“A Mi Aire”, the latest Loewe fragrance for women, has been launched across Saudi Arabia and elsewhere in the region. It expresses the dynamism of the woman of today, thanks to the radiant freshness of its citric notes based on mandarin and bergamot from Italy and Clover, a Loewe executive said at the media launch in Jeddah recently. At the heart is the feminine and markedly floral spirit, with the unique character given by jasmine tea leaves, centifolia rose and marigold. In turn the spicy chord of pepper enhances the sensuality and class. The back notes are dominated by musk, cedar and Hinoki woods, with a tremendously original touch provided by the holm oak moss. “The feminine component that makes the new perfume authentic, real, personal and unique,” he said. The development of the new range is in response to consumer needs, he said, adding that the design of A Mi Aire is an offshoot of the original design of Aire, combining transparency and opacity.
CARRIER
Carrier Corp., a unit of United Technologies Corp., has launched air conditioners fitted with high-power UVC Emitter in the Middle East, thus significantly raising the standards of indoor air quality in the region. While the high-tech air conditioners were launched for the first time in Dubai at the recent Big 5 show, the new state-of-the-art version was simultaneously relaunched at product seminars in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Aftab Khan, managing director, Building Systems & Services, said: “Carrier has always been at the forefront of innovation. The use of ultraviolet (UV) technology to raise the standards of indoor air quality marks yet another milestone for Carrier.” Carrier has started installing the UVC lights in retrofit programs for existing air conditioning units. These lights are normally fitted on the models such as 39 series air handling units. The high-power UVC Emitters supply enough germicidal energy to penetrate viruses, bacteria and mould altering their DNA.
SHOWTIME
Showtime Arabia added a new travel channel to its network on Monday. The decision to introduce the channel supports the strategy of delivering more relevant content for all of the family. The channel provides the latest information on the hottest tourist destinations, history and culture from different parts of the world, stunning photography of the natural world from all of the continents, information on adventure holidays for thrill seekers and expert reviews on everything from countries to holiday resorts for all of the family. Showtime Arabia will also add “Top Gear” and “Monster Garage” that will provide viewers with the latest information on what’s happening in the motoring world, reviews on the latest car launches, and trends in the car industry. In Monster Garage, viewers can see ordinary cars and bikes transformed into extraordinary mega machines, said Azhar Malik, VP marketing for Showtime Arabia.
FAIR ISAAC/AFS
Fair Isaac Corporation, a provider of analytics and decision management technology, has reached an agreement with Arab Financial Services Company BSC(c) (AFS). Based in Bahrain, AFS will integrate the TRIAD system with its processing platform to help network issuers more effectively manage risk and design and execute more profitable account-level strategies in credit line management, authorizations, collections, reissue, marketing, and pricing. AFS currently provides payment card processing services to more than 50 banks and financial institutions across the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and South Asia. A major financial institution in Saudi Arabia is to become the first card issuer to process its credit card portfolio through TRIAD at AFS in early 2007. “This new partnership will allow AFS to leverage its card outsourcing market leadership in the region with Fair Isaac’s industry-proven account management system,” said Rasool Hujair, CEO at AFS.
STARBUCKS
Alshaya Egypt LLC, a member of the Alshaya Retail group, opened the first Starbucks coffeehouse in Egypt last week. Located in Cairo’s City Center, Makram Ebeid Madinet Nasr, the store complements Egypt’s rich, historical coffee tradition and deliver a “unique coffee experience” by offering some of the world’s finest Arabica coffees, roasted to perfection. “For many years, we’ve seen Egypt as a fast-moving market going from strength to strength. By introducing Starbucks Coffee to Egypt, we’ll contribute to and be part of this growth,” Mohamed Alshaya, CEO, Alshaya Egypt LLC, said. “Alshaya and Starbucks have forged a strong partnership over the past seven years while delivering the Starbucks experience to customers in the Middle East through uncompromising quality, service, and by building personal relationships with our customers. Today’s opening demonstrates the continuation of this successful partnership,” Alshaya added.
VISA
Following a review of its standard product offerings in the premium card category, Visa, a major payment solutions provider, has revealed a host of new value-added rewards and offers that Visa Gold, Platinum and Infinite cardholders can look forward to benefiting from. Visa Gold, Platinum and Infinite cardholders can enjoy a range of exclusive shopping, fine dining, lifestyle and travel and leisure offers from renowned partners across the globe. Visa Infinite cardholders have access to a host of privileges handpicked to meet the needs of the most discerning, enjoying a world of luxury and offers with no credit limits, providing unrestricted purchasing power. Visa Platinum cards provide a wealth of superior privileges and opportunities. “We’re constantly finding new ways to surprise and delight cardholders on top of upgrading our offers to suit the spending lifestyle of our cardholders,” said Stephen Coakley, of Visa International, Middle East.