ISED Solutions and AllWorld Network Use Cisco’s TelePresence Solution To Launch North Africa Fast Growth 50

AllWorld Network and ISED Solutions Use Cisco’s TelePresence Solution To Launch North Africa Fast Growth 50

First-of-its-kind Initiative Identifies Fastest growing private companies in North Africa and Saves Over $120,000 USD in Travel Costs,

The Institute for Social and Economic Development (ISED Solutions) and AllWorld Network  launched the ‘North Africa 50’ fast growth companies in a live event, this week, which connected 4 North African countries simultaneously using Cisco’s face-to-face collaboration solution, TelePresence®.

The event, hosted from 5 Cisco office locations in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, accommodated 25 people in each location.  Proceedings kicked off with an introduction from ISED Solutions’ Doris Danchi from Tunis. The welcome speech was delivered by His Excellency  Henry S. Ensher, the US Ambassador to Algeria from Algeria, followed by a keynote, heralding from Cisco’s Tunis office, delivered by Anthony Vonsee, Cisco’s Managing Director for Africa. Co-CEOs Anne Habiby  and Deirdrem. Coyle,Jr from AllWorld Network then launched the ‘North Africa 50’.

Highlights / Key Facts:

• AllWorld Network with Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter and in partnership with ISED Solutions is leading this pioneering first-of-its-kind effort to identify the fastest growing private companies in North Africa. ISED Solutions is implementing the Results-Oriented Commercial Organization Capacity Development (ROCCD) Project in North Africa through a grant from the U.S Department of State Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), filling a critical need for practical training of business associations in the region.
• Companies  from Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia from any economic sector are invited to apply at www.allwordlive.com/arabia-500.Application deadline is 25 october 2011.Companies that apply are ranked based on their sales growth between 2008 and 2010.Younger and smaller companies are ranked on a separate list called "Start Up to Watch".In addition, the winners are eligible for the ARABIA 50,a listing of teh 500 fasted growing companies from throughout the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region.
• All winners will be invited to be part of Allworld's Arabia 5000,and be invited  to the 2011 Prime Minister's Summit on Entrepreneurship( December 3-6,2011) in Istanbul, Turkey hosted Prime Minister Erdogan.
• As this event proved, for businesses in North Africa, Cisco TelePresence technology is helping bridge geographical divides as well as save costs by enabling highly secure virtual meetings with multiple locations inside or outside the corporate firewall. The solution helps to boost productivity by reducing travel and thereby facilitates a greener company environment by reducing its carbon footprint.

Executive Quotes:

His Excellency Henry S. Ensher, the US Ambassador to Algeria

“In today’s climate, when companies are looking at better ways to conduct business efficiently whilst also keeping a firm control on travel costs, Cisco TelePresence technology offered the perfect solution for seamlessly bringing the winners of the ‘North Africa 50’. This initiative is unprecedented as it has already reached thousands companies and promises to create momentum for job creation and economic development throughout North Africa"

Anthony Vonsee, managing director for Cisco Africa

“Cisco TelePresence is already transforming the way business is conducted across the world and this event to announce the ‘North Africa 50’ winners is just another proof point. We are honored to have been able to utilize our  immersive, face-to-face collaboration solution to help to save considerable costs, resources and time through the use of such an innovative technology solution.”

Deirdre M. Coyle,Jr  from  AllWorld Network

“Our goal is to join with our sponsors in driving new investment opportunities and raise North Africa’s  capacity by showcasing the fast growth companies- the innovators nad job creators. The ‘North Africa 50’ program will begin as a 50 with the objective of growing to an annual 100, and all applicants will be eligible for the Arabia 500 as well. Cisco’s TelePresence solution enabled us to gather our key stakeholders and finalists in 4 countries together simultaneously in real-time and deliver cost savings by eliminating the need for attendees to travel.”

“Doris Danchi, ISED Solutions’ Director, Program Development

“Partnering with AllWorld on the ‘North Africa 50’ is the next step for our program of raising visibility and promoting the key growth sectors and ambassador companies our partner business associations represent to investors and new markets around the world. We were impressed how Cisco’s TelePresence solution helped us to achieve the next major milestone of the process as simply as making a phone call.”