Technology

Cisco Announces New Strategic AI Initiatives in the Middle East

Published

12 months ago

May 13, 2025

News Summary:

Cisco to join HUMAIN’s alliance to build Saudi Arabia’s future AI Infrastructure.Cisco and G42 extend their strategic partnership to drive AI innovation across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the United States.Cisco to collaborate with AIP (AI Infrastructure Partnership) to drive investment in data centers and AI infrastructure in the United States and globally.

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 13, 2025 /CNW/ — Cisco, the global leader in networking and security, today announced a series of strategic initiatives across all phases of the AI revolution in the United States and in the Middle East region. These new initiatives place Cisco at the center of the AI revolution in the Gulf, providing world class and trusted technology together with other Cisco partners.

Partnering in the Middle East to Build the AI-powered Future
The announcements this morning follow the visit last week by CEO Chuck Robbins to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, and the visit today by Jeetu Patel, EVP and Chief Product Officer, to Saudi Arabia, where he is participating in President Trump’s state visit to the region.

During his tour of the region, Chuck Robbins met with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Advisor, Shiekh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, National Security Advisor of Bahrain, Sheikh Nasser bin Hamed, as well as other senior officials and dignitaries.

These high-level meetings built on the decades of Cisco’s deep partnerships in these countries with a particular focus now on supporting secure and trustworthy buildouts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) infrastructure, AI innovation, research, and talent development.

“The Gulf region’s AI revolution is truly impressive, and Cisco is proud to play a key role in ensuring it is implemented intelligently, securely, and with trusted partners to drive maximum value for governments, businesses, and consumers. I am confident in Cisco’s ability to help lead the way in the AI revolution and believe these new announcements exemplify that posture and positioning,” Robbins said following the visit.

“The pace of AI innovation today is unprecedented, and yet, what we’re able to do today is just a fraction of what will be possible in just a few years,” said Jeetu Patel, EVP and Chief Product Officer, Cisco. “For countries, organizations, and industries, the time to invest in key infrastructure, AI safety and security, and new skill development is now. Cisco is developing the critical technologies of the AI-era, and we’re thrilled to be working across the Gulf to maximize their impact.”

Today’s announcements feature major investments and strategic partnerships, including:

AI Infrastructure Partnership (AIP): Cisco today announced that it will collaborate with the AI Infrastructure Partnership (AIP), which is led by BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), MGX, Microsoft, NVIDIA and xAI. AIP will initially seek to unlock $30 billion in capital from investors, asset owners, and corporations. Cisco’s addition as a technology partner to AIP, further strengthens the AIP platform as it seeks to invest in secure, efficient and scalable infrastructure to support AI workloads.Cisco, HUMAIN and expanded partnerships in Saudi Arabia: Cisco has announced to join a groundbreaking initiative with HUMAIN, Saudi Arabia’s new AI enterprise to help build the world’s most open, scalable, resilient and cost-efficient AI infrastructure. This landmark collaboration will set a new standard for how AI infrastructure is designed, secured and delivered – combining Cisco’s global expertise with the Kingdom’s bold AI ambitions. The multi-year initiative aims to position the country as a global leader in digital innovation.Cisco and G42: Cisco to extend strategic partnership with G42 to further advance AI innovation and infrastructure development in the UAE. The collaboration focuses on Cisco’s comprehensive secure AI portfolio and AI-native solutions and services and G42’s deep regional roots, AI infrastructure expertise, and expanding global footprint including a potential joint Go-To-Market initiative.Qatar’s Digital Transformation: Qatar’s Ministry of Interior and Cisco signed a letter of intent to collaborate on Qatar’s digital transformation, AI, infrastructure development and cybersecurity.

These announcements follow Cisco’s other recent AI initiatives, including:

Expanded Partnership with Nvidia to Accelerate AI Adoption in the Enterprise Release of AI’s First Open-Source Security Model Cisco Unveils AI Defense to Secure the AI Transformation of Enterprises Cisco Launches $1B Global AI Investment Fund

About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide technology leader that is revolutionizing the way organizations connect and protect in the AI era. For more than 40 years, Cisco has securely connected the world. With its industry leading AI-powered solutions and services, Cisco enables its customers, partners and communities to unlock innovation, enhance productivity and strengthen digital resilience. With purpose at its core, Cisco remains committed to creating a more connected and inclusive future for all. Discover more on the Cisco Newsroom.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, among others, statements regarding Cisco’s future financial or business performance, strategies or expectations, including the anticipated timing, consummation and expected benefits of its plans in Saudi Arabia. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future events or results due to a variety of factors, including, among other things, the ability of Cisco to achieve expected benefits of its investments, business and economic conditions and growth trends, increased competition, global economic conditions and uncertainties in the geopolitical environment and other risk factors set forth in Cisco’s most recent reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q, respectively. Any forward-looking statements in this release are based on limited information currently available to Cisco, which is subject to change, and Cisco will not necessarily update the information.

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SOURCE Cisco Systems, Inc.

Technology

Hexagon Composites ASA: Eirik Løhre appointed permanent CFO

Published

26 minutes ago

May 5, 2026

OSLO, Norway, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement dated 11 November 2025, where Eirik Løhre was appointed interim CFO in Hexagon Composites.

The Company is pleased to inform that Eirik Løhre has been appointed permanently to the role of CFO in Hexagon Composites, effective today.

Eirik Løhre has been with the Company since 2021 and prior to his role as interim CFO, he served as EVP Corporate Development on the Executive Team.

“Eirik has demonstrated strong financial leadership and execution, and he has been instrumental in strengthening our financial performance. I look forward to continuing our work together to develop and position Hexagon in this next phase of growth,” said Philipp Schramm, CEO, Hexagon Composites.

For more information:
Berit-Cathrin Høyvik, Senior Director, Communications, Hexagon Composites
Tel: +47 988 92 161, berit-cathrin.hoyvik@hexagongroup.com

About Hexagon Composites ASA
Hexagon delivers safe and innovative solutions for a cleaner energy future. Our solutions enable storage, transportation and conversion to clean energy in a wide range of mobility and industrial applications. Learn more at www.hexagongroup.com and follow @HexagonASA on LinkedIn.

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Technology

LONGPORT Whale Enters Malaysian Market with Next Generation Trading Infrastructure for Local Brokerages

Published

26 minutes ago

May 5, 2026

LONGPORT Whale, with proven track record across 100+ institutional clients in Asia, makes its Malaysia debut at Bursa Malaysia Stockbroking Trade Fair 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LONGPORT Whale, a provider of AI-Ready securities trading infrastructure, is making its entry into the Malaysian market at the Bursa Malaysia Stockbroking Trade Fair 2026. The move comes as Malaysia’s Capital Market Masterplan 2026–2030 (CMP4) continues to hone in on local brokerages to modernise core systems, balancing investor experience, regulatory compliance, and operational resilience simultaneously.

Malaysian brokerages are increasingly confronted by a challenge that goes beyond front-end upgrades. Legacy architectures struggle to keep pace with digital-native investor expectations, rising cybersecurity standards, and the demand for multi-market expansion simultaneously. For many such brokerages, the question is no longer whether to modernize, but how to do so without adding complexity or disrupting the business continuity that clients depend on.

Zhong Hua, CEO, LONGPORT Whale, said, “Core trading infrastructure must support continuous evolution — in investor experience, compliance, and AI readiness — without adding unnecessary complexity. The brokerages that lead the next decade won’t be the ones with the best system today; they’ll be the ones whose systems are designed to keep getting better. LONGPORT Whale aims to bring its Asia-proven experience to help Malaysian brokers strike that balance.”

Built on a cloud-native microservices architecture and trusted by more than 100 institutional clients in Asia, Whale’s platform is engineered by industry professionals and refined through years of first-hand operational experience. For the Malaysian market, it addresses four priorities: a best-in-class trading experience validated across competitive, highly regulated markets in Asia; system resilience and performance built for institutional scale, with high system performance and output, real time risk management, and low system latency; global market connectivity spanning Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, US, and Japan without requiring system rebuilds; and an API-first, data-unified architecture that gives brokerages a practical foundation for AI adoption.

Hong Kong SAR and Singapore, where Whale serves online brokers, traditional banking firms, banks and wealth management institutes in a stringent regulatory environment, serve as the primary reference market for its Malaysia expansion. The company said it aims to work with local industry participants as both an infrastructure partner and a contributor to broader conversation on responsible modernization under CMP4.

About LONGPORT Whale

LONGPORT Whale provides integrated securities trading infrastructure to brokers, banks, fund houses, wealth managers, and family offices across Asia. Its cloud-native platform supports multi-market, multi-asset trading across front-, middle-, and back-office workflows, with a deployment model designed for regulatory alignment and long-term scalability. Website: www.longportwhale.com

Media Contact
LONGPORT Whale PR Team
Email: media@longportwhale.com

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SOURCE LONGPORT Whale

Technology

Thunes and Vodacom Tanzania Unite to Power Cross-Border M-Pesa Payments Across China and Uganda

Published

26 minutes ago

May 5, 2026

Collaboration revolutionises trade & financial convenience for Tanzanian merchants and consumers

SINGAPORE, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Thunes, the Smart Superhighway to move money around the world, has joined forces with Vodacom Tanzania, the country’s leading telco company, to transform cross-border trade and digital financial inclusion with Vodacom’s new M-Pesa Global Payment solution. Thanks to the collaboration, Vodacom customers in Tanzania can now seamlessly pay merchants in Uganda and China directly from their mobile phones.

This milestone solution responds to growing demand from Tanzanian traders who engage in commerce with Ugandan and Chinese markets but often face challenges with costly, slow, and insecure payment methods. With this innovation, leveraging the Thunes Direct Global Network, Vodacom aims to bridge those gaps, offering secure, real-time digital payments across borders and reinforcing its leadership in mobile money innovation in Africa.

The solution supports trade with two key markets for Tanzania. For eight consecutive years, China has been Tanzania’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade hitting $8.8 billion in 2024. In the same year, bilateral trade between Tanzania and Uganda reached approximately $2.23 billion, an increase of 64% on the previous year.

Epimack Mbeteni, M-Pesa Director at Vodacom Tanzania said: “This is more than just a payment feature, it is a catalyst for economic empowerment and a gateway for small and medium businesses and entrepreneurs in Tanzania to compete and thrive in regional and global markets. Through Thunes’ expansive and trusted Network we are enabling seamless, secure, and affordable cross-border payments that empower people, fuel trade and place M-Pesa at the center of Africa’s digital commerce future.”

Through Thunes’ Direct Global Network, customers can now send payments to merchants in Uganda using MTN MoMo and to Chinese merchants through the Alipay network, all through the M-Pesa USSD menu or the M-Pesa Super App. The process is secure, user-friendly, and eliminates the burden of traditional banking barriers for everyday traders and businesses.

Dawei Wang, SVP Network at Thunes, added: “Vodacom Tanzania joining the Thunes Direct Global Network to digitise cross-border payments is a game changer for local businesses. By combining Vodacom’s technology with Thunes’ trusted and proprietary Network, Tanzanian customers can pay partners in China and Uganda in real time. This innovation accelerates interoperability along with international trade and business growth and supports our vision of connecting the next billion end users to the global economy.”

This initiative stands as a strategic enabler for consumers and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) who need reliable and quick financial tools such as mobile money. A 2025 GeoPoll survey on Tanzania Financial Services and Usage found that 94% of the survey’s respondents use mobile money.

The Thunes and Vodacom Tanzania alliance is set to transform the lives of millions of consumers by dismantling cross-border barriers. By hyper-connecting Tanzania to global powerhouses like China and streamlining intra-African trade, the collaboration is helping to build an inclusive economy and grow Tanzania’s role as a force in the global market.

About Vodacom Tanzania

For more information, visit: https://www.vodacom.co.tz/

About Thunes

For more information, visit: https://www.thunes.com/

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