Gartner Says Worldwide IaaS Public Cloud Services Market Grew 22.5% in 2024
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Al Bawaba
21 hours ago
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NTT DATA Partners with Google Cloud to Accelerate Agentic AI Adoption and Cloud Modernization for Enterprises Globally
NTT DATA, a global leader in digital business and technology services, today announced a global partnership with Google Cloud to accelerate AI-powered cloud innovations and unlock new possibilities with AI for enterprise organizations across industries. This collaboration combines NTT DATA's deep industry expertise in AI, cloud-native modernization and data engineering with Google Cloud's advanced analytics, AI and cloud technologies to deliver tailored, scalable enterprise a focus on co-innovation, the partnership will drive industry-specific cloud and AI solutions, leveraging NTT DATA's proven frameworks and best practices along with Google Cloud's capabilities to deliver customized solutions backed by deep implementation expertise. Significant joint go-to-market investments will support seamless adoption across key to Gartner®, worldwide end-user spending on public cloud services is forecast to reach $723 billion in 2025, up from $595.7 billion in 2024. The use of AI deployments in IT and business operations is accelerating the reliance on modern cloud infrastructure, highlighting the critical importance of this strategic global partnership. "This collaboration with Google Cloud represents a significant milestone in our mission to drive innovation and digital transformation across industries,' said Marv Mouchawar, Head of Global Innovation, NTT DATA. 'By combining NTT DATA's deep expertise in AI, cloud-native modernization and enterprise solutions with Google Cloud's advanced technologies, we are helping businesses accelerate their AI-powered cloud adoption globally and unlock new opportunities for growth.'"Our partnership with NTT DATA will help enterprises use agentic AI to enhance business processes and solve complex industry challenges,' said Kevin Ichhpurani, President, Global Partner Ecosystem at Google Cloud. 'By combining Google Cloud's AI with NTT DATA's implementation expertise, we will enable customers to deploy intelligent agents that modernize operations and deliver significant value for their organizations."Driving AI innovation across industries NTT DATA will leverage Google Cloud technology to develop several industry-specific AI and cloud solutions, accelerating enterprise transformation across sectors including banking, insurance, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, life sciences and the public sector. For example, in financial services, this collaboration will support regulatory compliance and reporting through NTT DATA solutions like Regla, which leverage Google Cloud's scalable AI infrastructure. In hospitality, NTT DATA's Virtual Travel Concierge enhances customer experience and drives sales with 24x7 multilingual support, real-time itinerary planning and intelligent travel recommendations. It uses the capabilities of Google's Gemini models to drive personalization across more than 3 million monthly focus areas include:● Industry-specific agentic AI solutions: NTT DATA will build new industry solutions that transform analytics, decision-making and client experiences using Google Agentspace, Google's Gemini models, secure data clean rooms and modernized data platforms. ● AI-driven cloud modernization: Accelerating enterprise modernization with Google Distributed Cloud for secure, scalable modernization built and managed on NTT DATA's global infrastructure, from data centers to edge to cloud. ● Next-generation application and security modernization: Strengthening enterprise agility and resilience through mainframe modernization, DevOps, observability, API management, cybersecurity frameworks and SAP on Google Cloud. ● Sovereign cloud innovation: Delivering secure, compliant solutions through Google Distributed Cloud in both air-gapped and connected deployments. Air-gapped environments operate offline for maximum data isolation. Connected deployments enable secure integration with cloud services. These scenarios meet data sovereignty and regulatory demands in sectors such as finance, government and healthcare without compromising innovation.● Google Distributed Cloud sandbox environment: Google Distributed Cloud sandbox environment is a digital playground where developers can build, test and deploy industry-specific and sovereign cloud deployments. This sandbox will help teams upskill through hands-on training and accelerate time to market with Google Distributed Cloud technologies through preconfigured, ready-to-deploy templates. NTT DATA will support these innovations through a full-stack suite of services including advisory, building, implementation and ongoing hosting and managed services. By combining NTT DATA's proven blueprints and delivery expertise with Google Cloud's technology, the partnership will accelerate the development of repeatable, scalable solutions for enterprise transformation. At the heart of this innovation strategy is Takumi, NTT DATA's GenAI framework that guides clients from ideation to enterprise-wide deployment. Takumi integrates seamlessly with Google Cloud's AI stack, enabling rapid prototyping and operationalization of GenAI use initiative expands NTT DATA's Smart AI Agent Ecosystem, which unites strategic technology partnerships, specialized assets and an AI-ready talent engine to help clients deploy and manage responsible, business-driven AI at scale. Accelerating global delivery with a dedicated Google Cloud Business GroupTo achieve excellence, NTT DATA has established a dedicated global Google Cloud Business Group comprising thousands of engineers, architects and advisory consultants. This global team at NTT DATA will work in close collaboration with Google Cloud teams to help clients adopt and scale AI-powered cloud technologies. NTT DATA is also investing in advanced training and certification programs ensuring teams across sales, pre-sales and delivery are equipped to sell, secure, migrate and implement AI-powered cloud solutions. The company aims to certify 5,000 engineers in Google Cloud technology, further reinforcing its role as a leader in cloud transformation on a global both companies are co-investing in global sales and go-to-market campaigns to accelerate client adoption across priority industries. By aligning technical, sales and marketing expertise, the companies aim to scale transformative solutions efficiently across global markets. Building on strategic momentumThis global partnership builds on NTT DATA and Google Cloud's 2024 co-innovation agreement in APAC. In addition it further strengthens NTT DATA's acquisition of Niveus Solutions, a leading Google Cloud specialist recognized with three 2025 Google Cloud Awards – 'Google Cloud Country Partner of the Year - India', 'Google Cloud Databases Partner of the Year - APAC' and 'Google Cloud Country Partner of the Year – Chile,' further validating NTT DATA's commitment to cloud excellence and innovation. 'We're excited to see the strengthened partnership between NTT DATA and Google Cloud, which continues to deliver measurable impact. Their combined expertise has been instrumental in migrating more than 380 workloads to Google Cloud to align with our cloud-first strategy,' said José Luis González Santana, Head of IT Infrastructure, Carrefour. 'By running SAP HANA on Google Cloud, we have consolidated 100 legacy applications to create a powerful, modernized e-commerce platform across 200 hypermarkets. This transformation has given us the agility we need during peak times like Black Friday and enabled us to launch new services faster than ever. Together, NTT DATA and Google Cloud are helping us deliver more connected, seamless experiences for our customers,'
Ammon
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Beyond the Hype: Building a Sustainable AI Future
The promise of artificial intelligence is no longer a distant vision; it is a present reality delivering tangible value. A powerful case in point unfolded in a hospital, where an AI system, analyzing an X-ray with unparalleled precision, diagnosed a hidden malignant tumor and provided a proactive treatment plan. This single act not only saved a life but serves as a clear demonstration of AI's power to redefine operational paradigms and elevate critical services. For Jordan, this isn't merely a technological event—it's a catalyst for national growth, demanding a new, professional approach to harness its full potential. Despite a global race to invest in AI, with over 88% of executives planning to increase their budgets, there's a significant paradox: less than 1% of organizations worldwide have actually achieved AI maturity. This isn't for a lack of money or interest. Instead, the problem stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of what AI success requires. Gartner warns that over 40% of AI projects are at risk of being canceled by 2027, not due to technical limitations, but because of poor execution, a lack of clear goals, high operational costs, and a shortage of skilled talent. This means that without a holistic and strategic approach, AI can quickly become a financial and organizational burden instead of a powerful opportunity. The path to maturity is not about buying technology; it's about building an integrated system that transforms the entire organization. To move beyond the experimental phase and achieve real, sustainable impact, organizations must commit to a comprehensive roadmap based on six interconnected pillars. This journey begins with an Integrated Strategic Vision. This means embedding AI into the very fabric of your business, not as a separate IT project, but as an indispensable engine driving the company's core strategy. This vision must then be tied to Comprehensive Value Measurement, which goes beyond traditional productivity metrics. Its value must be measured across three critical levels: commercial (e.g., increased revenue), technical (e.g., system resilience), and, most importantly, behavioral. This last part is often overlooked, but it is vital. If employees resist using a new AI tool out of fear or mistrust, the project, no matter how technically brilliant, will fail. Measuring and managing this human response is the key to successful adoption. Building on that foundation, a Collaborative Structure is essential. AI cannot thrive in organizational silos. Success requires "fusion teams" that bring together technical experts, business leaders, and data analysts. A Center of Excellence (CoE) is an ideal model for this, acting as a central hub for best practices, shared knowledge, and governance, preventing duplicated efforts and ensuring alignment with the company's broader goals. Furthermore, an organization cannot fully leverage AI if its people don't understand it. AI Literacy is a vital pillar, providing training not just for data scientists but for everyone, from executives who need to understand strategic implications to front-line staff who need to use the tools effectively and ethically. This widespread understanding builds trust and accelerates adoption. The final pillars address the critical needs of trust and infrastructure. Proactive Governance is a necessity to protect against issues like bias, data privacy violations, and lack of transparency. Organizations must build ethical frameworks from the ground up, implementing policies that ensure fairness, accountability, and compliance with evolving regulations. This is particularly important for Jordanian companies that operate globally or handle sensitive data. This governance must be supported by an Advanced Data Infrastructure. Data is the fuel for AI, but not all data is created equal. The infrastructure must support "AI-ready data"—data that is not only clean but also contextual and representative of real-world scenarios. This requires investing in the right tools and platforms, as well as establishing strong data governance and metadata management to ensure data pipelines are reliable and efficient. By embracing these six pillars, Jordan can use AI to achieve a transformative economic shift. AI can boost the national income by: Improving Productivity, as automating repetitive tasks in both public and private sectors could increase employee productivity by 20% or more, allowing staff to focus on higher-value work. Moreover, Jordan can position itself as a regional leader by Developing New Industries in AI-driven sectors like "Green AI" for environmental sustainability or "AI in Health" for advanced medical services. Finally, a mature and well-governed AI ecosystem will be a major draw for Attracting Foreign Investment, creating new jobs and boosting economic growth. Ultimately, AI is no longer a technical option; it has become an economic and developmental necessity. It requires both the public and private sectors in Jordan to shift from an experimental project approach to building sustainable, integrated systems. The pressing question is: Is Jordan ready to lead this transformation, or will we remain passive observers in the global digital economy?
Al Bawaba
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Agility Global PLC Reports Q2 2025 EBIT of $97 Million
Agility Global PLC, a multi-business owner, operator and long-term investor, today reported Q2 2025 earnings of $24 million, or 0.24 cents per share. EBIT grew 5% to $97 million, EBITDA increased 8% to $181 million, and revenue rose 8% to $1.2 the first six months period, earnings stood at $45 million, or 0.44 cents per share. EBIT grew 1% to $189 million, EBITDA increased 7% to $354 million, and revenue rose 12% to $2.3 of June 30, 2025, Agility's investment segment had a total asset value of approximately $5.5 billion, and total assets value was $12.7 Global Chairman, Tarek Sultan, said: 'The Group delivered another quarter of healthy operational performance, supported by continued organic growth across our core businesses. We see robust growth in Menzies and Agility Logistics Parks. Tristar delivered steady top-line growth and operational ramp-up; however, the lower-margin profile of this growth, compounded by challenges in its Maritime segment, has limited its EBIT expansion. Nevertheless, our operational momentum and underlying business fundamentals remain strong.'Sultan added: 'Our diversified portfolio, spanning critical logistics infrastructure across high growth markets, enables us to navigate global economic headwinds effectively. We continue to execute on our strategy, focusing on disciplined growth and value creation.'Controlled SegmentFor Q2 2025, the consolidated EBIT of the controlled businesses was $96 million; EBITDA was $179 million; and revenue reached $1,200 million. For the six months, EBIT of the controlled businesses was $174 million; EBITDA was $339 million; and revenue $2,343 Services: MenziesMenzies Aviation revenue reached $691 million in Q2 2025, representing 9% growth over the same period in 2024. The growth was mainly driven by increased volumes from new operations in Portugal and Spain; ground handling yields improvements; and strong cargo volumes across the regions excluding the impact of the closures of some non-profitable stations. In Q2, Menzies Ground Handling and fueling operations serviced close to 1.5 million the same period, EBITDA and EBIT grew 13% and 24% with all divisions and service lines showing growth. Improved EBITDA and EBIT margins indicate the business's ability to leverage its existing platform for growth. In Q2, Menzies expanded its executive lounge presence in Europe, adding a Pearl lounge in Bratislava to the portfolio. Regulatory approval for the acquisition of 100% of US-based G2 Secure Staff is expected in Logistics: TristarTristar, a fully integrated fuel logistics business, reported Q2 revenue of $346 million, EBITDA of $64 million and EBIT $33 million. The 17.3% revenue growth over Q2 2024 was mainly driven by the new retail fuel business in Sri Lanka, which began operations in the second half of 2024. Although the retail fuel business is a low margin business today, Tristar is gaining a strong market presence and expects profit margins to improve in 2026 as efficiencies are realized, and the network expands. The maritime segment continued to face market headwinds during the quarter, but management remains confident in the long-term potential of this Real Estate: Agility Logistics Parks (ALP)Agility Logistics Parks recorded Q2 2025 revenue of $14 million, representing a 13% increase from the same period last year. EBIT stood at $10 demand for warehousing in Saudi Arabia continues to drive occupancy rates above 90%, particularly Riyadh. ALP's ongoing development of 226K SQM of new warehousing space is progressing and on schedule; some units have already been delivered, and the remainder are scheduled for delivery during the remaining months of GCC warehousing sector is experiencing robust demand driven by e-commerce growth, 3PL expansion, and government-led industrial diversification programs. In Africa, ALP continues to evaluate opportunities in high-growth logistics corridors, particularly in East Africa, where demand for modern logistics infrastructure is SegmentAs of June 30, 2025, Agility Global's investment segment stood at $5.5 billion in asset segment's key assets include stakes in DSV and Reem Mall.● DSV, Agility Global's largest investment holding, delivered solid Q2 2025 performance, underpinned by continued organic operational strength. The DB Schenker integration remains largely on track. While the share price has been volatile over the period, we are managing our equity collar with prudence to protect downside risk and restructure upside potential in line with DSV's intrinsic performance. Agility Global's DSV investment value has increased by 12% YTD.● Agility Global is an investor in Reem Mall on Abu Dhabi's Reem Island, Abu Dhabi's latest signature shopping, dining, and entertainment family destination, spanning around 183.4K sqm of Gross Leasable Area (GLA). Anchored by hypermarkets and notable entertainment and home furnishing concepts, the mall will be home to around 400 international and local brands. One of the prominent recent openings was Sharaf DG, an expansive 3,334 sqm electronics retail space with 34 brand experience zones, making it the largest store of its kind in Abu Dhabi. As of June 2025, roughly 66% of GLA was open and trading, with an additional 14% under fit-out, for an effective GLA leased of 80%. As of July 2025, we have signed proposals for an additional 4% of GLA. The mall recorded consecutive record-breaking months for footfall and tenant sales in May and June where key metrics have increased by 30% and 40% respectively.
