Qatar’s Doha International Airport is currently being expanded to add many new facilities. Under construction at the airport is Qatar Airways’ first and business class terminal. Another first for the national carrier is the exclusive building that will feature innovative facilities to provide its passengers with the “best levels” of comfort and hospitality prior to catching their flight. “This is part of the $200 million expansion plan at the airport,” Ahmed M. Al-Idrissi, Qatar Airways’ Jeddah-based area manager for the Western Province told a press conference at Le Jeddah Meridien on Tuesday, on the sidelines of a workshop attended by its top agents. Claiming a 65 increase in the number of Saudi families traveling this vacation season on the carrier, Al-Idrissi said: “China has become a new hot spot for Saudi vacationers. Their other favorite destinations continue to be Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, South Africa and Europe,” he added. The airline will introduce its flights to North America, Washington to begin with, before 2006-end and launch e-ticketing in 2007. The airline, with a fleet of 43 aircraft, now operates to 70 destinations worldwide.
SIGMAC/JOFFREY’S
Saudi Investment Group & Marketing Company Ltd. (SIGMAC) and Joffrey’s Tea & Coffee Company signed an agreement in Jeddah on Tuesday night. The accord follows the opening of Joffrey’s Lounge at SIGMAC’s state-of-the-art Millennium Center located on Tahlia Street. “Built in accordance with the latest architectural trends, the Millennium Center has a unique design and features the highest global safety standards,” SIGMAC’s General Manager Adnan Ghazzawi told a press conference. “We’ve established strong presence in the Kingdom and the region and become a leader in tea and coffee making,” Joffrey’s Middle East General Manager Bassam Badra said.
SWAROVSKI
Known in Saudi Arabia for its exquisite miniature crystal animals and models of buildings, Swarovski, a manufacturer of fine quality crystal, this year celebrates its 111th anniversary. Founded in 1895 by Daniel Swarovski, the Austrian family company based in Wattens in the Tyrol is today the world’s major brand of cut crystal. Swarovski Crystal is the presenting sponsor of the Costume Designers Guild Awards, which are given for costume design excellence in seven categories for films, TV and commercials.
DE BEERS
As part of De Beers’ ongoing commitment to maintaining best practice in mining and distributing rough diamonds, De Beers has this month celebrated 36 years of partnership with the government of Botswana. A suite of agreements has been signed to cement one of the most important partnerships in the global diamond industry. At a historic signing ceremony, with the presence of His Excellency the President of the Republic of Botswana, De Beers Chairman Nicky Oppenheimer signed agreements giving effect to the renewal of the mining license for Jwaneng mine, the globe’s most prosperous diamond mine. This license will run for the next 25 years. Also signed was an agreement covering the sale of Debswana’s production to the Diamond Trading Company (DTC) for a further five years.
SABIC
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation’s (SABIC) second annual global human resource conference ended in Riyadh yesterday. Themed “Meeting the global challenge for talent,” the conference was attended by the company’s senior executive team, human resource professionals from its corporate HR department and all of its global operations in Europe, the United States, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East. “Many businesses and management experts believe that global competition for the right talent will intensify in the next decade. Indeed, some experts are calling this competition the “War of Talent” between global companies,” Mohammad Al-Bathi, SABIC vice president for corporate human resources, said, adding that the success of any global company will depend on motivating talents.
DSS/DAR Al Hekma College
On the last leg of its recent GCC-wide road show, the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) delegation launched a pioneering internship program in Riyadh offering the best and brightest marketing and business administration students from the Kingdom an opportunity to be part of the DSS apprenticeship program and a chance to work for the annual summer fiesta. DSS has chosen Dar Al Hekma College to participate in the program by nominating six of its best marketing students. The program provides the selected students opportunities for training and exposure in marketing and events management through an internship at the DSS. “For the first time, we’ll be asking the region’s top marketing students to work with us during this year’s DSS,” DSS Executive Project Director Laila Suhail said.
AMIANTIT
The Western Region Marketing Department of Saudi Arabian Amiantit Company has secured orders worth more than SR97 million to supply glass reinforced polyester (GRP) pipes and accessories for infrastructure facilities that include Phase 3 of the Shoaibah Power Plant and Saline Water Conversion Cooperation. Contractor for the Shoaibah project is Doosan Heavy Industry & Construction Company Ltd. and Amiantit’s order amounts to SR75.703 million. The balance is made up by two important orders from the Ministry of Water & Electricity consisting of GRP pipes systems for subsidiary sewer networks in mid north Jeddah worth SR2.65 million and mid south Jeddah worth SR18.91 million. “Amiantit is having a promising year,” said Amiantit CEO & President Fareed Al-Khalawi.