Maraya Art Centre

Sharjah, July 28, 2010:  Bringing colourful insights into life of UAE residents during the Holy Month of Ramadan, the Maraya Art Centre is proud to announce a new alliance with the Emirates Photography Society for an upcoming art exhibition titled Life in Ramadan, running from August 22 – September 18 at Al Qasba. 

Supported by a variety of both young and experienced photographers living in UAE, the Life in Ramadan exhibition gives visitors the chance to discover a local perspective on the many unique traditions and customs that characterize this very special time of the Islamic year.  With predominantly local photographers, organizers say that they are also working to promote photography within the UAE while strengthening the connection between art foundations and local communities.

“The treasured moments shared between family and friends during the Holy Month of Ramadan are fantastic memories to capture as part of our modern Emirati history,” says Ammar Al Attar, Manager of Emirates Photography Society. “It is the hope of Maraya Art Centre that this will be the first of many collaborations with Emirates Photography Society as our two organisations share mutual ambitions for supporting artistic creativity in the Emirate of Sharjah.” 

Open to the public at large, Life in Ramadan is one of several cutting-edge exhibits from across the globe being featured at Maraya Art Centre. Recent projects have included partnerships with institutions like the Sharjah Art Foundation and award-winning pieces on display from the 2009 Abraaj Capital Art prize.

Andrew Shaw, Managing Director of Ducab receives ‘Superbrands’ award

Dubai, July 26, 2010- Following a year marked by business expansions, Ducab—one of the leading manufacturers of power cables in the Middle East—has been honoured for the second consecutive year by the Superbrands organisation for its marketing and branding excellence.  The honour is a powerful endorsement that recognizes Ducab’s exceptional work in positioning the brand while strengthening business relationships from its UAE headquarters. Ducab has been chosen for second time as a UAE “Superbrand” against stiff competition and as one of the very few recognised industrial brands.

Andrew Shaw, Managing Director of Ducab, says that as one of the leading companies in the UAE’s manufacturing sector, Ducab is very proud to have been recognised & honoured by the local business community and its industry peers.  “Focusing on client relationships coupled with the development of reliable & high quality products has taken us far in the past thirty years,” comments Shaw.  “As a joint venture between the governments of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, our success is a testament to the remarkable achievements that can be realised by mutual cooperation and the visionary leadership of UAE as a whole.”

Ashish Chaturvedy, Marketing Manager at Ducab, says, “Our products are supplied to partners around the world including Middle East, Asia & Africa from a series of UAE factories and business offices.  The company has consistently gained ground over the years, capturing a market share of over 50 per cent in the UAE and with strong ambition to expand within the GCC region over the next few years.” 

With two factories in Jebel Ali—one of which is a cable factory and the other a PVC compounding plant—the company also operates two cable manufacturing facilities in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, and the UAE’s first copper rod casting plant also located in Abu Dhabi.  Looking to the future, Ducab is also preparing to launch a high-voltage cables factory jointly owned by ADWEA & DEWA (known as Ducab HV) which is currently under construction in Dubai and due for completion during 2011.

This last year, Ducab’s advanced cable solutions have laid the foundation for world-renowned projects including the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Metro and the Yas Marina Circuit, amongst many other landmark projects within the region and overseas.

Dubai, 24 July, 2010:  Expanding its pledge to communities throughout Dubai, Aswaaq—the leading UAE local brand with international standards—is continuing its focus on CSR and the environment with the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Desert Group, a premium provider of value landscaping and outdoor apparel. The memorandum will see the two companies work together to promote special events within local communities encouraging both city beautification and environmental sustainability.

Aswaaq has previously partnered with Desert Group in hosting special events at Aswaaq community centres in Umm Suqeim and Warqaa, and has voiced their intention of hosting future activities at other Aswaaq locations across Dubai.  Customers and residents of these areas will have the chance to learn more about their neighbourhoods while taking part in a wide range of sporting, cultural and social activities. Aswaaq and Desert Group will cooperate in organising and arranging sponsorship for these activities.

This most recent MoU will also see Aswaaq showcase the Desert Group’s select range of seasonal plants, organic soils and quality garden furniture in its stores, with Desert Group making an effort to equip special needs workers at Aswaaq with pre-employment training as well as rehabilitation and recreational programs.

In addition, Wafa Loyalty Cards will be issued for Desert Group employees as the two companies work to implement Wafa customer loyalty programs at Desert Group point-of-purchase locations, with Wafa customers benefiting from special offers and prices in Desert Group outlets.

“The MoU highlights our dedication to partnering with various companies and organizations in providing local communities with excellent services while taking responsibilities towards the environment seriously,” comments Yousuf Sharaf, Deputy CEO at Aswaaq. “Our agreement is further aimed at increasing Aswaaq’s capacity to serve as a genuine community centre for Dubai’s diverse and ever-expanding population.”

The two companies have actually demonstrated their commitment to the environment on a number of previous occasions, including the recent “Plant a Tree” campaign with Aswaaq employees and 40 special needs volunteers working together to protect and nurture landscapes in designated local areas. 

Naseer Talib, CEO at Desert Group, expressed great enthusiasm when signing the agreement with Aswaaq. “We are proud to partner with Aswaaq as it is a great opportunity to help the communities we serve,” says Talib. “Both our staffs will benefit from collaborative projects as we exchange experiences and perspectives on environmental development in Dubai.”

Sharjah - June 30, 2010:  HE Justin H. Siberell, Consul General of the United States of America in Dubai, recently made a visit to explore the local UAE art pieces being featured at the Maraya Art Centre in Al Qasba—one of the leading galleries located in the Emirate of Sharjah. The visit by the Consul General coincided with a newly opened exposition titled ‘Peripheral Vision’, a series of masterpieces held by the Barjeel Art Foundation and featuring artwork from Barjeel’s founder, Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi’s personal collection. 

Following his tour of the Barjeel Art Foundation collection, HE Siberell also visited the Experiment exhibition—a set of works coming from five young Emirati artists.   Spread over the entire third floor of Maraya Art Centre, the artists and curators of Experiment were in attendance to guide HE Siberell through the various features of each floor and the origin and symbolism of the art pieces.

Some of the attendees present during the Consul General’s visit included co-curator of Maraya Art Centre Mr. Giuseppe Moscatello, founder of The Shelter arts centre Mr. Ahmed Bin Shabib, and gallery manager at Barjeel Art Foundation Ms. Mandy Merzaban.

Abu Dhabi, June 28, 2010: Ducab, the leading manufacturer of power cables in the Middle East, welcomed more than 250 professionals from across the UAE construction and energy industries to ‘Abu Dhabi Connected’, a networking event taking place yesterday, June 27th, at the Yas Island Rotana Hotel to encourage discussions about ways in which UAE companies can meet the energy demands of an ever growing—and diversifying—construction industry.   

While focusing on Ducab’s strong manufacturing presence in the UAE capital, the event saw many of the region’s most influential contractors, consultants, project directors and senior engineers share Ducab’s perspective on how the emirate’s latest projects will unfold as the Abu Dhabi government continues to pursue its Economic Vision 2030. 

The evening event was also marked by a glitzy colour-themed fashion show hosted by Ducab in partnership with the United Colors of Benetton, featuring a rich blend of Ducab colours incorporated into the Spring Summer Collection from Benetton.

Ducab itself has been active in the Emirate for many years, and since 2001 has been managed as a 50/50 joint venture between the Governments of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.  Andrew Shaw, Managing Director of Ducab, said that the company’s Abu Dhabi partnership has contributed greatly to the development of both the company and the local economy. 

Such ventures have increased substantially during the past two years as Ducab opened its third cable manufacturing facility in Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD).  Currently, over 60% of Ducab’s capacity is manufactured out of Abu Dhabi as three out of the five Ducab facilities are located there.

Although the last 18 months have been a tough period for the regional construction industry, Shaw said that the Emirate has shown enormous dedication to building a society based on both environmental and economic sustainability, with the local supply of resources and expertise adding significantly to the maintenance of healthy market conditions. 

“Thought leadership is a very important part of doing business in the capital, especially when it comes to infrastructure,” said Shaw.  “It is our hope that encouraging business-to-business dialogue will ultimately bring to light new innovations in the market.”

Ducab has been supporting infrastructure development in Abu Dhabi by supplying cables to some of the Emirate’s most recent landmark projects, including Yas Marina Circuit, Reem Island, Emirates Palace and a Green Diesel project with Takreer.

Dubai, June 17, 2010: In cooperation with Emirates Motor Sports Federation (EMSF), Aswaaq recently organized and hosted a special youth activity day for residents throughout Dubai including a rate motorcycle and car show taking place in the parking lot of the Aswaaq community centre in Umm-Suqeim.  Emirates Motor Sports Federation generously contributed a number of its rarest and most impressive models for the event, which was attended by hundreds of individuals including special guests from the Awqaf & Minors Affairs Foundation in Dubai.   

Kicking off the day’s activities was a kids-only tour through the Aswaaq bakery where children had a chance to “live as an Aswaaq employee”—at least for a few hours. As the fun moved outside, the afternoon was dedicated to the Emirates Motor Sports Federation (EMSF) road show, in which EMSF arranged an impressive collection of Harley Davidson motorcycles, Ferraris, and other classic cars in the Aswaaq parking lot.  Professional drivers took the cars for a spin around the parking lot, later staying by to speak to visiting fan and take photos with those in attendance.  Children even got the chance to ride the motorcycles with the international champions around the entrance area.

“We strive to make Aswaaq community centres more than just a location for shopping, but a place for exploring life and meeting others in the community,” says Abdul Basset Al Janahi, CEO of Aswaaq.  “With the help of our customers, partners and other leading organizations and associations, we are able to build a real sense of belonging within Dubai’s diversifying urban areas.”

The event is not the first of its kind for Aswaaq as it is continuously places emphasis on bringing Dubai communities closer together by organizing events that involve activities for the entire population.  Youth-oriented events like the one on Saturday are part of a series of recent Aswaaq initiatives to support the development of young children, which has included a food safety campaign for youngsters and encouraging best practices in the area of hygiene in partnership with local school systems.

Sharjah - June 16, 2010:   H.E Julius Lauritsch, Ambassador of Austria to the UAE visited yesterday, June 15th, Al Qasba—the premier tourist, cultural and entertainment destination in the Emirate of Sharjah.  During the visit, H.E Lauritsch roamed around the various attractions in Al Qasba and viewed the latest artworks featured at Maraya Art Centre. Welcomed by H.E. Marwan Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Al Qasba,  the Austrian Ambassador was impressed by the exclusive art collection of Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi’s which is currently exhibited at Barjeel Art Foundation in the second floor of Maraya Art Centre. Al Qassemi briefed the Ambassador on the art works, their origin and their symbolism and the future art works that the foundation plans to showcase for its visitors.  

Al Riyadh - KSA, June 9, 2010 – Companies across the region flocked to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) this week for the “Saudi Brand and Communications Summit 2010”—held in Riyadh from June 5 – 8, 2010.  Noting the incredible potential in the KSA market for all kinds of communication expansions, Mohammed Johmani, CEO and Founder of O2 Network, spoke at the summit about the key drivers of Saudi branding and marketing sectors. Johmani’s agency O2 Branding served as a main sponsor of the event.    

Research reports suggest that total advertising spending in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) will recover at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 10 percent from 2009-2013, with internet advertising expected to grow at nearly 32 percent.  With Saudi Arabia’s GDP being pegged as the highest in the Arab region, those in the branding and communications industry are excited to explore new innovations in the KSA media market.

“The strong foundations of the Saudi economy have encouraged companies to spend on growth during a time where most organizations are looking to cut costs, especially in marketing,” says Johmani.  “O2 Branding has definitely focused more of its energy on the Saudi market in the last few years, and this summit is the ideal platform to view the latest trends while networking with key decision makers in the region.”

O2 Branding is a perfect exemplar of the opportunities afforded to regional entrepreneurs looking to grow communication companies within KSA and the Arab world as a whole.  Part of the multi-discipline O2 Network, the agency assesses all aspects of a company’s “brand potential”, offering strategy design and development, brand-activation counseling, and company-wide workshops for brand management. 

O2 Branding grew out of the understanding that brands are organic in nature; an insight that is reflected in their mission to create ‘Living Brands’. The agency recognizes that brands look, speak, and behave according to their surroundings. In order to ensure an integrated brand culture, O2 Branding draws upon the expertise of the entire O2 Network, including interactive, PR, and advertising agencies, to offer clients integrated communication solutions.

Commenting on the ‘Living Brand’ approach, Johmani said: “To create living brands, we align brand strategies to consumer touch points.  O2 is unique in its communications approach because of its fundamental understanding that people interact with brands and experience them through multiple channels, which translate to the practices of marketing, public relations, and interactive digital media, all of which contribute to shaping certain characteristics of a brand. This approach ensures a comprehensive platform for the creation of an attuned brand culture. ”

Johmani was amongst amongst elite of regional and global figures who are speaking at the summit including Patrick Jephson, Former Private Secretary, HRH Diana, Princess of Wales; Mohamed El Fatatry, CEO, Muxlim, (Voted One of The World’s 500 Most Powerful Muslims); Werner Baumgartner, Managing Director, Swarovski Middle East; Terry Kane, Director Of Digital Strategy, Jumeirah Group; Majdi Al-Sahhaf, Director Marketing And Corporate Communications, Saudi Industrial Property Authority ‘MODON’; Shadi Bakhour, Director Sales And Marketing, Saudi Xerox; Rayan Qutub, Head Of Corporate Business Development And Investment Promotion ,Emaar, The Economic City; Cameron Walker, Director Corporate Communications, National Commercial Bank;  Siva Kumar; Global Head Of Customer Experience, HSBC; Tarik Hamou Hadi, Vice President Sales, Marketing And Innovation, Savola Foods; Mousa Obeid, Head Of Marketing KSA, Nokia;  Yasser Al-Kharobi, Head of Corporate Marketing, Rotana Media Group; Howard Belk, Co-President and CEO, Siegel+Gale.

Major topics of discussion at this year’s summit included connecting with Saudi youth, rules of branding in a post-recession environment, and the unique traits that define the Middle East communications industry within the larger, global scene. 

Dubai, June 6, 2010: Inspired to lighten up the lives of orphans, Aswaaq took the lead in organizing and hosting an event for 20 youngsters, in which they had a chance to live as an Aswaaq employee for a day. The event that was held recently in collaboration with Awqaf & Minors Affairs Foundation, took place from 5pm - 7pm at the Aswaaq community centre in Nadd Al Hamar, Dubai.

During the event, the children obtained a number of valuable experiences including working at the Aswaaq bakery. With the help of several ‘mentors’ from Aswaaq, the orphans were taught the essentials of preparing pastries and pizzas. They also gave a hand in baking cakes and decorating cupcakes for themselves and Aswaaq customers.

A number of other UAE organizations were eager to share in the joy, like the Emirates Driving Institute which educated the children on how to cross the street, ride the local busses, and other traffic tips to ensure their safety.  The day’s amusing atmosphere continued with a special event organized by ‘Kids Corner’ where each child got the chance to dabble with paints and get their favorite cartoon character painted on their face. 

The event concluded by the generous contribution from Al Farooj Al Tazaj giving delicious meals to all the participating children and Bin Sina Pharmacy providing gifts to brighten the orphan’s day.

“The children’s laughter brings us immense joy and encourages us to host other similar events that help give back to society,” says Abdul Basset Al Janahi, CEO of Aswaaq. “Our customers and partners help make programs like these a reality.  It’s amazing to see so many organizations throughout the UAE contributing every day to developing local communities and brining smiles to the faces of the nation’s youth.”

The Orphans day is the latest in a series of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives launched by Aswaaq at the end of 2009. Aswaaq is working with organizations such as UAE Ministry of Environment & Water to help set up recycling centers and is collaborating with the Ministry of Social Affairs on the “Forsaty” project, creating outlets for marketing goods manufactured by local families through household production. Aswaaq has recently organized a food safety campaign that targets school children from grades 4 – 6 throughout the UAE. The campaign aims to assure Aswaaq’s commitments to quality and safety measures regarding hygiene while encouraging best practices in partnership with local school systems. Also, aswaaq was a silver sponsor of ‘Autism around the World Symposium 2010’ that was held in May.