Dubai a hub for both the Gulf and Africa

Diwakar Nigam, the managing director of Newgen Software, an IT company based in New Delhi, talks to The National about how the main trends in the industry are affecting his business.

Could you talk about what you are seeing when it comes to the IT sector in India, and how it is performing?

In India the software product industry is still at a very nascent stage when compared to the software services industry, which has already seen a matured growth. The government’s focus on Digital India, by increasing mobile and internet use in India, the growing phenomena of new age technologies such as social, mobile, cloud and analytics are the primary factors affecting the business dynamics positively.

What are the challenges?

Major challenges that the Indian IT sector faces are the threat of loss of business to foreign software companies. The government should take measures to counter this. It should lower taxes and ease regulations to provide the Indian software companies with a level playing field vis-a-vis their global competitors. Made in India software needs to be promoted to create confidence and awareness about the availability of high-quality products from Indian vendors.

Brexit has a mixed effect on India’s IT sector. In the short term, India will see a negative effect but then in the long term it is too early to predict the outcome. We have recently opened an office in UK to cater to the European market.

What are the new trends you are noticing?

Robotic-process automation, social media analytics and cloud and digital sensing are the emerging smart process-solution trends.

How important is the Arabian Gulf to the industry and what presence and plans do you have for the market?

The Arabian Gulf is an important market for India’s IT sector. We are currently present in Dubai, which acts as a central location to cater to customers and organisations in the Arabian Gulf and Africa. These areas are a major part of our growth and expansion plans. We have a strong partner network in this region and are working towards expanding this network in the region, with strong associations in the banking, healthcare and government sectors

business@thenational.ae

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Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.	United States
2.	China
3.	UAE
4.	Japan
5	Norway
6.	Canada
7.	Singapore
8.	Australia
9.	Saudi Arabia
10.	South Korea

What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013

While you're here

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Con Coughlin: The terror threat in Europe remains as potent as ever

Sholto Byrnes: After Charlie Hebdo, is religion dividing the world?

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If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).