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VirtuPort recently hosted the 10th edition of the Middle East and North Africa Information Security Conference 2022, which spotlighted cybersecurity challenges facing organizations and corporates in Saudi Arabia and the region at large.
The two-day international conference, held on Sept. 6-7 in Riyadh, was titled “Converging Cyber Intel: Critical Network Infrastructure IT, OT and IoT,” and featured more than two dozen world-class speakers, key decision-makers and information security influencers, who presented real-life case studies as well as the best practices in cybersecurity and cyber risk management. More than 50 global cyber companies sponsored MENAISC 2022, which was held at Hilton Riyadh Hotel and Residences. The general participation included representatives from top companies from the Kingdom and the region.
Samir Omar, CEO of the MENAISC 2022 and VirtuPort, welcomed guests with a presentation on “Cyber Fusion — The world enters a new epoch.” He said: “There are over a dozen critical infrastructure sectors whose assets, systems and networks, whether physical or virtual, are considered so vital to any country in that their incapacitation or destruction would have a debilitating effect on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination thereof.”
The aim of the 10th MENAISC, Omar said, was to “generate an effective dialogue between executives, directors and global cybersecurity experts with rich experiences in developing strategies and cybersecurity techniques for the benefit of digital transformation and technological advancements.”
“The Saudi ICT market has been witnessing steady growth since the launch of Saudi Vision 2030. This makes the IT infrastructure in the public and private sectors vulnerable to cyberattacks, where these attacks cause great damage to the economy and various sectors,” the VirtuPort CEO said.
VirtuPort provides cybersecurity advisory services to companies ranging from medium to large entities across all industries in the MENA region. Omar stressed the importance of the conference for Saudi Arabia, especially because it is the largest market for information and communication technology in the MENA region.
For over a decade, MENAISC has addressed the industry challenges and provided thought leadership via global and renowned influential speakers, technical workshops, CPE credits, technology exhibitions and much more, contributing to creating an environment of information sharing and community building, including promoting public-private partnerships and more.
The event showcased Saudi Arabia as a pioneer in advanced technological applications for a cyber-secure digital transformation. Delegates at the conference discussed ways and means to stop criminals from causing significant financial harm to companies and governments.
Paul Roberts, Microsoft’s technical specialist in IoT security, was all praise for Saudi Arabia. “It’s amazing to see Saudi Arabia holding such conferences and the participation of several top companies proves how they are aware of cybersecurity,” he said.
Christopher Will, vice president at CyberStronger, said Saudi Arabia’s human capability development program under Vision 2030 will foster values of determination and persistence and improve the readiness of youth to join the labor market.
Giving an overview of targeted intrusion activity, CrowdStrike’s Senior Director Jason Rivera cited Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea for resorting to cyberattacks through espionage and financially motivated attacks.
TCL Electronics (1070.HK), one of the dominant players in the global TV industry and consumer electronics sector, showcased the latest addition to its XL collection at IFA 2022, Europe’s biggest tech show that ran from Sept. 2-6. The 98-inch TCL 98C735 is the world’s largest QLED TV and is currently available in the Kingdom and the UAE.
In line with TCL’s brand signature “Inspire Greatness,” the XL collection features TCL TVs with a screen size of more than 75 inches. The collection offers many options for screen sizes and technologies to fit different budget requirements. The XL collection TVs promise a more immersive, and more engaging visual experience for home entertainment like watching movies, gaming and sports. The TV technology is also paired with Google TV so viewers can access premium content with the best possible quality at home.
TCL brings cinema to your home
The 98-inch C735 featuring Google TV is the largest in the series, with QLED technology 4K resolution that delivers immersive entertainment viewing with stunning Hollywood standard color performance. TCL designed the 98-inch C735 to emulate the best seat in the movie house: When sitting about three meters away from the 98C735 screen at home, users can enjoy the same 60-degree field of view as watching a gigantic 30-meter screen from the middle row, center seats at a movie theater. Both 98C735 and 75C735 are QLED TVs and can deliver 100 percent reproduction of Hollywood colors, exactly as the director and cinematographer intended.
The XL collection’s 75C935 and 75C835 TVs are powered by mini LED backlights, which TCL developed to ensure top-class viewing even in a bright room. With thousands of mini LED lights, the XL collection screens display HDR content at its best by delivering incredible brightness with richer light and shadows. C935’s 1,920 local dimming zones also ensure brilliant blacks, bright whites, vivid colors, and even more fine definitions in images.
All the TVs in the 2022 XL collection support most HDR technologies and formats available in the market, such as Dolby Vision IQ, Dolby Vision, HLG, HDR10 and HDR10+.
Gaming and sports … now even bigger!
The XL collection also offers the ultimate smooth gaming experience. The 75C935 and 75C835 offer low input lag and a variable refresh rate of up to 144 Hz and both TVs support HDMI 2.1 input.
These XL screens allow sports fans to enjoy an immersive experience as if they are at the stadium — just in time for the major sporting events taking place this year! Not only will the 2022 XL collection TVs thrill sports fans, but so will TCL’s partnerships with FIBA and the EuroBasket tournament, and new football sponsorships with England’s player Phil Foden, Raphael Varane for France and the rising Spanish star Pedri.
Waleed Al-Mogbel, CEO of Al-Rajhi Bank, announced that the bank has successfully concluded a three-year dual tranche sustainability commodity murabaha facility with the total amount exceeding $1 billion, making Al-Rajhi the first Islamic financial institution in the world to conclude such Shariah-compliant sustainability financing.
This transaction is considered the largest Shariah-compliant syndication in the Middle East that complies with environmental, social and governance practices. The deal was well received in the international and regional markets as Al-Rajhi succeeded in increasing the financing from the initial offered amount, and a diversified group of 13 global investors from North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East participated in the landmark transaction. The proceeds aimed to increase the bank’s liquidity levels, which will have a positive impact on the bank’s overall business activities.
The syndication was led by HSBC and SMBC International Bank as mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners. The participation of global institutions reflects the trust in Al-Rajhi Bank’s overall business activities, market share and market positioning. It also demonstrates the bank’s commitment to environmental and social sustainability practices, as all proceeds from this financing will be allocated to qualified sustainable projects that are Shariah-compliant and have a positive impact, as specified in the bank’s framework of sustainable financing.
This is considered the first ESG syndication loan in accordance with the bank’s sustainable financing framework, which was established to facilitate financing in accordance with ESG principles. Standard Chartered Bank assisted Al-Rajhi Bank in developing the sustainable finance framework. S&P Global assessed the framework as an independent entity and confirmed that it complies with the Green Loan Principles, Social Loan Principles, Environmentally Friendly Bond Principles, Social Bond Principles and Sustainability Bond Guidelines of the ICMA.
Huawei has made it possible for users to access flagship-level features on entry-level models. And their latest entry-level smartphone — Huawei nova Y90 — does not disappoint. Because of the growing reliance on smartphones, everyone deserves to have a great smartphone without breaking the bank. Fortunately, Huawei has answered the demand for a high-quality entry-level smartphone with the Huawei nova Y90. The company claims that it is the best phone you can get today in the Kingdom under SR900 ($240).
The nova Y90 features a 6.7-inch Huawei Edgeless FullView Display that supports up to 90 Hz display refresh rate and 270 Hz touch sampling rate for a smooth user experience. Whether you want to read, watch movies, or play games on the phone, this display has got you covered. With ultra-narrow 1.05mm bezels surrounding the display and a staggering 94 percent screen-to-body ratio, the phone gives you the ultimate visual experience. To further enhance the experience, Huawei nova Y90’s screen supports features such as smooth screen dimming control, eye comfort mode, and e-book mode.
Sometimes a low battery notification might stand in the way of fun. But with Huawei nova Y90, filling up your battery is a matter of minutes with the 40W Huawei SuperCharge, which is also stable and safe. It lets you enjoy 2.3 hours of gaming by plugging in the phone for just 10 minutes.
Long battery life is always a good feature. Thankfully, Huawei nova Y90 inherits the long-lasting battery life of the Huawei nova Y series, equipped with a 5,000mAh (typical value) large battery to satisfy all-day heavy use.
With 128 GB storage onboard, you can easily store up to 170 episodes of drama series, 12,000 high-quality songs and over 60 HD movies on the Huawei nova Y90. The phone can now easily store your favorite apps, games or anything that you need for work and study.
The Huawei nova Y90 will be available under SR900 in black, green and blue colors, and is available for pre-order until Sept. 28.
On the occasion of Saudi Arabia’s National Day, Al-Seef Heritage Hotel Dubai, Curio Collection by Hilton, is offering a host of attractive packages to individuals and families from the Kingdom to enjoy their vacation.
The facility is located in Al-Seef, close to the historic Al-Fahidi district — known for its famous art galleries and crowded cafes — and just a stone’s throw from Burjuman Mall and Deira Gold market.
The hotel features 190 rooms designed in the traditional Arab styled “Bayt,” grouped into 10 large houses, including 10 suites with an area of 50 square meters, 113 royal rooms with an area of 25 square meters, 67 double rooms with an area of 25 square meters, and six rooms especially designed for the handicapped, in addition to 32 rooms with the creek view directly and 168 rooms overlooking the market.
The hotel offers a wide selection of dishes and traditional foods, in addition to Arab delicacies. Guests can enjoy meals at Saba’a Restaurant inside the hotel, which is open 24/7.
Remco Werkhoven, the hotel’s general manager, said the management desired to make the National Day for Saudis special, so it decided to offer three packages to the hotel’s Saudi guests — the first of which is the family package valid until Sept. 30, at the rate of 3,000 dirhams ($817) per night.
The package includes accommodation in a full “Bayt” that contains nine rooms, free breakfast, a six-course dinner with a choice of a signature drink, a set of special amenities upon arrival, a 20 percent discount on restaurants and spas, and a shuttle bus service to the beach.
The second family package of 2,000 dirhams per night offers accommodation in four heritage rooms, with all the advantages of the first package.
The third family package of 1,500 dirhams per night offers accommodation in a half “Bayt” consisting of four rooms, with the rest of the advantages. It is valid until Dec. 28 and advance booking is recommended. Prices may change slightly based on occupancy.
The hotel’s architectural design is inspired by Emirati culture and heritage. The room colors are inspired by sea blue waters, calm beiges from the desert sands, and the soft greens of country plants, punctuated by colorful flashes of red, turquoise, and yellow.
Arab families — proud of their history and civilization — like to share with the new generation stories and mysteries about the streets and traditional architecture. Keeping that in view, the hotel has transferred the spirit of the past to the present, enabling vacationers to relive the old days of the masters of trade across the Gulf.
Striving to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through play, Lego Middle East held an exclusive event to unveil key global and regional findings from their Lego Play Well 2022 study. The event gathered thought leaders and influencers from across the region, to be part of starting an impactful conversation around the power of play and the attitudes and behaviors related to it.
The Lego Play Well 2022 report brings out the essence of what play means to children and parents across the globe. The findings from the report were gathered from a total of 32,781 parents and 24,593 children aged 5-12, through a 20-minute online quantitative survey conducted across 35 markets in early 2022.
In its third edition, the study delves into how play has evolved, the benefits it brings to individuals and families, the barriers that get in the way and how we can protect it.
The event hosted a panel of experts including Jeroen Beijer, general manager of Lego Middle East and South Africa; Aalia Thobani, communication and connection specialist; and Dr. Hessa Al-Suwaidi, executive director at UAE Sharjah Child Friendly Office. Each expert shared their views around the findings of the study.
According to the report, a large percentage of the Kingdom’s parents agreed that play must be prioritized and protected as it is an integral tool in a child’s development. More than 86 percent of parents in Saudi Arabia believe play is key in enabling children to learn new things and that Lego products help with their children’s development.
The movers and shakers of tomorrow, the children of Saudi Arabia, also confirmed their affinity toward Lego play, as it offers them a fun way to hone their thinking skills and create new ideas. More than 95 percent of children said play makes them feel creative and that playing with Lego products is fun.
In alignment with the Kingdom’s Quality of Life program, which endeavors to improve and nurture individuals’ and families’ quality of life, the Lego Play Well report revealed a large percentage of families in the Kingdom said that Lego play offers them a fun opportunity to create, share, converse and bond together. Ninety-five percent of children said that playing with Lego bricks is a fun activity to do with their parents. The parents’ sentiments were also aligned with their children, with 95 percent of parents saying that playing together makes their families happier.
Beijer, the general manager of Lego Middle East and South Africa, said: “Play has always been the cornerstone of humanity, in that it contributes to all facets of life, from exploration and discovery to creating lifelong learning values. Play is for everyone as it facilitates the necessary environment to create happier families. Most importantly for the Kingdom, the concept of play sheds light on how such a seemingly small, yet simple experience can cascade to impact people’s overall quality of life.”
