Cloud video services company Brightcove has announced the expansion of its operations by opening an office in Dubai UAE, which will serve as the central hub for Brightcove’s business development efforts in the Middle East and Northern Africa region.
Demand for access to broadcast-quality online video in the Middle East is driven by widespread access to high-speed internet and the proliferation of smartphones and other mobile devices. According to a report by analyst firm Frost & Sullivan, in Gulf Cooperation Council countries more than half of the population has access to the internet, and evidence suggests that consumers increasingly watch content on video-capable, internet-connected devices. The same report also found that time spent watching online video equals time spent watching TV across the Middle East. This shift in consumer behavior is causing traditional content creators to accelerate and expand their multi-platform distribution initiatives.
The new office will be headed by Brahim Laraiki, a sales leader who has previously held positions with Orange, Lenovo and Microsoft. Laraiki will work under the direction of Sue Thexton, senior vice president of EMEA.
“Since the company launched in 2004, Brightcove has pursued strategic international growth in order to keep pace with global demand for premium online video distribution, management and monetisation services,” Thexton said. “We are excited to open a new office in the Middle East and look forward to helping media organisations and brands across the region make the most of their video assets by increasing reach and driving more engagement and advertising revenue.”
Brightcove is already working with a number of major media and broadcast organisations in the region, including Al Jazeera, My Dubai My City, Abu Dhabi Media and CNBC Africa. The company’s products include online video platform Video Cloud, Zencoder, a cloud-based media processing service, and Once, a cloud-based ad insertion and video stitching.
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