Noor Riyadh 2024 Preview Night: A Radiant Prelude to the World’s Largest Light Art Festival

Empowering enterprises with locally hosted, end-to-end Process Intelligence aligned with Vision 2030

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Dec 16, 2025: ARIS, the global leader in process intelligence software for over three decades, has announced the launch of ARIS On-Prem Process Mining in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The launch underscores the brand’s commitment to supporting Vision 2030 by equipping enterprises with AI-ready process intelligence through locally hosted technologies that strengthen resilience, scalability, and data-driven decision-making.

As organisations accelerate digital transformation and embrace advanced automation, ARIS On-Prem Process Mining provides the foundational process governance layer required to unlock the full potential of intelligent systems. The platform delivers strategic advantages through a comprehensive, locally hosted suite for end-to-end process intelligence and governance. Leveraging advanced process modelling, mining, and analytics, enterprises gain granular visibility into workflows, enabling precise standardisation and optimisation across complex environments. The platform’s robust process repository ensures data integrity and compliance with local residency regulations, critical for highly regulated sectors.

As the industry’s only platform enabling true closed-loop process excellence, ARIS On-Prem Process Mining unifies process mining, analysis, modelling, and governance within a single, secure environment, providing enterprises with complete control over their transformation and compliance programmes. 

Operating as an AI governance backbone, ARIS On-Prem Process Mining contextualises enterprise process data for intelligent systems, ensuring that AI operates with accuracy, transparency and business relevance. The platform continuously accelerates optimisation through AI-driven insights, enabling ongoing improvements at scale. By bringing process intelligence and AI together, ARIS On-Prem Process Mining empowers enterprises to reach performance levels impossible to achieve when these capabilities operate independently. It is the only process mining solution purpose-built to dominate on-prem deployments, offering end-to-end process optimisation with native automation integration for highly regulated, security-conscious environments.

Through features such as ARIS Flows, enterprises can orchestrate seamless, no-code workflow automation, integration and process execution and monitoring directly within the ARIS environment. This enables rapid automation, enforcement of governance rules, and maintenance of audit trails, reducing operational risks and manual intervention. 

Ayham Alzaaim, Regional Vice President – Middle East Turkey and APJ - ARIS, said, “As Artificial Intelligence rapidly transforms business operations, true value emerges only when AI is anchored in clear, governed, and contextualised processes. At ARIS, we believe that processes provide the real-world foundation AI needs, enabling operations to perform at peak efficiency. By providing a locally hosted, secure, and scalable platform tailored for Saudi Arabia’s regulatory landscape, we are supporting Vision 2030 and enabling enterprises to futureproof their operations, accelerate digital transformation, and unlock the full potential of AI-driven process excellence.”

Fadi Naffah, Managing Director and Chief Revenue Officer, ARIS said, “As Saudi enterprises face growing regulatory requirements, geopolitical uncertainty, and the escalating demands of environmental and cybersecurity risks, the introduction of ARIS On-Prem Process Mining is timely. With the rapid adoption of AI technologies, organisations need a trusted platform that enhances resilience, enables continuous improvement, and ensures seamless operations in a constantly shifting landscape. ARIS On-Prem Process Mining meets these challenges, providing a secure AI governance framework and a comprehensive engine for process intelligence—empowering real-time, informed decision-making.”

From financial institutions and government entities to industrial leaders, ARIS On-Prem Process Mining provides the assurance, control, and insight required to govern processes, guide AI initiatives, and futureproof operations. 

The evolution of ARIS over the last three decades reflects a vision for the future of enterprise transformation. Having advanced from process mining to AI-driven continuous improvement, ARIS now serves as the foundational architecture for many of the world’s largest enterprises. 

The software provider is uniquely positioned in the BPM market, to serve highly regulated industries with complex requirements through its robust modelling, mapping, mining and analytics capabilities.

Cairo, Egypt – 11 December 2025 – In a move aimed at promoting financial inclusion and providing new payment channels for all segments of Egyptian society, tpay, the leading value-added services provider, announced today the signing of Egypt’s first license with the National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) to offer Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) for government payments.

This milestone represents a significant step in advancing digital payments in Egypt, allowing citizens to pay for essential government services such as electricity and utility bills, traffic fines, and civil registry services directly through their mobile balance or added to their monthly mobile bill. The initiative expands access to citizens who own mobile phones but do not hold bank accounts or cards, making essential services available anytime with simple and seamless steps, without complex procedures.

The framework agreement was signed by Ahmed Nabil, tpay General Manager, and Mohamed Shamroukh, President of NTRA, marking a key step toward enabling and operationalizing mobile-based government payments in Egypt.

“This development marks a turning point in enabling secure and frictionless payments for government services via mobile numbers,” said Isik Uman, Group CEO of tpay. “Through this licensed framework, we are laying the foundation for a national digital payment channel that broadens access, improves convenience, and supports Egypt’s evolving digital economy. Our mission as a payment connector is to simplify transactions and bring essential services closer to every citizen.”

Financial inclusion data indicates that 76.3% of Egyptian adults already hold active bank accounts, while mobile and mobile internet penetration is nearly universal, highlighting a major opportunity to extend digital payments to even more citizens through mobile devices.

This licensed framework reinforces tpay’s role as the main payment enabler for mobile-based government services in Egypt, providing a trusted, flexible, and scalable pathway for government fee collection, and paving the way for further growth as more government services transition to digital channels.

Dubai, UAE, 9 December, 2025- After establishing itself as the GCC's most trusted agricultural trade platform for the past 17 years, AgraME (Agra Middle East), the Middle East's longest-running agriculture, animal, and aquaculture farming exhibition, announces its rebranding as GROWTECH. MIDDLE EAST. This strategic integration of its services into one unified platform alongside GROWTECH. ANTALYA and GROWTECH. JAKARTA elevates the event's mission to connect agricultural innovators across continents. 

Commenting on the strategic vision behind the rebrand, Ahmed Khalil, Portfolio Director, said: "The evolution to GROWTECH. MIDDLE EAST represents the natural next step in our journey to serve the agricultural community. We're not changing who we are; we're amplifying our impact by connecting our region's producers with the best innovations from around the world. Our 17-year legacy of trust and results remains the foundation, but now we're building something even more powerful: a truly global platform for agricultural advancement that serves the unique needs of the Middle East while opening doors to international markets and partnerships.

This growth is fully aligned with our One Informa commitment: one unified vision, one global standard, and one integrated ecosystem that strengthens every event across our portfolio.

With GROWTECH. MIDDLE EAST, we’re scaling not just agriculture, but all three core pillars of the food production ecosystem: Agriculture, Animal Health, and Aquaculture, ensuring each sector gains the visibility, expertise, and global collaboration it deserves."

The formal partnership was celebrated through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony at the GROWTECH. ANTALYA 2025, which took place on 19 November 2025 at the ANFAŞ Expo Center in Türkiye.

The integration capitalizes on GROWTECH. MIDDLE EAST (Formerly AgraME’s) deep understanding of GCC market dynamics and established relationships with regional governments and agricultural authorities, combined with GROWTECH. ANTALYA's expertise in greenhouse technologies, plant breeding, and sustainable farming innovations. These exhibitions together have attracted over 40,000 agricultural professionals annually and facilitated millions of dollars in trade agreements. 

GROWTECH. ANTALYA has established itself as the world's largest greenhouse technologies trade fair, consistently breaking attendance and participation records. The 2024 edition brought together 684 exhibitors from 31 countries,with 39,575 agricultural professionals, with international visitors making 42% of the total attendance. The 2025 editionis expected to host over 700 exhibitors from 36 countries and welcome more than 40,000 visitors.

While GROWTECH. MIDDLE EAST (Formerly AgraME)has built exceptional expertise in agriculture, horticulture, animal, and aquaculture sectors, addressing the unique livestock and aquatic farming needs of the GCC region, the integration with GROWTECH. dramatically expands the product portfolio. The unified platform will now offer a complete 360-degree view of agricultural technology, incorporating greenhouse systems, irrigation innovations, seed development, plant nutrition, and precision agriculture solutions that have made GROWTECH. ANTALYA famous worldwide.

The inaugural edition of GROWTECH. MIDDLE EASTunder its new brand identity will take place on September 8-10, 2026, in Dubai, UAE. The three-day format offers ample opportunity for meaningful business discussions, product demonstrations, and knowledge exchange. 

Engin Er, Exhibition Director, GROWTECH. ANTALYA and JAKARTA said: "We are pleased to introduce the GROWTECH. brand to the Middle East, a region with tremendous potential for agricultural innovation and growth. The integration allows us to extend our mission of connecting agricultural professionals to new markets. We look forward to contributing our expertise in greenhouse technologies, sustainable practices, and startup innovation to create exciting opportunities for the GCC agricultural community and beyond.”

The transformation of AgraME into GROWTECH. MIDDLE EAST marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of agricultural technology exchange in the GCC region. By uniting proven regional expertise with established global exhibition leadership, this partnership creates unprecedented opportunities for agricultural professionals, technology providers, investors, and policymakers to collaborate on solutions that address food security, sustainability, and economic development challenges facing the Middle East and the world.

For more information, visit the GROWTECH. MIDDLE EAST website for exhibitor opportunities, visitor registration, and updates on conference programming. 

Dubai, UAE, December 2025: Armenia’s festive season will officially begin on 14 December, when Yerevan’s Christmas tree lights up the city centre and signals the start of one of the most atmospheric periods of the year. The ceremony opens weeks of celebrations leading up to Armenian Christmas on 6 January, a time when the capital takes on a cinematic glow.

Each December, Yerevan transforms into a winter postcard. Streets lined with warm golden lights reflect against crisp evening skies, while the city’s cafés and restaurants release the unmistakable aromas of traditional soups, spiced teas, slow-cooked meats and festive pastries. Visitors wander through Republic Square and the surrounding boulevards, where live music, seasonal markets and cultural performances draw crowds into the heart of the celebrations.

The Tourism Committee noted that the Christmas period brings together rich traditions and a vibrant atmosphere, positioning Armenia as an increasingly attractive winter destination for regional travellers. Entry is visa-free for UAE and Saudi citizens and residents, making festive travel to Yerevan seamless.

Yerevan is also easily accessible throughout the season, with many direct flights including from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Kuwait, Doha and Beirut, providing convenient routes for visitors looking to experience the city’s winter charm, culinary flavours and Christmas atmosphere.

The 14 December tree lighting ceremony remains one of the landmark moments of the season, inviting guests to step into a vibrant cityscape filled with culture, hospitality and festive spirit.

This December, a new story unfolds just three hours away, in the heart of Armenia.

For more information and travel inspiration, visit the official Armenia Travel website (armenia.travel/).

About Armenia

Armenia, a country nestled in the Caucasus region, is a land of captivating landscapes, rich history, and warm hospitality. This hidden gem offers a diverse array of experiences, from natural splendour to ancient treasures, modern adventures, and culinary delights. It offers four seasons – snowy winters, warm springs, sunny summers, and colourful autumns. From relaxing experiences to thrilling adventures, it offers something for every type of traveller.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – December 12, 2025 – Finastra, a global leader in financial services software, brought together regulators, banks, fintechs, and technology leaders at the Saudi Arabia Reimagine Banking Forum in Riyadh to examine how the Kingdom’s financial sector can accelerate innovation while protecting trust, resilience, and customer value under Vision 2030.

The forum featured perspectives from regional and global experts, including Rudy Kawmi, Vice President for Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, Universal Banking at Finastra, along with senior leaders such as Abdulkarim Alsowaygh, Head of Advisory Services at TechArch, and Aymen Belhedi, Digital and Technology Transformation Leader at KPMG Middle East.

As the conversation turned to how banks can turn ideas into action, Finastra shared perspectives based on its long-standing work with financial institutions in the Kingdom., where it has supported banks since the early nineties through local expertise, established relationships and ongoing investment. The company referenced the role of modern core platforms like Essence,  in supporting agility, compliance and customer-centric design. Finastra also noted its more than xx decades of experience in Saudi Arabia, where it continues to support banks through local expertise, established relationships and ongoing investment.  Finastra Essence was also recognized as a Leader for the 2nd consecutive time in the Gartner®️ Magic Quadrant™️ for Retail Core Banking Systems, Europe., 

Across three panel discussions – Banking Today: Delivering delight in a hyper competitive world, Banking Tomorrow: Innovation, agility and relevance, and Practical AI: Leveraging AI for profit, safely and securely – speakers shared practical strategies to balance regulatory expectations, customer needs, and technology adoption.

Key insights from the Saudi Arabia Reimagine Banking Forum include:

Innovation anchored in trust and compliance

Panelists agreed that innovation in Saudi banking must begin with trust. Cybersecurity, regulatory alignment and security maturity were described as non-negotiables, not afterthoughts. Speakers highlighted the role of the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) in setting clear guardrails through initiatives such as API-driven banking frameworks and the Regulatory Sandbox, enabling banks and fintechs to experiment in controlled environments while protecting consumers and financial stability.

From product proliferation to precision, lifestyle-integrated banking

The discussion underlined a shift from launching more products to delivering precise, contextual experiences. Banks in Saudi Arabia are under pressure to evolve from traditional service providers into lifestyle platforms that integrate payments, credit and everyday services into the digital journeys customers already use. With the risk of banking drifting into a utility model, where providers are interchangeable, panelists called on institutions to differentiate through relevance, immediacy and purposeful design, not just scale.

Ecosystem orchestration as the new competitive edge

Speakers stressed that no institution can innovate in isolation. Banks that act as ecosystem orchestrators, curating fintech, technology and cybersecurity partners while owning the “trust layer”, are better positioned to deliver new propositions quickly. Internal teams, advisors and partners form a single value chain. The conversation moved beyond capability lists toward how those capabilities are combined, governed and brought to market at speed.

Data and AI turning trusted information into intelligence

Data was described as a critical and often underused asset. Panelists highlighted that the real opportunity lies not in collecting more data but in converting trusted data into actionable intelligence. In this context, AI and generative AI can help banks move from reactive service models to proactive, personalized engagement, provided governance keeps pace. With the right tools and controls, small teams can now deliver improvements in productivity and customer experience that previously required much larger workforces.

Practical, ethical AI with humans firmly in the loop

The AI discussion focused heavily on ethics, explainability and human oversight. Panelists warned against black-box systems in areas such as credit decisions and collections, where AI outcomes directly affect people’s lives. They emphasized the need to identify and address bias in training data and to keep humans accountable for final decisions. AI was positioned as a powerful tool to automate repetitive tasks, assist agents and accelerate analysis, while freeing people to concentrate on higher value work.

Technology is available, but adoption remains gradual

Speakers noted that while the technology to support next-generation services is already in place, adoption timelines can vary. Some innovations introduced in pilot phases have taken time to progress to full rollout, reflecting the sector’s careful approach to implementation. The discussion highlighted opportunities for continued progress in areas such as real time, transparent cross-border payments and fully digital account opening that reduces the need for in-branch processes.

Across all sessions, there was a consistent message: Saudi Arabia is setting a high bar for responsible innovation by combining a progressive regulator, a clear national agenda and banks that are re-architecting for trust, speed and inclusion. The future of banking in the Kingdom will belong to institutions that innovate boldly, design for resilience, and earn customer trust every day.