Issue 11 PSE Magazine UAE

Offering World-Class Medical Care In the Most Comfortable and Luxurious Environment Healthpoint Hospital is an elective, multi-specialty hospital providing sports medicine and lifestyle healthcare services. We strive to offer our patients the highest levels of expertise and treatment of an international standard, right here in Abu Dhabi.

Under our coordinated care model, our medical team works cooperatively to provide a wide range of services across the following disciplines:

Empowering Excellence Samuel Beshay, CEO of BusinessBox, takes our readers through the ten commandments of the Excellence Evaluator • page 22

Table of Contents

Let's Benchmark What do the world’s most innovative cities have in common? Find out in “The World’s Most Innovative Cities of 2015” • page 32

06 Word From The Editor Denise Daane, Managing Editor at PSE gives you a breakdown of what to expect in our latest issue

08 Current News and Affairs A summary of the latest public-sector news and current affairs across Abu Dhabi

10 Project Management

PSE Correspondent Alfonso Bucero discusses the impact of sponsor’s support on successful project delivery

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In Focus An in-depth look at the evolution and future of the UAE’s financial sector • page 28

14 Knowledge Exchange Guest Writer Professor Malcom Morley shares his insights on “Supporting Public Sector Innovation”

Delivering Excellence 19 in Medical Services Healthpoint’s Head of Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery, Dr. TimmWolter, sheds light on the science behind the art of cosmetic surgery

38 Just Giving Results of inaugural study of giving behaviour, conducted by Philanthropy Age and YouGov, highlight generous spirit of Arabs in the UAE

Local Enterprise Meet Subhi Farah, co-founder of the Forbes 2015 Most Promising UAE Startups, Kanari • page 42

46 Build Your Digital Profile Learn about the art of storytelling and the five steps to creating an effective content marketing strategy

50 Idea Watch You thought the Terminator was just a movie?

Think again. Meet the Robots of the future

56 Off Topic This month, PSE explores Abu Dhabi’s thriving Café Culture as we visit some of the capital’s coolest cafes

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Word from the Managing Editor November 2015 Vol.1 issue 11 When is the last time you went to the bank? Personally, I cannot recall the last time I had to physically go to my bank branch. With the easy and convenient options of online, telephone, and mobile banking services, banking has become quite a breeze in the UAE. In this issue of PSE, we explore the evolution of the UAE’s financial sector and take a look at the some of the trends that reflect the future of banking and finance.

In keeping up with the Abu Dhabi Awards for Excellence in Government Performance, our guest writer and Excellence Guru, Samuel Beshay, discusses the concept of excellence awards. Are they a means of achieving excellence, or just a goal to accomplish? He also sums up the 10 commandments of any Excellence Evaluator in this month’s “Empowering Excellence” segment.

Anyone who has managed a project, large or small, knows about the complexities and challenges involved in getting things to run smoothly. Wouldn’t it be great to have a supportive project sponsor who can kick down doors and get things moving when required? PSE’s PMP Correspondent Alexander Matthey discusses the importance of a Project Sponsor’s support in our ‘Project Management at a Glance’ feature.

Innovation is another big theme in this month’s issue, as we explore how governments can support public sector innovation in our ‘Knowledge Exchange’ segment with Professor Malcolm Morley. We then take you around the world to see which cities have been named ‘The most innovative cities in the world 2015’ in our monthly ‘Benchmarks’ segment. We also catch up with one of the UAE’s top startup co-founders, Subhi Farah, who shares with us his innovative startup business that is changing the way we measure customer experience.

The fun continues as we share the ‘Art of Storytelling’ in our ‘Build your Digital Profile’ segment and last but not least, we would like to introduce you to your future colleagues: The Robots, in ‘Idea Watch’.

To our subscribers who have contributed their valuable feedback and suggestions, we offer a word of appreciation, and continue to encourage our readers to share their opinions via email to info@psemagazine.com. Also, stay tuned for some upcoming competitions with great prizes on offer in our future issues.

If you have missed any of our previous issues, or are looking for additional articles, downloads, and professional resources please visit our website: www.psemagazine.com Best Regards, Denise Daane, Managing Editor

Managing Editor Denise Daane denise.daane@psemagazine.com Deputy Editor Paul Cook paul.cook@psemagazine.com Copy Editor Ford Maddox ford.madox@psemagazine.com Art Director Regis Sudo regis.sudo@psemagazine.com Production and Distribution Group Production & Distribution Director Faisal Chareuf Tel: +44747 2011995 faisal.chareuf@psemagazine.com Comercial Sales General Manager Khalid Mohammed Tel: +97150 3188891 khalid.mohammed@psemagazine.com Sales Manager Peter Mushington Tel: +97152 7297978 peter.mushington@psemagazine.com Please visit our website: www.psemagazine.com

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In December, PSE takes you into the thriving renewable energy sector in the capital PSE also takes a look at the Excellence Award winners of ADAEP’s 4th cyde.

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As the capital continues to diversity its economy, the manufacturing sector has seen phenomenal growth. Find out more.

In February, we take an inside look at the UAE's smart city initiatives as well as explore some of the "Smartest Cities" around the globe.

Public Sector Excellence is published by Public Sector Publishing FZ LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, without prior written permission of Public Sector Publishing FZ LLC. is expressly prohibited. Public Sector Publishing FZ LLC, PO BOX 769365, Blue Building, Office 41, Sheikh Zayed Street, Eastern Ring Road, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

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Current News And Affairs General Government News

EDITOR’S PICK

Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate held

Sheikh Mohammed creates ‘smart majlis’

The Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate was held on Sunday the 1st of November, where the role of GCC countries in a changing world threatened by extremism and terrorism were among the many topics discussed at this important event.

The event is a gathering of more than 300 decision-makers, researchers and academics – from 40 countries – 70 of whom shared their insights. Subjects included political and security challenges, the changing notions of power and state in the new digital age and the perspectives for the Middle East, in particular the Arab Spring countries.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has drawn on the traditional concept of a majlis to create a platform for brainstorming ideas on making the UAE a better place.

The objective is to give all members of society the opportunity to attend the majlis and present their ideas and comments, consult together and work to promote the development process. The majlis consists of three parts.

Residents and visitors may submit ideas to the council through an evaluation process.

Second, the public can provide feedback on problems at facilities, such as parks, beaches and roads, by photographing them and specifying locations. Third, the Smart Majlis will periodically meet to conduct brainstorming sessions.

Sheikh Mohammed launches UAE Pioneers The UAE Pioneers initiative recognising leaders of progress in the society has been launched for its second edition, ahead of the 44th National Day. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, called on the community to nominate “creative citizens” serving their country through their ideas and visions.

The initiative is an effort to thank and honour creative citizens who have left their imprints in the UAE’s progressive journey, and their contributions. Forty-three people were honoured last year, including the first doctor, inventor, professor, broadcaster, policewoman and other personalities.

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Aviation and Tourism Abu Dhabi International Airport’s passenger boom continues Abu Dhabi International Airport released figures today that show its strong global appeal as a travel hub, with an impressive 18% growth in passenger traffic over the first three quarters of the year, with a total of 17,473,063 passengers. The top ten busiest routes for the first nine months of 2015 included the U.K., U.S.A., Saudi Arabia, Australia, Qatar, Thai-

land and Germany. Total aircraft traffic was also up 14.3% in the first three quarters of the year, in which AUH successfully facilitated 129,703 aircraft movements.

Energy and Sustainability UAE petrol prices to drop in November Most drivers will pay less for petrol in November than they did when fuel was subsidised. Super will cost Dh1.81 a litre, Special Dh1.70 and diesel Dh1.87 – all cheaper than in July. E Plus will cost Dh1.63, only 2 fils a litre more than before deregulation.

Prices at the pump soared in August when the Ministry of Energy removed subsidies and introduced monthly price-setting based on global markets. But petrol prices began to fall in September and will fall again in November for the third consecutive month.

Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan inaugurates Eye on Earth Summit 2015 Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the board of trustees of the Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, inaugurated the second Eye on Earth Summit at the St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi which took place from 6-8 October and themed “Informed Decision-Making for Sustainable Development”. The Summit casts a spotlight on the role governments, technology, the scientific community and citizen participation play in

strong global partnerships and creation of clear national policies that promote sustainable growth. The UAE has a clear strategy to promote further development of key manufacturing sectors and this is evident by its agreement to host the inaugural Global Manufacturing & Industrialisation Summit (GMIS) in Abu Dhabi next year.

UAE Cabinet approves Dh48.5bn budget

enhancing access to quality data about the state of the world’s resources.

Health Abu Dhabi Healthcare Sector Witnesses Steady Growth The Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD), announced that the number of licensed healthcare professionals in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi registered a 17.9 per cent growth in 2014.

According to HAAD, the number of healthcare professionals grew from 31,993 in 2013 to 37,716 in 2014. The highest growth rate was in the nursing profession with 21.5 per cent. HAAD revealed these statistics at the Healthcare Recruitment and Training Fair held in Abu Dhabi at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from 31 October to 2 November 2015.

Economy Lessons Learned from 2015 World Economic Forum At the World Economic Forum 2015 Summit on the Global Agenda hosted in Abu Dhabi, more than 900 thought leaders from more than 60 countries gathered to discuss the most critical global, regional and industry challenges we face today.

Among the many important topics, it was made clear during the event that the UAE is supporting the development of the manufacturing sector with investment in education,

In October, he UAE Cabinet approved a reduced federal budget of Dh48.5 billion for 2016, as lower oil prices spur GCC states to tighten their spending.

Spending in 2016 will be down 1.1 per cent from Dh49.1bn this year. The budget accounts for about 13 per cent of all government expenditure.

More than 50 per cent of budget spending will go to education, social services and health. Other sums will be spent on defence, public safety, economic development, environment and culture.

Ministry of Interior Abu Dhabi Community Police Receives International Award The Department of Community Police at Abu Dhabi Police has received the International Police Sciences Association (IPSA) International Award for “Police Practices and Community Relations” category, during the 2nd IPSA International Conference 2015, held under the slogan “Police, between Quality and Excellence” in Los Angeles, USA. The team selected the Community Police’s station in the Tourist Club area in Abu Dhabi as a modern and innovative project that serves residents of the region. The station has been established to ensure better communication with the public; providing them with community services, and solving their problems, via a ‘neighborhood record’, which includes relevant information about the region.

Education ADEC launches the “My Identity” Program across schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi

has announced the launch of My Identity Program as part of its five-year strategic plan to deepen national identity among Emirati students across public and private schools, while increasing appreciation and respect towards the nation amongst Expatriate students.

The program introduces a differentiated approach that meets the needs of diverse school systems in order to contribute to the formation of a cohesive society bonded to its identity.

Banking and Finance Business Lending on the decline UAE banks are becoming increasingly risk averse when weighing loans to businesses, the Central Bank said in its latest credit sentiment report. The Central Bank’s findings confirm what bank executives have been saying in recent months as well as what has been revealed in some third quarter earnings.

According to the Central Bank’s third quarter survey results, despite ongoing demand growth, there is evidence of a reduced willingness to extend business loans among financial institutions, with changes in credit standards suggesting a higher degree of risk aversion.

Banks are finding it increasingly difficult to collect debt payments. United Arab Bank, the Sharjah-based lender, said this month that it lost Dh272.6 million during the third quarter because of bad commercial loans.

Most customers trust local banks more Seven out of 10 bank customers in the UAE trust their local lenders more compared to others in international markets, according to a survey conducted by the UAE Banks Federation.

The poll, conducted in August, surveyed 1,040 residents in the UAE with bank accounts in the country. The survey showed that 74 per cent of banking customers had confidence in their banks to behave responsibly. Respondents also said that good customer service, loans and safety and security were significantly ahead of excessive interest rates, high profits and poor customer service.

The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC)

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P r oject management at a glace

Project Sponsors are Super

By Alfonso Bucero, MSc, CPS, PMP, PMI-RMP, PfMP, PMI Fellow, Partner & Director, BUCERO PM Consulting

T

he success or failure of any project often hinges on how well the project sponsor — the person who funds the project and ensures that desired benefits are achieved — relates to the project, the project manager, and other stakeholders. However, executives who are assigned as project sponsors often have little if any experience understanding their roles and responsibilities. Problems in communication and execution are inevitable if senior managers and project managers do not understand the mechanics of their relationship. The project’s sponsor and manager must learn to negotiate effectively with each other to achieve their commitments.

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managing editor

all of the projects areas.

How to sustain Sponsorship?

▼ A major problem with project sponsors is to keep them committed to the project. We often find that the sponsor of a delivery organisation is very involved initially, but withdraws after the sale. Don’t let that happen.

The project sponsor is important because they perform so many different roles during the project life cycle: seller, coach and mentor, filter, business judge, motivator, negotiator, protector, and upper. A key obligation of the project sponsor is to create the right environment for project success. The sponsor needs to spend time explaining the importance of the project and how every team member will be part of project and organizational success.

How to choose the right Project Sponsor?

▼ Complex projects need sponsors that act as leaders rather than managers.

Leaders establish directions for the future, communicate through vision, and forge aligned high-performance teams.

We found different answers to the question: why choose to sponsor a project?

Project professional’s reasons can be classified in four distinct categories: business, political, personal and stakeholder reasons. Achieving excellence in sponsorship means that senior managers get to maintain a hands-off approach but are available if problems

arise. The criteria for selecting a project sponsor depends on the project culture of the organization, we recommend looking for the following qualities in potential sponsors: 1 ∙ They feel the need for change 2 ∙ They believe that the effort to change as usual 3 ∙ They have vision 4 ∙ They are constant in their actions, activities and reactions 5 ∙ They are willing to invest time andenergy 6 ∙ They place a high priority on the value of project-based work and the outcomes produced 7 ∙ They have a plan for the future 8 ∙ They believe in learning from experience 9 ∙ They are capable of making a realistic appraisal of resources 10 ∙ They see things from other people’s perspectives

Always Remember - Not every executive makes a good sponsor. A project sponsor needs specific skills and attitudes such as passion, the ability to unite a team, and a broad knowledge of

Always Have a Role For a Sponsor The activities to perform, as a project sponsor, vary during a project life cycle. Project sponsors are more helpful when they provide support but do not interfere. During the initiation and planning phases, the sponsor should play an active role in helping establish project objectives. The sponsor also guides the project manager to make decisions during the organization and staffing phases. A sponsor should often deal with organisational politics and can help navigate around the political factors that influence project execution.

Proactive Sponsorship The ideal situation is getting a project sponsor who is committed, knowledgeable, accountable, and serious about the project. Their values should be transparent and aligned with the organization’s strategy. It is far better to start out with the right sponsor than having to correct a bad sponsorship situation down the road.

Project Reviews One method for building project manager/sponsor relations is to run monthly project reviews led by the sponsor. These meetings add value to the project manager, to the project sponsor, and to the organization.

They allow the project manager to review the project status and pending tasks and at the same time, they

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information centre

Moving Forward Through Sponsorship Often, the reason for failed projects is poor sponsorship. The main trait that clearly distinguishes sponsors is their power and authority to encourage change. Unlike other leaders, sponsors hold the purse strings and possess legitimacy and authority to do whatever is necessary to enable the achievement of transformation objectives. Leaders become better prepared as sponsors of major projects by taking inventory of their talents and skills and putting appropriate action plans in place.

Leading By Example A major objective for sponsorship is to encourage teamwork, and every member should also think and act in accordance with what would be best for project and organisational success.

Collaborative behaviours make for a productive and effective project.

Corporate Culture Culture may be described as the way we do things in organisations, including “war stories,” symbols, rituals, shared values, power, structure, traditions and norms, and styles. Being conscious of the culture in an organization is a step toward making necessary changes.

Corporate culture may be classified by type: an organization can have a power, bureaucratic, task-oriented, or person-oriented culture.

Critical roles Everyone has roles to perform in a change management process. Clients request projects, and projects generate changes in organisations. There are four critical roles in organisations that run projects: advocates want change but do not have the organisational power to sponsor it themselves, sponsors have

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“

allow the project sponsor to know more about the project.

Everyone has roles to perform in a change management process.

the authority to commit resources, agents carry out the change, and targets receive or adjust to the change.

Financial responsibilities The sponsor always has specific responsibilities for project funding. Strengths and weaknesses here correlate directly with project success and failure. Financial responsibilities characterize client sponsors. The financial reasons for the project and the return on investment that the customer organization expects to achieve are important for the sponsor to consider.

Is it Worth the Risk?

Before implementing a project, it is crucial to assess the risks. Running a risk assessment survey to raise the awareness of the organization’s current positioning can be very beneficial and provides a high level analysis of possible risk areas for the project. Risk is assessed on the basis of eight critical factors for any change: motivation, commitment, shared vision, culture, alignment, communication, planning, and skills. Our suggestion is using this model with all project stakeholders, possibly with different layers in the organization and with various groups. In that way, you gather contrasted opinions to study.

Feedback for the Future Feedback is vital. Elements to be scored are: Client project management, Quality and skill set of client team, Availability of needed resources, Clear decision making-process and responsibilities, Collaboration with provider, Working conditions for provider team, Client sponsorship for project, Climate of innovation.

Sponsorship Development

▼ Some managers have not lived on the customer site and never managed a customer project and so may not understand the importance of project planning. Higher-level managers often believe that project managers are like magicians, solving every issue with a wand. Executives need to know what project management means and that well-managed projects have an impact on a business.

Organising sessions for executives to help them to get the training they need is a good starting point. Begin with short sessions (two or three hours long), and promote project management awareness. Teach executives that successful sponsorship starts at the beginning and continues till project is done. Try to promote communication between project managers and executives and in time, executives will learn more about daily project activities and ultimately appreciate the work that is done by sponsors.

A sponsor initiates, funds, and supports the project from inception to completion and Proactive sponsorship should be the goal. Managers acting as project sponsors need to spend time with every team member so they can deal with all aspects of the project. Success starts with a strong commitment to improve. Leaders become better prepared as sponsors of major projects by taking inventory of their talents, skills, and behaviours and putting appropriate action plans in place. Project managers take the initiative to develop skills and proactively manage their sponsors.

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K nowledge E x c h ange

Supporting Public Sector Innovation

This issue was addressed by:

1

Introducing a new innovation investment evaluation process to identify innovation proposals with commercial potential.

Providing support for the innovators to develop their ideas beyond proof of concept in the form of allocating time and budgets.

The provision of access to people with commercial skills to work alongside those with technical skills to ensure that the commercial potential of the innovation was developed and a credible business plan was created for it.

Giving an equity stake to the innovators in companies created to achieve the successful realisation of the commercial potential being created through their innovation.

2

3

4

By Malcolm Morley, Chief Executive at Harlow Council, Visiting Professor at The Lord Ashcroft International Business School, Anglia Ruskin University and Visiting Professor, The Business School, University of Bedfordshire As a management consultant I worked with a multinational company to identify how it could more effectively exploit the intellectual property that was being created by its very talented people. The reason for my engagement was that the technically brilliant people that the company employed were more interested in innovation than in entrepreneurship. This meant that many patents were achieved for great technological innovations but few were developed further and exploited commercially. The company’s significant investment in innovation was not producing a significant financial return for it.

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The result was that more innovations were exploited commercially and provided a real return on the company’s investments in patent development. The innovators became more aware of, and interested in, entrepreneurialism as well as their technical discipline. A number of companies based on the innovations were created and spun out of the parent company generating significant rewards for both the company and the innovators. Service users received better services from the innovations which previously had not been developed into operational activities.

The innovators needed time, resources and support to enable them to develop their innovations and to recognise and realise the commercial potential of them. It was noticeable

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K nowledge E x c h ange

that as the success of this initiative grew others became interested in it and the focus of those involved broadened with increased interest in what their innovations could actually achieve for service users and how they could share in the benefits arising from taking innovation from concept to practical application. The organisational culture changed for that part of the business and more proposals for investment in innovation came forward to be evaluated.

make a real difference to service users. To achieve this requires people in the public sector to increase their understanding of markets and strategy (see Understanding Markets and Strategy: How to exploit markets for sustainable business growth).

People working in the public sector often create intellectual property, have ideas about how to improve the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of their organisations through innovation and ideas for improved products.

I believe that many of these people are capable, with appropriate support, of converting their ideas into practical benefits for service users. I also believe that with appropriate support they would be able to create businesses and move from the public to the private sectors generating a financial return for the public sector and enhanced career prospects for themselves.

In the public sector, whether in the UK or in Abu Dhabi, there are many talented individuals with the skills and desire to innovate. I believe that given time to develop their innovation ideas (whilst still being employed by the public sector), financial support (including for product and service development) and access to specialist help, many public sector innovators would be able to develop products and services that could

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People working in the public sector often create intellectual property, have ideas about how to improve the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of their organisations through innovation and ideas for improved products.

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K nowledge E x c h ange

The above could transform innovation in the public sector, improve service provision, lead to the creation of new businesses, generate a financial return for the public sector and see more people in the public sector acquire commercial skills and move from the public sector to the private sector.

Sources of the finance to make this happen could be from the Government and/ or from venture capitalists and other investors. My experience, however, is that venture capitalists and other investors will only want to get involved once there is proof of concept. They want confidence that their investment will enable them to generate a significant return in three to five years and that there are the skilled and experienced people in place to deliver the development of the innovation and the business to generate that return.

This means that it is likely that Government would have to provide the initial funding to develop the innovation from concept to a commercial proposition sufficient to attract external funding.

This reinforces the need to have a panel of experts with the necessary mix of skills and experience to evaluate innovation proposals to select those with service and commercial potential. It also emphasises the need to support innovators by providing access to people with commercial skills and experience to work as part of the innovation process in the development of products and services.

As the private sector plays a growing role in the provision of public services it is important that the public sector plays a role in the development of innovation and that it benefits from it. Innovation and its commercial exploitation needs to be seen as part of the evolution of the

strategy for the public sector and as a component of the organisational culture change required to pursue that strategy.

Public private partnerships need to be developed to provide a win win for both sectors. See my book on how to do this: The Public Private Partnership Handbook: How to maximise value from joint working.

A pipeline of projects needs to be identified for a Public Sector Innovation Programme. A programme that will act as a symbol of the public sector’s willingness and ability to contribute to providing solutions to the challenges that it faces rather than merely reaching for the solutions offered by the private sector.

A programme that recognises the talent of people within the public sector and which recognises that innovation, and the realisation of the benefits arising from it, is part of the changing the role and performance of the public sector.

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DELIVERING EXCELLENCE IN MEDICAL SERVICES

Abu Dhabi's Cosmetic Surgery Industry Gets a Facelift Healthpoint Hospital’s Head of Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery, Dr. Timm Wolter, discusses the science behind the art of cosmetic surgery in today’s era

by Ali Mokdad

S

tepping into the reception of Healthpoint Hospital, one cannot help but feel like they’ve entered a swanky, new indie hotel on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

From the modern sofas in the waiting room to the pristine finishing, Healthpoint Hospital, part of the Mubadala Healthcare network, has pulled all the stops to make its patients feel at ease upon entering their state-of-the-art clinic.

While waiting, I imagined myself as a patient about to go under the knife.

Surely an unnerving experience, yet the tranquil setting in the lobby somehow has a hypnotically calming effect.

This one of the many precise details which the Head of Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery, Dr. Timm Wolter, stresses are among the main differentiating factors between Healthpoint and other cosmetic clinics in the region.

We start off by going back in time to revisit his academic and professional career. Originally from Düsseldorf, Germany, Dr. Wolter studied in Freibrug, Germany and New York and

New Orleans in the United States.

Spanning various sectors across multiple continents, his esteemed career has taken him all across the world.

From working in the educational sector at the University Hospital in Aachen, Germany to working at private hospitals in Belgium, Germany and even Thailand, Dr. Timm truly brings with him a wealth of global experience. Dr. Wolter, who is also a licensed surgeon in the Netherlands, has even taken the time to volunteer in the Philippines, where he was humbled by people’s ability to survive on basic necessities. “I remember giving one of my patients medicine and telling them to make sure that they keep it refrigerated, only to find out they don’t even own a fridge. It was a true eye opener, and it really got me thinking: “You’re worried about your car breaking down. These people don’t even have fridges!”

After recently deciding to make Abu Dhabi his new home, Dr. Wolter reflects on his experience and how it has brought him to where he is today: “I’ve been travelling a lot as you can see, but it’s helped me develop my career and hone my skills over the last couple of years.” Today, Dr. Wolter brings his expertise from the educational and health sector together into his role as Head of Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery at Healthpoint Hosital.

As a child, Dr. Wolter was always interested in the fine skill of manual labour and discovered early on in his adolescence that he enjoyed working with his hands. “As a teenager, I really enjoyed building and creating things with my hands. For me, it was all about the fine-tuning as well as the details of my projects that excited me so much, such as building a model ship or car.

By the time I was in University, it only

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DELIVERING EXCELLENCE IN MEDICAL SERVICES

seemed natural that I transformed my obsession of fine-tuning into a fulltime career, so this is really what motivated me to pursue Plastic Surgery.

I’m very interested in the ability to reconstruct people and give them back their youth or something that they may feel insecure about.”

Dr. Wolter is quick to point out that his work is not about “changing” his patients, but more so, about giving back to them what they may have lost in their lifetime. “If you think about it, what we are trying to do here is reconstruct our patients. For example, if you have a woman who has had 8 children, her body will have gone through rigorous strain during pre and post-delivery. Well, we now have the technological advancements and medicine to replenish the body and revive its original form, I believe that this is the beautiful art behind our science. I just want to help them at the end of the day.”

One can argue that Dr. Wolter’s work is no more different than that of a painter, where his patients are the canvas and his hands are the metaphorical brush. “I truly believe that every successful plastic surgeon needs to have an eye for this type of work. It truly is about symmetry and being able to bring your vision to life. Science, however, also plays a very large role in every successful plastic surgeon’s work.

You cannot have one without the other.”

Historically, Dr. Wolter’s area of specialty was reconstructive surgery of the hands. However, his time spent travelling the world at various hospitals has helped him gain experience in all facets of reconstructive and aesthetic surgery. “I have a very wide

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range of expertise, acquired through all the different stations that I’ve worked in during my career. From the burn patient who needed major reconstructive surgery to the rhinoplasty patient that’s come back for his fifth or sixth procedure because he’s simply not happy with his past procedures, I have performed numerous procedures from the very complex to something as simple as the removal of a mole.

The gratification level has nothing to do with the complexity of the surgery.

I’ve done all these long and complicated surgeries, but [the reward] all comes down to the patient’s gratification.”

At some time during the interview, Dr. Wolter points proudly to a beautifully packaged bowl of chocolate on his coffee table, which one of his patients gifted him earlier today. “You see, this patient is happy and that procedure was less than 30 minutes. That’s what it’s all about.” new, we’re just trying to make everything better. Better consultations, better service and a better overall experience. I’ve got one of the best teams in the region, and together, we aim to pioneer some of the newest and best practices and procedures in the market.” Innovative techniques like micro fat transfers and keloid treatments are among some the many pioneering procedures that Healthpoint Hospital offers. The procedure ultimately can improve skin and increase. Dr. Wolter is passionate about “micro fat transfers” and sees it as one of the most cutting edge procedures in plastic surgery due to its flexibility as an evasive treatment.

I’ve got one of the best teams in the region, and together, we aim to pioneer some of the newest and best practices and procedures in the market The UAE has one of the highest concentrations of plastic surgery clinics in the world, far outranking countries where cosmetic surgery is popular, such as the United States and Brazil .

However, Dr. Wolter is not concerned with the surplus of clinics. He’s confident that his staff are some of the best in the region and that Healthpoint Hospital is armed with some of the finest technological equipment, procedures and specialists.

“We’re not trying to make everything

months, so their skin does not have time to rebuild its elasticity, and this results in saggy skin. These are severe cases where the gastric bypass surgery was done to save a patient’s life, because they are so hindered in their day-to-day life. However, post-surgery is where the patient may suffer from depression and other psychological trauma because whilst they may have lost the fat, they still have the loose skin and flabby body, and that haunts them. With today’s technological advances, my team and I can now go in and help remodel the body so that these psychological scars are no longer visible, thus helping the patient regain his confidence as well as his original figure.”

Dr. Wolter explains: “We know that we can take fat from the body and use it in so many different ways. Well, now we can use fat for aesthetic as well as reconstructive features. We can use it in body sculpturing, augmentation, and for modification purposes. It’s really an advent and something talked about a lot in today’s cosmetic surgery world and I’ve been lucky enough to witness this procedure from the beginning.”

Dr. Wolter is clear to point out that the patient always comes first- “We are really careful to understand our patients and that’s why we take the time to get to know them and their motivation behind why they want the procedure.

I think that’s what really sets us apart here at Healthpoint. If you think about

it, we’re only the final part of the puzzle. Before you get to the procedure, we do a comprehensive analysis on you and understand your motivations.

We create 3D scans on the procedure and meet multiple times, then we assess if you’re eligible for the procedure. We have due diligence every step of the way, and I think that’s really the most important part of being a successful plastic surgeon.”

Dr. Wolter is also excited about his reconstructive weight loss surgery for patients who suffer from loose or saggy skin due to rapid weight loss from stomach procedures, such as a gastric bypass procedure.

Dr. Wolter’s passion in plastic surgery ultimately lies in his ability to provide confidence and gratification to those that may feel insecure or uneasy about their bodies. However, he doesn’t just take every patient that walks through his doors. “If you want plastic surgery, you need to know your motivation behind that treatment. Only then can we discuss your procedure openly and honestly with one another and gauge what treatment is best for you. At the end of the day, I’m here to help you, but first I need to get to know why you want this treatment.” This keen understanding of the patient’s mental readiness to undergo a plastic surgery is a cornerstone of the practice at Healthpoint Hospital, where evidence-based medicine and patient safety guide every procedure and consultation.

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empowe r ing e x cellence

Excellence Awards A Mean or a Goal?

By Samuel Beshay, CEO of BusinessBox Global, regional, national and internal excellence programs seek to achieve one goal: To raise the effectiveness and efficiency of institutions, departments and individuals and encourage them to move forward in the journey towards excellence. This goal must be clear for all concerned and it must be promoted at all stages of the prize, from the beginning of the award process until the results and awards are announced.

Excellence programs strive to embrace concepts and standards of excellence and take them into account at all stages. These programs also take into account the RADAR logic and focus on developing clear objectives for each phase through clear indicators that measure the effectiveness of methodologies used. This enable participants to learn from their experience and set goals for improvement.

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PSE Magazine • 22

PSE Magazine • 23

empowe r ing e x cellence

Clear objectives that drive an excellence programme’s development will enable organizations to empower employees and stakeholders in promoting change. A clearly defined vision that is shared and embraced by all employees is also integral when attempting to meet the expectations of all stakeholders.

Excellence programs identify all the relevant stakeholder groups and categorise them accurately to learn their expectations and requirements. This is accomplished by measuring stakeholder perceptions, holding stakeholder meetings and conducting personal interviews. This process of stakeholder management has long been considered one of the most important success factors of any Excellence program.

When it comes to assessments, Excellence Programs must set the criteria for the selection of the evaluators and select the most appropriate candidate through personal interviews.

Before any field visits, evaluators must be provided with adequate training and ample opportunities to become well acquainted with the teams they will be working with. This way, assessments are more likely to be smooth, transparent, and participative. Before commencing the assessment, it is important to engage participants through orientation and awareness sessions to ensure that the assessment goals and the evaluation process are clear from day one.

An Excellence Programme Needs to be Excellent Organisations participating in an Excellence program should ensure that assessment teams are provided with a professional and comfortable work environment. Efficiency is key to the success of any assessment effort. Therefore, it is important to ensure that 80% of the evaluation team’s energy is focused on the field visits and the final report, and then 20% spent on preliminary visits and tasks. This will result in an effective field visit and a high-level final report that will add value and efficiency to the institution. After all, that is the main aim of the awards process. An effective evaluation process will also be beneficial by providing a learning and development experience for the assessment teams, technical committees and the internal Award team.

Always remember that unsatisfied work teams or teams under extreme pressure will only be able to deliver meager results.

With this in mind, it is imperative to have a competent technical and management structure in place. One that can develop a seamless action plan for the evaluation process with the ability to assign roles and delegate authority to concerned persons. The management structure must be able to respond quickly to changes and stakeholder expectations with timely interventions for the resolution of issues that may arise.

The Ten Commandments of the Evaluator

1

Keep your eyes on the prize An evaluator should focus on the main goal and the final product at all times. This is the final report that adds value to the organisation and encourages them to continue their journey of excellence.

2

Understand the Organization During the pre-site visit stage, the evaluator focuses on analysing the organisation

PSE Magazine • 24

and understanding how it functions to achieve its goals. This is the most important element in the assessment of any institution and is linked to all the evaluation criteria.

3

Plan and Prepare Good preparation for field visits includes proper planning, resource allocation, and making sure assessment questions address information in the document

that may seem unclear. Throughout this process, evaluators must ensure to incorporate the RADAR elements. After all, how can an evaluator write or remark without identifying the level of achievement of the radar elements?

4

Be Professional During field visits, the evaluator must maintain the utmost level of professionalism and objectivity. All questions should be clear and focused to produce answers that are relevant to the grading methodology. The evaluation team must adhere to their agreed roles; not interrupt others, and ask enough questions to ensure they get the right answers.

Evaluators must adhere to agreed schedules and respect others' time, as failure to

commentary and improvements or recommendations that are useful and easy for the organisation to understand and implement.

6

Be Objective Evaluators must take great precautions to avoid being influenced by any previous impressions or preliminary assessment results. Always remember that the primary role of the evaluator is to evaluate the organisation, not to evaluate the document.

7

Give Clear and Concise Feedback Evaluators should pay great attention when drafting their comments as this is the final product of the evaluation. If an evaluator’s comments are presented in a clear and concise manner, the grades provided are easier to accept. However, if comments are unclear and scattered, chances are the grades may create conflict between the evaluators, the team leader, the judges, and the organisation. A key principle of the final report is that the grades received should reflect the comments provided.

8

Stick to the Facts All too often, evaluators are influenced by their initial perceptions of the organisation. Evaluators have to maintain objectivity by assessing the organisation using

do so will only serve to give the evaluator and the Award a bad name. Evaluators should not leave the organisation without completing all questions and inquiries and then cross checking facts before recording them.

Evaluators should not impose and opinions, positive or negative, during interviews. They should also be sure to thank the organisation, from leaders to front line employees, for their cooperation and warm reception during the visit.

5

Have a Team Consensus Immediately following the field visits, evaluators should meet as a group for consultation and to make final agreement on all the points. The next steps are to draft a professional report that focuses on value,

proven concepts, standards and RADAR logic in context. If the evaluator fails to understand the organisation properly, the evaluation loses its credibility, resulting in a generic report that could apply to any organisation.

9

Address The Leadership On the onset of any assessment, evaluators should provide a letter to the senior leadership outlining the eight concepts of excellence, and emphasizing that all concepts are linked to the model criteria.

Leaders should also clearly understand that there is no contradiction between any of the criteria and should have a good understanding of the process.

10

Work As a Team Team preparation and cohesiveness is essential for a successful evaluation.

Members of the evaluation team should be able to clearly demonstrate their understanding of the organisation and be able to illustrate the organisation’s key strengths and weaknesses. They should be ready to answer the questions and inquires of the judge’s team, and should be on the same page as their team members during the presentation. Remember - the main role of the judging committee is to assure that all organisations are graded fairly and objectively.

the organization (Context) the cr iter ia (Framework) ASSESSMENT PROCES S The Criteria asks: Does the Organization...?

Fundamental Concepts asks: What is the impact on the organization?

the concepts (Overview)

radar (Assessmen t Systeam) Radar asks: How well does the organization?

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About ADU

Abu Dhabi University (ADU) was chartered as a private institution of higher learning in the year 2000 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler's Representative in the Western Region and President of Abu Dhabi Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi and the other in Al Ain City. ADU has four Colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS); the College of Business Administration (COBA); the College of Engineering (COE); and the University College (UC); all of which is open to students from all nationalities and uses the American model of higher education.

Vision

Abu Dhabi University is an internationally recognized for quality education and applied research that drives regional economic and social development in the region and beyond.

Mission

The mission of ADU is to produce highly qualified career-oriented graduates in alignment with regional and global needs through excellence in teaching, student learning, faculty scholarship and engagement in community development.

Undergraduate & Postgraduate Programs Scientific Research and tailored to meet the dynamic demands of the regional industry.

College of Arts and Sciences

• Bachelor of Arts in Arts, Culture and Heritage Management • Bachelor of Arts in English • Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication • Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health & Safety • Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science • Bachelor of Science in Public Health • Bachelor of Law (In Arabic) • Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication (In Arabic – Offered in Fall 2015) • Professional Post-Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Al Ain) • Master of Law (In Arabic – Offered in Fall 2015)

College of Business Administration

• Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting • Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance • Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources Management • Bachelor of Business Administration in Management • Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing • Bachelor of Business Administration • Master of Business Administration Concentrations in: (Logistics & Supply Chain Management ; Project Management; Human Resource Management; Finance) • Master of Human Resources Management • Doctor of Business Administration

College of Engineering

• Bachelor of Architecture • Bachelor of Science in Aviation • Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering • Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering • Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering • Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering • Bachelor of Science in Information Technology • Bachelor of Science in Interior Design • Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering • Master of Engineering Management • Master of Project Management • Master of Science in Civil Engineering Concentrations in: (Structural Engineering; Construction Engineering Management) • Master of Science in Information Technology

I n F oc u s

It’s All About the Dirhams An In-depth look at the evolution and future of the financial sector Over the past two decades, the UAE has earned a reputation for embracing change and striving for excellence in public and private sector services. The financial sec-

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tor has been at the forefront of this drive in positioning the UAE as a regional and global leader in banking and financial services.

The financial sector is a crucial component of the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 that was launched under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and is expected to play a huge role in diversifying the economy of Abu Dhabi.

When it comes to the financial sec-

tor, even key commentators from the Big 4 Consulting Firms believe the numbers look good. The banking and finance sector in the UAE has been growing at a phenomenal rate, and the substantial advances in providing a sophisticated avenue to channel money flows in the region are a prime example of this.

Comprising of 23 local and 26 foreign banks, with 957 branches between them, the banking sector in the UAE has for quite some time benefitted from being

in a very sound and robust position. The economic outlook of the UAE and Abu Dhabi in particular seems expansionary despite recent “disturbances” in global economic conditions. This in turn will inevitably have a positive impact on the banking and finance sector. An increase in spending and central and development bank funding for projects that support Abu Dhabi’s Economic Vision 2030 program will increase the role of this sector in supporting the economy of Abu Dhabi and propelling it to new heights.

Looking at the figures, the mid-year Banking Sector Summary published by the National Bank of Abu Dhabi reports that the twelve-month rolling sum profits for the listed banks in the UAE have reached a frankly impressive US$ 10bn at the end of Q1 2015, which is a y-o-y growth of 18.4% for Q1. The sector is by far the most profitable sector of the economy.

In terms of market share in the local banking industry, the 2015 first quarter data from the UAE central bank shows that National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) tops the list with a 17% market share on banking sector assets. In fact, the four leading local banks (NBAD, Emirates NBD, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and First Gulf Bank) command more than 50% share of the total banking sector assets.

Key Players Abu Dhabi, the richest member of the UAE’s seven-member federa-

tion, is one of the strongest financial markets in the Gulf, if not the world. The financial sector in Abu Dhabi and across the UAE is effectively resourced to deal with global and domestic stress scenarios and has handled the recent global financial turmoil relatively well.

on the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange and banks are the biggest component. Other major investment sectors include real estate, investment & financial services, general services, industrial, telecommunication, insurance, consumer staples and energy.

In Abu Dhabi, the state owned financial institutions play a tremendously important role in shaping the banking and financial sector.

One major player is the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance, who are responsible for the management of a large part of public sector spending. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), who invest funds on behalf of the Government of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, also are a significant firm. Further key components in the public sector are the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC), who also invests funds on behalf of the Government of the Emirate, and Abu Dhabi Holding (ADH), who offer an array of innovative financial instruments to help satisfy the growing needs of the local community. Another business to take note of is the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange ADX, which is an autonomous state owned enterprise (SOE), that provides opportunities to invest in securities that can benefit the national economy.

The Financial Sector Race

The market capital of the Abu Dhabi security exchange is around $115 billion while the trading volume is around $149 billion, making it the 3rd highest in the GCC following Saudi Arabia and Qatar. There are 67 companies in four sectors listed

The UAE’s financial sector has experienced impressive development over the past few years. Low interest rates, diverse and competitive product offerings, and no tax are principal characteristics of the financial sector in Abu Dhabi that is seen to offer a range of great incentives for local brands. However, consumer reports have highlighted that customer service and experience results are low compared to global benchmarks. This finding has gone on to fuel heavy investments in digital transformations and innovations to improve a customer experience that needs evident work.

With the key priorities of improving customer satisfaction, loyalty, retention, and wallet share measures, UAE banks are in a competitive race to provide customers with the best and latest financial products and services. In 2016 and beyond, the digital banking trend is not only set to continue, but will accelerate, as local banks invest in innovation and catch up with those who have a first mover advantage.

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IN F OC US

ABOUT

2 Banks

45%

have at least one credit product such as credit cards,

on average for their personal banking needs

52%

have at least one savings or investment product such as a savings account, stocks or bonds.

40% 12% 8% 4%

58% 46% 42%

of banking consumers use phone banking go to a branch speak to their banking relationship manager 9% use a banking app on their tablet

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE FINDINGS

51% 52%

of banking consumers use ATMs

31% use online banking

their bank. People are increasingly looking to banks to help manage their real-time advice. When a customer spends too much money on a product or service in a month, they expect the bank to advise them, and provide them with alerts to help them manage their budget. In response to this 2016 will inevitably see the rise of smart banking tools like Personal Financial Management (PFM), Sensors, and GPS alerts.

4 ∙ BANKING MADE SIMPLE

44%

33%

21% use a banking app on their smartphone

Research conducted online by the YouGov Finance Oracle, between 2 June and 8 July 2015 among 2,630 residents who currently use a bank in the UAE. The sample is representative of the online population in the UAE.

Here are some of the top UAE retail 2016 and beyond: 1 ∙ DIGITAL BRANCHES AND VIRTUAL BANKING Branch banking in the UAE continues to be vital in the ambition to entice new customers and improve accessibility actions are increasingly going online and mobile, branch banking remains an important part of the ‘local bank’ culture. Despite this, 2016 and beyond looks set to bring more self-service facilities with digital advice on investments, savings, and insurance through accessible and interactive means such as tablets and touchable walls. Banks are also setting the foundations to offer virtual branch experiences through

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Facebook banking and even possibly a dedicated Virtual Reality portal.

2 ∙ GOING MOBILE As mobile phones continue to be an integral aspect of banking convenience, banks will look to develop mobile phone apps and solutions to streamline processes and ensure customers (or potential customers) are through their phones. From browsing products and services to completing an application process, the mobile will become the most important channel for banks hoping to engage with a tech savvy population that are eager for easy access anywhere.

3 ∙ BANKING ON ADVICE Today, consumers hold extremely high

for making banking too complex and consumer. Banks will likely vamp their simpler and more transparent, reducing the amount of jargon and complex information in marketing materials and consumer documents will make banks seem more approachable and accessible.

Social Media Marketing in the banking sector will also increase, using rich media that consumers enjoy more, such as video and images to attract and engage.

5 ∙ DIGITAL IS DRIVING THE WAY Digital payments have already had a successful debut in the UAE, and with the support of government sponsored smart and e-services initiatives, we expect to see a lot of activity in this area in 2016. Local examples such as the BEAM Wallet, Mashreq ‘s TAPnGO, Emirates NBDs MePAY, and NBAD’s Arrow have already paved the way in a movement that is only going to grow. digital payments scene though, and as local consumers learn more about these technologies from media, they

will expect to receive similar services from their local banks.

Global Success

Because there are so many banks in Abu Dhabi, the individual banks compete with each other to gain customers and market share. This is forcing banks to constantly upgrade their services and provide international standard services to their clients. This competitive nature is resulting in a financial service that is constantly getting better and better.

Both private and public banks in Abu Dhabi have won various international award and honors. Some notable examples of this include the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, who won the IAIR BANKING AWARDS held in Hong Kong in 2013. The award was presented to the bank for being an essential

point of reference in offering Islamic financial solutions for the global community. The Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank was also commended for its simple and transparent banking system.

In addition, other local banks such as the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank have won prestigious global awards. ADCB won the Trade Finance Award, in London for their continued work in raising the quality and standard of trade finance products in the UAE. Finally, the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD) has also seen significant success with awards and praise. The bank was named the Best Debt Capital Markets House in the Middle East by Euromoney magazine and recently, it was awarded the “Best Sukuk House of the Year Award” at the Global Islamic Finance Awards 2015. All these examples only reflect how the financial ser-

vices in Abu Dhabi are continuing to prosper.

Abu Dhabi’s New Home of Financial Services The capital’s new financial centre, Abu Dhabi Global Market, is set to take centre stage with its official launch this month. Founded in 2013, ADGM was established with the aim of developing a world-class international financial hub in the capital. The ADGM is comprised of the Financial Regulations Authority, Registration Authority, and ADGM Courts. It has recently ended its open market consultation for financial regulations and rules in August, whereby it sought out and incorporated feedback from stakeholders to ensure that the legal framework is attractive to local, regional, and international players.

Located on the beautiful Maryah Island, ADGM aims to capitalise on the UAE’s geographical advantage at the centre of the fastest-growing markets in the world, and challenge existing financial centres in Europe and Asia. It also aims to capitalize on Abu Dhabi’s oil wealth, political stability, financial services, and global investment portfolio to attract international investors.

The banking and financial sector forms a big part of the backbone of the Abu Dhabi economy. With sustainable growth, sensible development and monetary policies, it is envisaged that the progress of banking and financial sector in the coming years will meet and perhaps even surpass the objectives of economic sustainability set by the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision For 2030.

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L et ’ s benc h ma r k

Urban Innovation The World’s Most Innovative Cities of 2015 What do the world’s most innovative cities have in common? Each has a unique local spirit and an ecosystem where innovation thrives.

Is it the amount of money they invest in local start-ups, how they regulate new business models or how they use data to govern? New research published by innovation charity Nesta, Accenture and the Future Cities Catapult may have some answers.

The research team evaluated 40 city governments and crunched 1,400 data points with an aim to help governments and policymakers adopt a culture of innovation and make entrepreneurs’ lives easier. In this article, we explore the framework and give you a run down of the top 5 most innovative cities of 2015.

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The Framework The Citie Framework sets out three categories and nine roles that a city can play to support innovation and entrepreneurship across the full range of its activities.

Here is the framework: Images courtesy of CITIE, a partnership of Nesta, Accenture and the Future Cities Catapult

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let ’ s benc h ma r k

R es u l ts :

T h e

W i nn e r s

2 London

1 New York New York City fought off fierce competition from London to win first place overall, performing strongly across almost all the public policy roles. One of its key competitive advantages is the strength and commitment from local leaders and policy makers.

The Big Apple took the lead in prioritizing innovation and entrepreneurship earlier than most other comparable cities, and has taken an active role in the city’s startup and technology communities over the last few years. It provides strong support for local start-ups across a wide range of activities from funding to community build-

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ing and skills training. It has also built world-class capabilities in deploying technology and using data driven intelligence in the services it delivers to citizens.

New York City’s one area of relative weakness was found in the role of Regulator, where it seems to be held back by on-going struggles with accommodating new business models like Air BnB, that utilise short term rents and ride-sharing.

As New York’s relatively young technology sector continues to grow, the city is definitely on the right track to providing productive conditions for innovation and entrepreneurship to prosper.

Staying true to its reputation as a truly global and open city, London received the highest overall score across the Openness roles. It has developed a sophisticated approach in using methods such as Challenge Prizes to act as a customer of new ideas and to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship.

London is also a strong advocate for the local tech sector, shown through support for the Tech City initiative, a program that accelerates the growth of digital businesses in London and across the UK. The mayor of London has also started to include local start-ups on international trade visits to encourage their participation in global trade. A flexible approach

3 Helsinki to business setup regulations has also benefitted the city, though national government laws and regulations primarily drive this.

On the down side, London lacks some of the leadership and digital capabilities that New York has witnessed. For example, the London government doesn’t have functions like a chief technology officer or digital officer and there is no consistent digital channel for Londoners to interact with services that are split across different areas. Nevertheless, the recent Smart London Plan is a great step forward, providing a platform to build the kind of proficiency that will help London compete for the top spot next year.

Helsinki’s third place position came as quite a surprise this year and it goes to show that smaller-scale cities are just as capable of developing the policies and infrastructure to support innovation and a thriving entrepreneurial community.

and ‘City SDK’ platforms. The ‘City SDK’ is a “service development kit” for cities and developers that aims to coordinate application-programming interfaces (APIs) across cities, allowing swift and simple development of Smart City services.

Helsinki had the most consistent profile of any of the top 5, with a particular strength in the Infrastructure roles of Host, Investor and Connector. Through the use of a highly collaborative approach to working with and supporting local entrepreneurs, Helsinki is developing high-quality digital solutions for citizens through initiatives such as the ‘Helsinki Loves Developers’

Helsinki is also notable for its vision of mobility on demand. Their fully integrated public and private transport ‘one click’ solution carries the scale of ambition you would typically expect from a tech start-up, and is setting the standard for “mobility as a service” initiatives globally.

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L et ’ s benc h ma r k

5 Amsterdam Amsterdam has taken fifth place this year. The city further illustrates how medium-sized metropolises are sometimes more capable of experimenting and developing the right policies and conditions for originality and entrepreneurship than the mega cities can.

Amsterdam’s strength comes primarily from its Leadership score, where it ranks highly as Strategist and Datavore. The appointment of the city’s first chief technology officer (CTO) in 2014 is increasing the drive to break down silos and support citywide innovation projects. The CTO is providing strategic direction for how technologies

4 Barcelona Barcelona is another city that has had a head start in the innovation and entrepreneurship space.

Dating back to the 1990s, it developed one of the first city Innovation Districts - 22@Barcelona. The city’s Office for Economic Growth has estimated, that of 16 pilot projects supported by 22@Barcelona, 90% have gone on to develop a business based on their pilot. The city is now building on this legacy by actively promoting itself as a successful urban launching pad for original entrepreneurial ideas.

Barcelona is most notable for its success with the Customer role and the city came top in this section of the study. Barcelona has also radically changed how it buys services.

The BCN Open Challenge specifies the problems the city wants to

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solve and invites citizens to suggest and develop scalable solutions that it then purchases.

The city actively supports and hosts a range of world-leading conferences, such as the Smart City Expo World Congress and Mobile World Congress, giving local and global entrepreneurs and innovators opportunities to display their solutions to a worldwide audience.

One area of weakness that kept Barcelona off the top spot is its role as Regulator, where the city scored poorly. The 2014 ban on Uber by a judge in Madrid and the fining of Air BnB by the Government of Catalonia reflects Barcelona’s difficulties to absorb disruptive business models into the fabric of the city.

6. Dubai Honorable Mention

will be used to improve the lives of Amsterdam’s residents. All public sector employees are encouraged to become innovators and change agents, and to work together with the CTO’s team to learn new skills and collaborate throughout government and beyond.

The city recently launched a new “StartupAmsterdam” vision and four-year action plan. Successful delivery of the initiatives set out in the plan have the potential to improve the city’s relative weakness as Investor and Digital Governor, and push the city up the rankings next year.

Although Dubai did not make it into the top 5 performing city list, its results were impressive enough to land it a spot on to the “Challengers” List in the company of impressive business hubs such as Berlin, Los Angeles, and Seoul.

In the findings report, Dubai was described as being persistent in creating strong structures for the support of innovation and entrepreneurship. “Dubai SME” for example, a program run by the Economic Development Department, promotes several unique initiatives focusing on cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit within the UAE including an e-portal for services ranging from financial support to incubator services.

In addition, Dubai runs an annual ranking of the top 100 SMEs in the city. This ranking acts as a catalyst to identify promising SMEs and in turn support

them on their journey to competing in the global economy. Dubai also has excellent locations for hosting entrepreneurs including Silicon Oasis, a district that serves as a hub for research, incubators, and enterprises. Furthermore, Dubai’s Business Village (located in the central business district) is an enormous space dedicated to SME office space, events and networking opportunities that is both impressive and prolific.

The top three recommendations that emerged from the findings were- 1) to increase the openness of its procurement processes and use it as an enabler to stimulate innovation, 2) to work on opening up city data to the public and provide citizens and residents with a platform to create new services and optimize existing ones, and 3) to put initiatives in place to strengthen the technological skills of its population and help them access new high growth businesses.

PSE Magazine • 37

j u st giving

2015 Arab Giving Survey Results Results of inaugural study of giving behaviour, conducted by Philanthropy Age and YouGov, highlight generous spirit of Arabs in the UAE

Abu Dhabi-based Philanthropy Age, a mixed media platform dedicated to fostering thoughtful giving in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA) region, has partnered with global market research company YouGov to conduct the inaugural Arab Giving Survey.

The Arab Giving Survey interviewed 1,008 Arabs across the region and offers a snapshot of modern attitudes to the culture of giving endemic within the region, sheds light on donors’ priorities and suggests how potential donors can best be reached. Arab expats dominated the results, at 70 per cent of respondents, while Gulf nationals made up the remaining 30 per cent.

PSE Magazine • 38

Arabs residing in the UAE, who made up 18 per cent of the total sample, were among the most likely in the Gulf to donate in response to humanitarian emergencies, with 42 per cent citing it as a key trigger for giving. While family, friends and colleagues were the main inspiration for charitable giving across the Gulf, UAE residents were also inspired to give to charity by Royalty and country leaders, more so than in any other Gulf state.

A huge 87 per cent majority of respondents claimed to have made financial donations to charity within the last 12 months, highlighting the generous spirit of the region’s people. More than half of those donors

had done so more than once during this time period. 57 per cent of donors across the region tend to give to the same charity organisations. This loyalty was especially accentuated among the most affluent respondents (64 per cent of those with monthly household income of $9,000+).

The majority (80 per cent) of respondents had given $150 or less in their most recent donation, with 45 per cent having donated more than $150 to charity over the past 12 months.

As may have been expected, those in the highest income group were likely to have donated the most, with 59 per cent of those with a monthly household income of $9,000 or more claiming to have donated more than

$500 to charity over the past year.

YouGov conducted the research online, among 1,008 Arab respondents in the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC), between 29 May and 8 June 2015. Data is broadly representative of the Arab population in the GCC region.

The full report of the survey’s results, Philanthropy in the GCC, will be a vital tool for charities, non-governmental organisations, foundations and financial institutions with interests in philanthropy. Copies of the survey containing all of the research data are available to purchase online or in print. To purchase a copy of the report please contact Linda Musco: linda@touchline.ae.

Commenting on the inaugural Arab Giving Survey, Joao Neves, YouGov Senior Research Director said: “The results from the first Arab Giving survey clearly showcase the charitable spirit of GCC Arabs. While generous in their giving, donors across the region are increasingly demanding accountability from charity organisations, with 71% claiming they would stop contributing to a charity if they found it to be performing badly. In this climate, those charities most transparent in their communication and most able to

demonstrate their results are best positioned to benefit from the region’s generosity.”

Commenting on the inaugural Arab Giving Survey, Leonard Stall, Group CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Philanthropy Age said: “Philanthropy Age is helping to set the new agenda for intelligent giving in the Middle East. To have worked with a terrific, reputable international company like YouGov to deliver robust survey data, is fantastic. It’s a first for the region, and a significant step forward.”

Arabs in the UAE among Gulf’s most likely donors to humanitarian emergencies, reveals ground-breaking Arab Giving Survey

“

The comprehensive data set generated by the survey also revealed that religion plays a pivotal role in Gulf giving.

Greater publicity of charitable works is in high  demand, with more than half (55 per cent) of respondents wanting to hear more about giving in order to raise awareness of charities.

Detailed results delve into the giving habits, influences, preferred charities and donors’ sources of information about philanthropy, as well as how much they give.

PSE Magazine • 39

j u st giving “This data sets the benchmark and we will now be conducting The Arab Giving Survey on an annual basis.”

“The results of the Arab Giving Survey break the silence that often surrounds giving, shining a light on the generosity of the region and sparking debate about how best to encourage effective philanthropy.”

“The results of the Arab Giving Survey show greater publicity of charitable works is in demand. Our respondents showed they want to hear more about giving and where their money might be spent most effectively, in order to raise awareness of charities and help guide their giving decisions.”

“We hope our research and analysis in the Arab Giving Survey will help shed light on donors’ priorities and suggest how potential donors can best be reached by the organisations that most need their funds.”

PSE Magazine • 40

L ocal ente r p r ise

Meet Subhi Farah

Co-Founder at Kanari

By DeMar Southard

PSE Magazine • 42

“

The Kanari concept is to provide clients with early warning signals and alerts for one the most important areas of their business: The Customer Experience.

Subhi Farah

Every so often, we hear of friends and colleagues that have made a successful leap into the entrepreneurial world. When I stumbled upon a Facebook post of an old friend who recently made it onto the Forbes “Most Promising UAE Startups” list, it was only natural to call him and discuss his rise to prominence.

Meet Subhi Farah, the CEO & Co-Founder of Kanari. Born and raised in Dubai, Subhi graduated from high school in 2000 before continuing his education at the University of Toronto in Canada, earning a Bachelor Degree in Computer Science in 2004. His first job out of school was with a small startup company in Toronto. This was then followed by a 2 year stretch in a bigger “Corporate Canada” role. Once Subhi had gained his international work experience and exposure, it was time to return home to Dubai. Soon after his return, Subhi took up a job with a local business and technology firm, Shift Technologies where he spent 4 years. “We had clients from the public and private sector, mainly working on business process improvement and various technology transformation projects”. Subhi recalls.

In 2010, Subhi decided to leave his job to pursue an MBA in Barcelona, “It was always my plan to get my MBA. I wanted to complement my computer science degree with one in business management”. During this time, Subhi took courses in entrepreneurship and became involved with ‘like minded’ individuals, including his housemate at the time. “Those were the initial seeds of my entrepreneurial activity. I caught the entrepreneur bug!” Subhi recalls fondly. “We would sit around and discuss different ideas and business plans.” He adds.

Subhi and his housemate used these brainstorming sessions to build a comprehensive business plan that formed part of one of their course projects. They then went a step further and pitched their idea to investors. The year was 2012, shortly after the crises in Europe and times were tough, especially for entrepreneurs who were seeking to get funding for their ideas.

The project ended up being put on hold, but Subhi learnt from the experience: “That initial taste of entrepreneurship was there, so I decided to come back to Dubai to find a job or start a business, whichever came first!” After finishing his MBA Subhi was back in Dubai looking for his next move and decided to contact and old schoold friend, Edmond Husseini.

Over the course of several catchups and numerous espressos, the two zeroed in on a few potential business ideas that seemed optimistic but had potential. Edmond brought with him a great idea for measuring and analyzing customer feedback, which he initially conceptualized during his MBA. It was the beginning of 2013 when the two decided to explore this brainchild through market research and customer interviews. By March, the duo had made the decision to dive in at the deep end! “We started in April 2013 after a month of business planning and selecting companies that would help us build version one of the product. Six months later, Kanari Version 1.0 was born!” Subhi says proudly.

When I asked Subhi what the story behind the name, “Kanari”, was, he chuckled as he braced himself to tell the story: “The name comes from a commonly used business expression, ‘canary in the coal mine’. It came about in the late 19th century when miners used to take canary birds down into mines with them. As long as there was enough air and it was safe to breathe, the canary would be chirping away happily. However, as soon as the environment became dangerous, the canary would give out early warning signals in the form of frantic chirping and visible nervousness. The Kanari concept is to provide clients with early warning signals and alerts for one the most important areas of their business: The Customer Experience. We wanted to be the canary in the coal mine for businesses. If businesses can get early feedback from customers about the customer experience, then they can take actions immediately to rectify the issues and improve their customer service.”

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L ocal ente r p r ise

“The initial concept was simple. Kanari would be a platform for restaurants to receive feedback directly from customers in return for a small reward or incentive. Many customers perceive service levels to be lower here than in other places around the world, so surely there was something we can do to improve customer service!” Subhi explains. “Unlike Yelp, Zomato, and other online review sites and apps, Kanari offers businesses a platform where they can engage their customers and receive useful feedback in exchange for incentives and rewards.” He adds. In discussing the recent wave of customer engagement through the use of new business concepts such as co-creation, co-design, and other user generated content and design strategies, Subhi remarks: “This is an important component of Dubai’s Smart Strategy 2021. Co-creation and service design is a big part of it.”

Soon after rolling out Kanari with their first major client, the Shakespeare Restaurant

PSE Magazine • 44

chain, the team realised that their product had great potential across all industries. “A lot of businesses were using outdated methods for collecting customer feedback. Usually reliant on paper based surveys, comment boxes, and working with expensive customer research companies, businesses from a number of industries were showing strong interest in a better way to measure their customers’ experience.”

Based on the findings mentioned above, Kanari was able to adapt and develop into a cloud based service platform that can be delivered to any device. In summarizing what Kanari does, Subhi explains: “Kanari feedback surveys are delivered to consumers directly to their device at any customer touch point. It is important to get feedback as close to the customer’s experience as possible because the longer you wait after the customer experience, the more the bias in the results and the lower the completion rates. Our sur-

veys are always very short. 30 to 40 seconds tops and this encourages people to complete the surveys.” He then adds: “This is just one side of the business. Arguably the more important is our backend engine. As soon as a customer submits their feedback, the data gets automatically uploaded to our database and the business can login into their dashboard and view, in real time, all the feedback received from customers across its different touch points. They can then drill down and analyze the data received to see where the issues are and start discussing ways to improve the customer experience journey.”

I went on to ask Subhi to tell us about his start up journey to date. He replies by breaking down the duo’s lean approach to startups: “We are big proponents of the lean approach to building startups. This means that we build the basic product features to start with, and build on that as our customers give us more insight into what they require. It’s an

agile approach: Make sure there is a need for what you are building through constant customer feedback and product improvement loops.” In terms of funding, Subhi and his partner used whatever savings they had after their MBA to start work on their new idea.

Once they had their first client on board, the pair were able to raise funds from their family and friends, who contributed 200,000 USD to further fund product development and ongoing resource costs. At the end of 2014, the co-founders got involved with the afkar. ae program, a Dubai based incubator. “We got some additional funding and some great guidance and support from the Afkar team, as well as office space which was a huge boost for us at the time!”

Subhi continues. The team have also recently signed an agreement with another Dubai based startup accelerator, Turn8, where they expect to receive some additional funding and support. “We are quite involved in the startup scene, so we knew the guys there and they knew us. They have been extremely helpful and supportive and are always generous with giving advice, something which is always valuable especially given some of their experience and know-how in the field.”

Since their first big break, the Kanari team has landed several projects across the financial, food and beverage, and hospitality sectors to name but a few. They also currently have a number of pilot projects underway with some of the UAE’s biggest brands. When I asked Subhi what’s next on the agenda, he replies: “We are still focused on developing the business and tweaking our business model, working on developing the ideal pricing strategy, improving our service offerings and value proposition, as well as improving our sales and business development processes. Eventually, we would like to automate a lot of processes by identifying which tasks can be automated so we can focus our efforts on value added tasks.”

I asked Subhi to share what he considered to be the most critical success factors and challenges in starting a new business in the UAE, and what advice he has to offer for anyone

considering the leap. Subhi offer this advice: “Once you stop relying on a day job, that’s when the real entrepreneur comes out. As long as you have that safety net of a full time job and the salary that comes with it, you will never give it 100%. Once you have committed to your business idea, then persistence I believe is the key ingredient for success.

You have to keep following up, keep chasing people, and never lose focus. You are going

months sometimes!” “But on the flipside”, Subhi adds enthusiastically, “once we prove ourselves through a pilot, we are in business for the long term.”

to get turned down and fail many times, but without persistence you will never make it!”

He then adds, “Building your initial client base is also crucial for any startups. Having your first clients as a reference is important in building your business and establishing a reputation in the market. Make sure you give your first clients all you’ve got! If you are persistent and show the client how much you care and how much you are willing to give, they will see it!” In terms of challenges, Subhi says: “Sales has been our biggest challenge, especially in the business to business (B2B) space. Businesses have never heard of us. They are not used to doing business with startups, even though we are offering innovative solutions to their business needs. That’s been a real killer for us! We have to put in the extra work to convince our clients, and this means running a pilot project to prove the value to the business, and this could take

growing start up ecosystem. There is still some resistance from big corporate brands in dealing with startups, but mindsets are progressively changing and they are becoming more open to the concept and starting to appreciate the value that startups have to offer. The UAE is such a multinational and truly global business hub. This means that as entrepreneurs, we can test our products and services with so many different customer demographics, people from all over the world.

We have access to so many different ideas and perspectives. In addition, some of the world’s largest companies have offices right here in our neighborhood, giving us direct access.

Government support for entrepreneurs and innovations is also picking up fast and this really gives local entrepreneurs a boost. I believe that the more people we have taking a shot at startups, the more successful the ecosystem will eventually become.”

To conclude our chat, I asked Subi what his thoughts were regarding the UAE’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and if the UAE was a good place to start a new business. Here’s what he had to say: “It is still a young and

PSE Magazine • 45

B U I L D Y O UR D I G I T A L P R O F I L E

Content Marketing The Art of Storytelling Content marketing is on the up and at least 85% of all marketers say their organizations are investing heavily in it. Unfortunately, it’s getting harder and harder to stand out from the crowd in today’s cluttered information age.

While the amount of available web-based content is doubling every 9 to 24 months, our customer’s ability to consume that content is not. To make a strong impact, your content can’t just be good; it needs to be extraordinarily compelling. What’s more, you can’t have great content without a great strategy. Here are 5 steps to help create an effective content marketing strategy:

Step 1 Know Your Audience

Take the time to really become familiar with your customers. Find out demographics to discover what people are into. Study your customers’ preferences, tastes,

PSE Magazine • 46

and interests to find the answers to these questions: What is important to my customers?

What are my customers’ interests, habits, and preferences?

What do my customers want to know or learn about?

What do my customers read online? When?

Build your customer personas from the real-world findings you discover. Then craft your content marketing strategy to appeal directly to them, ensuring that your stories are engaging and relevant.

Step 2 Identify Stakeholders

Internal buy-in is essential for a successful content marketing campaign. You need champions at the executive level who are

willing to push for investments in technology, people, and content marketing.

Get your content champions to communicate the key business initiatives and market trends that will help inform what content you should create.

A great way to invite stakeholders into your content strategy process is to build a dedicated board. For content to be effective, it must link back to business initiatives.

Run your content board once a quarter to discuss key objectives, campaigns, and customer strategy. These meetings can be utilised to determine a list of key themes.

Step 3 Prioritize and Plan Your Content

Focus on quality, not quantity.

Push your content marketing plan to prioritise which themes are most critical, and focus your efforts on those. This translates to having a documented content

marketing plan that includes an editorial calendar for a well-defined target audience, core content marketing offering, and effective content distribution.

When it comes to content distribution, make sure that you’re utilising every opportunity to promote and distribute your content.

Make use of owned, social and paid online/offline platforms.

Last but not least, observe the latest content marketing trends and

incorporate them to engage your target audience. Here are some tips based on the biggest trends in content marketing today: 1 ∙ Integrate your social media and content marketing plans: The objective is to ensure that have the content you need and eliminate redundant activities.

Ensure that you have channel plans for each major social media network where your business is active. Develop unique content

PSE Magazine • 47

B U I L D Y O UR D I G I T A L P R O F I L E

Did you know that everyday on the internet there are: 4.75 Billion Tweets

4.75 Billion

pieces of content shared

1.8 Billion

photos uploaded

700 Million Snapchats

and tailor major projects for each network.

2 ∙ Mobile Content First: With the increased use of mobile devices, smartphones, and tablets as the primary means of content consumption, businesses must deliver information that’s developed for mobile devices. If your content isn’t readable or viewable on these devices, you may lose your audience before they ever see your content!

3 ∙ Content Presentation and Use of Rich Media: Content presentation can make or break your content’s effectiveness. It’s no longer just what conPSE Magazine • 48

tent you create but more importantly how it looks and engages.

Use attractive headlines and try to incorporate video and visuals in your content. The use of video and images (including infographics) for content communication and visualization have proven to significantly increase engagement.

4 ∙ LinkedIn Publishing: LinkedIn Publishing is a key element of thought leadership. Your top executives and influencers should have an editorial calendar prompting them to contribute on a regular basis and distribute your LinkedIn content across multiple

social media platforms.

Step 4

Assign Roles and Responsibilities Streamlining content may be challenging, but it is essential.

That’s why it’s critical for you to identify who is doing what and when.

For each piece of content you plan, make a list of the people responsible for creation, design, approving content, publishing, managing PR, demand generation, paid digital efforts, social media, SEO, and performance analytics.

Step 5 Set Targets and Track Performance Last but certainly not least, if you want to get any value out of your content marketing strategy, you need start tracking performance against a set of key targets. Here is a short list of the types of metrics you can use: Set specific targets on traffic, leads, MQLs, and pipeline, conversion rates. Also, track social media interactions such as views, likes, shares and followers.

Keep these goals in mind as you launch your content strategy, and hold a meeting 30 to 90 days after launch to review them. Highlight what worked, what didn’t work and why.

If you take the time to build an effective content marketing strategy, your audience will reward you for it.

idea watc h

Robots have both enticed and alarmed us for generations. The idea that we might be able to create machines that are smarter, faster, and more effective than humans has proven irresistible.

Futurists and innovators have long predicted the rise of the machines, a world in which robots perform a variety of functions so humans can focus their energies elsewhere.

PSE Magazine • 50

In fact, robots have been a reality on factory assembly lines for at least twenty years, though it is only relatively recently that robots have become advanced enough to enter into home and office settings. While the quickly advancing fields of automation and artificial intelligence will most certainly revolutionize every aspect of human life, impacting everything from military

strategy to medical procedures, the future of robotics doesn’t have to be a daunting one. Rather, as robots take over more complex tasks, new forms of man-machine interaction will emerge and humans will evolve to accommodate this emerging and symbiotic relationship.

The Future Is Now!

Nowadays, robotics is applied in

The Rise of the Machines

serious contender in the world of robotics. Schaft Inc., one of the companies acquired, built an award-winning disaster response robot that can function in difficult terrain, climb ladders, and clear debris. Another notable acquisition is an army of futuristic bipedal humanoid robots by Boston Dynamics.

Defence and Security iRobot is a company that has created multiple droids to aid in public service. These robots are capable of assisting with bomb disposal, first aid response, and reconnaissance. One notable creation is the iRobot 710 Kobra, which can lift up to 330 pounds and navigate with a speed that is extremely impressive for an automated robot.

almost every facet of our daily functions. Commercial robotics includes factory-operated machines that can build and demolish and there are household machines that can help with cleaning, gardening and small-scale building. The advent of driverless cars is also an interesting concept in engineering. They aim to create safer roads and avoid accidents due to human failures by utilising

navigational software to be as efficient as possible.

Here are some impressive examples of robots working amongst us today: Disaster Relief Always at the forefront of innovation, Google has acquired around seven robotics companies are building themselves to be a

Healthcare Today, medicine is at the forefront of man-machine advancement.

Remarkably, surgical robots are now capable of performing with greater precision than an unaided human surgeon. Researchers are also developing advanced exoskeletons for the disabled as well as similar devices designed to help paraplegics walk.

Amana Healthcare has introduced VGo (robotic telepresence) to enhance doctor-patient interactions and the overall hospital experience. VGo gives renewed hope to children with genetic abnormalities and creates a “telep-

PSE Magazine • 51

IDEA WATCH

resence” for patients who cannot have their family at their bedside at all given moments. It works through the VGo robot and VGo app that combine audio and visual capabilities to give patients a sense of normality, the VGo is even capable of helping hospital-bound students continue in education and interact with their fellow classmates.

Automated Functions Robots have been lending a helping hand in the manufacturing and industrial sector for quite some time now. The only difference is now, robots have become less reliant on human supervision. Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Port, that is almost entirely automated is an impressive example of independent robotics succeeding in the workplace.

Since the UAE hosts some of the busiest cargo hubs and industrial facilities in the region, a little help from robotic employees would definitely be a positive approach to improve efficiency. Watch this space!

Consumer and Personal Robots Yes. You can have your own robot too! Apart from the popular robotic vacuum cleaners, robotic companions (pets), robotic appliances and robotic toys, you will soon be able to purchase a robot that will be able to help you out with more complex chores like dish washing, cooking, redeco-

PSE Magazine • 52

rating and even helping the kids with their homework!

The advent of the aforementioned Telepresence is also experiencing a huge increase in demand from professionals and businesses alike. Need to go away on a business trip? No problem. Your telepresence robot has you covered. Telepresence can actually give you a physical presence at work or school when you can’t be there in-person. It also allows you to keep updated in real time through the use of a motorized robot that displays your face on a screen!

Public Sector Robots From NASA’s Robonaut 2 and the legendary Curiosity Robot roaming Mars, to heat resistant robots

used by the US fire department to climb stairs and generate 3D images interiors, public sector robots have been utilised by governments for quite some time with increasingly effective results.

Robots have a significant presence in Europe too and the European Union’s ROBINSPECT program are developing an unmanned robot that detects cracks in tunnels and further advancements in disaster prevention.

Asia has often been renowned for its work in robotics. An interesting example being in Korea where developers have built a group of robots that locate and and kill harmful jellyfish, thereby replacing the need for chemical agents that damage the ecosystem. An-

THE FUTURE OF ROBOTICS TRENDS AND PREDICTIONS

17%

Estimated number of working robots around the world today

Predicted growth rate for consumer market between 2014 and 2019

1.2m TOP ROBOT NATIONS (Robots per human capita 2014)

1:34 1:59

GERMANY

1:61

S.KOREA

SINGAPORE

JAPAN

1:60

other case is in Japan, where specialised robots have been programmed to help out with nuclear disaster issues and assist in their prevention.

The evolution of smart devices has made it easier to develop designers the opportunity to "outsource" computing and user interface.

1 The market for consumer and office robots will grow between of 17% between 2014 and 2019, seven times faster than the

Predicted number of Internet connected things by 2030

Image, speech, and voice recognition will advance to near 100% accuracy by 2025, according to the latest published research.

50 BILLION

The multibillion-dollar global market for robotics, long dominated by industrial and logistics uses, has begun to see a shift toward new consumer and office applications. There will be an estimated $1.5 billion market for consumer and business robots by 2019. Here are some of the key trends and predictions that are shaping the future of Robotics:

200 BILLION

The Future of Robotics

Predicted number of Internet of Things Sensors by 2020 (from current level of 15 million approx)

3 out of 4 executives

surveyed by Accenture said that just within next three years, companies will need to invest as much on training their machines as training their people.

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IDEA WATCH

market for manufacturing robots.

2 The evolution of smartphones and tablets has made it easier to develop robots for consumer and office applications.

Mobile devices offer designers the opportunity to “outsource” computing and user interface tasks to companion devices, allowing developers to produce app-controlled robots at more accessible price points.

3 The ‘Internet of Things’ network (14.8 billion as of February) will grow to 50 billion by 2020, according to Cisco, furthermore Intel predicts there will be 200 billion Internet-connected “things” in 2030.

4

Image, speech, and voice

PSE Magazine • 54

recognition will advance to near 100% accuracy by 2025, according to the latest published research.

5 Nearly three-quarters of executives surveyed by Accenture said that within the next three years, companies will need to invest as much on training their machines as training their people.

Embracing our robot allies There’s no denying that advances in robotics and artificial intelligence will replace some jobs performed by humans today. But for every repetitive job that is lost to automation, it’s likely that more interesting, creative jobs will take

their place, jobs that only a human can do.

Organizations should explore how they can best combine the creativity and experience of their human workforce with the advanced capabilities of robots.

Developing scenarios and strategies to introduce robots to your business model could be very beneficial and give businesses a clear head start. Looking for certain tasks that could be enhanced and perhaps simplified with human-robotic communications is a great place to start.

Last but not least, get used to the idea, because the robots are coming! Who knows? There could be a robot working with you sooner than you expected!

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OFF TOPIC

Coffee Capital

SOME OF THE COOLEST CAFÉS IN ABU DHABI

Most people in the capital appreciate a good cup of coffee in a place with a nice ambience and decent service. This issue, PSE explores some of the new and original café concepts that have popped up across Abu Dhabi.

The Third Place Where: Corniche Street, Villa T3, near Al Hilal Bank and across from the Chevrolet showroom, Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi,.

When: Daily 8am to 11pm.

This café in Khalidiyah offers more than just food and drink. This renovated, 2 floor villa is now a cozy and welcoming community space. The upstairs rooms can also cater for special events and the café currently hosts Flow Yoga classes there every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8.30am.

No.57 Where: Al Marasy Apartments, Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi When: Daily 9am to 11pm Launched by local entrepreneurs Buthaina al Mazrui and Alamira Noor Bani Hashim, the No. Fifty Seven Boutique Café opened in December 2014 in Al Bateen.

The place is a modern restaurant serving fresh, local ingredients in a sophisticated setting. 57 is perfect for get-togethers, meals, or just a quick coffee. There is even a secret dining room hidden behind a sliding door for those who prefer a more private dining experience.

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Café Arabia Where: Al Muneera, Al Raha, Abu Dhabi When: daily 8am to 11pm The Award-wining Café Arabia is best known for its artworks and exhibitions.

The interior is decorated like a living room and hosts revolving art exhibitions. Some of the past artists who have showcased in the cafe include Australian artist Jen Simon, who is famous for her beautiful cityscapes of Abu Dhabi and American artist Emily Gordon, who is renowned for using resin and paraffin in her works.

Lilies Where: Al Muneera, Al Raha, Abu Dhabi When: daily 8am to 11pm A mix between a high-end restaurant and a café, Lilies serves a variety of French and international cuisines, but the delicious cakes that really stand out. Some of the favorites include the vanilla Nutella Oreo, Moist dark chocolate cake, pistachio Nutella and red velvet cheesecake. If you just fancy a quick snack, Lilies also offer bite-sized options in the form of cake pops, mini cakes, and cupcakes.

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off topic The Art House Café Where: Etihad Modern Art Gallery, Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi When: Sat to Thurs 10.30am to 11.30pm, Fri 3pm to midnight The Art House Café is located in a small space within Etihad’s Modern Art Gallery. Vibrant and creative, everything inside from the décor to the furniture is made from reused and recycled goods. The menu features organic fruits and vegetables picked from the owner’s farm and pleasant surprises all around.

If you do pop in, be sure to check out some of the artworks from the gallery for a visual treat.

The Living Room Café Where: Khalidiyah Village, Al Khalidiyah, Abu Dhabi When: Sun to Thur 7.30am to 11pm, Fri and Sat 8am to 11pm The Living Room Café is a great place to take the kids out for a quick bite. An interactive Dr. Seuss play area will keep the children occupied as you enjoy a nice cup of coffee with friends or family. This café also hosts movie nights on some Thursday Evenings, which include a special childrens’ meal and popcorn for the kids to enjoy.

The space Where: The Space, twofour54 by Park Rotana, Khalifa Park, Abu Dhabi When: Sun to Thur 8am to 8pm The Space offers an setting where everyone can sit together for a meal or a drink and have a conversation.

Featuring one long, giant table, as well as some small couches on the side if you are feeling antisocial, The Space has more of a library feel than a café vibe. The large workspace allows for plenty of craft workshops, which are a regular feature at the café.

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Whether you choose to stroll amongst the cafĂŠs of the Corniche, or savour the hustle and bustle of the Central Market, a serene oasis awaits your return.

You will be captivated by Arabic splendour and tones and textures as warm as the welcome you will receive.