Balubaid
As part of its vigorous expansion strategy to keep pace with the Kingdom’s economic growth and meet the high demand for Chevrolet and GMC models, Balubaid — the authorized dealer of General Motors for Chevrolet and GMC in Saudi Arabia — inaugurated two new branches for new vehicle sales in Jeddah on Monday. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Terry Johnson, president of General Motors Middle East, accompanied by senior executives of General Motors Middle East. Also attended the ceremony were Balubaid Executive Vice President Khaled O. Balubaid, Senior Vice President Ahmed O. Balubaid, Chief Executive Officer Khawaja M. Siddique and other senior team members. The new branches are located on Sari Street and in Baghdadiyah district. The new opening takes the number of Balubaid showrooms in Jeddah to three. The company now operates a total of nine branches in the Kingdom with five 3S facilities and four satellite showrooms. A launch celebration event was held in the evening at Laylaty Hall in the presence of Balubaid partners, key team members and representatives of General Motors, in addition to some VIP guests.
BAe System
A team of British Military personnel organized a Charity run on behalf of the Disabled Children’s Association of Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1. The British Army Team currently working for the Saudi Arabian National Guard Communications Project planned the event. The BAe support team in the Salwa Gardan Village Compound who hosted over 100 competitors from the local community administered it. Senior BAe System representative Ian Crawford started the race. A number of sponsors donated funds toward the charity; most notably SAAB Takaful, AXA Insurance, and Rana Investments. Disabled Children’s Association’s Secretary General Awad Al-Gamdi received at Riyadh Center British Army Team Director Colonel Jonathan Fletcher and representatives of all participating parties.
MYNM/BMW
The all-new BMW X6, described as the world’s first Sports Activity Coupé, has been introduced in the Saudi market. Mohammed Yousuf Naghi Motors, exclusive importer of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, who announced this in Jeddah on Saturday, said this was the latest addition to the BMW family available in two variants — the xDrive50i and the xDrive35i — representing the most sporting and dynamic rendition in the BMW X Series range yet. Offering a new design approach and interpretation, the BMW X6 visualizes superior driving dynamics and outstanding supremacy. The exterior design of the BMW X6 sports a striking front end, stretched sidelines and expresses powerful presence through its wheels, classic coupé proportions and sweeping flow from roofline to rear end. “The demand we have received for the BMW X6 in the Kingdom has been phenomenal,” Anees Jamjoom, general manager of Mohammed Yousuf Naghi Motors, said. “Its design and impressive performance make the new offering the most sporty and dynamic member of the BMW X family to date.”
Saleh & Abdulaziz Abahsain
Saleh & Abdulaziz Abahsain Company has launched a new glass fiber plant in Bahrain, which is expected to produce 200,000 tons of glass fiber per year. This follows Abahsian’s agreement with a Chinese firm, Chongqing Polycomb International Corporation (CPIC). CPIC is a leader in the Chinese glass industry and has extensive expertise in the production of glass fiber, which has motivated Abahsain to sign a memorandum of understanding with the firm to collaborate in constructing a new glass fiber factory in Bahrain. “Our partnership with (CPIC) is a huge leap for us because it will enable us to satisfy the increasing consumer need for glass fiber in the Middle East,” said S.K. Maqsood, director of S & A Abahsain.
Samba
Samba Financial Group celebrated the inauguration of Samba UK’s renovated premises in London recently. Eissa Al-Eissa, managing director and CEO of Samba Financial Group said that the major renovations of the branch aims at keeping with the pledge to deliver best-in-class value propositions to our customers and to provide a state-of-the-art customer experience and a positive working environment. Al-Eissa said “UK Branch is one of the longest established Middle Eastern banks in the United Kingdom and the rest of the European countries. It has been present in London for more than twenty years, starting as a representative office in 1984, only 4 years after establishing Samba, and upgrading to a fully licensed bank in 1987. Samba UK’s mission is to add value and an international perspective to clients from the Middle East, primarily Saudi Arabia and GCC states and Pakistan, supporting their business interests as one of their overseas banks of choice.” Al-Eissa commends the excellent location of the branch in London, a world venue of banking activities. Samba UK’s office is in Mayfair, an exclusive district of Central London, and is close to the Saudi Arabian and various Middle Eastern embassies and other landmark locations of London.
American Express
Saudi citizens Mohammed Al-Najjar and Ibrahim Al-Fadli have returned from their trip to the edge of space, at a height of 55,000 feet following the recent announcement of their winning the first prize of the “Edge of Space” campaign launched by American Express (Saudi Arabia) Ltd. in the Kingdom. The Edge of Space flight took off from Thunder City, the top private fighter jet school in the world, located in Cape Town, South Africa. The trip was organized and supported by a task force from American Express (Saudi Arabia) Ltd. and accompanied by a comprehensive television coverage recorded by Orbit satellite television network to be broadcast as a documentary featuring the adventure of the trip that two Saudis have experienced.
AJVA
US Ambassador Ford M. Fraker opened a major dealership facility of Al-Jazirah Vehicles Agencies Co. (AJVA), the sole distributor of Ford and Lincoln vehicles in Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh on Sunday. The new facility, located in Ghornata district north of Riyadh, is the latest in a string of new showrooms and complexes launched recently in different Saudi cities including Jeddah Automall and Al-Shefaa Riyadh showrooms. “The new branch opening demonstrates the AJVA’s expansion plan that aims to be as close as possible to its customers across the Kingdom,” said AJVA president Abdullah Ibn Fahad Al-Kraidees. This is the fourth such facility of its kind owned by AJVA in Riyadh alone. Altogether, it has 14 such dealership facilities. The launch coincides with AJVA’s 20th anniversary, which is marked by its becoming the biggest Ford agent in the world for three years.
Suzuki
Suzuki Motor Corporation’s Kosai Plant in Japan achieved the 15 million unit production mark recently. The Kosai Plant (the current Plant No.1) was completed and opened in October 1970 specifically for production of mini passenger cars. A ceremony attended by Suzuki President and COO Hiroshi Tsuda was held at the Kosai Plant to mark the 15-million-unit milestone. The 15 millionth car off the production line was a Wagon R.
Samsung
Samsung recently displayed the new air conditioners, masterpieces that merge design with health maintenance, the new lineup of washing machines that combines awesome design, quiet sound and super capacity, and the CoolSelect Turbo, a new top freezer refrigerator that enables part of the fridge to be used as an additional freezer. Samsung has also showcased the new lineup of washing machines which offer a quiet laundry experience. For those who prefer a laundry room near the bed-rooms the Quietist VRTtm technology reduces vibration and noise.
TBWA/RAAD
A residential development worth SR1.2 billion is to be launched in north Jeddah following the appointment of TBWA\RAAD as marketing communications agency for EWAAN projects in the Kingdom. The appointment was formalized in an agreement signed by Mohammed S. Eid, CEO of EWAAN and Ghassan Kassabji, managing director of TBWA\RAAD Saudi Arabia.
Daihatsu
Daihatsu launched the new Materia car for the first time in Saudi Arabia, in an event that was held in Tahlia Mall on Wednesday. “The Materia is tailored-made to meet the needs and expectations of the youth. It reflects their spirit and energy,” Daihatsu Chief Executive Officer Adel Izzat said. “This kind of youth cars is a continuation to what Daihatsu is offering from energetic and rather appealing cars in addition to its prices that is within the reach to everyone,” he said, adding that Materia is expected to have a huge impact on the youth who are looking for uniqueness and high sales percentages.” Abdul Latif Jameel, the exclusive agent of Daihatsu in Saudi Arabia, intends to organize a tour of the Materia in the streets of Jeddah so that the youth can get to know more the qualities and characteristics of such a brand.