Orange Subsidiary Opens Middle East Innovation Hub

Dubai

Orange Business Services, the France Telecom-Orange branch dedicated to business-to-business services, opened its Middle East innovation hub and regional headquarters at Dubai Silicon Oasis.

The hub was inaugurated by Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority (DSOA).

“Dubai is one of the world’s most ambitious smart cities and we chose DSO as our regional hub because of its commitment to innovation and the strength of its business and startup ecosystem. Our global innovation ecosystem now extends from Silicon Valley to Dubai Silicon Oasis, from where we will support the work of our dedicated smart cities teams across the region,” Thierry Bonhomme, CEO of Orange Business Services, said in a statement.

Orange is one of the six partners and co-sponsors of the Dubai Smart City Accelerator (DSCA), which was launched by Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority in 2017 and operated by startupbootcamp - the network of industry-focused startup accelerators - that fuels startups with mentorship, product modelling, and preparation for go to market.

Mohammed Al Zarooni, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, said that Orange counts as the newest addition to more than 74 French businesses that operate out of the hub.

The bilateral relations between the UAE and France, where in 2016 trade between the two has exceeded $5.6 billion. The UAE’s investments in France account for 35 per cent of the total investments from the region.

The new regional hub includes a solutions showroom, presenting, and demonstrating smart solutions portfolio and capabilities, designed to stimulate further innovative ideas and collaborative business opportunities. “Dubai provides the ideal base and context for our rapidly growing business in the Middle East, where we have worked for the last five decades supporting the growth and transformation of business in the region,” Bonhomme said.