Arzan Wealth Acquires $127 M Office Campus in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

Dubai, United Arab Emirates - Monday, February 23rd 2015 [ME NewsWire]

Arzan Wealth (DIFC) Limited (‘Arzan Wealth’), a Dubai-based advisory firm regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority, is pleased to announce that it has advised a consortium of investors on the $ 127,000,000 acquisition of the global headquarters building of Lenovo’s Enterprise Server Division at Research Triangle Park, in Raleigh North Carolina, USA (“The Property”).

The 67 acre campus featuring a lake, nature preserve, jogging trails, and recreation area, includes two recently renovated office buildings totaling 445,484sqft and a 39,952 sqft mixed-use office/ laboratory building currently under construction. The major renovations during 2014 involved an investment of more than $100m by Lenovo and the seller.

The Property was originally developed in 1995 & 1998 for Ericsson, and has functioned as a recognized corporate center for nearly 20 years. The property is 100% leased to Lenovo Inc. the operating entity for Lenovo Group Limited, under a 13 year triple-net lease agreement, with a 2.6% fixed annual rent increase and two 5-year options to extend the lease.

Arzan Wealth acted as the Strategic Advisor on the structuring and acquisition of the Property, in joint venture with the Property Advisor, 90 North Real Estate Partners, a strategic partner of Arzan Wealth in several global markets. The consortium of international investors was composed of various corporate and individual clients, and included Arzan Wealth’s long-term investor partner, Commercial Real Estate Company (“Al Tijaria”).

Muhannad Abulhasan, CEO of Arzan Wealth said:

“The Lenovo headquarters campus is the kind of high quality transaction that our clients have come to expect as they seek to diversify their portfolios internationally, in a prudent and cautious manner and with a primary objective of capital preservation and an attractive monthly income.  We are proud that so many corporates and individuals rely on Arzan Wealth to help nurture their wealth and preserve their legacies for future generations.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Arzan Wealth (DIFC) Limited

Arzan Wealth is an investment advisory firm registered at the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA).  Arzan Wealth currently advises various clients on real estate, private equity and other investments worth a total of approximately $ 975,000,000.  Arzan Wealth focuses on arranging yielding investments in major global markets, as well as bespoke investments that meet the requirements of specific clients.

90 North Real Estate Partners LLP

90 North is an independent investment advisory firm based in London, specializing in ethical and Shari’ah compliant real estate investment. The Founder Partners combine substantial property and other transactional experience, excellent track records with an absolute focus on property fundamentals to deliver superior risk adjusted returns and protect and enhance wealth.

In the past 2 years, 90 North has transacted on approximately £565,000,000 ($850,000,000) of real estate transactions in the UK, US and Europe, working in close partnership with Gulf based institutions.

90 North opened its US office in Chicago in June 2014, headed by Dan Cooper.

Contacts

Ahmad AlSabbrei

Investment Analyst

a.alsabbrei@arzanwealth.com

+965 9988 8624



Jawaher Menassa

Head of Marketing & Client Relations

j.menassa@arzanwealth.com

+971 504576347







Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/13732/en

Double the Points, Double the Fun: Popular Double Your HHonors Promotion Is Back

Hilton HHonors Members Earn Double the Points or Airline Miles for Stays Between March 1, 2015 – May 31, 2015

MCLEAN, Va. - Thursday, February 26th 2015 [ME NewsWire]

(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Hilton HHonors, the loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide’s 12 distinct hotel brands, today announced the return of Double Your HHonors, one of the program’s most popular global bonus promotions among its 44 million members worldwide. With Double Your HHonors promotion, members may choose between earning either Double HHonors Points or Double Airline Miles for eligible hotel stays completed between March 1 and May 31, 2015, at participating Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio - A Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations properties.

“This promotion has long been a favorite of our members and we’re bringing it back by popular demand,” said Mark Weinstein, global head of loyalty and partnerships, Hilton Worldwide. “When HHonors members plan and book their trips with us, they’re able to take advantage of bonuses like Double Your HHonors, helping them earn extra Points or Miles so they can put them to use twice as fast and in more ways than ever.”

Members that book their stays directly with us and take advantage of promotions like Double Your HHonors now have more ways than ever to redeem those Points. The newly launched Hilton HHonors auction platform allows members use their Points to bid on exclusive Hilton@PLAY experiences that money can’t buy, like private concerts at hotels around the world, a personalized tour of the Giza Pyramids, tickets to the Taste of Waldorf Astoria extravaganza and much more.

To participate in the Double Your HHonors promotion, members must register before checking out from a qualifying stay, now through May 31, 2015, at www.HHonors.com/Double. During registration, participants will be asked to choose to earn either Double Points or Double Miles for the duration of the promotion. To earn Double Miles, members must select "Points & Miles" as their MyWay Earning Style preference, and must have their preferred airline partner selected. For more information or to become a Hilton HHonors member, visit HHonors.com.

About Hilton HHonors

Hilton HHonors, the award-winning guest-loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide’s twelve distinct hotel brands, offers more than 44 million members more ways to earn and redeem points than any other guest-loyalty program, enabling them to create experiences worth sharing at more than 4,300 hotels in 94 countries and territories. HHonors members can now redeem points for any room, anywhere, anytime, including the most luxurious suites, using any of four room rewards: Premium Room Rewards, Room Upgrade Rewards, Points & Money Rewards and Standard Room Rewards. In addition, HHonors members can use points to purchase unique experience rewards, merchandise and vacation packages, make charitable contributions and more. HHonors is also the only guest-loyalty program to offer ‘No Blackout Dates’ and ‘Points & Miles’ for the same stay at its properties worldwide, including participating Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy By Hilton, Curio - A Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. Membership in HHonors is free, and travelers may enroll online by visiting www.HiltonHHonors.com or connect with Hilton HHonors at news.hiltonhhonors.com. Members can now also book reservations, manage their accounts and redeem special offers with the new Hilton HHonors mobile app for iPhone.

About Hilton Worldwide

Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxury and full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and focused-service hotels. For 95 years, Hilton Worldwide has been dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences. The company's portfolio of twelve world-class global brands is comprised of more than 4,300 managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties, with more than 715,000 rooms in 94 countries and territories, including Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio - A Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors®. Visit news.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide atfacebook.com/hiltonworldwide, twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, flickr.com/hiltonworldwide, and linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.

Contacts

Blake Rouhani

Hilton

(703) 883 6615

blake.rouhani@hilton.com

news.hiltonhhonors.com









Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/13771/en

Saif Bin Zayed Meets the Lebanese Minister of Interior

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates - Monday, February 23rd 2015 [ME NewsWire]

Lt. General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, met today Monday HE Nouhad Machnouk, Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities and his accompanying delegation. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX 2015)

During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, especially in security and police fields.

The meeting was attended by Major General Dr. Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office of HH Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

The Lebanese Minister of Interior and Municipalities was accompanied by Consultant Maher Abou El Khoudoud; Captain Bilal Omar, Ministry of Interior and Municipalities Company Commander; and HE Hassan Saad, the Lebanese Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.

For more information about:

The Ministry of Interior, please click HERE

Abu Dhabi Police, please click HERE

Follow us and check our Social Media feeds on: YouTube, Facebook and Twitter

The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.

Contacts

The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department

Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media

Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317

E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com









Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/13736/en

Two Google Lunar XPRIZE Teams Announce Rideshare Partnership for Mission to the Moon in 2016

Team HAKUTO (Japan) and Team Astrobotic (U.S.) Plan Cooperative Launch in Pursuit of $30 Million Prize to Land a Private Spacecraft on the Lunar Surface

ME NewsWire/Business Wire

TOKYO - Thursday, February 26th 2015

HAKUTO, the only Japanese team competing for the $30 million Google Lunar XPRIZE, has announced a contract with fellow competitor, Astrobotic, based in Pittsburgh, Pa., to carry a pair of rovers to the moon. Astrobotic plans to launch its Google Lunar XPRIZE mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., during the second half of 2016. HAKUTO’s twin rovers, Moonraker and Tetris, will piggyback on Astrobotic's Griffin lander to reach the lunar surface. Upon touchdown, the rovers will be released simultaneously with Astrobotic’s Andy rover, developed by Carnegie Mellon University, travel 500 meters on the moon’s surface and send high-definition images and video back to Earth, all in pursuit of the $20M Google Lunar XPRIZE Grand Prize.

Last month, both teams were awarded Google Lunar XPRIZE Milestone Prizes: HAKUTO won $500,000 for technological advancements in the Mobility category, while Astrobotic, in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, won a total of $1.75M for innovations in all three focus areas—Landing, Mobility and Imaging. Throughout the judging process, all three rovers, Moonraker, Tetris and Andy, demonstrated the ability to move 500 meters across the lunar surface and withstand the high radiation environment and extreme temperatures on the moon.

This partnership between the teams demonstrates a new phase of collaboration within the Google Lunar XPRIZE competition. Both sides will benefit with HAKUTO obtaining a ride to the moon and Astrobotic securing an important customer for its long-term lunar delivery service venture. This joint contribution would be reflected in a share of the prize purse.

The target area for this landing will be the Lacus Mortis region, located in the northeastern part of the moon. Images from spacecraft orbiting the moon suggest that Lacus Mortis holds a pit or a skylight, and could potentially be an entrance to a lunar cave. These caves are thought to be lava tubes and could prove scientifically important in explaining the moon's volcanic past. Longer-term, they have potential to house habitats that would protect humans from the hostile lunar environment.

Google Lunar XPRIZE and Astrobotic representatives joined HAKUTO yesterday at the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo to announce the partnership and report on the recent Google Lunar XPRIZE Milestone Prize awards.

"I am very excited to announce this rideshare contract with Astrobotic," said Takeshi Hakamada, HAKUTO team leader and CEO of ispace. "This is the next major step for HAKUTO towards our lunar mission after we won the Mobility Milestone Prize. This contract enables HAKUTO to actually send our rover to the moon, which is important because HAKUTO is only concentrating on rover development. Astrobotic Technology is developing a lander that has the capability to open up a new era of lunar transportation services, and I have no doubt that they will be the first team to land on the moon."

“Astrobotic is thrilled to welcome HAKUTO aboard our first mission,” said John Thornton, CEO of Astrobotic Technology Inc. “We envision a ‘NASCAR on the Moon’ scenario, where competing teams land together, and countries can cheer on their team to the finish line. HAKUTO is the first team signed to fulfill our dream of the first race beyond Earth’s orbit.”

"We are delighted that two of our teams have engaged in this partnership for their Google Lunar XPRIZE missions," said Andrew Barton, director of technical operations, Google Lunar XPRIZE. "Stimulating new business ecosystems is one of the core goals of any XPRIZE competition, and this joint venture is an excellent example of how humanity's commercial and economic interests will expand into space in the coming years. This announcement builds on the progress seen during the recent Google Lunar XPRIZE Milestone Prize awards, and we look forward to the teams furthering this momentum with the news of a confirmed launch contract.”

This past December, the deadline for the Google Lunar XPRIZE was officially extended until December 31, 2016. This partnership between HAKUTO and Astrobotic is a positive step towards fulfilling the criteria required for all teams to move forward in the competition, which includes at least one team providing documentation of a scheduled launch by December 31, 2015.

About Astrobotic

Astrobotic Technology Inc. is a space logistics company that delivers payloads to the moon for companies, governments, universities, non-profits and individuals. Astrobotic’s spacecraft accommodates multiple customers on a single flight, offering flexibility at an industry-defining low price. Astrobotic is a NASA contractor, and is also an official partner with NASA on the Lunar CATALYST program. With its partner, Carnegie Mellon University, Astrobotic is pursuing the $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE and is planning to launch the first mission in 2016. Astrobotic was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa. For more information, visit https://www.astrobotic.com.

About HAKUTO

HAKUTO, operated by ispace technologies, Inc., is the only team from Japan competing for the $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE. The development of the Moonraker and Tetris rovers is led by Professor Kazuya Yoshida (Prof. at Tohoku University and CTO of ispace technologies, Inc.). For more information, visit http://team-hakuto.jp/.

About the Google Lunar XPRIZE

The $30M Google Lunar XPRIZE is an unprecedented competition to challenge and inspire engineers and entrepreneurs from around the world to develop low-cost methods of robotic space exploration. To win the Google Lunar XPRIZE, a privately funded team must successfully place a robot on the moon’s surface that explores at least 500 meters and transmits high-definition video and images back to Earth. For more information, visit http://lunar.xprize.org/.

Contacts

XPRIZE

Eric Desatnik,

310-741-4892









Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/13773/en

Deux équipes Google Lunar XPRIZE annoncent un partenariat de covoiturage pour une mission sur la lune en 2016

L'équipe HAKUTO (Japon) et l'équipe Astrobotic (États-Unis) projettent un lancement coopératif en vue d'un prix de 30 millions USD pour faire atterrir un engin spatial privé sur la surface de la Lune

ME NewsWire/Business Wire

TOKYO. - Dimanche 1 Mars 2015

HAKUTO, la seule équipe japonaise à concourir pour le prix Google Lunar XPRIZE de 30 millions USD, a annoncé un contrat avec son concurrent, la société Astrobotic, basée à Pittsburgh, en Pennsylvanie, pour transporter deux rovers sur la lune. Astrobotic compte lancer sa mission Google Lunar XPRIZE sur une fusée SpaceX Falcon 9 de Cap Canaveral, en Floride, au cours du deuxième semestre de 2016. Les rovers jumeaux d'HAKUTO, Moonraker et Tetris, chevaucheront le module atterrisseur Griffin d'Astrobotic pour atteindre la surface lunaire. À l'alunissage, les rovers seront lâchés simultanément avec le rover Andy d'Astrobotic, développé par Carnegie Mellon University, pour parcourir 500 mètres sur la surface de la lune et envoyer des images et des vidéos haute définition vers la Terre, tout cela pour obtenir le Grand Prix Google Lunar XPRIZE de 20 millions USD.

Le mois dernier, les deux équipes ont remporté les prix Google Lunar XPRIZE Milestone Prizes :  HAKUTO a gagné 500 000 USD pour ses avances technologiques dans la catégorie Mobilité, tandis qu'Astrobotic, en partenariat avec Carnegie Mellon University, a gagné au total 1,75 million USD pour ses innovations dans les trois domaines ciblés —Atterrissage, Mobilité et Imagerie. Pendant le processus d'adjudication, les trois rovers, Moonraker, Tetris et Andy, ont démontré leur capacité à parcourir 500 mètres sur la surface lunaire et à résister à l'environnement de haut niveau de rayonnement et de températures extrêmes de la lune.

Ce partenariat entre les équipes marque une nouvelle phase de collaboration dans la compétition Google Lunar XPRIZE. Les deux parties en bénéficieront ; HAKUTO se fera transporter vers la lune et Astrobotic obtiendra un client important pour son entreprise de prestation de services lunaires à long terme. Cette contribution conjointe serait reflétée par un partage du prix.

La zone cible de cet alunissage sera la région de Lacus Mortis, située dans la partie nord-est de la lune. Les images provenant de l'engin spatial en orbite autour de la lune suggèrent que Lacus Mortis comporte un puits ou une claire-voie pouvant indiquer l'entrée d'une grotte lunaire. On pense que ces grottes sont des tubes de lave qui pourraient s'avérer importants sur le plan scientifique pour expliquer le passé volcanique de la lune. À plus long terme, elles ont le potentiel de constituer des habitats qui protégeraient les humains de l'environnement hostile de la lune.

Les représentants Google Lunar XPRIZE et Astrobotic ont rejoint HAKUTO hier au National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation de Tokyo pour annoncer le partenariat et discuter des prix Google Lunar XPRIZE Milestone Prize.

« Je suis très heureux d'annoncer ce contrat de covoiturage avec Astrobotic », a déclaré Takeshi Hakamada, chef d'équipe HAKUTO et PDG de ispace. « Il s'agit pour HAKUTO de la prochaine étape majeure vers sa mission lunaire après avoir gagné le prix Mobility Milestone Prize. Ce contrat permet à HAKUTO d'envoyer réellement son rover sur la lune, ce qui est important car HAKUTO se concentre uniquement sur le développement du rover. Astrobotic Technology développe un module atterrisseur capable d'inaugurer une nouvelle ère de services de transport lunaire, et je suis persuadé que son équipe sera la première à atterrir sur la lune. »

« Astrobotic se réjouit d'accueillir HAKUTO à bord de sa première mission », a déclaré John Thornton, PDG d'Astrobotic Technology Inc. « Nous envisageons un scénario ‘NASCAR sur la Lune’, où les équipes concurrentes atterrissent ensemble et les pays peuvent encourager leur équipe vers la ligne d'arrivée. HAKUTO est la première équipe engagée pour concrétiser notre rêve de la première course au-delà de l'orbite terrestre. »

« Nous sommes ravis que deux de nos équipes se soient engagées dans ce partenariat pour leurs missions Google Lunar XPRIZE », a commenté Andrew Barton, directeur des opérations techniques du Google Lunar XPRIZE. « La promotion de nouveaux écosystèmes commerciaux est l'un des objectifs clés de la compétition XPRIZE, et cette joint-venture est un excellent exemple de la façon dont les intérêts commerciaux et économiques de l'humanité vont se déployer dans l'espace dans les années à venir. Cette annonce s'appuie sur le progrès constaté durant les prix Google Lunar XPRIZE Milestone Prize récents, et nous nous réjouissons à l'idée de voir les équipes poursuivre cet élan avec la nouvelle d'un contrat de lancement confirmé. »

En décembre dernier, la date limite du prix Google Lunar XPRIZE a été officiellement prolongée jusqu’au 31 décembre 2016. Ce partenariat entre HAKUTO et Astrobotic est une étape positive dans la réalisation des critères requis pour permettre à toutes les équipes d'avancer dans la compétition, ce qui inclut de fournir la documentation d'un lancement programmé par au moins une équipe d'ici au 31 décembre 2015.

À propos d'Astrobotic

Astrobotic Technology Inc. est une société de logistique spatiale qui envoie des charges utiles vers la lune pour des entreprises, des gouvernements, des universités, des organismes à but non lucratif et des particuliers. L'engin spatial d'Astrobotic accueille plusieurs clients dans un seul vol, offrant une flexibilité à un faible coût à l'avant-garde de l'industrie. Astrobotic est un entrepreneur de la NASA, et un partenaire officiel de la NASA dans le programme Lunar CATALYST. Avec son partenaire, Carnegie Mellon University, Astrobotic poursuit le prix Google Lunar XPRIZE de 30 millions USD et compte lancer sa première mission en 2016. La société Astrobotic a été fondée en 2008 et elle a son siège à Pittsburgh, en Pennsylvanie. Pour plus en savoir plus, visiter https://www.astrobotic.com.

À propos de HAKUTO

HAKUTO, exploitée par ispace technologies, Inc., est la seule équipe japonaise à concourir pour le Google Lunar XPRIZE de 30 millions USD. Le développement des rovers Moonraker et Tetris est dirigé par le professeur Kazuya Yoshida (professeur à l'Université Tohoku et directeur de la technologie d'ispace technologies, Inc.). Pour plus en savoir plus, visiter http://team-hakuto.jp/.

À propos de Google Lunar XPRIZE

Le Google Lunar XPRIZE de 30 millions USD est une compétition sans précédent visant à stimuler et à inspirer les ingénieurs et les entrepreneurs du monde entier à développer des méthodes d’exploration spatiale robotique à faible coût. Pour remporter le prix Google Lunar XPRIZE, une équipe à financement privé doit réussir à poser un robot sur la surface de la lune, qui sera chargé de parcourir au moins 500 mètres et de transmettre des vidéos et des images haute définition vers la Terre. Pour de plus amples renseignements, consultez http://lunar.xprize.org/.

Le texte du communiqué issu d’une traduction ne doit d’aucune manière être considéré comme officiel. La seule version du communiqué qui fasse foi est celle du communiqué dans sa langue d’origine. La traduction devra toujours être confrontée au texte source, qui fera jurisprudence.

Contacts

XPRIZE

Eric Desatnik, 310-741-4892









Permalink: http://www.me-newswire.net/news/13773/fr

Saif bin Zayed Inspects the IDEX 2015 Pavilions

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Monday, February 23rd 2015 [ME NewsWire]

Lt. General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, continued his inspection tour on Monday, where he inspected the activities and pavilions of the International Defense Exhibition IDEX 2015.

HH visited a number of national and global companies’ pavilions, and expressed his admiration of the distinguished level and efforts made by national staff; and their contributions to organizing specialized international exhibitions.

HH also reviewed the specifications of various military machineries and equipment displayed by Saudi, German, Chinese, and Slovakian pavilions, among others.

Moreover, HH Sheikh Saif conversed with the exhibitors about the International Defense Exhibition which has proven success in becoming a world leader in the arena of international exhibitions, and one of the favored platforms amongst participating international companies.

During the tour, HH Sheikh Saif was accompanied by Major General Dr. Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office of HH Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; Major General Abdul Aziz Maktoum Al Shareefi, Director General of Protective Security at the Ministry of Interior; Brigadier Jumaa Al Qubaisi; and Colonel Khaled Al Shamesi; along with a number of police officers.

For more information about:

The Ministry of Interior, please click HERE

Abu Dhabi Police, please click HERE

Follow us and check our Social Media feeds on: YouTube, Facebook and Twitter

The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.

Contacts

The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department

Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media

Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317

E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com









Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/13738/en

85% of Enterprises Say Cloud Has Lived Up to the Hype

More compute and storage in the cloud than on-premises by 2024 reveals Tata Communications’ global survey

LONDON - Thursday, February 26th 2015 [ME NewsWire]
(BUSINESS WIRE) -- Research conducted by Tata Communications, a leading provider of A New World of Communications™, has found that organisations with 500+ employees are seeing tangible benefits from cloud computing. 85% say cloud had lived up to industry hype, with 23% declaring that cloud had exceeded their expectations.
According to the global survey, this groundswell of positive opinion has been contributed to by enterprises experiencing tangible benefits when using cloud services – with 83% of enterprises feeling they have experienced benefits they did not expect to see. The most popular of these benefits cited by respondents were: increased productivity (69%), better access to data (65%), and reductions in costs (63%).
The findings also showed that by 2024 off-premises storage will have overtaken on-premises alternatives, with enterprises forecast on average to have 58% of their compute and data storage held in the cloud in ten years’ time compared with 28% currently. When asked how much of their IT provision would be stored in private cloud specifically by 2024, respondents predicted an average of 52% - highlighting the dominance of private cloud storage. However, 94% of respondents say they would be more likely to adopt a hybrid cloud computing model if connections with the public cloud were more predictable.
Furthermore, the research suggests that enterprises are realizing competitive advantages from cloud deployments. Nearly two thirds (65%) of respondents said using the cloud had led to increased speed of access to technology. In terms of streamlining business processes, over two thirds (67%) have experienced reduced delivery times to clients and partners. 54% have seen the delivery time of new services to new markets and / or geographies reduced.
Julie Woods-Moss, CMO and CEO of NextGen Business at Tata Communications, says “This independent research shows that the cloud has exited the hype cycle and entered the real adoption phase for businesses globally. It is now a strategic investment and a competitive differentiator. As a result, the network that enables cloud adoption is critical, and new services, such as our IZO™ network platform and partner ecosystem, are fundamental to creating a simple way for companies to adopt the cloud model most suited to business requirements – be that private, public or hybrid.”
Today, over 24% of the world’s internet routes travel over Tata Communications’ network, which is the largest wholly-owned subsea cable network in the world. Its Tier 1 IP network provides backbone connectivity to over 240 countries and territories across 400 points-of-presence, as well as nearly 1 million square feet of data centre and collocation space worldwide.
Tata Communications’ IZO™ network platform ecosystem currently consists of over 20 service providers covering countries accounting for 85% of the world's GDP. It also covers three of the largest cloud platforms, including Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform, with over 50 data centres across the globe. The IZO™ network delivers the most comprehensive cloud enablement platform available today.
Click www.tatacommunications.com/cloud to read the complete report.
See our video examining if cloud has lived up to the hype: http://youtu.be/_DJSizMWYDk
Ends…
About the survey
Tata Communications conducted an online survey that comprised 36 questions. The survey totalled 1,000 respondents across eight countries: UK, France, Germany, USA, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and India. Of the total number of respondents surveyed, 13% are from each of the eight countries. The number of employees at the respondents’ organisation is: 500-1000: 25%, 1001-3000: 30%, 3001-5000: 30%, more than 5000: 15%. The sector of the respondent’s organisation is: IT: 28%, manufacturing and production: 19%, financial services: 17%, retail, distribution and transport: 11%, construction and property: 4%, business and professional services: 4%, healthcare (private): 3%, energy, oil/gas and utilities: 3%, chemicals: 3%, telecommunications: 2%, entertainment, media or leisure: 2%, education (private): 1%, consumer services: 1%, mining: 1%, agriculture: 0.4%, other commercial sector: 1% (air and space, engineering, logistics, pharmaceutical).
About Tata Communications
Tata Communications Limited (CIN no: L64200MH1986PLC039266) along with its subsidiaries (Tata Communications) is a leading global provider of A New World of Communications™. With a leadership position in emerging markets, Tata Communications leverages its advanced solutions capabilities and domain expertise across its global and pan-India network to deliver managed solutions to multi-national enterprises, service providers and Indian consumers.
The Tata Communications global network includes one of the most advanced and largest submarine cable networks and a Tier-1 IP network with connectivity to over 240 countries and territories across 400 PoPs, as well as nearly 1 million square feet of data centre and collocation space worldwide.
Tata Communications’ depth and breadth of reach in emerging markets includes leadership in Indian enterprise data services and leadership in global international voice.
Tata Communications Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India.
http://www.tatacommunications.com
Forward-looking and cautionary statements
Certain words and statements in this release concerning Tata Communications and its prospects, and other statements, including those relating to Tata Communications’ expected financial position, business strategy, the future development of Tata Communications’ operations, and the general economy in India, are forward-looking statements. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including financial, regulatory and environmental, as well as those relating to industry growth and trend projections, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tata Communications, or industry results, to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, among others, failure to increase the volume of traffic on Tata Communications’ network; failure to develop new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; failure to successfully complete commercial testing of new technology and information systems to support new products and services, including voice transmission services; failure to stabilize or reduce the rate of price compression on certain of the company’s communications services; failure to integrate strategic acquisitions and changes in government policies or regulations of India and, in particular, changes relating to the administration of Tata Communications’ industry; and, in general, the economic, business and credit conditions in India. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, many of which are not in Tata Communications’ control, include, but are not limited to, those risk factors discussed in Tata Communications Limited’s Annual Reports. The Annual Reports of Tata Communications Limited are available at www.tatacommunications.com. Tata Communications is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements.
About Vanson Bourne
Vanson Bourne was established to provide information services to support IT companies, enabling them to navigate the marketing cycle. Incorporated in 1999, Vanson Bourne is a specialist IT market research consultancy offering clients the ability to undertake incisive and rigorous projects conducted always by extremely experienced marketing professionals.
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Contacts
Tata Communications
Natalie Chak,
+44 (0)7833 043 779
natalie.chak@tatacommunications.com

or
Hill & Knowlton Strategies
Paul Crouch,
+44 (0)20 74133713
Paul.Crouch@hkstrategies.com



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