BDP merges with local practice SYNA to expand into the Middle East

Europe’s largest building design practice, BDP, has announced today that it will open an office on 1 April in Abu Dhabi after agreeing to merge with local based multidisciplinary design practice SYNA.

BDP was founded in 1961 and is ranked in the top 10 architects in the world and the largest architect in Western Europe with an annual turnover of approximately AED 600m ($163m) in the last financial year. It employs more than 1,200 architects, designers, engineers, urbanists, sustainability experts, lighting designers and acoustics specialists in 15 studios across the UK, France, Ireland and Netherlands.

The internationally acclaimed architect has designed distinguished schemes such as the All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, London. BDP was responsible for creating a new master plan for the Grand Slam tennis venue and designing the new 11,000-seat No 1 Court, a broadcast centre, the Millennium Building and a new Court 2.

However, BDP is best known for its focus on community projects, such as schools, universities, hospitals and city centre regeneration. Last year BDP was shortlisted for seven awards by the Royal Institute of British Architects including its work on the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton, the Bridge Academy school in London and the 42 acre master plan for Liverpool One - the retail-led scheme developed by Grosvenor that has successfully regenerated Liverpool city centre.

SYNA has more than 30 years of experience of designing viable and successful projects across the Gulf particularly in the hospitality sector, and has had offices in Abu Dhabi since 1993. SYNA’s project experience includes the Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort in Dubai and Danat Resort Jebel Dhanna, Abu Dhabi..
 
BDP has been growing its presence in the Middle East. It designed the ABC Shopping Mall in Beirut and was commissioned in 2007 by ODAC (Office for Development of Administrative Centres) to design 10 university complexes across Libya. However BDP chose to merge with SYNA because of their ability to deliver complex projects, through understanding the region’s culture and practices, as well as a multi-facetted and inclusive approach to design, very similar to the approach that BDP adopt in the execution of their projects worldwide.

“We celebrate our 50th anniversary next year and during that time have established ourselves as the largest and one of the leading architect-led interdisciplinary practices in Europe, but now is the right time for BDP to become a true global player,” said David Cash, BDP’s international director and now the new chairman of the BDP Abu Dhabi studio.

“We consider the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to be one of the most exciting places in the world to display our range of skills and experience and we view Abu Dhabi as fast becoming the major commercial centre within this region,” he added.

The BDP Abu Dhabi practice will be run by Nadine Nackasha, who managed the original SYNA practice in Abu Dhabi and Gary Dicken, who has relocated to the Emirate from the BDP Manchester Office. Gary has been working with BDP for the last 23 years.

Nackasha explained that BDP will to continue to invest in building a world class building design practice in Abu Dhabi that will offer the full range of services, adding sustainability expertise and specialist engineering skills, including acoustics and lighting designers, so that clients can enjoy the diversity that BDP has to offer locally as they would find in BDP’s London or Manchester studios.

“BDP will relocate a number of specialists from the UK to work alongside the former SYNA team to create a new exciting building design studio in Abu Dhabi,” said Nackasha. “This international expertise combined with the local knowledge and understanding of the Middle East market from SYNA will create a compelling new practice in the region.”

BDP will be exhibiting during Cityscape Abu Dhabi at ADNEC between 18-21 April.

Potential university students encouraged to pursue national growth through cultural pride & creative thinking

March 3, 2010

ALHOSN University, a leading Abu Dhabi-based university dedicated to high-quality and value-based education, affirmed its commitment to supporting the Abu Dhabi Educational Council’s (ADEC) five-year development plan during its annual “Open Day” held today (Wednesday, March 3, 2010) at the Ground Floor of its Male Campus from 9 am to 2 pm.

Last year, ADEC outlined a comprehensive plan to develop the local educational sector by focusing on multiple factors such as human resources, technology, leadership, communication with society members, students’ assessment, and school environment. ALHOSN explained its methods for promoting development in these areas to visitors and prospective students. University departments set up booths showcasing their programs, courses, activities, and student projects, while an on-site tour was conducted to introduce key personnel and visit major facilities. Special packages such as free Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) assessments were also offered.

“I often encourage those interested in joining ALHOSN’s family to share our goal of upholding the UAE’s rich tradition while fostering a culture of creative thinking and global awareness. Our annual Open Day enables us to send this message across while affirming our active participation in the emirate’s long-term educational development goals. This year’s event is particularly special as it coincides with our 5th anniversary. We once again invite the youth of Abu Dhabi who want to make a difference to join us in pursuing our vision of global growth with local vision,” said Ghada Qabha, Director of Student Affairs, ALHOSN University.

ALHOSN University was founded in 2005 and offers its 11 undergraduate and 7 graduate programs in three faculties to students of all nationalities. The University’s City Campus includes the Men’s Campus, the Women’s Campus, a Library, a Lecture building, Engineering Labs, and a Studio Building. ALHOSN recently marked its 5th year with a Gala Dinner attended by prominent government and media personalities which celebrated its emergence as one of Abu Dhabi’s top educational service providers.

Abu Dhabi, February 27, 2009: In a move to provide its customers in Abu Dhabi with increased convenience, Emirates NBD announced today that two further branches have extended their opening hours in the nation’s capital. The bank’s Al Najda branch, located on Najda Street, and the Abu Dhabi main branch, located on Khalifa Street, both now offer additional convenient timings.  This is in addition to its two branches at Al Muhairy Centre and Electra branch, totaling to four Emirates NBD branches in the UAE capital that now operate until 8PM daily, six days a week.

The Middle East’s largest bank by asset size currently operates 13 branches and 48 ATMs and Cash Deposit Machines (CDMs) in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.   The bank intends to significantly increase its presence in the two cities in 2010, with a strategic expansion plan to be rolled out over the next 12 months.

Customers in Abu Dhabi can now take advantage of teller, retail and customer services during these extended timings, which will also be rolled out across other Abu Dhabi and Al Ain branches in the months to come.

The decision to increase the bank’s operating hours in the nation’s capital, according to Abdulelah Al Kindly, Head of Retail Banking, Abu Dhabi Region, Emirates NBD, comes in response to the busy lifestyles of residents, especially those who frequently work into the evening.

“At Emirates NBD, we are committed to providing the maximum level of convenience to our customers wherever they work and live” said Al Kindly. “By extending the operating hours of our Abu Dhabi main branch, Al Najda Branch, Muhairy Centre branch and the Electra branch, we are making life easier for our customers – and therefore making banking with Emirates NBD the obvious choice. In Abu Dhabi and Al Ain region, we also service our clients through nine Priority Banking Centers, one Private Banking Center and a Business Banking center which we are planning to open in the near future. 

“We recognise the importance of setting the highest standards in customer service and convenience,” he said. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that Emirates NBD continues to set benchmarks in this regard.”

US FDA approves a new indication for ROSUVASTATIN CALCIUM in prevention of heart attacks and ailments based on clinical study results

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 25th February, 2010: Local medical experts have called for focusing on the prevention rather than treatment of heart disease, which has attained alarming proportions in the UAE and become the No. 1 killer Data. According to the Abu Dhabi Health Authority (HAAD) the cardiovascular diseases contributed to 24% of all deaths in the emirate in 2008 .

Experts say more intensive heart-related campaigns are needed to raise awareness and adopt preventive steps, including medication, as nearly 40 per cent of the residents are believed to be unaware of their heart ailments.

The call comes at a time when the US FDA has recently granted approval to for a new indication for ROSUVASTATIN. NB: ROSUVASTATIN CALCIUM is the chemical name of the drug. ROSUVASTATIN is a lipid lowering drug that belongs to a class known as statins that reduce cholesterol in blood. The new indication for ROSUVASTATIN is to reduce risk of stroke, heart attack and revascularization procedures in individuals without evident heart disease but with increased risk of cardiovascular disease based on certain indicators. Previously such patients were not eligible for such treatment.

Dr. Abdullah Shehab, Director of CME, Emirates Society of Cardiology said that just around 10 percent of UAE resident are aware of heart issues and follow a healthy lifestyle. About 50 percent are aware of their heart condition but fail to make any lifestyle changes, while 40 percent are ignorant of their condition and therefore don’t not take any remedial measures.

Dr. Shehab was speaking at a press conference to announce that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had approved ROSUVASTATIN from AstraZeneca, which reduces the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction (heart attack) and arterial revascularization procedures in individuals without clinically evident coronary heart disease, but with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) based on age (men ≥50 and women ≥60), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) ≥ 2 mg/L, and the presence of at least one additional CVD risk factor, such as hypertension, low HDL-C, smoking, or a family history of premature coronary heart disease.

Dr. Shehab said that while UAE has seen an improvement in diagnosis, evaluation, treatment and the medical management of cardiovascular disease, still more heart-related campaigns are needed.

”With the approval of this new indication for ROSUVASTATIN, a new phase of cardiologic prevention has begun. “Usually, we treat patients after we discover they have a cardiological disease, but this medicine can tackle the early signs of the diseases,” he added.

In the UAE, the cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death and the numbers are rising. By 2015, almost 20m people in the world will die from cardiovascular ailments, mainly from heart disease and stroke.

The FDA approval was based on the findings of a landmark JUPITER (Justification for the Use of statins in Primary prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin) study which evaluated the impact of ROSUVASTATIN 20 mg on reducing major cardiovascular (CV) events in a previously unstudied population. In JUPITER, ROSUVASTATIN significantly reduced the relative risk of heart attack by 54% (p<0.001), stroke by 48% (p=0.002), and arterial revascularization by 46% (p<0.001) vs placebo.

“Not only is this approval a significant milestone for AstraZeneca, but it is also important for the patients who could now benefit from a new phase of therapy under this approved indication,” said Dr Fadel Shaker, Medical Manager AstraZeneca Gulf. “This new indication adds to the significant body of evidence physicians use to evaluate ROSUVASTATIN as a treatment option.”

Dr. Azan Binbrek of Cardiology Department, Rashid Hospital in Dubai said: “We should play an active role in the community by promoting health awareness about diseases and their prevention, such as cardiovascular diseases. We primarily ask our patients to lose weight, do regular exercise and stop smoking. UAE still has a long way to go in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases because this is multi disciplinary where it is the joint responsibility of the government and media and schools have a role to play in planting healthy lifestyle for the kids and keep junk food out of their reach and train them to have exercise as part of their daily lives.”

Speaking about the highest factors for cardiovascular diseases, Dr Binbrek said that the UAE is the second in the world in diabetes where around 25 per cent of people in the UAE are diabetic, 25 per cent have high blood pressure and 20-25 percent have high cholesterol not to mention smoking that is dramatically and worryingly increasing amongst teenagers in the age of 15 to 18, figures that were not so high in the past years.

The major cardiovascular diseases include coronary heart disease (heart attacks), cerebrovascular disease (strokes), hypertension, heart failure and rheumatic heart disease.

Dr. Binbrek added: “The UAE has a very high rate of heart attacks, strokes and heart failure due to the huge lifestyle changes, and we must try to prevent these diseases.”

Dr. Binbrek concluded: “I was the principle investigator for an international study including the Middle East, East Europe and South America about cardiovascular diseases and we found that in milligram to milligram, ROSUVASTATIN is the most powerful statin that we have.”

Dr. Shehab pointed out that some doctors themselves had a bad lifestyle, with many of them being obese, heavy smokers, junk food consumers and avoiding exercise. Dr. Shehab said the UAE is at high risk for more cardiovascular diseases because risks factors like diabetes, smoking, hypertension, lack of exercise and high cholesterol are highly prevalent.

Expansion of bank’s Private Banking services in line with increasing client demand

Abu Dhabi, February 23, 2010: In line with increasing demand for its bespoke wealth management solutions, Emirates NBD, the largest banking group in the Middle East in terms of assets, announced today the official inauguration of its first Private Banking Centre in Abu Dhabi. Emirates NBD’s fourth Private Banking Center now in operation in the country, complements the bank’s existing presence with three offices in Dubai, an office in London, in addition to the international expansion plan to other regions.

Emirates NBD Private Banking provides clients with a dedicated private banker and a team of investment professionals, offering a portfolio of innovative services across all asset classes, including equity investments, bonds, mutual funds, real estate advisory, trusts and a full range of Sharia-compliant products and services.

“On behalf of Emirates NBD, I am extremely pleased to announce the inauguration of our first Private Banking Centre in Abu Dhabi, demonstrating our commitment to meeting the diverse needs of our customers across the UAE,” said Jamal Bin Ghalaita, Group Deputy CEO, Emirates NBD.

“Drawing on our expert knowledge and depth of experience in the region and across the globe, Emirates NBD Private Banking offers a gateway to the Middle East for global investors” he said. “We look forward to providing our clients in Abu Dhabi with convenient service, tailored precisely to meet their evolving investment requirements.”

“Today more than ever, investors are seeking sustainable asset allocation strategies in line with global trends and hence the provision of personalized, specialist financial advisory is very valuable,” said Robbert Jan Voogt, General Manager, Private Banking, Emirates NBD.

“Emirates NBD Private Banking offers a wide portfolio of services to ensure the sustainable financial success of all our clients, despite the continuing volatile conditions worldwide.” he added. “We are confident that our clients in Abu Dhabi will appreciate our personalized approach to developing individual strategies to nurture and grow their wealth.”

Emirates NBD Private Banking has won numerous awards including “Best Local Private Bank” by Euromoney, “Outstanding Private Bank in the Middle East” by Private Banker International, “Best Private Bank – Middle East” by Arabian Business, “Best Emerging Market Bank” and “Best Bank in the UAE” by Global Finance, and “Best Bank in the UAE” by Banker Middle East.

Emirates NBD’s Private Banking Centre in Abu Dhabi is located in the Khalidiya Area of Abu Dhabi. The centre is open from 8AM-4PM from Sunday-Thursday.

The Crown Prince of Spain, Felipe de Borbón y Grecia has confirmed his participation in the upcoming World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. Read the full story

Bertrand Piccard, President and Pilot of Solar Impulse wants to demonstrate what can be achieved when pushing the limits of actual renewable technologies at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi

Bertrand Piccard, Read the full story

Forum to highlight opportunities in the logistics infrastructure and services industry in the Middle East

In response to the growing demand for logistics services and infrastructure in the Middle East, Read the full story

Around 1,500 participants attend inaugural tournament

ALHOSN University, a leading Abu Dhabi-based university dedicated to high-quality, value-based education, Read the full story

Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of Economic Affairs, Finland will play a role in the Ministers’ discussion

Mauri Pekkarinen, Minister of Economic Affairs from Finland has confirmed his participation in the upcoming World Future Energy Summit 2010 in Abu Dhabi. Read the full story