Altawkilat Motors delivers 25 Chevrolet EVs to Sixt Rent A Car

Altawkilat Motors delivers 25 Chevrolet EVs to Sixt Rent A Car
Khaled Abu Shaaban from Altawkilat and Adie Younis from Sixt in Jeddah.
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Updated 01 February 2023

Altawkilat Motors delivers 25 Chevrolet EVs to Sixt Rent A Car

Altawkilat Motors delivers 25 Chevrolet EVs to Sixt Rent A Car

Altawkilat Universal Motors, Chevrolet’s dealer partner in Saudi Arabia, signed a deal with Sixt Rent A Car to onboard 25 Chevrolet Bolt EUVs to their fleet. The deal marks the first for a Chevrolet electric vehicle in the Kingdom, and reinforces General Motors’ “EVerybody In” strategy, which aims to deliver the broadest range of EVs in the region across the Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac brands, from accessible motors to luxury vehicles.

It also comes in the backdrop of Chevrolet’s constant efforts to drive awareness toward the adoption of electric vehicles. 

The deal is in line with Saudi Vision 2030, which supports the conversion to clean and renewable energy sources, and the encouragement given to companies to adopt policies and provide products and solutions aimed at reducing carbon emissions and using sustainable means of transportation. Echoing the Kingdom on this bold ambition, General Motors aims to launch 13 EV models in the Middle East by 2025, bringing more options to encourage drivers to shift to electric.

The final fleet of Chevrolet Bolt EUVs were handed over to Sixt during a ceremony at Altawkilat headquarters in Jeddah, in the presence of Khaled Abu Shaaban, general manager of Altawkilat Universal Motors — Chevrolet and GMC, and Adie Younis, director of supply chain and corporate projects at Sixt Saudi Arabia. 

Commenting on the agreement, Abu Shaaban said: “We are committed to delivering sustainable and dependable transport solutions across Saudi Arabia, which is one of the most important strategic markets for General Motors in the Middle East. We are proud that this deal is the first for a Chevrolet EV model in Saudi Arabia, demonstrating our commitment to providing clean transport to our customers with no compromise on performance.”

Meanwhile, Younis said: “In line with our strategic initiatives toward serving our clients by providing means of transportation with zero-carbon emissions, the Chevrolet brand and its Bolt EUV model have been chosen, being one of the prominent brands with excellent reputation and well-known reliability. It is also represented by one of the first and most prestigious automotive dealerships in Saudi Arabia.”

The Chevrolet Bolt EUV is distinguished by providing a lot of space for passengers and cargo in a region defined by its love for big vehicles. Offering class-leading electric range on a full charge, the Bolt EUV needs to be recharged about as often as a petrol car needs to refuel, making it the ideal EV for all types of lifestyles.


stc digitally powers F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023

stc digitally powers F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023
Updated 20 March 2023

stc digitally powers F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023

stc digitally powers F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023

Leading digital champion stc Group provided the digital infrastructure for the 2023 edition of the stc Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, marking the group’s third consecutive year of partnering with Formula 1.

The partnership is in line with stc’s commitment to enriching people’s lives through providing world-class technology, demonstrated by its support of this globally renowned event.

Following the success of the 2022 edition, the group operated under an expanded scope for the event, delivering modern digital capabilities and the best 5G network speed, data capacity and 100 percent coverage. 

This ensured high-speed connectivity for contestants and attendees alike, whilst supporting seamless, real-time data exchange between the drivers and their engineering teams at exceptional speed and low latency rates.

Additionally, the stc network and its advanced technologies enabled the sensors and electric components of F1 cars to transmit data between one another through an integrated network. stc was also able to encode this data and send it to the teams over wireless frequency.

In celebration of the 2023 edition, the group released a special edition of the Formula 1 stc Saudi Arabian Grand Prix theme tune played by the Saudi Orchestra. The performance aims to highlight the Kingdom’s rich culture and local talents, inspiring national pride while uniting motorsports fans locally, regionally and internationally.

The race, considered to be one of the biggest global sporting events in motor racing, took place at Jeddah Corniche Circuit from March 17-19.


MIPIM 2023: ROSHN highlights green community revolution

MIPIM 2023: ROSHN highlights green community revolution
Updated 20 March 2023

MIPIM 2023: ROSHN highlights green community revolution

MIPIM 2023: ROSHN highlights green community revolution

Micromobility and local community infrastructure headlined the debate on the second day of Le Marché International des Professionnels de L’immobilier 2023. The world’s leading real estate market event, MIPIM 2023, was held in Cannes from March 14-17.

Driven by ROSHN Group CEO David Grover, Saudi Arabia’s leading real estate company and enabler of the Public Investment Fund’s giga-projects, the topic was included in debates across the conference, highlighting the importance of micro-communities within giga-developments in the Kingdom.

“We have a big role to play, not just as ROSHN, but as an enabler of jobs, GDP, value and growth,” said Grover, as he spoke during a discussion titled “Revolutionary infrastructure to help realize tomorrow’s cities.”

“The use of micromobility is important for us; we want to create a wider environment where people can live, work and play in the same zone, to give them an option to avoid getting into the traffic of the city every day.”

Joined by a panel of other high-profile real estate personnel, Grover discussed strategies to attract infrastructure investment, explored citizens’ expectations regarding infrastructure development, and discussed the role of infrastructure development in urban regeneration.

ROSHN also conducted two workshops and one panel session, during which it shared insights around the development of real estate giga-projects in a rapidly growing economy.

The Invest Saudi pavilion showcased Saudi Arabia’s extensive real estate investment opportunities and explored ROSHN and its national partners’ ambitions in developing new urban environments in the Kingdom. Demonstrating commitment toward innovation and technology, this year’s Invest Saudi pavilion also featured Saudi Arabia’s first humanoid robot, Sara.

Sara is an artificial intelligence-based robot capable of communicating with visitors to the pavilion in both Arabic and English. Sara contained a predefined model with general knowledge about Saudi Arabia, ROSHN and Vision 2030.

“Sara is the embodiment of technological progress within the Kingdom. While we feel it’s important to focus on our commitment to creating greener communities, the way to get there is through a combination of technology, design and passion for creating better spaces for our residents,” said Jason Margetts, group CSO, ROSHN.

He said Sara pushes the boundaries of the latest AI trends and enabled attendees to their stand to see for themselves how cutting-edge the Kingdom is in line with global trends.

MIPIM 2023 is the key global event to source capital for real estate’s core and emerging asset classes, hosting more than 23,000 delegates and 2,400 exhibiting businesses from over 90 nations. Some 6,000 international investors and financial institutions and 76 of the world’s top 100 investment management companies, which collectively advise on $4.3 trillion of assets, were also in attendance.


Software AG and IBTech join forces to develop mission-critical public safety system across region

Software AG and IBTech join forces to develop mission-critical public safety system across region
Updated 19 March 2023

Software AG and IBTech join forces to develop mission-critical public safety system across region

Software AG and IBTech join forces to develop mission-critical public safety system across region

Enterprise software company Software AG and Intelligent Business Technologies, an IT-focused subsidiary of Albara’ah Telecom Co. Ltd., have entered into a partnership to nurture the formation of advanced safe and smart cities in the region. The partnership will foster the creation of unified emergency services across the Middle East region, in addition to a unified “command control center” in Saudi Arabia. The unified emergency hotline for first responders will support the handling of emergencies, ensuring the safety of human life within the safe and smart city norms and requirements. 

The agreement was signed between Yasser Alhakbani, board member, IBTech, and Mamdouh Al-Olayan, country manager — Saudi Arabia, Software AG, at LEAP 2023. The collaboration will facilitate IBTech to leverage Software AG’s Cumulocity IoT and webMethods integration expertise to create novel and future-oriented use cases that align with safe and smart city goals within Saudi Vision 2030. The cutting-edge use cases will lay the foundation for smart cities, resulting in innovative services to benefit businesses and end users, based on an ecosystem of fully connected enterprises.

Al-Olayan said: “Saudi Arabia is leading the region’s creation of safe, smart cities with megacity projects such as NEOM and Red Sea to name a few. Multifaceted technologies such as IoT and integration are serving as the foundation of such rapid and fast-tracked development in the country. Software AG has pledged its solidarity to the nation and the region along with our partner IBTech to contribute to the development and advancement of safe, smart cities. We aim to expand the reach of the unified emergency public safety solution to provide speedy support and enhance safety of human life. With support from our reputed local partners, Software AG aims to upscale adoption of these versatile technologies across use cases and initiatives for application in the Kingdom and the region.”

 


American Express Saudi Arabia inks deal with Riyad Bank

American Express Saudi Arabia inks deal with Riyad Bank
Updated 19 March 2023

American Express Saudi Arabia inks deal with Riyad Bank

American Express Saudi Arabia inks deal with Riyad Bank

American Express Saudi Arabia has announced the signing of a partnership agreement with Riyad Bank that will permit merchants on Riyad Bank’s point of sale network to accept American Express card payments. The agreement will allow American Express cardmembers to pay with their cards at a significant number of new locations, providing greater payment choice and wider acceptance for them. 

The PoS partnership agreement was signed during a ceremony held at Riyad Bank’s headquarters in the capital city, in the presence of Fahad Mubarak Al-Guthami, chief executive officer at American Express Saudi Arabia, and Mohammed Abo Al-Naja, chief corporate banking officer at Riyad Bank, with senior officials from both sides in attendance.

Commenting on the significance of the new agreement, Al-Guthami said: “We are pleased to work with Riyad Bank to expand on the number of locations that welcome American Express in the Kingdom, providing our cardmembers access to more locations and wider coverage to pay with their cards across Saudi Arabia. This is part of our commitment to significantly expand on the businesses that accept American Express in the Kingdom and around the world as a payment method.” 

American Express Saudi Arabia is regulated by the Saudi Central Bank as a finance company. The company owns and operates the American Express card and merchant business in the Kingdom. Even though American Express products have been available to customers, merchants and corporations in Saudi Arabia for more than 20 years, the formation of American Express Saudi Arabia in 1999 represented a major milestone for the development of the American Express brand in the Kingdom. Combining the resources and expertise of American Express with The Saudi Investment Bank has contributed to developing and expanding the services offered to American Express cardmembers and merchants in the Kingdom. 


Embracing equity: Hyatt champions women across Mideast

Embracing equity: Hyatt  champions women across Mideast
Updated 19 March 2023

Embracing equity: Hyatt champions women across Mideast

Embracing equity: Hyatt  champions women across Mideast

Empowering women to fulfill their full potential is a vital part of Hyatt’s strategy for talent growth and success. 

Hyatt has launched two pioneering initiatives including [email protected], a globally dedicated diversity business resource group, and the Inspirit Mentorship Program, created exclusively in the EMEA region, to support female colleagues to feel a sense of belonging and be inspired in their daily roles. Now in its sixth year in EMEA, [email protected] supports Hyatt’s regional diversity, equity and inclusion mission through cultivating and maintaining an active network, fostering a culture that supports a gender-diverse and inclusive workplace and supporting the needs and advancement of women at Hyatt. 

With 29 branded properties in the Middle East, Hyatt is committed to championing women across different roles within the region, including those of leadership and setting a benchmark across the industry.

The company’s purpose is to care for people so they can be their best, which is reflected in Hyatt’s 2025 DE&I goals, setting out three main areas to accelerate the organization’s progress toward advancing diversity and inclusion efforts. This includes doubling the representation of women in senior management roles at Hyatt, across the region and globally. 

Katrin Melle, regional vice president of DEI and talent, Europe Middle East and Africa, Hyatt, said: “It is truly inspiring to see the growth of [email protected] and the Inspirit Mentorship Program across the EMEA region. Diversity and inclusion is at the core of Hyatt’s values, and I’m proud that our teams bring our commitment to life, continuously working together to embrace equity and empower female leadership growth at Hyatt.” 

[email protected]

[email protected] is a global initiative designed to accelerate and increase professional growth opportunities for female employees at Hyatt. Founded in 2012, the initiative has seen significant growth in activity during 2022-2023 in the EMEA region. At present, there are six active “chapters” in the region including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan, spearheaded by female employees with many male allies. [email protected] chapters are country-based, city-based, or functional focused networking groups supporting women and are based on voluntary formation and participation. 

The goal of the program is to foster a culture that promotes professional and personal growth opportunities for women.

Britta Leick-Milde is the general manager of Hyatt Centric Jumeirah Dubai. She is an active mentor in the Inspirit Mentorship Program and a participant in [email protected], through which she has introduced new initiatives and resources for female staff, including extended maternity and paternity leave options to provide new parents with ample bonding time with their children. 

Inspirit Mentorship Program

A core component of [email protected] in EMEA is the Inspirit Mentorship Program, a bespoke mentoring program for female employees at Hyatt in the region. The program was launched in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi at the end of 2022, with Jordan launching soon. Currently, there are 18 colleagues from the Middle East in the regionally run Inspirit Program for female leaders.

Ruba Taha is the director of marketing and communications at Grand Hyatt Amman in Jordan. An award-winning hospitality professional, Taha is also the chapter chair for [email protected] in Jordan. One of her main achievements is to apply for menstrual leave as an official monthly two-day off for the women working in Grand Hyatt Amman. The hotel team also received a 2022 award from the UN Women’s Women’s Empowerment Principles program for their best practices, recognizing all their efforts made toward women’s empowerment.