Twitter plans to open office in Dubai; aims to better serve local users, advertisers

Popular micro-blogging service provider Twitter plans to open an office in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which will be its first office in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, according to a report. Twitter’s plan to open the Dubai office, which was announced on Wednesday, was part of the company’s efforts to better serve local users, partners and advertisers, and would be the latest in its efforts to boost its global offline presence, The Khaleej Times said in a report. In the past year, Twitter has opened several offices around the world, and the fourth quarter alone saw the addition of 13 new markets, resulting in a current sales presence in 73 countries worldwide. MENA is one of the fastest growing markets for Twitter worldwide and this announcement comes as a part of the company’s increased investment and commitment to the region. “MENA is a key strategic market for us and our new Dubai office will serve as the focal point to help our development across the region,” said Shailesh Rao, vice-president for Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Emerging Markets at Twitter. “Dubai is a regional hub for many brands and advertising agencies and we are excited to build a team on the ground here (which) can work with partners directly, helping them get the most out of Twitter,” he added. Several factors have contributed to Twitter’s growth in the Middle East, the most significant of them being changing demographics, according to the report. More than 30% of the MENA population is in the age group of 15-29 years, representing over 100 million youth who have grown up with internet and social media. The Gulf region, and UAE and Saudi Arabia in particular, represented some of the largest groups of active internet users, and would most likely continue to be the driving centres for Twitter’s ever-growing presence. Statistics have shown that 88% of the Middle East’s online population uses social networking sites daily and Twitter is no exception. In fact, more people, brands and businesses are realising the potential of Twitter to connect themselves with a global audience. As a result, the platform itself is increasingly becoming an important part of the social culture in the Middle East. “Our vision is to make Twitter relevant for everyone, everywhere; 77% of our monthly active users are outside of the US. Our expansion and decision to set up office in Dubai is a natural step in being closer to our customers and partners, and provides a great opportunity for us to continue our growth,” said Rao. IANS