ACN Top 50

Welcome to the ACN Top 50 - the definitive list of the most powerful enterprise players in the Middle East. The list includes vendors, distributors, integrators and service providers that operate in the region.

The list has been compiled using a number of factors - overall size in the Middle East market, global rankings, corporate strength and activity, and the market ‘buzz' around the companies, from what the ACN editorial team has heard, and other impressions from the market.

Unlike other lists, we feel this approach gives a better overall impression - beyond just what a company turns over - as to where enterprise suppliers stand in the market. Our overriding question has been "how important is this company to regional enterprises' core operations?" - from this, we have gauged where to place firms.

As part of this is based on how much discussion there is around a particular company in the market, we would welcome your comments and thoughts on the rankings.

Alongside the main list, we've also included our ‘ones to watch' - five companies which are making their mark in the region. This includes both established firms in the Middle East, and new entrants.

In addition, we've put together interviews with a number of the companies on the list. Here, some of the region's top industry professionals discuss the critical issues to the enterprise IT sector.

1. Hewlett Packard
2. Cisco
3. Oracle
4. MTC
5. IBM
6. Microsoft
7. EMC
8. Etisalat
9. Intel
10. SAP
11-15
16-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
Ones to Watch

HP is the single most dominant player in the Middle East IT market. It operates in almost every enterprise segment - software, servers, services, infrastructure, personal systems, imaging. And in almost all of these segments, HP leads or holds one of the very top spots.

Present since 1968, HP officially is the largest technology supplier and solutions provider in the region. Based on IDC reports, HP Middle East is the market leader for IT systems, with significant leads over other enterprise vendors in all its sectors. The vendor first established a regional office in 1994 - now HP Middle East employs more than 670 staff operating out of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Cairo and Ramallah, which service the GCC, Egypt and the Levant. It also counts on 327 partners, which it constantly cultivates.

HP's market share means it inevitably ends up in most enterprises' IT operations - at least at some level. This being the case, listing HP's accounts in the region becomes a lengthy exercise - but it does number among its customers leading enterprises such as Vodafone Egypt, and oil and gas companies across the Middle East - including Saudi Arabia.

HP's current focus is on shifting enterprises from looking at information technology to ‘business technology'. The vendor's argument is compelling - as technology has become a critical part of any modern organisation, it is no longer sufficient to consider it as a ‘black box' of equipment. Instead firms need to make technology an integral part of the business plan - and technology vendors need to address firms in business terms, not in IT jargon.

The vendor has also recently commissioned research from the Economist Intelligence Unit, which analysed how enterprises view technology and IT projects, and what attitudes businesses have towards technology deployments. The results showed enterprises are paying increasing attention to technology - but are equally less patient of technology when it fails to deliver.

On the product front, HP is promoting everything from blade servers - the vendor is the major force behind the technology - thin clients and virtualisation, and ultra-efficient printing.

As the regional IT market booms, HP is set to go from strength to strength in its enterprise operations across the Middle East.

Definitively the largest networking company in the world, Cisco's ambitions stretch far beyond mere infrastructure. Its vision of the network as the platform for enterprise systems is driving the company towards front-line applications for the first time - including video conferencing (‘Telepresence' as Cisco styles it) and location-based applications.

The vendor's ambitions for the Middle East market are no less wide-ranging. Cisco's global focus on emerging markets as the engine for its future growth has pushed its regional operation forward at a furious speed. Now with a strength of 500 people in its Dubai office - with an additional staff in Riyadh covering Saudi Arabia - Cisco is unquestionably one of the major enterprise players in the Middle East.

The key projects for Cisco in the region are the major infrastructure deployments going into developments such as Saudi Arabia's Economic Cities. Cisco CEO John Chambers has made a number of visits to the Kingdom - along with other Gulf states - and has successfully forged partnerships with these regional mega-projects. Indeed, Chambers is on record as saying he has trouble keeping up with Saudi Arabia's vision for its own development.

As work continues on the firm's new regional HQ in Dubai Internet City, Cisco is already working to showcase its latest developments in the region. With Telepresence suites shortly to be completed in both its Riyadh and Dubai offices, the vendor is set on giving Middle Eastern enterprises a full view of its vision of the network-as-platform.

Another key focus for Cisco in the Middle East is the region's booming construction sector. The vendor is working to promote its ‘Connected Real-estate' offerings, pitching the concept of a fully integrated IP network providing not just communication services such as voice and data, but building services including HVAC, entry systems and surveillance.

Cisco's aim is to promote data as ‘the fourth utility', for enterprises, developments, and SMB and home users. It is setting out to play in every space in the market, and take on companies which are in some cases much better established. There is no doubt that this is a major challenge for the vendor - but it seems to be one it is relishing.

Starting as a database vendor - albeit a highly significant one - Oracle has now transformed itself into possibly the most significant software vendor in the world. Its growth has been fuelled by a series of mammoth acquisitions, including Agile, Siebel, PeopleSoft, Retek, Innobase, Net4Call - and too many more to mention.

This buying spree has paid off, giving Oracle a slice of almost every enterprise software segment in the market. One of its latest big-name purchases - of Hyperion - now gives the vendor a credible play in the business intelligence and performance management sector, something Oracle had claimed to operate in for some time.

Regionally, the company's reputation is no less impressive. In the past Oracle has revealed it supplies software to all ten of ACN's IT managers of the year - a feat made easier by the vendor's many purchases. However it is considered, though, Oracle boasts one of the most impressive roll-calls of customers in the Middle East. Seemingly all governments and major enterprises use Oracle in their organisations - and the firm is continually adding to the list.

A recent deal saw the Abu Dhabi Government opt for Oracle across all its departments and ministries - with the first deployment following immediately. Other recent successes have included King Fahd University, Jordan Kuwait Bank, and KOJ.

Oracle's current technology project is the unification of all of its acquired products - dubbed Fusion. This will, eventually, see all its offerings combined into one cohesive - and interoperable - whole, which should offer its customers unparalleled power and flexibility across their operations.

The vendor's corporate strategy is currently focused on its bitter rival SAP. Oracle has adopted a ‘surround SAP' tactic, aiming to move into markets around the German firm's core ERP offerings and competing with it on every front. The rivalry has also seen some harsh words exchanged from both sides, as the firms compete over the lucrative enterprise software market.

Looking to the future, Oracle shows no signs of slowing its acquisition programme, and shows no signs of letting up in its quest for Middle Eastern market share either.

In the regional battle of the telcos, MTC is one of the very biggest beasts in the Middle East. Recent acquisitions and licence purchases have made the firm the regional leader in the telecoms space - and an automatic player in the enterprise market.

The telco operator was established in 1983; the Government of Kuwait originally owned 49.2% of the firm, until it sold half its share in 2001. Since then, MTC has gone on a buying spree - it now has interest in 20 countries, with Middle Eastern operations in Jordan, Bahrain, Lebanon, Iraq, and its native Kuwait.

MTC started its regional expansion with the purchase in December 2002 of a 91.6% share of Jordan Mobile Telephone Services Co, operating as Fastlink. The deal was worth US$423.9million and saw MTC's ownership of Fastlink grow to 96.5%. This deal was followed in April 2003 by MTC-Vodafone Bahrain, in which MTC has a 60% share. Acquisitions in Lebanon and Iraq also followed, with the latter company - MTC Atheer - announcing it is preparing to expand into Kurdistan in the north of the troubled country.

The telco's latest purchases have been the third mobile licence in Saudi Arabia, for which the firm paid $6.1 billion - a staggering amount, and one which has been widely questioned by analysts, especially following Etisalat's previously hefty payment for the second licence. But the operator is supremely confident it can make a good return on its investment - it sees massive potential in the KSA market, with an ARPU of $35, which should be set to grow as mobile users become more sophisticated - something borne out by Etisalat's experience in the Kingdom.

This focus on mobile communications puts MTC at the forefront of the current drive towards mobility in enterprises - as firms seek to maximise their employees' availability, core enterprise applications are moving onto mobile devices, to join e-mail and traditional voice and data services. This untapped potential will open up large revenues for mobile operators, as enterprises tie up with telecoms partners.

MTC, meanwhile, is set for its own mobility phase. Late in August the firm announced it would be moving to Bahrain from Kuwait. This comes on the back of a mooted IPO on the London Stock Exchange, and a major rebrand across the entire group. Overall the future seems bright - and golden - for MTC.

IBM has had a finger in every pie in the Middle East for the last 50 years. The IT behemoth touches every part of the market - with offerings in hardware, systems, platform software, middleware, consulting and services - and in many areas, it is a leader.

Additionally, IBM is one of the few technology companies with an R&D facility in the region. Set up in Cairo, in 1984, the Technology Development Centre provides R&D resources and is served by over 400 IBM on-site developers. The vendor says it is leading exporter of IT from the region.

IDC ranked it as second only to HP in server factory market revenue for 1Q07, and even then, only 2% behind. In 2006, it held 12.4% of the worldwide storage software revenue, and although others may hold more of the market, it is IBM who spreads its wings and casts its shadow over the whole industry. And the shadow continues to grow longer.

IBM has the world's most powerful server as of 2006 - the IBM System p5 595 - a 64-core system capable of four million transactions per minute.

On the business side, the vendor has eaten up more than 33 firms in just three years. Swedish company Telelogic AB fell under the hammer for US$743 million in June this year and just two months later IBM acuired Princeton Softech, which provides data archiving, and test data management.

Despite the teething problems that have accompanied the launches of Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft retains its clear domination of the operating system market. And, although Vista and Office 2007 have received mixed reviews, there is no shortage of high profile businesses looking to implement Microsoft's latest offerings. Recently, the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai equipped its 202 guest suites with laptops running the Enterprise Edition of Vista and Office 2007, because hotel management wanted to "switch to the best".

Microsoft's dominance in OS systems has given the company ample opportunity to expand into other areas, and through partners all over the Middle East, that's exactly what it does. Emaar Industries and Investment which is a specialist manufacturing company, is one of the latest companies to adopt Microsoft business solutions. Microsoft's many partners in the region include companies such as ColumbusIT, Nortel, Mindware and Egypt's ITWorx, among others.

The software giant has offered Arabic language support since 1992, and now has an online Microsoft Arabic Development Team available at its website. Microsoft covers the Middle East through four subsidiaries, and has six offices in the region.

Interview: Charbel Fakhoury, Microsoft

EMC Middle East is the regional operation of the world's leading provider of information storage systems, software, networks and services. Present in the region through partners for 14 years, EMC established a direct presence in 2000. With customers all over the Middle East and Africa, in countries including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan and Lebanon, EMC Middle East is dedicated to automated networked storage.

With offices in Dubai Internet City and KSA, EMC serves its extensive regional customer base through a dedicated channel of regional and in-country partners. The company counts some of the region's most prominent and progressive organisations as its clients, including telecommunications leaders Etisalat, Batelco, Saudi Telecommunications Company, Vodafone Egypt, and Jordan's MobileCom; banking providers Mashreq Bank, National Bank of Dubai, and Emirates Bank International; and aviation leader Emirates Airline.

Recent launches in the Middle East include EMC EmailXtender 4.8, which is designed to make it easier for administrators to monitor archive operational efficiency. The vendor's updated e-mail archiving system also allows e-mails to be categorised as business records.

EMC leads the market in the external disk sector, with a 22% market share for Q4 2006 and for the year. According to research firm IDC, growing demand for network storage systems helped keep the worldwide external disk storage market buoyant in 2006. Revenues for external disk storage systems grew to US$17 billion, up 8% on 2005.

Regional giant Emirates Telecommunications Corporation has been a fixture of the UAE telecom industry since 1976, when it first began supplying the country with basic fixed line services. Today, Etisalat has grown into a modern, innovative telecommunications operator and infrastructure provider, operating in 14 countries across the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian Subcontinent. The corporation is also a significant provider to UAE Federal Government development programmes, and a leading contributor to Emiratisation efforts.

Etisalat has of late begun an aggressive expansion into the regional market, securing Egypt's third mobile licence last year for nearly US$3 billion. The new company, Etisalat Misr, has already signed up one million subscribers in just seven weeks of operation, with ambitions to hit three million by the end of the year. In Africa, the firm stepped up its investment in Atlantique Telecom to 70%. Etisalat has also expressed an interest in bidding for Kuwait's third mobile operator licence.

Etisalat's pioneering work has seen the company equip the UAE with some of the most advanced telecoms services in the world - it recently continued this success by bringing the BlackBerry to the region.

Over the past year, Etisalat has added a further one million mobile subscribers, to take its total to approximately six million. The number of fixed lines stood at 1.31 million, alongside 800,000 internet subscribers. Etisalat's KSA arm, Mobily, reported in June that it had secured 6.5 million subscribers. This success is reflected in the firm's financial results for the first half of 2007: its net profits jumped 33% to approximately $1 billion.

Intel's presence in the region began, like many other companies, through partners and resellers, but 12 years ago it opened a Dubai office. Now it's established in Riyadh, Beirut, Cairo and Casablanca, and is active through its channel programmes in other countries such as Kuwait and Bahrain.

Intel is heavily involved in government-assisted programmes all over the world aimed at bridging the digital divide. Some of these programmes include training 150,000 educators in Nigeria and providing Intel-powered classmate PC mobile e-learning in a school in South Africa. Here in the Middle East, Intel has teamed up with the National Telecommunications Institute (NTI) in Egypt to establish a wireless training lab at the NTI's facility in Smart Village and implement a training and certification program on WiMAX technology.

Intel's Core 2 Duo CPU was awarded the ‘Product of the Year - 2006' prize at the Windows Awards last year and by July this year, it launched its first dual-core ‘Extreme' CPU for laptop computers in the form of the Intel Core 2 Extreme mobile processor. The Core 2 Extreme is billed as the first quad-core desktop processor.

Following that release, Intel will release the Core 2 Quad processor, another four core processor for entertainment, gaming and multimedia.

SAP is, without question, one of the world's largest business software companies, with a focus on ERP, customer relationship management, supply chain management and product lifestyle management. Through their regional partner, SAP Arabia, the company provides software packages in 19 countries in the Middle East, and operates within 27 different industries, ranging from oil and gas and the public sector to banking and finance.

Its arch-nemesis, Oracle, claims more customers in the region, but SAP counts some very large companies among its clients, such as Saudi oil giant Aramco. At the time the project with Aramco was announced, it was the largest single instance implementation of SAP R/3 in the world, and it still is.

More recent clients include Saraya Holdings, a Dubai-based real estate development and asset management company with projects and services in the travel and tourism industries across the Middle East and North Africa, and Al Osais International Holdings, a diversified business group involved in construction, manufacturing, trading and services, based in Saudi Arabia.

Analyst firm Gartner recently found SAP's embedded business intelligence market share was the fastest-growing, with SAP Netweaver BI growing 60% in 2006.

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) was created in 1998 as the administrator of the Kingdom's telecoms facilities. STC has embarked on its ‘10x10' investment strategy - the aim being to generate 10% of its total service revenues from inorganic growth by 2010. STC has already purchased a 97% stake in KSA internet provider AwalNet for US$26.3 million, to assist with its target of one million internet subscribers by the end of the year.

Earlier this year, the firm made its first venture into the international market, when it purchased a 25% stake in Malaysia's largest mobile operator, Maxis, for $3.04 billion. STC also gained 51% of Maxis's Indonesian operations.

Revenues for STC in 2006 totalled close to $9 billion, from 14.5 million mobile subscribers and four million fixed line subscribers in KSA itself.

STC clearly plans to continue in its acquisition vein, having joined rival Etisalat in the bid for Kuwait's third mobile licence. It will also invest $900 million in India, in order to assist Maxis's expansion plans.

12. SYMANTEC

Symantec has been operating in the Middle East since 1998 in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Aside from its staff based in their regional offices, it also has employees travelling regularly to Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon and Jordan.

Symantec helps individuals and enterprises to protect and manage their digital assets using a range of solutions. Their product range includes enterprise and consumer security, data management, application and infrastructure management, storage and service management, and managed security services.

Its latest product releases include the launch of its newly renovated ThreatCon global security alerting system in July. ThreatCon is an interactive tool that alerts users to the current state of global Internet security. The renovated ThreatCon introduces new features that give users a clearer view into past threat activity as well as current activity.

13. SUN

Sun Microsystems established its Middle East and North Africa headquarters in Dubai in 1992. Since then, Sun has opened two offices in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh and Al-Khobar, and one office in Cairo. The company employs over 120 skilled professionals and markets its servers, software, storage, workstations and desktops throughout the region.

Recent additions to the Sun client list include Jordan Kuwait Bank, which opted for its server and operating system solution and Al Batha Group, one of the UAE's largest private business groups, which implemented the Sun N1 Advanced Architecture for SAP solutions.

Sun also claims to have "the fastest blade server on the planet". The Sun Blade X8420 server module posted three new performance world records in January, which the company says sets a new standard for four socket servers, epecially when combined with Sun's Solaris 10 O/S.

Interview: Chris Cornelius, Sun Microsystems

14. CA

CA set up its direct presence in the Middle East region in September 2004. Today, CA has offices in Bahrain, Kuwait, Lebanon, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai). CA - ME, the regional division, employs over 100 professionals in the Middle East and has a tri-lingual 24/7 customer support centre in the region and counts such companies as the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation, Emirates Bank International and Saudi Arabian Airlines among its customers.

The company recently announced the launch in the MEA region of two new, powerful solutions for e-business information management that enable organisations to quickly build and integrate Web/Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) applications.

The latest versions of COOL:Gen 6.0 eBusiness Edition, the advanced application development tool, and COOL:Joe 2.0 for Enterprise Java, enable companies to deliver Java applications on an enterprise scale and to transform mainframe and UNIX applications to large-scale Web solutions on proven technology.

15. GULF BUSINESS MACHINES (GBM)

Gulf Business Machines (GBM) is one of the largest regional IT players, acting as IBM's sole distributor to the Middle East, as well as a major partner for other vendors. GBM operates across the region, and has offices in Bahrain, Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

The firm set up shop in 1990, and has never looked back. It now offers integration, services, support and distribution services to enterprises and integrators, and has seen its business grow and grow. Recent achievements have included setting up the region's only IBM eGovernment Solution Centre - one of only three in the world.

In addition, the firm also won a contract to supply UAE retail giant Kamal Osman Jamjoom with a networking and security infrastructure. It has also been involved in Bahraini communications company Lightspeed's iVault datacentre project.

GBM is not short of peer recognition - it has now picked up the Network Middle East award for ‘Best Networking Integrator in the Middle East' for three successive times, on the back of impressive responses from online public voting.

Avaya is a global vendor of communication systems, applications and services. Formerly the business communications unit of Lucent Technologies, the company specialises in developing internet protocol (IP) telephony applications for small and large businesses. Avaya has maintained a presence in the Middle East since 2003, where it employs a staff of 50.

Recently, the company made a play for a larger share of the IP telephony market with the release of an Arabic version of its one-X solution. Avaya has also tailored the latest release of IP Office, designing it specifically to be an affordable entry into IP telephony for Middle East businesses.

Avaya customers include Union National Bank, Muscat Municipality and the Emirates International Bank. Significant wins this year have included Dubai Silicon Oasis selecting Avaya to install an IP telephony network at its head office and customer hosting facility.

17. APTEC

Aptec is a leading wholesale distributor of IT and mobile phones and a provider of services in the Middle East, Turkey, Africa and CIS, and claims to have more investment in distribution infrastructure than any other company in the region.

The company certainly has a long and impressive vendor list for its product distribution, including companies such as 3Com, Acer, APC, CA, D-Link, Fujitsu Siemens, HP, Hynix, IBM, Microsoft, McAfee, Symantec, US Robotics, Veritas and Western Digital. The most recent additions to its Middle East portfolio are Business Objects and Adobe Systems.

The company also pulled off the boldest move of the distribution sector so far this year when it bought the components and enterprise units of Tech Data Middle East and re-branded them TDME.

Meanwhile, Aptec goes from strength to strength in the market, with regional sales in 2006 of US$320 million. Its more recent vendor wins can only keep Aptec's star rising.

18. EMIRCOM

IT solutions provider and systems integrator Emircom was first established in Abu Dhabi in 1984, supplying the capital with telecoms products and support. From these roots, the company has expanded its network to eight regional offices in the Middle East with total staff numbering 200. Emircom has recently opened its first office in Pakistan, with plans for another office in India.

Emircom works with firms to develop a complete infrastructure, providing expertise in the areas of networking, security, storage, enterprise infrastructure management, and custom storage and mobility solutions. Emircom brands include Fujitsu Siemens, IBM, CA, Cisco, McAfee, Symantec, Tivoli, NetApp and Navini. The firm's customers come from a variety of sectors, including financial, government, education, healthcare, and telecommunication providers such as successful second mobile operator Mobily in Saudi Arabia.

Emircom's growth has been led in part by a rise in demand for managed services. Analysts IDC indicate that this outsourcing trend has maintained a remarkable sevenfold year-on-year growth in the region.

19. MCAFEE

Security pioneer McAfee has been at the forefront of efforts to make security a strategy, rather than the point solution employed by many regional enterprises.

McAfee scored key wins for its Foundstone hardware solution with Egyptian telecoms operator Mobinil choosing Foundstone in May, integrating a previously disparate range of security tools into a single security risk management solution. The Kuwait Ministry of Education followed suit in June, choosing McAfee to protect its 6000 IPs from external attack. It has also recently begun to expand into the Saudi market, establishing telephone support centres and training partners to enterprise standard.

McAfee has conducted research that estimates over 60% of companies are vulnerable to considerable damage by even minor breaches of security, thanks to spending less than 0.5% of turnover on security. Given the diverse array of security risks emerging over the horizon, McAfee is well positioned to protect regional enterprise from the unforeseen.

20. DELL

Dell - now a US$49 billion company - has outlasted far more established competitors by maximising production efficiencies and passing the resultant savings on to consumers.

Dell has appointed Asbis as its dedicated regional distribution partner, expanding Dell's coverage of the corporate sector. An interoperability pact has also been signed with Microsoft and Novell, jointly marketing Novell open source software.

Further focus areas for Dell will include improving high end support services to enterprises, with the company aiming to slice response times. New product lines such as the Vostro line are coming, designed specifically for - and with the help of - the small business sector. Dell has further committed to bringing its gaming subsidiary Alienware to the region. The well known gaming vendor plans to offer its complete range of custom styled high performance desktop and notebook PCs later this year.

Mindware is a value added distributor, operating in the Middle East and North Africa. Based in Dubai Internet City, the company employs 110 staff and focuses on developing on extensive sales and service networks across the region, while delivering competitive pricing to its customers. Mindware distributes a range of storage, hardware, software and networking brands, including Citrix, CA, Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Business Objects, and Kingston. The company, which recorded revenues in 2006 of US$190 million, is the first IT distributor to be awarded the ISO 9001:2000 certification for focused excellence.

Recent software-related announcements have included the release of an Arabic-enabled e-mail authentication system, RealMail, to cater to the global market for security content management. Mindware has also extended Microsoft distribution agreements into the Gulf states of Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.

Last year, the company transferred its entire warehouse facilities from Dubai Airport Cargo Village to Jebel Ali, after it outgrew the existing location.

22. COGNOS

Cognos is a world leader in business intelligence and performance management solutions. The company provides enterprise business intelligence, planning and consolidation software and services to help companies plan, understand and manage their financial and operational performance.

Cognos has had a strong presence in the Middle East for 19 years, but has only been operating directly in the region since 2005. The company can already claim that over 350 customers in the Middle East use Cognos software, including Mashreq Bank, Dubai Bank, and Nissan. Its customer base is largely composed of corporate accounts, although 20% of its business comes from small and medium firms.

The company is one of the last few remaining pure-play business intelligence / performance managment players, following Oracle's acquisition of Hyperion. The performance management sector is tipped for strong growth following a wider uptake of business intelligence systems by enterprises around the world, which is good news for Cognos.

23. JUNIPER NETWORKS

Networking and security solutions provider Juniper Networks is a company very much on the rise. According to industry analyst Infonetics the vendor moved up to second position in terms of its total enterprise router revenue during the first quarter of this year. Globally this means that the company now only trails Cisco in this most hotly contested of spaces.

Helping to boost the company's second quarter figures meanwhile comes the deal the company made in June with Bayanat Al-oula, a new service provider in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This impressive win will see Juniper build the provider's IP/MPLS-based next-generation network using its M- and T-series multiservice routers.

In a period where most network players are speaking of integrated security and intelligent networks, Juniper remains staunchly committed to its appliance programme. Juniper's strategy also includes the development of its successful range of enterprise routers.

The company having reported an increase in revenues of 81.9% in Egypt, 48.2% in Turkey and a massive 814% in KSA from 2005 to 2006.

24. BUSINESS OBJECTS

Business Objects is a leading global vendor of business intelligence (BI) software. The company counts among its customers more than 80% of the Fortune 500. Its Dubai office employs 15 staff and is led by David Brierley, with plans to double the headcount over the next 18 months. IDC reports that Business Objects controls 14% of the BI software market.

Business Objects software allows corporations to track, understand and manage information, delivering a complete set of BI capabilities including enterprise performance management, dashboards and visualisation, as well as query and analysis.

Late last year, the company agreed to provide BI content for UAE colleges, beginning with the Higher Colleges of Technology. Significant regional customers include KSA automotive dealer UMA, Commercial Bank of Dubai, International Foodstuffs Company and telecoms provider du.

25. NORTEL

Canadian infrastructure provider Nortel has been exceptionally busy in recent years, restructuring its substantial Middle East operation in 2004 to grow staff by more than 50% and appointing Ramin Attari vice president and head of a Middle East team responsible for regional sales and marketing activities.

Nortel's solutions are now found in many of the largest enterprises, including Abu Dhabi-based Real Estate Bank and the Sharjah Institute of Technology, both selecting Nortel to replace their existing networks with a reliable, secure and scalable voice and data IP network. Nortel customers also include Mashreq Bank, Fairmont Hotel, and Dubai Civil Aviation.

Nortel intends to showcase its new concept of ‘hyperconnectivity', encouraging anything and everything to be plugged into networks. With a trio of newly appointed regional distributors - Aptec, Mantrac and Bright Star - on its side, Nortel can expect further upward growth in the region.

26. EJADA

After a strong debut three years ago, IT services and business solutions provider Ejada looks set to continue its meteoric rise through the industry. The company is presently headquartered in Riyadh, with seven regional offices and four channel partners covering the MENA region.

Ejada customers historically come from the financial sector - the company counts every Saudi bank as a customer, with a regional portfolio of close to 30 financial institutions. The firm has also scored wins outside the banking sector, including telecoms and government organisations.

Recently fortified with an infusion of cash from the Saudi Economic and Development Company, Ejada has embarked on an aggressive course of expansion outside its Saudi base. The company plans to increase its expertise base through acquisition of smaller firms which complement its existing strategy, while extending its reach to cover new markets. The firm further plans to boost its headcount to 500 by the end of the year.

As Ejada considers an IPO, its meteoric regional rise looks unstoppable.

27. NOKIA

Nokia has expanded its presence in the region heavily in recent years, opening its 12th MENA office in Mozambique in April last year. The company has a long history in the region. In the 1950s, it deployed telecoms cabling in the region and later expanded into transmission, fixed networks and analogue cellular networks.

With the introduction of digital cellular technology, Nokia deployed its first GSM network in Iran in 1993, and established its regional headquarters in Dubai a year later. It was also the first operator to provide 3G capabilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.

Nokia's Eseries is its line of dedicated business mobiles. All the Series 60 Es run on Symbian OS 9.1 and support advanced voice services such as Push-To-Talk and SIP allowing companies to integrate them into Avaya or Cisco IP exchanges.

In April this year, the company announced that users of Nokia Nseries devices will be able to upload multimedia content to Ikbis, the Arab world's first bilingual media and social networking website.

28. TELECOM EGYPT

Telecom Egypt is the largest provider of fixed-line services in the Middle East and North Africa, serving more than 10.8 million customers. The company's history stretches back more than 150 years to 1854, when the first telegraph line between Cairo and Alexandria was established. The firm has pioneered the introduction of Egypt's first telephone line, car phone service, and satellite TV station.

Telecom Egypt provides a range of retail services including local, long distance and international voice, and data services. The firm also leases wholesale broadband capacity to ISPs, and national and international interconnection services. Telecom Egypt operates in the mobile sector through its stake in Vodafone Egypt, which boasts a rising base of more than 8.4 million subscribers.

The company reported a strong first half for 2007, with total revenue reaching US$867 million, a 9% increase from2006.

29. XEROX

Xerox has been a player in the regional IT market for more than 20 years, having first established headquarters in Dubai in 1985. The company has expanded from being initially famous for their photocopier technology - being virtually synonymous with the process - to offering a complete range of document handling products and services.

Highlights in the past year include the acquisition of software provider XMPie for US$54 million. Xerox also signed agreements with the regional arm of Dow Chemical and the Kingdom's National Commercial Bank, taking over complete control of document management.

Xerox is exploring future innovations such as erasable paper which would aid recycling efforts and protect confidentiality in secure locations. With print setups increasingly being realised as the core of all enterprise activity, Xerox continues to strive to educate firms into making the right decisions for cost and productivity efficient document handling.

Interview: Ben Gale, Xerox

30. Hasoub

Hasoub is a relatively recent entrant into the Middle East market - it established itself in 2003 - but in four years it has managed to make a major splash in the enterprise sector. Part of the Nagah group of companies, which also include BT Applied Technologies and Future Entertainment Works, Hasoub has forged itself into a major force.

A major plank in its business is its sole distribution rights for Systimax in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya and Sudan. Providing exclusive access to the world's leading structured cabling vendor in these markets makes Hasoub a significant player. Its other vendor partnerships - which include Cisco, APC,
Dell and HP - means the firm can truly offer a complete technology solution to its customers.

One of Hasoub's current claims to fame is its involvement with sister company BT Applied Technologies in the King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project in the Holy City of Mecca. Running one of the largest converged networks in the entire world, with 17 services including voice, data and building control systems running on the IP network, this project is now a reference customer for Systimax globally.

Interview: Amer Taher, Hasoub

Fujitsu Siemens Computers (FSC) is a leading IT provider with a focus on next-generation mobility and dynamic datacentre products, services and solutions. With an extensive platform and services portfolio FSC offers an extensive range of products from notebooks and handhelds, to desktops and enterprise-class IT infrastructure systems and services.

The company has a large number of partners, both worldwide and here in the Middle East. Its partnership with Sun Microsystems recently led to the launch of a new line of co-developed Advanced Product Line (APL) servers that promise to deliver mainframe-class reliability at open systems prices. FSC also has a ‘Green PC' initiative, which regulates toxic substances used in the manufacture of its computers.

32. EMITAC

Emirates Technology Company (Emitac) has been supplying regional customers with system solutions since 1974. ISO 9002 certified, Emitac maintains offices in Syria, Jordan, Iran, the UAE and Qatar, employing 110 staff. Emitac's brand portfolio includes Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, CITIL, Oracle and Cognos.

Building on its position as an exclusive RIM factory partner, Emitac signed an agreement with MTC Group earlier this year to increase availability of the BlackBerry mobile device across the Middle East and Africa. The company intends to secure up to ten operator partnerships by the end of 2007.

Emitac plans to continue expanding into the retail sector while reinforcing its status as a top HP vendor.

Interview: Ballal Yaqub, Emitac

33. JERAISY

Jeraisy Computer and Communication Services is one of the largest systems integrators and service providers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

A division of the larger Jeraisy group, the company has established a reputation over close to two decades as a reliable source of technological expertise and dedicated customer service. In particular, Jeraisy is well known for its expertise in networking, infrastructure and telecoms support, PCs, and site preparation and training.

Its product portfolio is extensive, with Jeraisy representing leading vendors such as Cisco, Juniper, Sun Microsystems, Apple, Avaya, MGE, Citrix and Oracle.

Key Jeraisy customers have included major government organisations such as the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Defence and Aviation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of The Interior, and Saudi Aramco.

34. Computer Network Systems (CNS)

Computer Network Systems (CNS) has more than 18 years of experience in the Middle East. The company was founded in 1987 and now has more than 750 customers, including over 600 public and private enterprise customers in the UAE and across the region. Its client portfolio covers energy, ICT, defence, education, and the public sectors.

CNS has its headquarters in Abu Dhabi and employs over 150 professionals across the UAE, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Recent customer wins in the region include a contract with the Department of Civil Aviation in Dubai which appointed CNS to provide technical support services for the DCA mail and file server systems in Dubai International Airport.

35. ITQAN

ITQAN is a UAE-based system integrator, catering to medium and large businesses. Originally established as Al-Bawardi Computers in 1984, the company was renamed ITQAN (translating to ‘perfection') in 1997.

The company specialises in horizontal solutions, including infrastructure security, knowledge management and enterprise resource planning, while also operating in e-government, healthcare and customer relationship management spaces.

Wins for ITQAN include the implementation of an e-tendering portal at the UAE Armed Forces General Headquarters. The company has also teamed up with major UAE outsourcing provider Injazat to deliver enterprise consumer management solutions to the regional market.

36. INJAZAT

Injazat was established in Abu Dhabi in February 2005 and has grown to become the largest IT outsourcing company in the Middle East. It currently has 430 employees of various nationalities, more than 35% of whom are UAE nationals. And in its first two years of operations, the company has signed contracts worth over US$354 million.

In February this year, Injazat announced that it would be building the largest and most advanced Tier IV data centre in the region. Injazat will build the two-storey datacentre at its corporate HQ in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The estimated cost of the construction project is over $98 million. In 2005 Injazat held 55.7% of the UAE IT outsourcing market according to IDC, and with the only regional Tier IV datacentre, this figure can only rise.

37. TREND MICRO

Trend Micro is a global leader in network antivirus and Internet content security software and services. Founded in 1988 by Steve Chang, the company focuses on outbreak prevention and the impact of network worms and virus threats to productivity and information.

The company recently revamped its channel programme for EMEA and introduced a portal to allow partners access to critical information and sales support services online.

Recent moves in the region include a partnership with Redington Gulf, the Dubai-based IT hardware distributor. The partnership means equipment supplied by Redington will be protected by Trend Micro's Worry-Free products.

38. IMTAC

Industrial Management Technology and Contracting (IMTAC) is a Muscat-based service provider, established in 1984 as the technology arm of holding company Renaissance Services SAOG. IMTAC operates a regional subsidiary in Dubai, IMTAC Technologies, which is responsible for the Middle East and Caspian Littoral States.

Initially a HP distributor in Oman, IMTAC has worked to establish itself as a source of expertise for large regional technology projects. The company offers a broad spectrum of services, including mobility solutions, integrated security systems and solutions for IT applications and infrastructure.

In 2006, IMTAC implemented an anti money laundering system for Abu Dhabi-based First Gulf Bank.

Interview: Raju Ramesh, Imtac

39. STME

STME is a leading integrator of information storage services, which provides its customers with business-focused solutions to manage, store, and protect their information. Founded in 1982, the company has grown to have 14 offices in 11 countries across the Middle East.

The integrator claims to have experienced 600% growth in revenue over the last five years and to have installed more than 1600 terabytes of disk and tape storage and over 225 robotic libraries in the Middle East. STME also pioneered the installation of robotic tape libraries, for fully automated tape cartridge storage and retrieval.

Some of the bigger name customers include Emirates Airways, Kuwait Oil Company and the National Bank of Abu Dhabi.

Interview: Jocelyn Al-Adwani, STME

40. EMIRATES COMPUTERS

Emirates Computers (EC) is leading systems integrator and technology solutions provider in the Middle East. Founded in the UAE in 1978, the company provides services across a complete range of industries - government, oil and gas, healthcare, education, hospitality, financial services, real estate development and transportation.

Most recently, EC put in place a Cisco IP telephony system for Abu Dhabi Securities Market, with a call recording solution, a call billing system and Dell servers.

Also at the end of 2006, EC launched services in Qatar as part of its regional expansion, in partnership with Ibrahim El Neama Holding Company. Prior to that, the expansion initiative included another partnership, this time with Nokia and Teletec, Nokia's partner in Pakistan, to set up "Siyana Technologies", a Nokia service factory in Lahore.

Founded 12 years ago, Online Distribution has established itself as a leading value-added distributor and networking specialist. Led by 25 year Middle East veteran Keith Rich, the company distributes a diverse product portfolio, including Juniper, APW systems, 3Com, Trend Micro and SurfControl.

Online - a subsidiary of South African IT group DataTec - has offices in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, alongside partner networks spanning more than 15 countries across the Middle East. Major past projects have included networking installations at Silicon Oasis, the Lebanese American University, and the University of Bahrain.

For 2007, the company has continued its focus on training services for channel partners, hosting a successful series of datacentre-focused roadshows. Online recently completed an overhaul of its operations, now operating four technology divisions.

42. FVC

First Video Communications (FVC) is a value added distributor and provider of network solutions. Founded in 2000, the Dubai Internet City based company has offices across the Middle East and North Africa serving more than 250 customers. FVC customers include Emirates Airlines, Saudi Aramco, Dubai International Financial Centre and Standard Chartered Bank.

FVC offers solutions for a variety of market segments, including video and audio conferencing, network optimisation and security, and wireless networking, from major brands such as Barracuda, Packeteer, Dilithium, Postini and Vbrick. Recent wins for FVC include implementing a videoconferencing solution for King Faisal Specialist Hospital.

FVC is highlighting network products from newly signed Juniper and Proxim Wireless, in addition to new solutions from Polycom and Vbrick.

43. BEA SYSTEMS

BEA Systems is a high profile player in the enterprise software arena, producing infrastructure software and offering internet products and deployment platforms. With over 16 thousand customers, including the majority of the Fortune Global 500, BEA also maintains partnerships with two thousand of the world's leading system integration, software and hardware, and application service providers.

It is one of the leading proponents of the service-oriented architecture (SOA) approach to software infrastructure and has recently unveiled its "Liquid Computing" vision. Liquid computing builds on the SOA foundation, with the objective of aligning enterprise interactions with business goals.

BEA's key technology partners include HP, Intel, Intervoice, eMedeiaNet, Metasolv, ITS and eDoc and customers in the region include Qatar National Bank.

44. SEVEN SEAS

Dubai-based Seven Seas delivers technology solutions and services across the enterprise sector. Founded in 1983, the company has grown to deliver ICT solutions to over 1000 customers in the MENA region and in 2005, it was among the first in the Middle East to introduce Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology, or SMART, home technology.

This kind of growth and innovation has led to the company winning larger and larger contracts, such as the US$1.85 million contract from independent financial advisor Nexus to provide managed services for its entire IT infrastructure. It now supplies Nexus with wireless technology as well as laptops and provides outsourcing.

45. LENOVO

Lenovo is an international technology company formed as a result of the acquisition by the Lenovo Group of the IBM PC Division in 2004. It is now a global leader in the PC market that develops, manufactures and markets PC products and professional services.

The famous surprise acquisition propelled Lenovo into becoming the third largest PC company in the world over-night, with the rights to IBM's iconic "Think" brand. But the Chinese computer hasn't stopped its expansion there. In August, reports from Reuters said that the company was in talks to buy Netherlands-based firm Packard Bell - the third largest player in the European PC market and placing ninth on the global list.

The move would allow Lenovo, to take over Packard-Bell's share of the EMEA market.

46. 3COM

3Com is a provider of enterprise and small-business networking solutions. The company acquired Tipping Point, a firm specialising in intrusion prevention systems, in 2005. However, 3Com has announced that it will be filing an IPO for Tipping Point by the end of 2007 and will gradually reduce its share in the company.

In 2007, it acquired 100% ownership of its former China-based joint venture with Huawei Technologies, H3C Technologies (H3C). With the addition of H3C, 3Com had annual revenue of US$1.3 billion last financial year and more than 6000 employees in 40 countries.

3Com recently announced a gift of networking gear to the Lebanese Ministry of Education. The donation is part of the Partnership for Lebanon collaborative effort which is led by five other IT companies.

47. HDS

Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) only set up its Dubai office in May 2004, but was present in the region prior to that through local partners. The storage solutions vendor is currently limbering up for a recruitment drive as it seeks to expand its partner network throughout the Middle East.

The company recently announced it could possibly look at expanding through a distribution partner. If implemented, this move would represent a dramatic shift for the storage specialist from its current strategy in the region, which up until now has been exclusively one-tier. HDS presently addresses customers in the Middle East through four principal partners - Naizak, STME, Mideast Data Systems and Sun Microsystems.

HDS is also making a push for the mid-market with its latest suite of storage products.

48. AUTODESK

Autodesk came onto the IT scene more than 20 years ago with AutoCAD, which introduced drafting on a PC. Today it is a fully diversified software company, which provides targeted solutions for creating managing, and sharing digital assets. It has more than six million users and four global strategic partners.

Today the company is helping to integrate technologies, including advanced modelling, digital collaboration and practical data management into business practices. One of the company's main specialisations is piracy prevention and it has produced the Piracy Prevention Toolkit to help firms tackle the challenge.

With the booming construction sector in the region, the use of Autodesk software is widespread, although the company faces a common regional problem: rampant piracy in the region affects the uptake of licences.

49. TOSHIBA

Since launching its Dubai headquarters in 1998, Toshiba has steadily worked to establish itself as a premier brand for mobile and tablet PCs, supplying clients at both enterprise and consumer levels.

This bore fruit last year for Toshiba, when it recorded sales 58% higher than 2005. High-end Toshiba notebooks such as the Protégé R500 have experienced significant demand and now sell well in both enterprise and consumer markets.

A major development this year for Toshiba was the opening of a new logistics hub in Jebel Ali Free Zone to serve the Middle East and Africa. Apart from slashing shipping times, the hub also allows for Arabised keyboards and software for notebooks.

The time is ripe for Toshiba to establish further inroads into the notebook sector with fresh designs and competitive pricing.

50. LEXMARK

Lexmark International is a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of printing solutions including laser and inkjet printers, multifunction products, associated supplies and services for offices and homes.

Unlike some of its competitors, Lexmark develops and owns the technology inside its products, giving the company a competitive edge and allowing it to reduce research and development time between product introductions.

Lexmark has three offices in the region - their headquarters at Dubai Internet City and one office in Egypt and Saudi Arabia respectively. From these offices and through its distribution partners, the company covers the majority of the Middle East, including Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Lebanon and Jordan.

As the Middle East market heats up, more and more vendors are starting to make an impact on the region. Here ACN lists some of the companies challenging the status quo.

AMD

There is no question that AMD is an up-and-coming company. Its recent activity in the chip and processor market has broken the back of what some regarded as a long-held Intel monopoly.

The rivalry between AMD and Intel reached fever-pitch recently with the battle over quad-core processors. Although dual-core only hit the market in 2005, by early the following year, both companies were touting the imminent arrival of the quad core and the race was on to pip each other at the post.

AMD's quad core offerings are due mid-2007, and have been called a "true quad-core design" by Randy Allen, corporate vice president of AMD's server and workstation division. AMD's native quad core design will be the first of its kind in the world. Intel's processor, billed as the first quad core desktop processor, was released slightly earlier but was actually two dual core chips bonded together.

Apart from the Intel rivalry, AMD has been expanding itself to consolidate its position in the processing market. In 2006, the firm acquired graphics processor company ATI, giving the company the complete range of the PC core - CPU, graphics processor and chipset - which promises interesting things to come in a highly integrated approach to computing.

Interview: Gautam Srivastava, AMD

EAST MEETS WEST (EMW)

Dubai-based communications and IT services provider East Meets West (EMW) is priming itself for growth in the Middle East. The regional firm is already doing well - it scooped the award for best-fixed network implementation for its work at the Burj Al Arab at the 2006 Network Middle East Innovation Awards and the company signed Trapeze Networks in the same year.

It is a value added reseller for Avaya, complementing the IP telephony provider's portfolio with its own extended range of services to deliver integrated call centre solutions. This year, Avaya elevated EMW to Gold value added reseller status on the Avaya Business Partner Programme. As a Gold partner, EMW is able to offer a range of VoIP and contact centre solutions to UAE clients. The company has also recently become an implementation partner for Cisco.

EMW was founded in 1995 by engineers and managers who formerly held senior positions in well known telecoms and IT companies.

EMW has engineered, furnished and maintained converged networks for educational, health care, governmental, hospitality, banking, retail and entertainment organisations around the world. Recent wins in the region include the integration of an Avaya telephony system for Showtime, at the recommendation of Avaya itself.

Interview: Serjios El-Hage, East Meets West (EMW)

L&T INFOTECH

Larsen & Toubro Infotech (L&T Infotech) is a subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro Limited, a US engineering and construction company. L&T Infotech offers software solutions and services that encompass a broad technology spectrum, catering to leading international firms across the globe.

L&T is planning to extend its reach, both here in the region and worldwide. It recently announced plans to open a regional office in Dubai, which will serve the GCC and Levant regions. The office's ultimate aim is to grow L&T's business to US$100 million dollars in the next two to three years.

L&T offers its IT services in a number of industry verticals including manufacturing (auto, industrial products, CPG, chemicals, aero, construction equipment and engineering and construction), energy petrochemicals, product engineering services (communications and embedded systems), and banking and finance.

Some of its Middle East clients include the UAE-based Al Shirawi Group, for whom it recently implemented Oracle's E-business suite. The company also delivered SAP applications for Oman-based business conglomerate Saud Bahwan Group.

In addition, the energy and petrochemicals business in the Middle East has been a prime focus area for the up-and-coming company and clients include Saudi Aramco, Sabic and Oman Methanol.

Interview: VK Magapu, L&T Infotech

SYSTIMAX

Systimax Solutions is a global leader in structured connectivity. Its parent company, CommScope, is the world's largest manufacturer of broadband coaxial cable for HFC applications and a leading supplier of high-performance fibre-optic and twisted pair cables. CommScope acquired the Systimax business from Avaya in 2004.

The company's product portfolio includes connectivity solutions for voice, data, video and building management applications in both wired and wireless enterprise networks. According to independent research, Systimax SCS is the most widely used cabling system in the world with more than 1,600km of cable being installed every day.

Since its acquisition by CommScope, Systimax has been extending its presence in the region. In 2006, it opened an enhanced Solutions Centre in Dubai, one of only three such centres in EMEA.

This commitment to the region has not gone unnoticed. The company was voted Best Cabling Product Range in Network Middle East's Innovation Awards this year and it was one of the vendors chosen to contribute to the King Abdulaziz Endowment Project (KAEP), currently under construction in the Holy City of Mecca. The company is to provide state-of-the-art structured connectivity to the project, the largest converged network in the region.

WIPRO

India-based Wipro is all set to step up its presence in the Middle East. The company, which employs more than 70,000 professionals worldwide, is establishing a global development centre in Egypt. From this centre, it intends to provide software development, integration and consulting services, after signing an agreement with the Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) to set up the facility in Greater Cairo's ‘Smart Village' tech park.

Wipro has certainly made a splash in the region in the last few years. It recently won the contract for a SAP implementation project at Petro Rabigh, one of the largest integrated oil refineries in Saudi Arabia. In addition to modules from SAP, Wipro, together with its local partner Dar Al Riyadh, is to implement SAP IS-oil and production planning for Petro.

Wipro was also chosen by the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals to implement a major business intelligence project. The vendor won the contract after a prolonged evaluation process which saw eight other firms including Satyam and IBM considered.

These wins are just some of the ways that Wipro has been making its presence felt in the region. The company is among the top three offshore business process outsourcing services providers in the world and it is also the only Indian company to be ranked among the top ten global outsourcing providers in the International Association of Outsourcing Professional's 2006 Global Outsourcing 100 listing. Such credentials, along with an increasing Middle Eastern presence, virtually define Wipro as one to watch this year.

Interview: Raman Sapra, Wipro