Today marks the official launch of the APH Insights Platform, our comprehensive intelligence hub for business leaders navigating AI transformation, digital innovation, and strategic change across the Middle East and North Africa. The platform consolidates research, analysis, case studies, and practical frameworks developed through our advisory work with organizations across financial services, government, healthcare, retail, and technology sectors. Content is organized by topic, industry, and use case for easy navigation and discovery. Key features include our Social Hub for real-time updates and quick insights, the Articles section for in-depth analysis and thought leadership, Reports for comprehensive research findings, and Media for video content and podcast episodes. All content is optimized for mobile access, recognizing how executives consume information. The platform introduces advanced search and filtering capabilities, allowing users to find relevant insights by industry vertical, business function, technology domain, or implementation stage. Saved search preferences and personalized content recommendations help busy leaders stay informed without information overload. Security and privacy considerations informed every aspect of platform design. We employ enterprise-grade encryption, secure authentication, and compliance with regional data protection requirements. Subscriber information remains confidential and is never shared with third parties. Content updates daily, with new research published weekly and breaking developments shared through the Social Hub as they emerge. Subscribers receive curated digests matching their preferences, ensuring they see the insights most relevant to their context without daily inbox clutter. The platform is accessible to APH Executive members, AI Excellence Hub subscribers, and LEC members. Trial access is available for organizations considering membership. Explore the platform today and experience how structured intelligence delivery supports better strategic decision-making.

We're thrilled to announce the integration of Ladies Entrepreneurship Club (LEC) membership with AI Excellence Hub access, creating a unified platform for professional development across leadership and technology domains. LEC members now receive automatic access to all AI Excellence Hub content, including workshops, masterclasses, research reports, and the AI tools library. This integration recognizes that modern business leadership requires both strategic vision and technological fluency. The combined offering provides unprecedented value: LEC's focus on executive leadership, networking, and business strategy complements AI Excellence Hub's technical workshops, implementation guides, and AI-specific resources. Members can now navigate their professional development journey across both platforms with a single subscription. Existing LEC members will see AI Excellence content appear in their dashboard immediately. New members joining either program receive access to both, with content recommendations personalized based on their role, industry, and interests. This integration stems from member feedback requesting more technology-focused content within LEC programming. Rather than duplicate resources, we're leveraging our AI Excellence Hub expertise to provide LEC members with best-in-class AI education alongside traditional business leadership content. The unified platform includes synchronized event calendars, cross-program networking opportunities, and integrated learning paths that combine leadership development with AI capability building. Members can track progress across both domains through a single dashboard. Current LEC members should log in to explore their new AI Excellence Hub access. Questions about the integration can be directed to our member services team who will ensure a smooth transition to the combined platform experience.

The APH Research team has launched the MENA AI Readiness Survey 2026, our most comprehensive assessment yet of artificial intelligence adoption, challenges, and opportunities across the Middle East and North Africa region. This annual survey benchmarks AI maturity across industries, company sizes, and geographic markets. We're seeking input from C-suite executives, technology leaders, and AI practitioners to understand current implementation status, investment priorities, and barriers to adoption. The survey covers critical dimensions including data infrastructure readiness, talent availability, regulatory environment, use case identification, and ROI measurement. We've refined our methodology based on three years of regional research to ensure findings reflect the unique context of MENA markets. Participating organizations receive exclusive early access to the full research findings, including detailed benchmarking data for their industry and market. The aggregate results will inform policy recommendations, investment decisions, and strategic planning across the region. Survey responses are completely confidential and anonymized in all published reports. The questionnaire takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete and can be saved and resumed if needed. Past survey findings have influenced government AI strategies, shaped corporate investment decisions, and identified critical skill gaps for educational institutions to address. Your participation helps build a comprehensive picture of AI readiness across MENA. The survey closes on March 15, 2026. Complete results will be published in our Q2 2026 Regional AI Report. Take the survey now to contribute your organization's perspective and receive the benchmarking insights.

We're excited to announce the launch of the APH Podcast series, "AI Excellence Conversations" – a new platform for deep-dive discussions with leaders who are shaping the future of artificial intelligence across the Middle East and North Africa. This podcast series brings together CEOs, technology executives, government officials, and academic researchers to share insights on AI implementation, strategy, and transformation. Each episode explores the real challenges and opportunities organizations face as they navigate AI adoption in the region. Our first season features conversations with leaders from financial services, healthcare, government, and technology sectors. We discuss practical AI applications, lessons learned from implementation, and strategic frameworks for successful AI integration. The series is designed for executives who want actionable insights beyond the hype. Episodes release bi-weekly and are available on all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Each conversation runs 30-45 minutes, perfect for your commute or focused listening time. The podcast complements our existing research, reports, and advisory services by providing a more conversational format for exploring complex AI topics. We believe the human stories behind AI transformation are as important as the technical details. Subscribe now to join the conversation and stay ahead of AI developments shaping business in MENA. Visit our podcast page to access episodes, show notes, and additional resources mentioned in each conversation.

APH founder Tonisha Tagoe was featured in the Elementor Community spotlight this month, discussing the intersection of design, technology, and business strategy in building digital platforms for professional communities. The feature explores Tonisha's journey from corporate executive to entrepreneur, founding Apples & Pears Holdings and growing it into a multi-platform organization serving thousands of professionals across the Middle East and North Africa. The article examines how thoughtful web design and user experience directly impact business outcomes. Tonisha shared insights on building the Ladies Entrepreneurship Club platform, AI Excellence Hub, and the APH corporate website using Elementor Pro. The discussion covered design philosophy, conversion optimization, and creating seamless user experiences that serve both business objectives and member needs. Key themes from the feature include the importance of mobile-first design in MENA markets, balancing aesthetic appeal with functional clarity, and using design systems to maintain consistency across multiple brands under the APH umbrella. The article also highlights APH's approach to integrating advanced functionality – including member management, event systems, and content delivery – while maintaining design coherence and performance. Tonisha emphasized that good design isn't decoration; it's strategic infrastructure that enables business growth. Elementor's community features serve designers, developers, and business leaders building WordPress-based platforms. The platform has over 15 million users globally and showcases innovative implementations through its community spotlight series. Read the full feature on the Elementor Community website, where Tonisha discusses specific design decisions, technical implementations, and lessons learned building platforms that serve professional audiences across diverse markets and use cases.