Got Talent is one of the most popular TV series of the last several years, broadcasted on hundreds of channels around the world. It has captured the interest of all of those who are gifted with a talent—and even many that aren’t. The concept started in the UK by host Simon Cowell, although it was America’s Got Talent that cemented the show as an international platform for singers, dancers, musicians, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages.

In a recent move to bring the series closer to local audiences, MBC group has partnered with the Got Talent franchise in order to give the Arab world the chance to show off their talents to a wider public. Casting calls are being made in the month of March and are open to peoples of all ages and all backgrounds (provided they can speak Arabic).

In previous seasons of the Got Talent show, we have seen acts that have both horrified and amazed audiences, with judges screaming everything from rude obscenities to YES YOU CAN! Notable acts like Susan Boyle—who was mocked the moment she was on stage—broke all conventions after just a few seconds on stage, leaving the crowd’s eyes wide open and jaws dropped from her incredible voice. Maybe one of you out there can do the same…

During the first season of Arabs Got Talent, which will be aired on MBC4, the public can register online and will be chosen accordingly by talent and availabilities. From heartfelt performances to hilarious gags, we can’t wait to see who’s got talent in the Arab world!

Get on stage at http://riyadhciti.com/2010/02/arabs-got-talent/.

It’s a sign of rebellion, passion, sincerity and humanitarianism. Those born in a Tiger year are thought to possess all of these traits, and as we start a new page in the Chinese Lunar Calendar—which officially begins on February 14th—it is indeed time for the Tiger.

There are several interpretations of the Legend of the 12 Animals, which gives rise to the correlation of the year with an animal. Some say that the creatures of Earth became quarrelsome many years ago, and the Chinese god Jade Emperor decided to give each creature a year of its own. A race was ordered to determine which animal had which year, and twelve animals were chosen to participate. Cunning and sly, the Rat won the race, followed by the Ox, the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey, the Rooster, the Dog and finally the Pig.

Others say that during the celebration of the Chinese New Year many years ago, Buddha called upon all the creatures of the land to bid him farewell before he departed the earth. To his disappointment, only 12 animals came forth. The first to arrive was the charming rat, who they say nimbly bounced off the Ox to beat him by a nose. The hard working and plodding Ox was close behind, followed by the charismatic Tiger and the rest of the animals. Buddha then declared that he would reward the animals by naming a year after each of them, and those born on that year would possess the qualities of the reigning animal.

Notable “Tigers” include American actress Marilyn Monroe, German musician Ludwig Van Beethoven, Queen Elizabeth II of England, and Hollywood star Leonardo diCaprio.

What is your sign?

Many online matchmakers have made a fortune from the millions of digital users around the world. With high hopes, users tend to use such website to meet their significant other or their soul mates. Try as they might, many of these endeavors end unsuccessfully.

Online dating sites are now going to the extreme with their methodologies, using methods such as genetic testing or brain chemistry questionnaires that aim to let the users know more about their partner.

Companies such as Scientificmatch.com have a fee of $2000 for life which uses a DNA sample from a person to test for compatibility with partners. Another website following the trace is Chemistry.com. The website develops a questionnaire by a biological anthropologist to match up registered users for only $50 per month.

It may sound silly, but the industry of online dating makes $976 million a year! Either online dating is actually working for some, or bachelors just have too much extra cash that don’t know where to spend it. With the insignificant fee that some website are requesting, it would be a lot less expensive than going out for dinner. Something to think about for the future…

For those that have yet to travel to Japan for business, there are a couple of things you should know before booking your ticket and inviting clients out to eat. Japanese culture is centered on politeness, overall respect for people, age reverence, gracious apology for wrongdoing, and living in harmony.

Foreigners, when eating out in Japanese restaurants, need to understand the basics of the Japanese dining etiquette to avoid offending the Japanese by committing a dining blunder!

There are some essential basic rules to be mindful of when dining in a Japanese restaurant. First of all, when the food is served, join your hands in the “Namaste” gesture and say quietly, “Itadakimasu” the phrase translates as “I humbly receive.” The gesture is an expression of gratitude for the collective efforts made by many in growing and preparing the meal.

If you feel you need a bit of soy sauce for your meal, you should serve yourself by pouring a small amount into your soya dish. It is considered rude to directly pour the soy sauce on your meal. If you’re having sushi, dip the sushi in the soy dish and bring it to your mouth. Avoid pouring excessive amount of soy and hovering over your dish. When eating rice or soup, you are allowed to bring the entire bowl closer to your mouth so that you don’t spill any food. In addition, it is considered rude to burp at the table unlike in some other Asian cultures like Chinese or Korean, where it can be received as a sign of satisfaction.

As for the chopsticks, never put your chopsticks in a bowl of rice because it resembles the burning of incense sticks at a Japanese funeral. Instead, lay your chopsticks on the chopsticks holder or at the edge of your individual plate.

At the dining table, do not pour yourself a drink but rather serve others at the table. Another thoughtful person should pour your drink for you when you are finished serving.

At the end of the meal, thank the chef by saying “Gochisosama deshita!” Thank you for this great meal!

Arab Business Leaders

Within this monthly forum, O2 takes a look at some of the most influential Arab business leaders shaping today’s markets. These individuals have achieved incredible success while advancing best practices in their respective industries. If you know someone who you think fits this description, let us know at editor@pr2live.com.

Lubna Olayan
She is one of the most influential business women and was listed as the top 100 most influenmtial people of 2005 by Time magazine. Ms. Olayan was born on August the 4th, 1955, to a Saudi business man, Suliman Olayan, and mother Maryam Abdulwahab, and has many significant achievements in the world of business.

Ms. Lubna Olayan is the chief executive officer of the Olayan Financing Company (OFC). The company was founded in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1947 by her father Suliman Olayan. OFC is a private multinational enterprise engaged in distribution, manufacturing, services, and investments. OFC operates in more than 40 countries and is one of the largest investors in the Saudi and regional stock markets.

Ms. Lubna’s first significant appearance was in 2004 where she was the first woman in Saudi history to deliver an opening keynote at a major conference at the Jeddah Economic Forum. Also in the same year, she was elected to the board of Saudi Hollandi Bank. In 2006 and 2007, Ms. Olayan joined the International Advisory Boards of Rolls Royce and Citigroup. She is also the member of the International Business Council of the World Econonic Forum and the International Advisory Board of the Council on Foreign Relations.

She also has significant roles in Saudi Arabia where she joined the Advisory Board of Effat College, a private and non-profit girl’s college in Jeddah.

Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal
The most significant figures in today’s Arab business world
From banking to media, one of the most significant figures in today’s Arab business world is Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud.

Prince Al-Waleed was born on March 7, 1955 to his father Prince Talal, the son of the founding king of Saudi Arabia, and his mother Mona Al-Solh, the Daughter of Lebanon’s first Prime Minister Riyad Al-Solh.

As a young man, Prince Al-Waleed completed his undergraduate studies in Menlo College in 1979 with a degree in business adminstration. Later on in 1985, he earned his master’s degree at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in the U.S.

His business career started right after his graduation from Menlo College in 1979. His business activities as an investor started when he bought shares in Citicorp in the 1990s when the firm was in distress. Now, his holdings in Citigroup account for $1billion, nearly double his initial investments in the 1990s of $550 million. After his investments in Citibank, he earned an international nickname as being the Saudi Warren Buffett.

Later, he made he made significant investments in large media companies such as AOL, Apple Inc., Motorola, News Corporation Ltd and other companies. Prince Al-Waleed also holds 10% stake in Euro Disney SCA, as well as real estate holdings in Four Seasons hotel chain and Plaza Hotel in New York.

Early in 2005, Al-Waleed purchased Savoy Hotel in London to be managed by Fairmont Hotels—in which he owns 16% stake. As of 2008, there are plans to construct the tallest building in the world, The Tower of One Mile. The tower , which is proposed by Al-Waleed’s own company, Kingdom Holding Company, is said to be a super tall skyscraper and the tallest tower in the world with a height of one mile (1609 meters).

In August 2009, his fortune was estimated to be US$16.3 billion and was ranked the 22nd richest person in the world.

Dr.Saad H. Al Barrak
The Deputy Chairman and the Managing Director of Zain
Dr. Saad Al Barrak is the Deputy Chairman and the Managing Director of Zain, one of the leading telecommunication companies in the Middle East. Al Barrak, of Kuwaiti nationality, is a distinguished engineer and businessman of international reputation.

He holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering, an MSc in Systems Engineering from Ohio University, and a PhD in Information Systems & Technology Management from the University of London. He is also an alumnus of Harvard University.

Prior to his appointment with Zain (previously known as MTC), Dr. Al Barrak was Managing Director of International Turnkey Systems (ITS), one of the leading IT companies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Under Dr. Al Barrak, ITS’s revenues grew from $5 million in 1985 to exceed $100 million in 2000.

Dr. Al Barrak was Vice-Chairman of the Social Development Office (SDO) of the Amiri Diwan in Kuwait; Chairman of Egyptian software developer IT Soft; Chairman of Arab Telecom; and a non-executive Director of Arab Management Association in Cairo.

Since his appointment as the CEO in 2002, Zain’s customer base has increased from 600,000 to a conglomerate of 24 operations with over 70 million active customers across the Middle East and Africa. In this period, Zain’s market capitalization on the Kuwait Stock Exchange has increased from less than US$2.5 billion to exceed $20 billion (September 30, 2009).

In 2003, he received the ‘E-businessman of the Year’ award in the region. Later in 2005, he received the Middle East’s ‘CEO of the Year’ award in the Information Communication Technology sector.

In September 2007, Dr. Al Barrak received the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award from leading industry magazine COMMSMEA. Dr. Al Barrak is also an Executive Board Member of Celtel International and a Member of the Board of the GSM Association.

The iPad is extremely user friends and former Apple junkies will have no problem learning their way around the device. The price of an iPad ranges from $499 to $829 depending on the features and upgrades, and is unlikely to go down in the foreseeable future.

A salute once again to Mr. Jobs and the Apple team! We can’t wait to get our hands on one.

Since he became engulfed in allegations of multiple extramarital affairs following a mysterious car accident outside his Florida home last November, the world has learned just how important Tiger is to golf, and his corporate sponsors.  Although projections vary, the scandal is estimated to have cost shareholders of companies endorsed by Tiger $5 billion to $12 billion in losses.

Sponsors who have dropped Woods include technology outsourcing and consulting firm Accenture, Procter & Gamble Co ’s shaving products maker Gillette (which dropped the golfer from its marketing), and telecommunications giant AT&T. However, Tiger’s biggest and longest sponsor Nike has said they are standing by the golfer as he hits the rough.  Luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer has gone back and forth with Tiger but has yet to officially drop him.

Besides being the hottest scandal in recent sporting history, the Tiger Woods incident is also a great case study for those in the world of marketing.  It has provoked us to reflect on the value—and risk—involved in building brands around a single person or idea.  His brand of video games alone has earned millions for EA Sports and his personal piggybank.  This has been the ultimate crisis point for Tiger as a brand and an athlete.  His indefinite departure from the sport was an honorable thing to do given the nature of the scandal; his very own crisis management strategy.  Has this saved Tiger from further scrutiny?  Was he able to save face by giving up his love of golf in order to resolve his character flaws?  Like his sponsors, some people say that his actions are unforgivable, while others are standing by their iconic role model figure.

Not even a month after the scandal, Tiger was voted Athlete of the Decade by Associated Press, and he’s graced the cover of countless magazines and journals.  Sports biggest brand may have suffered the greatest blow of his career, but the brand of Tiger Woods is far from expired.

That might not sound like such a big deal, but is in fact estimated to be worth more than $1 billion!

The landmark deal, which makes Al Jazeera the dominant regional player in sports broadcasting, is the second major consolidation between Middle East pay-TV providers in the last twelve months, following the merger between Orbit and Showtime last July.  According to officials at ART, that merger was part of the decision to sell content to Al Jazeera.  Financial pressures from the recession made the decision even easier.

ART was the largest sports rights holder in the region until the sale, with a portfolio that included the FIFA World Cups for next year and 2014, the African Cup of Nationals from next year to 2016, and an array of league championships throughout the region, including the Saudi League and national team matches. Those rights will shift to Al Jazeera, with the exception of the Saudi League (ART is owned by Sheikh Saleh Kamel, a Saudi billionaire, and the contract for league TV rights requires them to go to a Saudi company).

ART will distribute Al Jazeera Sport Channels +1 to +8 “on a non-exclusive basis”, and although Al Jazeera will still have the option of selling its own smart cards, industry observers believe it makes sense for Al Jazeera to leave the distribution game to ART.   The company recently made a major investment in new encryption technology for its smart cards, and has an extensive network of offices throughout the region to service them.

Some fear that ART and Al Jazeera joining forces will eliminate rights holders’ ability to pit them against each other in bidding wars, with potential costs to the consumer.  On the other, concentrating so much sports broadcasting power in one place gives Al Jazeera a stronger position when setting prices for its packages.

For the time being, it seems as though conglomeration has won out again.

Have you been affected by this decision? If so, please email us at editor@pr2live.comand tell us about how your world has changed.

• 80,000 sq ft facility celebrates role playing by emulating 70 real-life professions

• Activities tailored to promote physical and intellectual development of children

• Emaar Retail joins hands with leading establishments

A dedicated city where children work, learn, play and even earn, spend and save, opens today (January 10, 2010) at The Dubai Mall.

KidZania®, the award-winning edutainment concept promoting the physical and intellectual growth of children through professional role-plays, has opened at the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination in Dubai.

Emaar Retail, the entertainment and retail subsidiary of Emaar Properties, is bringing the innovative KidZania® concept for the first time to the Middle East region and Indian Subcontinent.

Sprawling over 80,000 sq ft in two levels, KidZania® is conveniently located in the entertainment precinct of the mall near Reel Cinemas, the 22-screen megaplex, and SEGA Republic, the largest of its kind indoor theme park in the Middle East.

KidZania® is a veritable city with an assortment of establishments covering the entire fabric of a working economy – from banks to hospitals, universities to salons, television stations to music lounges, and hospitals to hotels.

Immaculately laid out streets, a petrol station, race track and roads, fountains, restaurants, boulevard-like fun events including magic shows and a theatre with outdoor and indoor performances, transport children to a world they can rightfully say belongs to them.

The entrance to KidZania® is unmistakable with a real Emirates aircraft and airport-style check-in counters welcoming the children. At check-in, all children are provided with a boarding pass, city map and a cheque for 50 KidZos, KidZania’s official currency.

These KidZos can be used to buy goods and services; or even save them at the bank, which will provide them with an ATM card too. Although children function independently, they are guided in each activity by ‘Zoopervisors,’ the trained KidZania® staff.

Children don uniforms that reflect the nature of the profession in each establishment, and undertake real-life tasks: cub reporters write out stories for the KidZania® Journal; beauticians give customers a beauty makeover; fire-fighters put out ‘fires’; detectives patrol the streets; cabin crew tend to ‘airline passengers’ and chefs cook up delicious meals. At the end of their ‘work’, the child professionals are paid a salary in KidZos.

Mr Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Retail, said KidZania® is the first of its kind edutainment concept in the entire region, and offers children the opportunity to understand and appreciate different professions through a hands-on approach.

“Emaar Retail, through its entertainment arm, is focused on bringing extraordinary entertainment experiences to the region, and KidZania® is a perfect fit to our objectives of being a frontrunner in new initiatives that excite and appeal to all sections of the society. KidZania® is a great value addition to The Dubai Mall, offering visitors from around world another new attraction, especially appealing to children.”

He added: “KidZania® is the dream come true for children as they are provided the opportunity to choose from over 70 real-life professions in a city ambience that is scaled down to their size. This will significantly benefit them in honing their skills, identifying their true talents, and contributing to overall physical, mental and intellectual faculties.”

The concept of KidZania®, which blends fun with learning, has gained global appeal since its launch in Mexico in 1999. Today, the world has seven KidZania® franchises including Dubai.

Honoured by the Themed Entertainment Association as ‘Best Theme Park’ and most recently as ‘Concept of the Year’ by MAPIC, KidZania® offers a safe and interactive edutainment experience, where children can pursue their preferred professions independently and get to understand the world of grown-ups better by being grown-ups themselves, explained Mr William Edwards, Governor, KidZania®.

“Through the various activities, KidZania® teaches children the principles of life in modern society which will help them in future growth.”

Tickets to KidZania® are priced at AED 125 for children and AED 90 for adults and children can spend unlimited time within the zone while parents can rest at a dedicated Parents lounge with Internet and movies, if they so choose. All children are provided Remote Frequency wristbands to monitor their activities, thereby reassuring parents of their safety at all times.

Although most of the establishments at KidZania® cater primarily to 4 to 14-year-olds, toddlers have a dedicated area where parents can leave them to the care of experienced child care professionals. This area, ‘Urbano’s Residence’ is the house of KidZania®’s mascots, Urbano, Vita and Bache.

KidZania® has already signed up Ambassadors from children in the region, who will join a distinguished gathering of dignitaries for the KidZania® Dubai Foundation Day to be celebrated shortly.

The edutainment centre is also open to schools for field trips with the scope of activities potentially tailored and linked to school subjects. KidZania® also serves as a unique venue for birthday parties and even corporate events.

KidZania® has partnered with several corporate organisations in Dubai such as Emirates, HSBC, ENOC, Waitrose, AC Delco, Procter & Gamble, Lacnor, Emaar Education, Sony Gulf, Sony Professional Solutions, Jotun, Dubai Health Authority, Swiss Arabian, ARY Jewellery & DMCC, DEWA, Jenan (Al Ghurair Foods), Du, McDonald’s, General Motors, Emirates Driving Institute, NAFFCO, Dunkin’ Donuts, Britannia, Pizza Express, HP, Baskin Robbins, Coca Cola and SWATCH which offer real-life professional work environments.

In addition to KidZania®, Emaar Retail manages a strong roster of exclusive leisure and retail concepts including Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo featuring over 33,000 aquatic animals and the world’s largest acrylic viewing panel; the Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink; the UAE largest megaplex with 22-screens, Reel Cinemas; and the region’s largest SEGA indoor theme park, SEGA Republic – all in The Dubai Mall.

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Side bar 1

KidZania®: The Children’s World at a Glance

Location: Entertainment precinct of The Dubai Mall near Reel Cinemas and SEGA Republic on Level 2

Area: 80,000 sq ft spread over two levels

Components: Offices, university, fire station, race track, radio station, pizzeria, hospital, bank, theatre and ATM machines among others

Professions: Over 70 roles including surgeons, firefighters, chefs, engineers, models, actors, artists, radio hosts, photographers, television hosts, jewelry designers, police detectives and mechanics among others.

Currency: KidZos

Staff: Zoopervisors

Other elements: Toddler’s area “Urbano’s Residence”; Parents lounge

Partners: Emirates airline, HSBC, ENOC, Waitrose, AC Delco, Procter & Gamble, Lacnor, Emaar Education, Sony Gulf, Sony Professional Solutions, Jotun, Dubai Health Authority, Swiss Arabian, ARY Jewellery & DMCC, DEWA, Jenan (Al Ghurair Foods), Du, McDonald’s, General Motors, Emirates Driving Institute, NAFFCO, Dunkin’ Donuts, Britannia, Pizza Express, HP, Baskin Robbins, Coca Cola and SWATCH

Note to Editors

About Emaar Retail:

Emaar Retail is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emaar Malls Group LLC and is the vehicle for all retail operations. Emaar Retail is developing a portfolio of brands in key growth markets and is strategically building new alliances, joint ventures, franchises and licenses for all mall developments under the Emaar Malls Group umbrella. Emaar Retail also manages the business operations for The Dubai Mall’s leisure and entertainment brands including KidZania®, SEGA Republic, the Olympic-sized ‘Dubai Ice Rink’ and Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. Emaar Retail has also entered into a joint-venture with Cathay Organisation Holdings Ltd in Singapore, to form Reel Entertainment to develop cinemas across the region including the flagship 22-screen cineplex at The Dubai Mall. Emaar Retail was established to drive Emaar Malls Group’s developments in key emerging markets across the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Sub-Continent through creating the right retail mix for the various markets.

About Emaar Properties PJSC:

Emaar Properties PJSC, listed on the Dubai Financial Market, is a global property developer with a significant presence in several key markets world-wide. Besides building residential and commercial properties, the company also has proven competencies in shopping malls & retail, hospitality & leisure, education and healthcare. For more information, visit www.emaar.com.

For further information, please contact:

Kelly Home / Meral Hassan

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller; Tel: (+971 4) 334 4550; E-mail: k.home@asdaa.com, m.hassan@asdaa.com