29 January 2015
LINK Development, a leading technology solution provider across the Middle-East and a subsidiary of OTVentures, has partnered with Microsoft Gulf for its CityNext Initiative in the UAE, showcasing the latest solutions and technologies for government entities in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah attended by Eng. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Saif Al Sharqi, Director of Fujairah e-Government. Following the launch of Dubai Smart Government, an initiative by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai to transform to an era of smart government, LINK Development and Microsoft Gulf are aiming to offer solutions to help government entities align with this initiative. 

LINK Development is collaborating with Microsoft in the UAE amongst other partners supporting this initiative, to showcase the latest solutions that can help government entities in their operations. Some of those solutions are the "Citizen First Platform" that will offer a unified and standard way to provide services and manage feedback and complaints of citizens, the "Minister Executive Pouch" that will provide the Minister and executives a single application to manage all the daily operations and the "City Dashboard" that will allow government officials to view indicators related to them and compare them with targets or benchmarks. The solutions were showcased by Microsoft Gulf in a series of initiatives hosted in Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah and included a keynote presentation from Jawad Al Redha, Regional Director - Public Sector, Small and Midmarket Solutions and Partners, Microsoft Gulf and presentations by Ali Nimer, Microsoft Gulf Regional Government Solutions Director Enterprise and Partners Group

Fadi Antaki, Chief Executive Officer of OTVentures, a pioneering digital and technology solutions provider for online and mobile platforms, said: "Being one of Microsoft's partners on the CiyNext initiative here in the UAE, LINK Development has been actively accelerating government's adoption of smart cities solution. This will help federal and local government entities to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction. We are working with those entities to empower them with tools that will help them excel and sustain their citizens' services in the long term."

Tareq Hijazi, Regional Director for Small and Mid-Market Solutions and Partners (SMS&P) at Microsoft Gulf commented: "At Microsoft, we believe technology empowers governments, business and citizens to create more sustainable, prosperous, and economically competitive cities. Microsoft Gulf is committed to introducing new technologies to the UAE to support the vision of the leadership for competitive, sustainable growth and citizens who are connected to their government. Through a people-first approach and strategic partnerships, our technology enables sustainable cycles of innovation, opportunity, and progress for years to come. This latest partnership with LINK Development in the UAE continues our mutual efforts to accelerate the adoption of smart cities solutions by local governments. With this initiative, Microsoft Gulf is committed to serving the UAE government's initiatives and fueling government innovation and modernization."

Hany Moussa, Public Sector Head of Business Development at LINK Development said: "Using Microsoft technologies, LINK Development works with government entities in the UAE to respond effectively to citizens' high and increasing expectations. We have a solid track-record in implementing E-Services Platform and E-Payment facilities across many ministries and government entities in the UAE. Being a leading CityNext Partner in UAE is another milestone towards expanding our services in governmental sectors in the region. "

The UAE unrivalled efforts towards technological advancement will facilitate interaction between government entities and citizens through digital solutions and simplified applications on smart phones and tablet devices. LINK Development provides end-to-end solutions that maximise government and citizen-centric services efficiency for optimal public value, creating consumer-focused and cost-effective services.

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About LINK Development
LINK Development is a leading technology solution provider that was founded in 1996, and is a subsidiary of  OTVentures, a pioneering digital and technology solutions provider for both online and mobile platforms.  Headquartered in Egypt with offices in UAE, KSA, Qatar, LINK Development's reach expands throughout the Middle East providing a wide range of solutions including E-services Automation, E-commerce, Enterprise Integration, Customer Relationship Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Mobility and Infrastructure. Being a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, the highest level of partner certification from Microsoft, the company has positioned itself at the forefront of the industry in the region. LINK Development also acquired both ISO 9001:2000 certified and CMMI level 3 accreditation. LINK Development's client portfolio includes Fortune 500 companies in the region in addition to leading governments, as well as regional and multinational businesses across industries like Banking, Healthcare, Education, Telecom, Real Estate and others. For more information, please visit our website: www.linkdev.com

About OTVentures
OTVentures creates a powerful customer experience through its online and mobile solutions portfolio. OTVentures empowers brands, governments, and consumers through a diverse blend of digital solutions spanning social marketing, content services, mobile Value Added Services (VAS), solution development, and hosting services. Through our innovative digital products we touch the lives of more than 50% of MENA internet users, and 72% of MENA mobile subscribers every day. With exclusive partnerships with the most prominent global players (Twitter,msn, Facebook, and more than 100 content providers), we provide exposure and reach that creates strong, lasting impacts for our clients. OTVentures has over 16 offices covering all markets across the Middle East and North Africa in addition to Canada, Italy, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Issued by Borouj Consulting. For more information, please contact: Randa Mazzawi randa@boroujconsulting.com or Mayssa Makhlouf mayssa@ boroujconsulting.com at Tel: +9714 3403005.  Follow us on Twitter: @Borouj.

© Press Release 2015