Health Authority-Abu Dhabi and Oasis Hospital use recruitment fair to meet UAE Nationals, boost Emiratisation initiatives

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 1 February, 2012: UAE hospitals and healthcare providers are taking advantage of Tawdheef Recruitment Show today to reach out to UAE nationals interested in a career in healthcare.

Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and Oasis Hospital are among the headline exhibitors at the career fair currently taking place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre until tomorrow (2 February) to fill an unlimited number of positions with Emirati candidates.

As the regulatory body that shapes the framework for the health system in Abu Dhabi, HAAD is a regular recruiter at Tawdheef, and returns in its efforts to continue encouraging Emiratis to consider careers in healthcare, at a time when 6.5 per cent of the 22,000 registered healthcare professionals in Abu Dhabi consist of Emiratis.

“Tawdheef provides hospitals and healthcare providers an excellent opportunity to reach out to key stakeholders in the drive for Emiratisation,” said Shaikha Alzaheray, Manager of Emiratisation of the healthcare department, HAAD.

“There are a large number of positions available in healthcare for UAE nationals as well as the appropriate training programmes to help them pursue a successful career.  It is very important for Emiratis to support our mission to transform the healthcare landscape in Abu Dhabi, and we are continuously looking to recruit the right candidates to realise this vision.”

Oasis Hospital, the oldest hospital in Abu Dhabi and birthplace of the leaders of the UAE, is also using Tawdheef to recruit as many UAE Nationals as possible as it expands its facility in Al Ain and increases its capacity to serve the region.

“We continue to invest in Emirati talent and will always do so in the future as a way to holistically contribute to the Al Ain region and the UAE,” said David Printy, CEO of Oasis Hospital.  “The popularity of healthcare as a career choice for UAE Nationals is growing, and Tawdheef is a great opportunity for us to increase our percentage of Emiratis in our workforce.”

The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company SEHA, which manages the curative activities of public hospitals and health clinics in Abu Dhabi, is also a silver sponsor at Tawdheef.

Presented by Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council and supported by the Emirates National Development Programme, Tawdheef is the UAE’s leading recruitment event that supports Emiratisation.  Only companies with immediately available positions for UAE Nationals are taking part.

These include platinum sponsors the UAE Presidential Guard, Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and National Bank of Abu Dhabi, gold sponsors Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, ADNOC and Etisalat, and silver sponsors Etihad Airways, the Telecoms Regulations Authority (TRA) Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), and Abu Dhabi National Insurance Company (ADNIC). Abu Dhabi Airports Company is the registration sponsor.

The first two days of Tawdheef is reserved for Emirati job seekers only, with the final day (tomorrow) open to all other nationalities.  From 11am – 2pm today (1 February) is for ladies only.  Pre-registration is available online at www.tawdheef.ae.

Release Date: 10th December 2011

Aiming to strengthen the exports sector and explore newer areas of investment, Dubai Exports, and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), agencies of the Department of Economic Development (DED), hosted top Iraqi officials from the Federation of Kurdistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, to bolster bilateral trade opportunities between the two countries.

Headed by Engineer Saed Al Awadi, CEO of Dubai Exports, and Fahd Al Gergawi, CEO of FDI, the meeting was focused on the development and promotion of bilateral trade opportunities that can be positively used to increase the exports between Dubai and Iraq. The Iraqi delegation consisted of Shilan Khanqa, Advisor, Council of Ministers, Kurdistan Regional Government and Dara Jaleel Khayat, Chairman of Federation of Kurdistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and several other companies from Iraq.

During the trade visit, the Iraqi delegation highlighted the characteristic of Kurdistan region as a sea, land and air trade gate in addition to its geographic features making it as the best destination for investment in the region. Currently, the Iraqi government is strengthening its financial capabilities to further bolster its trade activities with its neighbouring countries.

Al Awadi explained Dubai Exports’ strategies of developing new sectors for the local manufacturing community including the value-added services it provides to facilitate exports to regional and international markets.
 
“One of our missions is to proactively work and communicate with different government agencies worldwide for possible trade partnerships for the country’s economic development. Iraq is a fast-growing market and we are looking into developing other sectors as well as creating huge opportunities for both Dubai-based and Iraq-based companies by organising a trade mission and other activities to the country next year,” said Engineer Al Awadi.

Iraq is among the preferred trading partners and top exports markets for Dubai particularly with sugar and confectionery products amounting to AED611 million in 2010. According to Dubai Exports, Dubai’s direct exports to Iraq posted AED1.17 billion while the total Free Zone exports were valued at AED13.37 billion in 2010.

According to Al Gergawi, FDI is committed to position Dubai as the preferred investment destination globally. During the meeting, he discussed the unparalleled opportunities and support services offered by FDI to develop investment from and towards UAE.

“This meeting with the Iraqi delegation paves the road to develop further investments from local companies in the two countries. FDI is keen to provide all efforts to enable Iraqi businessmen and potential investors to come to Dubai and invest in our fast growing sectors,” said Al Gergawi. 

The Iraqi delegation aims to focus on developing the country’s private sector by strengthening its investment relations with different countries particularly Dubai, which is one of the main destinations to do business with the rest of the world. The Kurdistan market is now open to foreign investors and Dubai-based companies can look on investing in different sectors. As a result of the visit, the Iraqi delegates will be able to benefit from the services provided by Dubai Exports and FDI.

Riyadh, November 2011: Against the backdrop of the Kingdom’s bright economic outlook and its implications for the growing Saudi real estate market, the Riyadh International Urban Development and Real Estate Investment Event - Cityscape Riyadh 2011 is expected to set a new benchmark among Riyadh’s real estate and business community, and offers investors a platform to seize new opportunities.

This year’s event is under the patronage of HRH Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz, Special Advisor to the Emir of Riyadh and officially supported by Arriyadh Development Authority and Riyadh Municipality. Organized for the second year running by the National Exhibitions Company and IIR Middle East, Riyadh International Urban Development & Real Estate Investment Event – Cityscape Riyadh 2011 will be held at the Riyadh Exhibition Center on King Fahad Road (opposite to Saudi Arabian Airlines office) from 11-13 December in the Kingdom’s capital. 

The move to the Exhibition Center is essential due to increasing demand and a requirement from exhibitors for a bigger amount of space to showcase their projects and services. The event will offer the Saudi Arabian real estate investment and development community an unprecedented Business-to-Business platform to engage, network and identify business opportunities in the Middle East’s largest economy.

“Riyadh International Urban Development and Real Estate Investment Event - Cityscape Riyadh is happening at the right time and in the right place. With more than 10,000 expected visitors, Cityscape Riyadh attracts a steadily increasing number of real estate professionals, investors and companies,” said Deep Marwaha, Group Director of IIR Middle East. 

Commenting on the potential of Riyadh’s real estate market Mr. Yasser Abu Atiq, CEO of Dar Al Tamleek said: “Riyadh is one of the most favorable markets within the Kingdom for the real estate industry.  This is due to several factors but the most important is the land mass surrounding the city that is available for development projects. The expansion of both high-end and affordable housing projects are not bound by mountains, sea or other geographic factors that limit outright housing growth in other cities. Unlike the other major markets, Riyadh is also the center of government and therefore a world showcase for demonstrating Saudi progress in creating opportunities for its citizens and diversifying into non-oil sectors of economic growth.”

In March, the government ordered 500,000 housing units to be built within five years and set aside $66 billion for the project. Affordable housing is clearly on the government’s agenda and with the positive forecast for next year’s budget the real estate market is poised for further growth. With Saudi Arabia on course to earn nearly $300 billion in oil revenue this year, $50 billion more than planned, and $550 billion in foreign reserves, the Kingdom is expected to exceed the amount projected in the national budget for 2011, as former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal and Dr. Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Minister Finance of Saudi Arabia confirmed.

“This is good news for the Kingdom’s economy and will significantly benefit the real estate sector,” said Hussain Al Harthi, Managing Director, National Exhibition Company. “With the Kingdom set for further growth it comes as no surprise that the region’s fastest growing real estate event - Cityscape Riyadh - has moved to larger premises at the Riyadh Exhibition Center in order to accommodate the high demand for an internationally recognized platform for investment opportunities.”

Speaking as an exhibitor and sponsor, Dr. Bassam Boodai, CEO of Jenan Real Estate, said:  “Saudi Arabia’s real estate sector is more diversified. Many new players have entered the market as there are major projects in the residential and real estate development sector. In addition, there are vast opportunities in the tourism sector with the need for more hotels. The government’s expected regulations and the newly formed Ministry of Housing will motivate the market further. Cityscape is the leading real estate event and attracts all the key players in the real estate sector such as investors, developers and government officials. It helps companies like ours to expose ourselves to those entities. We will be present at Riyadh International Urban Development and Real Estate Investment Event - Cityscape Riyadh with four projects: Jenan Gardens-Khobar, Dana Bay, Jenan City and Al Nawras Village.”

The new venue, the Riyadh Exhibition Center, provides an expansive 9,000 square meters of display space for exhibitors and sponsors such as Arriyadh Development Authority andRiyadh Municipality (Official Supporters), Ewaan Global Residential Company (Founding Sponsor), Affordable House Company (Principal Sponsor), Jenan Real Estate (Premier Sponsor), Dar Al Tamleek and Daem Real Estate (Silver Sponsors), as well as WorkingBuildings Companies (Conference Sustainability Sponsor).

Riyadh International Urban Development and Real Estate Investment Event - Cityscape Riyadh offers a unique event portfolio of exhibition, conferences workshops and investor round tables. For the first time Cityscape Riyadh will also host the World Architecture Congress in Saudi Arabia which is being supported by The Royal Institute of British Architects and AIA Middle East (AIA ME), a Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the congress is an exclusive gathering for the entire architectural community in the Kingdom, providing an unsurpassed opportunity for industry leaders to meet and discuss the latest trend in architecture and learn about the latest government projects. Event details are available at www.cityscaperiyadh.com.

US Department of Transportation official joins high-profile personalities from US Consulate, Emirates Airline, Dubai Civil Aviation, Fly Dubai in discussions

November 13, 2011

Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC) recently hosted a roundtable session to tackle current issues affecting women and discuss career opportunities for women in the transportation and energy industries. Raja Al Gurg, President, DBWC, was joined by DBWC Board Members, and Susan Kurland, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs of the US Department of Transportation, at the roundtable session, which also included Justin Siberell, US Consul General; Anne Wylie, Economic Officer, US Consulate; Tania Spencer, US Consulate Representative; and Julie Abraham, US Consulate Staffer.

Also attending the event were Dr. Fiona Rennie - VP, Aviation and Occupational Medicine, Emirates Airline; Ms Lisa Williams, Legal Advisor; Alison Ward, Vice President of Recruitment, Emirates Group; Rania Khbays and Shaima Al Qasimi from Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; and Heather Astbury, Head of Public Relations at Fly Dubai.

The discussions revolved around finding ways to encourage young girls and women to join the transportation and energy sectors. The participants proposed trading intern programs between the UAE and US in the transportation field, and also encouraging companies in this sector to take middle school students on field visits to give them a better understanding of the industry.

Susan Kurland, Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs of the Department of Transportation, USA, said: “The Dubai Business Women Council has done a commendable job in promoting the welfare of women and creating opportunities for them to enhance their socioeconomic contributions to the society. The roundtable session is a great example of their proactive efforts that are certainly making a huge difference on the lives of women in Dubai and across the UAE. It was certainly a pleasure to be part of this activity and I wish DBWC more success in organising similar projects in the future.”

Raja Al Gurg said: “We constantly look for personalities who can inspire and motivate women to be achievers and to be more productive in their chosen fields of expertise. Dubai Business Women Council is therefore deeply honoured to have been joined by such widely accomplished career women who shared their experiences and offered invaluable advice during the roundtable session. Transportation and energy are two of the most important economic sectors in the UAE and we were certainly eager to explore exciting opportunities that are available to women during the discussions.”

Founded in 2002, DBWC motivates women to be productive members of the society, while encouraging role models to rise up from the ranks and inspire other women around the world, especially in the Arab region, to discover their true potential. DBWC organises the high-profile monthly event ‘Majls Business’ to provide information about the latest knowledge, skills and best practices for women entrepreneurs and leaders.

The Parthenon Group to present extensive regional education report exclusively at Building Future Education MENA 2011

Abu Dhabi, UAE; 17 October 2011 - The value of investment opportunities available in the private K-12 education sector in the GCC could potentially reach US$ 3.5 billion in 2012, according to an exclusive study done by The Parthenon Group, the leading strategic advisor to the global education industry. 

Meanwhile, the potential for investments in the higher education segment in 2012 is estimated to be worth US$ 1.2 billion. This and other results will be presented by The Parthenon Group at the Building Future Education (BFE) MENA exhibition and conference in partnership with Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) to be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre on 25-26 October 2011.

Entitled ‘GCC Insight Report: Investment Opportunities in K-12 and Higher Education in the United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’; the report is based on an  in-depth  survey of over 1,100 schools and universities. The report will arm potential investors with a data driven insight into the investment potential in the education sector, with a particular focus on the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Speakers from The Parthenon Group will share their findings during the seminar session dubbed Funding the Future, Private Investment and Philanthropy which will give delegates an insight into the potential growth opportunities of both the K-12 and Higher Education segments in the region. It will be followed by a panel discussion with leading education figures and authorities from around the world.

Karan Khemka, Partner and Head of the Emerging Markets Practice, The Parthenon Group says: “Although the macro environment may suggest strong investment potential for education in the region as a whole, investors should choose their markets carefully; as the different education sectors have different drivers. We identified several segments of the market that see exponential growth, while other segments might already run at full capacity. There is a clear trend towards private education and a preference for international & mixed curriculum schools because students choose education in English at both secondary and tertiary levels. For example, the private higher education segment in Saudi Arabia — albeit still small in size — is growing at an annual rate above 35% compared to the public sector which is growing at only 10%. This shows that students and their families increasingly choose the private sector where a larger proportion of teaching is done in English.”

Another senior representative from Parthenon, Robert Lytle, Partner, Head of the Education Centre of Excellence, will lead a panel that addresses the impact of the national policy framework, and discusses the role of public-private partnerships and private equity funds in the investment landscape. Rob Lytle: “Parthenon is privileged to have an advisory role with many public and private sector clients throughout the region.  Our work with organizations such as the Abu Dhabi Education Council and the largest school operator in Saudi Arabia, only serves to enhance our commitment to helping address the challenges facing the education market in the GCC region today and tomorrow.”

Andrew Pert, Regional Director of UBM Middle East, organisers of the event, praised The Parthenon Group for its extensive research on investment opportunities in the education sector and its contribution as Knowledge Partners of BFE MENA 2011.  “The knowledge and insights that can be gleaned from the study will help various stakeholders, from investors to government authorities, to take advantage of the opportunities to invest and help spur growth of the region’s education sector.”

Limited copies of The Parthenon Group research paper will be available at Building Future Education MENA throughout the event as well as at the presentation on day two (10.40AM), Investment Opportunities in K-12 and Higher Education by Karan Khemka, Partner and Head of the Emerging Markets Education Practice, Asia, The Parthenon Group.

The main conference will bring together those at the forefront of education from ministries, institutions, operators, architects and investors. The conference features in-depth panel discussions, based around specific research studies from BFE MENA’s Knowledge Partners Booz & Company, Parthenon and RAND Corporation, assessing the education market in the GCC and areas of potential investment. 

The conference will also cover key topics such as world-class facilities and learning environments, curriculum and school improvement, quality assurance, special education needs and sustainable education facilities.

Visitors can register now free at www.buildingfutureeducationmena.com.  Building Future Education MENA will also have strong representation from the MENA region’s education ministries and councils including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Jordon and Lebanon.

Economics of Arab Spring dominates discussions at Global Arab Business Meeting in Ras Al Khaimah

October 12, 2011

Ras Al Khaimah- United Arab Emirates: The sweeping changes brought about by the Arab Spring have not dented business confidence in the region as top business leaders and policy makers attending the Global Arab Business Meeting (GABM) in Ras Al Khaimah this week shared an optimistic outlook on the region’s ability to emerge stronger on the economic front.

The panelists at the discussion on `Economics of the Arab Spring’ held at the GABM agreed in general that the Arab Spring presented an opportunity to broad- based economic growth, improve governance and initiate long pending reforms in many countries.

Setting the tone of discussions in his introductory remarks, H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, said that governments in the region should adopt transparency and good governance as their defining hallmarks to address the region’s challenges effectively.

“The real challenge is how we can provide good governance to the people, which I believe begins with transparency. Governments should have the courage to bring in transparency which allows them to address challenges rather than accumulating the problems,” Sheikh Saud said.

Providing an overview of the recent developments in Egypt, Sherif El- Gabaly, Chairman, Polyserve Fertilizer and Chemical Group, Egypt, said that even though Egypt’s economy had put up strong showing on the marcoeconomic level in recent years, the benefits of growth failed to reach the people. “A stable and democratic Egypt has great potential for growth with its strong foundations in tourism, agriculture and industry,” he noted.

Rajive Kaul, Chairman, Nicco Group, India, observed that Arab Spring is going to be a catalyst for economic growth in the region. “The Arab Spring is going to unleash new dynamism in the region and will bring in phenomenal economic growth,” he said while adding that existence of a fair amount of market economy in the Arab world, absence of debts and decent income levels are factors auguring well for regional economies.

Ahmed Al Khateeb, CEO of Jadwa Investment, Saudi Arabia, said that outlook for growth varied greatly among countries in the region. “While the oil exporting countries, including the GCC, were on a strong footing, enjoying high oil prices and massive budgetary surpluses,  the oil importing countries in the region like Jordan, Morocco and Lebanon were facing challenges due to drop in tourism revenue and income from the services sector. The third set of countries which had undergone political changes recently are facing an unstable period for the moment but had tremendous opportunities in the long term,” he said.

Barbara Judge, Chairman Emeritus, UK Atomic Energy Authority, said the new governments in the region will have to meet the great expectations people have on making their lives better.

Among the other dignitaries who took part in the discussions were Nicolas Nahas, Lebanese Minister of Economy and Trade, Mohammad Hassan Omran, Chairman of Etisalat and Juan Maria Nin, Deputy Chairman and CEO, CaixaBank, Spain.

The Global Arab Business Meeting also had sessions on `Sustainable Strategies for the Arab World’, `Education: The Currency of the Arab Spring’, `Winning strategies for natural resources’, `Reflecting by the shore- Geopolitics and Trade’, `Financial Services: Looking at priorities for growth’, ` Creating Entrepreneurial Ecosystems’, `Arab Firms Emergence as Global Champions’ among other topics.

RAK Crown Prince honours Arab Business Leaders of the Year 2011

H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Crown Prince of Ras Al Khaimah, honoured the winners of the `Arab Business Leaders of the Year 2011’ at the Global Arab Business Meeting in Ras Al Khaimah. The award recognises outstanding entrepreneurs who have been building and leading successful global firms of Arab origin.

The winners for the year 2011 are Jacques Sarraf, Chairman, Malia Holding, Abdul Wahab Alahmari, President, Saudi Geophysical Equipment Factory, and Ahmad Abdullah Ali Al Amash Tunaiji, General Manager, Gulf Cement Company in Ras Al Khaimah.

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).

First ever ‘Cairo WoodShow’ to showcase stability of Egypt’s wood and wood working machinery segment  

October 3, 2011

The Egyptian wood working sector, which was affected by the political turmoil that occurred earlier this year, is now confident that the country’s move towards economic recovery will help usher in more opportunities, according to Strategic Marketing and Exhibitions (SME), one of the leading exhibition and conference organizers in the United Arab Emirates. The Egyptian government has implemented key programs and initiatives aimed at positioning the country as an attractive investment destination in the next five years. Eyeing to render strong support to these government sponsored initiatives, SME will be organizing the first ever ‘Cairo International Wood & Wood Machinery Show’ (Cairo WoodShow), which will be held from October 9 to October 12, 2011 at the Cairo International Convention Centre (CICC).

The country has maintained its leading position in the Middle East and African (MEA) region’s wood market, which is expected to post over USD 5 billion in the domestic wood production segment by the end of this year. Likewise, Egypt was also able to key in more than USD 3 billion in furniture production and USD 1 billion in furniture exports already this year. The vibrancy demonstrated in these segments, particularly in furniture and wood products, has also shown that the country has been importing 100 per cent of wood panels, machines and tools. To date, Egypt has been dubbed as one of the most promising markets in construction for the MEA region with a yearly spend of USD 7.3 billion. Aiming to spark in more growth for the country’s wood sector, ‘Cairo WoodShow’ is being presented as a key venue to showcase the stability of Egypt’s wood and wood working machinery segment and bring in more growth by acting as a strategic trading platform for Egypt and nearby countries.

“The political unrest that happened earlier this year has managed to affect a lot of workers across various industries. One particular example are workers from the wood working sector, who have found themselves displaced by the protests,” said Dawood Al Shezawi, CEO, Strategic Marketing and Exhibitions. “However, the country’s efforts to regain economic foothold has given these workers the confidence of seeing more opportunities in the next few months. ‘Cairo WoodShow’ is aimed at helping the government showcase the stability of the wood market and thereby attract more opportunities into the country.”

The event will feature exhibitors coming from countries like Romania, Italy, USA, China and Germany. One of the highlights for the exciting four-day event will be the ‘Auction on Fire’ activity, which is an exciting two-hour daily auction of the latest wood products and wood working machinery that will be held at the CICC’s ‘Auction Zone.’ The first day of ‘Cairo WoodShow’ will be exclusively for VIP business personalities coming from 60 countries featuring high profile representatives from the wood business looking for importing and negotiating potential opportunities. The next three days are open to all specialized visitors.

“We are overwhelmed with the positive response that we have received for ‘Cairo WoodShow.’ So far, we have already received a lot of confirmations from companies and organizations participating in Egypt’s first of its kind wood and wood machinery exhibition. We remain upbeat that ‘Cairo WoodShow’ will help spark new opportunities between exhibitors and potential partners, which can ultimately drive in more growth and development for the country,” concluded Al Shezawi.

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.

Strategic focus complements leading company’s move to address the growing demand for cutting edge technologies in sports across the region

Dubai – September 14, 2011 – Mahindra Satyam, a leading global consulting and IT services provider, has revealed its strategic move to create stronger focus towards the Middle East region’s rapidly growing sports industry. The move reflects the leading company’s efforts to address the industry’s increased demand for more cutting edge technologies that can be used across key activities like sports events, sports training and even sports medicine.

Mahindra Satyam is packaging itself to be a strategic ‘one-stop-shop’ for sports, aiming to provide key solutions in various aspects of the industry, which include corporate sales; sponsorship & rights management; stakeholder systems; digital asset; financial; facilities management; ticketing; physical sales management; merchandizing; membership management and loyalty club affinity transaction systems. Also, the company is positioning its ‘Solutions for Clubs’ as an integrated suite of solutions to help improve sports club management. The package focuses on three main aspects of a sports club or team, which includes club administration, player management and coaching support.

“The Middle East region has ably positioned itself as an emerging hub for sports, which can be exemplified by the presence of international sporting events,” said Bobby Gupta, Vice President and Head of Middle East, Turkey and North Africa, Mahindra Satyam. “Our successful participation during the recent FIFA World Cup Games in South Africa stands as a strong testament of what our services can bring to the industry. We are confident that the ‘one-stop-shop’ model solutions that we offer will meet the growing demands for new technologies as a means to address important issues and concerns in Middle East sports industry today.”

The recent announcements of Qatar as the host for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the Dubai Government’s move to bid for the 2024 edition of the Olympics will create a positive impact on the region and further attract more international sports events, development of sports training facilities and the creation of more athlete development programs. Mahindra Satyam’s strategic partnership with ASPIRE Zone Foundation Qatar, one of the most acknowledged sports institutes in the world, is expected to help bolster its move to leverage new technologies across the sports industry. Under the terms of the agreement, Mahindra Satyam will provide onsite and offshore support to ASPIRE on various application development and infrastructure services projects.

The Mahindra Group has maintained a key presence in various sports and athletic based undertaking over the last few years. Aside from its key role during the last FIFA World Cup, the company has hosted the KC Mahindra Cup for cricket for over 46 years. It also supports the national game of hockey, with its sponsorship of the Mahindra Hockey Stadium. Mahindra Satyam has also openly promoted football across U-19 and U-24 enthusiasts. It has also tied up with the NBA to promote basketball in the community and is a part of US NASCAR racing. Mahindra and Mahindra are promoting sports at a grass root level in India.