EMAAR ME
Emaar Middle East, a subsidiary of global property developer Emaar Properties PJSC, has offered an “unprecedented opportunity” to lease a home located on the Haram Plaza in Makkah. Emaar Residences at the Fairmont Makkah, a collection of elegantly designed serviced apartments, is located in the tallest tower within Abraj Al-Bait, a landmark development in the holy city and part of the King Abdulaziz Endowment of the Two Holy Mosques. Located on the upper floors of the 577 meters high tower, the Emaar Residences offer unparalleled views of the Kaaba and Haram. The fully serviced and furnished form part of The Makkah Clock Tower, a Fairmont Hotel, with all residences to be managed by global hotel operator Fairmont Hotels & Resorts through an exclusive agreement with Emaar. Dia Malaeb, regional CEO responsible for Emaar Middle East, said: “Makkah has a strong spiritual value for believers around the world. With Emaar Residences at the Fairmont Makkah, we are offering an unparalleled opportunity to experience the spiritual glory of living in the holy city, in close proximity to the Kaaba and the Haram.” Residents can benefit from a dedicated floor for prayer, gymnasium, business amenities, preferential access to a range of dining outlets, and conference and banqueting facilities within the hotel. They also have ease of access to a shopping mall, restaurants and full-fledged medical center in the Abraj Al-Bait complex.
CATHAY/TRAVELPORT
Hong Kong-Based Cathay Pacific Airways and Travelport, the business services provider to the global travel industry, have announced a marketing agreement that will provide all Galileo, Apollo and Worldspan-connected travel agents with efficient access to the airline’s fares and content. The five-year deal provides Travelport’s extensive network of travel agency customers worldwide access to Cathay Pacific’s fares and inventory of flights, with full booking functionality. The agreement takes effect immediately. “We are delighted to renew our agreement with Cathay Pacific which ensures that all Travelport-connected agents will have unprecedented access to fares from this leading international carrier,” said Rabih Saab, Travelport’s Vice President, Middle East. “Both parties have been focused in finding a cost-effective arrangement that provides the greatest benefit for our travel agency partners. The latest deal offers comprehensive access to Cathay Pacific’s fares, functionality and content available to travel agents today,” said Clarence Tai, GM sales and distribution, Cathay Pacific.
HERTZ
Hertz UAE has launched a new summer deal which, in addition to giving savings of up to 20 percent on monthly rentals, offers customers a free tank of fuel and no refueling or recharges of fuel when the vehicle is returned. Making the offer even more attractive is the fact that those taking it up are very likely to drive away in a new vehicle. While one effect of the economic downturn on the car rental business has been to slow down spending on fleet modernization, Hertz UAE has already purchased 1,500 new vehicles to add to its fleet this year. “We’ve made a big investment to make sure that our customers continue to drive around in new vehicles, and not the three to four-year-old cars you find elsewhere,” said Nigel Johnson, GM, Hertz UAE. “At the same time, we’re doing everything else we can to give them the best value for money. The new summer monthly rental rates bring significant savings. And following the recent increase in fuel prices, we feel the offer of a free tank of petrol, and the waiving of refueling or recharges when a vehicle is returned, will go down very well.” Part of the Al-Futtaim Group, Hertz UAE recently expanded its network to 13 locations across the Emirates by opening an exclusive service desk at Abu Dhabi International Airport. This offers fast check-in access to a wide selection of vehicles and 24/7 services.
NEXUS
Executive financial consultant at Nexus, Sunit Arora, has been nominated as a regional chair for the internationally renowned insurance and financial services organization the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), for which membership is restricted to those who have generated this amount of money through business dealings. Members of MDRT are recognized globally for having exceptional professional knowledge, strict ethical conduct and outstanding client service, as well as meeting the organization’s standard for sales excellence. Arora’s nomination as MDRT regional chairman for three zones - the Middle East and Africa, Europe and India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, will see him actively promoting excellence within the insurance industry through learning and motivational events, as well as raising awareness of MDRT. He is the first person from the Middle East to be nominated to take on the role and is one of dozens of members of the MDRT who work as part of the Nexus group - the region’s largest independent insurance network. “This is a very prestigious role and I am honored to have been nominated to take up the position which is only awarded to those who have been long and active members of MDRT,” said Arora, who has been working as a financial advisor for Nexus for 18 years. A key part of the chairman’s job is to ensure that all insurance and investment consultants in the region are delivering excellence in their sector.
SAP
Leading global companies within the field of metals including Emirates Aluminium, ThyssenKrupp, Gerdau, and Severstal today met at Dubai Aluminium Company Ltd. (DUBAL) as part of the SAP Executive Advisory Council for Metals event for select members of the metals business community. The event objectives were to develop a view of shared business and IT requirements arising from emerging industry trends that can enable performance improvements for metals companies and identify focus areas for SAP’s future solution development to support the vision and needs of such customers. The Executive Advisory Council enabled participants to establish a discussion forum and influence channel for the metals industry, identify and share best practices in the use of SAP’s software and applications in the industry, and provide networking opportunities for participants. “The UAE was chosen as the location for the Executive Advisory Council’s meeting due to the strategic importance within the industry as a commercial hub for manufacturing. The event has been a successful opportunity to generate a common vision for the metals industry and to ensure the success of strategic projects,” said Sergio Maccotta, MD, SAP Middle East & North Africa. Ahmad M. Almulla, VP IT, said DUBAL’s sponsorship of the event reflected the company’s commitment to working in excellence-based partnerships.
CPI
The events arm of CPI, a leading Dubai-based publisher, will host Saudi Construction Show 2011 Show, the region’s largest exhibition aimed at the Middle East construction machinery industry, in Riyadh in March 2011. The event will see the region’s leading construction players come together while exhibitors showcase the largest range of construction machinery, equipment, building material machines and vehicles available in the Kingdom. The show is scheduled to take place in the capital from March 21 to 25. It is expected to attract more than 80 percent of the Kingdom’s machinery distributors and a large percentage of construction suppliers. More than 5,000 key visitors are estimated to attend the show, which will include a series of workshops, demonstrations as well as auctions. “As the fastest growing economy in the GCC, the Kingdom is on its way to being recognized as one the world’s major investment centers. This growth has, in turn, fuelled several construction projects in the country,” commented Raz Islam, sales director, Saudi Construction 2011 Show. “While the rest of the world struggles to come to terms with the effects of the global recession, Saudi Arabia has remained relatively unscathed, with only one percent of construction projects delayed. The show takes place at a time when hundreds of billions of dollars are being invested in construction projects across the Kingdom.”
PANASONIC
An ‘Eco Picture Diary Contest’ aimed at encouraging 6-12 year old children to learn more about protecting the environment has been launched by Panasonic Corporation globally and it is being introduced in this region by Panasonic Marketing Middle East, the regional headquarters based in the UAE. The competition will run until end of September, when the winner will be selected and invited on an eco tour of Japan - along with one of the child’s parents. Diaries can be submitted at any of the Panasonic exclusive showrooms where application forms will also be available. Children have to illustrate and express the same in writing the eco-friendly activity carried out at school or at home, that were linked to protecting and saving the environment in the special ‘Eco Picture Diary’. “This is a great opportunity for children and their families, as well as schools, to get involved in a diary competition that aims to teach young kids from very early age about the importance of preserving and protecting the environment,” said Anthony Peter, associate director, direct communication and customer care group, Panasonic Marketing Middle East. “The current generation of children are very talented and creative as we propose to take the winner on an Eco Tour of Japan in December. Eco Diaries will be collected from local showrooms after Oct. 1 to decide the winner from this region,” he said.
