Interview with Fırat Aktaş

Marketing Director – Brand Communication & Innovation

Dubai World Trade Center

“Fırat Aktaş is a marketing communications professional with over 15 years of experience in implementing brand development plans, driving demand and success. He is the Marketing Director in Dubai World Trade Centre, exhibitions department and in charge of ICT cluster (Gitex Tech Week, Future Blockchain Summit, Ai Everything & Gitex Future Stars).
Prior to his current role at Dubai World Trade Centre, he led brand positioning and marketing campaigns in MENA region for Unilever, Kraft, Emirates Airlines, Nike, GMC, MBC network and FAB (First Abu Dhabi Bank)”

• Do you think that Information Technology(IT) is an essential component of a successful organization? Do you think IT is one of the most important elements for coordination and communication within the organization?

Similar to any large and/or international organization, your success relies on data, and how you capture, extract, analyze and activate data. This can vary from internal data (resource planning, processes, assessments etc.) to external data (customer data, target demographic information, market trends, competitor activity reports etc.) where IT department is the guardian and enabler. Any successful marketing professional should make IT his/her close ally and learn to analyze the data provided.

• You are in the department of Brand Innovation & Communication at Dubai World Trade Center. Can you tell us about how information technology affects organization design of Dubai World Trade Center and inter organizational relationships? Does it improve coordination and collaboration?

External data: Running technology exhibitions with approx. number of exhibitors of 4K+ from over 90 countries and visitor number of 80K+ from over 120 countries, there is no such budget to ensure traditional media campaign to communicate to this target group. Therefore data is the key decision base for any digital marketing campaign planning. 

• Does Dubai World Trade Center use a data warehousing to combine all of company’s data and allow users to access the data directly and create reports?

At DWTC, we have separate departments that works complimentary to each other; IT & CRM teams ensure process improvements, data processing and reporting that feeds required information to relevant departments ie. Marketing, logistics, sales and on-ground venues teams. Data access is centralized with CRM team and access levels are monitored by seniority and need.  

• Does Dubai World Trade Center use a business intelligence software for the analysis of the organization’s data in order to make better strategic decisions?

For internal data, DWTC uses a custom built ERP platform that is integrated with several capturing and monitoring softwares including internally developed Tejaari, SRM and Eloqua.

• How much money does Dubai World Trade Center spent on its business intelligence software?

It is difficult to share an exact figure, as well as it is fairly a confidential information, however approx. 15% to 17% each annual marketing budget for each cluster is kept for data improvement and software enhancements.

• Does this amount of money increase every year?

Percentages might increase depending on the requirements, ie. New launch vs extension. Budget revisions; increase or decrease, are directly related to market situation in general. No increase is planned within the current financial situation. 

• Does information technology helped Dubai World Trade Center for reducing the communication costs?

One of the main purposes of any process development or improvement is to cut costs. Platforms and software launches in DWTC significantly increased effectiveness within teams which is ultimately results in savings.

• Is there a management information system(MIS) that provides information and support for managerial decision making? How managers obtain data to support their day-to-day decision making? For example, what do you do while matching pricing with demand?

DWTC doesn’t have a single MIS platform reporting is provided by CRM team using analysis from multiple platforms. All key decisions are made with data support, depending on the details of the decision. As an example; all digital marketing campaigns are planned based on data; target audience behavior reports, competitive landscape analysis and geo-targeting requirements.

• You are the Marketing Director at Dubai World Trade Center. As a marketing director, what percent of your time do you spend actively exchanging information during work?

Apart from mundane work, team and resource planning, 30-40% of my team is focused on information analysis. All projects, proposals and improvements need to be backed by data/information therefore a continuous exchange is necessary between departments and external partners. 

• When was the last time you use the information technology system of your organization?

These platforms are used daily, whether it is proposal submissions internally or campaign monitoring externally.

•  Do you have any bad experience while using IT systems in your career?

I believe bad experiences are based on lack of personal relationships, not knowing what you are looking for or not having experience to use and benefit from data or these platforms. All these systems are beneficial only if you know how to benefit from them. 

• Is there any control system to determine whether your organizational performance meets established standards?

All departments, teams and projects have clear KPIs that are set prior to activation. Therefore alignment is needed to ensure success measures. These KPIs are reviewed using the same platforms and measurement tools to decide on positioning versus standards.

• As a marketing director, do you use information technology tools to control the actions and to monitor the performances of your subordinates?

ERP platform and internal processes monitor team’s actions, project and task status real time. This is essential for necessary adjustments. 

• Now, we are in the last month of the year. Did you check the performances of the workers? How and when do you announce your team about the results of your department’s activities? How do you evaluate your team’s performance?

At DWTC annual performance is monitored and evaluated by direct reports and this process is led by HR team, using Performance Management System developed by IT team. The evaluation is completed in November, results are shared with employee formally in January. 

•  Do your subordinates connect with each other by attending meetings and discussions out of the office? Can you please share with us one good and one bad experience about this kind of meetings?

DWTC organizes several training modules and programs that are a mixture of internal courses given by different departments to ensure expertise sharing and external partners like Google, LinkedIn, etc. 

I make sure I connect with my team regularly outside of the office environment to have a social gathering and discuss overall morale, future plans and expectations in general. There has not been an unpleasant occasion.  

•  Is there any executive dashboard that enables managers to see at a glance key control indicators about the metrics that managers consider about their department? 

There are 2 key dashboards that is used regularly by team leads. One is the monitoring of campaigns to able any necessary adjustments. Second is exhibition registration dashboard monitoring numbers geographically to see the international performance.

• Do you use one of the primary IT tools such as intranet, ERP (enterprise resource planning) or knowledge-management systems? Which IT tool your organization use for internal coordination? Do you find them useful for your organization’s coordination?

We use ERP and an internally developed Tejaari systems for internal coordination. These are key platforms that enables continuity and the organization will not survive without them.

• Do you use extranet for external communication system for strengthening relationships with customers, suppliers or partners? If you use it do you find this system useful? Can you share with us any experience about it?

External CRM projects are led by Eloqua and campaign performance monitoring platform developed specifically for exhibitions industry internally. Both are key data suppliers for any decision making. 

• Do you use the system CRM (Customer Relationship Management)? If you use it do you find this system useful? Does this system make your business more sustainable and profitable? Can you share with us any experience about it?

Yes. CRM team enables all necessary planning on off-months building up to the events to ensure communication is not cut and a constant relationship is maintained. 

Without this retention will decrease and it is the main reason for exhibitor & visitor number decrease that has negative impact on profitability.  

• In all over the world, information technology changed the organizational forms and design. What is your opinion about how information technology has changed the organizational form of Dubai World Trade Center? Can you give us some examples about the changes in the way your organization used to operate?

Internal organizational changes can be summed as effectiveness; time management and resource planning. External changes can be summed in real-time adjustment to maximize performance. 

Previously all projects and campaigns are planned and teams were keeping their fingers crossed. Now with constant data flow, you have the flexibility to adjust any spend to improve reach and success.

• Do you think the size of the IT system of Dubai World Trade Center is enough or is it better to establish a larger IT system?

IT systems are sufficient, actually there are few integration projects are active to minimize and multi-task existing platforms. Hence the fact that too many platforms and systems can actually negatively affect success. 

• Is information technology is giving birth to new organizations? How these organizations differ from the traditional organizations?

Information technology and productivity are two sides of a coin; any improvement in productivity can only be achieved by advancing IT systems. With budgets being monitored closely by management, proof of performance is key and only the organizations that are advanced on IT can survive. I don’t see that there are any traditional organizational that are still successful at this era. 

•  Do you think there are possible future trends in IT innovation?

Innovation in IT is directly linked to global economy and necessity. One of the reasons that makes IT a key asset is its speed in reacting to vital requirements. There is no end to improvement and I believe IT will lead on productivity enhancement in any organization that is visionary. 

With improved connectivity and borderless structures, I believe there will be no ‘local’ organizations in the future as improvement in IT is reshaping the globe to a single market.