From government portals to banks and tourism brands, Sitecore is enabling enterprises to unify content, data and customer interactions while reducing campaign cycles and driving measurable business impact.

Here, Suliman Gaouda, regional VP, MEA, Sitecore Middle East, shares how the composable, cloud-native platform is helping Middle Eastern organisations deliver secure, personalised, and efficient digital experiences.

What key trends do you see shaping the future of digital experience management globally and in the Middle East?

The future of digital experience management is being defined by diversification of channels and by customers’ expectations for seamless, context‑aware interactions. In the Middle East, brands are experimenting with real‑time personalisation not just in marketing but in core services: airlines offer dynamic upgrade pricing on their apps, quick‑service restaurants customise every order through digital kiosks, and government portals add recommended services based on an individual’s profile.

Citizens and consumers no longer want to browse endless pages; they want to ask a question and receive a direct, relevant answer. This expectation extends beyond screens. Wearable devices and augmented‑reality headsets are moving from novelty to mainstream, promising to blur the line between physical and digital experiences. As these channels proliferate, companies need to ensure that their content and services are compatible and trustworthy across every touchpoint.

Successful organisations will focus on three priorities: delivering consistent experiences wherever customers choose to engage; maintaining content governance and compliance despite the increased complexity; and building flexible systems that can plug into new technologies as they emerge. For Middle Eastern enterprises, these trends are amplified by an appetite to lead in innovation.

Countries in the region invest heavily in digital infrastructure and encourage businesses to test and scale new ideas. The result is a dynamic landscape where the brands that combine agility with disciplined governance will define the next chapter of customer experience.

What did Sitecore showcase at GITEX GLOBAL this year, and how did it align with the growing demand for personalised digital experiences in the region?

At GITEX GLOBAL 2025, Sitecore showcased how its composable digital experience platform enables organisations to deliver more personalized, secure, and efficient customer journeys. The exhibit featured an immersive experience that demonstrated how brands could unify content, data, and customer interactions across multiple touchpoints through a single, integrated platform.

Visitors explored real-world examples from government entities, financial institutions, and tourism organisations that had used Sitecore to enhance service delivery and engagement. One highlight was a conversational, search-based experience inspired by how public-sector clients help residents and newcomers access information through natural, dialogue-driven interfaces.

Sitecore also presented its flagship solutions, including XM Cloud and Content Hub, which simplified content management, accelerated campaign creation, and ensured brand consistency across markets. These technologies have helped enterprises across the region reduce campaign cycles from months to weeks while maintaining strong governance and compliance. In line with the ambitions of UAE Vision 2031 and Saudi Vision 2030, Sitecore’s participation underscored its commitment to supporting citizen-centric innovation and empowering organisations to meet rising expectations for personalisation, agility, and trust turning national digital strategies into measurable business outcomes.

How is Sitecore evolving its core strategy as brands move toward composable and modern digital experience platforms?

Sitecore’s strategy has shifted from monolithic solutions to a fully composable, cloud-native approach. In 2021, the company embraced the philosophy of building digital experiences from modular components rather than delivering a single, one-size-fits-all suite. By leaving the Mac alliance and championing composability, Sitecore signalled its commitment to giving customers flexibility.

Today, brands can adopt each element of the platform such as content management, digital asset management, analytics, personalisation, search individually or together, adding pieces as their capabilities mature. The order of adoption is guided not by product features but by a clear view of the experience they want to create for their customers.

Sitecore’s teams encourage clients to start with the desired response time or engagement quality and then design an architecture underneath that can meet those expectations. This “experience first” mindset is particularly relevant for Middle East organizations modernizing legacy technology. Many firms have spent years on ERP and infrastructure upgrades only to find their marketing tools outdated by the time they reach the customer-facing layer.

By starting with the desired customer journey and working backward to the technical stack, Sitecore helps brands avoid obsolescence. This strategy also encourages repeat visits and incremental revenue because each piece of the architecture whether used for content, data, or commerce can be reassembled into new use cases without needing additional licenses.

Which industries or markets are showing the strongest adoption of Sitecore solutions, and what’s driving that momentum?

Sitecore’s strongest traction in the Middle East has come from three sectors: financial services and insurance, travel and hospitality, and the public sector. Collectively, these categories account for more than 60 per cent of regional revenue. Banks and insurers have adopted the platform to build unified customer profiles and deliver personalised experiences that drive loyalty and cross‑sell growth. Airlines, hotels, and tourism boards use Sitecore to create multilingual journeys, manage offers dynamically, and address travellers from across the globe, fitting for a region investing heavily in tourism infrastructure.

Government departments, meanwhile, rely on Sitecore to power citizen portals and integrate disparate services into a seamless, self-service experience for residents and visitors. Beyond these core sectors, Sitecore is gaining momentum in healthcare, retail, manufacturing, logistics, and energy. In each case, the motivation is similar: organisations are seeking to cut through siloed processes and deliver consistent, memorable experiences that deliver measurable returns. The platform’s composable architecture allows businesses to adopt the capabilities they need, content management, unified data, personalisation, commerce, without being tied to a monolithic system.

Companies can adopt technology at their own pace, experiment with new journeys, and measure results before expanding into new markets. In effect, the platform’s flexibility and proven ROI are driving adoption across industries that recognize customer experience as a strategic differentiator.

How is Sitecore enhancing its product ecosystem to support enterprise content creation, personalisation, and analytics?

Sitecore’s product ecosystem focuses on making enterprise content creation and campaign management faster, more reliable and governed. At the core is Content Hub, a central repository where companies can store, manage and distribute thousands of digital assets while preserving brand consistency.

Marketing teams no longer have to hunt through disparate systems for the right image, video or copy; Content Hub tags each asset with rights and usage information, allowing users to find and reuse the materials instantly. Building on this, Sitecore introduced Stream, a capability co‑developed with key partners and large customers. Stream orchestrates the entire campaign workflow, from drafting a brief, to generating assets, to approving and distributing content across channels, reducing campaign cycles from three months to three weeks. It acts as a traffic controller, pushing work to the right team members, preventing bottlenecks, and ensuring that no step in the content lifecycle is missed.

Another core strength is the platform’s ability to unify customer data and deliver context‑based messages across websites, apps and digital touchpoints. Marketers can see which content performs best and where customers drop off, then adjust their strategies in real time. In short, Sitecore brings together content, data and analytics in a single environment.

This helps enterprises comply with brand policies, reduce manual effort, and turn complex campaign processes into streamlined operations that deliver measurable results.

How is Sitecore strengthening its presence and partnerships across the GCC as digital transformation accelerates?

Sitecore continues to invest in deep regional partnerships that strengthen its footprint across the GCC. The company collaborates with global leaders such as Microsoft and regional innovators like Core42 and Omnia Globant to deliver secure, compliant, and scalable digital experience solutions. We also work closely with sovereign cloud providers to ensure that customers can host their data and applications within national borders, a priority for many public‑sector clients.

Beyond technology, Sitecore invests in joint training programmes, workshops, and innovation labs with its partners, helping them tailor the platform for specific industries, such as banking, hospitality, and government, and allow them to co‑create solutions that address regional challenges. For example, in Saudi Arabia, collaboration with a sports and entertainment specialist has led to new digital services around major events.

In the UAE, Sitecore partners with consultancies to help clients design unified digital journeys for citizens and customers alike.

Many organisations say they’re “digitally transformed.” What does real impact look like, and how should leaders measure success beyond just adopting new tools?

When organisations claim to be “digitally transformed,” the only meaningful test is whether transformation delivers tangible outcomes. In practice, that means faster go‑to‑market cycles, higher conversion rates, increased repeat business, and operational efficiencies that save costs. For example, the customers that inspired Sitecore’s Stream capability reduced campaign production times from three months to a few weeks and saw immediate revenue gains.

Likewise, banks and insurers using Sitecore’s Customer Data Platform have increased cross‑sell success by unifying customer profiles and tailoring offers in real time. These are the kinds of metrics leaders should track: repeat visitors, incremental revenue, lower content‑production costs, and shorter time to launch new services. It’s also essential to recognise that digital transformation isn’t a destination but a journey.

Technology and customer expectations evolve quickly. Many companies in the region have spent years updating core systems only to find that by the time they reach the marketing layer, their tools are already outdated.

Sitecore encourages leaders to continuously refine their approach: start with a clear vision of the experience they want to deliver, pilot specific use cases, measure results rigorously, and then scale what works. In a region guided by forward-thinking national visions, digital transformation is not a milestone but a mindset, one that blends innovation with measurable, sustainable business impact

The world’s wealthiest families are rethinking what it means to be rich, with 90 per cent defining true wealth as time, health, and relationships rather than money, according to J.P. Morgan’s 2025 Principal Discussions Report released last week.

The report, produced by J.P. Morgan’s 23 Wall Team, draws insights from 111 billionaire principals across 28 countries and more than 15 industries. It highlights a shift in values among global family offices, with nearly 85 per cent of respondents saying success is defined by helping others and leading with values.

“We are honoured to serve these families and learn from their experiences,” said Andrew L. Cohen, executive chairman, Global Private Bank. “Their openness and candour offer invaluable lessons for anyone seeking to build enduring wealth with lasting impact.”

A broader definition of prosperity

The report finds that for many principals, financial capital is only one element of enduring wealth. Over 90 per cent of participants said that time, health, and relationships are the real measures of prosperity, while nearly 85 per cent view leadership and the ability to uplift others as key to success.

“Principals remind us that prosperity is about much more than financial capital,” said Cohen. “Their perspectives challenge us all to rethink what it means to build enduring wealth, placing purpose, connection, and stewardship at the very heart of their journey.”

Geopolitical and technological risks

Geopolitical tensions remain the most significant concern, cited by 63 per cent of respondents as the top global risk. Other challenges include market volatility, climate change, and the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence.

AI adoption is widespread among wealthy families, with 79 per cent using it in personal life—such as research, travel planning, and creative projects—and 69 per cent employing it in business for data analysis and operational efficiency. Several principals noted measurable cost savings, including the use of AI-generated reports to reduce legal research expenses.

While AI is seen as a tool to enhance decision-making, many principals emphasise the continued importance of human judgment. “AI is opening new doors for families and their enterprises, but true success lies in balancing innovation with discernment,” Cohen said. “Technology is a powerful enabler, yet it’s human values and judgment that create lasting impact.”

Investing with passion and purpose

Investment strategies among the world’s wealthiest families are evolving, with 75 per cent diversifying globally and showing growing interest in private and specialty assets. Sports teams are now included in 34 per cent of portfolios, followed by art (23 per cent) and cars (10 per cent).

These investments are increasingly tied to personal passion and community engagement. “Ownership has evolved from a hobby into a sophisticated business and a unifying force for families, offering both financial returns and opportunities for community impact,” Cohen said.

Luxury collectibles are also being used more strategically, sometimes as collateral to meet liquidity needs, reflecting a pragmatic shift in how ultra-wealthy families manage their assets.

Philanthropy and the next generation

Philanthropy remains a central pillar of wealth stewardship. Over 70 per cent of surveyed families maintain a dedicated philanthropy team to ensure lasting impact. Many principals view giving as a way to unite family members and pass down values. “When I think about my legacy, I think about giving back,” one principal said.

“The most enduring families lead with purpose and principle,” Cohen added. “They know real wealth is found in the values they pass on and the impact they make.”

J.P. Morgan report: Regional insights and future outlook

Natacha Minniti, head of 23 Wall International and global co-head of Family Office Practice at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, said the study shows a balance between entrepreneurship and stewardship.

“Across EMEA, principals are redefining what it means to be leaders,” Minniti said. “Of those surveyed, 63 per cent are dedicated stewards of multi-generational legacies, while 37 per cent are self-made business owners. This unique combination fuels a forward-thinking mindset: 74 per cent are embracing AI, not just to boost efficiency, but to spark change in their businesses and personal lives.”

However, 68 per cent of participants still identify geopolitical tensions as their greatest risk. “In response, families are doubling down on structured, diversified strategies to protect and grow their wealth,” Minniti added. “In this climate, adaptability and entrepreneurship are essential for sustaining legacy and capturing new opportunities.”

The 2025 Principal Discussions Report underscores that for the world’s wealthiest families, wealth is no longer defined only by accumulation, but by meaning, purpose, and long-term impact.

Registrations opened Tuesday for Dubai Yoga, the inaugural mass community yoga session and a new flagship event of the Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC), scheduled for November 30 at Zabeel Park.

The event will bring together thousands of participants of all ages and abilities for a sunset yoga session against the backdrop of the Dubai Frame, marking the final flagship event of the ninth edition of the citywide fitness initiative.

Participation is free, with dedicated zones for families, People of Determination, and participants at all experience levels.

“Dubai Fitness Challenge continues to evolve, inspiring millions to embrace fitness in new and innovative ways,” said Saeed Hareb, secretary general of Dubai Sports Council. “With Dubai Yoga, we are proud to offer an inclusive experience that reflects our city’s commitment to making health and wellbeing accessible for all.”

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, added that the event “introduces a flagship experience that blends movement with mindfulness” and embodies the UAE’s “Year of Community”.

Dubai Yoga supported by DET and other bodies

Organised by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Dubai Sports Council, Dubai Yoga is supported by media partner Arabian Radio Network and government entities including Dubai Police, Dubai Health Authority, Ministry of Education, and Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services.

The event is part of DFC 2025, which runs from November 1-30 and features a range of free sporting events, including Dubai Run, Dubai Ride, and Dubai Stand Up Paddle, as well as multiple Fitness Villages and Hubs across the city.

Registrations for Dubai Yoga are open at www.dubaiyoga.ae

Parkin Company, Dubai’s largest provider of paid public parking facilities and services, reported strong operational and financial results for the third quarter ended 30 September 2025, marking another period of sustained growth and expansion across its portfolio.

Key Highlights (Q3 2025 vs. Q3 2024)

• Total revenues: Dhs343.3m (up 43 per cent)
• EBITDA: Dhs199.8m (up 36 per cent) with a 58 per cent margin
• Net profit: Dhs157m (up 50 per cent)
• Net addition: approximately 11,700 new parking spaces (up 6 per cent)
• Parking transactions: 34.1 million (up 0.4 per cent)
• Average public parking utilisation: 21.3 per cent (down 5.1 percentage points)
• Seasonal card sales: 81,000 (up 126 per cent)
• Full-year 2025 revenue guidance revised upward

Eng. Mohamed Abdulla Al Ali, CEO of Parkin, said: “We continued to execute our strategy with discipline and focus in Q3, delivering another strong set of financial and operational results. Total revenues rose 43 per cent to Dhs343.3m, driven by the successful implementation of the variable parking tariff, expansion of our operational footprint, sustained transaction volumes, record seasonal card sales and robust enforcement proceeds. This strong performance translated into a 36 per cent increase in EBITDA to Dhs199.8 million and a 50 per cent rise in net income to Dhs157m.

“Beyond the financial results, we advanced key strategic initiatives. During the quarter, we signed several contracts to grow our developer parking portfolio and partnered with CAFU to launch the region’s first on-demand fuel and car wash service across our parking network, a milestone that underscores our commitment to innovation and customer convenience.

“We expect these initiatives to contribute to our revenue growth in the coming quarters, reinforcing Parkin’s position as a leader in smart mobility solutions.”

Operational Performance

Parkin ended Q3 2025 with 219,000 active parking spaces, a 6 per cent rise from the previous year, supported by strong additions to its public and multi-storey portfolio. Public parking increased by 7 per cent to 192,100 spaces, while multi-storey capacity rose by 14 per cent following the reopening of Al Rigga MSCP.

Parking transactions totalled 34.1 million, driven by Dubai’s robust economic activity and rising population. Seasonal card purchases surged 126 per cent to 81,000, reflecting customer preference for cost-effective long-term options following the introduction of the variable tariff.

The company also issued 682,000 enforcement notices during the quarter, up 63 per cent year-on-year, supported by a growing smart inspection fleet and data-driven deployment strategies.

Financial Performance

Revenues reached a record Dhs343.3m, a 43 per cent increase compared to Q3 2024, led by growth in public parking, seasonal cards, and enforcement income. Public parking revenue rose 30 per cent to Dhs135m, while seasonal card and permit revenue climbed 57 per cent to Dhs59.9m. Enforcement revenue grew 59 per cent to Dhs103m.

EBITDA stood at Dhs199.8m, up 36 per cent, while net profit reached Dhs157m, a 50 per cent increase from the previous year. The company’s free cash flow to equity totalled Dhs433.4m, supported by a 99 per cent cash conversion rate.

Parkin’s net debt position was Dhs577.3m at the end of Q3 2025, with total available liquidity of Dhs654.8m, including an undrawn Dhs100m revolving credit facility.

With revenue guidance revised upward, Parkin remains on track for another record year, underpinned by strategic partnerships, technological enhancements, and continued portfolio expansion.