Following the UAE government’s announcement that it would change laws to provide residence visas for top IT talent, how will the country’s technology industry be affected? James Dartnell asks regional and national heads of some of the world’s biggest tech firms if they think this could be a turning point for innovation in the nation, and other opportunities it spells for the country.
On 27th January, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order temporarily barring people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US, and halting all refugee admissions. Nine days later, and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, announced a new visa scheme to attract skilled individuals to the country, including those with ICT expertise.
Coincidence? While we can second-guess the government’s motives, on the face of it this seems to be a timely move designed to turn what will be America’s loss into the UAE’s gain. Sheikh Mohammed said the scheme would be carried out in phases, starting with tourism, health and education visas. The IT industry would be next to benefit, he said, along with medicine, science and research. “The new system aims to attract entrepreneurs, pioneers and talented minds in the medical, scientific, research, IT and intellectual sectors,” he tweeted after the cabinet meeting at which the changes were agreed. “The UAE is a country of vast opportunity. We aim to provide a tolerant environment that can nurture potential and support outstanding talent,” he said.
Abdul Rahman Al Thehaiban, senior vice president, Middle East and Africa, Oracle, believes the changes to the law will accelerate the groundwork that has already been laid for the country to be a technology leader not only in the region, but in the world. “The UAE’s visionary leadership has committed to establish the country as a key global hub for innovation, and the new visa law initiative is a great step towards achieving this objective,” he says. “It will certainly help the country further strengthen its global position as a key driver of innovation.”
Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av CNME.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av CNME.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Faster, Smarter, Safer
James Dartnell reports from the EMEA edition of F5 Networks’ Agility 2017 conference in Barcelona, where the firm’s new CEO François LocohDonou pledged to stay true to the firm’s software offerings while delivering increasingly complex and secure applications to its customers.
Kingdom Come
Following its decision to commit $45 billion into SoftBank’s Vision Fund, why has Saudi Arabia’s government felt the need to make such a huge investment in technology? Why is this investment being directed externally, and does it actually satisfy the country’s aims of delivering its Vision 2030 goals?
Full Speed Ahead
Having recently approved Dubai’s strategy to transform 25 percent of the emirate’s total trips into self-driving journeys by 2030, the RTA’s CEO of its licensing agency, Ahmed Hashem Bahrozyan – the driving force behind the project – explains how the latest autonomous transport nnouncements will contribute towards the goal.
Clear Skies Ahead
Huawei's Connect conference gathered 20,000 IT professionals in Shanghai to showcase a number of solutions that embody the company’s vision to become one of the world’s top cloud players within the next five years. Glesni Holland reports from Shanghai New International Expo Centre.
Joining Forces
Following the historic merger of Mubadala Development Company and International Petroleum Investment Company into a $125-billion-asset behemoth, work needed to be done to get both companies’ IT departments on the same page. Throughout the transformation, Mansour Al Ketbi, now CIO of the resulting Mubadala Investment Company, has proven himself a master of sound technology policy, transparency, and, most importantly, diplomacy.
Community Service
Of all the industries that are most critical in delivering open, secure societies, the legal profession has arguably been the most resistant to digital disruption. DIFC Courts CEO Mark Beer OBE believes the legal industry is now compelled to adopt technology to become more user-friendly, and that it risks being supplanted by the private sector if it refuses to change.
New Kid On The Block
Nine out of ten government organisations across the world are tipped to invest in blockchain technology by 2018, and Dubai’s government has set out its stall to be a leader in the adoption wave. When can we expect to see blockchain become a mainstream technology in enterprises across the region?
How To Fend Off Digital Disruption
Anticipating future opportunities based on hard and soft trends is a crucial weapon in helping CIOs stave off being a victim of digital transformation. Clint Boulton explores what is needed to commit to an ‘anticipatory IT’ strategy.
Building Blocks
Now in its fifth year, the Data Centre Build conference returned to Dubai's Habtoor Grand Resort last month, to shed light on the latest trends and best practices impacting modern data centres.
Eight Steps To The Digital Workplace
Clint Boulton explores how to to craft a workplace that boosts engagement and agility.
