BiG July 2016

Gulf

BUSINESS july 2016 VOLUME-10 NO.07 Bahrain:BD 2 - Qatar:Riyal 30.00 - Oman:Riyal 3.00 - UAE:Dirhams 30.00 - Kuwait:KD 3 - Saudi Arabia:Riyal 30.00

BUS ESS a Gulf Business magazine for today’s entrepreneurS

IN Gulf

july 2016 / Vol-10 No:07

Designing Innovation

Using the Business Model Canvas to Plan for Success

Automotive Edition

Extreme Measures

Exclusive Interviews with the country’s top automotive GMs

Impact of the New Subsidy Reforms in the Region

Personality Project

Should you use psychometric tests in your organisation?

www.maxmediaco.com

How to build

An Empire by akram miknas,

PUBLICATION

founder of promoseven holdings DISPLAY UNTIL july 20, 2016

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IMPERIALE

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July

BUSINESS Contents Gulf

36 30 usinG psychomeTric TesTs in a corporaTe envirnomenT By mike orlov

54 hoW To Build an empire interview with promoseven holdings Founder akram miknas

44

ciTizenship By invesTmenT in The dominican repuBlic

By dr. alex suchy von Weissenfeld

64 BlazinG a Trail ahmed zayani & sons Gm, zaid hamed 4

july 2016

GaGan suri

Talking Business Behind the Wheel of a Bentley

July

BUSINESS Contents Gulf

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At A glAnce COver StOry 36

Promoseven holdings founder, AkrAm miknAs On Work, Life & the Floating C Hotel at Coral Bay

entrepreneUrS

sayed ahmed alaWi Founder of Beauty seat

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sAlAm el hArchi Founder of Art Matterz Fine Art Studio

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Ali Ashoor Founder of Uski App

COntrIBUtOrS 34

AnitA menon What the new Subsidy reforms Mean for the region

58

fAtemA ebrAhim tapping into the power of Instagram

regULArS

68 sTyle File

The classiest Fashion pieces

70 GadGeTs

The coolest lifestyle items

68

fAshion Bold statements

70

gAdgets the latest in electronics

72

hotel listings All they have to offer

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Quoted What the vIps said

BIG Words

Ah, the Holy Month of Ramadan is upon us once again. A month dedicated to spiritual cleansing, deep introspection, and delicious food complimented by copious amounts of Vimto (only once the sun goes down, of course). This issue is chock-full of the most interesting interviews to keep the established businessmen among you up-to-date with latest developments and the aspiring entrepreneurs among you motivated. In this month’s automotive edition, we bring you interviews with top executives from the Kingdom’s leading car companies to find out how the Parth Vaya increase in petrol prices has affected their market. As Deputy Editor our cover story, we bring you an exclusive interview 6

july 2016

with Akram Miknas, founder of the ubiquitous Promoseven Holdings, who reveals the difference between being great and being extraordinary. And as usual, we interview a number of bright entrepreneurs trying to make their mark such as Ali Ashoor, founder of the cinema app, Uski. We also aim to educate our readers with stimulating opinion pieces from our faithful contributors. Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook @businessingulf, and LinkedIn at Business in Gulf Magazine. Also email big@maxmediaco.com to share your stories with us. On behalf of all of us here at Business In Gulf Magazine,

Ramadan Kareem!

BUSINESS Gulf

a MAXMEDIA PUBLICATION Bahrain’s premier entreprenurial lifestyle magazine PUBLIShEr / EdItor IN ChIEf

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JUNE 2016

JUNE 2016

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NewsFlash

The latest headlines from around the GCC 25,000 No. of homes that Bahrain’s Housing Ministry is set to build by the end of 2018.

Bahrain’s inflation rises to highest mark since 2013 Bahrain’s statistics office released the April consumer price data, showing inflation at 3.8 percent year-on-year, its highest for 29 months.

100km

Length of tunneLLing compLeted on the doha metro project.

Sri Lankan Accountants Association hosts first technical event

The Sri Lankan Accountants Association - Bahrain (SLAAB) recently hosted its First Technical event. The event was aimed at fulfilling the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements of its members.

SLAAB, which was created in 2010, serves the Sri Lankan Accountant community in the Kingdom of Bahrain to further their knowledge, and provides a forum for sharing experiences of working in the region.

Saudi Arabia to get their first wind turbine

Saudi Aramco and General Electric (GE) have announced they are partnering to install Saudi Arabia’s first wind turbine at the Turaif Bulk Plant, located in the north-west of the Gulf kingdom.

US$3 million Cost of the Bahrain-based Gulf Aluminium Rolling Company’s latest Natural Gas Lines and Receiving Facilities Project.

$250m

Amount Bahrain Mumtalakat has invested into real estate developments in the US as part of its latest deal with developer Regent Properties.

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GARMCO Operations General Manager, Mohammed Essa(far right), with representatives from the contracting companies handling the projects.

BAteLCo BAhRAiN to iNtRodUCe FRee PUBLiC wiFi

the nationwide wiFi rollout, has begun with a number of hotspots including the Bahrain international Circuit, Seef Mall Muharraq and the Juffair Restaurant area ready to go as part of this significant initiative. in the first major step for the project, Batelco provided wiFi throughout the Bahrain international Circuit for the 2016 Formula one weekend, making it the first international circuit to provide free public wiFi.

Bahrain agrees to ban religious figures from politics Last month, Bahrain’s Shura Council agreed to a law proposal that will separate religious and political activities in the Kingdom. The proposal includes an article stating that leaders of political societies should not be religious preachers ‘even if they occupy the position in the societies without being paid’.

Ritz-Carlton brings back ‘Al Khayma’ Ramadan tent

The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain is bringing back its ever-popular ‘Al Khayma’ Ramadan to offer a memorable Iftar and Ghabgha experience for guests. The tent features a water fountain as its centerpiece around which families and friends can dine. The Ramadan buffet will include a variety of dishes from around the world, along with a selection of traditional as well as special-flavoured shisha.

Batelco CEO, Muna Al Hashemi

Officine Panerai intrOduces new timePieces Luxury Swiss watchmakers Officine Panerai recently introduced 6 new novelties under the Luminor Marina 1950 family fitted with the new P.9010 automatic calibre with a power reserve of three days. Luminor Marina 1950 collection was introduced during Officine Panerai’s exhibition in Florence, “Panerai: Dive Into Time” last month.

$800

Extra amount that employers in Bahrain have to pay per expat worker over their regular quota.

400TONNES

Expected amount of food wastage per day during the holy month of Ramadan in Bahrain.

50%

Bahrain says all homes, Buildings to Be powered By renewaBle energy New laws in Bahrain will force all home and building owners to use renewable energy sources in a bid to ensure all properties are 100 percent dependant on renewable – particularly solar energy.

The plan, which is scheduled to start in December 2020, will include the building of the first government solar centre.

Percentage of young Arabs who say this generation is more entrepreneurial than the one before, according to findings from the Eighth Annual ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller Arab Youth Survey.

Qatar named Middle East’s most competitive economy Qatar has been named as the most competitive economy in the Middle East according to the latest World Competitiveness Ranking from the IMD World Competitiveness Centre.

Qatar held on to its position of 13th in the table, making it the highest Middle East country in this year’s rankings. july JUly 2016

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World’s first 3D-printed building opens in Dubai

The world’s first 3D-printed office building was recently completed in Dubai. While other buildings have been partly made by 3D printers, this building is entirely printer-made, including every piece of furniture inside it. The fully functional workspace is a singlestory office located inside Dubai’s Emirates Towers complex and will be the temporary home of the Dubai Future Foundation. The building was made by a 3D printer that is an impressive 20 feet (six metres) high – smaller printers were also used alongside. It took 17 days to print and two days to install. All of the components and furniture were built using 3D printing technology combining a mixture of Special Reinforced Concrete (SRC), Glass Fibre Reinforced Gypsum (GRG) and Fibre Reinforced Plastic (FRP).

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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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nEws

RoboCop by 2020?

Robots could replace some Dubai police officers in the city by 2020. The implementation of the technology would take place in two phases. Phase one would see the manufacture of the robots, while phase two would involve the development of artificial intelligence. Dubai Police is also in the process of developing the artificial intelligence in coordination with Watson, the question answering computer system, and web search engine Google.

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EvEnt

royal I TreaTmenT

VIVa BaHraIn HoSTS ramadan gHaBga for THE mEdIa communITy

n recognition of the ongoing support and efforts made by media members and digital influencers, VIVA Bahrain hosted its annual Ramadan Media ghabga at the Four Seasons Hotel Ramadan Tent. The event was attended by VIVA’s CEO, Eng. Ulaiyan Al Wetaid along with some of the company’s senior management. Aside from the massive buffet, the evening’s highlights included live Arabic music and a jeopardy quiz.

Ulaiyan Al Wetaid, VIVA Bahrain CEO (middle), with some of the company’s senior management

eco-FrIendly TourIsm T

HaWar To Turn InTo major Eco-frIEndLy TourIST HoTSpoT

he real estate investment arm of the Mumtalakat Holding Company, Edamah, recently announced its plans to transform Hawar into a signature eco-friendly tourism destination. The revamp is expected to cost around BD 350 million, and will create an estimated 3000 jobs. The two-stage renovation and development project is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

Mahmood Hashim Alkooheji, Mumtalakat CEO (middle), with the Edamah development team

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EvEnt

Acacia Ballroom, Ramee Grand Hotel & Spa

FoodIe’s ParadIse ramEE grand HoTEL and Spa HoSTS ramadan IfTar for mEdIa

B

ahrain’s Ramee Grand Hotel and Spa recently hosted a Ramadan iftar for members of the media at the hotel’s Acacia Ballroom. The ifthar included a buffet filled with traditional Arabic food and beverages.

To top it off, the event included live oud music to set the mood.

GadGeT sTaTIon

BIn HIndI LauncHES EZonE aT goSI compLEx

L

ast month, the Bin Hindi Group opened a new electronics store, eZone, at Bahrain’s Gosi Complex. The new store was officially inaugurated by Mr. Khalid Bin Hindi and Mr. A. Aziz Bin Hindi, A.A. Bin Hindi Directors & CEOs in the presence of members of the press and Bin Hindi management team. eZone is an authorized reseller of Apple products.

Khalid Bin Hindi (second from left) and Aziz Bin Hindi (far right) cutting the ceremonial ribbon

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Face Value Multi-talented Entrepreneur Sayed Ahmed Alawi talks Business, Football and the Beauty Industry 20

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EntrEprEnEur

f you met Sayed Ahmed Alawi a few years ago and asked him what he wanted to do for a living, he wouldn’t have been able to give you a straight answer. He wanted to do it all. After years of working in various fields, he finally decided to use his extensive knowledge of customer demand in Bahrain and start his own company.

His app, Beauty Seat, bridges the gap between beauty salons and their prospective clients by providing an efficient booking system.

Tell us a little bit about your educational and work background.

I did a foundation year at the University of Reading and then came back to Bahrain to complete my Bachelors degree in Banking & Finance at the University of Bahrain. I always wanted to be a renaissance man, talented in many areas rather than specialized in just one. As such I would always look for small jobs here and there that would help me accomplish that.

For example, I worked for 6 months in Gold Standard, a gold shop in Manama, doing sales, worked as a driver for school kids, and also interned in ABC Bank in the Market Risk department, analyzing the risk of investments and portfolios among other things.

What inspired you to start Beauty Seat?

Where did you get the idea?

The key to every successful business is finding and

“Starting up a business is far from easy and if you did not feel nervous or scared, then you are not thinking clearly.”

BeautySeat satisfying a need. In Bahrain, it is very noticeable that during celebrations and festive holidays and events, women have a bit of a hard time getting an appointment or finding an appropriate salon.

They end up spending hours on end looking for the perfect place that can provide them with the perfect service along, of course, with the appropriate cost. As such, the idea of Beauty Seat came to life.

From where did you get the funding to start it?

Funding for the project came from indoor financing mainly, as well as from winning local business competitions and from the partners that we were able to secure.

How does Beauty Seat work?

Beauty Seat is an app that works as a middleman between salons and their clients providing a better booking and management system.

Through the app, anyone can book an appointment; view the latest promotions and offers, along with locating the nearby salons as well.

What is your main source of revenue from the app? Ads, commission from beauty salons etc?

We have 3 main sources of revenue which are: account premium fees, services fees and advertisements.

What are some of the marketing strategies you’re using to raise awareness about your business?

Other than having excellent goodwill and using it to our advantage in local competitions, we have been using several marketing strategies which include, but are not limited to: word of mouth, advertisements, public booths and events, providing special offers and coupons of our partners, etc.

Who did the branding and design of the logo?

My partner Alyaa Mohammed created the design of the logo.

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

The issues that we faced were the same as in any startup.

These include finance and a lack of certain soft skills at times, since our business is very technical. However, when it comes to securing partnerships, we faced no issues whatsoever as there is a demand for salons from such an app. In 4 hours, we were able to secure 11 partnerships with 11 different salons.

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

Outside of work my passion includes reading about

physics, learning about the cosmos and history, along with playing football. Madrid fan for life, by the way. I’m also a huge movie enthusiast.

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

The biggest advice I would say is that life is short.

Money comes and goes.

Starting up a business is far from easy and if you did not feel nervous or scared, then you are not thinking clearly.

However, you should always remember that time waits for no man and that no celebrity actually thought they would reach the level of success they are today when they first started. You could be that future celebrity. Just shut down those voices in your head that tell you that you can’t, and just take the leap.

What future plans do you have for Beauty Seat?

When it comes to Beauty Seat, survival is not what we concentrate on. Expansion and going global, that is the dream and what we strive to achieve. That is just one of the future plans that I have in store and if you want more, well then you will just have to wait and see!

To find out more about Beauty Seat, follow on Instagram @beautyseatapp or Facebook @BeautySeatApp

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Artistic Vision Salam El Harchi Ditches the Corporate World to Pursue his Passion of Fine Art 22

july 2016 may 2016

EntrEprEnEur fter stints in a number of countries around the world, Moroccan-born Salam El Harchi came to Bahrain in 2008 to work as the Head of Purchasing for the Bahrain Teachers College at the University of Bahrain.

Two years later, he decided it was now or never, and quit his successful career to pursue his life-long passion of fine art.

In our interview with him, he tells us more about his fine art and photography printing studio, Art Matterz.

What inspired you to start your own business?

I’ve had a passion for photography and printing ever since the early 80s, since my days in France. I always considered this to be nothing more than a hobby, and never thought I would one day turn this passion into a living! But after I came to Bahrain, I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people that were interested in photography, and realized there was a sizeable market that I could tap into. Eventually, I quit my full-time job here in 2010 and dedicated myself full-time to my professional photography studio that I had opened up in Sitra.

Why did you decide to shift to your business interests to the printing aspect, and move your outlet here to Seef?

So my main avenue of income from this studio in Sitra was renting it out to amateur and professional photographers.

One of Viva’s first major ad campaigns was actually shot in my studio. However, when the 2011 riots hit, Sitra became too dangerous a place to operate out of and I had to abandon the studio. I then opened up another outlet in Adliya and decided to focus more on fine art and photography printing. After a little while I realised that even though Adliya was a very busy place, I wouldn’t be able to attract enough customers into my shop since parking for them was such a hassle! So I shifted again, to my current location here in Seef.

So what is fine art printing exactly? And how is it different from regular printing that we see in books or newspapers?

Fine art and photography printing is very different from the type that you see in a regular printing press. You need to use vastly different ingredients, equipment and methods.

Fine art printers need to use a minimum of 8 colours. You also need to use pigment ink with no acid, as opposed to dye ink.

The final requirement is that the media on which you print needs to be completely acid free as well. Most of the paper I use is actually handmade of out of cotton. I also use others made of bamboo, sugar cane and rice.

This paper and ink can last up to 150 years without losing their colour, whereas the paper in newspapers and books turns yellow after a while. You could consider it a specialised type of printing, with a very niche market – only the most passionate photographers and artists.

“Fine art isn’t exactly rocket science. I don’t claim to be a scientist of fine art.

But I do provide a service for a very niche market that just isn’t easily available in this country.”

An example of fine art printing, with colours so clear, the picture almost looks 3D!

Where do you get this paper from?

I get this paper from a company in Germany called Hahnemuhle FineArt, which was established in 1584. It’s a very well-known company in fine art circles that sells the best paper that money can buy.

Where do you get the printers and ink from?

I buy all the equipment and ink from the USA. I’d have to pay almost twice the amount if I were to buy everything from here!

There are a number of other professional printing studios in Bahrain. What distinguishes you from them?

I actually went through an 18 month process to become accredited as a Certified Print Studio by Hahnemuhle. I’m the only the one in Bahrain to get that certification, and the only one to use their paper.

When a photographer takes a picture, they have a vision for what their picture will look like.

But often, when they get their pictures printed from a regular studio, it doesn’t live up to their expectations. There is often a mismatch of colours between

the photograph they see on their computer screen and printed picture itself in terms of hue or saturation. My goal is to give the photographer exactly what he or she envisioned, or better. Fine art isn’t exactly rocket science.

I don’t claim to be a scientist of fine art. But I do provide a service for a very niche market that just isn’t easily available in this country.

You seem to really know your stuff when it comes to fine art.

How did you gain all of this knowledge about it?

When you have a passion for something, you will find a way to learn everything about it through your own sources. I learnt everything I need to know through the internet, meeting people with similar interests, and years of interest and experience in the field.

What are your future plans for Art Matterz?

At the moment, my main aim is to educate people about fine art and establish a steady stream of customers. I also plan to re-open the photography studio in another location, hopefully sometime soon.

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It’s showtIme! Ali Ashoor Discusses Turning his love for Movies into a Business Venture to Help Fellow Cinema-Goers 24

july 2016 may 2016

EntrEprEnEur assionate movie fan Ali Ashoor was always faced by one nagging issue that seemed to ruin his cinema-going experience – waiting in line to get his ticket.

After working at a technology firm in Toronto for a year, he decided it was time to tackle the problem head on. Back on home soil, and armed with a steely resolve and the necessary technical know-how, he and his business partner started Uski, a cinema app to help users beat the box office line.

What were you doing before starting Uski? What is your educational and career background?

I completed my undergraduate studies at Ahlia University, where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Distributed Systems and Multimedia in 2014.

Later that year I received a work placement opportunity through AIESEC’s Global Talent Programme – I moved to Toronto, Canada where I worked at a technology agency. Over the past year or so in Bahrain I have enjoyed quality time with family, soaked up the sun on long bike rides and have been honing my craft through developing Uski.

What inspired you to start the app?

They say, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” I love watching movies in the cinema and as such, set out to resolve two specific issues I faced in exploring this pastime: Uski is a source of accurate movie information and showtimes for all theatres in Bahrain, and

booking tickets through the app enables me to always get the best seats without waiting in line. The only tough decision I would like to have to make when at the cinema is whether I would like caramel or salted popcorn.

Where did the name ‘Uski’ come from?

This has become something of a hot topic lately – some Uski fans insist they would like to know what ‘Uski’ means while other Uski fans love the name without questioning its meaning or significance. Where’s the fun in spilling the beans?

From where did you receive the funding to start it?

My partner and I have funded Uski so far, the fancy term for which is “bootstrapping”. Since its inception, Uski has been twice nominated for Facebook’s FbStartProgramme and has more recently been awarded second place in Tamkeen’s Mashroo3i Programme.

Largely, Uski is the product of frugal spending, tactical user acquisition campaigns and good old-fashioned hard work.

How many people do you have working with you at Uski? What are their roles?

I, Ali Ashoor, am the Founder and Chief Executive Officer. I oversee all business aspects of Uski’s growth and app development. Ali Alsayed, my partner, is the Chief Marketing Officer who represents Uski at events and conferences and leads on all marketing related activities. The Uski team also includes two fantastic individuals who help us achieve excellence in code development and social media management.

Check out @UskiApp on your favorite social media platform!

Is the app free? How do you plan to generate revenue from it?

Yes, Uski is a free app for iOS and Android. We place such great emphasis on superb user experience that we even made Uski adverts-free. You are welcome to browse showtimes, view trailers, check movie information and even ‘like’ your favorite movies, completely free! You are welcome to book a ticket through Uski where you can expect to pay the cinema’s standard price in addition to a minimal surcharge for the convenience of beating the queue.

What are some of the marketing strategies you’ve used to raise awareness about the app?

We are thrilled to have received over 80,000 app downloads and to have built an active user base of over 17,000 Uski fans.

In truth, we have leveraged every opportunity available to us including participating in events, conferences and competitions, distributing fliers, push notifications, word of mouth and social media campaigns.

Our ultimate goal is for the term “Uski” to be synonymous with the concept of watching movies at the cinema.

What future plans do you have for Uski?

Great question! Our immediate goal is to engage directly with cinema providers in the Kingdom of Bahrain and to make the cinema ticket booking experience as smooth and seamless as possible to Uski fans. Beyond that, we are constantly coming up with ways to evolve the app by adding innovative features and have been releasing these updates periodically. Our greatest advisors remain yourselves, Uski

“Our immediate goal is to engage directly with cinema providers in the Kingdom of Bahrain and to make the cinema ticket booking experience as smooth and seamless as possible.”

fans – we welcome any feedback you have that could help make your Uski experience even better. You can chat directly with our team and give us feedback through the app itself.

What are some of the challenges you have faced when setting the business up?

Uski Studios Inc. is a registered legal entity in Delaware, USA. Most entrepreneurs will recognize that businesslicensing procedures are extremely straightforward and startup-friendly in the States.

Naturally, we are working on establishing a legal entity in the Kingdom of Bahrain, where our headquarters and key operations are to remain. We find the recent media coverage regarding reducing red tape and facilitating easier business startup processes in the Kingdom very encouraging and we commend all of the individuals working hard to realize this shared dream for our beloved island.

You mentioned that you’re quite the movie buff. What are some of your favourite movies?

The Lord Of The Rings and The Hobbit are some of my favorites. Have you seen The Last Samurai? Legendary! The Pursuit of Happ‘y’ness was amazing as well!

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

Do what you love and love what you do. You may find that moral support, praise and encouragement are in short supply at times. Firm belief in your idea and perseverance are of utmost importance in entrepreneurship. The way I see it is that money would be a nice byproduct or side-effect of the hard work we put in. If we succeed financially, then great! If not, we enjoyed a fantastic journey and have lots of fun stories to share!

To find out more about Uski, follow on Instagram and Facebook @uskiapp, or visit their website uski.co

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Interview

Thirst for Quality Fareed Bader Introduces highquality brand of water to Bahrain Fareed Bader, founder and chairman of the Bader Group of Companies, has achieved astounding success in numerous fields during his thirty year business career.

Recently, he introduced a new brand of high-quality spring water, FROMIN, to Bahrain. In our interview with him, we find out a little more about this latest business venture as well as the man himself.

From your experience, what is the most important quality that any successful entrepreneur must have?

Who founded the Bader Group of Companies and when?

In business, if you are not willing to take risks, you will not succeed. The main factors we take into account are quality, price, and variety. 01222.

I founded the company in 1983.

What were you doing prior to starting work at the Bader Group of Companies?

After graduating from university in 1982, I worked with my father for one year then began to build my company.

When starting out your career, did you have any role models or mentors that you looked up to?

My role models and mentors include my father, my mother, my wife, and my teacher.

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I have formulated success into the “5 P’s” Formula. Passion, Persistence, Patience, Practice, and Pay Forward.

In what sectors is the company involved today?

Our company is involved in Manufacturing, Trading & Contracting, Property, Software Solutions & Consulting.

How do you analyze whether a new product or business venture will be successful?

What are some of the factors that you take into account?

Let’s talk about your company’s newest venture, FROMIN. Why did you decide to introduce the brand to Bahrain?

FROMIN is water that we call “Health in a Bottle”. I had the opportunity to see for myself where it comes from in the Carpathian mountains in the Czech Republic and therefore, I wanted to bring the benefits of that water for the people of Bahrain to enjoy.

How do you go about becoming the sole distributor of a foreign brand to the country? What were the requirements and some of the steps involved?

Good business partnerships are developed based on mutual trust.

Trust is something that is established over a long period and is determined on your past behaviour. In the case of FROMIN, we took time in researching and evaluating the product and the manufacturer. On the other hand, they also took time in evaluating us as a business partner. My wife and I visited them in the Czech Republic and studied their products, their company structure and their bottling plant. FROMIN then visited us here in Bahrain to look at our capabilities in developing the market for their product. This was followed by the signing of a business agreement that governs the performance factors of our business relationship to work together to develop the market for this product and the brand.

FROMIN’s award-winning bottle design

Are the marketing responsibilities for your new product outsourced to another company? What is your marketing strategy?

At the moment, we do all the marketing and promotion in-house. We have a clear strategy to sell the water to high end users at present. Our focus is restaurants, hotels, health stores and clubs.

What is your target demographic?

Bader Group of Companies founder, Fareed Bader

Where is the water sourced from? How is the water extracted and filtered?

The water is sourced from a well deep in the Carpathian Mountains in the Czech Republic. It comes from melted snow that is filtered through many layers of sediments in the mountain and gathers in a well deep beneath the mountain. The water is pumped directly from the well and filtered using natural filtering materials, and then bottled at the source. The name FROMIN actually means “FROM the natural source” directly “IN” the bottle.

The design of the bottles has been recognized with a World Star Award for Packaging. Was the packaging done by FROMIN or another company?

The design is inspired from ice cubes that show the origin of the water from melted snow and ice. FROMIN designed the bottle in collaboration with a design firm in the Czech Republic.

The demographic is wide but we consider it a health product for all the family and also for active sport-minded people.

We want people who want fine dining, to want fine water.

People who are willing to pay any amount to drink the best quality of mineral still and sparkling water. People who are conscious about the water they drink and where it comes from.

Do you work with any notable distributions partners in the country?

At present we are doing our own distribution using our own internal sales organisation.

However in future we may decide to also distribute through a high end super market.

Before deciding to introduce the brand here, did you conduct any feedback surveys to gauge consumer reactions to the product?

Yes we did conduct customer surveys; in fact we did a special program with students from the University of Bahrain. They used the FROMIN launch as a project and did an extensive study of the product and the market. It became the marketing project for the students who then presented a complete report to us and also to their university as part of their degree assessment. We are proud to have had such collaboration with a major educational institution here in Bahrain.

Are there any new projects that you plan to venture into in the near future?

Speaking specifically to the importation and distribution of high quality consumer products, yes, our next project in progress is bringing a quality Italian Coffee brand to the Gulf market. We will be marketing and distributing a unique range of coffee and tea capsules with our own dispensing machines.

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Top Tricks for creaTing a killer animaTed explainer Video A powerful animated explainer video will convert potential customers and make it easier for current ones to make referrals.

By TORREY TAYENAKA CEO, Sparkhouse 28

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timulating website content has never been more important for landing page visitors. People retain more when they’re given both visual and verbal information to digest at once, which is why animated explainer videos make for memorable content that stands out in a sea of marketing media.

Animated explainer videos are powerful, popular tools for marketing almost any business, product or service.

As the president and co-founder of Sparkhouse: Strategic Brand Films, I’ve worked on numerous explainer videos with my team in a variety of creative options. I’ve found there are many

advantages, including the ability to create a piece of video content without any actors, locations, cameras or other costly elements, allowing you to release a video about a business, product or service that doesn’t even exist yet!

Even if you’re not a professional video producer, knowing the main steps in creating an animated explainer video can put you ahead of other business owners.

Familiarize yourself with the prototype, manufacturing and conception stages of an offering and present an animated explainer video to get your audience excited about its debut. Target potential customers, investors or even partners in your quest to get the word out.

Here are a few key tHings to keep in mind as you’re going tHrougH tHe process of creating sucH a video:

1

Set clear goals. What are you trying to accomplish? This needs to be very clear before you start. You can have more than one goal, but keep it to a maximum of three objectives. If you have multiple concepts, you should make multiple videos rather than jamming too much into one.

2

Keep the target in mind. Where will the video live and who will be watching it?

Adjust the strategy and content of the video based on whether it is going to be emailed to a viewer, watched on a homepage, or delivered in an ad.

3

Write a concise script. Keep it a short (we recommend under 1.5 minutes), while using a casual style for the voice-over (VO). Explainer animations tend to follow a conversational tone, so aim for a fun and light feel.

4

Create a mood board/style guide.

Animated explainer videos are all about the graphics, so make sure to do your research and really put in some time here. Collect references from your favorite artworks, graphics, cartoons and other animations that fit the style you are going for. I often use Abduzeedo.com and Pinterest to share ideas.

5

Go through your storyboards with a fine-toothed comb. After you sit with your designers to sketch out basic storyboards, work with them to create two lists: an animation list, detailing every single visual element in the storyboards, and an animation blueprint, used to plan out how each element moves from scene to scene and section to section. Be very specific!

These two lists will make sure everyone is on the same page before the animation process begins, which can help save lots of time later.

6

Pick the right voiceover. If you have a member of your team who is the face of your company, this person is a great candidate to be your VO artist. If you don’t, there are many great services online to audition high-quality voice talent without the need for renting a studio or any sound recording equipment. We recommend Voices.com.

“ExplainEr animations tEnd to follow a convErsational tonE, so aim for a fun and light fEEl.”

7

Use music and sound effectively.

We have found that music and sound effects can make a huge difference in optimizing the quality of the video, maintaining viewers’ attention and emphasizing specific points. We create custom scores for all of our videos in-house, so we have the luxury of timing our music and sound effects to the finalized animation. There are also several online sources where you can get affordable royalty-free music, and with some time and dedication, you can find the perfect song to fit the feel of your production.

I know it’s a lot of work, but if you’re going to create an animated explainer video, you want to do it right. By detailing your business through graphics, narration, and music, you can give your viewer an avenue to easily understand your company and fall in love with it. Use your animation on website landing pages or homepages to hook visitors and keep them engaged — plus there’s the key factor of shareability across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media.

Good luck animating!

Torrey Tayenaka is a serial entrepreneur with ventures that include a video marketing agency, (Sparkhouse) non-profit marketing firm and a water saving smart shower device.

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Personality

Project Should you use Psychometric Tests in your Organisation?

There is no doubt that an understanding of personality theory is useful for leadership, management, recruitment, selection, training and personnel development. Facilitating human capital and encouraging positive social capital are keys to enabling our people, who will protect and build revenue from our respected and nurtured customers, ensure efficient operations and improve profits. However, psychometric tests are not a replacement for effective leadership, outstanding management and facilitation of intrinsic-motivation.

By

Be Aware of Personality, but beware of Personality Tests.

The more we understand ourselves and others, the more effective we are at leading our organizations. We are a lot more effective at motivating people and improving communication skills, facilitating positive working relationships, when we understand ourselves and those we seek to lead, manage and develop. Understanding personality traits, thinking styles and learning styles theories is a useful way to improve our knowledge of motivation and behaviour in the workplace.

Personality theories underpinning psychometric tests and personality quizzes are surprisingly easy to understand at a basic level. This knowledge helps us 30

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Mike Orlov

develop self-awareness and also helps us to help others achieve greater self-awareness and development.

However, we have to be cautious. A little knowledge can be very dangerous.

Completing personality tests, with no knowledge of the supporting theories, can be a frustrating and misleading experience, especially if the results from personality testing are not properly explained.

There are many different personality and motivational models and theories, and each one offers a different perspective. The more models you understand, the better your appreciation of motivation and behaviour.

But be aware, when these psychometric tests are not used correctly, they can backfire, destroying trust between employers and employees. There was a recent lawsuit in the USA, where the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sided with

Target job candidates who claimed the tests they had taken for a hiring process for upper-level management positions were just not sufficiently relevant, pertinent or job-related. Target paid a $2.8 million settlement.

Knowing how to adapt the way you work with others, how you communicate, provide information and learning, how you identify and agree tasks, are the main factors enabling successfully leading, managing and motivating of others and yourself.

We do not need to use a personality test to understand theory and basic models underpinning these tests. The real benefit from working with the models is actually in understanding the logic and theory which underpin behavioural models or personality testing systems concerned.

Each theory helps you to understand more about yourself and others.

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Why PeoPle Choose To Work hard • The job itself: enlargement and enrichment factors • Recognition from the bosses: leadership factors • Doing more than people expect from me: intrinsic motivation • People on my team and in the company work hard too: alignment • Good levels of communication from my direct boss: communication • Good levels of communication from the big boss: communication • Believe it’s a stable company: trust and faith in leaders and managers • I’m getting trained: investment in me and skills-training for positive career-growth • Loyalty: intrinsic motivation • Remuneration: extrinsic motivation

Jungian Theory and Myers Briggs’ MBTI

Carl Jung’s theory of psychological type was not based on empirical, Cartesian scientific studies but emanated from his heuristic observations and reflections. Jung’s observations led him to distinguish between extraversion and introversion yet this is now a difference between people which is widely accepted in psychology. In 1944, motherdaughter Isabel Myers and Katherine Briggs published the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator, also known as MBTI. The personality assessment initially intended to help women entering the World War II effort at home determine which jobs would be most suitable for them based on their personality type. Soon enough, MyersBriggs had become a staple test for careerminded individuals. However, some argue that there is a difference between Jung’s ideas on type and preference and Myers’ thoughts. One issue is whether Jung thought everyone could be classed as an introvert or an extrovert or whether he thought that many people had no distinct preference.

However, some of the MBTI’s limitations can be minimised by the following good use of the tool: u

Not treating MBTI scores as a truth, merely a starting point for discussion and part of the process to see if any of the type profiles are a reasonable fit for a particular person.

u

Stating the MBTI does not predict skills.

Rather it only suggests potential strengths and weaknesses.

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“Understanding personality traits, thinking styles and learning styles theories is a useful way to improve our knowledge of motivation and behaviour in the workplace.”

u

Ensuring MBTI results should not be used to make decisions to hire or promote people or to discourage them from following any path of study or career.

u

Encouraging people to continually bear in mind the primary purpose of the MBTI is to help people understand that we are all different. The MBTI test can help in understanding some of this difference.

The MBTI mistakenly assumes ‘personality’ falls into mutually exclusive categories. You are either an extrovert or an introvert, but never a mix of the two. Yet most people fall somewhere in the middle (bell-curve distribution). If the MBTI also measured height, you would be classified as either tall or short, even though the majority of people are within a band of medium height.

Intrinsic Motivation

A good leader and manager enables the situation, environment and opportunities necessary for people to be intrinsically-motivated as they pursue their personal objectives, departmental aims and organizational goals.

We cannot sustainably impose motivation on another person. We can inspire them and sustain this inspiration, but sustainable intrinsic-motivation must come from within the person. If we help others to understand what they need for work and for whole life development, then you have an important key to motivating and working with people.

Do however be very careful. People are vulnerable to inaccurate suggestions, misinterpretations, or poor and insensitive explanations, so if you are going to use personality tests, approach with care.

It is vital that this approach is introduced at the right time and in the right way. If introduced too early, these tests can actually damage trust and interdependencies between people; creating anxiety, fear and anger rather than aiding in creation of agreed objectives and key performance indicators.

Effective personality testing as a part of appraisal and feedback systems demands a high-performance functioning organization where knowledge-management, learningorganization activities and processes need to be embedded, and are accepted as how things are conducted in the organization.

Before introducing any form of psychometric testing, we need to facilitate changing assumptions and perceptions within our organizations, help people amend how they think, feel and behave, and create activities and processes which stimulate trust.

The Big Five

Psychology’s main, agreed way of presenting differences between people is the ‘Big Five’ personality factors as formulated by a range of independent researchers including McCrae and Costa. These five factors are: Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism.

Let’s however be clear, all these factors do is describe common differences without any underlying theory or explanation or ways which can easily help people to change.

Those scoring low in the agreeable scale will be seen as ‘disagreeable’ and those scoring low on openness will obviously be ‘closed’. It is not difficult to see why the Big Five is not a commonly used tool to educate people about personality differences, yet they form the basis of much of the ‘testing’ industry.

Personality tests certainly have their uses, even if they do not reveal any scientific truth about us. They can be a great source of emotional support, helping us with handling uncertainties, raising hypotheses and aiding self-reflection. But these tests are not and cannot be the only tool in the armoury of wise leaders and managers.

We should treat such tests with caution; indeed, some even take the sensible step of avoiding them altogether, recognizing human personality does not neatly fall into 16, or any other definitive number, of categories.

Human beings are incredibly complex and cannot be reduced to a few archetypes. It is difficult to explain and measure personality differences in scientific ways.

JusT a feW PersonaliTy Models and Theories • Belbin Team roles • Belbin Personality types • The Four Humours • The Four Temperaments • Keirsey Personality Type Theories • Hans Eysenck Personality Type Theories • Katherine Benziger Brain Type • William moulton DISC system • Carl Jung Psychological Types and CBT Theories • Myers Briggs MBTI Personality Types Theory

Use All the Information

When creating profiles of your employees, you should use all the information at your disposal. Before considering using psychometric tests of any sort, have the results of your quarterly evaluations, review notes from the training undertaken by your people and review recent annual performance reviews (which are of course, salary negotiations).

If you have them, look at employee engagement scores. Review any customer satisfaction scores (are we delivering, delighting and exciting our customers) and any other relevant measurements such as financial or operational-efficiency data.

Prepare the ground, ensure you have planted the seeds of a high-performance culture where learning-organization and knowledge-management processes are second nature to leaders, managers and key employees.

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.

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What are subsidies?

Subsidies may be defined as government policies in aid of one or more industries or a group of individuals that carry a financial benefit to the industry or that group of individuals– in the form of cash payment or tax reduction. The subsidy is usually given to remove some type of burden and is often considered to be in the interest of the public.

Why are subsidies given?

There are several reasons why subsidies are given by the government. Some of them are elucidated below:

Extreme Measures Subsidy Reforms and what it means for the region These days, the topic of subsidies and related reforms is under the spotlight for all the right reasons. Food, fuel or energy, agri–products, housing loans, student loans, pollution, renewable energy sources, fisheries, water and electricity are some examples where subsidies rule. Looking at these examples, it is quite clear that it is not possible to remain unaffected by subsidies and their effects no matter which income bracket and nationality we belong to. But before we get into the analyzing the nuts and the bolts of the situation, a few fundamentals need to be in place.

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Subsidies are given by the governments to infant industries in order to give it a holding hand

Sometimes subsidies are given to large and important firms on the verge of closing down to save jobs and prevent the adverse effect it may have on the country’s or state’s economy by the closure

Subsidies are also given to industries as an incentive to behave in an environmentally responsible way

Government wants to provide an important industry the competitive advantage of creating a presence in the international market

Also, to provide reasonable employment in certain geographical areas

What impact does drop of fuel prices have on energy subsidies in the GCC?

The cost of GCC energy subsidies have long been viewed as unsustainable in the long-term and fiscal deficits are expected across the GCC as oil prices dropped below $50/barrel.

GCC countries have already started trimming government expenditures in part by introducing cuts in energy subsidies to reduce the fiscal burden.

According to IMF estimates, energy subsidies in 2015 in the GCC range from 1.1 percent of GDP in Oman to 4.6 percent in Saudi Arabia (KSA).

While the recent drop in oil prices has reduced the cost of energy subsidies, the negative impact on oil revenues has been larger. For example, Bahrain’s subsidy bill shot up from 17 percent to 34 percent of oil revenues and KSA’s from 11 percent to 20 percent between 2013 and 2015.

The flaws of the energy subsidies have come under greater scrutiny because of the GCC governments’

inability to conduct targeted subsidies.

By deploying targeted subsidies it will be possible to bring about the reform that is much required and even bridge the fiscal gap.

Impact of energy price reform

The Malaysian Prime Minister, Mr. Najib Razak expressed his concern regarding subsidies, where he said, “Giving subsidies is a two-edged sword. Once you give it, it’s very hard to take away subsidies. There’s a political cost to taking away subsidies.”, it is worth considering the costs of subsidies removal. Rather than removal, it would be easier and more beneficial to apply reforms to energy subsidies.

“While the recent drop in oil prices has reduced the cost of energy subsidies, the negative impact on oil revenues has been larger.”

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has initiated talks with the GCC governments to introduce subsidy reforms as soon as possible because of the drastic oil price drop. Given that energy subsidies in the GCC make up a significant share of government expenditures, the advantages of subsidy cuts are multi-fold:

There will be a direct positive fiscal impact from lower expenditures and higher oil revenues as more energy sources would be available for exports.

More efficient use of energy resources, the developments of sustainable sources of clean energy, as well as a number of multiple environmental benefits such as cleaner air.

With the subsidy cuts, there will be more income to spare which the GCC governments can use to focus on improving the quality of education and healthcare.

Subsidy reforms will help the GCC countries build sustainable economies

Well-targeted measures to manage the impact of energy price increases on the poor are critical for building public support for subsidy reform. Cash transfer and vouchers may be preferred mode of compensation. In Jordan, the authorities removed the general fuel subsidy in November 2012. In January 2013, they brought back the monthly price adjustment mechanism that had been suspended in early 2011. To manage the social impact, cash transfers were introduced.

Lasting reforms require a rules-based mechanism for setting energy prices, which can help reduce the chances of reforms being rolled back. The responsibility of setting up a pricing mechanism can be given to an independent, impartial body to help protect the prices being affected by political pressures.

Energy subsidy reform has to be planned with great care. This is possible by taking into account the following:

A subsidies reform plan should include all the stakeholders. It is important to draft achievable long term and short term objectives.

A robust internal and external communication plan is necessary to make the reforms in subsidies a success. For example in Iran, to necessitate subsidies reform a strong communications plan and a PR plan was laid out and executed for easy acceptance from all the stakeholders, including the public.

Transparency in policy formulation and execution via aggressive PR campaigns and media coverage showcases the government’s commitment towards reform.

Immediate increases have the potential to disrupt public sentiment and increase opposition, thereby rendering the subsidy reform ineffective. A phased strategy allows households and enterprises to adjust and governments to reduce the fiscal deficit.

When the financial position and operational performance of stateowned enterprises is strengthened, the need for budgetary transfers is reduced thereby reducing the burden on the energy sector.

In conclusion, currently subsidies can be viewed as a wealth distribution mechanism in the GCC but as the prices of fuel plummet, it is understood that the subsidy reform in the energy sector will be imperative going forward. With targeted subsidies the GCC governments can focus only on vulnerable households and probably address this by direct cash transfers.

Stringent eligibility criteria can be set based on which these benefits can be passed only to vulnerable households. The reform effort in energy subsidies will ensure that we build a sustainable tomorrow for generations to come. The savings from the subsidies reform may be invested in research and development of renewable sources of energy.

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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Cover Story

How to Build

an Empire

by Akram Miknas, Founder of Promoseven Holdings With business interests in several countries ranging from advertising and marketing to hospitality and real estate, Akram Miknas is considered one of the most powerful businessmen in the Kingdom of Bahrain. From selling groceries door-to-door to brokering million dollar deals, his story is one of sheer determination in the face of insurmountable odds.

In a tell-all interview with BIG, Akram Miknas shares with us his life story, and tells us a little more about his latest project: the floating C Hotel located at Coral Bay.

How important would you say that education has been to the success you’ve achieved in your business endeavours?

We found out that you took up your first ever job when you were just 14! What was the job and how did it come about?

At the time, I was attending a very prestigious boarding school in Lebanon called the International College. Although my family was doing reasonably well, we didn’t have enough money to continue paying the expensive tuition fees. So, I decided to help my family out by earning a little extra. At 14, I started out selling groceries, then moved on to encyclopedias and later, insurance.

Where did you go to university and what did you study?

I went to the American University of Beirut and studied Business Administration, specializing in Marketing.

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Well, I think the most important thing about going to a good quality high school and university is that it helps you develop a personality which I do believe has contributed to my success. The education itself supplements your knowledge and helps your mind think in a more organized and professional way, which helps a great deal as well.

Your first business venture was Promotions 7, a marketing and advertising agency in Lebanon. How did you start it, and what was the inspiration behind the name?

While at university, I started organizing exhibitions and selling exhibition space at the campus. That’s where I got the idea to start a company that did both advertising and promotions, which we officially set up soon after graduating, in 1968. The name came about because there were seven of us partners at the time. We were all friends from university, and they had faith in my ability to make the business a success due to the vast sales experience I had at the time.

Promoseven Holdings founder Akram Miknas founded his first company at the age of 22.

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When starting Promotions 7, could you ever have imagined how vast your business interests would be one day?

I always imagined that I was walking an important road, and I knew that if I continued along this path, without taking any diversions, I would reach somewhere good. But no, I never imagined it would one day lead to this!

“In order to realIze your dream, you need to have the rIght people In your lIfe. Bad people wIll drag you down, good people wIll pull you up.”

Who would you consider to be your biggest mentor or role model?

I owe a lot to my mother, who died when I was 16. She instilled a sense of discipline in me, and taught me an important set of moral values. She wasn’t a businesswoman, though. She was an intellectual. As a business model, I very much admired a man whom I knew during my early days in Lebanon. To me, he was the epitome of a great businessman. His son was one of my initial business partners at Promotions 7.

Running such a large conglomerate with a presence in so many countries must be no easy feat. How do you ensure that each country’s operations maintain the company’s standards even when you’re not present?

By hiring the right people. I’m very comfortable sitting down here, having one of my largest businesses in Dubai, the Middle East Communications Network, handled by someone else. He is not a family member, but I consider him as important as one, and I can rest easy because I know that he’s doing his job right.

Every entrepreneur has to overcome numerous failures before he can achieve true success. What is the biggest failure you’ve had to overcome during your career?

The biggest failure I’ve had to deal with was the failure of Lebanon. The war in Lebanon came in 1975, and I had to make a decision whether to leave or stay in the country. I had a business that was very successful and had become the seventh largest media buying company in Lebanon within a span of seven years. When the war hit, I lost all my clients. And that meant I couldn’t pay any of my suppliers, which left me with massive debts. I eventually made the decision that I was not going to be an advertising agency in a war zone. So, I left the country and started from scratch, first in Turkey, then Dubai, and finally Bahrain.

If you could go back in time to when you had just graduated from university, and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?

Persist, and depend on people. Without people, your dream will remain exactly that. In order to realize your dream, you need to have the right people in your life. Bad people will drag you down, good people will pull you up.

How do you gauge who the correct people are?

Fun Facts Favourite book The Prophet,

by Khalil Gibran.

The first thing you bought when you made a significant amount of money A restaurant in Lebanon called Big Boy, similar to the American chain of restaurants.

Favourite movie Camelot, which is where I got the name for my restaurant here.

First car you ever owned A very battered, tired, exhausted 1917 Ford.

Favourite pass time Swimming and boating.

I love the sea.

Favourite type of music Jazz or classical music, depending on my mood.

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Many times it’s just the sense of comfort that you feel with someone. First, you need to sit down with a person and feel comfortable – only after this do you begin to assess his knowledge.

If there’s no chemistry with the person you’re working with, it’s really not going to work.

Irrespective of their knowledge, the chemistry has to be there to be able to communicate.

You’re quite an avid collector of antiques and memorabilia. Could you tell us a little bit about the cinema museum that you’ve opened in Dubai?

It’s called the Dubai Moving Image Museum, which is the largest museum of its kind. It contains the history of cinema from the very beginning of film, up until the Charlie Chaplin era. It has been named the one of five must-see museums in the Gulf. I’ve been collecting these items piece by piece, for over 40 years.

We understand you have a vintage car collection as well. Which is your favourite car from the collection?

Yes, I have a collection of about 30 cars in Bahrain.

My favourite is a car made by the company Clement-Bayard. It’s a French car, hand-built, with wheels made of wood. It was made in 1912, a short while before Ford made the first production car, the Model T. I love it; the thing is a piece of beauty.

Every great person is driven by something that pushes them to achieve more. What are you driven by?

My love of life. I don’t think I can ever sit down, I just love living.

Today, Mr. Miknas’ Middle East Communications Network is worth about $1.4 billion.

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The C Hotel features luxurious Italian interiors.

The floating hotel cost $5 million to build.

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In one word, what do you think is the quality or trait that has enabled you to achieve this amount of success?

Patience.

How many businesses does Promoseven currently own, and where is your head office located?

We own the Middle East Communications Network in Dubai which employs about 4000 people, and are the franchisee of McDonald’s in Lebanon. The real estate business is all over the place — we own properties in Bahrain, Lebanon, Australia, London and Dubai. We also have a complex of five manufacturing plants and a construction business in Bahrain.

My head office for Promoseven is here in Bahrain, and it’s from here that I see over all the other businesses.

“the C hotel haS reCently Been voted the moSt SatISfaCtory hotel In BahraIn By BookIng.Com.”

So after making a name for yourself in advertising, why did you decide to branch out into real estate?

In the year 2000, I realized that the world was going digital, and that it was the way of the future. However, digital was not my generation. I decided to hire a professional in the field, who was not a family member, to replace me as president of the advertising division.

Looking back now, I was very fortunate to have made that decision as he managed to almost double the size of our advertising business in a span of five years. After that, I couldn’t just sit around and do nothing. I’d always had an interest in architecture and real estate, so I thought that now was the best time to get into it. My first effort in that field was buying the land where the Abraj Al Lulu towers are situated right now. A group of about ten of us friends pooled our money together to buy it. The towers themselves were actually developed and managed by a man named Mohammed Dadabhai, although the land and initial idea for the project was ours.

What other real estate developments in Bahrain do you have lined up?

How many people can the C-Hotel accommodate?

What other amenities does the hotel include?

It’s a boutique hotel, so it can only accommodate 16 people.

It has two suites, and the rest are rooms. The hotel includes a spa, gym, tavern and two restaurants.

What is the price of the rooms?

It’s a five star hotel, so we’re selling the rooms at about BD 80 per night, and the suites at about BD 300 per night.

How long did it take for the boat to be built?

The entire process took three years. It was much more expensive and difficult than building a room on land because the type of furniture has to be very light.

I’m planning to build a complex of about 1200 low-income flats, about a kilometre away from Abraj Al Lulu, just facing Bahrain mall. The complex will also include a clinic, school and commercial centre. Construction will start around September or October of this year.

Who designed the interiors?

The floating C-Hotel was recently opened in Coral Bay. What was the inspiration behind this project?

How has the response been to the hotel so far?

The boat was designed by an Italian gentleman called Giuseppe. He was the interior architect of my boat in Dubai. And I love the work he’s done with it, so I sought him out, and got him to work on this project.

I bought the boat five years ago, and didn’t know what to do with it initially. At first, I thought of turning it into a restaurant. Then one day, while in Amsterdam, a friend of mine invited me to his flat which was built in one of the canals, in the water. I loved the flat, and thought it was beautiful. So I thought, ‘That’s what I’m going to do’.

When I came back, I decided to turn the boat into a hotel.

I brought in a number of engineers from Italy to rebuild and convert the boat into a fully functional hotel.

The soft opening of the C Hotel was in February of this year. For a few months, we wanted to test everything and make sure it was all in working order before we opened for business. So we were just inviting my friends to come over and stay free of charge. And they loved it. Once we started charging people, the place started to pick up very nicely, with an almost complete occupancy throughout the week. The C Hotel has recently been voted the most satisfactory hotel in Bahrain by booking.com. People can come down from their rooms, open the door and they go swim, and they go back to the room from their own steps.

Who is this hotel meant for? Who is the target customer?

Do you have any plans to open any more floating hotels in the near future?

It’s a five star hotel, mostly for people who enjoy a spa, good food, and the beach. It’s meant to be a kind of resort. During the week, the majority of our customers are businessmen from Dubai. They leave on Thursday, which suits me fine because that’s when all the families come in.

There no plans currently, but let’s see what happens! I would like to expand Coral Bay, though, because I think tourism in Bahrain should be all about water. We needn’t focus on anything else. People go to Mauritius and the Maldives for the water, when there is an abundance of that right here.

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Hussain Shirazi, Behbehani Brothers W.L.L. Deputy Executive Director

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To start off, could you kindly describe your role with Behbehani and what that entails?

My key role is to formulate and then coordinate the marketing and sales strategy with the overall corporate strategy of the company. I am also responsible for overseeing all business related to sales and after-sales services. Despite plummeting oil prices, at the end of six months we remain on track and look forward to achieving our targets. With regards to our after-sales services, customer satisfaction is at the heart of our business. At Behbehani Brothers, we work closely with Customer Relations Management (CRM) departments of every manufacturer that we represent to ensure that every customer is satisfied with the services offered.

Behbehani is perhaps best known for its beautiful portfolio of automotive brands. Why was the decision made to invest in the Auto industry and are there other areas of business that the name is tied to as well?

Behbehani Brothers was founded in 1952 as a general trading company by two families, Behbehani and Shirazi. During the late 1950’s Behbehani Brothers diversified into the automotive retail industry, under the Motors Division, and became distributors of Volkswagen cars. Today, we have grown up to become one of the premier automotive businesses in Bahrain.

Our portfolio of international brands includes Porsche, Volkswagen Audi, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Alfa Romeo and Fiat. We work very closely with our principles and on a regular basis have very exciting models entering our market.

Besides automotive, our other lines of business include high-end luxury watches, Engineering and Trading, Energy and Building Solutions.

Behbehani are also the authorized distributor for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and RAM trucks; this is the only automotive brand in the Kingdom to have another distributor staking a

claim to it. Is this an added area of competition or do you work hand in hand with the other distributor?

Competition is healthy and this keeps us on our toes. At Behbehani Brothers, we use it as a barometer to measure our success and ensure we are consistently challenging ourselves. We are passionate about our business and want our customers to feel the same passion. We have brought these brands under our umbrella with a purpose to cater to the different needs of our customer preferences. Each brand is unique and in terms of sales, our sales have improved due to the competition.

What is your take on the current automotive landscape in the Kingdom? Fuel prices aren’t what they used to be and the consumer is nervous. How has this affected your bottom line?

Despite the decline of oil prices, there has been constant demand for the different brands under our portfolio. We, at Behbehani Brothers have a very positive outlook for the rest of the year. The current landscape is growing, with manufacturers introducing a wider and smarter range of models which cater to the different segments. With the removing of subsidies by the government the rise in petrol prices, during the first quarter of this year, has hardly affected our bottom line. Since then our different brands have introduced a number of new models and they have been successful in meeting their respective sales targets. Taking into consideration the current market condition, our recommendation to automobile manufacturers would be to concentrate on producing more hybrid models and fuel-efficient cars.

Are you an automotive enthusiast?

Give us a peak into your automotive background.

Very much so! Since my childhood I have been passionate about cars and this has grown with age. I pursued my desire to drive different

models over the years. I have visited many countries and have fulfilled my desires as driving sports cars is my weakness. I have driven a number of vehicles on the Idiada testing track in Spain, the Bahrain International Circuit, Dubai Autodrome and YAS Marina.

Bahrain arguably has one of the best motorsport circuits in the world.

When are we going to see the birth of a local Porsche Driving Academy?

In May 2015, we introduced the Precision Programme of the Porsche Sports Driving School for a select group of customers and this proved to be a great success. There certainly is an added interest for such programmes and we are working hand-in-hand with the Porsche regional office in Dubai to introduce a full-fledged programme in the near future.

Can you tell us a little bit about the group’s expansion plans?

In 2006, to accommodate the increasing demand of growing vehicle sales, we constructed the brand new facilities in Sitra. These consisted of state-of-the-art showrooms for Volkswagen, Porsche and Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge. This was followed by an exclusive Audi showroom in September the same year. This year, as part of our strategic plans, we are expanding our after-sales service with another new facility.

Construction has started at our new multi-storey car park with an additional 9 quick service bays.

We expect the facility to open early 2017.

Your showrooms are located less than a stone’s throw away from that of Jaguar Land Rover, Ferrari, BMW and Maserati. How does this affect your business? Is it an ideal situation?

Yes. As I said earlier, competition is healthy and we cater to a range of customers. Having different brands alongside each other provides the customers easy access to different brands and products within a short distance.

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“We are authentic and original, and our people are passionate about what they do.�

Ahmed Zayani & Sons GM, Zaid Hamed

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Zaid hamed

Blazing a Trail Ahmed Zayani & Sons Drive for Perfection

Zaid Hamed, the General Manager of Ahmed Zayani & Sons, is certainly a very busy man. He oversees the operations of six popular car brands in the country: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Skoda and Bentley.

In our interview with him, we find out how his extensive industry experience, vigour, and sheer passion for cars have steered the company to the forefront of Bahrain’s automotive sector.

How did you get into the automotive industry? And how long have you been working with Ahmed Zayani & Sons?

I started my career in the automotive industry 16 years ago in Jordan, and have worked with French, American, Japanese, and German schools of automotive management over the years. I’ve worked very hard in various positions to reach where I am today. And I have been with Ahmed Zayani for almost 2 years looking after the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Bentley and Skoda brands.

How has the rise in petrol prices affected sales? Which brands or models have seen increases, and which ones were hit the worst?

We saw a drop in all our models’ sales for some time, before sales picked up on the smaller V6 and V4 cars. Bentley wasn’t really affected by the price increase on petrol, being a niche product.

But for Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram (CJDR), sales dropped on the V8 engines massively.

How long do you think it’ll be before sales return to normal?

Well now that it has sunk in and this is not news anymore, the sales will gradually increase, especially during the month of Ramadan, where all dealers put in their best offers to try to compensate for the drop in sales in previous months. We at Ahmed Zayani & Sons had a marketing campaign offering up to BD 500 worth of fuel with every car purchase. Which is almost a year of free fuel, courtesy of us. It worked well, and our sales picked up. However, this strategy then became quite popular with other automotive dealers in the country, which kind of affected our V8 sales a bit.

Ahmed Zayani & Sons are not the only agents of Dodge in Bahrain. Why should a customer buy a Dodge from Ahmed Zayani & Sons instead of its competitor?

We both have the same products and in such cases, the customer has the choice to visit both showrooms seeking the best deal. As much as we don’t like to admit this, it sometimes comes down to the best price or package offered on both ends. However, what we are trying to differentiate ourselves with is the retail experience and after-sales service.

Which channels of media will you be using most heavily keep your target audience informed about any Ramadan offers coming up?

Outdoor media has always brought us the highest reach and showroom traffic. You cannot ignore print media, although it’s slowly phasing out. But our new strategy, mainly with our younger potential customers, is going digital, and involves social media which allows them an opportunity to interact with us and get answers on the go.

What some of your proudest achievements during your career with Ahmed Zayani & Sons so far?

In less than two years at Ahmed Zayani & Sons, we have made progress in so many ways, but I can’t pinpoint one that I am most proud of. We have come a long way in such a short time and this is only the beginning of more success stories written by Ahmed Zayani & Sons.

And what were some of your biggest challenges?

Changing people’s perceptions of our company, changing old schools of thought, and mainly reaching the targets of the brands we have. And I am proud to say that even with a challenging 2015, all targets were met in the after-sales department, and exceeded in the sales department.

The Bentley showroom has recently undergone a major renovation. How has the showroom been improved?

The Bentley corporate guidelines have changed across the globe and just like any dealer, we need to comply with these changes. And these came at the right time as we had plans to renovate the showroom and make it more lively and modern. The new renovated showroom added a lot of class and modern refined luxury to the Bentley brand.

How do your marketing strategies differ for the expensive, high-end cars such as the Bentley, and the more mid-range cars such as Chrysler or Jeep?

For Bentley, most of our marketing strategies are based on personal experience and touch,

and most advertising done is general and image based. Our sponsorships are very selective and activities exclusive. As for CJDR, it is more price sensitive and your potential customers are more careful in getting the best value for money in a very competitive segment in the market that offers great products across various brands. So we try to rely on the added values on these cars to differentiate ourselves from the market.

Which is your personal favourite Bentley model and why?

It would be hands down the GT Continental – there is something about the car that is so inviting. It screams heritage and the performance is remarkable.

Bentley has long been seen as a chauffeur-driven car, with the Continental GT being an exception.

Do you agree with this? If not, how have you tried to shift the customers’ perceptions?

It differs from market to market, but here in Bahrain, the perception is changing, and we are tackling it by putting more prospects behind the wheel of the 4 door sedans, the Flying Spur and the Mulsanne. Luckily for us, the feedback and response is genuine and great. We might not have closed more deals in the short term, but I know the aspiration we are building in young entrepreneurs will eventually make them purchase a Bentley in the near future.

Which new models, from any of the brands, are you most excited about?

The Bentley SUV, the Bentayga will be hitting our markets very soon and that’s the car to watch out for. We have a long list of confirmed bookings awaiting the car to arrive.

Apart from the brands that they sell, what do you think makes Ahmed Zayani & Sons truly stand out from its competitors?

We are authentic and original, and our people are passionate about what they do. We try to lead and come up with different strategies and tactics to keep prospects interested in our brands and products.

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G r a e m e N e w p o rt

German Precision How Al Haddad Motors Feeds the Need for Excellence

Al Haddad Motors is the country’s sole distributor of one of the most iconic brands to hit the roads: Mercedes-Benz. With a rich history of producing some the finest cars on the road and the race track, the name Mercedes-Benz is synonymous with quality, elegance and performance. We have a chat with the General Manager of Al Haddad Motors, Graeme Newport, to find out more about the company’s future plans.

Growing up, what was your dream car?

As a student, I had the best job in the world, driving the Audi Quattros up and down the UK. At the time, Audi had revolutionized the rally scene and were multiple world champions. Bit like Mercedes-AMG F1 are today!

What, in your opinion, makes buying a Mercedes-Benz a more attractive option than buying any other German luxury car in Bahrain. Performance, technology, price, after-sales service?

It is not one thing, but an overall package tailor made for each customer. There is no such thing as a bad car these days, so we have to focus on the whole ownership experience. Sure design, safety, reliability and performance are important, but these days, customers have a great interest and awareness about the technology as well as wanting to safeguard their investment. One of our greatest strengths is the Mercedes-Benz brand itself, and Al Haddad Motors has to build on that with cost-effective service packages, and maintain strong used car prices. If someone is spending a large amount of money, they want to make their car a personal extension of their own character.

How has Mercedes-Benz performed in the last year, when compared to some of your competitors such as Audi or BMW? We are very happy with our performance in relation to the market. It was a tough 12 months, but there are already signs that the worst is over.

Showroom traffic has improved noticeably, and combined with our new models, we have a very positive outlook for the rest of the year.

For Mercedes-Benz, which forms of media do you think are the most effective for Bahrain’s customer base?

Interesting question! No doubt about it that social media is on the rise in a big way and fast catching up with the rest of the world. The cost effectiveness of the new media is something the legacy media need to watch out for, and I see the same patterns as we did for the low cost airlines.

Over the past three years, Mercedes-Benz has dominated the world of Formula One. Have you noticed a rise in sales or improvement in technological 46

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features as a direct result of this?

Difficult to say there has been a direct impact, but the value of the press and PR from their success means that everyone knows who Mercedes are.

Over the years to come, a lot of the technology will come into the showroom: smaller, more fuel efficient engines, yet more powerful than their predecessors. The hybrid technology will form the basis for hybrid cars in the future too. We do notice trends towards connectivity in cars, and customers linking their cars to their smartphones.

Once we have all the regulatory approvals, we will roll out “Mercedes ME” in the Middle East which opens up huge possibilities in all areas of life.

The trend is a move towards mobility solutions, entertainment, lifestyle as well as car related functions such as Accident Recovery, Maintenance and Breakdown Management, the Mercedes-Benz emergency call system and tele-diagnostics.

Which car out of the current Mercedes-Benz fleet is your personal favourite?

I still have the best job in the world! I get to drive a different car every day, so it depends on my mood! For pure excitement and performance, I’d go for the GTS or the new GLE63S Coupe, but for a relaxing, stress free drive, the S-Class is still the best car in the world. I am also just as happy in the new GLC SUV as the iconic G-Class. With around 40 models now available, there is not a single car I am not proud of and would be happy to own.

Self-driving technology seems to be increasing in popularity. How long do you think it will be before all Mercedes-Benz cars are capable of driving themselves?

The technology is already there and being tested.

In theory, it could happen today, but the risks and liability issues, especially in countries like USA, are still being assessed. They need to get it 100% right as the consequences are huge. I think we will see someone making the first move in a couple of years, and then others will quickly follow.

As a result of the hike in petrol prices, have you noticed that more people are going for the smaller-engined or diesel-engined models than before?

As in the question above, the worldwide trend is for small, yet powerful engines. In the A45 AMG for example, we have the world’s most powerful 4-cylinder 2-litre production engine at over 380HP.

So the possibilities are there. It is still early days here in Bahrain, but we envisage that the trend will continue. There are still issues with diesel quality in the region, especially regarding the emissions standards that are available in US and Europe versus the regional quality of fuel.

Are Mercedes’ newer models going to incorporate more hybrid technology to make them more fuel-efficient or ‘green’?

Yes, we have a full range of hybrids available, and we are studying the market for these cars. Due to the small market in Bahrain, we are likely to follow the rest of the GCC, rather than take the lead. Our concern is to ensure there is a sufficient market to support the huge investment in after sales and training that is required, and also to make sure the cars are right for the customers. Currently, there is limited demand for them.

A common perception among people we’ve spoken to believe that German cars are not very reliable because their engines simply cannot handle the Middle Eastern heat.

What is your take on this?

I have to disagree. There is hardly any evidence of engines failing due to the heat, or indeed any reason. The recent availability of higher octane fuel has helped to improve the performance of our high tech engines. You can see the huge number of Mercedes-Benz cars on the roads, and that would not happen if the engines were not reliable.

Does Al Haddad Motors have any expansion plans, or are there any areas of the market that they are shifting focus toward? For example, partnerships with certain companies or hotels?

The big story is our plan to develop our location in Tubli and bring the Car Workshop over here, so it is part of our showroom and we have a full-service dealership. I am confident we will start this soon, and this project will definitely raise our profile hugely, as well as improve the customer experience exponentially. We have numerous associations with companies and brands that fit our profile and that of our customers. We recently partnered with one of the largest banks in Bahrain (BBK) to create Mercedes-Benz Finance, so it is another step to provide a full solution to our clients.

“If someone is spending a large amount of money, they want to make their car a personal extension of their own character.�

Al Haddad Motors GM, Graeme Newport JUly 2016

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IntervIew

PassPort For sale Interview with Emmanuel Nanthan

Head of Citizenship by Investment Unit of Dominica I am sure you remember that quite recently we swopped an interview with a member of the Dominican government to bring you an article on the recent events, which took place in Panama. That interview was to be seen combined with my article in Business in Gulf’s sister publication, Arabian Homes (April 2016 issue), on the country’s Citizenship by Investment Program. Today, therefore, I’m very pleased to give you the answers to questions I had the opportunity to ask Mr. Emmanuel Nanthan, the Head of Citizenship by Investment Unit of Dominica. This was made possible by Miss Giselle Bru, a Dubai based consultant specialized in second citizenship programs, whom I have had the pleasure of working with for some time now.

By Dr. Alex Suchy Von Weissenfeld What was the reason for the move to open the country to new citizens by means of a “Citizenship by Investment” program?

From studying the benefits of Citizenship

by Investment Programs on the economies of some of our neighbors it was evident that it is a model that, when responsibly managed, serves as a positive incentive for foreign investors to consider Dominica as an investment destination. The CBI Program enables the government to manage the flow of FDI in a regulated and transparent manner and identify priority public and private sector projects that would help build a strong and sustainable economy for Dominica.

How long has this program been in place and – in hindsight - do you see it as a beneficial decision for the country?

The Citizenship Program has been operational since 1993 and is legally entrenched in the Dominican Constitution and the Citizenship Act. Today the CBI Program is the largest source of FDI for Dominica and has had a widespread impact.

For example, the CBI Program has served as a major source of funding for crucial infrastructure that needed to be rebuilt after the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Erika in 2015 which wiped out 90% of Dominica’s GDP in that year.

The initial step of obtaining a Dominican citizenship was by a donation to National Economic Development Fund. Tell us about your experience with this 54

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Emmanuel Nanthan, Head of Citizenship by Investment Unit of Dominica

Who is your ideal new Dominican?

We want to attract Economic Citizens who are interested in building enduring and genuine bonds with Dominica and who see the Citizenship By Investment Program as a door to discovering and truly belonging to our beautiful island nation.

Recently, some of your neighboring countries have closed their programs off to certain nationalities.

Does Dominica do the same or will it retain its open arm policy for eligible prospective new citizens?

Dominica has always followed an open policy to all nationalities as we believe that it is individuals who have risk factors not entire countries. We have a rigorous due diligence process that we have great faith in and one that is obviously trusted by the international community, as is evident by the fact that Dominican passport holders can now enter the Schengen Zone visa-free since 2015, along with more than a 100 other countries globally.

procedure; how have potential new Dominicans responded to this?

The Program has been very well received within the international community and we have a lot of interest in the fund donation option. It is a clear and straightforward means of participating and benefiting from the program while helping build the future of the country these new Economic Citizens have chosen to belong to.

Apart from their Citizenship by Investment program, Dominica is home to a number of beautiful beachside resorts

What has moved you to widen the investment offer to a real estate based citizenship program?

A strong and growing real estate sector has proved to be an important pillar of all developing economies and the ripple effect in terms of job creation, facilities and infrastructure development is substantial.

In recent years the Government of Dominica has prioritized the development of the island’s tourism sector and having a strong real estate portfolio underpins Dominica’s ability to attract international tourism brands to consider Dominica as a market of interest.

Do you feel that your country may benefit more from real estate investments and subsequent grant of citizenship?

I believe the country is only on the cusp of exploring the potential of attracting real estate investment. However, we are keen to go down this path in a considered and sustainable manner that stays true to Dominica’s position as the Nature Island of the Caribbean. We have a rigorous approval process for projects that will be funded through the CBI Program. So far we have only approved the Kempinski and Hilton projects, Silver Beach and Bois Cotlette developments.

What are your plans and goals for the Citizenship by Investment Program and development of the country in the near future?

The Kingdom of Bahrain and the Commonwealth of Dominica have roughly the same size and Bahrain has benefited tremendously from its real estate developments. Do you compare your country to others and see how you can benefit from others experience or do you prefer ‘doing your own thing’?

Dominica’s strategy of going against the grain and favoring boutique eco-tourism developments and well considered branded resorts over mass development is already proving to be a winning one. Dominica has recently been named amongst the top 10 Ethical Travel Destinations of 2016. I believe it is crucial to a country’s success to identify a differentiator and focus on creating a niche for yourself, something that Bahrain has managed to do quite successfully in the GCC with its reputation as a financial services hub of the region.

Our goal is to maintain the integrity and trust in the program as this is the foundation of its success and sustainability.

In the near future we have identified tourism as a priority sector for funding due to its proven impact on boosting the economy as a whole. We believe that all aspects of the tourism industry from broad infrastructure development to building our hospitality and activity portfolio will stand to benefit from the CBI Program.

Dr. Alex R. Suchy von Weissenfeld is a Senior Consultant and Area Manager Middle East for C&S International LLC, an internationally active business consultancy out of Vermont, USA. He has spent the last 10 years in Bahrain and has held several academic positions with several local and international universities during this time. For the last 5 years, however, his focus has been on forming companies all around the globe and helping corporations and individuals use these International Business Companies to achieve their personal and professional goals.

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Designing Innovation Using the Business Model Canvas to Plan for Success

By: Neil Fogarty

Over the last 25 years or so, I have seen hundreds of entrepreneur and intrapreneur (corporate entrepreneur) ideas. What I have also seen is how most fail because all of the energy goes into the idea but not the wraparound: how to sell it, deliver it, cost it, and manage the finances.

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“What makes many companies unique are what sits in the background algorithms, IP, trademarks something that the customer rarely ‘buys’.”

How about if Uber’s great idea was to share cars but they didn’t consider dynamic pricing, driver and customer rating, legalities, or technology? Uber would be a car share outfit in an American suburb. How about Tesla? Electric cars… but how to charge them? How to build them? Where to manufacture? How to price? Tesla would still be an idea if Elon Musk hadn’t considered every aspect of its sale, development, delivery and service and then acted on them. I train and mentor entrepreneurs as they form their ideas and tend to use the Business Model Canvas.

BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS

The Business Model Canvas categorises the processes and internal activities of a business into nine building blocks representing the four major aspects of a business: customers, the offer, infrastructure, and financial viability.

In highly simplistic terms: what are you selling and to whom; how will target customers know about you and how will they access / buy it; how do you manage the cost of buying and manufacture - and at what price to sell it at?

THE NINE BLOCKS Customers

Revenue Streams

Know, segment and prioritise the customers (identify those you can sell to today and those for the future). By analysing the customers, you can continually refine your product / service features to align with the various customer characteristics and needs: your value propositions.

There are many ways to derive income (e.g. sell, lease, licence) and your pricing will change as you understand the market better.

A continuous process of pricing reviews helps to be competitively positioned - the best product at the best price.

Value Propositions Your value propositions are the combination of products and services provided. There is no such thing as a unique selling proposition. What makes many companies unique are what sits in the background - algorithms, IP, trademarks - something that the customer rarely ‘buys’. If the selling proposition is fantastic, it will be copied - such is the modern commercial world.

So you have two options: build your business on how you price it (e.g. Poundstretcher in Dubai) or the quality of the experience and results that the customer receives.

Channels

Even from this, we can see how an increase in advertising would change the cost / price model - if you spend $1 million on advertising, are you likely to be a new entrant to a market selling a product for a dollar? More importantly, how do you know where to spend the million dollars in the first place?

The canvas helps you to identify such questions and set out an action plan for getting all the answers.

• Visual: set out graphically for everyone to see and understand.

• Quick Change: use a poster-sized canvas with sticky notes to evaluate, discuss (argue!) and change the model on-the-fly.

• See the links: readily see the links between the building blocks - everyone can see how a change in one area of the business causes an effect somewhere else - and identify innovations in how the business works.

• To-the-point: sticky notes don’t make it easy for too much talking!

• Easy to share: A photo of the canvas with sticky notes can be circulated a lot easier than unwieldy documents.

Key Resources It’s important to know what you need to deliver your value proposition - whether this resource is human, financial, physical or intellectual. Once you know the entire list of resources, you can plan your costing/ investment.

Key Activities What are the key processes to ‘get things done’ in terms of producing the value proposition? These activities will impact on revenue streams and be dependent upon key resources. Activities that are key to producing the company’s value proposition.

Once you know who the customers are (and what you are offering), you can think about how the customer will access your product / service. Will you be providing this access through your own channels (store fronts) or distributors - or both? Consider Amazon: an e-tailer business than now operates real-world bookstores as they identify what their customers want. And then look at how else they are delivering (drone technology).

Key Partnerships

Customer Relationships

A common failing is for an entrepreneur to focus on top-line revenue but fail to pay attention to what’s being spent. Spend time identifying all outgoings and identifying if they are fixed or variable - and have a plan for how to manage them.

How will you get your repeat / referral business - to delight the customer and have them come back a second time (and tell others about it)?

How will you build customer loyalty?

Today’s business depends heavily on collaboration - who are your key partners and how do they add value to what you do? Using partners may streamline your business and allow you to focus on what you do best.

Cost Structure

Being over-loyal to the idea means it’s a great concept but the business sucks - and if you are going to pitch your idea for investment, present a Business Model Canvas - it’s easy to understand, logical and answers all the questions.

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.

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Virtual Commerce Tapping into the power of Instagram in the Middle East By: Fatema Ebrahim

First, let’s take a step back and understand why social media has had such a huge influence on the Middle Eastern market:

Previously, the thought process regarding social media applications was clear cut. Facebook was to connect with friends, Snapchat was for documenting real-time moments and Instagram was for sharing photos.

Slowly each application transformed by adding more tools, but most importantly - the markets transformed themselves, and those applications had to keep up with those transformations.

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 The culture is visual meaning that ‘visualization is the preferred medium of communication’ and the ‘aspects of culture is expressed via images’  The population is still very young. Instagram is an attractive app for that age bracket  There is a high smartphone penetration. 80% of residents own a smartphone We have witnessed major renovations in the digital world, but what has interested me the most was the Instagram platform - concepts in the Middle East were born on this platform.

Being an entrepreneur in the early stages of my startup in Bahrain, I have learned that most local businesses have started on Instagram, and that mind boggled me. A few years ago- it was just a photo sharing app with a bunch of trendy filters!

“With passion and hard work, becoming successful can happen, but it can happen faster on social media.”

Instagram is one of the global leading networks with over 400 million monthly active users globally. Instagram has approximately 25 million users in the MENA region and in Bahrain, there are approximately 120,000 Instagram users.

Being an entrepreneur that is targeting the Instagram marketplace, I’ve had numerous conversations with business owners and consumers on the platform. I’d like to share my insights of why Instagram is the ‘future platform’ for SMEs and the community in general.

So let’s start with the platform based insights: Simplicity The platform is simple in terms of usability, speed, and aesthetics. Once you find anything simple to use, you begin to develop a habit relating to that certain product or service.

Perception changes The tools are the same, but our perception towards the platform has shifted. The platform allowed easy expression but now that expression has extended to multiple realms in terms of personal life, career, charity and etc.

Engagement comes naturally Texting has become the norm of communication, and engaging on a smartphone overall is how we communicate in general. So, engaging on the platform feels natural but with a few additional features.

Expression behind the screen Most are comfortable on social media because it’s easy to express yourself behind a screen. For some business owners who have talents in art, building, writing and etc., the platform allows for such personalities to still thrive in the business world but online where their comfort zone is.

Being an influencer With passion and hard work, becoming successful can happen, but it can happen faster on social media. With the right tools such as hashtags, mentions, tags and direct messaging - you can reach to those who might be interested in what you have to offer quicker.

Diversity The categories on the platform are endless. They can cater to various target markets, and new markets are created every day or so. The platform applies to ‘whatever you share’ and ‘how you can make that attractive for others’.

In addition, it is interesting to note the cultural and governmental based aspects. Let’s have a look at each:

Cultural Based Aspects:

Sellers who are travelling to different countries are bringing back products that aren’t in this market. For example; Korean beauty products, chocolate brands that aren’t in our supermarkets, etc. For locals here, this helps create an express bridge to the brands they don’t have access to, and therefore that need multiplies the number of users. In addition, we have to note that there is a high percentage of expats in the MENA region. There are some expats in the Middle East here who have certain talents, for example, cooking their homemade native dishes, and why not sell them? This of course applies to many other talents - jewellery making, traditional clothing and even language lessons!

Governmental Based Aspects:

In a way, Instagram is a good solution to ease the process of starting your own business and lessening some of the red tape. Instagram indirectly also support entrepreneurship that way but making it simple to launch any sort of business. Recently, Bahrain introduced Virtual Commercial Registration which is the next big step for smaller businesses, and entrepreneurs. Especially for those who don’t need an actual shop or space to start. The number of increased small businesses online created the realization that there is a need for a few changes in how business is conducted.

In conclusion, business owners are now fully realizing the potential buying power of Instagram users. Entrepreneurs are using the platform to launch their ideas into the world and communities from different parts of the world are engaging. There is power online. Use it.

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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The Story

Transformation for Success Successful Outcomes. Breaking Barriers. Being Part of the Process. Picturing Proof.

Sustaining. Train-the-trainer.

By: Clare Beckett-McInroy 60

JUly 2016

What’s this article about? This is a story about cross-cultural, cross continent, cross sector training and what worked for our client. How can trainers deliver expert subject matter?

What’s the best way to train?

What’s the ROI for internal v external training? Is a trainthe-trainer model effective i.e. training subject matter experts or technicians to train? What is the best way to manage global organisation-wide training?

All of these questions needs to start with a thorough, strategic Development Needs Analysis (DNA) identifying gaps in skills, knowledge and behaviour, linked to clear measurable objectives. Note DNA not TNA. This will also identify if it is training, coaching, mentoring, job enlargement, job enrichment, job rotation, new hires or lean approaches that are needed. Your job? To solve your client’s problems.

A year ago, BMC were tasked with developing, delivering and assisting in the evaluation of training designed to ensure that brand values as well as processes and practices used by employees were consistent across this large, global organization.

Following a thorough DNA to ensure that what the client wanted was actually what they needed, our instructional design team developed the training programmes. Now this was an organisation with over 50 nationalities and so the training program had to also help bridge cultural and workplace practice through synergy.

We chose to use a blended learning approach including experiential, contextually based content laced with theory and research, deliver to no more than 25 people per cohort, deliver first to the senior managers and then insist that they were present to assist with buy-in lower down the organisation. We also insisted that each cohort had in it anyone from the ‘Tea Boy’ (not my choice of wording for a grown man) to C-suite employees. We also included eLearning modules and extension work for those people who were particularly interested in relevant research and Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) endorsed, Association for Coaching (AC) and International Coaching Federation (ICF) approved content as well as live online classes and video snippets from a cross section or departments.

All the work ended with actionable tasks that the staff were to, well, action, and this was shared with HRD who were accountable for follow-up. We also followed-up one month, three months and six months after each cohort to really gage the impact. Did it work? Well, they asked us back so I’d say so.

The Learning

What enabled it to work? What empowered potential? What facilitated transformation? Here are some takeaways we found helpful when designing and delivering this successful global training program.

Know and understand the key business objectives

Budget details upfront – yes.

Expectations of timeline transparent – yes. Yet it was more important to ask why this program was needed. What is the most significant business objective? Has this kind of work been successful previously?

What are the other specific goals or business objectives that this program must accomplish?

What is the downside to failure?

What are the fears around the project? Every key decision your team makes in designing and delivering the program must focus on meeting the business objectives.

Whether you are doing the project in-house, using contractors or outsourcing the entire project, consider starting with a pilot project to help determine if you have got the right approach and the right mix of instructional designers, subject matter experts, and project managers to get the job done.

Recognize and thoroughly critique barriers to success then plan to get around them

Units within global organizations have significant cultural differences that affect how you design or deliver a program. Language is another issue where trainers with more than one language can really strengthen the delivery elements.

Many departments work in silos, internal networking may not take place and cohesion is weak.

Consider all the stakeholders and their roles as well as their needs and expectations.

Employees or customers from certain countries may ask questions during a live online event, while participants in other parts of the world choose to ask via chat or email. Clear alliances need to be drawn up to ensure there is freedom of speech at all levels, especially when managers are in the same room as their teams. This was also advocated in HBR May 2016. Flexibility is needed where the same modules are delivered at different times to increase access and different workdays. Live online events need to be schedules in multiple time zones and flexibility is needed. We found that some offices were willing to work late or come in extra early, while others are not willing offer such flexibility. Connectivity issues did occur in some locations and so recording the sessions was really useful. Think through the barriers and plan for them.

State success metrics from the get-go

This terminology and approach needs to be used right from the first meeting. Discussing the metrics you will use to define success really works – bring in all those Edward De Bono thinking hats/personalities, the Devil’s advocate, the ideas person, the one who deals with systems, the person who taps into intuition etc. You then come up with a fabulous, creative and SMART web to work towards.

“Clear alliances need to be drawn up to ensure there is freedom of speech at all levels, especially when managers are in the same room as their teams.”

 Are you calculating the %

of individuals that complete the courses?

 The % of positive response

on a survey?

 The impact long-term? The

bottom-line?

 Increases in staff retention?  Client’s surveys?  No-show rate to the

industry average?

Last Thought

Pilots, professionals and power

A pilot will enable you to find out whether your outsourced firm or talent on the team needs replacing or adjustment. The best approach is definitely to co-create the content, design, delivery and short/ medium/long-term evaluation methods with both the subject matter expert and the

instructional designers. We also thoroughly advocate Certified Professional Coaches (who have training experience and/ or qualifications) designing and delivering training as this really adds to the uniqueness of the programme and style of delivery, instead of using slides. The train-the-trainer, coach-the-coach model of cascading knowledge share does work!

Dr Clare BeckettMcInroy is a Researcher on Arab Women, Education and Employability as well as HRD and Leadership globally. She is CEO of BMC, Author of ‘Networking Know How’ and other books as well as a Certified Master Executive, Team and Leadership Coach. Visit www.beckettmcinroy.com for further details.

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How to Become an eBay millionaire

By Saphora Smith, Telegraph Magazine

It all began at my kitchen table. My three children were growing up fast and regularly needed new clothes and toys. My husband, Colin, and I started selling their old belongings on eBay and buying them items from the site.

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Rachael and Colin White, founders of Thingimijigs, have made a fortune selling children’s clothes and toys on eBay

“We list up to 25,000 toys and items of clothing on eBay at a time, and we also sell on Amazon and our own website.”

Bright ideas

It dawned on us that we probably weren’t the only ones doing this, and we decided to expand it into a proper part-time business to supplement our salaries (I worked as a project manager for a recruitment company, and Colin was a customerservices advisor at a gambling firm). We researched wholesalers from which to buy new clothes and toys, and invested £200 in stock. Then we listed it all on eBay and crossed our fingers.

smashing success

Eleven years later we have an annual turnover of £1.3 million. We list up to 25,000 toys and items of clothing on eBay at a time, and we also sell on Amazon and our own website. Our overall company profits to date amount to roughly £1.2 million. Thingimijigs, as the business is called, has eight full-time employees.

People often think the internet is an easy way to make money quickly, but it didn’t work like that. It was slow at

first, partly because shoppers were wary of paying for goods before they received them. As people gained confidence in shopping online, it picked up.

giant Leap of faith

Early on, Colin and I packaged goods in the evenings and posted them in our lunch breaks. Our garage, attic and spare room were overflowing. It became unsustainable.

We had to slow down – or leave our jobs and make it a full-time business. We took the leap. Suddenly our mortgage payments and our children’s futures depended on this little business, so we had to make it work.

Fortunately, we did. That success was partly down to the children, Ellie, now 14, Alfie, 13, and Helana, nine. We would pick up a Power Rangers toy and say, ‘Would your friends like this?’ We also worked very hard and learnt quickly that you need to be self-disciplined and treat your customers well – then hopefully they’ll keep coming back.

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Powered June by 2016 64

t a e s t o in the h With

I R U S N A G A G

es! u in t n O c s ie r e s y e l t n Our OngOinguBned, we have a chat with this time arOhrain Bay ceO, gagan suri.

Ba

June july 2016

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Where were you born and brought up?

I was born and raised in India, where I lived until the age of twenty one. My father was in the Indian army, so I moved around a lot growing up. I don't think I lived in one city longer than two years!

Where did you finish your undergraduate degree and what did you study?

I did an undergraduate degree at the PUSA Institute of Hotel Management in Delhi. My initial plan was to enter the hospitality industry, either in F & B, or as a chef. A lot of the courses I took were actually related to culinary arts.

But somehow, while it sounded good to me as hobby, I realized that becoming a chef wasn’t a viable career option for me. After graduating from IHM, I attended Mercyhurst College in Eerie, Pennsylvania and earned a second degree in hospitality.

At what point did you realise that hospitality just wasn't for you?

It was quite obvious to me, even when I was in PUSA that long term, I did not want a career in hospitality. But for the few years it lasted, I was enjoyed it. I worked in San Diego for a year, Knoxville, Tennessee for a year, Washington DC for a year, and later decided to immigrate to Canada.

After that, I worked for another year before completing an MBA at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

What did you do after finishing your MBA?

I switched careers and went into real estate investment banking. I was fortunate to have gotten a good start with Credit Suisse. Obviously, as a young analyst just starting out, I didn’t earn all that much, but at least it was somewhere at par with where I had left the hospitality industry.

So you went from hospitality to investment banking.

Did you find that career switch at a late age to be quite a challenge?

Yes, it was difficult transitioning to a

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new field, but I managed. The other analysts in the firm were a good three to four years younger than I. But, I've never really let age come in the way.

Even today, I have friends who are 75 years old and others who 20. I can get along with an extremely wide variety of people and have good friends with a wide range of age groups.

So being older than everyone else at work didn't really bother me. But touch wood, I was quite lucky, and progressed from my initial role rapidly.

What in your opinion is the most important trait that a person needs in order to climb the corporate ladder at a large company?

The most important trait for a working professional is their core drive, motivation and dedication. You need to have fire in your belly, and be self-motivated enough to keep the fire going. As long as you’re motivated, focused and dedicated to your work, you will rise through the ranks. It'll only be a matter of time. One common fault I see with some of the young professionals I meet is that they’re too focused on short-term rewards. That mentality needs to change. You need to think about how you can add value to your company long-term.

Now coming to Bahrain Bay. What are some of the company’s development plans for the coming months?

We’re in a transition phase where as a master developer, we’ve more or less finished our job. We’re now selling the remaining few plots. Our next phase of development is facility management. We have beautiful space around here, and we need to finish developing that space to make it accessible for public use. Once we do that, we can start generating revenue from it in the form of open air concerts, food festivals or carnivals.

We’re now landscaping and working on designs for children’s parks, amphitheatres and restaurants, to make it a popular leisure spot for families and an attractive venue for hosting events.

One would expect that with the economy in a slump, one would expect real estate development around the country to slow down drastically. But that doesn’t actually seem to be the case, with new projects still coming up...

Yes, development has remained steady for a couple of reasons. The first is that this whole region still has enough oil money to last for decades to come.

The drop in oil prices doesn’t mean that liquidity has completely dried up. The second is that, with all major developments, there is always a lag effect. It will still take a fair amount of time for property developers to feel the effects of a bad economy, which means that construction activity will continue uninterrupted for a while longer before it slows down to match the demand of the end users.

We know you wrote a book as well, called 65 West, 55th Street. What was this book about and why did you decide to write it?

I call this book a fictionalized memoir.

My wife and I have a beautiful story to share, and I had been thinking about writing a novel about our lives together for quite some time. While the story generally revolves around the two main characters, it’s actually more about the people around them. I believe it’s a novel that can be interpreted in a number of ways. It took about two years to complete the novel, as I could only work on it during extended holidays, or during Ramadan. But it was well worth the effort!

One final question. You got to take home a Bentley Continental GT for the weekend! What did you think of the car?

That Bentley wasn’t just a car, it was a beast! What a fantastic ride. It was an amazing piece of machinery. Everything from its interiors to its performance was simply incredible. My wife is in love with it, so I think I’m going to get in trouble if I don’t get one soon!

ait fOr a tr t n ta r pO im st O m e h "t r cOre drive, ei th is l a n iO ss fe O pr g wOrkin need u O y . n O ti a ic ed d d n a n mOtivatiO Be selfd n a , ly el B r u O y in e r fi tO have e gOing." r fi e th p ee k tO h g u O en mOtivated June 2016 june

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Fashion

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

EAU dE TOILETTE 150mL

Fresh and crafted top notes of crisp zesty grapefruit with a seductive base of earthy vetiver and smokey guaiac wood.

Burberry, Moda Mall BD 49

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN CLASSIC TROUSERS

Blue wool mohair classic trouser to be worn with the classic jacket. This best selling style has a section to hold coins in the right pocket and a leg opening of 7.5”.

Alexander McQueen, Moda Mall BD 230

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HUgo Boss

TExTUREd LEAThER CARd CASE

MoNtBLANC

Card case by BOSS in finely textured leather. The 2-tone design defines the look of this modern men’s accessory, and a small metal logo creates a subtle brand accent.

Hugo Boss, City Centre BD 40

hERITAgE ChROnOmETRIE COLLECTIOn TwInCOUnTER dATE

Aesthetically appealing and ingenious at the same time, the overall design makes the watch versatile for any occasion.

The simple details like a asymmetric subdial layout, red contrasting numerals and blue steel counter hands are what makes Mont Blanc’s latest timepiece so appealing.

Montblanc, Moda Mall BD 1210

KAREN MiLLEN

TASSEL mInI bUCkET bAg

Created from textured leather, this mini leather bucket bag features an oversized tassel. Perfectly sized for just the essentials, this piece comes with an adjustable strap.

Karen Millen, City Centre BD 72

BURBERRy

hOUSE ChECk And LEAThER wEdgE SAndALS Italian-made wedge sandals in smooth leather featuring a strappy design.

Burberry, Moda Mall BD 215

July 2016

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LifestyLe

To add more power To a high-flying lifesTyle

Beats studio Wireless HeadpHones

The new Beats Studio Wireless comes with a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts 12 hours when using wirelessly and 20 hours when you do decide to plug in. Featuring dual-mode Adaptive Noise Canceling, silence the noise from your daily commute or the drama from your loud neighbors.

The softer ear cups have an ergonomic bellow that creates a flexible custom fit, so you can keep your music all to yourself.

Virgin Megastore, City Centre BD 16

tarsam dual Head massager

This handheld head massager feautures a beautiful swan-like design that is both elegant and ergonomic. Infrared therapy function will go deep into the skin, promote blood circulation and root out the soreness of muscle. Various switch modes are optional, which fully take your using habit into consideration overheating protection device ensures you that you use it safely.

Tarsam, City Centre BD 20

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playBulB BluetootH smart led speaker

PLAYBULB™ Color is a smart color LED speaker light bulb with PLAYBULB X free App. Let color and music fill up your home. Just by replacing a light bulb, you will make a whole lot of difference to your living space.

Radio Shack, Seef Mall BD 37

ion dual lens Camera

Capture front or rear video and audio feeds with the touch of a button. The dual lens video camera by ION is great for interviews, vlogs, and creating videos for YouTube. The camera is Tripod mountable for steady recording and comes with rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts up to four hours on a charge.

Tarsam, City Centre BD 87

FitBit alta Fitness Wrist Band

With the Fitbit Alta, track your steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes, hourly activity & stationary time. The device helps you stay active throughout the day by giving you friendly reminders to move and celebrating when you do. It also automatically recognizes and records exercises for you, so you can keep track of your workouts without ever pushing a button.

Virgin Megastore, City Centre BD 62

osim uVenus amBient puriFier

The world’s 1st ambent purifier which can now shape the ambience of your environment as you desire. The OSIM uVenus offers protection from air pollution, light pollution and noise pollution. With its Multi-action Tru-air purification process, it purifies stale indoor air and provides clean fresh air for easier breathing. It also comes with a number of programmable light and music settings to help set a particular ambience or mood.

OSIM, Seef Mall BD 179

july 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.

Available is breakfast, lunch and dinner and also a la carte and live cooking station.

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 Asian feeling is defiantly there.

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

Alhilal Bookshop

It is the signature restaurant of the hotel, guests will enjoy the freshest seafood and catch of the day cooked at the live cooking station with a French savoir-faire to please all tastes.

Al Safir Restaurant

Opening Hours: Daily: 9am to 9pm

Opening Hours: Daily: 7:00pm to 11:00pm

For Information

Pashawat: Arabic 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: +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. Guests will enjoy large varieties of Mezzah as well as delicious charcoal grilled specialties.

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

Spa & Salon

Thalassotherapy

(Call for Appointment)

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 july 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

july 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 Dinnerbuffet: 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM, Saturday to Thursday (8 BD net per person including soft drinks) Arabic Dinnerbuffet: 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) Ramadan Deals: Iftar Buffet: Sunset till late, daily (BD10++ including Ramadan juices, water and soft drinks) Special 1 in 5 offer: Book a table of 5 adults and pay only for 4!

CAFECCINO (closed during ramadan)

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 (closed during ramadan) This trendy bar is located on the 28th floor with panoramic view. 30% off on selected beverages between 4:00pm-8:00pm Opening hours: 4:00 PM - 2:00 AM, Saturday to Thursday & 1:00 PM - 2:00 AM, Friday

Floor 27

The incomparable hall, overlooking the Seef area is the place to host any type of events. For groups and private family gatherings (30 guests and more) we offer a starlight themed Iftar venue on the 27th floor with a panoramic 360 degree view of Bahrain.

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

SPICES

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

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

Dining

WAVES SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

For Reservations

MövenpiCK hotel Bahrain 

CroWne plaZa Bahrain 

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

july 2016

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BUSINESS Market Place Gulf

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july 2016

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General Electric Gulf CEO, Dalya Al Mutthanna

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