DUBAI: Like Digital & Partners, an independent digital transformation agency with offices in Dubai and London, has announced the opening of premises in Riyadh to mark its expansion into the Kingdom.

The move comes a month after the agency partnered with business expansion platform AstroLabs to extend its footprint in the region.

The new office in Riyadh will underscore its commitment to the region, it said in a statement.

Like Digital & Partners aims to create new jobs primarily in the fields of project management and user interface design. It plans to employ 10 to 15 staff members at its Riyadh office by the end of 2025.

Specializing in the hospitality industry, the agency has worked with resorts such as Atlantis and One&Only One Za’abeel. It aims to leverage this expertise and experience in the Kingdom, which is seeing an influx of new hotels and resorts, the agency said.

Karl Escritt, CEO of Like Digital & Partners, said: “As we continue our rapid expansion into the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) market and beyond, we are delighted to lay down roots in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“Having dedicated years to nurturing our business in the Kingdom and developing our knowledge and expertise of the market, we are looking forward to further strengthening our ties and servicing new clients.”

LONDON: The London mayoral candidate for the Conservative Party has come under scrutiny for her involvement in Facebook groups known for hosting Islamophobic content.

A joint investigation by Greenpeace-funded outlet Unearthed and The Guardian revealed that Susan Hall was a member of at least six private Facebook groups containing Islamophobic hate speech and abusive remarks directed at her opponent, Sadiq Khan.

The exposé revealed that the groups, presented as local grassroots campaigns against London’s clean air policies, are run by Conservative Party operatives including staff and activists.

Despite public exposure, Hall has declined to exit any of these Facebook groups and instead joined another one on Tuesday, according to Unearthed.

Khan told The Guardian these revelations could have an impact on the safety of his family and staff and has urged police to take action.

Reporters who infiltrated the 36-group network uncovered numerous Islamophobic and racist posts, including derogatory remarks about Khan, labeling him a “terrorist sympathizer” and a “khaki punt.” Some commenters even expressed willingness to pay for harm to be inflicted on him.

Alongside posts inciting vandalism, the investigation identified at least one YouTube video alleging that “Islamists” were “taking over Britain.”

While Conservative staff or politicians did not appear to directly engage with these racist posts, a party spokesperson unequivocally condemned posts in the groups.

However, Ami McCarthy, a political campaigner at Greenpeace UK, criticized Hall’s decision to join another group as a “last-ditch attempt to boost her ratings,” arguing that a “respectable politician would have issued an apology and left the Facebook groups” after the exposure of racism, Islamophobia, and posts inciting criminal damage.

Londoners will cast their votes for the new mayor on Thursday, with current mayor Khan leading in the polls, according to YouGov.

Hall has previously faced similar controversies related to Islamophobia. In February, she was called upon to apologize by Khan’s Labour party after suggesting that Jewish Londoners were “frightened” of Khan and retweeting a post from a far-right figure calling Khan the “mayor of Londonistan.”

Last November, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain Zara Mohammed denounced Hall’s candidacy as “unacceptable,” highlighting the persistent nature of Islamophobia within the Conservative Party and its divisive impact on communities.