IBM bolsters investments in the Middle East through second Innovation Center in the UAE

New center aims to fuel Industry & innovation around cloud and cognitive technologies

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 31 July 2016:  IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced the further expansion of its operations in the Middle East and Pakistan with the launch of a new Industry and Innovation Center. Located in Dubai, the center will foster innovation in the region by providing an enhanced customer experience, connecting clients with high technical skills and expertise. The new center will also offer IBM clients access to advanced technologies in cloud and cognitive and to IBM’s research centers.

This is the second IBM Innovation Center in the UAE following the opening of the Abu Dhabi center in 2009. The Dubai center is connected to the Abu Dhabi infrastructure which is already showcasing 40 live IBM solutions including customer proof of concepts. Demos and IBM solutions will focus on key industries including Government, Travel & Transportation, Oil & Gas, Telco, HealthCare, Banking and Retail.

The Innovation Center will showcase IBM’s expertise and experience in solving client business challenges through the use of the latest cognitive, big data, analytics and cloud-based  technologies. It aims to nurture IT innovation in the region and support growth, providing an environment where clients from all industries can explore new ways these technologies can help their businesses. Demos include Watson IoT, Cloud, Security, Analytics and Social. 

The center is connected to a full configuration of Hybrid Cloud infrastructure based at the Abu Dhabi center. The solutions will show IBM’s Cloud Orchestrator capabilities as a comprehensive open cloud management platform that automates the delivery of cloud services and provides customers with advanced cloud capabilities for automating the management of virtual environments and building dynamic service delivery models. 

“At the Dubai Industry and Innovation Center we have created an environment in which we put our clients first,” said Amr Refaat, IBM General Manager, Middle East and Pakistan. “Innovation is the key driver for growth in Middle East and Pakistan, and we are connecting our customers with the latest technologies. They arrive with business challenges and leave with solutions”.  

The new IBM Industry and Innovation Center follows the recent IBM investment at the Dubai Design District with the launch of its IBM Dubai Studio earlier this year. The studio serves as a hub for IBM Design in the Middle East and hosts local teams from IBM Interactive Experience (IBMiX), the world's largest digital agency according to Advertising Age.  IBM consultants and experience design experts analyze business challenges and develop solutions grounded in more personalized, individualized digital experiences. 

The IBM Industry and Innovation Center Dubai is the latest in the MEA footprint which includes other centers in Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Turkey. The center joins a worldwide network of Innovation Centers in 33 countries.