Gulf Insider October 2016

The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

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Contents

October 2016

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Property

25

Telecom Insider

Dubai Property Prices Dropping

Viva Bahrain’s new Business Data Center

28

Manama Shapers

30

Hotel Reviews

36

Car Insider

24

Interview with Muizz Alaradi

40

The Domain Hotel & Spa goes from local to global Ramada Manama City Centre

32

Latest Porsche Panamera Turbo – first impressions Nissan Patrol V6 – hero of all terrains

46

CORNELIANI

Made to measure as an Art form

50

Travel

… and much, much, more!

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Emirates $21,000 upgrade

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Simply unparalleled online presence that connects region’s most inspired communities.

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Publisher & Editor in Chief - Nicholas C. Cooksey

Dear Reader,

Editorial - Ainne Frances dela Cruz

Greetings and a warm welcome to our latest issue of Gulf Insider!

What you will find in our pages is a collection of inspired and instructive articles written by real, honest, people – most of who live in Bahrain. Please also visit us online, both via our website and also our Facebook page (which is approaching 100,000 followers). Here you will find other features and useful information not covered in this print edition - and feel free to leave comments on the articles to share your thoughts.

We appreciate your support and are so happy to have you as a reader of Gulf Insider.

Wishing all our readers a great month ahead!

The Insider Team!

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M. +973 3678 8748 Published by: The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

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The multi-award winning Arabian magazine

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Issue 141

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Citibank launches new online banking platform Dubai-Property Prices Dropping Emirates’ $21,000 Upgrade

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PEOPLE

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LifEstyLE

Issue 140

GCC Review

Expats in KSA Hit by New VISA Fees

Car Reviews

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What’s the future for BahraIn tourIsm? Gulf Insider spoke to industry experts about Bahrain’s potential for becoming a destination for international tourism.

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Arabia’s Intelligent Magazine Established since 2004, Gulf Insider is the multi award winning Arabian business and current affairs magazine that also covers property and expat news, interviews, car reviews, travel features, even a bit of art and fashion.

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Registered with Ministry of Information approval no. TFI-431©. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. All Rights Reserved. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher. *Articles by these correspondents are the copyright of Telegraph Media Group, 111 Buckingham Palace Road, London SW1W 0DT, England.

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Most Popular Article: Traffic Report Is it a surprise to know that the majority of road accidents are caused by Bahraini drivers?

34,347 People Reached 421 Likes, Comments and Shares

Most Popular Photos: Bahrain’s King Hamad Bahrain’s King Hamad is a beloved and iconic figure in the country and abroad.

80,489 People Reached 6, 488 Reactions, Comments & Shares Shaikh Nasser’s dream Shaik Nasser continues on the road to athletic prowess. And look, a medal to commemorate another milestone!

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Most Popular News: Good news for Bahrain!

Named as the top Middle East expat destination, (ninth globally and ahead of the UAE!), due in part to the relative ease with which expats (and their families) are able to make friends in this country.

Just goes to show its not all about the money.

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Durrat al Bahrain Modern Manama

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Shaikh Nasser triumphs Shaikh Nasser pumped after winning 3rd place in the Endurance Race Championship in Slovakia.

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GCC Review

Bahrain beats the UAE to be named the top expat destination

BIN FAQEEH REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT CO. HONOURED AT ARABIAN PROPERTY AWARDS DUBAI, UAE: Renowned Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company was awarded at the International Property Awards specific to Africa Arabia at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Dubai on the 22nd of September. The awards celebrate the highest levels of achievement by companies operating in all sectors of the property and real estate industry. The International Property Award is a worldrenowned mark of excellence.

Bin Faqeeh was honored with the Best Residential Development in Bahrain for their marvelous landmark project Layan while also getting the distinctive award of Best Development Marketing for the same property. They also jointly received awards within the Mixed Use Architecture category for the innovative properties Waterbay and Layan, alongside Arab Architects, complimenting Bahrain’s commitment to revolutionize the real estate industry regionally and globally. The organization has been a proud representative of Bahrain on this international forum.

The prestigious awards are judged by an independent panel of highly experienced and distinguished jury of professionals who cover the whole range of property disciplines. The highest scoring winners from each region are entered into the overall International Awards, which ultimately determine the world’s finest property companies.

Complimenting Bahrain’s commitment to revolutionize the real estate industry regionally and globally.

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Gulf Insider October 2016

Bahrain has been named the Middle East’s top destination for expatriates, ahead of the UAE, according to HSBC’s Expat Explorer 2016 report. Bahrain was ranked ninth globally behind top performer Singapore, thanks in part to the relative ease with which expats are able to make new friends in the Gulf kingdom, HSBC said.

More than two in three (67 percent) expats from Bahrain agree that they found it easier to bond compared with the global average of 52 percent. This translates to the rest of the family, with four in 10 (42 percent) expat parents saying their children find it easy to make friends too compared with the global average of 31 percent.

The report said the Middle East remained an excellent destination for expats to improve their earnings, increase their savings and enjoy greater disposable income, despite the fact that all Middle Eastern countries (except Kuwait) slipped slightly in this year’s Economics league table.

UAE seen in outer space UAE seen from outer space on the 26th of September 2016.

Look hard and you can see The Palm Dubai.

GCC Review

Bahrain, Oman stay strong despite online jobs market slump in GCC In a report by Monster Employment Index (MEI), Bahrain and Oman are the only Gulf countries to show year-on-year growth in the number of job opportunities listed online.

This as the region’s economic slowdown continues. Bahrain and Oman showed a 14% and 8% rise in e-recruitment activity respectively.

Countries in the Gulf exhibited decline as UAE was reported to have dropped in e-recruitment activity continuing a downward trend in available online opportunities in the last six months. Saudi Arabia also showed a two percent fall yearon-year despite registering positive monthly growth. In Kuwait, online hiring activity has also slipped 18 %.

Big Wage Cuts for Saudi Public Sector Saudi Arabia- Saudis accustomed to lavish salaries and generous perks associated with the state sector may soon be rethinking their careers. The country, which is hit with a fiscal crisis is cutting public sector bonuses for the first time in light of the oil slump fallout.

Further, ministerial salaries are reduced by 20 percent and pay for members of the appointed consultative council are cut by 15 percent. The budget cuts even extended to Saudi royalty. The austerity measures may be a bit difficult for Saudi nationals working in the state sector, who have become accustomed to lavish salaries and generous perks to grapple with. The state sector employs twothirds of the country’s nationals.

The National Transformation Plan published in June said the government planned to trim public sector wages as a proportion of the budget to 40 per cent by 2020 from its current 45 per cent, or a decrease in salaries from 480bn Saudi riyals ($128bn) to Sar456bn by 2020.

The country, which is hit with a fiscal crisis is cutting public sector bonuses for the first time in light of the oil slump fallout.

Saudi to increase fees for 7 services The Saudi government will reportedly no longer subsidise seven services, on top of its new visa regime, from October 2. The services including ports, passports, driving licenses, car transfers, traffic violations, the renewal of residency permits for domestic workers and customs protection for 193 commodities, according to Arab News.

The price rises will come on top of those approved for municipal services in August. The kingdom is looking to raise non-oil revenues and plug a budget deficit estimated to reach 13 per cent of GDP this year by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The IMF expects Saudi economic growth to slow to 1.2 per cent this year, rising to 2 per cent next year.

Last month the kingdom announced increases to visa fees and traffic fines to boost its coffers.

The Saudi government will reportedly no longer subsidise seven services, on top of its new visa regime, from October 2.

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Gulf Insider October 2016

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GCC Review

Qatar rents ‘fall by 10-20%’ in prime areas Relaxation of mortgage rules to kickstart real-estate recovery in Dubai?

It was a subdued property market that not even the annual Cityscape global exhibition in Dubai could curtail. In a survey by broker Core Savilles, it was found that seven out of ten people are saying that the mortgage caps should be reduced. The Central Bank of the UAE introduced a mortgage cap in late 2013, which restricted the loan-to-value ratio for mortgages at 75 per cent for expatriates and 80 per cent for Emiratis for properties costing less than Dh5 million.

In Dubai, the decision of families to downsize could mean moving to a more affordable house or apartment or sending spouses and children home.

“Mortgage caps were introduced to limit speculator activity in the market,” said Faisal Durrani, Cluttons’ head of research. “So far they have proved quite effective … especially a couple of years ago in the wake of the Expo announcement. The government did people a favor and prevented them getting into too much debt. It is too soon to start tinkering with a measure which was only introduced recently. It is nice to have some stability in an emerging market.”

He says a relaxation of the rules could send the wrong message to the market.

“Instead what Dubai really needs is more housing which is truly affordable and there should be guidance at a federal level to produce a definition of affordable housing.”

In Dubai, the decision of families to downsize could mean moving to a more affordable house or apartment or sending spouses and children home.

A combination of oversupply and low demand has led to rental declines of between 10 and 20% in Qatar’s high-end residential property market, a Doha-based daily said.

While villas and flats in the middle segment have also become cheaper, affordable housing units, including those offered in partitioned villas, have not seen a significant fall in rents due to stable demand, according to a report in The Peninsula, quoting industry sources. “Currently about 9,000 housing units are vacant, awaiting customers. There is oversupply in the market and demand is low,” Qatari real estate expert Khalifa Al Maslamani told the paper.

The daily attributed the decline in rents to the seasonal lull in the market during summer, coupled with the exit of several expatriate professionals from the country, who have lost their jobs in recent months. Many expatriate families have also left the country recently, the report added.

7 years of jail for Kuwait resident over citizenship fraud A court in Kuwait has sentenced a man to seven years in jail for acquiring the country’s citizenship fraudulently. The man, believed to be of Saudi origin, was also ordered to pay a fine of 48,000 Kuwaiti dinars (Dh584,847) and restitute 24,000 dinars (Dh292,423) to the state The public prosecution said the man acquired Kuwaiti citizenship in 1973 after a Kuwaiti man presented forged documents and registered him as his own son, Kuwaiti daily Al Rai reported on Monday.

The case came to light in 2015 when the Saudi-Kuwaiti man wanted to register a young man as his son. However, he became nervous and agitated when he was unable to answer the officer’s questions about the “son”.

An investigation was launched and the attempted forgery in 2015 and the falsification of the citizenship documents in

18

Gulf Insider October 2016

1973 were discovered, leading to the arrest and the court trial.

Kuwait has been engaged in a massive operation to unearth cases of forgery and furnishing false information that enabled some foreigners, with the complicity of Kuwaitis, to acquire citizenship.

Affairs

Not the day to pull a sickie!

Nine top officials sacked after Dubai ruler holds impromptu desk inspection at 7:30am and finds LOTS of empty seats.

D

ubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum has ordered a shake-up of the city state’s management, including the retirement of nine senior officials, a day after he conducted a surprise spot check of government offices at 7.30am and found a significant number of employees absent.

The Dubai government posted a video on Instagram of him making an unannounced visit to the Land Department and Department of Economic Development office and finding it empty, an exercise which a Dubai media official said was intended to ‘send a message’.

Sheikh Mohammed casually wandered around the deserted office with empty seats, picking up an employee’s book and flicking through it.

He walked past a framed portrait of himself on the wall but couldn’t find 20

Gulf Insider October 2016

In Dubai, public sector workers usually work from 7.30am to 2.30pm. anyone to actually talk to. The visit should not have caught so many people out as Sheikh Mohammed is known for his early-morning inspections ‘to ensure government services are up to Dubai’s globally admired standards’.

In Dubai, public sector workers usually work from 7.30am to 2.30pm.

In the video posted online the leader then goes on to inspect Dubai’s airport - thankfully finding immigration officers were in place.

Governments around the Gulf are

trying to make their bureaucracies more efficient as low oil prices pressure state finances, and the move by Sheikh Mohammed is one of the most dramatic efforts in that direction so far.

He afterwards ordered the retirement of nine members of Dubai Municipality’s executive management, including directors and assistant director-generals in departments such as legal affairs and planning, the United Arab Emirates’ state news agency WAM reported.

Some of those sacked include Abdul Qader Al Jasmi, director of legal affairs, deputy director general Eisa Al Maidoor and assistant Director General for corporate support Mohammad Abdul Karim Julfar.

Sheikh Mohammed said he wanted to allow a new generation of young leaders to take control and provide topquality services to the public, WAM reported.

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Property

what we learned at the

dubai property show ... it’s a Buyers Market!!!

T

he real estate developers were putting a brave face on it, saying they had been remarkably busy, but there was no hiding the fact that the Dubai Property Show in London in mid-May was both small and, at least on the first day of the show on a Friday afternoon, sparsely attended.

Around a dozen developers including Dubap Properties, Tebyan Real Estate Development and Binghatti Developers filled part of the Olympia West exhibition hall, which was dominated by a Nakheel stand in the centre.

It was certainly a far cry from the likes of the Cityscape show in Dubai, but that’s perhaps to be expected. London is after all a long way from the U.A.E., and the

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Gulf Insider October 2016

The volume of residential sales in Dubai over the first half of 2016 is down by around 30% compared to the same period last year. gloss has come off Dubai’s real estate scene of late. Prices are down by 15% from their mid-2014 peak and confidence

is low in the light of the oil price slump.

In addition, the rise of the U.A.E dirham (and other Gulf currencies pegged to the dollar) means that inward investment into the region is becoming more expensive for a lot of po¬tential buyers. And while expat residents in the Gulf who are earning money in the local currency are not affected, the re¬gional economic slowdown also means that some of them are losing their jobs, selling up and leaving the country.

Craig Plumb, head of research at estate agency Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), says the rising value of the dirham has “definite¬ly been a factor” for international investors in the residential market. “The volume of residential sales

Property

in Dubai over the first half of 2016 is down by around 30% compared to the same period last year,” he says.

In broad terms, the market for crossbor¬der real estate investment continues to be fairly vibrant, even if these days the bulk of the deals involve Gulf investors putting their money in international markets, rather than overseas buyers picking up properties within the region.

Plumb says Middle East investors bought almost $9.5 billion of real estate

The rise of the Gulf currencies pegged to the dollar over the past few years means that it is now far cheaper for Gulf investors to buy U.K. property . outside the region in the second quarter of this year, compared to $2.3 billion of capital flowing into the region.

London has long been the most enticing market for Middle East investors and it still holds the top spot, but it is not as dominant as it once was. In 2014, the U.K. capital city accounted for 32% of all outbound investment, compared to 45% in 2013. Other large Western cities followed it in popular¬ity, including Paris ($2.2 billion), New York ($1.3 billion) and Washington ($481 million).

The rise of the Gulf currencies pegged to the dollar over the past few years

means that it is now far cheaper for Gulf investors to buy U.K. property than it was previously, all the more so following the slump in the value of the pound after the Brexit vote.

“One of the key things of benefit to buyers from the Gulf is the fact that the majority of them, except for Kuwait, maintain a fixed exchange rate with the U.S. dollar. That means they’re effectively purchasing in dollars, so for them London property became 12% cheaper overnight on 23 June [the date of the ref¬erendum],” says Faisal Durrani, head of research at Cluttons. “Since the referendum, some of our offices in locations like Belgravia and Chelsea have reported an upturn in interest from buyers from the Gulf.”

(source credit – Forbes)

Gulf Insider October 2016

23

Property

DUBAI - PROPERTY PRICES DROPPING The 6 bedroom home is the first in the area the agent has seen under that price in the past 5 years.

T

he softening in Dubai’s real estate market has been happening for a couple of years now but perhaps the biggest indicator of a shift would come in Emirates Hills.

Often billed as the emirate’s premier neighbourhood, it is known for its eyewateringly high price tags, which is why a villa available for less than Dh20 million is a steal deal.

Gregory Lewis, a senior negotiator with Knight Frank, the estate agent marketing the property, says the six-bedroom home is the first in the area he has seen under that price in the past five years.

But don’t get your hopes too high.

Despite being the cheapest villa on the block, this property in Sector W is still on the market for a cool Dh19.9m.

For those that have not ambled through its leafy thoroughfares, Emirates Hills is similar to Beverly Hills in California, with agents referring to it as a “super-prime location”. It is located between two golf courses and offers long driveways and large, private gardens.

From the outside, the villa – spread across 8,800 square feet on a plot of

24

Gulf Insider October 2016

16,750 square feet – masquerades as a Regency period offering, complete with fountains, one can easily picture in one of London’s parks. That old-money ambience is through out the house with Italian marble floors, thick mahogany staircases and a black slate floor on a Regency styled kitchen replete with Miele fixtures.

The five reception rooms include a study/library with a wooden floor to offer a studious atmosphere, a games room, majlis and formal dining room.

Of the villa’s six bedrooms, four have en suite bathrooms.

The private swimming pool, roof terrace and outside majlis area in European style.

Added extras include two solar-powered domestic water heaters, automatic irrigation for the garden, electric gates at the entrance of the driveway, covered parking for up to five cars, three utility rooms, staff accommodation and views of Dubai Marina as well as the local community.

Mr Lewis adds: “This is a hugely rare property being below Dh20m.”

(source credit – The National)

Dubai rents continue to fall: new data The property market in Dubai remained favourable to tenants and buyers over the summer, with rents continuing to fall and prices in some locations still showing a downtrend.

The cost of renting flats across various communities registered an overall decline of 2 per cent compared to the same period in 2015, according to a real estate portal with thousands of property listings.

The average annual rent for studio apartments in Dubai stood at Dh57,000, down by 6 per cent from a year ago.

The cost of renting onebedroom residential units averaged Dh92,000 a year, registering a 7 per cent drop when compared to the average rent in the first half of 2016.

Two-bedroom apartments cost tenants Dh145,000 a year as of July, still cheaper by 3 per cent. No major cost adjustments were noted in the three-bedroom category, but bigger units posted a 2 per cent decline when compared to the average rental value in the first half of 2016.

Also in July, apartment prices in some locations registered declines averaging 1.3 per cent when compared to the previous month.

The majority of the properties, particularly villas, however, saw no negative adjustments, while those in mid-affordable locations posted monthly increases of 1.1 per cent to 3.9 per cent, according to the July 2016 ValuStrat Price index.

(source credit – Gulf News)

Telecoms

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elivering on its promise to support the business sector with reliable, effective and cost-efficient IT solutions, VIVA Bahrain has announced the launch of its new Business DataCenter which is built to Tier-3 standards. The comprehensive portfolio of the DataCenter’s solutions will provide state-of-the-art IT infrastructure for businesses to better store, manage and recover data.

Businesses and enterprises across all industries in the private and public sectors including banking, transportation and government can benefit from the new DataCenter integrating high-level security servers to maintain mission critical information and data backups.

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Commenting on the occasion, Ulaiyan Al Wetaid, VIVA CEO said, “At VIVA Bahrain, we are committed to investing in state-of-the-art ICT technologies and advanced IT infrastructures, which can support and empower our business customers and contribute to the development of the Kingdom at large.

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Gulf Insider October 2016

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Advertorial

Nader Moosa

Citibank Launches a New Online Banking Platform and The Citi Mobile® App Service in Bahrain.

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itibank Bahrain is investing in ways to improve the digital experience for its Bahrain customers. The Bank recently announced the launch of its new online banking platform and the Citi Mobile App Service. The platform and service will make banking online and while on the move easier, effective and at the same time more secure.

Customers can now activate their debit or credit card and set up their PIN on Citibank Online. This is particularly helpful to the busy working class and entrepreneurs. The customers will be able to link their account with multiple banking accounts under one platform, and get a global view of all their Citibank, N.A. accounts on one webpage. The new online banking platform allows customers to view real-time foreign exchange rates to make informed decisions about investment and deposits. These are only some of the new added features made available by the significant system platform enhancement, making banking

26

Gulf Insider October 2016

Citibank Bahrain is investing in ways to improve the digital experience for its Bahrain customers. faster through an easy-to-use online banking interface.

Citibank Bahrain has also rolled out The Citi Mobile® App which features a world class user interface and includes new features like Snapshot and Touch ID fingerprint identity. Snapshot is a new opt-in feature that provides customers with quick access to an overall snapshot view of their deposits, credit card balances and recent transactions without having to log into the app. This feature is available on both Apple Mobile

Phone Models 5S, 6, 6+ and Android mobile phones. Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor allows customers to log into the app using their fingerprint.

Touch ID functionality is available only to customers having Apple Mobile Phone Models 5S, 6 or 6+.

“We have been working tirelessly to implement and bring this unique globally consistent experience to our customers.

We are proud to have successfully launched these two services that involved almost 600 people from different countries around the world”, said Nader Moosa, Consumer Market Lead at Citibank Bahrain.

“Digital technology has changed everything around us and we need to embrace this change and provide our clients with the services they want and need at the time and place that suits them”, he added.

For more information: Citibank Bahrain Tel: + 973 1758 2484

Affairs GLOBAL SHAPERS COMMUNITY MANAMA

employers are looking for, but might not be taught at the university. We have also tied up with a number of leading financial institutions who offer internships to the top 10-15 students. Mutamahin, and other programs and events of this sort, help me give back to the community; it’s very fulfilling to be part of something that contributes in improving people’s livelihoods.

Manama Shapers Interview with Muizz Alaradi, Relationship Manager at BBK.

W

hat does your role as a Relationship Manager for BBK involve and what challenges do you face in this role?

I handle a number of relationships with large corporate entities in Bahrain to extend and facilitate their debt financing.

I work with companies in various sectors, including manufacturing, trade, shipping and FMCG, so it is interesting to have such a broad exposure. One of the major challenges I face is trying to accurately gauge and manage credit and market risk, especially in the context of the current regional climate. Given the importance of oil to our Bahrain, the recent drop in prices has led to a structural shift in the economy and business focus, which I’m sure most of us have noticed in one way or other.

Tell us more about relationship building in the Manufacturing & Trading sector.

BBK is one of the major local banks in Bahrain, and has long-standing relationships with some of the biggest companies in the market. When developing a relationship with a client, it is always best to maintain a longterm view, as companies follow their own business cycles, and may require support through difficult periods.

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Additionally, trust and integrity are critical components in banking, perhaps even more so in Bahrain, given the small size of the community.

How does being a CFA Charterholder allow you to accomplish more?

I think I’ll address this question in two parts. Firstly, any professional certification develops a person’s education and lends them credibility in that field. I graduated in 2008 and managed to find a job in Bahrain right before the global financial crisis reached this part of the world. From then, the banking and finance sectors here were hit quite hard, with many employers substantially cutting down on any new hiring. This led to a much more competitive marketplace, where an undergraduate degree was simply not enough anymore. I chose the CFA program as it was one of the more well respected and received designations, and would both advance my knowledge base and help set me apart from the crowd.

Secondly, I am now a Board Member of the CFA Society Bahrain and Chair of the Mutamahin program. We began this program two years ago, providing training for 60 fresh graduates annually. Sessions include ethics, project management and personal branding. These are skills that

Why did you join the Global Shapers community?

When I was first introduced to the Global Shapers, my interest was piqued mainly because of the aspirations of the Manama Hub. The hub was created to gather various young leaders who were committed to make a positive contribution in their society. It was (and still is) a privilege to work with such talented individuals to tackle some of the social challenges that we face in Bahrain. As part of the Hub, I can work on social projects that I find important but would not be exposed to during my regular day-job.

What are your goals as a Shaper?

My goal is to make a positive impact on our society. I consider myself to be quite privileged, and have had opportunities that might not have been available to others. In giving back, I try to be a catalyst for change in improving people’s lives, no matter how small, through implementation of socioeconomic projects that raise awareness and empower their beneficiaries.

What do you like doing in your free time?

I read. I’m currently reading The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus, so nowadays I also like to contemplate on the absurdity of existence. Other than that, I enjoy drawing, exercising, traveling and taking part in different projects as and when I can. For example, I was part of the Bahraini delegation on the 2016 Ship for World Youth program, organised by the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan. Generally, I just try to appreciate life for what it is.

Hotel Review

From Local to Global The Domain Hotel and Spa just signed a partnership with Preferred Hotels & Resorts to put this Bahraini brand on the international hotel scene. We had a chat with Claudio Roscigno, Regional Director for Middle East & North Africa, to see how this partnership affects the hotel and its clients.

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Claudio Roscigno

Hotel Review

T

he Domain Bahrain is well-known on the local hotel scene, boasting of a luxurious hotel experience that is locally crafted and sourced.

Now this homegrown brand is turning to Preferred Hotels & Resorts to help international travelers access this unique location.

The Preferred Hotels is actually a very interesting concept when it comes to hotel experiences. It represents 650 hotels in 85 countries with an infinite number of unique experiences. The experiences are grouped in terms of luxury, ambiance (these folks go in for elegance), culture and style, amenities, cuisine and family friendly getaways. You can definitely create an experience that you prefer, as cozy or as chic as you like.

As Claudio says, “The public’s booking behavior has changed”. Preferred Hotels is travel friendly for all families, the

one other hotel that have approached Preferred Hotels for a partnership but was not able to meet their stringent requirements.

When we sat down to have a chat with Claudio, he has been at The Domain for two days, doing intensive training for the staff. He was simply amazed by the hotel. He relates that when he first set foot at The Domain, there was an understated entrance and then he learned that the lobby was in the 16th floor. When he got to the lobby, he was amazed at how gorgeous it was, and as he inspected some of the rooms and restaurant outlets, along with all the little nooks and crannies that the hotel holds, he said “It just kept getting better and better”.

One of the great things that will happen as a result of this partnership is the boost it gives to Bahrain tourism.

1 free night in any Preferred Hotel destination for 50 nights that you pay for as you travel or do business around the world. But the iPrefer points are not only exclusive to room nights, you can also get points from purchasing food, spa, and other entertainment and amenities that the hotel has on offer.

In Bahrain, The Domain is slowly bringing back those grandiose hotel days and making an effort to reach out to the community through their old movie nights, salsa dance classes, and more.

They’re basically making hotel-going hip and fun again.

For more information: The Domain Hotel & Spa Tel. +973 1600 0000 Preferred Hotels & Resorts www.preferredhotels.com

Another awesome thing is the loyalty program called iPrefer which will enable repeat clients to have free experiences at The Domain or in fact in any Preferred Hotel around the world. individual traveler, and even corporate or business groups. Basically, Preferred Hotels is providing travelers with a platform to unique experiences that they can easily access.

The Preferred Hotels is very wellestablished with over 50 years of experience behind it. They have their own high standards of quality assurance and within this framework, The Domain is the only hotel in Bahrain to partner with Preferred Hotels. There was at least

Now, the Domain is exhibited with other great hotels around the world. Claudio goes on to say that “Bahrain is coming into its own in the world market. These are the stable years and we can definitely see rapid growth for the economy”.

Another awesome thing is the loyalty program called iPrefer which will enable repeat clients to have free experiences at The Domain or in fact in any Preferred Hotel around the world. If you do the math, this would come down to having

The iPrefer Standard While no two properties are identical, all Preferred Hotels & Resorts partners adhere to quality standards that are measured by yearly anonymous on-site inspections carried out by third party inspectors and real-time quality assessment scores pulled from social media sites worldwide.

Gulf Insider October 2016

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Hotel Review

Ramada

Manama City Centre Located at the heart of Seef, this hotel is a pleasant and refreshing surprise for the weary traveler, the on the go businessman, or the weekend savant who wishes to go fine dining.

S

eef, the heart of the business district is a hub of activity at any day of the week. Having a place for a spot of rest and refreshment is a welcome respite for the workers who have had a long day. There are lounges, there are entertainment spots, and there is also fine dining, but one of the best places to have everything under one roof is through the hotel experience.

Ramada Manama City Centre is a refreshing surprise. Located in nondescript surroundings, you find yourself ushered in to an airy and chic lobby with polite yet unobtrusive staff who genuinely want to make you feel comfortable. Welcoming both the business people and the casual travelers and weekenders (they have a signature restaurant called Reem Al Bawadi, which is highly spoken of), the Ramada Manama City Centre is a compact hotel with a 4-star standard at a competitive price. Close to places of work, the real clincher is, it’s a stone’s throw away to the shopping hub of Bahrain, the City Centre Bahrain.

Corporations and groups have a 32

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Ramada Manama City Centre is a compact hotel with a 4-star standard at a competitive price. new place to congregate as Ramada Manama City Centre is opening up its meeting rooms and facilities to welcome small to medium corporate events. The whole set of amenities for corporate events and functions, audiovisual equipment, layout, etc., as well as tailormade services can be set up with a phone call or a meeting. Furthermore, the place can sit from 20 to 200 people and they have a ballroom with a sea view. As Mr. Mohammed Abbas, the Food and Beverage Manager said “The event possibilities are endless”! A press conference, wedding reception or a vanity fair to name but a few. Plus, there

Mohammed Abbas

is free high speed wi-fi!

The atmosphere is certainly more comfortable and less stuffy than in other places, but it is the staff that are the jewels of this place. They are smart, attentive, and have an intuitive knowledge of what you need. Event organizers will also be pleased to know that there is an Emporium all day dining place opening shortly, which can cater to their specific event. All in all, great location, competitive price, awesome views, and friendly staff make for one memorable experience.

The World’s Most Generous Loyalty Program, Wyndham Rewards, relaunched globally in May of 2015, is the award-winning, simple-touse, revolutionary loyalty program from Wyndham Hotel Group, offering members a generous points earning structure along with a flat, free night redemption rate. Visit www.wyndhamrewards.com for more information.

To book your stay: Ramada Manama City Centre Tel: +973 1710 4000

Opinion

Ask Each month we will be putting a legal problem to legal consultant Ali Al Jabal to answer.

A full service law firm for Bahrain and the Sultanate of Oman, founded in 1995 by Mr Ali Al Jabal

This month - Labor Law Problem: A friend of mine, who is a nonBahraini national, had an acrimonious dispute with his employer. My friend understood that upon the completion of his employment contract he was entitled to a fully paid return ticket to his home country However, nearing the end of his contract, he was disappointed to find that he was not issued with a return ticket. Understandably concerned, he approached his employer who refused to issue a ticket on the grounds that the man was no longer under his sponsorship and therefore he was under no obligation to repatriate him.

Unfortunately, it was not specified in my friend’s contract that his employer would pay for his ticket home. This is an extremely stressful situation for my 34

Gulf Insider October 2016

If the contract of employment did not specify such a location the employer shall bear the cost of the transport. friend. Is his employer legally obliged to pay for his return ticket even though it was not included as a term in the contract?

Advice: Originally, the preceding Labor Law (1976) contained articles explicitly dealing with foreign workers and their rights to repatriation. However, the inauguration of the new Labor Law (2012) did not include these articles.

Therefore, the issue of repatriating a foreign worker to his country of origin was included in the Labor Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA). Thus it can be derived that, upon the termination of the employment relationship, whether by expiry or cancellation of the work permit, the last employer for whom the work permit was issued shall be obliged to incur the transport expenses of the foreign worker’s transport to the place specified in the contract of employment. However, it is important to note (especially with regards to your friend’s position,) if the contract of employment did not specify such a location the employer shall bear the cost of the transport of the foreign worker to a location, to which he belongs by nationality.

Furthermore, if an employer employs a foreign worker without obtaining a permit, the obligation to incur transport expenses referred to in the foregoing passage shall shift to such an employer.

However, if a foreign worker upon the termination of his contractual relationship, obtains employment from another employer; the foreign worker will not be entitled to the repatriation from his former employer.

In short, according to the facts provided your friend can legally enforce his employer to pay for his return ticket to the country of his nationality. If the employer still refuses, he can file a legal action against his employer, whereby the judgment will be left to the discretion of the court.

To contact Ali Al Jabal at Al Jabal Consultancy Attorneys and Legal Consultants Tel: +973 17 530 400 E-mail: info@aljaballaw.com www.aljaballaw.com

ins id er CA R

PORSCHE PANAMERA TURBO Gulf Insider goes to Germany to test drive the fastest luxury sedan in the world.

By Bill Daly

P

orsche recently revealed its new Panamera Turbo and it wasn’t long before the vehicle claimed the lap record for production sedans at Germany’s famous Nurburgring race track. This was set with a standard, unmodified vehicle on street tyres. The previous record was held by the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio but this car was fitted with racing tyres and was 100 kilos lighter than a production version.

So, having established that the new Panamera is fast, in fact very fast, what more can we say about it.

Outside Let’s start with the outside appearance. A quick external walkaround shows some obvious changes from its predecessor. From a side profile, the silhouette has a much more sleek looking roofline that bears more than a

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I was given my very own 2017 Panamera Turbo and told to make my way from Munich to Tegernsee for lunch in one hours’ time, a ‘mere’ 200 kilometre trip passing resemblance to the 911. There is a sportier front look with a reshaped bumper and new look headlights with daytime running lights that make it easily recognizable as a Porsche.

The designers at Porsche obviously

listened to previous criticisms of the unattractive rear end because they really have eliminated this fault by complementing the new look with smaller tail lamps, side to side LED lights and a Porsche emblem that lights up. On the subject of the rear end, one of the coolest features of the 2017 Panamera is the new two-stage spoiler that first lifts up out of the liftback and then folds out to provide a larger, wider surface area that increases much needed downforce during performance driving. Overall, not only do we have great performance but finally great looks to match.

Inside Sitting inside the car, we have the Porsche typical low seating position with the driver set low and looking up. This is consistent with the Porsche philosophy that a driver should be “in it” not “on it”.

Motors

Gulf Insider’s Bill Daly with the Porsche Panamera Turbo The new Porsche advanced cockpit consists of a touch screen centre panel to control everything using smart phone logic, where touch-sensitive surfaces replace classic hard keys and switches.

The Panamera is a four-door, four seat Gran Turismo….. a high performance sports car with the comfort of a luxury saloon. Four adults can be whisked around in a complete luxury with leather

from 0-100 km/h in 3.6 seconds.

If you are worried about fuel consumption, then let me put your mind at ease. The Panamera Turbo has a system which automatically, temporarily and imperceptibly turns the eight cylinders into a four cylinder engine by deactivating cylinders two, three, five and eight during slow driving giving a respectable 9.3 litres/100 km.

On the subject of safety, the Porsche Innodrive system includes some selfsteering functionality which will gently nudge you back into your lane at highway speeds and cruise control which adjusts speed based on traffic thanks to a suite of radar, sonar and infra-red imaging sensors and even a weather processing capability.

To arrange you own test drive in Bahrain contact Porsche Center Bahrain Behbehani Brothers W.L.L. Tel: +973 1745 9911

Verdict As a luxury sedan, the 2017 Panamera can legitimately be called a serious alternative to choices like the BMW 7 Series on the Mercedes S-class. As a high performance sports car, neither the BMW nor the Mercedes come close to matching the Panamera’s performance.

The closest comparison I can think of is ironically the GT3.

upholstery and heated or air-conditioned seats. There are 18 way adjustable electric front seats and 8-way-adjustable rear seats. When you finish getting your seat into the ideal position you can then play with the pneumatic adjusters in the backrests which include a massage function. Rear seat passengers can amuse themselves with the Porsche rear seat entertainment system which drawfs any entertainment system on a first class airline seat.

Engines and Performance The 2017 Panamera comes with a choice of three engine types. The 4S has a 2.9 litre V6 BI-Turbo engine, the turbo comes with a 4.0 litre V8 Bi-Turbo engine and the 4S Diesel has a 4.0 litre V8 turbo diesel engine. Incidentally, the Panamera Diesel is the fastest production diesel car in the world, with a top speed of 285 km/h and 0-100 km/h of 4.3 seconds. In comparison, the Panamera Turbo has a top speed of 306 km/h and accelerates

Driving Experience

After a quick briefing from the fastidious Porsche engineers, I was given my very own 2017 Panamera Turbo and told to make my way from Munich to Tegernsee for lunch in one hours’ time, a ‘mere’ 200 kilometre trip. That sounded challenging if not illegal but then again I had two things in my favour ….. Firstly, I was in Bavaria, the home of unrestricted Autobahns and Secondly I was in possession of the fastest sedan car in the world. It shouldn’t be a problem.

The German Autobahn’s and twisty, curvy mountain roads are the perfect place to test out the new Panamera, a combination of ballistic speed and stellar handling. Few cars could do it better.

The speed of the Panamera is deceptive given the comfort and stability of the ride and the acceleration and braking capabilities allow the driver to enjoy the full performance of the car while at the same time keeping the vehicle within safe parameters.

It is hard to find clear comparisons as the Panamera is a far greater performance car to its ‘luxury’ alternatives, and far more luxurious than its performance alternative - but here goes…

Price Comparison Porsche Panamera 4S BD 50,100 BMW 7 Series 730LI (Mkit) BD 38,000 Mercedes Benz S Class AMG BD 49,000

Porsche GT3 RS BD 63,900

Gulf Insider October 2016

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in si de r CAR

The V6 Nissan Patrol Hero of All Terrains

Although the V6 has a smaller engine, this hasn’t compromised its pulling ability and brings with it better fuel efficiency.

G

ulf Insider was invited to the launch of the V6 Nissan Patrol on top of a mountain in Oman.

The Patrol V6 is identical in design to the Patrol V8 and will be available in both XE and SE grades, each with many optional extras available.

In comparison to the V8, which has a 318 hp; the V6 has a 257 hp and 396 nmt.

It delivers best in class power in the V6 category with 12% more torque in the driving range than the competition while having the same pulling capacity as the V8.

“This marks a milestone for Nissan Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons, as we are excited to launch a new family member of the Hero of All Terrains in Life, the Patrol V6, which was specifically built

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Since 2010, the Patrol has won 26 awards including 2 Guinness World Records. for this region and offers better fuel efficiency that meet market demands and requirements while not jeopardizing power and performance”, says Ranjit Nair, Senior Manager—Sales and Marketing.

Weighing less than the V8 and having

lower ownership costs as well as exceptional passenger and baggage space, it is a practical, everyday family vehicle ready for any kind of adventure.

For those looking for a sportier version of the Patrol, there is now a NISMO edition (NISMO is the name given to Nissan’s high performance division).

It offers an extra 28hp and 15% more torque, it also has a stiffer body and a luxury sports design.

Another version of the Patrol available is The Desert Edition (DE), which offers pure off-roading luxury for the dune bashing enthusiast. Alternatively, Patrol owners have the option to separately purchase the parts in the DE to add to their own Patrol.

The latest Patrol is now technologically a smart car; you can use your mobile phone to find the car, switch the engine on by remote – and have the AC cool the interior before you get in it, and various other options. If you lend the car you can also see how well and how fast it was driven.

Since 2010, the Patrol has won 26 awards including 2 Guinness World Records: one for towing a 171 ton Boeing 747; and one when it climbed a 100 meter 49 degree desert dune in just 4.9 seconds.

This latest V6 Patrol is the smart choice for families who want their SUV’s elegant, powerful, and safe; not to mention fuel-efficient. It has all the elements of being another legendary allterrain hero: fuel efficiency, power, and prestige.

To book your test drive, log on to www.nissanbahrain.com Or Tel. +973 1773 2732

in si de r CAR

My Gran Turismo Sport Day Gulf Insider’s Yulia Trubnikova enjoys her “grand tour”... of Manama... in a Maserati!

W

hen I went to the showroom of Euromotors in Sitra, to test drive the Maserati Gran Turismo Sport, I knew it was going to be an adventure. Of course I was excited to drive a Maserati, just the sound of it conjures up images of whizzing along the desert roads at top speed, with the top down and the music blaring out. But of course, this was a day I had to go on sales calls, so I figured I might as well use that to my advantage and see which clients I can go to who would be impressed at my new ride.

When I got behind the wheel of my sleek new beast, (with red leather interiors), the engines thrumming like surround sound, I knew this was a top

The GranTurismo Sport has the power, speed, and luxury you would expect from a Maserati . of the range car. Not that I don’t love my Mazda 6, but this was an experience.

The moment I put my foot on the pedal, I just realized that everybody was already far behind. I was still in Sitra road where the traffic was hectic and the Alba

roundabout (well known for being a bit of a danger zone) was coming up and here I was driving around in a car that costs a pretty penny and I could tell you, that was exciting!

Once I was out of the traffic however, I was able to relax and focus on driving the car. There are two modes you can use: the city and the sport mode. Of course, I drove it in sport most of the time.

Although the city mode is smoother and more responsive, I find the sports mode quite exhilarating! The brakes are very sharp, and the sound is so impressive that the people around me can’t help but notice. I was definitely not speeding up, but everyone around me, on both sides was giving way and staring.

People were frankly speaking, taken aback. This is definitely no ordinary car.

And people have genuine respect for a thing of speed and power. People were trying to race me all the time, but whenever I made a vroom-vroom sound, when I shifted gears, they respectfully backed off.

The GranTurismo Sport has the power, speed, and luxury you would expect from a Maserati and all the action and fast living you’d expect from a sports car.

Two thumbs up!

To book your test drive: Euromotors Tel: +973 1775 0750 40

Gulf Insider October 2016

FRIDAY 28TH OCT, 2 - 10 PM FIRE SHOW

DJs Westside, bassel, swing, nano & santi

+973 66 666 360 Waikiki-Kitchen-Bahrain

WaikikiBahrain

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www.waikikikitchen.com

carnival show

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

NEW!

is not willing to pay the price.”

Part 2

How to Win in Business and Life Every month Gulf Insider publish 4 pages that reveal brilliant secrets for winning in business and life. The techniques are provided by top international experts and we will often summarize an entire book into a single page so you can learn the essence of their wisdom in minutes instead of hours.

This month we reveal 11 things keeping you from getting rich, 3 science-backed ways to get smarter, 8 ways to a productive life, top key factors for driving loyalty, workaholics v high performers.

Take the time to learn what we reveal each month and you will be rewarded a thousand times over!

11 things keeping you from getting rich

J

ournalist Napoleon Hill researched more than 500 self-made millionaires over 20 years before releasing his 1937 bestseller, “Think and Grow Rich.” In addition to boiling down the “secret” to building wealth in 13 principles, he revealed 30 “major causes of failure”. Here are 11 that are still relevant today…

Not having a well-defined purpose

Define your goal and go after it.

“There is no hope of success for the person who does not have a central purpose, or definite goal, at which to aim,” Hill writes.

Lack of ambition

You have to want to aim above mediocrity, Hill says: “We offer no hope for the person who is so indifferent as not to want to get ahead in life, and who 42

Gulf Insider October 2016

Not properly applying your education

Take your formal education and apply it outside the classroom. A college degree won’t cut it. Knowledge is only potential power, and it will not become useful or lead to great wealth unless it is organized and applied to life, Hill emphasizes: “Education consists not so much of knowledge, but of knowledge effectively and persistently applied. Men are paid not merely for what they know, but more particularly for what they do with that which they know.”

Lack of self-discipline

“Discipline comes through self-control,” Hill writes. “This means that one must control all negative qualities. Before you can control conditions, you must first control yourself ... If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self.”

Procrastinating

Hill calls procrastination one of the most common causes of failure: “Most of us go through life as failures, because we are waiting for the ‘time to be right’ to start doing something worthwhile.

Do not wait. The time will never be ‘just right.’ Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.”

Lack of persistence

“Most of us are good ‘starters’ but poor ‘finishers’ of everything we begin,” Hill writes. “People are prone to give up at the first signs of defeat.”

Negativity

“There is no hope of success for the person who repels people through a negative personality,” Hill writes.

“Success comes through the application of power, and power is attained through the cooperative efforts of other people.

A negative personality will not induce cooperation.”

Lack of decisiveness

“Analysis of several hundred people who had accumulated fortunes well beyond the million-dollar mark disclosed

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

the fact that every one of them had the habit of reaching decisions promptly,” Hill writes.

On the flip side, “People who fail to accumulate money, without exception, have the habit of reaching decisions, if at all, very slowly, and of changing these decisions quickly and often.”

Not narrowing your focus

Focus on building wealth, and don’t let distractions derail you. “The ‘jack-ofall-trades’ seldom is good at any,” Hill writes. “Concentrate all of your efforts on one definite chief aim.”

Lack of passion

Enthusiasm is crucial to success.

“Without enthusiasm one cannot be convincing,” Hill writes. “Moreover, enthusiasm is contagious, and the person who has it, under control, is generally welcome in any group of people.”

Being closed-minded.

Be open to collaboration and new ideas. “The person with a ‘closed’ mind on any subject seldom get ahead,” Hill says.

3 sciencebacked ways to get smarter

W

hat would you do with a few extra IQ points? What new plans would you be able to put into action? What creative solutions could you come up with? We’d all love to be just a bit brainier, wouldn’t we?

And that’s precisely what Dan Hurley’s new book, “Smarter,” is all about. In his exploration of fluid intelligence, he’s come upon three tried-and-true ways that anyone can start improving his brain.

Play specially-designed computer games - The brain-training company

Lumosity was co-founded by Michael Scanlon in 2007 during his neuroscience doctorate at Stanford. By April 2013, it had already grown to a massive 40 million members. How did Lumosity become so popular? By turning psychologistdesigned cognitive tasks into fun and engrossing computer games.

Though whether brain training games improve all cognitive abilities versus a specific task-based skill is still up for debate, Psychologist Susanne Jaeggi made a convincing case for their use.

Her findings suggested that after only four weeks of play, brain gamers were able to increase their scores on logic and problem-solving tests by an average of 40%. Similar training games have also proven to improve attention spans in children suffering from ADHD.

Get some exercise - This simple directive may be even better for improving cognitive ability. Going as far back as the 1960s, research has suggested that physical fitness has a profound influence on cognitive performance. In one study, elderly people who played tennis regularly showed significantly better results on a variety of cognitive tests than those who didn’t exercise.

One caveat: it seems that not all exercise is created equal: a study

conducted by Teresa Liu-Ambrose in 2012 found marked differences in the cognitive impacts of different kinds of exercise. In the study, 86 women were randomly assigned to groups of either toning, aerobic, or resistance training for six months. At the end of the study, only the resistance group showed improvements on traditional cognitive tests of attention and memory, as well as increased activity in fMRI tests.

Take up an instrument - Another

active area in cognitive research is the link between learning music and fluid intelligence. In 2004, Psychologist Glenn Schellenberg, a leader in the field, published “Music lessons enhance IQ,” which has been cited in over 363 papers to date.

The study compared music lessons, acting lessons, and no lessons at all among young children who were randomly assigned to each group for a year. After 36 weeks, the musictrained students showed the greatest improvements, followed by children in voice lessons, then drama, and finally the students who had not taken any lessons. So, music lessons are good for more than just the music!

Smarter, by Dan Hurley. Available from Amazon.com

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Experts Reveal Life Secrets

3. Exercise

the thought of the day ahead should excite you. If you have to drag yourself out of bed then know that you are doing something wrong. Either change your attitude, or change your life. …Focus on doing the small little tasks well. The big things will automatically take care of themselves.

4. Prioritize

Top Key Factors for Driving Loyalty

All you need to do is exercise twenty minutes a day to increase blood flow and keep the body in good shape. If going to the gym bores you, try walking, jumping rope, yoga, salsa dancing, swimming or playing a favourite sport. Even doing strenuous household chores can take care of your daily exercise needs.

8 ways to a productive life

W

e all know that implementing certain habits and ways will make our day far more productive. We also know that we will be better off by doing so.

Then what is the barrier that comes in between us and our goals? The answer is simple. It is the human mind. It is why most diets don’t work or why New Year resolutions do not get fulfilled. The mind is extremely reluctant to step out of its comfort zone. If you practice these top ten tips for a considerable length of time, you will have cultivated such good habits that having productive days every day will become a norm. Even your mind won’t be dissuading you any more, since it will have adapted to your new ways.

1. Be Disciplined

Discipline allows one to manage tasks and cultivate good habits. It actually allows for way more spontaneity and creativity than an ill disciplined life ever could.

2. Wake Up Early

But studies show that people who wake up early usually lead far more full and productive lives than ones who are night owls. The human body is naturally acclimatized with the cycle of the sun. If you manage to wake up early, you will perfectly synced with the world around you. It is a wonderful way to start the day.

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This simple tip, if followed religiously, will remove stress magically from your life. It will also ensure that your work is top quality. Target to do the most important things first and the easier tasks later. In the morning, when your mind is fresh and the day long and wide, finish off difficult and important tasks.

They take longer.

5. Organize

Organization is a crucial element of productivity. Keep things clutter free.

Chart out your schedule clearly. By leading a well-organized life not only will you be able to exploit your productivity, it will also reduce friction and tension.

6. Routine

Have a clear drawn out itinerary of your day and what you will roughly be doing at what points of time. Keep enough time for recreation and leisure activities, but schedule the important tasks at the beginning of the day. The principle difference between prioritizing and routine is that the former can be changed on a daily basis. However the routine should be similar for all regular days. As you master a certain routine you will find yourself accomplishing tasks much faster and doing them far more efficiently.

7. Recreation

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Your day should be a balance of work and play. Periods of recreation will boost positive moods. Catch up on reading, follow a hobby, listen to music, play with your children and pets or simply sit alone and reflect in solitude.

8. Love What You Do

Do what you love and love what you do. When you wake up in the morning,

Article provided by ICLP

T

he loyalty landscape has changed dramatically over the past 25 years. Our experience from successfully working with brands across multiple industry sectors (airline, automotive, channel, financial services, FMCG, hotel, luxury, retail and technology), on a local, regional and global basis has provided a clear understanding of what it takes to positively motivate customers.

Below are key insights - some feel like familiar truths, others harness technologies and trends that are changing by the hour. However, their relevant application has already been proven to increase loyalty today and tomorrow.

1. Put your customer at the heart of everything you do

Sounds obvious, but it’s worth saying loud and proud. To inspire loyalty in your customers, put their needs at the centre of your operations. See everything you do from their point of view.  Take a more holistic customer approach  Match customer expectations  Shape the organisation for success  Redefine the meaning of valuable customers  Continue to challenge and innovate  Improve the customer journey  Develop a more unified multi-channel experience

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

2. Unlock the power of customer data Data is valuable capital, but it’s what you do with it that really counts. Smart companies mine their data for the details and insights that get them closer to their customers, some companies use predictive modelling to stay ahead.

 Use data intelligently  Identify potential value  Predict behaviour 3. Don’t stand still – continue to create value

Market situations change constantly.

Think big and keep evolving your proposition to continue to demonstrate value and relevance to customers.

 Continue to evolve the loyalty proposition

 Think global but act local 4. Truly, madly, deeply – inspiring deeper engagement

the return of your loyalty marketing investment

Understanding your performance – both the big picture and the fine detail – is key to your success.  Measure and monitor for success  Social measurement  Mobile measurement

ICLP is a worldwide leader in loyalty marketing and customer relationship management.

For further information contact: www.iclployalty.com Twitter: @ICLP_Loyalty Blog: http://blog.iclployalty.com

Workaholics v high performers The 3 Fundamental Differences Between Workaholics and High Performers.

Brands that inspire the deepest loyalty find ways to interact intelligently across multiple platforms. Work, rest and play, brands are striking up real conversations with consumers that resonate and are remembered.

 Encourage early engagement and

redemption  Make loyalty more emotional  Use trust to breed advocacy  Motivate consumers to become promoters  Facilitate dialogue – listen and respond  Embrace digital convergence

5.

Up your game–harness technology and interactivity to pull customers closer

Mobile technology is a loyalty game changer. Capitalise on the world’s love affair with its smart phones, and get up close and personal with your customers.

 Mobilise loyalty  Extend your reach  Foster more fun and enjoyment 6. How am I doing? Maximising

A

workaholic may look like a high performer on the outside, but they’re nothing alike. Here’s three big differences:

1. High performers know their value. Workaholics allow others to determine their value - A high

performer knows their self-worth and can thus work with a sense a freedom. They self-evaluate their performance to constantly improve rather than waiting on feedback from others. A workaholic relies on external validation from those around them to understand how well they are doing.

2. High performers give 100% at the right time. Workaholics give 100% all the time – A high performer

knows when they’re expected or required to give everything they have, and they save their energy for

those occasions.

Workaholics have difficulty prioritizing what’s important, therefore, everything is important in their mind.

3. High performers do business.

Workaholics are busy - A high

performer’s primary goal is to do business. The only thing that matters to them are results. If they can’t see a way to create value in the moment, they facilitate or strategize instead.

They know that like the economy, business comes in waves, therefore they get ready during the dips so they can capitalize during the upswings.

The No. 1 goal of a workaholic is to be busy at all times as they believe that the busier they are (or appear), the more important they must be.

Gulf Insider October 2016

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Style

Corneliani A MAN OF STYLE

T

he centre of gravity for trousers and jackets is considerably higher, shoulders are wider, as are waists to a lesser degree, and lapels are more obvious: for AW 2016 the Corneliani man builds his style by looking to the fashion of the 1940s. He analyses, masters and revitalizes it, interpreting it through the lens of contemporary language,

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Style

where elegance wavers between two extremes: essential versatility and the supreme quality of the details, an increasing indicator of class and shaper of personality.

This is the framework for a much softer, more rounded, deconstructed, lighter style, fashioned most appealingly from exquisite, enveloping materials.

The retro feel – from crocheted details on the waistcoats to micro-geometric effects borrowed from the archives and herringbones, so subtle they look like pinstripes both micro and macro – reflects 1940s elegance in the shape of caramel, bark brown and tobacco coloured suits and peacock green and lead grey jackets, both single and double breasted. Mid-length cashmere coats are oversized and designed to be tied at the waist; the nylon trench is ultra-lightweight, while stitching and astrakhan touches play down the sporty look of the bomber jacket.

The stiff, textured feel of post-SecondWorld-War fashion is hinted at subtly in the contours of the designs, which break away from the body to restore a sense of independent strength to fashion, all with a whisper of nostalgia.

For more information: Corneliani, Shop 10-B, Moda Mall, Bahrain World Trade Centre Tel: +973 1752 2842

Gulf Insider October 2016

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Life

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o.

N e l i f o r P Insider

Amy Morgan CEO and Director of Strategy, Unisono

W

hat do you enjoy most about branding and strategy?

Helping others find the source of their brilliance is one of the best parts of my job.

Everyone has brilliance inside them – most people are unaware of it. It’s my job to help people and companies discover what their brilliance is so they can realize their true potential and be successful.

This is something Unisono has become known for and is a personal source of joy and satisfaction for me.

What are some of the challenges involved? How do you overcome them?

Helping companies move beyond a purely functional understanding of business and branding is a key challenge. This is because though many people regularly pay several thousand percent above the commodity price for a ‘label’ due to its positive associations, many business leaders maintain a purely commoditized or functional view of their own business. On the other hand, brilliant leaders have built ‘super brands’ because they understand their brand is a strategic tool that empowers their organization at every level. In the GCC there’s still the limiting belief that global brands are somehow different or special - it’s my mission to open the minds of regional leaders to the potential power of their brand as a source of immense strength and value.

Please share your career’s most memorable experience.

A recent highlight was rediscovering the ‘start-up’ goals we created way back in 2006. One of the ‘big hairy scary’ goals I’d set was “to achieve global recognition within 5 years’ (sounded fairly crazy at the time!) Looking back we realized we’d achieved it as we won our first truly global award in our 5th year when we won our first Rebrand100. We now have 7 Rebrand100 awards and a coveted place as the only agency in the whole MENA region in the Rebrand Hall of Fame.

What makes the REBRAND Hall of Fame awards significant, especially for Unisono?

Despite the millions of brands that exist globally, REBRAND only awards 100 brands per year, so winning is a pretty big deal as it means your work is recognized as one of the top 100 global rebrands! The REBRAND Hall of Fame takes it a step further as it only recognizes 25 agencies globally based on how many times they’ve won in the last 10 years. To put it in perspective, we are only one of three agencies in the whole of Asia and the only one in the whole of MENA in the Hall of Fame.

What is your ultimate career goal and how do you plan on getting there?

It’s our vision to develop world-class regional brands that can compete globally and build real value. In terms of a career goal - I don’t have an ‘ultimate goal’, at best I could say I want to be creative for the rest of my life!

Hobbies & Interests: Holistic learning, meditation, cooking healthy foods.

Favourite Quote: “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” Einstein Books Recommended by Amy: The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle, The Happiness Project - Gretchen Rubin, The Alchemist - Paolo Coelho

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Gulf Insider October 2016

23rd Annual

Strategic Partner

5, 6 & 7 December 2016, The Gulf Hotel, Kingdom of Bahrain

Economic Uncertainties: Vigilance & Growth @WIBC2016

WIBC2016.COM

Global Islamic Banking Partner

Gold Partners

Polling Partner

Ethical Banking Partner

Silver Partners

Regional Banking Partners

Platinum Partner

GALA Dinner Host

Islamic Banking Technology Partner

Knowledge Partner

Conference Luncheon Host Day 2

Associate Partners

Powering Islamic Financial Markets

Associate Partners

Delegate Bag Partner

Delegate Badge Partner

Notepad Partner

WIBC is a brand of

To participate in this prestigious event please email partnerships@meglobaladvisors.com

Travel

Emirates $21,000 upgrade Passenger films his upgrade to $21,000 First-Class seat on Emirates flight.

C

aviar on offer round the clock, hot showers, turndown service... does this sound like a fancy hotel?

Well, it’s not. It was actually the experience of vlogger Casey Neistat when he was upgraded to first class on an Emirates Airlines flight from Dubai to New York recently, in a seat that would have cost him $21,632.30.

So Casey, of course, proceeded to video his entire 14-hour flight.

The short film, which he has now uploaded to his YouTube channel, shows the standard of quality in a first class flight with the airline. From a cocktail bar worthy of a five-star hotel, to an extensive food menu, the attention to detail is outstanding.

If you don’t have the energy to ask the cabin crew for assistance, there is also

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Travel

US, a cabin crew member comes to inform the passenger that his slot in the shower is coming up.

He said: ‘You have to reserve your shower, so I reserved it for as close to landing as possible.

‘It really does change your whole relationship with travel, when you take the most painful part of travelling and instead of that being a terrible experience, it goes from pain to pleasurable.’

a personal minibar featuring drinks next to the seat.

And the seat has electronic sliding doors to create a luxurious cocoon.

Like a child in a sweet shop, Neistat settles down to sample the food on offer, showcased in a leather-bound menu.

He said: ‘You can order whatever you want, whenever you want.

‘If you order something then they’ll cook it there and then, like being at a real restaurant.’

It’s not just main meals either, the menu includes canapes like smoked mackerel with wasabi mayonnaise on pumpernickel, and marinated feta with

aubergine caviar and shichimi.

Then there is an appetisers section that offers caviar with chopped onion, grated egg, sour cream, melba toast and blinis, as well as beef consommé and mushroom soup.

After his meal, Neistat tucks into the goodie bag on offer, which as well as a range of fancy toiletries also contains a pair of slippers and a set of pyjamas.

All that luxury can tire a person out, so a cabin crew member comes to help turn his chair into a bed, complete with sheet, pillow and duvet.

But the best is yet to come - an hour and a half before the plane lands in the

‘I have 30 minutes in the bathroom to do whatever I want and five minutes of hot running water.’

After making use of all the amenities, including white fluffy towels, shaver, hairdryer, and even taking in the scent of the real orchid, Neistat leaves the bathroom and readies himself for the plane’s arrival at JFK. He concluded: ‘It really does change your whole relationship with travel, when you take the most painful part of travelling and instead of that being a terrible experience, it goes from pain to pleasurable.’

Gulf Insider October 2016

51

Society

Renault Talisman

Launch of Renault Bahrain Renault Talisman at The Gulf Hotel Bahrain Convention & Spa.

business Events

Nicole’s

Nicole’s Mediterranean Restaurant & Lounge hosted its first monthly gourmet experience with dishes selected by Chef Christopher Kfoury.

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Society

Indonesian Festival

Press conference to announce the launch of the Indonesian festival at Al Areen Palace and Spa.

Peruvian

Gulf Insider went to the Contemporary Peruvian cuisine lunch by Chef Jaime Pesaque at the Capitol Club.

The Domain Hotel

Press conference to announce The Domain Hotel & Spa’s affliation with Preferrred Hotels & Resorts Gulf Insider October 2016

53

Society

Genesis

Launch of Genesis by First Motors at the Al Noor ballroom, The Ritz Carlton Bahrain.

George Cherian’s Farewell Party

Upstairs Downstairs hosted a farewell party for George Cherian, after 35 years of dedicated service.

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Gulf Insider October 2016

Society

Volvo

Motorcity launches the Volvo S90 at the Capitol Club.

Mukta A2 Cinemas

The official launch of Mukta A2 Cinemas at Juffair Mall.

Gulf Insider October 2016

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Art

Bahrain’s Photo History International Jeweler Jacques Cartier in Bahrain in 1913.

Celebrate the island’s cultural spirit with our monthly local series.

Famous Paris jeweler goes pearling as a guest of Bahrain’s top merchants. (March 1911)

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Gulf Insider October 2016

Gudaibiya palace in 1961 during Shaikh Isa’s ascension to the throne.

Art

Bahrain’s big freeze: Freezing conditions in Awali on 20th January 1964.

This is vintage Bahrain

When Bahrain had one commercial flight per week, Hanno flew to Bahrain and Sharjah weekly

Abbasbhai Hatimbhai store in Manama souq (1911).

This is what Bahrain looks like in the 1930’s.

Gulf Insider October 2016

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Last Word

The UAE’s Long working hours UAE residents say commute, long hours and sedentary working environment get them down.

D

aily battles with traffic, working weeks in excess of 50 hours and technology that lets office duties creep into home life – each will be familiar with staff across the UAE. The long journey to and from the workplace, racking up unpaid overtime and the urge, or necessity, to check work emails from home are, according to many employees, skewing the worklife balance and having a wearing effect on their health.

UAE gold spot trader Marwan Metwally is one such worker. He spends 90 minutes commuting to and from work each day, regularly puts in a 50-hour week and is among those who finds it taking a personal toll.

“On average, I spend 10 hours a day at my desk,” said the 42-year-old Egyptian, who works Monday to Friday. “I eat my lunch there and only take short breaks.

“I suffer lower back pain and I find it difficult to keep eating healthily.

“With the climate and lifestyle here – as opposed to Europe, where I could 58

Gulf Insider October 2016

“There is a good quality of life here but it seems people are having a hard time enjoying it.” walk everywhere or use my bike – I also gained too much weight.

“There is a good quality of life here but it seems people are having a hard time enjoying it.”

Mr Metwally’s wife also faces a long working day, further affecting their time at home.

“She commutes to Dubai Academic City from our home in Al Reef [Abu Dhabi] every day,” he said. “The bright side is that at least here I can afford to hire a maid, freeing some of my time and my wife’s time to spend with our children before they go to bed.”

Briton Danny Goulding has been working in the UAE for six years.

“For the first four years I lived in Abu Dhabi and worked in Dubai so commuted daily, adding a couple of hours to 8 to 10hour days,” he said. “My second job was a six-day week and would involve leaving at 6am and getting home at 7pm, which was pretty brutal.

“I didn’t leave here for the first two years due to work commitments and have regularly cancelled holidays because of it.”

The 37-year-old finally decided to work for himself, setting up Dream Services Cleaning and Maintenance but being a business owner can mean he works longer hours still.

“This last year has seen me working some days from 5am to 6pm, and then it doesn’t stop,” he said. “A lot of our business comes through the Facebook pages and WhatsApp messages, so you’re constantly on the phone checking and replying right until you close your eyes.

As for work/life balance, I don’t think that exists in a lot of cases here. A standing joke when I go home [to the UK] and everyone tells me how amazing my life looks, is that five days a week I wake up, work, eat my tea and go to bed.

The fact I post a picture of a brunch or a day at the beach seems to completely overshadow that fact.”

According to the UAE Labour Law, the maximum working hours in Dubai are eight hours a day, or 48 hours a week. The maximum for those working in hotels, restaurants and certain other industries is nine hours a day, for a maximum of six days a week.

In the UK, the average number of hours worked by full-time employees was about 37.4 a week last year, according to the country’s Office for National Statistics.

A recent UBS survey found that employees clock up a working week of 36 hours and 23 minutes.

(source credit – The National)

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