Business executives and top management of Jubail industries gathered at the annual event of industrial users of Marafiq utilities in Jubail last week. Hosted by Marafiq, the annual gathering aimed at bringing its customers up to date with the current status of its power and water products and services, and to outline its expansion plans to provide for the expected steep growth in power and water demands in the next few years. Marafiq’s President and CEO Thamer Al-Sharhan disclosed Marafiq’s plans to build two giant independent power and water plants (IWPPs) in Jubail and Yanbu. In Jubail, site preparation has started for a 2,750 MW power plant and a desalination plant of 800,000 cubic meters per day. He said feasibility studies in Yanbu showed that an IWPP generating 1,500 MW of power and a desalination plant producing up to 600,000 cubic meters of water per day would be feasible. This represents a combined system capacity growth of 412 percent in power and 708 percent in water in Jubail and Yanbu over the next five years. The Jubail IWPP of SR12.8 billion will be the world’s largest combined-cycle power and water plant. Al-Sharhan emphasized that massive capital expenditure of this nature calls for highly accurate demand forecasts to ensure the best possible planning for least-cost delivery to Marafiq’s customers.

NCB

The National Commercial Bank (NCB) recently launched for the first time in the Kingdom IPO subscription request service through mobile phone text messages (SMS). AlSharif Khalid AlGhalib, NCB head of individual banking sector, said the new service adds to the many forms of subscription carried out through alternative channels. He noted that the level of quality of the new IPO subscription service has been tested and its accuracy in meeting the needs of clients has been ensured to be the required standard. Ziyad Bin Mahfouz, bank’s head of IPO & dividends distribution, said the rate of subscription requests in participating Saudi companies which were offered for public subscription through NCB is considered one of the highest ratios of the total subscription requests made through local banks. This is a result of advanced technology and ease of receiving applications for subscription.

ALJ INTERNATIONAL

The Nuremburg branch of Abdul Latif Jameel International topped a recent survey on the level of customer satisfaction in Lexus car. In the study, ALJ International, a subsidiary of the ALJ, scored 92.3 points, 9.8 points above other 25 leading distributors of the car in Germany between August 2006 to May 2007, an ALJ statement in Germany said. The survey showed ALJ achieved the record accomplishment among dealers of the car in Germany. The Nuremburg branch of ALJ International for Toyota and Lexus cars was opened in 2004, using the vast experience of its parent company ALJ in marketing and customer service of cars. The Abdul Latif Jameel Group was founded in Saudi Arabia in 1945. It is the largest independent distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles in the world, with interests in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, Africa, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan and China. It employs over 9,800 people worldwide with 1,900 in the UK alone.

TITANIC-DNA

Ronaldo, one of the world’s best Brazilian football players and the shining star of the Milan Club in Italy, recently received the first Titanic-DNA timepiece. This watch, distinguished by its unique design and chronograph, was presented to the player by Yvan Arpa CEO Romain Jerome. The Titanic-DNA watch captures an enigmatic history within its stunning dial and design as it is made from debris collected from the legendary Titanic, a ship known for its structure and strength that lies in royal glory at the bottom of the ocean. This concept marks a new breakthrough in the world of fine watchmaking. This new timepiece has already caused waves at the Basel Fair 2007, where it was appreciated by fans and professionals and now is set to be launched in the Middle East region in October this year.” Al-Fardan Jewellery of Saudi Arabia, a major spot for luxury watches and sole dealer of Romain Jerome high-end watches, will display the new collection at its boutiques across Saudi Arabia.

AL-SORAYAI

Al-Sorayai Trading and Industrial Group, one of the largest producers of carpets and rugs in the Middle East, is participating in the second DOMOTEX Middle East, the international trade fair for carpets and floor coverings, which runs from June 11 to 13 at the Dubai International Conventions & Exhibitions Center. Returning to the exhibition after its successful participation in the inaugural DOMOTEX Middle East in 2006, Al-Sorayai occupies the largest stand at this year’s show. The Saudi Arabian company had also attended DOMOTEX Hannover, the World Trade Fair for Floor Coverings, which was held in Germany in January 2007. Al-Sorayai recently launched its contracts division as part of meeting the requirements of high-end customers like airports, hotels and exhibition/convention facilities. The new division is targeted at providing customized floor covering solutions to this market segment, especially in light of the large-scale real estate developments and construction boom in the region. Saleh Al-Sorayai, chief executive officer, said “we will install new machinery as part of enhancing productivity to meet the increasing demand for our products. Our participation at exhibitions like DOMOTEX Middle East reflects the high level of quality the Kingdom has reached in manufacturing rugs, carpets and furniture in addition to the to the development in the industrial sector at large”. He said Al-Sorayai Trading and Industrial Group is expanding its operations in the retail sector to cover the increasing demand for quality products.

Team Building

Professor Reem Obeidat, the former chairperson of UNESCO for Communication Technology and Journalism for Women, hosted a three-day program on “Team Building and Leadership” for government officials organized by Dubai Institute for Human Resource Development (DIHRD). Obeidat focused on a number of important aspects of leadership, especially the working mechanisms and the formation of teams and effective communication within the team, in addition to creating the right environment for success. Obaidat said “the basic and most effective feature in a modern organization is teamwork by which ordinary functions can be executed efficiently to increase productivity.” During the session, she presented case studies of successful teamwork at leading global corporations including mobile phone company Nokia and the car and truck manufacturer Volvo. She pointed out that global majors focus on individual’s ability to communicate with team members during the recruitment stage itself. She is now the head of Mass Communication Department at Dubai Women’s College and Media & PR officer for the Dubai eGovernment.