• Company looks back at 2020 milestones and outlines its strategy for this year, at its first virtual annual employee Kick-off event.

The event presented a platform for Canon to recap the challenges and opportunities of the past year as well as discuss strategies for 2021. It focused on key milestones from 2020 despite a challenging year, the journey ahead, and Canon’s plans in the region, while also showcasing the role of various teams in the company’s accomplishments.

Anurag Agrawal, Managing Director of Canon Middle East, said: “Last year, Canon Middle East faced unexpected challenges. But we hurdled each challenge with more resolve to offer the best solutions, which would support our customers in today’s “new normal” and ways of working. This year’s kick-off event also allowed us to share our plans to sustain our market leadership through our new and existing offerings and gave management a venue to outline our milestones.”

During the event, Canon highlighted how despite the pandemic, the company launched 53 key and game-changing products in the business and consumer categories across the Middle East, coupled with expansion plans and strategic partnerships announcements in Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, and the UAE.  Canon strongly believes that complete cloud workspace solutions for companies looking to build robust and effective remote-working set-up is key to the success of its products. As part of this belief, the company has been able to add a lot to its business offerings with the launch of customized products for small, medium, and large enterprises this year.

Additionally, the company introduced new innovations in the consumer category, as it sees tremendous growth in social media and creative content creation such as vlogging which in turn increases demand for its range of consumer-focused products. To enable effective storytelling, Canon has launched its range of camera products and home printing solutions which meet the needs of today’s netizen communicators and homeschooling children alike – from printers to toners, and photo papers.

Adopting a solid business mind frame, Canon Middle East projects strong results in 2021 by ensuring a sustainable future in the region with innovative insights and solutions that help achieve new heights, in a new world.

“Our determination to ensure business continuity during the pandemic, coupled with a commitment to reimagining our business, has allowed us to adapt to new ways of working, to best serve our customers. We are confident that with the new strategic partnerships and the expertise to cater to emerging trends like WFH, we are well equipped to not only meet, but also exceed customer expectations" continued Agrawal.

In 2020, Canon launched several projects to promote creativity and local culture considering the new reality. These included the first-of-its-kind AKTASHIF programme, for the region’s future storytellers and content creators to discover their passion and to develop the skillsets and ignite creativity among GCC youth.

Other initiatives were the ‘Stories of Arabia’ photo challenge and the digital ‘Hakawaty’ platform for Arabic storytelling to inspire and entertain children. The company also granted a full scholarship to a student from Mohammed Al-Mana College for Medical Sciences in Saudi Arabia to help promote education in the healthcare sector and the advancement of women’s welfare.

Canon, which has been chosen to provide Expo 2020’s imaging and printing needs, concluded the event with an awards ceremony held to recognize the hard work and commitment of its employees during the past year, in line with its ‘Together We Can’ strategy for 2020. Employees, along with customers and the community, will continue to be at the core of all company activities, and their role will be reinforced as part of Canon’s workplace culture.