APSCO

For more than 16 years, Arabian Petroleum Supply Co. (APSCO) continues its programs to support traffic and security safety awareness campaigns, including "Friend of Safety," "National Traffic Safety" and "Traffic Week." Such support has played an important role in raising awareness of traffic safety among the people. In recognition of their national role in supporting national traffic and security awareness campaigns, Colonel Saad Al-Ghamdi, director of patrols at Jeddah Governorate, presented an honorary shield to APSCO recently. APSCO's General Manager of Lubricants Khalid Al-Tayeb received the shield. On this occasion, Al-Tayeb said: "We are not the only ones who provide support for awareness-raising campaigns, serving our community in various fields. "Promoting such campaigns, particularly those related to traffic and security safety, is an integrated part of our marketing strategy," he said. "For more than 16 years, we have launched many awareness programs in collaboration with Traffic Police and Patrols Department. Our programs have played an important role in raising the awareness of road and driving safety. We hope to continue playing an important role in these campaigns for the benefit and safety of our society."

PARC

For the first time in Saudi Arabia, Pan Arab Research Center for marketing consultancy (PARC) has made public the monitoring data about the gross advertising spending in the Saudi Arabian market and Arab countries in 2010. It also announced the initial indications for the first quarter of 2011. PARC's MD in Saudi Arabia Tony Proudian presented the 2010 data at a meeting last week. Abdullah Ali Bankhar, professor of communication and media economics at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah and marketing consultant led the discussion on the PARC's findings. Proudian said advertising spending in the Arab countries Q1 2011 showed a slight drop reaching 1 percent, compared to the same period in 2010. There are many elements causing this trend and the most important among that was the instability that occurred in some countries in the region. But ad spending increased in some counties, thus balancing the total in the Middle East. While the last developments in the region showed negative signs in some Arab countries' advertising market, the Saudi ad market performed above all expectations and recorded a remarkable growth in advertising expenditure that reached up to 11 percent growth in Q1, 2011. He also emphasized that the countries that recorded the largest decline were Egypt 51 percent, and Bahrain and Jordan, 21 percent each. The size of advertising spending in the Saudi market reached $1.17 billion in 2010, 6 percent increase compared to $1.1 billion in 2009.
 
ICONIC

ICONIC, Landmark Group's latest offering in the fashion-lifestyle segment, opened its second outlet at Mall of Dhahran, after debuting in Riyadh a week ago. Spread over 35,000 sq. ft., the newly launched store from the creators of Centrepoint, further strengthens ICONIC's aim of becoming the region's trendiest fashion lifestyle destination for families. ICONIC, Mall of Dhahran also features dedicated spacious departments for fashion, accessories, footwear, kids wear, gifts as well as gadgets. The store also showcases the iconic SOHO section that's full off quirky knick-knacks and gifts. On entering the store the true philosophy of "ICONIC" dawns. From visually stunning store design, a vast selection of trendy merchandise available in custom designed departments to the array of fun activities. It all adds up to a unique, visually exciting experience for the store visitor. The fashion section featuring over 140 brands is cutting edge; with a wide variety of niche and cult brands from High street to Bridge, available for the first time in Riyadh. The spacious departments allow consumers who usually shop at High street prices to trade up with ease, while the Bridge brands shopper may be pleasantly surprised on finding that perfect fit from within the pocket friendly high street collection. Unveiling ICONIC Raza Beig, CEO of ICONIC, said, "ICONIC, Mall of Dhahran launch is in sync with company's aggressive expansion plan. This is the second outlet in KSA and we intend to launch another outlet in Sahara Plaza, Riyadh very soon."
 
SAUDI RE

International rating agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) has confirmed the BBB+/Stable rating given to the Saudi Re for the third consecutive year. S&P says: "Indeed, Saudi Re displays an absolute level of capitalization that ranks it as one of the leaders in terms of overall capacity among Middle Eastern regional reinsurers." Saudi Re's CEO Fahad Al-Hesni welcomes this vote of confidence by the rating agency as a clear endorsement of Saudi Re's growing stature as a serious reinsurer in the region. He says the rating of Saudi Re reflects its strong paid-up capitalization of SR1 billion, low liabilities, strong investments, liquidity, and financial flexibility. S&P's Ratings Services expect these strengths to be maintained over the long term, and the company's competitive advantage in the Kingdom to continue. Saudi Re has grown more than 100 percent in terms of Gross Written Premium (GWP) in 2010 and has posted a GWP growth of around 83 percent in Q1 2011 as compared with Q1 2010. Al-Hesni attributes this trend in growth to the increase in confidence placed in the company by its clients and the more outward and client-focused approach adopted by the company. With a highly experienced management team, Saudi Re will be using its superior technical capabilities and know-how to provide value-added services. The BBB+/Stable rating from S&P is a good indication that Saudi Re is on the correct path and is in line with its strategy of becoming a leading name in the reinsurance industry, he added.
 
VALE

The Middle East is slated to become a world-class producer and distributor of iron ore pellets with the start of phase one of operations at Vale's $1.356 billion Pelletizing Plant and Distribution Center in Oman. Located in the coastal city of Sohar, the industrial complex will serve as a hub catering to the growing demand of iron ore products in MENA and India. Vale's Industrial Complex comprises a two-unit Pelletizing Plant, each with a nominal capacity of 4.5 million tons of direct reduction pellets per year, in addition to a distribution center with an annual capacity of 40 million tons. In May 2010, Vale entered into a strategic partnership with the Omani government through the sale of a 30 percent stake in the Pelletizing Company to Oman Oil Company SAOC. "Sohar's strategic location outside the Strait of Hormuz, with the advantage of deep water seas, and the heavy infrastructure investments to provide leading logistics networks, advanced energy and power supply technologies and world-class facilities at Sohar Industrial Port, were key to our decision to establish our operations in the Sultanate," said Roger Agnelli, Vale CEO. Driven by its commitment to the sustainable development of the Sultanate, Vale places high priority on developing and retaining local qualified talents in the communities where it operates. To date, the company has invested $11.3 million in specialized recruitment and training programs that aim to generate 720 direct and 1,800 indirect jobs.

BILLION ACTS OF GREEN

Thousands of students from schools across Jeddah are participating in the "Billion Acts of Green" campaign, a global initiative of the Earth Day Network. The "Billion Acts of Green" is described as the largest environmental service campaign in the world and it aims to register and implement 1 billion acts of green to further the goal of reducing carbon emissions, support sustainability and inspire everyone around the world to take part with simple tasks and pledges. The goal is to register one billion actions in advance of the Global Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 2012 (also referred to as Rio+20). To date the Earth Day Network has registered over 100 million pledges and acts. With each student involved in the campaign, more than 2,500 students will have planted their own little plants either at school or at home. As part of the environmental care pledge, it is also a green act not to throw litter, to turn off the lights when not needed and not to waste water by letting it run after use. "One-Two-Three be Nazeeh & Plant a Tree" is the Earth Day message being promoted by ALBAIK's two loveable characters Nazeeh & Wartan and the visits will culminate in the students signing pledges and planting a small plant in the vicinity of their schools or homes. The Feena Khair program was officially launched by Minister of Education Prince Faisal bin Abdullah. Rami Abu-Ghazaleh, CEO ALBAIK Food Systems, said: "Feena Khair will take every opportunity possible to widen the educational aspect of its mission and I am full of hope that it will influence a positive change among our future generations."
 
MASERATI/FAST AUTO

Fast Auto Technic Co. Ltd., importer of Maserati cars in Saudi Arabia, has launched the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale, described as the fastest, lightest and more powerful car in the Maserati model line-up. Inspired by the Trofeo GranTurismo MC and the race-winning GT4 motorsport programs, the new car has more power and less weight than other models in the GranTurismo range. Speaking at the recent launch event held at the Fast Auto Technic showroom in Riyadh, Maserati National Brand Manager Majdi Joudah said: "The new Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale responds to clients' demands for a car that can balance on-road driving needs with race-driving desires. It retains all the inherent ride, handling and stability benefits of the GranTurismo, yet has the look, sound and feel of a racing car, without sacrificing road comfort." The new car features a 4.7-liter V8 engine with 450bhp and 510Nm of torque - up 10bhp and 20Nm over the GranTurismo S. This additional power, plus a 110kg weight reduction, gives the new car a speed of 0-100kph in 4.6 seconds and a top speed of 301kph. The removal of the rear seats, new Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, custom-designed wheels and the fitment of rigid, lightweight, carbon-fiber race-inspired front seats have achieved significant weight savings. Its suspension has lowered and stiffened by Maserati's engineers to feel more like a racecar. Maserati offers the cars with an optional roll cage and four-point racing harnesses, both of which are homologated for road use.
 
STC

Saudi Telecom Co. (STC) continues its drive to reinforce its market leadership in Broadband services by providing the highest level of services to its customers and availing comprehensive internet solutions to the customers' homes with just one phone call, add to that supporting these services with full technical support for customers free of charge and round the clock all week long thus ensuring best use of broadband services provided by the company and at the same time making their lives easier. STC is offering high speed Internet services that enable customers to browse the internet at very high speeds using its advanced wired and wireless networks with speeds reaching 100 mega on the FTTH network and 42 mega on the 3G network making it the first to offer these services and offering full use of these unique features. Saad Dhafer Al-Qahtani, STC's VP home services, said the STC had achieved a major milestone over other telecom operators by uniquely providing free after-sales services, a step to reflect the company's keenness in providing high level services that meet the needs of millions of customers from different segments and at the same time achieves their desires in subscribing to a specialized internet network that is different from what is currently available in the market. Al-Qahtani also highlighted the success of STC's customer centric strategy and its quest to provide the best integrated modern services. "The company will continue to dedicate both its financial and technical resources to provide the best comprehensive technical support," he added.