October 2008 ALFalak's record growth reflects increasing role in burgeoning Saudi ICT services market ALFalak Electronic Equipment & Supplies, a leading provider of technology-based solutions to the Middle East, posted total revenues of over SR 365 million in 2007, setting a new growth record and underscoring the company's greater role in addressing the emerging ICT requirements of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ALFalak’s impressive market performance was highlighted by the signing of major deals with prominent local business organisations as well as its participation in critical ICT projects within the oil and gas sector. A greater ICT adoption rate across all industries has resulted in a significant 20 per cent increase in the country's demand for ICT products and services, contributing largely to ALFalak’s strong market performance. The increase in computer and internet usage has likewise exceedingly complemented the broadening ICT market; KSA recorded more than 3.43 million computer installed bases in 2007 or a 16 per cent increase from 2006, and saw a 36 per cent increase in internet users from 4.7 million in 2006 to an estimated 6.4 million in 2007. “ALFalak again logged another banner year in 2007, signing several key projects and partnerships with some of the biggest organisations in the Kingdom. However, despite our strong market performance and the dramatic increase in ICT adoption, the country remains nowhere near its full ICT potential, presenting even more business prospects and growth opportunities for us. Accordingly, we continue to build up our portfolio as we are fully committed to delivering products and services that will help build a strong ICT base in Saudi,” said Ahmed Ashadawi, CEO and President, ALFalak. Reflecting its reputation as Saudi's leading ICT provider of end-to-end solutions, ALFalak’s impressive client list includes some of the most prestigious organisations in the Kingdom, including Saudi Aramco, King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST), PetroRabigh and the Ministry of Culture and Information. ALFalak expects to further consolidate its portfolio of high-end clients as demand for its ICT services and products is poised to intensify in the next five years, with the Kingdom continuing its massive adoption of new technology in all industry sectors, including oil and gas, petrochemical, real estate, telecommunications, construction and finance. ALFalak has been ranked by Arab News as one of the top 100 companies in Saudi Arabia for the past four years. The company delivers enterprise IT solutions through a network of offices and trained technical personnel throughout the Middle East. ALFalak's portfolio of business partnerships include leading solution and software providers, hardware and consumable manufacturers, business consultancy firms and implementation specialists. The company has been aggressively expanding its facilities and networks as it pursues its expansion strategy across the region in partnership with leading global brands such as HP, 3M, Alcatel-Lucent, Bluecoat, Juniper, Oracle, Imation, Genius, Compuware, and SAS.   August 2008 Al-Falak and business partner SAS sign agreement with Prince Mohammad University to deploy SAS learning technology Al-Falak Electronic Equipment & Supplies Co., a leading IT and communications solutions provider in Saudi Arabia, and its local partner SAS, a leading business intelligence and analytics software developer, have recently signed an agreement with Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU) for the deployment of SAS learning technology at the university’s Al Khobar campus. Under the terms of the agreement, Al-Falak, the sole distributor of SAS software in Saudi Arabia since 1982, will assist in delivering SAS software and infrastructure and provide post-implementation services and knowledge transfer to ensure that the technology is maximized by PMU. The agreement, co-signed by Al-Falak President and CEO Ahmed Ashadawi, SAS Africa and Middle East Regional CEO Bill Hoggarth, and PMU Rector Dr. Issa Al Ansari, aims to enhance student understanding of business intelligence and analytical concepts by providing hands-on experience with actual automated tools used in various industries. SAS systems are currently installed in 2,000 educational institutions in 109 countries and are helping mold the business and decision making skills of the region’s future leaders. Ahmed Ashadawi, commented: “Our partner SAS has vast experience in successfully integrating technology into academic programs and will thus contribute significantly to exposing students to the use of the state of the art technologies in their curriculum and make them market ready. The system we will implement has the potential to significantly enhance the learning curve and career opportunities of both students and educators. We will thus maximize our extensive knowledge and experience to provide the appropriate end-to-end solutions to make the PMU system a model of knowledge transfer in the country and in the region.” “We tapped our 32 years of solid experience in business intelligence and predictive analytics solutions to create a specialized system that would provide the perfect learning platform for students of the Al Khobar campus. The industry-standard analytical tools we have deployed will definitely help students manipulate data into valuable decision-making material and thus expedite their acquisition of crucial management skills,” added Bill Hoggarth, Africa and Middle East Regional CEO, SAS. “Higher educational institutions in Saudi Arabia and the entire Arab World face increasing pressure to produce students who have sufficient real-world training to meet strict industry demand for technological skills and business competence. We thus need to use the latest methods and technologies to ensure that the new generation of Saudi nationals is fully prepared to assume key positions in both the public and private sectors and make critical decisions. The SAS system to be implemented by Al-Falak will help us mold our students as knowledge workers contributing to the development and growth of the Kingdom,” concluded Dr. Al Ansari. Al-Falak has been ranked by Arab News as one of the top 100 companies in Saudi Arabia for the past 4 years due to its extensive experience and operations throughout the Middle East. The company focuses on providing complete end-to-end IT and communications solutions in partnership with leading global brands such as HP, 3M, Alcatel, Oracle, Imation, Genius, Compuware, and SAS.   June 2008 Al-Falak acquires Major Distributor of IT Products in Saudi Al-Falak Electronic Equipment & Supplies Co, a leading provider of technology-based solutions to the Middle East, has recently completed the acquisition of Mishaal Al-Sudairy Office for Commercial Services (MSO) as part of Al-Falak's expansion strategy across the Middle East. The acquisition will provide Al-Falak critical access to leading IT brands and gain leverage for Al-Falak's vision of becoming the region's premier IT company with a dedicated distribution division. The acquisition specifically enhances Al-Falak's momentum within the Saudi Arabian market wherein MSO has been a major player for over a decade. Moreover, MSO will significantly expand Al-Falak's portfolio of premium products as MSO is a key distributor of leading international brands such as Microsoft, Symantec, Logitech, Eaton MGE UPS Systems, Targus, D-Link, Avid Pinnacle Systems, POV (Nvidia Graphic Cards), and MGE UPS Systems TwinMOS. "Al-Falak is gaining ground in its long-term vision of becoming the leading IT company in the region. The acquisition will help consolidate Al-Falak’s IT Distribution Division, allowing the current CSA Division to focus on corporate business instead of Reseller channel sales. We are very excited about the new growth opportunities that have been unlocked. I am confident that this growth will further enhance our quality of services to our clients," said Ahmed Ashadawi, President and CEO, Al-Falak. MSO is a fast-growing trade only distributor that is constantly evolving and adapting to market demands to meet all the needs of the reseller community. The company operates through its head office in Riyadh and branches in Jeddah, Al Khobar, Dubai and Jebel Ali Free Zone. "The move has been highly beneficial to both MSO and Al-Falak as combining our resources and expertise we will definitely provide more energy to our expansion initiatives and enhance our competitive edge in the market. The increased sales force will likewise enable us to better serve our clients, particularly in the Saudi Arabian market, which continues to offer excellent growth opportunities," said Agnello Fernandes, General Manager of MSO. MSO's reputation throughout the Saudi market as a model of professionalism, competence and quality has also been a key factor in the acquisition as these are vital in boosting Al-Falak's image and status, and strengthening its presence across the regional market "Al-Falak will be able to substantially improve its capacity to serve key markets across Saudi Arabia through MSO's excellent logistics and comprehensive network of reseller partners. The joint forces of Al-Falak and MSO will certainly make us more dynamic and give us greater flexibility to cater to various customer demands and subsequently increase our market share in the Kingdom," said Ashadawi. For over 27 years, Al-Falak has delivered enterprise IT solutions through a network of offices and trained technical personnel throughout the Middle East. Al-Falak's portfolio of business partnerships include leading solution and software providers, hardware and consumable manufacturers, business consultancy firms and implementation specialists. The company has been aggressively expanding its facilities and networks as it pursues its expansion strategy across the region.     March 2008 Al-Falak signs partnership agreement with Halcyon Software Al-Falak Electronic Equipment & Supplies Co, a leading provider of technology-based solutions to the Middle East, has announced that it has recently signed a partnership agreement with UK-based Halcyon Software Limited to represent Halcyon in the GCC region. The partnership aims to take advantage of an expected double-digit growth in the Gulf's IT market within the next three years. Halcyon Software Limited, an international software company with over 19 years experience in systems management with headquarters in Cambridgeshire, UK, has one of the largest portfolio of systems management products in the world, covering a wide spectrum of platforms from IBM iSeries, AIX®, Windows®, Unix®, Linux® and Netware®. The partnership will allow Al-Falak to offer Halcyon's full range of software solutions to key areas in the GCC, a fast-growing market that is projected to exceed AED 44 billion by 2011, representing a significant 12 per cent increase. Ahmed Ali Ashadawi, Chief Executive Officer, Al-Falak, said, “This partnership will further strengthen our industry standing in the regional markets. Halcyon's full range of products will help us expand our extensive portfolio of IT solutions that address the various requirements of our international clients. Halcyon will likewise benefit from this partnership by having direct access to our large network of partners and our vast experience in delivering services to high-profile clients across the region." Sean Gallagher, International Manager, Halcyon Software, said, “We are honoured to partner with Al-Falak for our expansion program in the Gulf region. Al-Falak and Halcyon have a lot in common, beginning with our heritage, as both companies were formed in the early 1980s and gradually found a niche for ourselves in the constantly changing technology landscape, while consistently delivering high quality products and services to our clients." "Al-Falak and Halcyon have also been recipients of important technology accreditations that demonstrate our respective commitment to our clients, ensuring that the very latest proven technology tools are used. This partnership will benefit all stakeholders and in particular, our prospective clients in the GCC region,” added Gallagher. According to marketing intelligence firm IDC, the Gulf's total IT spending will exceed AED 33 billion in 2008, increasing by more than 15 per cent compared to 2007. This presents excellent mutual growth opportunities for both Al-Falak and Halcyon, which have both implemented intensified expansion initiatives across the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the largest markets in the GCC that account for 43 per cent and 36 per cent respectively of the region's overall IT spending. For over 27 years, Al-Falak has delivered enterprise IT solutions through a network of offices and trained technical personnel throughout the Middle East. Al-Falak's portfolio of business partnerships include leading solution and software providers, hardware and consumable manufacturers, business consultancy firms and implementation specialists. Halcyon Software Limited writes software for IBM midrange computers as well as Windows®, Linux®, Unix®, AIX® and Netware® platforms. Large multinational companies, corporate data centres, as well as small to medium-sized businesses use Halcyon Software products to proactively manage and automate their IT operations. The company’s product portfolio consists of up to 29 individual products, each linked into suites which allow clients to gain maximum advantage from carefully constructed programs. Each suite is integrated such that the clients can have single view of their IT enterprise through a through a Graphical User Interface.