The Middle East’s fifth Social Media Summit (SMS) in the business sector will be held on Dec. 5-6 in Dubai. This year’s two-day summit, which takes place at the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai will be highly versatile in terms of topics, speakers, and concomitant presentations. The event will conclude with a segment of awards recognizing successful social media experiences within the commercial and marketing fields and distinguished initiatives implemented on social media platforms for nonprofit charity work.
This year’s summit comes under the strategic sponsorship of Saudi Telecom Company (STC) and the media strategic sponsorship of Al-Khaleejiah Advertising & Public Relation Co., the media concessionaire of the publications of the Saudi Research and Publishing Company, which publishes Asharq Al-Awsat, Arab News, Sayyidati, Sayyidati.net, Al-Eqtisadiah, and Arriyadiyah.
Nasser bin Saleh Al-Sarami, CEO of the Middle East’s SMS, explained that this year’s sessions and dialogues will be held under the title “Social media networks and their leading role in digital transformation.” There will be diverse speakers from the US, Europe, and the region. The closing ceremony of the summit will include awards handed to businesses and individuals who had exceptional experiences with social media platforms through commercial or charitable uses.
Al-Sarami added: “This year’s summit has diverse topics that cover the media sector. The renowned media personality Abdulrahman Al-Rashed will talk about moving from the silver screen to small screen in a session moderated by Zaina Yazigi. Journalist Sultan Qahtani will also discuss the future of media institutions in the Arab world in light of the spectacular advancements in the media industry. The sessions will also feature a discussion about exploring social media and trademarks as a high-quality product and content and using artificial intelligence (AI) to build easy marketing campaigns through these platforms.”
Other speakers include Ramzi Al-Halaby, founder and CEO of The Online Project, which is one of the oldest consulting companies in the field of social media, and British journalist Oliver Bluefield, who will talk about best practices in designing promotional videos and posting them on social media.
The list of speakers also includes Mustafa Hamawi, an international speaker and entrepreneurship coach; Mohanad Alwadiya, CEO of Harbor Real Estate; and Muna Al-Habsi, HR manager at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray Hotel and winner of “Best Inspirational Leader” title at the 2018 International Business Excellence (IBX) awards.
Middle East’s 5th Social Media Summit in December
Middle East’s 5th Social Media Summit in December
Alfanar Engineering signs MoU with Schneider Electric Saudi Arabia
Alfanar Engineering Services announced the signing of a strategic MoU with Schneider Electric Saudi Arabia during its participation in the Saudi Arabia Smart Grid Conference. Both Schneider Electric and Alfanar Engineering have committed to further enhancing operational excellence and customer-centric service delivery thereby ensuring long-term asset reliability of their clients in the Kingdom.
Alfanar Engineering brings to the collaboration a strong in-Kingdom service footprint, supported by extensive operations and maintenance capabilities, advanced testing and commissioning equipment, and a network of specialized service centers and labs strategically located across Saudi Arabia. These capabilities enable the delivery of responsive, high-quality technical support tailored to the needs of critical infrastructure and industrial operations. Schneider Electric, with its extensive installed base of energy management and automation solutions, plays a key role in supporting mission-critical facilities and national industries across the Kingdom.
The collaboration was signed by Sattam Al-Motairi, chief operating officer of Alfanar Engineering Services, and Mohamed Shaheen, cluster president — Saudi Arabia, Schneider Electric. It brings together Alfanar’s local operational expertise and service reach with Schneider Electric’s global technologies and service standards. Together, the two companies will enhance service reliability, improve response efficiency, and deliver greater value through sustainable solutions that optimize asset lifecycles. The MoU also supports the development of localized technical services, contributing to the Kingdom’s objectives for sustainable infrastructure, localization, and industrial resilience.
Al-Motairi said: “At Alfanar Engineering Services, we believe that true value is created long after equipment is installed, through reliable service, fast response, and teams that understand the realities of the field. This collaboration with Schneider Electric enables us to enhance the delivery of after-sales services across the Kingdom, combining deep local expertise with world-class technology. Our focus is clear: keeping critical operations running, supporting our customers’ long-term success, and contributing meaningfully to Saudi Arabia’s industrial and infrastructure ambitions.”
Oday Al-Aithan, vice president of field services for Schneider Electric in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Yemen, and Bahrain, said: “At Schneider Electric, we are turning advanced energy management and digital solutions into tangible outcomes through our partnership with Alfanar Engineering Services. By combining our integrated technologies, extensive installed base, and global expertise as a leading energy technology partner with Alfanar’s strong in-Kingdom field services, we deliver smarter, faster, and more reliable solutions that optimize asset performance, accelerate response times, and support resilient, sustainable infrastructure, contributing to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.”
