The Image Works FZ LLC

The Image Works FZ LLC (TIW), a Dubai - based web design & development company, offers internet media solutions. Web design, e-solutions, CD-ROM production, e-business, QTVR, virtual reality, e-commerce are the services offered by the company. The company was founded by British entrepreneur Kevin Draper in 1996 and has its core business in the design and build of exhibition stands and promotional services.

Background - The new media business

In early 2002, in response to client requests for an expanded service that included New Media services, the Image Works evolved its embryo I.T. division by taking office space at the prestigious Dubai Media City. This division became known as 'New Media Solutions'.

I.T. work was directed internally from The Image Works to the new division. Towards the end of the first year it became clear that the NMS would be capable of attracting a much wider client-base if it adopted its own pro-active approach to marketing.

In early 2003, after a full appraisal, the management further evolved the separate New Media Division by providing a separate entity with the intention that, whilst retaining the established name ‘The Image Works’, it would become self funding, building its own client base through its own marketing strategies.

The now independent ‘NMS’ division of The Image Works FZ LLC received a £100k cash injection thus laying the foundations for achieving the next level of expansion.

Adopting a ‘Total Media Solutions’ philosophy on the basis that one can easily buy in temporary expertise on an as-required basis, the company undertook I.T. projects ranging from web design, database creation and management, hosting consultancy, secure online service solutions through to the creation of CD-ROMs.

Decision to sell

The Image Works (NMS) has become a ‘notable’ player in this young, yet fast developing market and its name is registered on the tender lists of many international and regional organizations.

In a process to further refine the early 2003 corporate remodeling initiative, the parent company has decided to sell The Image Works (NMS division) as a self-contained business.

The reasons behind this are twofold:

• The fast developing market in the region demands ever-increasing levels of creative and technical ability. Whilst the NMS employees comprehend these demands, the owners’ knowledge base, by their own admission, is restricted to the promotions and exhibition field. They take the opinion that it is more productive to work in the area where one possesses core expertise. Running a serious business requires serious focus and specialist skills. New Media Solutions has now outgrown the core competencies and, as a consequence, growth is being held back.

• What started out as a department to fulfill existing clients’ new media requests had quickly evolved into a self sustaining business in its own right. With the management’s focus split between these two separate entities, neither division reached full growth potential. By selling NMS division, 100% focus on the core business was restored.

Thus, The Image Works FZ LLC was bought by Meenal Raipancholia and Jayesh Ghaghada in December 2005.

External links

* [http://www.tiw.ae The Image Works FZ LLC]