When Failure Becomes Maturity: Rethinking Entrepreneurial Failure in the Arab World
14 Apr 2025 Written by Admin AdminIn most global startup ecosystems, failure is often worn as a badge of honor. Silicon Valley investors famously value founders who’ve failed before — because it implies they’ve learned, iterated, and grown. In contrast, in much of the Arab world, failure still carries a heavy social, emotional, and reputational cost.
But what if failure wasn’t the end of the story? What if, instead, it marked the beginning of real entrepreneurial maturity?
Across Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and beyond, a new generation of entrepreneurs is quietly redefining the meaning of failure — not as a personal defeat, but as a crucial step in building resilience, insight, and long-term success.
In a region where reputational risk is often more feared than financial loss, shifting the narrative around failure may be one of the most important cultural transformations still underway.
Failure, especially in entrepreneurship, is not a flaw in the system — it is the system. Startups are built to experiment. Some ideas won’t work.
Some teams will collapse. Some products will miss the mark. But these failures are the feedback loops that refine not only the business, but the mindset of the founder.
Take for example, the case of **Instabug**, a Cairo-based startup that initially pivoted multiple times before landing on its successful mobile app feedback SDK, which is now used by global giants like PayPal and Lyft. Their early struggles didn’t disqualify them — they defined them.
Similarly, **Sarwa**, a Dubai-based robo-advisory platform, had to weather early market skepticism and regulatory uncertainty before earning a reputation as one of the region’s fintech pioneers. What made the difference? Not avoiding failure, but using it as a compass for iteration.
Yet, too many aspiring Arab founders still equate failure with shame. A startup that closes is whispered about. A founder who folds a company may disappear from the scene.
This mindset not only discourages risk-taking — it suppresses innovation altogether. If failure is fatal, no one dares to try something radically new.
Changing this culture requires more than motivational posters. It demands systemic shifts in how investors, incubators, media, and even families view entrepreneurial attempts.
Programs like Flat6Labs and Wamda X have started playing this role — offering mentorship and second chances, not just funding. But the shift needs to go deeper.
Media narratives need to highlight not just unicorns, but 'phoenix founders' — those who rose from failed ventures to build something better.
Schools and universities must teach entrepreneurial thinking as a process, not a binary outcome of success or failure. And governments can help by offering regulatory flexibility that allows quick restructuring, re-registration, and recovery.
Even at a regional level, a “failure-friendly” ecosystem is a competitive advantage. The UAE’s rise as a startup hub wasn’t just about funding; it was about removing punitive attitudes toward trial and error. Saudi Arabia’s growing venture scene now faces the same test: will it embrace smart failure, or penalize it?
Most importantly, entrepreneurs themselves must internalize a healthier perspective. Failure is not a brand you wear forever — it is a lesson you carry forward.
If your product didn’t scale, maybe your next one will. If your team split, maybe your leadership style needed to evolve. The key is not to romanticize failure, but to metabolize it.
As investor Mark Suster puts it, 'Failure doesn’t define you. How you respond to it does.' In the Arab world, where identity and honor are tightly woven into public life, that response can either reinforce stigma or spark a quiet revolution in how we build, break, and rebuild again.
In the end, the maturity of a startup ecosystem isn’t measured by how many succeed — but by how many founders are willing to try again. And again. And again.
Sources:
Startup Arabia: Stories and Advice from Top Tech Entrepreneurs in the Arab World
https://www.instabug.com/blog/startup-arabia-book-instabug
Sarwa – Dubai-based fintech platform
https://www.entrepreneur.com/en-ae/entrepreneurs/startup-spotlight-sarwa-aims-to-make-investing-easier-for/373794
TechCrunch article on Flat6Labs fund: https://techcrunch.com/2021/05/24/seed-stage-accelerator-flat6labs-closes-13-2m-fund-for-startups-in-egypt
Wamda X – Entrepreneurial ecosystem supporter https://globalcad.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Youth-productive-employment-through-entrepreneurship-development-in-the-Arab-Region-State-of-the-art-of-interventions-in-Egypt-and-Tunisia.pdf
Wamda & Autopsy – Startup failure research in MENA: https://www.getautopsy.com/research/top-startup-failure-reseaons-mena-wamda
In today's dynamic business environment, sustaining growth requires a strategic and proactive approach. By implementing the following strategies, you can create a sustainable growth plan that positions your business for continued success:
1. Diversify Your Revenue Streams
Relying solely on a single product or service can make your business vulnerable to market fluctuations. Diversify your revenue streams by:
Launching new product lines: Consider expanding your product offerings to cater to different customer segments or address emerging market needs. For example, a clothing retailer could diversify by introducing a home goods line or a subscription-based styling service.
Offering subscription services: Recurring revenue streams can provide a stable foundation for your business. Consider offering subscription-based models for products or services, such as software, content, or physical goods.
Forming strategic partnerships: Collaborating with complementary businesses can open up new markets and generate additional revenue. For example, a fitness app could partner with a nutrition company to offer bundled services to customers.
2. Monitor Industry Trends
Staying informed about industry trends and changes in market dynamics is crucial for identifying new opportunities and scaling your business operations. By leveraging data-driven insights, you can make informed decisions and develop a growth plan with high chances of success.
3. Validate with a Beta Test
Start small and validate your proof-of-concept on a beta level. Once you have demonstrated strong results on a smaller scale, you can confidently invest in marketing and scale your business for larger revenue.
4. Outline Long-Term Goals
Define your long-term goals and vision for the business. Conduct a thorough market analysis to identify opportunities and challenges. Develop a detailed strategy that includes diversifying revenue streams, optimizing operational efficiency, and focusing on customer retention.
5. Cultivate a Growth Ecosystem
Sustainable growth is not about following a playbook; it's about creating your own unique approach. Identify your "growth multipliers" and build "scalable scaffolding" to support exponential growth. Embed adaptability into your DNA and nurture internal ecosystems to foster innovation and a company-wide growth mindset.
6. Understand Your Core Audience and Innovate
Focus on developing products or services that solve real problems and offer unique value. Invest in innovation to stay competitive, and build strong relationships with suppliers, partners, and retailers. Optimize your sales channels and use data-driven marketing strategies to attract and retain customers.
7. Prioritize Customer Experience
In today's customer-centric market, delivering exceptional customer experiences is essential for driving growth and loyalty. Invest in customer research, feedback mechanisms, and personalized experiences to build strong relationships with your customers.
8. Build a Strong Team
A talented and motivated team is crucial for achieving sustainable growth. Invest in employee development, create a positive work culture, and empower your team members to contribute to the business's success.
9. Adapt to Change
The business landscape is constantly evolving. Be prepared to adapt to changing market conditions, industry trends, and customer preferences. Stay flexible, embrace innovation, and be willing to pivot your strategy as needed.
10. Measure and Analyze
Track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure your business's progress and identify areas for improvement. Use data analytics to gain insights into your customers, market trends, and the effectiveness of your growth strategies.
By following these strategies and continuously adapting to the evolving business landscape, you can create a sustainable growth plan that sets your business up for long-term success
As entrepreneurs, you're juggling a multitude of responsibilities. From strategic planning to client meetings and employee management, the demands on your time can be overwhelming. Effective time management is crucial to navigating this complexity and ensuring your business runs smoothly. Here are three essential skills to help you optimize your productivity:
1. Leverage Technology for Efficiency
- Automation: Utilize productivity tools to automate repetitive tasks like social media posting, email responses, and appointment reminders. This frees up your time for more strategic activities.
- Digital Calendars: Employ digital calendars to schedule meetings, set deadlines, and track your progress. Features like time blocking can help you allocate specific time slots for different tasks.
2. Set Clear Time Limits
- Prioritization: Identify the most critical tasks and allocate your time accordingly. Use techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix to categorize tasks based on urgency and importance.
- Time Blocking: Allocate specific time blocks for different activities. This helps prevent distractions and ensures you stay focused on your priorities.
3. Master the Art of Single-Tasking
- Focus: Instead of multitasking, concentrate on one task at a time. Multitasking can lead to reduced efficiency and increased errors.
- Eliminate Distractions: Create a conducive work environment by minimizing distractions like phone notifications and unnecessary meetings.
By incorporating these time management strategies into your daily routine, you can enhance your productivity, reduce stress, and achieve your entrepreneurial goals more effectively. Remember, effective time management isn't just about squeezing more tasks into your day; it's about working smarter, not harder.
Startups often find themselves captivated by the marketing prowess of established giants, dreaming of emulating their grand campaigns. However, the reality is stark: the budget of a startup is worlds apart from that of a behemoth like Apple or Amazon. While those companies can afford prime-time ad spots and billboard domination, startups must find creative, cost-effective ways to reach their audience.
Fortunately, history is replete with examples of startups that achieved remarkable success with minimal financial outlay. Apple's humble beginnings involved showcasing their product to tech enthusiasts at the Homebrew Computer Club. Dropbox leveraged a referral program, rewarding users with extra storage space for each friend they invited.
Slack capitalized on word-of-mouth, relying on early employees to introduce the platform to their professional networks. These examples underscore the power of resourcefulness and ingenuity in the early stages of a startup.
To emulate these successes, startups must embrace a scrappy, cost-conscious approach to marketing. This involves identifying and implementing low-cost strategies that deliver maximum impact. From content creation and SEO to public relations and social media, a well-executed marketing plan can propel a startup towards growth without breaking the bank.
Content Marketing: Building a Foundation
Content marketing is a cornerstone of any successful startup. It involves creating valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. By establishing your startup as a thought leader in your industry, you can build trust, credibility, and brand awareness.
- SEO Optimization: Writing content with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind is a cost-effective way to increase visibility. Focus on creating high-quality content that addresses your target audience's needs and incorporates relevant keywords.
- Thought Leadership: Develop content that showcases your unique perspective and expertise. Position your startup as an authority in your industry by sharing valuable insights and opinions.
- Effective Distribution: Ensure your content reaches the right audience by distributing it through social media, email newsletters, and relevant online communities.
SEO Marketing: Improving Search Visibility
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website to improve its ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). By appearing higher in search results, you can increase website traffic, generate leads, and drive sales.
- Keyword Research: Identify the keywords and phrases your target audience is searching for. Use tools like Moz, Ahrefs, and SEMrush to conduct thorough keyword research.
- Technical SEO: Ensure your website is technically sound to improve its crawlability and indexability. Optimize website speed, structure, and mobile-friendliness.
- Backlink Building: Acquire high-quality backlinks from reputable websites to boost your website's authority and search rankings.
Social Media Marketing: Engaging Your Audience
Social media platforms offer a vast audience, but it's essential to focus on the platforms where your target audience is most active. By developing a strong social media presence, you can build brand awareness, engage with customers, and drive traffic to your website.
- Organic Growth: Utilize organic social media marketing to share updates, interact with followers, and join relevant conversations.
- Platform Selection: Choose social media platforms that align with your target audience and brand identity. Avoid spreading your resources too thin across multiple platforms.
- Social Listening: Monitor conversations related to your industry and participate in relevant discussions to establish your startup as a valuable contributor.
Events and Conferences: Networking and Building Relationships
Attending industry events and conferences provides opportunities to connect with potential customers, partners, and investors. By actively engaging with attendees and showcasing your product or service, you can generate buzz and build relationships.
- Elevator Pitch: Prepare a concise and compelling pitch that highlights your product's value proposition and benefits.
- Product Demos: Be prepared to demonstrate your product or service to interested parties.
- Follow-up: Collect contact information and follow up with new connections to nurture relationships.
Public Relations (PR): Generating Media Coverage
PR can help you reach a wider audience and build credibility for your startup. By securing media coverage in relevant publications, you can generate positive publicity and attract new customers.
- Founder Outreach: Journalists often prefer to speak directly with founders. Encourage your founders to build relationships with journalists and pitch story ideas.
- Compelling Pitches: Develop compelling pitches that highlight the newsworthiness of your startup and its products or services.
- Target Niche Publications: Focus on smaller, niche publications that cater to your target audience rather than aiming for major media outlets.
Email Marketing: Building Customer Relationships
Email marketing is a powerful tool for nurturing leads, building relationships, and driving sales. By collecting email addresses and sending targeted campaigns, you can stay connected with your audience and convert prospects into customers.
- Email List Building: Implement strategies to capture email addresses, such as offering incentives or gated content.
- Customer Segmentation: Divide your email list into segments based on demographics, behavior, or preferences to deliver personalized content.
- A/B Testing: Experiment with different subject lines, email content, and call-to-actions to optimize your email campaigns.
SMS Marketing: Reaching Customers Directly
SMS marketing allows you to connect with customers directly through their mobile phones. By sending timely and relevant messages, you can drive engagement and increase conversions.
- Incentivize Sign-ups: Offer incentives to encourage customers to opt-in to SMS marketing.
- Provide Value: Send valuable content, exclusive offers, or important updates through SMS.
- Respect Privacy: Allow customers to easily opt out of SMS messages and comply with anti-spam regulations.
By implementing these low-cost marketing strategies, startups can effectively reach their target audience, build brand awareness, and drive growth. Remember, consistency, creativity, and a deep understanding of your target market are essential for success.
In conclusion, there's no one-size-fits-all marketing strategy for startups. Each company has a unique identity and target audience. Therefore, every company must develop a customized marketing strategy that meets its specific needs and goals. Now is the time to turn this knowledge into action.
Set your marketing goals, explore available opportunities, and start implementing your plan. Remember, marketing is both a science and an art, and you must continue to learn, develop, and analyze results. By consistently measuring and analyzing the performance of your strategy, you can identify what's working and what's not and adjust your strategy accordingly. Be patient and persistent, and you will achieve the results you seek
اربع طرق يمكن من خلالها للشركات الصغيرة أن تغذي النمو باستخدام الذكاء الاصطناعي
16 Jun 2023 Written by Admin Adminأصبح الذكاء الاصطناعي (AI) أداة قوية بشكل متزايد للشركات، وقد تمت الإشارة إلى الذكاء الاصطناعي على أنه "الشيء الكبير التالي" (The next big thing) في عالم الأعمال في السنوات الأخيرة. لكن اليوم لم يعد الحديث عن الذكاء الاصطناعي يدور عن تكهنات مستقبلية، بل بات واقعاً ملموساً، وما القصص التي ملئت الاخبار عن الـ ChatGPT إلا دليلاً على ذلك. كما أنه لم يعد قاصراً على الشركات الكبيرة مثل القيادة الذاتية للسيارات، بل بات بإمكان الشركات الناشئة والصغيرة الاستفادة منه أيضاً، إذاً نحن أمام فرصة للاستفادة من تطورات الذكاء الاصطناعي في عالم الأعمال، لكن كيف؟
نستعرض في هذه المادة 4 مجالات يمكن لرواد الأعمال من خلالها الاستفادة من تطورات الذكاء الاصطناعي في أعمالهم. ستكشف هذه المقالة ثلاث طرق يمكن للشركات الصغيرة من خلالها الاستفادة من الذكاء الاصطناعي لتعزيز نموها واكتساب ميزة تنافسية:
لطالما أشير إلى الذكاء الاصطناعي في السنوات القليلة الماضية بأنه "الشيء الكبير القادم" (The next big thing) في عالم الأعمال. لكن اليوم لم يعد الحديث عن الذكاء الاصطناعي يدور عن تكهنات مستقبلية، بل بات واقعاً ملموساً، وما القصص التي ملئت الاخبار عن الـ ChatGPT إلا دليلاً على ذلك. كما أنه لم يعد قاصراً على الشركات الكبيرة مثل القيادة الذاتية للسيارات، بل بات بإمكان الشركات الناشئة والصغيرة الاستفادة منه أيضاً، إذاً نحن أمام فرصة للاستفادة من تطورات الذكاء الاصطناعي في عالم الأعمال، لكن كيف؟ نستعرض في هذه المادة 4 مجالات يمكن لرواد الأعمال من خلالها الاستفادة من تطورات الذكاء الاصطناعي في أعمالهم.
1- تحسين خدمة العملاء
من الصحيح أن خدمة العملاء تُعد من أكثر المجالات التي تحتاج إلى اللمسة البشرية، لكن من الصحيح أيضاً أن الذكاء الاصطناعي يمكن أن يجعل منها أكثر كفاءة. تظهر كفاءة الذكاء الاصطناعي بوضوح كمنفذ اتصال أولي للرد على أسئلة واستفسارات العملاء، واليوم، وبفضل تطور الذكاء الاصطناعي فإن روبوتات المحادثة أصبحت أكثر فاعلية في التواصل المكتوب والصوتي (إجراء مكالمات) وبلغات مختلفة أيضاً، وبكفاءة وفاعلية عالية، أي أصبح بالإمكان التواصل مع عملاء من جنسيات وأماكن مختلفة، مع قدرة الذكاء الاصطناعي على الاستيعاب والرد على استفسارات العملاء بكفاءة.
لا تقتصر المنفعة من استخدام الذكاء الاصطناعي في خدمة العملاء على التقليل من التكاليف، إذ لا يمكن الاستغناء نهائياً عن العنصر البشري، لكن المنفعة من الذكاء الاصطناعي تمتد أيضاً في تجميع المعلومات وإعادة استخدامها التي تساعد في جعل تجربة العميل أكثر تخصيصاً من خلال تقديم رؤية واضحة عن متطلبات العميل ورغباته. كما يمكن للذكاء الاصطناعي استخدام البيانات لإجراء التنبؤات وتحديد مجالات التحسين وحتى الإشارة إلى التوسعات المحتملة أو الخدمات المتقدمة. بما يساعد على إبقاء العميل راضياً.
بعض أدوات الذكاء الاصطناعي الشائعة التي يمكنها تحسين خدمة العملاء:
(ChatGPT, IBM Watson Assistant, LivePerson, Ada, Salesforce Einstein, Bold360, Nuance Nina, Zendesk Answer Bot.).
2- تحسين تفاعلات البريد الإلكتروني
يؤدي تلقي الكثير من رسائل البريد الإلكتروني من العملاء، التي تتطلب بطبيعية الحال تتبع الطلبات والاستفسارات والرد عليها والعديد من الأمور الأخرى، إلى إثارة الفوضى حتى في أكثر فرق العمل تنظيماً. بل إن الأمر يتجاوز التحديات اللوجستية والتنظيمية، فالاستجابات البطيئة وغير الوافية على استفسارات العملاء ستؤدي بدورها إلى احباط العميل، وتشكيل صورة ذهنية سلبية عن العلامة التجارية للشركة.
توفر روبوت البريد الإلكتروني حلولاً متنوعة للمساعدة على تخطي المشكلات التي قد تنشأ عن رسائل البريد الإلكتروني، من خلال أتمتة خدمات الرد الشاملة. بما فيها الرد على استفسارات الأسعار ونوعية المنتجات وخدمات التوصيل أو تحديثات تقدم الطلب وغيرها، وتمرير الرسائل الأكثر تعقيداً للجهة المعنية في الشركة. ومع تطور الروبوتات أصبح بالإمكان تحديد النبرة واللغة لتحسين التواصل مع العملاء. يساعد ذلك في توفير الوقت لدعم العملاء في الاستعلامات المتكررة التي يمكن حلها عن طريق الرد التلقائي.
بعض أدوات الذكاء الاصطناعي الشائعة التي يمكنها تحسين التفاعلات عبر البريد الإلكتروني:
(Grammarly, Crystal, Boomerang, PoliteMail, Respondable by Boomerang AI-powered tool integrated with popular email platforms like Gmail, Clearbit Connect, X.ai).
3- التسويق والمبيعات
للذكاء الاصطناعي العديد من التطبيقات في مجال التسويق. تتمثل الميزة الرئيسية لاستخدام الذكاء الاصطناعي في التسويق في أن عملية صنع القرار والمراسلات تستند إلى بيانات دقيقة وشاملة، حيث تستخدم الإحصاءات المرتبطة بالطلبات السابقة للعملاء والاستطلاعات والاستبيانات والبيانات السابقة في التعامل مع العملاء. حيث تقدم تطبيقات الذكاء الاصطناعي في نهاية المطاف رؤية للمبيعات أكثر شمولية ودقة. والتي تساعد بدورها في إنشاء قوائم للعملاء المحتملين وتحديد نقاط الضعف والقوة قبل التخطيط للحملة التسويقية.
وفي هذا السياق وجدت إحدى الدراسات الاستقصائية أن 61٪ من فرق المبيعات قد تجاوزت أهداف الإيرادات بفضل الاستفادة من الأتمتة في عملية المبيعات كما يمكن توظيف الذكاء الاصطناعي في تحليل المبيعات وأداء التسوق بما يساعد على اتخاذ قرارات أفضل.
بعض أدوات الذكاء الاصطناعي الشائعة التي يمكنها المساعدة في التسويق والمبيعات:
(Salesforce Einstein, Marketo Engage, HubSpot Sales Hub, Drift, InsideSales Predictive Playbooks, Gong.io, Conversica, IBM Watson Marketing.).
4- كتابة المدونة وتحسين الظهور على محركات البحث (SEO)
يساعد الذكاء الاصطناعي في رفع كم ونوع المدونات عن طريق تقليل وقت الكتابة والتحرير بشكل كبير. وذلك من خلال إدخال وتحليل الكلمات المفتاحية، وتحديد استخدامها وتوزيعها بشكل مناسب، وكذلك في صياغة وإعادة صياغة الجمل والفقرات المرتبطة بالكلمات المفتاحية. وبالتالي يساعد الذكاء الاصطناعي في مجال كتابة المحتوى وتحسين المدونات في توفير الوقت والجهد في الكتابة وتقليل الأخطاء وصياغة المحتوى بصورة أفضل. وقد أثبت الاذكاء الاصطناعي بالفعل ناجعته في هذا المجال إذ تشير إحدى الدراسات إلى ارتفع استخدام المسوقين للذكاء الاصطناعي بين عامي 2018 و 2020 من 29٪ في 2018 إلى 84٪ في 2020.
بعض أدوات الذكاء الاصطناعي الشائعة التي يمكنها تحسين كتابة المدونة وتحسين الظهور على محركات البحث (SEO) : (Frase, SEMrush, Surfer SEO, Clearscope, WordLift, MarketMuse, Yoast SEO, TextOptimizer).
يعتمد تحديد أفضل أداة للذكاء الاصطناعي لاستخدامها على عدة عوامل واعتبارات، مثل: احتياجاتك وسهولة الاستخدام وتوافق الأداة مع الأنظمة أو البرامج أو الأنظمة الأساسية الموجودة لديك، بالإضافة الى قابلية التوسع وأسعار الأداة والمرونة والتخصيص ضمن عوامل أخرى. يوصى بإجراء تقييم شامل لأدوات الذكاء الاصطناعي المختلفة بناءً على السياق والمتطلبات المحددة للمستخدم قبل اتخاذ القرار.
ان الاستفادة من الذكاء الاصطناعي في عدة مجالات يمكن الشركات الناشئة الحصول على ميزة تنافسية من خلال تبسيط العمليات وتحسين تجارب العملاء واتخاذ قرارات تعتمد على البيانات. من خلال تبني الذكاء الاصطناعي، يمكن للشركات الصغيرة أن تفتح فرصًا جديدة للنمو وتظل قادرة على المنافسة في ظل بيئة أعمال رقمية تركز بشكل متزايد على البيانات.
المصادر:
Falling off the top: How did Swvl go from the first unicorn company in the Middle East to the brink of bankruptcy?
25 Apr 2023 Written by Admin AdminIn July 2021, Burj Khalifa was covered in red with the word “SVWL” in the middle, announcing that the Egyptian mass transit company Swvl had become “the first unicorn company* in the Middle East with a market value of $1.5 billion to be listed on the NASDAQ New York Stock Exchange.” This is how Dubai celebrated the city-based company in 2019.
It did not take long for the wave of celebration of the Swvl company to turn into heartbreak and regret. Less than 6 months after the start of trading its shares on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, the Swvl share price collapsed, losing about 95% of its value in September 2022. The downward journey of its share continued, bringing the share price in 2023 to about 20 cents, compared to $10 at the start of trading in March 2022. The market value of the company decreased from more than $1.5 billion to about $9 million only, so the company lost about 99% of its value after about twenty months of its listing on Nasdaq. How did Swvl descend from the pinnacle of success to the specter of bankruptcy? And what scenarios are waiting for the company?
In less than a year, Swvl succeeded in attracting financing amounting to about $9 million, starting with financing of $500,000 from “Careem” passenger transportation company, which was later acquired by “Uber”, and in 2018 it obtained financing of $8.5 million from a Series A funding round, and in the same year it succeeded in obtaining an undisclosed Series B funding round, estimated at between $20 and $30 million at the time, making Swvl the most funded startup in the Middle East and North Africa in 2018.
Swvl Mass Transport is an example of a startup that achieves great success at the beginning of its journey. The company started its operations in Egypt in 2017 with self-financing from its founders (Mustafa Qandil, Mahmoud Noah and Ahmed Sabah) that did not exceed $30,000 at the time. The idea of Swvl was based on providing a reasonable alternative that combines low cost and efficiency, so that it enables individuals who wish to move away from public transportation, at a lower cost than the costs of shared transportation companies. In practical application, Swvl started operating large and small buses on specific routes, enabling users to book their trips through an application that runs on smartphones.
Funding continued to flow to Swvl, as in 2019 it succeeded in raising about $42 million from a Series C financing round, bringing the total amount it obtained, in less than two years following its foundation, to about $80 million. In view of this success, Swvl decided to move its headquarters to Dubai, in a building that includes large companies, such as: "BMW" and "Rolls-Royce". From Dubai Swvl worked to accelerate its expansion in large and important markets in the Middle East and Africa, including the Saudi, Pakistani and Emirati markets, as well as Nigeria and Kenya.
Media aura
Propelled by the rapid success it achieved, Swvl gained a great media aura since its launch. In 2018 the founders of Swvl were chosen among the Forbes Middle East list of the most influential youth under the age of 30, and in 2020 the name of Swvl appeared in the Forbes Middle East list of the “50 most funded startups in the Middle East”, where it ranked second, while its financial director, Youssef Salem, appeared on the same list in 2021. Mr. Salem is a prominent banker who used to work in Moelis & Co, who was among a large group of employees who were attracted by Swvl through generous salaries, temptations and other incentives.
This is in addition to many TV interviews and dozens of websites that dealt with the company's success story. The media aura contributed to increasing the confidence of investors and financiers in the success of the company and in the possibility of it becoming one of the largest companies in the field of mass transportation in the world, especially with its great expansion in foreign markets.
Acquisition and listing on NASDAQ
Swvl reached the pinnacle of its success in the summer of 2021 when it was listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange after its merger with Queen's Gambit Growth Capital, a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC), turning the startup that launched just 4 years ago, from a small company active in the streets of Cairo and Alexandria to a global company with a market valuation of $1.5 billion, this valuation at the time was considered exaggerated.
It is also worth noting that prior to this merger, two of the founders of Swvl had left; Mahmoud Noah, who later founded Capiter for business-to-business transactions, and Ahmed Sabah, who founded the emerging financial technology company Telda, while Mustafa Kandil continued to manage SWVL.
Less than a month after the announcement of Swvl’s listing on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, the company began an expansion process in global markets. It began its global activities by acquiring the Spanish “Shotl” smart transportation company specialized in ordering buses in Spain and 22 cities in 10 European countries, in addition to its activity in Brazil [1]. It also announced its acquisition of the German company "Door2door" in an undisclosed deal. In November, it acquired a controlling stake in the Argentine company Viapool, which operates in both Argentina and Chile, for $10 million.
Swvl's appetite for expansion and acquisition did not stop, and in April of 2022, i.e. one month after its shares began trading on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange at a value of $10 per share, Swvl announced two acquisition deals, the first of which was the acquisition of the Turkish "Volt Line" company for participatory transportation. Its value amounted to 40 million dollars, and the second was the conclusion of an initial deal with the British company "Zello" in preparation for its acquisition in a deal whose estimated value was about 100 million dollars [2]. This is in addition to pumping 25 million dollars allocated to increase expansion in the Turkish market through "Vault Line"[3].
Falling from the top
Less than two months after Swvl's shares began trading on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, the company's share price fell to about $5. In front of this sudden drop in the share price, Swvl announced the layoffs of 400 of its employees, or about a third of the company's employees, and the reason for taking this action, according to Swvl, because it would replace its laid-off cadres with fully automated systems, in order to reduce its expenses and focus on achieving profits starting from 2023. Commenting on the decline in its share price, Swvl's management stated, "The decline in the stock does not cause concern to the management, but we have a responsibility towards every shareholder who suffers a loss, and we try to separate the action plan that we are following and the fluctuation of the stock."
Swvl's announcement was not enough to stop the collapse of its share price. On the one hand, laying off 400 employees will not lead to immediate or certain results to achieve profits that satisfy investors and shareholders. Rather, the results of the layoffs need time to appear, in addition to the fact that the process of replacing automated systems in itself is a costly and complex process. On the other hand, Swvl did not stop expanding in new markets, as the company announced its acquisition of the Mexican company "Urbvan" for mass transportation [4]. This coincided with its announcement of its intention to enter the American market at the end of the same year, meaning that the goal of the company to focus on profits does not seem likely to be achieved in light of its continued expansion into new markets, which is one of the main reasons for the decline in Swvl's share price.
The major collapse in Swvl’s share price occurred on July 8, 2022, as the company’s share price fell to about a dollar and a half, and on September 20 of the same year, the share price fell below one dollar, and reached about 50 cents, thus losing Swvl about 95% of its value, as its market valuation fell from $1.5 billion to about $75 million. The downward path of Swvl's share continued with the beginning of 2023, bringing its share price to about 20 cents and its market value to about $9 million.
Why did Swvl stock fall?
In addition to the poor performance and management of the Swvl itself, specifically related to its rapid expansion policy, which cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars, the collapse of the share price of Swvl on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange is also attributed to the state of the global economy.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the transportation industry hard, and Swvl was no exception. With lockdowns and social distancing measures in place, demand for public transportation plummeted, and Swvl was forced to suspend its services. In addition, the company faced financial and operational challenges, with its high operational costs and limited revenue streams putting it at risk of bankruptcy.
Also less than a month before the start of trading of Swvl shares on the Nasdaq, The Russian-Ukrainian war broke out, which caused a significant increase in energy prices, which negatively affected the operating costs of Swvl. The global economy in general entered a state of uncertainty and slowed growth, and many countries were affected by the global inflation situation caused by the Ukrainian crisis, including Egypt, Latin America and a number of countries in which Swvl is active. This situation also led to collapse of the prices of the national currencies of a large number of countries. Moreover, the US Federal Bank raised interest rates, which made it more expensive for startups to borrow and to finance their activities.
What also indicates that the crisis that Swvl went through is linked to external causes, is that the Nasdaq index itself lost nearly a third of its value in 2022 [5], in short, Swvl was not alone in this crisis, but rather it was doubly affected because its activities being linked to energy prices, which flew.
Swvl's actions did not achieve its desired goal, as we mentioned above, its share continued to decline, and it is known that the NASDAQ Stock Exchange prevents trading of shares of companies with a share price of less than one US dollar, which made Swvl exposed to the risk of being delisted from the NASDAQ Stock Exchange, especially since it received a warning in this concern from Nasdaq. Swvl's solution was a "reverse stock split" that turned every 25 shares into one. So that its shares have traded since March 2023, at a price ranging from two dollars to $1.07.
What fate awaits Swivel?
In view of the major collapse of Swvl, its CEO, Mustafa Kandil, decided on November 25 to lay off more than half of the workforce and sell, stop or reduce some operations in "smaller" countries, and focus mainly on Egypt and Mexico. Five weeks after this announcement, Swvl formed a panel of independent directors to explore potential sales, mergers and other options.
A reverse stock split may be a stopgap for Swvl from delisting from the Nasdaq stock exchange, but it may not last long given the company's plight.
According to Bloomberg, quoting a person familiar with the matter (who asked not to be named because the information is confidential), Swvl is now looking for new capital from investors, while it remains listed on the Nasdaq [6]. This may be hardly the only option for the continuation of Swvl, that is, obtaining new capital and turning into a private company, to restart again.
The company's leadership team recognized the need for change and embarked on a bold transformation strategy. They diversified their revenue streams, shifting their focus from bus rides to logistics and delivery services. They also implemented cost-cutting measures, streamlined operations, and renegotiated contracts with suppliers.
The company has also expanded its services to include last-mile deliveries, e-commerce logistics, and ride-hailing. Swvl's story is a testament to the resilience and adaptability of businesses in the face of adversity. It also teaches us the importance of diversifying revenue streams, being agile and flexible, and taking bold actions to survive and thrive in challenging times.
Sources:
* An economic term applied to emerging companies whose market valuation exceeds one billion dollars.
* Special purpose acquisition companies are public companies that have no business but to choose a private company to merge with, and the latter inherits the inclusion of the first.
[1] Swvl prepares to enter the Spanish market by purchasing Shotl buses, Wamda website, 08/19/2021, available at: https://bit.ly/407w5be
[2] Swvl acquires the English “Zilo” for $100 million, WAYA Arabic website, 08/05/2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3GNrfcd
[3] “Swvl” acquires the Turkish “Volt Line” for ride-hailing services, Lumberj Middle East, 04/25/2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3A0AIJw
[4] Swvl Acquires Mexican Urbvan to Penetrate Markets There, Arabia Inc, 07/18/2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3mBZUTA
[5] Sherif Othman, “The Nasdaq index lost nearly a third of its value in 2022,” Al-Araby Al-Jadeed website, 10/01/2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3GKrpRK
[6] Samuel Gebre at el, Middle East Unicorn Swvl’s Spectacular Rise and 99% Stock Tumble, bloomberglaw, 09/03/2023, Available at: https://bit.ly/43zVyNw
السقوط من القمة: كيف انتقلت سويفل من أول شركة يونيكورن في الشرق الأوسط إلى حافة الإفلاس؟
22 Apr 2023 Written by Admin Adminاكتسى برج خليفة في شهر في يوليو/تموز 2021، باللون الأحمر يتوسطه كلمة "SVWL" معلنا لناظره عبر نص إلكتروني بأن شركة سويفل المصرية للنقل الجماعي باتت "أول شركة يونيكورن* في الشرق الأوسط تبلغ قيمتها السوقية 1.5 مليار دولار يتم إدراجها في بورصة ناسداك نيويورك" هكذا احتفلت دبي بالشركة التي اتخذت من المدينة مقراً لها في عام 2019.
لم يمضي على موجة الاحتفاء بشركة سويفل الكثير من الوقت قبل ان تتحول إلى حسرة وتأسف، فبعد أقل من 6 أشهر من بدء تداول أسهمها في بورصة ناسداك انهارت سعر سهم سويفل لتفقد نحو 95% من قيمتها في شهر سبتمبر/أيلول 2022. استمرت رحلة هبوط سهم سويفل ليصل سعر سهمها في عام 2023 إلى نحو 20 سنت بعد أن كان سعر السهم الواحد 10 دولارات عند بداية تداوله في مارس/آذار 2022، وانخفضت قيمتها السوقية من أكثر من 1.5 مليار دولار إلى لنحو 9 مليون دولار فقط، لتفقد الشركة نحو 99% من قيمتها بعد نحو عشرين شهراً من بدء إدراجها في ناسداك.
كيف هبطت سويفل من أعلى قمة النجاح إلى شبح الإفلاس؟ وما هي السيناريوهات التي تنتظرها؟
رحلة الصعود السريعة
تعد شركة سويفل للنقل الجماعي نموذجاً عن الشركة الناشئة التي تحقق نجاحاً كبيراً في بداية رحلتها، فقد بدأت الشركة أعمالها في مصر عام 2017 بتمويل ذاتي من مؤسسيها (مصطفى قنديل ومحمود نوح وأحمد صباح) لم يتجاوز في حينها 30 ألف دولار. قامت فكرة سويفل على تقديم بديل معقول يزاوج بين التكلفة المنخفضة والكفاءة، بحيث تمكن الافراد الراغبين بالتنقل بعيداً عن وسائل النقل العام، وبتكلفة أقل من تكاليف شركات النقل التشاركي. وفي التطبيق العملي بدأت سويفل بتسيير حافلات كبيرة وصغيرة على طرق محددة، بحيث تمكن المستخدمين من حجز رحلاتهم عبر تطبيق يعمل على الهواتف الذكية.
يغضون أقل من عام نجحت سويفل في جذب تمويل وصلت قيمته إلى نحو 9 مليون دولار أمريكي بدأ مع تمويل بقيمة 500 ألف دولار من شركة "كريم" لنقل الركاب التي استحوذت عليها شركة "أوبر" لاحقاً، وفي عام 2018 حصلت على تمويل بقيمة 8.5 مليون دولار من جولة تمويلية من السلسلة (أ)، وفي العام نفسه نجحت في الحصول على جولة تمويلية غير معلنة من الفئة (ب) قدرت قيمتها حينها ما بين 20 إلى 30 مليون دولار، لتصبح سويفل أكثر شركة ناشئة تحصل على تمويل في الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا في عام 2018.
استمر تدفق التمويل على سويفل حيث نجحت في عام 2019 بجمع نحو 42 مليون دولار من جولة تمويلية من الفئة (ت) فوصل مجموع ما حصلت عليه بعد أقل من عامين على تأسيسها نحو 80 مليون دولار.
بعد نجاح سويفل في تحقيق هذا التمويل قررت نقل مقرها الرئيسي إلى دبي، وهناك استأجرت سويفل مساحة في مبنى راقٍ يضم مستأجرين كبار منهم على سبيل المثال: مكتب "بي إم دبليو" و"رولز رويس"، ومن دبي عملت سويفل على تسريع توسعها في أسواق كبيرة ومهمة في الشرق الأوسط وإفريقيا، بما فيها السوق السعودية والباكستانية والإماراتية إلى جانب نيجيريا وكينيا في إفريقيا.
الهالة الإعلامية
بدفع من النجاح السريع الذي حققته اكتسبت سويفل هالة إعلامية كبيرة منذ انطلاقها حيث اختير مؤسسو سويفل في عام 2018 ضمن قائمة فوربس الشرق الأوسط للشباب دون سن الثلاثين الأكثر تأثيراً، وفي عام 2020 ظهر اسم شركة سويفل في قائمة فوربس الشرق الأوسط "لأكثر 50 شركة ناشئة تمويلاً في الشرق الأوسط" حيث احتلت المركز الثاني، كما ظهر مديرها المالي "يوسف سالم" في القائمة ذاتها في عام 2021، علماً أن يوسف سالم، وهو مصرفي مرموق كان يعمل في "مويليز أند كو" (Moelis& Co)، كان من ضمن مجموعة كبيرة من الموظفين الذين جذبتهم عبر تقديم رواتب سخية لهم بالإضافة إلى امتيازات ومغريات أخرى.
هذا إلى جانب الكثير من المقابلات التلفزيونية وعشرات المواقع الإلكترونية التي تناولت قصة نجاح الشركة.
ساهمت الهالة الإعلامية في زيادة ثقة المستثمرين والممولين في نجاح الشركة وفي إمكانية أن تصبح من كبرى الشركات في مجال النقل الجماعي على مستوى العالم، سيما مع توسعها الكبير في الأسواق الخارجية.
الاستحواذ والإدراج في بورصة ناسداك
وصلت سويفل إلى قمة نجاحها في صيف عام 2021 حينما أدرجت في بورصة ناسداك بعد أن اندماجها مع "كوينز غامبيت غروث" (Queen’s Gambit Growth Capital) وهي شركة استحواذ ذات الأغراض الخاصة "SPAC"، لتتحول الشركة الناشئة التي انطلقت قبل 4 أعوام فقط من شركة صغيرة تنشط في شوارع القاهرة والإسكندرية إلى شركة عالمية بتقييم سوقي وصل إلى 1.5 مليار دولار، وعد هذا التقييم وقتذاك مبالغاً فيه.
ومن الجدير بالذكر أيضاً أنه قبل عملية الاندماج تلك كان إثنين من مؤسسي سويفل قد غادراها؛ محمود نوح الذي أسس لاحقاً شركة "كابيتر" (Capiter) للتعاملات التجارية بين الشركات، وأحمد صباح الذي أسس شركة التقنية المالية الناشئة "تيلدا" Telda، فيما استمر مصطفى قنديل في إدارة سويفل.
بعد أقل من شهر على إعلان إدراج سويفل في بورصة ناسداك بدأت الشركة عملية توسع في الأسواق العالمية بدأتها مع استحواذها على شركة "Shotl" الإسبانية للنقل الذكي المتخصصة في طلب الحافلات في كل من اسبانيا و22 مدينة في 10 دول أوروبية إلى جانب نشاطها في البرازيل[1]. كما أعلنت عن استحواذها على شركة " Door2door" الألمانية بصفقة غير معلنة. وفي نوفمبر/تشرين الثاني استحوذت على حصة حاكمة في شركة " Viapool" الأرجنتينية للنقل التشاركي التي تنشط في كل من الأرجنتين وتشيلي وذلك بمقابل 10 ملايين دولار.
لم تتوقف شهية سويفل في التوسع والاستحواذ ففي أبريل/نيسان من عام 2022، أي بعد شهر واحد عن بدأ تداول أسهمها في بورصة ناسداك بقيمة 10 دولار للسهم الواحد، أعلنت سويفل عن صفقتي استحواذ، الأولى صفقة الاستحواذ على شركة "فولت لاين" التركية للنقل التشاركي بلغت قيمتها 40 مليون دولار، والثانية كانت ابرام صفقة مبدئية مع شركة "Zello" البريطانية تمهيدا للاستحواذ عليها بصفقة بلغت قيمتها التقديرية نحو 100 مليون دولار[2]. هذا إلى جانب ضخ 25 مليون دولار مخصصة لزيادة التوسع في السوق التركية عبر "فولت لاين"[3].
السقوط من القمة
لم يمضي أكثر من شهرين على بدء تداول أسهم سويفل في بورصة ناسداك، حتى انخفض سعر سهم الشركة إلى نحو 5 دولارات. أمام هذا الهبوط المفاجئ في سعر السهم، أعلنت سويفل عن تسريح 400 من موظفيها أو نحو ثلث العاملين في الشركة، وعن السبب في اتخاذها لهذا الإجراء قالت سويفل حين ذاك أنها ستحل أنظمة مؤتمتة بالكامل محل كوادرها المسرحة، وذلك لتخفيض نفقاتها والتركيز على تحقيق أرباح بدءً من عام 2023. وفي تعليقها على انخفاض سعر سهمها صرحت إدارة سويفل "تراجع السهم لا يُسبب قلقاً لدى الإدارة، لكن لدينا مسؤولية تجاه كل مساهم يتعرض لخسارة، ونحاول الفصل بين خطة العمل التي نسير عليها وبين حركة السهم".
لم يكن إعلان سويفل كافياً لوقف انهيار سعر سهمها، فمن جهة تسريح 400 موظف لن يؤدي إلى نتائج فورية أو مؤكده لتحقيقها لأرباح ترضي المستثمرين وحاملي أسهم، بل إن نتائج التسريح بحاجة إلى وقت للظهور، بالإضافة إلى أن عملية الإحلال بأنظمة مؤتمتة بحد ذاتها عملية مكلفة ومعقدة. هذا من جهة، ومن جهة أخرى فإن سويفل لم تتوقف عن التوسع في أسواق جديدة، فقد أعلنت الشركة عن استحواذها على شركة "Urbvan" المكسيكية للنقل الجماعي[4]، تزامن ذلك مع إعلانها نيتها دخول السوق الأمريكية في نهاية العام نفسه، أي أن هدف الشركة في التركيز على الأرباح لا يبدو أنه كان سيتحقق في ظل استمرار في التوسع في أسواق جديدة، وهو أحد أهم الأسباب لتراجع سعر سهم سويفل.
حدث الانهيار الكبير في سعر سهم سويفل في الثامن يوليو/تموز 2022، إذ سقط سعر سهم الشركة إلى نحو دولار ونصف، وفي الـ20 من سبتمبر من العام نفسه تراجع سعر السهم إلى ما دون الدولار الواحد، ووصل إلى نحو 50 سنت، لتفقد سويفل بذلك نحو 95% من قيمتها، حيث انخفض تقييمها السوقي من 1.5 مليار دولار إلى نحو 75 مليون دولار. استمر المسار الهبوطي لسهم سويفل مع بداية عام 2023 ليصل سعر سهمها إلى نحو 20 سنت وتصبح قيمتها السوقية نحو 9 مليون دولار.
لماذا سقط سهم سويفل؟
إلى جانب الأسباب المتعلقة بأداء وإدارة شركة سويفل نفسها وتحديداً في سياستها التوسعية السريعة التي كلفة الشركة مئات ملايين الدولارات، فإن انهيار سعر سهم سويفل في بورصة ناسداك، يعزى أيضاً إلى حالة الاقتصاد العالمي. فقد ضربت جائحة كورونا صناعة النقل بشدة، ولم تكن سويفل استثناءاً. مع عمليات الإغلاق وإجراءات التباعد الاجتماعي المعمول بها، انخفض الطلب على وسائل النقل العام، واضطرت سويفل إلى تعليق خدماتها. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، واجهت الشركة تحديات مالية وتشغيلية، مع ارتفاع تكاليفها التشغيلية ومحدودية مصادر الإيرادات مما جعلها عرضة لخطر الإفلاس.
وقبل أقل من شهر على بدء تداول أسهم سويفل في بورصة ناسداك، اندلعت الحرب الروسية- الأوكرانية التي تسببت في ارتفاع أسعار الطاقة بصورة كبيرة، وهو ما انعكس بالسلب على التكاليف التشغيلية لسويفل، كما أن الاقتصاد العالمي بالعموم دخل في حالة من عدم اليقين وتباطؤ النمو، كما تأثرت الكثير من الدول، بما فيها مصر ودول أميركا اللاتينية وعدد آخر من الدول التي تنشط فيها سويفل، بحالة التضخم العالمية التي تسببت فيها الأزمة الأوكرانية، فانهارت أسعار العملات الوطنية لعدد كبير من الدول. هذا إلى جانب رفع الفيدرالي الأمريكي لأسعار الفائدة، الأمر الذي جعل من تكلفة الاقتراض والتمويل أكبر على الشركات الناشئة.
ويدل أيضاً على أن الأزمة التي مرت بها سويفل مرتبطة بأسباب خارجية، هو أن مؤشر ناسداك نفسه فقد ما يقرب من ثلث قيمته في عام 2022[5]، باختصار لم تكن سويفل لوحدها في هذه الأزمة، بل أتت عليها مضاعفة بسبب ارتباط عملها بأسعار الطاقة التي حلقت.
ما هو المصير الذي ينتظر سويفل؟
امام الانهيار الكبير الذي تعرضت له سويفل قرر مديرها التنفيذي "مصطفى قنديل" في 25 تشرين الثاني/نوفمبر تسريح أكثر من نصف القوى العاملة وبيع أو وقف أو تقليص بعض العمليات في البلدان "الأصغر" على حد وصفه، والتركيز بشكل أساسي على مصر والمكسيك.
بعد خمسة أسابيع من هذا الإعلان، شكلت سويفل لجنة من المديرين المستقلين لاستكشاف المبيعات المحتملة وعمليات الدمج والخيارات الأخرى.
لم تحقق إجراءات سويفل الهدف المرجوة منها إذ كما أسلفنا فإن سهمها استمر في الهبوط، ومن المعروف أن بورصة ناسداك نيويورك تمنع تداول أسهم الشركات المدرجة فيها تحت سعر دولار أمريكي واحد، وهو ما جعل سويفل معرضة لخطر الشطب من بورصة ناسداك، سيما انها تلقت انذار بذلك من ناسداك، فكان حل سويفل هو "التجزئة العكسية للسهم" فحولت كل 25 سهماً إلى سهم واحد. ليعود تداول سهمها منذ شهر مارس/آذار 2023 بسعر يتراوح عند حدود الدولارين إلى 1.07 دولار.
قد تكون عملية التجزئة العكسية للسهم بمثابة حل مؤقت ينقذ سويفل من شبح الشطب من بورصة ناسداك، لكن هذا الحل قد لا يستمر طويلاً في ظل المحنة التي تمر بها الشركة.
بحسب وكالة بلومبيرغ، نقلاً عن أحد الأشخاص المطلعين على الأمر (طلب عدم نشر اسمه لأن المعلومات سرية) فإن سويفل تبحث الآن على رأس مال جديد من المستثمرين، بينما تظل مدرجةً في بورصة ناسداك[6]. قد يكون هذا الخيار بالكاد الوحيد لاستمرار سويفل، أي الحصول على رأسمال جديد والتحول إلى شركة خاصة، لتعيد الانطلاق من جديد.
أدرك فريق ادارة الشركة الحاجة إلى التغيير وشرع في استراتيجية تحول جريئة، حيث قاموا بتنويع مصادر الدخل، وتحويل تركيزهم من ركوب الحافلات إلى الخدمات اللوجستية والتوصيل. كما قاموا بتنفيذ تدابير لخفض التكاليف وعمليات مبسطة وإعادة التفاوض على العقود مع الموردين.
قامت الشركة أيضًا بتوسيع خدماتها لتشمل عمليات التسليم في الميل الأخير، والخدمات اللوجستية للتجارة الإلكترونية، وخدمة نقل الركاب. قصة سويفل هي دليل على ضرورة المرونة في اداء الأعمال والقدرة على التكيف في مواجهة الشدائد. كما أنه يعلمنا أهمية تنويع مصادر الإيرادات، وأن نكون رشيقين ومرنين، وأن نتخذ إجراءات جريئة من أجل البقاء والازدهار في الأوقات الصعبة.
المصادر:
* مصطلح اقتصادي يطلق على الشركات الناشئة التي يتخطى تقييمها السوقي المليار دولار.
* شركات الاستحواذ ذات الأغراض الخاصة هي شركات عامة لا عمل لها سوى اختيار شركة خاصة للاندماج معها، وترث تلك الأخيرة إدراج الأولى.
[1] سويفل تستعد لدخول السوق الإسبانية عبر شراء Shotl للحافلات، موقع وامضة، 19/08/2021، متوفر على الرابط: https://bit.ly/407w5be
[2] سويفل تستحوذ على “زيلو” الإنجليزية مقابل ١٠٠ مليون دولار، موقع واية عربي، 08/05/2022، متوفر على الرابط: https://bit.ly/3GNrfcd
Translated by: Hayat Hernández
Forbes Middle East has published the annual report on the most potent CEOs in MENA in 2021. In this article we will focus on the report’s most significant highlights by presenting these executive leaders’ nationalities and the sectors they operate by, as well as showing Forbes basic strategy in making the list of the Top CEOs, and finally, a glance on the progress of their business sectors on corporation level.
Nationality of most influential CEOs
Saudi Arabia came first by 18 CEOs, followed by UAE and Egypt with 16 CEOs each, making up 50% of the list of most potent CEOs which included 100 CEOs from 24 Arab and foreign country.
Top Sectors of industry
Firstly, The Finance Sector resembles almost the third of Forbes’ classification (29%), Abdullah Mubarak Al Khalifah, CEO in Qatar National Bank association (QNB), came in the lead, operating in this sector. Secondly, The Energy Sector” (oil and gas) took over the next 5 ranks, led by Amin Al-Nasser, CEO and executive chairman in Saudi Aramco. Followed by Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber, CEO in Abu Dhabi National Oil Company “ADNOC”. Coming in fourth place, Hashem Hashem, CEO and vice president of the board directors of the Kuwait Petroleum. Followed by Toufik Hakkar, executive board chairman and CEO in “Sonatrach” in Algeria. And Saad Bin Sherida Al-Kaabi in the sixth, Forum member, CEO, and vice president of executive board in Qatar Petroleum, and also the minister in Qatar Ministry of Energy Affairs since November 2018.
Top Ten CEOs
The table below illustrates the ten most potent CEOs in MENA according to Forbes, and the companies they operate.
Forbes’ Evaluation Criteria
Forbes Middle East follows these criteria in their classification of the top CEOs:
-
Company’s volume of incomes, assets, and staff number.
-
The influence of the CEO and his company on the sector, society, and country.
-
Company’s growth and CEO accomplishments in the previous year.
-
CEO’s experience in the current position in addition to his general experience.
-
CEO’s personal endeavors including presidency/ membership of Executive Boarder and social initiatives.
-
Recognitions and prizes by countries and well known associations.
Development of the business sector
In the report on most powerful CEOs, Forbes Middle East has focused on the business sector development during the last decade regarding companies, governmental and familial organizations and regulatory agencies. Nevertheless, Forbes highlighted two significant progresses. The first one is that many governmental establishments have witnessed many restructured operations, turning its tactic of running the business into the same as a private company. According to the magazine, Aramco is considered an example of restructured corporations. This company hadn’t been announcing its operational and financial process, but after it has been listed as a public company in the Saudi capital market, it discloses the business outcomes periodically every 3 months.
According to Forbes, the shift in the path of governmental companies has led to an increase in corporate governance standards in MENA, and has also increased the responsibilities and tasks that CEOs in many corporations in the region bear. In fact, CEOs in governmental companies like Dubai International Financial Center have become concerned about their companies’ growth and development in terms of the country’s economic strategy.
As for the second progress, familial foundations have become more forthright than before as they were inconspicuous about their business, but after some of them have been incorporated in the stock market, their levels of authenticity and responsibility towards young investors have risen, taking into consideration, most of stock shares in these foundations still belong to family members.
أصدرت مجلة "فوربس الشرق الأوسط" تقريرها السنوي لأقوى الرؤساء التنفيذيين في الشرق الأوسط لعام 2021. نسلط الضوء في هذا المقال على أهم ما جاء في التقرير من خلال استعراض الجنسيات التي ينتمي لها أهم القادة التنفيذيين وقطاعات الأعمال التي يعملونا بها، والمنهجية التي تتبعها فوربس في وضع القائمة، وأسماء الرؤساء التنفيذين العشرة الأوائل كما صنفتهم فوربس، إلى جانب لمحة عن تطورات قطاع الأعمال على مستوى الشركات.
جنسية أقوى الرؤساء التنفيذيين
جاءت السعودية في المرتبة الأولى بـ18 رئيساً تنفيذياً، تليها كل من الإمارات ومصر بواقع 16 رئيسياً تنفيذياً لكل منهما، ليشكلوا بذلك 50% من قائمة أقوى الرؤساء التنفيذيين التي ضمت 100 رئيساً تنفيذياً من 24 جنسية عربية وأجنبية.
القطاعات التي يعملون بها
من حيث القطاعات التي يعملونا بها، فإن قطاع الخدمات المصرفية والمالية استحوذ على حوالي ثلث التصنيف تقريباً (29) يأتي في مقدمة الرؤساء التنفيذيين في هذا القطاع عبد الله مبارك آل خليفة، الرئيس التنفيذي لمجموعة بنك قطر الوطني (QNB)، لكن من حيث الترتيب وفقاً للقائمة فنجد ان قطاع الطاقة (النفط والغاز) احتل 5 مركزا من أصل أقوى عشرة رؤساء تنفيذيين، حيث جاء الرئيس التنفيذين وكبير الإداريين التنفيذين لشركة "أرامكو" السعودية، أمين الناصر، في المركز الأول، يليه سلطان أحمد جابر، الرئيس التنفيذي لشركة بترول أبوظبي الوطنية "أدنوك"، ثم هاشم هاشم، الرئيس التنفيذي ونائب رئيس مجلس إدارة مؤسسة البترول الكويتية، وأخيراً، توفيق حكار، رئيس مجلس الإدارة والرئيس التنفيذي لشركة "سوناطراك" الجزائرية، وفي المركز السادس جاء سعيد بن شريده الكعبي، العضو المنتدى والرئيس التنفيذي لقطر للبترول، ونائب رئيس مجلس إدارتها، وهو أيضاً وزير الدولة لشؤون الطاقة القطرية منذ نوفمبر 2018.
اقوى عشرة رؤساء تنفيذيين
يظهر الجدول التالي اقوى عشرة رؤساء تنفيذيين في الشرق الأوسط كما صنفتهم مجلة فوربس، والشركات التي يشغلونا فيها منصب الرئيس التنفيذين.
|
المركز |
الأول |
الثاني |
الثالث |
الرابع |
الخامس |
السادس |
السابع |
الثامن |
التاسع |
العاشر |
|
الاسم |
أمين حسن نصر |
سلطان أحمد جابر |
أحمد بن سعيد آل مكتوم |
هاشم هاشم |
توفيق عكار |
سعد بن شريدة الكعبي |
يوسف بن عبد لله البنيان |
عبد لله مبارك آل خليفة |
بول غريفيث |
أسامة منير محمد ربيع |
|
الجنسية |
سعودي |
إماراتي |
إماراتي |
كويتي |
جزائري |
قطري |
سعودي |
قطري |
بريطاني |
مصري |
|
الشركة |
أرامكو |
أدنوك |
مجموعة الإمارات |
البترول الكويتية |
سوناطراك |
قطر للبترول |
سابك |
QNB |
مطارات دبي |
هيئة قناة السويس |
منهجية مجلة فوربس
تعتمد مجلة فوربس الشرق الأوسط، في تصنيفها لأقوى الرؤساء التنفيذيين على المعايير الآتية:
· حجم الشركة من حيث الإيرادات والأصول وعدد الموظفين.
· تأثير الرئيس التنفيذي والشركة على القطاع والمجتمع والدولة.
· نمو الشركة وإنجازات الرئيس التنفيذي في العام الماضي.
· خبرة الرئيس التنفيذي في منصبه الحالي، بالإضافة إلى خبرته العامة.
· لإنجازات الشخصية للرئيس التنفيذي، بما في ذلك رئاسة/ عضوية مجالس الإدارات والمبادرات الاجتماعية.
· التكريم والجوائز من الحكومات والجمعيات المعترف بها.
تطورات قطاع الأعمال
ركزت مجلة فوربس في إطار تقرير عن أقوى الرؤساء التنفيذيين في الشرق الأوسط على تطورات قطاع الأعمال في العقد الأخير، على مستوى الشركات والهيئات الحكومية والعائلية الوجهات التنظيمية، وقد رصدت فوربس تطوريين في غاية الأهمية، أولهما هو أن العديد من المؤسسات الحكومية شهدت عمليات إعادة هيكلة (ـخصخصة) لتتحول طريقة إدارتها إلى نماذج تشبه الشركات الخاصة، على حد توصيف المجلة، والتي اتخذت من شركة أرامكو السعودية مثالاً على عملية إعادة الهيكلة، فالشركة السعودية الأكبر في العالم، لم تكن تعلن عن عمليتها التشغيلية والمالية، أما اليوم، ولأنها شركة عامة مدرجة في سوق المال السعودية للتداول، فإنها تفصح عن نتائج أعمالها بشكل دوري كل 3 أشهر.
وبحسب فوربس فإن التحول في مسار الشركات الحكومية، أدى إلى زيادة معايير حوكمة الشركات في جميع أنحاء الشرق الأوسط، كما زاد من المسؤوليات والمهام التي يتحملها الرؤساء التنفيذيين لعدد كبير من الشركات في المنطقة، كذلك فإن الرؤساء التنفيذيين للشركات المملوكة للحكومة كمركز دبي المالي العالمي، أصبحوا معنين بخطط النمو والتوسع لشركاتهم، في إطار الخطط الاستراتيجية لاقتصاد الدولة.
أما التطور الثاني فهو أن الشركات العائلية أصبحت أكثر انفتاحاً ففي السابق كانت تتسم بالانغلاق وانخفاض مستويات الإفصاح، لكن إدراج بعضها في سوق الأوراق المالية حسن من مستويات الشفافية والمسؤولية اتجاه صغار المستثمرين، على اعتبار أن غالبية الحصص في هذه الشركات مازالت مملوكة من قبل أفراد العائلة.
إلى جانب ارتفاع مستوى الإفصاح فإن الشركات العائلية تبدي انفتاحاً على صعيد آخر، وهو تعيين رؤساء تنفيذين من خارج العائلة.
لقطاعات التي يعملون بها
من حيث القطاعات التي يعملونا بها، فإن قطاع الخدمات المصرفية والمالية استحوذ على حوالي ثلث التصنيف تقريباً (29) يأتي في مقدمة الرؤساء التنفيذيين في هذا القطاع عبد الله مبارك آل خليفة، الرئيس التنفيذي لمجموعة بنك قطر الوطني(QNB)، لكن من حيث الترتيب وفقاً للقائمة فنجد ان قطاع الطاقة (النفط والغاز) احتل 5 مركزا من أصل أقوى عشرة رؤساء تنفيذيين، حيث جاء الرئيس التنفيذين وكبير الإداريين التنفيذين لشركة "أرامكو" السعودية، أمين الناصر، في المركز الأول، يليه سلطان أحمد جابر، الرئيس التنفيذي لشركة بترول أبوظبي الوطنية "أدنوك"، ثم هاشم هاشم، الرئيس التنفيذي ونائب رئيس مجلس إدارة مؤسسة البترول الكويتية، وأخيراً، توفيق حكار، رئيس مجلس الإدارة والرئيس التنفيذي لشركة "سوناطراك" الجزائرية، وفي المركز السادس جاء سعيد بن شريده الكعبي، العضو المنتدى والرئيس التنفيذي لقطر للبترول، ونائب رئيس مجلس إدارتها، وهو أيضاً وزير الدولة لشؤون الطاقة القطرية منذ نوفمبر 2018.
What is Social Media's Most Sharp Secret Weapon for entrepreneurs in the Arab Gulf markets?
13 Dec 2020 Written by Admin AdminThe utilization of social media as a marketing tool has become an inescapable need for any organization looking for progress and development in its business. The total number of social media users was estimated at 3.8 billion users over a total number of a global population of about 7.75 billion in 2020 (i.e. 49%), with an annual growth rate of 9.2% compared to 2019. On the other hand, mobile users were estimated at about 5.2 billion (about 67% of the total population). The evolution of the global mobile data consumption is increasing exponentially. (Hootsuite, Digital 2020, Global Digital Overview).
Social media delivers a new way to businesses that are interactive with the customers; it will completely convert the way of business.
In the meantime, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the users’ behaviors shifted, sometimes starkly, toward more use of devices for work, play and connecting. With the rise of social distancing, people are seeking out new ways to connect, mostly through video chat. If at all the year 2020 offered something good to someone, it is certainly to the social media industry. For example, Facebook alone has attracted 100 million new users in 2020.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
The value of the total digital advertising market reached $334 billion, of which $89.9 billion spent on social media compared to $127.9 billion spent on digital search ads in 2019. According to the data about advert expenditure, Google is the most popular advertising tool, the total expenditure reached about $103.7 billion in 2019 followed by Facebook ($67.4 billion), Alibaba ($29.2 billion) and Amazon ($14.0 billion).
Nevertheless, entrepreneurs and companies, including enormous and well established companies, face difficulties and real challenges in the web-based social media advertising tools, and at the forefront of these challenges is picking a social media platform or platforms that accomplish the marketing targets most productively. (Hootsuite, Digital 2020, Global Digital Overview).
Source : https://datareportal.com/
The Middle East is not an exception of this digital trend, where the total number of social media users was estimated at 125.4 million users over a total number of a total population of about 258.8 million in 2020 (i.e. 48%) (Hootsuite, Digital 2020, Global Digital Overview).
Source : https://datareportal.com/
Two difficulties arise here, the first concerns identifying the media platforms that are generally favored by the company's audience, in addition to its current and expected customers. The second relating to investigating the tendencies and interests of the target audiences within each social media platform.
In this article, we present to our readers the most recent insights related to the use of social media in the Arab countries of the Gulf region. We will present more specifically the tendencies and interests of the users from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the State of Kuwait. Moreover, the readers will find the mains statistics about internet and Facebook users in the Arab world as a whole for 2020.
Two difficulties arise here, the first concerns identifying the media platforms that are generally favored by the company's audience, in addition to its current and expected customers. The second relating to investigating the tendencies and interests of the target audiences within each social media platform.
In this article, we present to our readers the most recent insights related to the use of social media in the Arab countries of the Gulf region. We will present more specifically the tendencies and interests of the users from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and the State of Kuwait. Moreover, the readers will find the mains statistics about internet and Facebook users in the Arab world as a whole for 2020.
* For the population it is the Urbanisation rate, for mobile connections: rate vs. population, the other numbers are the penetration rates.
Youtube, Facebook and Instagram has relatively high shares of population that marketers can reach with adverts (population aged 13+); with a percentage of reach of 33%, 32% and 15% respectively. LinkedIn, Snapchat and Twitter have relatively lower rates: with a percentage of reach of 12%, 6.3% and 5.6% respectively. With about 2.8% of share of population that marketers can reach, Pintrest has a relatively very low share (Hootsuite, Digital 2020, Global Digital Overview).
On the other hand other, there exists less popular social media platforms, but have relatively high shares of population that marketers can reach with adverts such as Wechat, QQ and QZone with a percentage of reach of 19%, 12% and 8.6% respectively. (Hootsuite, Digital 2020, Global Digital Overview).
For entrepreneurs and startups, these social media platforms are indispensible sources to create awareness about their brands within their target customers.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
Hereafter we will explore the use of social media in the Arab countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
First: Kingdom Saudi Arabia
The total number of internet users in Saudi Arabia is about 32 million users, or 93% of the total population. Saudi Arabia ranks 5th within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates).
Source : https://datareportal.com/
According to communications and information technology commission (CITC) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom is the region’s largest ICT market and ranks 13th globally, with a value of $28.7 billion in 2019 and strong growth in both the consumer and enterprise segments. Saudi Arabia is a market of early technology adopters, with one of the highest social media penetrations in the world. Mobile subscribers stood at 43.8 million in 2019, representing a 129% penetration of the total population, Facebook being the most used social media followed by Instagram and Snapchat.
The below figure present the percentage of internet users aged 16 to 64 years old who report using each platform in the past month.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
Social media platforms in Saudi Arabia
1. Facebook
With 13 million users, Facebook ranked third in terms of the number of users in Saudi Arabia, most of them are males, or about 78% of the total users.
As for the age group, the statistics indicate that more than half of the users were aged between 26 and 40 years.
The top reasons for using Facebook in the Kingdom are for marketing, fashion, movies, travel purposes, sports, music and games. The total number of users per category ranges from 8 to 10 million, whereas watching television comes at the end with 6.5 million users. More than one tenth of the users are using the platform specifically to shop or find new products.
2. Instagram
Instagram is behind Facebook as the fourth most used social media platform in Saudi Arabia, with 12 million users, a third of whom are male. As for their interests, they appear similar to those of Facebook users. According to Hootsuite report, Saudi Arabia ranked 17 internationally in terms of Instagram reach.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
3. Twitter
Twitter is ranked second in the ranking of the most used social media in the Kingdom, as the number of its users exceeds 14 million users, and contrary to the gender distribution of the Facebook and Instagram platforms, the distribution by gender in Twitter is very close, females being about 48% of the total Twitter users. According to Hootsuite report Saudi Arabia ranked first in terms of eligible audience reach rate on twitter with a total potential twitter advertising reach of 53% compared to population aged 13+.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
As for the main reasons for using Twitter, there is a big difference compared to Instagram and Facebook, data show a great interest for games, this is clear from the big number of users as it reaches more than 10 million. On the other hand, with the exception of high interest for the television and music, with about 7.6 million and 2 million users for each, the other topics, such as travel and shopping, do not receive great attention from the users.
4. Snapchat
This platform is ranked first in Saudi Arabia in terms of the number of users ranging from 15.5 to 16.1 million users. While the percentage of female users is equal to that of male, this platform is the most used social media by females.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
Source : https://datareportal.com/
As for the main reasons for using Snapchat in Saudi Arabia, data show several fields of interests from travel, with total users ranging from 7.6 to 7.94 million, to sport with total number of fans ranging from 7.4 to 7.7 million, to music, games, and food. Surprisingly important number of users shows interest in investment and entrepreneurship, ranging from 3.6 to 3.76 million users.
5. LinkedIn
The LinkedIn platform has 2.4 million users from the kingdom, males being the first using this platform, with 81% of the total number of users compared to only 19% for females.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
Second: United Arab Emirates
According to the latest statistics, a whopping 99% of the UAE population remains active on internet. In 2020, an eyeball popping 9.73 million people come online on social media almost every day, this represents 99% of the population of 9.83 million people.
Youtube is the most popular social media platform in 2020 with 8.65 million users. Facebook has found favor among the commercial entities, the political class as well as the masses of the country. The latest data for 2020 show that, with 7.77 million users, Facebook is expected to remain a main social media force for many years to come. Several popular brands use Facebook to reach out to fans, though providing them unique offers.
With 3.8 million users most are young people, especially teenagers, Instagram emerged as a substantial competitor to Facebook. Other few social media platforms that are popular in the UAE are Twitter (53% penetration), LinkedIn (45% penetration), Pinterest (25% penetration) and Tumblr (20% penetration).
Source : https://datareportal.com/
1. Facebook
The number of Facebook users in the United Arab Emirates stands at about 9 million, meaning 92% of the current UAE population consumes Facebook content, and thus it is the largest social media in the UAE. Although Facebook is the most popular social media among females in the UAE, the gender gap is apparent with men thrice as much as women. The current male and female Facebook users are pegged at 74% and 26% respectively.
The main motivations for using Facebook are shopping, fashion, travel, sports, food and drink, movies and music. The estimated numbers of users ranging per category range from 6 million to 7 million, and at the top of these reasons are shopping and fashion. In addition to the previous topics, Facebook users in the UAE are interested in television and games, with an estimated numbers between 4.7 million and 5.3 million, respectively.
2. Instagram
With about 3.8 million users, Instagram platform ranks second after Facebook in terms of number of users, most of them are males, or 63% of the total users compared to 36% for females. The main motivations for using Instagram appear very close to that of Facebook. Shopping, fashion, travel, sports, food, and drink, as well as movies, are at the forefront of the interests of Instagram users, followed by games and TV respectively.
3. Twitter
The total number of users on Twitter is 3 million, this put Twitter in the fourth rank behind Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. In contrast to Instagram and Facebook, the Twitter users are more gender-equal distribution, with about 42% of female using this platform.
Like all other social media in the UAE, the number of users in English exceeds those in Arabic.
It is noticeable that Twitter users in the UAE are more interested in news channels, as Sky News Arabia, Al Arabiya, and Al Hadath, as they are the largest number of followers, this seams coherent with when we know that the number users interested with television is 2 million, which is equivalent to two-thirds of the users in Twitter. Films come in the top of the list with 3 million users. In other words, all Twitter users in the UAE show some degree of interest in movies.
4. Snapchat
The number of Snapchat users in the UAE ranges between 2.1-2.3 million, and it is the least used social media in the UAE.
In contrast to the rest of social media, in Snapchat the number of female users exceeds that of males. The number of female Snapchat users is more than 1.1 million.
The Snapchat is distinguished from other platforms in the United Arab Emirates, by the diversity of interests of its users between fashion, shopping, games, music, entrepreneurship, investment, health, and lifestyle. The number of those interested in these topics ranges from 500 thousand to one million users.
5. LinkedIn
The number of LinkedIn users in the United Arab Emirates is about 3.4 million, and thus it is ranked third among the most used social media in the UAE after Facebook and Instagram, with a difference of 400,000 users with the latter.
Statistics also indicate that most users of LinkedIn in the Arab Gulf states are from the UAE. As per gender distribution, the majority of users are male, where their percentage is 70%.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
Third: State of Kuwait
The State of Kuwait ranks second in terms of the percentage of users connected to the Internet in the Arab Gulf states, as the percentage of those connected to Internet out of the total population is about 99.1%. Facebook is ranked as the most used social media platform in Kuwait with a total of about 3.00 million active users. Instagram is ranked as the second most used with about 2 million monthly active users. Twitter comes next with about 1.7 million monthly active user. Snapchat also is one of popular social media platforms in Kuwait with total users of about 1.7 million monthly active users.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
Social Media Penetration Rankings by country, January 2020
Source : https://datareportal.com/
Social media platforms in Kuwait
1. Facebook
With a total number of users of more than two million and 700 thousand users Facebook ranks first among social media in the State of Kuwait, which is equivalent to half the population of Kuwait, of whom 1.9 million are female users, which is the largest percentage of females participation on social media in the Arab Gulf region.
The main motivations for using Facebook in Kuwait are shopping and fashion in addition to music. The number of users interested in these two topics is more than two million users each, followed movies, food, drink, sports, travel, and games with about 2 million users for each. Finally comes the interest for the television with a difference of 500 thousand users with the previous topics.
It is also noted that the number of Facebook users in English is twice the number of users in Arabic.
2. Instagram
Instagram ranks second, along with Twitter, as the most used social media in Kuwait, with about two million users, most of them are males, i.e. about 1.3 million users compared, to 300 thousand users for females (64% and 36% respectively). As per the main motivations for using Instagram in Kuwait, data show a very close trend as for Facebook.
3. Twitter
As mentioned above, Twitter along with Instagram ranks second, as the most used social media in Kuwait, with about two million users, most of them are males (65%) compared to only 35% for females.
As per the main motivations for using Twitter in Kuwait, they are not much difference from the users of Facebook and Instagram.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
4. Snapchat
With a number of users which ranges between 1.6 and 1.7 million, Snapchat ranks before the last in terms of the number of users in Kuwait. As can be seen, the number of users is slightly lower than the users of Twitter and Instagram, not more than 300,000 users. It is the second most used social media by females after Facebook in Kuwait. The number of females using Snapchat has been estimated at about 780,000, i.e. 46% of the total users.
As per the main motivations for using Snapchat in Kuwait, they are more diverse than the other social media platforms, where the users of this platform show an interest in entrepreneurship, investment, cars, TV news, and lifestyle whether men or women. Snapchat users also show an interest in health topics. The estimated number of interested users ranges between 350 thousand and 900 thousand. Finally fitness is another topic of interest, with an estimated number of users of between 195 thousand and 203 thousand.
5. LinkedIn
The total number of LinkedIn users in Kuwait is about 530,000, most of them are males, or about 75% of the total users.
Fourth: Sultanate of Oman
Oman ranked last in the Arab Gulf states in terms of the percentage of users connected to the Internet out of the total population, which were estimated at Oman has 3.9 million internet users, about 78.5% of the total population.
According to a report of the National Centre of Statistics and Information (NCSI), based on a survey on social media behaviour an applications use, conducted in March 2019, most of Omanis, or 94%, own or use social media accounts. They spend up to six hours daily on social media. The report showed that 36% cent of Omanis trusts social media as a source of news and information about important events, compared with 35% who do not trust it.
Data of Hootsuite indicate that Facebook is the most common social media app in Oman, with about 1.5 million users, followed by Instagram with 1.4 million and Twitter with about 1.3 million users.
Social media platforms in the Sultanate of Oman
Source : https://datareportal.com/
1. Facebook
Facebook ranks top among all social media networks. The total number of users was estimated at about 1.5 million users, men represent the majority of the facebookers in Oman with about 78.4% compared to 21.6% for females.
2. Instagram
Data shows that Oman had 1.4 million users on Instagram, covering a total of 36% of the Sultanate’s total users of social media networks, of which 67.2% are males and 32.8% are females.
3. Twitter
The Twitter platform comes in third place after Instagram, with a total number of about 1.3 million users, of which about 70.4% are males and 29.6% are females.
4. Snapchat
Snapchat ranks just before the last place, with about 1.2 million users, of which 52.7% are females, and 45.6% males. In contrast to the rest of social media networks, the number of female users in Snapchat exceeds that of males in Oman. That was the case as well in the UAE.
5. LinkedIn
The Sultanate of Oman shows a wide use of the LinkedIn. The total number of LinkedIn users reaches 520,000 users. The distribution of users by gender does not differ much from the rest of the Arab Gulf states. Statistics show that 76.7% of LinkedIn users are males compared to 23.3% for females.
Fifth: State of Qatar
Qatar ranked in the top in terms of the percentage of those connected to Internet out of the total population within the Arab Gulf states. The percentage of those connected to Internet in Qatar reaches 99.6%.
Accoring to a report of focus on Qatar, of the web site Middleeastmedia, the top social networking sites used in Qatar are Facebook, with a total of 2.4 million active users, Twitter ranked second with total number of users of 974,000 users, and Instagram. Instagram is ranked third with total users of users of 960,000 users. LinkedIn is ranked fourth with an estimated total number of users of 840,000.Snapchat.
However, use of these sites differs considerably according to the population subsets. For example usage of Facebook is nearly universal across all expat groups in Qatar. Qataris, however, have not embraced Facebook for social networking to the same degree; only one third of Qatari nationals are on Facebook. In fact, Qataris are more likely to use Instagram (46%), they are using Twitter and Facebook in same way (37% and 36%).
Almost all internet users pass time online for leisure (94%), entertainment (71%). A similarly high level watch online videos (83%).
Source : https://datareportal.com/
Social media platforms in Qatar
1. Facebook
Facebook ranks first in Qatar as the most used social media medium, as the number of users of this platform is about 2.4 million users Facebook, of whom 76.3% are males, and 23.7% are females.
2. Instagram
Instagram ranks third behind Facebook and Twitter with a total number of users of about 960,000 users, of which 64.2% are males compared to 35.8% for female users.
3. Twitter
Twitter is the second most used social media platform after Facebook, with total users of about 974,000, of which 67.4% are males and 32.6% are females.
4. Snapchat
As for Snapchat, it is ranked last among social media platforms, with a number of users not exceeding 585 thousand, but what distinguishes this platform in Qatar is the greater percentage of female users which reaches 52.6% of the total users. This tendency could be seen as well in Oman and UAE.
5. linkedIn
LinkedIn ranks fourth within other social media networks most used in Qatar. The total number of users was estimated at about 840,000 users. This is about 150,000 lower than the other social media network such as Instagram and Twitter. Most of LinkedIn users are men with a total percentage of about 76.6% out of the total users.
Sixth: Kingdom of Bahrain
Bahrain ranks fourth compared to the Arab Gulf states in terms of the share of the population with internet connection, ahead of Saudi Arabia and Oman.
The percentage of users with internet connection in Bahrain to the total population is about 99%.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
Social media platforms in Bahrain
1. Facebook
The social media platforms in the Kingdom of Bahrain are characterized by the absence of significant differences in terms of the total number of users, consequently it is not possible to classify them in terms of the most popular network, except for LinkedIn which is the least popular. The differences in the number of users between each type of network do not exceed tens of thousands. The number of Facebook users in the Kingdom is estimated at about 840,000, of which 73.8% are males, and 26.2% are females.
2. Instagram
The number of Instagram users in Bahrain is about 720,000, of which 62% are males and 38% are females.
3. Snapchat
Snapchat is the most used social media platform in Bahrain by females, as their percentage to the total number of 885,000 users, is about 47.9%.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
4. Twitter
The number of Twitter users in Bahrain is about 818,000, of which 65.1% are males and 34.9% are females.
Source : https://datareportal.com/
5. LinkedIn
LinkedIn platform is ranked last in terms of the social media popularity in Bahrain. The total number of users is estimated at about 340,000 users, of which70.9% are males and 29.1% are females.
