Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal recently honored the National Commercial Bank (NCB) for extending its continuous support to young business entrepreneurs, both men and women, in the region. Mahmoud Al-Turkistani, NCB’s head of community service unit, accepted the honorary shield at a ceremony held at the main headquarters of the bank in Jeddah. He said that this honor affirmed the progress made by the NCB in the community service sector and reflected the bank’s special place among companies in the field of social work. He said that the social program provided by the bank would contribute to economic development in the Kingdom by supporting small business entrepreneurs and help create a sound environment for the development of business. The bank collaborated with the Center for Business Administration for conducting the courses for small entrepreneurs and equipping them with the necessary knowledge and skills for the success of their businesses. The bank has succeeded over the past year in training more than 1,180 young women in the Kingdom and helped them set up their small businesses. He said that the bank’s support for small business entrepreneurs is one of its strategic initiatives contributing toward increasing employment opportunities. The bank also provides other programs that support the health and education sectors for orphans and people with special needs through various charities around the Kingdom.
BMW MODELS SHOWCASED
More than 50 owners of BMW cars gathered at the Waterlemon restaurant and cafe in Jeddah for an event organized by Mohammed Yousuf Naghi Motors (MYNM), the exclusive importer of BMW Group brands in Saudi Arabia, as part of its efforts to strengthen its customer-relationship program. During the meeting, owners of BMW cars viewed the latest editions of the German carmaker, as well as previews to new models that will be launched in 2008. Additionally, they discussed ways to strengthen BMW owners’ relationship to each other and to the importer. Musa Al-Aruri, GM, MYNM, said: “Mohammed Yousuf Naghi Motors is very keen to gather BMW owners on a regular basis to enhance our mutual relationship, while keeping them informed of latest news on BMW cars. MYNM is proud of its special relationship with BMW owners in Saudi Arabia, and we are committed to providing the best after-sales services in keeping with the highest BMW standards around the world.”
BUSINESS WORKSHOPS
Representatives of various companies took part in workshops related to business excellence, and quality improvement methods and techniques held in Jeddah recently. They were from Saudi Arabian Air Defense, Saudi Arabian Airlines, King Fahd Medical City, Jotun Saudia, Al-Watania Poultry, Omar A. Balubaid, Zamil Steel Industries, and Al-Jazira Bank attended workshops. Some of the participants became certified EFQM European assessors. Through extensive preparation for the workshop and successful work during the training, participants learned what it takes for organizations to achieve excellence. The certified assessors are now qualified to be members of an assessor team that conducts an organizational assessment, based on the excellence model of the European Foundation for Quality Management. The workshops were delivered by the Swiss Institute for Total Quality Management (ITQM) in cooperation with the TQM Consulting Group Inc. (TQMCG), an internationally licensed training partner of EFQM. Dr. Karl J. Koller, CEO of TQMCG, was very impressed by the strong interest and engagement of all the workshop participants from the various organizations. “It is clear that for more and more organizations in Saudi Arabia, it is not enough to produce average quality. These organizations want to produce high quality, delighting their customers and comparing their organizations on not only a national, but an international, level,” said Dr. Koller. These workshops were a great contribution to the knowledge-based society in Saudi Arabia, he added.
SGH MARKS 19TH ANNIVERSARY
Saudi German Hospitals Group celebrated its 19th anniversary by distributing awards to best staff and supporters including the media at a ceremony in Jeddah recently. “We are pursuing our mission to build 30 hospitals by 2015, which is now clearly becoming a reality with the opening of branches in Cairo, Dubai, Ethiopia, Sudan and Pakistan, and to create 50,000 jobs by 2015 and treat more patients for a healthy community,” Sobhi Batterjee, CEO and president of the group said. He recalled how he started the first hospital in Jeddah with only a few hundred staff. The group now has over 5,000 staff at the group’s hospitals in various locations. The group has a diverse and multicultural environment mission. “We are committed to deliver the highest quality of medical services,” Batterjee said. Diplomats from Kuwait, Oman, Sudan, Nigeria, Egypt, Philippines, Ethiopia and Yemen, as well as the group’s associates were among those present. Batterjee mentioned his ongoing collaboration with the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank and General Electric to build hospitals in poor countries as not-for-profit projects.
ATTIEH STAKES IN AL-ZAMIL
Saudi-based Attieh Group Holdings has announced the acquisition of 35 percent stake in Al-Zamil Heavy Industries Ltd., the Kingdom’s prime producer of storage tanks, pressure vessels, fired heaters, heat exchangers and metering systems, and a major service provider to the oil, gas and petrochemical industry. Waleed Attieh of Attieh Group and Ibrahim Al-Zamil of Al-Zamil Heavy Industries Ltd. signed the deal. Chairmen of the respective companies, Sheikh Ahmad Attieh and Saleh Al-Zamil, were present. Waleed Attieh said that the acquisition of his group in Al-Zamil followed a careful monitoring of the company’s progress in the last couple of years and its strong hold in the steel manufacturing industry in the Kingdom. “The Saudi market is seeing a major industrial boom, which requires the alliance between the two companies to face up to international competition. Ibrahim Al-Zamil acknowledged that this strategic industrial union would increase and add diversification to the capabilities of the company to sustain its leading role in the manufacturing industry.
ROTA’S CHARITY EVENT
Wheels ‘n’ Heels 2008, the third community fun day organized by Qatar-based NGO Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) in Doha on Friday was a “runaway success.” The event received a phenomenal level of support and participation from people of all walks of life in Qatar. An estimated 15,000 supporters, volunteers and participants were present at the event, the third in the series of annual events aimed at getting Doha’s multinational communities in raising awareness of a healthy lifestyle. Organized in association with the Qatar Cycling Federation, it was triggered by the grand finale of the prestigious Tour of Qatar. In store on the day were a vast array of high-energy activities, interactive sports, fun games, staged entertainment and performances by renowned singers and dancers. Omnia Nour, director of ROTA, said: “This third Wheels ‘n’ Heels community day was a great success, thanks mainly to the high-energy participation and support from the entire community.” A Lifestyle Village was also set up in the park to mark the event. The village showcased a myriad of attractions for the entire family with sideshows, demonstrations, corporate stands and bazaar-style stalls.
KFUPM CAREER DAY
Al-Enmaeya company for development of real estate and tourism, a joint stock company based in Riyadh, participated in a career day program organized by the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran. Abdul-Aziz Elsheikh, MD, of the Al-Enmaeya company said, “ Al-Enmaeya is increasing its proportion of jobs for Saudis as part of its Saudization program. “Our participation in the ‘Open Career Day’ is part of the company efforts to select the best Saudis, who are ambitious and qualified to assume various positions in the company, which has plans for expansion,” he said. Professor Abdul-Aziz Sheikh said, “The company will select the best applicants for employment soon after their graduation. Al-Enmaeya is a Saudi joint stock company. It is one of the leaders in the area of activating growth in the real estate market in Saudi Arabia, where the company is playing a significant role in the field of evolutionary real estate investments diversified in Jeddah, Riyadh and other cities in the Kingdom.