Esri Launches Middle East and Africa Utility User Group

REDLANDS, California, April 19, 2011 - Utility companies in the Middle East and Africa now have a local source
for sharing ideas, success stories, and information about Esri technology.
The first Middle East and Africa Utility User Group held its inaugural
meeting March 15-16, 2011, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event was
hosted by Esri along with Esri partners GISTEC and Khatib & Alami.

The community of utility professionals formed to discuss the best ways to
meet daily challenges and learn how geographic information system (GIS)
applications support asset management, design, regulatory requirements and
compliance, mobile solutions, network safety, and reliability.

"The Middle East and Africa Utility User Group will become a valuable
resource for the many Esri utility users in these regions," said Atif
Karrani, GIS director for Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority, UAE.

Karrani was elected president of the group. Majid Hussain Mohd, deputy
senior manager from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, UAE, was elected
vice president.

"Our goal is to ensure that members build a strong community to provide
consolidated feedback to Esri and its partners on solution offerings," Mohd
said.

Utility companies managing electricity, gas, water, wastewater, storm
water, and district heating networks in the Middle East and Africa are
encouraged to join the group today by sending an e-mail to
meauug_external@esri.com.

About Esri

Since 1969, Esri has been giving customers around the world the power to
think and plan geographically. The market leader in GIS technology, Esri
software is used in more than 300,000 organizations worldwide including each
of the 200 largest cities in the United States, most national governments,
more than two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies, and more than 7,000 colleges
and universities. Esri applications, running on more than one million
desktops and thousands of web and enterprise servers, provide the backbone
for the world's mapping and spatial analysis. Esri is the only vendor that
provides complete technical solutions for desktop, mobile, server, and
Internet platforms. Visit us at www.esri.com/news.

Esri, the Esri globe logo, GIS by Esri, www.esri.com, and
@esri.com are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of Esri in
the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions.
Other companies and products mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective trademark owners.

Jessica Wyland of Esri, +1-909-793-2853, ext. 1-3345, press at esri.com