--- title: Infomineo - Consulting Newsletter Dec --- | Newsworthy articles with a focus on Europe, Middle East & Africa | | --- | | View in browser  Subscribe / See the Full Archive Consulting Newsletter       December 2020 Newsworthy articles with a focus on Europe, Middle East & Africa Partnerships   Beirut brings in German consultants for harbour redevelopment   Lebanon has called on two German consultancies – Roland Berger and Hamburg Port Consulting – to lead redevelopment efforts for the Port of Beirut, after a devastating explosion destroyed the harbour back in August.  PwC helps Saudi government with water privatisation initiative      PwC has helped the Saudi government create a privatised and digitalised water transmission entity – WTTCO – in a move that is aligned with goals in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.  Almarai working with McKinsey and SAP on digital transformation   Saudi Arabian dairy company Almarai has embarked on the next phase of its digital transformation strategy, working together with consultants and technologists from McKinsey & Company and SAP on driving its realisation. Consulting Studies and Reports   Dark kitchens take centre stage in UAE's food services market     A new RedSeer Consulting report explains how the UAE’s ‘dark kitchens’ mark a singular bright spot in a restaurant industry that has been hit hard by Covid-19. Most KSA and UAE consumers will spend during Black Friday   Over three quarters of consumers in Saudi Arabia and the UAE is planning to buy something this weekend, when the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping craze unfolds. Digital can power ahead Qatar's renewable energy vision   Qatar is set for an accelerated shift to renewable energy, according to a new study by Roland Berger, which in turn will have a “dramatic and lasting impact” on Qatar's energy system. Eight technology trends that will disrupt the banking industry    Technology is rapidly transforming the way how banks operate and how they serve their customers and becoming a key enabler of competitive edge. How the region's payments market could fare in the next decade    The speed of economic recovery in the next few years will be crucial for the payments market in GCC and around the world, marking the difference between expansion or contraction by 2024. A new Boston Consulting Group report presents the numbers on this topic for different regions across the world. Working capital deteriorates as corporates tighten their belts   Against a backdrop of uncertainty and economic hardship, the working capital performance of businesses in the Middle East has waned strongly over the past six months. A study by the Middle East wing of PwC has found that in the first half of 2020, the average working capital performance deteriorated to 156.7 days. Executives in oil & gas are gearing up tech and talent investments   Under siege from all directions, the global oil & gas industry is turning to technology for answers. A new EY report presents the state of tech in the industry. . The next steps for Saudi Arabia's sovereign Public Investment Fund   The Public Investment Fund (PIF) was established in 1971 as the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An article by Neal Beevers and James Hewitt, a Partner and Director at Deloitte in the Middle East delves deep into the impact and next steps for the Investment Fund. HR needs to step up its digital transformation efforts   As Covid-19 pushes the value-adding potential of human resources (HR) into the spotlight, businesses in the Middle East are scrambling to catch up their digital HR capacity. In a new report, PwC and SAP outline some of these efforts. Stockholm and Amsterdam lead future of mobility index   Stockholm tops all global cities on Deloitte’s latest City Mobility Index, which uses several criteria to evaluate the future-readiness of urban mobility systems. Amsterdam ranked third on the global index, followed by London and Barcelona. International travel to come back strong after Covid-19   Travelling is back on the cards for a growing share of consumers, although most would do so for pleasure rather than business. Other   Top US consultancy withdraws from 'crucial' central bank work in Lebanon    Alvarez & Marsal has exited its role as consultant to Lebanon’s central bank, after a sustained standoff saw the financial institution withhold data citing bank secrecy. McKinsey’s edad program welcomes 100 young Arab females     Celebrating the 10th anniversary of its edad program in the Middle East, McKinsey & Company recently hosted a special edition exclusively for young female professionals.  BCG Jeel Tamooh virtually connects Saudi students with employers     Boston Consulting Group’s (BCG) young talent development programme in the Middle East – Jeel Tamooh – usually culminates in a career fair that connects youngsters with employers and experts. This year, the event was held virtually for safety reasons.   New report: How the Fortune 200 companies are covering the world?   Using the 2019 Global Fortune 500 ranking, this review sheds light on where the top 200 major industry players are choosing to set up a decision-making center globally, investigating the key drivers influencing the selection of their Regional Headquarters location.   INFOMINEO, Value added business research, Casablanca - Barcelona - Cairo -, Dubai, UAE Unsubscribe Manage preferences Infomineo is a data and research outsourcing company, dedicated to supporting global companies in getting access to information that power their business decisions. Infomineo provides a quick access to market data on key questions such as: market and product prioritization, partner identification, commercial due diligence, route to market, supply chain mapping and competitive analysis among others. 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