The UAE cybersecurity company DarkMatter plans to increase headcount by 35 per cent amid expansion plans.
Currently employing 480 people, it is looking at a total of 650 by the end of the year as it targets more government clients as emphasis is put on data protection.
About 20 per cent of its staff is employed overseas. A majority of DarkMatter’s research and development takes place within the UAE with the rest at its offices in Finland, Canada and China.
“The UAE leadership is pushing towards smart cities and the leadership in the country is extremely conscious of the safety [of the data],” said Faisal Al Bannai, DarkMatter’s chief executive. “The investment in technology will continue to happen and so will investment in cybersecurity as it goes hand in hand.”
He was speaking on the sidelines of the International Defence Exhibiton (Idex) in the capital, where DarkMatter launched its jamming solutions and showcased its big data and analytics platforms. Both the solutions are expected to be deployed in the UAE by the middle of the year in civilian and military sectors.
DarkMatter also invests “hundreds of millions of dirhams annually” in research and development, Mr Al Bannai said.
About 90 per cent of its customers are in the UAE government sector, such as transport authorities and law enforcement authorities. Banks and telecom companies are among its clients in the private sector.
This year the company expects to pick up more business from the private sector.
“In terms of managed expansions we will start growing in the Middle East this year, and beyond that globally from next year,” Mr Al Bannai said.
At the Mobile World Congress starting on February 27 in Barcelona, the company will launch its secure communications suite.
DarkMatter is wholly owned by Al Bannai Investments and was founded in 2014.
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Idex 2017
■ Photo gallery: Idex 2017 in Abu Dhabi, day three
■ AK-47 rifle maker Kalashnikov has UAE factory in its sights
■ Photo gallery: Sights from the second day at Idex 2017
■ UAE and Russia to develop fighter jet
■ UAE Armed Forces awards deals valued at Dh6.91 billion
■ Thales set to sign deal with UAE Armed Forces this week
■ US military defence technology firm Harris lands UAE Armed Forces contract
■ Photo gallery: Idex 2017 opens in Abu Dhabi
■ Dh4.41bn worth of arms deals struck on day one of defence show
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How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
