The recent financial crisis to hit Dubai has seen not only the state-owned flagship company Dubai World delaying payment of $26 billion debts, but also a global upset on the financial markets. Like the rest of the world they have been hit hard by the downturn.  However, there is increasing evidence that Gulf-based organisations are adopting best practice models in outsourcing and offshoring to address the problem and position themselves well for recovery.  For a market now vying to find cost reduction and capital release, outsourcing is sure to be a more attractive option than ever. In this month’s lead article, Rick Simmonds explores the signs of change in the middle east that suggest both ITO and BPO will be making their way up the corporate agenda. Read more