TECHx reaches Africa | Interview with Regional Director

TECHx has begun operations in Africa ahead of substantial growth in the region. The company’s growth plans will leverage on Africa’s booming technology industry. Ashraf Gaber has just been appointed regional director for publications and editorial in Africa and the Nordic region. We asked Ashraf a few questions to learn more about his ambitions for driving TECHx to new heights under his leadership. Let’s have a peek at the conversation.

You recently joined TECHx as the regional director for publications & editorial in Africa and the Nordic region. What is TECHx’s business plan in Africa for 2021-2022?

First and foremost, I’d like to convey my pleasure of joining the amazing TECHx team, and I’d like to thank all of the leaders and team members for the warm encouragement and spirit of collaboration that permeates the work.

For my part, I consider joining TECHx Media as a wonderful opportunity to culminate my 25-year journalism career, and I hope that my efforts will help TECHx achieve the excellent position it deserves, particularly in African and Nordic countries.

Our strategy in Africa is to pave the way for the continent’s initiatives in digital transformation, e-governance, education, AI applications, and other relevant areas. Cairo will be the headquarters of TECHx in Africa as part of our expansion plans. We have already begun speaking with a number of CIT ministries in various countries, including Egypt, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Sierra Leone.

During the GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK in October 2021, we will issue a special supplement called “TECHx Africa”, to celebrate Africa and its achievements in the technology space. Of course, there are numerous opportunities for the ICT industry across Africa region which needs to be tracked and addressed. To begin with, this would be a small step from our side to address these needs and carry our mission forward of TECH Advocacy.

Along with Africa, I feel the Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland) are also among the most notable countries in terms of technology and artificial intelligence applications. In a nutshell, this action reflects a route that is consistent with our global development goals.

With your vast experience in the media sector, particularly in the GCC area, how do you see the Middle Eastern media landscape progressing and the opportunities for TECHx to expand further in it?

I have over 25 years of journalism experience in the GCC, Arab area, and a number of other nations across the world. It ranged from traditional print journalism, radio, and television to digital journalism and new media.

Without a question, the Gulf region’s media sector has seen significant growth in recent years, but more modernization in terms of content diversity is still needed. As a result, the possibility for TECHx to contribute to creating a powerful and influential media image transcends boundaries.

TECHx, with its deep and comprehensive approach, can lead the region’s technology media and become one of the most significant players in this sector globally, providing awareness, information, and innovative communication amongst all stakeholders in the technology industry.

TECHx is one of the few tech media companies in the region with a special focus on the ICT channel ecosystem’s happenings. The platform is also an active advocate of digital transformation in the region through collaborative efforts.

Given your strong emphasis on bringing together all stakeholders in the technology industry, please explain the role of TECHx in this regard.

One of the benefits of TECHx as a new media platform is that it provides an excellent platform for the ICT value chain, including vendors, distributors, system integrators and resellers, to exhibit their ideas and products, such as solutions, apps, and devices. Through TECHx, they may directly contact their end-user target audience through focused campaigns, custom-tailored, goal-based digital and direct-marketing services. These services assist companies in increasing their exposure, reach, and conversion opportunities.

Please tell us more about the upcoming TECHx projects under your leadership, such as the “International Students Forum” and “Indusmia.” What does TECHx want to accomplish with these initiatives?

With initiatives such as “International Students Forum” and “Indusmia,” TECHx aims to establish a series of partnerships with a large number of universities, potentially exceeding 100, with the goal of qualifying students for “Jobs of the Future” and also offering them training opportunities, which would contribute to closing the gap between education and labor market requirements.

We have already received a positive response from many universities, which is perfectly consistent with our objective in this ambitious project. TECHx, in my opinion, serves as an expert hinge or bridge to link, mix, develop, and use educational talents so that young people may find a suitable place to perceive the world more clearly.

Following the announcement of launching TECHx in Africa in 2021, you now intend to expand in the Nordic region in the coming year. Why did you decide to expand into the Nordic region? What attracts your interest there?

For the many reasons I indicated earlier, it was evident for us to proceed to Africa when we started developing strategic plans and directions for TECHx. But we also have to look at countries that have made significant progress in the sphere of digital transformation, where AI processes have already been implemented and have reached e-government levels. As a result, when all of these situations are considered, we cannot locate a better spot than the Nordic countries at the moment.

My many years of experience in the Nordic countries, notably Finland, influenced this decision, as I saw firsthand the development made by those countries, which inspires many other countries worldwide to follow in their footsteps.

I realized this many years ago on an official visit to Finland at the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. That visit resulted in a tremendous partnership, as I published a magazine promoting cooperation between the Nordic countries and the Arab world.

The good news is that the Nordic nations are always willing to build bridges of collaboration with many countries worldwide. As a result, our inclination towards the “Nordic” is advantageous.

TECHx is more than just news; it is a media platform attempting to bring together many players for a collective perspective in the tech industry. How is TECHx’s engagement with governments and technological events in the region going?

Yes, as I previously stated, TECHx is more than just a news platform; it is a complete interactive media mechanism that aims to effectively impact life, particularly digital transformation paths. This necessitates participation in all relevant events, not just for engagement, but also for introducing ideas, supporting projects, offering professional services, and using its capabilities and experience to support governments’ initiatives.

In addition, we are in contact with several ministries and government agencies involved in information technology and digital transformation in the GCC, Arab world, Africa, and Northern Europe. In this regard, we are in the midst of finalizing a number of official partnerships.