Twitter's Matthew Derella is a man on a mission.
The company’s head of global revenue and operations is responsible for no less of a task than converting the messaging service’s ubiquitous role in the global conversation on news, politics, sports, entertainment and anything else you can think of (and plenty you can’t) into advertising revenues.
That is no easy task, given intense competition for those advertising dollars from the likes of Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram.
For Mr Derella and Twitter (and its competitors), the Mena region is of crucial importance, with its rising population providing much needed growth for the messenger service.
"Mena has been one of our strongest performing markets in terms of growth," Mr Derella told The National on a recent visit to Dubai.
“When I look across the region, especially markets like Saudi Arabia that are so important, we’re seeing some of the most explosive growth that we’ve ever seen in that market now, and that’s building off a pretty substantial base.”
Put simply, the challenge for Twitter and Mr Derella is to connect that user base to advertisers to generate revenues, something already achieved to spectacular effect by the likes of Facebook and Google.
Twitter, however, has found the going tough, especially in recent months, in the wake of sluggish global user growth. The service’s monthly active users (MAUs) base worldwide was unchanged at the end of June compared with the end of March, standing at 328 million. International growth offset a decline in US-based MAUs, which fell by 2 per cent during the quarter.
That is a problem when you are pitching yourself to big brands, who look for keen engagement from a growing user base when deciding where to allocate their advertising spend. Twitter’s advertising engagements grew by just 4 per cent quarter-on-quarter, with advertising revenues falling 8 per cent year on year.
“We continue to see rising competition for advertising dollars from other social media companies making it difficult for Twitter to resume revenue growth in the near future,” said Victor Anthony, an equity analyst at Aegis Capital following the company’s latest results announcement in July.
“Facebook and Google siphoned away an incremental US$12.5 billion of ad dollars away from the industry in 1H17, and we expect that trend to continue.”
Hence the importance of Mena to Twitter, where the company can sell high levels of engagement and growing user numbers to advertisers.
An example of the importance of Arabic speaking Twitter users in the Middle East and elsewhere came last year, when the company’s founder Jack Dorsey tweeted out Ramadan greetings. The tweet would go on to become his second most re-tweeted message.
Within the Mena region, no market is of higher importance than Saudi Arabia; while the company rarely breaks down its user base outside the US, Mr Derella noted that the kingdom is one of Twitter’s top 10 markets worldwide.
“From my position it’s one of the most exciting markets in any that we work in in terms of usage growth and the opportunity for advertisers,” he said.
The service’s popularity was demonstrated in January 2015, when King Salman’s ascension to the Saudi throne was announced via Twitter following the death of King Abdullah. The official tweet was retweeted 375,000 times, making it the sixth-most retweeted post globally for the year.
Twitter has been working hard to capitalise on such engagement in the past 12 months in particular, with a series of partnerships with local content providers and advertisers, in order to further captivate users’ attention and to monetise it, with localised video content front and centre.
“One of the areas in the product development that we’ve seen that really does a phenomenal job in showing what’s happening in the world is with video,” said Mr Derella. “It’s driving outstanding performance for our brands.”
Live video and exclusive content in particular is significant for Twitter and its competitors as a means of attracting and keeping users' attention.
Earlier this year Twitter announced 12 high-profile content streaming deals in the US, including a 24/7 Bloomberg news channel, selected concerts from Live Nation and live action from golf’s PGA Tour.
These came following the service’s first significant live broadcast deal last year, paying US$10 million for the right to live-stream 10 Thursday night National Football League (NFL) American football games.
Twitter in the past year has signed 27 agreements with key publishers contents in the Mena region for its In Stream video sponsorship programme, which enables brands to sponsor premium video across a wide range of content ranging from news to sports to entertainment
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The company’s first live-stream event in the Mena region was on New Year’s Eve, Decemebr 31, 2016, when it partnered with Emaar to livestream its fireworks display. The campaign generated 3.7 million video views.
This was followed in the summer with a partnership with Sela Sports in June to live-stream 21 matches from the 2017 Arab Championship regional football tournament, Twitter’s first live stream of a global football tournament.
Mr Derella claimed Twitter’s ability to live-stream such events, with viewers commenting via tweets in real time, is particularly attractive to advertisers.
“It’s almost like you punch a hole in the timeline and take users directly into the experience,” he said. "Brands are hungry to connect with audiences that are passionate and engaged with that content.”
He gave the example of an advertising campaign during the semi-final and final stages of the Arab Championship in early August by the fast-food chain Hardee’s, which displayed ads both during live-streamed games and before highlights packages, generating 2 million views.
“For advertisers, reaching people isn’t the problem, the problem is getting people to pay attention to your actual ads,” said Mr Derella.
“That’s where Twitter has an advantage because it’s a place that aggregates an incredibly attentive viewer or user that’s in a discovery mindset. We really deliver a higher level of engagement than a lot of our competitors, and for an advertiser that means a better return.
“We think video, specifically, is a place where we have very strong difference from anyone else out there and demand we’re seeing from the US and more locally from, for example, the Arab Championship, gives me a lot of confidence that we’re on the right path.”
In addition to live sports, Twitter has been in talks with local news outlets about offering live news on its platform, with no details forthcoming yet.
Aside from live video, Mr Derella noted how regional brands combined effectively during Ramadan with local content providers including Khalejia, Layalina and Fatafeat for Twitter-based content.
In one such pairing, the food and lifestyle channel Fatafeat produced a series of video dessert recipes featuring Nestle brands, with Nestle running a series of pre-roll ads. The videos received 4.4 million impressions, including 1.2 million views delivered to female viewers, most of whom were Saudi based.
Mr Derella also pointed to the example of Twitter’s partnership with Land Rover for the launch of its new Discovery model in March. The launch, streamed live in 360-degree video via Twitter’s Periscope 360 platform, garnered over 400,000 views.
Twitter is realistic that it is not the only player in town and will face tough competition across its advertising business, especially when it comes to video.
The company earlier this year was unable to renew its high-profile NFL dealin the US, losing out to a $50 million bid from Amazon.
Mr Derella conceded that the competition will be tough in terms of video and advertising more broadly, but insisted Twitter still has an edge on its competitors.
“Competition will come, [but] we have a clear and long-term plan that I think aligns with what we’re best at and the overall trends in the industry. Based on the evidence I’ve seen so far, I think we’re just starting to tap into opportunity for brands,” he said.
“No one else can deliver content faster than we can, no one else has more comprehensive content than we do, and no one has the live discussion around the content that’s happening, and no one can deliver it in as personalised a way as we can.”
ATP WORLD No 1
2004 Roger Federer
2005 Roger Federer
2006 Roger Federer
2007 Roger Federer
2008 Rafael Nadal
2009 Roger Federer
2010 Rafael Nadal
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2013 Rafael Nadal
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2016 Andy Murray
2017 Rafael Nadal
2018 Novak Djokovic
2019 Rafael Nadal
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Ferrari
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Mann%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Adam%20Driver%2C%20Penelope%20Cruz%2C%20Shailene%20Woodley%2C%20Patrick%20Dempsey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
The Specs:
The Specs:
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 444bhp
Torque: 600Nm
Price: AED 356,580 incl VAT
On sale: now.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Director: Jon Favreau
Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, John Oliver
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Five%20calorie-packed%20Ramadan%20drinks
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FOLD%204
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'Tell the Machine Goodnight' by Katie Williams
Penguin Randomhouse
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20turbocharged%204-cyl%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E300bhp%20(GT)%20330bhp%20(Modena)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E450Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh299%2C000%20(GT)%2C%20Dh369%2C000%20(Modena)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EElmawkaa%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ebrahem%20Anwar%2C%20Mahmoud%20Habib%20and%20Mohamed%20Thabet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PropTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24400%2C000%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E500%20Startups%2C%20Flat6Labs%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Director: Romany Saad
Starring: Mirfat Amin, Boumi Fouad and Tariq Al Ibyari
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
