Oracle Sets-up on KOM

Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) the centre piece of Oman’s rapidly growing ICT sector has successfully attracted Oracle Corporation the world's largest enterprise software company as a new tenant - with another eight in the process of signing lease agreements.

The three year-old Rusayl-based Technology Park now offers over 20,000 square metres of high quality office space and meeting facilities. With the growing reputation of KOM as a leading Middle East centre for excellence in technological innovation and entrepreneurship, KOM is successfully attracting niche companies from throughout the software and technology sectors.

Gabriel Bakhazi, Vice President, Finance, Oracle Middle East & Africa (pictured on the right), says: “Oracle is growing and developing as a company and KOM very much fits our profile and aspirations. We needed more office space and KOM is ideal in terms of facilities and easy access to other locations, added to that it offers us a modern and beautiful working environment.”

Asked about Oracle’s decision to base their Oman operations on KOM, Mohammed Al Maskari, the Park’s Acting Director General said: “KOM and the surrounding area is an inspirational location. We neighbour Rusayl Industrial Estate which boasts over 140 firms, we’ve Sultan Qaboos University on our doorstep, two tertiary institutes operating on the KOM campus, over 35 hi-tech tenants, plus a growing business incubator program – it’s a vibrant community. Indeed, this is why our growing list of domestic and international tenants are choosing KOM over a city centre location. KOM also provides tenants with access to a large pool of talented graduates essential to the continued growth and success of the firms resident on the Park.”

Other recent high profile moves to KOM include Hewlett Packard and Huawei. Ahmed Al Hadhrami from KOM’s Marketing Team, says: “interest in KOM has gained substantial momentum over the past 12 months. We’re the perfect space for small and multinational companies with the range of facilities that we provide. The Park’s accommodation and various services are offered to tenants at highly competitive rates, this means that companies can focus on growing their business without the hassle of having to deal with utility companies, maintenance and the expense of having meeting room facilities.”

“It’s great to see KOM welcoming IT giants such as Oracle – the Oracle team will be amongst the first to take advantage of the superb new facilities being built on KOM,” commented Dave Pender, Advisor at PEIE.

KOM & Nawras Talk Gen Y

According to recent research today's marketers to be successful tomorrow, need to understand "Generation Y," aka Gen Yen. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Y). Born between 1978 and 1994, Gen Y’ers are as young as 11 and as old as 28, and they're the biggest thing to hit the scene since the baby boomers. In order to help Oman-based firms better understand this new, intelligent and highly tech savvy group, Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM) has invited Mr. Ziyad Smayra (pictured), Head of Market Intelligence and Research at Nawras (http://web.nawras.com.om) deliver a Gen Y Marketing Open House seminar, scheduled to be held at KOM, 23 May at 5:30pm. Before joining Nawras, Mr. Smayra was Marketing and Research Manager for the Disney Channel Middle East (www.disneyme.com)

“For a lot of entrenched brands, Gen Y poses an enormous risk, it’s the first generation to come along that's big enough to hurt a boomer brand simply by giving it the cold shoulder and big enough to launch rival brands with enough clout to threaten the status quo,” remarked Mohammed Al Maskari, Acting Director General, KOM. As this new group elbows its way into the Omani marketplace, its members are making it clear that companies hoping to win their hearts and wallets will have to learn to think like they do. From a personal perspective, and as a Gen Y’er, I can see the real importance of this Open House seminar – it’s a fascinating topic that should be of interest to a wide spectrum of people,” added Al Maskari.

”Many Oman-based marketers perceive Gen Y as just kids. When they do that, they fail to take in what Gen Y’ers are telling them about the type pf consumers they're becoming. Let’s be frank, this isn’t about teenage marketing. It's about the coming of age of a generation,'' said Ibtisam Al Faruji, Open House Co-ordinator.

“Soon a lot of Omani companies are going to have learn the nuances of Gen Y marketing. In just a few years, many of this group will be out of university and shopping for cars, holidays, houses and investments and how will firms be tackling these issues? I’ve already received e-mails and calls from people that want to attend this session,” remarked Al Faruji.

Having grown up in a more media-saturated, brand-conscious world Gen Y’ers respond to marketing and ads differently. The Oman-based marketers that capture Gen Y attention do so by bringing their messages to the places these young people congregate, whether it's on the Internet, a skateboarding tournament, or in a sports clubs. “The marketing may be funny or disarmingly direct. What they don't do is suggest that the marketer knows Gen Y better than these savvy consumers know themselves,” commented Dave Pender of PEIE.

“Gen Y is a confident, self-reliant, optimistic and positive generation. The Internet, blogs, lap tops and iPods represent tools that are empowering this generation. As a result, these consumers are marketing savvy and much less brand loyal. Firms shouldn’t be thinking about building a brand for Generation Y; instead, they should be building a brand with them,” said Pender.

To reserve your free seat at the Gen Y Marketing Open House, send your name and contact co-ordinates to: Ibtisam@kom.om