National Technology Group (NTG), a multi-national Internet services provider, senior executive Rashid Al-Ballaa was named “IT Man of the Year” during the Pan Arab Web Awards held recently at the Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.

Al-Ballaa was recognized for his leadership as CEO of National Net Ventures (N2Ventures), the company that handles Internet-related operations under NTG, including NetAdvantage, OneCard, Jeel ISP, Egypt development centre, direct distribution and hawaaworld.com.

Al-Ballaa was also commended for his active involvement in the acquisition, restructuring and establishment of several websites and e-businesses through the Venture Capital arm of N2Ventures.

“I am thankful for this recognition, and I think that the real growth and development of the internet in the Arab world is just starting,” said Al-Ballaa.

“The internet penetration is increasing and Saudi Arabia’s more than six million internet users for example, are becoming increasingly sophisticated and demanding, this is why N2Ventures is planning several initiatives that will further grow and support existing online services as well as new entrepreneurial activities in the region,” he added.

“I would also like to express my appreciation for our corporate team as well, for their commitment to N2Venture’s mission to expedite the growth of internet in the Arab world.”

Al-Ballaa has been overseeing NTG’s business development team for the past eight years. Since joining NTG, he has been leading the group’s internet initiatives, and has recently been managing the Gulf-wide business development and Asian-North African expansion of Mubasher Trade, the region’s first online trading engine.

He was in charge of establishing and managing direct broker for financial services, the UAE’s first straight-through-processing e-brokerage company and currently one of the top three brokers in the country. – TradeArabia News Service