Dubai Internet City (DIC), one of the world’s largest managed ICT clusters and a member of TECOM Investments, announced it will host Google at its stand in concourse 2 during GITEX Technology Week 2008, the region’s foremost ICT event. The event celebrates Google’s debut presence in one of the largest IT exhibitions.

DIC will be participating at GITEX for the eighth consecutive year to showcase its positive year-on-year growth. The show to be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from 19-23 October, will also witness DIC playing host to Intel, the world’s largest semiconductors manufacturer, as well as its sister entities SmartCity and eHosting DataFort at its stand. During the event, DIC will organise daily presentations to be offered by experts on the role of venture capital in the ICT sector and the immense benefits it brings to the industry professionals.

Malek Sultan Al Malek, Executive Director of Dubai Internet City said: “Google is a global technology leader, offering information by the second to millions of people around the world. As a business partner, we look forward to establish more meaningful partnerships and work towards finding innovative ways to augment the region’s IT industry.”

“We are very excited to be participating at our first GITEX conference this year,” said Husni Khuffash, Google’s Country Business Development Manager, UAE. “Our participation showcases our efforts to continue engaging with our business partners and customers in the Middle East.”

Google opened its office in Dubai Internet City early this year as part of its plans to focus on its Arabic language services. Companies from diverse sectors in the IT field have showcased at Dubai Internet City pavilion during GITEX Technology Week. From small-medium sized companies to multinationals; vendors to suppliers; research companies to IT media, business partners are offered an ideal networking platform in which their company is visible to their target market while creating a number of business leads.

Al Malek added: “It is a privilege to facilitate high profile speakers from Intel, DELL, Google, not to forget the region’s industry thought leaders from SmartCity and eHosting DataFort at GITEX this year. These noted figures offer meaningful insight into key issues while giving guidance and recommendations on various challenges to facilitate the region’s IT sector growth.”

A recent report published by RNCOS, global leaders in market research and consultancy, has forecast the UAE is expected to become the region’s premier ICT hub citing that free zone clusters such as Dubai Internet City and heavy regional investment in the technology sector play an enormous role.