Latest news with #Manara
Business Wire
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Insight Completes Largest Ever IT Transformation of Cruise Saudi Flagship
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Insight Enterprises (NASDAQ: NSIT) has successfully completed its most ambitious project to date - the extensive and complex IT transformation of the cruise ship Manara, now rebranded as the AROYA. Insight's exemplary work on the AROYA demonstrates an architecture-led approach to implementing cutting-edge technology, redefining the cruise ship experience. Passengers can look forward to unparalleled advancements, including state-of-the-art guest service systems with mobile apps, self-service kiosks, and personalised digital interactions—all seamlessly integrated through the IT modernisation programme delivered by Insight. AROYA Cruises is the latest example of Saudi Arabia's diversification into areas beyond the petrochemical industry. It is paying particular attention to tourism, and the AROYA will play a vital role in this enterprise. Among the offerings hosted on Insight's infrastructure will be excursion booking and destination planning systems. There will also be advanced financial systems and a new CRM system, aimed at boosting customer retention. Insight's role was to design best-in-class technology architecture and deliver the proposed solution within a tight timescale. The architecture uitilises Dell Hyper Converged Infrastructure, Cisco Core, spine and leaf technologies, all of which will host critical guest experiences and crew operation applications. The project also involved a comprehensive overhaul of the vessel's foundational infrastructure, featuring the deployment of Microsoft Active Directory, Intune management and Horizon VDI platforms. Such modernisation will ensure consistent performance across all 650+ newly procured and configured modern workplace devices, tablets and point-of-sale systems that support guest experience and crew operations on the vessel. 'This was a demanding project,' said Insight's Global Account Manager, Jamie Turner, 'The ship's IT infrastructure had to be completely gutted, and everything overhauled from scratch. We've installed top-of-the-range technology to ensure that cruise passengers are benefiting from first-class data services, even when at sea. The new modern infrastructure and networking was deployed within a record 11 months from initial contract to completion of both phases – a tight schedule but delivered on time. This project sets a new benchmark for innovation within the maritime industry, and we are thrilled to be driving this IT transformation.' Bilal Husain, Executive Director, Information Technology and Digitisation at Cruise Saudi, said, 'The AROYA's infrastructure and networking modernisation project represents a new frontier in cruise ship transformation. By deploying advanced technologies like hyper-converged infrastructure alongside VDI delivery, we have significantly enhanced guest experiences and optimised crew operations. With Insight's ability to deliver large complex change at scale, we were supported to realise this vision and set a new benchmark for innovation.' To find out more about the project, see the video here. For more information on Insight, visit the Insight website, for more detail on Insight's Maritime Services; please email DG-EU-maritime@ About Insight Insight Enterprises, Inc. is a global Fortune 500 Solutions Integrator helping accelerate transformation by unlocking the power of people and technology. We architect, build and manage solutions for complex IT environments. Our digital transformation services include deep expertise in cloud, data, AI, cybersecurity and intelligent edge, augmented by longstanding relationships with 8,000+ technology partners. By quickly and effectively delivering best-fit solutions, we help our clients simplify modern business processes to improve customer and work experiences, business intelligence, efficiency and growth. We're rated as a Great Place to Work, a Forbes World's Best Employer and a Fortune World's Best Workplace. Discover more at NSIT-M
Wamda
17-04-2025
- Business
- Wamda
Amazon Web Services (AWS) collaborate with Manara develop cloud talent across MENA
Press release: Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Inc. company (NASDAQ: AMZN), is proud to announce its collaboration with Manara, the social impact startup dedicated to unlocking the untapped potential of top technology talent in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA), including women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Together, they are launching an ambitious initiative aimed at training 2,500 software engineers across the region on cloud skills with an investment of $3.6M over two years by AWS. With a shared commitment to fostering innovation and driving social change at scale, AWS and Manara are teaming up to upskill the top software engineers, data scientists, and AI engineers in this region with cloud and AI skills. Both companies believe this region is poised to become a major technology hub in the coming decade. AWS also recently announced a $5.3 billion investment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. "The Middle East is poised to become the next frontier for technology talent, and Manara is at the forefront of this movement," said Iliana Montauk, Founder and CEO of Manara. "Through our collaboration with AWS, we are doubling down on our commitment to accelerate the development of top tech talent across MENA with the skills and resources they need to succeed in today's digital economy." Founded in Silicon Valley by two visionary female entrepreneurs, Manara has quickly emerged as a leading force in the region's tech community, backed by top investors including Y Combinator, Seedcamp, Precursor Ventures, Neo Capital, and notable figures such as Reid Hoffman, Eric Ries, Marc Benioff, Paul Graham, and Jessica Livingston. Manara's mission is not only to bridge the gap between top tech talent and global opportunities but also to champion diversity and inclusion, particularly among women throughout the region. Antonio Alonso Lopez, Director of Partner Management, EMEA, AWS, said, 'AWS is committed to providing learners and organisations with high-quality training and certifications to build and validate cloud skills. Together with outstanding partners like Manara, we are equipping communities with the expertise required to pursue careers in cloud computing and capitalise on the tremendous opportunity that generative AI represents. We look forward to working together to cultivate the next generation of cloud professionals in MENA.' The joint initiative will focus on providing 2,500 software engineers with training in cloud computing and AWS services to equip them with the skills needed to thrive in today's tech-driven economy. The training will be delivered through Manara's proprietary education technology platform. Engineers will receive AWS Certifications and pathways to meaningful employment opportunities. Enterprise companies in the Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and North America will be able to access the trained and qualified engineers via Manara's hiring services. Interested talent and companies can sign up at For years, Manara has been partnering with Fortune 500 companies to build a pipeline of computer scientists in this region. In addition to the collaboration with Manara, AWS continues to spearhead initiatives around the world aimed at upskilling people with cloud and AI trainings. 'This program has really given me the confidence and expertise to pursue roles in AWS services and cloud computing,' said Omar AlSakka, a proud graduate of the initiative. This collaboration with AWS has opened doors for other graduates and equipped them with the skills needed to thrive in the tech industry.
Zawya
16-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
AWS, Manara join hands to develop cloud talent across MENA
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced its collaboration with Manara, the social impact technology talent startup, for launching an ambitious initiative aimed at training 2,500 software engineers across the region on cloud skills. The project will see an investment of $3.6 million over two years by AWS. With a shared commitment to fostering innovation and driving social change at scale, AWS and Manara are teaming up to upskill the top software engineers, data scientists, and AI engineers in this region with cloud and AI skills. Both companies believe this region is poised to become a major technology hub in the coming decade. AWS also recently announced a $5.3 billion investment in Saudi Arabia. "The Middle East is poised to become the next frontier for technology talent, and Manara is at the forefront of this movement," said Iliana Montauk, Founder and CEO of Manara. "Through our collaboration with AWS, we are doubling down on our commitment to accelerate the development of top tech talent across MENA with the skills and resources they need to succeed in today's digital economy." Founded in Silicon Valley by two visionary female entrepreneurs, Manara has quickly emerged as a leading force in the region's tech community, backed by top investors including Y Combinator, Seedcamp, Precursor Ventures, Neo Capital, and notable figures such as Reid Hoffman, Eric Ries, Marc Benioff, Paul Graham, and Jessica Livingston. Manara's mission is not only to bridge the gap between top tech talent and global opportunities but also to champion diversity and inclusion, particularly among women throughout the region. Antonio Alonso Lopez, Director of Partner Management, EMEA, AWS, said: 'AWS is committed to providing learners and organisations with high-quality training and certifications to build and validate cloud skills. Together with outstanding partners like Manara, we are equipping communities with the expertise required to pursue careers in cloud computing and capitalize on the tremendous opportunity that generative AI represents. We look forward to working together to cultivate the next generation of cloud professionals in MENA.' The joint initiative will focus on providing 2,500 software engineers with training in cloud computing and AWS services to equip them with the skills needed to thrive in today's tech-driven economy. The training will be delivered through Manara's proprietary education technology platform. Engineers will receive AWS Certifications and pathways to meaningful employment opportunities, a statement said. - TradeArabia News Service Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
16-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Amazon Web Services and Manara collaborate to develop cloud talent across MENA
Dubai: Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Inc. company (NASDAQ: AMZN),is proud to announce its collaboration with Manara, the social impact startup dedicated to unlocking the untapped potential of top technology talent in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA), including women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Together, they are launching an ambitious initiative aimed at training 2,500 software engineers across the region on cloud skills with an investment of $3.6M over two years by AWS. With a shared commitment to fostering innovation and driving social change at scale, AWS and Manara are teaming up to upskill the top software engineers, data scientists, and AI engineers in this region with cloud and AI skills. Both companies believe this region is poised to become a major technology hub in the coming decade. AWS also recently announced a $5.3 billion investment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. "The Middle East is poised to become the next frontier for technology talent, and Manara is at the forefront of this movement," said Iliana Montauk, Founder and CEO of Manara. "Through our collaboration with AWS, we are doubling down on our commitment to accelerate the development of top tech talent across MENA with the skills and resources they need to succeed in today's digital economy." Founded in Silicon Valley by two visionary female entrepreneurs, Manara has quickly emerged as a leading force in the region's tech community, backed by top investors including Y Combinator, Seedcamp, Precursor Ventures, Neo Capital, and notable figures such as Reid Hoffman, Eric Ries, Marc Benioff, Paul Graham, and Jessica Livingston. Manara's mission is not only to bridge the gap between top tech talent and global opportunities but also to champion diversity and inclusion, particularly among women throughout the region. Antonio Alonso Lopez, Director of Partner Management, EMEA, AWS said, 'AWS is committed to providing learners and organizations with high-quality training and certifications to build and validate cloud skills. Together with outstanding partners like Manara, we are equipping communities with the expertise required to pursue careers in cloud computing and capitalize on the tremendous opportunity that generative AI represents. We look forward to working together to cultivate the next generation of cloud professionals in MENA.' The joint initiative will focus on providing 2,500 software engineers with training in cloud computing and AWS services to equip them with the skills needed to thrive in today's tech-driven economy. The training will be delivered through Manara's proprietary education technology platform. Engineers will receive AWS Certifications and pathways to meaningful employment opportunities. Enterprise companies in the Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and North America will be able to access the trained and qualified engineers via Manara's hiring services. Interested talent and companies can sign up at For years, Manara has been partnering with Fortune 500 companies to build a pipeline of computer scientists in this region. In addition to the collaboration with Manara, AWS continues to spearhead initiatives around the world aimed at upskilling people with cloud and AI trainings. 'This program has really given me the confidence and expertise to pursue roles in AWS services and cloud computing.' said Omar AlSakka, a proud graduate of the initiative. This collaboration with AWS has opened doors for other graduates and equipped them with the skills needed to thrive in the tech industry. For more information about AWS and Manara, visit and About Amazon Web Services Since 2006, Amazon Web Services has been the world's most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud. AWS has been continually expanding its services to support virtually any workload, and it now has more than 240 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, networking, analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), mobile, security, hybrid, media, and application development, deployment, and management from 105 Availability Zones within 33 geographic regions, with announced plans for 18 more Availability Zones and six more AWS Regions in Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Thailand, and the AWS European Sovereign Cloud. Millions of customers including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies trust AWS to power their infrastructure, become more agile, and lower costs. To learn more about AWS, visit About Amazon Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Amazon strives to be Earth's Most Customer-Centric Company, Earth's Best Employer, and Earth's Safest Place to Work. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Career Choice, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, Alexa, Just Walk Out technology, Amazon Studios, and The Climate Pledge are some of the things pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit and follow @AmazonNews. ABOUT MANARA Manara is a Silicon Valley edtech startup, founded by Iliana Montauk & Laila Abudahi, dedicated to accelerating the careers of computer science and AI talent in the Middle East & North Africa region, with a focus on women. Through its engaging edtech platform and world class instructor-led training, Manara helps companies and governments train their own engineering teams or build ecosystems of talent. Backed by top investors including Y Combinator and Reid Hoffman, Manara has partnered with top tech companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft since 2020 and has been called 'the gold standard' for talent from the Middle East. For media queries: press@
Al Bawaba
16-04-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Manara Collaborate to Develop Cloud Talent Across MENA
Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Inc. company (NASDAQ: AMZN),is proud to announce its collaboration with Manara, the social impact startup dedicated to unlocking the untapped potential of top technology talent in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA), including women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Together, they are launching an ambitious initiative aimed at training 2,500 software engineers across the region on cloud skills with an investment of $3.6M over two years by AWS. With a shared commitment to fostering innovation and driving social change at scale, AWS and Manara are teaming up to upskill the top software engineers, data scientists, and AI engineers in this region with cloud and AI skills. Both companies believe this region is poised to become a major technology hub in the coming decade. AWS also recently announced a $5.3 billion investment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. "The Middle East is poised to become the next frontier for technology talent, and Manara is at the forefront of this movement," said Iliana Montauk, Founder and CEO of Manara. "Through our collaboration with AWS, we are doubling down on our commitment to accelerate the development of top tech talent across MENA with the skills and resources they need to succeed in today's digital economy." Founded in Silicon Valley by two visionary female entrepreneurs, Manara has quickly emerged as a leading force in the region's tech community, backed by top investors including Y Combinator, Seedcamp, Precursor Ventures, Neo Capital, and notable figures such as Reid Hoffman, Eric Ries, Marc Benioff, Paul Graham, and Jessica Livingston. Manara's mission is not only to bridge the gap between top tech talent and global opportunities but also to champion diversity and inclusion, particularly among women throughout the region. Antonio Alonso Lopez, Director of Partner Management, EMEA, AWS said, 'AWS is committed to providing learners and organizations with high-quality training and certifications to build and validate cloud skills. Together with outstanding partners like Manara, we are equipping communities with the expertise required to pursue careers in cloud computing and capitalize on the tremendous opportunity that generative AI represents. We look forward to working together to cultivate the next generation of cloud professionals in MENA.' The joint initiative will focus on providing 2,500 software engineers with training in cloud computing and AWS services to equip them with the skills needed to thrive in today's tech-driven economy. The training will be delivered through Manara's proprietary education technology platform. Engineers will receive AWS Certifications and pathways to meaningful employment opportunities. Enterprise companies in the Middle East and North Africa, Europe, and North America will be able to access the trained and qualified engineers via Manara's hiring services. Interested talent and companies can sign up at For years, Manara has been partnering with Fortune 500 companies to build a pipeline of computer scientists in this region. In addition to the collaboration with Manara, AWS continues to spearhead initiatives around the world aimed at upskilling people with cloud and AI trainings. 'This program has really given me the confidence and expertise to pursue roles in AWS services and cloud computing.' said Omar AlSakka, a proud graduate of the initiative. This collaboration with AWS has opened doors for other graduates and equipped them with the skills needed to thrive in the tech industry. For more information about AWS and Manara, visit and
