National Commercial Bank Chairman and Managing Director Abdullah Bahamdan received the Arab Banker of the year 2004 award at a celebration for the annual award during the 2005 International Arab Banking Summit (IABS) titled “Europe Arab Economic Dialogue” held in Frankfurt recently. Many Arab ministers of finance and economy and Arab and foreign central bank governors and German ministers and dignitaries were among those present. Dr. Fuad Shaker, secretary general of the Union of Arab Banks said Bahamdan was chosen for the award by the Arab Banking Union Administrative Committee at its meeting in the UAE on April 3. He said the summit honored Bahamdan for his role as an economist and banker in general and for his continuous efforts supporting and strengthening the Arab banking industry, as well as his long experience in the Arab industry. “The award in the banking field is granted to the executive who succeeds in facing the economic challenges confronting the establishment,” he added.
KAAU
King Abdul Aziz University’s Facilities Maintenance Director Farhan ibn Khalid Al-Bulaihed received the Al-Hariri Operation & Maintenance award at the 4th annual international conference on operation and maintenance from the Lebanon-based Arabic Institute for Operation and Maintenance, in Beirut recently. He is described as the “first pioneer” recipient of the award. Al-Bulaihed heads a staff of more than 90 engineers of all disciplines. He is managing the 850-hectare campus of 20 colleges and health science facilities at the KAAU campus, health and science complex, university housing and sports complex since 1986. He holds a master’s degree in construction management from the Heroit-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland. He has contributed to the successful practices in facilities operation and maintenance at KAAU. His experiences and applications of building standards and automation systems have resulted in improving the performance of construction and maintenance contractors who are developing the KAAU campus.
Zahid Tractor/Volvo
Zahid Tractor launches the New Volvo XC90 V8 with Volvo’s production of the brand’s V8 engine of 315 horsepower in KSA. Volvo XC90 with V8 power under the bonnet not only puts added performance on the tarmac - it also sharpens Volvo’s competitive edge in the tough SUV segment. “Buyers often base their choices on emotional arguments such as driving pleasure, power or even engine sound, said Samir Shubaily, director of Zahid Tractor Automotive Division. “We at Volvo understood these factors and designed the new V8 engine to be the most compact efficient without compromising on the distinctive V8 growl. The noise from the exhaust is carefully tuned, but when the accelerator is applied, the unit’s high performance is signaled by a sophisticated growl. It’s a perfect combination of comfort and power,” he added. With a 315 horsepower and a speed of 0 to 60 MPH in less than 7 seconds, the V8 engine has been designed to accelerate the driver’s heartbeat. It maintains an overall compactness at the same time offering the option of 7 seats.
Al Arabiya
Starting July 2, the independent Dubai-based Al Arabiya news channel began airing a two-hour comprehensive morning news show encompassing political, social and cultural news as well as sports, weather, and business updates with early trading in Arab stocks. “Sabah Al Arabiya” brings viewers up to speed with the morning’s news via live updates from reporters and guests in the studio and in the field. The program is broadcasted five times a week from Saturday to Wednesday and includes a daily press review segment, weather update and, occasionally, an IT segment and a book review segment. During the launch phase, the program is presented by two of its main broadcasters, Mada Suyyagh and Mohammed Abu Ubeid. They are closely involved in their stories by applying for a marriage license in one of the marriage offices in Saudi Arabia, living in an overcrowded house in India, having their fortune told in Morocco and taking a blood test in Dubai to determine if their blood type and personality traits are connected.
LG
LG Electronics, the global technology leader and pioneer in mobile technology, swept through Europe’s WCDMA mobile phone markets by selling one million units in the first quarter of this year. LG is the world’s best selling WCDMA vendor with a global market share of 25.5 per cent, the Korean electronics giant said quoting market research agency International Data Corporation (IDC). An estimated 8.1 million units were sold in Europe, the world’s largest WCDMA market, last year. Strong sales are expected this year as well and LG predicts sales of around 22 million WCDMA units in Europe. Globally, LG supplied four million WDCMA units in 2004 and estimates global market size to reach 50 million units this year. “LG has the technical expertise to drive mobile technology to unprecedented levels. Our commitment to enabling mobile entertainment will drive our business strategy and growth in the mobile phone segment this year. Our application of multimedia technologies and close partnerships with mobile operators is responsible for our success,” said K. H. Kim, president, LG Electronics, MEA Operations.
Siemens
Siemens’ new CX75 mobile phone comes in a sleek, metallic case and offers exciting 3D games combined with Bluetooth transforming the phone into a multiplayer gaming experience. It takes snapshots and even shoots short video films. This multimedia phone has a built-in 1.3 megapixel digital camera. To create lasting memories, photos can be uploaded to the Internet directly from on the road or printed on paper. It has the built-in Bluetooth interface that is simple. With its metallic looks, the phone is a “real eye-catcher.” The bright display with its extraordinarily rich range of 262,000 colors is a feast for the eyes. Polyphonic ringtones and music in MP3 and AAC(+) format are also a joy for the ears.