DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Accela, Inc., the leading U.S.-based provider of software solutions for e-government, announced today that it has established its regional headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The new offices are based in Dubai Internet City, a dynamic community offering advanced infrastructure for ICT companies. Accela's new headquarters will allow the company to easily expand as it addresses new opportunities across the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond. The company will also maintain its offices in the nearby emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The Dubai headquarters underscores Accela's commitment to the Middle East region. Since entering the market in 2008, Accela has continued to increase the scope of its operations. The company has maintained an active and broad-based project presence in Abu Dhabi, appointed a highly experienced managing director from the UAE, hired locally based staff, and forged reseller agreements with leading systems integrators in select neighboring GCC countries.

"DIC provides an unparalleled business environment for companies that are leaders in their markets and committed to long-term success in the region," said Khaled W. Jaouni, managing director of Accela's Middle East and North Africa operations. "We believe that DIC's central location and world-class infrastructure will provide the ideal underpinning for Accela's continued expansion in the Middle East."

Majed Al Suwaidi, Director of Business Development at Dubai Internet City and Dubai Outsource Zone, said, "With market demands getting diverse, specialized IT companies are seeing a growing potential in this region. This is a positive sign for these markets as IT spends are diverted towards alternative solutions and technologies. DIC has played its role as a catalyst in attracting new companies and technologies to the region and will continue to do so. DIC welcomes Accela, a leading software company, to base its regional headquarters at the ICT free zone, and we are confident the company will establish market leadership and benefit from the host of services at the business park, including networking avenues with similar companies and state-of-the-art infrastructure."

Cutting-Edge Software Requires Cutting-Edge Resources
Accela's flagship, enterprise software application, Accela Automation®, is used by governments to automate critical tasks associated with permitting, licensing, code enforcement, community development and planning, inspections and investigations, infrastructure asset management, emergency response, and more. Accela Automation provides governments with a solution to integrate with their GIS systems, empower their mobile workers, and offer 24/7 access to services via the Web or interactive voice response. The software is available in a completely localized Arabic version that supports regional norms for date formats, currency symbols, and text layout.

"The UAE and Gulf region are among the world's most economically vibrant, with a commitment to innovation and modernization," Jaouni noted. "We see enormous interest and potential among regional governments to leverage next-generation technologies that will boost their efficiency and augment their position as magnets for business. Accela's solutions can help these governments achieve their ambitious goals."

At the forefront of the region's ICT industry, Dubai Internet City remains committed to supporting emerging technology trends in the region and continues to play an instrumental role in developing the industry while contributing to Dubai's drive to create a knowledge-based economy.

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