CEO Report

NEXUS Flight Operations Services scales new heights

Houston Methodist

Emitac Healthcare Solutions

GĂŠant Middle East

Emirates Driving Company

Arab Financial Services

FROM THE DIRECTOR

IN THIS MAGAZINE

Micc GreenTec shifts up a gear with electric car project Green is the colour of success for Micc GreenTec as it prepares to launch a number of innovative technologies in 2016, says CEO Waseem Ashraf Qureshi.

PAGE 22 THE CEO REPORT has quickly become the most widely read CEO Magazine in the region, reaching more decision-makers and readers than any other business publication. We are, once again, extremely proud to be able to profile many well-known CEOs and companies in this issue of the magazine, as well as introducing many interesting, new projects and companies.

In this edition, we have chosen to profile some of the region’s top healthcare companies in ‘The Future of Healthcare’ section with up-to-date information and insights into the industry. Sustainability is also a theme we have carried into this edition as we move towards Expo 2020.

On behalf of myself and the rest of the CEO Report team, we trust you will enjoy reading this issue of the magazine and hope that it inspires you to achieve further success in 2016.

Lauri Stevens Director Content Group International

THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

4 HOUSTON METHODIST

22 MICC GREENTEC

6 EMITAC HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS

23 ALMADEN MENA

8 NEXUS

24 GULF PERLITE

10 ERICSSON

25 ASSOCIA

12 GÉANT MIDDLE EAST

26 NTT DATA

14 EMIRATES DRIVING COMPANY

27 ARAB FINANCIAL SERVICES

16 MCG GROUP

28 DANZAS AEI EMIRATES LCC

18 SPF REALTY

ARABIC

20 ETHICS PLUS

8 BAHRAIN SPECIALIST HOSPITAL

21 METLIFE

6 NEXUS 4 EMIRATES DRIVING

Publisher, Editor-in-chief: Kalle Salmi CEO, Content Group International: Johan Ehrström Director: Lauri Stevens Project Managers: Maryam Shoaei, Danielle Francisco, Arty Mokhov, Henri Salonen, Riley O’Farrell Art Director: Petra Pirinen Journalists: Criselda Diala-McBride, Laura Denmar, Inga Stevens Photographers: Hiten Nainaney, Andrew Rozario, Aaron David, Mohammed Ibri Content Translation: commanine Concept owner: Content Group International, HDS Business Center, Cluster M, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates www.contentgroupinternational.com A Gulf News Sponsored Supplement, published by Al Nisr Publishing.

3

HOUSTON METHODIST THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

Houston Methodist transforms the Middle East patient experience Cathy Easter, President and CEO of Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services, says the company is bringing to life new models of healthcare, education and training that are ideal to the region.

P

utting patients first is a philosophy that has guided US-based healthcare organisation Houston Methodist for nearly a century. This is the same principle that has allowed the company to help its partners in the Middle East design a patientcentred healthcare framework specific to the region.

Headquartered in Houston, the company has had a healthy and lasting relationship with the Middle East – treating patients from this market at its various hospitals and wellness facilities in Texas, while also promoting knowledge and best practice transfer by bringing its highly qualified physicians, nurses and executives into the region, said Cathy Easter, President and CEO of Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services.

“As an academic medical centre, we strongly believe that education and training are incredibly important not only for today’s leaders, but also in developing future executives in global healthcare,” she said during a recent visit to Dubai.

For the past seven years, Houston Methodist’s regional hub in Dubai Healthcare City has served as a platform for the company to share with the region its decades-long expertise in delivering clinical and service excellence.

“We provide consultation, advisory, as well as management services for our partners in the Middle East. Advisory services could mean supporting their nursing planning strategy or assisting an investor or government so they can better understand the market needs and the types of clinical facilities – from an infrastructure development standpoint – required to meet these demands,” Easter explained.

Houston Methodist is currently under-

4

taking a project with a renowned UAEbased holding company for the management of a state-of-the-art outpatient facility in Dubai.

Patient experience in the digital age Globally, patient experience has become as important as the quality of care that a healthcare institution provides. In the Middle East, more and more hospitals, clinics and wellness facilities are aiming to promote a highly engaged, interactive and positive experience for their patients.

Easter believes that there needs to be a heavy emphasis on technology in the coming years, as the regional healthcare landscape undergoes transformation, from focusing on caring for patients when

management,” the Houston Methodist CEO explained. “The integration of technology in patient experience is going to be very important as we seek to give caregivers the tools to really engage with the patients.”

Focusing on technology is particularly significant in the Middle East, which has one of the fastest growing populations of tech-savvy consumers in the world.

According to The Arab World Online 2014 report by the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government, there are over 135 million Internet users and 71 million active users of social networking in 22 Arab countries, while mobile penetration rate stands at an impressive 110% regionally.

Easter said technology plays a key role in Houston Methodist’s strategy in the region, where they continually look at ways to integrate the proven lessons learned on

“There are a number of patients from this region who are currently seeking care in Europe, Asia or the United States, oftentimes as a result of the lack of access to that care locally and regionally. And developing access to specific healthcare services is an expertise that we can offer our partners here.” they are sick to pro-actively managing patient care in an effort to keep them well.

“What will really help support that transformation will be embracing technology in healthcare as it has been experienced in a number of other fields; this can be done through higher utilisation of apps or engaging patients so as to encourage them to also participate in their healthcare

the clinical side with rising consumerism and use of technology.

“Our objective is on devising ways to engage patients, and that could be through apps, wearables or other forms of technology. We aim to build an ecosystem, where all of these components work together to create a patient relationship that is focused on wellness and patient experience,” she added.

HOUSTON METHODIST THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

Building hospitals of the future In the coming years, prevention and wellness initiatives will have a huge impact on the healthcare sector not only in the Middle East, but worldwide, Easter said.

“We have a broad version of healthcare within Houston Methodist’s network; we have physician clinics, specialty care clinics and multi-specialty hubs of service. We see healthcare truly as a comprehensive continuum of care, and not just the provision of tertiary and quaternary care for acutely sick people.

“Rising consumerism is going to continue to affect healthcare and we are addressing this through our wellness initiatives and primary care connectivity. These are all going to be important as we think about the healthcare of the future,” she said.

As part of this initiative, Houston Methodist recently launched a new electronic medical records management platform, which allows patients to view their information and interact with their healthcare providers.

Contributing to healthcare evolution Governments across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have put healthcare on top of their agendas. As a result, healthcare spending in the region is expected to reach US$144 billion by 2020, with the GCC countries accounting for nearly half, according to Al Masah Capital.

The Middle East healthcare sector is also evolving with the changing needs of patients. Customer expectations for services provided within the healthcare setting, for example, are becoming high, particularly in the Arabian Gulf region, Easter observes.

“I think the region has all the right ingredients such as skilled healthcare professionals and modern infrastructure that can ensure a positive experience for patients,” she said.

However, more needs to be done to capitalize on the potential of the regional healthcare market and encourage regional patients to seek treatment here, rather than elsewhere.

“There are a number of patients from this region who are currently seeking care in Europe, Asia or the United States, oftentimes as a result of the lack of access to that care locally and regionally. And developing access to specific healthcare services is an

Cathy Easter, President and CEO of Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services.

expertise that we can offer our partners here,” she said.

Easter emphasises the importance of taking key learnings from its US hub and developing opportunities for knowledge transfer that are culturally appropriate to the Middle East region.

“Houston Methodist’s proven track record can help put all these ingredients together in such a way that creates the patient outcome and experience, as well as financial results that all stakeholders are looking for. We also facilitate physicians and caregivers to enable them to create

that high quality patient experience,” the CEO said.

Strengthening foothold Aside from Dubai, Houston Methodist is also active in Saudi Arabia. In addition to its footprint in Europe and Latin America, Houston Methodist plans to open its next office in Riyadh.

Easter said the company will continue to evaluate other educational, consulting and management opportunities in the region’s promising healthcare sector.

5

EMITAC HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

One-Stop-Shop for Healthcare Solutions Addressing the complex requirements of the healthcare industry requires a vast array of innovative solutions and services, says Raghavan Srinivasan, CEO, Emitac Healthcare Solutions.

E

Emitac Healthcare Solutions (EHS), part of the Bukhatir Investment Limited (BIL) & Ghobash Trading and Investment Company (Ghobash Group), came into existence as a part of Emitac Technology Company established in 1974. The Emitac group began as the exclusive distributors of Hewlett Packard (HP) in the UAE. At the onset, EHS was primarily a ‘medical equipment only’ company representing prestigious brands like Philips (where EHS represents its Patient Monitoring & Critical Care product segment) and Hill-Rom

6

USA, Shimadzu Japan, and many more.

Over the years, the business diversified under the visionary leadership of Raghavan Srinivasan, CEO, Emitac Healthcare Solutions, and has emerged as a one-stop-shop for healthcare solutions in the UAE. Today, EHS has an enviable portfolio of representative principals that enable it to bring the best products and technologies to the healthcare sector. The organization has a comprehensive array of healthcare solutions and technologies built into solutions for their caregivers.

At the helm of EHS for more than 20 years, Raghavan has shaped the organization to be what it is today – one of the top three healthcare solutions providers in the UAE. Today, EHS offers a vast array of innovative solutions and services to its diverse clientele to address the dynamic and complex requirements of the healthcare industry.

Raghavan has been instrumental in helping EHS expand its product portfolio into specialized segments including Medical Equipment Planning & Project Management, Healthcare Informatics,

EMITAC HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE

Raghavan Srinivasan, CEO of Emitac Healthcare Solutions.

Radiology & Imaging, Patient Monitoring & Critical Care Solution etc., tapping into niche areas of the healthcare industry.

“The Turnkey Project management aspect of EHS, for instance, offers end-toend solutions in Medical Equipment Planning, Architectural Design Planning, Procurement and Project Management, Turnkey Hospital Furnishing, Mobile Solutions and Consultancy Services,” says Raghavan.

With a vision to expand geographically

and to resonate the success of EHS beyond the UAE by applying economies of scale, Raghavan also headed up the establishment of Etqan Medical Healthcare Solutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

“The KSA team includes a hand-picked group of committed and driven professionals from the local talent in KSA, with superior skills and knowledge of the Saudi healthcare market,” explains Raghavan.

“EHS continues its endeavours to expand

geographically and establish itself in other parts of the MENA region.”

A people’s person who believes that the true wealth of an organization and mantra for sustainable business success are its people, Raghavan has built an organization that has an enviable work culture and a team of highly competent professionals. According to an audit conducted by the Great Places to Work Institute in 2013, EHS was ranked amongst the top six SME’s to work for in the UAE.

7

NEXUS

NEXUS Flight Operations Services scales new heights Abdullah Al-Sayed, Group President & CEO of NEXUS Flight Operations Services, says promoting professionalism has allowed the Middle East’s aviation industry to reach new heights.

N

owhere in the world has aviation, as an industry, been more vibrant than in the GCC, where three of the world’s most successful legacy carriers are based.

The region’s rapidly growing economy, rising population and thriving business environment have also contributed to the sector’s steady ascend – opening up opportunities for Abdullah Al-Sayed, President and CEO of NEXUS Flight Operations Services, to help further raise the industry’s global competitiveness.

provides the whole range of services in relation to the management of aircraft and crew, as well as the training and supervising maintenance.”

As an added service the company also offers a true concierge service, which handles all of the customers’ requirements from pre-flight requests to minor details, similar to what five-star hotel concierges provide.

“Our motto has always been: If the client can request it, NEXUS can deliver it. This covers all aspects of flight management

“Our motto has always been: If the client can request it, NEXUS can deliver it. This covers all aspects of flight management including airplane, crew, maintenance, permits, fuel, catering, civil aviation interface, insurance, aircraft selection and acceptance, among others.”

A veteran in the aviation industry, having served in senior management roles at various airlines, Al-Sayed went to set up NEXUS in 2010. By mid-2010, the company started offering flight operations services to various companies and organisations in KSA. The CEO’s timing couldn’t have come at a better time. The aviation industry was taking off and yet he felt there was a gap in the market that needed to be plugged in order to bring the sector to the next level.

“There was, and still is, no company in the region offering the kind of total flight operations solution that NEXUS provides,” he said. “Many companies offer ‘flight support’ for handling the daily logistics of a flight from take-off to parking, but none

8

including airplane, crew, maintenance, permits, fuel, catering, civil aviation interface, insurance, aircraft selection and acceptance, among others,” Al-Sayed said.

Professionalising aviation According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Middle East airlines will grow strongly by 4.9% and will see an extra 237 million passengers a year on routes to, from and within the region by 2034.

US aeroplane maker Boeing offers a similar positive outlook, with the region requiring a total of 3,180 new aircraft between 2015 and 2034. Investments in the construction and modernisation of airport facilities have also been a priority

as governments across the region recognise air transportation’s vital role in economic development.

With these comes the need for a pool of professional and highly trained employees to support aviation’s growth. The NEXUS President & CEO believes that with growth comes opportunity and while the industry’s growth may have attracted several players, quality service should always be a priority.

“Many companies enter the business and dilute the market, driving down price and the quality of service,” he commented. “Safety and quality do not have to be expensive, but they also cannot be maintained by unprofessional, low-cost, untrained companies that come and go with the wind.”

NEXUS, he added, focuses on promoting long-term, steady growth with dedicated safety and quality training programme, as well as salaries based on experience and professionalism.

Safety on top of the agenda Boeing reported that “human error” has been documented as a primary contributor to more than 70% of commercial airplane hull-loss accidents. While typically associated with flight operations, human error has also recently become a major concern in maintenance practices and air traffic management.

This is the reason why comprehensive training is crucial in the industry, said Al-Sayed. “NEXUS is very much aware how human error affects flight safety. As a result, we focus on training, education, safety and quality audits, recurrent and requalification testing and training, and on observing a ‘just culture’ in all of our departments and areas.

NEXUS

Abdullah Al-Sayed, Group President & CEO of NEXUS Flight Operations Services.

“Only through good communication and reporting can issues be identified and corrected. Our team has to be accountable, and NEXUS’ leadership provides the means, tools and continuing education to reduce incidents and accidents, while driving safety and skills up,” the President & CEO said.

Tailor-made solutions NEXUS’ growth has been consistent with the industry’s performance. However, Al-Sayed reiterates that what sets them

apart from the competition is their ability to provide consistently high quality product tailored specifically to their customers’ needs.

“This attitude has put NEXUS at the top and continues to fuel our growth. NEXUS has consistently grown 25–50% per year from its inception and this growth shows no signs of tapering,” he said.

The company currently provides its services to private operators/VVIPs (very, very important persons), governments, military and airlines in Saudi Arabia and GCC. Specialising in delivering bespoke

programmes and solutions to its client, NEXUS currently serves a fleet of more than 170 aircraft and fully manages an additional 23 aeroplanes for owners across the region.

Recently, the company announced to the media its intention to provide ground handling services in India and Africa. It has also signed contracts to establish a joint flight support venture in China, after opening a new flight operations support centre in Austria.

Indeed, it appears that sky’s the limit for NEXUS Flight Operations Services.

9

ERICSSON

Ericsson charts course for Networked Society Swedish telecoms solutions giant plays central role in region-wide journey to a smart city paradigm, says Rafiah Ibrahim, Ericsson’s President, Middle East and Africa.

U

nder the stewardship of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the UAE’s march towards a smart society is accelerating.

Swedish telecoms solutions giant Ericsson refers to this paradigm as the Networked Society and is deeply involved in the country, and across the region, in infrastructure and software solutions projects designed to deliver on these ambitions.

The company will host a summit in Dubai in January 2016 called Change-Makers Forum, where it will discuss opportunities and action points designed to make governments ready for the Networked Society.

“When we talk about the Networked Society, it is one where connectivity is extremely important and where everyone and everything that can be connected, will be connected,” said Rafiah Ibrahim, President, Middle East and North East Africa, Ericsson. “And in the UAE we can actually see the Networked Society transforming and evolving.”

Ericsson has tasked itself with building solutions centred on societal challenges, concentrating on the enabling of industries to make full use of a networked ecosystem. Transport systems must effectively monitor everything from highways to airports, while smart utilities require hubs that govern electricity to houses and streetlights.

“GCC is a region that we believe is closer to transforming in line with its ambitions as compared with some other regions,” said Ibrahim. “For example, Egypt is still trying to achieve coverage for its people in terms of connectivity and capacity in its network. But even such countries are still discussing smart city concepts, so they will take ideas from those countries that

10

are more successful, to emulate the best practices required for smart cities.”

Platforms solve problems The benefits of smart cities include improved quality of life for citizens; sustainability; reduced carbon footprint; and

see successful solutions in operation and share lessons learned.

Ericsson has also seen success in mobile platform solutions, in particular with mobile money (m-money). Its main market for m-money platforms is the continent of Africa, where, Ibrahim said some communities have a huge unbanked

“When we talk about the Networked Society, it is one where connectivity is extremely important and where everyone and everything that can be connected, will be connected. And in the UAE we can actually see the Networked Society transforming and evolving.” improved efficiency in power generation.

But elements that come together to create meaningful tools for citizens and government agencies require a number of providers working in concert, from telecoms operators to equipment vendors and software companies.

“We always want to be part of an ecosystem,” Ibrahim explained. “It is not about just one party or one company that can provide an end-to-end system. So being part of that ecosystem means doing a lot of proofs of concept to demonstrate best practice to governments.

“Today we are already providing networks to telcos in most of the region’s countries. What we continue to do is to ensure that the network performance is robust enough to be able to manage the types of traffic that will come on to the network.”

As part of its proofs of concept, Ericsson also takes representatives from government organisations to other countries to

population. Instead, Ericsson works with mobile providers to offer a mobile wallet alternative.

Data getting bigger Throughout the Networked Society, the creation and consumption of data is mushrooming. Taking advantage of vast silos of raw bytes and shaping it into businessactionable information is vital for the success of smart societies, Ibrahim said.

“Because we provide the network, we are able to monitor it and establish patterns in the traffic,” she said. When is the peak period? What sort of consumer is using it?

What are they using it for?

“With these traffic models, we can then ask ‘How do you manage the network with software to dynamically size it to the number of users at a given time?’ You can also use these patterns to maximise revenues, so the operator can go to consumers and explain that at some times they will

ERICSSON

pay a peak rate and at other times, calls may be free.”

Every so often, data speeds jump upwards through the evolution of networks.

This can be seen in the leap to 3G and the subsequent migration to 4G, which is still ongoing in some Middle East countries.

The next evolution, 5G, is an area in which Ericsson has also taken an interest.

“Publicly, it has been said that 5G will be commercially available in 2020, but Korean telcos have requested it be available in the Olympic Village for when that country hosts the Olympics in 2018,” Ibrahim explained. “So we have to make sure, for example, that we have the 5G handsets ready for that date.”

Partners in time To date, in the GCC, Ericsson has signed partnership agreements with the main telecoms operators for the purpose of 5G network tests, to understand how carriers can migrate from 4G/LTE to 5G. Ibrahim added that the partnerships, signed this year, will see Ericsson collaborating with the operators over the next couple of years.

The company also plans to have 5G talks with telecom regulators, which allocate spectrum bandwidths and award appropriate licences to carriers. “So there is a lot of work to be done,” Ibrahim noted. “And across the wider region, only about 40% of countries are on 4G, so we are still rolling this out.”

Ericsson’s own Mobility Report published in June 2015, notes that almost 80% of new smartphone subscriptions until 2020 will be in Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa. Ericsson attributes the projected growth to a combination of increased demand for mobile-centric lifestyles and the increasing availability of cheaper smartphones from budget vendors in India and China.

“Mobility is a way of life, it is a trend; because everyone wants to feel that they can get the information they need anywhere, not just at home or in the office,” Ibrahim said. “You might want to watch a live football game on the way home from the office, while you are stuck in traffic in a taxi.”

Ericsson continues to advocate collaborative summits such as Change-Makers Forum, as a means to share information

Rafiah Ibrahim, President of Ericsson, Middle East and Africa.

and best practices.

“Everyone is talking about innovation,” Ibrahim said, “so in order to ensure that all companies, be they international or

local, can innovate freely, everybody needs to bring together their thoughts into one ecosystem so they can evolve over time to bring some value.”

11

GÉANT MIDDLE EAST

Géant Middle East reinvents the hypermarket Meet Mark Lack, the Chief Executive Officer of Géant Middle East, who is on a mission to put the fun back into grocery shopping in the GCC region.

W

ith an impressive career in the retail industry spanning three decades in 18 different locations across the globe, Mark Lack, Chief Executive Officer of Géant Middle East, surely knows what makes shoppers tick.

The formula is actually simple – improve the customers’ overall shopping experience, both in-store and online, by understanding what they want.

Investing resources and time into developing a customer engagement programme has been at the top of Lack’s agenda since joining Future Commerce International (Fu-Com), the company behind the Middle East franchise of the French retailer, in November last year.

“We’ve started looking at how we can learn about our customers so that we can offer them more of what they actually want,” he said. “Critical to this initiative is stock availability, especially in a hypermarket model, where it is common for customers to shop once a week or every two weeks for most of their household needs, and therefore, they expect to find the products they’re looking for.”

A peek into the shopping basket The concept of managing availability, while simple, is not altogether easy considering Géant is measuring 45 stores in three countries across the GCC, looking at over 40,000 product lines and 12 different measurement dimensions. Overall, the company tracks around half a million data points per day just on availability. However, using their own algorithms, Lack’s team was able to crunch the numbers and spill out some useful information.

“We conducted a month-long exercise in our Jumeirah Park store, where we collected basic data about customers and what they most commonly put in their

12

shopping trolley. We found that one of the top selling products by volume, rather than value, was 2-kgs ice cube bags. That did not appear in our availability measurement, but it was very important to our customers so we made sure that we always have that product in stock,” he said.

“It’s not just about putting products on shelves, but about satisfying customers’ needs.”

By engaging with customers, Géant learned that the core product range most customers require came down to 41. As a result, the retailer created its own list of 100 reference products, which now have 99.5% availability rate across all its regional stores.

“Even in the 40,000 product lines that we track, we have 97.5% availability, which is a great fill rate when compared to current market levels,” Lack added.

Tapping into ecommerce In 2013, the company launched Géant Online, offering customers the option to do their grocery and supermarket shopping via the web. Currently, the online supermarket service is doing very well, but is available only within the area that can be served by Géant’s Ibn Battuta Mall branch. With the recent opening of Géant branches in Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi and Dragon Mart in Dubai, Lack hopes the retailer will have an opportunity to take its ecommerce platform to the next level.

“We intentionally kept the concept relatively small at the moment because we

wanted to make sure that we’ve got all the processes in place. It’s very easy to open an online store, but that’s not enough.

Nowadays, customers expect as good a service online as they get in the bricks and mortar,” explained Lack.

As a result, the team at Géant has been meticulously building up the system’s backend capability in order to support the segment’s eventual rollout. Lack disclosed that they are also developing a mobile app version of Géant Online, which they expect to release within the next three months.

Aside from a wide array of products on offer, the online platform also provides customers choices in terms of delivery times and slots, giving them the confidence that their orders will be delivered on time and in excellent condition, which is critical in the shipment of fresh food.

Rapid expansion The past couple of years have been a busy period for Géant Middle East with the opening of its hypermarket branches in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Mall – touted as the largest Géant store in the region with a retail floor space of 13,000 square metres (sqm); and Dragon Mart 2, which has a retail floor space of 9,000 sqm.

Last year, the retail chain also opened four community supermarkets in Dubai under the brand Géant Easy Supermarkets, which are located in Discovery Gardens, Jumeirah Park, Ghoroob in Mirdif and Remraam.

Lack said the rapid expansion is mainly due to the completion of construction projects that have been in the company’s pipeline since 2008.

“Our owners (Fu-Com) are very farsighted in terms of locations where they want to set up a Géant store. We plan well in advance for stores that are coming into

GÉANT MIDDLE EAST

communities that are just starting to be constructed. The objective is to be closer to the customers,” he said.

Géant’s expansion plan shows no signs of abating, with stores in the pipeline until 2021, added Lack. Currently, the retailer has presence in the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain. Its first outlet in the UAE – the Géant Hypermarket in Ibn Battuta Mall – has just celebrated its 10th year in business.

Shopping with a difference Having worked in various companies and countries worldwide, Lack was able to bring a different level of sophistication to his role as CEO of Géant Middle East.

“Each of the places I went to has given me a new perspective and a deeper understanding of the people I work with – how they work and what motivates them to work; the different customers and what motivates them to shop in a particular store; as well as suppliers and the products they provide,” he said.

Lack believes that these three components – employees, customers and suppliers – are important to any retailer. “If you fail to appreciate the value of this triangle, your retail business will fail. What I’ve learned in my career is that you have to maintain the equilibrium between the three, which means you need to have good staff and good products in order to attract customers.”

Drawing inspiration from the company’s mission statement, “Shopping experience with a difference”, Lack is on a crusade to bring the fun back into grocery shopping.

“Grocery shopping has become mundane, boring for many people. But I want to make it exciting again. I want to make sure that when a customer comes to our delicatessen section, for example, that our staff behind the counter can offer advice about the types of products on offer.

Ensuring that interaction with customers means we have to constantly train our people,” the CEO said.

This year, Géant has conducted 4,500 man-hours of training for category managers and senior management team to make sure that they understand the importance of building and managing an evolving assortment of products.

“It’s not just about putting products on shelves, but about satisfying customers’ needs,” said Lack.

Mark Lack, the Chief Executive Officer of Géant Middle East.

13

EMIRATES DRIVING COMPANY

EDC: The driving force behind safe road training and etiquette Uncompromising safety Did you know there’s a physical reason your car’s headrests are assembled the way they are? Were you aware that there are actual guidelines behind seatbelt etiquette?

Societal conforms have associated ‘being able to drive’ as an increasingly valid necessity as opposed to an asset within the preceding decades. This has consequently implemented a sense of entitlement amongst eager leaners endeavoring to pass imminently in pursuit of that all essential licensed document. The general consensus of learners displays minimal regard toward the value of the education; the process to obtaining that license is often a laborious procedure where reluctant students immerse themselves in paperwork, theory and local legislature in pursuit of appeasing a bureaucratic system.

“We, as a society are still lacking in awareness; road safety is shunned, we must consistently remind learners that they are potentially operating a lethal weapon here if handled inadequately,” stated CEO, Khaled Khalifa Al Mansoori. Mansoori was instrumental in reminding me today of what, exactly, leaners are paying for through their education with EDC: their lives. EDC is fastidious in its attitude toward training individuals.

Established within the region since 2000, EDC maintains a solid infrastructure with learning centers in multiple locations such as Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region. The company has launched some ground - breaking innovations throughout the years in pursuit of minimalizing fatalities whilst ensuring driver and citizen safety. The EDC venture was initiated by Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Minister of UAE and Minister of Interior, who labored to address solutions towards fatalities on the road and established the need to create benchmarks through the company’s partnership with Swedish Road

14

Authority in order to develop a high quality curriculum. Utilizing a versatile, diverse range of training opportunities, EDC provides an eclectic array of courses catering to four by four drivers, trucks, motorcyclists, heavy weight vehicles, cranes and light-weight vehicles.

A major component of EDC’s policy and mission concerns maintaining a level of social responsibility toward the environment, toward their students and toward

“We, as a society are still lacking in awareness; road safety is shunned, we must consistently remind learners that they are potentially operating a lethal weapon here if handled inadequately.” the citizens of UAE. With over 2000 manhours contributed toward providing forum platforms exposing road reforms and general road safety just over the last year, it became increasingly apparent to us just how seriously EDC takes its responsibility as a safety implementer and ethical training center for vehicle handlers. Ultimately, EDC aspires to deliver socially responsible methods and results in all they endeavor where their utilization of natural gas is demonstrative of their commitment toward the environment. Mansoori stalwartly emphasizes that “You never know it all, your life is dependent on these lessons, there are often new regulations, sometimes you don’t know how to watch and read the road, these techniques will save you money and your life.”

Key differentiators If you’re contemplating the ideal school to obtain your driver’s permit in the UAE, you, quite reasonably, may have found yourself overwhelmed with an abundance of courses amongst various local training centers. Mansoori explained to myself the key differentiators amidst the schools thus highlighting the core competencies of EDC; Safety first. EDC’s high level of integrity ensures their competitive advantage within the market; their capacity to deliver safety measures means that no learner will have to compromise on their health and well-being. A secondary unique selling point of the school rests in their inimitable training programs; EDC is conducive in producing innovative courses with theoretical and practical programs tailored to specific individual needs. They cater to drivers of all levels of experience with programs designated in five languages and accommodating courses specifically designed for learners with special needs.

Moreover, their innovative use of interior driving simulators has been implemented to secure the demand for the student’s need to prepare for all exterior conditions such as weather and climate. Innovations such as the unique and worldwide first, ‘Tower System’ methodology where the instructor may communicate directions to the student via a radio device thus providing the learner with a level of independence conducive to experience. Tower training is conducive in installing self-confidence and self-reliance within the student.

A course unique to EDC, ‘The Safety Hall program’ emphasizes the importance of passengers, ensuring safety of children and other dependents in the vehicle. No other school besides EDC puts such a huge emphasis towards road safety, believes Mansoori; “Factors such as the road, the weather, other drivers, external factors – we take all of these things into conside-

EMIRATES DRIVING COMPANY

ration and work to create capable motorists in the pursuit of developing confident, self-reliant drivers out of apprehensive students. Obviously this is all conducive in aiding the student’s expectance of passing his final exam, but our principles prioritize safety.” The implications here are vast; no driving school will prioritize your safety like EDC.

Strategic training programs implement tangible results EDC works with quantative data to identify trending issues on the roads in order to implement tangible solutions, they are therefore consistently updating their training and curriculum with an integral mission to reduce accidents: “We see what’s going on, we check the statistics, we cross check it, we see the gap and we update our curriculum,” commented CEO Mansoori.

Abu Dhabi Police annual report revealed that EDC helped significantly reduce the occurrence of road accidents within Abu Dhabi throughout 2015.

As a member of numerous organizations, EDC identifies and utilizes the best courses in the market according to Mansoori; “We are leaders in the market because we outsource a lot of our courses from European countries, we don’t just use local knowledge, most people in this industry don’t have the standard to establish a good curriculum” EDC maintains coordination of data gathering, persisting in collecting knowledge and committing to implementing improvements. With established courses catering towards heavy trucks, buses, cranes, bulldozers, defensive driving and motorcycling, the center is unique in the training it accommodates. CEO Mansoori commented as to how EDC “invests in its people in order to train them in-house, make them customer-service oriented, teach them how to address and deliver exceptional service to all our clients.”

In the knowledge of the ingenuity of their product, EDC are forecasting an innovative strategy now: Mansoori commented himself in regards to “these leading countries; they simply do not deliver the same methodology, we want to expand within the GCC region. We conveyed several courses in Saudi Arabia recently because they are aware that we are the best school to deliver results.”

Khaled Khalifa Al Mansoori, CEO of Emirates Driving Company.

EDC has witnessed a sincere lack of professionalism in teaching methods locally and abroad, they have been able to identify this as a market gap and acted accordingly in addressing this market demand.

The centre frequently receives visits from RTA officials from the other emirates and professionals within the industry.

Mansoori particularly stressed the need within the industry for constant innovation; EDC consistently strives to implement new techniques, maintain awareness of legislature and regulations whilst instigating novel methods grounded on the basis of their extensive research. Getting behind the wheel is an ongoing learning process!

15

MCG GROUP

MCG Group wins the game of talents Helping clients find and retain top-performing employees has been a critical component of MCG Group’s growth story, says CEO Justin McGuire.

M

CG appears to be immune to the laundry list of challenges that the regional and global economies have had to contend with during the past five years. Indeed, the search and recruitment agency group has come a long way within such a short span of time, growing to a team of 21 employees with headquarters in Dubai.

Justin McGuire, CEO of MCG Group, describes the company’s entrepreneurial journey as a “great success”, spurred by the increasing demand for top-quality talent in various industries in the UAE. Launched in Dubai at the height of the global financial crisis in 2010, the company has since diversified its service offerings, created a holding group that launched a separate recruitment agency and is looking to open its second International office.

“The first two years were challenging because I was on my own. MCG Associates (our first agency) started off as a traditional talent and recruitment business for the media, advertising and PR industry. Today, it also provides talent for the digital, technology and IT sectors, as the communications and technology sectors move ever closer together,” said McGuire.

In the past five years, MCG Group has built a reputation for delivering results and connecting organisations with bright and highly qualified personnel, who can catapult businesses to the next level.

“Our goal has always been to be a trusted partner to our clients. It’s not just about filling their talent gaps or replacing employees who have left. We go beyond that by helping them retain their best performing staff, and in the process, enabling them to grow their business further,” McGuire explained.

16

MCG Group has evolved quickly with the UAE’s labour market fundamentals. Aside from its core business (MCG Associates), it opened an executive search division (MCG Search) that allows it to serve its expanding list of clients, which include multinational companies and government agencies looking for top-level executives. MCG is a proud global recruitment partner of a key government organisation providing it with marketing, communications, IT and digital staff in senior roles.

Kemistry One of the exciting developments in MCG Groups’ history is the launch of Kemistry, a recruitment agency dedicated to finding talent in the HR, finance, accounting and business support sectors.

“The business environment in the Middle East is undergoing a transformation, with organisations becoming increasingly professional and structured.

As companies in the region expand, there has been a huge demand for talented HR, finance and business support professionals” said McGuire. “We’ve worked with major corporations that are looking to double in size and, as a result, need talent acquisition specialists and directors to help them structure their business to accommodate this growth.”

In the future, the CEO said, MCG will focus on launching recruitment companies that are specialists in different verticals. This emphasis on specialist recruiters has been the backbone of MCG’s success to date.

Value proposition MCG has served as an extension of its clients’ HR or talent teams. The compa-

ny has been successfully providing value-added services such as HR and talent consultancy to many of its customers.

“What we want to demonstrate to our partners is that we value keeping quality employees in their jobs instead of constantly looking for candidates to fill certain roles. The reality is there’s a skills shortage in many industries in the UAE and because of that, companies are prepared to compromise. But we advise our clients not to compromise on talent,” he said.

McGuire has witnessed a surge in requirements for regional talent who are bilingual and this trend is expected to continue as demand for Arabic candidates increases.

McGuire sees potential for sourcing Arabic talent in markets like Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon. To nurture this rich pool of prospective candidates, MCG endeavours to work with universities and organisations in these countries and the UAE as well.

“By 2016, we’re looking at participating in more career fairs and in activities such as the one organised by the Emirates Foundation, where we will be given an opportunity to talk with young Emiratis and advise them how to build their CVs, for example,” he said.

The company also aims to provide universities across the region with handbooks that will give young Arabic talent pointers on how to highlight their skills so they can take advantage of the prospects opening up in the regional job market.

Setting sights to the future UAE – Dubai in particular – continues to be a strong market for the MCG Group, but the country’s favourable business environment has also opened other doors.

MCG GROUP

“Our goal has always been to be a trusted partner to our clients. It’s not just about filling their talent gaps or replacing employees who have left. We go beyond that by helping them retain their best performing staff, and in the process, enabling them to grow their business further.”

Currently, McGuire said the company gets requests from African companies seeking candidates. “From Dubai, we are now looking to hire people for positions in the African continent. We have mandates in Lagos Nigeria, Nairobi Kenya and South Africa.”

In addition, there have been several South African companies that have relocated their headquarters to Dubai and McGuire attributes this to the emirate’s increasing importance as a business hub.

“We have seen quite a shift from some of our clients that typically run their businesses in South Africa, but are now moving to Dubai, perhaps due to the UAE’s stable conditions and ease of doing business,” he said. Such paradigm shift has fuelled growth for MCG. After his company’s Dubai success, McGuire said he is keen to enter the Asia-Pacific market. “Already we’re getting requests from companies based in Singapore, Hong Kong and Australia, so we already have our foot in the door.”

For a company that started as a oneman show, MCG Associates has been a true success story.

Justin McGuire, CEO of MCG Group.

17

SPF REALTY

SPF Realty adopts a customer-centric approach Surviving and thriving in Dubai’s cutthroat property market is all about understanding clients’ requirements, say Kalpesh Sampat and Ranjeet Chavan, Directors at SPF Realty.

C

ultivating a culture of client trust, especially in Dubai’s booming and highly competitive property market, has been the most important tool in SPF Realty’s arsenal over the past nine years, according to Directors Kalpesh Sampat and Ranjeet Chavan.

“There has been a long-held misconception that people have about the property business. It has attracted a lot of players because it is seen as a lucrative proposition,” said Chavan. “But professionalism is a critical aspect of the industry and anyone looking to enter this profession must see it as a career and not as a quick way to make cash.”

Indeed, while Dubai may be teeming with options in terms of the variety of real estate developments on offer, Sampat said it is essential for real estate agents to go back to basics and truly understand what customers need.

end-users who are keen to buy a property that they can call home. Property is a huge investment and most people only buy once in their lifetime, which is why it is essential for them to find something they absolutely want,” explained Sampat.

To illustrate his point, he recalled an experience where he went to 50 viewings with one particular client. “I obviously don’t require our agents to do the same, but what I want to stress is they have to listen to their clients, go the extra mile in order to meet their needs,” he added.

Empowering clients SPF Realty’s strategy has paid off. Chavan said a significant chunk of the company’s business comes from referrals, a further testament to its track record of providing outstanding service to its clients.

“It is about selling to clients what they

“Around 30-40% of property buyers in this market are investors, but the rest are end-users who are keen to buy a property that they can call home. Property is a huge investment and most people only buy once in their lifetime, which is why it is essential for them to find something they absolutely want.”

With competition extremely high, SPF Realty stands out from the crowd by putting customers at the centre of its business, with sales and leasing agents trained to respond quickly to enquiries and extensively assess clients’ requirements so they can provide the necessary information.

“Around 30-40% of property buyers in this market are investors, but the rest are

18

want, not what ‘you’ as an agent want.

As experts, we have a firm grasp of the market, allowing us to advise our clients accordingly. Once the clients trust your expertise, then they feel more comfortable and confident,” he said.

Chavan believes that there is a far greater chance a client will close a sale with an agent he or she is more comfortable with,

than with another who tries to push the sale too hard.

“At SPF Realty, we educate our staff to empower clients with the right information. If clients are provided with all the necessary information, then they can make an informed decision. Our role is to guide clients in their property buying or leasing journey,” the director said.

Both Chavan and Sampat have espoused the viewpoint that their agents should focus on multiplying clients, rather than multiplying sales.

“We often receive calls from potential buyers outside of the UAE, for example in Russia or Egypt, and we don’t even advertise to those markets. These are people who know or come across former clients of ours who have put the word out about us,” said Sampat.

Consistent growth From its humble beginnings in a small office in Deira with four personnel, SPF Realty now occupies a 10,000-square-foot office on Sheikh Zayed Road. It has also posted exponential growth and remained afloat even during the hard times. At the height of the global economic slowdown, when many companies in the GCC region – both within and outside the real estate sector – were closing shop, SPF Realty was on a hiring spree.

It was an excellent time for the company to further strengthen its pool of talent, comprising a highly qualified, multicultural and multilingual team, which was critical to its growth strategy, as it started receiving enquiries from investors from various parts of the globe – Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Today, the company boasts a team of 95 employees, more than half of whom are

SPF REALTY

Kalpesh Sampat and Ranjeet Chavan, Directors at SPF Realty.

agents. The directors are optimistic about the future, especially with Dubai Expo spurring more property development projects across the emirate from now until 2020.

While it was not immune to the challenges that befall many companies during the financial crisis, SPF Realty’s sales figures have made a dramatic recovery from 2010, when it made sales worth AED 140 million. By 2014-2015, the company has generated sales valued at AED 2 billion, a far cry from its pre-crisis peak of AED 545 million in 2007.

It has also diversified its product portfolio to include high-end community projects in Dubai’s Mohammed Bin Rashid (MBR) City such as Millennium Estates, Grand Views and The Fields (Jade and Viridian), all by premium real estate developer G & Co. Although SPF Realty also serves as an exclusive agent in the UAE for developments in Malaysia (Dorsett Residents in Kuala Lumpur) and India (Four Seasons

Private Residences in Mumbai), Chavan and Sampat said Dubai remains a key focus for the company.

Outstanding performance The directors are proud of their team’s accomplishments over the years, particularly their ability to sell properties within record time. In 2013, the company sold 198 villas at Millennium Estates in 56 days, with keys to be handed over in early 2016. The following year, it took SPF Realty 50 days to sell 304 townhouses and four months to sell 176 villas (with private elevators).

This year, the company sold 300 townhouses in Jade at The Fields between July and August – still an impressive feat considering that summer and the Ramadan season fell into these months, which were traditionally a lean period for the house market.

SPF Realty is currently working on

Viridian, also in The Fields, and the prospects remain high due to the development’s unique selling point for investors, allowing them a three-year payment holiday after receiving the key. The provision also provides them double-digit rental yields, compared with the current yields of 7–8%.

SPF Realty’s performance did not go unnoticed among its peers. It has received Arabian Property Awards from 2010 to 2015, the Real Estate Brokerage Award from CEO Middle East in 2014, the Best Real Estate Honorary award by the Dubai Land Department, and it is also included in the Dubai SME 100 ranking in 2013 and 2015.

In the coming years, Chavan and Sampat said focus will be given on further expanding their client base by reaching out to other markets through exhibitions and trade conferences, as they showcase Dubai’s property sector to the rest of the world.

19

ETHICS PLUS

Accounting firms emerging as trusted advisors CEO Report spoke with A.R. Ramachandran, Founder and Managing Partner of Ethics Plus Public Accountants, to hear his insights on trends in the industry and his vision for the future.

We strongly believe in creating long-term partnerships with our clients in order to maximise the value we create, which is why we offer several services like outsourced internal audit and CFO services which are in the form of year-long retainers.

What potential do you see for services such as accounting and bookkeeping?

A.R. Ramachandran, Founder and Managing Partner of Ethics Plus Public Accountants.

How does Ethics Plus differ from other accounting firms?

I founded Ethics Plus in 1995 with a vision of establishing an audit firm based on strong values of ethics and morality, with a focus towards achieving trust, mutual respect and results for our clients.

Today, Ethics Plus is a mid-sized audit, accounting and advisory services firm based in United Arab Emirates (UAE) that has built up a significant amount of experience by working with clients from a diverse range of industries and sizes over the last two decades. Our clients include start-ups, SMEs, family owned businesses and MNCs.

20

Globally, the outsourcing market for business functions typically perceived as “non-strategic”, like accounting and finance, are consistently growing, especially with the availability of improved technological innovations to support higher degrees of collaboration, even across geographies. We see an increased awareness in the region as well, and business owners are increasingly becoming aware of the benefits of outsourcing these functions to professional firms.

Today, the role of the accountant or an auditor is evolving, and we are often looked upon as trusted advisors to our clients. In fact, it is commonly seen that often accountants are the ‘go-to’ professionals, for most business owners.

At Ethics Plus, our team is our core strength. We try and go above and beyond what is expected of us in our standard role. Our accounts outsourcing team has grown over time by consistently providing value-added advice to the clients we work with in the form of assisting with financial management, improving business processes, cost controls, etc.

What are some of the major challenges for business owners in the region?

One of the challenges that business owners often complain about is their inability to obtain the right kind of bank financing and high financing costs. One of the rea-

sons is due to the SME owner’s inability to present the business optimally, in the eyes of the bank. Also, we see that some of the business owners are not completely educated about the various products offered by the banks. We assist in bridging this gap between the SME’s and the banks.

Also, we find many SME owners do not understand the importance of risk mitigation within their companies, especially within their finance functions. This often leads to situations where CFO’s or finance professionals exercise undue control or stray away from accounting best practices.

When finance functions have major gaps in the processes being followed, this often leads to an increased risk of negligence and fraud. We find that a third-party internal or process audit can often uncover these gaps and bring about a positive impact in such cases.

What are the changes do you foresee having an impact on your industry?

There many positive changes that are shaping the industry, with government authorities and lawmakers moving towards implementing stringent standards for auditors to follow and adapt. While accounting and auditing bodies are welcoming laws that are making standards for becoming registered auditors in UAE more rigorous, the banking industry is also playing a significant role by making their listing/approval processes of auditors stringent.

We have already seen measures of transparency and independence being adopted by regulatory bodies for publicly listed companies, the recent one being The Abu Dhabi Accountability Authority (ADAA) that has announced (in Oct 2014) that companies regulated by them have to rotate their auditors every four years.

METLIFE

MetLife wins 2015 Life Insurance Company of the Year in the Middle East CEO Report talks to MetLife’s Regional Head Julio Garcia-Villalon to unravel the secrets of success behind the company’s 60-year legacy in the Middle East & Africa Region.

M

etLife, a leading global provider of insurance, annuities and employee benefit programs, has won the ‘2015 Life Insurance Company of the Year in the Middle East’ award.

The prestigious award was presented to MetLife at the 2nd Middle East Insurance Industry Award (MIIA) gala dinner in November 2015, and was the second year running that MetLife won this award affirming its strength and leadership in the Middle East & Africa region.

“We were honored and delighted to be recognised as 2015 Life Insurance Company of the Year in the Middle East for the second year in a row,” says Julio GarciaVillalon, Regional Head, Middle East & Africa Region, MetLife. “I’d like to thank the organisers of MIIA and dedicate the award to all of our employees, field force and partners in the Middle East region.”

Headquartered at Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), MetLife’s regional Middle East & Africa hub provides strategic support to opera­ tions in all of its 11 territories. Throughout its 147-year global history, MetLife has continuously sought to nurture talent, respect local cultures and promote the diversity that characterises the communities it serves. This commitment reflects the care and attention that MetLife, which supports approximately 100 million customers in almost 50 countries globally, devotes to the quality of its relationships and impact, wherever it operates.

Delivering choice MetLife has been serving its customers in the Middle East & Africa region for more than 60 years. As the first life insurance company to be present in many Middle

East countries, MetLife has maintained its leadership position over the years and continues to grow at a robust pace.

MetLife’s success is built on delivering choice and flexibility to the growing and changing needs of its customers and partners. Customer centricity is a core focus for MetLife and is a central part of its employees’ day-to-day responsibilities, ensuring that customers are at the heart of everything the business does across the product lifecycle.

Innovation through research MetLife has commissioned several studies on health, wellness, retirement security and market trends which have ultimately led to innovation in products, distribution and services, including facilitation of digital communications through SMS, email, mobile applications, online portals and optimisation of back-end processes.

“Our goal is to continue providing the best products and solutions to meet customers’ evolving needs,” says Villalon.

“We do this through a very strong focus on continually improving our customer experience through innovation to introduce customer-friendly technology that supports our multi-channel distribution platform and caters for all market segments and needs. We adopt the same approach for face-to-face contact, where our professional sales force’s role remains central, as well as to our expanding distribution channels of bancassurance, direct marketing and employee benefits through brokers.”

A good corporate citizen MetLife maintains a corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the countries where

it operates. Building on a long legacy of excellence, the company is committed to ensuring a future in which it can continue helping people, families and communities around the world.

“Our employees around the world are continuously participating in activities to make a difference to the lives of thousands of people and to help build financial inclusion,” says Villalon. “The MetLife LifeChanger CSR program was one of the successful programs launched in the region in 2014, enabling corporate volunteering by having MetLife staff visit schools and coach children on financial inclusion.”

21

MICC GREENTEC SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

Micc GreenTec shifts up a gear with electric car project Green is the colour of success for Micc GreenTec as it prepares to launch a number of innovative technologies in 2016, says CEO Waseem Ashraf Qureshi.

The super-capacitor battery is an offshoot of Micc GreenTec’s earlier project – a sixkilowatt-hour battery that is portable and lightweight, which can be recharged for an impressive 16 seconds. This battery has allowed the company to power an auto rickshaw (tuk-tuk), which ran for 150 kms with a full-load capacity of five people.

“It was a major achievement indeed and once we reached that milestone, we were able to look and solve other power issues that impact various segments, including the automobile industry,” he said.

In addition, the company has also developed a retrofit kit, which would enable conventionally fuelled cars to be converted either as a hybrid or a fully electronic vehicle. Tentatively scheduled to be launched in Dubai in the first quarter of 2016, the super-capacitor battery and the retrofit kit are expected to revolutionise the automobile industry, said Qureshi.

Game changer Waseem Ashraf Qureshi, CEO of Micc Greentec.

C

lean technology company Micc GreenTec, which is involved in the research, development and manufacturing of solar power systems, is moving to the fast lane with its soon-to-belaunched electric car initiative.

CEO Waseem Ashraf Qureshi said their project is expected to solve a major pain point in this segment of the automobile industry by using Micc GreenTec’s proprietary super-capacitor batteries, which can be recharged approximately the same length of time it takes to re-fuel conventional cars.

“Electric car manufacturers have been struggling to increase the energy storage in their vehicles, requiring electric car owners to park their car as much as six hours in order to fully charge them after reaching 200-300-kilometre (km) mileage,” Qureshi mentioned.

22

Micc GreenTec, however, plans to take its electric car project one notch higher by developing means for motorists to recharge their electric cars wirelessly, without the need to stop at a recharging station. The proposal has received significant funding and wide support from investors in Silicon Valley and has enlisted major car manufacturing companies in China and the United States for its concept vehicles.

“Our partners and investors are confident about our green technology. The supercapacitor batteries are non-toxic, non- chemical and stores electricity in its original form, making it more efficient,” the CEO added.

Qureshi said they are planning to apply this wireless recharging concept to mobile phones using a specially designed battery that can be installed various mobile devices.

“We’re planning to also launch this in Dubai, which is our hub, in late 2016.

Ideally, this service will be available at

“Our partners and investors are confident about our green technology. The super-capacitor batteries are non-toxic, non-chemical and stores electricity in its original form, making it more efficient.”

certain ‘hot spots’ like malls, giving consumers the opportunity to recharge their phones in just 15 seconds using this type of battery. The battery life can last between 10 and 20 hours, depending on the usage. The service will be available for a certain fee, which will then be deducted from the user’s available phone credit,” he explained.

While the project is still in its early stage, Qureshi is confident that it will eventually become a game changer in the region’s power mix. He added that the project guarantees that electricity used in the wireless recharging of smart devices will come from renewable sources.

The future looks green A growing awareness about green technology is fuelling Micc GreenTec’s growth and Qureshi expects this to continue in the near future as more and more consumers recognise the value of renewable energy.

“Micc GreenTec has expanded enormously over the past six years. Outside of the UAE, we now have presence in the US, China, Pakistan and India. We may have done since our launch, but we believe more needs to be done. In 2016, we plan to be present in eight additional countries,” he said.

ALMADEN MENA SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

Ultra-thin, Ultra-efficient and Ultra-versatile PV Modules The innovation behind Almaden’s success

I

t is no wonder that Almaden’s pioneering glass-glass PV modules have been in strong demand since they were introduced to the Middle East market last June as they boast high performance in desert conditions, the worlds thinnest PV module depth at just 1.7mm, a smooth frameless finish, and a weight of at least 50% less than other products in the market.

Almaden is the world’s leading and largest producer of anti-reflection coated (ARC) solar glass and ultrathin physically tempered glass. While most of its manufacturing is done in China where its head office is located, it does some design and assembly in Germany, and also has offices in California and Dubai where it has just established its manufacturing facilities in Dubai Silicon Oasis.

For the buyer, the benefits of Almaden modules are numerous. Firstly, since they are lightweight they are much more versatile and can be placed on older structures such as assembled roofs where normal modules would be too heavy. They are also much cheaper to transport, not only because they weigh less but because many more modules can be shipped per container as they are so ultra-thin. Secondly, they are much more attractive than regular solar modules with their smooth, thin and frameless finish, making them a hit with architects and engineers alike. This frameless finish also makes them much easier to clean and much higher performing in desert conditions typical of the Middle East.

Thirdly, they are highly efficient, meaning that no performance is lost with the thinner design. But perhaps the most important feature is the quality; Almaden is so convinced about the strength and longevity of their product that it carries a 30-year guarantee, as well as the competitive price that ensures an effective payback for its clients over time.

“Almaden is very committed to contributing towards the vision of Dubai, UAE

Manfred Fussi, Sales and Marketing Director of Almaden MENA FZE.

and the wider region for a greener economy and to develop solar energy capacity.

This is why we made the significant investment of establishing a manufacturing facility here, where we will shortly produce our pioneering ultrathin frameless glassglass PV modules, a first for the region,” said Manfred Fussi, Sales and Marketing Director of Almaden MENA FZE. This manufacturing site in the heart of Dubai will initially have an output of 100 MW per annum of PV modules and cater to the entire Middle East, as well as the Asian and African continents. It is scheduled for completion within the first quarter of 2016 and will also feature a research and development facility to ensure a pipeline of PV innovations for and from this region.

“Almaden has always set itself apart from its competitors by constantly innovating and providing value-adding products, such as the worlds thinnest and lightest glassglass modules. By establishing a manufac-

turing and R&D facility in the UAE we will help foster innovation in this region and also ensure that we will remain an important player in the PV market, both now and in the future,” added Fussi.

Fussi sees a bright future for both Almaden and the PV industry. With the rapid advancement of solar technology, its increasing cost effectiveness, the global drive to address climate change and rapid expansion of green energy supplies, the future does look very promising for renewable energy companies. Given Almaden’s innovative nature as well as its competitive products and commitment to this region, it is certainly well placed to participate in this great transformation.

For more information please visit www.almaden-mena.com 23

GULF PERLITE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS

Gulf Perlite looks to build a more sustainable future As a versatile material, perlite can meet the requirements of several industries in a nature-friendly way, says Konstantinos Mitsiou, Managing Director of Gulf Perlite.

Konstantinos Mitsiou, Managing Director of Gulf Perlite.

G

ulf Perlite is reaping the rewards of its core product’s unique qualities.

The Dubai-based manufacturer and supplier of expanded perlite – a brilliant white, lightweight and granular material made from volcanic siliceous rock – has found a strong foothold in various sectors in the Middle East, spanning oil and gas, construction, horticulture and industrial.

Since its establishment four years ago, the company has rapidly grown and Konstantinos Mitsiou, its Founder and Managing Director, attributes the success to a paradigm shift towards sustainable industries in the region.

“Perlite manufacturing is growing globally and will continue to grow because

24

of perlite’s versatility, as well as the increasing demand for lower-carbon products,” he said. “It is 100% natural, pH neutral and uses no chemical additives during its production and processing.”

In the construction industry, for example, perlite has been valued for its fire-resistance, thermal-insulation and lightweight properties, making it ideal in the production of insulating plasters, lightweight insulating concrete for floors and roof decks, as well as loose-fill insulation inside wall cavities.

The hydrocarbons sector has also found perlite to be an exceptional material for many cryogenic applications, particularly in insulating liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanks and cold boxes, and in creating fire-proofing and thermal-insulating covers for oil and gas pipes.

“Because of its very high porosity and exceptional water-absorption capabilities, perlite is also used in the hydroponics, agriculture and landscaping industries. It can be mixed with planting soil to promote water retention and aeration while alleviating soil compaction and ensuring better drainage, which is vital for the health of plant roots,” the managing director added.

The possibilities seem endless for this ubiquitous material, as it can also serve as a filter aid in the production of vegetable oil, sugar, juices and beverages; and an ingredient in the processing of healthcare and beauty products (for example, whitening toothpaste and deodorants).

Supporting sustainability efforts Mitsiou believes that perlite has a bright future ahead in the GCC, owing to the region’s vibrant economy and the governments’ green initiatives, which have transformed several industries, especially the construction sector.

“We have seen tangible steps taken by

governments in the GCC, especially in the UAE, Qatar & Bahrain, towards sustainability. There have been regulatory progress, increased awareness and implementation of guidelines supporting energy conservation efforts,” he said.

Gulf Perlite’s technical team of civil and specialized engineers work closely with its clients to design and deliver custom-made solutions to meet very demanding specifications, with stringent thermal insulation, robustness and fire-proofing requirements, for high-end projects across the region.

“Perlite is the only real, solid, reliable thermal insulating concrete that can last a lifetime compared with synthetic alternatives like foam and polyethylene-based products, which are not sustainable in the long term,” he said.

From its manufacturing facility in Jebel Ali, the company serves the requirements of clients across the GCC region. It lists Masdar Institute and ADNOC HQs, the Louvre Museum and Yas Mall in AD, Abu Dhabi International Airport, The New Deira Fishmarket and Vicheroy Hotel in Dubai among its fast-expanding project reference base.

Niche, but growing The global expanded perlite market remains a niche yet rapidly expanding industry, which is expected to be worth US$1.3 billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR of 7.3% per annum, according to Transparency Market Research.

Mitsiou said that as Gulf Perlite enjoys an uptrend, it will continue to raise awareness about perlite’s multi-purpose applications, while creating alternative solutions with limited impact to the environment.

“For us, the challenge is to compete against and displace non-green products that are widely used in the market” the managing director concluded.

ASSOCIA

Associa: Delivering unsurpassed management and lifestyle services to communities worldwide An exciting era has emerged for Associa, the communication management, as they expand their presence within the region with the aim of extending their global reach.

Operating on a global scale Building and managing communities of jointly-owned property for more than 35 years, Associa is the world’s largest community association management firm with over 9,000 employees operating more than 170 branch offices in the United States, Mexico, Canada, South Africa and the Middle East. Based in Dallas, Texas, Associa’s branches manage over two million units that are home to over four million residents. Associa MENA is the Dubaibased regional office primarily responsible for the MENA region with their interest extending through the greater MENASA area and Turkey. Associa MENA is preparing to open several new offices across various jurisdictions in the region.

James Spencer, Vice President of Associa MENA says “Complex buildings and communities in the region are our specialty. We work cooperatively with owners, facilities management and security providers to drive efficient operations which create a quality of life appreciated by discerning investors.”

Market place and capability With a number of competitors in the market place, as legislation comes in such as it is now in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the region is beginning a shift from management by developers to owner-appointed management providers. A trend emerging currently lies in the complexity of the buildings being constructed; constructions are more complex than the structures being built when the legislation was initially implemented.

“There’s some challenge in determining how these buildings should be managed and that’s where we come in with our international experience in being able to assist the concepts that allow for the management of these buildings,” says Spencer.

Associa’s principle differentiator is their ability to combine local knowledge with international support and experience, which has consequentially provided them with a substantial depth of knowledge to draw upon: “I’ve got more than 30 years experience in this industry and it’s incredibly rewarding to be able to bring that level of proficiency to this market place.”

James Spencer, was fortunate enough to work with EMAAR upon first arriving in Dubai, thus gaining a wealth of experience from the area where he managed Burj Khalifa from the outset: “Setting up Burj Khalifa was fascinating; since then we have been working with various regulators and dealing with the variations and the interpretations of the law,” he recalls.

Regional development “From my perspective, regional development is really exciting at the moment. Lucrative isn’t the most important word in this market, but Dubai is probably, in the region, the most advanced in the type, style and number of buildings being constructed; the multi-use nature of the buildings is quite unique from the rest of the world,” Spencer says.

What’s occurring now essentially, is that others in the MENA region, are emulating what’s happening in Dubai: Bahrain and Lebanon are following the Dubai model, and there are some very complex yet interesting buildings being built in the MENA region.

James Spencer, Vice President of Associa MENA.

There are laws concerning jointly-owned property regulation in some jurisdictions of the MENA region, however, as markets expand and mature, an increasing demand arises for more complex residential and commercial buildings. With that comes a need to supplement these laws with tailored governing documents and a carefully considered governance structure for each development.

Spencer says, “The economy of the world is taking a bit of a slow down; this seems to be a cyclical thing but I think it’s only a temporary situation. I see the price of oil at a particular low at the moment and I don’t think its going to stay that low for long. One can only pray that the more conflicted areas of the region will settle down in 2016.”

25

NTT DATA

NTT Data: Providing Innovative Business Solutions Through IT We met with Ravi Mahalingam, CEO of NTT Data Middle East, who has been recently named by Forbes Middle East as one of the top Indian business leaders in the Arab world 2015 under Executive Management category.

Middle East regional presence NTT Data’s origins lie in the highly regarded Data Communications Headquarters of Tokyo-listed Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation of Japan.

However, today, due to a rapid global expansion, NTT Data provides innovative IT solutions for customers in over 40 countries worldwide.

Whilst NTT Data Middle East has been in the region for over ten years, the company’s profile is well established amongst the top ten IT service providers globally. NTT Data Middle East supports clients within GCC markets such as UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman.

Service offerings and industries catered

Ravi Mahalingam, CEO of NTT Data Middle East.

NTT DATA - vision and values Ravi explained to us the core philosophies driving NTT Data; as a global IT innovator, the company enables its clients to achieve their highest goals and aspirations through creating tangible business solutions. Their primary goals are to continue being customer-centric whilst increasing creativity through enhancing diversity within the company. NTT Data’s value system consists of three integral motives; clients first, foresight in delivering innovative business solutions and finally, strong teamwork established through their reinforcement of cultural diversity.

26

With clients such as Choithrams, Xerox Emirates, Redington Gulf and Western International to name a few, NTT Data Middle East is a leading innovator of instate technologies, working across a vast range of industries such as manufacturing, wholesale and retail, consumer electronics, pharma and professional services. NTT Data’s strategy focuses upon delivering innovative IT solutions across applications development and maintenance, enterprise applications, business intelligence and infrastructure services in order to address the needs of private enterprises, the public sector and the financial services market. Specifically in the ME region, its main focus is on delivering end to end consulting, implementation and support services of Enterprise Application Services, (EAS) Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) and Business Intelligence (BI), Mobility solutions. These EAS services are offered to cli-

ents on a managed services model by taking complete ownership of IT services delivery, de-risking customers’ IT investments whilst simultaneously ensuring tangible business benefits.

Key differentiators What sets NTT DATA apart is its “Glocal” ethos which combines the company’s global experiences with local market knowledge to provide ‘best of breed’ IT solutions to clients. Its ability to function as a “Business Transformation Partner” strongly indicates the competency at which the company delivers Enterprise Applications Services on a managed services model to thereby help clients realize business value. It endeavours to represent the role of a “Trusted IT Advisor” to all of its clients.

“The Middle East region has its own unique differences and requirements; understanding those cultural differences and aligning with customer and market expectations is where NTT Data differentiates itself from other IT players and what our clients value highly” says Ravi.

Plans for 2016 The company’s current focus is to increase its presence in the UAE, with the expansion of its Dubai office, as well as bringing in additional specialized talent. NTT Data is seeking to increase its offerings footprint by cutting into sectors like Insurance, Financial services, Telco etc., as well as by strengthening its partnerships with product vendors and business partners. Some of the niche offerings that are planned for this year include Digital services, Cloud and Mobility. CEO Ravi is optimistic in his ambitions to double the revenue and the resource size in the region by next year.

ARAB FINANCIAL SERVICES

Arab Financial Services: Their passion; your success ance requirements towards Information Security such as PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards). AFS provides solutions such as 3D Secure to its clients to help them prevent external fraud and ultimately provide security to their cardholders.

AFS consistently strives to invest in secure systems, providing state of the art technology and a high-tech call center that operates on a 24/7 basis, with near real-time fraud management solution and one of industries most resilient card management system that runs on the latest IBM Mainframe Z/OS platform using high capacity and redundant storage systems.

Within an industry where security is considered as a top most priority, AFS has recently benchmarked their cardholder infrastructure with latest industry standards “PCI DSS 3.0”, becoming one of the first financial services company in the region to achieve this. As a Visa and MasterCard accredited “TPP - Third Party Processor”, AFS offers member banks a wide range of bureau processing services.

B Chandrasekhar, CEO of Arab Financial Services.

A hefty operation AFS is the region’s leading provider of electronic-payments and consumer-finance outsourcing services. Created by the financial industry to service and support financial institutions in the region and beyond, AFS is owned by 40 of the region’s leading banks and currently provides outsourcing services to over 60 banks and financial institutions.

The mission of AFS is to provide an excellent level of service that consistently meets and exceeds client expectations.

AFS also aims to provide customers with cost effective business solutions that are customized to meet the needs of the end customer. With a vision to become the region’s most trusted and respected provider of electronic payments and consumerfinance outsourcing services, AFS has introduced several new innovative value-

added services to clients like Analytics, Online Loyalty, Instant Issuance etc.

AFS today offers a complete suite of payment products and services that include Card Authorization, 24/7 Call Centre, Card Personalization, 24/7 Fraud Monitoring, Electronic Statements, Disputes and Charge-backs, Reconciliation, Debit, ATM and POS driving and an Internet Shopping 3D service. AFS has substantially grown its customer base in the last 3 years. AFS also has an offshore DR capability and is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain as an Ancillary Services Provider.

Security is key AFS understands the importance of security in Payment Industry and is highly regarded by its customers and regulators for always being ahead of the compli-

Technological Innovations B Chandrasekhar, CEO of Arab Financial Services, anticipates that the industry will notice a major rise in the utilization of mobile devices that will replace existing plastic cards that are used today for banking and payment purposes.

Chandrasekhar also expects a huge growth in the current emerging trend of “Mobile Payments” by which individuals could send and receive money using their smart phones and use more contactless options. He furthermore went on to state that he foresees more card based solutions replacing cash in the near term, as well as more mobile based innovations which will further encourage secure spending online. AFS is committed to deliver these services as they emerge and to set benchmark as regional market leader within the financial sector.

27

DANZAS AEI EMIRATES LLC

DANZAS: The logistics company that provides tangible business solutions Innovative logistics solutions

Samer Kaissi, CEO of DANZAS Dubai.

D

ANZAS centralizes its philosophy around three core pillars which essentially drive their infrastructure: Primarily to be the logistics provider of choice through costumer centricity and operational excellence, secondly to be the logistics Employer of choice; people are paramount to the business, they are the driving force behind the quality of service as ultimately a service is being provided here rather than a tangible product. Whilst thirdly aiming to be the Investment of choice in appealing to shareholders through their place in the market; with their revenues, margins and net profits vastly exceeding those of competitors.

DANZAS’ footprint in the Middle East is the largest amongst competition; with approximately 3500 employees they undoubtedly have the most extensive network within the region.

A Global operation If you look at the infrastructure of DANZAS, it’s really not comparable to anyone in the market; when you evaluate their investment in facilities and equipment,

28

there is quite simply not the same interest or level of investment from other companies. Generally competitors are considered to depreciate the region as an insignificant emerging market, whereas DANZAS has a vast level of interest invested in the market here with a larger footprint providing them with the leverage to provide a wider range of services. A definitive aid is in having the global reach at their hands with DANZAS being the largest logistics company in the World. Ultimately their people, their employees… looking at competitors it’s as if they are not choosing the right kind of ‘people’ for the market where brand ambassadors require a level of local understanding. The comprehensive spread over the diversity of nationalities working for DANZAS is somewhat of a USP. It is a people business after all.

The company focuses on all client sectors and industries, some are more dominant than others but there are services and products for all industries: hightech engineering and manufacturing, oil, gas and retail to name a few, with the infrastructure to cater for all industry sectors and subsectors such as automotive.

Samer Kaissi, CEO of DANZAS Dubai, has specifically within the last 10 years seen a major shift within logistics. The field used to be a simple backbone industry, the concept of moving freight from point A to B, whereas now it’s about providing a solution that gives speed in the market at the cheapest cost. This is what the industry has evolved into and is today what competitors are consistently striving towards: innovative solutions. What today we call value added services, will in the future be seen as standard services.

Currently in the process of producing a state of the art I.T platform tailored towards clients, DANZAS are focusing on upgrading their systems globally and locally to provide added value to clients with order management, track and trace and order online services. Already provided value added services that compliment the traditional air/ocean tracking and warehousing distribution include in-house insurance, customs brokerage solutions and cross dock solutions; these are all innovative solutions adding value to services. They are investigating further ecommerce solutions which are becoming a necessity more than a trend.

DANZAS has great plans to expand, to implement growth through initial selling of value added services. They will continue to invest in the region as it grows more saturated, specifically Dubai, with the Expo approaching and inevitably many other initiatives will be launched by the government.

Their innovation will keep them in the lead to cater for all of these newly launched projects, projects which are differentiating Dubai from the World. Through working closely with government entities they will further enhance their services within the private sector. An integral part of DANZAS’ philosophy is consistently reinforced through their development of further investment and further innovation.

‫‪BAHRAIN SPECIALIST HOSPITAL‬‬ ‫‪THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE‬‬

‫م�ست�سفى البحرين التخ�س�سي يكت�سب اإعرتاف ًا دولي ًا‬ ‫م�ست�سفى البحرين التخ�س�سي يقدم خدماته يف مملكة البحرين واملناطق املجاورة‪،‬‬ ‫ويتفانى يف توفري اأعلى معايري الرعاية واحلفاظ عليها‬ ‫التخص�صــي علــى تركيــزه الــذي انصــب علــى إنجــاز‬ ‫مهمتــه «املتمثلــة فــي توفيــر رعايــة صحيــة علــى أعلــى‬ ‫ً‬ ‫املعاييــر بنزاهــة وإنصــاف»‪ .‬وتحقيقــا لهــذا الهــدف‪،‬‬ ‫عمــل الدكتــور عرداتــي والفريــق اإلداري التابــع لــه علــى‬ ‫ضمــان وجــود خبـراء علــى مســتوى عــال لــكل تخصــص‬ ‫مــن الرعايــة الصحيــة الــذي يقدمــه املستشــفى‪ ،‬حيــث‬ ‫ً‬ ‫يتوافــر أكثــر مــن ‪ 30‬تخصصــا‪ ،‬منهــا الطــب الباطنــي‬ ‫وطــب القلــب وطــب األعصــاب وجراحتهــا وعلــم األورام‬ ‫وطــب األطفــال‪.‬‬ ‫يقــول الدكتــور عرداتــي «يتألــف فريــق األطبــاء الدولــي‬ ‫من استشــاريين وأخصائيين يتمتعون بأعلى املؤهالت‬ ‫فــي مجالهــم‪ ،‬ويحملــون شــهادات البــورد األمريكــي‬ ‫ومؤهــالت أوروبيــة أو مــا يعادلهــا‪ ،‬مدعومــة بســنوات‬ ‫طويلــة مــن الخبــرة‪ .‬ويواظــب أطباؤنــا علــى حضــور‬ ‫الــدورات التعليميــة الطبيــة املســتمرة ليضمنــوا‬ ‫مواكبتهــم ألحــدث التطــورات فــي مجاالتهــم الطبيــة‪.‬‬

‫قاسم عرداتي‪ ،‬املديرالتنفيذي ملستشفى البحرين التخص�صي‬ ‫منــذ افتتاحهــا عــام ‪ ،2003‬اكتســب مستشــفى‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫البحريــن التخص�صــي(‪ )BSH‬اعترافــا محليــا وعامليــا‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الرتفــاع معاييــر الرعايــة التــي يعتمدهــا‪ ،‬وحــاز مؤخ ـرا‬ ‫علــى اعت ـراف الجمعيــة األوروبيــة لفــرط ضغــط الــدم‪.‬‬ ‫يقــول قاســم عرداتــي‪ ،‬املديــر التنفيــذي ملستشــفى‬ ‫البحريــن التخص�صــي‪« :‬اســتوفى مستشــفى البحريــن‬ ‫التخص�صي املتطلبات واعترفت به الجمعية األوروبية‬ ‫لفــرط ضغــط الــدم كمركــز متميــز لعــالج فــرط ضغــط‬ ‫الــدم‪ .‬إضافــة إلــى ذلــك‪ ،‬فقــد اعتمــدت جمعيــة القلــب‬ ‫األمريكيــة مستشــفى البحريــن التخص�صــي كمركــز‬ ‫تدريبــي عالمــي لإلنعــاش القلبــي الرئــوي»‪.‬‬

‫ويضيــف الدكتــور عرداتــي أن مستشــفى البحريــن‬ ‫ً‬ ‫التخص�صــي معتمــد أيضــا مــن قبــل اللجنــة املشــتركة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الدوليــة منــذ ‪ 2011‬وتلقــى االعت ـراف بكونــه مرك ـزا‬ ‫ً‬ ‫متمي ـزا لعــالج أم ـراض النســاء بالجراحــات النســائية‬ ‫الدقيقــة مــن قبــل الجمعيــة األمريكيــة لجراحــة‬ ‫املناظيــر النســائية (‪ ،)AAGL‬وشــركة املراجعــة‬ ‫الجراحيــة (‪.)SRC‬‬ ‫يعــد مستشــفى البحريــن التخص�صــي املستشــفى‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الوحيــد فــي البحريــن وواحــدا مــن بضعــة مستشــفيات‬ ‫فــي املنطقــة ممــن لديهــا مثــل هــذه الشــهادات املتميــزة‪.‬‬ ‫ومنــذ افتتاحــه‪ ،‬حافــظ مستشــفى البحريــن‬

‫تقــوم األقســام املختلفــة‪ ،‬بطاقمهــا املتخصــص مــن‬ ‫األطبــاء والعامليــن‪ ،‬بالتنســيق مــع بعضهــم البعــض‬ ‫كفريــق بشــكل يومــي ملشــاركة خبراتهــم املهنيــة‪،‬‬ ‫والحفــاظ علــى صحــة مرضاهــم»‪.‬‬ ‫وتعــد وحــدة العنايــة املركــزة فــي مستشــفى البحريــن‬ ‫التخص�صــي جديــرة باملالحظــة‪ ،‬وحــول ذلــك يقــول‬ ‫الدكتــور عرداتــي‪« :‬كمــا يعــد مستشــفى البحريــن‬ ‫التخص�صــي مــن بيــن قلــة قليلــة مــن مستشــفيات‬ ‫الرعايــة الصحيــة الخاصــة فــي مملكــة البحريــن‪،‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫املــزودة بوحــدة عنايــة مركــزة مجهــزة تمامــا بالطواقــم‬ ‫واملعــدات الالزمــة‪ ،‬ليوفــر للمر�صــى ذوي الحــاالت‬ ‫الحرجــة الرعايــة الطبيــة الالزمــة ويقــدم متابعــة فرديــة‬ ‫لحاالتهــم‪.‬‬ ‫عالوة على ذلك‪ ،‬فإن مستشفى البحرين التخص�صي‬ ‫ً‬ ‫يبــذل جهــودا متواصلــة لزيــادة خدماتــه الطبيــة‪ .‬وفــي‬ ‫اآلونــة األخيــرة‪ ،‬بــدأ املستشــفى باســتقبال فــرق مــن‬ ‫أشــهر الجراحيــن الزائريــن املتخصصيــن بالجراحــات‬ ‫التجميليــة وزرع الشــعر وجراحــات البدانــة وجراحــة‬ ‫املناظيــر‪ .‬ومــن الجديــر بالذكــر أن الجراحــة التجميليــة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫واألمـراض الجلديــة يعــدان تخصصيــن متطوريــن جــدا‬ ‫فــي مستشــفى البحريــن التخص�صــي ومطلوبيــن بشــدة‬ ‫مــن قبــل مر�صــى كثــر فــي هــذه الفتــرة»‪.‬‬

‫عبدهللا السيد‪ ،‬رئيس املجموعة و الرئيس التنفيذي لخدمات العمليات الجوية‬ ‫يقول رئيس الشركة ورئيسها التنفيذي‪:‬‬ ‫”من خالل التواصل الجيد ورفع التقاريرفقط يمكن‬ ‫تحديد املشاكل وتصحيحها‪ .‬يجب أن يكون فريقنا‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مسؤوال‪ ،‬وقيادة شركة ”نكسز” توفر الوسائل‬ ‫واألدوات والتعليم املستمرلتقليل الحوادث العارضة‬ ‫واملفاجئة‪ ،‬مع اهتمامها في الوقت نفسه باالرتقاء‬ ‫بالسالمة واملهارات”‪.‬‬

‫ً‬ ‫الحلول املصممة خصيصا حسب الطلب‬

‫ً‬ ‫كان نمو شركة ”نكسز” متوافقا مع األداء في هذا‬ ‫القطاع‪ .‬ومع ذلك‪ ،‬يكرر عبدهللا أن ما يميز الشركة‬

‫عن منافسيها هو قدرتها الدائمة على تقديم منتجات‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ذات جودة عالية مصممة خصيصا الحتياجات‬ ‫عمالئها‪.‬‬ ‫يقول السيد‪” :‬وضع هذا االتجاه شركة ”نكسز” في‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫القمة ومازال يقدم دعما مستمرا لنمونا‪ .‬وقد نمت‬ ‫ً‬ ‫شركة ”نكسز” باستمرار بنسبة ‪ 25-40٪‬سنويا‬ ‫منذ إنشائها ولم يظهر هذا النمو أي مؤشرات على‬ ‫التناقص”‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وتوفر الشركة خدماتها حاليا لشركات خاصة‪/‬‬ ‫شخصيات هامة للغاية وللحكومات وشركات‬ ‫الطيران في اململكة العربية السعودية ودول مجلس‬

‫التعاون الخليجي‪ .‬وتخدم ”نكسز”‪ ،‬املتخصصة في‬ ‫ً‬ ‫تقديم البرامج والحلول املصممة خصيصا لعمالئها‪،‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫حاليا أسطوال من أكثر من ‪ 170‬طائرة وتدير بالكامل‬ ‫‪ 23‬طائرة إضافية للمالكين في جميع أنحاء املنطقة‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وقد أعلنت الشركة مؤخرا لوسائل اإلعالم عن نيتها‬ ‫تقديم خدمات املناولة األرضية في الهند وأفريقيا‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫كما وقعت أيضا عقودا إلنشاء مشروع مشترك‬ ‫لدعم رحالت الطيران في الصين‪ ،‬بعد افتتاحها مركز‬ ‫دعم عمليات الطيران الجديد في النمسا‪.‬‬ ‫ويبدو بالفعل أن شركة ”نكسز” روابط لخدمات‬ ‫العمليات الجوية حدودها السماء‪.‬‬

‫‪7‬‬

‫شركة ”نكسز” لخدمات‬ ‫العمليات الجوية تحلق آلفاق جديدة‬ ‫عبد هللا بن محمد بشيرالسيد‪ ،‬رئيس املجموعة والرئيس التنفيذي لشركة‬ ‫”نكسز” روابط لخدمات العمليات الجوية‪ ،‬يقول أن تعزيزاالحترافية‬ ‫سمح لقطاع الطيران في منطقة الشرق األوسط بالوصول إلى آفاق جديدة‪.‬‬ ‫ال يتمتع أي مكان في العالم بقطاع طيران أكثر حيوية‬ ‫مما هو عليه في دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي‪ ،‬حيث‬ ‫تتمركز ثالثة من أعرق الخطوط الجوية في العالم‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وأكثرها نجاحا‪.‬‬ ‫وقد ساهم االقتصاد سريع النمو في املنطقة‪ ،‬وارتفاع‬ ‫ً‬ ‫عدد السكان والبيئة التجارية املزدهرة أيضا بالصعود‬ ‫ً‬ ‫املطرد لهذا القطاع‪ ،‬مانحا الفرصة لعبد هللا السيد‪،‬‬ ‫الرئيس والرئيس التنفيذي لشركة ”نكسز” روابط‬ ‫لخدمات العمليات الجوية ‪ ،‬للمساعدة في زيادة رفع‬ ‫القدرة التنافسية العاملية في هذا القطاع‪.‬‬ ‫ففي عام ‪ ،2010‬وبخبرة طويلة في قطاع الطيران‬ ‫حيث عمل في مناصب إدارية عليا في شركات الطيران‬

‫ً‬ ‫والطاقم‪ ،‬فضال عن التدريب واإلشراف على الصيانة”‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وتقدم الشركة أيضا خدمة متميزة ”كونسيرج” حقيقية‪،‬‬ ‫كخدمة مضافة‪ ،‬تتعامل مع جميع متطلبات العمالء‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫بدءا من متطلبات ما قبل الطيران وصوال إلى التفاصيل‬ ‫الصغيرة‪ ،‬على غرارخدمات الكونسيرج التي تقدمها فنادق‬ ‫الخمسنجوم‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫يقول عبد هللا‪” :‬لقد كان شعارنا دائما‪ :‬إذا طلب العميل‪،‬‬ ‫”نكسز” جاهزة لتلبية طلبه‪ .‬ويشمل هذا جميع جوانب‬ ‫إدارة الطيران بما في ذلك الطائرة والطاقم والصيانة‬ ‫والتراخيص‪ ،‬والوقود‪ ،‬والتزويد بالطعام‪ ،‬ومنصة ارتباط‬ ‫للطيران املدني‪ ،‬والتأمين‪ ،‬واختيار الطائرات وقبولها‪،‬‬ ‫وغيرها الكثير”‪.‬‬

‫ً‬ ‫”لقد كان شعارنا دائما‪ :‬إذا طلب العميل‪ ،‬نكسزجاهزة لتلبية طلبه‪.‬‬ ‫ويشمل هذا جميع جوانب إدارة الطيران بما في ذلك الطائرة والطاقم‬ ‫والصيانة والتراخيص‪ ،‬والوقود‪ ،‬والتزويد بالطعام‪ ،‬ومنصة ارتباط‬ ‫للطيران املدني‪ ،‬والتأمين‪ ،‬واختيارالطائرات وقبولها‪ ،‬وغيرها الكثير”‪.‬‬

‫املختلفة‪ ،‬أسس السيد عبد هللا شركة ”نكسز” التي بدأت‬ ‫بحلول منتصف عام ‪ 2010‬بتقديم خدمات عمليات‬ ‫الطيران ملختلف الشركات واملؤسسات في اململكة العربية‬ ‫السعودية‪.‬‬ ‫ولم يكن هناك توقيت أفضل من هذا لرئيس تنفيذي‪،‬‬ ‫فقد كان قطاع الطيران يشهد انطالقة كبيرة‪ ،‬لكنه شعر‬ ‫بأن هناك فجوة في السوق ال بد من سدها في سبيل نقل‬ ‫القطاع إلى املستوى األعلى‪.‬‬ ‫يقول عبد هللا‪” :‬لم يكن هناك حتى اليوم أي شركة في‬ ‫املنطقة تقدم هذا النوع من حلول عمليات الطيران‬ ‫الشاملة التي توفرها شركة ”نكسز”‪ .‬فالعديد من الشركات‬ ‫تقدم ”دعم رحالت الطيران” للتعامل مع الخدمات‬ ‫اللوجستية اليومية للرحلة من اإلقالع إلى َركن الطائرات‪،‬‬ ‫ولكن التوفرأي شركة من هذه الشركات املجموعة الكاملة‬ ‫من الخدمات املتعلقة بإدارة الطائرات والعمليات الجوية‬

‫‪6‬‬

‫إضفاء الطابع املنهي على قطاع الطيران‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وفقا التحاد النقل الجوي الدولي (اإلياتا)‪ ،‬فإن‬ ‫ً‬ ‫شركات الطيران في الشرق األوسط ستنمو نموا قويا‬ ‫بنسبة ‪ ،4.9٪‬وستشهد زيادة في عدد املسافرين تقدر‬ ‫ً‬ ‫بـ‪ 237‬مليون مسافر إضافي سنويا على الخطوط‬ ‫الجوية من املنطقة وإليها بحلول العام ‪.2034‬‬ ‫وتقدم شركة صناعة الطائرات األمريكية بوينغ‬ ‫توقعات إيجابية مماثلة‪ ،‬حيث تحتاج املنطقة إلى‬ ‫ما يقرب من ‪ 3180‬طائرة جديدة بين عامي ‪2015‬‬ ‫و‪ .2034‬وقد كانت االستثمارات في بناء وتحديث‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مرافق املطار تمثل أولوية كبيرة أيضا عندما‬ ‫أدركت الحكومات في جميع أنحاء املنطقة الدور‬ ‫الحيوي الذي يلعبه قطاع النقل الجوي في التنمية‬ ‫االقتصادية‪.‬‬

‫وتأتي مع ذلك الحاجة ملجموعة من املوظفين‬ ‫ً ً‬ ‫املحترفين ذوي الخبرة واملدربين تدريبا عاليا لدعم نمو‬ ‫قطاع الطيران‪ .‬ويعتقد رئيس شركة ”نكسز” ورئيسها‬ ‫التنفيذي أن الفرصة تأتي مع النمو‪ ،‬وفي حين اجتذب‬ ‫النمو في هذه الصناعة العديد من الالعبين‪ ،‬ينبغي أن‬ ‫ً‬ ‫تتمتع جودة الخدمة باألولوية دائما‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ويعلق عبد هللا قائال‪” :‬تدخل العديد من الشركات إلى‬ ‫هذا القطاع وتعمل على تمييع السوق‪ ،‬مما يؤدي إلى‬ ‫تخفيض السعر ونوعية الخدمة‪ .‬وال ينبغي أن تكون‬ ‫ً‬ ‫إجراءات السالمة والجودة مكلفة‪ ،‬ولكن ال يمكن أيضا‬ ‫القيام بها من خالل شركات عديمة الخبرة‪ ،‬منخفضة‬ ‫التكلفة‪ ،‬وغيرمدربة والتي تأتي وتذهب مع الريح”‪.‬‬ ‫ويضيف أن شركة ”نكسز” تركز على تعزيز النمو‬ ‫املطرد طويل األجل‪ ،‬مع برنامج مخصص للسالمة‬ ‫والتدريب عالي الجودة‪ ،‬باإلضافة إلى الرواتب القائمة‬ ‫على أساس الخبرة واالحتراف‪.‬‬

‫السالمة على رأس جدول األعمال‬ ‫ذكرت بوينغ في تقرير لها أن ”الخطأ البشري” قد تم‬ ‫توثيقه كمساهم أسا�صي في أكثرمن ‪ 70٪‬من حوادث‬ ‫خسارة بدن الطائرات التجارية‪ .‬وبينما ترتبط هذه‬ ‫الحوادث عادة بعمليات الطيران‪ ،‬أصبح الخطأ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫البشري في اآلونة األخيرة أيضا مصدر قلق كبير في‬ ‫ممارسات الصيانة وإدارة الحركة الجوية‪.‬‬ ‫ويقول عبد هللا أن هذا هو السبب الذي يجعل من‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫التدريب الشامل عنصرا حاسما للغاية في هذه‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الصناعة‪” :‬تدرك شركة ”نكسز” تماما كيف يؤثر‬ ‫الخطأ البشري على سالمة الطيران‪ .‬ونتيجة لذلك‪،‬‬ ‫فنحن نركز على إجراء عمليات تدقيق للتدريب‬ ‫والتعليم‪ ،‬والسالمة والجودة واالختبارات والتدريبات‬ ‫الدورية واختبارات وتدريبات إعادة التأهيل‪ ،‬كما‬ ‫نركز على مراقبة ”ثقافة اإلنصاف” في جميع إداراتنا‬ ‫وأقسامنا‪.‬‬

‫السوق تقوم بتدريس ذلك حيث يشير السيد‪/‬‬ ‫خالد املنصوري إلى افتقار حقيقي في التعليم املوجه‬ ‫للسالمة على الطريق‪ .‬ويترتب على ذلك آثار هائلة‪،‬‬ ‫ولن تولي أي مدرسة لقيادة السيارات سالمتك‬ ‫األولوية مثل شركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات‪.‬‬ ‫”إن عوامل مثل الطريق‪ ،‬والطقس‪ ،‬والسائقين‬ ‫اآلخرين‪ ،‬والعوامل الخارجية‪ ،‬نأخذها جميعها‬ ‫بعين االعتبار ونعمل على تأسيس سائقين بارعين‬ ‫ً‬ ‫سعيا لتحويل الطالب القلقين إلى سائقين واثقين‬ ‫ومعتمدين على أنفسهم‪ .‬ومن الواضح أن كل ذلك‬ ‫يفيد في مساعدة الطالب على رفع توقعاتهم في اجتياز‬ ‫اختبارهم النهائي‪ ،‬إال أن مبادئنا تضع السالمة في‬ ‫مقدمة أولوياتنا”‪.‬‬

‫النتائج امللموسة لتنفيذ برامج‬ ‫التدريب االستراتيجي‬ ‫تعمل شركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات‬ ‫باالستعانة ببيانات كمية لتحديد القضايا الشائعة‬ ‫على الطرق‪ ،‬وذلك بهدف تطبيق الحلول امللموسة‪،‬‬ ‫ولذا يحدثون باستمرار تدريباتهم ومناهجهم برسالة‬ ‫متكاملة للحد من وقوع الحوادث‪.‬‬ ‫”نحن نرى ما يحدث‪ ،‬ونحلل االحصائيات‪ ،‬ونعيد‬ ‫التدقيق‪ ،‬ونحدد الفجوات ونحدث مناهجنا”‪.‬‬ ‫وقد َّبين تقرير شرطة أبوظبي أن شركة اإلمارات‬ ‫لتعليم قيادة السيارات قد ساعدت بشكل كبير في‬ ‫الحد من وقوع حوادث الطرق في إمارة أبوظبي على‬ ‫مدارعام ‪.2015‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وبصفتها عضوا في منظمات عديدة‪ ،‬تحدد شركة‬ ‫اإلمارات لقيادة السيارات أفضل الدورات في السوق‬ ‫وتستعين بها‪:‬‬ ‫”نحن رواد في السوق ألننا نأتي بالعديد من دوراتنا‬ ‫من بلدان أوروبية وال نكتفي فقط باملعلومات‬ ‫واملعارف املحلية‪ ،‬حيث أن معظم املختصين في هذا‬ ‫املجال ليس لديهم مقياس لتأسيس منهج جيد”‪.‬‬ ‫وتحافظ شركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات‬ ‫على التنسيق في جمع البيانات‪ ،‬من خالل املثابرة‬ ‫على جمع املعرفة وااللتزام بتطبيق التحسينات‪.‬‬ ‫وباالستعانة بالدورات املقررة واملخصصة‬ ‫للشاحنات الثقيلة‪ ،‬والحافالت‪ ،‬والرافعات‪،‬‬ ‫والجرافات‪ ،‬والقيادة الدفاعية‪ ،‬والدراجات النارية‪،‬‬ ‫يتفرد املركزفي التدريبات التي يقدمها‪.‬‬ ‫”نحن نستثمر في العاملين لدينا لتدريبهم داخل‬ ‫الشركة‪ ،‬ونجعلهم موجهين لخدمة العمالء‪،‬‬ ‫ونعلمهم كيفية معالجة وتقديم خدمة استثنائية‬ ‫لجميع عمالئنا”‪.‬‬ ‫ومع علمها ببراعة منتجاتها‪ ،‬تتنبأ شركة اإلمارات‬

‫لتعليم قيادة السيارات اآلن باستراتيجية مبتكرة‪:‬‬ ‫”حتى هذه الدول الرائدة‪ ،‬فهي ببساطة ال تقدم نفس‬ ‫املنهجية‪ ،‬ونحن نرغب في التوسع ضمن منطقة‬ ‫دول التعاون الخليجي‪ .‬فقد قدمنا دورات عديدة في‬ ‫ً‬ ‫اململكة العربية السعودية مؤخرا ألنهم يدركون أننا‬ ‫أفضل شركة في تحقيق النتائج”‪.‬‬ ‫وقد كانت شركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات‬ ‫ً‬ ‫شاهدا على النقص الحقيقي في املهنية في أساليب‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫التدريس محليا وخارجيا‪ ،‬وتمكنوا من تحديد ذلك‬ ‫كفجوة في السوق وتصرفوا على هذا األساس لتلبية‬

‫ً‬ ‫هذا الطلب في السوق‪ .‬وكثيرا ما يتلقى املركز زيارات‬ ‫من هيئة الطرق واملواصالت واملدن املجاورة‪،‬‬ ‫حيث استقطبت املكانة الرفيعة للشركة موظفين‬ ‫رسميين كثر متخصصين في املجال‪ .‬وأكد السيد‪/‬‬ ‫خالد املنصوري على أن الشرط األسا�سي لالستمرار‬ ‫بالنجاح والتواجد بالقطاع هو االستمرار في االبتكار‬ ‫والوقوف على أحدث التقنيات وتبنيها‪ ،‬مع مراعاة‬ ‫التشريعات‪ ،‬والنظم واألساليب الجديدة على حد‬ ‫ُّ‬ ‫سواء‪ ،‬فالجلوس خلف عجلة القيادة عملية تعلم‬ ‫مستمرة‪.‬‬

‫شركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات‪:‬‬ ‫القوة الدافعة وراء تدريبات‬ ‫وآداب الطريق اآلمن‬ ‫السالمة غيرقابلة للمساومة‬ ‫هل تعلم أن هناك سبب مادي لتركيب مساند الرأس‬ ‫بالسيارات بالطريقة التي تركب بها؟ هل كنت تعي أن‬ ‫هناك مبادئ توجيهية فعلية وراء آداب ارتداء حزام‬ ‫األمان؟ وبالنسبة ملن يتمتعون بالتوافق االجتماعي‪،‬‬ ‫ارتبطت ”القدرة على القيادة” كضرورة معاصرة‬ ‫متزايدة األهمية بما يقابلها في العقود السابقة‬ ‫حيث كانت مجرد ميزة إضافية‪ ،‬مما ترتب عليه‬ ‫وجود شعور باالستحقاق بين املتعلمين الحريصين‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الساعين حثيثا إلى النجاح في عملية الحصول على‬ ‫جميع الوثائق املرخصة األساسية‪ .‬ويظهر االجماع‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫العام بين املتعلمين أنهم ال يبدون اهتماما كبيرا‬ ‫بقيمة التعليم‪ ،‬حيث أن عملية الحصول على هذه‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الرخصة كثيرا ما تنطوي على إجراءات مجهدة حيث‬ ‫يغمر الطالب املتبرمين أنفسهم في األعمال الورقية‪،‬‬ ‫والجوانب النظرية‪ ،‬والتشريعات املحلية خالل‬ ‫سعيهم إلى إرضاء النظام البيروقراطي‪ .‬وقد ذكرني‬ ‫الرئيس التنفيذي‪ ،‬السيد‪/‬خالد خليفة املنصوري‪،‬‬ ‫اليوم‪ ،‬بما يدفع مقابله الطالب بالضبط خالل‬ ‫تعلمهم في شركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات‪،‬‬ ‫وهو أرواحهم‪ .‬فشركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫السيارات تتبنى موقفا صارما شديد الدقة تجاه‬ ‫تدريب األفراد‪:‬‬ ‫ي‬ ‫”نحن مجتمع ال يزال يفتقرإلى الوعي املرور ‪ ،‬وال يعار‬ ‫لألمان على الطريق أي اهتمام‪ ،‬ويجب علينا تذكير‬ ‫ً ً‬ ‫املتعلمين باستمرار أنهم يشغلون سالحا قاتال إذا ما‬ ‫أ�سيء التعامل معه”‪.‬‬ ‫تأسست شركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات في‬ ‫عام ‪ ،2000‬حيث أقيمت املراكزالتعليمية التابعة لها‬ ‫في مواقع متعددة في كل من أبوظبي والعين واملنطقة‬ ‫الغربية‪ .‬وأطلقت الشركة ابتكارات رائدة على مدار‬ ‫ً‬ ‫األعوام‪ ،‬سعيا للحد من عدد الوفيات ألق�سى درجة‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫طل َق‬ ‫مع ضمان سالمة السائقين واملواطنين‪ .‬وقد أ ِ‬ ‫مشروع شركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات على‬ ‫يد سمو الشيخ سيف بن زايد آل نهيان نائب رئيس‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مجلس الوزراء ووزير الداخلية‪ ،‬الذي سعى جاهدا‬ ‫لتوجيه الحلول نحو الحد من عدد الوفيات على‬ ‫الطريق وشدد على الحاجة إلى تأسيس معاييرمرجعية‬

‫من خالل الشراكة مع هيئة الطرق السويدية بهدف‬ ‫وضع منهج عالي الجودة‪ .‬وباالستعانة بالفرص‬ ‫التدريبية املتنوعة متعددة الجوانب‪ ،‬تقدم شركة‬ ‫اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات مجموعة منتقاة‬ ‫من الدورات تلبي احتياجات سائقي سيارات الدفع‬ ‫الرباعي‪ ،‬والشاحنات‪ ،‬وسائقي الدراجات النارية‪،‬‬ ‫واملركبات الثقيلة‪ ،‬والرافعات‪ ،‬واملركبات الخفيفة‪.‬‬ ‫ويعتبر أحد العناصر األساسية لسياسة شركة‬

‫”نحن مجتمع ال يزال يفتقر‬ ‫إلى الوعي املروري‪ ،‬وال يعار‬ ‫لألمان على الطريق أي‬ ‫اهتمام‪ ،‬ويجب علينا تذكير‬ ‫املتعلمين باستمرار أنهم‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫يشغلون سالحا قاتال إذا ما‬ ‫أ�سيء التعامل معه”‪.‬‬ ‫اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات ورسالتها الحفاظ‬ ‫على مستوى من املسؤولية االجتماعية تجاه البيئة‪،‬‬ ‫وتجاه طالبها وتجاه مواطني دولة اإلمارات العربية‬ ‫املتحدة‪ .‬وقد ساهمت بأكثر من ‪ 2000‬ساعة عمل في‬ ‫توفير منابر ملنتديات تعرض إصالحات الطرق والسالمة‬ ‫العامة على الطريق على مدارالعام املا�سي فقط‪ ،‬وأصبح‬ ‫من الواضح بشكل متزايد مدى الجدية التي تأخذ بها‬ ‫شركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات مسؤوليتها كجهة‬ ‫لتنفيذ قواعد السالمة ومركز تدريبي مراع لألخالقيات‬ ‫ملستخدمي املركبات‪ .‬وفي النهاية‪ ،‬تطمح شركة اإلمارات‬ ‫لتعليم قيادة السيارات لتقديم طرق ونتائج مسؤولة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫اجتماعيا في كل مساعيهم حيث يثبت استخدامهم للغاز‬ ‫الطبيعي في تشغيل املركبات التزامهم تجاه البيئة‪.‬‬ ‫”أنت غيرملم بجميع األمور على اإلطالق‪ ،‬فحياتك تعتمد‬ ‫ً‬ ‫على هذه الدروس‪ ،‬فهناك دائما أنظمة جديدة‪ ،‬وفي‬ ‫بعض األحيان ال تعرف كيفية مراقبة وقراءة الطريق‪،‬‬

‫وهذه التقنيات ستوفرأموالك وتنقذ حياتك”‪.‬‬

‫العوامل الفارقة األساسية‬ ‫إذا كنت تبحث عن املدرسة املثالية للحصول على‬ ‫رخصة القيادة في دولة اإلمارات العربية املتحدة‪،‬‬ ‫فمن املمكن‪ ،‬بطبيعة الحال‪ ،‬أن تجد نفسك قد‬ ‫غمرتك الكثير من الدورات التي تقدمها املراكز‬ ‫التدريبية املحلية املختلفة‪ .‬وقد أوضح لي السيد‪/‬‬ ‫خالد املنصوري العوامل الفارقة الرئيسية بين‬ ‫املدارس ومن ثم سلط الضوء على الكفاءات‬ ‫األساسية التي تتمتع بها شركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫السيارات‪ :‬السالمة تأتي أوال‪ .‬فمستوى النزاهة الرفيع‬ ‫الذي تعتمده شركة اإلمارات لتعليم قيادة السيارات‬ ‫باتباع معايير السالمة يعني أنه لن يضطر أحد من‬ ‫الطالب للمجازفة بصحته وسالمته‪ .‬وتكمن إحدى‬ ‫نقاط التفوق الثانوية الفريدة للمدرسة في برامجها‬ ‫التدريبية التي ال تضاهى‪ ،‬إذ تساعد شركة اإلمارات‬ ‫لتعليم القيادة على تطوير دورات مبتكرة تقدم‬ ‫ً‬ ‫برامجا نظرية وعملية مصممة لتلبية احتياجات‬ ‫فردية محددة‪ ،‬فهي توفر متطلبات السائقين على‬ ‫اختالف مستويات خبراتهم من خالل البرامج التي‬ ‫ً‬ ‫تقدم بخمس لغات وتعقد دورات مصممة خصيصا‬ ‫للطالب ذوي االحتياجات الخاصة‪.‬‬ ‫عالوة على ذلك‪ ،‬فقد تم تنفيذ االستخدام املبتكر‬ ‫ألجهزة محاكاة القيادة الداخلية لتأمين متطلبات‬ ‫ما يحتاجه الطالب لالستعداد لجميع الظروف‬ ‫الخارجية مثل الطقس واملناخ‪ .‬وهناك ابتكارات‬ ‫أخرى مثل منهجية ”نظام البرج” الفريدة واألولى‬ ‫على مستوى العالم‪ ،‬حيث يمكن للمدرب تقديم‬ ‫التوجيهات للطالب من خالل جهاز راديو‪ ،‬وبالتالي‬ ‫نوفر للطالب درجة من االستقالل تساعده على‬ ‫اكتساب الخبرة‪ .‬ويساعد تدريب ”البرج” في ترسيخ‬ ‫الثقة بالنفس واالعتماد على الذات في نفوس‬ ‫الطالب‪.‬‬ ‫وتؤكد الدورة التي تتفرد بها شركة اإلمارات لتعليم‬ ‫قيادة السيارات‪ ،‬وهي ”برنامج النقل اآلمن” على‬ ‫أهمية تأمين الركاب لسالمة األطفال واملعالين‬ ‫اآلخرين في املركبة‪ .‬وال توجد مدرسة أخرى في‬

FROM THE DIRECTOR

IN THIS MAGAZINE

EDC: The driving force behind safe road training and etiquette PAGE 22

THE CEO REPORT has quickly become the most widely read CEO Magazine in the region, reaching more decision-makers and readers than any other business publication. We are, once again, extremely proud to be able to profile many well-known CEO’s and companies in this issue of the magazine, as well as introducing many interesting, new projects and companies.

In this edition, we have chosen to profile some of the region’s top healthcare companies in ‘The Future of Healthcare’ section with up-to-date information and insights into the industry. Sustainability is also a theme we have carried into this edition as we move towards Expo 2020.

On behalf of myself and the rest of the CEO Report team, we trust you will enjoy reading this issue of the magazine and hope that it inspires you to achieve further success in 2016.

Lauri Stevens Director Content Group International

3

‫شركــة نكسز‬ ‫خلدمات العمليات اجلوية‬ ‫حتلق آلفاق جديدة‬

‫‪Emitac Healthcare‬‬ ‫‪Solutions‬‬