Innovating technology that amazes

Our Correspondent/ Emirates Business

In the Middle East, the HP brand is synonymous with quality and reliability, but that has not come overnight. Recognised as one of the original founders of Silicon Valley, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard founded the company in 1939 in a one-car garage in Palo Alto.
In a country where more than a third of the indigenous population is under 25 years of age, internet penetration stands at 96 percent and social media is used by three quarters of its citizens, HP is leading one of the most dynamic electronics markets in the world. And with a philosophy that technology should make life better for everyone, everywhere, HP constantly reinvents itself so that not only industries but communities and individuals can keep reinventing how they operate, think and create what matters most to them.
In November last year, Hewlett-Packard separated into two distinct companies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and HP Inc., the global leader in printing and personal systems. From the Regional Head Offices in Dubai, Mathew Thomas, Vice President and Managing Director, Middle-East, HP Inc., describes the benefits, “Whether we’re talking time, attention or investment, HP Inc’s management team can now optimize its decisions around the specific success of the printing and personal systems business. It means we gain the agility, speed and flexibility needed to accelerate our business and quickly adapt to market and customer dynamics.”
“We live in an age of constant change and in a part of the world which is ever-evolving at an incredible pace. HP Inc’s goal is simple – to develop the most useful, smart, simple and delightful solutions to make a difference to all people, and with the Middle East’s love of technology and its obsession with progress, we are in the perfect market to achieve those goals.”
The spirit of innovation runs deep through the company’s veins and is one of their core philosophies. “We’re committed to a culture of turning incredible ideas into amazing realities, taking on ambitious challenges and relentlessly working until we’ve forged them into memorable achievements. Once we deliver, we innovate and reinvent again — we never stop challenging ourselves,” said Thomas.
HP has always believed in the importance of style, and HP Inc. continues to drive and set trends with inspirational design concepts and pioneering technology. The latest HP Color LaserJet Pro Multifunction M477 Printer series and the HP PageWide Pro 477 dw Multifunction Printer, as well as the HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G2 Notebook PC and HP EliteBook Folio G1 Notebook PC models are perfect examples of how the company combines panache with productivity — a strategy borne out by a recent survey commissioned by HP Inc of more than 1,000 IT decision makers, which shows 77% think a well-designed work PC would increase job satisfaction. Again, in the Middle East, many consumers give equal weight to design and practicality. Thomas believes with HP personal systems and printing products both criteria are met.
“It’s because we understand consumers and users that we strive constantly to improve. We not only anticipate the future, we invent it. One of our mantras is develop the most useful, smart, simple and delightful solutions and that is why we have such a loyal following and an ever-growing fan base. Innovation breeds curiosity.”
As well as an industry leader in terms of products, services and solutions, HP Inc is known throughout the technology sector as a source of some of the most valuable industry insights.
“A recent study we conducted into the roles of technology in education illustrated some extremely interesting results which could potentially bring about completely new strategies. We found that as well as addressing the students’ needs, some 60 per cent of teachers said they needed more support and training on how to integrate technology to their teaching. It is potentially the biggest factor in the successful use of technology in our schools, colleges and universities.
“It is a key priority for HP Inc to improve people’s lives and help make the world a more productive, more attractive and more interesting place to live,” said Thomas.
As one of the Middle East’s best-known multi-award winning companies, HP Inc is widely acknowledged by its peers and by its customers as a key innovator and inventor. As the 3D printing revolution breaks new boundaries and opens new possibilities, the company once again promises to lead the field.
“3D printing will be a massive market and our technology will deliver exceptional results including a breakthrough speed — up to 10 times faster than any other technology on the market today — high resolution with precisions and mechanical strength, lower product cost and lower material cost and an open system — where we will enable others to develop on our platform,” Thomas said. “This is a hugely exciting time and in Dubai we have just seen the world’s fully functional 3D printed office building inaugurated by His
Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. With every new development, HP Inc will continue to drive its mission to engineer experiences that amaze, and live up to its legacy of fundamentally changing our industry and the world around us.”