ADVANCING IT
As a result of its investments in disaster recovery systems, online and offline backup, and ERP programs, Cloud Acropolis is able to work from anywhere.
BIOGRAPHY
With over 22 years of experience in the field, Kiarash Kiazand started as a software developer and mathematic modeler in the petrochemical fields in France (Istitut Francais de Petrol), before moving to the US. Then, he developed an entire corporate quality system for a multinational BPO over seven years. In the Middle East, he created and managed a company to provide procurement and managed services to a telecom service provider of 30 million subscribers. He later became an international senior principal ICT consultant for IT in telecom operators. He has certifications in data center design, IT operations, networking, storage and server management, software development, business development, and strategy.
What was the driver behind the establishment of Cloud Acropolis in Oman, and what role does it seek to play in the Sultanate's digital transformation, especially after the COVID-19 outbreak?
There are 60 submarine cables coming into Oman, and setting up a data center would be the perfect way to meet the country's white spaces and gain a competitive advantage. There was no international company playing the role of a pure cloud provider, and the ecosystem was in need of innovation to drive down prices to a competitive level. Moreover, we noticed receptiveness on the part of the Omani consumer market to the adoption of ICT services, with rapid growth of the online transaction market. Finally, we saw the availability of human resources, with an extremely high percentage of new graduates with an IT background, a testament to the country's inclination toward the industry. As a result of COVID-19, all businesses started looking at e-commerce, digital communication tools, and open source. We will see steady advancements in IoT, AI, and ERP systems, and we seek to become the underlying enabler behind the digital transformation of the Sultanate.
Why should companies outsource their IT services?
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted once again the importance of business continuity. As a cloud system provider, Cloud Acropolis has been able to work from anywhere, and we have been able to do so as a result of the investments in disaster recovery systems, online and offline backup, and ERP programs. Normal enterprises, however, cannot build the same type of infrastructure and should outsource their services to professional companies. Moreover, while cybersecurity concerns around outsourcing persist, hardware downtimes are much more frequent than on virtually shared platforms. Companies cannot be sure their data is 100% secured, but enterprises need to look at it from an internal maturity and processes point of view. Eventually, every company should have information security management governance on top of their IT services. These policy procedures will clearly show the benefits of outsourcing.
What is your perspective on the advent of 5G in Oman?
5G is much faster than 4G and allows for concurrent connections without being overloaded. The application that sits behind it needs to be intelligent and policy-driven to be able to provide adequate service. Under a 5G-enabled environment, data will need to be processed in data centers within microseconds, and there is a question about how many data centers in Oman can currently provide. Cloud Acropolis has this capability built in already by its 100GBPS internal connectivity as well as all needed technologies to ensure the full communication, storage and processing under 900 microseconds. Reliability of networks is also crucial, so Omantel, Ooredoo, and Vodafone have to ensure there is high availability to provide services based on 5G. There should be regulatory efforts in order to support the telecom industry to develop an advanced ICT ecosystem. Today, we have many IoT services in logistics and tracking devices; moving them to autonomous processes requires the client give a large amount of trust to the entire setup.
What government efforts would you like to be made to support the progression and innovation of the ICT ecosystem in Oman?
The telecoms industry needs to undergo a vigorous mindset and cultural change to favor the enablement of 5G. We do not see a thorough regulatory environment on top of the telecom industry. Telecom is extremely expensive; before COVID-19, we could not even use Microsoft Teams or VoIP systems. The future of Oman is within IT. When Ooredoo entered the market, it had to work hand-in-hand with Omantel instead of competing. When the third operator enters the market, perhaps the regulator will ensure the three players compete freely to manage prices and services. The peering between the two operators, Omantel and Ooredoo, does not happen in Oman, so a call between the two operators happens abroad, at a higher cost. The Ministry of Technology and Telecommunications is expected to turn things around, because, so far, the team has remained the same as the team of the Information Technology Authority.
ADVANCING IT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Focus: Future foreign policy
Friends to all, enemy to none
In championing the late Sultan Qaboos' non-interference foreign policy, the new ruler of Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said, is determined to work for friendship and peace, justice and harmony, and coexistence and positive constructive dialogue.
read articleInterview
David Kalife, CEO, Oman Oil Marketing Company (OOMCO)
Despite Oman's fuel market slowing down, OOMCO increased its sales volume of lubricants by 36% in 2019 and is constructing a greenfield bunker terminal at the Port of Duqm. The company has transformed while growing its expertise in Marketing and Digital.
read articleInterview
Azzan Al Busaidi, CEO, Ithraa
Azzan Al Busaidi is an expert in competitiveness and economic growth. He was appointed CEO of Ithraa in 2019 after 17 years spent covering managerial roles in the organization. Al Busaidi was previously Ithraa's director general of planning and studies and is a strong advocate of the potential of digitization. He holds an MBA from the University of Strathclyde and a BSc in Economics from Sultan Qaboos University.
read articleInterview
Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion & Former Chairman, Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Private Omani companies will be able to benefit greatly from the Fourth Industrial Revolution by enhancing their local value-added strategies and upskilling the workforce.
read articleInterview
Tahir Bin Salim Bin Abdullah Al Amri, Executive President, Central Bank of Oman (CBO)
The Central Bank of Oman's job is to ensure there is adequate liquidity in the system and that banks remain robust and resilient to meet the credit requirements of all segments without undermining financial stability.
read articleB2B
Capital markets
CMA and MSM are supporting Vision 2040 by providing financing to government companies that intend to go public, financing expansion of existing and new IPOs, and widening the investors base in Oman by enhancing and developing the investment funds and insurance industries.
read articleInterview
Khalid Al Balushi, CEO, Khazaen Economic City
International investors and business owners can benefit from Khazaen Economic City's strategic location and its close proximity to the main gateways of the country to import, process, manufacture, distribute locally, and export their goods and services.
read articleFocus: Port 4.0
Destined for greatness
Investments in world-class infrastructure have generated huge rewards for Oman. The goal now is to leverage technology as a disruptive enabler, build human capacity across the public and private logistics sectors, and drive operational efficiencies to build an integrated logistics business environment that is benchmarked against the world's best.
read articleFocus: Gap in tourism services
All bases covered
An amalgamation of local companies and unique experiences in Oman has created an original flavor that is further differentiating Oman's tourism offering from other countries and in the process attracting scores of tourists from all across the world.
read articleB2B
Engineering design
Renardet Engineering Consultants and Design Unit Engineering are recognized experts in their fields. While the former is an international company strongly committed to excellent engineering consultancy services and environmental practices, the latter is an Oman-based team of architects and engineers that incorporates local culture and traditions.
read articleB2B
Construction materials
Oman's construction sector is facing a host of challenges, but Hempel Paints and Al Maha Ceramics are confident that a mix of forward-thinking business models, unique products, and strong government initiatives will help them through turbulent times and generate positive returns in the long run.
read articleInterview
Salim Razvi, CEO, Oman Academic Accreditation Authority (OAAA)
Focusing on higher education institutional accreditation, program accreditation, and the updating and maintaining of the Oman Qualifications Framework, OAAA is helping further advance higher education in the Sultanate.
read article