

the Future? The Museum of

without trust having to be an

People can lie, and security hacks

launch several initiatives

of the World Future Sports Games

victory in one of the world’s most

surrounding the area and explore

will be hosted in Dubai from 28

prestigious drone races. The pilots

its advantages and disadvantages.

to 30 December 2017. The Games

donned Formula 1-style get up,

will be held over three days once

with Luke also wearing virtual

Exciting times indeed.

every two years, and everyone

reality googles allowing him to see a firsthand view of the drone as it

the Future is a forward-looking

integral part of the deal.

can falsify information.

technological museum in Dubai due to open in December 2018.

Blockchain is essentially a record

Blockchain has the potential to

It will house some of the world’s

of digital events or occurrences,

change all of this by introducing a

greatest innovations, be a place

one that is shared between

digital consensus, a valid, truthful

from individuals, organisations,

that will spark ideas and generate

different people or parties. This

account of digital events both

research centres and academics

raced around the course four times,

programmes, as well as being

‘ledger’ or ‘record’ can only be

today, and in the past. It does

from around the world can get

and through hoops. Plenty of

an incubation center for new

updated by a consensus being

this all without security being

involved. The World Federation

people turned up to view the event

agreed by the majority of people

compromised, leaving an audit

of Future Sports is an initiative

with a prize booty of over a million

involved in the system. The bitcoin

trail and has the potential to lower

of Dubai Museum of the Future

US dollars. Master Bannister won

What is Blockchain? Blockchain

blockchain, for example, contains

fraud rates.

Foundation http://motf.ae/

has been heralded as one of the

a certain and verifiable record of

most important developments,

every single bitcoin transaction

It’s early stages but the banking

the Tornado XBlades Banni UK,

inventions, innovations (call it

ever made.

industry and several

advised he would be splitting.

innovations.

what you will) of our time.

start-ups are Here’s the problem. Presently

Blockchain is closely connected

every time a digital transaction

to Bitcoin - the global digital

takes place there is a huge

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

a prize of US$250,000, which the 15-year old, much to the delight of

investing

© Museum of the Future

© Tornado XBlades

DUBAI SPECIAL |024


INTERVIEW WITH KATHERINE MANUEL, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, INNOVATION AND GAUTAM JAIN, HEAD OF STRATEGIC PLANNING AND OPERATIONS, MENA

INNOVATING AT THOMSON REUTERS Thomson Reuters is a multinational media, information and technology company operating in more than 100 countries across the globe, with various offerings from news and research to financial, tax and legal services. They employ over 50,000 people. It is often said innovation can be implemented far more easily in a small to medium sized enterprise than within a large multinational organisation. Innovating at scale is tough but essential for a company like Thomson Reuters as they move from a growth by acquisition strategy to a more organic growth approach. To get an idea of their approach to innovation, Global Innovation Magazine spoke to Katherine Manuel, Senior Vice President, Innovation and Gautam Jain, Head of Strategic Planning & Operations, MENA (Middle East and North Africa). We talked about embedding a culture of innovation across the organisation, and they shared the highlights of their innovation-focused work in Dubai.

KATHERINE, HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING IN THE WORLD OF INNOVATION?

something different so I started working more on the strategy communications side of things. When Jim Smith became CEO I came back to work in the office

One of my first jobs was working

of the CEO as a Vice President of

for a strategy and technology

Strategy. After some time here

firm for a few years, before I

working on the transformation

got my MBA degree. Thomson

programme I was asked to head

Reuters have a great management

up innovation.

associates programme where they rotate MBAs throughout the organisation. I moved around as part of the programme then began to work in the strategy side of the business. I ended up running the technology strategy area. After a few years I wanted to try

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

DUBAI SPECIAL |026


AND GAUTAM, HOW DID YOU END UP WORKING IN INNOVATION AT THOMSON REUTERS?

The MENA Innovation Lab was inaugurated in July 2015 by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. The purpose of

I grew up in a small town

the lab is to foster a culture of

near Mumbai, India. I studied

innovation in MENA by providing

computer technology, then joined

multiple opportunities to staff,

the country’s largest IT consulting

clients and third parties to

firm, where I was a software

support and promote promising

POSSIBILITIES AS WE SEE VARIOUS TECHNOLOGIES COME TOGETHER OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. I’M THINKING THE INTERNET OF THINGS, ROBOTICS, AI AND VR. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT HAS CAUGHT YOUR ATTENTION?

What’s exciting about this time is

Through transformation we had

actually - but when we were

small anyway. It’s about having an

how we work with new talent, how

to rationalise and make sense of

accruing businesses, it was

open culture, being willing to fail

difficult to highlight our culture.

and having leaders or founders

we engage and communicate with

our acquisitions, but then drive

customers, and how we will grow

and grow, fundamentally through

Since then there has been lots of

who can get the best ideas out

going forward.

innovation. So that was the

work streams around culture and

of people, opening the conduit

message top down.

GAUTAM, DO YOU HAVE A PERSPECTIVE FROM DUBAI ON THIS?

That message ended up being

innovation; it has been a focus of

of communication, and valuing

ours for some time now and it’s

everyone’s opinion.

working.

many programmes across the globe. This was an exciting time

HOW DO SMALLER ORGANISATIONS INNOVATE? CAN YOU SHARE ANY TIPS OR IDEAS THAT PEOPLE COULD IMPLEMENT?

ANY BOOKS OR FILMS YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO OUR READERS?

engineer for a couple of years. I

ideas. It is a forum for people

then pursued my MBA in Finance

to gather, discuss and try out

I was recently at a senior leader’s

building a SMART city is huge

movement within the organisation

from Mumbai University and, like

innovative ideas. We already

conference with 150 or so

in Dubai at the moment. The

as well. I came into this role to

Katherine, joined the Business

have a few internal ideas in

colleagues from Thomson

Government is working with

head up the innovation office, and

Graduate Programme at Thomson

the implementation phase that

Reuters, and we heard from

companies from all over the

begin creating a more consistent

Reuters. During the programme,

resulted from the hackathon we

a wonderful external speaker

world, leveraging on all of the

push towards innovation across

I undertook multiple roles in

conducted in the lab in the latter

Andrew McAfee, who talked

technologies. They have launched

the company. The culture change

Katherine – Identify innovation

book I mentioned earlier) was

different locations including

half of last year.

about The Second Machine

a few labs to look at areas like the

was definitely driven through this

change agents - people who

phenomenal. The other one I have been reading on a personal front

Mumbai, Dubai and London

Expo 2020 and a drive towards

and there was lots of grass roots

Katherine – I will say that, from a work perspective, the Second Machine Age (the

Age - the book he wrote with

internet of things, so there are

transformative programme with a

can stimulate and highlight

that gave me good exposure to

The launch came at the right

Erik Brynjolfsson. Andrew talked

currently a lot of initiatives that

consistent message and example

opportunities. We provide the

is Authentic Happiness by Martin

the whole enterprise. I spent the

time given last year was also the

about how we are in the middle

tie into Smart City and Expo 2020.

coming from the top.

opportunity for our staff members

Seligman, who works out of the

who have good ideas to take them

University of Pennsylvania. It

forward, and get some time in

looks at how you take someone

initial six months on the customer

year of innovation in Dubai. The

of this incredibly exciting time

Introducing driverless cars and

helpdesk which was an excellent

lab would provide a platform

of accelerated change. Following

drones are also being discussed at

place to learn about our products

to encourage innovation and

this I was involved in a panel

an accelerated speed. As a country

and customers and gave me a

entrepreneurship in the region,

discussion where we discussed

the UAE is very open to all of these

great grounding. I had a few

allowing entrepreneurs access to

how the future isn’t necessarily

changes and always wants to be at

more moves in sales and strategic

tools and support around various

about us building everything

the forefront of innovation.

planning after this, but ended up

fields, including scientific journals,

ourselves, but more about how

back in Dubai working in the M&A

patents and trademark protection,

we open up, get involved in new

team for Middle East Africa and

market research and financial

partnerships, open platforms,

Russia. At the beginning of last

data. This enabled entrepreneurs

and find ways to bring start-ups

year I started heading Strategic

and start-ups to establish smart

within our walls. Things such as

Planning & Execution for MENA,

applications, transform data

how do we bring outsiders in to

which is where I also drove local

into knowledge, and ultimately

solve problems in a collaborative

Katherine - It definitely needed

innovation initiatives along with

give them a leg-up in terms of

and joined-up way? Another

to come from the top, from our

a few other local innovation

innovating. We are working with

interesting point discussed

CEO. At the end of 2013 there

champions.

some incubators in the region too

was that this is the first time we

were some big announcements

which is exciting.

SOME BACKGROUND ABOUT THE MENA INNOVATION LAB WOULD BE GOOD TO KNOW GAUTAM?

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

KATHERINE, THIS A PARTICULARLY EXCITING TIME FOR INNOVATION WITH SO MANY

HOW DO YOU BUILD A CULTURE OF INNOVATION ACROSS A LARGE ORGANISATION?

I THINK WE HAVE ALL SEEN ‘INNOVATION’ WRITTEN DOWN AS A KEY COMPONENT OF A COMPANY’S CULTURE, THEN YOU TURN TO A COLLEAGUE AND ASK THEM ‘WHAT IS OUR CULTURE HERE?’ AND THEY DON’T HAVE A CLUE. DO YOU THINK THERE HAS REALLY BEEN SOME SUCCESS HERE? DO YOUR STAFF REALLY SEE INNOVATION AS A KEY COMPONENT OF WHO YOU ARE?

front of our senior management

who is very happy, and how you

team to pitch and work out their

can make them even happier.

ideas. As long as the person has some level of sponsorship, then

Gautam – One of the movies

you can take forward that idea

I really like which links to

and discuss it with people in the

innovation is Her, which is about

organisation that could make it

a man who falls in love with his

a reality. I think recognising that

virtual assistant on his mobile

all our staff have that potential is

device. One of the scary things

a key building block in terms of

about this film is that I don’t think

developing innovating ideas.

we are really that far away from this, it could happen. I am in the

Gautam – My honest opinion is

middle of the book Getting Things

that it’s a lot easier to innovate

Done, by David Allen which has

have had four generations

in terms of transformation, and

working together, and how truly

one of the key messages was

opening up the way we work

we are changing and we are not

and think will allow for huge

going back, so this is not a phase,

Katherine - I do. There has been

opportunities with the diverse

it is reality. We had previously

a lot of work - and innovation

truly great ideas often originated

mindset this creates.

grown through acquisition.

is only one of the components

when organisations were really

and pivot in a smaller company,

lots of tips that can help in terms

exactly because of its size and

of productivity and managing time,

because often there are fewer

which has really helped me.

corporate barriers. Most of the

DUBAI SPECIAL |028


RINGING THE CHANGES WITH MOBILEAID

This was basically the foundation

We had to come up with new PR

that we built upon.

and awareness campaigns, and some focused marketing work has

We had little experience in

helped. We are moving forward

creating a new business, and all

on a great trajectory. We consider

the other aspects of company

ourselves a premium repair

development which you never

company and I am really proud of

consider such as marketing and

how things are going.

HR. We had an idea but needed MobileAid, a new mobile phone repair company, has launched

support. We approached a

in Dubai. And here’s the innovation: MobileAid comes directly

company in Dubai who specialise

to you and fixes your phone on the spot, saving you time,

in this kind of support and they

money and giving you peace of mind (your phone or tablet

provided us with legal services, IT

never leaves your side whilst it is being repaired).

services the whole nine yards. It

WHAT IS IT ABOUT DUBAI THAT ENABLED YOU TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS SO SOON?

was a win, win for us both.

Let me tell you about Dubai. We

spotted a gap in the market for mobile phone repair at a venue

We came up with the idea in

hard and like to be rewarded. I

that suited the customer.

August 2014 and by December

don’t like to waste time, so if

that year we had signed the

someone can come to me with a

Global Innovation Magazine spoke to Khalid in Dubai about

contract to formalise the company.

service that takes away hassle, I

how it all started.

Our first sale was 19th April 2015.

am going to use it. We hope to

MobileAid was born when cousins Khlalid and Essa Sharaf

love to be pampered, we work

perhaps expand upon this idea

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF, YOUR BACKGROUND

You know how kids open their presents with wonder, amazement

WHAT’S BEEN CHALLENGING ON THIS JOURNEY?

when I get some new technology.

trade. I did my higher diploma

industry here is growing like never before.

and excitement? Well, that is me I am a mechanical engineer by

with different business models going forward. The service

The same challenge at the start is still a challenge today, and that is

here in Dubai then went to

In Dubai we have everything.

finding the right technicians. We

Boston in America to obtain my

You can purchase whatever you

need great communication skills,

WHAT’S NEXT DURING 2016?

bachelor’s degree. On my return

want here. However, we saw a

great presentation and amazing

I got a job at Emirates Aluminium

gap in the market for a service

customer service skills to perform

range this year, selling high

just as they were launching a

that repairs phones, tablets and

at the high level we demand.

quality accessories, which are

new project - phase two of an

PCs on your doorstep - at a venue

Finding that level of expertise is

in demand. We are introducing

aluminium smelter. I worked

convenient to the customer.

challenging.

there for two and a half years as an engineer.

We are looking to expand our

laptop repair, and are also looking at expanding into different areas

We have a lot of mobile phone

WHAT HAS GONE WELL?

of the UAE.

shops in Dubai, but having a

HOW DID THE BUSINESS IDEA DEVELOP? When I was doing national service,

GLOBAL INNOVATION | MAY 2016

wife who cracks her screen three

On the flip side we have had

times a year, I hated going to the

a great response from the

crowded areas of town, where

community here in Dubai. People

parking was hard to find. I had

have been really excited about

I had time to reflect and think

to trust the phone shop with our

what we are doing. Connecting

about my future. I am fascinated

personal details for several hours

with the ex-pat community has

by and love the latest technology.

at a time. I struggled with this.

presented a different challenge.

DUBAI SPECIAL |030


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