Pushing the boundaries of ICT

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1.How do you see the consumer electronics market evolving in the Middle East?

Answer: The Middle East's consumer electronics market is robust and set for further growth in 2016. Wearable devices are the future for consumer electronics and consumers. In accordance with this, the Huawei SmartWatch W1 was the next evolutionary step for Huawei, allowing the user to coordinate with their smartphone and help promote one another, creating a better user experience.

2.How do you explain this growing demand especially on smartphone devices?

Answer: The mobile phone market overall has rapidly shifted from feature phones to smartphones. High GDP per capita, robust mobile penetration rates, and a younger population are some of the key factors fueling a boom in the smartphone market in the UAE and across the region. The growth of brands like Huawei is a dominant factor attributed to this growth.

3.What strategy is Huawei adopting in order to get a bigger share of the pie?

Answer: Huawei has adopted a long-term approach to research and development (R&D) investment by putting over 10% of sales revenue into R&D every year. Buying trends show that features such as distinctive design, the type of glass used for the screen, and the types of processors are playing a bigger role in the decision-making process.

We implement the insights from R&D in all our products and the fact that our recent 'Mate S' smartphone and W1 smartwatch has received a phenomenal response in the region is a testimony to this. We once again took a revolutionary approach and reimagined how people interact with their devices, adding innovative features that enhance ease of use, functionality and creativity. With Huawei Watch W1, we have created a bespoke timepiece that expresses consumers' varied preferences in technology, fashion, and lifestyles, whilst maintaining technological innovation.

4. How did your brand evolve in recent years?

Answer: As per an annual ranking by Interbrand's Best Global Brands 2014, Huawei features in the top 100 of the world's most valuable brands. From ranking #94 in 2014, Huawei has moved to ranking #88 in 2015. That definitely speaks volumes about the brand that is at the forefront of technology innovation today. Our high-quality products offer a superior experience that has been well-received among consumers. Huawei has established and reinforced its brand image in the mid-range and high-end markets and our strategy is focused on bolstering our offering in this sector. This has resulted in significant achievements in product R&D, brand awareness, channel development, and growth in market share.

5. In light of the fierce competition in the local market, where do you see yourself standing when compared to other players?

Answer: Huawei is one of the fastest growing smartphone brands in the Middle East. Huawei's sales have continued to grow into 2015, in part due to the popularity of its premium devices. Huawei's products and services have covered more than 170 countries - a third of the population in the world - and now ranks third in the world from mobile phone shipments last year (2014). The Middle East is a very strategic market for our business. We strive to grow and offer our customers products that impact and enrich their lives. Huawei's global network is built on 20 years of expertise in the telecom industry and dedicated to delivering the latest technological advances to consumers around the globe.

6.From which country in the GCC is demand mainly coming from?

Answer: Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider which established its Middle East headquarters 15 years ago. Today, we have significantly good demand coming in across countries in the GCC.

With the successful launch of multiple devices in 2015. What are your plans for the New Year?

Answer: Today many of us live in a world of amazing advances and limitless possibilities. ICT has become the key enabler for a country's transition to a digital economy. Our role is to connect systems, businesses, cities, societies, and people in order to transform industries, improve efficiencies, and ultimately create better experiences for everyone. As a customer-centric company, we are also continuously pushing the boundaries of ICT in order to bring the value of innovation to world and the Middle East. The Middle East has a significant market where we contribute to the development of the ICT industry, enabling its digital society and building a better connected world. We believe we are well-positioned to capture the tremendous business opportunities in this digital transformation era.

8.Where do you see the electronics industry heading in the coming years?

Answer: While smartphones will continue to remain the largest growth driver in consumer electronics, wearable devices such as smart watches are the future and are expected to drive the growth further. The smartwatch outlook is promising.

About Sandeep Saihgal
Sandeep Saihgal is the Vice President of Middle East region in Huawei Device. Based out of Dubai and having joined the company in late 2013, Sandeep is responsible for driving Huawei's strategies to expand the regional footprint of its Device business group offerings while also promoting regional alliances with key retail and distribution channel partners.

Before joining Huawei, Sandeep served as the VP & Managing Director, Middle East for Research in Motion (Blackberry). He was responsible for launching Blackberry services across the region, while strategically managing all carrier relationships between RIM and distributors in the Middle East.