ServiceNow opens new MEA office in Dubai

ServiceNow, a leading digital workflow company that makes work, work better for people, today announced the opening of a new office in Dubai Internet City (DIC), Dubai. The company’s expansion is fueled by its industry strength as the platform company of choice for digital businesses. Its flagship modern enterprise workflow solution is designed to unlock optimal productivity and deliver exceptional employee and customer experiences.

In 2020, ServiceNow reinforced its global credentials as a market leader, significantly beating expectations. Last year, the company surpassed US$4.5 billion in total revenues and it is now establishing strong momentum for 2021 with US$1,293 million in subscription revenues for Q1, a 30% year-on-year growth.

Mark Ackerman, Area Vice President for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) at ServiceNow, sees 2021 as a pivotal time for the region. The wave of digital transformation spurred by the coronavirus pandemic has led to a trend among regional enterprises of reducing complexity, increasing agility, cutting costs, and delivering stronger governance and compliance. Regional organizations are switching to platform architectures to achieve these goals.

According to the December 2020 IDC META CIO DX Survey, 57% of CIOs considered workflow management applications a priority for the future of work, and 45% prioritized the enhancement of customer journeys.

“Today, time to value is measured in days rather than months. This acceleration has become a critical defining element of commercial success. The Now Platform is the Platform of Platforms, built for the modern digital enterprise. It excels at digitizing work that flows throughout a company, across multiple functions, in a unified experience,” said Ackerman.

“Having already helped several regional government entities and enterprises, particularly in the Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), energy & utilities, healthcare and telecoms sectors, make good on their digital transformation goals, we are delighted to further our commitment to the MEA region with the opening of our new office in Dubai,” Ackerman added.

“Businesses in the Gulf region have exhibited resilience during the pandemic outbreak and 63% of CIOs informed IDC that they have advanced their digital transformation initiatives by one or two years. While it helped them ensure business continuity, it has increased the complexity of the IT landscape and now there is a growing trend towards a platform approach to get a unified view of the IT estate,” said Harish Dunakhe, Research Director (Software & Cloud) at IDC MEA.

“While Cloud is increasingly becoming a foundational platform for organizations to drive their digital transformation initiatives, Intelligent Automation with an aim to re-purpose employees towards more meaningful work, is also seen to be gaining momentum in the Gulf. Around 58% of CIOs in the Gulf are actively re-engineering business processes and developing long-term strategies to achieve automation and gain operational efficiency.”

ServiceNow’s Dubai office includes several facilities dedicated to promoting a relaxed, diverse, and inclusive environment that respects work-life balance; considerations that are critical in a post-COVID world. In addition to employee workspaces and private meeting and executive rooms, the design will feature two phone booths, a cafeteria and a bespoke mother’s room for expectant or expecting women. The company is also committed to the health and wellness of employees and will run regular online events to support them. Wellness sessions will include free weekly virtual sports seminars and monthly masterclasses on topics such as mental health, nutrition, or sleep.

“Our employee experience is one of our core pillars,” Ackerman said. “It is no secret we are all currently living through one of the most challenging periods of our shared human history. In the hybrid work environment, connecting with colleagues, promoting health awareness, and committing to diversity and inclusion will not only be hallmarks of compassion, but signposts on the roadmap to commercial success.”