Connect with us

Entrepreneurs

Khalifa Al-Jaziri: Revolutionizing Home Automation with Visionary Leadership

Published

on

Khalifa Al-Jaziri is a shining example of an innovative and successful UAE entrepreneur that clinches a place on Forbes’ list of inspiring business personalities. If anyone can epitomise the blend of strategic management and the technological revolution it is the young student turned risk taker turned business tycoon. That is why to get a better understanding of how Khalifa Al-Jaziri is pioneering home automation and beyond, here is a closer look at him. The Libyan story of Khalifa Al-Jaziri of the company is quite an inspiring and focuses on the vision of the leader. The background with which Khalifa went armed is that of the Master’s Degree in Urban Planning that he got from the American University of Sharjah, armed with which, he is uniquely placed to understand systems and design. His experience in architectural designs serves well to his business insight while also enriching his ability to fuse innovative technology into people’s domestic lives.

 In the year 2003, this visionary was able to start of the future improvement, and he did this through the establishment of E-Home AUTOMATION together with his brother. This business endeavour was significant in the GCC region setting it as one the first players in home automation and networking. E-Home AUTOMATION’s mission was clear from the outset: to reposition technologies that inform residence to not only create smarter, efficient, but also feel comfortable residing places. New technologies hence set E-Home AUTOMATION on a new path immediately after Khalifa assumed leadership of the firm. The firm offers advanced home automation services which mean that home security, comfort and energy usage are improved. Their systems are designed to work in conjunction with different home appliances and devices providing a level of sophistication that can only be applauded for creating new benchmarks for the industry.

Therefore, it is not only technological advancement but also Khalifa’s strategy that made the company succeed. He has also well succeeded in positioning E-Home AUTOMATION ahead of the emerging competition within the sector due to exemplary knowledge in the fast-growing technology market. This foresight has not only driven growth to the company but has also placed it on the map as home automation systems provider. These include success not only of E-Home AUTOMATION but also other accomplishments of Khalifa Al-Jaziri such as being a certified electrical engineer and a member of the international engineering technical association. These areas have received much recognition in the UAE and other comparable nations within the GCC due to his management and passion toward innovation. This is so because to be ranked as the inspiring business leader by the Forbes is a clear indication that he has been instrumental in changing the business world.

The achievements of E-Home AUTOMATION are the result of Khalifa’s efforts and desire to always go further and set new records in the field of home automation. Its projects are lauded with technical merits and some of the ventures have set the standards of today’s living spaces. The various solutions that Khalifa has propounded and implemented have coaxed technology into integrating with the lives of home users to optimize the usefulness of homes and even their value in enhancing citizens’ quality of life.

Khalifa Al-Jaziri is set to steer E-Home AUTOMATION while his vision will be on advancing more innovations and tapping more markets. The future is definitely bright for home automation especially with the inspirational leadership of Khalifa and his team as they lead the way to further developments. They are fundamental priorities of a topical orientation that clearly underlines dedication to technology lifestyle integration as part of a new paradigm of technological development that is imminent to reshape human existence.

Entrepreneurs

Ahmed Ben Chaibah: The Inspirational Journey of the Middle East Aquaman

Published

on

Ahmed Ben Chaibah, the Emirati entrepreneur famously referred to as Aquaman, is one of the influential men in the landscape of Middle Eastern business. The world’s largest inflated aqua park-founder and owner of AquaFun-is a story of many: from rags to international recognition. Ahmed Ben Chaibah’s entrepreneurial journey is the very definition of better vision, resilience, and unwavering determination. Native and raised in the UAE, Ahmed had been passionate about water activities from childhood. This developed further into a business idea that would put forth facelifts to the water entertainment industry coming from all over the region. It was that kind of forward-thinking, rule-breaking that would set the ground for what today has become his most recognizable work-AquaFun.

The World’s Largest Inflatable Aqua Park

For Ahmed, AquaFun is more than just a business initiative. It is a dream. It is situated under the same roof and within just over 2,700 square meters, forming a landmark in water entertainment with 110 inflatable games.

Coming as a must-visit place for both residents and tourists, these parks cater to both challenging and entertaining activities for all ages. His success earned Ahmed the nickname “Aquaman,” a takeoff from being an industrial captain of the large water body besides mastery of water-based entertainment. Doing so, the literally and vastly acknowledged park in this era has carved its name besides making Ahmed be recognized by Guinness World Records. AquaFun is a show of his effort to heighten greatness from exemplary experiences in the leisure industry and also push the envelope of possibilities.

Success was never an easy ride for Ahmed, who received more than 600 refusals in the very first attempt of his professional life. Still, those refusals only pushed him. A quality among others that made Ahmed successful is the sense of commitment and perseverance even under difficult conditions; to him, failure is not the end but one sure step to reach success.

This kind of thinking helped him to persist at worst times and then later achieve his goals. Thus, Ahmed’s story punctuates and underlines the fact that success does not come overnight but is made from hard work, patience, and the art of learning from failures. The story provides inspiration for entrepreneurs, more so to those who may have hit stumbling blocks along the way.

It goes without saying that Ahmed Ben Chaibah has made some great impacts in the world of business. His hard work has not gone without accolades: Entrepreneur of the Year 2021, Emirati Business of the Year 2021, CEO of the Year Business Arabia 2017. Without a doubt, a manifestation of effective business acumen, leadership, and positive impact brought to the business scene in the Middle East. In this case, these are the recognitions behind Ahmed as that one entrepreneur who has managed to come out top through challenges thrown his way in life. These achievements serve to highlight the importance of innovation, persistence, and work ethics. Today, Ahmed Ben Chaibah is not only one of the big businessmen in town but a source of inspiration for many. His life story speaks to that very desire in most people who will make their dream come true and prove that indeed everything is possible if one passionately works towards their dreams. Ahmed also inspires the next generation of entrepreneurs not only from the Middle East but around the globe. What is unquestionably great about Ahmed’s rise is sticking to it and overcoming undeniable rejection to owning a world-renowned enterprise. He has proved that unbeatable odds can actually result in success and will forever be used as the spark among entrepreneurial spirits.

Continue Reading

Entrepreneurs

Butheina Kazim: Redefining Independent Cinema and Cultural Leadership in the Middle East

Published

on

Sometimes known as the city of skyscrapers or the capital of luxury, Dubai is becoming home to burgeoning arts and culture due in large part to trailblazers like Butheina Kazim. She is the founding member of Cinema Akil, Dubai’s first art house cinema, revolutionizing the country’s cultural landscape with the inclusion of independent and alternative cinema. Valuable contributions to the arts other than cinema include television, radio, and documentary filmmaking. Butheina’s tale is that of passion, creativity, and the will to bring diverse voices forward.

Butheina Kazim launched the Cinema Akil in the year 2014 to fill the cultural gap in Dubai’s entertainment scene. It is unlike mainstream cinemas around this city; it is rather a haven for cinephiles who yearn for something more than blockbuster films. It showcases selected independent, foreign, and classic films that would not normally reach the audience in the Middle East. This is a cinema that is to become at once a place of culture, bringing together eclectic persons who seek to see, through different eyes, via the medium of film. Cinema Akil started with a series of pop-up screenings all over Dubai, finding its eventual permanent home in Alserkal Avenue-a bustling arts area within the city. Indeed, eclectic cinema was programmed as inclusively ranging across the world from documentaries to retrospectives, even in the experimental works. Such eclectic sense of programming has made Cinema Akil a beacon to those seeking alternative narratives and voices, placing it as a critical player in the region’s cultural dialogue.

Long before founding Cinema Akil, Butheina Kazim had already begun her journey into the world of cinema and culture, by returning from studies in New York to the UAE and launching a career in television and radio. It was her work in the media that laid the ground for later pathways; it was through this medium that she gained the resources and insight through which she could survey and shape the UAE’s cultural landscape. As much as Butheina is dedicated to activism, so cinema is. She has conceptualized global cinema pop-ups to bring independent films to new audiences and create areas of cultural exchange. This does not go unnoticed, and she has been invited onto several prestigious international film festivals as a jury member, shaping the global conversation on cinema.

Butheina Kazim’s journey into the world of cinema and culture began long before she founded Cinema Akil. After completing her studies in New York, she returned to the UAE and embarked on a career in television and radio. Her work in media laid the groundwork for her later ventures, providing her with the skills and insights needed to navigate and influence the cultural landscape of the UAE. Butheina’s passion for cinema is matched by her dedication to advocacy. She has curated cinema pop-ups on a global scale, bringing independent films to new audiences and creating spaces for cultural exchange. Her work has not gone unnoticed; she has been invited to serve as a jury member at several prestigious international film festivals, where she has helped shape the global conversation around cinema. In 2010, Butheina produced the short documentary “Letters to Palestine,” an evocative exploration into identity, belonging, and resistance. This film gained international acclaim because of its touching storytelling and capturing of almost all the complexities involved in the Palestinian experience. The project testifies to Butheina’s commitment to using cinema as an agency for social change and her belief in the power of storytelling to bridge divides.


Butheina Kazim has been recognized through a number of major contributions in the field of the arts. Her work has been underscored by prizes that praise cultural effectiveness, both in the UAE and worldwide. These awards are a testimony to a leadership of vision and an ability to translate passion for the arts into concrete and impactful projects, crossing across diverse audiences. Cinema Akil, under Butheina’s mentorship, has taken this role: gone from being an influencer of Dubai’s cultural scene into one of the greater Middle East film scenes. The cinema has hosted a wide range of film festivals, film discussions, workshops, etc., and in the process creates a pool of filmmakers, critics, and independent film enthusiasts. This results in a grassroots-powered platform in which ideas are shared, and creativity is celebrated in all forms.

Continue Reading

Entrepreneurs

The Rise of Rasha Al Danhani and PappaRoti

Published

on

PappaRoti is one of the few brands that has established a distinct segment in the context of coffeehouses in today’s highly competitive global economy. Standing at the centre of this success story is Rasha Al Danhani, a phenomenal Malaysian businesswoman turned global fashion mogul. Al Danhani with her excellent business acumen and strong will converted a coffee-coated bun into a global sensation along with revolutionizing the café culture.

The history of PappaRoti started in the year 2003 in Malaysia with the primary products of buns and beverages. Despite putting forward quality products, the brand could not make a passionate mark. The year 2009 was marked by the entry of Rasha Al Danhani: a woman who wanted not only a normal life but something extraordinary. While purchasing the brand, she aimed at establishing a new generation coffeehouse based on a single product, the famous coffee-coated bun. This store was established in Dubai Mall, and it first commenced its operation as a small kiosk with only five employees. This humble setup was, however, the genesis of a world conglomerate. Crispy outer brown layer of a bun that has been baked to perfection served with a warm cup of coffee. This simplistic menu was well received by the customers, and PappaRoti became an instant favourite spot.

Uniqueness is PappaRoti’s key differentiator given that the company mainly specializes in coffee-coated bun. This cake which is as light as a feather, with the crispy layer on the outside and a rich smell of coffee inside has become the signature of the brand. Happily, quality was not compromised since Rasha Al Danhani was determined to repeat the same uniqueness seen in Dubai to New York buns which were baked freshly on site. Al Danhani did not limit himself to the above success factor; there she made numerous toppings and fillings for the buns thus giving the customers option to choose from. These are ranging from chocolate flavours to cheese flavours and this way, it reduces the repetitive nature of the menu. Such action has ensured that PappaRoti has been providing change constantly to ensure that it attracts more people while maintaining those that had been previously served.

 Over the space of five years alone PappaRoti rapidly expanded throughout the Middle east and Eastern Asia reaching more than 200 outlets. Such a swift growth was achieved by Al Danhani owing to the leader’s vision and the opportunity to meet the emerging market’s specific niche demands for high-quality cafes. She made sure that adopting the company to the different countries did not erode the foundation of the brand but appeal to people across the world. Before the year 2020 escalated, PappaRoti opened more than 400 Stores and kiosks in various countries including United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France, and Brazil etc. Such global presence make PappaRoti as one of the market leader coffeehouse that is operating in fresh environment with unique product that is nearly impossible to replicate.

 As we have seen, Rasha Al Danhani has made the establishment of PappaRoti a worthy business success story, but much more than that, it is a success story that inspires other women business aspirants. Her story reflects how a great vision together with passion and patience can help transform an idea into a world-class enterprise. Al Danhani has now become an inspiration to many women out there who want to engage in business.

Continue Reading

Trending