Business In Gulf Magazine August 2016

BUS ESS a Gulf Business magazine for today’s entrepreneurS

IN Gulf

August 2016 / Vol-10 No:08

Season Strategy

Mindful Critique

Are Holidays Good for Your Business?

Shaping an Effective Leader Using ‘Critical Friends’

Going the Extra Mile

hot property

30 Ways to Surprise and Delight Your Customer

Bahrain Real Estate Review 2015/2016

Grand Developments Exclusive Interview with Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company

CEO, Faisal bin Faqeeh

DISPLAY UNTIL August 20, 2016

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september 2016

september 2016

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August

BUSINESS Contents Gulf

26 58 iNSiDE NEtFlix: BuilDiNG thE FiRSt GlOBal tV NEtWORk

By Madhumita Murgia

clOuD cOMPutiNG BuSiNESS SOlutiONS Dr. Jassim haji, Gulf air chief information Officer

52

36 DuBai: a WORlD claSS huB OF iNNOVatiON By anita Menon

64 GRaND DEVElEOPMENtS Our Exclusive with Faisal bin Faqeeh 2

august 2016

ali al khayat

talking Business Behind the Wheel of a Bentley

August

BUSINESS Contents Gulf

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at a Glance Cover Story 36

Bin Faqeeh real estate investment company ceo Faisal Bin Faqeeh Paving the Way for Property Developers in Bahrain

entrePreneurS

DR. laMya MahMOOD introducing laser Dentistry to the Gcc

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sama yateem Helping Children Learn through PLAy

22

Fatima atawi Making Her Mark on the World of Fashion

ContriButorS 34

mike orlov How to Deal with a Leadership Crisis

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eman Bu-rashid 30 Ways to Surprise & Delight your Customer

reguLArS

68 StylE FilE

the classiest Fashion Pieces

70 GaDGEtS

the coolest lifestyle items

68

Fashion Bold statements

70

GadGets the latest in electronics

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hotel listinGs All they have to offer

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quoted What the viPs said

BIG Words

With the rate at which technology seems to be improving, it’s sad to think of how floppy discs and cassette tapes will seem like ancient equipment to kids born today. While even things such as cable television are set to be replaced by services such as Netflix (more on that inside!), the only thing in this world that remains constant is the fact that we still live and work in solid buildings. Earlier this month, we had a few words with a man who knows how to make them quite well. For our cover story this issue, we bring you an exclusive interview with Faisal bin Faqeeh, CEO Parth Vaya of the Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company. Since Deputy Editor bursting onto the scene in 2008, the company has made 4

august 2016

some landmark innovations in the real estate sector and is considered one of Bahrain’s leading property developers.

As usual, we feature a number of interviews with some of Bahrain’s most impressive entrepreneurs. These include Dr. Lamya Mahmood, founder of the first laser dental centre in the GCC, and Fatima Atawi, who created her own fashion label. To top it off, our regular contributors share their expert opinions on the latest developments in their respective fields. Remember to follow us on Instagram and Facebook @businessingulf, and share your stories with us by emailing big@maxmediaco.com

Have a good read!

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NewsFlash

The latest headlines from around the globe

END OF SCHENGEN?

EU: IN a bID tO mINImISE tHE EFFECtS OF tHE mIGratION CrISIS ON EUrOpE, mEpS rECENtly aGrEED tO rEplaCE tHE UNION’S bOrDEr aGENCy, FrONtEx, wItH a NEw EUrOpEaN bOrDEr aND COaSt GUarD aGENCy (EbCG), wHICH wIll bE GraNtED mOrE pOwErS. tHE paSSpOrt-FrEE SCHENGEN arEa - wHICH tHE UK IS NOt part OF - HaS bEEN blamED ON allOwING tErrOrIStS, pEOplE traFFICKErS aND ECONOmIC mIGraNtS tO travEl FrEEly aCrOSS tHE CONtINENt.

YBA KANoo ACquIRES 100% STAKE IN SAudI CoNTRACTINg fIRm

Prime Minister of Bahrain, Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa

Bahrain PM calls for 40,000 homes to be fast-tracked Bahrain: The Prime Minister of Bahrain has reportedly called for the construction of 40,000 homes in the kingdom to be fast-tracked. The government has spent $9.3 billion (BD3.5 billion) into this sector since it started providing housing services.

BAHRAIN: Bahrain-based international trading company Yusuf bin Ahmed (YBA) Kanoo has acquired a 100 percent stake in Saudi Arabia’s Technical Contracting Company (TCC). The Saudi-based firm is an approved vendor to major companies such as Aramco, Sabic, Saudi Electricity Company, Saline Water Conversion Corporation and the Royal Commission.

$300 BILLION

Bahrain’s estimated personal wealth by 2020.

Investcorp buys 55% stake In ItalIan luxury taIlor cornelIanI

baHraIn: Gulf investment firm Investcorp recently bought a 55 percent stake in Italian menswear company Corneliani in a deal that values the group at $100 million. It is the latest such acquisition by a foreign buyer in a sector targeted by investors seeking returns from well-established niche brands.

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August 2016

SamSung

to buy uS cloud computing Startup

KOREA : Samsung Electronics announced recently that it had agreed to buy US cloud computing company Joyent – the latest in a series of start-up acquisitions aimed at strengthening the South Korean giant’s software capacity. The purchase of the San Francisco-based firm would provide Samsung with its own cloud platform to support its main mobile business and connect with Samsung household appliances such as TVs, refrigerators and air conditioners, a company statement said.

Job losses expected at uae’s radio one, radio two after management changes

Dubai ruler opens door for Six Flags theme park in Saudi Arabia KSA: Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has exempted Saudi Arabia from a GCC theme park deal, allowing the Gulf kingdom to pursue plans with US operator Six Flags. The company’s CEO, John Duffy, had been quoted as saying that it was planning a partnership to bring roller coasters and bumper cars to the ultra-conservative kingdom.

NoKIA movES To fINAlISE ACquISITIoN of AlCATEl-luCENT

uae: Gulf News Broadcasting will no longer manage Dubai’s Radio One and Radio Two, it announced recently, and substantial job losses are expected. It is understood that a significant number of redundancies are to be made as a result of the decision. The stations were pulled off air last week with listeners claiming an Abu Dhabi classical music station was playing instead.

fINlANd: finnish telecom equipment giant Nokia recently announced a plan to complete the acquisition of its former rival, french-American Alcatellucent during the third quarter.

The world’s former top mobile phone maker had gained control of 80 percent of Alcatellucent’s shares by January but has struggled to mop up the remaining shareholders to gain full control of the company.

Bahrain’s Cineco inks deal for hi-tech multiscreen cinema

BAHRAIN: Bahrain Cinema Company, also known as Cineco, has signed an agreement with Al Rashid Group to open a new Cineplex in Oasis Mall Juffair in the Gulf kingdom. The new Cineplex will be spread across about 3,000 square metres and will have a total of 12 screens.

The new 4DX theatres will include high-tech motion seats and special effects such as wind, fog, rain and scents in both 2D and 3D formats.

287, 000 No. of new jobs created in the USA during the month of June.

France overtakes Britain as world’s no. 5 econoMy aFter Pound droPs

KazaKhs, Chevron-led group approve $37 billion Tengiz field expansion

kaZakHstan: Kazakhstan and a group of oil companies led by Chevron have approved a $36.8 billion plan to boost production at the Central Asian country’s Tengiz field, a rare major investment in an industry hit by low prices and a boost to the local economy. The field, one of the world’s biggest, already accounts for more than a third of total crude output in Kazakhstan, which is the biggest former Soviet oil producer after Russia.

France: With the pound falling below 1.17 euros overnight for the first time since 2013, that means the size of the British economy in 2015 is now equivalent to 2.172 trillion euros - less than France’s official GDP of 2.182 trillion euros last year. Britain and France, which have similar populations, have swapped positions before in the rankings.

Hershey rejects $23 billion Mondelez takeover offer

$554, 000 Amount that Etihad-backed Italian airline Alitalia is losing daily.

USA: Hershey Co revealed that it had rejected a $23 billion takeover bid by Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ.O) that would seek to expand the latter’s limited U.S. footprint and create the world’s largest confectioner. The snub underscores the challenges Mondelez Chief Executive Irene Rosenfeld faces in wooing Hershey’s controlling shareholder, the Hershey Trust, a $12 billion charity created by the eponymous company’s founder a century ago.

August JUly 2016

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Saudi

Kuwait

bahrain

Saudi GDP growth forecast to hit 14-year low in 2016

Kuwait passes law excluding activists from polls

High-tech sports stadium planned in Bahrain

KSA: Saudi Arabia’s GDP growth is expected to rise by just 0.8 percent this year, its weakest growth since 2002 as the cumulative impact of government spending cuts and low oil prices feed through to the economy, a new report produced

by Oxford Economics has said. It added that as GCC economies continue to diversify away from oil-driven investment and public spending, productivity growth will become vital.

KuwAIt: Kuwait has approved amendments to its electoral legislation that will exclude convicted opposition leaders and activists in Kuwait from running for office. The ban will exclude dozens of opposition leaders and activists who have been handed jail terms for insulting the Emir and undermining his authority from running for office again.

BAHRAIN: Bahrain is planning to build its biggest integrated sports stadium, set to feature an international standard football pitch, an underground shopping complex and a cinema. The “visionary” stadium, which is likely to be located in Sakhir, Southern Governate, will accommodate up to 50,000 people.

”Ultimately, market fundamentals, or supply and demand, are the primary determinant of the oil price, and at the moment we see healthy demand for oil” Saudi Arabia’s Energy Minister Khalid A Al-Falih.

The existing Bahrain National Stadium.

$ 54, 730

Saudi Arabia’s GNI per capita in 2015.

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august 2016

17,000

No. of people that crossed the SaudiBahrain Causeway during Eid.

Dubai-based Propertyfinder Group has completed its acquisition of Moroccan property portal SeleKtimmo for an undisclosed sum through its subsidiary Sarouty.ma.

Doha

Fitch downgrades ratings of Batelco, Mumtalakat

BAHRAIN: Fitch Ratings recently downgraded the long-term issuer default ratings of Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco) and Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat) to ‘BB+’ from ‘BBB-’. Fitch said that lower oil prices are causing a “marked deterioration” in Bahrain’s fiscal position.

Foreign companies in saudi arabia must appoint saudi nationals to leadership positions under new rules unveiled by government, it was reported this month. the saudi government last month announced that Foreign investors are permitted to own 100 percent oF retail and wholesale businesses in the Kingdom For the First time.

73.3

$ BILLION UAE’s non-oil trade during first quarter of 2016.

KSA “The tourism sector in the Kingdom boasts a wide range of offerings and benefits and our plans to focus on the wedding sector is a part of the diverse portfolio that Bahrain can offer its visitors” Chief Executive of the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority, Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa.

qatar

uae

oman

Qatargas inks major LNG supply deal with Pakistan for 20 years

$2 a day super-budget hotel firm set to enter UAE

Oman rules out GCC exit following Twitter ‘rumours’

QAtAR: Qatargas will supply 1.3 million tonnes a year of liquefied national gas (LNG) to Pakistan for 20 years, with the first cargo expected to be delivered in 2018. Under the terms of the agreement with Pakistan’s Global Energy Infrastructure Limited, Qatargas can increase the volume to 2.3 millions tonnes per annum. untry in this year’s rankings.

uAE: Chototel has identified the United Arab Emirates as a location for its next phase of development, bringing a ‘super-budget hotel’ to the emirates. Chototel is an economy hotel that uses technologies such as steelframed dry construction; closed-loop, off-grid utility systems; microbots and big data processing to manage unmanned operations and billing; and real-time financial and cash technologies.

OMAN: Oman’s foreign ministry has reportedly hit back at “street talk” rumours the country wants to leave the GCC, after it posted tweets in support of the UK vote to quit the European Union (EU). The ministry’s tweet went viral, with commentators widely interpreting it as a sideways attack on the GCC – of which Oman is a part but often disagrees with other members on policy issues. august 2016

13

NewS

Kuwait set to launch $1.7bn power project in November

The construction teams of Shamal Azzour Al-Oula, Hyundai Heavy Industries and Societe Internationale De Dessalement have commissioned the final power generation unit for Kuwait’s first independently owned power and water facility.

Construction of the $1.7 billion Azzour North One, phase one of the country’s IWPP project, is expected to start full commercial operation by the end of November.

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August 2016

NewS

World’s first fuel-free circumnavigation draws to an end

The sun-powered Solar Impulse 2 aircraft will land in Abu Dhabi later this month to complete the world’s first ever fuel-free round-theworld flight. The aircraft, piloted in turns by Swiss aviators Andre Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard, began its journey from Abu Dhabi in March last year. The plane has 17, 248 solar cells built in to its wings and travels at a cruising speed of around 70 km per hour.

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August 2016

ALGERIA, BAHRAIN, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, COLOMBIA, CÔTE D’IVOIRE, DJIBOUTI, EGYPT, GABON, GHANA, INDONESIA, JORDAN, KENYA, KUWAIT, MALAYSIA,MEXICO,MONGOLIA,MOROCCO,MYANMAR,NIGERIA,OMAN,PAPUANEWGUINEA,PANAMA,PERU,QATAR,SAUDIARABIA,SOUTHAFRICA, SRI LANKA, THAILAND, THE PHILIPPINES, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, TUNISIA, TURKEY, UAE: ABU DHABI, UAE: DUBAI, UAE: RAS AL KHAIMAH, VIETNAM

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EvEnt

Warm recepTIon

BaTELco HoSTS raMadan MEdIa gHaBga

T

he Kingdom’s first telecom provider, Batelco Bahrain, hosted a ghabga for all members of the media at Sofitel in Zallaq last month.

The event was comprised of addresses by key company executives and a prize distribution that included flight tickets and Samsung phones.

Batelco CEO Muna Al Hashemi with Gulf Air CEO Maher Al Musallam at the event

E

FuelIng up

Euro MoTorS Jaguar Land rovEr MEdIa gHaBga and TEST drIvE

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JUly 2016

uro Motors, the exclusive dealer and distributor for luxury automotive manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover in the Kingdom of Bahrain, hosted a ghabga for members of the Bahrain media community at its showroom in Sitra last month. Guests also got to familiarize themselves with the performance vehicles that surrounded them during the night by booking for or immediately engaging in test drives.

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EvEnt

arabIan nIghTs ZaIn WELcoMES MEdIa MEMBErS To raMadan gHaBga

A Mohammed Zainaladedin with members of the media

s a show of appreciation to all their media partners and supporters, telecom company Zain hosted a ghabga at Gulf Hotel Bahrain last month. The event included live musical performances, addresses by some of Zain’s key executives, and a prize giving of Apple iPhones and HP laptops.

For enTrepreneurs by enTrepreneurs BaHraIn dEvELopMEnT Bank HoSTS roWad MaJLIS gHaBga

B Shaikh Hesham bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, BDB Deputy General Manager (third from left) with the Rowad team at the event

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JUly 2016

ahrain Development hosted their third Rowad Majlis at Riyadat Mall last month. The Rowad Majlis is a quarterly event designed to bring the entrepreneurial community to network with industry specialists, support organisations, and entrepreneurs like themselves in a casual setting.

All Work, All PlAy sama Yateem Discusses her Passion for Education and PLAY 20

August 2016

EntrEprEnEur fter becoming a parent, former teacher Sama Yateem noticed that Bahrain lacked fun places for mothers to go to with their children. With the aim of creating a stimulating and fun learning environment for children in the country, Sama Yateem founded PLAY in 2011.

A finalist for this year’s Bahrain Award for Entrepreneurship in the Small Medium Enterprise category, she’s certainly come a long way.

Tell us a little bit about your background in education.

I went to George Washington University in Washington DC where I obtained a bachelor’s Degree in English followed by a Master’s Degree in Education. I then became a teacher for twelve years, teaching Middle and High School English. I am very passionate about education and feel like children here in Bahrain don’t have many opportunities to play in a stimulating environment.

What inspired you to start PLAY?

I had visited several children’s museums in the US and thought it would be great to design a similar space in Bahrain, where children could grow and be creative. It would also be a place where parents could meet and share concerns. I developed the idea with my good friend

Jann Flusche who encouraged me to move forward with this venture. We would sit together on my dining room table and plan all the details, sketching spaces and doing research.

The day we opened was truly an awe-inspiring one, where we finally got to see an idea turn into reality.

Why did you choose Seef Mall as a location?

Seef Mall is an attractive location since I feel that they work hard to promote their mall as a family mall.

What services does PLAY provide? Is it just a daycare centre, or do you teach regular classes or workshops as well?

Aside from being a play centre, we have monthly events that revolve around different themes to celebrate cultures and holidays, emphasizing the theme of diversity. Children play creative games, create fabulous arts and crafts, and cook up tasty treats related to the event. We also have workshops for children addressing important topics like bullying. For younger children, we started a program called Toddler Time for children to socialize and experience an informal yet structured selection of learning activities through play. We recently opened the PLAY Lounge which is geared towards older children and is a space where children can cook, create, and perform. There’s a gaming area with computers and PlayStation as well as a DJ booth. We also started a new service where instead of having birthday parties at PLAY, our team can come to your house and develop really fun and interactive games. We also offer seasonal camps such as our summer camp when the children are out of school and need a place to be occupied.

Plans are in motion to turn PLAY into a regional franchise

PLAY has different ‘sections’ such as a salon, police station and hospital, which foster children’s creativity

PLAY features a number of different ‘sections’ for kids to allow them to role play.

Could you tell us a little bit more about this?

PLAY Bahrain aims to help the development of children in many ways. Children nowadays are overstimulated with all the electronic devices in their lives such as iPads, Playstations and other gadgets. Many of them have not had much exposure to imaginative play which is crucial for their development.

Studies show that play improves memory, stimulates the growth of brain cells, improves language skills and promotes creative problem solving. The different play areas in PLAY are designed to provide fun opportunities to target these skills.

Who designed and constructed the facility?

I designed the facility and employed a construction company called 3DI. It was quite difficult bringing the project to life as the company were used to building offices, restaurants, and shops. The specialised furniture and toys were imported from the US, Italy and Germany.

What are some of the challenges you faced while setting up your own company?

For me, one of the biggest challenges has been related to staffing. Business owners are allocated a very limited number of work visas, and there is no such thing as a part-time or full-time employee, which would have benefitted my business model.

Finding qualified staff members has been hard, especially when potential employees want to be paid high salaries and the customers are more frugal. Some customers are not considerate of the exorbitant expenses business owners face such as rent, payroll, utilities, municipal taxes, LMRA and GOSI fees – the list goes on.

What are some of the marketing techniques you’ve used to raise awareness about PLAY? Which ones have proven most successful so far?

With the boom of social media, Instagram and Facebook have proven to be effective marketing techniques. Word of mouth is extremely crucial to marketing and that’s why we emphasize customer care since when we offer a good service, we feel that our product sells itself.

Based on your experience as a teacher, do you have any general parenting advice for people with young children?

I think the best advice I could give to a parent is to be kind to yourself. We are all trying our best and being a parent is definitely the hardest job out there.

What advice do you have for any aspiring entrepreneurs out there?

My advice to entrepreneurs would be to follow your dream and choose something you are passionate about pursuing.

There’s no point in having a good idea if you don’t have the drive and dedication to execute it.

What are your future plans for PLAY?

PLAY is hoping to expand throughout the Gulf and rest of the world. PLAY hired the LA based Franchise Consulting Group to turn the business into a franchise. PLAY is currently in negotiations to open in Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

To find out more about PLAY, follow them on Instagram and Facebook@ playbahrain, or visit their website www.playbahrain.com

August 2016

21

Passion for fashion talented Designer Fatima Atawi talks about Making her Mark on the World of Fashion 22

August 2016

EntrEprEnEur ombining her keen eye for fashion with an entrepreneurial spirit, Fatima Atawi founded Liganchi Designs, a company that provides fashion consultation, design and tailoring services. Despite suffering a major setback after a near-fatal accident, Fatima is today one of Bahrain’s most sought-after personal stylists.

How did you come up with the name ‘Liganchi’? What does it mean?

It’s a word I made up that combines the idea of personal style and elegance.

How did you get into fashion design?

Someone once told me that knowledge is strength. Once I realized that fashion design was my true calling, I took the time to learn all about it, leaving no point behind. I then started to develop my skills and finally here I am, running my own fashion label.

Do you have any formal qualifications or certifications in the field?

Yes, I hold certifications in personal styling and fashion design from the University of Arts, London, and learnt women’s tailoring and fabric cutting here in Bahrain. I’ve also received awards for my work with Liganchi such as, “Best Business Plan of the Year 2016” from Tamkeen, and “Most Characteristic Entrepreneur of the Year 2016”, also from Tamkeen.

Have you displayed any of your works

at any fashion shows or exhibitions?

Yes, I’ve participated in several exhibitions and fashion shows both locally and abroad. These include the Durrat Marina Market exhibition and the Mobilia Uno Charity Fashion Show here in Bahrain, the Alarabee Exhibition in Kuwait and more.

“Believe, and never be satisfied with what you are now.

Always strive for more.”

What inspired you to start your own company?

I had always dreamt of running my own company, and once I really got into the world of fashion, I knew that Liganchi would be the means through which I would realise my dreams. It was my passion for fashion design that inspired me to be my own boss.

From where did you receive funding or mentorship?

I’ve received support from several companies in Bahrain, such as Tamkeen, UNIDO, Bahrain Development Bank and the Ministry of Social Development.

Do you have anyone else working with you?

My friend Miriam Bukamal is the co-founder of Liganchi. Other Liganchi team members include close family relatives, who have each had a huge impact in moving the business forward. The fact that they are all professionals in fields such as fashion photography, studio makeup and fashion modelling has helped my career tremendously.

What services does Liganchi Designs provide?

We provide four services, which are: personal fashion styling, personal shopping, fashion consultation, designing and tailoring.

Where do you draw inspiration from when coming up with new designs?

I cannot specify – as a designer, each single detail inspires me, whether it’s nature, the city, people, or even the ceiling in a fancy hotel lobby.

Some examples of Fatima’s work

Who are some of your favourite fashion designers?

Gabrielle Bonheur, known as “Coco Channel”, is my favourite designer, although she inspires me even more as a woman than as a designer.

In the world of business, being able to market your services effectively is crucial.

What are some of the marketing strategies you’ve used so far?

We’ve ensured our company’s online and offline presence, and are currently working on spreading fashion and styling awareness through activities and social campaigns.

What are some of the major challenges you’ve faced so far?

I’ve faced lots of challenges, but the major one was to learn how to move on after losing my left hand in a car accident a few months ago. It hasn’t been

easy, but I’ve managed to pull through it.

Could you share some advice for any aspiring entrepreneurs out there?

Believe, and never be satisfied with what you are now. Always strive for more. Embrace the challenges and obstacles you face – they are what make you stronger. After the challenges I faced, I had to build my life again from scratch, learning everything all over again. Yes, I had a choice to quit doing what I love, but the word ‘quit’ is not in my vocabulary. Last but not least, remember to enjoy your journey.

What are your future plans for Liganchi Designs?

The ultimate plan is to further develop Liganchi’s services and turn it into an international brand.

To find out more about Liganchi Designs, follow them on Instagram @liganchi

August 2016

23

Flash Those

Pearly WhiTes! Dr. Lamya Mahmood talks About Introducing Laser Dentistry to the gCC 24

August 2016

EntrEprEnEur ealising that laser technology would have a huge role to play in modern medicine, dentist Dr. Lamya Mahmood decided to capitalise on the growing market.

Founding Dr. Lamya’s Laser Specialist Dental Center, it was the first center of its kind to have opened in the GCC. In recognition of her efforts, Dr. Lamya was awarded the Bahrain Award for Entrepreneurship this year in the Small Medium Enterprise category.

What new developments in the field of dentistry can we see in the years to come? Are any exciting new technologies currently being developed?

Laser dentistry is a relatively new form of treatment, which many of our readers might not be familiar with.

Could you tell us how it works?

Developing a business idea is usually the first challenge faced by every entrepreneur when starting a business from scratch. Finding the right business opportunity or creatively developing an idea is certainly not an easy task. I call “Envisioning the idea” the first true task of an entrepreneur.

As an entrepreneur, you must possess the ability to see what others cannot. While others see problems, you must see opportunities.

Laser dentistry provides a modern, innovative and overall pain-free approach to dental care. This includes fillings, root canals, gum treatments, cosmetics and surgical procedures. Most of the treatments do not need a shot or injection. We use a number of different lasers for different procedures.

Patients can relax while the dental lasers are in use as they don’t make annoying noises or cause pain like traditional dental machinery does. This technology has a further advantage in that it reduces treatment and healing time, and causes less bleeding.

The field of dentistry is constantly evolving and changing to best suit the patient Here are just a few examples of the incredible new technologies already available at Dr Lamya’s: Intraoral Camera – a tool that dentists use to gain precise and well-defined pictures of hard to see places within a patient’s mouth, Invisalign – clear, practically invisible braces that can gently straighten your teeth, and HealOzone – a fast, easy and painless way to eliminate tooth decay using ozone gas (O3).

What are some of the challenges you faced when trying to set up your business?

What are your future plans for your Specialist Dental Center?

In this rapidly changing world, our plan is to create systems that predictably lead to consistent and successful patient outcomes. These systems must be both efficient and flexible enough to evolve as dentistry and dental teams

“As an entrepreneur, you must possess the ability to see what others cannot.

While others see problems, you must see opportunities.”

Dr. Lamya treating a patient

also evolve. This is important so that new procedures and latest technologies can be put in place as needed to continuously improve the quality of dentistry being delivered. I plan to take the brand of Dr Lamya’s to the next level by franchising it in all the GCC countries. Quality pain-free dental laser treatment heralds a new era in the world of dentistry.

I understand your business interests are not limited to the dental centre. Could you tell us a little bit about your other enterprises?

Through my journey with Dr. Lamya’s I was capable of bringing another dream to life which is Gatsby Beauty Lounge, a luxurious beauty spa that offers unique and high-end beauty services.

With that said, I still see a road of opportunity ahead as I am in the process of starting my third business, Medline Dental Laboratory, which is a full-service dental laboratory.

What, in your opinion, are some of the most

important character traits of successful entrepreneurs?

Resiliency, focus and self-reliance are said to be some of the common characteristics found in successful entrepreneurs, which I believe I possess.

Outside of work, what are some of your hobbies and interests?

I have a number of interests, but I’d say the biggest ones are travelling and interior decoration.

What advice do you have for any aspiring entrepreneurs, hoping to start their own business one day?

Regardless of how we define it, success can feel like a fleeting and often elusive target. It takes confidence, passion, and drive to accomplish your goals and to recognize success when you’ve achieved it.

To find out more about Dr. Lamya’s Laser Specialist Dental Center, follow them on Instagram @ drlamyas, or visit their website www.drlamyas.com

Dr. Lamya’s Laser Dental Specialist Center currently has two branches in Bahrain, with plans to open more around the GCC

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On ClOud nine

Using Cloud Computing to Streamline your Operations

By Dr. Jassim HaJi Many might still think that deploying technological solutions to any business requires a large Information Technology (IT) department, a big capital investment to purchase and manage the needed hardware and software, and high IT operating costs. However, this is no longer true as technology has been simplified and made affordable to fulfill the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises to streamline their operations. If leveraged innovatively, it can also reduce the operating costs of running a business and enhance their competitive stance in the market.

M

any might still think that deploying technological solutions to any business requires a large Information Technology (IT) department, a big capital investment to purchase and manage the needed hardware and software, and high IT operating costs. However, this is no longer true as technology has been simplified and made affordable to fulfill the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises to streamline their operations. If leveraged innovatively, it can also reduce the operating costs of running a business and enhance their competitive stance in the market.

The new Age of Business

As companies start running their core applications and services, perhaps for human resource management or financial and accounting administration, the traditional approach is to purchase high-end Personal Computers (PCs) or servers which will be used to operate and run these services. Things will only get complicated from here. This is because companies often neglect the regular and continuous efforts needed to run IT services that require expertise and dedicated resources to perform support, proper backups, administration and more. Further, as the company grows, the services and amount of transactions will grow accordingly (if not exponentially). All of these complexities are potential threats to any business’s health and continuity which can be easily eliminated by introducing and utilizing Cloud Computing services. These services have revolutionized the way technology is applied. Their potential is endless as IT services are now mobile – available and accessible from anywhere – employed to provide ideal and unique services.

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Gulf Air Chief Information Officer, Dr. Jassim Haji

The most attractive aspect of Cloud Computing is that companies don’t need a big capital investment nor expertise in order to prepare their own IT environment.

Instead of purchasing hardware to run backend services on high-end servers and core network, and hire expensive technical experts to create and manage the locally created infrastructure, Cloud Computing can be leveraged to facilitate the process by externally hosting the required services which will be running on a sophisticated infrastructure owned and operated by an experienced Cloud Service Providers. This means that your business will not have to bear the costs and risks of establishing and maintaining an IT environment, all for a small monthly fee and an Internet connection.

Software as a Service Cloud Services can be offered at different levels depending on the needs of the companies and the level of complex IT software and applications. The most basic service is Software as a Service (SaaS), where a specific software is hosted on the cloud and accessed through the web.

Software for accounting and book keeping, human resources management, customer relationship management, online sales websites and many more are readily available through the cloud, no efforts are required for setup and installation.

Many other benefits can be realized from such offered services. Companies will pay according to their usage, either based on transactions, application function or module, or amount of data processed. The size of operations is scalable, additional storage can be easily obtained, additional application modules can be added or removed according to the business needs.

Moreover, upgrades, bug fixes and backup are handled by the provider, and service levels (response, availability and uptime) are guaranteed which ensures no disruption to the business. Another major benefit is the compatibility with different devices including mobile and tablets.

Mobility is an important advantage that can enhance business productivity and growth.

These services can be accessed on the go by using mobile devices and transactions can be performed on the spot, end users will not need to fill in paper-based forms or write down transaction details and then enter them later into the application.

The entire transactional process can be performed directly in the application. This removes the redundant efforts needed for data entry, enhances accuracy and, without a doubt, increases productivity by removing constraints of where and how to log in the transaction. Another critical aspect is the integration with other cloudbased services. Payment gateways offer a wide range of payment methods, either credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, Google Wallet, Apple Pay, etc. Companies can

easily integrate their SaaS to such payment gateways to fit their customers or partners’ needs, this is even more critical if online sales website is the major distribution channel. Companies can also integrate their websites with social media either as a marketing tool or as another sales channel where members can purchase services directly through the social media.

Platform as a Service

However, if companies have the need to develop their own unique applications, then Platform as a Service (PaaS) can be used, in which several developers can use this service for developing, designing, coding, testing, and deploying applications in a collaborative manner. And whole infrastructure setup (servers, operating systems, storage and networking) can be provided to companies who wish to take full control of the IT environment. This approach is called Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).

The benefits include the elimination of capital investment and expensive technical expertise while the hardware support and maintenance is provisioned by the provider.

Weighing the Options

When companies are going to contract Cloud Service Provider, it is crucial to choose the best costing model and to monitor the incurred costs regularly to ensure that the chosen model actually optimizes the value of the service obtained compared to the costs paid. SaaS has different costing models and structures, and each provider will have their own unique model. One costing model can be based on the level of access or features

Cloud Service

provided, the software can be broken down in different modules and the company will have to choose the required module. Several modules can be clubbed together for better rate, but companies must be cautious not to choose a bundle if some of the modules are not required or will not be heavily used to bring the Return On Investment (ROI) to offset the additional costs. Another costing model is the number of users who will have access to the software, this will be usually in different bands, e.g. up to 5 users, up to 15 users, and so on.

In such models, companies can be paying for users that seldom use the software, in which case it might be more beneficial to opt for number of concurrent users (who will simultaneously use the software) as opposed to number of named users (total number of unique users, whether they will access the software once a month or every day). Another model is “pay as you go”, this model charges based on the usage of the resources, transactions or data processed.

This model has its pros and cons. On one side, it can be difficult to estimate the total cost if the business operations are volatile, on the other, it can be more economic than a constant flat rate with seasonal operations that contain peak and off-peak periods.

Dr. Jassim Haji holds the position of Director Information Technology since August 2011 in Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and he currently serves on two board of directors, a leading hospitality and tourism technology provider in the Middle East and SITA Council representing Middle East and North Africa. Dr Haji received his Doctorate in Business Administration (PhD) from the University of Northumbria at Newcastle, UK in 2010.

Description

IaaS, PaaS e.g. Microsoft Azure

Cloud service for hosting infrastructure (servers) and platforms hosted in global network of Microsoft data centers.

SaaS e.g. Microsoft Office 365

Accessing Microsoft Office applications over the cloud through subscription.

IaaS e.g. Amazon Web Services

Cloud services platform, offering compute power, database storage, content delivery and other functionality to help businesses scale and grow.

IaaS e.g. Aruba Cloud

Cloud computing platform offering infrastructure as a service over virtual machines with pay-as-you-go pricing.

PaaS, SaaS – CRM e.g. Salesforce.com

Cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) software solution for sales, service, marketing, collaboration, and analytics.

SaaS – CRM e.g. Insightly

Easy, powerful and affordable online Customer Relationship and Project Management Software used by hundreds of thousands of small businesses world wide.

PaaS - Development Platform e.g. Heroku

Cloud application platform for building and deploying web applications, removing complications of managing servers, deployment, ongoing operations, or scaling and enabling developers to focus on pure application coding.

SaaS – Business Intelligence e.g. Cloud9 Analytics

Precision forecast powered by data science for anticipating and addressing risk with predictive sales applications.

SaaS – ERP e.g. NetSuite

Full financial management and enterprise resource planning service offered over the cloud.

august 2016

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How to Make Facebook Marketing Work for Your Business

Not sure whether to take the plunge with Facebook advertising?

Here’s how to get started.

By Adam Brown, President/Founder Sircle Media 28

august 2016

I own a social media strategy firm in New York City and meet with clients and prospects daily who tell me that they are not advertising on Facebook, either because they don’t see any ROI, or because they don’t want to pay to reach an audience they’ve worked hard to cultivate over the years.

It’s almost as if they’re simply trying to spite Facebook for being a

company that wants to change access to their incredible amount of data.

But Facebook is a business, and through my work, I’ve seen that they’ve created the best targeting platform for marketers on the planet. So while others walk away, I will continue to advocate for this powerful advertising and marketing tool.

An Example Campaign Figure 1 shows a table of one of our client’s Facebook ads accounts that breaks down one of their successful Facebook ad campaigns from September. For this campaign, they spent $598 and earned $11,033.

I’m not a math expert, but those numbers seem pretty good.

In this example, the targeting was tailored to three different sets: website visitors from the last 30 days (excluding those who actually did purchase and who are not already fans on Facebook); Facebook fans who hadn’t visited the website in the last 30 days; and website visitors from the last 30 days who are also fans of the page. These and more are potential targeting options for Facebook ad campaigns.

It is quite powerful to target in these ways — while a potential customer is on Facebook, you can bring them back to your site for a purchase. Sometimes prospects just need an extra touch point or nudge. As a marketer, you should at least explore this type of approach before unilaterally dismissing Facebook advertising.

How to Get Started The Facebook ads platform is easy to use: they provide instructional videos that break down each component in laymen terms. They want to make it simple to get started, whether you’re a digital marketer or just a business owner looking to advertise.

Results

Reach

5

2,478

Conversions

—

Conversions

6

Conversions

—

Conversions

2

Conversions

60

Conversions

2,160 879 836 1,334 14,441 People

Facebook is an objective-based ads platform, so you go in and craft campaigns based on what it is you’re looking for. If you want “likes” from new targeted fans, CPL campaigns are your best bet. If you want website traffic, you should try CPC campaigns.

If you want increased reach or engagement on your great content, then you can experiment with Page Post Engagements. All are worth experimentation, and each has a different type of value for your business.

“If you are not even considering using Facebook ads for your business, you are compromising your ability to win online.”

Cost

Budget

Checkout

Amount

$5.73

$100.00

$1,001.00

$28.63

—

$100.00

$0.00

$27.26

$50.00

$1,214.65

$19.61

$50.00

$0.00

$19.10

$50.00

$239.96

$19.02

$11,033.63

$597.48

Per Conversion Per Conversion

$3.27

Per Conversion

—

Per Conversion

$9.51

Per Conversion

$9.96

Cost Conversion

Lifetime Lifetime

Lifetime Lifetime

Lifetime

Total

Total Spent

Once you’ve chosen your campaign type, you can experiment with different types of targeting. Here’s a great article from Facebook for Business that can help you get started with targeting. If you want to get the right messages in front of the right audience, I’ve found that Facebook can really help. Not only can you now reach fans with guaranteed impressions, you can go out and target fans of your competitors, visitors to a specific website and members of your email database, to name just a few I’ve tried.

If you are not even considering using Facebook ads for your business, you are compromising your ability to win online. I encourage you at least explore the options before passing over the platform. You will be pleasantly surprised by what you can do, and your ROI argument might start to change.

Adam Brown is the Founder and President of Sircle Media, a social media strategy firm based in New York City.

Figure 1: Table of client’s Facebook ad accounts

august 2016

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Are Holidays Good for Your Business?

The Case of Bahrain

Season Strategy

By Prof essor Mukhtar AL-Hashimi

PeoPle tend to Perceive Public holidays positively and look forward to them regardless of their socio-economic level, education and marital status. The oxford dictionary defines a holiday as “an extended period of leisure and recreation; a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done�. in their simplest form, holidays are a time off for regular activities such as religious, cultural, national, or recreational. but what impact do they have on businesses?

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To Each His Own

On the one hand, individuals, and especially working people, look forward to holidays and expect more from them. Meanwhile, business owners could have mixed perceptions of the impact of holidays on their businesses. Some acknowledge the positive impact of the holiday on their business, while others, and especially small and medium sized businesses, may view holidays as having a negative impact on their business performance. However, every country has its specific holidays observed on different dates and there are different laws on how businesses are to operate during the holidays and whether employees are to be compensated if the business stays open during the holiday.

Impact on SMEs

Globally, the number of holidays varies in every country, but the majority of countries have between 10 and 15 holidays a year. In the Kingdom of Bahrain, many holidays are observed, aside from official holidays on weekends on Fridays and Saturdays. Holidays in the Kingdom of Bahrain are New Year’s Day, the Birthday of Prophet Mohammed, Labour Day, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Islamic New Year, Ashura and National Day. There are 14 public holidays in total. Usually, if any of these mentioned holidays fall on the same day as another public holiday or weekend, then that day will be compensated thereafter. Bahrain has the second most public holidays among the GCC countries, after Saudi Arabia, which has 23.

Although the number of holidays is relatively similar between various different countries, studies indicate that the impact of holidays on small and medium businesses may differ significantly from country to country based on the society, type of holidays, SMEs market size, economic structure and business sectors, along with people’s attitudes toward staying home or travelling during the holidays. Another important factor to highlight is that the occurrence of the holidays on a weekday could have a significant impact.

SMEs are responsible for generating 73% of the private-sector jobs in the Bahraini job market, and contribute 30% of the gross national product in Bahrain. In Bahrain, in recent years small sized enterprises have accounted for 91% while large companies represented about 1%. On examining the business sectors profile and segmentation, it is found to fall into about 40% trade, 18% business activities, 11% manufacturing and 11% construction.

The limited size and capabilities of the SME in Bahrain make it more sensitive to the negative impact of the holidays. This negative impact is greater on businesses with one physical store: if this is closed during the holiday, it means the entire source of income is also closed. The question this study seeks to answer is “What is the impact of public holidays on profitability of SMEs in Bahrain?” The fact is that, due to the large number of holidays in Bahrain, there is a problem as to whether SMEs can maintain their sustainability and profitability with 14 days off in every year.

Contributing Factors

To understand the extent of the impact of holidays on the business, one needs to highlight three major elements. The first is the day on which the holiday occurs: whether the holiday falls in the beginning or middle of the week, or just before the weekend. The second element is the type of holiday: whether it is a national, festive or religious holiday. The third element is the type of SME or business: customer services, retail, consultancy, construction, industrial, entertainment, or food chain services. For example, last year on one religious holiday 45,000 people travelled to one country, and 11,000 Bahrainis travelled to another country for religious events, of which the average person spent 1000 BD during that five day visit.

While such a considerable number of travellers could possibly profit travel agencies, one can argue that businesses in general would be negatively affected by the removal of customers from the local market through travel.

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Retrospective data analysis was performed on the eight different types of holiday events and their day of occurrence, taking into account the day of the week on which the holiday fell and the probability of residents travelling out of the country, for one calendar year. The aim here was to understand the direct and indirect impact on the business. Three assumptions were that the actual day of the holiday would have 100% negative impact on the business; this would be 50% if it preceded the weekend, and 25% for the days before or after the holiday.

In an attempt to better understand the impact of holidays on small businesses in Bahrain, an exploratory research was conducted among various selected business sectors of SMEs in Bahrain.

Quantitative data was collected through a questionnaire as the main instrument of data collection in order to analyze a primary source of information with regards to SMEs in Bahrain. The participants of the questionnaire were selected to best reflect the business owners of various SMEs in Bahrain. We adopted the classification of the SMEs established by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, that is, micro SMEs are those with less than 10 employees, small SMEs those with 11-50 employees, and medium SMEs 41-250 employees. However, these numbers are different for the construction sector.

Empirical Evidence

In total there were 100 participants, of which 94% were Bahraini.

In terms of age, they had about equal segmentation of age ranging from 20 to more than 50 years. In terms of gender, 54% were male and 46% female. In terms of sector, healthcare made up 16% while retail, manufacturing and services were equal at about 12%. These

numbers are a good reflection of SMEs in the country. Interestingly, the majority of participants come from the business service sectors (62%). Reflecting on the major finding of the first study, the majority of business owners believe Bahrain has a high number of official holidays (65%) and believe that holidays impact their business performance. The finding highlights that the highest impact comes from religious holidays (80%), since majority of residents travel for religious reasons. The majority of the sales owners believe that their sales volume decreases during holidays. In summary, the finding of the first study encouraged us to conduct another field research study, referred to here as the second research study.

A second research study was conducted to ascertain the impact of public holidays on the profitability of SMEs in Bahrain. A questionnaire was distributed in both Arabic and English languages to enable business owners to respond in the language most suitable to them. In the second study 130 SME business owners participated.

Here the majority of the respondents (67%) own micro businesses, followed by 20% small business owners. The majority of participants indicated that their business model has direct contact with customers (91%). Most of the respondents believed that Bahrain has too many public holidays (70%). When the public were asked to pick which holiday they most preferred to travel abroad, surprisingly, a majority picked religious and national holidays as the most preferred time for them to travel, and the day of the week on which the holiday occurs had a significant impact on the decision. The most affected business sectors are healthcare and especially private clinics, manufacturing, services such as computer services, and consultancy services. On the other hand, there are businesses that benefit from holidays, such as those involved in entertainment, restaurants and cinemas.

The limited size and capabilities of the SME in Bahrain make it more sensitive to the

negative impact of the holidays.

In conclusion, both studies have shown, through statistical analysis, that holidays have an impact on SMEs. Businesses in fields such as the restaurant, retail and beauty sectors may be positively impacted as customers choose to employ their services on holidays. On the other hand, businesses such as consulting, clinics and construction companies face negative impacts on their business during holidays. This study suggests that business owners accept public holidays as a fact of life and plan their business model and cycle. However, they need to plan their budget and expenditure around the fact that some business sectors will be affected.

Professor Mukhtar Al-Hashimi Ahlia University, Bahrain Email malhashimi@ ahlia.edu.bh Instagram “Prof_Mukhtar�

Mobile +973- 39664117

august 2016

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Leadership

Crisis

Addressing the Shortage of Quality Corporate Leaders

By Mike Orlov If leading people is as straightforward as thousands of books and articles suggest, why are we left asking ourselves why there are so many placed in leadership roles who are so very bad at leading people? Surveys and overviews of research from many organisations such as the Institute for Corporate Productivity to Development Dimensions International (DDI) to the Center for Creative Leadership tell us there is a shortage of quality leaders, there are too many instances of leadership failures and underperformance in leadership roles is endemic.

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EvoLving CuLturE

Workplace culture is constantly evolving to meet the needs of new generations as well as new economic demands. In today’s fast-paced, competitive, and mobile world, leaders have more opportunities and greater necessity than ever to engage with their workforce. Gone is the draconian command and control leader who sits behind his large desk in the corner office, delegating task after task. While the leaders of the past used to be directive, telling their employees the exact steps to take and giving them a paycheque at the end of the week for following their orders, today’s great leaders have loosened the parameters.

Leaders need to show a willingness to share access to topics that in the past employees were not allowed to think about. Leaders accept ideas from anyone, regardless of rank. Leaders who take the approach of ‘you never know where a great idea will come from’ are more likely to have a motivated and inspired workforce. Today’s leader is not afraid to show vulnerability and actively solicit input, ensuring talking does not substitute for action, and ensuring sounding smart does not become an alternative to doing smart things.

Paradoxes of Leadership  Commanding and Democratic  Demanding and Coaching  Visionary and Detailed Exploration  Reflective and Sense of Urgency  Fast and Slow  Wear the mask and be Authentic  Tough empathy and Reveal

own weaknesses

grEat PowEr, grEat rEsPonsibiLity

Leading others is a privilege. Once placed in such a position of authority, you are shaping and directing the surrounding potential, turning it into a positive force, moving progress forward. When you become a leader, you are fitted with a large amount of responsibility.

Being emotionally aware, leading with curiosity is a privilege, not granted to most.

Leading is a difficult task. Placing others before you goes against our inherent nature of being self-serving human beings. Results from research on what employees are looking for is always worth exploring, but can those of us in leadership roles actually put our hands on our hearts and say we are conducting ourselves as people-focused leaders? Research summary suggests leaders ought to: • Exhibit great integrity, acting in a robust ethical manner and exhibiting a high moral code • Have a big picture purpose and vision • Communicate, communicate, communicate • Recognize and capitalize on people’s individual strengths and competencies • Stimulate collaboration to develop creative solutions • Display a calm, caring and honest demeanor • Commit to doing the right thing – always • Ensure things are done right • Be honest and candid • Provide unwavering support when challenging decisions need to be made • Demonstrate fairness • Be an effective coach, a stimulating mentor and guide The very best leaders share one thing in common; they care about their people just as much as they care about the performance of the enterprise, knowing it is their employees who deliver enterprise-performance. These leaders engage with their employees with passion and share an overwhelming sense of purpose, encouraging their team members to grow and develop.

Respect: Respect is earned, not given.

Leadership demands  Detect threats

Regardless of being promoted to a new position, you cannot expect others just to respect you. Treating others with respect is a great way to earn respect.

 Explore opportunities

Humility: Remove your ego long enough to

 Communicate

 Keep colleagues engaged

learn from those around you. Only admitting mistakes and not learning from them will not take you very far into a leadership role.

When there are things you do not know how to do, ask for help from those who have been successfully doing them.

 Solve complicated dilemmas

Serve: This will define you as a leader.

 Address weaknesses  Reinforce strengths  Manage the disturbances

 Forge alliances  Dig deep into own true self  Be aware of the need to be separate  Dare to be different

DEfining traits

Leaders need to be involved and show they are willing to do whatever needs to be done to support their people. Great leaders do not preach to the masses, they work one-on-one with their people. They build trusting relationships. And they act.

As a potential leader, here are a few things to keep in mind:

To lead you have to understand those who follow. If you lack the knowledge of knowing those following you, how can you expect for them to continue to support you?

Gratitude: Being a leader is an honour in the majority of all cultures. You are not the only one that makes sacrifices, showing those following you just how grateful you are for the sacrifices they make will help keep you in that role of leadership.

Humour: Life including business can become stagnant as well as boring if there was nothing to laugh or smile about. Most people find it easier to laugh through a terrible situation.

Employees are more likely to deliver, delight and excite you if the work environment is non-threatening and enjoyable.

Mike Orlov Partner, SteppingStone Global Before joining ‘SteppingStone Global’, Mike has spent 35 years in industry, publishing magazines at Haymarket, Turret and Reed Elsevier, working in newspapers and on digital channels in the UK and the GCC, having been a director at Northern and Shell and on the board of the London Evening Standard.

Launching media brands in Dubai for ENG, Mike was also Chief Performance Officer for News Group International, before taking the Chief Executive role at Primedia International, with offices across the GCC and headquartered in Bahrain.

Mike has completed an executive MBA, achieving a distinction.

august 2016

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Cov e r Sto r y

GranD

Developments exclusive Interview with Bin Faqeeh real estate Investment Company Ceo

FaIsal BIn Faqeeh With their outstanding track record of producing some of the country’s finest luxury housing, the Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company has cemented its position as one of Bahrain’s leading property developers. In this month’s real estate edition of Business In Gulf magazine, we meet the company’s founder and CEO, Faisal bin Faqeeh and ask him about all things Real Estate.

H

ow and when was the Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company formed?

The company’s roots date back to 2002, when we were involved in buying and selling land. In 2007, we decided to start developing properties, and officially established the ‘Bin Faqeeh Real Estate Investment Company’ in 2008. Our first major project was La Vida, a residential building situated in Busaiteen, right next to King Hamad Hospital. We sold the apartments at cost price, as our motivation

at this early stage was simply to test the market and gauge the customers’ reaction. Even though we launched the development during the time of a major global financial crisis, the response we received from the market was quite positive. It set the precedent for more projects as we singled out our market niche. Today, our goal is not to compete with other developers for a share of the existing market, but to lead the way by building landmark properties in locations where other developers won’t. We’re not risk takers, we’re market makers. august 2016

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“Our projects are very target specific.

Thus, we dO nOT spend Time lOOking fOr cusTOmers Once a prOjecT is cOmpleTed – we already know where they are.”

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Multi-million projects require confidence and guidance. As a young and very dynamic CEO, did you have a mentor? Someone you looked up to?

To be honest, my father was involved in the construction industry for a very long time. And to me, he has been a great example of a successful businessman. He taught me the importance of being targetoriented, and how to distinguish myself from the crowd by always bringing something unique to the table.

Being the chairman, what would you say is the most valuable thing you provide to your organisation?

As a leader, it is imperative that you have a mindset that is constantly evolving with the times and capable of an innovative thought process. You need to be creative and unique...to think outside the box for solutions especially since the whole team is looking up at you. When they see a leader who is driven, they automatically get motivated and energised into giving it their best.

For instance, after I come up with a new idea for a project, I spend a lot of time sketching and thinking about what it’s going to look like before presenting it to the rest of the team. The next important step is to be able to motivate your staff and get them involved in the thought process. I find it exhilarating when my own staff regularly ask me what we have planned next as they’re always excited about our upcoming projects. Any good leader knows that a team works best when they truly enjoy their work.

What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make thus far during your career with Bin Faqeeh?

We just recycle our money within the company, using the profit margins to progressively increase the size and number of our upcoming projects. It’ s just that people are only taking notice of us now, due to the speed at which we’ve progressed, with 34 projects added to our portfolio in just the last six years.

However, this growth has been much more gradual than people realise. What they don’t seem to understand is that when a developer announces a project, for say $100 million, that figure is simply the valuation of the project. It does not mean that he writes and pays a cheque for that amount from the onset. Usually it requires a 5% payment of the total cost in order to get the ball rolling and the rest comes in as we go along. Obviously a lot of securities and guarantees are involved to ensure that the development is completed and that investors are safe.

But technically speaking this is how large developers are able to work and launch multiple projects at once.

Due to an almost meteoric rise as one of the Kingdom’s top RE-Developers, it is believed that Bin Faqeeh is set-up and back backed by regional investors.

Is this true?

What do you see as Bin Faqeeh’s strongest competitive value proposition?

In general difficult decisions are part of the business package, but I feel that my most difficult decision so far, was actually starting operations in 2010. It was soon after the global financial crisis of 2008, and the market was still reeling from the after effects and subsequent re-correction of the real-estate industry. The bubble had burst and it was not an ideal time to venture into a new business. Everyone I knew advised me against going ahead with the ‘La Vida’ residential project, and to wait until the economy had stabilised.

But I’d gotten tired of waiting. To me, the project did not seem as risky as it might have to my friends and other real-estate developers, as I had spent enough time calculating the outcomes of every scenario. And so, going against everyone’s advice and judgement, I went ahead with my plans.

What people don’t realise is that our family has been involved in the real-estate industry for a very long time even much before the early boom at the turn of the millennium. Therefore, all of our capital is Bahrain-generated and we are proud to say that we did not get a single cent from overseas.

We’re very different from other developers in the sense that our projects are very target specific. Thus, we do not spend time looking for customers once a project is launched – we already know where they are. For instance, at one of our initial developments in Seef, we sold apartments for only BD 19,000.

We marketed this property specifically for young professionals, presenting them with the idea of buying a house

Bin Faqeeh’s upcoming Water Bay project, which will be located in Bahrain Bay

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at the cost of a car. The concept being: a car will depreciate over time while properties not only appreciate but also generate revenue. Therefore, all our projects are pre-planned and tailor-made to suit the needs or budgets of our target segments.

From an investor’s perspective, what would you say is the right or wrong time to invest in real-estate? Are there signs one needs to watch out for?

I always tell people that a bad time for the market means plenty of opportunity.

During a market slump, everyone is trying to get rid of their property, which means that you can buy land or

properties at a great price. Secondly, regardless of economic downturns contractors and suppliers need to keep their companies afloat and cover at least their minimum overheads. This also brings down prices further as construction materials, supplies and man-power costs become cheaper. These factors make buying and developing a whole lot easier.

What makes Bahrain’s market so special, when compared to Dubai or Saudi Arabia?

From my own individual experience, I would say Bahrain is certainly a very unique market - unlike any other in the region. Its size makes it very easily

manageable and learning the ‘ins and outs’ does not require more than two months. You can easily figure out who the best contractors to work with are, whom you need to avoid, the type of returns from each area etc. Another thing that makes Bahrain special that it’s a very popular destination for GCC nationals. Everyone is looking to buy a second home here. You don’t have to dig very deep to see that, as developments in the Kingdom such as the expansion of Bahrain International Airport, speak for themselves. Furthermore, government procedures and legislation with regards to development are very easy to comprehend when compared to other GCC countries.

Bin Faqeeh’s upcoming Layan project in Durrat Marina will have water slides attached to the balconies of select apartments

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Your new Layan project in Durrat Marina has waterslides attached directly to some of the apartments. Who came up with that idea and how?

The idea was originally mine. It was to add further entertainment or residential perks of living in Layan, which is quite far out from the rest of the country. While brainstorming for unique ideas, we thought it would be quite fun to be able to jump straight into a water slide from your balcony. We then consulted with a number of professionals to decide whether the idea would actually be feasible. Now, plans are set to build slides big enough to fit four people, which lead directly into a pool with its own an artificial wave

“we’re not risk takers,

we’re markeT makers.” generator. The slides and pool will also have heating and cooling systems so that they can be used throughout the year.

What other unique innovations can we expect to see in the near future?

I wouldn’t like to let the cat out of the bag just yet, but what I can tell you is that we’ve already come up with a couple of ideas even better than the water slides. Obviously our internal evaluations team is working on the feasibility factor and things will be announced in due course. Our main aim though is to stay unique and to keep providing novelty developments to the Kingdom. Projects that will make Bahrain stand out and give it further

acclaim as a modern and boutique destination in this region.

Any other upcoming projects that Bin Faqeeh has in the pipeline that our readers can set aside their budgets for?

For now we’re focusing on an upcoming project of between 500 to 600 two-storey villas exclusively for Bahrainis with a price range of BD 85, 000 to BD 145, 000. We’re currently looking at three locations to develop at, and are expecting to finalise on one soon. We believe that this will be a very important project not only for the company but also for the country, as there is a shortage in supply for such units catering to the needs of locals. august 2016

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signs of Progress Analysis Report on Bahrain’s Real Estate Sector 2015/2016

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In the space of a generation, Bahrain has been transformed beyond recognition. A bustling ferry jetty that was once the only way to reach Saudi Arabia has been transformed into a financial harbour, while the fivestar Gulf Hotel, built to overlook the beach in 1969, now markets itself as a downtown destination. Land reclamation offers opportunities for development stretching from the man-made islands of the $6bn Durrat Al Bahrain community in the south of the island to the $90m biscuit factory being built at Bahrain International Investment Park.

here are signs of progress across the kingdom, as Gulf Development Programme funds are used for housing, highways and infrastructure projects. Although the renewed sense of confidence is tempered by concerns that the global fall in oil prices may lead to curbs on government spending by Bahrain’s wealthy GCC neighbours, in the short term, increased spending by record numbers of Saudi visitors is helping to fuel property investment tied to hospitality and retail, while Gulf Development Programme funds are also driving the real estate sector forward. “The challenges which exist in Dubai or Saudi do not exist in Bahrain. I am referring to a legislative, regulatory, liquidity and end user perspective,” Gagan Suri, CEO of Bahrain Bay Development, told the press.

“All of these factors should be taken into account, these markets are different. So you really have to dissect each of the markets separately to come up with what are the challenges in each separately.”

eConoMiC iMPACT

The real estate sector is the second largest contributor to GDP (after financial services) from the non-oil sectors. According to data from the Central Informatics Organisation, the real estate sector contributed BD453.2m ($1.19bn) to GDP at constant prices in 2014, a 3.2% increase on the 2013 total of BD439.3m ($1.16bn). It represented 4% of GDP, a figure that has fallen every year from 2009 when real estate accounted for 4.7% of total GDP at constant prices. Meanwhile, data from the Bahrain Economic Development Board shows that real estate and business activity grew 4.7% in 2014. Provisional data for the first quarter of 2015 show a modest year-on-year (y-o-y) rise of 2.3% with the sector contributing BD114.9m ($302.7m) to GDP during the period.

regULATion

The rapid expansion of the country’s built area has been managed by a number of government agencies and organisations, some of which are also charged with meeting the housing needs of Bahraini citizens. The responsibility for meeting the pent-up demand for housing that is both affordable and in keeping with traditional Bahrain home life lies with the Ministry of Housing (MoH).

foreign oWnersHiP of ProPerTY

Bahrain is very different from many of its GCC neighbours in its rules on foreign ownership of property. “Bahrain has always been an attractive country for investors from other Gulf countries, because you do not have to be Bahraini to purchase freehold property and there is no limit set on how much land you can buy,” Hassan Ebrahim Kamal, chairman of the properties committee at the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told OBG. Although the transactions may be limited to certain zones, a new law passed in 2013 set a flat 2% fee on all property sales, regardless of purchase price. “In addition, all of the documentation is very clear and transparent with property purchases,” Kamal told OBG. “You receive a signed document, with the Royal seal on the front and official stamps inside, which shows the exact location of the property on a map, the names of the vendor and buyer and the names of the owners of the other properties in the area. This is one of the clearest property documents you will see anywhere in the world.”

sALes figUres

Although the final agreed sale price for individual properties is not published, the Survey and Land Registration Bureau

(SLRB) does give details of the overall volume of sales in the market, and shows how much property has been purchased

by Bahrainis, citizens from Gulf states and other international buyers. SLRB data comparing the first half of 2015 with the same period in 2014 shows a fall in real estate transactions from BD722.7m ($1.9bn) to BD687.3m ($1.8bn). The drop was most pronounced among buyers from the Gulf, which saw a 31% decrease y-o-y. They bought BD46m ($121.2m) worth of property in 2015, compared to BD67m ($176.5m) in 2014, while buyers from other countries spent BD29.9m ($78.8m) in 2015, compared to BD36m ($94.8m) in 2014. Bahrainis accounted for 89% of the market in 2015, spending BD611.3m ($1.61bn), compared to BD619.7m ($1.63bn) in 2014. SLRB officials suggested the earlier start of Ramadan in 2015 could have had some impact on sales for the period. The figures also follow a pronounced expansion in 2014, with total property sales for the year up by 50% compared to 2013, climbing from BD862m ($2.3bn) to BD1.3bn ($3.4bn).

Property purchases by GCC citizens doubled over the period, from BD53.4m ($140.7m) to BD108.1m ($284.8m), while there was a 29% increase in sales to international buyers, up from BD50.8m ($133.8m) to BD65.5m ($172.6m). Bahrainis bought 87% of the property sold in 2014, investing more than a billion dinars in their home market, representing a 48% increase from BD757.7m ($2bn) in 2013 to over BD1.1bn ($2.9bn). The very fact that Bahrainis spent that much in their own property market sends a positive message to the wider investment community.

eDUCATionAL efforTs

Meanwhile, in order to fill the gaps in property development education, Bahrain Polytechnic is currently developing the first property development degree in the kingdom with Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company.

The programme will provide students with the skills required to further develop their careers in the real estate industry.

sTALLeD ProJeCTs

Another factor that has dampened investment in real estate in Bahrain is the legacy of the 2009 property bubble. The sight of unfinished building projects, including Villamar, has presented a public relations challenge for those hoping to encourage inward investment in recent years. In 2014 a new law was passed showing the government was trying to push some of these projects to completion. A judicial committee consisting of two industry experts and three judges has been formed to review ways of moving forward schemes (see analysis). The new legislation stipulates that 20% of funding for any new private development must be placed in an escrow account until the construction is completed.

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explicit permission can face up to 12 months in prison and a BD10,000 ($26,300) fine. As of January 2016 the new regulations had not yet been implemented.

HoMes for CiTiZens

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has issued a directive to build 40,000 homes, and the MoH has committed to ensuring 25,000 homes are provided within five years.

However, based on ongoing projects, high demand for housing will remain. In June 2015 Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the crown prince, laid the foundation stone of the East Sitra housing project, which will provide 5000 housing units as well as other community amenities. The project has been the beneficiary of funding from the UAE under the Gulf Development Programme.

Another ongoing project under the fund is in East Hidd, where Kuwait is financing the work. Atkins Group is the master planner for the scheme, which includes homes, apartment blocks, schools, mosques and a petrol station.

The first units are under construction. The homes are being built by Nass Contracting.

“We are building 483 villas in East Hidd,” David Anthony, general manager of Nass Contracting, told OBG. “The project has been built with finance from the Kuwait Fund, and when members of the fund visited in August 2015 they were very impressed by the quality of the work and the speed of progress.” In March 2015 the MoH signed an agreement with the private developer of the Diyar Al Muharraq housing scheme to buy 3100 residential units for BD276m ($727.1m) under the Social Housing Programme. A further public-private partnership signed with the development company Naseej will see 2800 affordable and social units constructed.

Another developer building affordable homes with a maximum market value of BD120,000 ($316,000) is Manara Developments. “Wahat Al Muharraq is a social housing scheme of ours consisting of 210 villas,” Mohammed Abdulaziz Ali, director of sales and marketing at the company, told OBG. “We have already handed 50 properties over and the rest have been sold. We also have the Jubilee Gardens development of 90-100 villas, which is sold out. A typical property of this sort might be 160 sq metres with three beds, plus a maid’s room, and two parking spaces.” A BD750m ($2bn) Social Housing Finance Fund was created in 2013 as a joint venture between the MoH and a consortium of banks, including Eskan Bank, Ahli United Bank, Bahrain Islamic Bank, Kuwait Finance House and Al Salam Bank. This allows qualifying middleto low-income citizens to borrow up to BD81,000 ($213,000) from participating banks towards the value of a BD90,000 ($237,000) property, with monthly repayments capped at 25% of the buyer’s total monthly income.

The remainder is covered by government subsidies, which are reduced as the buyer’s salary increases. State-owned Eskan Bank acts as the MoH’s financial facilitator for affordable housing. For its projects, the bank offers a 44

august 2016

PICTURED: The iconic Bahrain World Trade Centre

scheme, which guarantees buy-back options to purchasers, allowing them to sell their apartments in 7-10 years at market prices less a 10% discount and move up to more enhanced residences such as villas.

fLATs or ViLLAs

Traditionally, Bahraini villas were designed for multiple generations or branches of a family around a central courtyard. But the space to allow this pattern of house building is running out. “Bahrainis have always chosen to live in villas instead of apartments because villas allowed them to expand their living quarters as their families grew and provided them the privacy that they require,” Mark Haikal, head of investments at Naseej, told OBG. “This reduced demand for apartments also constrained the secondary market for these units. Developers here need to find more creative solutions to living requirements and to find ways of adapting living spaces to the requirements of Bahraini families; ideas such as duplexes with private entrances.”

Manara Developments is building two apartment blocks, a three-storey development in Muharraq and a four-storey block in Seef, in the hope that younger Bahrainis may be tempted to buy. “We are trying to persuade younger people to live in apartments,” Ali told OBG. Meanwhile, Kamal is confident a change in attitude will come. “I believe younger generations of Bahrainis will move from villas to flats,” Kamal told OBG. “It is a good idea, because in a flat you have lower running costs and a young man and his wife who are both working can afford so much more if they live in this kind of accommodation. I think that we should help people to make this move.”

resiDenTiAL TrenDs

Government support for these affordable housing schemes has helped to breathe new life into the residential housing market.

While estate agency Cluttons “Spring 2015 Property Outlook” for Bahrain suggests falling oil prices may subdue expatriate demand, CBRE’s “Bahrain Market View” for the first and second quarters of 2015 is more upbeat. CBRE reported that the fourth tower of Dar Al Salam Port, a Bin Faqeeh development, was completed with approximately 70% occupancy in early 2015 with a mixture of owner-occupiers and tenants, while Spring Hills, a Royal Ambassador property in Juffair, had achieved 80% occupancy at the end of the first quarter. Stronger demand from GCC nationals looking for family homes was thought to be behind the success of apartment and villa developments at Durrat Marina, with 80% sold to Bahrainis. Cluttons reported that residential rental prices across Manama had risen by 2.2% in 2014, and CBRE’s quarterly reports say occupancy levels in popular residential compound areas to the north-west of Manama have remained high, though rents have remained steady, both there and in areas such as Juffair, Seef, Reef Island and Amwaj Islands.

RETAIL SECTOR: Bayside shopping malls in Manama and Muharraq are among the developments currently under way in the retail sector. In the first quarter of 2015 the 77,000-sq-metre Muharraq Seef Mall opened on Arad Corniche, with a gross leasable area (GLA) of 30,000 sq metres and anchored by a Geant supermarket. The Avenues is taking shape along the Manama Corniche

“Hospitality is leading the real estate sector, and there is still room for more decent threeand four-star hotels in Bahrain.” in the heart of Bahrain Bay opened its doors at the start of 2015, while work continues on the 180-room One&Only Royal Mirage, along the shore from the Ritz Carlton. Emaar Hospitality Group is working with Eagle Hills to bring The Address and Vida chains to Bahrain. Continued development of five-star hotels has created a gap in the mid-range segment. “Hospitality is leading the real estate sector, and there is still room for more decent three- and four-star hotels in Bahrain,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa, chairman of International Trading & Investment Company, said.

inDUsTriAL & WAreHoUsing

by Bahrain Bay and will be a single-storey covered shopping street opening onto seaside parks that will be served by water taxis.

With GLA of 55,000 sq metres, the Dragon City Mall on Diyar Al Muharraq focuses on Chinese goods and brands. The mall,opened in December 2015 (see Retail chapter).

HosPiTALiTY

Another sector aiming to capitalise on visitors is hospitality, with the hotels and restaurants sector reporting annual growth of 9.9% in 2014, according to the Economic Development Board (see Tourism chapter). Many of the hotels are aiming at the luxury end of the market. The ART Rotana opened on Amwaj Islands in early 2015 and another Rotana hotel in downtown Manama due to be open for business from March 2016. The Four Seasons

New projects are also under way in the industrial sector. Manara Developments is constructing a 610,000-sq-metres business park called Investment Gateway Bahrain on land it has reclaimed from the sea at a cost of $200m. “The land is being parcelled up and sold for B3 commercial development, commercial showrooms and light industry,” Manama Development Company’s Ali said.

“It is freehold and so buyers will not have to make community payments. We have sold about 75% of the plots and it will be fully sold by the end of 2016. Most of the buyers are from Bahrain, but we have had some from Saudi Arabia and also one Indian company.”

offiCe sPACe

Office rents have remained flat and the sector has become fragmented. CBRE reports that grade-A office developments with high-end facilities such as the World Trade Centre and Almoayyed Tower are enjoying reasonable occupancy levels. Bahrain is not alone in seeing a decline in asking prices for office space. When compared to other

parts of the GCC, the availability and price of commercial space are compelling selling points for Bahrain for any service company looking for office accommodation in the region. This is underlined when data from CBRE’s “Marketview Q2 2015” for Bahrain is compared to UAE figures from Asteco’s “UAE Property Review”. With monthly rents per sq metre converted into Bahraini dinar, office space in Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC) costs approximately BD22 ($58), while prime fitted space in Abu Dhabi costs BD13 ($34). The average prime rate in Seef comes in significantly lower at BD8 ($21). DIFC’s asking prices have declined 55% since 2008, while Abu Dhabi’s are down 41%, according to Asteco. Seef’s rental prices have fallen by 38% since 2009, as per CBRE figures.

regionAL CoMPArison

When it comes to residential accommodation for staff, another concern for external companies looking for a regional base, Bahrain is likewise a comparatively affordable option. A two-bed flat in Juffair costs BD700 ($1840) per month, compared to BD1142 ($3010) in Dubai’s Jumeirah Lake Towers and BD1250 ($3290) in Abu Dhabi centre, while a four-bed villa in Sar or Janabiya can be had for BD800 ($2100) per month compared to BD1840 ($4800) at Dubai’s Arabian Ranches. “Bahrain is not Dubai and in some ways we should not worry about competing with it,” said Mona Y Almoayyed, managing director of Y K Almoayyed and Sons. “If companies settle here, their employees can enjoy a quieter life and cheaper housing. We are ideally placed for companies who are interested in selling into Saudi Arabia.” Bahrain also offers a higher standard of living and lifestyle based on the HSBC “Expat Explorer Report” in 2015.

oUTLooK

The projects in both hospitality and retail bode well for real estate in Bahrain, and indicate that the sector is picking up speed.

New legislation has created more robust rules and the establishment of a committee to kick-start stalled projects should help boost confidence. Meanwhile, the government’s support for affordable housing schemes is bringing increased activity into the residential housing market.

Oxford Business Group is a global research and consultancy company producing investment and economic reports on more than 30 countries. This article is an excerpt of their most recent report on the economy of Bahrain, The Report: Bahrain 2016. For economic updates and more articles, visit www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com

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INSIDE SCOOP

Is now the right time to BUY or SELL property in Bahrain?

Real Estate has long been seen as one of the safest investment options available.

But how should the current economic climate affect our judgement? We asked a few leading personalities in Bahrain’s real estate sector the above question to find out: If we are talking about residential properties, then now would be considered the best time to Buy. There is currently an abundance of residential properties, which are usually scarce in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We know that once there is an increase in the number of properties on the market, prices drop, making this an ideal situation for the prospective buyer.

Therefore, we recommend setting aside your budgets today before the number of residential offers decrease!

Hasan Al Mushaimea, General Manager, Grnata Real Estate

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Now is the right time to Buy property in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The real estate market has taken a significant hit due to the falling oil prices and increases in electricity, water and tax charges. This coupled with the over-supply of freehold properties, means that property can be bought at a much lower price, making this the ideal time to invest in real estate.

Bilal Mohammed, General manager, River West Properties

The real estate market often depends on supply and demand. Moreover, the banks here provide adequate liquidity to allow individuals and real estate developers easy access to financing. The Economic Vision 2030 for Bahrain outlines the future path for the development of our economy. This vision will be translated into a tangible and coordinated National Strategy across government institutions. My advice would be to Buy and invest in the real estate market in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Abdulkarim Alsada, Chairman, Smart Real Estate

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GoinG the extra Mile 30 ways to surprise & delight your customer

Many businesses invest a lot of time and money trying to attract new customers, but do not pay much attention to those they already have. Delighting your customers can become your competitive advantage. Competitors can copy your products, lower the price or offer similar benefits; but they will not be able to copy the experience your customers have when buying from you. Making customers feel delighted and pleasantly surprised is the responsibility of everyone, not just that of the salespeople or those at the forefront.

Every interaction that the actual or potential customer has with your brand, you, your employees and your website, builds positioning. Providing an amazing experience consistently requires planning and processes. From handwritten notes to loyalty benefits, a simple detail can make all the difference in a competitive and aggressive market. Here are 30 ways to surprise and delight your customers:

1. Give each new customer a special welcome kit Surprise them by delivering a hard copy or digital document thanking them for choosing your company. The document may include contact information for key people in your company and instructions of what to do next.

2. send a handwritten note to a customer in appreciation for their business In a world where the main means of communication is e-mail, receiving a handwritten note thanking your customer for a meeting, inviting them for an event or any form of recognition can go a long way. Pick one of your best customers, for example, those you have been serving for a year, thank them for working together.

3. hiGhliGht customers Mention customers publicly and let them know how much you appreciate them and how important they are to you.

For example, you can include a section in your newsletter which highlights “the customer of the month”, or you can publish an interview with your best customer.

4. send them a sample of a new product If you are launching a new product, it may be a good idea for your best customers to try your product before other customers. It shows not only that you appreciate their opinion, but serves to get you valuable independent feedback.

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5. invite them to coffee for their birthday Take careful note of your customer birthdays and surprise them with an invitation for coffee; or if this is not possible, send a gift or a birthday card.

6. extend benefits to your strateGic partners Offer your strategic partners some interesting, useful information that they can share with their customers.

For example, this can be in the form of a free ebook or “How to” video.

7. include a Gift with every order Add a small gift to each order made by a customer. It may be a product sample, a gift that represents your business oreven a fortune cookie.

8. help customers learn somethinG new If you have a shop, you can make regular events on current trends in fashion, jewellery or makeup. The more you can inspire your customers, the more they become loyal to you. You may also offer them free online training to help them take more advantage of your services which can strengthen your relationship.

9. offer free shipments or free delivery Although this practice is popular for certain products, it is a great opportunity to surprise your customer by taking care of the little details.

10. learn the names of their children Eventually during an informal conversation with a customer and as confidence grows, some customers may share some details about their families or even their pets. At times, take the opportunity to make specific references to that information. This will show that you took note and you really care.

11. respond quickly Never delay an answer, even if you do not have a reply. Contact the customer and inform her that you acknowledge her query and that you are working on it. This is a must with customer complaints.

The faster you respond the better.

12. orGanize a networkinG event Encourage working groups and sharing best practices among your customers. It could be about sharing ideas and experiences that relate to their own community.

Sponsor one or two meetings a year.

13. facilitate returns Make it simple. When an issue arises and the customer must make a return or receive a refund, make the process incredibly simple. Remove all the hassle of coming all the way to your shop to make the return. Surprise the customer by arranging for someone to collect the item and make the refund.

14. celebrate the anniversary of your customer’s company Every company has a foundation year. Surprise your customer by congratulating them for their fifth anniversary. Send them a card signed by employees who interact with customers.

15. re-tweet their tweets If you follow some of your customers on Twitter or any other social media platform, share their messages when they publish things that apply to their own community.

The customer will receive notification and shows that you are paying attention.

“From handwritten notes to loyalty benefits, a simple detail can make all the difference in a competitive and aggressive market.”

16. invite them on a tour of your company -

18. watch for customer media mentions -

If applicable, invite them on a tour of your production plant, to know the “behind the scenes” process and show them the magic of producing your goods.

You may also invite their family members to make the experience more memorable.

Set the name of the customer company in Google Alerts and be the first to congratulate him or her on being mentioned in the media.

This kind of information could be useful for you expand your business relationship with the customer and can win you a contract.

17. Give priority If necessary, set priorities with major customers, in terms of response time, attention and speed of delivery, among other things. This is based on the principle that not all customers are equal.

19. Give them an extra benefit Send them a note providing an additional benefit, just as thanks for their loyalty and to continue their service. If you have a point of sale, give a little unexpected gift at checkout.

20. orGanize a party Although you can literally have a party, think of other alternatives to engage with your customer, such as organizing a picnic, a barbecue or an early morning run, depending on their life style.

21. send cards – not just any card You can customize and design your own cards that includes a phrase with some humour that brings a smile the customer. august 2016

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22. celebrate their achievements -

25. offer upGrades surprise -

Make your customer feel like part of the family. Celebrate special events in their lives by sending a small gift.

An event can be a special birthday (30, 40, 50 or 60 years), a promotion, or their child graduation.

The surprise element is very powerful. Thank a customer with an unexpected and unprompted service improvement. Think of the upgrade to business class airlines offer to their frequent flyers.

23. reward customers and offer them the loyalty red carpet treatment -

26. Give a Good read -

Reward the customer for loyalty before it is too late.

Do not wait until they start to shop around - “for new customers only”.

24. conGratulate on unconventional dates It is common for companies to send their customers Christmas or birthday cards. However, sending a card to celebrate women’s day, father’s day, labour’s day is out of the routine and generates greater remembrance.

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If you work in the B2B segment, think of a business book that has had a major impact on your company and your customer’s business. If you have a fitness centre, you can give away a book of healthy food; if you sell children products, you can give away children’s stories. Be sure to write a personalized note explaining the meaning of the book.

27. maintain reGular contact Even if your product or service is not selling frequently (they buy once a year), it is useful to

periodically stay visible and be on your customers’ radar.

This communication can be for commercial reasons (the customer may need an extra purchase), but can also build trust and demonstrate your interest.

28. refer your customer If you are in a B2B segment, and you trust your customers’ products and services, making a referral to them will demonstrate how much you care about the success of their business. This may also make them refer business to you as a show of appreciation.

29. show that you value their feedback Communicate with your customers and tell them what has been implemented, changed or adjusted as a result of their recommendations. This a great way to prove to your customer that you listen and you care about their needs and comfort.

30. meet the team If possible, schedule a lunch at your customer’s office (paid by you), and invite all members of his team to share a good time. This will help you become more intimate with your customer from a different perspective, while learning how to improve the performance of joint projects.

Surprising customers does not have to be in monetary terms.

It’s about being creative in taking every opportunity to give them a memorable experience that they will talk about to their colleagues, friends and family. You can greatly benefit from the word of mouth and the referrals that you need to grow your business, by simply delighting and surprising one customer at a time.

Eman Bu-Rashid is a marketing strategist. She is a Duct Tape Marketing™ Certified Consultant based in Bahrain, the only certified consultant of this network in the region, and the founder of Keynotes Consultants and OnePointSix. She has a passion for helping entrepreneurs and SMEs, specializing in creating simple, effective marketing and business growth strategies. To get more tips and advice on marketing, send her an email eman@ keynotesbh.com or visit her website: www.keynotesbh.com

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Raising

the BaR Dubai: A World Class Hub of Innovation

By Anita Menon

W

inning the 2020 World Expo bid was just the beginning for Dubai. It was the stepping stone to more robust, goal-oriented strategy to make Dubai one of the most innovative cities in the world. It has been about two years since the bid for 2020 Expo was decided but the scale at which Dubai is galloping towards building a landscape with new infrastructural projects and best in class development policies is unprecedented.

The reason the expo is of such strategic importance for Dubai is because it is believed that it will boost tourism and other segments of the economy as the government plans to spend a predicted $7 billion on infrastructure, with the benefit expected to positively affect the other industries. The expo is perhaps just an excuse for Dubai to renovate, reinvigorate and reinvent itself and take that giant leap into the future.

What We knoW

Dubai is all set to invest Dh 4.5 bn to make the Emirate an innovation hub for global technology businesses and entrepreneurs.

The highlight of this developmental project is the centre of communications and technology facilities – at 150,000 square metres, the size of 21 football pitches! The investment will also be used to expand the existing Dubai Design District to include an arts and creativity community, and “incubation centres” for innovative entrepreneurs. Recently, in lieu of all the ongoing advancement strategies, Dubai also announced its national vision and strategic plan for innovation. Dubai‘s Innovation Strategy is focusing on 10 sectors — renewable energy, transport, education, health, technology, water and space, hospitality, economy, tourism and government services.

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What We undeRstand

With such a large–scale ambitious project that needs to be rolled out, Dubai is bound to create several skilled and unskilled job positions which will draw expats from all over the world to Dubai.

The 2020 Expo would be the catalyst for injecting new life particularly in the hospitality industry but after the Expo is over, the oversupply of the hotels can be tackled more conscientiously by spurring economic activities that will have business and tourist travelers coming into Dubai at all times.

The most interesting aspect of the 2021 vision is the “incubation hubs” that will be created for innovative entrepreneurs.

One can’t help but draw parallels with the Silicon valley in the US – the tech-hub of innovation and development. Before 1971 it was the center of education, research centers and carried plenty of venture capital.

Naturally, it was put to good use and today, what we see as the Silicon Valley was born from sheer grit and entrepreneurship.

Likewise, Dubai has all the elements in place that can put it on the map of the world, such as forward-looking leadership and plenty of venture and government capital to invest. What it needs to see this grand plan though is easy access to finance, supporting labour laws and other laws, easy import controls that help bring innovative products and services into the Emirate, thereby creating a favourable ecosystem. The “incubation hubs” for innovation and development should be inclusive and invite participation from all the member GCC countries and the world. Dubai can even look at having “feeder incubation centers” in its neighboring countries that are on the same wave length as Dubai. Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait should have easy and premium

“dubai has all the elements in place that can put it on the map of the world, such as forward-looking leadership and plenty of venture and government capital to invest.” access to establishing feeder incubation centers. There should be qualitative and quantitative measures to judge innovationbacked ideas.

All in all, Dubai should be open to the best ideas generated from anywhere, just as the Silicon Valley was in the 80’s and the 90’s.

Final thoughts

It is going to be quite exciting to see how Dubai’s ambitious plans are going to pan out. It can be assumed that Dubai will go about establishing centers of excellence infusing ideas from thought leaders from around the region and the world. Anyone

who is will find themselves joining Dubai’s growth trajectory stands to gain in the long run. Other GCC countries should look up to Dubai and benchmark themselves.

Following Dubai’s footsteps in the only way to un-peg from an oil-based economy to more knowledge (technology) based economy.

Anita Menon is the founder of the digital marketing firm The Butterfly Effect. She converges her business consulting skills with her passion for social media to create digital marketing solutions for enterprises and individuals. www.thebutterflyeffect.co

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Digging for Gold Getting to the Bottom of What Your Customers Really Need The journey of every entrepreneur starts with a vision. After that comes the planning to make that vision into a tangible product. However there’s a lost step in between. Most people straight away launch the product and invest into an expensive campaign without doing the most important thing: I call it “digging”, while most people call it “Research”.

By Fatema Ebrahim

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Misleading assuMptions

The hardest thing after building your product is trying to make others see and understand the vision behind it. I thought that after a few PR campaigns and fancy social media tools, people would just love what I had to offer – I was wrong because I assumed they would get it.

Bahrain being a small market, you would think it’s easy to penetrate. Think again!

Never assume things are easy, and in fact – NEVER assume.

Wouldn’t it be better to know?

You can wing a lot of things like a funky e-newsletter, a non traditional event or a humorous video. However you can’t wing what people think or want. The good thing is: you can always ask.

show you Care I’ve learned that people underestimate that part because they believe their packaging or the colours they’ve picked out will definitely make the community and investors head over heels. It’s like when you buy a new

Knowledge is your religion - Always want to keep learning, but not just about what’s related to your product but other products as well. This helps for meetups, partnerships and friendships as well. Remember: nothing is constant.

product yourself. The first thing you probably do is read the reviews or watch feedback videos on YouTube. Be the creator and audience at the same time.

And trust me when I say – People like when you ask them questions because it shows them that you care.

We all can be naive at the start, and make a bunch of mistakes along this unknown path because that’s how it should be. However, remember this line – Always keep digging.

What do you see as a commonality in the ideas listed above? You can do all those things for free...

Now with technology and its never-ending tools, there are various ways to reach out to bigger markets. You can be creative with it too.

Use WhatsApp to create personal groups, engage via Instagram, create surveys with Canvas, and so on.

One last thing to put all these things together – use the right tools to reach out to your audience. If older people like old fashioned conversations then go for coffee, if younger people want to communicate via screen, then engage them online. It’s all trial and error, see what works and repeat.

There is fear in everybody to put themselves out there but once you do, you won’t stop. You’ll be hungry for all that information.

You will keep digging for what is essentially gold for your business.

Ask yourself a lot of questions - Don’t wait for others to catch you off guard because this is your product!

You should be asking yourself all the questions that cover each aspect you can think off when it comes to your creation.

Always keep digging is broken up into 5 ideas:

Wear so many shoes - Talk to your target markets, and know what they want.

How can you offer people something when you haven’t established some sort of connection with them?

You have to learn how to segment the larger market and note down what makes them different.

Talk to people who are better than you - When we say “better” we don’t mean smarter, we mean people with more practice that got better at what they do. Sometimes you save so much time by having these conversations, and you build your own network at the same time.

Show them the purpose When you put yourself out there and want people to share your vision, you need to give them a reason why.

Why should all these people believe in your so-called solution? Show them. In words, pictures, videos or even in humour. Whatever works to convince the pack!

“

When you put yourself out there and want people to share your vision, you need to give them a reason why.”

Fatema Ebrahim is the founder of Valopay, a payments app catered to the Instagram marketplace in Bahrain.

Fatema has been heavily involved in the Startup space in New York for several years and got her Master’s from New York University. She is also an independent PR consultant for Action Global Communications working with clients covering various industry sectors including: aviation, automotive, banking, telecommunications and government.

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Mindful Critique Shaping an EffEctivE LEadEr USing ‘criticaL friEndS’ By: Neil Fogarty

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It’s a complex world that the executive lives in: there are expectations to deliver more for less; to manage a wide number of stakeholders, shareholders, employees, and customers; to motivate an increasingly disenfranchised workforce – and maintain a work / life balance. In most cases, at a time when you want to have an objective, balanced discussion and hear the truth, you may find yourself speaking with people with a vested interest – and so there will be a bias in the conversation.

Sometimes, the executive doesn’t need to hear what those closest to him have to say – but who can they talk to instead? The executive has an option – the critical friend.

A story for you…

According to the Greek historian Plutarch, the King of Syracuse in Sicily (Hieron) was a tyrant: “one who rules without law, and uses extreme and cruel tactics – against his own people as well as others”. He was was a strict ruler - often loved by the people but also feared by them.

One day, Hieron was having an argument with a bitter rival and his rival shouted at him, “your breath stinks!”

Hieron was appalled at this and returned to his wife at the palace to tell her what had been said.But his wife did not deny it - instead, she (carefully) said yes, his breath stinks but she thought it was something all men had in common. In this story, the King only heard the truth from a sworn enemy; not from his friends or family. In fact, the piece by Plutarch is called, “how a man my receive advantage and profit from his enemies”.

At times, confiding in key people can be a greater disadvantage than advantage.

A critical friend is a trusted individual that provides constructive challenging support – they are there to listen, critique, explore and encourage.

An established concept

‘Critical Friend’ has its origins in education in the 1970s and is typically a colleague or other educational professional who is committed to helping an educator or school improve. In 1994, the Annenberg Institute for School Reform in The United States began advocating a teacher-led approach to professional development where groups of educators met regularly to engage in structured professional discussions and work collaboratively to improve their school or teaching skills.

In 1998, the term jumped from education into the wider public sector with a UK public sector consultant introducing the term to the Local Government Consortium at the University of Warwick.

“Your CritiCal friend is soMeone who is enCouraging and supportive, but who also provides honest and often Candid feedbaCk that MaY be unCoMfortable or diffiCult to hear.”

• Enabling professional and organizational improvement; • Helping those avoiding hard truths; • Supporting you as you consider strategic and leadership issues; • Confidential and balanced conversations; • Receiving honest critique; • Exploring critical questions that are not seen as a threat but as helpful interventions to achieve mutually shared aims; • Building a high-level network for you to access outside of such places as LinkedIn

Who wants a critical friend?

Critical friendship tends to work best for those in a position of authority: decisionmakers with a greater control over what is happening. There is no doubt that coaching and mentoring are great tools but, for leaders, a critical friend brings a new dimension.

Leadership mentoring is where a more skilled or experienced person works with a lesser skilled or experienced person, with the agreed goal of having the lesser skilled person grow and develop.

A critical friend is closer to being an equal but in a balanced adult-adult relationship where they can comfortably disagree – and whilst the critical friend can still be a mentor, they are more likely to be going on the same journey at the same time.

Critical friends ask the stupid questions and challenge your thinking.

In my experience, the critical friend is best used by CEOs, leaders, and entrepreneurs.

Some guidelines

• Find someone whose opinion you respect; • Go for a meal with them – find out if there is more to the relationship than simply business; • Set out goals to be measured against (on both sides); • Retain them on a monthly basis; • Don’t retain them for more than 9 months (as the relationship becomes familiar, they are less ‘critical’ and more ‘friend’); • Welcome disagreements – don’t be defensive in your discussions; • Don’t just listen and learn… talk, discuss, explore and learn.

Admittedly, critical friendship isn’t for every leader – some run their enterprise like Hieron ran Syracuse but, at some point, there is a benefit to be realised from talking to someone outside of the organisation who is not frightened to offend you with the truth.

As a critical friend, I tell a King that his breath stinks but then also help find the best breath freshener!

Do you have someone who can tell you the truth and then help you build on it?

Neil Fogarty is a business writer, international speaker and advisor with clients in Europe, GCC, Africa and The Americas. Working with government and private sector organizations his expertise is in corporate entrepreneurship (intrapreneurs), leadership and business excellence. As Managing Director of Spark Global Business, he works with regional associates and partners in the delivery of Learning & Development consultancy including workshops and Corporate Academies.

The benefits

Whether you are in the public or private sector, there are times when you need someone outside of the organisation to help you sit back and think about what you are doing (or planning on doing) and be challenged.

Your critical friend is someone who is encouraging and supportive, but who also provides honest and often candid feedback that may be uncomfortable or difficult to hear. In short, a critical friend is someone who agrees to speak truthfully, but constructively, about weaknesses, problems, and emotionally charged issues. august 2016

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InsIde netflIx How Reed Hastings is building the first global TV network By: Madhumita Murgia / The Telegraph

T

he lobby of the sprawling, low-roofed Netflix headquarters in a sleepy town in California is dominated by a huge television screen, a popcorn cart and a series of glass display cabinets. They hold 13 golden Emmy Awards that Netflix has won for its stellar original series, including Orange is the New Black and House of Cards. In 2007, less than 10 years ago, Netflix was a DVD rental business, like nearlydefunct rental store Blockbuster.

Now it is the dominant internet television service with 76m users worldwide, more than 100 original series and films, and delivered the best return of any stock in 2015.

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Changing the Game

In the first quarter of 2016, the Californian company is expecting 6.1m new subscribers. Its market cap has doubled from around $20bn (£14bn) in January last year, to $41bn today, putting it on the heels of entertainment behemoth Time Warner, which owns HBO and the Warner Brothers Hollywood studio, and is valued at $53bn. Next up for the streaming giant: scaling up profits.

Earlier this year, Netflix went fully global: it launched simultaneously in 130 new countries. That means whether you’re in Bombay, Bogota or Bangkok, you can now officially subscribe to and stream Netflix. “Today you are witnessing the birth of a new global internet TV network,” chief executive Reed Hastings said during the launch in Las Vegas.

“With the help of the internet, we are putting power in consumers’ hands to watch whenever, wherever, and on whatever device.”

Netflix has genuinely transformed how we watch television – the platform has grown almost 10-fold in users since 2000, and reportedly accounts for 36.5 pc of all Internet traffic during prime time — twice that of its closest competitor, YouTube.

Over the last year, the company’s international audience has been the biggest driver of user growth – more than 35 pc of subscribers are currently non-US, and the percentage is going up. In 2015, it brought in $6.7bn in revenue, with a slim net profit of $122m – less than half of net profits in 2014.

Netflix’s big bet for the future of internet TV is pure storytelling – in 2016, it will reportedly spend $5bn on content, compared to HBO’s $2bn budget, launching 31 new and returning original series, two dozen original feature films and documentaries, stand-up comedy specials, and 30 kids’ series.

But betting on quality content is hardly Netflix’s secret sauce – competition is mounting quickly, with the likes of

Netflix CEO, Reed Hastings

Amazon and Apple entering the fray for original content production, alongside more traditional competitors ranging from HBO to Sky and Hollywood. As Netflix places increasingly more chips on content production, will its revenues be able to catch up?

exceeding expectations

Reed Hastings, the company’s founder and chief executive, is a slim, bearded Bostonian who started out as a mathematics teacher in Swaziland. At the Netflix headquarters, he doesn’t have an office. Instead, he prefers to work in the cafeteria or other communal spaces on his laptop, replacing closed-door meetings with walks in the dense woods surrounding the office buildings.

“Think about the last month, what did you do every night of the month? How many nights did you watch Netflix?” he said. “What did you do when you didn’t watch Netflix? You watched cable, you watched a sports game, you killed time on Facebook. That’s what we compete with.”

He seems unperturbed by critics’ concerns about Netflix’s rising costs, responding facetiously: “We have been profitable every quarter for 15 years. So the plan is the same for the last 15 years, grow a little bit every quarter.”

Upon being pressed further, he allows: “You improve the service, it gets more members, a bigger budget and we use that to get more content and do more R&D. That’s the virtuous cycle we have been on for the last 15 years. We are only 75m members still – relative to the global footprint of the internet that is small.”

“WhAt dId yoU do When yoU dIdn’t WAtCh netflIx? yoU WAtChed CAble, yoU WAtChed A sports GAme, yoU kIlled tIme on fACebook. thAt’s WhAt We Compete WIth.” These global aspirations will be the key to Netflix’s success – it’s clear that it is already approaching saturation in its home market, the United States. Last quarter, Netflix missed its own US subscriber growth estimates for the second quarter in a row. It also raised its subscription prices in the US and Europe last year to further fight costs of international expansion.

Meanwhile, it beat its own expectations of international growth, adding 4m new users outside the US. If it can genuinely become the world’s preferred internet TV network, its subscription revenue will eventually subsidise its spending spree.

“The challenge is having enough local content to your footprint and collecting the money. Whether that’s building a local ad business or a subscriptions business,” says Benedict Evans, mobile analyst and venture capitalist at Silicon Valley’s premier investment firm Andreessen Horowitz.

“Whether they’ve got enough local content to load the cost of big US shows onto, remains to be seen. But there’s no reason it’s impossible.”

Unorthodox Approach

In order to appeal to global audiences, Netflix didn’t take the traditional route – they didn’t try to hire on-the-ground media experts to teach them about local tastes. Instead, they leveraged their copious amounts of data collected over 20 years, right from its DVD days.

Even before Netflix started making successful original content, its license-only service was built on the bedrock of user data. According to Todd Yellin, Netflix’s head of product innovation, a typical member logs in and scrolls through 40 titles, before giving up and logging out.

From the thousands of titles available on the entertainment channel, Netflix has to bubble up the few dozen you want to the top of your page. “That’s why your Netflix page will look starkly different to your neighbour’s,” Yellin said. The ultimate goal is to figure out what to put in front of you, so you come back every single time.

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time of day they watch a piece of content, what day of week, how long they watch for, do they watch three minutes and abandon a program forever or come back to it? Did they binge through five episodes of something in one night? Did they watch on one profile or three, what did they watch right before, what did they watch right after?

All this content is then algorithmically weighted. For instance, how important is it that you watched a piece of content yesterday versus a year ago?

Each of these nuggets of information is combined into an algorithm that picks out the top 40 titles for each user, based on 75,000 different genres. These range from “Mother-Son Movies from the 1970s” to “Visually-striking Foreign Nostalgic Dramas” or “Critically-acclaimed Emotional Underdog Movies.”

Each genre is displayed to the user as a row on their home screen. “Members connect with these rows so well that we measure an increase in member retention by placing the most tailored rows higher on the page instead of lower,” Netflix has said previously.

Before Netflix launched in Europe, it presumed age and gender data were the most important variables to predict taste in entertainment. “We thought the 19-year-old guy and the 70-year-old woman have such different tastes that personalisation would be easy,” Yellin said. “But the truth is 19 year old guys like to watch documentaries about wedding dresses. Hitting play just once on the Netflix service, that’s a far more powerful signal than your age and gender.”

When Netflix went global, Yellin realised

that people’s geographies didn’t seem to matter either – tastes are universally distributed. For instance, 90pc of Japanese anime shows on Netflix are watched outside of Japan. “Now we have one big global algorithm which is super helpful because it leverages all the tastes of all consumers around the world,” Yellin said.

To target the viewing habits of customers from new countries, Netflix’s algorithms have divided up all its viewers around the world into two thousand clusters.

One person can belong to three or four different clusters. These categories don’t have descriptive names like the genre labels do, because they group people with multi-faceted tastes. Clusters are not geographically distributed. Yellin proves his point by doing a quick analysis of the 15 people that most closely match his own “cluster” – turns out they are spread out everywhere from Dalston in East London to Bangalore, India.

blending through boundaries

But the plan isn’t just to push American entertainment worldwide – Hastings is focused on creating international content in several languages that can be subtitled and watched worldwide. Earlier this year, Netflix added Arabic, Korean, Simplified and Traditional Chinese to the 17 languages it already supports, even though it is not yet available in China. In August 2015, Netflix launched its first non-English language originals: Club de Cuervos, and crime drama Narcos.

The critically acclaimed Narcos is one of Netflix’s first non-English language original TV shows

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“bUt the plAn Isn’t jUst to pUsh AmerICAn entertAInment WorldWIde hAstInGs Is foCUsed on CreAtInG InternAtIonAl Content In severAl lAnGUAGes thAt CAn be sUbtItled And WAtChed WorldWIde.”

Netflix’s headquarters in Los Gatos, California

“Narcos, was created for us by a French company, which is the oldest movie company in the world, filmed in Bogota, Colombia with a Brazilian star and super popular in Germany,” Hastings says. “This is the internet age, where content blends through boundaries.” He is particularly excited about upcoming British royal biopic The Crown, to be created and directed by British writer Peter Morgan. “That’s going to be globally incredible,” he enthuses.

In 2016, he hopes to supercharge international productions. “We have a show in Germany, in France, in Spain, in Italy, several in Brazil, two in Mexico, several in Japan, but that needs to be 5x or 10x,” Hastings admitted. “We have to localise product, expand content and all that content needs to be available globally.”

Netflix’s major advantage is that, unlike traditional television networks, it doesn’t have an optimum window during which its content has to be released. When TV

networks broadcast a new show, they have to hit primetime audiences in order to survive beyond their first few episodes.

Netflix is an on-demand service, so it can cater to niche audiences who may bingewatch content weeks later.

“We do really deep data analysis to find how much a new program would be viewed, and therefore how much budget we should put behind it,” Hastings explained.

Ultimately, it is not about absolute numbers or ratings but the ratio of content spend to number of viewers.

As Evans of Andreessen Horowitz said: “If you want your rocket to get into high orbit, you burn more hydrogen.” If this strategy is successful, analysts project Netflix’s net profit could get to $535 million in 2017 and cross $1 billion by 2018.

This is the main reason Netflix consistently refuses to reveal individual viewer numbers for its original shows.

Hastings insists they will never rely on

advertisements as a business model, and have no interest in doing live television like sports or news. So why bother arm-wrestling TV networks?

looking to the future Instead Hastings is looking out to the horizon. Despite being available globally, offering a handful of English shows to a Vietnamese audience that pays with international credit cards is not truly “global”. Beyond local programs, Netflix will need to offer local currencies, tailored billing options and far more languages if it wants to truly survive the internet TV revolution.

“It seems crazy ambitious unless you think about these big inflection points that come about every 50 years like the invention of radio, free-to-air TV, and cable satellite TV,” he shrugs. “People have built major new networks around that transition, because everything is up for grabs.” august 2016

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Online

Atrocities

Here are 10 mistakes to avoid:

1. Spreading Yourself Too Thin

Building a social media presence takes a lot of time and effort. You have to engage with people continually, and communicate highly informative and/or provocative messages to stand out from the crowd. It’s hard enough to do this on one social platform, let alone two, three, or twenty. Smart small businesses, knowing their internal resources are limited, take on one platform at a time.

10 Stupid Mistakes Small Businesses 2. Having an Make With Social Media

By Brad Shorr

It’s hard to find a person or a company that doesn’t have a Facebook, Twitter, and/or LinkedIn account − but small companies beware! Just because everybody uses social media doesn’t make it a useful marketing tool. In fact, without a smart strategy, committing human and financial resources to a social media campaign could cost you big, draining resources and generating negative ROI.

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Undifferentiated Strategy

When companies make mistake No. 1, they begin taking shortcuts, usually in the form of mechanically sharing the same content on each of their platforms. Big mistake. Social media users use multiple platforms; once they read your company’s same message everywhere, they will lose interest. Have a unique strategy for each platform. For instance, use Twitter to announce sales promotions and Facebook to share action shots of your products in use. This gives users a clear reason to follow you on the applicable platform(s).

3. Not Responding to Comments

It’s amazing how many companies forget social media is social. When someone reaches out to your company with a comment, you must respond—quickly and thoughtfully. Once the perception takes hold that your company is above engaging with the audience, you are dead. You will be labeled as a company that is interested only in self-promotion, a cardinal sin of social media marketing.

4. Controlling the Message

Similar to No. 3, companies err by viewing their social media accounts as advertising platforms. On social media, authenticity is valued highly. It’s OK to admit a mistake, ask for help, and respond frankly to criticism. Many small companies are unwilling to do this, and if you are one of them, either change your attitude or look for another method of Internet marketing.

credibility and brand awareness into sales.

Smart small businesses gradually ramp up lead and revenue generation activities on their social media accounts; not doing it prematurely, but when the time is right to convert the “soft” asset of brand affinity into hard dollars.

5. Not Giving to Get

8. Failing to Leverage Your Knowledge

“Giving to get” is the path to success in social media. This strategy requires a generous spirit. Small companies succeed in social media when they go out of their way to help people by providing useful content, sharing other people’s content, jumping into conversations where they can lend a hand, and making it easy for people to try their products and services.

6. Selling Too Much

Social media users don’t like the hard sell.

As a matter of fact, many use social media to escape commercialism. Don’t try too hard to sell your products and services; there will be a backlash. Again, social media is social. The best path to generating sales is to build relationships with your social media community, and then introduce the idea of doing business together.

7. Not Selling Enough

The flip side of No. 6 is also a big mistake—not attempting to sell through your social media campaign. This amounts to not having a strategy at all. If you view social media as a way to build credibility and brand awareness, that’s fine, but at some point you have to turn that

Small companies know a lot about their products, services, markets and audiences. This knowledge, when communicated on social media, attracts the interest of potential customers. When a small business delegates its social media campaigning to a junior staffer with limited business knowledge, these potential customers will not be attracted, and may additionally conclude your entire firm is inexperienced and incompetent.

By over-delegating, such companies turn their biggest potential advantage into a crippling disadvantage.

9. Failing to Establish Metrics

Many small businesses that have been on social media for a few years have absolutely no idea how well their campaign

“Many small businesses that have been on social media for a few years have absolutely no idea how well their campaign is working.”

is working. Obviously, not having a way to evaluate a social media campaign leads to wasted investment and an inability to improve campaign effectiveness. Popular and useful metrics include tracking brand mentions; social shares of your company’s content; referred traffic from social media sites to your company website; and the number of engaged community members as measured by comments, direct messages. and other measurable actions. These metrics are not perfect, but provide a reliable sense of whether your campaign is stagnant, improving, or worsening.

10. Putting Too Many Eggs in the Social Basket

Social media marketing is really, really tempting for small companies because the financial barriers to entry are basically zero—signing up is free and the main investment is time. However, for revenue generation, brand awareness, and credibility building, other Internet marketing options may produce far better and quicker results—pay-per-click advertising and email marketing, to name two of the more obvious. Companies are smart to test various options. Social media could be the path of most resistance, but you won’t know unless you test. Budget accordingly and prosper!

Brad Shorr is Director of B2B Marketing for Straight North, an Internet marketing agency in the Chicago area. With in-house, freelance and agency experience, he writes frequently about content marketing, SEO, social media and small business strategy.

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Powered August by 2016 64

t a e s t o h in the With

T A Y A H K ALI AL

ES! U IN T N O C S IE R E S Y E L T OUR ONGOING BEN WE HAVE A CHAT WITH THIS TIME AROUND,DER OF CREATIVE STYLE, ALI AL KHAYAT, FOUNLISED IN DESIGNING AND A COMPANY SPECIA H QUALITY FURNITURE. PRODUCING HIG

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"I’VE ALWAYS BEEN MORE OF A HANDS-ON KIND OF GUY, LEARNING THINGS PRACTICALLY RATHER THAN THEORETICALLY." 66

August 2016

Tell us a little bit about your educational and work background

To be honest, I was never really a book and class room person – I’ve always been more of a hands-on kind of guy, learning things practically rather than theoretically. As soon as I graduated from high school, I worked as an electro-mechanical engineer working on boats and engines.

What inspired you to start Creative Style?

My passion for manufacturing, production and interior design inspired me to start Creative Style.

Where is your factory located today, and how many employees do you have working for you?

My factory is in Hidd Industrial City.

Today, I have around 260 employees.

What is your main clientele?

Individual consumers, commercial/corporate offices, retailers? And do you sell products only in Bahrain, or all over the GCC?

My main clientele is in hospitality, such as hotels and real estate developers.

My clients are not only based in Bahrain. I've done many projects around the GCC and in India. To name a few of my projects: The Domain Hotel and Nest Tower in Bahrain, and the Shangri-La Hotel, Bengaluru, India.

Do you design all of the products yourself or do you have a number of designers working for you?

I design products myself and also have a separate designing team. When developing our products, we brain storm together to come up with new and creative ideas.

Where do you get your supply of raw materials from?

I get my supply mainly from Europe and the Unites States.

What were some of the challenges you faced when

setting up your business?

The greatest challenge I faced was establishing a name for myself against all the competition in the GCC region.

Which style of furniture do you prefer personally: modern looking such as IKEA or antique, with oak wood and cast-iron?

I personally prefer modern furniture with clean sophisticated cuts.

What quality or trait about yourself do you feel has enabled you to achieve your success?

I would say my best quality is my attention to detail. I focus greatly on what materials I use, and am thoroughly involved in the creative process from the time we design on paper to the time we manufacture the final finished product.

Outside of work, what are some of your hobbies and interests?

I love fishing and being at sea. I also enjoy cooking.

What advice do you have for any aspiring entrepreneurs out there?

I would say, never give up on your dreams, you always start small and with hard work, devotion and dedication you will always achieve your goals.

What are your future plans for Creative Style?

My future plan is to double my production capacity in the next coming 4 years to be able to compete not only in the regional market but internationally.

You got to take home a Bentley Continental GT home for the weekend. How did you like the car?

It was fantastic! The car is simply gorgeous inside and out, and has the performance to match. Another thing that really impressed me was the incredibly advanced technology in the car. It’s the perfect combination of sport and luxury.

August 2016

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Fashion

Statement pieceS to make a laSting impreSSion Business people, be bold. BIG’s picks from global fashion powerhouses KAREN MILLEN

FAUX-LEATHER AND JERSEY PENCIL SKIRT

Sleek faux leather and fine Italian jersey come together in this fitted pencil skirt in the richest shade of autumn rust. Team with shades of midnight blue or forest green for a seasonal 9-to-5 look.

Karen Millen, City Centre BD 64

ChopARd

HAPPY SPoRT 36mm

With the arrival of summer, bright new colours are further enlivening the new Chopard Happy Sport 36mm. The watch features 5 mobile diamonds and an interchangeable rubber bracelet.

Chopard, Moda Mall BD 2600

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august 2016

dELMA

SHELL STAR AUTomATIC

In 1975 Delma launched its first professional diver’s watch, the Delma Shell Star, which proved to be a landmark for the company and a legacy for diver’s watches produced to date. The new Shell Star, which has kept the distinctively sporty appearance, is now equipped with a helium valve for a water-resistance to 500 meters / 50 ATM and an automatic movement with a see-through back.

Asia Jewellers – A’ali Mall, Seef Mall, City Centre BD 200

LouIs VuIttoN

SC WomEN’S BAg

Whether carried by hand or over the shoulder, the SC Bag has been designed by Sofia Coppola in collaboration with Louis Vuitton. Its beautifully refined, soft Veau Cachemire leather is the crowning touch. It combines refinement, style and functionality to create the perfect bag for daily use.

Louis Vuitton, Moda Mall BD 1715

BuRBERRy

BURNISHED LEATHER DERBY SHoES

Derby shoes for every day worked in smooth burnished leather. They are bolstered with a slightly accentuated tread for durability and modern flair.

Burberry, Moda Mall BD 328

offICINE pANERAI LUmINoR 8 DAYS SET

Officine Panerai presents a new set composed of two watches inspired by models created in 1996: a left-handed version of the Luminor Black Seal and a very rare Luminor Daylight with a white dial and blue markers.

Officine Panerai, Moda Mall BD 7500

august 2016

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LifestyLe

To add more power To a high-flying lifesTyle

OSIm uDIvINe S

ION AIr PrO CAmerA

Capture memories with extreme ease of use. With a 170 degree ultra wide-angle field of view, record videos in outstanding 1080p and 720p, and record audio with a built-in high quality microphone.

Capture 5PM still, burstshot, and time lapse images. The iON Air Pro Camera is extremely durable and waterproof WITHOUT a case up to 10 meters/30 feet.

RadioShack, Seef Mall BD 34.500

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august 2016

The OSIM uDivine S is an intelligent and precise massage system based on the human body contours, combined with a strategically-positioned system of airbags, kneading discs and automatic body detection, the massage chair delivers the pleasures of an effective fullbody massage.

OSIM, Seef Mall BD 1199

TArSAm SuPer SlIm HDmI PrOjeCTOr

A compact, portable and rechargeable, The Super Slim HDMI Projector takes you from business presentations to game time with friends to family movie night. It connects via HDMI to most smart phones, tablets, computers, video players, game consoles, digital cameras and more. Advanced DLP technology delivers an incredibly sharp, clear image up to 60” diagonal on any flat surface.

Tarsam, City Centre BD 154

SAmSuNg geAr vr

SPHerO BB-8 DrOID

Meet BB-8™ - the app-enabled Droid™ that’s as authentic as it is advanced. BB-8 has something unlike any other robot - an adaptive personality that changes as you play. Based on your interactions, BB-8 will show a range of expressions and even perk up when you give voice commands. Set it to patrol and watch your Droid explore autonomously, make up your own adventure and guide BB-8 yourself, or create and view holographic recordings.

Virgin Megastore, City Centre BD 62

Mobile virtual reality is finally here.

With the Samsung Gear VR, powered

by Oculus, you can play amazing games, watch Hollywood’s best movies in your own private cinema (or even on the moon!), socialize with friends new and old, be at the center of a suspense thriller, and so much more. The Gear VR drops you right into the action-and it’s only from Samsung & Oculus.

Virgin Megastore, City Centre BD 38

APPle uSB SuPerDrIve

Whether you’re at the office or on the road, you can play and burn both CDs and DVDs with the Apple USB SuperDrive. It’s perfect when you want to watch a DVD movie, install software, create backup discs, and more.

Only slightly bigger than a CD case, the Apple USB SuperDrive slips easily into your travel bag when you hit the road and takes up little space on your desk or tray table when you’re working.

Virgin Megastore, City Centre BD 32

august 2016

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the BIG

hotel guide Your guide to the Kingdom’s hotel outlets

Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq thalaSSa Sea & Spa  Dining

Fiamma: Italian Restaurant

Designed with an indoor and an outdoor seating area, this outlet will serve authentic Italian food.

Opening Hours: Thursday - Saturday 12:30pm to 3:00 pm, Every night except, Sunday: 8:00pm to 11:00pm (Fiamma is closed on Sundays)

Saraya: All Day Dining / International

Exquisite buffets with flavors from across the world.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner available. Saturday lunch buffet (18 BD net including soft drinks).

Opening Times: Daily 6:30am to 10:30am, (11am on weekends) Lunch: 12:30pm to 3:30pm, Dinner: 7:00pm to 10:30pm

Wok: South East Asian Restaurant

The perfect combination of stones and wood in the décor to reflect an authentic Asian feel. Dinner buffet every Thursday (18 BD net excluding beverages).

Opening Hours: Wednesday to Monday: 7:00pm to 11:00pm (Wok is closed on Tuesdays)

Tapas: Restaurant

It services a wide range of exciting tapas, and the best cocktails on the island. Tapas bar has a truly vibrant and lively atmosphere with its Cuban band.

Opening Hours: Daily: 11:30am to Midnight

La Mer: Seafood Restaurant

Sheraton hotel Bahrain 

Shopping

Al Safir Restaurant

Opening Hours: Daily: 9am to 9pm

It is the signature restaurant of the hotel, guests will enjoy the freshest seafood and catch of the day. Saturday lunch buffet (18 BD net including soft beverages, 26 BD net including selected alcoholic beverages).

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 7:00pm to 11:00pm, Thursday to Saturday: 12:30pm to 3:00pm

For Information

Pashawat: lebanese Restaurant

Dining

Gastronomical buffets for breakfast lunch and dinner as well as superb á la carte options.

Opening Hours: Breakfast 6:30am - 10:30am Lunch 12:30pm – 3.30pm, Dinner 7:30pm – 11:30pm

Soie Chinese Restaurant

Alhilal Bookshop Alhilal Bookshop: +973 17 531 665

Spa & Salon

Image Spa & Leisure

Relax in the dramatic ambience with dark wood floors, oriental ornaments and lanterns.

Opening Hours: Daily: 6am to 10pm

Opening Hours: 7:00pm – 11:30pm (Closed on Saturdays)

Opening Hours: Daily: 7am to 10pm

Golestan Restaurant

Sheraton Health Club Sheraton Fitness

Discovery of traditional Iranian dishes with freshly oven-baked breads served at the table.

Opening Hours: Daily: 9am to 8:30pm

Opening Hours: Sunday to Thursday Lunch 12:30pm – 2:45pm, Dinner 7:30pm – 11:30pm Friday: Lunch 12:30pm – 3:45pm, Dinner 7:30pm – 11:30pm (Closed on Sundays)

Image Spa & Leisure: +973 17 524 570 Sheraton Fitness: +973 17 524 570 Sheraton Health Club: +973 17 533 533

For Information

It is open in the evenings and offers a delightful Lebanese cuisine. Special offer every Tuesday (40 BD net for 4 persons).

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 7:00pm to 1:30am (Closed on Saturdays and Sundays)

Spa & Salon

Thalassotherapy

(Call for Appointment) Summer offer BD175 per couple (120 mins)

nightlife

Amber Bar

Opening Hours: Daily: 6pm to 2am

Lagoon Pool Bar

nightlife

Opening Hours: Daily: 8am to 8pm

An Nada Lounge

Lobby Lounge Bar

Opening Hours: Daily: 7:00am – 10:00pm

Opening Hours: Happy Hour: 1:00pm to 7:00pm Daily 1:00pm – 1:00am

Opening Hours: Daily: 8am to Midnight

For Information & Reservations

For Information

Opening Hours: Daily: 11:30am to Midnight

Espressamente Illy

A perfect place to meet and enjoy a cup of espresso, refreshing beverages and light snacks.

Al Safir: +973 17533533 ext 259 Soie Chinese Restaurant: +973 17 533 533 ext. 497 Golestan Restaurant: +973 17 533 533 ext. 375 Espressamente Illy: +973 17 533 533 ext. 1790

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An Nada Lounge: +973 17 533 533 ext. 293

Tapas BAR For Information & Reservations

Hotel: +973 1763 6363 - Concierge: +973 39349659

the K hotel  Dining Klouds

Enjoy an assortment of culinary delights with their special Themed Nights everyday of the week.

Opening Hours: Daily: 7pm to 11pm

Friday Brunch

Discover The K difference in Friday Brunch!

IS YOUR HOTEL LISTED ON THIS PAGE?

Opening Hours: Friday, 12:30pm to 4:30pm

The K lounge

Some new dishes include the world famous Angus steaks and exceptional desserts with that extra K flavor.

Our ongoing promotions include: Daily Happy Hour from 5pm to 7pm, Coors Light & Burger Treats, Ladies Night from Saturday to Wednesday all cocktails free of charge for Ladies.

Opening Hours: Daily: 11am to 2am

Kenza Lounge

Outdoor seating and Arabesque interiors, experience the finest Lebanese dining.

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 7pm to 2am

Be included in Business In Gulf’s hotel guide and benefit from the exposure the magazine offers.

nightlife The K lounge

Opening Hours: Daily: 11am to 2am

Champions Sports Lounge Opening Hours: Daily: 11am to 2am For Information & Reservations

K Hotel: (973) 1736 0000 Klouds: (973) 1736 0000 ext. 4019 K Pool: (973) 1736 0000 or email banquet@thekhotel.com

the ritZ-Carlton, Bahrain hotel & Spa  Dining

Al Khayma

Experience a delightful Iftar buffet followed by Ghabga in Ritz Carlton’s Al Khayma tent. Enjoy authentic Middle Eastern specialties and be entertained by a four-piece band and talented singer Margo Kassar, while enjoying your favorite flavor of shisha.

Opening Hours: Daily: Sunset – 2:00am Iftar: Daily, from sunset until 8:30pm (BHD 25++ per person) Ghabga: Daily, from 9pm to 2am (BHD 27++ per person) Pergolas: Daily, available during Iftar and Ghabga (BHD 300++ for 6 persons)

La Med

Casual dining in generous surroundings is brightened with natural sunshine and views of the turquoise blue waters of the Gulf.

La Plage

Indulge in a new and enticing menu of ArabianMediterranean Fusion Cuisine at our newest restaurant, just off the beach. Formerly known as Overlook, La Plage is the perfect venue for those seeking the vibrant outdoor scenery of the Arabian Gulf.

Opening Hours: Daily: 10am to 6pm

The Ritz Gourmet Lounge

Experience authentic chic ambience like in a Parisian along with homemade pastries and richly decorated desserts.

big@maxmediaco.com Tel: +973 17 402482 Fax: +973 17 402483

Mohd Sharif Hatam & Sons Opening hours: Saturday to Thursday 10am to 2pm – 4pm to 8pm For Information

Chopard Boutique: +973 17 580 667 Mohd Sharif Hatam & Sons: +973 17 580 889

Spa & Salon

Elie & Jean Beauty Center Gents Saloon

Opening Hours: Daily: 7am to Midnight

Opening hours: Saturday to Thursday: 9:30am to 8pm, Friday: 10am to 7pm

For Information & Reservations

Sports Club & Spa (Membership only)

Hotel: +973 1758 0000

Shopping Chopard Boutique

Limited offer from June 1 to 30 ‘Touch of Aloha’ (BD 55 for 90 minutes). Daily, 9am to 9pm.

Opening hours: Daily: 5:00am to 10:30pm For Information

Elie & Jean Beauty Center - Gents Saloon: +973 17 580 798

Opening hours: Daily: 7am to Midnight

Opening Hours: Daily: 6:30am to 11pm Iftar: 6pm - 11pm, daily (BD 22++ per person)

Plums

The specialty being premium beef and fresh, top quality seafood, it provides guests with the ultimate in dining pleasure.

Opening Hours: Dinner: 7pm to 11:30pm

Nirvana

Nirvana brings royal flavors to The Ritz-Carlton for a dining adventure rarely enjoyed outside of India.

Opening Hours: Lunch Noon to 3pm Dinner 7pm to 11:30pm August 2016

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Gulf hotel  Dining Al Waha

Dinners are spoilt for choice with an extensive array of buffet fare featuring local and international dishes, as well as an impressive variety of Bahraini hummus.

Opening Hours: Breakfast 6:00am – 10:30am Lunch 12:00pm – 3:30pm, Dinner 7:00pm – 11:00pm Friday Brunch: 12:30pm - 4:00pm

China Garden

The restaurant, which is designed in a modern oriental style, offers a varied selection of food influenced by distinct Chinese regions creating Cantonese, Szechuan and Peking specialties.

Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday Lunch 12:00pm to 3:00pm, Dinner 7:00pm to 11:00pm (Closed on Sunday)

Sato

It is favored by Japanese Embassy staff who are said to love its peaceful Zen-like surroundings and exquisite features, including teppanyaki rooms and an authentic robatayaki grill and a Sushi bar with a smoking section.

Opening Hours: Lunch 12:00pm – 3:00pm Dinner 7:00pm – 11:00pm

Takht Jamsheed

Taking inspiration from Persia’s royal palace of Takht Jamsheed, the Gulf Hotel’s chic restaurant offers a fine dining experience fit for a king.

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday Lunch 12:00pm – 3:00pm, Dinner 7:00pm – 11:00pm (Closed on Mondays)

Zahle

The menu boasts an extensive selection of hot and cold mezze, grilled meat and regional Lebanese fare, such as beautifully presented shish kebab served in a golden box atop warm Arabic bread and burning coals.

Fusions

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, Weekdays: 7:00pm – 1:00am, Weekends: 7:00pm – 2:00am Saturday Lunch 12:00pm -3:00pm Dinner 7:00pm – 2:00am

Opening Hours: Sunday to Friday 6pm – 12am (Closed on Saturday)

For Reservations

Fusions is a contemporary and stylish rooftop restaurant boasting unrivalled views over the hotel’s tropical gardens and Manama skyline.

La Pergola

Renowned for being one of Bahrain’s oldest Italian eateries, the intimate restaurant offers a fantastic Mediterranean ambience with a vaulted roof and striking wall murals depicting scenes of ancient Rome.

Opening Hours: Lunch 12:00pm – 3:00pm Dinner 7:00pm – 11:00pm

Margarita Mexicana

All dishes, including tortillas and guacamole, are freshly prepared at guests’ tables to guarantee that the menu and fine dining experience are as authentic as possible.

Opening Hours: Sunday to Friday 6:00pm – 12:00am (Closed on Saturdays)

Royal Thai

The restaurant is situated in a grand pagoda in the grounds of the hotel’s tropical gardens and provides scenic views overlooking the turquoise waters of the outdoor swimming pool.

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday Lunch 12:00pm – 3:00pm, Dinner 7:00pm – 11:00pm (Closed on Mondays)

Al Waha: +973 1774 6425/26 China Garden: +973 1774 6423/24 - Fusions: +973 1771 3000 La Pergola: +973 1774 6419/20 Margarita Mexicana: +973 1774 6462 Royal Thai: +973 1774 6421/22 - Sato: +973 1774 6429/30 Takht Jamsheed: +973 1774 6431/32 Zahle: +973 1774 6417/18

nightlife

Sherlock Holmes Opening Hours: Daily: 12:00pm – 2:00am

Typhoon Bar and Lounge Opening Hours: Daily: 5:00pm – 1:00am Happy Hour: 5:00pm – 7:00pm

Vintage Wine Bar Opening Hours: Daily: 5:00pm – 1:00am For Reservations

Sherlock Holmes: +973 1771 2450 Typhoon Bar and Lounge: +973 17 746 395 Vintage Wine Bar: +973 1774 6461

the DoMain Bahrain hotel  Dining

Txoko

A playful and vibrant venue crowning the top floor of The Domain Hotel and Spa. Opening hours: Daily 4:00pm – 2:00am

Imari

Cosmopolitan Japanese restaurant and lounge Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 6:00pm – 12:00 am Sunday Closed

Le Sauvage

French Steakhouse , open grill kitchen Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 6:00pm – 12:00 am Monday Closed

Le Domain

Fresh, light and passionate cuisine from the south of France.

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 6:00pm – 12:00 am Monday Closed

Figs & Olives

A casual duet eatery of both classic Italian and Lebanese comfort foods.

Opening hours: Daily 6:30 am – 10:00 pm

The Cigar Lounge

Refined and masculine social space with walk in humidor.

Opening hours: Daily 6:00 pm – 12:00 am For Information & Reservations Hotel: +973 16000 400, 16000 200, 16000 222, 16000 333.

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al Safir hotel  Dining

Yalla Yalla

In place of Savoy Café, Yalla Yalla offers lunch and dinner bufftets as well as an ala carte menu.

Opening Hours: Daily: 6:30am - Midnight

Bennigan’s

Enjoy tasty food and spirited conversation.

Opening Hours: Daily: 6am - 2am

Cucina Italiana

The place where Italian Food is served with style & passion.

Marriott eXeCutive apartMentS  Dining

SKYWALK CAFÉ

Find this contemporary yet cozy café, one of our favorite Bahrain restaurants, on the ground floor.

Enjoy international cuisine, and even keep connected with free Wireless Internet access available onsite.

Opening hours: daily, for breakfast, lunch and dinner For Reservations +973 17 363999

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 6:00am - 1:00am

Spa & Salon

Ann Beauty Salon

Come in and relax to soothing music as our therapists provide the perfect treatment.

For Information & Reservations Al Safir Hotel & Tower: +973 1782 7999 Email: alsafirh@batelco.com.bh Bennigan’s: +973 1781 3750 Website: bennigans.com.bh Cucina Italiana: +973 1700 1317 Website: cucinaitaliana.com.bh

raMee GranD hotel & Spa  Dining

Lemon Tree

Featuring a dynamic menu, the Lemon Tree is the place to enjoy our signature casual dining, delicious breakfasts, Friday family brunches, scrumptious dinners and those all-day quick nibbles. Eid Party with buffet, live music and more, from 9pm onwards. BD 10 pre-sale price, BD 15 on door price. Eid brunch from 12pm - 4pm Opening Hours: Breakfast: 6.30am – 10.30pm Lunch: 12.00 pm – 3.30pm, Dinner: 7.00pm – 11.30pm For Reservations

novotel al Dana reSort  Dining

La Perle

Enjoy a delicious range of culinary specialties with an extensive selection of appetizers, salads and desserts to complement your choices Seafood and fishes.

Opening hours: Daily: 7:00pm - 12:00am

Zytoun

Mediterranean Grill buffet restaurant serving a variety of Mediterranean and international foods.

Opening hours: Daily: 6:30am - 11:00pm

nightlife

Le Bellevue

A relaxed yet elegant bar offering one of the most stunning views of the sea and city skyline. Light live music in the evenings.

Opening hours: Daily: 4:00pm - 2:00am

Pool Bar

Pool bar is open on weekends during DecemberFebruary and every day from March 1 until November.

(Closed during Ramadan).

Lemon Tree: +973 17111999

Ruka

Ruka aims to present itself as the region’s most luxurious Japanese restaurant/lounge. With breathtaking views of the Bahrain from the 24th floor, the vast azure Arabic Gulf & the infinite cerulean skyline, Ruka’s connotation to its name certainly holds true to its very core. All you can eat sushi for BD 12, everyday from 12pm - 3 pm. Special DJ performance every Thursday & Friday from 7pm-2am. Bottomless cocktails with 2 sushi rolls on Mondays for BD 19, 6pm-2am.

Opening Hours: Daily: 12:30pm – 3:00pm and 6.00pm -11:30pm For Reservations

Ruka: +973 17111971

Reborn

The Spa at the Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa is 5,000 square feet of pure serenity. Inspired by wellness techniques from around the globe, our spa features 13 treatment rooms with a unique selection of facials, massages & treatments designed specifically for women, men & couples.

Opening hours: 10.00am – 11.00pm 7 days a week Health Club: 6.00am - 11.00pm Pool Bar: 10.00am – 6.00pm For Information Reborn: +973 17 111980

nightlife

Ibrida

Ramee Grand’s very own club and steak-house is the heart of Bahrain’s biggest nightlife entertainment and has steadily become the perfect venue for the after-work crowd to unwind or for weekend revelers to dance the night away. Ibrida will be back on the 1st day of Eid from 9pm onwards. Monday Salsa Night from 9pm 12 am. Tuesday open mic night from 9pm - 12am, with a complimentary drink for each performance. Lockdown International band & resident DJ Andy play every night except Sunday.

Opening Hours: Club: 8.00pm – 2.00am Restaurant: 7.00pm - 11.30pm For Information

Ibrida: +973 17 111972

Rasoi

Rasoi takes you on a culinary journey with its extensive buffet display, open exhibition kitchen and live cooking areas. Soothing music from a live ghazal band while you dine creates the perfect atmosphere for our guests to relish the sophisticated blend of flavors, which celebrate the vibrancy, of Indian cuisine. Eid Party from 7pm onwards, BD 10 NET including soft beverages.

Rasoi Lunch Box including biryani or kathi rolls and soft beverages for BD 5 from 12:30pm - 3:00pm

Opening hours: Daily: 9:00am -8:00pm

Opening Hours: Daily: 12.30p.m - 3.00p.m and 6.30p.m - 11.00p.m

For Reservations

For Reservations

Hotel: +973 1729 8008

Spa & Salon

Rasoi: +973 17111973

August 2016

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iBiS Seef ManaMa 

MerCure GranD hotel Seef 

SEEF RESTAURANT

NEYRAN RESTAURANT

Dining

Enjoy a wide range of succulent dishes from around the globe in a casual and tranquil setting. The a la carte menu is available throughout the day and our chef’s special is freshly prepared daily. Whether you’re looking to grab a quick bite or to have a more relaxed sumptuous meal, the restaurant is the perfect choice to satisfy those yearnings.

Opening Hours: 4 AM to 11 PM daily, 7 days a week Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Breakfast timings: Intercontinental breakfast is from 4:30 AM – 6:30 AM Breakfast Buffet is from: 6:30 AM – 10:30 AM Intercontinental breakfast is from: 10:30 AM – 12 PM Lunch: 12 - 3:30 PM Dinner: 7 – 11 PM Come try out our special Combo offer for lunch & dinner! Revel in one of our culinary delights for your main course from the menu. Add BD 1 for a delicious salad and soft drink.

SEEF CAFÉ

The ideal place to meet with family and friends and enjoy a delightful array of cold and hot beverages, mocktails, light snacks, and sweets, while watching your favorite sports team play on our big screen TV. Opening Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week For information & reservations:

+973 17386020 or e-mail H6303-RE@accor.com

Dining

Specializing in flavors from Europe with hints of Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines, Neyran’s menu presents a reflection of striking aromas and essences. Guests can start or end their day with a meal from our extensive deluxe buffet for breakfast, lunch or dinner whilst our a la carte menu provides limitless choices anytime of the day in general surroundings brightened with natural sunshine.

Opening hours: 06:30 - 23:00, every day

CASA BAR & TERRACE

Shades of Oak and yellow surroundings, brightened with natural sunshine, Casa Bar provides that chic and stylish setting with stylish décor and the comfiest furnishings all in a Moroccan style. Casa Bar’s cigar collection epitomizes graciousness with a menu that has been created to complement the tastes of aficionados who will find the humidor stocked with some of the finest premium cigars. Don’t miss out on Casa Terrace, on the mezzanine level, where you can enjoy the finest open-air hospitality with a beautiful view of Manama and the Seef skyline. Unwind with live entertainment, a wide variety of shishas, light meals and sandwiches...with your favorite drink!

Opening hours: 14:00 - 02:00, every day.

SAMA POOL & BAR

Marvel at the panoramic city and the sea views, the endless skyline framed against the beautiful sunsets from Bahrain’s highest roof top at Sama Pool Bar. This urban oasis is an unmatched visual feast and the perfect place to enjoy an evening of barbecued grill or gather with a group of friends over light snacks and beverages. The ‘sky’ high experience is completed as you dive into the clear blue water of the pool, with the open-air pool deck a refreshing relief from the city’s buzz throughout the day. The Sama Pool Bar is also a coveted venue for pool parties, family barbecues, farewell gatherings, weekend treats, corporate events, anniversaries or for that special event to celebrate with your friends and family.

Opening hours: 10:30 - 19:00, every day.

the DraGon hotel anD reSort  Dining

MUJU RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE

MUJU’s contemporary style and timeless sophistication blends with a warm and inviting ambiance that combine to make the ideal venue for lunch, dinner or cocktails.

MUJU’s exquisite international menu has a wide variety of delicacies for even the most discerning of palates.

Whether for lunch or dinner, its timeless classics and seasonal specials are a treat to the taste buds. With its warm ambiance, breath-taking sea views and culinary masterpieces, MUJU restaurant and lounge is an indulgence to your senses. Laze away an afternoon or watch the sunset, sipping cocktails while enjoying an appetizing selection of treats from the lounge menu.

Opening hours: Everyday 12pm till 5am

YAMIN JANA MEDITERRANEAN SEAFRONT

RESTAURANT Treat yourself to a refreshingly different dining experience at Yamin Jana, a Mediterranean-Style seafront lounge with an Arabic twist. Allow yourself to be transported all over the Mediterranean when sampling tapas in true Spanish style, as well as authentic Lebanese mezze. The beverage selection is as vast as the Mediterranean, with great beverages and an amazing variety of different shisha flavors. Yamin Jana seats 140 guests on a beautiful al fresco wooden deck. Watch the evening come alive when the whole of Amwaj and all its lights breathe life into the lagoon in front of the Dragon Hotel & Resort.

Opening hours: 11am to 2 am every day.

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For Reservations

+973 17 58 44 00 H5685@accor.com/H5685-RE@accor.com

CORNERS

Corners is the first pub to open in Amwaj Islands. A place to socialize and unwind whilst enjoying the latest in live sports, bands and DJs including resident DJ. With a diverse selection of food, including traditional pub grub as well as International classics to treat the taste buds, Corners is your ultimate Gastropub.

Opening hours: 2pm to 2am For Reservations

+973 1603 1111/ +973 1603 3833 fo@dragonresorthotel.com

SWiSS-Belhotel  Dining

SWISS-CAFÉ RESTAURANT

al areen palaCe & Spa  Dining

RIMAL RESTAURANT

Rimal offers all-day dining in a light and airy setting that provides a spectacular view of the resort. Catering to Middle Eastern and global tastes, guests can indulge in a sumptuous breakfast buffet or select from an extensive a la carte menu.

Opening hours: daily Breakfast served daily: 6:30am - 10:30 am Last Order: 11:00 pm

SAFFRON RESTAURANT

Resplendent in majestic shades of gold and maroon, with a beautiful high ceiling, traditional Middle Eastern accents and a spectacular view of the resort’s grand outdoor pool, this signature dining venue introduces a new menu inspired by modern Bahraini dishes, combining elements of enticing European and Khaleeji fusion.

Opening hours: daily For lunch: 11:30 am-3:00 pm For dinner: 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm

KEIZO RESTAURANT

Keizo offers guests surprising signature dishes from traditional Far East cuisines contemporarily prepared and elegantly presented. Highly experienced chef and multi-talented sushi chef all make up this exceptional dining venue.

Opening hours: Thursday, Friday and Saturday For lunch: 11:30 am-3:00 pm Open daily for dinner: 6:30 pm - 11:00 pm Closed on Sunday

An all-day dining restaurant located on the 10th floor, with a panoramic terrace overlooking the city.

Opening hours: 6:30 AM - 11:30 PM, everyday Essential Food Deals (Valid until last evening before Ramadan): Business Lunch Buffet: 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM, Saturday to Thursday (7 BD net per person including soft drinks and mineral water) International Dinner Buffet: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM, Saturday to Thursday (8 BD net per person including soft drinks) Arabic Dinner Buffet: 7.00 PM - 11.00 PM, Thursday and Friday (8 BD net per person including soft drinks) Friday Seafood Lunch: 12.30 PM - 3.00 PM (Net BD 12 per person including soft drinks) Summer Lunch Buffet: 12:30 Pm - 3:00 PM, Saturday to Friday (BD7 net including soft drinks)

CAFECCINO

Lobby Café serving a variety of salads, sandwiches, pastries, hot and cold beverages in a casual ambience.

Opening hours: 24 hours, everyday

B28 bar & lounge

This trendy bar is located on the 28th floor with a panoramic view. 30% off on selected beverages during happy hour on Wednesdays from 6:00 PM. Live music with Lilyana, Wednesdays from 6:00 PM, Thursdays & Fridays from 8:00 PM Opening hours: 4:00 PM - 2:00 AM, Saturday to Thursday & 1:00 PM - 2:00 AM, Friday

CroWne plaZa Bahrain 

Floor 27

SPICES

The incomparable hall, overlooking the Seef area is the place to host any type of events. Located on the 27th floor with a panoramic 360 degree view of Bahrain, it’s the perfect venue for gatherings with family & friends.

Opening hours: 24 hours, everyday

For Information and Reservations

+973 66310041 reservationsbse@swiss-belhotel.com

SENSES LOUNGE

Indulge in delicious pastries, freshly baked cakes and our special selection of tea and coffee. Senses Lounge is the perfect place to relax and re-charge your senses.

Opening hours: From 9:00 am - 10:00 pm

Silk’s restaurant

Asian Fusion cuisine Open from 6.00am to 10.30am for breakfast, from 12.30pm to 4.00pm for lunch, and from 7.00pm to 11.00pm for dinner.

Thursdays from 7.00pm to 11.00pm (Thursday Night Out)at BD27 net Mondays from 7.00pm to 11.00pm (Monday Seafood Night) at BD 27 net Friday from 12.30pm to 4.00pm (Award-Winning Friday Brunch) at BD31 net

The Gallery

French brasserie Open from 7.00am to midnight.

Rimal Spa Open daily from 10.00am to 10.00pm 12 luxurious treatment rooms

LA MOSAIQUE

The spacious, elegant and classic La Mosaique Restaurant is open 24 hours a day, serving a choice of international buffets and a la carte menus. This restaurant is suitable for all, from family meals out, to meetings, with our facilities being able to cater for all. La Mosaique really does have something too suit all tastes, along with great atmosphere and fantastic service!

A must for seafood lovers, who can choose from our extensive a la carte menu or our market place selection of fresh fish which is delivered daily from local Bahraini fisherman.

Opening hours: daily for lunch and dinner

+973 17 84 50 00/+973 17 84 50 01 alareen@alareenpalace.com

Dining

Spices Indian Restaurant ensures the best Indian food available, as well as the highest quality possible service. Spices has many exciting signature dishes that are perfect for all and set us apart from the others.

Opening hours: 12.00 to 23.00

WAVES SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

For Reservations

MövenpiCK hotel Bahrain 

Dining

The Gym & Wellness Open daily from 6.00am to 10.00pm Tennis Court Infinity pool Cybex equipment

Flamingo Bar & Lounge

THE HARVESTERS PUB AND TERRACE

Serves the best pub grub in town and is the perfect place to meet up after work with friends or colleagues. There is live entertainment from our band every night, and you can also catch the latest sporting action of one of the many screens.

Weekdays open from 2.00pm to 2.00am Weekends open from 12.00pm to 2.00am Daily happy hour from 2.00pm to 9.00pm Live band performance daily except Saturdays from 8.45pm 12.30am

CAPPUCCINO CAFÉ

For Reservations

TRACKS SPORTS BAR

Silk’s Restaurant: +973 17460017

Coffee shop is located in the lobby area, and serves freshly brewed tea, coffee and pastries throughout the day. Hold your meeting here with colleagues, or simply sit and enjoy the surroundings.

A great place to socialize with friends and colleagues and watch all the world’s best sporting events everyday on big screen. Come and enjoy Tracks’ relaxed and friendly atmosphere, play pool or darts, listen to great music while having a drink and a fabulous snack from our menu.

Opening hours: daily from 3pm to 1am For Reservations

+973 17531122 cp@cp-bahrain.com

August 2016

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BUSINESS Market Place Gulf

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august 2016

BUSINESS Market Place Gulf

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Quoted “The rapid increase in connected devices and IP traffic will create new opportunities that arise from digitisation, delivering benefits such as reduced costs, increased efficiency and improvement in the lives of citizens.”

Mike Weston, Vice President, Cisco Middle East.

"Capital markets have a very important role to play in funding the growth throughout Bahrain. They have the potential to enable businesses to grow faster and create more jobs and greater prosperity, but they will only be able to do so if they have sufficient liquidity.”

Shaikh Khalifa bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer, Bahrain Bourse.

80 88

may february august 2016 2016 2012

“The decision of the people of the UK to leave the EU has turned stock markets highly volatile in various parts of the world. Also, to be noticed is the fall in the GBP against the USD to which even the Bahraini Dinar is pegged.”

Promoth Manghat, Chief Executive Officer, UAE Exchange Group.

“Despite ongoing uncertainty, CEOs in Bahrain and around the world are focused on growth. We are seeing more businesses and organizations strengthening their capabilities today and readying their businesses for a very different future, through transformation, advanced technology and more specialized talent.”

Jamal Fakhro, Managing Partner, KPMG, Bahrain

“With more than 50 billion devices expected to be connected to the internet by 2020, the Internet of Things is changing the world. All kinds of unexpected things are being connected, from toothbrushes to lightbulbs and basketballs to fridges, turning everyday items into much more useful ‘devices’.”

Den Sullivan, Head of Software, Cisco EMEAR

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