Saudia Catering has received the HACCP certification from the Swiss company Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS), a world leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. The HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is an international standard developed by the American FDA defining the requirements of a safe food management system. Saudi Arabian Airlines Director General Dr. Khalid Bin Bakr, received the certification from HACCP President Brian Hunt at a ceremony held on Tuesday. Saudia Catering is the first company in the Middle East to receive three international certifications, the ISO 9000-2000 in 2003, the SQF (Safety and Quality Food) in 2004 and now the HACCP. It acquired the HACCP certificate not only for the Jeddah Catering unit, but also for the other Saudia catering units in Riyadh, Dammam, Madinah and Cairo. The HACCP system helps organizations focus on the hazards that affect food safety and hygiene, and the systematic identification, setting and implementation of critical control limits at critical control points during the food production process. HACCP system has a clear advantage over other systems in that the staff themselves are monitoring, managing and documenting each critical point. Receiving the HACCP certification is a continuation of Saudia Catering efforts of implementing the highest standards of health and safety food production at all its units as part of its services to its customers aboard its flights and 55 other aviation companies, Shawgi Mushtag, VP-catering at Saudia, said.
SABB
The Saudi British Bank (SABB) hosted a round table discussion recently with a high level delegation of Singaporean financial executives. They also visited the local share dealing room in Riyadh Super Branch followed by a business lunch. The meeting was intended to provide the Singaporean delegation with an overview of the dynamics of the Saudi market and identify opportunities for two-way trade and Investment. John Richards, executive director and COO at SABB along with a group of 10 executives from the corporate, investment and treasury departments, were present at the meeting to answer questions from the visiting delegation and follow up on any subsequent business opportunities. “This is a good opportunity to promote trade between the business communities of the two countries.” SABB has an unparalleled competitive advantage in handling trade between Saudi Arabia and countries in Asia through the substantial Asian network of its foreign shareholder HSBC,” Richards said.
MEED
Richard Baker, publisher of MEED magazine (Middle East Economic Digest) and MEED projects, has been named “Rising Star of 2005” by the influential UK-based publication Management. Baker heads offices in Dubai and London for the Emap weekly magazine and online business opportunity tracker.