UAE remains Middle East's leading hotbed of technological innovation

When Data Processing Systems (DPS) was founded in Abu Dhabi in the early eighties, the country's remarkable development programme was in its infancy.

"The past 20 years have seen unimaginable changes in the UAE," says Georges Hannouche, CEO of DPS. "We're very fortunate to be based here. The Emirates remains the best base from which to service the Middle East."

In two decades of tackling often challenging data networking projects, DPS has at one time or another worked with almost every significant corporation and government department in the Emirates. "There is no single administrative department or major corporation that we haven't done business with in one way or another," says Hannouche. "We're very proud of that."

DPS's client list is a roll-call of UAE corporations, government departments and educational institutions: Etisalat, Dubai Bank, the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce, Gulf News, Sahm Technologies, the Higher Colleges of Technology, Emaar and many others. DPS even designed, implemented and maintained the UAE's largest data network for the Ministry of the Interior.

"Our job is to provide secure and reliable data communication solutions," says Hannouche. "We have never failed in any project."

Many of today's clients are well-informed about networking technology and have a good idea of what they are looking for, says Hannouche. That wasn't always the case. "In the 1980s, and early 1990s, even telecom service providers and computer vendors used to come to us for the design and supply of their data networks."

Hannouche, who over the past 25 years has founded some of the most successful IT groups in the Middle East and Europe, became CEO of DPS in 1998. Since then, DPS's growth has shifted up a gear and the firm has tied up agreements with international IT vendors such as Cisco, Foundry, Nexans, StoneSoft, Peribit, Multitech and SafeNet.

Gold from the Sand
The late nineties global economic and technology boom brought international competitors to the UAE market. But as a deep-rooted Gulf company, says Hannouche, DPS has benefited rather than suffered from competition.

"Many foreign companies thought they would dig gold from the sand," says Hannouche. "But the Gulf is still a small market relative to the Americas or Europe, and global networking companies have high overheads. They haven't the ability to respond to market needs and diversify in the way that a home-grown business like DPS can."

DPS's thriving Aviation Technologies and Intelligent Building Systems (IBS) divisions are both examples of this successful diversification strategy; DPS has implemented major aviation projects in several Middle East airports. DPS has doubled its staff since 2002. Hannouche forecasts even faster expansion in the next two years.

"We have developed our know-how and the quality of our service," he says, "and I'm in no doubt that our market share will continue to grow."

Hannouche's next goal is to turn the Emirati company into a global Middle East networking vendor. "We aim to make DPS one of the most profitable and professional groups in the whole region," he says. "We have the plan, the means and the will. We can do it."