• Zain and du have struck a strategic collaboration deal that highlights the increasing focus of telcos on business customers and green networking
• The operators will develop a range of digital solutions that meet the needs of enterprise users
• They will also target increasing demand for sustainable communications solutions

ZainTech, the digital solutions arm of Zain Group that specialises in enterprise users in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and Emirati operator du have teamed up to develop sustainable, innovative services for government bodies and enterprises across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by creating a “single source for their digital transformation needs”.

As part of the strategic go-to-market partnership, the two operators announced plans to jointly provide an “innovative and comprehensive suite of solutions across various areas”. The joint developments will include the use of internet of things (IoT) technology that can help businesses achieve a net-zero future, as well as solutions built around drones-as-a-service (DaaS), data management, cloud managed services, app modernisation and international connectivity.

By blending their respective expertise and resources, the companies believe they can “empower businesses and government entities to streamline their digital transformation journeys” by delivering solutions that address their evolving requirements.

“I’m confident that our collaboration will drive innovation and sustainable growth in the UAE by enabling businesses and governments to embrace ESG principles and leverage cutting-edge technologies to accelerate their digital transformation journeys, streamline operations and achieve tangible business outcomes,” stated Andrew Hanna, CEO of ZainTech (pictured above, left).

According to Fahad Al Hassawi, CEO of du (pictured above, right), the two companies enable organisations to make “data-driven decisions, harness the potential of the cloud and leverage advanced technologies like IoT and DaaS to drive transformative growth in the UAE.”

The partnership comes at a time when more businesses and government bodies are exploring the use of digital services, especially data analytics and automation, to transform and optimise their operations.

Founded in October 2021 as “a first among Middle East operators”, ZainTech was created by Zain Group to serve as a “one-stop shop” for enterprises and governments in the MENA region. Its focus is on providing managed solutions across the ICT stack, including cloud, cybersecurity, big data, internet of things, artificial intelligence, smart cities, robotics, drones and other emerging technologies. 

In addition to its relationship with du, ZainTech has also struck partnerships with the likes of Mastercard, Microsoft, Oracle and Atos to boost its digital enterprise solutions portfolio.

The enterprise tech arm of Zain has a significant presence in the region, leveraging Zain’s operations in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and South Sudan, as well as Morocco, where the operator has a 15.5% stake in local communications service provider Inwi through a joint venture.

In addition to its enterprise solutions efforts, Zain Group, which has about 53 million active customers across its various territories and generates about US$1.5bn in revenues per quarter, has also been active in working towards achieving its environmental goals, with its most recent move involving a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Swedish giant network vendor Ericsson to develop initiatives aimed at building more energy-efficient networks in the future. The telco group aims to be net zero by 2050.

Its new partner, du, has set a deadline of 2030 to be net zero across its direct emissions (Scope 1 and 2) and across all its emissions (including Scope 3, produced within its supply chain) by 2050.

- Yanitsa Boyadzhieva, Deputy Editor, TelecomTV