AL-RAJHI BANK
Al-Rajhi Bank will issue a new Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card dubbed as “Al Barakah cards” for those who are receiving monthly allowances from private charitable organizations in Riyadh. The agreement for the issuance of Al-Barakah cards was signed on Monday between Saleh Abdulaziz Al-Jubreen, assistant secretary general of the charitable organizations in the capital, and Saleh Al-Aglah manager of Al-Rajhi Bank branches in the Kingdom. “This is a humanitarian project where the bank has come in to assist the recipients of charities to receive their allowances conveniently from the nearest Al-Rajhi Bank ATM,” Saeed Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, GM, retail banking of Al-Rajhi Bank told Arab News. In January this year, the bank launched a social security payment scheme by ATM cards to beneficiaries of the Ministry of Social Welfare. The new service for Barakah cards will be available at the bank’s 1,480 ATM machines.
MTC
MTC Group, a global wireless communications service provider that is listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange, won four prestigious industry awards including “Best Middle East mobile operator of the year,” Best telecom deal of the year’ and best new non-voice service at the first annual CommsMEA telecom awards this week. Dr. Mo Ibrahim, chairman of MTC subsidiary Celtel in Africa, was also honored with the lifetime achievement award. Hosted by CommsMEA, the leading telecommunications magazine for the Middle East and Africa, at the Fairmont Hotel, Dubai, the judging panel comprised international telecom professionals and regional industry peers. The “Best Middle East mobile operator of the year” was in recognition of the company as a leading Middle Eastern mobile operator and also a technology leader with a strong focus on customer service. The award also recognizes MTC’s rapid transition from a mobile operator in Kuwait with 600,000 customers in 2003 to a major telecom conglomerate in the Middle East and Africa serving 23 million customers in 20 countries. In doing so, MTC has become the world’s 5th largest mobile operator in terms of geographic presence. The “Best Telecom Deal for 2005” award was in recognition of the acquisition by MTC of Celtel International in May 2005.
IMC
The special techniques of minimal invasive surgery applied at the International Medical Center (IMC) and the care provided for the patient with an international team of nurses for a speedy recovery were highlighted during the recent visit of US Ambassador James C. Oberwetter and Consul General Tatiana Gfoeller. In an effort to support the innovative approach of the IMC with its partner the Cleveland Clinic of Ohio in health care, Oberwetter, Gfoeller and other embassy personnel were briefed about the facilities at the 300-bed health care center. IMC CEO Dr. Waleed Fitaihi and members of his staff gave a presentation as to how the new approach of holistic medicine was being implemented with a very strong commitment to accuracy in every detail of implementation from the healing-by-design concept of the facility to the high-tech operating theaters “that are unparalleled in the region.” They also discussed the integral parts of the agreement with Cleveland Clinic, which is the third largest health care institute in the United States and has been ranked as number one in cardiac care in the United States for the 12th consecutive year. “We aim to play a pioneering role in the region,” Fitaihi said.
VENICE BEACH
Venice Beach, a leader in the fashionable sportswear industry, has launched its chain of stores, for the first time in the Kingdom, to showcase its unique range of high quality, functional and fashionable ladies sportswear that has been designed and manufactured using the latest German technologies. The launch of Venice Beach in Saudi Arabia is part of an expansion plan to open stores in all major cities starting with shops in Al Faisaliah Mall in Riyadh and Al-Roshan Mall in Jeddah. “We’re delighted to be able to bring the Venice Beach concept to the Saudi market as a first of its kind in women’s fashion sportswear. Venice Beach ‘s unique and trendy outfits are specially designed for the utmost comfort and freshness, covering a multitude of sports and fitness activities,” said Omar Bayazeid, GM business development, franchise division, Savola Group, exclusive master franchisee of Venice Beach in the Middle East. “We’ve plans to open more stores across the Kingdom,” he added.
MASHREQ SECURITIES
Mashreq Securities LLC yesterday launched a dedicated lounge for trading in UAE stock markets located on Salam Street in Abu Dhabi, on the mezzanine floor of the new Al Khaily building. The new brokerage lounge was officially inaugurated by Mashreqbank chairman Abdullah Al-Ghurair. Al-Ghurair said the bank planned to launch more VIP trading lounges in prime locations across the UAE before the end of the year as part of Mashreq Securities’ ambitious expansion plans. These plans include expanding operations to exploit brokerage opportunities across the Middle East and North Africa region, as well as leading global capital markets. The Mashreq Securities Branch will be open for investors from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday thru Thursday. Its fully manned experienced brokers will assist investors in placing trades in the UAE stock markets. Investors can place their orders in person, by dedicated phone lines or by accessing their account via the Internet. Also, the facility hosts a dedicated corporate desk that acts as a single point of contact for all corporate clients’ queries.
HEMAYA UNIVERSAL
Hemaya Universal Company (HMC) honored its field inspectors who are responsible for following up and implementing programs that protect the interests of clients and coordinate with related authorities. HMC Chairman Ahmed Al-Zubeidi handed over certificates to the employees, following the successful completion of a training course that focused on how original and fake goods can be differentiated and the ways and means of dealing with the situation legally. HMC is a service provider specialized in fighting piracy and the faking of branded products.
DLC
Dubai Logistics City (DLC), a core component of Dubai World Central (DWC) — the massive, multiphase development centered around the world’s largest international airport in Jebel Ali — has been unveiled to Swiss industry leaders from Dubai and the northern emirates. DLC CEO Michael Proffitt and DWC’s marketing and communications director, Abdulla Al-Falasi, met a diverse gathering of Dubai’s Swiss Business Council (SBC) members from different industry sectors at an informal get together. Co-hosted by the Consulate General of Switzerland in Dubai, Swiss Business Council members heard how DLC supports the emirate’s market leading position as a logistics hub for the wider Middle East and beyond — a market of more than two billion potential customers from southeast Europe, the CIS, Indian sub-continent, Middle East and Africa. “The UAE is Switzerland’s largest trading partner in the GCC with imports totaling $1.016 billion in 2005,” said Proffitt.
HR SUMMIT
Management Guru Professor Gary Hamel is set to open proceedings for the third Middle East HR Summit to be held from Sept. 17-20. The conference, the largest and most comprehensive event of its kind in the region, will take place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Dubai. Professor Hamel, labeled “the world’s reigning strategy guru” by The Economist and considered one of the world’s foremost authorities on strategic business management, will open with a progressive workshop on “Reinventing Management — The Why, What and How of Management Innovation. Organized by IIR Middle East, the summit features over 30 information-packed sessions, three streamed sessions and four intensive post-summit workshops in addition to the HR Excellence Awards ceremony and dinner.
MAKTOOB GROUP
Maktoob Group, which owns the world’s largest online Arab community, Maktoob.com, yesterday unveiled the beta version of Araby.com, the first search engine in the world that offers advanced Arabic-language capabilities to users worldwide. The multimillion dollar project conceived and created by Maktoob promises to deliver phenomenally superior search results to its users. “We’re proud to introduce Araby.com to users around the world,” said Samih Toukan, CEO of Maktoob Group.
DANA GAS
The region’s leading natural gas company, Dana Gas, has announced the inauguration of its new corporate headquarters in Sharjah. The opening ceremony was headed by Sultan ibn Ahmed Al-Qassimi, deputy chairman of the Sharjah Petroleum Council, and attended by members of the board of directors, and several company officials. Rashid Al Jarwan, general manager of Dana Gas said: “We’re sure that the new office will aid us in enhancing Dana Gas’ presence in the UAE, and the region. From this year, we also intend to open branch office network across the GCC and other countries.” Dana Gas PJSC is the first regional private sector natural gas resource enterprise established in the Gulf, and has a wide shareholding across the region.
AAC
Arabian Automobiles Co. (AAC) the sole distributor of Nissan in Dubai and Northern Emirates, presented the winner of the back-to-school surprises grand draw a Nissan Tiida Hatchback. The winner Nouf, a six years old Saudi, was represented by her father Khaled Moslem who received the Tiida keys in presence of Tareq Hassan Al-Qattan, head of back-to-school surprises committee, Ali Habeeb, committee member and Ahmad Kiswani, sales manager at AAC.
OGS
The 13th edition of the Oil and Gas Show (OGS) ended on Tuesday at the Dubai International Exhibition Center (DIEC). The three-day exhibition facilitated several high worth deals and hosted over 5,800 trade buyers. “The show served as a dual platform that provided viable business development opportunities for sourcing advanced energy sector solutions and provided a forum for addressing topical issues pertinent to the sector,” said Anselm Godinho, managing director, IC&E, the event organizer. The 14th edition of OGS is expected to be held from Dec. 4-6, 2007.
