Smart Dubai ropes in new partner to enhance data-driven decision making

Dubai’s catalyst for smart transformation, Smart Dubai will collaborate with a new partner, Network International in their joint Retail Sector Data Project.

The project which was started in late 2019 is currently in conjunction with Dubai’s Department of Economic Development and other semi-government and private entities and strives to better understand the shopping behavior of customers in emergency situations. This knowledge has the potential to help provide a better shopping experience.

Network International is one of the largest enablers in the Middle East and African region of digital commerce. Smart Dubai’s current collaborators include the Department of Economic Development, Majid Al Futtaim, du from the Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company.

Through a partnership with Network International, Smart Dubai can access sufficient data points that can improve the retail sector in making the right investments. Furthermore, a great shopping experience can be presented to the citizens, residents and visitors ensuring safety measures as the retail industry is a key component of the Dubai economy.

“Having received positive feedback from our partners on this project, and to meet the objectives of our Private Sector Engagement Strategy by enhancing data collaboration between the public and private sectors, Smart Dubai is currently in discussions with all parties to further expand the scope of the project and potentially include more new partners.”

Sami Al Qamzi, Director-General of Dubai Economy, stated, “The retail sector is an important pillar of Dubai’s economy. As the government entity concerned with formulating and developing the economic agenda of the emirate by supporting various sectors, we recognize the importance of the retail sector, its substantial contribution to Dubai’s GDP, and its vital role in providing various general needs.”

Samer Soliman, Managing Director for Network International’s Middle East operations, said,

“The UAE payments industry is among the fastest-growing in the world and we have every confidence in the nation’s vision for economic growth. Network International is proud to support Dubai’s dynamic retail sector with our data as we continue enhancing our payment infrastructure to create a best-in-class payment ecosystem. We look forward to collaborating with Smart Dubai and sharing innovative ideas to meet the changing needs of the marketplace and positively impact the economy.”

With purchasing patterns changing steadily, it is integral to dissect and understand them and be equipped to cater to the shoppers’ demands. Hence, Smart Dubai is looking to move ahead and develop a more thorough profile of its consumers to know their visiting and spending habits.

A steering committee headed by Dr. Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr, Director-General, Smart Dubai and Sami Al Qamzi, Director-General, Dubai Economy oversees the project to ensure data privacy.