May 19, 2016

Accenture Opens Digital Acceleration Center in UAE to Fuel Innovation and Advance the Digital Transformation of Organizations



New center supports UAE’s vision for Dubai as the leading smart digitally connected city


DUBAI, United Arab Emirates; May 19, 2016 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) today launched its Digital Acceleration Center in Dubai, which will support the United Arab Emirate’s vision for a nation powered by innovation, digitization and smart technology by helping with the creation of digital companies.

The Digital Acceleration Center will showcase next-generation software and hardware technologies that are blurring the lines between the digital and physical worlds and redefining the user experience, such as advanced analytics, wearable technology, network systems, robotics and the Internet of Things. In doing so, the center will empower companies to quickly achieve their vision of becoming a digital business and ultimately help them enhance their customers’ experiences.

“With the pace of technological change increasing faster than ever, organizations need to create a competitive advantage by becoming more agile, adaptive and aligned through digital technologies,” said Omar Boulos, regional managing director for Accenture in the Middle East and North Africa. “The Digital Acceleration Center in Dubai is a one-of-a-kind ‘think-and-act tank’ equipped to support our clients and expedite their complete digital transformation journey.”

By combining the excellence of Accenture’s services and solutions – including leading capabilities in digital marketing, mobility and analytics – with its deep industry knowledge, the Digital Acceleration Center will help Accenture’s clients in the region accelerate their path to a digital future. In addition to showcasing the latest innovations, the center will host tailored sessions for clients in which Accenture specialists will help them develop customized solutions based on the needs of a digital world, such as enhanced user experience, omni-channel delivery, connected products, data management and monetization, and other Internet of Things-based solutions. These innovative solutions are aligned with the UAE’s goal of becoming a smart, connected nation.

Accenture has been working with businesses, organizations and government entities across the region to help re-imagine how they serve their connected customers and operate their always-on enterprises. At the Digital Acceleration Center, executives can explore new possibilities for transforming their companies with digital technology with industry experts. They will be able to interact with demonstrations of the latest services and solutions and better appreciate the potential of digital technology for their businesses.

Accenture’s Digital Acceleration Center is located in Dubai Internet City, a part of TECOM, the flagship location of the UAE’s innovation-led economy and the home to a rich ecosystem of startups, small to medium-sized enterprises, service providers and experts in global market and technology ecosystems. The center will be a digital innovation hotspot for regional organizations, positioned at the heart of this business ecosystem where it can foster conversations and facilitate connections to explore new ideas in smart technology, thereby boosting digital innovation.

Majed Al Suwaidi, managing director of Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource City, said, “We believe the launch of Accenture’s Digital Acceleration Center in Dubai Internet City (DIC) is a booster to the start-up ecosystem in Dubai. As fostering entrepreneurs is a strategic objective of our parent company, TECOM Group, we are committed to supporting efforts to transform Dubai into an innovation-led economy and Smart City.”

“As part of TECOM Group’s innovation strategy, we launched in5 Tech in DIC in 2013, and are developing a hub to stimulate innovation and excellence across technology, new media, smart education and sciences. DIC has been a successful business community for over 16 years, pioneering growth across the UAE’s ICT sector with a focus on driving the growth of Dubai’s tech start-up landscape and was selected a Strategic Partner of Smart Dubai. We look forward to continue working with Accenture to foster innovation and creativity as well as supporting industry growth.”

Gerardo Canta, managing director of Accenture’s Communications, Media & Technology practice in the Middle East, Africa, Russia and Turkey, said, “Themed around ‘Connected Life,’ the center offers a smart and compelling 360° customer experience to help visitors understand how they can accelerate their digital transformation journey and facilitate “Connected Life Possibilities” for everyday living. The center will also focus on attracting and nurturing local talent, enabling the region’s best people to cultivate valuable careers and contribute to their countries’ growth and innovation agendas by launching several initiatives such as hackathons, innovation programs and internships.”

The center will offer Accenture’s clients access to industry solutions that capitalize upon our increasingly connected world. These include: Connected Workforce, which converts static procedures into more effective, step-by-step, multimedia-facilitated procedures enabling real-time feedback and more accurate digitally updatable documentation; Connected Health, which involves systematically applying healthcare IT to facilitate the accessing and sharing of information and to enable the subsequent analysis of health data across systems; and Connected Fashion, which enables users to control the design of specially made fashion garments via an application on their mobile device.

Accenture’s Digital Acceleration Center in Dubai further demonstrates the company’s commitment to the local market and is part of a global suite of facilities and capabilities that help organizations anticipate and transform for a digital future.

About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 373,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

# # #

Contacts:

Doug Free
Accenture
+ 1 408 817 2173
doug.free@accenture.com

Theodore Halabi
Accenture
+ 971 50 662 7053
theodore.halabi@accenture.com