Dubai - United Arab Emirates: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) established an exclusive partnership which allows customers to utilize and benefit from DEWA services through a tailored application on Samsung Smart TV’s. With the partnership, DEWA is set to be the first company in the region to develop a utility application for Samsung’s Smart TV range.

Through the newly developed Samsung SMART TV DEWA application, customers can check and pay their bills, find out more about the latest DEWA news and events, find out information and locations of customer service centers, find the location of more than 200 payment centres and request a new connection at a later stage. The service will be available on all Samsung SMART TV’s by the end of November.

On this occasion, His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, said: “In line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, aiming to achieve customer satisfaction through excellence in delivering services, adopting best practices, and introducing the most up-to-date technologies and solutions to its e-operations so as to promote the strategy of our judicious government. In this respect, DEWA is going to launch its application compatible with Samsung Smart TV. This step will, definitely enable DEWA’s customers to use this TV to pay their electricity and water bills, as well as all the other eservices delivered by DEWA.”

“This achievement adds to the series of achievements made by DEWA, especially in the field of enhancing customer service, as well as achieving the highest levels of satisfaction and diversification in services delivered. DEWA makes relentless efforts to enable its customers to use the most state-of-the-art technologies with the purpose of saving customers’ time and effort,” His Excellency Saeed Al Tayer further added.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Young Soo Kim, President of Samsung Gulf Electronics said, “Through our Smart TV’s and advanced user friendly interface, Samsung is committed to adding value to both business enterprises and consumers, by enabling service providers to conveniently avail their customers customized applications that cater to their needs from the comfort of their home. We are very pleased with our agreement and look forward to a long term business partnership with DEWA.”

DEWA’s decision to partner with Samsung is based on Samsung’s global and regional leadership in the TV market and state of the art technology.

The new service is already demonstrated during GITEX Technology Week, which is held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center from Oct 9 – 13, at both Samsung Electronics and DEWA stands.

Dubai, UAE –  Almasa Holdings, an organization with a successful track record of almost two decades in launching and managing new business ventures across the Middle East, today announced that Almasa Value Distribution has become an independent company.  Previously a division within Almasa’s IT Distribution, Almasa Value Distribution has evolved into a new organization which delivers trusted solutions and services to resellers keen to address regional networking, communications and security challenges.

“Almasa Holdings recognized that through a combination of market focus, the correct solutions, and strong relationships with vendors and resellers, there is a significant opportunity to be addressed, especially for mid-sized organizations in the Middle East, as well as the wider channel community. Almasa Value Distribution now has the vision, leadership and product mix to address the strategic growth opportunities for both IT solution vendors and the channel sector,” said Mehdi Amjad, President and CEO of Almasa Holdings.

Roger El Tawil, an industry veteran with more than 15 years of regional technology and channel expertise, is providing strategic direction to Almasa Value Division, of which he is now executive director after several months in a consultative role.  Ensuring the needs of both vendors and resellers are met, El Tawil’s new role will see him refine the strategy and execution of Almasa Value Distribution’s main objectives – providing focus to vendors and partners, as well as aiming to specialize in a solutions portfolio which brings value to the channel and transforms business while reducing cost. Operating independently, whilst leveraging the infrastructure, experience and support of Almasa IT Distribution and Almasa Holdings, Almasa Value Distribution currently manages the full end-to-end Avaya portfolio of telephony, video, data, and WiFi from large to small enterprises across MEA, as well as networking solutions from HP.

With its holistic approach to people, products, coverage and operational excellence, the new independent company has the ability to move faster and respond to both channel and vendor needs as well as changing market dynamics.  El Tawil confirms, “Understanding the market dynamic, maneuvering quickly, and building on our existing relationships – as well as establishing new ones – enables Almasa Value Distribution to address the pain points for both channel and vendors, bridging the gaps between them to build joint strategies for growth”.

“Within the next year we plan to further evolve Almasa Value Distribution and introduce additional services in key technologies such as collaboration, security and storage.  We’re building a dynamic, knowledgeable team which can leverage the entrepreneurial spirit of our parent company to deliver real value and focus to the Middle East’s channel community,” added El Tawil.

Please note: At this year’s GTEX, Almasa Vale Distributor will have a prime locations in Zabeel Hall, Stand ZL-C5 (partnering with Gateprotect) or Stand Z-C10 (partnering with Avaya).

John Mathews

DUBAI, Sept. 28, 2011 – The current European sovereign debt crisis, and its expected impacts on European banks, gives new impetus to aircraft investment opportunities for Middle East investors, Boeing told the region’s bankers and financers here Tuesday.

Speaking at the aircraft maker’s annual financiers and investors conference for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia region, executives from Boeing Capital Corporation, the manufacturer’s product financing arm, outlined the investment potential resulting from what is expected to be a longer-term challenge for European banking institutions.

Europe’s banks have been a significant source of global aircraft financing for more than a decade.

“Middle East economies are generating significant account surpluses, which eventually will translate into the need for diversified investment portfolios. As many Middle East investors have already recognized, aircraft offer a very stable, long-term and predictable investment profile, presenting generous profit opportunities for investors willing to take advantage of them ,” said host and Boeing Capital executive John Matthews, the unit’s managing director for the region.

Boeing said to this point, Middle East banks and lessors have financed primarily air carriers based in the region.  However, the company includes the region, with its substantial wealth, as a key emerging source of aircraft financing among global investors.

In addition, the mobile nature of aircraft assets makes them ideally suited for Islamic financing with its fundamental criterion that such investments be asset- based.  “Recently we’ve seen significant interest in developing products in order to finance aircraft using Shariah-compliant capital markets investments and we see this trend continuing. With increased demand for affordable alternatives for aircraft financing, we anticipate that these developments will likely accelerate over the next few years,” said Matthews.

More than 80 senior executives from the region’s financial sector were on hand for what was the company’s seventh annual conference focused on commercial aircraft industry developments and related financing market conditions.

In reporting on the region’s air travel market health, the Boeing executives said the Middle East continues to show very strong growth, with the region’s international carriers growing during 2010 at a rate of nearly 18 percent, more than double the world average.

“The region’s airlines have demonstrated great competitive skill.  They are very well managed and are growing successfully, so we are confident they will continue to prosper and attract financing for their deliveries,” said BCC executive Kostya Zolotusky, who presented on current market conditions and emerging industry trends.

Supporting the company’s message on the attractiveness of aircraft as investments, Boeing said world airlines overall are in their best financial conditions in many years despite continued global economic challenges and, for some Middle East countries, civil unrest.  “Their balance sheets are the healthiest they have been in history. Airlines around the world have been aggressively deleveraging and holding a lot of cash. It should make them less volatile businesses that are able to weather any storms or unexpected shocks better than they have historically” Zolotusky said.

Boeing’s latest long-term market outlook released in June projected a U.S. $4 trillion market for new aircraft over the next 20 years, with a significant increase in aircraft demand over that time.  Of those, the Middle East is expected to require 2,520 aircraft, worth about U.S. $450 billion.

World’s first and only floating broadcast centre will deliver live golf and lifestyle programmes

Dubai, UAE; October 21, 2010: Branding specialist re-brand-ing TM unveiled the corporate identity for Blue Whale Broadcasting, the world’s first and only floating broadcast centre dedicated to golf.

re-brand-ing TM has been appointed the branding partner of Blue Whale Broadcasting with the major task of developing the corporate identity for the floating broadcast center to begin its journey to all sea ports of call around the world providing viewers with live broadcast of entertaining golf and lifestyle programmes.

The re-brand-ing TM team deliberated on several names that would best fit the character and personality of the brand. Blue Whale Broadcasting needed a corporate identity that will look distinctive, whether at sea or anchored in any of the world’s most glamorous ports and marinas.

The team identified the Blue Whale, an ideal name since the mammal, said to be the largest in existence, can reach speeds of up to 50kph while communicating with other blue whales across the vast oceans.

The best feature of the blue whale is its distinctive dorsal fin, a definite show of strength and steering power. On the logo design, the dorsal fin is formed inside the letter “B” with transmitter waves “spouting” like jets of water from a whale’s blowhole.

The dark blue and subtle grey colour combinations of the logo was inspired by the blue whale’s skin colours, giving it an overall “organic” effect as opposed to the already expected electronic techno look.

Blue Whale Broadcasting’s logo encompasses what Golf World Entertainment Group (GWEG) envisioned after setting up the floating broadcasting company that will deliver entertaining golf and lifestyle HD and SD programming to viewers around the globe via satellite, broadband and mobile transmission from aboard a 60-meter long super yacht.

Blue Whale Broadcasting intends to develop, produce and broadcast original content in addition to acquiring commercially viable programming from independent producers and distributors including the PGA Tour.

“The concept behind a floating broadcast centre was to provide flexible, creative and unlimited broadcast solutions that are unique to companies around the globe, entertaining and transportable. Blue Whale’s transportability will allow for live broadcast of events and productions from ports of call around the globe – providing a unique perspective for viewers and high visibility for sponsors and advertisers,” said Barbara Yaremko, Founder and Chairman of Blue Whale Broadcasting.

She added: “Accolades to the re-brand-ing TM team of experts for delivering the perfect brand identity that reflects the quality and high level of excellence our brand represents. It was an absolute pleasure working with the team and we look forward to a long-lasting relationship with them as we grow our brand globally.”

“It was a major challenge for us but we saw it as an opportunity to showcase the kind of work we have been doing. The re-brand-ing TM team dove deep into their collective sea creature psyche and came up with a watertight concept,” said Gabby Bechara Chamat, Chief Executive Officer of re-brand-ing TM.

After working on a challenging project like Blue Whale Broadcasting, Chamat stressed the value of finding and bringing together all the elements needed to create a brand’s personality – name, graphic identity, market image and philosophy that will define the mission and the vision of the exclusive project. He said the team enjoyed their time at sea and has since moved on to breathing life to new and existing brands on land.      

The well-designed and carefully-planned corporate identity logo for Blue Whale Broadcasting will be visible in all communications, advertising, internet and merchandising tools.

Masterchef 8000 pic

France’s Moulinex creates Masterchef 8000 for the Gulf region that makes food and juice preparation easier than ever before with the direct drive technology.

Featuring a special front use appliance with a powerful 850 watt motor incorporating a 1.5 litre blender, preparing a meal is faster than ever.

Masterchef 8000 from Moulinex - the world’s leading domestic appliance manufacturer – is a versatile device for the kitchen. It works on two speeds plus pulse, with the premium model incorporating a citrus press for extracting juice, with a plastic dough blade for preparing pastries, metal blade and whisk for general mixing and blending tasks and a storage box to stow the bowl when not in use.

Masterchef 8000 is designed for heavy use with full metal whisks and disks for perfect cutting, fine grating and slicing and a metal grid in the juice extractor for added durability.

HR outsourcing serves as cost-efficient tool for expanding food companies to access right talent pool; UAE food import value in 2009 reaches      USD 6.78 billion

August 11, 2010

The food sector is poised to serve as one of the catalysts for growth in the GCC job market as food investments continue to surge in line with efforts to attain self-sufficiency. GCC countries currently import up to 90 per cent of their food with the UAE expenditure alone reaching up to USD 6.78 billion in 2009 .

Recent figures from the Dubai World Trade Centre shows that there are now at least 150 food processing plants in the UAE as the country continues to aggressively promote food investments, with the UAE Government leading the way by committing a total of USD 1.4 billion in investments. The influx of international fastfood chains, which are moving away from recession-hit markets into high-growth destinations such as the GCC, has further strengthened the food sector.

The halal food market is another key growth area for specialised manpower services. With increasing demand from 1.8 billion Muslims worldwide, UAE companies are now positioning themselves as major suppliers of the halal food industry, which has been estimated to generate between USD 632 billion and USD 2.1 trillion  annually.

The food sector is undoubtedly one of the fastest-growing industries in the UAE and the rest of the GCC. It is also one of the most HR-intensive industries because of the rapid expansion initiatives being implemented by food companies. The Ramadan season is particularly important for the industry with demand for food and food-related services sharply increasing at this time of the year, creating a corresponding need to hire more people.

Valerian D’Souza, Head of Manpower Services, DULSCO HR Solutions suggests that, ‘Outsourcing is an excellent option for food companies to satisfy their immediate employment requirements without tying down their HR or administration departments on activities such as employee recruitment, visa procurements, and the deployment of administrative support to new employees.’

Dulsco HR Solutions pool of 5,000 experienced manpower can be swiftly and seamlessly deployed to any workplace environment. The organisation has augmented its standby workforce to include capable food and special events industry practitioners, who are also equipped with the required licenses and documentation for the industry.

In today’s highly competitive markets, outsourcing provides an effective means for food and packaging companies to streamline their business and stay ahead of the competition.

“Many companies use Human Resource outsourcing as a strategic tool to ease their HR burdens and allow them to focus on their business. HR outsourcing offers numerous benefits, such as reduced operational costs, access to well-matched skills, and enhanced employee relations, which are all very attractive for companies that are expanding in the region and are looking for an efficient way to recruit the right people,”  concluded D’Souza.

Herzogenaurach, GERMANY (August 5, 2010)  Usain Bolt was presented with a special PUMA singlet today, in which he will compete against Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell in the much anticipated 100m race at the Olympic Stadium in Stockholm on Friday.  Designed by a Skinny Digital, a renowned Swedish artist, the unique singlet features graphical elements close to Usain’s heart, but with a special Swedish style. 

Skinny Digital used the PUMA Bolt collection as the inspiration for the singlet, as it features graphical elements that Bolt himself created.  The back of the singlet has Bolt riding a lion, a symbol of Jamaican culture.  The words “To Di World” are the name for the iconic pose of the greatest track and field showman.  On the day he launched the new PUMA Bolt collection in Stockholm, the sprinter saw the finished singlet design for the first time along with a matching new spike colorway, and was excited about both.     

“I love it, it’s really good.  A French artist designed a great singlet for me when I ran in Paris a few weeks ago, I was the best looking guy on the track,” said Bolt, when presented with the singlet.  “The Swedish artist Skinny Digital has certainly matched his efforts, I’ll be very happy to run in this on Friday.”

PUMA has commissioned local artists to design custom singlets in further Diamond League events that Bolt will compete in during the 2010 season. These singlets will also fuse Jamaican cultural elements also featured in the PUMA Bolt collection, with symbols synonymous with the host cities.  

For pictures of Bolt with the singlet visit puma.digitalnewsagency.com

Luxury Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen announced the Middle East launch of an exclusive new double chronograph that pays tribute to the performance of top pilots in the world. The new Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph is a limited production timepiece and will be available in small quantities worldwide. 

IWC’s Top Gun is a special edition time piece that honours the skills and performance of elite aviators and distinguishes itself with unique red accented hands and the motif of the academy emblazoned across its back.

Each Top Gun chronograph watch is painstakingly milled from a single blank of zirconium oxide; a superb material which is several times harder, more scratch-resistant and more expensive than stainless steel.

IWC were the first manufacturer in the world to produce a watch with such a high-tech ceramic case; a feature which affords maximum breaking strength and perfect all-round protection.

The Top Gun model also displays a number of discreet highlights that accentuate its position as the natural choice for the aviation aficionado and watch lover alike. The case, dial and soft strap are matt black and the crown and buttons are fashioned from titanium.

The numerals and indices are luminescent white to ensure effective reading at a glance and the vertical three-day presentation - reminiscent of an aircraft’s altimeter - gives the dial its unmistakable design.
 
The Top Gun is a powerhouse with an impressive case diameter of 44 mm. The watch is powered by a 79230 calibre automatic movement, with IWC’s tried-and-tested split-seconds mechanism.

The IWC Pilot’s Watch Double Chronograph Edition Top Gun is available from a selection of IWC’s exclusive boutiques across the Middle East. Leading impulses for the mechanical watch are manufactured by IWC. With its 390 employees, the company manufactures these sought-after timepieces. Since the year 2000 IWC has belonged to the watch division of Richemont SA.

Baume & Mercier creates Hampton magnum in white for the Middle Eastern Woman. Cut out for action and for leisure pursuits beneath the Atlantic sun, the avant-garde design and the powerful identity make it equally at ease in the city and at an evening event.

For women of character, the HAMPTON MAGNUM XL model also comes in a feminine version featuring a bezel set with 52 diamonds.

Its automatic movement incorporates two extremely useful complications: a big date and a dual time zone displaying the hours and minutes. Functions big Date at 12 o’clock – Dual Time at 6 o’clock, case Shape: square, Width: 34.1 mm – Length: 45 mm, Case in polished/satin-finished steel reinforced by lateral inserts in white vulcanized rubber, Water-Resistance 200 m, strap: white vulcanized rubber, central «Clou de Paris» décor.

BAUME & MERCIER CREATES HAMPTON MAGNUM XL WATCH WITH 52 DIAMONDS FOR LADIES

Baume & Mercier creates Hampton magnum in white for the Middle Eastern Woman. Cut out for action and for leisure pursuits beneath the Atlantic sun, the avant-garde design and the powerful identity make it equally at ease in the city and at an evening event.

For women of character, the HAMPTON MAGNUM XL model also comes in a feminine version featuring a bezel set with 52 diamonds.

Its automatic movement incorporates two extremely useful complications: a big date and a dual time zone displaying the hours and minutes. Functions big Date at 12 o’clock – Dual Time at 6 o’clock, case Shape: square, Width: 34.1 mm – Length: 45 mm, Case in polished/satin-finished steel reinforced by lateral inserts in white vulcanized rubber, Water-Resistance 200 m, strap: white vulcanized rubber, central «Clou de Paris» décor.