DUBAI, 25 December 2011 — Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, discussed key enterprise resource planning (ERP) trends during the 2011 IDC™ IT Managers Forum held by market intelligence firm International Data Corporation (IDC) across various locations in the Middle East.  

At the IDC IT Managers Forum events, Anish Kanaran, regional director for Epicor MENA and Turkey delivered a speech on major trends and new technologies in the ERP space. He particularly outlined the impact of service-oriented architecture (SOA), cloud computing, embedded business intelligence in ERP, and mobile solutions, on a business’ operational efficiency and the realization of business objectives.

“As a gold sponsor of the event, Epicor affirmed its commitment to keep Middle East IT professionals abreast of growing trends in the ERP space,” said Basil Daniells, regional vice president for Epicor. “The Epicor next-generation ERP solution plays a key role in successfully streamlining business processes for some of the Middle East’s biggest players. To enable organizations to truly optimize ERP investments and attract new customers, we work to keep the market informed about game-changing developments in ERP.”

The 2011 IDC IT Managers Forum brought business and technology experts together to inform them about new technologies and how to become smart IT buyers in a challenging economic environment. The events ran during November and December 2011 in major Middle Eastern markets including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. This is the third consecutive year (2009, 2010 and 2011) that Epicor has been a gold sponsor of the event across Middle East.

Epicor’s gold sponsorship of the 2011 IDC IT Managers Forum complements the company’s global strategy to expand operations in the Middle East, increase market share and grow revenues.

To learn more about Epicor ERP please visit http://www.epicor.com

Sharjah,24  October 2011

After a long hiatus during the imperial era, Sino-Arab relations are once again strengthening as the two countries with historically strong trade and diplomatic ties once again look to find areas for cooperation. There has also been a significant resurgence in cultural cooperation between China and the Arab world.

The recent Arab-Chinese Publishers Forum, which took place from 21 to 23 September 2011 in Ningxia as part of the China-Arab States Economic and Trade Forum, was an excellent example of this, as publishers from both countries came together to share their insights and promote their work.

One such publishing house which participated in the forum was Kalimat, a Sharjah-based publisher that specialises in Arabic children’s books. Kalimat’s business development manager, Tamer Said, gave a presentation on his company during which he highlighted ten of Kalimat’s latest titles. These drew considerable interest from his Chinese counterparts. Of particular interest was Ibn Battouta, a book depicting the life, ideas and accomplishments of the famous Arab explorer, who left behind a fascinating book detailing his adventures and the cultures of the diverse lands he visited, including China.

Returning from his trip Tamer spoke of the how much Chinese and Arab society have in common – a long, distinguished history, a rich culture and heritage, and a desire to combine the best of the traditional and contemporary to create an exciting new world though the two cultures may appear to be quite different at first glance on a number of levels. He felt there was a lot that delegates belonging to the publishing industry in both countries could learn from each other.

“There is also the fact that China is one of the world’s largest potential markets, and we are very excited about breaking into this market and sharing experiences, knowledge and expertise with our counterparts in the Chinese publishing market. Ibn Battouta was a particularly popular title at the event, possibly because of his own long-ago voyage to China,” he added.

Kalimat is the first publishing house in the UAE dedicated solely to publishing and distributing high-quality Arabic books for children aged 0 to 16 years. With a portfolio of internationally acclaimed authors and illustrators, Kalimat’s extensive range of books highlights traditional Arabic culture alongside the modern challenges faced by today’s children, with the aims of engendering a life-long love of reading and Arabic literature among Arab children.

Sharjah, February 23, 2011 – Al Qasba has announced that it will hold the first ‘Created by Emiratis’  Exhibition and Forum, organized by young Emirati entrepreneurs, from March 2nd-5th, 2011. The event is sponsored by Sharjah Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Sharjah Tatweer Forum (Tatweer), Sharjah Commerce Tourism Development Authority, Sharjah Airport International Free Zone, Al Qasba and Ruwad Establishment.

The event, organized for the first time in Sharjah, will highlight the importance of pilot projects and will aim to encourage young Emirati entrepreneurs to develop projects under the leadership of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Member of Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and his vision to support small and medium businesses. The event aims to promote the concept of creativity and innovation to foster a competitive environment, contributing to the economic growth of Sharjah and the UAE.

“The strength of the economy relies on the vibrancy of small businesses, and an environment conducive to generating entrepreneurship. We look forward to creating a competitive, business-friendly environment in Sharjah, which will contribute to the continuing growth of the entire country,” said H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan.

Salem Al-Shami, Head of the Exhibition’s Organizing Committee, said: “The event is part of our national responsibility to provide a suitable environment to support and sponsor creative young people, and push for the development of their businesses to promote a culture of excellence and self-employment that will serve the overall development process in the country.”

“The initiative will showcase capabilities and competencies of one hundred young entrepreneurs and contribute to the marketing and promotion of their products. It will also serve our vision in attracting more entrepreneurs to broaden the base of small businesses that are considered a vital source to the development of the economic sector in Sharjah and the UAE,” he added.

He further explained that the forum would offer an ideal opportunity to discuss the challenges facing young entrepreneurs, pointing out the key role financial institutions needed to play in support of pilot projects, and stressing the need for their commitment towards entrepreneurship.

“Our vision is to establish a forum for new startups to exchange ideas and opinions with successful entrepreneurs as well as connect owners of small businesses with funding institutions to overcome financial challenges,” Al-Shami revealed.

Al-Shami added that a culture of grass roots innovation and business startups required overcoming marketing challenges and opening new horizons for business leaders.  Events like the ‘Created by Emiratis’ Forum and Exhibition eases the process of obtaining necessary funding and contributes to raising awareness of entrepreneurial activity.

The forum will host three main workshops covering entrepreneurship, key components of project building and the primary keys to create a successful project. It will also highlight success stories by local entrepreneurs.

The forum coincides with the opening of a special exhibition for business pioneers, including owners of home-based businesses, handicrafts and small e-commerce businesses. The expo will showcase their products and innovations and help in promoting and marketing them.

Seminar marks 5th year of university’s world-class Urban Planning programme

December 15, 2010

ALHOSN University, a leading Abu Dhabi-based university dedicated to high-quality value-based education, is hosting its first annual Urban Planning Day today (Wednesday, December 15, 2010) at its Male Campus to discuss vital issues concerning urban planning practice and education throughout the UAE. The event marks the 5th anniversary of the university and its Bachelor of Urban Planning programme.

Organized by ALHOSN’s Department of Urban Planning under the title ‘Planning UAE: A Dialogue on Context and Collaboration,’ the inaugural forum addresses two important themes: ‘Developing a Collaborative Agenda for Planning Practice and Education’ and ‘Contextualizing Planning Education.’ Ms. Michelle Stephens, Senior Urban Planner at UPC, will deliver the keynote speech, while prominent speakers from top organizations such as Abu Dhabi Municipality, KEO International Consultants, and OTAK, as well as universities including the American Univeristy at Sharjah, Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, Zayed University and UAE University will also share their opinions and expertise. Local consultant Mr. Riyad Albuhlaiga will also deliver a talk linking the two themes of the event. Key industry representatives will showcase recent urban planning projects.

“The UAE intends to be a regional and global leader in building future cities that fuel economic growth while also preserving the environment and providing an excellent quality of life for its residents. Abu Dhabi in particular has expressed its full commitment to responsible urban planning as reflected in its Vision 2030 plan. Our Planning Day is aimed at supporting the critical role of urban planning in local, national and regional development and providing access to resources and expertise on this field to our students and educators,” said Dr Adnan Husnéin, Chair of Urban Planning Department, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences, ALHOSN University.

ALHOSN’s Bachelor of Urban Planning degree is the first and only programme of its kind in the Emirates.

Founded in 2005 by the Abu Dhabi Holding Company, ALHOSN University offers 11 undergraduate and 7 graduate programs under the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the Faculty of Business, and the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The university welcomes students of all nationalities who are taught to develop ‘global knowledge with local vision.’

89 per cent growth in non-oil exports to Iraq to spurt joint investments into agriculture, manufacturing, banking, transport & infrastructure

February 17, 2010

UAE Minister of Foreign Trade H.E. Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi recently participated in the “Investment in Iraq’s Kurdistan” forum held at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. She was joined by Kurdish Prime Minster Dr. Barham Salih and a number of businessmen and investors from the UAE and Iraq.

In her speech, Her Excellency welcomed the Kurdish economic delegation and underlined the deep brotherly relationship between the UAE and Iraq. She pointed out the mutual support provided by their countries in order to uplift trade and economic ties. She also referred to the appointment of the UAE ambassador in Baghdad, which she said affirmed the UAE’s commitment to strengthening ties with Iraq at all levels, especially in terms of security and the economy.

H.E. Sheikha Lubna also pointed out the significant growth in trade between the UAE and Iraq over the past few years, saying that bilateral exchange increased by 28 per cent between 2006 and 2008 to reach more than USD 3 billion. This, she underscored, proved the effectiveness of government and private sector efforts to enhance trade and economic ties between the two countries. Her Excellency also discussed the significant increase in non-oil exports to the Iraqi market, which rose more than 89 per cent over 2007 to hit USD 358 million in 2008.  She added that re-exports from the UAE to Iraq fell 5.7 per cent but still amounted to a high USD 2.6 billion, despite the global downturn.

The UAE Minister emphasized the need to further enhance exchange and maximize investment prospects as well as leverage incentives such as geographic location, historic bonds and growing economic activities, even if both nations already enjoy excellent bilateral trade channels. She pointed out the importance of efficiently providing key facilities in areas such as taxes and customs to companies from both sides.

Her Excellency further referred to the advantages enjoyed by UAE companies that adopt a culture of world-class quality, reliability, transparency and commitment to swift project implementation, in line with highest international standards. She confirmed that the Emirates is currently directing investments towards Kurdistan, as UAE companies are highly capable of exploring promising investment opportunities and maintaining competitiveness in the regional and international markets. Moreover, she said that Iraq is one of the most important Arab destinations for UAE investments in the near future, as part of the Emirates’ reform plans and agenda of greater economic openness.

Sheikha Lubna commended the economic reforms and expanding openness being witnessed in Kurdistan and throughout Iraq despite numerous challenges and encouraged the continuity of this trend. She explained that this would be in line with international economic efforts to motivate investors and businessmen to sustain their search for opportunities and develop mutual cooperation.

The Trade Minister concluded by underlining the importance of the forum in facilitating the sharing of experiences and best practices, especially from the prominent businessmen and investors attending from both countries.  She expressed her hope in seeing more similar initiatives aimed at highlighting the best mechanisms and tools needed to reinforce mutual cooperation at all levels.

For his part, Dr. Salih also commended efforts from the UAE to support Iraq’s investment environment, calling out for more mutual cooperation in exploring promising sectors such as oil, gas, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, hospitality, banking, financial services, infrastructure, and construction.

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

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The Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) organized the first Arab Forum on Social Policy in Beirut, Lebanon, recently.

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