Retal recognised for analytics at Middle East TEA; Abdullah Osama AlSalih named Innovator of the Year

The awards programme was held on 11 October 2023 at the Grand Hyatt Dubai.

Retal Urban Development Company has made waves at the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards as it not only secured the Analytics - Real Estate award but has also seen its Digital Transformation Director, Abdullah Osama AlSalih, named Innovator of the Year - Real Estate.

The Analytics - Real Estate Award recognises Retal’s groundbreaking efforts in integrating data from multiple sources, including Salesforce, Oracle Cloud ERP, and Procore, to provide a holistic view of critical departments like HR, Procurement, Projects, and Sales. Meanwhile, the Innovator of the Year recognition underscores AlSalih’s exceptional leadership and significant contributions to Retal's digital transformation journey.

These accolades reflect the remarkable synergy between visionary leadership and transformative technology initiatives within the organisation.

Revolutionising Real Estate Analytics

Retal Urban Development Company's triumph in the Analytics - Real Estate category at the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards serves as a testament to the company's commitment to harnessing technology for growth and excellence.

At the heart of this achievement lies Retal's ambitious project to create a unified analytical platform. The objective was clear: harmonise data from disparate sources to enable data-driven decision-making.

The company strategically leveraged one automated data platform provider as a trusted connector, a data cloud platform provider as a robust data warehouse, and Power BI with custom-developed dashboards for data visualisation and reporting. The result was a seamless flow of data, providing invaluable insights across departments.

Retal's integration strategy was meticulously planned to ensure the uninterrupted flow of data across platforms. The automated data platform provider played a pivotal role in establishing reliable connections with Salesforce, Oracle Cloud ERP, and Procore, automating data extraction and integration. This automation eliminated manual data transfer, enhancing efficiency and data accuracy. The integrated data found a secure home in one data cloud platform provider, which served as the central repository for Retal's data. The data cloud platform provider’s scalable architecture and advanced data management capabilities ensured the comprehensive integration of data from various sources.

The data cloud platform provider’s cloud-based, scalable infrastructure formed the backbone of Retal's data warehouse. Its separation of computing and storage offered the flexibility to scale resources based on demand. The data cloud platform provider’s robust security features guarantee the confidentiality and integrity of Retal's data. The platform's adaptability to handle both structured and semi-structured data further facilitated integration, creating a unified and comprehensive view for analysis.

Power BI, in tandem with custom-developed dashboards, played a pivotal role in transforming raw data into actionable insights. These interactive visualisations and reports were tailored to the specific needs of Retal's management across HR, Procurement, Projects, and Sales. Power BI's user-friendly interface empowered stakeholders to explore data effortlessly, uncovering valuable patterns and trends.

By blending data from Salesforce, Oracle Cloud ERP, and Procore, these dashboards provided a holistic view of critical metrics, enabling informed decision-making. With Power BI's robust analytics capabilities, Retal facilitated data drill-downs, trend analysis, and forecasting, empowering management with real-time insights.

Launching the Digital Transformation Journey

In a remarkable double win, Abdullah Osama AlSalih, the Digital Transformation Director at Retal Urban Development Company, was also honoured as the Innovator of the Year - Real Estate.

AlSalih took on the role of Digital Transformation Director at the end of 2020, marking the beginning of an ambitious journey to automate and enhance various business processes. His visionary approach prioritised the establishment of comprehensive company policies and procedures, laying the groundwork for the transformative digital initiative.

Under his leadership, the department underwent a strategic restructuring, resulting in two distinct sections: IT Operations and Application. This restructuring set the stage for a successful digital transformation journey, which began in early 2021 with a focus on two main pillars: application and infrastructure.

AlSalih's leadership has been instrumental in achieving remarkable milestones during the digital transformation journey. The Application Section successfully implemented Oracle Fusion for HCM, Supply Chain, and Finance, effectively streamlining operations and efficiency.

Additionally, Salesforce integration transformed customer engagement and fueled business growth, whilst the adoption of Procore streamlined project processes and collaboration.

Custom applications, analytical dashboards, and website enhancements improved decision-making and online presence, and the integration of WhatsApp for business enhanced communication and customer support.

Under AlSalih’s guidance, the IT Operations team implemented a robust Backup and Disaster Recovery solution, introduced a call centre integrated with Salesforce, and streamlined document workflows with Docusign.

Email gateway protection, Crowdstrike endpoint protection, and a Print Management Solution fortified cybersecurity and operational efficiency. A comprehensive Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity plan mitigated risks; standardisation increased compatibility and supportability; and Freshservice improved service management. Mobile device management, IT asset management practices, and seamless Single Sign-On (SSO) also enhanced security and operational efficiency.

The dual recognition of Retal Urban Development Company and Abdullah Osama AlSalih in the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards underscores the powerful combination of visionary leadership and innovative technology initiatives.

Retal's commitment to harnessing data for decision-making and AlSalih's role in driving digital transformation both exemplify the organisation's dedication to excellence and growth. These awards serve as a testament to Retal's position at the forefront of technological innovation in the real estate industry.

The Middle East Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2024 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding contributions in pursuit of technological innovation, please contact Danica Avila at [email protected].