From The Chair
Registration number ISSN 1985-9929
Contents
Welcome to the Summer edition of the BBBF magazine.
A lot of business has been conducted during the first half of the year and hopefully you will get an opportunity to reflect on your achievements, over the warmer summer months, with some well earned rest and relaxation. Khalid Al-Zayani OBE Chairman
His Majesty, HRH King HamadÂ’s, recent visit to the United Kingdom was a resounding success and further cemented the strong bi-lateral relationship and business ties between our two islands. This is of particular significance as we fast approach the 200th anniversary of official ties between Bahrain and the United Kingdom. The Formula 1 brought a significant number of business leaders to our shores and I am delighted that a number of our members participated in the various events showcasing Bahrain as a great place to do business, live and develop a regional platform in. We have also seen business confidence retur n throughout Bahrain and beyond into the G.C.C., as pockets of financial instability have largely subsided and business leaders have resolved to push ahead with their ambitious strategies and plans for a brighter future. A special mention also to both HSBC, our corporate sponsors, and Standard Chartered, our Special Interest Group sponsors, who continue to be a great source of financial support and generous encouragement. Their unwavering support allows us the financial security to increase the frequency and quality of events that we organise for our members benefit and enjoyment. We hope that you enjoy this Forum edition and the Committee look forward to seeing you, and your guests, at forthcoming BBBF events. For those of you travelling to cooler climates over the summer we wish you safe journeys and a peaceful Ramadan. With kind regards Khalid Al-Zayani OBE Chairman
The 2013-2015 Executive Committee ......2 From Her Majesty’s Ambassador ....................3 Welcome to New Members .................4 Diary Dates......................5 Member Benefits .............6 Why join the BBBF? ........7 Embassy News................8 Photos from the GREAT British Fashion Show.....10 SIG Update ...................12 SIG Security ..................14 HSBC in the community 20 Financial News ..............22 Motoring News ..............28 BAC achieves ISO.........32 Feature Article 8 vital steps to meet legal document management requirements .................33 Education ......................34 News from the EP .........36 Construction Sector .......38 Hotel & Leisure News ....40 Bahrain News ................46 And Finally.....................52 Cover Image: F1 at night proves to be a success.
Our thanks to all the advertisers in this edition of Forum. Without their support, this issue would not have been possible. Please give them yours. 2 Connect ........................................ Inside Back Cover Etihad Airlines ................................................. page 25 ACE ................................................................. page 19 Euromotors Jaguar.......................................... page 31 Al Jazira Supermarket ..................................... page 43 Euromotors Land Rover .................................. page 33 Almoayed Wilelmsen Ltd................................. page 9 G4S ................................................................. page 15 Audi Centre Bahrain ........................................ page 27 Gulf Agency Co ............................................... page 39 AXA Insurance ............................. Outside Back Cover HSBC .............................................................. page 21 BFC ................................................................. page 23 Mansouri Mansions ......................................... page 44 BMMI - Al Osra Supermarket .......................... page 49 Nexus ..............................................Inside Front Cover Crown Relocations .......................................... page 32 NHSC .............................................................. page 17 Cutis Clinic ...................................................... page 45 Phil Weymouth Photography........................... page 5 Dipomat Radisson Blu..................................... page 41 The Robin Hill Hotel ........................................ page 51 BBBF Tel: +973 1781 3488, Fax: +973 1781 3489, Email: bbbforum@batelco.com.bh Bahrain British Business Forum, P. O. Box 10051, Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
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The 2013-15 BBBF Executive Committee
Chairman Khalid Al Zayani OBE
Deputy Chairman Austin Rudman Mob: 3969 9475
Hon-Secretary Jill Boggiss Mob: 3604 4100
Treasurer Jonathan Trafankowski Mob: 3914 8599
Embassy Representative Debbie Dixon Mob: 3947 4208
Member Julia Atherton-Dandy Mob: 3966 0598
Member Nasser Al Arayedh Tel: 1727 2575
Member Mazen Al Umran Tel: 1771 5555
Member Adel Fakhro Tel: 1727 5000
Member Rick Hopper Tel: 3979 1090
SIG Chair Paula Boast Tel: 3930 0577
Executive Manager Dena Wales Tel: 3969 6191
This edition of the BBBF Forum magazine was compiled by Andrew Mead at Mead Management Services Ltd. email: andrew@sbtd.co.uk UK Mob: 0044 7940 559 925 Bahrain Mobile: 00973 3638 7595 KSA Mob: 00966 506 271 151 If you would like to contribute to a future edition please telephone or send an email to info@sbtd.co.uk A full page advert is charged at BD330. A half page advert at BD200, A quarter page advert at BD110 A small panel at BD55 Assistance with Advert design is available if required Please note: The BBBF nor its agents do not warrant the services of any of the individual or corporate members of the BBBF. The views and opinions expressed by independent contributors must not be regarded as those of the BBBF or its agents. Publication of any article or advertisement does not imply any endorsement of the views, products or services described therein.
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From Her Majesty's Ambassador
There has been a certain after the Lord Mayor s Show feeling since GREAT British Week in January and the Lord Mayor s visit in February, about which I commented in my last column. The major exception to this was the hugely successful Formula One Grand Prix. Aside from the strong British element, which I ll come to in a moment, the event was a truimph on many levels. Apart from Lewis Hamilton taking the chequered flag, there were other winners, namely Formula One, the Sakhir circuit, the Crown Prince and, ultimately, Bahrain. The switch to a night race was a stroke of genius, with a wry comment from one senior Bahraini involved with the race that it had taken them 10 years to work it out. It s worth noting that this was not just the first night race in the Middle East but also the first on a purpose-built F1 track (which Singapore isn t). The result was beyond Bahrain s wildest dreams (though probably not Lewis Hamilton s!). The switch to a night race was widely acclaimed by drivers, teams
and spectators alike. As I m sure those of you who were there will acknowledge, the atmosphere was incredible, with the largest crowds in the race s 10 year history. The floodlit desert circuit looked stunning. The race itself ("The Thriller in Manama") was described as one of the best F1 races anywhere for many years, with the BBC s F1 pundit David Coulthard calling it "brilliant and a victory for F1". Jean Todt, President of the FIA (motorsports ruling body), told me after the race that he felt vindicated for sticking with Bahrain. The race was also the culmination of a positive period for the BIC. The fact that the circuit was chosen as the venue for many weeks of preseason F1 testing (during the lively mid February to mid March period of 2011 commemorations) and that all the teams stayed on after the Grand Prix to further test their cars proved that Bahrain and the venue have a good reputation with the F1 teams. And befitting an industry largely based in the UK (I enjoyed telling the German Ambassador that the Mercedes team is based in Brackley, in Northamptonshire!), there is increasing British interest in business opportunities associated with the Sakhir circuit and the Grand Prix. And I m glad to say that the Embassy is helping with that. Aside from
the thrills and spills of Formula One, another highlight of the last quarter was the visit of the Minister for the Armed Forces, Mark Francois MP. It really underlined both the strength of the bilateral and defence relationships and the important role which Bahrain plays in regional security, as host to the US 5th Fleet, the UK Maritime Component Command (Royal Navy HQ in plain English) and the 30 nation strong Combined Maritime Force. As was reported in the press, the Minister inaugurated work at Mina Salman Port on the new UKMCC HQ, which will be located, as it is now, inside the new US HQ. It is a very vivid statement of the UK s long-term commitment to Bahrain and the Gulf. And finally I ll end on some business notes. Early April saw the UK s first bilateral Islamic Finance Summit, following on from the highly successful World Islamic Economic Forum in London last autumn. Appropriately, given Bahrain s status as the leading Islamic Finance centre in the Arab world, it was a UK/Bahrain Summit, co-hosted by Baroness Warsi, Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and HE Rasheed Al Maraj, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain. The Summit agreed to boost cooperation through an education and skills programme and the establishment of a working group devoted to the development of Islamic finance-driven bilateral trade and investment.
Leadership Conference. One of the highlights for me was the presentation by Lord Livingston, the former boss of BT and now Minister for Trade and Investment. His focus was on mid-sized business (MSBs). Although they make up less than 1% of UK companies they contribute around 20% of employment and tur nover. The CBI calls them the forgotten middle . Only 17% of them generate revenue outside the UK, compared with 25% in Germany and 30% in Italy. Ian Livingston s new initiative is to provide every company in the UK whose turnover is between £25m and £250m with tailored advice and an intensive programme of support to help them start exporting or to break into new markets. I look forward to the Embassy s UK Trade and Investment team helping them to do that. With Debbie s team in UKTI s global top 10 in a number of areas, e.g. generating business opportunities, and UK exports to Bahrain already up 30% in the first 4 months of this year compared with 2013, I am confident that we can play our part in boosting the trade and investment necessary for the UK s ongoing economic recovery.
Last week, I was in London for the FCO s annual
Iain Lindsay OBE HM Ambassador Forum
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Antoinette de Windt Expat Angels WLL Director Tel: 38320439 info@expatangelsbahrain.com
Hanan Faraj Capital Club Bahrain Membership Manager Tel: 1710-0100 Fax: 1710-0101 hanan.faraj@capitalclubbahrain.com
Emilia Mateva Capital Club Bahrain Private Events Co-ordinator Tel: 1710-0100 Fax: 1710-0101 emilia.mateva@ capitalclubbahrain.com
Dina Haikel Capital Club Bahrain General Manager Tel: 1710-0100 Fax: 1710-0101 dina.haikel@capitalclubbahrain.com
Russell Millar BAE Systems Director, Northern Gulf
Ann Hearn Crown Consultants International Managing Director Tel: 77006266 Fax: 77006277 annhearn@crownci.me
Andrew Humphreys BAE Systems VP Middle East andrew.humphreys@ baesystems.com
Kashif Iqbal Ahad Holdings Manager Tel: 17730900 Fax: 17730800 kashif.iqbal@manamagroup.net
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Daniel Kaan Mรถvenpick Hotel Bahrain General Manager Tel: 1746 0088 Fax: 1746 0089 daniel.kaan@moevenpick.com
russell.millar@baesystems.com
Michael Reid Crown Worldwide Movers Relocation Consultant Tel: 1722 7598 Mob: 3838 9107 mreid@crownww.com
Patrick Rennell Bahrain Polytechnic Head of Business School Tel: 1789 7159 Fax: 1789 7009 patrick.rennell@polytechnic.bh
John Taylor Charles Russell LLP Business Development Manager Tel: 17133200 Fax: 17233201 john.taylor@charlesrussell.co.uk
Welcome to New Members Alan F. Whelan Batelco Group CEO Tel: 17884400 Fax: 17611822 alan.whelan@batelcogroup.com
Steven Wright BAE Systems Business Development Manager gabriella.musetti@baesystems.com
Diary Dates
September 15th - Islamic New Year
Monday June 16th Evening: 6pm - 8pm SIG - ICT Speaker Mike Jackson Venue: British Club
Tuesday September 23rd Business Networking Lunch meeting Venue: TBA Registration: 12 noon
Tuesday June 17th Business Networking Lunch meeting Venue: TBA Registration: 12 noon
Eid al Adha - October 4th - 7th
Thursday June 19th SIG Security Lunch meeting Venue: TBA Registration: 12 noon Ramadan is expected to begin on Sat. June 28th Wednesday July 16th Ramadan Iftar - Members only Venue: British Club Evening: 6.30pm Eid al Fitr - July 28th - 30th Tuesday August 19th Business Networking Lunch meeting Venue: tba Registration: 12 noon Thursday August 28th Afternoon 3pm - SIG Security Meeting Venue: TBA
October BBBF/Palm Association Charity Cricket match Details to be confirmed Tuesday October 21st Business Networking Lunch meeting Venue: tba Registration: 12 noon Thursday October 30th SIG Security Meeting Venue: tba Ashura - November 2nd - 5th November 6th to 12th Chelsea Pensioners visit Details: tba Events in the pipeline Please note - dates and timings are subject to change. Visit the BBBF website www.bbbforum.org and check the calendar for updated details on the above and other events/ meetings being held.
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Benefits for BBBF Members
Benefits for all our members may be obtained on production of their Membership card at the concerned outlet. We would like to hear your feedback concerning these discounts. Please do not hesitate to offer your services to our members by contacting the BBBF office. If any member has any difficulty obtaining a discount, please contact the BBBF office so we can rectify the situation. AXA Insurance 10% discounts to members on personal lines insurances. (excluding medical) Terms & Conditions Apply. Contact: Stephen Wagstaff Tel: 1758 8222 Email: stephen.wagstaff@axa-gulf.com Bahrain Kuwait Insurance Company (BKIC) Special schemes have been arranged with BKIC for BBBF members for the following classes of insurance: House & Contents, Domestic Servants & Motor Insurance. Special terms are available on production of your membership card. Bateel BBBF Members can enjoy 10% Discount when presenting their Membership Card, Complimentary collection for refilling, Complimentary delivery. Development Managers readily available for a courtesy meeting at your location. Email: m.shareef@almoayedgeneral.com Contact: Mahboob Shareef Mobile: 3964 4222 Bizladies BBBF members can join Bizladies for a 25% reduction in the fees (BD75 for 9 events instead of BD100). In addition a 10% discount may be obtained against organisational and executive coaching, proof reading, training, assistance with academic writing and psychometric profiling. Contact:- Dr. Clare Beckett-McInroy (Managing Director), Mobile:- +973 38442727, Email:- clare@beckett-mcinroy www.bahrain@bizladies.org British Airways Valid until 29 February 2015. BA is offering BBBF members a 10% discount on published fares from Bahrain to UK, Europe, North America and South America in Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller. The discount rate is applicable to round or one-way trip tickets originating from Bahrain. This discount is not valid on taxes, fees and surcharges.To book please login at www.ba.com/bbbf. Craig Consultants 10% discount for members on 1-on-1 Executive Coaching, Contact: Kevin Craig Tel: 36199980 Email: kevin@craigconsultants.com DHL 25% discount from the cash tariff for any personal shipments being sent from Bahrain to anywhere in the world available on production of your membership card. DHL Customer Service Tel: 1736 4100 www.dhl.com.bh Expat Angels 10% discount on all packages and services. Contact: info@expatangelsbahrain.com
Tel: 3832-0439
Gulf Computer Services (GCS) IT Health Check. GCS have offered BBBF Members a site survey and assessment of all their computer hardware, software and systems. This usually chargeable service is offered Free of Charge to BBBF Members. To take advantage of this unique offer contact Barrie Jones at barrie.jones@gulfcomputerservices.com Offer valid until Dec 31st 2013. Hasan Mansouri 10% discount to members at Mansouri Mansions Hotel and Country Club. Contact: Karim Mansouri Tel: 1772 8144 Email: karim@karimmansouri.com 6
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Jeeves of Belgravia LondonÂ’s Finest Dry Cleaner is offering all BBBF members an exclusive discount of 50% for their first trial of our services. Thereafter, all BBBF members shall get a 25% discount in all their orders. For collections, please call our hotline at 1746 5575 and visit our website: www.jeevesbahrain.com MANDEVCO International 10% discount for the Experiential Team & Leader Programme and all Corporate training, offsites & conferences delivered during May til Septmber 2014. Contact: Graham Nugent Tel: 00973 7711 8188 Email: graham.nugent@ MANDEV.co Marriott Executive Apartment and Residence Inn Bahrain 10% discounts on the best available room rates for BBBF Member companies. 20% discounts when dining in Skyw@lk CafĂŠ upon production of the BBBF membership card. Valid until 31/12/14 Contact Florence Lantuejoul Tel: 1736 3999 email: florence.lantuejoul@marriott.com National Hotel Services (NHSC) 5% on beers, 15% on wines and spirits with the exception of products already on special offer. Contact: Ian Bricklebank Tel: 1781-5929 Email: nhsc1234@batelco.com.bh Nexus Financial Services 10% premium discount to members on personal lines insurances.(e.g. Motor, Medical, Travel and Home Contents etc). Premium Allocation Benefits for International Retirement and University Education Funding Plans. plus Free Monthly Premium Benefits for Life Assurance and Critical Illness Policies. Terms & Conditions Apply. Contact: Emanuel Lantzos Tel: 1753 1766 / 1753 1703 Email: Emanuel.lantzos@nexusadvice.com or info.bahrain@nexusadvice.com Protection Insurance Service offers BBBF members special rates on their personal insurance (motor, home, travel and any other insurance cover). Members will just call to select the cover type, share the credit card number and we will deliver the policy documents to his / her office. Please call 3904-3446 or 3645-4282 Radisson Blu - Muscat BBBF Members pay OMR99 per night for Room and 18 holes T: +968 2448 7777 E: reservations.muscat@radissonblu.com Ritz-Carlton, Doha Stay for minimum 2 nights at the club level of The Ritz-Carlton, Doha and get a Food & Beverages credit of USD 50/day. 15% savings for all treatments at The Ritz-Carlton Spa Contact: Hanny Gunawan, Director PR, Tel: +974 4484 8303, email: hanny.gunawan@ritzcarlton.com Royal Over-Seas League Reduced rates for BBBF members at ROSL clubhouses in London and Edinburgh Email: fvanicek@rosl.org.uk Tel: 0044 20 7408 0214 Fax: 0044 20 7499 6738 Servcorp Business Package Two months at half price on any Servcorp Virtual Office Contact: Heather Longden, Sales Manager Tel: 1750 2710 email: hlongden@servcorp.me Web: www.servcorp.bh
Why Join The BBBF?
BAHRAIN The Pearl of the Gulf has had a long standing relationship with Britain and is still a major trading partner.
Membership directories are distributed to members of visiting Trade Missions and are available through the Embassy and business centres in five star hotels.
BRITISH Trade with Bahrain is now subject to significant competition in this era of globalisation particularly from countries in Europe and from the USA.
Simply click on “Sign Up” on our website www.bbbforum.org complete the application form and click submit. Sounds simple, it is, it must be worth it.
BUSINESS between Bahrain and Britain must be promoted in order for Britain to maintain its dominant position. The BBBF has been formed to help in whatever way it can to do this and through its close cooperation with the British Embassy seeks to promote exchange of trade and good relations between Bahrain and Britain. FORUM Is defined in the Collins English Dictionary as, an assembly or meeting to discuss topics of public concern . The BBBF provides through its monthly meetings a platform for networking amongst its members and the exchange and dissemination of useful business leads and opportunities. In addition, in return for a modest subscription, members receive the benefit of inclusion in an annual directory describing the products and services they have to offer and a listing on the BBBF website again with a description of activities, contact numbers and useful links.
BBBF Membership Application Please complete the membership form and send it to: BBBF Executive Office, Fax: (00973) 1781 3489, or Email: bbbfmemberships@batelco.com.bh. For further information call (00973) 1781 3488, Web site: www.bbbforum.org
Cost of membership (2014) Individual Membership: BD 100 per annum, with an additional BD 40 once-only registration fee. Corporate Membership: BD 400 per annum (up to 5 individuals) plus BD 40 for each applicant up to a maximum of 10, with an additional BD 100 once-only registration fee. Corporate Sponsorships Three levels of sponsorship are available: Platinum: BD 3500 each year for three years Gold: BD 3500 for one year Silver: BD 1750 for one year Sponsor packages include a variety of advertisement opportunities in the Membership Directory, the Forum magazine, the BBBF website and at the regular lunch meetings. Full details are available on request.
Corporate Membership please complete separate form for each applicant
Individual Membership
Company Name
Website address of business (if applicable)
Title and full name (Surname first)
Describe how you / your company contribute to substantial business interests in Bahrain (Maximum 150 words)
Position in business Nationality
Date of Birth
CPR Number Address of business (P.O.Box & Town) Business telephone
Facsimile
Home telephone
Mobile
E-mail address
I agree to abide by the BBBF Constitution & Internal regulations. Applicants Signature
Please note that the granting of individual or corporate membership is subject to BBBF Committee approval.
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Embassy News Airports Mission to London
UK-Bahrain Islamic Finance Summit
UKTI in collaboration with British Aviation Group (BAG) and Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) organised a visit to London at the end of March, to highlight opportunities at Bahrain International Airport. The briefing included an opening presentation by BAG Deputy Chairman Alan Lamond with further presentations made by Bahrain Airport Company Chief Executive Mohamed Al-Binfalah and the Bahraini Minister of Transportation, His Excellency Kamal bin Ahmed Mohamed. The one day visit aimed to familiarise British companies with opportunities within Bahrain s aviation sector and included a series of one-to-one meetings with UK companies. The event provided a strong platform to engage with key British businesses and showcase Bahrain s unparalleled regional connectivity by road, sea and air, as well as the opportunities created by the ongoing investment in core transport infrastructure, His Excellency said. Our strategy will ensure that Bahrain continues to provide excellent connectivity across the region to support international investors looking to access the $1.5 trillion Gulf market he added. Russ Dixon, Deputy Head of Mission was also in attendance and commented that 2016 would mark the 200th anniversary of friendship and strong bilateral relations between the UK and Bahrain and British companies have made a significant contribution to the market in the advancement of key sectors such as logistics, engineering and aerospace. If you are interested in learning more about opportunities at Bahrain International Airport, please contact UKTI infrastructure lead Heather.Hopper@fco.gov.uk 8
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On 8 April 2014, the first UK-Bahrain Islamic Finance Summit took place at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London. His Excellency Rasheed Mohammed Al-Maraj, Governor of the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) led the Bahraini delegation while The Rt. Hon Baroness Warsi, Senior Minister of State at the FCO led the British delegation. The event was attended by key Islamic finance officials and experts from both countries with keynote speeches delivered by the Governor, Baroness Warsi, The Rt Hon Fiona Woolf, the Lord Mayor of the City of London and Edward Oakden, Director of MENA at the FCO. Three panel discussions took place at the event where opportunities for closer bilateral cooperation on investment, regulation and education and training were the key themes. Panellists primarily discussed key market trends, opportunities for growth, product development, the regulatory framework and streamlining Islamic finance standards across the three sessions. Two MOUs were also signed within the margins of the event, one between the CBB and the FCO and the other between the University of Bolton and the Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF), both with the aim to further bolster ties between Bahrain and the UK on
Islamic finance. The Summit proved an excellent platform to form the ground work for further cooperation between the government, private sector and academia in both countries as well as form new partnerships on Islamic finance.
Arab Health and Education Show In January, UKTI healthcare and education sector lead Yara Tawfeeq attended the 39th edition of Arab health. The annual conference had a large number of delegates, visitors, speakers and exhibitors from across the world in attendance. There was an immense British presence showcasing their products and services, including: medical technology, laboratory equipment, medical disposables commodities and consumer goods for hospitals, surgical products and services etc. Later on in March, UKTI Bahrain attended the Education Show in Birmingham. Across the 3-day event, Yara met companies from primary, secondary and higher education backgrounds that had an interest in doing business in Bahrain. To learn more, contact education sector lead Yara Tawfeeq: yara.tawfeeq@fco.gov.uk
Ministerial Joint Working Group On 5 June, Foreign & Commonwealth Office Minister of State, the Rt Hon Hugh Robertson MP visited Bahrain for the bi-annual Ministerial Joint Working group. Discussions covered a range of issues including trade and investment developments. Ministers acknowledged significant commercial developments over the last six months which included; BT signing an agreement in April this year with VIVA Bahrain; Rolls Royce five year agreement with Gulf Air to extend RollsRoyce Totalcare support for its fleet of six A330 aircraft powered by Trent 700 engines; renewal of Serco s Air Traffic Control contract at Bahrain International Airport and UK companies support for the new planned bus operation and Airport expansion.
Tradelinks There is a new offering from UKTI that BBBF members will have seen last month Tradelinks is a new business to business match-making service that aims to put UK companies seeking representation across a range of sectors, in touch with Bahrain based businesses. May s newsletter included interest from those seeking representation and business in the construction, beauty and healthcare industries. Some of those leads are shown alongside. If you have any questions regarding this service, or would like us to email you a copy of last month s newsletter, please contact Heather.Hopper@fco.gov.uk The newsletter is delivered to all BBBF members in an e-shot once a month.
Tradelinks Bahrain
TL001 – Construction Looking for a business partner? A specialist stockist and supplier of a vast range of fasteners, fixings, tooling and welding products for the engineering, construction and pipeline water industries looking for potential partners in Bahrain.
TL002 – Construction Dealing with HV networks? Meet them! An independent analytical laboratory and consulting firm that specialises in diagnostic testing of oil, gas and other insulating materials used in transformers, power circuit breakers and load tap-changers are looking to meet industries with HV networks and local HV electrical contractors to begin building up relations in Bahrain. They are leaders in the development and application of condition-based maintenance programmes for electric utilities, industrial high-voltage power users and service companies. *They will be making regular trips to the region and happy to meet with interested organisations. TL003 – Healthcare Searching for a product you can’t find in Bahrain? A Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Wholesaler in the UK able to source and supply any UK goods in this category for any such agents/distributors in Bahrain. They could source Medicine, Surgicals, OTC Medicines and such which you may need as a special requirement. TL004 – Healthcare Cheaper and safer surgical products. A manufacturer and supplier of high quality disposable instruments that have the functionality, look and feel of re-usables; enabling hospitals to remove difficult to clean devices from their instrument trays, ultimately reducing the risk, and cost of, patient to patient cross-infections are looking for a distributor. The range includes over 150 designs of suction tubes and other fine cannula for neuro-, spinal, ENT, vascular, gynaecological and general surgery. TL005 – Healthcare Become a Master Franchisee to a new and innovative product. A new and revolutionary company, specialising in the development, manufacture and application of decontamination solutions against surface and airborne pathogens within the healthcare, food and drink, hotel & leisure, pharmaceutical, transport and retail sectors, would like to sell a Master Franchisee to a strong and highly motivated individual or company. The Master Franchisee will also have the option to manufacture the biocides under license and sell sub-franchises to interested individuals, who will carry out the decontamination service. TL006 – Beauty Care Hotels, spas and department stores. A supplier of personal care products such as body and hand washes and lotions to businesses like hotels, spas and department stores would like to find a distributor in Bahrain.
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Special Interest Groups I m delighted to say that our new Young Professionals special interest group is now up and running. You can read all about that under Tom Reynold s piece in this edition. Our lunch this month to launch YP SIG alongside Bahrain Polytechnic s new Students into Industry Scheme drew a lot of interest across a truly diverse range of sectors and industries. Best of all, the Scheme is free. Paula Boast If you would like more details on SIG Chair how that can work for you and your business or sector then do let us know and we will be happy to help you. We expect other and similar schemes to emerge going forward, with the emphasis firmly on skills development, so we will keep you up to date with those and how they can benefit you. David Johnston of Norton Rose takes over at the helm of the Legal Services Special Interest Group. A big thank you to Patrick Gearon and the team at Charles Russell for all of their valuable input and drive to date. We are trying to establish a Special Interest Group for the Oil and Gas sector so any volunteers to assist or ideas to boost that initiative would be much appreciated. Similarly we expect to run events from the Banking and Finance SIG commencing in the Autumn. We have a marketing focus coming up for you, alongside a look at all things cyber related and as they affect various interest groups, as well as a push for the development of business soft skills. Inter-related with that we have our upcoming Business Bazaar in early Autumn. The theme is People are Business - we are looking to develop your networking opportunities, making the most of those, and ensuring that you don t miss out on the people who can work best with you, for you and so on. The People are Business theme also fits with our drive to build the numbers of young professionals within the BBBF and ensuring business skills development and continuity in Bahrain. Our Bazaar will include our usual round table discussions looking at current issues affecting each of your markets. We will be in touch with you all to give you the opportunity to sponsor that event should you wish, or to explore other ways to ensure a solid business and networking platform for all members at that event. Otherwise, a resounding thank you as ever to our sponsor Standard Chartered for its ongoing support for the BBBF Special Interest Groups.
SIG Sponsor
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Above: ICT - SIG Event at the Ramee Grand Hotel in April
SIG - Young Professionals
I am delighted to announce the launch of the BBBF Young Professionals Special Interest Group. I have been given the role of Head of the Young Professionals SIG, succeeding two predecessors who left the island within three months of taking it on, so my first promise is to last longer than that! As a 28 year old lawyer I suppose I fit the targeted group young professionals Tom Reynolds between the ages, approximately, of Young Professionals 23 to 35. By way of a brief background SIG Chair so you know who I am, I work with law firm Trowers & Hamlins as a Corporate lawyer where I have been for 5 years, the last 3 of which have been in Bahrain, and I am currently living in Amwaj. The Young Professionals SIG has two key aims. The first is to connect young professionals across Bahrain on a social level. The second is to help young professionals develop in their career through solid networking and regular presentations by leaders in industry and fellow young professionals on skills and discussion topics that will be important no matter their profession. Early ideas include: (a) business development and networking seminars; (b) seminars on how to build a successful business; and (c) developments in the financial markets and investment in the region. A LinkedIn page is planned for the SIG and, in time, a quarterly e-bulletin for SIG members to be able to share their ideas and news. At this stage I am looking into the feasibility of the Group, including scale, frequency of events and costs. To that end, I would welcome your interest in participation in the Young Professionals SIG so that I can get an initial idea of scale and would ask that you email or call me to register your interest by Thursday 12 June. My email address is treynolds@trowers.com and my mobile telephone number is 39695007. I look forward to hearing from you.
SIG - ICT The subject of Cyber security is a very hot topic these days, so the ICT SIG decided to hold a meeting with this topic as the subject of presentation and discussion. The event was held at the Ramee Grand Hotel on April 15th and Palo Alto Networks were invited to give a presentation of the subject and their Next Generation Firewall which is
leading the race against Cyber crime. Mohammed Al-Tamimi of Palo Alto introduced the subject and Muhammad Khamash delivered the presentation and demonstration of the Firewall. A very educated BBBF audience of over 30 people attended the event which David Wales (BSc, MIEE) was very well received and there was BBBF ICT SIG Chairman considerable interactive question and answers combined with healthy debate. The meeting was sponsored by Standard Chartered Bank.
SIG - Construction On February 27th we hosted a lunch time presentation at the Diplomat Hotel Al Fanar Ball Room which covered all aspects of the new US Navy Mina Salman Bridge Project. Our speaker was Mark Wittrock who is the Middle East District Resident Engineer and is currently the Area Engineer for the Bahrain Area Office of the US Army Corp of Engineers. Starting his career in the US Army as a helicopter crew chief, he has gone on to serve the US Army Corp of Engineers as a Civil Engineer for over 25 years with postings in many countries including Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Philippines and Indonesia, to name a few. Mark s presentation covered all aspects of the Mina Salman Tied Arch Bridge Project that included the negotiations with local authorities, engineering,
project management, construction and the dramatic final installation. If you have not seen it, search youtube for the timelapse video of the installation process which was carried out overnight, installing the 140+ metre span bridge in under eight hours. The presentation was very well attended with over 60 attendees; all eager to discuss the complexities and lessons learned from constructing a project such as this. Trying to keep the theme going for broader overall SIG events, Mark s presentation was preceded by an informative talk from the Security SIG head, Tony Palys and his guest speaker. As mentioned in previous newsletters, we are aiming to bridge the gap between all business sectors and will aim to have more events like this in the future.
Rick Hopper Joint Construction SIG Chair
Looking ahead to the next couple of months, the Construction SIG will be hosting Site Visits to showcase some of the great projects that have recently been constructed in Bahrain. As always, we welcome any suggestions for speakers/events, please feel free to contact myself or Paula Boast to see how best to fit them in.
SIG - Organisational Effectiveness At a meeting at the Capital Club on 24th March, Adel Maymoon of Tawasul outlined a number of ideas related to how to use social media effectively. He covered how a number of companies were using this and how they have improved their profile and sales as a result. There was a lot of discussion at the meeting about ideas that could work and quite a number of people went away inspired to try out some simple strategies. I know from talking to a number of attendees after the session, that people have implemented ideas with successful results. Like all other marketing activities this all starts with being clear about what you are trying
to achieve and the first step needs to be getting clear about this. Sounds too simple to mention but unless you do this you will waste time and energy with unconnected and wasteful activities. Being prepared for the response is also key, don t use social media if you can t follow up efficiently. One tip that Adel emphasised and one company I spoke to has adopted with good results, is to communicate in Arabic and this has led to a very large pick up in interest in their company s services. This was such a popular topic that we will be running a follow up session after the summer break and I will be considering how to apply some of these principles to our group.
Jill Boggiss BBBF OE SIG Chair
On a very positive note Chris Lewis from International Hospital of Bahrain has offered to help me with the organisation of our meetings. Anyone else who is interested to get involved let me know and as ever if you have an idea for a talk or workshop that will help organisations to be more effective let me know. Forum 13
SIG - Security
A bit of a mixed bag for the reader in this edition as we revisit areas of interest such as Summer Travel and Local Security Awareness whilst at the same time following up on Cyber issues and possible Threats to National Security Anthony Peter Palys MBE from areas that we may not always see as being a possible cause such as Food Security. Also in this edition you will find some FCO travel advice for the traveler who is intending to travel to Brazil to attend the FIFA World Cup and an update from ASIS with reference to the Annual CPP Review. Firstly lets catchup on events within the Security SIG: Appreciation Awards: Over the past few months we have been attempting to catchup on outstanding appreciation awards that relate to those folks from our communities as well as the BBBF membership who have supported us prior to our past and during our partnership with OSAC www.osac.gov, especially since 2011. These awards also recognise the "new generation" that have taken up that information baton in ensuring that the open source and real time communication is still flowing with an objective of "Keeping The Community Informed". Awards presented thus far include Tony Martin, pictured above, Austin Rudman, Jill Boggis, Paula Boast; to mention just a few. There are still some more to be presented, not just here in Bahrain, so watch this space. To each and every one of the recipients our most sincere collective thanks for all that you have done and for your continued support. DHL & Formula 1 Partnership As most of you will all know the 2014 F1 Gulf Air Grand Prix was a night race which was a first to Bahrain and wow did they rise to the occasion. So it was with some foresight I approached Helen Edwards, the Project Manager MEA and BBBF Member, in March for assistance in persuading DHL Senior Management to look at the possibility of a presentation on the partnership between DHL and the F1 organisation in the area of "Moving F1 Around The World". DHL came up trumps with their Commercial Sales Manager Emad ElHajjam, from the Bahrain country office, stepping into the breach. Aged 31 Emad El Hajjami, with a BSc in Economics, has been working for DHL for 5 years holding various posts in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. He has headed up sales development for DHL Saudi 14 Forum
SIG Sponsor Arabia as well as managed the sales channel in the Kingdom. The event took place at the Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa with thanks to Maria Zaldua, the Assistant Director Sales, for her flexibility, resilience and liaison with the BBBF Admin Team in ensuring a successful event, Over 50 persons from a number of diverse business & corporate organisations in the GCC attended. Cyber Issues Alleged Incidents of Hacking, albeit (maybe) from the NSA, GCHQ, Chinese Military or to some youth in a bedroom somewhere, if true, continue to raise worrying thoughts of what is next after Snowden in all areas of Personal, Business, Corporate and Defence Cyber & Internet Security. My question therefore being "are all the checks & balances" now finally falling in place; maybe not; as the world standard still does not really exist in reality and what is not being adhered too. Cyber Attack EBay was hit by the world s biggest web raid: 128 million told they have to change their passwords NOW after hackers access personal details: Attack made between February and March and affects 128 million users Hackers infiltrated the corporate network after stealing employee logins This gave hackers access to eBay customers name, encrypted password, email address, home address, phone number and date of birth Firm said there is no evidence to suggest PayPal accounts were affected But security experts are warning hackers could still use personal details to commit identity fraud even after the password has been changed It is unclear why it has taken eBay so long to make users aware of this breach Summer Safety Travel: The summer holiday season is upon us and many will travel to enjoy time with family, explore new destinations or relax in a serene locale. Planning for that special vacation can be as exciting as the trip itself. When preparing for your journey, remember to observe good personal safety practices. A traveler will spend much time researching fascinating locations based on personal interests and sometimes without holistic consideration. Part of travel planning should include examining relevant advisories, crime statistics and present geo-political issues. An excellent starting point is visiting your respective embassy website for travel tips, country specific information in addition to alerts or warnings. Prior to travel you can register with your embassy in your destined country, typically online, and receive important e-mail notifications with current information.
Lastly, know the street address and telephone number of your Embassy or Consulate in your country of travel in case of an emergency. Extended holiday travel means time away from home. After your itinerary is arranged and before you board your flight consider the following tips to safeguard your residence. A monitored security system is an excellent tool and supplemented with web-based cameras allows a vacationer to remotely view the interior and exterior of their home with a laptop, tablet or smartphone connected online. Using remote electrical timers to activate your home lighting can give a lived-in appearance. Temporarily stopping mail and newspaper delivery will prevent overflow and remove the tell-tale sign of an empty home. Keep your landscape tidy with a mowed lawn and tended gardens. Asking your trusted neighbour to park extra vehicles in your driveway can help with a homey faรงade. For good measure, notify the police and provide a contact number should they need to reach you. The best safety measure is not behaving and looking like a victim. Active situational awareness of knowing your surroundings, assessing people and their intentions as well as blending into your environment can greatly reduce the chance of victimisation. Choose your dress carefully and without flashy jewelry and accessories to reduce targeting by thieves and pickpockets. Keep your money and wallet in your front pants pockets and use a money belt to best secure your identification and currency. Avoid using handbags, purses or satchels that can be easily grabbed, but if necessary wear them with a sturdy strap slung diagonally across your chest. Safeguard
your zippered backpack compartments with travel locks to deter potential pickpockets. Remember to make photocopies of your identification, passports and travel itineraries. Keep your bank contact information handy in the event your credit cards are stolen or compromised. Using your smartphone camera take photographs of your luggage to help you describe them to airport personnel and overcome language barriers if lost in flight. An itinerary placed inside your luggage may help direct it to your destination if lost and the airline tag is removed or damaged. Summer travel and holiday is more enjoyable when incorporating personal safety measures into your vacation plan. Have an emergency point of contact available who knows your travel schedule. Limit your social media footprint during your holiday until you return home to share your journey to keep criminals from targeting an empty house. Stay vigilant, stay safe and enjoy a terrific summer holiday season.
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SIG - Security continued World Cup 2014 Location: Brazil The FIFA World Cup begins on 12 June 2014 in Sao Paulo. This page has useful information and tips for football fans travelling to Brazil. It will be updated regularly sign up for alerts to receive updates to the Brazil travel advice and check back for the most recent information.
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/ UKGOVUK/subscriber/new
Passports and visas: UK passport holders do not require a visa to enter Brazil. However, passports must be valid for at least six months and a return ticket and proof of sufficient funds may be requested on arrival. Tourists will be admitted for a stay of up to 90 days and are not allowed to work. We advise that you have two blank pages in your passport on arrival and that you complete the emergency contact details page. This will make it much easier to contact someone if necessary. Travel and Accommodation: Brazil is a big country, seven times the size of South Africa make sure you plan your journeys between stadiums carefully as they may be spread far apart; a flight between Rio de Janeiro and Manaus is about four hours make sure you only use licensed taxis or official public transport in Brazil, cars are driven on the opposite side compared to the UK travel between cities can be time consuming, especially by bus there is a high road accident rate in the country; in many rural areas the quality of roads away from the main highways is poor, and standards of driving, especially trucks and buses, is low Brazil has a zero tolerance policy on drink driving; if you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol, you will probably be prosecuted penalties for drink driving range from fines and a suspension from driving for 12 months, to imprisonment for up to 3 years traffic can be heavy in big cities leave earlier than usual to the stadium if travelling by road ensure you book your accommodation before you arrive in Brazil take extra care when sharing a room with other people in a hostel; make sure you keep your belongings locked away at all times and ensure your passport is kept in a safe place 16 Forum
Top tips to stay safe: be aware of pick-pockets and never leave your bag or belongings unattended while in public places or on public transport; thieves operate both inside restaurants and hotels as well as outdoors they are good at spotting tourists and know they will have valuables keep your passport in a safe place; you can carry a photocopy around with you, plus other photo identification (e.g. driving license) this is widely accepted in Rio de Janeiro by authorities who deal with tourists only use licensed taxis; you can pick up a licensed taxi from the many recognised taxi ranks be ready to hand over valuables if you re threatened; don t attempt to resist attackers, they may be armed or under the influence of drugs Further Information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/world-cup-2014 Foreign travel Advice for the Kingdom of Bahrain Demonstrations, protests and disruption are expected to continue. These activities may include attempts to disrupt traffic, protests in villages and near economic centres, burning tyres, throwing Molotov cocktails, and the use of improvised explosive devices. There could be clashes between government security forces and protesters.While there have been no direct threats or attacks on British nationals to date, following the discovery by the Bahraini authorities at the end of December 2013 of large caches of explosives and weapons, and a fatal bomb explosion on the Budaiya Highway near Al Daih on 3 March, you should be vigilant and aware of your surroundings wherever you are on the island. If you encounter a large public gathering or demonstration, leave the area immediately. If you see any suspect item, don t approach or touch it. Move away from the area and notify the police on 999 or 8000. Travel on the main routes during daylight hours is generally orderly. There are some police checkpoints. In September 2012 the Ministry for the Interior issued a warning about explosive devices on major highways. During demonstrations, roads can become blocked, resulting in diversions. These may re-route you to areas you are unfamiliar with. You should familiarise yourself with alternative routes to and from areas you frequent. Developments in Syria, Iraq and on the Middle East Peace Process continue to have an impact on local public opinion in the region. You should be aware of local sensitivities on these issues. Follow news reports and be alert to local and regional developments, which may trigger public disturbances. The Ministry of Interior has issued a reminder that all residents and visitors must carry photographic ID. Under Bahraini law, it is an offence not to be able to present photographic ID if asked to do so by a member of the Bahraini authorities, and you may be subject to a fine of up to 300BHD. Further information & advice can be found at https: //www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/bahrain/safety-andsecurity
Food Security – Hunger: A National Security Threat ?
Food security has always been a fundamental issue for people, long before they formed political structures. It also refers to the availability and accessibility of food and is an issue that affects everyone. Although the term food security was coined only 16 years ago, humanity has been striving against famine and hunger since ancient times. Agreement at the 1996 World Food Summit, based on the concept that food security exists "when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life", gave a new vision to efforts against hunger and malnutrition. According to this definition, food insecurity is multidimensional, and affects people at the global, regional, national, sub-national and household levels. It presents itself in various forms, such as chronic, acute, and transient. In addition, in order to be food secure, there are different requirements for men, women, children and the elderly.
A new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of time-bound targets with a deadline of 2015, known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), was expected to give new impetus to the cause of food security. However, 12 years down the road, the progress on target 1.C of MDG 1—to halve between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of people who suffer from hunger—is still bleak and stymied in most regions. Stunting and wasting prevails in developing countries, where one in four children are underweight. The causes behind this alarming phenomenon vary in each case. There are three prerequisites that determine whether food security exists: the physical availability of food through production, import, aid, intra-country transfer; socio-economic and cultural access to food; and food assimilation. Physical availability to food at both the macro and micro levels can become affected negatively due to a lack of local production, natural and man-made disasters, seasonal variations, water shortage, weak infrastructure, insufficient storage capacities, hoarding, or even legal problems. Socioeconomic access to food, however, can be affected adversely due to poverty, lack of resources, climate change, disasters, political instability, and loss of livelihood opportunities. Furthermore, a lack of a consistent supply of subsidized food items, due to a reduced fiscal cushion, low literacy rates, social norms such as gender discrimination, and a lack of awareness about the benefits of maintaining a balanced diet, can impact negatively the distribution of resources within the family. The factors that hamper food assimilation, on the other hand,
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BBBF SIG Security - continued
About the CPP Exam
include a lack of clean drinking water, inadequate health, hygiene, and sanitation facilities, a low rate of literacy, and a lack of fiscal cushion for Governments to spend on public sector development programmes, which would help ensure basic service delivery. Various other overlapping factors also contribute to the burgeoning world food crisis.
The CPP exam consists of 200 scored multiple-choice questions and may contain 25 pre-test (unscored) questions randomly distributed throughout the examination for a total of 225 questions. The time allowed takes into consideration the review of pre-test items.
Finally, the lesson to be learned from countries that produce surplus food is that until there is an improvement in governance at the local and national levels, international partnership and global governing bodies will not be of much help in ensuring food security. ASIS Chapter 276 – 2014 CPP Review Reminder: As reported in the Spring edition the current Chairman and Managing Director of the Moneo Group, Andrew Deamer, CPP, PSP, has set an ambitious set of objectives for the coming year especially in the area of training, of which the annual CPP review is one, see details below. Also mentioned was the project of ways to develop training for Security Managers due to the demand for recognised qualifications being a pre-requisite in contract negotiations for those prime positions in the Security Industry worldwide. We also continue to look at the possibility of funding such training through the Tamkeen organisation, here in Bahrain, of which I hope to report some success later in the year.
The exam cover tasks, knowledge, and skills in eight broad domains that have been identified by CPPs as the major areas involved in security management. All exam questions come from the official reference books. No questions on the exam are taken from any other source. CPP Exam Domains
Security Principles and Practices (19%) Business Principles and Practices (11%) Investigations (10%) Personnel Security (12%) Physical Security (25%) Information Security (8%) Crisis Management (8%) Legal Aspects (7%)
Andrew Deamer, CPP, PSP can be contacted at a.deamer@moneogroup.com delighted to be taking over SIG - Legal asI amhead of the Legal Special
The 2014 CPP review: As part of our chapter aims, we provide an annual CPP review held at the RMIME Offices in the Seef District, of which this Review is provided free of charge for those wishing to study towards the CPP designation. Although the 2014 review programme is scheduled to start on Wednesday 28th May those of you interested in joining the Review are encouraged to contact me at tonypalys@lebeckinternational.com at your earliest opportunity so that I can then coordinate accordingly. Further details on the programme can be found on the ASIS Chapter 276 LinkedIn page: Certified Protection Professional The Certified Protection Professional (CPP)® credential provides demonstrable proof of knowledge and management skills in eight key domains of security. Those who earn the CPP are ASIS board-certified in security management. Eligibility Requirements: Nine years of security work experience, with at least three of those years in responsible charge of a security function -orSIG Sponsor
18 Forum
A bachelor s degree or higher and seven years of security work experience, with at least three of those years in responsible charge of a security function
Joanne Emerson Taqi Legal SIG Chair
Interest Group. Our aim will be to continue to provide a forum where UK-headquartered law firms and British lawyers can share knowledge and legal updates and discuss topics of importance to all of us, as well as to help legal professionals enhance their networks by building on their existing relationships and developing new ones.
Of particular importance will be our aim to promote interaction with the local law sphere in Bahrain. Dealing with local law firms is a vital part of all our work here in the Kingdom, and we will be keenly promoting the involvement of local firms in our Special Interest Group, including through inviting them to be part of our events as speakers and discussion panel members. We will be kicking off with an event in mid-June on managing cyber risks, where we will look at the growing challenge of cyber risk, the different types of cyber risk and key areas of breach, the practical implications and policy law issues of cyber crimes, issues of cyber defence and general network security provisions, the legal and regulatory framework in the GCC, and the existing and potentially forthcoming laws on cyber crime in Bahrain. Please do get in touch if you would like to join the group, or if you have any ideas for future events, venues or speakers. I would be delighted to hear from you.
HSBC Bahrain – making a real difference in the community At HSBC we recognise our responsibilities, not only towards our customers, employees and shareholders but also to the countries and communities in which we operate. In Bahrain we value this approach and invest volunteering time, business expertise and funds in a number of programmes that have a profound and positive impact on the community.
language skills. It encourages healthy reading habits with children and parents alike and stimulates the creativity of the children. HSBC staff volunteers take part in the community events where children from the Bahrain government schools are invited to join in fun reading, arts and craft sessions. We have had tremendous positive response to this initiative.
Three years ago HSBC joined forces with the British Council and initiated the MENA specific Kids Read programme in collaboration with the British Council and Ministries of Education, to enhance the role of reading in education. Since its inception we have reached 25,000 students across 13 countries, using the active participation and support of 250 HSBC volunteers.
We support the environment as a responsible corporate by first and foremost managing our own carbon footprint. Regionally we are involved in a water research centre in Fujairah where studies about water pollution and the sustainability of local water resources are conducted. Weekly, teams of 12 HSBC volunteers from across MENA work alongside international scientists to help gather data on water (for the duration of 5 months every year over 4 years). Every year we participate in the world wide Earth Hour campaign and this year we had an hour of darkness in all our offices.
This programme has been very successful in Bahrain. Not only is "Kids Read" promoting reading with children, it also has a direct impact on English
Recently we partook in an outreach to labour camps as part of our Labour Day celebrations. HSBC donated hygiene packs, calling cards, t-shirts
Our focus is on education, the environment and community investment and all our programmes touch on one or more of these areas.
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and groceries to 200 labourers. This event was extremely touching and all the volunteers felt that it was one of the most valuable projects that we have taken part in. Ramadan is coming up soon and at HSBC it has always been a special time for our colleagues. The "Help us to Help Others" campaign is held every year and in 2013 connected HSBC volunteers with over 14 charities in the MENA region. Under this campaign, HSBC delivered one of the largest single projects led by a financial institution benefitting over 15,000 individuals over the course of the month through donations, corporate funding, and over 1,900 staff volunteer hours. In Bahrain this year our volunteers will work on a number of projects to support disabled sports and arrange a fun day with a local orphanage. This year HSBC is celebrating 70 years in Bahrain. As in the past we will continue to be a responsible corporate citizen in the future by fulfilling our purpose as a bank, helping economies to prosper and enabling people to realise their ambitions.
Financial News BAB mentors Polytechnic students
offered by both conventional and Islamic banks in Bahrain. It also looks "behind the scenes" at retail banking operations with a focus on the role of the Central Bank of Bahrain and The Benefit Company the local switch in the Kingdom of Bahrain which handles ATM and POS transactions among other services. The aim of the handbook is to be a helpful, accessible reference for those who want to learn about the basics of finance and beyond. It could become an educational tool to improve the financial literacy of young people in Bahrain and help them understand both the benefits and risks associated with financial services and products. Dr. Mohamed Al-Aseeri, Acting Chief Executive of Bahrain Polytechnic described the joint-venture as "a fantastic opportunity for our students to gain a real, hands-on experience with a high-profile company."
The Bahrain Association of Banks, in conjunction with Bahrain Polytechnic, is publishing an essential guide to the retail banking industry in Bahrain. The Handbook of Retail Banking takes a look at the sector from its origins in the 1920s to services currently offered and what the future holds as fast-moving technology changes the way that banks operate. In the joint-collaboration, three final semester business degree students, Salman AlZaquawi, Fatema Al Sabah and Maryam Hussain, along with the Association s editorial team, have researched, written, produced and will publish the handbook which will be available in both English and Arabic. The handbook is sponsored by the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB). The handbook takes a practical look at retail banking services and products including basic current accounts, savings products, mortgages and credit cards that are
"Partnering with the Bahrain Association of Banks availed numerous avenues for our students to enter the world of banking from a practical angle. Producing an informative Handbook on Retail Banking in Bahrain was a great endpoint to the years of study within Bahrain Polytechnic. The Association was extremely supportive and provided valuable mentorship in the students journey. This was indeed a commendable start to their future careers," said Dr. Al-Aseeri. "The students on the project were impressive for their maturity and knowledge in their first meeting with the Association and worked diligently on the project. The result that they presented during the final review was professional and will form the basis for the final published Handbook of Retail Banking. Based on the success of that cooperation we are discussing future projects with the Bahrain Polytechnic to deepen our collaboration," added Mr. Robert Ainey, the Association s CEO.
Bahrain clarifies Basel III capital rules Bahrain has become the first country in the Gulf outside Saudi Arabia to clarify its treatment of capital-boosting instruments under Basel III rules, saying the instruments must include loss absorption features.
Its rules detail the treatment of subsidiaries when calculating a bank s capital adequacy requirements and explain the use of subordinated debt, which can count towards Tier 1 core or Tier 2 supplementary capital.
Its decision, which is in line with Saudi Arabia, a member of the committee which drafted Basel III, could influence regulators in other Gulf states that have not yet clarified their stance, such as the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Loss absorption is a requirement for capital-boosting instruments to be converted into equity if the issuer faces insolvency. Bahrain would require Tier 1 instruments to absorb losses either by converting them into common shares, or through a gradual write-down mechanism which forces losses on holders of the instruments in stages. So far, Bahraini banks have not issued subordinated debt, in part because of a lack of regulatory guidance. Saudi Arabian banks have seen a flurry of such issuance since last year, when the regulator started implementing Basel III.
Banks across the Gulf have been waiting for regulatory guidance on how subordinated debt instruments will be treated under Basel III, a set of stricter banking rules which are being phased in around the world over the next several years. It is up to each national regulator to decide how to interpret the rules; Bahrain s central bank has drafted separate rule books for conventional and Islamic banks, proposing they both come into effect in January 2015. 22 Forum
Citibank Bahrain launches the new Citi Life Credit Card Citibank have unveiled the new Citi Life Silver and Gold Credit Cards that represent the true meaning of a lifestyle card with various rewards for each card member. The Citi Life Card assures rewards for every card member making it the card of choice for everyone in the Kingdom. Clients can redeem their points for gift vouchers from participating merchants across an extensive range of entertainment, fashion, electronics, cafes and much more that will be delivered to the clients. The points collected on the card with every transaction the client makes, will never expire and can be redeemed at any time guaranteeing a reward for every client. "Citi Life Cards are designed to give customers the best value on their everyday local and international purchases, ensuring that customers will enjoy the benefits of the online rewards catalogue by providing greater choice and flexibility", commented Navneet Kampani, Consumer Banking Head. "This card will complement our suite of Citi cards which are specifically designed to provide an unforgettable shopping experience for our clients", he concluded. Sonik Kapur, Citibank s Marketing Director & Cards Business Head said: "This card is not only a new lifestyle card for our clients, it truly is a world of rewards in one card, as the slogan of the card says. We are proud to offer our clients unique cards that add value to every customer s shopping experience which comes under our strategy of studying the market and answering to our clients needs and wants".
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Among other benefits, Citi Life Card holders will benefit from unique offers and 0% installments on a number of shopping and lifestyle products and services across hotels, restaurants, and spas, travel agents, and electronics stores. Citi has been in the Middle East for nearly 50 years and currently offers consumer-banking services in Bahrain, UAE and Egypt. In the Kingdom of Bahrain alone, Citibank, the consumer banking arm of Citi, has had a presence for the past 25 years. Forum 23
Financial News
BMMI announces strong performance and solid gains totalling BD 10.1 million for the year 2013 BMMI is pleased to announce a strong financial and operational performance during the year ended December 31, 2013. With the confidence and drive gained from its notable success in 2012, BMMI was, once again, able to register another prosperous year. In 2013, the Group substantially increased its sales revenue from BD91.7 million in 2012 to BD 98.2 million and achieved a Net Profit of BD10.1 million, compared to BD8.6 million in 2012. This was accompanied by a total increase in Assets from BD65.7 million in 2012 to BD75.8 million. The year 2013 was yet another success milestone to BMMI. This success was due to the Group s strategic investments in infrastructure, assets, quality and operational systems through various initiatives, including entry into the Iraqi market, Alosra Supermarket s expansion in Bahrain and a number of acquisitions in Africa and Bahrain, where the Group acquired a Logistics Base in Gabon and BMMI Tower, formerly known as Addax
Tower, in the Kingdom s Business district, Seef. On another note, BMMI s Consumer Division and African operations have also shown solid results in 2013, accompanied by signifi cant growth in Retail and Distribution divisions, including FMCG and Beverages. This was achieved due to improvements and modifications made to the Group s distribution platforms and warehouse management. Concurrent to that, the Group also invested in new systems and policies in various other divisions and departments, to include recertification of its Integrated Management System that enabled it to continue expanding its Contracting Business with Governments, NGOs and other International Organisations. Commenting on the year s performance, BMMI Chairman of the Board, Mr. Abdulla Hassan Buhindi, said,
With the celebration of 130 years of operations, I am really proud to say that BMMI was able, once again, to achieve strong financial results, with year on year increased growth momentum across all divisions of the Group. In 2013, we continued to operate from a strong position, with a strong balance sheet and healthy financial reserves, enabling the Group to progress its strategy, in order to achieve its goals and meet the expectations of our honourable shareholders. From his side, President and CEO, Mr Gordon Boyle, emphasised the role of BMMI s organisational culture, saying, I am very pleased that BMMI has yet again demonstrated its commitment to its organisational culture and diversification. This helped the Group surpass the impact of economic uncertainties, face setbacks, and capture new opportunities. Through our people, and thanks to our performance-culture, our Group was able to achieve strong financial results in 2013, while continuing to improve its risk management systems and controls.
Bahrain joins worldwide ATA carnets network The ATA carnet, also known as a "passport for goods", is an international customs document that permits dutyfree and tax-free temporary importation of goods for up to one year without the need for the normal customs procedures. The acronym ATA is a combination of French and English terms "Admission Temporaire/Temporary Admission." Currently more than 70 countries are a part of the global network. "The Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has been appointed the national ATA carnets issuing and guaranteeing organisation," BCCI chief executive Nabeel Al Mahmood said. ATA carnets reduce paperwork and costs for business people, he added. ATA Carnets cover almost everything: 24 Forum
Commercial samples; Professional equipment; goods for use at trade fairs, shows, exhibitions, events.
ATA Carnets cover the usual and unusual: computers, repair tools, photographic and film equipment, musical instruments, industrial machinery, vehicles, jewellery, clothing, medical appliances, aircraft, race horses, art work, prehistoric relics, ballet costumes and rock group sound systems.
exports and imports of different kinds of goods and with the implementation of ATA carnets in Bahrain, the national economy is set to benefit from the simplified customs procedures," added Mr Al Mahmood. The ATA carnet system is administered by the International Chamber of Commerce s (ICC s) World Chambers Federation (WCF) and the Brusselsbased World Customs Organisation (WCO).
ATA Carnets do not cover perishable or consumable items, or goods for processing or repair.
The Members Services Department of the BCCI will assume responsibility for issuing and guaranteeing carnets. Both members and non members can avail the facility.
"The expansion of world trade, has led to significant growth of temporary
Complete details including the cost are available on www.bcci.bh
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Motoring News Jaguar Land Rover signs a one year partnership with The Dilmun Club for its approved programme
Jaguar Land Rover has signed a 1 year partnership with The Dilmun Club for its APPROVED Used Cars programme which was officially and successfully launched on 26th February 2014. A "Car of the Week" is displayed at The Dilmun Club every
Thursday. All APPROVED vehicles have completed a multi-point vehicle inspection; have a minimum of 12 month warranty and 12 month roadside assistance, plus a verified service history and a full preparation and inspection by Jaguar Land Rover.
Jaguar Land Rover & Bahrain This Month Jaguar Land Rover sponsored the Bahrain This Month 200th edition on April 2nd, at the Gulf Hotel. As the main partner of Bahrain This Month with the Backseat Chat programme, Jaguar Land Rover displayed the full range of Jaguar vehicles (F-TYPE, XF, and XJ) and the very popular Land Rover models, Range Rover Evoque and The All-New Range Rover Sport.
Jaguar Land Rover support BIC
QueenÂ’s Birthday Party
Jaguar Land Rover supported the 2014 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix by providing 16 cars to BIC management, 6 brand new Range Rover Sport and 10 APPROVED vehicles. Vehicles were handed over on March 30th 2014 at the Jaguar Land Rover showroom in Sitra.
Jaguar Land Rover sponsored The QueenÂ’s Birthday on April 28th 2014 at the British Embassy in Manama. The sophisticated and agile Jaguar XJ was displayed along with the powerful and distinctive All-New Range Rover Sport.
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Motoring News Back Seat Chat Jaguar Land Rover has launched a new advertising programme called "Back Seat Chat". This unique concept is to interview Bahrain personalities on the back seat of a Jaguar and a Land Rover vehicle. Jaguar Land Rover launched this pioneer concept (the first one of its
kind in Bahrain) in January and major personalities of Bahrain interviewed so far include Martin Whitaker, Sheikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Ahdeya Ahmed, Sheikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa and Dr Osama Al Baharna. Log in to YouTube and check the Jaguar Land Rover Back Seat Chat interviews!
New McLaren for Bahrain
First Bahrain F1 night race a resounding success
When the organisers confirmed that the 2014 race the 10th Bahrain Grand Prix would be a night race, many wrote it off as being another gimmick. Not only did the on-track action give us a classic grand prix, but the off-track activity and atmosphere seemed to be a world away from what it had been before. Hundreds of floodlights were erected to illuminate the circuit, and this worked perfectly for the drivers who had no problems with visibility.
McLaren Automotive has announced the latest model to join the range, the McLaren 650S, is due to arrive in Middle East showrooms from June. Available in Coupé and Spider bodystyles, the McLaren 650S joins the range as an additional model between the 12C and sold-out McLaren P1 , and learns from both models as well as 50 years of competing in the highest levels of motorsport. The 650S is the fastest, most engaging, best equipped and most beautiful series30 Forum
production supercar yet from McLaren Automotive. In Coupé form, the 650S accelerates to 100km/h (62mph) from rest in just 3.0 seconds, and can reach 200km/h (124mph) in just 8.4 seconds. The standing quarter mile (400m) takes 10.5 seconds, and top speed is 333 km/h (207 mph). This performance puts the latest model from McLaren a full second quicker than the iconic McLaren F1 road car to 200 km/h underlining its performance focus.
Around the circuit, the palm trees and run-off areas were draped in golden lights that came on as the sun went down, creating a quite beautiful overhead shot of the circuit. The grandstands also appeared to be busier this year, with the main straight cheering and cooing at every bit of action before spilling out onto the circuit come the checkered flag. Bahrain has pulled off the celebration that the organisers promised to
mark the 10th anniversary of the first race, and it comes as little surprise that before the weekend had even finished, officials confirmed that they will be keeping the race as a night-time event from now on. Bahrain circuit chairman Zayed Al Zayani said: We have invested in the lighting project and it s a permanent structure - so going forward all our Grands Prix will be held at the same time from now on. One of the disadvantages we have had to contend with in the past has been that Sunday is a working day in Bahrain, he said. That made it very difficult for the fans to be here at 3pm when coming out of school or work. With the 6pm start it will make it easier for them to finish up their normal routine on Sunday and be here on time to watch the race. It also gives us an opportunity to capture the Saudi market, the largest market in the Gulf, because they have time to come over.
Bahrain Airport Company Receives ISO Accreditation for its Information Security Management System Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) recently became the first Company in Bahrain to obtain the ISO27001:2013 certification, an international accreditation that further reiterates the company s commitment to applying the highest standards across all its policies, operations and procedures. Following an audit conducted by an external firm, the British Standards Institution, BAC s Information and Communication Technology Department (ICT) was awarded the ISO27001:2013, a significant achievement that acknowledges BAC s successful implementation of effective information security processes and procedures. The certification assesses the compliance of all security measures implemented by BAC s ICT unit to maintain information availability, confidentiality and integrity and reduce the risks of this information becoming exploited. The ISO certification stands as a testament to our efforts in applying effective processes and procedures across BAC s operations. It also proves that BAC has defined an effective information security management system in an effort to sustain trusting and lasting partnerships with our stakeholders , commented Ms. Najwa A.Rahim, VP of Information & Communication Technology at BAC. I would like to thank BAC Management for their continuous support and encouragement and I would like to extend
my appreciation to the ICT team for their hard work and dedication which was instrumental in successfully completing this project, Ms. A.Rahim added. BAC is the authority responsible for enhancing BIA and increasing the airport s contribution to the local economy. In its operational role, BAC is responsible for elevating the airport s operations, infrastructure and services. This is set to improve BIA s capabilities and cater to the growing number of passengers as well as the changing demands of stakeholders.
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The power of memory ���������������� 32 Forum
8 vital steps to meet legal records management requirements Records management is at the center of everyday processes for businesses, non-profit organisations and government departments. They all create, receive and maintain a steady stream of records. And every day, the stream is growing stronger, faster, broader. The growing tide of records often born digital, but printed to paper, then passed around for processing, signing, storing and final disposal frequently seems more than any organisation can manage. ISO 15489-1:2001 Information and documentation Records management Part 1 defines records as information created, received, and maintained as evidence and information by an organsation or person, in pursuance of legal obligations or in the transaction of business. Creation, reception and maintenance are the keywords. You must ensure you complete those records management tasks within the regulations and laws in the country where the records are being used, so they may be used as evidence of decisions made and actions taken in that particular country, at a particular time, for a particular reason. Follow these steps and a court or regulatory authority is very likely to accept your records as evidence of decisions made and actions taken. Process 1. Records must be created and received ensuring their integrity i.e. they must remain authentic, true and accurate. What was done to this record, who did it and when are all facts that must always be captured and easily traced to the specific record.
Process 2. Your employees must know your organisation s policies, processes, and rules, and the systems used for recordkeeping. They must be trained in how to manage records, and an accurate account of who attended and when the training was held must also be kept. The training should be ongoing and repetitive. Process 3. Records must be created, received and maintained in the format that is allowed by law or regulation. When records are transformed from one format to another, who performed each step in the process, how it was verified and when it was done must be documented. Frequently, the documentation needs to be traced back to each record that was transformed. Process 4. Records must be maintained for retention periods based on legal and regulatory, fiscal, operational and historical requirements. For legal, regulatory and fiscal requirements you should rely on laws, statutes, regulations and precedents for guidance on how long to retain records. Operational requirements are based on internal processes and standards. Historical requirements demand careful consideration by archivists, historians and other stakeholders, and are based on an assessment of what the organization should preserve about its history. Be aware that in some countries private and public records must be transferred to national archives.
Process 5. The processes used to determine the retention periods must be documented, and there must be a clear link between the defined retention period and record keeping practices at the organisation. Process 6. There must be a defined process that your staff understand and follow to interrupt planned disposal. This disposal suspension or disposal hold is frequently based on a court order from a judge based on investigations, legal proceedings and other events. It is more often a requirement in countries with common law traditions. Process 7. The records disposal event must totally destroy the records, making it impossible to retrieve or reconstruct them. Process 8. Each disposal event must be thoroughly documented. The what, who, how and when for each record must be captured and retained. Being able to confirm record disposal can become an important part of regulatory and legal compliance. (Knowing when to stop looking for a record because it was destroyed saves a lot of time too.) For further information, please consult Crown Records Management at www.crownrms.com. Author: Marco Dilenge, Regional Marketing Manager EMEA at Crown Worldwide Group Forum 33
Education
Pingu’s English franchise now open
Pingu s English young learners English language franchise opened in Bahrain in the presence of the British Ambassador to Bahrain, Mr Iain Lindsay and his wife Mrs Bridget Lindsay... and Pingu also made an appearance. At the prestigious launch of Pingu s English in the Seef Mall, British Ambassador to Bahrain Mr Iain Lindsay welcomed the UK franchise from Linguaphone Group to the country, and congratulated DSA Group on their appointment as the exclusive Master Franchise for Pingu s English across Bahrain. Pingu s English Bahrain opened their doors to their flagship Pingu s English centre in Seef Mall on 29th April. Many parents have already registered their children for a free demo Pingu s English class, and are trying out the drop in activities available and Pingu s Cinema, The first classes started on Sunday 11th May and enrolment for all classes is now open. Get in touch with Pingu s English Bahrain to find out out more about enrolment, children s birthday parties with Pingu, and of course sign up for summer camp! DSA Group is delighted to launch Pingu s English in Bahrain and we look forward to welcoming children to our exciting new centre in Seef Mall where they can learn English in an innovative and stimulating environment as well as enjoy Pingu birthday parties, camps and other fun activities said DSA director Anne Kesterton 34 Forum
Pingu s English is a three-level language course for 3-8 year olds, already transforming the way that children learn English and delivered by a network of Master Franchisees worldwide. Centered around the adventures of Pingu and his friends and family in the South Pole, Pingu s English uses a wide variety of imaginative activities and multimedia resources to teach children to read, write, listen and speak confidently in the English language. As well as developing a strong presence in Seef Mall, Pingu s English Bahrain will offer unit licences to kindergartens and nursery schools in Bahrain wishing to use the Pingu s English method in their schools and will partner up to open local centres for the convenience of parents and children. Speaking at the launch, Mr Iain Lindsay, British Ambassador to Bahrain said: Pingu s English has revolutionised the way that children learn English worldwide combining innovative resources and methods and now through DSA Group, children in Bahrain will be able to experience and benefit from Pingu s English too. Mr Derek Price, CEO of Linguaphone Group added We are delighted to see the launch of Pingu s English Bahrain in the Seef Mall today. We very much look forward to working with our partner here to bring our renowned pre-school English language program to children across Bahrain.
The Ministry of Education Warns against joining unrecognised Higher Education Institutions
Crown Consultants International launch 360 Degree Appraisal Programme in Bahrain
The Ministry of Education said in a statement issued in April that it was noted recently there are some entities that introduced academic programmes that were offered illegally in the Kingdom of Bahrain. These entities offer courses that lead to a degree from international bodies without obtaining official approval from the Ministry of Education. The introduction of international programmes in the Kingdom of Bahrain is subjected to certain requirements. One of the licensed private higher education institutions in Bahrain should host the programmes. In addition, the Higher Education Council rules require that universities obtain approval from the Ministry of Education before they offer such international programmes. The agreement between the two universities also should meet the rules, regulations and resolutions of Higher Education Council in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Ministry of Education emphasises that in addition to the recognition of the qualifications offered by one of the public or regional higher education institutions in the Kingdom, there are only two types of academic degrees that are recognised and approved by the Ministry, which are as follows: First - Qualifications issued by local licensed private higher education institutions that introduce academic programmes or host the programmes of international universities in accordance with the regulations and requirements of the Higher Education Council. Secondly - qualifications issued by international institutions of higher education that are recognised in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and gained abroad by the student through studies in those institutions, provided that they meet the criteria of the National Commission for Evaluation of Academic Degrees. Otherwise, the Ministry will not deal with any academic degrees that are not subject to one of these two categories, and therefore will not attest any degrees issued by overseas institutions that offer academic programmes in Bahrain without official recognition. The Ministry calls on prospective students wishing to join international overseas universities to check with University Guidance Centre at the Ministry of Education, and reminds those wishing to enroll in higher education institutions and programmes offered within the Kingdom of Bahrain to contact or check with the Secretariat General of the Higher Education Council, in order to find out whether an academic programme is recognised and officially approved.
These four words when spoken by employees is music to any CEO s ears, it reflects a happy, contented, work force, where people genuinely matter, a place where ones skill bank is not only appreciated, but is also enhanced, where promotion is not just a question of time served. Four words that also reflect the nature and style of a company, a vibrant forward thinking organisation, whose investment and commitment towards their workforce has indeed paid off. Crown International is in the business of making businesses not only happy places to work, but places where the environment is specifically designed to accentuate the positives and eliminate the negatives and deliver a workforce which is both strong, confident, and consistently effective. The aim of any appraisal system has to be the process in which one values the employee contribution and worth to the organisation either on an annual or twice yearly basis. The need is to find the gap between an employee s own appraisal and the perception of others, which enables a professional to then analyze his/her strengths and shortcomings and work accordingly to improve their overall performance. Crown International now offers the 360 Degree Appraisal Programme as part of their highly successful business training portfolio... So what is it? The programme differs significantly from the traditional manner in which employees are evaluated, as it is designed to embrace feedback from all the people who actually deal on a day to day basis with each employee. In effect, the programme does away with a sole person acting as the judge and it can be likened rather to a jury of one s peers. The programme is so devised to effectively collate a wide range of customer feedback, which in turn brings a unique viewpoint from which to deliver a more complete picture of an employee s performance. According to Crown s Corporate Solutions Manager, Belinda Hutton, from her experience with successfully implementing the programme with Multinational companies such as Shell International, "when implemented correctly, the 360 degree evaluation tools are a powerful catalyst for positive change within a business and could be an extremely valuable asset for companies operating in Bahrain. " Forum 35
News from the Eastern Province The British Business Association (BBA) - Eastern Province P.O.Box 1868, AlKhobar 31952 Tel: 03 882 5288 ext 1651 Fax: 03 882 5384 Email: bbakhobar@atheer.net.sa Website: www.bbaep.com
Geoff Fennah MBE Chairman, EPBBA 2014 is rapidly passing us by and Andrew Mead is already chasing me for my Eastern Province update for the summer publication. Clearly, we are approaching the time for the summer exodus for vacations, so let me start by wishing everyone an enjoyable and well-earned break. Eastern Province continues to be a hive of activity with major infrastructure, residential and commercial developments appearing in every direction you care to look. This is likely to continue into the foreseeable future with the budget surplus arising from the oil price sitting at $110 / bbl versus the budget figure of $70 / bbl. SADARA, the $20 billion Aramco / Dow
joint venture will start-up at the end of next year and will contribute 3 MM tonnes of specialty chemicals and plastic products into the market. In addition to other petrochemical growth in Jubail this will inevitably put pressure on the distribution network and will be a driving force for development of the rail network. It is already noteworthy that Jubail Commercial Port is becoming noticeably more active in the movement of chemicals and plastics into the world market. On the UK front, it was sad to learn of the trials and tribulations of the Middle East Association (MEA) and especially their going into receivership on 19 March
after many years of supporting the development of UK trade around the Middle East and beyond. BBA contributed to all of the ten annual Opportunity Arabia Seminars held in the UK over the years and it will be a shame if this event falls off the calendar. More recent news suggests that new backers may have been found and that MEA may be able to continue its work let s hope this comes to fruition. On a more positive note it was a pleasure to welcome both HMA to Bahrain, Iain Lindsay and Debbie Dixon to our Business Dinner on 7 April and HMA s interesting and insightful summary of the current situation in Bahrain and prognosis for the future was very well received. We held our annual AGM on 28th April and now have a new committee including four new members. The new
committee is comprised of the following: Geoff Fennah (Chairman) Mike Tunstall (General Secretary) Alistair Smith (Treasurer) George Dinic (Jubail Chair) Nicky Noble (Membership) Andy Clark (IT / Communications) Jeff Stewart (Member / Business Focus) Paul Wright (Member) I look forward to working with the new committee and introducing some of them at the upcoming Poppy Ball in November, if the opportunity presents. Continuing with the theme of change, I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce our new Secretary, Rachael Routledge who can be contacted on the same e-mail and phone numbers. Enjoy your holidays! Geoff Fennah MBE Chairman, EPBBA
In the region
US Preclearance now at Abu Dhabi International Airport
All Etihad Airways guests flying to select destinations in the U.S.A will have access to Abu Dhabi International Airport s United States Preclearance facility located at Terminal 3. The new facility enables guests flying Etihad Airways to preclear the U.S. Customs and Border Protection formalities before boarding their flights in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Airport is one of only a handful of airports outside North America that offer the CBP facility. Having cleared CBP, guests can check-through their baggage to their final destination in the United States. On reaching the U.S., guests will be treated as domestic arrivals, which allows for faster processing at their arrival airport and allowing shorter connection times for onward flights in the U.S. 36 Forum
As the first facility of its kind in the region, guests flying to select destinations in the U.S can now look forward to more of our award-winning hospitality, and worry less about long queues. Etihad Airways operates flights to three destinations in the U.S. - New York (EY101 only), Chicago (EY151) Washington (EY131) and Los Angeles* ( EY171). Experience an easier, quicker and more comfortable journey with the World s Leading Airline* to Washington DC, Chicago and New York. Future US destinations will also benefit from the facility. For further information visit: www.etihad.com/uspreclearance *2013 World Travel Awards
Construction Sector
East Sitra Housing Marine Works
URS Infrastructure and Environment UK Ltd (URS) have been appointed by BahrainÂ’s Ministry of Housing to design and supervise the reclamation of a number of island plots for a major housing and light industry project. The East Sitra Housing Project aims to accommodate approximately 6,600 housing units that will form part of a new residential hub close to Sitra, off the east coast of the Kingdom of Bahrain in order to serve the people
of the Central Province, as well as providing industrial area for the expansion of the adjacent Bahrain Petroleum Company facilities, on behalf of the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA). URSÂ’ Bahrain based marine engineering team has been appointed to undertake Concept, Preliminary and Detailed Design services for six plots covering approximately 590 hectares, as well as providing the tender documentation, tender
New JV announced A Bahrain-based joint venture between Nass Asphalt and Wring Group of the UK to be set up in the next two months will be a regional pioneer, it has emerged. Gulf Demolition and Recycling Company will carry out specialist industrial demolition, removal of hazardous materials and recycling. The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the ninth Middle East Refining and Petrochemicals Conference and Exhibition (Petrotech 2014) at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre, which is expected to lead to the creation of the company. The conference and exhibition is being held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. The MoU was signed by Nass Group director Fawzi Nass and Wring Group director John Wring. "There are existing relationships between the two companies 38 Forum
assessment and undertaking the site supervision of the marine works which are expected to commence on Site in the coming months and are envisaged to take approximately 30 months. URS has also been contracted to provide a number of geotechnical investigations, bathymetric and topographic survey works across the sites, as well as design of the reclamation including flushing culverts, access causeways, water supply weirs and rock revetment edge protection measures. The reclamation itself will require approximately 25M m3 of dredged material which will be sourced from a number of nearby borrow areas as well as the allocated government borrow area. URS are working with the MOH and appointed contractor to ensure all
permits and application from the various stakeholders are obtained prior to the works commencing on site. An important element of the work is to assess the impacts of the reclamations and the effects they may have on the water quality at the intakes and outfalls nearby power and desalination plants to ensure that the proposed works do not affect strategic national infrastructure. This includes an assessment of temperatures, salinity and coliform and hydrodynamic simulations have been undertaken at the intakes and outfalls of the nearby Sitra Power and Desalination Station (SPDS), the intakes at the Al Hidd and Al Ezzel Power Plants, the Alba Calcination Plant and from the nearby Sewage Treatment Plant outfall.
that suggest a natural progression," Mr Wring said. "Health, safety, environment and sustainability will be key focus areas where expertise will be used," he added. Meanwhile, Nass Marine Services announced it has bagged a BD1 million ($3m) order from Al Jazeera Shipping Company for the construction of two barge units. The contract was signed at the Nass Corporation stand at the show. "Construction of the two 180 feet barges will start this month and they will be ready for launch within four months," Al Jazeera Shipping Company managing director Ali Hassan Mahmood said. Al Jazeera Shipping Company has a fleet of more than 150 units consisting of various sizes and types of tugs, barges and other equipment. "Using the show as a platform to display our industrial competitive capability to the regional market, we guarantee that we comply with the highest standard of construction," Nass Marine Services general manager David McKay said. "This barge order brings additional work and stability to Nass Marine and continues our efforts to provide quality and cost effective shipbuilding and repair services."
Hotel & Leisure News
Wooley crowned Bahrain Junior Open Champion All the prize winners in the Junior Open
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outh African Ryan Wooley became BahrainÂ’s 2014 Junior Open Champion after winning the two day event at the Royal Golf Club with impressive gross scores of 74 and 75 to finish with a total of 149. Sam Hobday was runner up with a total of 156 and the prize for best overall nett score went to Abdulla Al Qutami with a total nett score of 142. Nearly fifty youngsters from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UK, USA and South Africa competed in the prestigious competition which saw some excellent scoring despite the searing temperatures on the first day and tough windy conditions on the second. The tournament, supported by Bahrain Golf Association, was split into three main categories with under 21s and under 16s taking competing on the Montgomerie championship course and
the under 12s and beginners playing on the Wee Monty par 3 course. The under 16 competition was closely contested with Yaseen Le Falher edging out Saud Al Sharif by a single shot, finishing with gross scores of 159 and 160 respectively. The under 12 category of the Wee Monty competition was won by Taimur Malik with an impressive one under gross 26 on day one helping him to a two round total of 56. The over 12 competition was won by Eid Adel Meftah with a two round total of 67. The tournament prize giving ceremony took place in the ClubÂ’s Repartee dining room where Bahrain Golf Association representative Daij Khalifa was on hand to distribute the prizes. Results: Under 21 Category: 1st Ryan Wooley;
Above: Bahrain Junior Open Champion 2014 Ryan Wooley 2nd Sam Hobay; 3rd Place Fahad Al Hakam; Best Nett Abdulla Al Qutami. Under 16 Category: 1 st Yaseen La Falher; 2 nd Saud Al Sharif; 3 rd Brett Bradford; Best Nett Nayel Al Borshaid. 12 & Under Category: 1st Taimur Malik; 2nd Ronan Smith; 3rd Ali Babtain. Over 12 Category: 1st Eid Adel Meftah.
Iftar at The Diplomat Radisson Blu During the Holy Month of Ramadan, The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa invites you to experience its Ramadan evening delights!
mezzeh with a selection of over 30 different salads, home-baked breads, Shawarma and fresh crisp falafel. Add to this a wide variety of hot dishes including traditional Arabic Ouzi, Thareed, Harees and a delectable array of over thirty Arabic sweets such as Um Ali, Kunafa and Mahalabiya.
Starting from sunset, the ever popular Iftar Buffet will be located on the 14th floor at the Al Fanar rooftop venue which overlooks the stunning Bahrain skyline.
Ramandan will ensure the unique tastes of our traditional Arabic dishes
The combination of the freshest local ingredients and the traditional recipes prepared by our Bahraini Chef Younis
On offer will be a selection of fresh dates, refreshing juices from across the Gulf as well as our hot and cold
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As the Ramadan season draws to a close, The Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa will have special Eid packages featuring a Salsa Night.
Hotel & Leisure News It s all happening at the British Club this summer! We re looking forward to a summer of excitement, and there s a lot happening at the British Club starting with the launch of its striking new logo. The stunning new identity combines British and Bahraini elements, along with stylish typography to create a progressive new personality. As General Manager David Endall put it The old logo has stood the test of time for nearly 80 years, but it s time to embrace change and move forward. The new logo more
readily reflects our modern approach to the club, it s multicultural members and it s multitude of facilities ." The club sports a massive cooled swimming pool, tennis, multipurpose and squash courts, indoor badminton courts, health club, Ascot restaurant, bars and outdoor dining by the pool or on the grass. There s a group for everyone! Tots and toddlers in the mornings, swimming and taekwondo lessons for the
kids and adults alike, social Bridge for beginners and experienced players, golf, darts, netball, football and many more sections to join. The coffee shop and lounge are currently undergoing a complete refurbishment, bringing a comfortable and contemporary vibe inside and doubling the dining area with a new outdoor terrace
for everyone to enjoy, from the end of August."
See you at the British Club this summer for all the football action, and more! Telephone 17728245 for more details, or visit our website; www.britishclubbahrain.com
Lanes win Royal Golf Club Mixed Open Dong Min Suh and Jung Kyung Yoon, who finished in second place with a two day total of 141.4. Phil and Julie Dixon made up the top 3 finishing on a 144.8 nett and completed the dominance of married couples in this event.
(Above l-r) Phil & Julie Dixon, Mohamed Akeel (Managing Director of Coca Cola), Dong Min Suh & Jung Kyung Yoon & Debbie & Rob Lane
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he husband and wife pairing of Rob and Debbie Lane posted an impressive 2 round nett score of 140.2 in the prestigious Royal Golf Club Mixed Open to clinch the 2014 title. 42 Forum
A greensomes score of nett 70.6 on the final day s play, added to their nett 69.6 on the first day meant the husband and wife ran out winners by one shot over another husband and wife pairing,
The annual event, which was sponsored by Coca-Cola, was staged over two days in a greensomes format on the Club s challenging Montgomerie championship course. Results: Overall Winners: 1st Rob Lane + Debbie Lane 140.2 Nett, 2nd Dong Min Suh & Jung Kyung Yoon 141.4 Nett, 3rd Phil Dixon & Julie Dixon 144.8 Nett.
H.E. Shaikh Khalid Bin Humood Al-Khalifa s official visit to Crowne Plaza s newly renovated rooms Crowne Plaza Bahrain is proud to announce the official launch of the newly renovated rooms in one of its wings. This is a great opportunity to showcase our ongoing commitment to growth initiatives and the provision of exemplary personalised service. Our goal is to excel at exceeding our guests expectations and deliver a truly differentiated brand experience. The new rooms in combination with our 2000 sqm Conference Facilities in the hotel will further strengthen our reputation as a great destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Events (MICE) business. Perfectly timed during the F1 period, the official launch of the newly
renovated rooms of the South wing of Crowne Plaza Hotel Bahrain could not have been planned better. The hotel officially opened the doors to the newly renovated rooms of the South Wing on Thursday, 3rd April, 11.30 am. H.E Shaikh Khalid Bin Humood AlKhalifa, Assistant Undersecretary of Tourism, graced the occasion as the guest of Honour and was accompanied
by Mr. AbdulNabi Daylami, CEO of the Bahrain Tourism Company B.S.C, and Mr. Pascal Eggerstedt, General Manager, Crowne Plaza Bahrain. The new rooms are designed with muted color palettes and an eclectic mix of stylish modern furniture and rich fabrics, reminiscent of the Hotel s business heritage - but complete with 21st-century technology.
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Hotel & Leisure News
Grooming Bahraini Hospitality Talent First Batch of Students to Graduate in June 2014 A Landmark Project with Tamkeen, Kempinski and TWI Sees First Students Graduate from the Programme In January 2014 Kempinski with support of Tamkeen and together with Third Wave International (TWI), embarked on an innovative initiative for Bahrain s hospitality sector Grooming Bahraini Hospitality Talent programme established to empower young Bahrainis with world class training in hospitality and provide them with employment at a globallyreputed hotel group. The students were recruited at a two day road-show event in Bahrain City Centre. Following a robust interview process which employed unique concepts; including an experiential interview , the chosen candidates have been provided with an international standard training. A total of 23 young Bahraini candidates began the programme. Mr. Puneet Singh, General Manager, Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre stated We re excited to be part of this pilot project to recruit and train Bahrainis into the growing field of hospitality in the Kingdom. At Kempinski we have been dedicated to attracting, guiding and supporting the professional growth of our Bahraini employees. As Europe s oldest hospitality group we have a wealth of knowledge to share, developed over 117 years that we have been in operation. Kempinski currently operates in 31 countries and has a total workforce of over 30,000 employees around the world. For young Bahrainis interested in hospitality there has been no better stepping stone than this programme to begin their career as hoteliers. We re thrilled to bring the training to a successful conclusion and provide Bahrain hospitality market with professional Bahraini hoteliers ready to climb the career ladder. In addition to Kempinski and TWI, William Angliss, an Australian institute ranked among the top five hotel management schools in the world, has provided training to the students. The apprentices have received tutoring in both class room setting, as well as practical on-the-job coaching with dedicated Kempinski mentors for each student. On June
12 the students will graduate and receive their certificates in a plush graduation ceremony at the Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre. The graduates will begin working in departments such as culinary, front office, food & beverage and housekeeping.
Children s day out
In celebration of the International Children s Day, Crowne Plaza Bahrain once again hosted a day of fun, games and activities for the orphans under the care of the Royal Charity Organisation on Saturday, April 26, 2014. Crowne Plaza Bahrain Team headed by their Deputy General Manager, Ebrahim Kooheji, welcomed the children at the lobby with refreshments before heading to the swimming pool area to start their exciting day ahead with cool pool activities. Their day began with fun activities around the pool area under the watchful eye of the employee-volunteers and then they were given time to swim and play in the pool which was the highlight of the day. And what better way to complete their experience at the Crowne Plaza than to have a wonderful time to tuck into the special spread that the hotel chefs had prepared while watching movies on the large screen. Towards the end, gifts were distributed to each one of the youngsters to conclude their enjoyable experience at Crowne Plaza Bahrain.
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Royal Golf Club launches special Summer Night pass
The Royal Golf Club has announced the launch of a special Summer Night Pass which will give holders unlimited access to both the Montgomerie championship course and the par 3 Wee Monty course after 6pm, allowing golfers to take advantage of the cooler evening temperatures this summer. Pass holders will also enjoy access to the facilities of the
Royal Country Club including the gyms, saunas, steam rooms, swimming pool, multi-purpose sports court and gardens. The pass costs just BD 139 per person per month and includes a dozen Titleist golf balls of the pass holderÂ’s choice. For further information, contact the Royal Golf Club on +973 17 750777
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Bahrain News
Al Raya Mall now open
New Joint venture between Banz Group and Geodis Wilson
Above: (l-r) Jason Smith (CEO Banz Group), Joint Venture partnership, Abdulla Buhindi, Chairman Banz Group and Sascha Geiken, Cluster Managing Director Middle East, Geodis Wilson
One Bahrain Hospitality, the holding company of ITICO Group, is delighted to inform you that Al Raya Mall, the only shopping centre in Juffair, is open. The mall is strategically located in Al Fateh residential area, minutes away from exclusive luxury residential accommodation, hotels and entertainment venues. Additionally, it has exclusive access to the lobby of the Marriott Residence Inn, allowing visitors convenient access to both establishments. Al Raya Mall is dedicated to the motto "Everything is closer to you "by bringing the basic needs retail shops close to Juffair s community centre in carefully selected projects. As it is going to celebrate diversity, the multinational mall connects Italian, Greek, Japanese and Egyptian cuisine with American and New Zealand coffee flavors. The burgers are Mediterranean and made from nature s recipes. The mall stores offer international brands premium products for 46 Forum
the daily basket. Italian outdoor furniture and home decoration can be found in the Corradi showroom. Gifts for all the family with luxury toiletry UK brand, Baylis and Harding are coming soon.
The global freight forwarding company Geodis Wilson has formed a Joint Venture partnership with the regional warehousing and distribution specialist Banz Group in Bahrain.
a wide range of services in this category: inbound and outbound logistics, customs clearance, cargo insurance, reverse logistics and other value-added services, explained Geiken.
On the ground floor, the mall hosts famous brands as Alosra, Esquires Coffee House, Purple Swirl, Starbucks and Bluefield Burger, all already operational and welcoming the visitors. Pomodorini Restaurant, Diamond Fish Restaurant & Kojo Restaurant, will be opening soon; development is still going on.
The move forms part of Geodis Wilson s development strategy to extend and strengthen its global logistics network.
Servicing our customers where they grow is part of our dynamic business strategy , says Kim Pedersen, Executive Vice President of Geodis Wilson. This means increasing our footprint not only in the large and emerging economies, as we do in Brazil, India, China and also the US, but also in other dynamic regions, like the Middle East, where we already have a presence in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Al Raya Mall has the reputation of providing quality properties to leading tenants, great customer service and attention to detail. Along with entertainment venues the mall offers a diverse range of services and facilities. It has a spacious outdoor and covered parking areas, a 24hour CCTV security system and high speed Free Wifi. Al Raya Mall trusts to become the favorite shopping and entertainment destination in Juffair.
The new joint venture will be based in Juffair, Bahrain, with administrative operations run from an 8,000 square metre warehouse facility. One of the largest facilities of its type in the region, the warehouse operates under state-ofthe-art safety and security standards and includes ambient, chilled and frozen storage space. Middle East Cluster Managing Director for Geodis Wilson, Sascha Geiken, welcomed the new development. From day one, we are offering a full menu of Freight Services, including air, sea, road, seaair and project forwarding, he said. Geodis Wilson is also well-known for its provision of Contract Logistics and the Bahrain operation will deliver
The Banz Group started operations in the Kingdom of Bahrain as a privately owned shareholding company offering the most technologically advanced temperature controlled storage facilities in the Middle East. Conceptually envisaged to be a privately operated project, the company has now grown and diversified to cater to the ever growing needs and demands across all sectors.
DLA Piper delivers guidance to businesses on dealing with a crisis Part of DLA Piper s strategic focus is on partnership and collaboration, to best service our regional and global client base. We achieve this in part through our programme of events, teaming up with relevant industry bodies on important legal and business developments and issues so that we can share best practices and offer relevant support to clients in their respective sectors. In Manama earlier this month, we partnered with the Bahrain Association of Banks (BAB) to co-host a seminar for businesses operating in the financial services sector on the topic of how to handle a crisis, held at the Intercontinental Regency Hotel. Led by our recently appointed litigation, arbitration and investigations partner Adam Vause, together with Michael Yadgar from our Manama office, the seminar outlined key practical and
legal considerations for dealing with a crisis situation and managing an investigation. Adam Vause has been based in the Middle East for more than five years (three of which in Bahrain). His experience includes a two year secondment at the UK Government s Serious Fraud Office as an investigative lawyer and prosecutor, primarily focusing on white collar crime and the UK s reform of anti-Fraud and Corruption legislation. He brings extensive experience to the team, with specific expertise on matters relating to fraud, asset tracing, regulatory and anti-bribery investigations, further bolstering the firm s litigation and arbitration offering. The firm is also expanding in terms of our Africa Group at a time when the continent is becoming an increasing focus for our clients as opportunities
continue to open up in key industry sectors such as a banking and finance, technology and hospitality and leisure. DLA Piper now has the world s largest legal services network in Africa, making us well placed to support our clients looking to invest or expand in Africa, guiding them through the complex legal and economic frameworks that are often so diverse from country to country.
New Coaching Programme helps Companies grow their sales
Late artist Mohammed Zuwaid s house to be opened in 2015
A new marketing coaching programme has just been launched in Bahrain to help established companies and entrepreneurs dramatically improve their marketing and sales results. Entitled Smart Marketing Coaching , the 30-day programme helps businesses to implement smart marketing activities: those that provide quick sources of revenue with the least amount of labour intensity.
The Culture Ministry has decided to start work on reviving the house of late artist Mohammed Zuwaid who was born in 1900 and died in 1982. The project is part of the ministry s next year s work programme themed "Our Heritage is Our Wealth".
The affordable programme is designed to help businesses get clear on their priorities around growing their revenue and helping them take action. The first-of-its-kind programme is delivered by Bahraini entrepreneur Ahmed Al Akber and uses his experience in working in marketing and sales for Fortune 500 companies like The Coca-Cola Company, Philip Morris International, and Dell and his own Bahrain-based marketing strategy firm ACK Solutions. Bahraini businesses need ideas on how to quickly attract more clients and significantly improve their marketing and sales performance, without having to pay premium prices to gain access to a consultant s expertise , says Ahmed. The results some of our clients have seen include increasing their sales by 50% just by becoming aware of and employing some fundamental marketing tactics that they were not previously employing. Those interested in knowing more about the programme should contact BBBF member Ahmed Al Akber at ACKSolutions.
Appropriation procedures of the artist s house in Muharraq are underway. The house is set to be opened to the public in 2015 marking Mohammed Zuwaid s 32nd death anniversary. Some of the artist s belongings will go on display for the first time, including his famous lute which accompanied him for years. Culture Minister Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa met the artist s son Yussef Zuwaid recently and announced the project which was highly appreciated by the artist s family who stressed full readiness to ensure its success. Mohammed Zuwaid started his artistic career in the 1930 s to later become the ambassador of the Bahraini song. He had around 300 songs to his credit and was taught his first lessons in music by Mohammed bin Faris. Forum 47
Bahrain News
Alosra supermarket opens in Juffair Alosra supermarket, the fresh and friendly subsidiary of BMMI, officially opened its doors to the Juffair community on Thursday, May 8, 2014. Located in Al Raya Mall, this is now the chain s fifth branch across the Kingdom and is in alignment with the supermarket s expansion strategy to allow convenient access for customers to buy the products that Alosra is renowned for. "We are very excited about the opportunity to serve more customers in Juffair and its surrounding areas," said
Alosra Vice President, Food Retailing & Production, Mr. Jaffar Al Asfoor. "Alosra Juffair gives us the chance to extend our reach and provide our customers with the fresh and friendly, premium experience they have come to expect from Alosra. With our recent expansion all over the Kingdom, we have aimed to make it more convenient for our customers to get their favourite products, closer to home." The official opening of the new store was held on Thursday, the 8th th of May. His Excellency, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Dr. Hassan Fakhro led the ribbon cutting ceremony. The Alosra team also conducted
Above: The Minister of Industry & Commerce, Dr. Hassan Fakhro, with BMMI Chairman, Mr. Abdulla Buhindi, and BMMI Board Director, Mrs. Mona Yousif Almoayyed, during the ribbon cutting ceremony. Below left The interior of the new store
a tour of the different departments, answered questions and encouraged invitees to sample some of Alosra s products. The BMMI Board of Directors, BMMI top management and other VIPs also attended the event. Alosra Juffair is open daily from 7am to 11pm and is located in Al Raya Mall, near the Al-Fateh Mosque, by the Residence Inn by Marriott.
BMMI Celebrates Fourth Annual Health & Safety Week BMMI celebrated its fourth annual Health and Safety Week from the 21st to the 28th of April, concluding the event on the International Labour Organisation s (ILO) World Day for Safety and Health at work. The Group marked the event with a number of activities across it various divisions and businesses in Bahrain. BMMI partnered with Royal Bahrain Hospital-Medex for the event, who assisted with providing speakers who gave health and safety related lectures throughout the week at BMMI locations. BMMI also organised free medical checkups for its employees and customers, to screen for diabetes, hypertension and obesity, also administered by RBHMedex. On the 23 rd of April, BMMI held its second annual Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) conference, at the Al Bander Hotel & Resort, which aimed to educate employees about various HSE initiatives, laws and best-case 48 Forum
practices. The event included speakers from the Ministry of Labour, RBHMedex, Bureau VERITAS, STC Bahrain, Bapco and OSHO. Through its s u b s i d i a r y, Alosra, BMMI also organised a mini-walkathon starting at Alosra Amwaj, under the slogan walk for health and safe living. Around a hundred participants took place in the four kilometres walk and enjoyed a complimentary Alosra breakfast following the event. "The whole week was a tremendous success," said BMMI s Integrated Management Systems (IMS) Manager, Suttish Boodoo, whose team was responsible for organising the Health & Safety Week. "We received a lot of
positive feedback from employees and customers who were happy to learn more about health and safety. BMMI has always prioritised the importance of a safe and healthy work environment and overall wellbeing for our employees and I am grateful that we have the opportunity to continue and promote this, with full support from the Group." Various events also took place across the Group s GSS operations in Gabon, Ghana and Sudan to commemorate the Health & Safety Week.
Bahrain News
Unisono Awarded Prestige International Branding Accolade At The 2014 Transform Awards Europe
Studio RCT has been busy celebrating Pilates Day, a special day created by the Pilates Method Alliance to bring awareness to the many benefits that pilates provides to every age group and to promote healthy living. They joined many studios around the world for the second time this year on the first Saturday in May, to promote and share this discipline through various workshops and master classes on mat and reformer, offered to the general public throughout the morning.
Unisono, one of the GCC s leading strategic creative agencies, was recognised as an industry leader in the 2014 Transform Awards Europe, UK, for its excellent work rebranding Doha s Al Wa ab City development.
Pilates Day generates charity donation
The nominal entrance fee of BD5 and a few donations helped us to build a total income of BD185 which has been donated in full to the local charity "Children & Mother Welfare Society”- www.motherandchildbh.com Participants learnt about the numerous benefits of pilates, including correct breathing patterns to increase lung capacity, improved circulation, increased strength and flexibility along with muscular and mental coordination , improvement in posture, balance, core strength, joint flexibility and bone density. Many also experienced positive body awareness for the first time.
T
he world s largest annual gathering of ICT regulatory experts, GSR-14 was hosted by Bahrain s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) in June under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. Chaired by TRA chairman Dr Mohammed Al Amer, more than 700 leading specialists from 113 countries worldwide registered to attend the event. The forum grappled with the many complex legal and public policy issues raised by the increasingly interconnected digital environment. The conference heard how the fast-growing global store of huge data volumes generated by high-tech sensors, human interaction over web, email and social media sites, and machine-to-machine communications are creating a host of new business opportunities as well as concerns about privacy and the use of personal data by third parties. 50 Forum
The branding and communications company was awarded with a silver accolade for both its strategic and creative brand repositioning solution. This was the agency s first presentation at the highly influential awards show with a grand success. The independent consultancy is recognised as one of the best branding agencies in the Middle East and worldwide having won top prizes at The REBRAND 100 Global and the Transform Awards. Hala Fadel, marketing manager at Al Wa ab City said: "We knew the results their strategic approach to branding could deliver. A successful brand requires more than a revamped logo, it demands a vision that inspires customers, investors and others to see the company in a fresh, new light. This is why we chose Unisono. This second international award for our brand proves our strong synergies and the power of our partnership with another excellent result." Liam Farrell, Unisono s founding partner and director of branding, stated: "This award is a great recognition for the international quality of Unisono s brand development process. The market performance of our partners demonstrates the strategic imperative of this work." Liz Foggitt, publishing and events manager of Communicate magazine, added: "Your brand is your reputation so it s important to get it right. Winners of the Transform Awards are leading the way in brand development and communications. Congratulations to all the winners every one of you is setting the standard of what brand communications should be." Al Wa`ab City is a low-rise, low-density development with a true sense of place, strategically located in Doha, Qatar. It is a diverse mix of neighborhoods, fused with the surrounding community, which will accommodate 8000 people in over 2000 homes, ranging from luxurious villas to contemporary apartments.
Bed & Breakfast in the Southwest of England The Robin Hill is ideally located in a central yet quiet area of Torquay in Devon, an area known as the English Riviera. It’s just a brief 500 metre stroll down the hill to the town’s harbour, shops, restaurants, bars and seafront. We offer comfortable en-suite bedrooms, a friendly welcome, free parking & wifi and a great breakfast selection. BUT don’t take our word for it... our most recent TripAdvisor reviews include the following: The hosts were lovely and couldn`t do enough for us. In the morning we came down to a fantastic breakfast selection, cereal juice cakes etc and when our full English breakfast came we were not disapointed it was very hot and and plentiful. Reviewed in January 2014 What a beautiful building, wow! It is so nice that they are trying to restore it to its former glory. We will return one day and would advise anyone else to stay here. Reviewed in November 2013 The en-suite was sparkling clean and well presented with complimentary consumables etc. The bed was comfortable and I probably had the best few nights sleep than I had had for ages. Even though we had the "great" storm Reviewed in October 2013 Great location, brilliant breakfast, friendly homely feel and very clean, a place with real class and great management, suitable for all age groups. Reviewed in September 2013 We stayed here for two days and wish it could have been longer. The new owners made us very welcome. Breakfast was a pleasure cooked to perfection and a good choice from continental to full english. This is a family run hotel, and we felt like part of it. Reviewed in August 2013 We’re taking bookings now for July to November visits. Please drop us a line or call direct for best prices and availability.
reservations@therobinhill.co.uk
World Cup fever is hitting the workplace.
And Finally
as the U.S. team lost, 3-0.) ...This last sentence has probably given the game away to those in the know that this is not a report on the 2014 event but what the headlines were back in 2006. According to the Wall Street Journal, World Cup fever is hitting the workplace. Employees at companies from Goldman Sachs to McDonalds are surreptitiously watching TV or checking out Web sites, faking cigarette breaks, even calling in sick to keep up with the tournament action. Some companies are clamping down but others are giving in to the surge in interest and hosting viewing parties and office pools, handing out face paint, or simply turning a blind eye when monitors are tuned to the games. More than half the TV monitors on some trading floors at Deutsche Bank’s New York offices - including some sets belonging to executiveswere tuned to the U.S. game yesterday, with periodic eruptions of emotion. (Mostly despair,
Welcome to June Madness is once again the repeat headline around the world so what’s in store this year? With ‘copycat’ balls retailing at prices between £10 and £30 each in the UK make no mistake, this is BIG business for some and not all of it is legal. India.com reports that “Kids living in slums will be watching the World Cup. They want to wear a Ronaldo or Messi shirt. They can’t go to a showroom, can they? And this is not a ‘rich versus poor’ debate. For Rs 3,000 (the average price of an ‘original’ jersey [About BD20]), a rich kid can pick up 15 from my shop. Won’t that make him happy?” reasons Mahindra, who has been selling jerseys for the past five years. “The shirts are made and printed
in Kurla and Chakala. We’re always ready to give the customer what he wants,” he says. Only a month ago in the UK the Daily Mail reported that over 1000 fake World Cup trophys had been seized from a warehouse in Zhejiang Province in China with the reporter joking that getting hold of one of those might be England’s only hope of lifting a trophy! In South Africa over £2.5 million pounds worth of South Africa shirts were seized in Johannesburg. In Kuala Lumpur, he Ministry of Domestic Trade raided a building in May after receiving a tip-off that the owner was getting ready for World Cup 2014 by stocking up about 50,000 football shirts of countries competing in the tournament. The raid was carried out by a team led by Aswadi Jaafar, assisted by eight
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personnel. Describing it as the biggest haul of imitation jerseys this year, Aswadi said the team had been observing the building for about a month before the raid. “The jerseys, worth RM500,000, (About BD60,000) are believed to be for distribution nationwide” So Buyer beware. Fake goods could be in a shop near you. But back to the football. Where’s the money being placed. Betting Odds show Brazil at 11/4, Argentina at 4/1, Germany at 11/2 England at 25/1 Switzerland at 100/1 and Australia at 2500/1 With a month of football about to take over the screens I do hope those of you not in love with beautiful game manage to survive what will undoutedly be taking over your lives.