MEED

Prominent local, regional and international figures from government and industry discussed the future of Abu Dhabi’s economy and how to achieve the goals embodied by the emirate’s Economic Vision 2030 at the 2009 Abu Dhabi Conference which opened on Tuesday and runs until Thursday at The Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. Dubbed as the definitive event for doing business in Abu Dhabi, the conference complements Abu Dhabi’s goal of achieving seven percent economic growth through 2015 and increasing the local GDP share of the non-carbon sector to 50 percent. The event will thus promote Abu Dhabi’s economic achievements along with key investment and trade opportunities. Organized by the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (DED) in coordination with events specialist MEED, the conference features in-depth sessions on critical issues related to a broad range of key sectors ranging from transport, finance and sports, to tourism, oil and gas, and real estate. The keynote address by DED-Abu Dhabi Chairman Nasser Al-Sowaidi highlights the event.

SABIC

Ibn Hayyan Plastic Products Company (TAYF), an affiliate of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and Albemarle Corporation have signed an agreement to form a 50:50 joint venture, Saudi Organometallic Chemicals Company (SOCC), to build a world-scale organometallics production facility in Jubail. Initial estimates indicate the investment will be approximately SR300 million. SOCC will be the first company of its kind producing these products in the region. Construction of the facility is expected to begin before the end of 2009, with start-up anticipated by early 2012.

EDUTECH

The American School of Doha team has been adjudged as champion at the ‘3rd Qatar National Robot Olympiad’ (QNRO), an annual robotics event, which was hosted this year by Edutech, a provider of educational solutions and services, together with Qatar Independent Technical School (QITS). The competition, which was held recently at the QITS campus in Doha, was the official selection ground for the team representing the country at this year’s ‘World Robot Olympiad’ (WRO) held in South Korea earlier this week. Presenting the winner’s LEGO brick trophy and certificates to the winning students were Abdulla Al-Aziz Al-Sahlawi, manager corporate training, Qatar Petroleum, Mohammed Bahlool, GM, QITS, and Harish Nair, head business development, Edutech Qatar. Supported by the WRO Committee, LEGO Education and Qatar Petroleum, and attended by representatives from the Supreme Education Council, Qatar University, Qatar Foundation and ICT QATAR, a total of 18 teams from major high schools across the country took part in the contest.

KIA

KIA Motors and its Saudi agent Al-Jabr Automotive have launched a campaign to give potential buyers the opportunity to test-drive the models of their choice from the full line-up of KIA cars. The test-drive tour covers three main cities and is being held every weekend until Nov. 20. The Jeddah event has already been completed. It will be held in Riyadh from Nov. 11-13 and in Dammam from Nov. 18-20. Al-Jabr Automotive intends to continue organizing the test-drive tour program in all other regions of the Kingdom. In addition, selected models are being displayed on moving platforms roaming through city streets and highways. Rudi Girgis, COO, KIA Motors-Al-Jabr Automotive, said: “KIA cars have already found a place in the hearts and minds of all those in Saudi Arabia who desire a high level of driving performance and passenger comfort combined with advanced security features, innovative technology and contemporary styling.” KIA exhibited ‘Sorento (XM) 2010’ ‘Soul’ SUV-C, ‘Soulster’ and the sports version of Cerato at the recent Jeddah motor show.

MOBILY

Mobily has launched iPhone 3GS in the Kingdom, with a range of 3G tariff plans tailored for iPhone customers. The iPhone 3GS is the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet, packed with incredible new features including improved speed and performance — up to twice as fast as iPhone 3G — with longer battery life, a high-quality 3 megapixel auto focus camera, easy to use video recording and hands free voice control. iPhone 3GS includes iPhone OS 3.1, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with features such as Cut, Copy and Paste, MMS, Spotlight Search, landscape keyboard and more. “We are thrilled to bring iPhone to our customers in the Kingdom,” said Khalid Al-Kaf, Mobily’s MD and CEO. “We strive to offer high-value products and services, and our special postpaid and prepaid iPhone plans are tailored to our customer’s needs.”

MODON

Dr. Tawfig bin Fawzan Alrabiah, director general of Saudi Industrial Property Authority (MODON) has signed land allocation decisions for industrial projects for obtaining lands in Jeddah’s 2n Industrial City. The lands allocated are for 163 factories covering an area totaling 1,767,815 square meters, with investments estimated at more than SR4 billion and the cost of the factories ranging between SR1 million to 400 million. Alrabiah said industrial lands were available in many of the existing industrial cities, which are under development at incentive rates, whether domestic or foreign investments and in different industrial, commercial, residential and service sectors. Some cities are subject to reduced tax incentives for investors.

CNN

CNN Abu Dhabi, the latest newsgathering expansion from the global news brand, opened its doors earlier this week. Tony Maddox, MD and EVP CNN International, who made the announcement, was joined for the opening in Abu Dhabi by Phil Kent, chairman and CEO of CNN parent company Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., and by Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour and presenter Richard Quest, both in Abu Dhabi filming for the network. Other senior executive attending from CNN included Katherine Green, head of programming for the network and Rani Raad, head of CNN’s commercial arm in the region. CNN’s new state-of-the-art production center and newsgathering hub for the Middle East will also be home to its first daily live news show from the region.

SAUDI AGRICULTURE

“Saudi Agriculture 2009” and “Saudi Agro-Food 2009” — concurrently held at the newly completed Riyadh International Exhibition Centre — recently concluded four days of business-to-business networking activities and a showcase of the latest products, technologies and innovations from more than 500 local, regional and international exhibitors from over 30 countries, generating new multibillion projects and business deals. Organized with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, the double-header exhibition gathered over 20,000 visitors. Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC), organizer of the concurrent exhibitions, said the volume of projects and deals that were closed during the mega trade event underlined the excellent potential for long-term growth in the areas of agriculture and agro-food business in Saudi Arabia. Up to 80 percent of participants of both exhibitions were Saudi-based companies, said Mohammed Al Hussaini, DGM, REC.

ZAHID CATERPILLAR

Caterpillar, a major manufacturer of heavy machinery for earth moving and construction, has been ranked 66th among the world’s 100 most valuable brands in the list of Interbrand Best Global Brands 2009. Currently the Caterpillar brand value is worth $5 billion, having shown a steady annual increase from $ 3.2 billion in 2002. For almost sixty years, Caterpillar has been exclusively represented in Saudi Arabia by Zahid and in 1967 Zahid Tractor & Heavy Machinery Co. Ltd, was incorporated to distribute Caterpillar machinery and equipment to virtually all of the Kingdom’s public and private sector enterprises.