BBBForum Autumn 2013 by Andrew Mead MBE

From The Chair

7th November. All proceeds will go equally to the Royal Chelsea Hospital Building Fund, The Earl Haig Poppy Fund and the Bahrain Mother and Child Welfare Society.

Khalid Al-Zayani Chairman Welcome to the Autumn edition of the BBBF magazine. The final quarter of the year is shaping up to be very busy with a flourish of business activity expected and interesting events planned. In late October, HRH Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince of Bahrain, will lead a heavyweight delegation of bankers and regulators to the World Islamic Economic Forum in London. The Forum will have a particular focus on promoting London as the Islamic financial centre in Europe. This is the first time that the Forum has been held outside the Islamic world and is a great privilege for London to host. The showcase event also offers a unique opportunity for Bahrain to partner the UK and leverage Bahrain’s vast knowledge and experience in Islamic Banking. November will be a busy month as we will be hosting three Chelsea Pensioners to mark Armistice Day. The Pensioners will be visiting a number of schools, clubs and lay a reef to commemorate fallen comrades. We are delighted to be joining up with The British Business Association (Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia) to hold a joint charity Poppy Ball, at the Crowne Plaza hotel on Thursday

In December, we hope that you will be able to join us for our traditional Christmas lunch. HMA Iain Lindsay will provide us with his annual review of business activity for the year ended and share his thoughts on the outlook for the year ahead. 2014 will kick off with the Great British Week in January under the Patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The Special Interest Groups are actively engaging our members and I strongly encourage you to join one or more of the groups, which are free-of-charge for BBBF members. In Q4, we will be launching our Young Members’ SIG, and in the new year we plan to set up an Oil & Gas SIG to support an important catalyst to Bahrain’s economy. Please keep an eye out for forthcoming events or contact Paula Boast, our SIG Leader, or one of the SIG Heads directly. We hope that you can join us, as often as your diary permits, as SIG events represent an excellent opportunity to discuss topical sector issues and make new contacts in

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a particular industry and connect with like minded professionals. A special mention also to HSBC, our corporate sponsors, and Standard Chartered, our Special Interest Group sponsors, who continue to be a great source of financial support and generous encouragement. Their unwavering support allows us the financial security to increase the number of initiatives and enhances the quality and quantity of networking events that we are able to organise for your benefit and enjoyment.

Contents The 2013-2015 Executive Committee ......2 From Her Majesty’s Ambassador ....................3 Welcome to New Members .................4 BBBF October Lunch ......6 Think Pink Men’s Golf .....6 Diary Dates......................7 Advertiser Index ..............7 Member Benefits .............8 Why join the BBBF? ........9 Embassy News..............10 SIG Update ...................12

We hope that you enjoy this Forum edition and the Committee is looking forward to seeing you, and your guests, at forthcoming BBBF functions and hearing more about how we can serve you better. We would like to thank all of you who completed our recent Members online survey and in the coming months we will implement the constructive feedback that we received to enhance our networking offering.

SIG Security ..................14

Please see Page 7 for details of our forthcoming events.

News from the EP .........36

With kind regards Khalid Al-Zayani Chairman

BBBF Tel: +973 1781 3488, Fax: +973 1781 3489, Email: bbbforum@batelco.com.bh Bahrain British Business Forum, P. O. Box 10051, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain

Countdown to Endurance Race............18 Financial News ..............20 Feature Article Old habits die hard ........26 The Poppy comes to Bahrain ..........28 BBBF Lunch photos ......30 Health Matters ...............32 Feature Article What is Lupus?..............33 Construction Sector .......38 Hotel & Leisure News ....42 Bahrain News ................50 Royal Golf Club nominated for awards ....59 And Finally.....................60 Cover Image: Charlotte Pedersen, Think Pink Volunteer, together with the BBBF In Pink Team Winners of the Think Pink Bahrain Men’s Charity Golf Competition at the Royal Golf Club in October. See page 6 . Forum

The 2013-15 BBBF Executive Committee

Chairman Khalid Al Zayani

Deputy Chairman Austin Rudman Mob: 3969 9475

Hon-Secretary Jill Boggiss Mob: 3604 4100

Treasurer Jonathan Trafankowski Mob: 3914 8599

Embassy Representative Debbie Dixon Mob: 3947 4208

Member Julia Atherton-Dandy Mob: 3966 0598

Member Nasser Al Arayedh Tel: 1727 2575

Member Mazen Al Umran Tel: 1771 5555

Member Adel Fakhro Tel: 1727 5000

Member Rick Hopper Tel: 3979 1090

SIG Chair Paula Boast Tel: 3930 0577

Executive Manager Dena Wales Tel: 3969 6191

This edition of the BBBF Forum magazine was compiled by Andrew Mead at Mead Management Services Ltd. email: andrew@sbtd.co.uk UK Mob: 0044 7940 559 925 Bahrain Mobile: 00973 3638 7595 KSA Mob: 00966 506 271 151 If you would like to contribute to a future edition please telephone or send an email to info@sbtd.co.uk A full page advert is charged at BD330. A half page advert at BD200, A quarter page advert at BD110 A small panel at BD55 Assistance with Advert design is available if required Please note: The BBBF nor its agents do not warrant the services of any of the individual or corporate members of the BBBF. The views and opinions expressed by independent contributors must not be regarded as those of the BBBF or its agents. Publication of any article or advertisement does not imply any endorsement of the views, products or services described therein.

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From Her Majesty's Ambassador

My holiday before Eid seems a long time ago, such has been the pace of business since then. I hope everyone had a chance to get some break during the summer. The bilateral relationship has continued to prosper. Following the successful visits to London by HRH the Crown Prince, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa visited the UK twice over the summer, meeting first the Prime Minister and then the Defence Secretary. The Prime Minister reiterated the UK’s support for reform in Bahrain and encouraged His Majesty to continue to demonstrate substantive progress. The two leaders made clear their commitment to strengthening bilateral trade and investment and helping companies from both countries to succeed. The Prime Minister welcomed Bahraini plans to begin celebrations to mark 200 years of Bahraini-British relations from next year. He thought this illustrated the breadth and strength of the close bilateral relationship.

The subsequent meeting with the Defence Secretary focussed on follow-up to His Majesty’s wellpublicised wish to purchase the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft from the UK, following in the footsteps of Saudi Arabia and Oman, and the strengthening of bilateral defence relations. Our first ministerial visitor of the autumn was Baroness Warsi, the Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Minister for Faith and Communities and the most senior Muslim politician in the UK. Her visit focussed on preparations for the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) in London at the end of October, the first time this Islamic ‘Davos’ has been held in a non-Muslim country. The Crown Prince will be leading a strong Bahraini delegation to the event, as befits the leading centre for Islamic finance in the Gulf. Baroness Warsi’s visit identified areas for cooperation between the UK and Bahrain on Islamic finance. I am looking forward to the next Lord Mayor of the City of London’s visit in February as an opportunity to build on the success of the WIEF.

This brings me to what I hope will be the most exciting event in UK/Bahrain relations for many years. Under the patronage of His Majesty, the Embassy, the BBBF and the British Council are organising a GREAT British Week from 16-22 January 2014, which will form part of the celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of bilateral relations. There has not been a British week here in a generation and I am excited at the prospect of putting on and supporting a range of events that showcase the relationship. The GREAT British Week will begin on the first day of the Bahrain International Airshow, where there will be a strong UK presence. The Embassy is already working with a number of partners on our contribution to the week, including an Advanced Engineering and Innovation event at the BIC and a campaign to promote the UK fashion and food sectors. Khaled Al Zayani and I have written to BBBF members to get you thinking about how your company or organisation might wish to take advantage of this exciting opportunity

and organise your own events under the GREAT British Week banner. We have drawn up a range of Sponsorship packages to suit all budgets. Your support is crucial to the success of GREAT British Week and we look forward to your active participation. I finish on a sad note. As most of you are no doubt aware, Malcolm Jardine, the Director of the British Council, died suddenly in July. It was a terrible shock for all his friends and colleagues here. Malcolm was a warm and thoughtful man who guided the Council here through difficult times during and following the unrest of 2011, ensuring that the Council retained its reputation as the best place for young Bahrainis to learn English. We miss him. Iain Lindsay OBE HM Ambassador

GREAT BRITISH WEEK Under the patronage of His Majesty, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the British Embassy, the British Council and the Bahrain British Business Forum (BBBF) are organising a GREAT British Week from 16-22 January 2014, which will form part of the celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of UK/Bahrain bilateral relations.

There has not been a British week in Bahrain in a generation and we are very excited at the prospect of putting on and supporting a whole range of events that showcase the wide-ranging, longstanding and close UK/ Bahraini relationship. The GREAT British Week will begin on the first day of the Bahrain International Air show where there will be a strong presence from UK

companies. The Embassy is already working with a number of partners on the Embassy’s contribution to the week, including: an Advanced Engineering and Innovation event at the Bahrain International Circuit; a Knowledge event; a campaign to promote the UK fashion and food sectors; and a gala dinner to mark the end of the week.

There will be a comprehensive publicity campaign before and during the week to ensure that there is a high visibility for all the GREAT British Week events. If you would care to discuss how you can be part of this GREAT event please contact Mr Russ Dixon at: russ.dixon4@fco.gov.uk

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Reem Al Mahroos Charles Russell LLP Associate Tel: 1713 3200 Mob: 3995 9090 reem.almahroos@ charlesrussell.co.uk

Matthew Deakin HSBC Bank Middle East CEO Tel: 1756 9900 matthewdeakin@hsbc.com

Wafa Al Mohanna Takaud Savings & Pensions B.S.C. Corporate Relationship Manager Tel: 1751 1611 Mob: 3841 0424 wafa.almohanna@takaud.com

Tom Ham Desert Studio for Arts Co. Ltd General Manager Tel: 1759 1136 Mob: 3918 7293 tomham.dsa@gmail.com

John Barnes URS Chief Resident Engineer Tel: 1755 6634 Mob: 3999 0928 john.barnes@urs.com

Richard Howard Howard Consultants S.P.C. Director Tel: 3606 1098 Mob: 3333 1063 richard_in_bahrain@yahoo.co.uk

Stuart Carmichael Takaud Savings & Pensions B.S.C. Product Manager Tel: 1751 1611 stuart.carmichael@takaud.com

Oliver Hunt From6 Communications WLL Digital Director Tel: 1700 3858 Mob: 3330 6978 ollie@from6.com

Tom Carter Cluttons Property Manager Tel: 1756 2860 Mob: 3997 2986 tom.carter@bh.cluttons.com

Barrie Jones Gulf Computer Services Chief Operating Officer Tel: 1729 3313 Mob: 3311 9978 barrie.jones@ gulfcomputerservices.com

Thomas Catto Charles Russell LLP Associate Tel: 1713 3200 Mob: 3604 3163 thomas.catto@charlesrussell.co.uk

Jonathan Kemp Takaud Savings & Pensions B.S.C.. Chief Actuary Tel: 1751 1611 Mob: 3222 9056 jonathan.kemp@takaud.com

Welcome to New Members Michael Lonergan Takaud Savings & Pensions B.S.C. Retail Sales Director - Corporate Tel: 1751 1611 Mob: 3223 6675 mike.lonergan@takaud.com

David Owens Owens Management & Business Consultancy Managing Director Mob: 3968 7674 david.owens@owensccd.com

Jason Smith Banz Group B.S.C. ÂŠ Group General Manager Tel: 1781 6070 Mob: 3946 5969 jason@banzgroup.com

John Sykes Charles Russell LLP Partner Tel: 1713 3200 Mob: 3604 3339 john.sykes@charlesrussell.co.uk

Muhammed Sharif HSBC Bank Middle East Head of Global Banking, Client Management Tel: 1756 9590 Mob: 3359 1163 muhammed.sharif@hsbc.com

Yara Tawfeeq British Embassy UK Trade & Investment Officer Tel: 1757 4113 Mob: 3306 7765 yara.tawfeeq@fco.gov.uk

Omar Shelbaya Takaud Savings & Pensions B.S.C. Chief Distribution Officer Tel: 1751 1611 omar.shelbaya@takaud.com

Roberta Trzebinski Studio RCT Functional Movements Director Mob: 3944 5816 pilatesbahrain@gmail.com

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BBBF October Luncheon highlights benefits of investing in sports and leisure benefits of creating a sustainable sporting and leisure environment at the Bahrain British Business Forum’s (BBBF) October luncheon, held at the Gulf Hotel.

Martin Whitaker, Managing Director of Sportique88, a leading sports and business development agency, delivered a presentation on the social and economic

In his presentation, which was attended by H.E. Iain Lindsay, British Ambassador to Bahrain, around 110 BBBF members and guests, Mr. Whitaker noted the importance of sports as a universal language that transcends boundaries, making it an ideal platform to attract tourism, engage the youth

The Think Pink Bahrain’s men’s charity golf competition played at the Royal Golf Club on Sunday 6th October raised over BD1500 for the breast cancer awareness charity. There was a full field of 48 players dressed in pink that took part in this popular annual event which was sponsored by BMMI Bank, Gulf Brands International, Highland Springs and the Royal Golf Club. The winning team, pictured on the front cover, were the “BBBF in Pink” team consisting of HE Iain Lindsay, David Wales, Ben Elsworth and Cormac Flannery. The runners up are pictured right: Club Captain Ebrahim Esbai, Riyadh Al Saie, Ahmed Sultan, Chris McDonnell. 6

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and community, facilitate local and international business and trade, and raise the country’s profile on the international stage. "Bahrain boasts a strong and ever-growing sporting heritage that is complemented by a first-rate sport and leisure infrastructure. It is critically important that we leverage these unique assets to build a costeffective, manageable, and sustainable international sports environment that delivers on the established objectives and both

maximises and compliments existing events," Mr. Whitaker said. Mr. Whitaker also outlined some of the upcoming events which can be utilized in this regard, such as the Great British Week in January, which will mark 200 years of bilateral relations between Bahrain and the United Kingdom, the Bahrain International Airshow, and Bahrain Formula-1 Grand Prix. Photos from the lunch can be found on the centre pages.

Our thanks to all the advertisers in this edition of Forum. Without their support, this issue would not have been possible. Please give them yours. 2 Connect ........................................ Inside Back Cover ACE ................................................................. page 27 Al Jazira Supermarket ..................................... page 18 Almoayed Wilelmsen Ltd................................. page 52 AXA Insurance ............................. Outside Back Cover BFC ................................................................. page 23 BMMI - Al Osra Supermarket .......................... page 55 British School of Bahrain ................................. page 35 Budget Car Rental........................................... page 58 Crown Relocations ........................................... page 7 Crowne Plaza Hotel......................................... page 29 Cutis Clinic ...................................................... page 33 DHL ................................................................. page 47 Dipomat Radisson Blu..................................... page 53 Emirates Airlines ............................................. page 11 Euromotors...................................................... page 21 G4S ................................................................. page 15

Diary Dates November 5th to November 12th Chelsea Pensioners visit CPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ataying at The Crowne Plaza Hotel Thursday November 7th Poppy Ball Venue: Crown Plaza Hotel Tuesday November 19th BBBF SIG - ICT Venue: tba Tuesday November 26th BBBF SIG - Organisational / Legal Venue: tba Thursday December 12th BBBF Christmas lunch Speakers: Chairman & HMA Venue: tba Events in the pipeline Please visit the BBBF website www.bbbforum.org and check the calendar for updated details on the above and other events/ meetings being held.

Gulf Agency Co ............................................... page 41 Gulf Hotel ........................................................ page 43 HSBC .............................................................. page 25 Insure Direct .................................................... page 39 Jumeirah at Etihad Towers.............................. page 49 Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel ..................page 17 & 45 Mansouri Mansions ......................................... page 48 MJS Autos ...................................................... page 51 Nexus ..............................................Inside Front Cover Park Hyatt Hotel .............................................. page 37 Phil Weymouth Photography............................. page 5

The BBBF Directory The 2014 printed edition of the BBBF Directory is now being prepared. Copies of the pages from the 2013 printed edition are available to view as pdf files by following the Directory link from the home page of the BBBF website at www.bbforum.org. Members contact details may also be found online by using a Text Search facility or from a search of member photographs. The information displayed from the TEXT or PICTURE Search may be more up-to-date than that shown as a pdf copy of the printed page. Forum

Benefits for BBBF Members

Benefits for all our members may be obtained on production of their Membership card at the concerned outlet. We would like to hear your feedback concerning these discounts. Please do not hesitate to offer your services to our members by contacting the BBBF office. If any member has any difficulty obtaining a discount, please contact the BBBF office so we can rectify the situation. AXA Insurance 10% discounts to members on personal lines insurances. (excluding medical) Terms & Conditions Apply. Contact: Stephen Wagstaff Tel: 1758 8222 Email: stephen.wagstaff@axa-gulf.com Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company (BKIC) Special schemes have been arranged with BKIC for BBBF members for the following classes of insurance: House & Contents, Domestic Servants & Motor Insurance. Special terms are available on production of your membership card. Bizladies BBBF members can join Bizladies for a 25% reduction in the fees (BD75 for 9 events instead of BD100). In addition a 10% discount may be obtained against organisational and executive coaching, proof reading, training, assistance with academic writing and psychometric profiling. Contact:- Dr. Clare Beckett-McInroy (Managing Director), Mobile:- +973 38442727, Email:- clare@beckett-mcinroy www.bahrain@bizladies.org British Airways Valid until 31 Jan 2014. BA is offering BBBF members a 10% discount on published fares from Bahrain to UK, Europe, North America and South America in Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller. The discount rate is applicable to round or one-way trip tickets originating from Bahrain. This discount is not valid on taxes, fees and surcharges.To book please login at www.ba.com/bbbf. Craig Consultants 10% discount for members on 1-on-1 Executive Coaching, Contact: Kevin Craig Tel: 36199980 Email: kevin@craigconsultants.com DHL 25% discount from the cash tariff for any personal shipments being sent from Bahrain to anywhere in the world available on production of your membership card. DHL Customer Service Tel: 1736 4100 www.dhl.com.bh Expat Angels 10% discount on all packages and services. Contact: info@expatangelsbahrain.com Tel: 3832-0439 Gulf Computer Services (GCS) IT Health Check. GCS have offered BBBF Members a site survey and assessment of all their computer hardware, software and systems. This usually chargeable service is offered Free of Charge to BBBF Members. To take advantage of this unique offer contact Barrie Jones at barrie.jones@gulfcomputerservices.com Offer valid until Dec 31st 2013. Hasan Mansouri 10% discount to members at Mansouri Mansions Hotel and Country Club. Contact: Karim Mansouri Tel: 1772 8144 Email: karim@karimmansouri.com

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Jeeves of Belgravia Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Finest Dry Cleaner is offering all BBBF members an exclusive discount of 50% for their first trial of our services. Thereafter, all BBBF members shall get a 25% discount in all their orders. For collections, please call our hotline at 17 465 575 and visit our website: www.jeevesbahrain.com Marriott Executive Apartment and Residence Inn Bahrain 15% discounts when dining in Skyw@lk CafĂŠ upon production of the BBBF membership card. 10% discounts on the best available rates for BBBF Member companies. For meetings and events, we offer a special day delegate rates of 13 BD per person inclusive of 3 coffee breaks and lunch. Contact Marwan Haddad Tel: 3624 2210 email:marwan.haddad@marriott.com National Hotel Services (NHSC) 5% on beers, 15% on wines and spirits with the exception of products already on special offer. Contact: Ian Bricklebank Tel: 1781-5929 Email: nhsc1234@batelco.com.bh Protection Insurance Service offers BBBF members special rates on their personal insurance (motor, home, travel and any other insurance cover). Members will just call to select the cover type, share the credit card number and we will deliver the policy documents to his / her office. Please call 3904-3446 or 3645-4282 Radisson Blu - Muscat BBBF Members pay OMR99 per night for Room and 18 holes T: +968 2448 7777 E: reservations.muscat@radissonblu.com Ritz-Carlton, Doha Stay for minimum 2 nights at the club level of The Ritz-Carlton, Doha and get a Food & Beverages credit of USD 50/day. 15% savings for all treatments at The Ritz-Carlton Spa Contact: Hanny Gunawan, Director PR, Tel: +974 4484 8303, email: hanny.gunawan@ritzcarlton.com Royal Over-Seas League Reduced rates for BBBF members at ROSL clubhouses in London and Edinburgh Email: fvanicek@rosl.org.uk Tel: 0044 20 7408 0214 Fax: 0044 20 7499 6738 Servcorp Business Package Two months at half price on any Servcorp Virtual Office Contact: Heather Longden, Sales Manager Tel: 1750 2710 email: hlongden@servcorp.me Web: www.servcorp.bh

Membership Benefits 2014 The annual BBBF Directory for 2014 is being prepared now. If you would like to feature your Special Offer to BBBF Members in the 2014 BBBF Directory please advise the BBBF Executive Office prior to 30th November 2013

Why Join The BBBF?

BAHRAIN The Pearl of the Gulf has had a long standing relationship with Britain and is still a major trading partner.

Membership directories are distributed to members of visiting Trade Missions and are available through the Embassy and business centres in five star hotels.

BRITISH Trade with Bahrain is now subject to significant competition in this era of globalisation particularly from countries in Europe and from the USA.

Simply click on “Sign Up” on our website www.bbbforum.org complete the application form and click submit. Sounds simple, it is, it must be worth it.

BUSINESS between Bahrain and Britain must be promoted in order for Britain to maintain its dominant position. The BBBF has been formed to help in whatever way it can to do this and through its close cooperation with the British Embassy seeks to promote exchange of trade and good relations between Bahrain and Britain. FORUM Is defined in the Collins English Dictionary as, “an assembly or meeting to discuss topics of public concern”. The BBBF provides through its monthly meetings a platform for networking amongst its members and the exchange and dissemination of useful business leads and opportunities. In addition, in return for a modest subscription, members receive the benefit of inclusion in an annual directory describing the products and services they have to offer and a listing on the BBBF website again with a description of activities, contact numbers and useful links.

BBBF Membership Application Please complete the membership form and send it to: BBBF Executive Office, Fax: (00973) 1781 3489, or Email: bbbfmemberships@batelco.com.bh. For further information call (00973) 1781 3488, Web site: www.bbbforum.org

Cost of membership (2014) Individual Membership: BD 100 per annum, with an additional BD 40 once-only registration fee. Corporate Membership: BD 400 per annum (up to 5 individuals) plus BD 40 for each applicant up to a maximum of 10, with an additional BD 100 once-only registration fee. Corporate Sponsorships Three levels of sponsorship are available: Platinum: BD 3500 each year for three years Gold: BD 3500 for one year Silver: BD 1750 for one year Sponsor packages include a variety of advertisement opportunities in the Membership Directory, the Forum magazine, the BBBF website and at the regular lunch meetings. Full details are available on request.

Corporate Membership please complete separate form for each applicant

Individual Membership

Company Name

Website address of business (if applicable)

Title and full name (Surname first)

Describe how you / your company contribute to substantial business interests in Bahrain (Maximum 150 words)

Position in business Nationality

Date of Birth

CPR Number Address of business (P.O.Box & Town) Business telephone

Facsimile

Home telephone

Mobile

E-mail address

I agree to abide by the BBBF Constitution & Internal regulations. Applicants Signature

Please note that the granting of individual or corporate membership is subject to BBBF Committee approval.

Date

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Embassy News Pingu in the Gulf During the first quarter of the year, Linguaphone approached UKTI Bahrain to help them launch their Pingu’s initiative by finding them a master license franchisee. Now children in Bahrain and Qatar will soon be able to learn English with Pingu, thanks to an exclusive license agreement announced on 23 September 2013 by the Linguaphone Group with DSA Company WLL who are a Bahrain based company. They will offer Pingu’s English to parents and children across Bahrain and Qatar, under exclusive franchise from the Linguaphone Group. Launching their first Pingu’s English Club in the Seef area of Manama in January, they will then look to roll out the programme throughout Bahrain. They will also offer investors across Qatar the opportunity to run their own Pingu’s English centres from early 2014. Tom Ham, General Manager of DSA Company said "We are very excited about introducing Pingu’s English to Bahrain and Qatar. This is a great

business opportunity for DSA and is a natural extension to DSA’S current edutainment based activities." Commenting on the partnership, Derek Price, Chief Executive Officer of the Linguaphone Group said: "We are delighted to have partnered with DSA Company in Bahrain and Qatar and believe their track record in the market and existing customer base will be a springboard for success with Pingu’s English. We also very much welcome the support of the UKTI in Bahrain in making this partnership possible." Pingu’s English is a three-level language course for 3-8 year olds based on the popular children’s character, Pingu™ Transforming the way that young children learn English, Pingu’s English is a unique syllabus developed by leading experts in the fields of child education and language acquisition. Using a wide variety of imaginative activities and multimedia resources, Pingu’s English is designed for use within Pingu’s English Schools, kindergartens and also by parents and children at home.

MENA Director visit

Edward Oakden, a former British Ambassador to the UAE and Director of Strategic Trade at UK Trade & Investment visited Bahrain recently. Here to attend the Manama Dialogue Sherpas meeting in his new role as Middle East and North Africa Director at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Edward took time out to discuss business and economic developments in Bahrain and the wider GCC. A group of leading British companies doing business in the Kingdom provided an insight into the business climate and and HE Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister of Transportation, outlined the wide range of opportunities for British companies across the transportation sector.

DSEi - London Three Bahraini delegates from the Royal Bahrain Air Force, Royal Bahrain Naval Force, and the Bahrain Defence Force were invited by UKTI DSO to attend the Defence and Security Exhibition International (DSEi) in London from 10-13 September 2013. The world’s leading defence and security exhibiton, the event featured international exhibitors from 121 countries showcasing the latest defence equipment and systems for air, land, and sea. The exhibition presented the delegates with the opportunity to generate new business opportunities, strengthen international relationships, and exchange expertise on a wide range of topics. The next DSEI Exhibition will be from 15-18 Sept 2015 at ExCeL London 10 Forum

Baroness Warsi’s visit The Rt Hon Baroness Warsi, Senior Minister of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, was in Bahrain from 13 – 15 September 2013, primarily to promote the upcoming World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) 2013 which is set to take place in London from 29-31 October. This is the first time the WIEF will be held outside a Muslim country, reaffirming London’s position as the Western hub for Islamic Finance. The Baroness hosted a lunch reception for

Bahraini delegates invited to the WIEF to talk about participation and key areas of interest. The Baroness also met with HRH the Crown Prince of Bahrain, who will be leading a delegation to the WIEF, to discuss the upcoming forum and areas for cooperation. In addition, she met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs, and the Minister of Culture among other cabinet ministers to discuss a range of topics.

Special Interest Groups

Paula Boast SIG Chair With the close of what seemed like a very long summer here in Bahrain we are looking ahead right now to upcoming events across the SIG groups over autumn, winter and into the New Year.

A new emphasis has emerged following the recent membership survey in terms of the types of events to be arranged and a cry out for more cross-SIG initiatives. The mix for the coming months should hopefully offer something for everyone. It includes a focus on corporate branding and protection, telecoms and cyber security and a more practical theme with construction site visits. We will also be keeping you posted on our SIG wide social event planned just before the Christmas holidays. We look forward

SIG Sponsor to getting as many of you together as possible for an informal opportunity to network, generally catch up or blatantly cross sell your business and services; whichever is your want. We are still looking to building our cross network with KSA and in particular the Eastern Province. So just a small plea to any of you with Saudi friends and contacts out there. We are conscious of the new weekend arrangements which makes our diaries more aligned than ever. So if there are any of your contacts travelling back and forth between

Bahrain and KSA please do let them know about our SIG and BBBF events or if they would like to offer speakers etc. Or you can let us know and we will happily undertake the job of keeping them informed. As always a big thank you to our generous SIG sponsors, Standard Chartered for their ongoing support.

SIG - Organisational Effectiveness

Since the last Forum magazine there has not been a meeting. However coming up on November 26 we are once again joining forces with the Legal SIG and there will be a focus on branding, and in particular, how to protect the investment that a brand represents. Charles Russell and Seven Brands will host a working lunch at the Gulf Hotel, details to be confirmed but timings are 12 – 2. I have struggled to find the time to get the business book club off the ground

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due to a lack of time on my part – I am going to think about this again. So in lieu of the book club I offer you the fruits of my recent research into great online materials for all kinds of topics. My favorite areas are the big thinkers (TED talks) and the ‘how to’ resources for Excel etc (Lynda.com).

Online learning materials One topic that I am very close to at the moment is how to provide high quality learning in relevant bite sized chunks and I have been researching online

materials. I don’t know if you are aware of TED Talks (very interesting collection of great speakers), RSA Animate (amazing process where complex ideas are accompanied by white board drawing). Other material that is worth a look is the Khan Academy (high quality free courses). Most of the US business schools are putting free content online. If you are interested in learning some skills such as Microsoft Project 2010 or PowerPoint and you want to do this step by step without leaving your desk then check out Lynda.com

Jill Boggiss and for a modest monthly fee you can have access to masses of really high quality courses. The best part about Lynda.com is that you can create playlists and share these with people so you can tailor learning very specifically. Wikihow also does this and there are interesting free resources.

Special Interest Group - ICT The ICT group got off the ground in 2013 with an introductory lunch meeting at The Gulf Hotel on the 12th March. This was attended by around 20 members and guests and provided a valuable introduction to the subject as well as several key suggestions for future discussions and events. This was followed by a

Cisco presentation to the SIG group members and guests at another lunch gathering at the Diplomat Hotel on the 23 rd April. Cisco gave an excellent presentation of their latest offerings:- Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and their Unified Platform. This was again well attended by over 20 members and guests and the presentations were

followed by an excellent Q & A session followed by an interesting open debate. We plan to hold another meeting in the year to be hosted by Kalaam Telecom on the subject of Cyber Security. Details of this event will be advised in due course and we look forward to another interesting meeting and with healthy debate.

David Wales (BSc, MIEE) BBBF ICT SIG Chairman

Special Interest Group - Construction approving the key project agreements, this was explained in further detail and was explored from all stakeholders perspectives.

On September 23 rd we hosted a presentation on ‘What Lenders Want! – Funders Requirements in Construction Contracts’ which was delivered by David Johnston.

David is a projects and construction lawyer based in Norton Rose Fulbright’s Bahrain office. David has a broad range of experience advising on high value and high profile construction

and engineering projects, particularly in the infrastructure, transport, energy, wastewater, waste and utilities sectors and in PPP procurement. David has acted for lenders, governments, executive agencies, local authorities, employers, contractors, concessionaires and utilities.

Paula Boast & Rick Hopper

David went on to share his detailed knowledge of what lenders will typically require in order to get comfortable with the terms of construction contracts, and what types of issues developers, sponsors, contractors and their advisors can expect to face when negotiating the terms of such contracts. Looking ahead to the next couple months, the Construction SIG

will be hosting an event on Wednesday 6 November (evening) discussing claiming and recovering (or rebutting as the case may be) head office overheads. Also, the long promised Christmas Social Event will be scheduled for December which will offer a good chance for networking with others in the Construction industry, although, with the Christmas spirit in mind, all are welcome!

The event was well attended by members and guests, during which David’s aim was to try to debug what Lenders require before a project will be funded. Although, it is well known that on project finance transactions, lenders’ advisers will be heavily involved in reviewing and Forum 13

BBBF SIG Security

• Older children or teenagers may bully via text messaging, social networking sites, chat rooms, and other forms of digital or online communication. For the most part, cyberbullying is defined by the same characteristics as other bullying. There are some significant differences, though, that deserve mention.

Anthony Peter Palys MBE

Characteristics of Cyberbullying:

As the searing summer temperatures start to recede the BBQ’s and outside life become fun again spare a thought for not only the world around us but also the world of the internet. Once again we are informed of another death of a young life due to cyber bullying so in this autumn edition I thought I would reproduce and update a number of findings that as parents we should all be very much aware of. Also included in this edition is an article on general security awareness by Paul Gorman CPP, MA, BA, FICPEM Managing Director, Crisec Consultants WLL, and update information on ASIS & OSAC.

• First, cyberbullying can be anonymous: youth who are being cyberbullied may not even know who the bully is, or specifically why they are being targeted.

Feature: Cyberbullying

• Finally, cyberbullies can be teens who might not otherwise have engaged in bullying behaviors. It is often easier to be cruel when the bully is sheltered from their target’s responses which can over time include devastating consequences such as withdrawal from family and friends, depression, diminished performance in school and in the most severe cases, self-harming behavior and even suicide.

Today, almost every aspect of our lives has "gone digital" making face-to-face communication the exception rather than the norm. This is even more of a reality in the lives of our children and teenagers whose homework assignments, report cards, and social interactions all increasingly have a digital or online component. There are certainly benefits to this new digital age. Communication is far easier than it was a generation ago. Unfortunately there are also disadvantages. This ease of communication has also helped move bullying beyond harassment at school or on the playground and into cyberspace. This should come as no surprise since bullying tends to occur where teens congregate, and today, two-thirds of teenagers go online daily to do school work, connect with friends and read about their favorite celebrities. Facts about Cyberbullying: • In a 2006 study, one in three online teens reported experiencing a range of cyberbullying activities, including "receiving threatening messages; having their private emails or text messages forwarded without consent; having an embarrassing picture posted without permission; or having rumors about them spread online." • In more recent research, where cyberbullying was defined broadly, one in five students 11-18 years old said that they had been cyberbullied; but interestingly, the same percentage admitted to cyberbullying someone at least once in the past. 14 Forum

• Second, the impact of cyberbullying can be widerreaching than bullying done in person. The speed and breadth of the internet have permitted groups of youth to create websites just to make fun of other young people, to impersonate other teens on social media sites, and to circulate embarrassing photos, all within a matter of minutes.

Today’s national media coverage of bullying often focuses on cases that come to an extreme and tragic end, with parents, schools and entire communities weighing in to express strong opinions about how to "deal with" the bullies, and wondering what, if anything could have been done to protect the "victim." And even more often, parents and teachers and the community express surprise at the ordinariness of the youth who engaged in bullying behavior, and how unlikely it seemed that they would be involved in something so terrible. Helping Kids Rise above Cyberbullying Current research 4 shows that approaches to help prevent bullying behavior are essentially the same as those that will help youth withstand harassment. These approaches – which are closely linked to the Search Institute Developmental Assets, and include building strong and positive ties to family, peers and community, and fostering the values of empowerment and self-control, among others – seem to tell us that the needs of youth who react most dramatically to bullying, and those engaging in bullying behavior may in fact be the same. Research shows that raising kids to be resilient can lead them to avoid more types of risky behaviors, including bullying.

SIG Sponsor

Guest Ar�cle: Paul Gorman CPP, MA, BA, FICPEM Managing Director – Cri�cal Incidents & Security Bahrain is now in its third year of unrest and thus far 2013 has not seen any reduction in the number of incidents of public disorder. Indeed the level of activist activity has continued unabated throughout the year, even if a lot of incidents are not reported in the local media. As such situations drag on there is often a tendency for people to regard the daily public disorder as being normal. This attitude can lead to complacency as individuals fail to take adequate security precautions as they travel around the country. Throughout the current unrest the number of targeted attacks on western expatriates has been virtually zero. This in itself can lead to a failure to take even basic security measures. For that reason I offer a few basic security measures that readers should consider taking to ensure that they remain safe particularly when confronted by mobs of demonstrators setting tyres alight on Bahrain’s roads. • The greatest risk is likely to occur if you unwittingly stray into an area where protest activity is taking place. Whether authorised or not, such events have the potential to erupt in violence. If you should find yourself in such a location try and leave at once and return to your home or other place of safety and remain there until the situation has stabilised.

• Do not take photographs of protestors or police. • Employ secure journey management – particularly at night time and if you have to travel near known trouble spots. • Avoid know trouble spots whenever possible and consider alternative routes. • Approach roadblocks with caution and treat whoever is stationed at the roadblock, whether police or protestors, with respect and patience. Do not engage in negotiation but turn back if possible. If possible take an alternative route or wait in a safe place until it is clear to proceed without danger. Under no circumstances must you try to cross a road block put in place by activists as you may well incite an attack against you. • Always ensure that you carry photographic identification with you such as your CPR or passport. • Be prepared for journeys to take longer than usual due to traffic delays. Ensure that you have water and snacks in your vehicle. • If you come across a suspicious object do not approach it. Try and create as much distance between it and yourself immediately. When you are at least 400 metres away consider alerting the police of what you have seen. You should not, under any circumstances, touch, cover or try to remove the object. Maintain alertness to your surroundings and ensure that villas and apartments are properly secured as the current unrest has led to a rise in opportunistic, acquisitive crimes such as burglary, theft and robbery.

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BBBF SIG Security - continued OSAC & BBBF SIG

Conference

Please note that the formal partnership between OSAC & the BBBF has now ceased in an effort to allow OSAC to now concentrate on purely security issues and the BBBF SIG (S) to concentrate on bringing "Business to Security"; both commercially and in the work place. Do please note that the passage of information will still continue between the two organisations so as to ensure that the community is kept right up to date, where possible, on security issues that may impact on our quality of life here in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The partnership with the Bahrain Chapter of ASIS will continue with details of the 2014 speaker programme being distributed later in the year. Our sincere thanks to all the folks at OSAC, both here in Bahrain and in Washington for all their assistance and guidance in the past.

The ASIS 5th Middle East Security Conference & Exhibition will take place on February 16-18, 2014 in Dubai, UAE at the Intercontinental Dubai Festival City.

ASIS 2013: Staying Safe as a Business Traveler Speaking at a Sept. 25 session at ASIS 2013, Ron Lander, chief specialist at the technology consulting firm Ultrasafe Security Specialists, and independent security consultant Matt Antkowiak called on business travelers to make changes to ensure better data security while they are on the road. Mobile devices are particularly vulnerable, they maintain, so travelers should at least have a password to prevent unauthorized access. These passwords should not be any easier to guess than those on other computers or devices, they warn. They also encouraged travelers to avoid letting someone borrow their charger since devices can be used to extract data from chargers. While travelers should be careful at all times, airports require particular caution, they said. In general, Lander recommends turning off GPS or Bluetooth systems when not in use, not leaving mobile devices unattended, updating all operating systems and firmware, and using the latest anti-virus software. 16 Forum

The event will address a full spectrum of topics in security management such as: supply chain security, loss prevention, hotel security, intellectual property, maritime piracy, terrorism, executive protection, internal theft and fraud, competitive intelligence, brand protection, physical security, cyber security, investigations, due diligence and global business issues. The event will take place under the patronage of His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates and under the honorary chairmanship of His Excellency Lt. Gen. Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander in Chief of the Dubai Police. Keynote Speakers will include: Abdulrahman F. Al-Wuhaib Senior Vice President, Downstream Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia and Prof. Dr. Leonard Yong Senior Consultant, EuroMaTech Training & Management Consultancy Malaysia.

The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) is pleased to announce their 28th Annual Briefing The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) is pleased to announce their 28th Annual Briefing with the theme "Securing the Global and Virtual Organisations." The OSAC briefing will be held at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, November 20 at 8:30 a.m. We are preparing a robust agenda of invited speakers, including Secretary of State Kerry and Mr. Ryan Lance, CEO of ConocoPhillips Company. Two panels are planned for Wednesday morning with Ms. Leslie Stahl, CBS News journalist, moderating a panel

on the 30th anniversary of the U.S Embassy Tehran hostage crisis. The second panel will discuss the January attack of the Tiguentourine oil and gas facility near In-Amenas, Algeria from a survivorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective. Topics for the afternoon session will cover overseas regional analysis, including the evolving criminal landscapes and root causes of violence in Mexico; incorporating social media monitoring and analysis into your security department; the role of concessions in furthering labour unrest in South Africa; Syria scenarios and spillover violence; understanding corruption in East and Southern Europe; violent extremism in Indonesia; Indian Mujahideen tactics and capabilities; and the threat from the hacker group, Anonymous. Breakout sessions will be available for the attendees, to include travel safety training best practices, a crisis management exercise on kidnap and ransom; high threat environments; using OSAC as a resource during a crisis overseas; and an overview of major events in 2014. The breakout sessions will run concurrently with our regional briefings, which will continue to be held in the main auditorium. On Thursday, November 21, the OSAC Committee for Risk and Information Sharing will present a half-day seminar on "Protecting Intellectual Property in the 21st Century: Opportunities and Challenges for OSAC Constituents." The keynote speaker for the seminar is Congressman Mike Rogers, U.S. House of Representatives. A panel discussion is planned on the evolving nature of threats to intellectual property resulting from new technologies and security challenges. Also, three breakout sessions are scheduled on the mitigation of Chinese cyber concerns; how an embassy or consulate operates, and a discussion by Tom Sanderson on the "Seven Revolutions." Tony Palys can now be contacted at TonyPalys@ LeBeckInternational.com

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Countdown begins to Endurance Race The eyes of the world will once again focus on Bahrain when the World Endurance Championship (WEC) Six Hours of Bahrain takes the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) by storm this November. With a lineup of great support races, entertainment attractions for people of all ages, and the exciting atmosphere of a major auto sport gathering, the two-day spectacular is second only to Formula 1 as Bahrain’s biggest international motorsport event. As the 2013 WEC calendar’s grand finale, it promises an unforgettable weekend out for all who attend. The event on November 29 and 30 at "the Home of Motorsport in the Middle East," is set to captivate

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fans, whether they are diehard followers of auto racing, or whether they are looking for a complete weekend of celebration and fun. BIC is no stranger to offering well-rounded entertainment offerings on the sidelines of its gripping motorsport events, and the WEC 6 Hours of Bahrain will be no different. Headlining the entertainment line-up is a performance by superstar French DJ John

Revox. No stranger to the limelight, John’s smash hit ‘Ole!’ made shockwaves on the house music charts when it was released in 2007. Since then, the DJ and producer has climbed to the number 3 spot on the Beatport Top 100 chart, played live at some of Europe’s biggest clubs and festivals, and teamed up with a number of acclaimed house music producers. Fans at the 6 Hours of Bahrain can look forward

to a high-energy show featuring the DJ’s top hits including Holiday, Conga, Funky Rhythm, Kanaga and others. A string of popular local bands will also perform live at various times on both days of the weekend including folk rockers the Awesome People with Mohammed Zuwayed Jr, reggae band the Legendz, alternative rockers Alderon and Filipino stars Gumz! Each band will bring its own brand of excitement and fun to the stage when they perform live at the 6 Hours of Bahrain. Colourful children’s shows will also feature over the weekend, with engaging live theatre shows such as

Mary Poppins, the Wizard of Oz and Hairspray, while an extensive fairground atmosphere – replete with carnival games, face painters, balloon twisters, rides and bouncy castles will see smiles on every face. The work of talented Bahraini craftsmen and artists will also feature in a special zone. Several exciting support races will feature on the sidelines of the Six Hours of Bahrain, including the opening round of the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle East, India’s MRF Challenge and the homegrown BIC 2,000cc Challenge. Tickets for the Six Hours of Bahrain cost BD20 for adults and BD10 for children aged from three to 12 years old, while children aged up to three will enter for free. Tickets to BIC’s Le Mans Spirit Club cost BD200 and give holders a premium viewing experience coupled with the club’s world class hospitality. BIC’s on-going tickets promotion gives six lucky fans a chance to win amazing prizes at draws that take place every three weeks. Draws have been lined up in the weeks leading up to the 6 Hours of Bahrain, giving fans plenty of chances to win. Furthermore, every ticket will be entered into a mega draw – with the grand prize of a brand new car for one lucky winner. The draw will take place during the Six Hours of Bahrain, to make the day truly exciting and memorable for the lucky winner.

BIC to host F1 testing

The Bahrain International Circuit has announced that it will host two sessions of preseason testing ahead of the start of the 2014 Formula 1 season. The two testing sessions will run from 19 to 22 February and 27 February to 2 March. The decision for Bahrain to host the sessions was made at a recent meeting by the Formula 1 Team principals. Having first hosted pre-season testing in 2007, Formula 1 will return to “the home of motorsport in the Middle East” for the crucial last sessions,as the teams get to grips with the major new technical regulations planned for 2014. Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al-Khalifa, Chief Executive of the Bahrain International Circuit, said: “We are delighted that the teams have decided to choose Bahrain for the all-important last pre-season tests. We believe that it is a testament to the world class facilities at the BIC and we look forward to welcoming Formula 1 here in February. “Next year’s race will be a major milestone for us, as the tenth anniversary of our involvement in the sport. We are already putting in place numerous new and exciting initiatives to mark this, for what will be a major celebration for Bahrain.”

Get ready for a dose of adrenaline as some of the most powerful engines go head to head for a night of screaming fans and burning rubber. Bahrain International Circuit is set to host the thrilling Bahrain National Drag Racing Championship. The event has been organised and will be run by the Bahrain Drag Racing Club, which is under the umbrella of the Bahrain Motor Federation, in collaboration with Bahrain International Circuit.

The circuit is expected to welcome scores of drivers from Bahrain and the neighbouring Gulf states, who will battle it out for pride and racing supremacy in the different cars and motorbikes categories of the championship. All are invited and Tickets to the event are just 3 BD.

For more information on the Six Hours of Bahrain, visit www.bahraingp.com or call the circuit hotline on: +973-17-450000. Forum 19

Financial News

Consolidation ’vital for Bahrain banking sector’ There is a major need for consolidation in Bahrain’s retail banking sector if it is to compete in regional markets. That was the message from Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB) chairman Abdul Razak Al Qassim.

Speaking at the BAB’s quarterly Press briefing, he said that while the presence of large number of small banks in Bahrain was good for competition, there was still a need for consolidation

in the sector to face major challenges.

He said that Bahrain’s two largest local banks - BBK and NBB - were only in the top 40 to 50 in terms of size in the region, even if they merged they would still only create an entity that was on the top 25 to 30 entities. "Consolidation of the retail banking sector in Bahrain is an important issue for us to move forward and that is an issue that has to

be addressed and one that has been emphasised by the governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain on a number of occasions," he said.

"There is a definite need to speed up consolidation in this sector. The banking industry is still growing, and with stable oil prices, we will see further growth but to compete regionally we need consolidation. "Small banks in Bahrain have been doing well but to

have the ability to compete regionally is a problem," he said. "The banking industry has reached a stage where to be effective we need scale and that is doable and is a must. "Once you are bigger you can attract bigger asset and you need that to compete with largest regional institutions. "The majority of investment projects in the region are large infrastructure projects and in order to compete in that financing and be a player you need scale."

AXA accelerates its expansion in Bahrain by opening a new shop at Al Hayat Mall In a step that emphasizes its committed expansion plans in the Kingdom of Bahrain, AXA Gulf – one of the largest and the leading non-life international insurers in the Middle East – has announced the opening of its new AXA Shop at Al Hayat Mall in Manama. The shop is located on the ground level of Al Hayat Mall, adjacent to Costa Coffee and opposite the Waitrose main entrance. This new shop is the fifth of its’ kind in the Kingdom. Responding to the needs of their customers, AXA Gulf is dedicated to enhancing their presence in order to ensure customers are afforded a variety of options, accessibility and convenience, 7 days a week. Our unwavering dedication towards investment in the Kingdom has been received very well by our customers, both existing and new. Over the last twelve months, AXA Shops have seen more than 20 Forum

100% growth in customer enquiries and overall demand for a multitude of products, across all our locations. These include: Lulu Centre in Hidd, Bahrain City Centre in Seef; Nakheel Centre in Saar, Ramli Mall in A’Ali and of course our new shop in Al Hayat Mall in Manama. Jérôme Droesch, CEO of AXA Gulf, said:"AXA has strong growth plans for the Kingdom of Bahrain. Our new shop at Al Hayat Mall is testimony to our vision and expansion strategy in the Kingdom; to become the preferred insurance company in the GCC. Our strategy is to let customers choose their preferred channel when buying or renewing their insurance, whether through shops, call centre or website. This shop will offer better access to our customers and enhance their experience." He added: "We value our customers and their needs, and ensure that

they receive timely advice, assistance and care that they deserve – and we are confident that the new office, with its prime location and availability of its staff from 10am to 10pm seven days a week, will effectively cater to all customers’ insurance needs." The new AXA shop extends all personal lines products and services, such as Motor, Home, Travel, Medical, Personal Accident, Motorcycle and Relocation, among others. AXA is looking at expanding aggressively its multi access

distribution model, notably the AXA Shops. "We now have over 20 shops in the region and planning to open 10 more before the end of the year. Our success is mainly attributed to our efforts to respond to our customers’ expectations and we are very grateful to our clients, partners and shareholders for their trust," added Mr. Droesch. As one of the leading names in the regional insurance sector, AXA Gulf products are tailored across all sections – corporates, SMEs, individuals and families.

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Financial News H.M. King Hamad visits China HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa made an official visit to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from 14-16 September 2013. The visit was to push forward the solid bilateral relations and to boost political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries. In Bahrain, the HSBC Group is represented by HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, the largest and most widely represented international Bank in the Middle East and provides a wide range of banking services for both corporate and individual clients for more than 60 years. In mainland China HSBC has had a continuous presence for 148 years.

Due to the strong commitment & presence in both Bahrain & PRC and as part of the continuous commitment to The Kingdom, HSBC Bahrain actively participated in HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa visit to PRC by; - Hosting a reception in honor of the delegates of HM The King - Promoting Bahrain-China Economic Forum in Beijing The reception held by HSBC was attended by all the delegates including senior government officials and senior members of Bahraini business community where senior executives from HSBC China talked through how they see evolution of

Chinese Yuan and what business opportunities there may be for both the countries. A presentation on RMB Internationalisation was also made. The delegates found the event very informative & useful and appreciated HSBC’s efforts & contribution. HSBC also promoted ‘The BahrainChina Business Forum’ in

Beijing which was held on 17 Sep 2013. The Forum was attended by senior HSBC officials and large number of HSBC customers interested in business opportunities in Bahrain & PRC. The Minister of Industry & Commerce appreciated HSBC’s efforts & contribution.

TAKAUD Completes Comprehensive Training Programme for its Savings and Pensions Executives TAKAUD, the MENA region’s first specialist provider of Savings and Pensions, has announced that it has completed a comprehensive training course for its first intake of Savings and Pensions Executives. The course covered investment advice, compliance, financial planning as well as wider communications modules to ensure customers receive ‘best-in-class’ advice and customer service. As a Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) regulated business, TAKAUD’s training programmes are aimed at reinforcing the expertise of its distribution executives in the MENA market as the ‘go to’ Savings and Pensions advisers with the company committed to educating the 22 Forum

region’s population on the importance of saving for the long term. To illustrate this point, 30% of MENA citizens save nothing on a monthly basis. Mr. Eric Van Biesen. TAKAUD’s Acting Chief Executive Officer said:"As a region, we do not save enough with the financial repercussions of this lack of a ‘savings culture’ creating the potential for serious repercussions in the future. TAKAUD is now centre stage within the MENA Savings and Pensions debate and is committed to providing both nationals and expatriates with the best possible solutions to address their long term financial needs. Our Savings & Pension Executive Training

Programme reinforces our expertise in the market and reaffirms our reputation as the provider of choice for Savings and Pensions." TAKAUD’s leading product range includes the ‘Individual Savings Plan’ which provides a simple savings and pensions solution which enables MENA nationals and resident expats to plan and save for major life events and associated expenses. These include

children’s education, new home purchases, starting a business, unexpected emergencies as well as having the resources in place to fund retirement in later years. For MENA based businesses, TAKAUD’s Employee Savings Plan provides companies with the enhanced ability to recruit, reward and retain employees, their most important asset, by creating a valuable saving structure for each staff member.

Shareholders approve Bank merger Al Salam Bank-Bahrain shareholders have approved the merger of the bank with BMI Bank through exchange of shares. Upon merger, the group will have total assets of around BD1.8 billion ($4.7bn), financing facility of circa BD1.2bn ($3.1bn), equity of more than BD285 million ($756m) and customer deposits in excess of BD1.2bn ($3.1bn).

shareholders approved the board of directors’ recommendation by an overwhelming majority. In a speech to the shareholders, Al Salam chairperson Shaikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa said Al Salam’s strategy is to grow organically and through mergers and acquisitions.

had been in discussions with BMI Bank for over a year before the transaction was put forward to the shareholders for their approval."

Shareholders of Al Salam Bank have also approved a plan to raise the bank’s capital by BD100m ($265m) by issuing new shares as part of the merger plan.

"In keeping with this strategy, the board of directors had been continuously on the lookout for suitable commercial banking targets to acquire and integrate to position the bank as the largest domestic Islamic bank in Bahrain," she said.

Shaikha Hessa affirmed that the directors saw this as an excellent opportunity to grow the total assets, shareholders equity and customer deposits, all of which were extremely important financial indicators for financial institutions. Apart from size of the balance sheet, the merger is expected to result in sustainability to the group’s earnings she stated.

At an extraordinary general assembly, Al Salam

"In this regard, the board and senior management

Shaikha Hessa added that the transaction was in line

with the Central Bank of Bahrain’s stated strategy to consolidate the banking sector so stronger players emerge to promote healthy competition in the banking sector. BMI chairman Sheikh Khalid bin Mustahail Al Mashani said: “Taking into consideration the saturated local market, consolidation becomes necessary in order to create larger and stronger financial institutions capable of competing both locally and regionally.”

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Financial News

HSBC Bahrain upgrades mobile banking App HSBC Customer Research Reveals Need for Education on Benefits of Online Banking cater to these customers, such as our Global View - Global Transfer facility. We have also upgraded our internet banking platform, offering improved customer experience, firmly moving our digital offering into a strong position within the regional MENA marketplace."

HSBC Bank Bahrain has upgraded its mobile banking app with a new look and feel and simplified navigation, including Android app availability. The new app, which can be downloaded from Apple and Google stores, allows customers bill payment and funds transfer facilities between their HSBC accounts in country, in addition to a better user experience. HSBC launched mobile banking solutions in the region in 2012 and since then continues to invest in enhancing its digital offering. HSBC’s mobile banking app allows customers to view their accounts and card balances as well as transaction details, check exchange rates and deposit rates, view special offers and account history.

in the opinions of customers that have registered and those that have not registered for HSBC’s online banking services. Francesca McDonagh, HSBC’s Regional Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management for Middle East and North Africa, said: "Online banking has revolutionised the way that banks can provide customers access to their banking needs. Despite the relatively low penetration of online banking in MENA, the demographics of the region’s internet users and the growth in the number of people online suggests that this will change. HSBC provides many added-value services online to

The enhancements have resonated well with HSBC’s customers, with more than 50,000 HSBC mobile banking applications downloaded on smartphones and androids in MENA. The bank has also announced that it expects a 60% growth in number of Internet Banking Logons through mobile devices this year across MENA. Understanding Customer’s Internet Banking Behavior, a survey of 1,727 HSBC Personal Internet Banking (PIB) customers in the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Bahrain, Lebanon and Jordan, conducted by Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights, revealed that there were large discrepancies 24 Forum

Francesca McDonagh, HSBC’s Regional Head of Retail Banking and Wealth Management for Middle East and North Africa

According to the survey mentioned earlier, registered customers lauded HSBC’s online banking platform for its speed, convenience and ease of use, calling it "faster than other channels" (28%) and "can be used at any time" (28%) as the main reasons for their preferences. On the other hand, amongst unregistered customers, one third (34%) stated that they don’t believe that they need it, while 13% still do not trust it. In fact, even though 9 out of 10 registered customers said that they would continue using HSBC’s online services in the future, "security fears" was one of the primary issues that would hinder them from using this platform. McDonagh believes customers can protect themselves better by working with banks that are taking the right precautions: "HSBC recognises that the main factors holding people back from the advantages of using internet banking is a lack of awareness of its benefits and the fear of cyber fraud. However, we have the right security measures in place to mitigate these threats – a good example is HSBC’s Secure Key, which is provided by HSBC to all customers free of cost," she said. Consumers too have a key part to play in keeping their online accounts protected from cyber criminals, as they are the first line of defense against online crime. Keeping their PIN and passwords secret is vital and this is why we have added the HSBC Secure Key to our range of customer-focused online protection.

Old habits die hard The reality is that to continue doing the same thing in the hope of getting a different outcome is one of the signs of madness, writes Emanuel Lantzos: Although I’m not going mad or losing it yet, as I get older and birthdays and wedding anniversaries pass me by, it gives me the opportunity to reflect on my life. In so doing, it also allows me to think about changing my habits, some of which may not be serving me as well as they should. Change, of course, is not easy. Although most of us would profess to ‘liking change’ for example, we change where we live, our cars and, especially, our mobile phones on a regular basis, but few of us find it easy to change our behavior. We live by our routines, habits, and habits are often hard to change. Hence, the saying, ‘old habits die hard’. If there is a reason I behave as I do at present, then I need a new and

stronger reason to behave differently. If that stronger reason is to ‘get a better result’, and maybe that is linked to being more successful in some way, then that change will be connected to my self-image and my very beliefs about who I am. Think about it. If you want a better relationship or a better job, it’s much easier to believe that someone or something other than yourself has to change than to believe that you have to change what you’re doing. It’s not comfortable challenging your own selfimage and belief system. However, the reality is that to continue doing the same thing in the hope of getting a different outcome is one of the signs of madness. Well then, I guess we’re all mad to some extent. Now that’s why I come to my finances. I would like more money left over at the end of the month, because I would like to save some to help with my children’s education or my

retirement fund. The least uncomfortable solution to this issue is that I get paid more, so would have more to start with. But, when I look at my life, I know I am earning more now than ever before and yet, I still don’t have enough left over at the end of each month. Don’t get me wrong – I do have some money left over at the end of each month, it’s just not very much, because my expenses tend to rise in line with my income, and I don’t think I’m alone in this. To change that substantially will mean a big change in my behaviour and that challenges my whole belief system. I need to change from being someone who spends when he needs to in order to enjoy his current life and save what’s left over, to being someone who saves in an attempt to fulfill an important long-term goal and then, lives on with what’s left over. That’s a massive challenge and will require a reappreciation of my whole future, i.e., a need to change that is compelling and irresistible, a longterm commitment to a new set of goals, access to a

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mechanism through which I can save regularly, including support from someone who can sympathetically and objectively review my position from time to time, someone to overcome that inherent resistance to change that sets in soon after the euphoria of making the decision to change has passed. All I can say is that I’m grateful that birthdays and anniversaries only happen only once a year.

Emanuel Lantzos is the General Manager at Nexus Financial Services, and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment (CISI) and Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII).

The Poppy comes to Bahrain Above LtoR: This years visitors; Simon De Busseret, Barry Prior & Terence Abbott

Ever wondered why so may British Ex-pats are wearing the red poppy? It is to commemorate Armistice which is where the First World War ended at 11.00am on the 11 th Day of the 11 th Month. It is remembered on Remembrance Day throughout the world and the Kingdom of Bahrain is no exception. The Bahrain British Business Forum is hosting - Late WOI, Terence Abbott, 67; SGT, Simon de Buisseret, 69; and Late WOI, Barry Prior, 66. During their visit, these gentlemen will be wearing their distinctive red uniform. Our distinguished visitors will be attending many functions, including school visits, British Embassy functions and visits to local places of interest. The highlight of the visit will be laying a wreath at a Memorial service and as guests of honour at the Poppy Ball at the Crowne Plaza hotel on 7th November. The Chelsea Pensioners who will be visiting represent a formidable Charity which is The Royal Hospital Chelsea in England and is the largest home in the UK for veteran soldiers. The Chelsea Pensioners, who reside and are cared for at the hospital,

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each surrender their army pension on admission. However, the cost of running the hospital far outweighs this income and as the hospital is independent of Government it relies heavily on public funds to operate on a daily basis. In order to comply with legislation on care standards, the hospital urgently needs to upgrade many of its facilities. To fund this development plan, the Chelsea Pensioners’ Appeal was launched in late 2003 with the aim of raising £35 million

The pensioners will be guests of honour at the ball and the BBBF will be arranging a variety of other fun events and activities while they are in town. However, the reasons they will be here are to remind us of all those who have given so much in the defence and service of their country and to encourage us all to give generously to the Chelsea Pensioners’ Appeal and the Earl Haig Fund. Funds raised during the visit will also be shared with The Mother & Child Welfare Charity in Bahrain.

In Scotland, the Earl Haig fund raises money through its annual Poppy Appeal and other donations to support ex-service veterans. The Edinburghbased Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory employs 24 disabled ex-Service men who hand-assemble Scotland’s poppies and wreaths and is supported by the Earl Haig Fund Scotland. Each year over four million poppies and 7,000 wreaths are produced.

How can you help? For more information on sponsorship / donations please contact the BBBF office at bbbforum@batelco.com.bh

Each year, the BBBF raises awareness of and money for these very worthwhile causes via the Poppy Ball, which takes place in November and at which a small number of Chelsea Pensioners are guests of honour.

Event sponsors include: British Airways , who have generously provided return tickets for the three pensioners (and tickets for the raffle at the Poppy ball); Crowne Plaza Hotel are hosting their stay; Gulf Brand International supporting the Poppy Ball; EuroMotors have provided a chauffeur driven LandRover LR4; The Bookcase; Bahrain International Circuit; The British School Bahrain; St. Christopher’s School; The Dilmun Club and The British Club.

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Health Matters

International Accreditation status The International Hospital of Bahrain (IHB) achieves international recognition in patient safety and continuous quality improvement. The IHB successfully underwent a full hospitalwide accreditation survey in June, conducted by 3 experienced surveyors, over a 3 day period. The survey was undertaken by the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards

International (ACHSI). The Hospital not only achieved the level required in all areas but was also rated at an ‘excellent level’ of achievement in a number of different areas. One of these areas was in the Hospital’s electronic management system, including its Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and its Computerised Physician Order Entry (CPOE) system. "Having

a fully integrated EMR and CPOE system automatically improves upon communication which directly improves upon patient safety," says Mr. Chris Lewis, IHB Chief Operating Officer. The aim of the accreditation process is to ensure policies, procedures, system, standards of care, staff competency and the organisational culture fully support patient safety, and continuous quality

improvement. The ACHSI standards not only look at the actual clinical care provided to patients but also all other areas of hospital management including; medication safety; infection control; food safety; fire safety; facility safety, emergency planning; staff recruitment; licensure; ethics; compliance to laws and regulations, and the overall governance of the organisation. The accreditation project

Bahrain prepares for Haj travellers The Minister of Health, Mr. Sadiq bin Abdul-Kareem Al-Shehabi, affirmed that the Ministry is ready to combat the emergence of any strain of MERS-CoV (i.e. Coronavirus) in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Ministry has completed all the necessary preparations and practical training for health providers to cope with any suspicious or proven cases of the virus. The Minister said that 117 specimens from suspicious cases received from public and private hospitals were tested in public health laboratories utilizing latest precision technologies recommended by the CDC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) and 32 Forum

proven to be negative and free from any virus. The Ministry of Health is keen on the safety of citizens and residents and ministry officials have been instructed to double the efforts especially during the Hajj pilgrimage season in order to alleviate the onus from individual persons and the health system. In a separate news release, the Minister in coordination with Customs Affairs Chief Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, inspected the temporary clinic on King Fahad Causeway to assess its readiness for the Haj season. The clinic, which became operational on September 29, will run till

October 6. The timing of the clinic is from 9am to 11pm. The Health Ministry will reopen the clinic when the first buses transporting pilgrims from the holy city of Makkah return to Bahrain on October 17. It will remain operational till October 22. Discussions focused on developing the clinic according to health standards and change it into a permanent clinic to serve travellers and workers. The clinic consists of two rooms for doctors, a pharmacy, a treatment

and emergency room, and has all the needed medical equipment and medications. A doctor and two nurses will be on duty in every work shift. The health minister also inspected the Public Health Directorate Food Monitoring Department’s imported food unit on King Fahad Causeway and listened to a briefing on the unit’s work, role and needs.

was headed by Mr. Tim Gardner (Administrator), Dr. Orville Gundran (Patient Safety & Quality Director) and Mr. Chris Lewis (Chief Operating Officer). The accreditation status is valid until August 2017.

However the Hospital will undergo an interim survey in June of 2015 to ensure that it is maintaining the highest of standards and implementing measures that ensure the continual improvement of the care

of the patient. The various patient safety rounds, headed by Mr. Tim Gardner and his team, undertaken every week are based on the ACHSI standards and the NHRA (National Health Regulatory Authority)

standards. "Regular safety rounds help ensure that the organisation not only maintains accreditation standards, but seek to continuously improve upon those standards," says Mr. Tim Gardner.

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Health Matters What is Lupus? Systemic Lupus is an illness of the immune system, a condition in which the body’s defence mechanism begins to attack itself through an excess of antibodies in the blood stream, causing inflammation and damage in the joints, muscles and other organs. Discoid Lupus is usually a condition of the skin alone, but in a very few patients might develop into systemic lupus.

Many people with active lupus feel ill in general and complain of fever, weight loss and fatique. People with lupus also develop specific problems when the immune system attacks a particular organ or area in the body. The following areas of the body can be affected by lupus: •

Although it can occur in both men and women, 90% of people diagnosed with the disease are women. Women of child-bearing age (15 to 50 years old) are most often affected. The symptoms of lupus differ from one person to another. Some people have just a few symptoms, while others have many. In addition there are many different symptoms of lupus because the disease can affect any part of the body. Some of the more common symptoms include: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Joint pain (arthralgia) Unexplained fever (more than 38C or 100F) Swollen joints (arthritis) Prolonged or extreme fatigue Skin rash Ankle swelling and fluid accumulation Swollen lymph glands A butterfly-shaped rash across the cheeks and nose Hair loss Depression and anxiety Anaemia Mouth and nose ulcers Pale or painful fingers or toes from cold or stress (Raynaud’s phenomenon)

Lupus is the latin word for wolf. Lupus vulgaris, a severe facial rash rarely seen now, was once thought to resemble a wolf’s bite. 34 Forum

•

Skin. Skin problems are a common feature of lupus. Some people with lupus have a red rash over their cheeks and the bridge of their nose - called a “butterfly” or malar rash. Hair loss and mouth ulcers are also common. One particular type of lupus that generally affects only the skin is called discoid lupus. With this type of lupus, the skin problems consist of large red circular rashes that may scar. Skin rashes are usually aggravated by sunlight. A common lupus rash called subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus is often worse after exposure to the sun. This type of rash can affect the arms, legs and torso. An uncommon but serious form of lupus rash results in the development of large blisters and is called a bullous lupus rash. Joints. Arthritis is very common in people with lupus. There may be pain, with or without swelling. Stiffness and pain may be particularly evident in the morning. Arthritis may be a problem for only a few days or weeks, or may be a permanent feature of the disease. Fortunately arthritis usually is not crippling.

•

symptoms. People with lupus may have dangerous reductions in the number of red blood cells, white blood cells or platelets (particles that help clot the blood). Sometimes changes in blood counts may cause fatigue (low red cell count, or anaemia), serious infections (low white cell count) or easy bruising or bleeding (low platelet count). However many patients do not have symptoms from low blood counts, so it is important for people with lupus to have periodic blood tests in order to detect any problems.

•

Blood clots are more common in people with lupus. Clots often occur in the legs (called deep vein thrombosis) and lungs (called pulmonary embolism) and occasionally in the brain (stroke). Blood clots that develop in patients with lupus may be associated with the production of antiphospholipid antibodies. These antibodies are abnormal proteins that may increase the tendency of the blood to clot. Blood can be tested for these antibodies.

•

Brain and spinal cord. Fortunately brain involvement is a rare problem in people with lupus. When present it may cause confusion, depression, seizures and, rarely, strokes. Involvement of the spinal cord (transverse myelitis) can cause numbness and weakness.

•

Kidneys. Kidney involvement in people with lupus can be life threatening and may occur in up to half of those with lupus. Kidney problems are more common when someone also has other lupus symptoms such as fatigue, arthritis, rash, fever and weight loss. Less often kidney disease may occur when there are no other symptoms of lupus.

Heart and lungs. Heart and lung involvement is often caused by inflammation of the covering of the heart (pericardium) and lungs (pleura). When these structures become inflamed, patients may develop chest pain, irregular heartbeat and accumulation of fluid around the lungs (pleuritis or pleurisy) and heart (pericarditis). The heart valves and the lung itself can also be affected by lupus, resulting in shortness of breath.

•

Blood. Blood involvement can occur with or without other

The cause of lupus is unknown. However there appears to be

something that triggers the immune system to attack various areas of the body. That’s why suppressing the immune system is one of the main forms of treatment. Finding the cause is the object of major research efforts

The type of treatment recommended will depend on several factors, including the person’s age, type of medication he or she is taking, overall health, medical history and location and severity of disease.

Lupus has been described as an illness of modern times. However, articles describing what we now know as Lupus can be traced back to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates. Hippocrates was born in 460 BC and his name is the origin of the ’Hippocratic Oath’, which all modern doctors still adhere to. Hippocrates wrote about the severe red facial rash which we now recognise as a classic symptom of Lupus.

Because lupus is a condition that can change over time and is not always predictable, a critical part of good care includes periodic visits with a specialist doctor.

Research on Lupus in western medicine began in earnest in the 19th century. In the mid 1800s, leading Viennese physicians Ferdinand von Hebra and his son-in-law Moritz Kaposi wrote the first treatises recognising that the symptoms of Lupus extended beyond the skin and affected the organs of the body too.

Some people with mild features of the disease do not require treatment, while people with serious involvement (such as kidney complications) may require powerful medication. The outlook for lupus varies, depending on the organs involved and the severity of symptoms. The disease often includes periods of symptoms followed by periods of remission or lack of symptoms. Most people with lupus can expect to have a normal life span, especially if they follow their doctor’s instructions and their treatment plans.

Research into lupus has accelerated over the last decade or so and currently there are clinics around the world experimenting with stem cell treatment and claiming amazing results. Clinical trials are one way that ordinary people can help scientists find ways to improve outcomes for lupus patients. Anyone with lupus who chooses to participate in a lupus clinical trial takes an active role in improving his/her quality of treatment and gains access to new research and therapies before they become widely available. Such individuals, as well as volunteers who do not have lupus, can take pride in knowing that they are helping society eradicate a truly awful disease. As with other diseases, lupus clinical trials must adhere to strict scientific and ethical guidelines to protect all participants. Please seek professional assistance is you are affecetd by anything in this article.

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News from the Eastern Province The British Business Association (BBA) - Eastern Province P.O.Box 1868, AlKhobar 31952 Tel: 03 882 5288 ext 1651 Fax: 03 882 5384 Email: bbakhobar@atheer.net.sa Website: www.bbaep.com

Mike Tunstall Vice Chairman & General Secretary, EPBBA Well, the five months leading up to the summer may have been busy and productive (my last notes from Eastern Province), but I can’t say that the summer months, including Ramadan, EID and the school vacation period, were as busy! On saying that, business levels seem to be holding up well and the major projects such as SADARA seem to be reaching a critical mass and the potential for UK companies in such areas as Red Sea Deepwater is very encouraging.

in the Oil and Gas industry in both the public and private sectors. The BBA Committee has met Steve and he has shared his philosophy and vision with us, and we look forward to developing a fruitful and mutually beneficial relationship together; we all agree that "change is good". Towards the end of August Steve hosted a reception to introduce Julian Reilly, Deputy Ambassador to members of the business and general community. Since then Steve has attended SPE Offshore Europe in Aberdeen.

For the BBA, our main partner and supporter has always been the British Trade Office and during the summer David and Carol Harries finished their very successful four year tour. David is now in Tripoli and he was certainly excited about the posting when he left the Kingdom; I know that he has not been disappointed! David was a very strong supporter of the BBA, as we were of the BTO, and David and his family will be greatly missed by the British business community and the British community in general.

We wish David a successful future and we plan to make Steve’s tour here a success!

The Harries’ departure heralded the arrival of Steve Graham and his family fresh from Rio (so we can understand why they are so delighted to be in Al Khobar!). Steve brings with him a long and exceptional experience

Saudi snippets Foreign mothers of Saudi nationals are likely to be considered for jobs in Government departments also under a new plan awaiting approval from higher authorities. The Labour Ministry and the Civil Service Ministry have made a proposal to this effect, said a senior official. The move comes following a Cabinet decision that allows foreign mothers to acquire permanent residence in the 36 Forum

Kingdom without sponsors, said the Labour Ministry official.

Now that the summer has past, we are all gearing up for the mission and visitor season, so we certainly have busy months ahead of us. The BBA Eastern Province will also be representing the Kingdom’s British Business Groups at Opportunity Arabia 10, run by the Middle East Association and this year held at Old Trafford. As always this is a very busy time of the year and I wish you success from now to year end. However, don’t forget that work is important but a break is always required to keep you fresh and invigorated, so I hope to see you all at the Annual Poppy Ball in Bahrain on November 7th. Livestock merchants in Hafr Al-Batin expect the price of sacrificial lamb to reach SR1,500.

The Labour Ministry has received many applications from these mothers to work at Government Departments.

Other merchants reported that prices could easily rise to SR1800 in Dammam.

The decision was aimed at encouraging non-Saudi wives of Saudi citizens to stay in the Kingdom with their children. It said mothers would also receive educational and health services provided to Saudi natonals.

Livestock markets in Hafr AlBatin, the primary source of supply for other provinces, began witnessing increased demand during the second half of September. Prices are expected to gradually decline by the end of Eid Al-Adha.

Qatar Airways has further expanded its operations in Saudi Arabia with the launch of scheduled flights to Taif — the airline’s sixth destination in the Kingdom. Qatar Airways will operate four flights a week nonstop from Doha to Taif. The addition of this new Saudi city takes the total number of destinations within the airline’s network to 132. With the new four weekly flights, Qatar Airways now operates 69 flights a week to the Kingdom.

luxurious rooms a view of the Red Sea a wonderful vacation memories to cherish

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Construction Sector

GPZ nearing completion of civil works for the Muharraq STP

The new Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and Deep Gravity Sewer (DGS) System in Muharraq is now well underway and scheduled for completion in April 2014. Aiming to reduce the burden on Bahrain’s ageing network, the project will provide essential infrastructure to the Kingdom with substantial environmental benefits.

The sewage treatment plant, having a treatment capacity of up to 100,000m³/ day, is designed to treat wastewater to a high standard using established technology in pre-treatment, filtration and disinfection, in order for the Treated Sewage Effluent (TSE) to be suitable for re-use in industrial applications, irrigation and landscaping. G.P. Zachariades (GPZ), one of Bahrain’s leading civil engineering and building contractors for

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over 40 years, explain the nature of the project and its challenges, as well as their involvement as the main Civil Contractor for the EPC Contractor Samsung Engineering. The multi-million wastewater infrastructure project under Bahrain’s Ministry of Works is overseen by Muharraq STP Co. BSC – a company consisting of Samsung Engineering as lead Developer, United Utilities and Invest AD - as part of a 27 year build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) scheme. Samsung Engineering has commissioned Hyder Consulting to provide design and engineering services for the project. This is the first scheme of its kind in the country, representing a significant inward investment which will help facilitate Bahrain’s development and growth. The project primarily involves the construction of a sewage treatment plant (STP) on a reclaimed Greenfield site as well as a deep gravity sewer (DGS) and network connections, approximately 16km in

length and 15m deep spanning from Busaiteen to Hidd. 24 existing pumping stations will be intercepted and flow diverted via the DGS pipleline to a terminal lifting station located at the new STP. A trenchless construction technology, "micro-tunnelling," has been used in order for the sewer excavations to occur underground reducing surface and traffic disruption. GPZ has methodically been carrying out a broad range of civil works for the project since its commencement in October 2011. Their works for the STP - including the Terminal Lifting Station (TLS), 6 SBR Basins measuring 60x30x11m high, secant piling works, a Liquid Sludge Tank, Disk Filter, UV Tank, Discharge Channel, UV Control room, polymer Dissolving Unit, boundary walls, underground piping, duct bank & cable trench works, asphalt works etc have now been completed leaving only the 20m deep Intermediate Lifting Station (ILS) in progress, which will serve to lift flow to a depth of no more than 15m below ground level. As the STP has been constructed on reclaimed land in the sea, one of the challenges

faced was the dewatering of the TLS shaft which is 21 meters below the ground. GPZ’s scope for the deep gravity sewer included 51 underground shafts of various diameters measuring up to 9 meters and with impressive depths ranging from 16 to 26 meters. The shafts have been constructed to create the groundwork for the micro-tunnelling activities and have been used to lower heavy equipment and pipes to be jacked into position for the network. Now nearing completion, each shaft includes exitentry eyes and has been installed with 42-54 secant piles around their perimeter, using approximately 810m³ of concrete per shaft, to support them from soil pressure and water infiltration. Amongst a vast portfolio of projects ranging from VIP palaces, luxury hotels, villas and high-rise commercial buildings, GPZ has undertaken numerous industrial projects, for clients such as ALBA and BAPCO, giving the company extensive experience in heavy industry projects. The work carried out for the STP, DGS shafts and TLS/ILS have been to the highest quality standards,

under stringently controlled Health & Safety procedures and fulfilling all the Environmental Authoritiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; requirements. To date, more than 8 million safe man hours without losttime incidents have been achieved overall at the

Muharraq sewage treatment project. This remarkable accomplishment is a result of the hard work, good cooperation and vigilance of the MOW, the Muharraq STP Co., Samsung Engineering, GPZ and all other parties involved in the scheme.

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Construction Sector Bahraini minister says World Bank estimate of $11bn is too high The cost of building the proposed railway network that would link all six Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) will not be as expensive as initial estimates suggest, the Bahraini Minister of Transport Kamal bin Ahmad has said. Calculations by World Bank had put the cost of the project as high as $11bn but bin Ahmad argued that this figure is too high. “The costs are much less than what the initial studies indicated,” he said Bin Ahmad was speaking at a meeting of GCC transport ministers, where Saudi Transport Minister Jabara Al-Seraisry also revealed that the member states were aiming to deliver the project within five years. “There is a big movement and lobbying to implement the decision of the higher council of GCC states to complete the project by 2018,” said Al-Seraisry. However, a date for the commencement of the project has not yet been decided, said bin Ahmad, but he confirmed that two international firms will conduct feasibility studies encompassing the technical, consultative and engineering elements of the railway project. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain’s ministries of finance and transport have agreed to appoint the General Organisation of the King Fahd Causeway as the body to choose the company that will oversee the project. The Bahraini minister also revealed that the technical specifications for the project have been drawn up, while the six Gulf states have been asked to double check the coordinates for the railway lines, junctions and stations to ensure paying the minimum cost possible and adherence to environmental safety standards.

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Bahrain’s $1.3bn Durrat Marina awards new deal

Bahrain’s Durrat Marina, a $1.3bn mixed-use development, has awarded Master Construction Company a contract for developing two residential buildings within phase one of the project. The contract entails the construction of two sixstorey buildings with a total of 88 apartments, comprising one, two and three bedrooms offering panoramic views of the sea or the marina. Work on the residential buildings is expected to be completed in October 2015. Durrat Marina extends through 600,000m 2 area of residential and leisure facilities. It consists of three interconnected islands which are linked with the resort island city via a network of bridges for accessibility. Durrat Marina infrastructure is nearing completion and is being implemented in conjunction with the components of the project. Atkins was the masterplan concept designer for this 400-berth marina, supplying masterplanning and environmental evaluation services for this reclamation site. The design for a new and vibrant residential community steps away from traditional masterplan techniques by shifting from mono-functional zones to mixuse clusters, with an emphasis on creating a pedestrian friendly setting. The Marina has the capacity to berth up to 400 boats from 10m to 70m super yachts. The 113 yacht berths are also expected to start operation in December of this year.

25 years old Saudi Build 2013 is set for another strong showing on the back of a construction boom in Saudi Arabia where a raft of projects worth more than $100 billion are in the pipeline. Saudi Build 2013 is poised to gather the biggest collection of industry professionals, decision makers, investors and construction suppliers in Saudi Arabia, showcasing the latest technologies in the building trade, and comprehensive business solutions to real estate contractors, agents and developers. The 25th International Construction Technology and Building Materials Exhibition will run from November 4 to 7 at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and will line up the latest in building materials and equipment; architectural finishing products; stone, marble and granite products; construction tools and technology; engineering services; infrastructure materials; security and safety systems, among others. “Saudi Build has been the most trusted and largest business-tobusiness networking platform in the Saudi construction sector since it was established a quarter of a century ago,” says Zeyad Al Rukban, the assistant general manager of Riyadh Exhibitions Company (REC), the event’s organiser. “It plays a very important role in the economic diversification of Saudi Arabia by helping unlock exciting growth and business opportunities within the construction and related industries.” He continues: “For the past 25 years, Saudi Build has served as a magnet for major construction companies and international investors, firmly establishing the Kingdom as one of the most lucrative and attractive global construction markets. Offering a comprehensive range of solutions covering all aspects of the construction industry, Saudi Build continues to enjoy strong local, regional and global following, attracting high-profile personalities, decision-makers, trade missions and key government officials from all over the world.”

Hotel & Leisure News Stalled project back on track The final stage work on the Banader Rotana Hotel, a 28 storey five-star project estimated to cost around $100 million, has resumed a month ago and the project is expected to be ready in about 17 months, reprorted the GDN. "The $47.7 million finance that we got from Kuwait Finance House-Bahrain has enabled us to revive the stalled project and we are thankful to them," Banader Hotels Company’s chairman Abdulla Buhindi told the Gulf Daily News. He was talking after an extraordinary board meeting of the company held at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa. The financing comes at a very reasonable cost to the company, he said. "We secured the best rates in the market and the repayment will start only after project completion

"We all got together and decided we would ensure that did not happen to this project. "The support from KFHBahrain has been timely and is well-appreciated," added Almoayyed, who is also in the running for the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s board of directors elections.

and will be done over a 15year duration," Buhindi said. "The industry is picking up and we will have a revised budget when the hotel is ready to start operations." Banader Hotels director Mohammed Almoayyed who was also present at the meeting said the financial crisis affected many real estate projects in the region, and some of them ceased construction due to the lack of funding.

The overall cost of the project is assessed at $100 million. It was initially scheduled to be completed by May last year and has been plagued by delays, the report stated. Shareholders were told in April this year that due to the unrest and its adverse effect on the economy and investment, the company could not raise the necessary funds in the first half of last year as was planned. Being built next to the Batelco Commercial Centre near Bab Al Bahrain, the 28 storey five-star hotel and serviced apartment complex will have 251 rooms.

NHC supports Specialist Cardiac Centre Manager of the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa Mr. Panos Panagis, welcomed the Deputy Director of Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Specialist Cardiac Center, Brigadier Dr. Fuad Abdulkader and the Administrator Mr. Abdullah Al Eid to receive the cheque. National Hotels Company, the Owner of the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa handed over a donation of BD10,000 to Mohammed 42 Forum

bin Khalifa Al Khalifa Specialist Cardiac Centre. The CEO of National Hotels Company Mr. Abdulrahman Morshed, and the General

Supporting local organisations is part of the corporate culture of National Hotels Company and the Responsible Business Programme of the hotel.

Bahrain attracts $394m of hotel investment in 2013 Bahrain’s hotel industry has attracted BD150 million (US $394 million) of investment so far this year, reports Trade Arabia Speaking at a press conference held to launch the Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa, the first five-star hotel of the Ramee Group, Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al-Khalifa, acting assistant undersecretary of tourism revealed how the country’s tourism sector is growing and ready for further expansion. "We are confidently entering a new era. We have a new strategy in place that is based on cultural tourism. The quality of our tourism is improving," said AlKhalifa. "We have already hosted more than 60 cultural events of international repute so far this year." Al-Khalifa went on to praise how the recently concluded Summer Festival had been a big success, with tourists staying in the kingdom an average of nine days during the event compared to the usual two days, as well as attracting around 20,000 visitors. He also revealed that Tourism Affairs was formulating a strategy to fix hotel rates so there is no unhealthy competition in the industry, as well as formulating a more detailed hotel evaluation system.

Hotel & Leisure News CO2 Offset

From now on, meetings bookers can offset the carbon (CO2) emissions caused by their meetings at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa, which makes the hotel the first in Bahrain to promote offsetting of carbon dioxide emissions. The CO2 Offset programme "Club Carlson for planners" will offset the carbon footprint of its bookers’ meetings. Carbon credits will be purchased from a Verified Carbon Standard wind farm in India combined with a Tree-buddying programme in Kenya - one tree planted for every ton CO2, to balance out the equivalent CO2 associated with meetings and to make meetings 100% carbon neutral. "Meetings minus carbon" is part of the Radisson Blu Responsible Business programme (Think Planet) which supports global environmental initiatives. 44 Forum

Think Global - Eat Local Within 10 minutes’ drive from Seef is a green oasis, where your eyes rest on the wellkept fields and you delight in the earthy and fresh smell of growing vegetables. This is the farm where Stefanos Melianos, the Executive Chef of Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre sources the vegetables and herbs for the kitchens of the hotel. Brought up in Germany Chef Stefanos grew up seeing and eating the food grown around him. In today’s busy world many people have become desensitised about the food they eat. Everything is purchased in sterile packages from the supermarkets and people do not necessarily even know where the food comes from. In many cases it is flown from half away across the world meaning the produce is picked up half ripe and sprayed with preservatives to prepare it for the long journey. And once people eat in a restaurant or a hotel they have even less knowledge of where the food originates from. In this respect Chef Stefanos wants to bring back the more simple way as much as he can. To Stefanos it means maintaining the international high standards of cuisine that Kempinski is globally known for, but sourcing as many of the ingredients as possible from Bahrain. Local produce with all the goodness of being picked and consumed fresh, combined with supporting the local farming industry and also reducing the carbon footprint. Simple concept: think global – eat local! It is true that to a large extent people in Bahrain have to rely on foreign imports for

many foodstuffs, however surprisingly much can be found on the island from local farmers. It all started when Stefanos visited the Farmer’s Market in Budaiya to see what it was all about. He was somewhat surprised to see the variety and foremost the quality of the harvest on offer. Stefanos was admiring the crops from many farmers in their stalls and finally struck up a conversation with Mr Sadiq Mirza, a local farmer from Karranah, who was displaying his high-quality vegetables. Stefanos asked if Mr Sadiq would be interested to supply the vegetables to the Kempinski hotel and inquired about a possibility of visiting his farm to see exactly where the vegetables were produced. Mr Sadiq happily agreed and a first visit was arranged. On visiting the farm together with the Chef de Cuisine Issam Seddoq, both were impressed by the cleanliness and orderliness of the fields and greenhouses, but especially with the superb quality of the produce. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, capsicums, varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergine, courgette, many types of herbs, salads, spring onions, water cress… Heaven for

fresh food connoisseurs! Mr Sadiq, a farmer following the footsteps of his forefathers since many generations, obviously takes pride in his work and produce, and it shows. Another visit to the farm was agreed and this time the entire culinary team as well as the General Manager, Mr Puneet Singh accompanied. The Kempinski team were impressed by the general excellence of the harvest and the lovely green surroundings. The taste buds were teased as the team savoured the sweet cherry tomatoes straight off the vine, crunchy capsicums were devoured with gusto and comparisons made between traditionally grown and hydroponic cucumbers. From this moment there was no turning back, it was mutually decided that Mr Sadiq would supply the hotel with his vegetables. Presently his produce is being used in the kitchens of Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre, serving the guests and visitors alike with guaranteed freshness in all the hotels outlets, be it breakfast, business lunch or a la carte dinner at Saveur, dinner or Friday Brunch in Baharat, or snacks in Mezzanine Lounge or Boudoir.

Filfil

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Time to �� After a busy day, it’s time to unwind. Indulge yourself by sipping one of our signature beverages and enjoy another with compliments from Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre. �� +973 1717 1000 | restaurants.bahrain@kempinski.com | kempinski.com/bahrain

Hotel & Leisure News Minister announces plans designed to increase tourism Bahrain plans a major eco-tourism campaign to strengthen its tourism industry. Culture Minister Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa said a series of activities and events has been lined up to bring in more tourists during the season. She was speaking at a Press conference at Bahrain National Museum in Manama to announce the season, from October to December.

for tourism Shaikh Khalid bin Hamood Al Khalifa attended. Shaikha Mai said environmental tourism helps people take a step back from the bustle of every day life. "Interactions between humans and their surroundings define their identity and history," she said.

in Muharraq, will be showcased this season. "The Tree of Life visitors’ centre and Qal’at Al Bahrain will be officially opened during the season," Shaikh Khalid said. "There will also be cultural shows performed by children at tourist locations such as the Bahrain Fort during Eid. "The Muharraq pearl harbour, which was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site last year, will be unveiled and is expected to increase tourism in the country.

Khalid said. Skills To help Bahrainis hone their handicraft skills, the ministry will bring in European experts to help them utilise their resources better. "They will also teach and encourage Bahrainis to make a living by selling unique handcrafted products as tourist-themed items," Shaikh Khalid said.

Investments in landmarks like the Tree of Life and Qal’at Al Bahrain, which is an ancient harbour

"It should bring in thousands of tourists every year and according to Unesco, once a location becomes a World Heritage Site, tourism should increase by 10pc," Shaikh

He added a workshop will be held to raise awareness on maintaining the ecosystem surrounding the Hawar Island. The ministry also plans to take steps to promote the indigenous wildlife of Bahrain, including migratory birds and marine life, especially the hundreds of dugongs that inhabit the waters of the kingdom during the season.

Tree of Life

Bahrain Fort

Hawar Islands

Dugong

The Tree of Life, a 400year old mesquite tree in Bahrain whose survival in an area completely free of water supply has made it a legend. The unique tree, standing alone in the heart of the desert is visited by approximately 50,000 tourists every year. Since October 2010, archaeologists have unearthed pottery and other artefacts in the vicinity of the tree. some of which may date back to the Dilmun civilisation.

The Qal’at al-Bahrain is also known as the Bahrain Fort and previously as the Portugal Fort.

The Hawar Island group, a World Heritage site, consists of 36 islands of surprising scenic variety, diversity and environmental purity.

Dugong and its closest living aquatic relative the manatee are more closely related to elephants than to whales or dolphins.

It will mark the culmination of events marking Manama being named Capital of Arab Tourism 2013.

"Hence the ministry has lined up activities and events throughout the months to shed light on the issues the country is currently facing environmentally and ecologically."

UN Information Centre director for Gulf countries Najib Friji and acting assistant under-secretary

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Archaeological excavations carried out since 1954 have unearthed antiquities from an artificial mound containing seven stratified layers, created by various occupants from 2300 BC up to the 18th century. It was once the capital of the Dilmun civilisation and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005.

First surveyed in 1820 many of the smaller islands are little more than sand or shingle accumulations on areas of exposed bedrock but the archipelago and its marine environment are unique and represent an international asset of unequivocal and irreplaceable value.

Dugong can grow to over three meters in length and weigh in excess of 400 kilos, feeding exclusively on seagrass, cropping the leaves and roots, a feeding habit that has earned them the nickname of “sea-cow”. Herds of them congregate in the waters off Hawar in the Autumn.

Kempinski introduces new Business Lunch in Saveur At Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre, we believe that business is easier, and more enjoyable, over a delicious meal. From October, come to Saveur for the new Business Lunch menu, a 3-course culinary adventure featuring different choices every day of the week to entice every palate. Pair your cheese ravioli in basil cream sauce, sautéed mushrooms and pine nuts with a beef medallion prepared to your liking, complimented by potato puree, rosemary jus and parsley foam. Or pair your minced lamb arayas with steamed sea bass, grilled baby vegetables and confit potatoes. Round off each meal with assorted international pastries and fresh fruits

from the dessert buffet. Impress your colleagues and business partners with your proposal, and we’ll make sure to impress their taste buds with full flavours and fresh ingredients. Not conducting business but looking for an express

dining option for lunch? The new Business Lunch menu is not just for business people; it’s for everyone! Whether you’re in-between shopping with your friends in Bahrain City Centre or looking to treat yourself to a 3-course meal at a great value, the new Business

Lunch in Saveur is a great option for every guest. Benefitting from a partnership forged with a local farm in early 2013, all the dishes at Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre are made using the finest, freshest ingredients, giving you the value of a healthy, yet fulfilling, lunch at Saveur. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, capsicums, varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergine, courgette, salads, spring onions, water cress, and many types of herbs… much of the vegetables are sourced locally from our partner farm in Karranah, a green oasis located just minutes away from Manama.

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Hotel & Leisure News National Hotels Company Support for BNHAS The National Hotels Company (NHC), the owner of the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa handed over a donation of BD300 to the Bahrain National Hereditary Anemia Society (BNHAS) in support of Al Tahady Wa Al Hayat magazine issued by the society.

The BNHAS representative Layla AlHussaini was welcomed at the hotel by the Sales & Marketing Director of the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence & Spa Mr. Michael Kuhn to receive the cheque. Radisson Blu has received numerous awards as

Best Hotel Chain and is renowned for its "Yes I Can!" spirit of service and the "100% Guest Satisfaction Guarantee". Supporting local charity organisations is part of the corporate culture of the NHC and the Responsible Business Programmme of the hotel.

Hilton Worldwide, to launch its first hotel in Bahrain in 2015

The Hilton Worldwide, one of the largest hospitality companies in the world, is planning to pump investments worth BD60 million in Manama, Bahrain. The hotel, which is expected to appeal to the long-stay corporate and leisure guest, offers a host of welcoming amenities including three restaurants, of which two will be speciality, a lobby lounge, two meeting rooms, an outdoor pool and ‘his and her’ health clubs. Hilton Hotels & Resorts

stands as the stylish, forward thinking global leader of the industry. The kind of leader that welcomes guests in more countries than any other full-service hotel brand.The multi-million package was unveiled as Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Tourism Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al-Khalifa received Hilton Worldwide business development manager Nisrine Karazi and Tashid For Construction and Development general manager Anil Nair. DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Bahrain – Juffair will form part of an upscale, mixed-use development with offerings ranging from studio apartments to premium three-bedroom accommodations.

The five-star DoubleTree Suites by Hilton will open in the upscale residential area of Juffair, in the capital Manama, in late 2015, and will be managed by Tashyeed Properties Company. Juffair is one of the most stylish areas of the city, and the 350-room hotel will be surrounded by cafes, shops and restaurants. The hotel will form part of a modern, mixed-use development with a range of accommodation from studio apartments to premium three-bedroom suites. It is expected to appeal to the long-stay corporate and leisure guest, with amenities including three restaurants, of which two will be speciality, a lobby lounge, two meeting rooms, an outdoor pool and ‘his and her’ health clubs. Hilton Worldwide is planning 13 DoubleTree by Hilton hotels across the Middle East over the next three years to add to its existing portfolio of 340 hotels under that brand around the world. “I am delighted we will make our Bahrain debut in Manama’s desirable district of Juffair,” Hilton Worldwide Middle East

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& Africa president Rudi Jagersbacher said. “We have the right partner, the right location and the right property to add value and presence to the Manama landscape and to the character of the city.” CEO of Mannai Holding and Tashyeed Properties Company, Anil Nair, said: “Once completed, this striking, iconic hotel will showcase the very best in hospitality and offer a unique proposition for guests and visitors to Bahrain.” Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Tourism Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al-Khalifa said that tourists are attracted to Bahrain for the weather, unique ambiance (which is completely different from the average European package experience), diving and water sports, local culture and the relaxed friendly atmosphere. Bahrain also enjoys a comparatively liberal social climate, good shopping and minimal travel restrictions. Moreover, the government of Bahrain has encouraged tourism development and contributes to large-scale tourism projects.

Bahrain News ECITB Honour for Nass Contracting Safety Manager HSE Manager of Nass Contracting Mr Abdulnabi Marhoon was recently presented with a recognition plaque for his contribution to the ECITB training program wherein he introduced a new module of ‘Environmental Awareness’ to the course. The Environmental Awareness course covers; environmental legislation, environmental m a n a g e m e n t , environmental protection and the environmental audit processes that form an integral part of the continual improvement techniques that are at the heart of a sustainable environmental management system. This impressive initiative was proposed and developed by Mr Abdulnabi Marhoon in conjunction with the ECITB. The ECITB has now incorporated the Environmental Awareness course into its suite of core world-wide training programmes. Mr Collinson said at the ceremony when the plaque was awarded that; "The ECITB is extremely pleased with Mr. Marhoon’s ideas

Above L toR: Mr. Andrew Collinson-Chairman of ECITB; Mr. Abdulnabi Marhoon-HSE Manager, Nass Contracting; Mr. David Anthony, General Manager, Nass Contracting; Mr. Jason Riley, Business Development Manager, ECITB; Mr. Saurav Sen, QA/QC Manager, Nass Contracting. Dr. Tony Featherstone, ECITB International Operations and Commercial Director.

and commitment to the subjects of Environment, Health and Safety training and is delighted to present the plaque in recognition of Mr Marhoon’s hard work, knowledge of the subject matter and enthusiastic support for the training initiative." Mr Collinson added; "this was a great initiative not only for Nass Contracting and Bahrain, but also for all those that work within the Engineering Construction Industry world-wide to increase Environmental Awareness."

The new Environmental Awareness course is included within the ECITB International Health and Safety passport scheme. The ECITB International Health and Safety Passport scheme ensures that all site personnel have reached a recognized level of Health and Safety knowledge and awareness to assist them in working on site more safely with reduced risk to themselves and others. The ECITB scheme consists of three training courses specifically designed for the engineering - construction

industry; Foundation, Advanced and Supervisor. Nass Contracting is the only Contractor to be recognised as an Approved Centre to deliver the ECITB International Health and Safety Passport courses in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Nass Contracting has trained over 1275 employees in the ECITB International Health and Safety Passport Foundation course and 160 employees in the ECITB International Health and Safety Passport Advance course since obtaining their ECITB accreditation in 2011.

New Climbing Wall in Bahrain BBBF Member Graham Nugent writes to tell us that his company has been selected to build one of the tallest Climbing Walls in the Middle East. The Movenpick Hotel has selected this unusual item as part of their Experiential Team, Supervisory, Management and Leadership Learning Programmes. 50 Forum

At 15m tall with 12m climbing surface the wall will initially be used as part of the Staff training programme but there may well be opportunities for othre recreational activities in due course. The foundations, we understand are in and we await photos of the finished wall with interest.

Bahrain News Charles Russell LLP celebrates expansion in the Middle East clients and colleagues to our new offices and continuing to build a thriving business in Bahrain and the wider MENA region."

Following the move to larger office premises in Bahrain on 1st July 2013 Charles Russell LLP’s continued growth across the Middle East was celebrated in September at a launch event, which took place at their new offices in the World Trade Centre, Manama.

The expansion in Bahrain is part of the firm’s wider growth strategy across the Middle East with a second opening in Qatar (15 th August) following feedback from existing clients for an "on the ground" Charles Russell presence, allowing the Firm to offer both existing and new clients access to comprehensive legal services delivered locally.

Amongst others, the event was attended by Russ Dixon, Deputy Ambassador, British Embassy Bahrain and Debbie Dixon, Head of Trade & Investment, UK Trade & Investment, as notable dignitaries to celebrate their expanding footprint across the Middle East.

Patrick Gearon, Partner and Head of the Bahrain office, commented: "We wanted to thank our clients and friends in Bahrain for all their support whilst we expand in the Kingdom we are delighted with our new offices in the Bahrain World Trade Centre which

offer exceptional client facilities.

‘Danat’ Initiative

and certain locations in the Kingdom. These air conditioned kiosks will be operated by people with special needs offering a variety of products. TCCBCB will also provide a cooler for each kiosk and equip the incumbent with basic selling skills required to accomplish the job.

Bahrain and Qatar. "We are especially proud to be a part of the Danat Project and look forward to witnessing the success of its operation here."

to easily integrate them into society. Additionally, to further reflect The Family Bank’s mission to support Bahraini families, they will help facilitate the

The Ministry of Human Rights and Social Development is also supporting this initiative by identifying the special needs members and providing the locations to place the kiosks. Their aim is to empower people with special needs and provide the suitable environment

involvement of the special needs individuals to improve their income and living standards.

The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Bahrain (TCCBCB) has launched the Danat initiative, in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Rights and Social Development. This initiative aims to support people with special needs to unleash their abilities for establishing and managing small and micro businesses. TCCBCB’s initiative will bear the cost of designing and manufacturing the kiosks which will be installed in the gardens, public facilities

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"The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Bahrain has been dedicated to supporting people with special needs to unleash their abilities to establish and manage small establishments within the community," said Mohamed Akeel, Managing Director -

"We maintain a long term commitment to the Middle East region built on our traditional values and first class delivery of legal services. We look forward to welcoming new and existing

Bahrain News Alosra launches online shopping portal Alosraselect.com Alosra, the fresh and friendly subsidiary of BMMI and one of the Kingdom’s leading supermarkets, is providing customers with a first of its kind, state-of-the-art online shopping website, alosraselect.com.

delivery calendar, available at checkout, where you can choose the best delivery times that suit your needs, ensuring that the customer’s comfort is top priority. Advanced safety precautions have been put in place to ensure that products remain safe and fresh while being transported, with refrigerated delivery vans used to carry all items.

The upmarket retailer’s online portal, alosraselect.com, is the first online service in Bahrain, boasting the largest range of products, which allows customers to make online purchases, to be delivered straight to their doorstep, anywhere in Bahrain. By offering this online service, the website will further enhance Alosra’s focus on the best customer experience by providing greater convenience and a tailored service. Gone are the days of walking aimlessly around a store, waiting in line to pay for your purchases and then hauling them to your car, only to realize that you have forgotten to pick something up! Alosraselect.com’s convenient pick, pack and pay options have made shopping painlessly easy. The site offers a growing portfolio of over 7,500 products, with a commitment to keep sourcing new, innovative and premium products to satisfy the needs of all its loyal customers. The available products not only include grocery items, but

many others, such as baby care, personal care products, as well as toys & games and home & kitchen appliances, some found exclusively on the website. Furthermore, building on Alosra’s unbeatable reputation for excellent customer satisfaction, their team of friendly customer service agents ensures that your shopping experience is a pleasant one. If you cannot find what you are looking for or have a special product you would like them to source, the team will go the extra mile to try and accommodate your needs. The website uses an interactive

Free delivery is available on all orders above BD15, anywhere in Bahrain and with convenient payment options. Customers may pay online with debit or credit cards or choose to pay on delivery with either cash or credit or debit cards. Alosra has long established a reputation for offering premium products, outstanding service and fresh and friendly produce. The launch of Alosra Select further adds to its exceptional offerings as a response to the changing shopping habits of its customers and the high demand for its products. The online shopping portal is a further sign that Alosra is ramping up its expansion locally, as well as across the region, and is now encouraging its customers to use Alosra Select to make their shopping experience an effortless one.

New role for BBBF Member Long term BBBF member Jackie Beedie has been appointed as the new General Manager of SEC Industrial Batteries in Bahrain. SEC Industrial Batteries have been in business in Bahrain for over 30 years and they provide a huge range of storage batteries to the industrial and commercial sectors. SEC were established in 1982 by long term Bahrain residents Brian and Heather Harper, Mr. Harper has gone on to establish himself as one of the world’s premier experts on the design 54 Forum

and construction of storage batteries and he holds a number of innovative patents to his name. SEC which has its head office in the UK also has offices in Hong Kong, and Paris as well as Bahrain. SEC batteries are constructed in factories in Europe and Asia and Mr. Beedie will be responsible for coordinating all sales activity in the GCC, North Africa and West Asia from the Bahrain office. On his appointment Mr. Beedie

stated "This is an immensely exciting opportunity to increase knowledge in this area, of the benefits of running your equipment with a backup battery system in place, it is especially important in areas where the electricity supply is not stable. Jackie can be contacted on 3962-4415

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Bahrain News The Institution of Civil Engineers The Bahrain Branch of the Institution of Civil Engineers has enjoyed an active season over the past 12 months, culminating in a visit to Bahrain by the outgoing President of this prestigious Institution. Professionally qualified civil engineers have played a major role in the development of Bahrain and the Institution of Civil Engineers is proud of its involvement with the many engineering organisations in Bahrain. The Bahrain Branch has been active for many years, it was first established in 1986 and has continued over the years to provide a forum for professional Civil Engineers to attend seminars, meet and discuss engineering issues and attend site visits to see first-hand many of the projects being implemented throughout the island. The Institution of Civil Engineers was the first institution to be established in the UK. It was granted a royal charter in 1828 where it was declared that its aim was to "foster and promote the art and science of civil engineering".

The institution represents over 80,000 members worldwide of whom some 40 are resident in Bahrain. The local area Representative for Bahrain is Ismail Khonji and he is supported by a committee comprising Les Young (Bapco), John Barnes (URS Bahrain) and Keith Roberts (Hyder Consulting ME).

Meetings are arranged on an ad hoc basis, to suit the availability of guest speakers and are normally held at the British Club. Graduate civil engineers or members newly arrived in Bahrain should contact Ismail Khonji by email at ikabah@batelco.com.bh to register and receive details of planned events.

New Product ranges New CEO at Kanoo available in Bahrain It is with great pleasure that Yusuf BBBF Member, Nevin Megchiani, GM at The Engineering and Technology division of Mohammed Jalal & Sons has written to advise of an expansion in their product range. Now available from stock in Bahrain are a range of Light towers suitable for use on Construction sites, road works, check points etc. In the industrial sector, MJS can now assist with a range of travelling wall cranes which are ideal for installation where a standard overhead crane cannot be installed. Units with an out reach of up to 12m and a load capacity of up to 6.3 tonnes are possible 56 Forum

Bin Ahmed Kanoo announces the appointment of Mr. Maurice Ghattas as group chief executive (CEO).

Over the years, Mr Ghattas has worked with multinationals such as United Technologies, Carrier, Knoll MFG, W.R. Grace as well as many prominent GCC family companies giving him a unique combination of skills and perspective in doing business in the Middle East. His vast wealth of experience in business development and management speak for themselves. The hallmark of this appointment for YBA Kanoo was to hire the best professional and qualified cadre characterised by high efficiency and practical experience. The appointment of Mr Ghattas clearly confirms the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to develop and promote solutions not only in

Bahrain but also throughout the Middle East. Mr Ghattas shall be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of long-term business strategies and future expansion plans with regards to operating divisions i.e. Commercial, Travel, Shipping, Freight & Property; in addition to central support services, Regional CEOs and management. Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo looks forward confidently to a brighter future for the company under his guidance.

Norton Rose Fulbright in Bahrain - An update We are pleased to announce the completed combination that created a new, global legal practice, Norton Rose Fulbright, effective 3 June 2013. This transatlantic combination is one of the largest in the history of the legal profession. Norton Rose Fulbright has close to 3,800 lawyers, making it one of the world’s top 10 legal practices by number of lawyers. Norton Rose Fulbright is also a top 10 global legal practice by gross revenue. Globally, Norton Rose Fulbright has offices in more than 50 cities across Europe, the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia, Australia, Africa and Central Asia including in the Middle East Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Riyadh. In the United States, the combination offers one of the largest legal practices in the country, with more than 750 lawyers coast to coast, including New York, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles and Washington, DC.

Joanne Emerson Taqi,Norton Rose Fulbright Bahrain office head, commented "Norton Rose Fulbright has a strong business model and culture. We also have momentum. This combination endorses our position on the global stage. This is one of the largest transatlantic legal combinations completed to date and confirms Norton Rose Fulbright as a global legal practice. We have an exciting future ahead."

Through the combination, Norton Rose Fulbright has significantly enhanced depth and breadth of resources across its key industry sector strengths: financial institutions; energy; infrastructure, mining and commodities; technology and innovation; transport; and life sciences and healthcare.

The reception was a great success and attendees included representatives from key Bahraini entities including Bahrain Airport Company, Tatweer and NOGA Holdings and global institutions including BNP Paribas and Standard Chartered Bank.

On Monday 30 September, Norton Rose Fulbright Bahrain office head, Joanne Emerson Taqi, and HE Iain Lindsay, the British Ambassador in Bahrain hosted a reception at the Ambassadors’ residence at the British Embassy. This reception was part of the 2nd annual MENA Project Finance and PPP conference that was held in Bahrain from 30 September to 2 October 2013.

Expansion plans for Bahrain Company Bahrain based Façade Design and Services, established nearly 5 years ago to provide Bahrain’s first Independent Façade Design, Engineering and Building Materials Testing Centre, has announced plans to expand its operation. The specialist construction service provider will be establishing a presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with an office in Jeddah. The ability to combine architectural demands and the conservation of energy, Façade Design & Services activities in the Kingdom will prove to be a welcome asset to Saudi Arabia in the creation of long term sustainable, performance efficient and visually pleasing building envelopes meeting Clients, Architects and Ministry requirements in a professional manner.

In developing their relationship with the Canadian independent design team at Omnitec, Façade Design and Services provides a full specialist design and engineering service specialising in the complex design geometry required for the Tension wire, point fix, glass fin supported systems. Further, development has seen the company enter the KSA market providing a range of additional onsite services to the Construction envelope sector. The new Jeddah operation will include an onsite Testing facility.

The Bahrain Business Yellow Pages Primedia International is delighted to announce the launch of its newest directory: the Bahrain Business Yellow Pages, to be published in 2014, which will also be supported with effective digital business to business search capabilities, both online and on mobile. The Bahrain Business Yellow Pages is a business directory specifically focused on Bahraini businesses and contains contact details and information in different categories related to various industries in the Kingdom. The directory will include many useful sections dedicated to the business 2 business market of the Kingdom. The classified listings section will focus on business-to-business activities, augmented with valuable information for all companies that can help find partners, suppliers and new clients. The other sections in the directory will contain training opportunities including the latest Tamkeen programmes, as well as investment, coaching, recruitment and other organisational support material. Another section included is the Who’s Who profile section that will feature a listing of Bahrain’s most influential business leaders with their contact details from telephone numbers to email. The Bahrain Business Yellow Pages’ first edition, to be published in March 2014, will be distributed throughout the Kingdom amongst decision makers in companies, ministries, embassies, business centres, key five and four star hotels and many other vital business locations such as heavy-traffic officebuilding locations. "We are very enthusiastic about publishing this new business 2 business search brand," said CEO Mike Orlov. "Offering all businesses in Bahrain this B2B advertising portfolio will definitely support the efforts of the market – advertising in print, online and on mobile with this dedicated service is the most cost effective way to targeted business-buyers ." Forum 57

Bahrain News Positive Moves for Bahrain and DLA Piper Middle East

As the summer season has drawn to a close, we are delighted to see renewed vigour both in terms of deals and transactions being contemplated and being initiated, and in the Bahrain economy in general. A clutch of recent, encouraging news reports detail a series of high-level visits to and from Bahrain, all of which are positive moves for the continued economic development of the country.

the two countries could be enhanced.

It was encouraging to read of the Prime Minister of South Korea, Jung Hong, coming on a trade visit to Manama. A joint commission between Bahrain and South Korea has since been established, set to explore how bilateral trade between

Continuing the East-West collaboration recently was the visit to Bahrain in August by Japanese Prime Minster Shinzo Abe. His visit related to co-operation between the two countries in the areas of healthcare, medical studies, anti-money

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More recently, His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa returned from a visit to China, which he described as a ’historical success’ in terms of bolstering bilateral relations with the country. Bahrain’s trade volume with China has almost doubled each year over the last decade, a trend that looks set to continue as ties are strengthened.

laundering and agriculture. Official discussions focused on enhancing cultural and educational exchange as well as increased co-operation in terms of business and investment. In addition to the string of recent trade visits, last month we saw the announcement that Bahrain, as part of the wider GCC mandate, has pledged to sign collective free trade agreements (FTAs) with several countries and economic blocs in an effort to stimulate the creation of jobs and encourage foreign investment. Over and above the existing FTA signed with the United States in 2004, agreements are set to be signed with Japan, the EU, Association of South

East Nations (Asean), South Korea, China, India, Russia and Australia. This is a welcomed move for Bahrain and the wider GCC and undoubtedly such agreements will go some way towards fostering more extensive economic collaboration between the respective nations. Meanwhile, we are pleased to announce that we have moved into new office premises in Bahrain to accommodate our growing team as well as the growth of our firm in the region. We can now be found in The Address Tower in Bahrain’s Seef District and we look forward to welcoming our clients and friends to the office in the near future. Michael Yadgar

Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Authority announces Hospitality Expo and Wellness Expo dates 2014 Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Authority (BECA) has announced the dates for its 2014 annual expos from the 15th to the 17th April 2014 at Bahrain International Exhibition Centre. The events have the support of Bahrain’s Ministry of Industry & Commerce, Bahrain Chamber of Commerce & Industry with Tamkeen as the strategic partner. The 4th Annual Health & Wellness Expo will be open 10am to 7pm every day with free entry to all members of the public. BECA’s Health & Wellness Expo aims to promote well-being and holistic lifestyle practices that will make a positive difference in one’s day-today living. The goal of the Health and Wellness Expo is to increase awareness for the residents of the Bahrain and the GCC on how to live a fit and healthy life. It will see live demos on stage during the 3

days from local fitness and health clubs – and visitors will be able to avail from wellness advice, BP and health checks and discounted gym memberships in order to get fit! The exciting 6 th annual Food and Hospitality Expo will also be open from 10am to 7pm every day with free entry to all members of the public and has been tremendously growing over the years and has launched new products and product

enhancements since it debuted in January 2009. Dedicated to the food, beverage and packing technology industries, Food & Hospitality Expo 2014 will bring together an international audience of buyers, retailers, distributors, food and beverage professionals and the relevant media providing an ideal opportunity to facilitate deals between buyers and sellers, importers and exporters worldwide. Next year will see even more chefs competitions, local live cooking demos, tasting sessions, and free samples than ever before. With participation from both local hospitality experts and international industry colleagues. BECA welcomes all BBBF members to the expos – whether its for business meetings, gaining new clients for your company, seeing new products, networking, or simply trying the delicious food!

Royal Golf Club Nominated for Middle East Golf Awards The Royal Golf Club, now under the management of Troon Golf, has been nominated in two categories in the forthcoming Middle East Golf Awards (MEGAs) – those of "Golf Course of the Year above 400 AED" and "Best Academy of the Year." The awards have been created by the UAE-based Sport 360 sports publication, in association with the region’s golf bodies and sports councils, to recognize the achievements of golf clubs, suppliers and retailers around the GCC. The categories will be awarded through a system of public and judges panel voting. "We are honoured to have been nominated for these awards," commented DJ Flanders, the Royal Golf Club’s General Manager. "We are up against some stiff competition from the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Clubs but with the support and votes of our valued Members and guests, I’m sure we will do well."

Public voting has already begun via the Sport 360 website for the fi rst round of the MEGAs. The top five finalists from each category will be announced on 31st October and public

voting for the finalists will run from 12th November until 3rd December. A redcarpet awards ceremony will take place in the UAE on 11th December.

To cast your vote, visit www.sport360.com/mega Forum 59

All I want for Christmas It’s been many years since I was in the UK at this time of year and actually had time for “shopping”. As my wife will tell you, I’m the sort of chap who goes straight to the store, buys what is needed and returns swiftly from whence I came.

Unusually therefore I was out and about in the UK with my wife last week (It’s still September as I write) and I was amazed to find the shelves already stocked with Christmas fare. From tinsle to puddings, all things Christmas seem to be taking over the shelves in every supermarket or department store we visited. Suppressing the “Bah Humbug” moment I began to consider what might be this years simply must have?

For fans of fast cars, a smart red Ferrari is just one of many wonderful machines you’d love to find in your garage. While a real Ferrari Enzo might be just a little out of your current price range, you don’t need to wait until you’ve made your millions to start burning rubber behind the wheel of some Italian lightning. At least not if you’re willing to downscale a 60 Forum

little bit with the smart-link control Ferrari Enzo. The remote controlled sports car that you control with your Apple or Android Smart Phone!

A fully detailed 1:50 miniature replica in classic red with real functioning headlights and official Ferrari badges. The smart-link control module is included; simply download the free control app from the App Store and plug the smartlink into your headphone jack.

Something I was very surprised to see were Lava Lamps. A throwback to the sixties I think but retro is “groovy” I’m being told and apparently they’re making a come back!

Something a little more useful, I think, is the ipad fridge magnet. Designed to accept three generations of ipad it claims to have 25 times the strength needed to keep your equipment way from those worktop spillages. I sincerly hope it retains its “grip” or it

could be an expensive new ipad! Sticking with the toys for a moment, this years top rated is the HexBug. These tiny little robotic bugs are such great fun to watch as they scurry around, crawling, jumping, and even flipping as they go!

And Finally hoop and gyrate away... and yes I have enough sense NOT to buy one for my wife!

But what if youhave a little more cash to spend? How do you fancy a 3D printer? prices are coming down dramatically with some advertised at sub $100 but personally I still don’t quite understand the limitations and capabilities. Although the Hexbugs don’t contain any sensors they will happily bumble and bounce around, navigating obstacles, and even each other, one way or another. Of course like most insects, Hexbugs are happiest, and indeed at their most hilarious, when they are grouped together in a swarm. Just watching the sheer random and chaotic nature of these little robotic critters is enough to keep anyone entertained for hours on end. Hexbugs come in a range of different colours, and each reportedly has its own behaviours and quirks, although I’d need to study them further to explore this concept in more depth Something I WILL NOT be puting on my Christmas list is another item described as a “breakthrough” in home laundry. Called the Hula Washer, simply pack your dirty clothes and a dash of detergent inside this giant

And if money is absolutely no object “sprinkle it with diamonds” seems to the rallying call for the upper classes with bejewelled USB sticks at $20,000. Or how about a 24k gold plated vacuum cleaner, available for a cool $1million. But seriously, why not have a chat with the Boeing corporation. Their new Hypersonic X51A WaveRider could take you from London to New York city in less than an hour - five times as fast as the Cesna Citation X, the world’s current fastest civilian aircraft.