From The Chair
W
elcome to the September issue of Forum, the magazine of the Bahrain British Business Forum. I trust that everyone had a relaxing and well deserved Summer break and is now fully charged and raring to go! While you have been relaxing, I can assure you that your committee has been working hard to make the BBBF the bastion of British-Bahrain business it always should have been! Well, maybe not‌but there is a lot happening and a lot has already been achieved. Our membership secretary, Rob Grey, has compiled a list of benefits which are available to all our members. Many of these have been possible through the generosity of member companies, but others have been negotiated with external parties. This is one small step in our aim to ensure our members get the maximum
possible bang for their buck (as our American friends might say). Meanwhile, Peter Lyall has been working with Rebecca Eriksson and the team at the British Embassy and a small selection of our members to create a small number of industry focus groups. As UK government funding for Trade Delegations dries up, we will need to take a more active role in encouraging appropriate visits to Bahrain. The combination of local focus groups and the support of the Embassy will help us to ensure we not only encourage more visits but that both we and the visiting delegation get the most out of the trips. Terri Harwood, our media coordinator, has taken on the total redesign of the BBBF image – evidence of which will begin to appear soon, and the full impact of which will be seen in the next edition of Forum.
Contents Hopefully, this is just the start. As we pick up momentum you should expect to see more and more positive changes in the BBBF, resulting in a growing list of meaningful benefits to our members.
Welcome to
Our thanks as always to the advertisers; without their support this issue would not be possible. Please give them yours.
The Chelsea Pensioners .................... p7 BBBF Member Profile ...... p8
New Members ............... p3 Diary Dates ................... p3 Letter from H.M. Ambassador .......... p5 BBBF Internal News ....... p6
Member Benefits ........... p9 Financial News ............ p11
Al Faris Auto Centre .... p13 Aluminium Services ..... p20 American Mission Hospital ...................... IBC AXA/Norwich Union .... OBC Bahrain Airport Services .......... p25 Batelco ...................... p15 BDO Jawad Habib ....... p17 DHL .......................... p10 Euromotors .................. p2 HSBC ......................... IFC Oryx Insurance ........... p11 Standard Chartered Bank ........... p21 Zayani Leasing ........... p27
Cover Story: A Golden Age for London ........... Transformational Leaders ...................... The British Council In Bahrain ................... New Products From Britain ................ Holistic Corner ............
p14 p16 p18 p20 p22
Do You Like To Be In Control? ........ p23 Bahrain News ................ 24 And Finally ................. p28
Registration number SBBB 492
BAHRAIN BRITISH BUSINESS FORUM
The 2005-6 BBBF Executive Committee
Chairman Steve Ritchie Mob: 3967-3145
Deputy Chairman Linda Jennings Mob: 3962-5004
Treasurer Austin Rudman Mob: 3969-9475
Hon. Secretary Julie Lomas Mob: 3960-6712
Membership Secretary Rob Grey Mob: 3966-3452
Media Coordinator Terri Harwood Mob: 3964-8419
Member Peter Lyall Mob: 3933-5003
Embassy Representative Rebecca Eriksson Mob: 3953-6989
BBBF Tel: +973 1781 3488, Fax: +973 1781 3489, Email: bbbforum@batelco.com.bh
Forum
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Zoe Read
Welcome New Members Charles Duthie
Khalid Al Zayani
Gary Garner
David Swan
Director of Management Consulting Services BDO Jawad Habib, P.O.Box 787, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: 1753 0077 Fax: 1753 0088 Mob: 3956-4484 email: ggarner@jawadhabib.com
General Manager The Coca-Cola Bottling Company PO Box 11230, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: 1778 4141 Fax:1778 4482 Mobile: 3967 3224 email: d.swan@na.ko.com
Huda Janahi
Karim Al Aali
Manager, Civil & Structural Divisions MSCEB, P.O.Box 111, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: 1721 6777 Fax: 1724 0199 Mob: 3672 9445 email: charles.duthie@msceb.com
Chief Executive Global Cargo & Travellers Services, P.O.Box 13977, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: 1753 3811 Fax: 1753 6543 Mob: 3991 7733 email: globalc@batelco.com.bh
Diary Dates
General Manager Writer Relocations P.O.Box 38535, Riffa, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: 1776 9840 Fax: 1776 9845 Mob: 3966 6489 email: zoe@writercorporation.com
Date: Tues. 20th September Speaker: To be advised Subject: To be advised Venue: Hilton Hotel Time: 12 noon for 1 pm Cost: BD7 for members, BD8 for guests Date: Tues. 11th October BBBF/KLM Golf Afternoon followed by Dinner at the Golf Club Speaker: Mike Braidwood Cost: BD12 for members and spouses, BD13 for guests Date: Tuesday 15th November Speaker: Rick Hillson (2Connect) Subject: Business Telecommunications - A new approach in Bahrain Venue: Hilton Hotel Time: 12 noon for 1 pm Cost: BD7 for members, BD8 for guests Date: Tuesday 20th December Speaker: Peter Lyall Subject: A humorous talk about Insurance Fraud Venue: British Club Time: 12 noon for 1 pm Cost: FREE for members, BD15 for guests
Chairman Al Zayani Investments WLL PO Box 5553, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: 1753-0808 Fax:1753-0818 Mobile:3963-0707 email: krz@alzayani.com
Projects & Business Development Manager Yusuf bin Ahmed Kanoo (Holdings) WLL P.O.Box 45, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: 1722 0751 Fax: 1722 9122 Mob: 3964 3802 email: karimalaali@ybakanoo.net Also for your Diary: Date: Wed. 19th October (Ramadhan Social Evening), Sponsors: MEED & Gulf Cellar, Venue: Crowne Plaza Hotel Presentation entitled “The booming project sector in the Middle East, and how to keep on top of it” by Eddie O’Sullivan Editorial Director, MEED and Ayman Razek, General Manager, MEED Projects Time: 7.15 pm for 8 pm, Cost: BD8 for members and spouses, BD10 for guests Thursday 10th November 2005 Trafalgar Day Ball hosted by the Royal Society of St George. The BBBF will be inviting Chelsea Pensioners to be guests of honour at this important event and we hope that many BBBF members will attend the ball. Pensioners Visit Tuesday 8th November Wednesday 9th November Thursday 10th November Friday 11th November Saturday 12th November
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Arrival 6.45pm Sunset Cruise 6pm - 8pm Travalgar Ball British Club Evening (tba) Afternoon and Evening Event at B.I.C Late Sunday Evening 13th - Pensioners Depart Forum
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This edition of the BBBF Forum magazine was compiled by Andrew Mead at Mead Management Services Ltd. Chandler House, Fox Croft Walk, Chippenham Wiltshire SN15 3YB United Kingdom
email andrew@sbtd.co.uk
UK Mob: 0044 7940 559 925 KSA Mob: 00966 506 271 151, Bahrain Mobile: 00973 3910 0113 and produced in cooperation with Krishnan Surendran at Jumana House, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Tel 009661 402 4785 Fax: 00966 10 405 9861 Our thanks to all the contributors and advertisers without whom this issue would not have been possible. 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 BD300. A half page advert at BD180. A small panel at BD50 Other sizes by arrangement
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. BRITISH Trade with Bahrain is now subject to significant competition in this era of globalization particularly from countries in Europe and from the USA. 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
BBBF Membership Application
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. Membership directories are distributed to members of visiting Trade Missions and are available to businessmen visiting Bahrain through the Embassy and business centres in five star hotels. 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. Cost of membership Individual Membership: BD 50 per annum, with an additional BD20 once-only registration fee. Corporate Membership: BD150 per annum (up to 5 individuals)plus BD40 for each applicant up to a maximum of 10,with an additional BD50 once-only registration fee.
Corporate Membership please complete separate form for each applicant
Please complete the membership form and send it to: Individual Membership BAHRAIN BRITISH BUSINESS FORUM BBBF Administration Manager, Fax: (00973) 1781 3489, or Email: bbbforum@batelco.com.bh. For further information call (00973) 1781 3488, Web site: www.bbbforum.org Website address of business
Company Name Title and full name
(Surname first)
(if applicable)
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
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I agree to abide by the BBBF Constitution & Internal regulations. Applicants Signature
Date
From Her Majesty’s Ambassador have our final trade mission of 2005 arriving during September - the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA), and we hope to announce some good news stories in the near future on specific successes.
Wherever you have travelled this summer, I hope you have returned safely. It is difficult to believe that we are already in the last quarter of 2005. The year has been a busy one for us at the Embassy and I hope it has been for you too. We
It has been a busy year for the Embassy, what with the UK’s year-long Presidency of the G8, its six month Presidency of the EU (which started at the beginning of July and mirrors Bahrain’s Chairmanship of the Gulf Cooperation Council, London’s triumph in winning the 2012 Olympic Games - followed immediately by the terrorist outrage of 7 July - and a packed programme of
Chevening Scholars
bilateral cooperation with the Government, Parliament and people of Bahrain. Each of these events and programmes has generated a busy workload for the Embassy and the resulting close bilateral political relationship should be providing you with a good context in which to pursue your business objectives. The process continues in November when Bahrain hosts Ministers, NGOs and business organisations from the countries of the G8 and the Middle East for the second meeting, under joint Bahrain-UK Chairmanship, of the Forum for the Future.
This should advance the cause of political and economic reform in the Middle East and, along with a complementary programme involving the OECD, should deliver further benefits to the business environment. In November we are looking forward to a visit from the Chelsea Pensioners whose stamina and vitality is an inspiration to us all. During this visit, as in the past, they will have a pretty full schedule culminating in the ‘Battle of Trafalgar Ball’ being held at the Diplomat Hotel on the 10th November.
British Embassy Services The Warden System is still running at the Embassy. A warden is a member of the British (or unrepresented Commonwealth) expatriate community who volunteers to be the contact point between the British Embassy and the community. You will be allocated a warden when you register at the Embassy. This can be done either on the web site at www.ukembassy.gov.bh or by visiting the Consular section which opens from 9am 2pm. For those already registered, please remember to update your details as necessary and re-register each year. Passports are processed in 5 working days. Application forms can be picked up at the Embassy between 9am - 2pm or downloaded from the web site www.ukembassy.gov.bh
On 26 July, the British Council hosted a predeparture briefing reception for the Bahraini scholars who have been awarded the prestigious Chevening Scholarships by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the academic year 20052006. The successful students this year are: Leema Sangoor, Hadeya Fathalla, Fadi Haddad, Leena Sharif and Shahla Abdulghaffar. The Chevening Scholarship Scheme is the British government’s premier scholarship scheme which
operates in over 150 countries and enables talented young graduates and professionals to become familiar with the UK. It also helps build new skills which will be of benefit to them when they return to their countries. The scheme, which is administered by the British Council is funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. However financial support from other sources plays a vital part and the sponsors this year are: Cable & Wireless, Norwich Union, Batelco, Bapco, HSBC, and the Bahrain British Business Forum.
Visa Fees. From July 1 the following fees will apply 1 Commonwealth Countries/Overseas Territories/Transit BD23 2 Single/Double and Multiple visit visa up to 6 months BD38 3 Longer term visit visa OR visa for any other purpose including Student/domestic worker certificate of entitlement/work permit / Working holiday BD64 4 Settlement, Finance BD195 Information of any Foreign & Commonwealth Office travel advisories currently in effect for Bahrain may be obtained on the web site www.fco.gov.uk/travel
UK Trade and Investment The UK Trade & Investment section of the British Embassy can help in a variety of ways. Our main objective is to help UK companies achieve their export potential and to assist UK companies already in market. We aim to improve business performance through sales and investments overseas. For more information on our services log on to our web pages at www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk and www.ukembassy.gov.bh or contact Rebecca Eriksson on (973) 17574100 or Rebecca.Eriksson@fco.gov.uk Forum
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BBBF Internal News While the UK and Bahrain may be collections of islands, its important that the BBBF does not become an island. Indeed, we should be the bridge that joins them together. However, we cannot do this alone and so we have begun to reach out to other societies and organizations to assist us in this quest. Arab British Chamber of Commerce Our first step along this path was to take membership of the Arab British Chamber of Commerce. As a result of the generosity of the ABCC, all the benefits afforded to the BBBF as a member are automatically inherited by each and every member of the BBBF. Perhaps the most beneficial aspect of this in the short term, is access as contributors and readers of the ABCC weekly Business Bulletin. This features a host of information about the Gulf in general as well as listings of business opportunities and
tenders on a country by country basis. Unfortunately, the Bahrain section is usually a little thin, but the ABCC have agreed to fill it out with any relevant information we care to provide them with. One of our members is already working with the ABCC to produce a Gulf jobs pages for the weekly bulletin – hopefully something which will help promote Bahrain and generate business for our member. Not everything the ABCC offers on its web site is quite as up to date as the weekly bulletin, but they are working to address that and in the meantime, they can offer a number of potentially useful business services. Why not take a few minutes to check out their site and see for yourself – www.abcc.org.uk Other Business Associations Another step being taken by your committee is to develop
The BBBF Scholarship Program A general theme running through the aims and objectives of the BBBF is the desire to promote and improve links between Bahrain and the UK. In the short to medium term, we look to the current generation of business leaders in both countries to achieve this. In the longer term, however, we must look to the next generation of business leaders to foster this spirit. One very effective way of achieving this is to ensure that Bahrain’s future business leaders have positive experiences of the UK as part of their educational process.
for post-graduate qualifications in the UK, the BBBF is helping to ensure that potential business leaders of the future are obtaining a solid grounding in many elements of the UK - standards, culture, attitudes and so on - as well as creating links between Bahrain and UK higher educational establishments.
The Chevening Scholarship Scheme is one opportunity to influence this. By providing funds to assist the sponsorship of Bahraini students during their studies
To date, the BBBF has assisted 12 Chevening Scholars and 3 undergraduate students, details of which may be found below.
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In parallel with this, our sponsorship of needy undergraduate students contributes towards raising the educational levels in Bahrain while planting a seed of allegiance between those students and the UK as they come to appreciate that their studies may have faltered without the support of the BBBF.
stronger and deeper links with other business associations within Bahrain. Meetings have already been held with the Bahrain Businessmen’s Association, the Young Entrepreneurs Association, the Bahrain Society of Engineers and others. As a result, we are beginning to learn more about how each group operates and how we might work together for mutual benefit. We are also using this information in meetings with the Trade & Investment Secton of the British Embassy as we jointly look towards how we can find compelling reasons for selffunded trade delegations to visit Bahrain. We still have some way to go, but they say that the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. While we may have a large challenge ahead of us, we are confident that if we continue to make slow and steady progress we will succeed. Chevening Scholarship System Chevening Scholarships are funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and local co-sponsors. The scheme provides around 2,200 scholarships a year, worth an estimated 35 million pounds sterling, for postgraduate study in the UK. The BBBF has given three years’ free membership to Chevening scholars to enable to pursue business contacts on their return to Bahrain. The BBBF Chevening Scholars are listed in this year’s Directory. In March 2005 the BBBF donated BD1000 towards the scheme. Sponsored Students The first student sponsored by the BBBF was Mariam Juma Mohamed, sponsored for BD350 at Bahrain University in 2004. After marrying she left the University and the BBBF discontinued sponsorship.
Mail Hi Steve, I felt I had to drop you a line. I was feeling particularly stressed having just lost a report that I had spent the last hour working on, so I felt I’d take a few minutes out to have a cup of tea. I picked up the Forum, that arrived today to have a quick read - see what you chaps are up to. The first thing to make me smile was the reference to the Bahrain Buffet and Bevvy Forum, I have heard similar references to the BBG Dubai in the past! I then particularly enjoyed the article about Holiday Britain, I never went to Butlin’s (thank goodness) but I do remember driving past the Butlin’s Clacton entrance, being an Essex girl, we used to spend our family holidays as kids nearby in Walton on the Naze. Oh happy days. Thanks for making me smile - feeling better now and able to get back to the ‘wretched’ report or shall I just go for a beer... Take care. All the best, Trish Cuttelle Group Co-ordinator British Business Group PO Box 9333, Dubai We now sponsor two students: Jihad Habib Isa Hammad is a Bahraini at Cairo University Medical College. BBBF donated BD1000 as a one-off payment to help with the cost of her final year’s medical degree expenses. She intends to practice in Bahrain when she qualifies as a doctor. Fatema Abdulrazaq Abdulla at Bahrain University. She has a difficult home life, with her mother seriously ill, but she is very keen to continue her studies. BBBF is sponsoring her in the amount of BD350 per year.
The Chelsea Pensioners
T
he Royal Hospital, Chelsea is the largest home in the UK for veteran soldiers. The Chelsea Pensioners, who reside and are cared for at the hospital, 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 by the end of March 2008. In Scotland, the Earl Haig fund raises money through its annual Poppy Appeal and other donations to support ex-service veterans. The Edinburgh-based 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. 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.
How can you help?
This year, the British are also celebrating the 2 0 0 th anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar. Although this officially takes place in October, the celebrations in Bahrain will not take place until after Ramadan, on November 10th. Rather than hold two events in quick succession, we have decided to combine elements of the Poppy Ball with the Trafalgar Ball this year.
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There are many ways that you can help, For example:
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However, the pensioners are still coming to town! British Airways has kindly agreed to provide return tickets for two pensioners and the Hilton has kindly agreed to provide 5 nights of accommodation for free.
“nostalgia” evening at the British Club, a sunset cruise/dinner, an exclusive barbeque and other events. Each will provide a fantastic opportunity for corporate exposure and positive PR – for an appropriate donation, of course!
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Adopt a pensioner for a day – for a suitable donation, both pensioners will attend a PR event with your organization (with full press coverage) and will even allow you to buy them dinner! Adopt a pensioner for the ball – again, for an appropriate donation you could have one of the pensioners join your table for the Trafalgar Day / Poppy Ball on November 10th Sponsor an event – during the course of their visit we will be arranging a
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Simply make a donation – in return for which, we will make sure your company is mentioned in all the media reports relating to the visit of the pensioners.
If you would be interested in contributing through one of the above, or in any other way, please let us know as soon as possible. Let’s remember those who have given so much and make a determined effort to give something back.
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 Forum
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BBBF Member Profile Who is John Kelynack Skinner? bachelors back then and a “Club” attached to the quarters which was frequented by stewardesses from a certain airline. I knew I had come to the right place.
I was born in England in June, 1943 and moved with my parents to Kenya in 1948 where we lived on a farm in the Western Highlands of Kenya. I was schooled initially at a Convent in the Highlands, then at a Catholic school in Nairobi and finally at a College in Nairobi. In my youth, I wanted to be a veterinary surgeon but the niceties of chemistry eluded me and I switched to law, a profession I have practiced for the last 38 years. I qualified in England, but the commuting in and out of London, together with the weather, made me look for quieter, warmer pastures and where better than Bahrain? I arrived in April 1975, although it was not easy, I flew to Beirut on Pan Am but before we arrived the Pilot explained that due to the disturbances around Beirut airport we would land at Damascus. There was a near riot on board eventually the Pilot was forced to change his mind. “I ain’t no combat pilot but I’ll see what it’s like when we get closer” he said. We landed at Beirut after the Gulf Air flight to Bahrain took off. I stayed at the airport for 24 hours at the start of the Beirut civil war, an interesting start to my life in the Middle East. Finally arriving in Bahrain, I was taken to the company’s bachelors’ quarters in Mahooz. There were many 8
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I quickly found I had a lot to learn. On the social scene the difference between “formal” and “informal” dress had to be learned. One evening I was invited to dinner to meet two of the Companies directors, I was told to wear informal dress. Luckily I took that to mean no jacket or tie, rather than shorts and flipflops, I was the only one not in a suit. Carpets were a very important status item in the early days. Only General Managers had wall-to-wall carpeting. Others of lesser status had margins between wall and carpet; the larger the margin, the lower the status. I was told I was allowed rugs from the Company, putting me clearly in my place and they would be delivered. One afternoon a pick-up truck arrived laden with carpets, a couple of keen Bahrainis carried the carpets into the house, until I was satisfied I had the ones I wanted. As I proceeded to thank them for their hard work and close the front door, they said “Money – what about the money”? “Money? ” I replied “but you are from Kanoo”! “No, no, we are carpet sellers”, they said. The beautiful Persian carpets I had selected were rolled up and reloaded onto the truck. The Bahrainis found the whole episode highly amusing. I quickly felt at home and joined both the Rugby and the British Cub. I enjoyed both my work as the Group Legal Manager, establishing the Legal Department, and play. In those days I played a lot of rugby, usually as hooker for the second XV and tennis.
A year after I arrived, a young lady joined the Company as the Chairman’s Secretary, and swept me off my feet. Two years later, after seeing off numerous competitors I was married to Maeve and banished to a small flat in Zinj by the Chairman for marrying his Secretary. Maeve and I have two sons, both born in Bahrain and both are now working here. For ten years I was on the Board of Governors of St. Christopher’s School, six of them as Chairman. On my election as Chairman, the then British Ambassador told me I was to take the School to ‘A’ Level. At the time it only went to GCSE . Almost as soon as I was elected the first Gulf War broke out, with high expenses and no income, the Board closed one of the two primary schools. Parents reacted furiously, I learnt the strength of feelings parents have if unpopular decisions are made by a School. After the War, the Board had to make another decision that proved equally unpopular with parents. For the Senior School to introduce ‘A’ levels, the School was reorganized into Senior, Junior and Infant Schools. The Board and I (as Chairman), received some very fierce opposition from a cadre of “concerned” parents. However, the Board
was convinced the decision was the right one for the School and stood firm. The results: the School is highly successful with consistently excellent ‘A’ Level results. As the Company has grown, so has my job. We have fully staffed Legal Departments in Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. as well as the Company Secretariat in the Head Office in Bahrain. As the Company Secretary I oversee various Departments, reporting directly to the Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. It is a demanding job in many ways because the Company is so diversified. Every day presents problems or challenges. From putting together a consortium to tender for building and running a power plant, or to manage a country’s ports, there are many mergers and acquisitions, finance and property transactions and so much more, some mundane, others very interesting. Every day brings something new. There is a lot of travel involved which makes it interesting since I love traveling. My sports include walking, swimming and scuba diving and my hobbies include reading, learning AngloSaxon, collecting Bahrain stamps and boating.
Benefits for BBBF Members “Membership” goes the saying “has its privileges, so why not take advantage of some of the additional benefits from being a member of the Bahrain British Business Forum? As you are now aware we have started to obtain Benefits for all our members on production of your 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.
AXA/Norwich Union Some benefits/discounts to members on personal and corporate insurances. Contact: Richard Morrison Mobile: 39657222 Email: richard-morrison@nubah.com.bh
If any member has any difficulty obtaining a discount, please contact the BBBF office so we can rectify the situation.
British Airways Cabin of Travel:
WorldTraveller and World Traveller Plus
Discount:
10% off lowest published fare
Destinations:
All BA online destinations
Minimum Stay:
None
Maximum Stay:
1 Year
Gulf Cellar 5% on beers and ciders, 15% on wines and spirits Contact: Dave Roberts Email: gulfcelr@batelco.com.bh
Changes:
1 change permitted
Stopovers:
1 stop over permitted
Child fare:
75% of adult fare
Azrek Search Associates 20% discount on search and headhunting services Contact: Rory Adamson Mobile: 3995 5973 Email: rory@akgholdings.com
Terms and Conditions of Offer
NHSC 5% on beers, 15% on wines and spirits Contact: Bill Beddall Mobile: 3960 6672 Email: nhsc1234@batelco.com.bh
Al Faris Auto Centre Special discounts on parts and services Contact: Yousif Eid Mobile: 3964 0046 Email: yesadadi@batelco.com.bh The MakeOver Experience Discounts to corporate members for traning courses and consultancy services Contact: Leila Le Blond Mobile: 3966 7623 Email: Leila@accessabilityglobal.com Hasan Mansouri 10% discount to members at Mansouri Mansions Hotel and Country Club. Effective 1st July 2005 until 31st Dec 2005. Contact: Karim Mansouri Mobile: 3961 3535 Email: mansouri@batelco.com.bh Conscious Connections 5% discount on Crystal Therapy and Awareness, 10% discount for group bookings and group workshops Contact: Julie Lomas Mobile: 3960 6712 Email: julie@batelco.com.bh Betsy’s Day Spa 25% Discount on all Spa, Beauty and Hairdressing Treatments and 15% Discount on all Spa Shop Purchases. The Spa Treatments are for ladies only but male members can visit and make purchases from the Spa Shop.( Skin Care, Hair Care, Cosmetics, Sun Care, Aromatherapy Oils, etc and Skin and Hair Consultations) They can also purchase Gift Vouchers at 25% off discounted rate. Conditions are: Discount on full price treatments and products only; Discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other special offers. Contact: Betsy Mathieson Appointments can be booked on tel 1774 2222.
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Discounts are off fares only and taxes must be paid in addition
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Discount will only be levied upon production of a valid B.B.B.F. membership card
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Tickets can only be purchased through British Airways Sales shop
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This deal is filed strictly for tickets purchased by B.B.B.F. members only
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This deal is valid until 31 March 2006
KLM KLM regional E-commerce office in Dubai are in the proccess of setting up a special entry on the KLM.com website for BBBF members to avail of their 10% discount offer on all economy class travel. Until then BBBF members are requested to book their flights on line at www. KLM.com then go to the KLM office in Manama Centre to avail of their 10% discount. Showing proof of membership. The bookings on line should be made in M or B class only Royal Over-Seas League The Royal Over-Seas League has clubhouses in London and Edinburgh which include hotel-style accommodation. A quarterly journal issued to members free of charge. Reduced rates for BBBF members Application forms for membership are obtainable from the Membership Secretary at Royal Over-Seas League, Over-Seas House, Park Place, St James’s Street, London SW1A 1LR Tel: 0044 20 7408 0214 Fax: 0044 20 7499 6738 Email: fvanicek@rosl.org.uk Forum
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Financial News Bahrain Banking Sector Assets hit $122bn The consolidated balance sheet of the banking system in Bahrain, increased by $2.9 billion (2.4%) to reach $122.1 billion at the end of June, compared with $119.2 billion at the end of March. The quarterly Bahrain Monetary Agency report covers full commercial banks (FCBs), offshore banking units (OBUs), and investment banks (IBs). The OBUs represented 82% of the consolidated balance sheet, while FCBs and IBs accounted for 12.7% and 5.3% respectively. Total domestic assets amounted to $19.4 billion at the end of June, compared with $18.9 billion at the end of March. This represents an increase of $0.5 billion (2.6%). Foreign assets increased by $2.4 billion (2.4%) to reach $102.7 billion at the end of June, compared with $100.3 billion at the end of March. The net foreign assets increased by $0.2 billion (4.3%) at the end of June, to reach $4.8 billion, compared with $4.6 billion at the end of March. Total domestic liabilities amounted to $24.2 billion at the end of June, compared with $23.5 billion at the end of March. This represents an increase of $0.7 billion (3.0%). Foreign liabilities increased by $2.2 billion (2.3%) to reach $97.9 billion at the end of June, against $95.7 billion at the end of March. The consolidated balance sheet of full commercial banks increased by BD210.4 million, or by 3.7%, to reach BD5,839.8m at the end of June. The broad monetary measure increased by BD141.5m (3.8%) to BD3,838m at the end of June.
Single Currency plan on track Six Arab Gulf states can achieve their goal of a single currency by 2010, but the move is unlikely to jump-start regional trade and merger activity, bankers and economists said. Political will is the main requirement for the six Gulf countries to meet their 2010 deadline, but legal blocks and limited diversification away from the energy sector may mute its economic impact. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the UAE — who together make up the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) — agreed at the start of the decade to unify their currencies, which are currently pegged to the dollar.
ABC half year profits up 20% Arab Banking Corporation (ABC), the parent company of the Arab banking group headquartered in Bahrain, announced the group’s net profit for the half year to June 2005 totalled $61 million. This was an increase of 20% over the net profit for the same period last year of $51 million from continuing operations. Total income came to $155 million (2004: $155 million) following the successful implementation of the product-based matrix management structure. A substantial improvement in asset quality resulted in a write-back of $13 million from loan recoveries, compared to the charge of $6 million for loan loss provisions in the same period last year. Operating expenses were kept under control at $93 million, slightly below last year’s level.
BBK plans $1bn Bond Issue Shareholders of Bank of Bahrain and K u w a i t ( B B K ) approved a plan to finance projects inside and outside Bahrain by issuing bonds worth $1 billion, the bank’s first such issuance. The bonds were likely to be medium-term of between three and five years and were expected to be issued in the fourth quarter. They would eventually be listed on the Bahrain Stock Exchange
Shamil profit soars Shamil Bank’s net profit soared to $21.21 million for the first six months ending June 30. This was an increase of 33% over the $15.96 million earned during the same period last year. The second quarter of this year contributed a net profit of $10.96 million. Total operating income during the first half of the year increased by $9.66 million to $42.56 million, registering an increase of 29.4% compared to $32.90 million achieved during the first half of last year. The bank’s consolidated total assets increased modestly from last year’s $1.614bn to $1.618bn during the first half of this year. The bank paid an 8.5% dividend per share, equivalent to a total of $19.5 million compared to 7.5% last year.
BMA wins praise from Indian banker Bahrain has every right to pride itself as the banking and financial capital of the region, says a visiting Indian banker. Foreign banks operating in the country find the regulator, the Bahrain Monetary Agency (BMA) very proactive, said ICICI Bank deputy managing director Kalpana Morparia. “We are all extremely gratified at the speed with which ICICI’s Bahrain branch came into being. From the conceptual stage to going on ground, it took only three months, thanks to the proactive way the BMA dealt with the licensing regime. Such positive response more than amply demonstrates Bahrain’s claim to be the financial and banking capital of the region.”
AUB, AMEX sign new deal Ahli United Bank (AUB) has signed an agreement to provide its private banking clients with American Express platinum cards. Forum 11
Licences for Banks Arcapita plans $1.2bn projects has also been issued in Bahrain & Finance Firm Atolicence the Bahrain Commercial
The Bahrain Monetary Agency (BMA) has granted two new licences for banks and another to a financing company. A licence has also been granted to an existing financing company, which was previously licensed by the Ministry of Commerce. Venture Capital Bank (VCBank) has been licensed to offer venture capital financing and carry of out investment activities in accordance with Islamic principles. The bank, which will have a paid up capital of $50 million, is being established by a group of investors from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Global Emerging Markets Group (GEM Group), a US-based venture capital firm, is a technical partner of VCBank. The BMA has also granted a licence to Reef, the first real estate financing company in Bahrain. The firm is being established with a paid up capital of BD20 million ($53 million).
Facilities Company (BCFC).
The BMA has also approved a licence for Switzerland-based Man Investment AG, to establish a Representative Office in Bahrain. The new licence will substitute an existing licence for Man Investment Limited, which is headquartered in London. The change is being effected as a result of corporate restructuring within the Man Group. Earlier, the BMA granted a licence to Dexia Private Bank (Switzerland), to establish a Representative Office in Bahrain. The Dexia Group is a major player in retail financial services, investment management services and treasury and financial markets in Europe. A new, flexible licensing framework, being developed by the BMA, will further facilitate the conduct of financial services from Bahrain, The new framework, which is currently being finalised, is planned for implementation later this year.
Two futuristic projects together costing an estimated $1.2 billion are to be developed in Bahrain by Bahrain-based Arcapita Bank. Arcapita is sponsoring a waterfront hotel, leisure and residential project, which will be launched in December and is expected to cost up to $1 billion. It is also sponsoring the $300 million Riffa Views project, to be launched in September, which will involve the development of a residential community around the 18hole Riffa Golf Club course. The waterfront project will involve the reclamation and development of more than 400,000 sq m of land off north-east Manama, opposite the Diplomatic Area and next to the Shaikh Isa bin Salman causeway. It will include highend waterfront residential developments with apartments, condominiums and penthouses, as well as
marinas, cafes and restaurants and a number of public areas and promenades, says the bank. The two anchor developments will be a Four Seasons hotel development and the new Arcapita headquarters building. The Four Seasons hotel is expected to become the most prestigious hotel complex in Bahrain. The Riffa Views project will include about 750 family homes, developed within a gated community. It will have access to world-class sporting facilities and country club that will offer residents resort-type swimming pools, a high-end health club and other sporting facilities. Its three principal lines of business are corporate investment, real estate and asset-based investment. To date, the bank has completed 40 transactions with a total value exceeding $8bn and has an equity capital base in excess of $300 million.
BMA records all-time low in returned cheques The incidence of returned cheques submitted by Bahrain’s commercial banks to the Bahrain Monetary Agency (BMA) has been nearly halved in the past 10 years. Returned cheques represented 2.36% of the total number of cheques written by consumers and processed by the BMA Clearing House during 2004, compared with 4.56% in 1995. The BMA processed a total of 2.25 million cheques written by consumers during 2004. This was an increase of 5.5% over the 2003 figure of 2.13 million cheques and a 15% increase over the 1995 figure of 1.96 million cheques. 12 Forum
The total value of all cheques processed by the BMA rose to a record BD2.3 billion in 2004, an increase of 14% over the 2003 figure and double the 1995 figure of BD1.1 billion. Shaikh Salman bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Director, Banking Services, at the BMA said “The BMA is committed to maintaining confidence in the use and acceptability of cheques as a payment instrument.” The number of returned cheques declined to an alltime low of 53,109 in 2004, a decrease of 40.5% over the 1995 total of 89,328 cheques.
Contracts to be issued shortly Tenders are being reviewed for the 13 bridges required to service the Durat Al Bahrain resort in the south of Bahrian. Durrat, which is co-owned by Kuwait Finance House and the Bahrain government, includes five petal-shaped islands and six small islands for homes of various sizes. There is also a central island, which will house a five-star hotel and a water park.
A large crescent-shaped island will be the project’s main commercial centre. Facilities include schools, mosques, health centres, cafes and restaurants and sports and leisure facilities. There are also apartments for sale and rent. The entire project comprises 2,000 villas and 3,000 apartments. There are also plans for an 18-hole championship golf course and a marina.
Official Signing Ceremony of the $134 Million Al Marfa’a Al Mali Management Centre (LMC), Sukuk Issue Banks and financial institutions from Bahrain and the region officially endorsed the subscriptions in Al Marfa’a Al Mali Istisna’a and Ijara Sukuk, at a signing ceremony held at the Client Relations Centre (CRC) of Bahrain Financial Harbour Holding Company in July. The Sukuk offering has received an overwhelming response from various financial institutions in Bahrain and around the region, led by the Senior Lead Underwriters - Liquidity Management Centre and Gulf Finance House Commercial Bank; Lead Underwriters - Islamic Development Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates Islamic Bank and Bahrain Islamic Bank; along with other reputed participating financial institutions.
Bahrain’s Investcorp posts $110m profit Bahrain-based investment group Investcorp made a net profit of $110.3 million in the fiscal year ending June 30. This represented an increase of 22% over the prior fiscal year, the company said in a statement. ”Income before operating expenses, at $324.7 million, was a record achievement for
the firm,” it said, adding that total assets on June 30 reached $4.8 billion. Net income before provisions was $171.6 million, one of Investcorp’s strongest ever performances. The firm allocated $61.3 million in provisions further adding to the strength of its balance sheet reserves.
In late June 2005, Gulf Finance House, the project promoters, Bahrain Financial Harbour Holding Company (BFHHC), the project developer and Liquidity
Launched in 1982, Investcorp specializes in buying up and restructuring ailing European and North American firms. Its portfolio includes investments in more than 50 businesses around the world. The company has completed transactions with a total acquisition value of nearly $25 billion. 40% of
the Structuring Advisor, Arranger and Placement Agent for the Al Marfa’a Al Mali Sukuk issue announced the successful closing of the Sukuk offering at an optimum issue size of US$134 million. The Istisna’a - Ijara Sukuk has been structured by the Liquidity Management Centre in accordance and in compliance with the principles of Islamic Sharia’a. The Sukuk has a 5 year term maturing in July 2010 offering a quarterly profit distribution and it will finance the development and construction of the Financial Centre which represents the first phase of the Bahrain Financial Harbour project comprising the Dual Towers, the Financial Mall and the Harbour House. The Financial Centre is at the core of the Bahrain Financial Harbour and is the first phase of the development. Construction for the Financial Centre commenced in March 2004 with an expected completion date of late 2006.
Investcorp’s 300+ staff are also its shareholders. The group’s business covers corporate, real estate and technology investment, as well as asset management. It manages total investments in alternative assets of around $9.5 billion. Forum 13
A Golden Age for a Golden City London’s success is leaving other European cities behind. That’s the considered view of a serious investigational report by the highly respected world magazine Newsweek. The British capital has let the world in and become a model for making a 21st-century metropolis work. One of Newsweek’s top writers, William Underhill, sees the United Kingdom’s capital as “a developer’s Klondike” in a cover-line report headed: “Going Global – while Europe dithers, London opens its doors to the world”. Underhill describes some of the dozen of new “megaprojects” being considered by the city elders and young thrusting architects, entrepreneurs and leisure, housing and transport experts. “Among them: a landmark 300-metre glass pyramid, billed as the tallest building in Europe, at the foot of London Bridge; a 10 billion-pound rail link across the heart of the city, and the wholesale redevelopment of derelict tracts of East London to make space for the new Londoners,” reports Underhill. “Remember the Millennium Dome, Britain’s big gesture to the new age? A new settlement of 10,000 homes is rising in its shadow. By midcentury, tens of thousands could be living in the Thames Gateway, a string of new communities that will rim the river for 65 kilometres downstream to the sea. Obviously, Underhill is not alone in his view. London Mayor Ken Livingstone puts it this way: “Some cities capture an era - Paris in the 19th century, or New York in the 1950s and ‘60s.” This is London’s Golden Age. High above the Thames in City Hall, the strikingly futuristic rounded glass building that 14 Forum
houses the London Assembly, Livingstone enjoys a panorama spanning 2,000 years of crowded history. All around, there are monuments to the city’s new prosperity. To the east, the former Docklands, now home to some of Europe’s grandest companies, conjures up its present as a gateway to the world, writes Underhill. And a thicket of towers, soaring above the skyline, testifies to the status of Europe’s largest and most vibrant centre of world finance. And London’s work isn’t done. At 7.3 million, its population is just short of the combined total for Rome, Paris, Vienna and Brussels. During the last 15 years it has added as many citizens as the entire city of Frankfurt. Indeed, this is the only major European capital that’s actually growing, a favoured destination for work-hungry migrants from around the globe. By 2016, according to forecasts, the city will gain 810,000 more people.
sprawls over an area twice the size of New York’s five boroughs. Some 300 languages are spoken, from Acholi to Zulu, all linked (and this is key) by the global lingua franca, English.” Livingstone accepts that not everybody can see the benefit of this rising tide of new Londoners. But he says this ignores the secret of the city’s success. He sees the new citizens as the very essence of modern London - the engine that powers not only Britain’s prosperity but much of Europe’s. “The truth,” says Livingstone, “is that immigration is a way of life. Jewish, Irish, Asian, Caribbean, East European each new wave has enhanced London as a global city.” Past generations of mega-cities rose or fell depending on their access to resources or trade coal mines and rail hubs. What counts today is the new global class of knowledge merchants, the folks with new ideas to share or sell.
London: “Europe’s largest and most vibrant centre of world finance.” Now, says Underhill, it’s London’s moment - not some cool Britannia fad, fed by a few hot bands or hip designers but a wholesale reinvention. “More than any other European capital, London thrives on the outsiders it welcomes in. Almost a third of today’s Londoners were born outside the country. “During the past year alone, tens of thousands of East Europeans have come to the city after the UK opened its borders to workers from the new member states of the enlarged European Union. More than 50 separate national or ethnic communities are scattered across a metropolis that
Cover Image: how the London Bridge Tower, popularly known as the “Shard of Glass”, will look beside the Thames by night at the heart of one of the UK capital’s main hubs. A new skyscraper that will be among Europe’s tallest buildings and will have 70 stories. Newsweek’s Underhill. “The city must attract immigrants to stoke that growth; the immigrants want the jobs that a flourishing London can offer, whether they are one-millionpounds-a-year Japanese bankers or Polish art historians ready to scrub floors for seven pounds an hour.”
“Urban economic success really depends on smart, entrepreneurial people,” explained Harvard professor Edward Glaeser. “Cities have recently succeeded because urban density can facilitate the transmission of ideas.”
Carlos Cabral is from Mozambique and runs a Portuguese deli. Without the migrants, London would be shrinking, not booming. “This is where I can make something of my life,” says Cabral, aged 32.
Similar to New York, London provides the right environment for these people: a relatively compact layout, a vibrant mix of cultures and a service industry fuelled largely by immigrants. It is one model for the 21st-century metropolis.
That experience has helped to instill a basic tolerance. Londoners have learned to live with - and sometimes relish cultural differences. “What makes us different is that we love diversity. We celebrate it,” said Tony Winterbottom of the London Development Agency.
“Diversity is both symptom and cause of the supercharged London economy,” explains
Londoners do not suffer the overt racial tensions to be found in Los Angeles, Paris or
Berlin. Indeed, the potpourri of cultures is an attraction in itself for those fed up with life in the suburbs, or in blander European cities. Urban centres … offer what a new generation most prizes: high-end urban amenities, shorter commuting times, more work and more opportunities for play. London’s cosmopolitan feel is crucial to its prosperity. Foreign players, impressed by London’s light-handed approach to regulation, snapped up the grand old names of British finance. Yes, Frankfurt is home to Europe’s central bank, but it’s London that calls the shots. Mighty Deutsche Bank may be headquartered in Germany, but its big decision makers are in London. These days more euros are traded daily in London than in the rest of Europe combined.
“This is the only place in Europe where you can make one million pounds a year while working for someone else,” said Tony Travers of the London School of Economics. Add tax rates that are indulgent by some West European standards - and it’s easy to see why the high-fliers
than the old hands-off approach. The government has now lent its weight to the drive to build new homes and to restore the transport system. A 10 billion pound overhaul for the network is planned.
These days more euros are traded daily in London than in the rest of Europe combined. would opt for London over Paris. Language clinches London’s pre-eminence. Many newcomers choose the city because they can use (or learn) English. Can it last? Mayor Livingstone concedes that daily life in his rainbow city can be “scratchy and difficult”. Maintaining the city’s allure may take more
This proved to be a favourable point in the capital’s bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. Double gold Olympic champion Kelly Holmes played a key part in convincing IOC inspectors of the capital’s ability to host the games. “The government has given its backing and there has been a full commitment to improve the transport system. An
Aquatic Centre and a velodrome were to be built in east London’s Stratford whether we got the Games or not. Can you imagine the support we will now get when we hold the Olympic Games in London? It will be fantastic.” A golden age for a golden city.
Seven years to go On the 27 July 2012, the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games will take place in east London. The lighting of the Olympic Flame will herald the start of 16 days of competition between 10,000 competitors in 26 sports - accompanied by a nationwide festival of cultural events.
Forum 15
Transformational Leaders
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ost talented executives are driven to achieve by their nature. It is what makes them great - at least potentially great. It is also what can sometimes blind them to what is really going on inside their organisations. Many executives, especially CEOs are unaware of the extent to which anxiety, mistrust, petty rivalries and personality conflicts among the management teams and workforce are actively preventing the organisation from being great. If you want to be different from the pack; if you want to achieve uncommon levels of success that others will struggle to emulate; if you want to make a difference and create something extraordinary, you have to start doing what others fear to do. Since 1994, Adrian Gilpin and his colleagues at the Institute of Human Development have been working with many owners, senior managers and Directors of small, medium and large organisations to explore real and sustainable ways of creating exceptional levels of individual and collective achievement. The single most significant difference between the IHD’s approach and other consultancy-led change programmes is that it will enable you to translate your Brand (the very essence and architecture of your business) into Behaviour (the mechanics by which you live the Vision). Most business leaders know or hope that they are just about on top of things, as long as things don’t get any worse. There is daily news of wealthy, talented organisations losing market dominance, or collapsing altogether because they failed to be in peak condition. A very high percentage of Senior Executives have 16 Forum
achieved many of their personal milestone goals – at least the financial ones – but many others are in a professional mid-life crisis, asking themselves: What am I doing? What do I want to do next? Who do I really want to be? The IHD Framework for Peak Performance can help address this problem. Peak Performance is an outcome, a by-product of excellence conditioning. Consider an athlete who works out to develop fitness, strength, flexibility, stamina, resilience, muscle tone, capability etc. By continually developing this wide range of fitness components, he is able to access his natural talents when it matters most. Even an athlete who is out of condition can still find somewhere to run or play, but he won’t be in the big time. So too an organisation. It will always find something to sell to someone but if it is out of condition, it will never play in the big league. The Framework for Peak Performance contains nine elements which will enable a CEO, the senior team and every employee to be fit and ready for excellent performance. The elements are as follows: Connection – Transformational leaders are able to experience the connection between themselves and the world – other people, teams, communities, the economy, society and even the globe and beyond. Purpose – Transformational leaders are able to answer the question: What is the purpose of your organisation? A great transformational leader must also be able to answer the question: What is the purpose of your life? Vision – Transformational leaders
understand what vision is and what makes a vision develop its own relentless momentum towards fulfilment – whether it is a right vision or a flawed one.
individuals and organisations break free from the ordinary and become exceptional. It helps CEOs unleash the full power that is latent within their organisation.
Identity – Transformational leaders forge a powerful and unique sense of identity for a business so that its position and brand in the market is unambiguous and undeniable.
The BBBF has embraced the potential of this approach and is actively working with the Institute of Human Development to arrange a series of Transformational Leadership workshops in Bahrain for early 2006. These workshops will be aimed at senior and middle managers across the Kingdom but priority will be given to BBBF members. Places will be limited and are expected to fill quickly. If you would like more information on content, timing and pricing of these workshops, or if you would like to discuss the possibility of a bespoke workshop for your company, please contact Steve Ritchie at the BBBF
Passion – Transformational leaders know how to unleash and focus passion in the workplace. Belief – Transformational leaders are the source of belief in the organisation and must often keep belief alive when there is no other evidence – in other words, be the catalysts of faith. Knowing how to do this is the greatest single gift of a great leader. Gifts – Transformations leaders recognise that there is no quicker or cheaper win for the organisation than identifying and unlocking the individual natural talents and gifts of every employee – it unleashes passion, commitment and selfconfidence at a stroke. Choice – Transformational leaders know intimately the process behind their own choices and know (with real insight) the process behind the choices that other people make. Tension Transformational leaders understand how to utilise the tensions that exist in people’s lives between what they have and what they want. Understanding and implementing this framework creates change – usually significant change. That said, when implemented it helps
For more information on the Institute of Human Development and the services it offers, please visit the IHD website at www.ihd.co.uk
This article is based on a paper written and published by Adrian Gilpin, Chairman, IHD, entitled “Authentic Leadership – Transforming Your People and Your Organisation”, and is reproduced here with his permission. A full copy may be downloaded from the IHD web site at www.ihd.co.uk/ consulting01.html
The British Council in Bahrain
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he British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are a nonpolitical organisation, operating at arm’s length from government in 220 towns and cities in 110 countries worldwide. The areas we focus on are creativity, education and civil society. Our purpose is to build mutually beneficial relationships between people in the UK and other countries and to increase appreciation of the UK’s creative ideas and achievements. In Bahrain we do this in a number of ways and this is a summary of the kind of work we are involved in throughout the year… a very busy year!
• Partnering for Social Inclusion: The movement towards reform presents the British Council with an opportunity to contribute, whether in furthering the women’s agenda, in promoting sporting links, or providing support for the development of citizenship in school curricula. There is an acknowledged need to develop vocational education systems throughout the region in support of nationalising the workforce. Strong UK commercial interest in many countries in the region offers the opportunity to develop mutually beneficial partnerships with the private sector.
Regional Issues and Themes British Council Bahrain is part of the Middle-East Region along with Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. We are best known in the region for our English language teaching and examinations work (see below). But there are other activities we are involved in for which we are much less well known (this will change!) and which are of strategic importance to the UK and the British Council :
• Changing Perceptions of the UK: The persistent image of the UK as not welcoming to foreigners, specifically as anti-Islam, makes it of high importance to promote British creativity and cultural diversity, and to demonstrate that the UK can learn from the Muslim experience through dialogue. Mutuality is key to all our work in Bahrain.
• Supporting Education Development: Education ministries throughout the region are implementing wide-ranging reform programmes. Priorities include School leadership, ICT in schools and Curriculum reform., Teacher-training and Quality assurance. Overseas training, incountry delivery of UK courses and distance learning are all increasing priorities for the region. There is great respect for the UK experience and the British Council is well placed to develop this. 18 Forum
• Meeting the Aspirations of Young People: There is a strong and growing interest in English language learning, UK education and British qualifications, especially among the young. Market research confirms that the British Council is widely perceived as the authority in these fields. Supporting Education Development The British Council’s main partner in Bahrain is the Ministry of Education. We also work closely with General Organisation for Youth & Sports – GOYS, other ministries, arts and cultural groups, nongovernmental organisations and private companies.
MBA Learning Manager Workshop – June 2005 The Ministry of Education has embarked on an ambitious programme of educational reform and the British Council has given support in areas such as English language teaching, primary teacher training, Citizenship curriculum, Leadership training for school principals, the use of ICT in schools, and quality assurance in higher education. We have also helped to identify British partners/academic links for private universities, such as Middlesex and Royal University for Women Partnering for Social Inclusion We have worked closely with the Ministry of Labour to assist in its Bahrainisation goals and we continue to look for ways to assist in the development of vocational training and qualifications. We also give support to the training of teachers of special needs children, for example the “Heart & Soul” Music workshops. The British Council works closely with the British Embassy on various projects, most notably this year on the creation of the Bahrain Youth Parliament, a project led by GOYS.
We are also committed to helping to improve the participation and training of women in accordance with the views expressed by His Majesty the King and Her Highness Shaikha Sabika. Changing Perceptions of the UK in Bahrain, and of Bahrain in the UK In the field of the Arts, Creative industries and Science, the British Council aims to demonstrate to young Bahrainis in particular the UK’s creativity and innovation. And it is equally important to challenge perceptions that young people in the UK may have about people in the Middle East. Events and activities such as the Bahrain in Transition photography workshops which culminated in an exhibition by Bahraini students, the major Common Ground UK photography exhibition in which young people explore the contemporary experience of being a Muslim in the UK, and the Bahrain Youth Parliament project all create opportunities for dialogue between young people in Bahrain and the UK which will help build mutual understanding, respect and appreciation for our different societies and cultures.
Meeting the Aspirations of Young People Study in the UK Britain is the preferred choice for the majority of Bahrainis wishing to study outside the Arab world; it is estimated that there are currently around 1,000 Bahrainis enrolled on long-term courses of study in the UK. The British Council’s Education Promotion service provides information, assistance and guidance to students before they leave Bahrain, and to the wider public. Education staff give presentations and advice in schools.; help with the growing number of visits to Bahrain by representatives of British universities, colleges and schools; participate in educational exhibitions and organise EDUKEX (UK Education Exhibition) each year. Support for the Prime Minister’s Initiative for UK Education This campaign aims to increase the UK’s share of the international student market outside the European Union. Government targets to achieve an additional 50,000 students in higher education and 25,000 more students in further education by 2005 have been exceeded. The initiative, in which the British Council plays a principal role,
is central to our strategy for reaching future leaders and influencing perceptions of the UK. Building Networks A large part of what we do is building relationships and developing networks. Over the coming year we will be developing informal networks of UK alumni, MBA alumni, English language teaching professionals, and groups of artists, writers, musicians, photographers, etc. with an interest in the UK. The aim will be to link these people with people from the UK who have similar areas of interest or expertise. Our Library and Information Services offer resources (hard and electronic), information and advice about the UK to members of our professional networks, British Council students, and the public. Facilities include computers with internet access, books, magazines and journals, CDs, DVDs, e-resources and a video-conference suite. Scholarships The British Council administers the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Chevening Scholarship and Chevening Fellowship Schemes. In consultation with the British Embassy Bahrain we promote the
Dr Hussein Abdullah Bader Al Sadah, Ambassador Robin Lamb and Sandra Hamrouni interacting with representatives of UK universities at EDUKEX.
schemes, invite applications, short list and interview, assist people in their choice of post graduate degree and UK institution if necessary, and then arrange pre-departure briefing and travel details. We expect to be able to offer scholarships to around four to six high achieving Bahrainis each year and the calibre of those selected for these awards is impressive. Any organisations that would like to enquire about sponsoring scholarship programmes should contact the British Embassy or the British Council.
Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT); Open University; Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM); City & Guilds; London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
Strathclyde University MBA Programme Strathclyde delivers its highly acclaimed and prestigious MBA programme through The British Council. This MBA is one of the 1% of MBA schools in the world that carry the “triple crown” rating in that it is accredited by AMBA, (UK), EQUIS (Europe) and AACSB (USA). Over the years more than 70 people have completed the MBA successfully, including 31 Bahrainis and 16 women. Last year three MBA graduates in Bahrain received Distinctions.
The British Council enjoys a reputation as the leading quality provider of ELT in Bahrain. A range of courses is offered, including English courses for adults and young learners, and teacher training programmes. We currently have around 1000 adult students and 1300 YLs aged 7 – 17 years. We also teach Business English, Examination preparation courses, and undertake an increasing amount of work off-site in companies – for example, report writing, presentation skills, business correspondence courses.
UK Examinations Last year the British Council operated 124 examination centres in 96 countries and delivered over 1 million examinations across the world. In Bahrain the British Council ran over 4,300 English language, school, professional and vocational examinations for e.g. University of London (EDEXCEL); UCLES (Cambridge); IELTS (International English Language Testing System); Cambridge ESOL – English for Speakers of Other Languages; Association of Business Executives (ABE);
In all that we do in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the British Council seeks to demonstrate to our target audiences the relevance and quality of British resources, be they on the ground in Bahrain or in the UK.
Teaching English Most people recognise that in today’s world it is essential to have good English language skills. Parents understand the importance of laying good foundations for learning English while their children are young., and many people return to the classroom later in life.
For further information: British Council, PO Box 452, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, Tel: (973) 1726 1555 Fax (973) 1724 1272 e-mail: bc.enquiries@britishcouncil.org.bh Website: www.britishcouncil.org/ bahrain/ Forum 19
New Products from Britain Expert modelmakers bring historic buildings to life Mulvany & Rogers offers scaled miniatures of historic public buildings and private homes that faithfully recreate their full-scale counterparts, inside and out, down to the finest detail. The company has 20 years’ experience of replicating historically significant European buildings. Every detail is lovingly crafted to 1:12 scale and, as art historians, founders Kevin Mulvany and Susie Rogers take great pride in ensuring their work remains historically accurate, which has been a key ingredient in their success.
The miniature replicas are commissioned by both individual and corporate clients and include a wide range of properties, from royal palaces to private dwellings. Previous works includes models of Hampton Court, Versailles, Buckingham Palace, Fontainebleau, The Albert Hall, Sans Souci, Brighton Pavilion, The Garrick Club and Villa Barbero.Their latest model of Spencer House in London is shortly to be displayed in a Museum in Kentucky. For more information see:www.mulvanyandrogers miniatures.com
New jewellery designs London-based Kyles Collection offers an exclusive collection of contemporary jewellery in a range of smart, stylish items in a choice of gold, silver, bronze and jet plating finishes. Kyles Collection jewellery can be produced in over 30 different colours, making it easy to wear with a wide choice of fashion garments and accessories. The company would welcome enquiries from potential agents. For more information see: www.kylescollection.com or email: info@kylescollection.com
Hygenic Tongue cleaner offers profitable opportunity A popular, hygienic tongue cleaner is now available, under licence from its British developer, to potential manufacturers, marketers and distributors. The Tongue Detox is impregnated with an antibacterial additive, and has a mint flavour to increase the sensation of freshness and hygiene. The device is supplied in a variety of colours, so that, for example, various cleaners can be differentiated within a family. It also incorporates two handles, and thumb grips, for effective cleaning. For more information contact: dev@freshbreath4u.co.uk
The New Products from Britain service from UKTI is offered to UK exporters as an assistance to enter overseas markets. Publication of the contact details does not imply an endorsement of the products or services by either UKTI or the BBBF.
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Intelligent wire-free security system offers effective protection against intruders
An innovative wire-free security system, developed in the UK, offers homeowners and commercial property occupiers reliable and effective protection against a variety of security threats.
Outbuildings, such as garages, can be protected with door sensors linked to the alarm system. Smoke detectors are supplied and there is an optional carbon monoxide detector.
The AV2200 system, from Mercury Electronics, uses a compact, single unit to detect pressure changes and infrasonic sound throughout a building. It identifies and verifies attempted break-ins before entry is made – without alerting the intruder – and offers round-the-clock management of accident and health emergencies.
A panic button, accessed via the key fob, enables users to call for assistance and have a two-way conversation with staff at the monitoring station, who can call for medical help or contact friends and relatives of the caller, if necessary.
No unsightly wiring is necessary, and controls are simple to use. Operation is via a simple on/off key, with a radio-frequency key fob for remote entry and exit. The system can be repositioned and reinstalled quickly and without disruption. On detecting a break-in, the AV2200 dials out to a remote monitoring station, where trained staff verify if the intruder is in the property before alerting the emergency services and activating a siren.
Occupants and pets can roam freely around the protected property without triggering the alarm. A chime indicates that someone is entering or leaving – a particularly useful feature for families with young children. The panic button, smoke detector, and carbon monoxide detector remain active and are continuously monitored, even when the system is switched off. Antitamper and radio-jamming protection are incorporated. Mercury Electronics is looking to appoint distributors across the Middle East, and to assist them in setting up monitoring services.
For more information contact: Rashid Khares contact@mercury-electonics.com
Holistic Corner by Julie Lomas
Feeling Frazzled? Is life moving too fast for you?
Here are some practical ways to calm yourself down and get your centre fast. • Turn off your mobile phone - you can always return calls later, or get an answering machine and even better ditch the mobile phone altogether. Or just keep for emergencies. • Turn off the TV. • Turn on the CD player and listen to some relaxing music, the most relaxing that you can find. • Learn how to meditate, or at the very least, sit still and quietly for at least 5 minutes. • Aim for peace and quiet, try not to have background noise going on all the time. Silence is golden but can seem deafening if you’re not used to it, get used to it at least for 15 minutes a day, letting your mind rest. • Cut down on the amount of time you spend net surfing or emailing. Check your emails only two or three times a day. • Go for a walk in a tranquil place, in the park, in the forest or on the beach, not on a busy noisy street. Enjoy the surroundings, take in the colours, breathe the fresh air. • Hug a tree 22 Forum
Insomnia... Problem Solved Sleep is one of the body’s most mysterious processes. Due to our modern way of life, one in four people now experience regular sleep problems. To get to sleep you need to switch off your brain from its normal active beta brain wave state to a more relaxed alpha state. The best way to achieve this is by self meditation, self hypnosis or relaxation tapes. It is not unusual to have sleep problems from time to time, most often at times of stress in our lives. Although some people can suffer from serious sleep disorders which may need medical help. According to the sleep experts most people need between seven to nine hours sleep a night, which will give you and your body optimum performance and health. However some people manage to survive very healthily and happily on five, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher being one of them. If you are suffering from sleep problems here are some ideas that may help.
Foods to Avoid • Caffeine is one of the most important substances to avoid after 5 pm, earlier if possible. Do remember that caffeine is also found in Cola, Cocoa, Chocolate and even some over the counter cold medicines. • If you drink a lot of alcohol you do tend to feel sleepy, but its only because of the way it is metabolised in the body, you may sleep for a few hours and then wake up and find it very difficult to get back to sleep again. Sleep induced by alcohol is not good restful sleep. • Food intolerances can make the problem worse. In one study cows milk appeared to be the
problem, but it can be any food that you have an intolerance or sensitivity too. • Don’t eat big meals late at night • Avoid red meat and too much protein, which tend to wake up the brain. Eat protein for breakfast or lunch.
Some Other Factors • Too much noise and bright light in your bedroom or sleeping place will make you too alert to sleep. • Psychological disorders such as depression is a major factor of sleep problems. As is post traumatic stress and anxiety. • Medical problems such as chronic diseases, chronic pain, breathing problems and heart problems to name a few. Even Menopausal women sometimes find it hard to sleep due to hot flushes which affects the quality of their sleep. • Room temperature being too hot • Jet Lag.
Friendly Foods • Try to make the last meal of the day a carbohydrate based one like pasta, potatoes or brown rice. These starchy foods can have a slight soporific effect. Eating carbohydrate rich foods before sleep also encourages the body to produce the brain chemical serotonin which can help reduce anxiety and improve the quality of sleep. • Serotonin is made from a constituent of protein called tryptophan, so include more foods such as fish, turkey, chicken, cottage cheese, beans, avocados, bananas and wheat germ in your diet. • Sprinkle wheat germ over breakfast cereal. • Try eating a banana an hour before going to bed.
• Try having porridge as a late night snack made with organic rice milk and chopped banana. • Drink Chamomile tea before going to bed or try one of the many night-time formulas • Eat more lettuce at night it contains the natural sedative lactucarium which encourages deeper sleep. • If you’re are not milk intolerant, a warm glass of milk before retiring often helps.
Complementary Therapies • Calcium and magnesium are natures tranquillisers. • The herb kava kava has been proven to reduce stress. It can be taken during the day to help slow you down a little, and 500mg can be taken one hour before bed, but not with alcohol. • Valerian and passiflora are two herbs which help enhance sleep patterns. • Try Putting a piece of either Moonstone, Amethyst or Smokey Quartz under your pillow and put some by your bed side. • Make some Moonstone Water, place a piece of cleaned moonstone into a jug of mineral water, place in the sunlight for 2 to 4 hours, then drink a little each evening before bed. • Take a piece of Clear Quartz Crystal Point and gently sweep around your aura 2 or 3 times before slipping into bed, it will clear any stress from the aura which may be affecting you sleeping. • Take a bath in Lavender and Chamomile oils. • Burn Lavender and chamomile oils in the bedroom. • Read a very boring book. • Try to keep a regular schedule, going to sleep at approximately the same time each night and waking at the same time.
From the Holistic Therapy Couch of Julie Lomas
Do You Like To Be In Control? Have you thought that being in control all the time may be detrimental to others lives?
responsibility with him so I would be able to easily take over, should something happen to him. I myself do all the correspondence, letters, emails, birthdays cards, Christmas cards, anniversaries etc, I need to share some of that with him in case something happens to me and he would at least be able to contact people. I also thought that should anything happen to both of us together at least we should also have made a prepared list of assets, papers etc, and where to look and find things for any family member to take over and sort out, to help them. I am positive many of you reading this are in the same situation, and sometimes we just sit back and let the world go on around us as it seems easier that way, however it’s actually doing ourselves no favours at all. When we let go of control and allow someone else to take the reigns, we are helping others. We help them to teach and trust themselves, to become resourceful, and to take greater responsibility for the quality of their lives. It’s a great argument for giving up the habit of overdoing things. You can start with simple things to get use to handing over: •
Let a friend or spouse : ) even your child navigate directions to a new location without taking over
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Sharing household responsibilities with a teenager (laundry, cooking, etc.)
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Letting your young child choose his or her own clothes
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Letting your spouse do the grocery shopping or take the children out to buy their new shoes or clothes.
Of course you then need to consider more challenging moves: • • • • A client’s mother is seriously ill; whilst we discussed this, my client said something very interesting to me. She said “I now realize why it’s so important to let go of control and allow others to take on some of the responsibility when it comes to managing our lives”. My Client’s father died several years ago, and her older sister had always managed her elderly mothers care, but her sister had also recently passed away in an accident, she was left to start from scratch. Had her sister shared some of the responsibility with her, she would have gained valuable experience that would make this situation easier for her to handle. Later in the day, I thought about my own life. Where was I hanging onto control to the detriment of myself or others? Or was I being lazy about learning about the ropes of the finances etc in our house as I leave much of it to my husband. I really have no clue about what our investments mean etc. I need to think about sharing some of that
Turning over the handling of the finances to your spouse for a while or visa versa Sharing the care of an elderly parent with another family member (even if he or she lives further away) Allowing a friend to research vacation options Sitting back during a meeting and allowing someone else to take a lead role
Letting go of control means surrendering to the reality that there may be mistakes made and yes there will be : ) but that’s how people learn. Mistakes provide us with an opportunity for growth. After all, think about how you do what you do, so well. The real challenge is to keep breathing, and staying calm when you’re tempted to take back control when the situation is not going according to your plans. As I think more about my conversation with my client, I realise it’s an important issue. One that makes me ask myself: What would others struggle with if I weren’t around to handle it? You might want to consider asking yourself that question, too. www.conscious-connections.com Forum 23
Bahrain News New Dilmun Lounge at Bahrain International Airport Bahrain Airport Services recently opened its new Dilmun Lounge at Bahrain International Airport for international airline customers including British Airways, KLM, Qatar Airways, Emirates and other leading international carriers as well as card holders of American Express, Diners Club, Priority Pass and other leading bank card holders. The lounge can be divided into several zones creating exclusivity for some airlines on an as required basis. A business area is available providing free internet access along with WiFiaccess throughout the lounge. The
lounge
has
been
designed with purpose built furniture and fittings creating a unique ambience particularly during the busy evening periods where the lighting of the lounge presents a calming influence over the hustle and bustle of the departure gates and with a view over the busy apron and runway areas. There is a quiet zone with layback seats for passengers who have some time to spare to catch up on a few well earned moments of sleep. The staff will be pleased to provide you with blankets or if you prefer to be wide awake try one of the new shower facilities for which amenity packs are available.
Bahrain-Iran ATM link ‘will boost banking ties’ Automated Teller Machine (ATM) networks of Bahrain and Iran have been linked, enabling customers of each country to have direct access to their accounts from the other country. The linkage was activated last Monday following tests, making Bahrain the first country to establish ATM links with Iran.
Customers can now use their bank cards, check their account balances and make cash withdrawals from their bank accounts in either country.
“We are proud to see this important new addition to our services,” said Benefit Company General Manager Abdulwahid Janahi.“This ALUMINIUM successful project is a SERVICES W.L.L. tribute to Designer, Fabricator and Installer of our partners Best Quality Architectural Aluminium in Iran and Products and Glass such as: to our team. CURTAIN WALLING FULL RANGE OF DOORS We would AND WINDOWS SKYLIGHTS also like to STRUCTURAL GLAZING FIRE RATED DOORS thank the SHOP FRONTS AND WINDOWS Bahrain FRAMELESS DOORS STAIR CASE & Monetary AUTOMATIC DOOR BALCONY RAILINGS Agency for SYSTEMS REVOLVING DOORS t h e i r CLADDING continuous Authorised Builder of Technal, France support for Authorised Agent for Boon Edam Revolving Doors Tel: 1729 0987 Fax: 1729 1643 this and Email: aluser@batelco.com.bh o t h e r P.O.BOX 26586, MANAMA, KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN projects.This We offer free Consultation Service to new service Architects, Contractors and Clients will be a
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Personalised waiter services are available along with a buffet and bar service in case you want to eat and drink before boarding your aircraft when sleep might be a higher priority. The newly recruited and trained staff aims to keep the ambience of the lounge as
calm as possible and will personally invite you to board your flight without intrusive tannoy calls. Bahrain Airport Services and its customer airlines look forward to welcoming you to the new Dilmun Lounge next time you are traveling through Bahrain
great convenience to the public as it will reduce the need to carry cash when they are travelling to Iran and vice versa. They will be able to go to any ATM and withdraw cash as they would do at home.” Following the signing of the agreement, the ATM switch operators of the two countries, namely the Benefit Company in Bahrain and Iran’s Informatics Services Corporation (ISC), began work on implementing the project. “Our team at Benefit has carried out a number of tests to ensure a high speed, safe, secure and cost effective connection that ensures the smooth transfer of payments across borders,” said Mr. Janahi.As well as connecting Bahrain and Iran, this initiative gives other GCC countries a window of opportunity to expand their service to Iran through the Benefit switch in the future,” he said. “Benefit is already connected to the ATM Switches in the other GCC countries and in
addition the ATM cardholders in Bahrain also have the facility to withdraw cash from ATMs in Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt.” Central Bank of Iran Payment Systems Department director Mehran Sharifi said this was a major milestone in the development of banking services between both countries. “We have very close ties with Bahrain and its banking system,” he said. The Bahrain-Iran ATM link uses a satellite link, in a highly secure environment. This is the latest communications technology, rather than land lines.
Bahrain News Formula BMW World Final to be held in Bahrain
The championships of the four Formula BMW series have not yet been decided, but preparations for the season’s highlight are already running at full throttle. From 13th to 16th December, the first Formula BMW World Final is to be held on the Bahrain International Circuit. Racing in a tournament format, the young drivers of the four series will be competing not only for a $60,000 purse but also for the winner’s prize: a Formula One test drive. The Formula BMW series are now held in 14 countries across three continents. This year sees 87 drivers from 31 nations competing against each other. In principle, all drivers involved in any of this year’s four Formula BMW series are eligible to compete in the World Final, i.e. drivers in the Formula BMW ADAC Championship, the Formula BMW Asia Series, the Formula BMW UK Championship and the Formula
BMMI To build new Hotel A BD17 million four-star hotel is to be constructed in central Manama by BMMI in the old premises of the BMMI HQ, near Bab Al Bahrain. BMMI will establish a new company, the Banader Hotels Company, to run the project.The new company, with a capital of BD15 million, will be floated in September. 26 Forum
BMW USA Championship. Each driver must have previously taken part in at least three Formula BMW race events. The event takes the form of a tournament which will give drivers numerous opportunities for competitive racing. 180 minutes of Free Practice will enable them to familiarise themselves with the circuit in detail. For each Qualifying Session, entrants will be divided into four groups within which drivers compete against each other. A points system calculates an intermediate score for each driver. The highest scorers qualify directly for the Pre-Final. Another group competes in the Second Chance Race, in which the best finishers can still secure a place in the Pre-Final. The results of the Pre-Final determine the grid line-up for the Final, which takes place on the Friday and sees only the best of the drivers competing against each other.
“We are grateful to the Bahrain government which has allowed BMMI and its shareholders to own 60% of the capital” said BMMI Chairman Abdulla Buhindi. The remaining 40% of the shares will be offered to the public and the hotel will have 145 rooms and 75 furnished apartments. The new hotel, located close to the Bahrain Financial Harbour, will have five-star facilities.
Zayani Leasing (ZL) Zayani Leasing (ZL) is a fully owned subsidiary at Zayani Motors, the well established automotive dealers and sole distributor for Mitsubishi Motors in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Zayani Leasing operates with the full backing of Mitsubishi Motor Corporation (MMC). Since its inception in 1994, and throughout its progressive era in the automotive segment, Zayani Motors has consolidated its position as a pioneer in the automotive industry. With a proactive approach in this field, Zayani Motors has become a recognized name with a solid repertoire for delivering unsurpassable expectations when it comes to catering to their customer’s motoring requirements. Leasing vehicles is considered to be the smart choice for those who want to drive a new vehicle more often with total peace of mind. Zayani Leasing offers its loyal customers an impeccable service and the best facilities that go beyond the standard, ensuring an added value for their money. Zayani Leasing provides “off a balance sheet” finance of vehicles to its clients. Under this service clients can keep their cash and benefit from reducing their capital expenditure under the flexible lease program.
Zayani Leasing offers customers an array of great benefits which include; vehicle selection, lower initial costs and low monthly payments based on a portion of the vehicle’s value. Calculations of leasing payments are based on the vehicle type, operating conditions, mileage and contract period. Also, Zayani Leasing customers enjoy the privilege of driving a new vehicle more often especially as lease terms are shorter than finance terms. A tailored warranty to fit the lease program where insurance and taxes are incorporated in the lease contract gives all Zayani Leasing customers, ultimate peace of mind. With a closed-end lease contract, customers can return their vehicles without any complications, turn it in and lease another one or buy their leased vehicle instead. Customers don’t have to worry about the depreciation value of their vehicle as they are returning it. At Zayani Leasing you simply choose the model to suit your needs, be it for a business purpose, personal use or to suit the composition of your fleet. Zayani Motors caters for all your motoring needs.
Specialist Vehicle Centre A BD10 million state-of-the-art car service and engineering complex, called the Toyota Plaza, is to be built in Isa Town. It is being constructed by Ebrahim K Kanoo, distributors of Toyota and Lexus in Bahrain.The first phase of the project will be completed in two years and located on a 27,000 square
metre site north of the current Toyota service centre in Isa Town. The project will create more than 100 new jobs for Bahrainis. Mohammed Kanoo has already signed a BD5 million contract with Charilaos Apostolides Bahrain for the construction of the first phase.
Bahrain News Bahrain Monument The BD5.7 million Bahrain Monument being built in Sakhir is more than halfway finished. The monument, which will include a lecture hall, library and museum, is now 55% completed. It is being built on an 8.45-hectare site and is expected to be ready by June 2006, said Prime Minister’s advisor for legal affairs and project director, Jawad Al Arrayedh. The two-storey building is being built to commemorate support shown towards reforms initiated by His Majesty King Hamad. It will include an artificial pond surrounded by Coliseum-like seats, which can accommodate up to 2,400 people. The structure will also feature laser technologies and a giant sundial, while the museum will contain historical documents.
Gulf Hotel plans renovation Bahrain’s Gulf Hotel will embark on a BD5.9 million renovation scheme later this year. The plans were unveiled by Bahrain Hotels Company chairman Farouk Almoayyed.
4,508 to take entrance examination
Bahrain’s main runway to be resurfaced
A total of 4,508 students including 2,091 girls, will be joining the University of Bahrain’s colleges this academic year after passing the newly introduced entrance test.
Work on resurfacing the Bahrain International Airport’s main runway is to start later this year. A budget of BD10.6m has been allocated for the project and designs are now being finalised by consultants Gibb of the UK, which is also preparing the tender documents.
Of them, 1,843 are science graduates, 384 literature graduates, 1,910 commercial graduates, 343 technical graduates and 28 from different divisions. The students’ admission will be based on their secondary grades and the results of the test. 90% of the admissions would be according to the school marks and 10% based on the result of the test. The percentage has been kept low because the practice is being implemented for the first time. The company’s board of directors has approved a major renovation plan during 2005/ 2006 including complete rooms and facade renovation of the Tower Block, Al Waha Cafe Restaurant, Sato Japanese Restaurant, Sherlock Holmes and the lobby area.
‘Treasure Hunt’ to raise green awareness MTC-Vodafone and T & M Eventscom, a Bahrain-based leading events management consultancy, are gearing up for the third annual MTCVodafone Environmental Treasure Hunt which will take place on Friday, November 25. The event will be held under the patronage of Shaikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Head of the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife. Preparations are already underway for the event 28 Forum
which aims to raise p u b l i c awareness of a worthy cause. Activities for this event are designed to steer people towards the path of a cleaner and greener Bahrain.
And Finally
Contractors will be prequalified following a media campaign undertaken through local, GCC and international newspapers. Work is expected to start by the end of the year, and be completed in eight months.
A new book ‘Culture Shock Bahrain’ is about to hit the bookstalls before Christmas.
The airport will operate as normal during the resurfacing work. Most of the work will be carried out during late night and early morning hours, between 2am and 6am, when traffic is very low.
“You’ll never feel intimidated and awkward about the customs and etiquette of another country again.
The airport presently has one runway. The parallel taxiway was upgraded in order not to disrupt airline operations in the event of major works on the runway. The existing 3,900m runway underwent a major renovation and resurfacing in 1982.
Home Style Suites One, two, three bedrooms with living and dining rooms. Fully furnished, 24 hour room service, with on site gym, Sizzlers restaurant, Henry’s Café Bar
Previous reviews of the Culture ShocK series have said
With the insights provided in this guide, you’ll learn to see beyond the stereotypes and misinformation that often precede a visit to a foreign land. Whether you plan to stay for a week or for a year, you’ll benefit from such topics as understanding the rules of driving and monetary systems, religious practices and making friends. There are tips on political traditions, building business relationships, and the particular intricacies of setting up a home or office.” Billed as being great for the business traveler, the foreign exchange student, or the tourist who makes a sincere attempt to cross the bridge into a new and exciting culture, we’ll attempt to get hold of a copy before our next issue goes to press and see if it lives up to the reputation touted. ISBN:1558688536