DE BEERS

De Beers announced in Dubai on Monday sales of $3.25 billion in its six-month interim results, the second highest on record, despite difficult trading conditions in the rough diamond market. This was in the context of a reported overall growth in consumer demand for diamond jewelry of 3-4 percent on the record levels of 2005. Expectations remain positive for diamond sales in the second half of the year, with the growth forecast in the region of 5-7 for the whole year. At the results presentation, De Beers Chairman Nicky Oppenheimer reiterated the importance of diamonds to the economies of Africa’s major producer countries. “At a time when issues of African trade and aid are in the news, let’s not forget that diamonds have made a major contribution to countries in southern Africa,” he said.

CENTIGON

Centigon, the mobile security division of Armor Holdings and the world’s major commercial vehicle armoring company, has announced the release of a new 6,800 kg GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) Enhanced Capacity Vehicle (ECV) that will allow for greatly enhanced armoring along with enhanced performance and handling. The increasing level of threats in regions such as the Middle-East and Iraq have created a demand for an enhanced chassis package that can accommodate increased levels of armor. With this in mind Centigon’s unique ECV was designed to offer an unprecedented level of safety combined with new industry standards in improved handling, reliability, durability, comfort and life span in commercial armored vehicles, said Centigon President Gary Allen.

BUPA MIDDLE EAST

The new regulations by the Council of Cooperative Health Insurance represent only one of the Kingdom’s latest steps toward reforming the insurance market to one that is professionally managed and well regulated, according to Loay Hisham Nazer, chairman of BUPA Middle East, one of leading and largest international private cooperative health insurance companies. Under the new ruling, cooperative health insurance is now compulsory for companies having more than 500 expatriate employees in the country. The law aims to regulate Saudi health insurance and the provision consolidates health care for Saudi and non-Saudi residents in the Kingdom to ease the financial burden on the government, which offers free medical services to some 22 million people, including about seven million foreigners, he said expressing BUPA Middle East’s readiness to offer cooperative health insurance policies that meet the requirements of the new law.

UNILEVER

Youth and vitality characterize the three new additions to Unilever’s “Close Up” brand of oral hygiene products. Building on its leadership in toothpaste freshness in the GCC region, Close Up launches the three exciting new flavors — Choco Loco, Tangerine and Lychee — in a marketing and promotional style campaign titled “The Big Vote” where consumers are asked for the first time in the GCC to vote for new products. “The campaign engages with our target audience of 13 to 25 year-olds and giving them an opportunity to have real input on the decision of which new taste they want to see on the market, as the first kind of approach in the tooth paste market,” said Ahmad Osilan, Close Up brand manager for the GCC. “Dare to Try” is the slogan of the new campaign, which is divided into three stages, invite, excite and amplify.

ABG

AlBaraka Banking Group (ABG), a Bahrain-based Islamic banking group, has announced the successful conclusion of its private placement and IPO and allocation of shares to new subscribers and investors, thus affirming its intention to go ahead with the expansion strategies that was one of the main objectives for raising funds in the IPO. ABG Chairman Saleh Abdulla Kamel said that, following the successful completion of the private placement and IPO, ABG was now preparing to implement the third phase of its long-term strategy, which is to expand its operations in regional, Arab and international markets, through opening new branches to add to the existing network of 200 branches. ABG intends to hold a general meeting during August to discuss various strategic issues including expansion of the board of directors, said Adnan Ahmed Yousif, member of the board and CEO of ABG.

MIRINDA

Mirinda has launched a limited edition special fruit flavor. “Mirinda Superman Punch encapsulates a sense of excitement and thrill that delves into the imaginative world of superheroes,” said Ahmed Abdel-Karim, marketing manager at PepsiCo International. “In keeping with Mirinda’s innovative and fun-time image, the new limited edition beverage provides consumers with a unique enjoyable flavor experience that depicts the true essence of our brand.” Launched on the heels of the latest and highly anticipated release of the Warner Bros. Pictures epic, Superman Returns, Mirinda Superman Punch provides an excitingly refreshing drink in the stifling summer heat. In a partnership between PepsiCo International and Warner Bros. Pictures, the special Mirinda fruit punch flavor has been introduced in the GCC.

AVIS

AVIS Saudi Arabia recently inaugurated its regional office in the Eastern Province as part of its Kingdomwide expansion plan. Sulaiman Al-Saleh, Arabian Hala Company chairman and AVIS Saudi Arabia GM, said AVIS had become one of the five biggest trademarks in the world. AVIS has taken a series of measures in the Eastern Province including the expansion of its car fleet and promoting customer service development campaigns. Al-Saleh said the Saudis constituted 30 percent of the company’s trained staff. AVIS Saudi Arabia has more than 30 branches in Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar, and recently received the best car rent company in the Middle East from Al Musafer magazine.

WGC

The World Gold Council (WGC), the marketing organization funded by the world’s leading gold mining companies, has announced that Agnico-Eagle Mines, Cambior, Coeur D’Alene Mines, Eldorado Gold Corporation, Goldcorp, IAM Gold and Kinross have joined the WGC, which now represents 24 companies and around 38 percent of total world gold production. The new members represent an increase of 17 percent in production terms for the WGC and around five percent of total world gold production. This announcement will benefit the entire gold industry, with increased funding available to the WGC to develop and implement its gold marketing programs internationally, said Moaz Barakat, WGC’s MD for the Middle East, Turkey and Pakistan.”

I2/STC

i2, the region’s “largest and most diverse” mobile phone provider have partnered with Saudi Telecom Co. (STC) to launch the first hassle-free sim retrieval program for Al Jawal subscribers traveling throughout the Middle East and North Africa. “With the new program, Al-Jawal subscribers traveling within the region can replace lost or stolen cards immediately by simply visiting any i2 store in the GCC, Levant, and North Africa,” Jameel Molhem, GM, marketing, Al Jawal, said. Al Jawal subscribers started enjoying the new and exclusive service from yesterday. This service underlines i2’s regional strength and reach in addition to its ongoing commitment toward its customers in Saudi Arabia. Al Jawal has about 11 million mobile subscribers.

KAAU/SNAS/DHL

In an effort to facilitate the admission process for its distance-learning program, King Abdul Aziz University (KAAU) in Jeddah has partnered with SNAS/DHL to utilize its logistics expertise on handling over 10,000 distance learning applications for online students. Under the terms of the agreement, SNAS/DHL will act as front office support for KAAU’s admission and registration department to provide express logistics timesaving solutions for both university personnel and students. Instead of queuing at the admissions desks at KAAU, students will now be able to submit a copy of their credentials to their closest DHL counter in any city Kingdomwide. SNAS/DHL will then deliver these to the admission and registration office for a competitive price.

SAMSUNG

Samsung is introducing its Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) phone (SGH-P200) in many countries soon, following its launch in Italy recently. It is the world’s first commercial mobile phone to which UMA technology is applied. UMA is a next-generation fixed-mobile convergence technology standard, which allows for seamless handover between cellular networks and fixed IP networks (hot spots). Handsets with UMA technology allow free voice and data communication both in mobile and fixed modes. The new phone allows free switching between cellular networks such as GSM, GPRS, EDGE and wireless LAN networks (WiFi), offering seamless connectivity. “Samsung is proud to introduce the first UMA phone,” said Kitae Lee, president of Samsung’s telecommunication network business.