SAMSUNG
Samsung Electronics has launched Samsung “Corby” in Saudi Arabia, a family of mobile phones designed to support the digitally connected lifestyles of today’s young mobile users. Inam Ullah Butt, PR and marketing manager at Samsung Electronics, said: “The Corby family is consistent with Samsung’s legacy of developing new products and technologies designed for specific audiences and bringing new devices quickly to market.” The focus with the Corby family has been to offer our consumers choice: choice over the color of the handset, choice over how they stay connected and choice over the features and functionality that best suit their unique personalities and communications requirements. The Corby Touch is a full-touch handset that places users at the center of the social media revolution with a wide range of social networks support, such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. The new mobile complements the company’s touch screen strategy, “touch for every lifestyle,” by targeting the youth market.
ARGAAM
Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC) came at the top of the largest 100 publicly traded Gulf companies in terms of market value at $64 billion followed by Al-Rajhi Bank at $30 billion and Saudi Telecommunications Company (STC) at $24 billion ranked second and third respectively. The list was published by Argaam Business info named “Argaam — 100.” The list, which is updated on a daily basis, covers all Gulf publicly traded companies. Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat), listed on Abu Dhabi bourse, came in the fourth rank at $22 billion and Zain, listed on Kuwaiti bourse, placed at the fifth rank with the capital market at nearly $17 billion. According to the study, Saudi companies dominated the list with 38 companies, followed by Emirates companies (22), Kuwaiti and Qatari companies (15 for each), Bahraini companies (8), and Omani companies (2). Qatar Industries Company ranked 6th in the list of “Top 100” at $16.2 billion, the National Bank of Kuwait in the 7th rank ($13.2 billion), Saudi Samba Financial Group in the 8th rank ($13.1 billion), National Bank of Qatar ($12.7 billion) and Saudi Electricity Company ($12.3 billion) in the 9th and 10th ranks respectively.
GEF
The first all encompassing environmental event for the GCC region, Gulf Environment Forum (GEF 2010), taking place in Jeddah on March 7-9, has announced the full support of the Presidency of Meteorology Environment, UNEP & UNDP. Held under patronage of Prince Turki bin Nasser, chairman of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment, GEF will bring many crucial industries together under three key themes — Exchange, Develop, Sustain. GEF arrives at a time where opinions toward the environment in the Middle East are drastically changing, and a huge shift in attitude means investment opportunities are rife within the region and with the full support of influential organizations such as UNDP and UNEP, this event signifies the GCC’s commitment to develop the Gulf for the benefit of all. This inaugural event will combine an international exhibition and strategic conference where industry experts will gather at the Jeddah Hilton for the chance to discuss solutions and opportunities for a cleaner and brighter future.
SWATCH
Swiss fashion watch and jewelry maker Swatch claims to have shaken up the traditional watch-making world with the launch of its Swatch Chrono Automatic Collection. The debut collection comprises five sporty models offering stylish looks, rugged design and precision timing. For the popular Swiss makers of fashionable accessories for the wrist, the Chrono Automatic represents a challenge to a market dominated by upscale brands and traditional, more conservative design. The Swiss firm’s “ever-inventive and creative” designers have wrapped the inimitable Swatch look and feel around a new self-winding movement, putting assured chrono automatic performance and extraordinary style within easy reach of adventurers everywhere. Each of the five debut models in the collection features a molded plastic case; disc-shaped windows in the crystal glass case back present an unobstructed view of the fascinating mechanical movement within.
DUBAI WORLD
Maryam Sharaf, Dubai World’s Group COO and CFO, has won the “Leading Woman CFO” award, instituted by the Women in Leadership Forum. The Award was organized under the patronage of Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, wife of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al-Maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the UAE, and ruler of Dubai, by the Dubai Business Women Council in partnership with naseba, a leading business information company and creator of the forum, as an educational and networking platform for women leaders in the region. Present at the glittering award ceremony at Burj Al-Arab were Datin Paduka Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of the prime minister of Malaysia, and Scott Ragsdale, chairman, naseba Group, among some 500 leading women politicians, business leaders, policy makers, professionals and entrepreneurs from around the world. Sharaf said: “Financial management of Dubai World is a team effort and I regard this award as welcome recognition of the work my finance team and the management of Dubai World have undertaken, particularly in this more difficult environment.”
AKBANK
Akbank, Turkey’s most valuable bank and company in terms of market capitalization, has received a license to operate from the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC). The Dubai office is named Akbank (Dubai) Ltd. and is the first Turkish Bank to set up at the DIFC. It aims to become one of the preferred consultants in investment banking and corporate finance in the region by leveraging the expertise and knowledge of its parent company and its local staff in the Dubai office. Cem Atac, who has vast experience in the banking sector throughout the region, will head it. Abdulla Mohammed Al Awar, CEO, DIFC Authority said: “DIFC is the ideal gateway for Akbank to launch its operations in the region, particularly as Turkish-GCC business relations continues to grow positively. We are delighted to welcome Akbank to the DIFC family, and look forward to a fruitful relationship that will bring these two high-potential markets closer together.
GULFINVEST
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Moroccan businessmen are to meet for a two-day event in Rabat: GULFINVEST II, November 19-20. An initiative by the Arab Industrial Development and Mining Organization (AIDMO) and Arab Gulf Agency for Media and Communication (AAMC), the international event is to discuss investment opportunities in Morocco, with economic, business, investment institutions participating thereof, along with experts, university staff and searchers to explore global economic crisis implications and reflections on GCC and Morocco economies. The meeting is held in cooperation with Skhirate, Témara, L’Agence marocaine de développement des investissements, American Chamber of Commerce and Oxford Business Group. GULFINVEST II will be noted for its industry-based meetings, particularly food, new-tech, transport, tourism, service, energy, mineral, real-estate and bank industries, where relevant bodies are going to present promising investment opportunities throughout Morocco.
ALHOSN UNIVERSITY
ALHOSN University, a leading Abu Dhabi-based university dedicated to high-quality, value-based education, joined the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) conference on the effects of the global recession and climate change held recently in Chicago, Illinois, US. Held under the theme ‘Evolution of the Skyscraper: New Challenges in a World of Global Warming and Recession,’ CTBUH’s 2009 Chicago Conference featured prominent key speakers such as Chicago Mayor Richard Daley; Mohamed Ali Alabbar, the owner of Burj Dubai; Eric Trump, EVP of the Trump Organization; and Arthur Gensler, chairman of Gensler — San Francisco. It included case studies of prominent projects at all stages of development and the launching of CTBUH sustainability guidelines for tall buildings in urban environments. “The Conference enabled us to meet the world’s leading tall buildings experts who have overseen iconic projects in the past 20 years,” said Professor Abdul Rahim Sabouni, vice chancellor and CEO, ALHOSN University.