Gulf Insider - September 2018 by Gulf Insider Media

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Contents September 2018 Issue 163

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Money & Business

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People & Culture

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Summers in Bahrain

Bahrain Personal Finance - Special Report Your Careem App Cash Security Tech Week 2018

Pastry Bliss Indian Royal Feast at Saffron

Car News & Reviews

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Jeep Wrangler 2018 Launch in Austria Nissan Patrol Titanium

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Publisher & Editor in Chief

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Events

Day & Night Middle East Petrotech

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When: 24th to 27th September 2018 Where: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre

When: 27th September 2018 Where: Manama

When: 10th to 12th September 2018 Where: Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay

This event showcases products like will provide counseling facilities for the national and international education industry and disseminate and expand their business in the global markets etc.

The conference will present a range of speaker sessions focusing on digital transformation, social media recruitment, digital HR communication, and Change Management. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an opportunity to meet with innovators offering business solutions.

This event is the most established showcase of downstream hardware and services in the Middle East, highlighting new technologies and equipment to the refining and petrochemical industries etc. in the Petroleum, Oil & Gas industry.

For more information: Tel: +973 1755 0033

17th Middle East Corrosion Conference & Exhibition 2018 When: 30th September 2018 Where: Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre The biennial corrosion conference and exhibition launched in 1979 and has accompanied the development of the Gulf region in becoming the global capital of reliable energy. This expo is recognized as a prime venue for sharing knowledge among professionals in all areas of corrosion mitigation.

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Money & Business

Expats leaving Exodus of expats from GCC as nationals get priority in jobs.

xpatriate employees are leaving the Middle East and going elsewhere in search of work, with governments choosing to prioritise the welfare of their own nationals in the wake of the economic downturn.

SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Arabia’s new labour law, which according to an order issued by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Development has stopped expats from working across 12 key sectors in the Kingdom. Expat visas in Saudi Arabia are now valid for only a year, compared to the previous duration of two years. Private companies are charged SAR200 to bring in an expat employee whenever they employ more expats than locals, but that fee is expected to steadily increase to up to SAR800 in the next two years. From July 2017 onwards, expats 14

Gulf Insider September 2018

in the Kingdom also had to pay SAR100 per month per dependent to the government. Overall, more than 700,000 expats left the GCC nations since the beginning of 2017 and May 2018. “Over the years since the oil boom, history has witnessed a growing expatriate labour force in the six GCC nations,” said Ramanuj Venkatesh, a financial analyst with experience in both Oman and the UAE. “However, fast forward to 2018 with the inception of VAT and the increasing demand for locals in the workforce, companies have been tightening vacancy slots and not hiring qualified talent.” “For instance, Saudi Arabia, being one of the major players in the oil market, witnessed a baby boom resulting in a high rate of population expansion,” he added. “With its local young talent accounting for 70 per cent of the

population, there is an increasing demand for these people to be trained and given jobs which are occupied by expatriates.”

OMAN In Oman there are 1,830,394 expat workers as of May 2018, compared to 1,854,880 at the end of December 2017, a 2.1 per cent decrease over the past year. The number of expat workers who have advanced education dropped significantly, as a result, by an average of 4.8 per cent. In addition, the number of expats who have preparatory and secondary school education also dropped by some 6.8 per cent.

UAE In the United Arab Emirates, data from the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority showed that unemployment levels for Emiratis stood

Money & Business

at 6.9 per cent in 2016. Unemployment by gender stood at 12 per cent for Emirati women and 4.5 per cent for men, down from 17.1 per cent of women and 8 per cent of men in 2014,

KUWAIT Data from the Central Statistical Bureau of the State of Kuwait points to a similar situation, with non-Kuwaitis in the private sector accounting for 1.489 million workers in 2016, up from 1.367 million in 2015 and 1.396 million in 2014. In contrast, there were only 70,857 Kuwaiti workers in the private sector in 2016, down from 75,308 in 2015, but up from 61,652 in 2014. The situation was more optimistic in the public sector which employed 277,935 Kuwaitis, compared to 99,780 expats, in 2016. In 2015, 276,109 Kuwaitis and 95,907 foreigners were part of the public sector, compared to 258,608 Kuwaitis and 94,660 expats in 2014. As of 2016, however, 17,578 Kuwaitis said they had been unemployed for a considerable amount of time, up from 17,269 the previous year. Of that number, 8,422 said they had been out of work for more than 12 months in 2016 compared to 9,463 in 2015. A total of 92 per cent of all nationals work for the government.

QATAR

In contrast, there were 156,782 Bahraini workers at the beginning of the year, which increased to 158,415 by the end of 2017.

according to the annual report issued by the UAE Ministry of Economy, which would point to an intensification of the country’s Emiratisation policies. With the UAE’s expat population far outnumbering locals, the UAE government has plans to balance the demographic mix between expats and nationals by the year 2021. The UAE’s biggest employment sectors are the wholesale, retail, trade, and repair services, which accounted for 1.121 million workers of 19.1 per cent of the total workforce in 2013. This increased to 1.13 million or 18.6 per cent of the total workforce in 2014. The second-largest sector was the construction and building industry, which employed 1.146 million workers and contributed 19.5 per cent to the total workforce in 2013. That number went up to 1.212 million workers in 2014, accounting for 19.9 per cent of the net workforce.

Meanwhile, expat labour figures hold strong in Qatar, where data from the Ministry of Development, Planning, and Statistics showed that non-Qatari employees accounted for 1.947 million of the 2.05 million workers in the Qatari labour force at the end of 2017, a slight decrease from 1.949 million at the end of 2016.

BAHRAIN In Bahrain, the number of expat workers dropped by roughly 6,000 workers in 2017, with 610,510 workers registered in first quarter of 2017 compared to 604,697 at the end of the year. In contrast, there were 156,782 Bahraini workers at the beginning of the year, which increased to 158,415 by the end of 2017. There was a 4 per cent decrease in the number of foreign workers, while the number of locals rose by 0.8 per cent, according to Bahrain’s Labour Market Regulatory Authority.

Gulf Insider September 2018

News Roundup

Bad News for Expats A few segments from news articles published in the GCC news press this year.

Kuwait: 1,629 expats in public sector terminated; more lay-offs targeted The number of expatriate workers terminated in state departments in the first half of 2018 reached 1,629, according to official statistics which further indicate that 1,431 non-Kuwaitis lost their jobs in the public sector in the past three months alone. Reports indicated in April that the government aims to lay off just over 3,100 foreign staff in 2018. Under the government’s wider plans, a number of public sector job categories are to be occupied solely by Kuwaitis by 2022. The head of the National Assembly’s committee for the replacement of expatriates in the public sector, MP Khalil Al-Saleh, said in March that lawmakers wanted the roughly 80,000 foreign workers in government roles replaced by citizens over the next five years. (source - The National)

Gulf Insider September 2018

Abu Dhabi: Municipality fees more than double for expats Municipality fees in Abu Dhabi will rise to up to 7.5 per cent. The fee, which follows the introduction of a 3 per cent charge to the value of an annual rental contract for tenants in Abu Dhabi last year, is detailed on ADDC’s website as being 5 per cent for “all premises” other than residential villas, which are subject to a 7.5 per cent charge. Emiratis are exempt from the fees. (source – Gulf News)

Bahrain: Proposal to reserve jobs for Bahrainis – Approved A list of jobs will be reserved for Bahrainis if the draft proposal that was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives becomes a law. (source – GDN)

Bahrain: MPs attempt to tax expats

Lawmakers in Bahrain have resisted two attempts to make expatriates pay new taxes for owning cars and for sending money home. A draft law submitted by MPs said that every foreigner who owned a car should pay BD40 in annual registration fees, double what Bahrainis pay. The proposal had been earlier rejected by the foreign affairs committee as unconstitutional. However, the lawmakers went ahead with it and sought to convince their peers of its merits for generating extra revenues.

Gulf Brands announces Phil Williams as new GM

ulf Brands International, a leading importer, distributor and retailer of beverages in Bahrain, is pleased to announce the appointment of Phil Williams as General Manager. Phil’s appointment will play a critical role in supporting Gulf Brands Internationals’ ambitious growth strategy and drive its leading position in the Bahrain beverage market. He replaces Ron Peters who has taken on a new group-wide leadership role as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Gulf Hotels Group. Phil joins Gulf Brands International from Spinneys Abu Dhabi where he led the retail division, operating and developing nine hugely successful retail stores. Phil’s extensive career has seen him specialise in brand building, marketing, on trade sales and retail operations within the industry in the UK and Middle East. Commenting on the appointment, Gulf Hotels Group Deputy Chief Executive Officer Ron Peters said, ‘Phil is an accomplished professional with significant experience in the beverage industry. He is a strategic, results driven leader and will be an asset to the group. I am confident that under his leadership Gulf Brands International will continue to thrive.’ Commenting on his appointment, Phil Williams said ‘I am thrilled to have the opportunity to leverage my experience to lead the ongoing strategic evolution of this high performing business. I look forward to working with the Gulf Brands International team to drive continued growth.’

Gulf Insider September 2018

News Roundup

Bahrain: Utility bills shock for expats

Under new rules, while Bahrainis’ are eligible to receive heavily discounted utility bills on their primary residence, such discounts are being withdrawn from Expats. Now, Expats currently pay substantially more for their electricity and water, and from next year will face utility bills approximately nine times higher than Bahrainis. (source – Daily Tribune)

Bahrain: Expats excluded from health scheme

Various surgical operations, dental treatment and maternity care are part of 17 services which will be provided to Bahrainis and GCC citizens for free at government-owned medical facilities. This healthcare plan is part of an agreement between MPs and the Supreme Council for Health which will see the government shoulder the costs of 17 compulsory medical services on behalf of all nationals and GCC citizens. An alternative scheme for Expats to provide reduced medical cover to be funded through annual payments by employers or by the expats themselves if self-employed. (source – Daily Tribune)

Bahrain: MP’s call to impose fees on expat remittances An MP’s proposal to impose fees on foreign remittances has been collectively rejected. However, a number of MPs have submitted different proposals serving the same purpose. (source – GDN)

Gulf Insider September 2018

Kuwait: 1,629 expats in public sector terminated; more lay offs targeted The number of expatriate workers terminated in state departments in the first half of 2018 reached 1,629, according to official statistics which further indicate that 1,431 non-Kuwaitis lost their jobs in the public sector in the past three months alone. Reports indicated in April that the government aims to lay off just over 3,100 foreign staff in 2018. Under the government’s wider plans, a number of public sector job categories are to be occupied solely by Kuwaitis by 2022. The head of the National Assembly’s committee for the replacement of expatriates in the public sector, MP Khalil AlSaleh, said in March that lawmakers wanted the roughly 80,000 foreign workers in government roles replaced by citizens over the next five years. (source The National)

Kuwait: Expats start facing the worst due to Kuwaitization Kuwait has banned the recruitment of expat professionals holding top university qualifications if they’re below 30 years of age. No exceptions to the new rule will be allowed, and employers will be forced to create new jobs for Kuwaitis citizens. Meanwhile, a report has revealed over half of Kuwaiti nationals are unwilling to take on jobs in the private sector once expatriate workers are removed, preferring to remain unemployed until a suitable public sector job is offered. (source – The National)

UAE: Expats excluded from VAT refunds on properties

The UAE’s Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has announced procedures for VAT to be refunded on payments for new residences – but expats will not be able to apply as it will only benefit UAE nationals. (source – Khaleej Times)

News Roundup

Kuwait: Tax on expat remittances imposed Kuwait’s top lawmakers proposed a new legislation to impose a fee on foreign remittances. The parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee voted four to one to pass the bill, which will be subject to National Assembly discretion before moving to the government for approval. The Central Bank of Kuwait advised against the move saying the law could weaken the financial stability of the country and bolster the black market for remittances, according to local sources. The council opted not to include Kuwaiti citizens within the law which would only be applied to expats. (source – The National)

Bahrain: MPs seek to force expats to renew driving licence every 2 years MPs seek a new law that would force expatriate drivers to renew their driving licences every two years, along with their residency permits, instead of every five years as currently the case for all drivers. The proposal by MPs Jalal Kadhim and Ghazi Al Rahma was rejected by the General Directorate of Traffic. The matter was referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee for further study. (source – Daily Tribune)

Gulf Insider September 2018

UAE: Traditional expat packages disappearing

Bahrain: MPs to terminate Expats above 60 in government institutions

A shift in the employment market is seeing companies hire more young professionals on lower wages amid a reluctance to subsidise the living costs of employees’ families. “The good old days of the eye-watering packages are long-gone”, said Gareth Al Mettouri, associate director of the recruitment consultancy Robert Half Middle East. In the face of shrinking packages, Svetia Deshais, a financial adviser based in Abu Dhabi, said some of her clients are getting creative at cutting costs, even considering homeschooling their children. Of those who said the UAE was no longer attractive, 27 per cent cited the rising cost of living, while 25 per cent named VAT, 18 per cent pointed to stagnant salaries and 16 per cent general economic uncertainty. (source – Gulf News)

A proposal to ban expats over the age of 60 from working in government institutions was submitted by a group of MPs. The proposal comes less than a year after the council voted against a similar bill to do the same for foreign employees in the public sector aged above 50. (source – Daily Tribune)

Kuwait: MPs furious at envoy for ‘rescuing abused maids’ MPs blasted the Philippines Embassy in the country for allegedly helping Filipina maids to flee from their local employers. According to parliamentary sources, the foreign ministry has said it will declare the ambassador persona non grata if he does not hand over Filipinos accused of helping maids escape from their employers’. (source – Gulf News)

Bahrain: MPs propose to impose fees of BD400 for expat students

Bahrain: MPs seek to replace expat staff in hospitals

A bill to impose BD400 annual fees on non-Bahraini pupils who’re studying in public schools, but that exempts GCC nationals from paying the fees, has been put forward by lawmakers. If approved, the bill would impose annual fees of BD400 on expat students in public schools. (source – GDN)

Bahrain’s MPs have presented a bill that seeks to compel private health institutions to employ Bahrainis over expats. The bill will greatly reduce the choice of medical institutions to hire purely on merit and stipulates that expat staff in private health institutions should be sacked within 3 months if a Bahraini candidate is available for the position. (source – GDN)

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Bahrain Personal Finance & Economy

Special Report

Bahrain’s banks and economy 2018 The Big Picture

Bahrain Personal Finance Report, Autumn 2018.

ating agency Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded four Bahraini banks in line with its recent downgrade of the Government of Bahrain’s issuer rating to B2 from B1 with negative outlook. In its latest rating action, the rating agency downgraded the long-term local currency deposit ratings of Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) to B2 from B1, and National Bank of Bahrain (NBB). At the same time, Moody’s has 22

Gulf Insider September 2018

Despite the downgrade, Moody’s analysts expect the funding profiles of Bahraini banks to remain sound.

downgraded the long-term local currency issuer ratings of Bahrain Islamic Bank (BISB) and Khaleeji Commercial Bank (KHCB) from B1 to B2. The outlook on the long-term deposit and issuer ratings for all banks remains negative in line with the negative outlook assigned to Bahrain’s B2 issuer rating. The rating agency has also downgraded to B3 from B2 the longterm foreign currency deposit ratings

Bahrain Personal Finance & Economy

of BBK and NBB and long-term foreign currency issuer ratings of Bahrain Islamic Bank (BISB) and Khaleeji Commercial Bank (KHCB), which is the same level as the country ceiling for foreign currency deposits. Despite the downgrade, Moody’s analysts expect the funding profiles of Bahraini banks to remain sound, supported by a low loans-to-deposits ratio of 82% in December 2017 and low reliance on confidence sensitive market funding.

Discovery will benefit the economy in the long term, but ‘matters little’ in the short term. Although the Bahraini banking system remains relatively with strong capital ratios, high profitability and robust liquidity, Moody’s said that the extensive interconnectedness between the banks’ balance sheets and sovereign credit risk, owing to the banks’ high exposures to government securities, is a key driver for the latest rating action.

The Bahraini government has been running a budget deficit since 2009 — at 15% of GDP for 2017 and estimated at 11% of GDP for 2018. This has been largely financed through borrowings from banks as well as international public debt issuances. “Despite a rise in oil prices, the government’s budget deficit will oblige it to constrain spending, which will moderate growth in the non-oil economy,” said Ashraf Madani, a vicepresident and senior analyst at Moody’s, in a recent analysis of Bahraini banking system. “Higher borrowing costs due to rising interest rates, and reduced subsidies will weigh on corporate and household income, putting mild pressure on loan quality.” Analysts said the key driver for the rating downgrade is a further rise in Bahrain’s external and government liquidity risks to particularly elevated levels, constraining access to market financing to a greater extent than Moody’s previously envisaged. Although there has been a slight improvement in Bahrain’s financial metrics driven by a rebound in net foreign assets of the central bank, reserves remain precariously low. CBB’s foreign assets rose by $398 million (BD146 Million) to a total of $2.2 billion in June, which covers just about one month’s imports, is seen as inadequate to support its pegged currency. Although the recent pledge of support by the GCC to Bahrain has cooled sovereign credit spreads that deteriorated in the last week of June, analysts believe that going forward such supports are likely to become explicit and conditional. Saudi Arabia recently announced that the country’s Minister of Finance had met with counterparts from the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain in Manama to discuss a technical report which includes a comprehensive fiscal balance programme, in coordination with the Arab Monetary Fund. A joint official statement said: “In light of their previous announcement to consider all options to support Bahrain and to finalise an integrated programme

Gulf Insider September 2018

Bahrain Personal Finance & Economy

Special Report to enhance Bahrain’s fiscal stability and economic growth, the Ministers reaffirmed their countries’ commitment to supporting the financing needs of a fiscal balance programme with targeted indicators.” No further details of the programme have been given, but Jean-Paul Pigat, head of research at Lighthouse Research, said in response to emailed questions that the repercussions of Bahrain being forced to devalue its currency peg would be felt across the entire region, so he had little doubt that the aid package will be agreed, but that; “depending on the extent of austerity that is asked for, it is also almost certain that economic growth will slow, as government spending plays a key role in the economy.” Yasemin Engin, assistant economist at research company Capital Economics, said: “We have always been aware of Bahrain’s weak balance sheet, given its large fiscal and current account deficits. “It wasn’t until the sell-off in Bahrain’s financial markets in June that the

Gulf Insider September 2018

Banks have largely benefited from a strong growth in non-oil GDP, but this growth is largely linked to government spending, which is currently being constrained due to weaker government finances. country was put under the spotlight. We believe that the financing promised by

the other Gulf countries will be given on the understanding that Bahrain step up its fiscal consolidation efforts.” Both Pigat and Engin were in agreement that Bahrain’s recent oil discovery would be of little help the economy in the short-term. Engin said: “Extracting the oil will be costly and reports suggest that production won’t start for at least five years. This means that Bahrain will miss out on the higher oil prices its Gulf neighbours have enjoyed this year, as we expect oil prices to fall back from their current highs. Their current balance sheet problems require a more rapid response.” For Pigat, the oil discovery will benefit the economy in the long term, but ‘matters little’ in the short term, he said. In response to questions by email, Ashraf Madani, a senior analyst and vice president of the Financial Institutions Group at Moody’s, said there is limited upside on the banks’ ratings. “Bahraini banks’ ratings are capped by the sovereign’s issuer rating of B2 (negative) and their credit profile is closely linked to the government through their large holdings of government securities, which constitutes around 28% of their total domestic assets,” he said. “This high exposure equates to 173 percent of total banking system equity. The negative outlook could be changed to stable on evidence of economic and fiscal resilience in Bahrain, but will need to be preceded by a change in the Bahraini sovereign outlook to stable.” Bahrain’s government has been running a budget deficit since 2009, Moody’s said, reaching 15 percent of GDP last year, and is estimated at 11 percent of GDP for 2018. This has been largely financed through borrowings from banks as well as tapping international bond markets. Banks have largely benefited from a strong growth in non-oil GDP, but this growth is largely linked to government spending, which is currently being constrained due to weaker government finances, and the country’s high debtto-GDP ratio, which stands at 94% for 2018.

The Bahrain based lifestyle and luxury magazine with style and editorial flair that is enjoyed by affluent customers both Arab and Expats. Online edition at www.Bahrain-Confidential.com

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Bahrain Personal Finance & Economy

Special Report

How secure is your private bank information? The Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has advised bank customers to regularly check their transactions as part of an initiative to raise awareness about safe banking practices. This applies to transactions made online and through traditional methods. The CBB bank stressed the need for customers to report to the bank’s communication centre about discrepancies in their bank accounts or credit card statements, particularly about suspicious withdrawals. The CBB has also warned Bahrain’s banks and financial institutions of potential cyber attacks being planned. Last month a highly co-ordinated cyber attack was revealed days before it was to take effect on ATMs around the world, including Bahrain, in which cyber criminals were planning to carry out a sophisticated scheme using malware to access personal bank card information. The heist, known as an “ATM cash out”, was aimed at stealing millions from 26

Gulf Insider September 2018

Last month a highly co-ordinated cyber attack was revealed days before it was to take effect on ATMs around the world, including Bahrain. bank accounts worldwide. The CBB advisory followed a global alert issued by America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to banks, urging them to keep their security software up-to-date to prevent similar attacks in the future. Some banks in Bahrain sent messages to their customers warning against disclosing details of their

accounts, cards and PIN to anyone and check the messages received from the bank. Bank customers are advised not respond to any phishing messages by phone calls, SMS or other electronic channels. Review the SMS received from the bank and ensure the accuracy of your withdrawal transactions. Do not share your personal information, identity number or your PIN to any unknown party. The best form of self-protection is the use of complex, varied passwords through a password manager service, which offers to generate and store a different password for each of a user’s online accounts. Criminals are lazy, so avoid being the low-hanging fruit. Also beware of fake pop-up screens as they can look like authentic security notices. Even clicking on an apparent red exit box can be risky so it’s best going to the computer browser to close any pop-ups.

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People & Culture

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Step out Bahrain’s favorite entertainment, shopping and dining destination, at the grand Seef Mall, a home to over 200 stores and restaurants, cinema complexes and even an indoor amusement parks Magic Island and Paintball Bahrain. Make the most of your stay as we bring the whole experiences right at your doorstep, as a guest of the Fraser Suites Seef Bahrain.

A sizzling summer, at your disposal! Fraser Suites Seef is equipped with every major amenity you could possibly imagine, to make sure that your stay is nothing short of memorable.

For the vacationer in you Its temperature controlled sparkling swimming pool and separate indoor and outdoor Jacuzzi for men and women ensure you spend lazy summer afternoons lounging, swimming and sunbathing at your convenience.

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For more information and reservations, call +973 1756 933, +973 1717 1626

People & Culture

Pastry Bliss The Bread Story at Galleria Mall is the hottest topic out of the oven. Creativity in baking influenced the menu with defining specialty meats and vegetables aromatized with exotic spice blends. A gamut of hot and cold Levantine appetizers, both traditional and innovative Arabic dishes, and a plethora of savory dough pastry products are all carefully selected items bound to tantalize all sensory cravings. Clever artistic adaptations and creative presentation for both in-house dining as well as take-away/deliveries are going to be a hallmark for â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Bread Storyâ&#x20AC;?. Stay tuned for the grand opening and follow news about it by following Thebreadstorybahrain on Facebook & Instagram.

eople and, especially, bread lovers alike are eagerly participating the new and fresh bread aroma in town. The all new The Bread Story at Galleria mall Zinj is soon to open and about to set new standards for gourmet bakeries here in Bahrain. Located at the back row of the mall, you will not miss the marble wall entrance of the restaurant. It is carved with gold Arabic calligraphy which speaks of a soft poem about a bread story, a welcome artistic touch to the majestic interior. The place will transport you into the glorious mystique of the orient. The design is guaranteed to bring utmost bliss for all its patrons. Their story starts with Artisan bakers and their assistants offering traditional but modernistic expressions in the exquisite fruits of the hearth. The experience can only be fully described and enjoyed by savoring the offerings.

Their story starts with Artisan bakers and their assistants offering traditional but modernistic expressions in the exquisite fruits of the hearth. Gulf Insider September 2018

People & Culture

Indian Royal Feast at

‘Saffron’

Gulf Insider tries out the Indian royal feast served at Saffron Restaurant, Al Areen Palace and Spa.

ade with the best of ingredients, blended with acute perfection, prepared by the master hands and presented in a majestic way, the exotic dishes of the Indian royal kitchens are world famous. Saffron restaurant at Al Areen Palace and Spa brings live the royal experience of an Indian feast. ‘Saffron’ is a much cherished ingredient in Indian dishes transmitting a flavourful aroma, appetising colour and a memorable culinary experience for the diners. Quite synonymous to its name, the Saffron restaurant at Al Areen

Gulf Insider September 2018

Saffron restaurant at Al Areen Palace and Spa brings live the royal experience of an Indian feast. also imparts similar experiences to its visitors. Housed at the majestic Al Areen Palace and Spa, the Saffron restaurant welcomes the visitors to an interior decorated in gold and maroon shades.

The restaurant offers a spectacular view of the resort’s grand outdoor pool where light and shade create their own artistic designs.

Indian Royal Feast We visited the restaurant to try the signature Indian royal feast served on an exclusive offer until the end of September 2018. Executive Chef. Janardan Das greeted us and introduced the concept of the Indian royal feast at Saffron. The feast intends to give an experience of popular Indian dishes to the visitor. The menu

People & Culture

consists of Healthy and fresh vegetable salad, Chicken Biryani, Raitha, Chicken Tikka, Lamb Reyash, Fish Tikka, Dal Fry, Chicken butter masala and a signature drink. Hot butter stroked Naans (breads) were also served along with the dishes. The selection of kebabs were exceptional and freshly prepared. They seemed to have reached the table straight from the tandoor, retaining their flavour and aroma. All the dishes retained their authentic Indian flavour and presented well on the table. The

The Royal at the Table All along our lunch, we frequently commented on one item in particularthe summer drink! Though neglected during grand feasts as a side order, this summer drink was difficult to escape anyone’s attention. The lemon and mint based drink is a special introduction from Al Areen’s “Live your Life” Spa and includes the special ingredient of ‘Butterfly pea flower.’ The flower has been widely used in Indian Ayurveda treatments. The addition and wise use of this ingredient shows the genuine care for the visitors at ‘Saffron.’

Executive Chef. Janardan Das greeted us and introduced the concept of the Indian royal feast at Saffron.

‘Dal Fry’ requires special mention here, since the black gram dish is a quite unique preparation at ‘Saffron’, and not been found anywhere else in the Kingdom. My companion, who already had her lunch, hesitated at first to indulge in the royal feast. However, a spoonful of Biryani prompted her to try out more of the each dish. We finished our lunch by savouring the ‘Saffron Pistachio Cheesecake’. The perfectly layered and supple dessert presented on top of almond milk decorated with saffron, pistachio, and rose petals. We wondered aloud that what else can complete such a splendid lunch at ‘Saffron’! The Indian royal feast is reasonable priced at 10.5BD++ per person until September 30th, 2018. This will indeed gratify large group’s diverse tastes. The offer is ideal for business groups as well as families alike since the staff at ‘Saffron are ready to meet the visitor’s expectations with the service and ambiance. The reservations can be done in advance for business meetings and lunches as the team will ensure to provide the best ambiance for important discussions.

Gulf Insider September 2018

Money & Business

Your Careem App

is Full of Cutting Edge Artificial Intelligence Best known as a ride-hailing firm but Careem is, first and foremost, a tech company.

ith close to 400 developers working on the platform in their headquarters in Dubai, and across research and development centres located in Berlin and Karachi this tech workforce is the engine that enables the transportation to happen. As a tech company Careem has built some deep-tech capabilities on par with what is currently being done in Silicon Valley, and the fact that they are doing it here in this region is hugely significant. It enables Careem to bring

Gulf Insider September 2018

As a tech company Careem has built some deep-tech capabilities on par with what is currently being done in Silicon Valley.

back the best tech people who are from this region, but left because there was nowhere for them to work at a high level. With more talent returning – or not needing to leave in the first place – this helps the region to launch other tech start-ups and reverse the “brain drain”. Careem sees themselves as an A.I. driven company and A.I. is leveraged heavily to run operations and the app that you use. Here’s something you may not know about your Careem app … When you book your ride on the app nearly 500 actions happen from the

Money & Business

second you press the button to your ride arriving. Within 100 milliseconds it’s worked out where the captains are; in 500 milliseconds it’s found the best match and in 150 milliseconds the app has figured out the optimal route and milliseconds later it’s estimated the time for the driver to get to you. Careem’s A.I. program – called Yoda – has a state-of-the-art machine learning cycle. It can predict with 90 percent accuracy what the demand in a certain location will be in two weeks’ time and where drivers will be needed. This helps ensure that waiting times are as low as possible and Careem Captains can secure rides hassle free.

Careem’s A.I. program – called Yoda – has a stateof-the-art machine learning cycle. And if you use the Careem service for six months, the A.I. will be much more in-tune with your needs because it keeps learning how to provide you with better service. And this improves all the time. At Careem, developers work in cross functional teams – product, UI/UX Designers, UX Researchers and Data Scientists as opposed to a traditional model where a product team might brief an engineer in isolation. Careem believes that it’s important to bring the skills together and have a holistic approach so that all parties can see the context around the solution they are working towards. Finally, Careem also believes that it is important to reach out and give a hand to the next generation of data scientists who will shape the future of the world, from right here in this region.

www.careem.com @careembah

Gulf Insider September 2018

Money & Business

Cash Security G4S presents Cash360TM, a unique end-to-end cash management solution.

n today’s world, safe transportation of cash, bullion and other valuables is a major concern of every organisation from international banks to local retailers. With increasing organised crime, terrorist activities and general theft prevalent across the globe there has never been more importance attached to safeguarding valuables. Banks, financial institutions, and corporate institutions have started looking for professional advice and are subsequently outsourcing their cash management activities to professional security and cash management organisations, the best of which is G4S. Cash360TM, a cash management solution created by G4S, is a multiple benefit solution that will provide essential cash management, banking and security protection to safeguard your cash. The Cash360TM smart safe system is designed to provide the most effective protection to secure cash at your business premises. 36

Gulf Insider September 2018

The Cash360TM smart safe system is designed to provide the most effective protection to secure cash at your business premises. Cash 360TM deposits can be made 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year aside its round the clock security. This eliminates the need for large sums of cash to be exposed in business premises, reducing the risk of theft and misappropriation of cash by employees. Along with convenient transactions and full insurance coverage, their solutions will help drive your business further. Fast

cash counting speed and real-time deposit data transparency also provide increased security and visibility for your cash collections. In most cases, cash deposits made today will reflect in your bank account tomorrow*, guaranteeing peace of mind for your company. Transportation and management of cash and valuables has always been an important part of G4S security solutions. This very demanding specialist service is carried out according to the security principles and procedures which are a result of more than 100 years of experience gained in more than 100 countries around the world. To meet challenges and customer demands, G4S Bahrain will soon open a fully secured Cash Centre which can cater bulk cash processing and other cash related solutions to various Banks and other major institutions. Other entities under G4S such as facilities management, manpower recruitment services, and a new guarding company will also be opened by the start of next year. The expansion ensures the company’s growth and its stay on top for years to come. G4S is the only multinational security solutions company operating in Bahrain. It’s the largest employer listed on the London Stock Exchange with branches in around 90 countries. The company specializes in providing full package solutions through cash and atm management, advanced electronic security systems, manned security services, emergency response and risk consultancy services. It also provides in-depth training, installation, and activation of Cash360TM.

*Subject to respective banks’ T&C For more information, visit www.g4s.com or call 17714409

Society

Launch of Flat6Lab's First Cycle in Bahrain

Gulf Insider September 2018

Ritz Carlton GM's Welcome Reception

Opening Soon...

Home-made Savory Galleria Mall - Zinj Tel: +973 17 333 505 Mob: +973 36 020 700

www.the-breadstory.com thebreadstorybahrain

Money & Business

companies, drawing attention to the opportunities available to them in the GCC market, and explaining how Bahrain can act as a gateway to those opportunities.

What do you hope to achieve at Tech Week? What is the purpose of the Tech Week? Bahrain Tech Week is designed to interest both local and regional audiences looking to learn more about the latest developments in technology from globally respected speakers. The events will allow Bahraini

Companies attending will hear from some of the foremost tech thinkers and practitioners from around the region and beyond.

Tech Week 2018 Gulf Insider talks with John Kilmartin, Executive Director of Business Development ICT at the Economic Development Board (EDB).

irstly, what is the role of the Executive Director of Business Development ICT?

The role of the EDB is to attract investment to Bahrain by highlighting the competitive advantages of operating within the Kingdom, in an effort to promote sustainable economic development and to create high-quality jobs and 40

Gulf Insider September 2018

innovators and entrepreneurs to interact with some of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading experts and to network with investors, corporates and policy makers. It will also grant investors a unique insight into the numerous opportunities available to them in the GCC ICT sector, and will demonstrate what Bahrain has to offer for businesses looking to take advantage of those opportunities.

Who will be there? opportunities for Bahrainis. The EDB also supports companies throughout the process of setting up in Bahrain, be it by helping them find the right land for their establishments, obtaining the required commercial registrations for their businesses, or the necessary permits for their employees. The ICT team engages with executives from global technology

We are anticipating a diverse range of attendees from across the tech ecosystem, including participants from Bahrain, the rest of the GCC, and around the world, featuring major corporates, startups, investors, policy makers, educational institutions and thought leaders, Amazon Web Services and Huawei. Among the events already confirmed are:

Money & Business

1. AWS Summit – this event will bring together the cloud computing community to connect, collaborate, and learn 2. MIT Innovation Forum – lead by the MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab Region, the forum will focus on unique and state of the art technologies and scientific research

a range of areas, with a variety of formats, from hackathons to panel sessions to networking experiences. Its success demonstrated to us the immense enthusiasm and potential of the regional, and especially the Bahraini, ICT sector. I think if you had said, even two years ago, that you could attract thousands of people to events on tech and entrepreneurship in Bahrain, people might have been sceptical. But the ecosystem has grown very quickly and there is a real momentum in Bahrain and the region as a whole at the moment. We expect this year’s event to be even bigger and busier.

What was the biggest success of last year? There were a number of highlights last year, but in terms of impact, the biggest announcement was the launch of the first AWS data centre ‘Region’ for the Middle East in Bahrain. AWS has the potential to transform existing industries in Bahrain – by reducing costs and enabling companies to efficiently store, process and analyse large amounts of data – and to open opportunities in new sectors.

How do companies attending benefit?

Bahrain Tech Week is designed to interest both local and regional audiences looking to learn more about the latest developments in technology from globally respected speakers.

3. Runway to Web Summit – organised by Web Summit, conveners of the world’s largest tech event 4. Huawei Summit – run by, and with insights from one of the world’s foremost technology and communications firms with a significant presence in Bahrain 5. BBK Emtech – led by BBK and BIBF, the event will look at developments in emerging technologies 6. International eGovernment Forum – a global event led by the IGA, looking at how the public sector can utilize technology to become more efficient and more effective

What did you learn from Tech Week 2017? How will this year be different? Bahrain Tech Week 2017 featured a series of dedicated events, covering

Companies attending will hear from some of the foremost tech thinkers and practitioners from around the region and beyond. They will also have the opportunity to meet and network with a range of people and businesses from across the tech ecosystem – including tech companies, corporates implementing tech, service providers, thought leaders, accelerators, venture capital firms and entrepreneurs.

Which startup companies will be featured? There will be two events featuring startups during Bahrain Tech Week – Runway to Web Summit and Flat6Labs Demo day. However, Tech Week will not simply be about new businesses. It will look more broadly at how technology is developed, adapted and implemented by corporates, the public sector and the wider economy.

Gulf Insider September 2018

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

Part 7

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 6 things the most organized people do every day, seth godin quotes, going through a hard time?, 19 daily choices that lead to success, 20 most important minutes. Take the time to learn what we reveal each month and you will be rewarded a thousand times over!

6 things the most organized people do every day By Eric Barker

our life is busy. Work/life balance is a challenge. You feel like you’re spreading yourself too thin. Most of us feel that way. But the most organized people don’t. As NYT bestselling author and neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin explains, the VIP’s he’s met don’t seem scattered and frantic. They’re calm, cool and “in the moment. It’s not hard to figure out why: they have help — aides and assistants to take care of these things so the VIP can be “in the moment.” How liberating it is for them not to have to worry about whether there is someplace else they need to be, or someone else they need to be talking to. They take their time, relax, and are really there with whomever they’re talking to. But here’s the thing: You can be like that too. And it doesn’t require a staff of 10. With enough planning ahead of time, you can make sure you’re as calm and organized as the president of the United States. We just need to get a few systems in place ahead of time.

The VIP’s brain is empty. And that’s a good thing - The president of the United States is not 42

Gulf Insider September 2018

desperately trying to remember his todo list. He has outsourced to his staff all the things that come next so he can focus 100% on what’s in front of him. No, you don’t have a group of aides but there’s still a key principle you can use: Get it out of your head. Shift the burden of organizing from our brains to the external world … Writing them down gets them out of your head, clearing your brain of the clutter that is interfering with being able to focus on what you want to focus on. So get it out of your head and on one list. Afterwards, break it up into 4 categories: Do it, Delegate it, Defer it, Drop it.

“Mr. President, your next meeting is about to begin” - Time

management also requires structuring your future with reminders. That is, one of the secrets to managing time in the present is to anticipate future needs so that you’re not left scrambling and playing catch-up all the time. Ironically, your phone probably interrupts you with unimportant texts, emails, and status updates — but not about the key priorities for your day. Scheduling forces you to confront the reality of how much time you actually have and how long things will take. Now that you look at the whole picture you’re able to get something productive out of every free hour you have in your workday. You not only squeeze more work in but you’re able to put work into places where you can do it best. You’re less like to procrastinate when an activity has an assigned block of time, because the decision was already made.

Set up filters - People who can afford

it employ layers of people whose job it is to narrow the attentional filter. “I have information overload!” you scream. It’s not information overload; it’s filter failure. Your attention is limited and valuable. You need less information. You need good filters. Handle all communications in specified “batches“: a set time when you check email, voicemail, etc. Some people say, “I can’t do that.” But you probably can more than you think, especially early and late in the day.

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

The incredible power of “good enough” - The President doesn’t make

little decisions. The thousands of people working under him handle those so only the big stuff bubbles up to his agenda. But given you don’t have thousands of people working under you (or maybe any for that matter) you handle every decision, business and personal. You can do anything once you stop trying to do everything. Be a perfectionist about it all and you’ll have a nervous breakdown. Save your limited decision-making power for the things that matter. Everything else should be “satisficed.” What is satisficing? It’s the art of quickly picking the option that is “good enough.” And research shows it’s the path to productivity and happiness. Recent research in social psychology has shown that happy people are not people who have more; rather, they are

people who are happy with what they already have. Happy people engage in satisficing all of the time, even if they don’t know it. .

“Mr. President, there’s been a change…” - Your brain needs to

engage on some consistent basis with all of your commitments and activities. You must be assured that you are doing what you need to be doing, and that it’s OK to be not doing what you’re not doing. If it’s on your mind, then your mind isn’t clear. Anything you consider unfinished in any way must be captured in a trusted system outside your mind. That trusted system is to write it down.

Have a “war room” - Ever seen a picture of the President’s desk? Does it have piles of papers and 1000 random

1. The linchpin is an individual who can walk into chaos and create order, someone who can create, and make things happen. Every worthwhile institution has indispensable people who make differences like these. 2. The easiest thing is to react. The hardest thing is to initiate. 3. Do you believe in what you do? Every day? It turns out that belief happens to be a brilliant strategy.

Seth Godin

Seth Godin Quotes Here’s 16 quotes from Seth Godin, multimillionaire entrepreneur, internet marketing expert, author of numerous bestselling books, and whose blog - Seth’s Blog, was ranked as the number 1 marketing blog out of the 976 tracked by Marketing Age.

4. Many people are starting to realize that working on stuff they believe in (and making things happen) is much more satisfying than just getting a paycheck 5. You can’t - or you don’t want to? I’ll accept the second. It’s possible that making commitment is too scary or too much work. 6. Cogs see a job, linchpin see a platform. Every interaction, every assignment is a chance to make a change, a chance to delight or surprise or to touch someone. 7. Be someone worth talking about, someone worth crossing the street to say hello to, someone who refuses to be an interchangeable cog. This isn’t easy to do, which is precisely why it’s worth so much.

post-its? No. Research shows a desk that looks like the aftermath of a natural disaster saps your ability to concentrate. You don’t need to be a neat-freak but when it’s time for you to stop planning and be the VIP, have a separate work area designed for focus. If you’re working on two completely separate projects, dedicate one desk or table or section of the house for each. Just stepping into a different space hits the reset button on your brain and allows for more productive and creative thinking. According to productivity guru Tim Ferriss, focus is just the product of removing distractions. So you want your VIP work area to have what the VIP needs. And nothing else. “The trickiest thing to learn to manage is yourself. But once you can handle that, you can handle anything.”

8. Leadership comes when your hope and your optimism are matched with a concrete vision of the future and a way to get there. 9. Making promises and keeping them is a great way to build a brand. 10. Your best customers are worth far more than your average customers. 11. Low price is a great way to sell a commodity, but that’s not marketing. 12. People don’t buy what they need but what they want. 13. Business to business marketing is just marketing to consumers who happen to have a corporation to pay for what they buy. 14. People are selfish, lazy, uninformed and impatient -start with that and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you find. 15. Knowing what to do is very, very different than actually doing it. 16. If success (for you) is a decent (or indecent) wage plus the time to do really good work and enjoy both your job and your family, then perhaps you need to be a lot pickier in what you do and for who you do it.

Gulf Insider September 2018

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

Going through a hard time? Think about yourself in the third person

aving problems in life? Then you need to detach from your issues and try to see the world through someone else’s eyes.

Research has found the best way to tackle a heartbreaking or personal trauma is to distance yourself and think about the problem in the third person. During tests, people faced with the idea of a cheating spouse, for example, were more likely to think wisely about the situation, if they considered it as an observer would. Professor Igor Grossmann, of the University of Waterloo, Canada, and Professor Ethan Kross from the University of Michigan, asked study participants to reflect on a relationship conflict of their own or someone else’s, and think about the conflict in the first and third person. A previous study by the University of California found you do get wiser when you get older. According to research, although the brain slows down with age, this simply helps older men and women develop greater insight. The reason for this is that, unlike the young, elderly brains are not ruled by the chemicals that fuel emotion and impulse. So their slower responses really are more thoughtful and ‘wiser’. The study showed that what older people lose in reaction times, they make up for in better decision-making. Results from the experiments

Gulf Insider September 2018

indicated that participants who were asked to reason about a friend’s relationship conflict made wiser responses than those who were asked to reason about their own. In a second experiment, Grossmann and Kross investigated whether personal distance might make a difference. The procedure was similar to the first experiment, but this time they explicitly asked participants to take either a firstperson perspective (‘put yourself in this situation’) or a third-person perspective (‘put yourself in your friend’s shoes’) when reasoning about the conflict. The results supported those from the first experiment: participants who thought about their own relationship conflict from a first-person perspective showed less wise reasoning than those who thought about a friend’s relationship conflict. ‘These results are the first to demonstrate a new type of bias within ourselves when it comes to wise reasoning about an interpersonal relationship dilemma,’ said Professor Grossmann. ‘We call the bias Solomon’s Paradox, after the king who was known for his wisdom, but who still failed at making personal decisions.’ The experiments indicated that we are wiser when reasoning about others’ problems compared to our own. The reason for this discrepancy is because we distance ourselves from the issue.

In a third experiment the researchers compared results from younger adults aged 20 to 40 and those aged 60 to 80. Contrary to the adage that with age comes wisdom, the older adults were not more likely to reason wisely about their personal dilemma than their younger counterparts. ‘We are the first to demonstrate that there is a simple way to eliminate this bias in reasoning by talking about ourselves in the third person and using our name when reflecting on a relationship conflict,’ said Professor Grossmann. ‘When we employ this strategy, we are more likely to think wisely about an issue.’ The findings will appear in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science.

19 Daily Choices That Lead To Success

ou can learn to make good choices. Below are 21 choices successful people make each day:

1. Get up early. Most “noise” starts after 9 a.m., so by getting up early you can get the average person’s day done before they even arrive at work. 2. Eat healthy. Find out what works for you and stick to it. Think of food as FUEL.

4. No excuses. “He that is good at making excuses is seldom good at anything else” – Ben Franklin.

5. Be tenacious. Persistent determination is what sets you apart from those who only wish. 6. Rest. If you can’t get 8 hours a day then figure out how to incorporate a nap. 7. Find a purpose. If you find yourself making choices that lead you away from your purpose STOP and get back in alignment. Every choice you make must be aligned with your purpose.

Experts Reveal Life Secrets

20 Most Important Minutes By John Meyer Master The 20 Most Important Minutes of Your Day.

8. Accept yourself. There is no use hoping you’re going to be someone else. This is YOU. Only when you accept this fact can you work on being the best YOU that you can be. 9. Practice self-discipline. Start small, and learn how to do it.

10. Build support networks. You’re not “Atlas,” so you don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. 11. Exercise. If you’re not choosing to exercise on a daily basis you’re killing yourself. Find a way to MOVE your body.

12. Do your best. Ask each day; “am I doing my best?” It’s this constant questioning that forces you to push further.

hat are the most important moments of the day? The 20 minutes you commit to planning. I’m not talking about writing a business plan or setting annual goals. I’m simply talking about dedicating 20 minutes to prioritizing and organizing your day.

The 20 minutes you spend today can save hours tomorrow and turn a good day into a great day. The most valuable resource we have is time. So stop giving it away to people and spending it on activities you don’t care about. People say if only there were more hours in the day, they could get everything done. But what about those two hours spent watching TV. Or that hour-long meeting that achieved nothing? Entrepreneurs must protect their time. Today I completed my morning planning for the 504th time. It’s a daily routine of mine that is now a programmed habit. I call it my “8 for the Day.” The process is simple:

1. Write the 8 goals I want to accomplish that day. I figure if I can’t get 8 things done in an 8 hour day, then I’m doing the wrong things.

2. 6 goals are professional and 2 are personal. Personal goals

include things like going for a run or having a date night with my wife.

13. Have faith. You must believe in yourself

3. Next morning, check off the goals accomplished, see how I did,

and the direction you’ve chosen.

reassess and then create a new list for the day.

14. Be decisive. Out of all the traits that

4. On Saturdays, flip the ratio and set 6 personal goals and 2 professional goals, which may be as simple as paying the bills. This is

successful people have, decisiveness ranks as one of the highest. A decisive choice means ACTION, and it means NOW.

15. Ask for advice. Having someone to

bounce ideas off of is essential in helping you reach your goals. You aren’t expected to have all the answers.

16. Fix your attitude. The simple act of

breathing for a second (mindfully breathing) can prevent you from escalating your attitude into places you don’t want it to go.

an effort to encourage weekend fun and discourage weekend work.

On Sundays (or Friday in the Gulf), there is no list making. I need time to rest and a day free of lists. Committing 20 minutes a day (sometimes less) to setting daily goals and organizing priorities has been so beneficial to my work, personal life, and overall health and well-being. The “8 for the Day” exercise is something I created that works for me, but there are other great tactics for planning your day. Choose or create a system that works for you.

17. Play. Make the choice to fill a portion of

your day with play. Define what play means for you and honor this daily.

18. Appreciate what you have. You’ve

worked hard to accumulate what you have. Enjoy it.

19. Say NO. You can’t be all things to

everyone at all times. It may be a hard choice, but one you must learn if you truly want to be a success. If your week isn’t filled with making the right choices on the above list then get ready to be happy with where you are now. Gulf Insider September 2018

People & Culture

Kuwaiti star says

domestic workers shouldn’t get days off, sparks outrage Celebrity slammed new regulations requiring a weekly day off for Filipino domestic workers in the country.

I Celebrity said Filipino maids should not be given a rest day and should not be allowed to keep their passports.

n recent months, the government of Kuwait has made several reforms to laws affecting Filipino domestic workers who live and work in the Gulf state. Under them, Kuwait-based nationals of the Philippines will now be governed by work contracts that protect their right to a day off and to keep their passport with them. The reforms come weeks after the Philippines’ president, Rodrigo Duterte, criticized the way nationals of his country were being treated in Kuwait and even asked them to travel back home. Even though the changes, which should guarantee basic rights to hundreds of thousands of Filipino workers in Kuwait, are a step in the right direction, they haven’t gone down too well with some Kuwaitis. Those include social media celebrity and makeup artist, Sondos Al Qattan, who shockingly hit back at the new rules in a video that has since gone viral. In a video that tweeps uploaded to Twitter earlier this week, Al Qattan makes several comments criticizing the new work contracts.

“FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO GET A FILIPINO DOMESTIC WORKER, WHAT ARE THESE RIDICULOUS WORK CONTRACTS YOU’VE GOT TO SIGN? THE WOMAN I MET WITH WAS READING OUT THE RULES TO ME AND I WAS JUST SHOCKED. PUT ASIDE THAT THEY NEED TO BE GIVEN 46

Gulf Insider September 2018

A BREAK EVERY FIVE HOURS, THAT’S NORMAL. BUT, HOW CAN YOU HAVE A ‘SERVANT’ IN YOUR HOUSE WHO GETS TO KEEP THEIR PASSPORT WITH THEM? WHERE ARE WE LIVING? IF THEY RAN AWAY AND WENT BACK TO THEIR COUNTRY, WHO’LL REFUND ME?,” SHE SAID. Al Qattan didn’t stop at that but also went on to object to a rule that grants a worker a day off per week. “Even worse, is that they get a day off every single week! What’s left? Honestly, with this new contract, I just wouldn’t ‘get’ a Filipino ‘maid.’ She’d only work six days a week and get four days off a month,” she added. Millions of domestic workers across the Arab world are governed by the kafala system. The system exists in different forms in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon. According to Human Rights Watch, it’s a form of legislation “that gives sponsoring employers substantial control over workers and leaves workers vulnerable to situations of trafficking and forced labor.” The kafala system, which has been called “modern-day slavery” by rights groups, legally binds domestic workers to their employers, giving them very limited legal protection. Under it, domestic workers across the region are left exposed to human rights violations.

CAR News

& reviews

Jeep Wrangler

Nissan

Renault Duster

Saudi

Car Bahrain

Jeep Wrangler

2018 Launch in Austria Gulf Insider was invited by Jeep Middle East to test drive the new Jeep Wrangler and visit Camp Jeep 2018.

hen it’s mid-July and the summer is in full swing with temperatures soaring into the 40s and I got an invitation to be flown to the coolweathered and ever-so-green country of Austria to test drive the new Jeep Wrangler – my bags were packed faster than you can say Jeep! It’s so refreshing

Gulf Insider September 2018

to take off from the desert island of Bahrain and escape the humidity by landing in the beautiful greenery of Austria. Shortly after landing I was greeted at Vienna airport by the Jeep team who drove me and fellow GCC journalists to Camp Jeep 2018 – normally I hate long drives, and this was a good 2-3 hours’ drive, but the views were spectacular.

All I could see through either side of the car windows was mountains, hills and pure greenery. It started to hit me what a fantastic location in the world I was in to be test driving an off-roading 4x4 legend. After checking in at Hotel Schloss Gabelhofen, which had an array of Jeeps parked outside, the bags were left in the room and I was ready for action.

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Jeep Wrangler has been completely renewed while remaining true to itself, with legendary offroad capabilities, authentic Jeep styling and advanced technology features. Guten tag Camp Jeep! Located in Spielberg, Austria, it was the fifth edition of the largest Jeep Owners Group event and host to the international media launch of the new Jeep Wrangler. A truly beautiful alpine location with stunning views… this place was a ‘Jeepers’ dream that over 1,300 people visited. The all-new Jeep Wrangler is a one-of-a-kind vehicle that is ready to write a new exciting chapter in the legendary history of the Jeep brand,

a story which began in 1941. It is with this clear objective that the iconic Jeep Wrangler has been completely renewed while remaining true to itself, with legendary off-road capabilities, authentic Jeep styling and advanced technology features. We started the test drive on-road. Upon entering the vehicle, I was so impressed with the interior and feel of the car – it was totally solid, secure and stable whilst having a modern and stylish look. The centre

console features a standard 7-inch / 177.8 mm touchscreen for Sport, Sahara and Rubicon - also available for Sahara and Rubicon is an 8.4-inch / 213.36 mm touchscreen - the latter being the largest and most advanced UconnectTM display ever offered on a Wrangler. This seriously is a user friendly technology that required no help to hook my iPhone up - within moments I had my music playing! Also, I found Uconnect easy to navigate hands free whilst driving

Gulf Insider September 2018

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meaning you can focus on the road. The 3.6 litre V6 Pentastar model had some serious power and surprised us all with its acceleration, it sure had a herd of horses under the bonnet. We had great long roads to really push its speed and I was surprised how well it stuck to the road at high speed for an SUV, it also had no issue climbing the steep roads in the hills. The convoy of Wranglers were all Dubai number plated which attracted some attention from the locals! We then took the Rubicon model to the off-road track. Since I was about to tackle some extremely challenging and demanding turf, I slipped it into the 4WD low mode which is a gearing option that is designed for these exact climates. I’ve tested several off-road tracks and this was the most authentic, in fact, there were times whilst driving I thought I wasn’t going to make it through – but no problemo for the Wrangler! The evolution of this vehicle over the decades has created what is now an off-road champion, bettering and strengthening with the new model. Personally, I’ve never seen myself owning a 4x4. But since leaving England and moving to the Middle East they’re growing on me every day and whilst several known brands have 4x4’s in their range, this experience with the 50

Gulf Insider September 2018

The experience with the Wrangler(s) and visiting Camp Jeep 2018 showcased the heritage and history of what is a solid brand and proved why they are top of their game.

Jeep has made them stand out. The experience with the Wrangler(s) and visiting Camp Jeep 2018 showcased the heritage and history of what is a solid brand and proved why they are top of their game. The Wrangler is offered in three different trim levels in the Middle East: Sport, Sahara and Rubicon - all available in two or four-door configuration.

For more information or to book a test drive contact Behbehani Brothers Jeep on +973 1745 9955 Starting Price: BHD 12,799

Price Comparison Land Rover Discovery Sport Starting Price: BD 15,000 For more information: Euro Motors Tel. + 973 17 460 460

Nissan Patrol Super Safar Starting Price: BD 19,995 For more information: Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons Tel. +973 17 732 732

Toyota FJ Cruiser Starting Price: BD 13,400 For more information: E. K. Kanoo B.S.C (c) Tel. +973 17 262 262

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Renault Duster

2018 Launch – Jordan All-new Duster ‘The Unstoppable SUV’.

ulf Insider was invited to Jordan to test drive the all-new Renault Duster in a location that is hard to beat when it comes to stunning backdrops, scenery and off-roading. Of course, when you’re given an SUV to test drive, you want to test it to its limits and take it off the beaten track. I can safely say we did exactly that. It was my first time visiting Jordan and thankfully, Renault Middle East made a solid effort in making the trip special with us seeing the best and most beautiful parts of the country throughout the test drive. Upon arrival at the Kempinski Hotel at the Dead Sea, it didn’t take long after checking in to head to my room and change into a pair of swimmers and head down to the Dead Sea. I’ve watched and read countless documentaries and stories about this iconic ‘wonder of the world’ and I was

Gulf Insider September 2018

Overall I was impressed with the cars capability offroad and comfort as an everyday SUV with its make-lifeeasier features. about to cross it off my bucket list! A truly incredible and surreal experience it was. Later that evening we were wined and dined at one of the Kempinski restaurants whilst watching the sunset over the mountains in the distance and it didn’t take long for the discussions to

begin on the Duster and questions on what we had in store for the following day.

The day of the Test Drive After a big breakfast, we kicked the day off with good coffee and a morning briefing from the Renault Middle East team led by Mr Marwan Haidamous, Managing Director. It was interesting to learn some facts as to how well Renault had been performing in a tough market and had incremental increases in sales despite an overall market decrease. We ventured out and paired up with fellow journalists/influencers to take the Dusters for a spin – little did I know quite how adventurous the drive was going to be. Outside the hotel was a whole fleet of Dusters in various colours and my first impression of the new duster was that it had more modern and

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robust style with more muscular look – it gives the impression that it’s capable of some tough off-roading whilst having the style and capability for it to be an everyday city car and the new 17 inch wheels ensure an even more assertive profile. I was impressed with the new interior – it’s user friendly and has a range of new equipment to facilitate travelling comfort including a multiview camera, blind spot warning, a 4x4 monitor, hill descent control, remote engine start (GCC only) and Media Nav 3.0. There’s also smart new storage spaces which came in handy in the modern world we live in and the various accessories we carry! We were told that the designers worked from a blank canvas to design this completely new interior… the seats were especially noticeable which offered more comfort and support; considering the rough terrain we were driving on, I noticed how I lost myself in the comfort of the car. The drive started from The Kempinski hotel and headed towards the mountains with what are some of the most spectacular views I’ve ever witnessed. We drove through windy narrow roads in the mountains (for those who have watched Indiana Jones – it’s all very familiar!) where we could test its steering ability which was good overall. The Duster did struggle with some of the steep hill climbs, however

I found by slipping it into the manual gears and knocking it down into first or second, it made the hill climbing easier. As we climbed the mountains we made stops at check points which gave all us journalists the chance to really take in the beautiful scenery of Jordan. The convoy of Dusters was then then taken off the roads and way out into the desert to what I’d call the ‘middle of nowhere’. This is where I had a lot of fun. I was surprised at how well the Duster handled when taken off road… there were numerous times where tricky obstacles were ahead yet the Duster faced no issues overcoming them in 4WD whilst remaining high level of comfort and felt like it was no stress to the car.

Overall I was impressed with the cars capability off-road and comfort as an everyday SUV with its make-lifeeasier features. Renault themselves call this ‘a genuine SUV for everyday driving’ and the Duster lives up to this statement. Whilst there are many SUV’s on the market, the Renault Duster has a starting price of USD 15,000 – for this price you are getting a LOT of car for your money! The all new Renault Duster will be available in the GCC in September 2018.

To arrange a test drive in Bahrain call the Renault showroom; Tel. +973 1770 5705

Price Comparison Hyundai Creta Starting Price: BD 6,890 For more information: First Motors Tel. +973 17 121 121

Nissan Kicks Starting Price: BD 5,995 For more information: Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons Tel. +973 17 732 732

Toyota Rush Starting Price: BD 6,400 For more information: E. K. Kanoo B.S.C (c) Tel. +973 17 262 262

Gulf Insider September 2018

Car News

Saudi: First case of harassment against women drivers

CarBahrain.com Ferrari takes the “Red Dot: Best of the Best” design award for the fourth year running Ferrari has received the Red Dot: Best of the Best award for the ground-breaking design of the Portofino, Ferrari’s most recent V8-engined GT car. This is the consecutive fourth year that the Prancing Horse receives this prestigious honour for one of its new models. During the Gala ceremony on the 9th of July at the Aalto Theater in Essen, Germany, the jury of international designers also assigned two Red Dot awards for outstanding design quality to Ferrari for the 812 Superfast and the FXX K EVO. 54

Gulf Insider September 2018

Saudi police recorded the first incident of harassment against a female driver in the country since the ban on women driving in the Kingdom was lifted under a royal decision on June 24. However, the harasser was pardoned at the behest of the victim. Samar Khan, dean of the College of Business at Effat University in Jeddah, reported the harasser to the police. Khan complained that a man in his 20s started bothering her and endangering her as she was driving to work. Police identified the man from his car’s plate number and summoned him to the police station. The man complied and arrived at the police station accompanied by his elder brother. The young man confessed and expressed regret for his action. He said he did not realize the amount of danger he was causing to the woman driver. “If the victim of the harassment decides to forgive the harasser, the harasser is only absolved of the infringement of private right. But he still has to face the public rights violation. Harassment penalties include imprisonment for no more than two years and a fine that reaches up to SR100,000. The penalty is more severe for repeat offenders,” said Lawyer and legal consultant Mohammad Al-Tuwairqi.

Car News

Is YOUR car’s air-con poisoning you? Saudi car showrooms see huge turnout of women customers Since June 24 when the law for the first time allowed women to drive in Saudi Arabia, car dealers in the Kingdom are witnessing a huge turnout of women buyers. Some car dealers opened special car showrooms for women, recruiting female staff to attend to customer enquiries. Sales manager Ghaythan Al-Shamrani said that car agencies in the Kingdom have been working in upgrading their services to provide the best services for potential women clients. He added that some car agencies allocated special showrooms for women clients and recruited effective female salespersons. With competition very fierce between dealers, some are offering free car service, free towing and door-to-door delivery of the car, in addition to exempting the driving license fees from the car price. Ebtihal Al-Sultan, a sales advisor at one of the car agencies, said that the turnout of women at car showrooms was huge since the decree was issued. The move could help boost the Saudi economy by ensuring stronger female participation in the workforce, meaning increased household incomes.

Drivers of some of the most popular cars are being poisoned by flawed air-con systems that are filtering out as little as one per cent of toxic particles. Motorists could be inhaling millions of toxic particles with every breath. Researchers at Emissions Analytics analysed the air inside 11 cars to test how effective the ventilation systems were at removing harmful particles. The Toyota C-HR removed just one per cent of poisonous particles while the VW Polo removed 35 per cent. By contrast, the Meredes-Benz E-class filtered out 90 per cent of pollutants, even in heavy traffic. Pollution comes mainly from other vehicle’s exhausts and the toxic particles are linked to asthma attacks and other illnesses. Nick Molden, CEO at Emissions Analytics, revealed he was shocked at how ineffective the air-con systems were. He said one of the key problems was that there are no fixed standards for the filtration systems.

Oman, UAE – Staring at traffic accidents is a violation Slowing down to stare at traffic accidents can lead to a hefty fine in new amendments of the traffic law, Royal Oman Police (ROP), has said. “Rubbernecking is considered as a violation that falls under

‘Disruption of traffic’ which [can be fined] OMR10 to 15 as per the amendments of the traffic law. Gawking at traffic accidents causes disruption of traffic, endangers other lives and prevents ambulance from arriving at the scene on time,” he said. The official added that motorists who slow down to watch traffic accidents could also cause traffic accidents between them. “They are watching traffic accidents on the other road, and they can lose control and can cause traffic accidents between them,” he added. The official called upon road users to abide by the traffic rules and not to slow down when they see a traffic accident. “It’s hindering the traffic flow as well as the movement of the ambulance,” he continued. It was also announced in the UAE that staring at traffic accidents can land you a Dh1,000 fine, police said.

Gulf Insider September 2018

Car Bahrain

Nissan Bahrain launches

new Patrol Titanium The Nissan Patrol Titanium Edition 2018 has arrived in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

his new addition to the Patrol’s robust ‘Hero of All Terrains in Life’ lineup is exclusively available at Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons, the sole distributor of Nissan vehicles in the Kingdom. At the heart of the new Nissan Patrol Titanium is a powerful V8 engine, generating 400 hp and 560 nm of torque from its 5552 cc capacity. The 2018 model comes with 7-speed automatic transmission and Nissan’s Hydraulic Body Motion Control System (HBMC) suspension that allows for smoother turns. The Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) system and Nissan’s Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) technologies combine to create an optimized balance between power and environmental performance, resulting in lower emissions.

Gulf Insider September 2018

The 2018 model comes with 7-speed automatic transmission and Nissan’s Hydraulic Body Motion Control System (HBMC). The mammoth exterior evokes Patrol’s traditional design language of undeniable road presence, with bold 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels. The car’s spacious interior can fit up to eight passengers, whilst retaining the Patrol’s signature luxury elements with

the incorporation of leather seats and wooden interior trim throughout. The Patrol Titanium focuses on function and convenience, to ensure a smooth and entertaining ride for drivers and passengers. Each car comes complete with a wide range of features such as 13 Bose Premium Speakers, a rear DVD entertainment system with two seven-inch color displays, a power sunroof with tilt and slide, Bluetooth technology, and an HDD navigation system and music server. The model is also equipped with a remote engine starter, a cruise control function, intelligent key entry system with push engine starter, power windows, a central door lock, full auto air conditioning, a power back door function with auto close, a rear window defroster with timer, and the Patrol’s signature cool box. In addition, the new Patrol Titanium contains plenty of safety features to add peace of mind for drivers. These include rear view camera connectivity, hill descent control and hill start assist, Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), front and rear parking sensors, and anti-theft engine immobilizer. The Patrol Titanium is now available in Nissan’s showrooms for a starting price of BD 25,995 including five-year warranty, free insurance, registration, two years or 40,000 km service package, and the option to delay payment until 2019.

For more information contact Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons Tel. +973 1773 2732

Car Bahrain

CONTINUED GROWTH FOR

NISSAN IN THE MIDDLE EAST Achieving more than 20% growth in the GCC Region through 2017, Nissan continues to increase its Market Share.

e were invited to join the Nissan team for the release of their Financial Results for 2017 which took place at the new Bulgari Resort in Dubai last month. Gathering journalists from across the region at this exclusive venue gave some indication of the successful results that would be presented. Attending the event were business and marketing heads from Nissan’s senior management team in the Middle East, led by their Managing Director Juergen Schmitz. Further alluding to the figures that would be presented, Juergen opened the event with the statement “In the past year, Nissan has continued

its upward trajectory in the Middle East, growing in terms of sales, market share, customer satisfaction and brand power. We are determined to continue this growth by focusing on our customers.” We were then provided an in depth review of the continued growth of the brand in the region, for the first time excluding the KSA market which is now managed independently of the other GCC countries. Some of the highlights were the Nissan Patrol, which now dominates the critical SUV market in UAE, and the Nissan Sunny which leads the highly competitive midsize market. Overall, FY17 was also a strong year for Nissan in terms of accolades, with the company receiving eight awards at the

2018 MENA Cristal Festival, including the prestigious Festival Grand Prix. The Nissan Altima, Nissan Kicks and Nissan GT-R also all received awards at various ceremonies throughout the year. In addition, Nissan’s AQDAR Drive Safely campaign received two different industry awards for the most innovative Road Safety CSR campaign. An interesting announcement late last year, featured during the event, was the accolade of Nissan becoming the Official Automotive Partner for Expo 2020 Dubai. This partnership will focus on next generation cars from the brand, most importantly featuring the Nissan Leaf, currently the world’s #1 selling wholly electric car. Gulf Insider September 2018

Last Word - Social Media Advice

if you ‘Boost’ your Facebook posts - you could be wasting your money Social Media for Business - Insider Advice No. 5 View all our Insider Advice FREE by visiting Fabianca.com

f you use Facebook for your business, you’ve probably boosted some of your Facebook Posts. Well, here’s some news for you - you could be wasting your money. Yes - “Boost Post” offers a quick and easy way to spend your marketing money and reach more people. As organic reach gets continually watered down due to Facebook continuously changing the rules, many page owners Boost posts to get their messages to their audiences because it’s fast and easy. But that doesn’t mean it’s smart. What you may not realize is Facebook optimizes your campaigns depending on which objective you choose - Website Clicks, Website Conversions etc. But if you boost a post, Facebook always optimizes just for post engagement (likes, shares, comments…etc.). Facebook wants to show you a lot of likes and engagement, but

Gulf Insider September 2018

that doesn’t mean results and so it might ruin your overall campaign. For example, if your promoting an event and want to sell tickets. If you choose to advertise on both Mobile News Feed and Desktop News Feed, Facebook might, unfortunately, push 99% of your advertising budget to the mobile news feed option (because it’s less expensive than Desktop News Feed), regardless of whether it’s getting you what you want, which is sales. From our experience, even if a website is mobile-friendly - which it should be! - the conversion rate on mobile is usually 2 to 3 times lower than desktop. Mobile conversion tends to be lower because it’s not as convenient to fill in sign-up information on handheld devices. So, you’ll be getting lots of mobile traffic that doesn’t convert at all or converts poorly.

And don’t forget Instagram. You can now run Instagram advertising from Facebook Ad Manager. You can’t do this with “Boost Post.” For engagement we suggest adding Instagram as an ad placement (always disable right side column) so you can get likes on Instagram and reach those who aren’t on Facebook.

Fabianca is a Bahrain based digital marketing specialist. For a FREE 30 minute digital strategy session for your business visit Fabianca.com or call +973 36 188 100.

Fabianca can manage your social media strategy

Most business leaders lack digital expertise - thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not making money from social media. We develop and manage online marketing strategies, build optimized websites, set up marketing funnels that collect leads, and monetize them. We free business leaders to focus on running their business.

For a free 30 minute digital strategy session for your business, call +973 36 188 100

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