Home : Ten Years Anniversary

10-year online anniversary

The Web has come a long way since 1996. Take a look at our original home page from our first day on the Web back in April 1996 on the right-hand side.

We've grown from a business directory on CD-ROM providing contact details of 125,000 companies in the Middle East to the ultimate Middle East business resource online, consulted by more than 650,000 unique users every month. We know that we couldn't have done this without you, our loyal users and customers - Thank you!

All of us at AME Info are already working on the next 10 years and are certain that over the next decade AME Info will be even more essential to you and your business.

It has been 10 great years, and we think the best
is yet to come.

» 100 moments from the past 10 years

Audio greeting
We got a special audio greeting from Sir Richard Branson on the day of our 10-year anniversary event which took place at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi at the Dhow on March 28th 2006.

Pictures from the event: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Do you have something to say to us? send anniversary feedback

Timeline - 1996 to 2006

April 5, 1996
www.ameinfo.com registred with Network Solutions - the site went live for the very first time just a few days after.
March, 1997
The first 10,000 AME Info CD-ROMs are produced in a solid plastic CD cover with inlay booklet. The CD is promoted for sale throughout the region as well as internationally.
January, 1998
Thanks to major sponsors like Shell Markets Middle East and UPS the concept expanded dramatically and the 1998 edition of AME Info reached a free circulation of more than 180,000 copies

20,000 were distributed in a branded version through Shell in the Middle East magazine.
February, 1999
The company shifted from the CD-ROM platform to the Internet and added content such as company news and current events to the services and a complete rewamp of www.ameinfo.com went public in June 1999.
December, 1999
AME Info becomes first Middle East business directory to offer access by mobile phone - although no Middle Eastern telecommunications provider offered a gateway to WAP services at the time.
February, 2000
AME Info becomes member of Phone.com as one of the first in the Middle East to develop business directory and news content for mobile phones.
March, 2000
AMEinfo.com has clinched the coveted 'Pick-of-the-Day' award from the USA's prestigious 'Daily Hot Site' Internet review.
October, 2000
In the autumn of 2000 the company added a journalistic touch to the content portfolio and launched AME Info FN headed by Peter Cooper - concentrating on the financial markets and economics in the region.
November, 2000
AME Info was awarded "Best Commercial Services Site" by Visa International and Arabian Business.
February, 2001
AME Info goes Arabic and rolls out its daily news wires and press service in Arabic.
May, 2001
The company was re-structured and AME Info FZ LLC was established in Dubai Media City as a limited liability company.
May 2002
AME Info entered into a marketing tie-up with CNN International. Under the agreement the two organizations will respectively promote each others' services online and on air. The agreement was extended to include all of 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 ensuring daily exposure for AME Info on global CNN International and constant presence for CNN on AME Info.
May 2002
The very first AME Info monthly networking event was held at the Hilton Creek and becomes a meeting point in Dubai for business people across industries in the Middle East.
February 2003
The company started producing broadband content headed by Lisa Creffield and the site features a large selection of unique video productions covering various events and interviews with business executives across the region.
March 2004
AME Info launches regional stock market listed company information in association with SHUAA Capital.
November 2004
AME Info starts up in India headed by Rajesh Nair - with the rapidly increasing number of Indian companies operating in the pan-Arab world, AME Info predicts serious business potential from India.
December 2004
AME Info begins streaming AME Info Radio, the region's first business-focused online radio station headed by Phil Blizzard, paving the way for podcasts which was launched early 2005.
January, 2005
AME Info became member of World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The mission of the W3C is to lead the World Wide Web to its full potential by developing common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its interoperability. AME Info joined W3C to show commitment to open standards in a drive to make the Web accessible for all.
March, 2005
HSBC Private Equity Middle East Ltd. acquired a significant equity stake in AME Info FZ LLC to provide a strong institutional platform for the company's further growth in the region.
April, 2005
AME Info was awarded Webby Worthy. Hailed as the "Online Oscars" by Time Magazine, The Webby Awards is the leading international honors for websites. Webby Worthy selections are chosen by the International Academy of the Digital Arts and Sciences, a 500+ member body of leading web experts, business figures, luminaries, visionaries and creative celebrities.
April, 2005
AME Info starts using 24/7 Real Media's Open AdStream, the ABCe audited leading dynamic advertising management and delivery solution, to manage and control our Internet advertising business. Open AdStream continuously monitors advertising delivery in order to maintain reliability, accuracy and optimal performance while targeting and delivering campaigns to precise geographic and anonymous data.
May, 2005
AME Info was awarded Superbrand Status following a strict selection process by the United Arab Emirates Superbrands Council. Superbrands is the independent arbiter on branding. The organisation promotes the discipline of branding and pays tribute to exceptional brands. Superbrands programmes operate in over 40 countries. Superbrand status is awarded by an independent judging panel of experts.
October, 2005
AME Info was the first website in the Middle East to achieve ABC certification in May 2005. In October 2005 AME Info registered a 175% growth in Unique Users from the first audit conducted in May 2005. The Audit Bureau of Circulations, ABC ELECTRONIC ensures that the procedures used by its subscribers in the preparation of data for audit conform to the latest internationally-agreed industry standards.
January, 2006
AME Info's MediaCentre provides the perfect andidote to information overload by helping users track just the news they want in one central place, creating a unique 'personal newspaper' online.
January, 2006
The first 7-day-a-week product is launched in form of a daily podcast summarising the top stories of the day.
March, 2006
The March 28th AME Info Networking event was used to celebrate AME Info's 10-year anniversary.

The event took place at the Dhow, Dubai International Marine Club, Mina Seyahi, Dubai.
And on and on
What is next from AME Info? Watch this space - we have a lot of plans to be rolled out in the years to come...

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