february 2012
contents
c ove r s to ry
34 How full is your basket?
The cost of living in Qatar has certainly gone up, and there are statistics to prove it. But in a country that shows such high growth rates, isn’t inflation unavoidable? Who controls the costs, and what are the factors that control the cost of living? While housing is a major factor in the rise in cost of living, QT poll results and market interviews zero in on food prices as the trigger for the rise.
26
32 “Improving the role of families”
Executive Director of the Social Development Center (SDC) Amal Al-Mannai was the first Qatari woman to win the Female Civil Society Leader of the Year Award at the Third Annual Tawasul Civil Society Leaders (CSL) Awards in Muscat recently. She speaks to Qatar Today on the role of SDC in community development.
30 Eastern Orientations
In the 1100s, massive trading ships called junks, larger than any seen in the world, first reached the Gulf from Imperial China, beginning the long history of maritime trade between West and East Asia. Nine hundred years later, in the place of these junks, LNG and cargo tankers are crisscrossing the Indian Ocean as economic ties between Asia and the Gulf continue to grow, says Oliver Cornock.
14 20 Shield your investments
With economic uncertainties set to continue throughout 2012 and beyond, expats should be looking to ensure they have all bases covered when it comes to maximising investment returns.
32 58 Emerging Mobile Payment Systems
The mobile network is evolving at lightning speed and will thrive over the coming years. Recently, the introduction of mobile payment systems (MPS) has gained momentum and garnered greater attention from telecoms and financial institutions.
published by oryx advertising co.wll, All rights reserved. qatar today is published monthly by oac, po box no. 3272, doha, qatar. subscription rate for qr. 240 per year. address for all subscription correspondence to qatar today, oryx advertising co.wll, po box 3272, al hilal area, doha, state of qatar. for single copies call us on + 974 44672139 or mail to qtoday@omsqatar.com. material in this publication must not be stored or reproduced in any form without permission. request for permission should be directed to qtoday@omsqatar.com. reprint requests should be directed to the info@msqatar.com. qatar today is registered trademark of oryx advertising co.wll
february 2012 volume 38 issue 2 www.omsqatar.com
february 2012
Qatar Today 3
contents
february 2012
74
22 67 Spotlight
Climbing the Corporate Ladder
Executive development programmes help top management professionals deal with the real world of business. Qatar Today looks at two institutions that offer career development programmes in Qatar.
74 Concept cars and stunning launches mark QMS 2012
54 90
HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, officially inaugurated the most awaited event of the season, the 2012 Qatar Motor Show at the Doha Exhibition Centre on January 23.
90 Qatar’s warming up to winter
The temperatures might drop to the uncomfortable teens - or worse still, single figures - during the Qatari “winter”, but on the flip side, the climate becomes favourable for our cold-blooded global sports stars to showcase their talents on our shores. While the FIFA World Cup 2022 winning bid was a remarkable achievement, let’s not forget the iconic sporting events which helped inspire the country to aspire to such heights and dreams.
94 Sotheby’s noticing Islamic Art interest
Sotheby’s have been at the fore-front setting an auction record for an Islamic work of art with the sale of the Shahnameh, which sold for QR42 million in April 2012. Benedict Carter, Deputy Director, Sotheby’s Middle East and Indian Department talks to Qatar Today about his appreciation of Islamic Art and how Sotheby’s have fostered it.
4 Qatar Today
february 2012
regulars
94
News Bites.................................................14 O & G O v e r v i e w. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 8 Bank Notes................................................19 W o r l d V i e w. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 6 b r a k i n g N e w s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Market Watch.............................................83 D o h a D i a r y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 0
V o lu m e 3 8
issue 2
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Chief Executive Executive Vice President Vice President
february 2012
Yousuf Jassem Al Darwish Sandeep Sehgal Alpana Roy Ravi Raman
Managing Editor Vani Saraswathi Deputy Editor Sindhu Nair Editorial Coordinator cassey oliveira CORRESPONDENTS RORY COEN EZDHAR IBRAHIM FASHION &LIFESTYLE CORRESPONDENT ORNA Ballout Art Director Venkat Reddy Asst art Director – Production Sujith Heenatigala Assistant Art Director Hanan Abu Saiam Senior Graphic Designers Ayush Indrajith Sampath Gunathilaka Graphic Designers maheshwar reddy Photographer R obert F Altamirano Managers –Marketing Mohammed Sami Zulfikar Jiffry Senior Media Consultant Chaturka Karandana Media Consultant HASSAN REKKAB Accountant Pratap Chandran Sr. Distribution Executive Bikram Shrestha Distribution Support Arjun Timilsina Bhimal Rai
Published by Oryx Advertising Co WLL, P.O. Box 3272; Doha-Qatar Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584 Fax: (+974) 44550982 Email: qtoday@omsqatar.com website: www.omsqatar.com Printed at: Gulf Publishing and Printing Co WLL Copyright © 2012 Oryx Advertising Co WLL
Qatar Today invites readers’ feedback Share your views on the magazine or any issue connected to Qatar. One lucky reader will win an exquisite Mont Blanc writing instrument.
published by oryx advertising co wll, All rights reserved. qatar today is published monthly by oac, po box no. 3272, doha, qatar. subscription rate for qr. 180 per year. address for all subscription correspondence to qatar today, oryx advertising co wll, po box 3272, al hilal area, doha, state of qatar. for single copies call us on + 974 44672139 or mail to qtoday@omsqatar.com. material in this publication must not be stored or reproduced in any form without permission. request for permission should be directed to qtoday@omsqatar.com. reprint requests should be directed to the info@Omsqatar.com. qatar today is registered trademark of oryx advertising co wll reprint requests should be directed to the info@Omsqatar.com. qatar today is registered trademark of oryx advertising co wll reprint requests should be directed to the info@Omsqatar.com.
Write to: The Editor, Qatar Today, PO Box 3272, Doha. Fax: (+974) 44550982, email: qtoday@omsqatar.com Qatar Today reserves the right to edit and publish the correspondence. Views and opinions expressed in the published letters may not necessarily be the publication’s views and opinions.
february 2012
from the desk
It
was the Arab Spring early last year, but 2012 began with protests against SOPA, the US bill that sought to curb online privacy with measures that seemed very much like censorship. With the two anti-piracy bills, SOPA and PIPA, shelved after losing some of their supporters because of the public anger they attracted, the new act that is currently taking print space is ACTA (Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement). the UK and 21 other European Union member states have already signed this international copyright agreement treaty.
While the very core of the argument cannot be disputed — piracy and violation of intellectual property rights — the proposed antidote is too broad and is bound to infringe the right to privacy. So that has brought up another acronym, the OPEN Act, which is being touted by its sponsors as the moderate alternative to the two orginial anti-piracy bills. Though “it is not a stellar piece of legislation it definitely represents a new way of thinking about the legislative process — a Wiki-ed, crowd-sourced, digitised version of bill-writing”, according to its authors. A democratic way of fighting piracy, which, however we look at it, is one of the pitfalls of the Internet. While all this makes little or no impact on us in Qatar, it’s a testimony to the power and strength of a democratic form of legislation. Well-thought-out and effectively communicated legislation is critical for economic stability. Which brings us to legislation by the Ministry of Business and Trade that has helped curtail rising food prices. Rising food prices was a concern that was voiced strongly among our readers as one of the main reasons behind the rising cost of living in the country. We have talked to retailers, consumers and experts to help our readers understand that although there is a slight rise in the CPI index, the ministry is working to curtail any unprecedented escalation. The ministry did not respond to our interview request. The section of society that faces the brunt of any rise in the cost of living is the one the Social Development Center is focusing on. We speak to Amal Al-Mannai, Executive Director of the Center, on what is being done to empower this group. To get a foreigner’s perspective on what Qatar and its ambitions look like, read our intern’s take on the 2022 plans, Lusail and the foundation on which dreams are built. And our special coverage of the Qatar Motor Show 2012 is the next best thing to being behind the wheel.
10 Qatar Today
february 2012
letters feedback qtoday@omsqatar.com
First Look The January cover of Qatar Today was very impressive. It gave an ominous glimpse of what was to come inside. I enjoyed reading the different analyses of the writers. Qatar has indeed come a long way in terms of development and acquisitions. But looking at Qatar from the heart, has it changed a lot? Look at the labourers, who helped build up much of what we see, have their conditions improved? Do we have an inclusive society? Well, Qatar does have a lot more to achieve... Thabet
In Defense of Qatar?
Poll result is based on messages received till 20th of every month
qt poll – february
Q
I appreciate the magazine’s boldness in covering the subject of Qatar’s global reputation--it is a timely story as Qatar pops up more and more in the news headlines. I also appreciate the method by which the magazine compiled its report, relying on several policy experts here in Doha and elsewhere rather than load the responsibility of such major analysis onto the shoulders of one reporter. However, I do not think the array of commentators and their opinions was wide enough to do justice to such a debatable topic. The story worked as an account of the government’s major happenings in 2011--a year-end compilation of sorts. But ultimately that just means it was the story of how Qatar wants the world to see it. And there is a difference. Patrick Lyons
Going Natural
Qatar Today has given the readers a different take on the 20th World Petroleum Congress held here in December 2011. I was intrigued by the line-up of topics discussed during the Congress and the most interesting of all was the one on renewables. It discussed in detail why the renewable sector takes longer to flourish when it is pitted against oil majors. Rahman Yousef
Angles to the rescue
Speed Funding is an entirely unique concept here and I would love to get more information on it. All the intricacies are explained in detail and I hope to pitch my case soon with them.
Engel Ibrahim
Has the cost of living in Qatar gone up?
SMS answers to +974 33072524 A lucky winner will win a NOKIa C5-03
Will Qatar always be perceived as the peace-maker of the region?
76% 24% Yes
no
The winning number of the last QT poll is 30678746
12 Qatar Today
february 2012
Qatar Today invites readers’ feedback Share your views on the magazine or any issue connected to Qatar. One lucky reader will win an exquisite Mont Blanc writing instrument.
Check out all articles of Qatar Today on www.issuu.com/oryxmags/qatartoday
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Qatar Today reserves the right to edit and publish the correspondence. Views and opinions expressed in the published letters may not necessarily be the publication’s views and opinions.
“improving the role of families” 30
NEWS BITES
QF launches Research Centre for Islamic Legislation
u
nder the patronage of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the Research Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics (CILE), a centre specialising in both Islamic legislation and ethical thought, was launched on January 15. The launch took place at a one-day conference on Islamic ethics, attended by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and a number of the world’s most prominent scholars and thinkers, including Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, President of the International Union of Muslim Scholars and Dr Aisha Al-Mannai, Dean of Shariah Law in Qatar University and Vice-Chair of QFIS Board of Trustees. The conference discussed the application of Islamic ethics in environment, gender, economics, education, art and bioethics. Various sessions saw input from an international panel that included HE Dr Mustafa Ceric, the Mufti of Bosnia-Herzegovina and winner of the UNESCO Felix HouphouetBoigny Peace Prize, and world-famous musician Yusuf Islam, who discussed the topic of Islamic ethics and the arts. HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser commented: “I have always been and still am convinced, especially in light of the developments that occurred in the first decade of the third millennium, of the vital need to create a research foundation and a proficient pedagogy able to encompass the integrated system of the principles and values of central Islamic thought. This in turn should be presented to us Muslims and to others in a renewed vision and systematic approach that would dispel misinterpretations, exaggerations and their consequences in the forms of preconceptions and stereotypes which are contrary to the necessity of constructive dialogue.”
14 Qatar Today
february 2012
HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Speaking at the Research Centre ofr Islamic Legislation and Ethics (CILE)
highlight BOI senses cautious optimism Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) recently released their Business Optimism Index (BOI) for Qatar for Q1 2012. The BOI is based on a survey, conducted in December, which is designed to get the general business sentiment within Qatar going into the next quarter. The index reports that Qatar’s outlook continues to be strong amid global economic uncertainty and financial instability – since most of the country’s hydrocarbon exports over the medium-term have already been tied up in long-term contracts. Growth in the hydrocarbon sector peaked in 2011 from an increase in its production capacity of LNG to 77 million tonnes per annum. Real hydrocarbon GDP will slow down to 3% in 2012 due to the country’s self-imposed moratorium on the development of new hydrocarbon projects until 2015. for Q3 2011, the Gross Value Added in the mining and quarrying sector is estimated at QR97.74 billion, which represents an increase of 56.7% over Q3 2010. With respect to Q2 2011, it shows a rise of 9.2%. Qatar’s production and exports impelled by LNG expansion and higher oil and gas prices contributed to this rise in the value addition from this sector. According to the General Secretariat for Development Planning, Qatar’s exports, propelled by LNG expansion and higher oil prices, are forecast to jump by 62% in 2011. This will increase the current account surplus to 23.6% of nominal GDP.
news bites
Qatar’s commitment to support humanitarian relief commended
Qtel Fiber is Live!
h
H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser inaugurated the new headquarters of Al Noor Institute for the Blind on the sidelines of the fifth Shafallah International Forum held recently. She toured the institute’s various facilities, including classrooms and music, speech and language therapy sections. She was briefed on the latest methods used in the educational programmes for blind students. The fifth Shafallah Forum opened, with delegates praising Qatar’s commitment to support humanitarian relief efforts around the world, and urging those in attendance to act upon the discourse taking place over the following two days. The conference, held under the slogan “Crisis, Conflict and Disability: Ensuring Equality”, brought together some 250 people with disabilities, experts, government representatives and non-governmental officials to take part in panel discussions related to crisis management for people living with disabilities. Chairman of the Shafallah Center, Hassan Ali bin Ali opened the forum alongside Professor Emeritus and Chair of the
HH Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani Chairman of Qtel
United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Dr Ron McCallum and Deputy Director of International Protection for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees Louise Aubin. In his opening remarks, Chairman Ali bin Ali called on those countries that have yet to sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to do so as a means to cope better with natural disasters, stating that “although we have made long strides in the advancement of the rights of the disabled, there is still much more we can do”.
WCmc-Q makes research advances in ovarian cancer treatment
r
esearchers at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) have made a possible advancement in the way ovarian cancer
is treated. Using the latest techniques and taking a new approach involving studying a smaller sample and deeper analysis of the genetic abnormalities of metastasised lesions, researchers found clear differences between the genetic expression of the primary ovarian cancer and the metastasised lesions. This indicates that when treating ovarian cancer with modern medication, consideration needs to be given to how metastasised lesions respond, and that may include
tailoring the treatment based on combined biology of the primary ovarian cancer and metastatic lesions. Dr Jeremie Arash Rafii Tabrizi, Assistant Professor of Genetic Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Dr Joel Malek, Director of the Genomics Laboratory and Instructor in Genetic Medicine, have been working closely with institutions in France, Singapore, Canada and the US to produce the report. The study has been published in PLoS ONE, the peer-reviewed journal produced by the Public Library of Science. Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common malignant cancer in women and the leading cause of death from gynaecological cancer in the world.
q
tel launched the fibre for residential customers who are in connected areas at their headquarters in West Bay in January. After months of installation and development, the service is now live for customers in special Qtel fibre zones, with work ongoing to extend the service to other customers across the country in the months ahead. HE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani, Chairman of Qtel said: “Today is the start of a new era of information access and greater convenience for our customers. The nationwide fibre network will provide the foundation for our nation’s ongoing progress towards the 2030 Vision, and the growth of the knowledge-based economy.” Qtel Fiber has been installed in more than 16,000 homes across Qatar, and is currently making approximately 1,500 new installations per week. Customers in these homes will be able to switch to Qtel Fiber over the next few months. By 2014, Qtel Fiber will cover all of Qatar, with connections provided to homes across the country. Qtel, Chief Operating Officer, Waleed Al-Sayed said: “We have conducted wideranging research to ensure that the range of packages available will suit every customer segment, so that customers can enjoy value and incredible speeds, as well as a wide range of value-adding services with Qtel Fiber.” With this announcement, Qtel will deliver special packages over fibre with speeds of 1 Mbps, 10 Mbps, 50 Mbps and 100 Mbps.
february 2012
Qatar Today 15
news bites
search CEOs believe Global for Economy to decline further begins Entrepreneur
n
early half (48%) of the 1258 CEOs polled worldwide believe the global economy will decline even further in the next 12 months, according to PwC’s 15th Annual Global CEO Survey. Just 15% said the global economy will improve during 2012. However, nearly three times as many CEOs are confident in their own companies’ growth prospects for the next 12 months than in the outlook for the global economy, suggesting CEOs believe they have learned how to manage through difficult and volatile economic times.
Stem Cell Conference set for Doha
r
enowned scientists and experts from leading international and regional research and medical institutions will join key ethicists and policymakers in Doha this month for the Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy. The conference, organised by Qatar Foundation (QF) and the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, will feature discussions on the latest in stem cell research, its applications for developing new therapeutic approaches for a variety of diseases, and policy options available within cultural, ethical, and religious parameters. The deadline for submitting abstracts to present at the conference was January 15, with the conference itself scheduled for February 27 through March 1 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC). QF’s President of Research and Development Faisal Mohammed Al-Suwaidi commented, “Stem cell science offers a large number of potential applications, including the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, as well as infectious and neurodegenerative diseases.”
16 Qatar Today
february 2012
Forty per cent of CEOs said they are ‘very confident’ of revenue growth for their companies in the next 12 months, down from the 48% last year - though still up from the 31% who were ‘very confident’ in 2010. In addition more than half of CEOs worldwide expect to increase headcount in the next 12 months, although the picture changes from sector to sector with hiring much more likely in entertainment and media than elsewhere. Unsurprisingly, the biggest decline in confidence was in Western Europe. Beset by the sovereign debt crisis, just a quarter of European CEOs said they were very confident of revenue growth, down sharply from nearly 40% last year. Short term confidence also fell among CEOs in Asia Pacific, where confidence among CEOs fell to 42% from 54% last year. China saw the biggest decline in confidence in the Asia Pacific region, with 51% of CEOs feeling ‘very confident’, down from 72% last year. There was also a marked decline in confidence in India with only 55% of Indian CEOs very confident of revenue growth down from 88% last year. In the US, 41% of CEOs said they were very confident of short term growth, down from 45% last year. Confidence increased, however, among CEOs in Africa, where 57% said they were expecting growth, up from 50% last year.
of the Year
e
rnst & Young (EY) and Enterprise Qatar (EQ) officially announced the launch of the search to find Qatar’s leading entrepreneur at the Torch Hotel last month. The announcement was made by Noora Al-Mannai, CEO, EQ; Firas Qoussous, Managing Partner, EY Qatar; Hamad Mohammed Al-Abdan, Chief Business Operating Officer, EQ; and Tom Kingsley, MD, EY MENA. Noora Al-Mannai said: “This is the first year that the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award has been held here, and we are delighted to help bring such a prestigious programme to the country. The SME sector is playing an increasingly important role in Qatar’s economy and Enterprise Qatar wants to help support and fuel this.” To be eligible for consideration, nominees must be owners and managers who are responsible for the recent performance of a privately held business that is at least two years old, or a founder shareholder of a listed company who is still active in senior management or is a 51% owner. The winner will have the opportunity to compete against winners from all over the world this coming June in Monte Carlo.
highlight QGBC establishes Interest Group Aiming to foster the development of green infrastructure as a national resource capable of delivering a wide range of environmental, economic and social benefits, the Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) inaugurated the Green Infrastructure Interest group (GIIG). The seminar, marking the addition of yet another interest group under the QGBC umbrella, was held under the theme ‘Natural Systems’ at the InterContinental Hotel in Doha on January 16. Furthering QGBC’s mission to drive sustainable growth and give similar priority to sustainable infrastructure initiatives, as with QGBC’s other activities, GIIG will perform a vital role in discussing the wide range of challenges faced in shaping Qatar’s built environment and moving the country towards Qatar National Vision 2030. This includes effective sustainable urban planning, climate change adaptation and mitigation, cultural relevance and social well-being and other related topics. The scope of Green Infrastructure includes, but is not limited to, storm water management, carbon sequestration, urban heat island mitigation, improved air quality, wildlife habitat creation, improved health and well-being, enhanced community ownership, climate change adaptation, utilisation of renewable energy sources, and sustainable waste water treatment, etc.
teamwork over technology
26
O & G overview
Qatargas signs EPC contract Rasgas delivers LNG with Samsung Engg to Taiwan
Q
atargas signed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with Samsung Engineering Ltd for a diesel hydro-treater (DHT) unit that will treat 54,000 barrels per stream day (BPSD) of diesel, from highsulphur into ultra-low-sulphur diesel fuel, at the Laffan Refinery. The Laffan Refinery, which started production in September 2009 and is operated by Qatargas, is one of the largest condensate refineries in the world and the first of its kind in Qatar. The contract was formally signed by HE Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy and Industry and Chairman of the Qatargas and Laffan Refinery Boards of Directors, and Park Ki-Seok, President and Chief Executive Officer of Samsung Engineering Ltd. Also present at the occasion were Khalid bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chief Ex-
ecutive Officer of Qatargas and Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Laffan Refinery Company, Qatar Petroleum board members, senior officials of Qatargas, top management from Samsung Engineering Ltd, and representatives of the Laffan Refinery shareholders. Commenting on this major project, HE Dr Al-Sada said: “This project forms part of Qatar’s National Vision, as laid down by HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, for securing efficient energy supplies for the country meeting the most stringent environmental specification, Euro 5, and contributing towards clean global energy security. The surplus production will be exported, making it the latest addition to Qatar’s existing export portfolio in the energy sector. The planned start-up of this project is the first quarter of 2014 at a cost of around QR350 million.”
Cahir heads ExxonMobil Qatar
B
arton (Bart) P. Cahir is the new President and General Manager of ExxonMobil Qatar Inc., according to a company announcement. Cahir will be responsible for leading the interface of all ExxonMobil-affiliated activities in Qatar in partnership with Qatar Petroleum, as well as joint ventures between Qatar Petroleum International and ExxonMobil abroad. An American and Irish citizen, Cahir holds a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering from Penn State University in Pennsylvania. He has worked for ExxonMobil for almost 20 years throughout the United States, Asia and the Middle East. Commenting on his appointment, Cahir said: “I have been given an incredible
18 Qatar Today
february 2012
opportunity to work in Qatar and I look forward to working with, learning from and sharing my experiences with other leaders in Qatar who are actively participating in the overall development of this country. Qatar has been blessed with natural resources, and I believe the energy industry is a key sector for Qatar’s continued economic development.”
R
asGas Company LTD (RasGas) announced the delivery of the first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) cargo under the new long-term LNG Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with CPC Corporation of Taiwan (CPC). The agreement was signed and executed on December 6, 2011 during the 20th World Petroleum Congress. The RasGas long-term LNG carrier Fuwairit delivered and completed the discharge of its LNG cargo successfully and safely ex-ship to CPC Corporation at Taiwan’s Yung-An LNG Receiving Terminal on January 5, 2012. Under the terms of this long-term SPA, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (3) will deliver 1.5 mta of LNG for 20 years starting in 2013, and in addition will deliver incremental volumes from 2012 to 2016. Commenting on this occasion, RasGas Managing Director Hamad Rashid Al-Mohannadi said: “The delivery of this first cargo under the recently executed long-term LNG SPA with CPC Corporation of Taiwan marks a new milestone in our existing and strong relationship with them, one in which we see a great future ahead.”
EASTERN ORIENTATIONS
28
bank notes
Banks post positive results
On a stable footing
QNB Riding High
Q
NB continued to record robust growth in profitability, with net profit for 2011 exceeding QR7.5 billion, up 32% compared to 2010. The Board of Directors is recommending to the General Assembly the distribution of a cash dividend of 40% of nominal share value (QR4.0 per share) and bonus shares of 10% of share capital (one share for every 10 shares). The financial results for 2011, along with the profit distributions, are subject to Qatar Central Bank approval. Total assets increased by 35% to reach QR302 billion, the highest ever achieved by QNB. This was the result of a strong growth rate of 47% in loans and advances to reach QR194 billion. Meanwhile, customer deposits recorded solid growth of 21% to QR200 billion. The Bank was able to maintain the ratio of non-performing loans to total loans at 1.1%, a level considered to be the lowest amongst banks in the Middle East and North Africa. Provisions were conservatively managed, as the coverage ratio reached 119%.
d
oha Bank’s net profit reached QR1.24 billion in comparison to QR1.05 billion in 2010, a growth of 17.7%. A recommendation to the General Assembly to approve the distribution of cash dividends to the shareholders of 45% from the paid-up capital was also submitted (QR4.50 for each share). Total assets rose from QR47.2 billion in 2010 to QR52.4 billion in 2011, a growth of 11.0%. Total loans and advances rose from QR26.5 billion in 2010 to QR30.7 billion in 2011, a growth of 15.7%. Customer deposits grew by 2.8%, from QR30.8 billion in 2010 to QR31.7 billion in 2011, and total shareholders’ equity by the end of the year reached QR7.1 billion, an increase of 17.3% from the previous year.
Net profit
Commendable results
Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB), the state’s second largest lender by market value, posted a 32.6% dip in fourthquarter net profit. QIB made a net profit of QR265 million, according to Reuters calculations, compared with QR393 million a year earlier and below analysts’ average forecast of QR394.2 million. The bank posted a full-year net profit of QR1.37 billion, an 8% increase over its 2010 profit due to growth in investment income, which climbed to QR631 million, a statement said. It proposed a 45% dividend distribution.
QNB
In Numbers
Doha Bank
QIB
QiB
QR7.5 billion
QR1.37 billion
doha bank
commercialbank
QR1.24 billion
QR1.88 billion
Commercialbank shareholders reaping REWARD
c
ommercial Bank of Qatar (Commercialbank) recorded a net profit of QR1.88 billion, up 15% for the year ended December 2011, with a net profit increase in the final quarter of 22% against the same period in 2010. The Board of Directors is recommending, for approval at the Annual General Assembly, a cash dividend payout of 78% of net profit, which equates to QR6 per share. Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Attiyah, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Commercialbank, said: “2011 proved to be yet another unsettling year for financial markets. Despite this, Qatar’s economy has remained resilient and has demonstrated significant progress and growth during 2011, and Commercialbank has successfully identified market opportunities to grow its business and has delivered a record set of results for the full year.” Net operating income increased by 12% to QR2.86 billion for the year ended December 31, 2011, from QR2.56 billion for the same period in 2010. The bank’s total operating expenses were up 11% to QR875 million for year ended December 31, 2011, compared with QR787 million in 2010.
february 2012
Qatar Today 19
ban k n ot es
Shield your investments With economic uncertainties set to continue throughout 2012 and beyond, expats should be looking to ensure they have all bases covered when it comes to maximising investment returns.
In
the current economic environment, no area should be overlooked when it comes to making sure your investments are working as efficiently as possible, and that includes looking at structures to protect them. For expats with in excess of €20,000 (QR112,375 approximately) to invest then there are advantages in using an offshore portfolio bond. Why? Because it acts as a force field that surrounds your investments, sheltering them from unnecessary tax charges and reducing the administrative burden, as well as the time and cost of dealing with a whole range of individual investments. An offshore portfolio bond is essentially an insurance ‘wrapper’ designed to provide particular tax benefits to investments that are placed within it. Investments within the wrapper roll up tax-free, apart from certain underlying dividend payments applicable on certain types of investments. The structure is free from capital gains taxes, plus the EU withholding tax of 35% on interest based assets does not apply to portfolio bonds, which is useful if you plan to return or move to a European country. For British expats considering moving back to the UK, an offshore portfolio bond offers the opportunity to withdraw 5% of your initial and additional premiums tax-free for 20 years. This allowance is cumulative – which means in years the allowance is not used, you can carry it forward to other years. In addition, it’s worth bearing in mind that many providers are offering a selection of offshore portfolio bond structures that now cater for country-specific tax treatment to minimise erosion of tax benefits. Once the bond is established, then you can manage your investments to suit your risk profile and financial goals without triggering a tax charge. Most providers offer a dazzling array of funds that help maximise investment flexibility of what is essentially a sophisticated multi-manager strategy neatly held within a single plan. Certain providers also allow deposit accounts to be placed within the bond. It is possible to opt for a ‘personalised’ bond version that offers an even wider choice of investments, such as individual stocks and shares. However, this option is more suitable for investors with a larger portfolio to invest. Also, those investing in a personalised or
feedback qtoday@omsqatar.com
highly personalised bond will be subject to a 15% deemed annual gain, which is chargeable once you become UK resident. If you do return to the UK, it’s useful to know that any chargeable gain is reduced in proportion to the amount of time you’ve been resident outside the UK. It is possible to convert these types of bonds so they become UK tax-compliant; however, it may require some funds to be sold. Further strategies include having the bond ‘written in trust’, which offers up some good inheritance tax planning opportunities. With any investment choice, there are a number of considerations. Firstly, offshore portfolio bonds are essentially long-term investments. The costs involved in dismantling the ‘wrapper’ in the early years to get at your investments is costly and penalties will apply. Also, a lack of transparency on charges applied has previously been a barrier for many investors, although Guardian Wealth Management Qatar LLC are obliged by our regulator to highlight all such charges and disclose any commission due. Providers are also addressing this by simplifying charging structures, so that investors can easily see and calculate charges that apply and reducing charges across the board. That said, such generous investment flexibility and tax planning advantages do not come cheap, and that is one reason why minimum investments tend to be high. While tax planning is an important part of using an offshore portfolio bond, don’t overlook investment choice. Check that the offshore bond provider offers the widest possible investment selection, so that you have maximum investment flexibility going forward. This should not be limited to internal funds, but also include a wide range of top performing external managers. Finally – bearing in mind that once investments or deposits are placed within an offshore bond they will be subject to less generous compensation schemes than afforded to individual investors – it is vitally important that you make sure your offshore bond is in a wellregulated centre with a well-established company you know and trust, as a matter of course we always confirm to our clients in what jurisdiction a bond is regulated
BY David Russell Senior Executive Officer, Guardian Wealth Management David Russell joined Guardian Wealth Management in Geneva, helping from inception to establish an office which is now regarded as one of the leading providers of independent financial advice to the employees of many international organisations. With the expansion of the company into the Middle East, David was elected to take over the reins as the Senior Executive Officer for Qatar. He brings a wealth of experience to the Qatar office as well as a sound legal background which stands him in very good stead in ensuring the team bring the best in financial advice to the many expatriate clients.
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MAKING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT WORK 46
realty check
Real Estate sector takes a dip
New corporate Identity for Qatari Diar
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he property sector in Qatar is likely to witness the launch of QR36.4 billion ($10 billion) worth of projects over the next few years, with the continuing demand-supply gap. Currently there are at least 18,000 residential and commercial buildings under construction in Qatar. Out of the 160 towers proposed for launch by 2022, at least 13 will be ready by 2013. The latest bulletin issued by Real Estate Registration Department within the Ministry of Justice reveals that the size and values of real estate transactions have deteriorated considerably. Investment in real estate sector this year will be largely focused on mixed-use commercial buildings. Despite a huge gap in demand and supply, the announcement of new projects has led to a steep hike in land value in major locations. There is an increase of at least 30 to 40% in areas such as Bin Dirham, Mansoura, Freij bin Mahmoud, Umm Ghwalina, Old Airport and Al Wakra. The prices are also on the rise in Muaither South, Muaither North and North Rayyan. The prices at Al Gharafa, Umm Salal Ali, and Al Rayyan are now sky-high. Meanwhile, United Development Company (UDC), the developer of The Pearl Qatar project is holding discussions to issue 80 million new shares to a state pension fund. The property investment arm of Qatar Sovereign Fund, Qatari Diar, is monitoring the overhaul of its strategic goal. Residential rental rates in Qatar were broadly stable across all locations in the fourth quarter of last year while the number of transactions and enquiries increased as demand picked up, leading property consultancy Asteco said in its latest report.
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Q
atari Diar Real Estate Investment Company marked its sixth anniversary with a celebration that brought together all the company employees. The company also revealed its new corporate identity. In an opening speech, Group CEO Eng. Mohammed bin Ali Al-Hedfa thanked employees for their contribution to the company’s success, “As we look back at these remarkable six years, I would like to take this opportunity to give due recognition and thanks to the people who have made Qatari Diar what it is today; the region’s
most influential real estate company and a major player in the world’s key property markets.” HE Yousef Hussain Kamal, Minister of Economy and Finance and Chairman of the Qatari Diar Executive Board, also addressed the audience. The Head of Marketing & Sales Simon Cunningham subsequently led the formal introduction and launch of Qatari Diar’s new corporate identity, “The Art of Real Estate”. The company’s new positioning reflects Qatari Diar’s approach to creating world-class real estate developments that are both commercially and creatively-driven. As Qatari Diar marks its sixth anniversary, the company also celebrates considerable progress being made in its local and international portfolio, including new projects, sales launches and expansion in key markets internationally. Infrastructure works at Lusail City, the company’s visionary 38-square-kilometer development to the north of Doha, are progressing ahead of schedule, according to a press release from the company.
Royal guest for Msheireb Properties HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the second daughter of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, taking a tour of the Msheireb Enrichment Centre.
POLICY COMMUNICATIONS
48
arab snippets palestine
Dire Straits; Tax Increase
The Syrian Saga EGYPT, Cairo : Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi (L) meets a delegation of the opposition Syrian National Council led by SNC chief Burhan Ghaliun (R) and the group’s spokeswoman, Basma Qadmani (2nd R), in Cairo on January 21, 2012. The group briefed Arabi on their position concerning the Syria crisis ahead of the following day’s meeting of Arab foreign ministers, who were to hear a report on a month-long Arab League observer mission in Syria and most likely extend its mandate. AFP PHOTO/Mohammed HOSSAM
egypt
Election Expectations
he Freedom and Justice Party swept Egypt’s parliamentary elections, winning 127 seats of the 498-seat chamber, representing 47%, followed by Al-Noor (The Light) party which snatched 96 seats and the New Al-Wafd (Delegation) with 66 seats, it was officially announced in Cairo. In a press conference called by the High Judicial Elections Commission, Counsellor Abdel-Moez Ibrahim, the spokesman of the Commission, said more than 10 million Egyptians cast their votes for the Freedom and Justice party, more than seven million supported Al-Noor and more than 2 million voted for the New Al-Wafd. Several minor parties had marginal shares and a few others went empty-handed.
t
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february 2012
Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said that in order to offset a sharp decline in aid donations, during the current year the Palestinian Authority (PA) would have to increase income tax and slash costs. Fayyad added that income tax rates for high earners would be doubled to 30% from 15%, whereas more entities would have to pay tax on their operations. He also said that government expenditure would be reduced and some of the authority’s 153,000 public sector workers would likely be forced into early retirement, adding that the plan would cut 2012’s deficit to $750 million. In 2010, the PA recorded a deficit of $350 million, whereas the deficit worsened to $1.1 billion in 2011, as only $750 million of planned foreign aid of around $1 billion arrived to the authority.
Bahrain
Parliament to get more power
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ahrain’s King last month announced constitutional amendments for granting the parliament more powers. HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa said in a speech that a royal decree would soon be issued to amend the constitution. Under the proposed reforms, the King will have to ask the opinion of the heads of the Shura Council, parliament and the constitutional court before dissolving the parliament. Those amendments were part of recommendations of the National Consensus Dialogue that took place in July to tackle unrest. The amendments increase parliament’s powers to question ministers and
withdraw confidence in the Cabinet. The King said: “Our people have proven their desire for continuing with reforms... We complete the march today with those who have an honest patriotic desire for more progress and reform... I must mention here that democracy is not just constitutional and legislative rules, it is a culture and practice and adhering by the law and respecting international human rights principles.” The measures include allowing lawmakers to approve governments proposed by the ruling family and giving greater authority to question and remove Cabinet officials. Parliament would also play a larger role in setting the state budget and proposing laws, he said.
world view
Cruise Uncontrolled ITALY, Isola del Giglio : A view of the stricken cruise liner Costa Concordia off the Isola del Giglio on January 21, 2012. The head of the search operation at Italy’s cruise ship wreck said that maps would be drawn up to trace survivors’ last movements and speed up the search for any missing people. AFP PHOTO / FILIPPO MONTEFORTE
Kazakhstan Elects KAZAKHSTAN, KARASU : Traditionally-dressed women cast their ballots at a polling station during parliamentary elections in the village of Karasu, some 240 km from Almaty, on January 15. A shaken Kazakhstan elected a new parliament just a month after deadly riots challenged the resource-rich but authoritarian nation’s status as the beacon of Central Asian growth. The vote was designed to breathe new life into a system under which the veteran 71-year-old president—in power since 1989 and still with no clear successor in sight—said that the vote represented “a big test”. AFP PHOTO/ VYACHESLAV OSELEDKO
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february 2012
Nigerian Turmoil NIGERIA, Kano : Residents pass by the burning office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 1, following multiple explosions and gun battles with armed assailants in the Marhaba area of the northern Nigerian city of Kano. Coordinated bomb attacks on January 20 targeting security forces and gun battles killed at least 121 people in Nigeria’s secondlargest city, with bodies littering the streets. AFP PHOTO / AMINU ABUBAKAR
world view
Anti-piracy Bill Stalls Unspecified : In this screen grab, the Wikipedia home page is seen on January 18. Some of the biggest internet companies, including the english-language Wikipedia and Google, were protesting two anti-piracy bills, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect IP Act. Lobbying action against the proposals was so intense, with around 4.2 million people signing against this anti-piracy legislation, floor action on both was postponed while supporters and opponents strained for compromises.
Building Collapses LEBANON, Beirut : Lebanese people and Red Cross members search through the rubble of a six-storey building that collapsed in Beirut’s Ashrafiyeh neighbourhood on January 15, where a 15-year-old girl was killed and at least seven people were injured. AFP PHOTO/ANWAR AMRO
End of the Kodak moment? A file picture taken on January 11, 2012 shows people visiting the Kodak display at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada, Us. camera pioneer Eastman Kodak, which brought photography to the masses over a century ago, filed for bankruptcy early on January 19, 2012 after years of failing to keep pace with the digital age. The once-iconic photographic film pioneer, which had tried to restructure to become a seller of consumer products like cameras, said it had also obtained a $950 million, 18-month credit facility from Citigroup to keep it going. AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWN
february 2012
Qatar Today 27
v i e w p oi n t
Teamwork Over Technology In the face of an uncertain global economy, governments around the world are seeking ways to reduce costs and increase productivity, while delivering better services to citizens.
The
public sector, like many corporations, must do more with less. One increasingly popular approach is to launch IT shared services programmes. These initiatives aim to consolidate information and better integrate services among government agencies. Rather than operating independently to deliver services, these departments and ministries can join forces, share data, and offer better services at lower costs. Although many countries have launched IT shared services ventures, including some in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, these programmes have often failed to deliver promised benefits, or stalled entirely. Why? They typically lack a strong foundation. Governments have an understandable tendency to merely announce the initiative, line up an IT services provider, and expect to see benefits materialise. However, these are complex programmes involving a range of different stakeholders—citizens, policymakers, service providers, and service managers—who have widely different interests and demands. If the government doesn’t line up all of these stakeholders in ad-
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vance, it can end up with incompatible data, inefficient processes, and less than ideal results. In fact, programmes that begin without strong communication and governance can create as many problems as they solve. Instead, governments need to think of these varying groups as a kind of ecosystem that, if properly integrated, can help provide strategic direction up front. These parties can set a reasonable scope for the programme, define which services make sense to share among multiple agencies, and phase these services in over time, beginning with the most low-risk, high-value activities. The members of this ecosystem can also establish an overall direction and timeline, and – most critically – set up a system of checks and balances to manage the conflicting priorities that are bound to arise. Inside the ecosystem are two main groups. Think of the first as the ‘architects’, meaning the overseers and regulators who provide strategy and policy direction—in both business and technology—at various levels. The most senior among the architects is the business policymaker, who oversees high-level policies, laws, and regulations for a specific government function (such as
vie w point formation manager. This stakeholder conducts organisational human resources, finance or procurement, among others). Below that is the business process owner, who provides more reviews, monitors the deployment of the new programme, and specific practices for a smaller function within that area—for provides necessary training along with any other needed funcexample, standardised payroll practices within HR, or a unique tions to help drive the shift to shared services. While this may seem like a large and potentially unwieldy colbudgeting process within finance, or a common procurement system. These are the people who see the operations of govern- lection of roles, each stakeholder provides clear capabilities and ment up close every day, so they need to have substantial influ- expertise. When combined, they can subsume their individual goals and priorities to the larger programme. Crucially, they ence on the IT systems used to provide shared services. Third are IT professionals. These people handle the techni- can also create a system of checks and balances. For example, cal component, working directly with the IT service provider to the service performance manager keeps the IT service provider in check by ensuring that service establish standards and platforms so that quality (including elements like routine the systems for different functions and performance, disaster recovery and resodepartments of government can talk to lution of service requests) does not suceach other. These people must also make cumb to cost or revenue pressure. sure the new venture meshes with the Similarly, the service compliance mangovernment’s existing technology. ager ensures that business practices stay While architects are more concerned within the boundaries determined by with getting a shared services programme regulators (for example, the salary levels up and running, the second group in the In all of these and benefits of government employees). ecosystem—call them ‘controllers’ – recommendations, the common This becomes especially pertinent if the ensure that everyone involved follows end-users misuse the service. The data the basic rules, processes and service thread is that people must come owner, from its perspective, makes sure levels. The most important role among together to make shared service that business process owners remain the controllers is the service compliance ventures work consistent in their recording and entry manager, a powerful position that reto ensure that everyone can draw from a quires high-level government authority. universally compatible database. In sum, This role oversees all compliance for the the stakeholders add their expertise, cashared-services programme. The concept pabilities and requirements to form one is still relatively new, but at least one GCC cohesive, cooperative effort with a single country has already established a governoverarching goal. ment position at this level. In all of these recommendations, the common thread is that The next key role among controllers is the service performance manager, who makes sure that the programme is function- people must come together to make shared service ventures ing at agreed-upon service levels. In addition, shared-service work. It is all too easy to focus on technology, which is only part agreements succeed or fail based on the quality of their data, of the equation, and usually the most straightforward. This kind which should ideally cross borders between government agen- of effective, all-inclusive stakeholder ecosystem, with built-in cies. In that context, someone must ‘own’ the data, ensuring checks and balances, is not always easy to implement. It requires that it gets utilised and reported in a consistent fashion for the more forethought and advance communication than simply signing up for new technology. Yet it is one of the most important facentire programme. Finally, as in every large transformation project, government tors for success. Only through an ecosystem approach—with all IT shared services programmes require a stakeholder who can relevant parties involved throughout the entire process—will a oversee the implementation at a high level: the business trans- government IT shared services programme deliver real value
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By Fady Kassatly, Senior Associate and Adham Sleiman, Senior Associate with Booz & Company.
About Booz & Company: Booz & Company is a leading global management consulting firm, helping the world’s top businesses, government ministries and organisations. Our founder, Edwin Booz, defined the profession when he established the first management consulting firm in 1914. Today, with more than 3,300 people in 60 offices around the world, we bring foresight and knowledge, deep functional expertise, and a practical approach to building capabilities and delivering real impact. We work closely with our clients to create and deliver essential advantage.
february 2012
Qatar Today 29
v i e w p oi n t
Eastern Orientations In the 1100’s, massive trading ships called junks, larger than any seen in the world, first reached the Gulf from Imperial China, beginning the long history of maritime trade between West and East Asia.
Nine
hundred years later, in the place of these junks, LNG and cargo tankers are crisscrossing the Indian Ocean as economic ties between Asia and the Gulf continue to grow. Between 1980 and 2009, Asia’s share of the GCC’s total trade increased from 10% to 36%, growing at double the rate of GCC trade with OECD countries, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s GCC Trade and Investment Flows. Qatar has been no exception to this trend of expanding GulfAsia trade. As the world’s largest LNG exporter and a significant oil producer, hydrocarbons make up the bulk of the State’s foreign trade. This bodes well for its ties to Asia - rapidly developing economies are importing increasingly large amounts of oil and gas to fuel growth. In addition to exporting energy supplies, the State has also been exporting its energy expertise, working on refinery and petrochemical complexes in growing economies such as China, Indonesia and Vietnam. Just last December, Qatar Petroleum signed an agreement with PetroChina and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) for six projects in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang. These include two refinery-petrochemical complexes. The CNY 80 billion complex in Taizhou, an area south of Shanghai, is set to produce ethylene and other petrochemicals from imported condensate. Qatar Petroleum and Royal Dutch Shell hold 24.5% stakes in the project while PetroChina holds the remaining 51%. For Qatar especially, investing in foreign energy projects seems to makes sense. Nearly all of Qatar’s gas reserves are located the North Field, the largest non-associated gas field in the world. A moratorium on new projects was declared for the area in 2005 so that geological studies could be carried out to ensure the area’s resources are used to their full potential. With the bulk of its reserves on hold for new development, the State has been increasingly involving itself in projects abroad. While Qatar is investing in Asian energy, Asian energy majors are in turn investing in Qatar. Last December, South Korea-based Hyosung Corporation won a contract to install eight electricity substations worth QR848.12 million ($233 million). The group has
done work on Qatari power infrastructure in the past. In 2009 the Korean power and industrial systems company signed a KRW130 million ($117 million or QR425.88 million at that time) deal for an engineering, procurement and construction power grid expansion project of five electrical substations. South Korea, the world’s second-largest LNG purchaser, is planning to invest QR42.95 billion ($11.8 billion) in oil and gas projects this year, according to its Ministry of Knowledge Economy. These energy tie-ups are mutually beneficial. They afford Asian countries opportunities to supply their energy-hungry economies, while Qatar can secure potential customers for both its LNG exports and refinery expertise. Perhaps more interesting, however, are the other ties these energy relations have the potential to engender. Just last December Qatar Airways announced plans to double flights on its China routes. The carrier aims to increase flights to 70 per week by 2013, CEO Akbar Al Baker said in December. It currently operates a number of routes from the world’s largest country by population, including Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou and, since last November, Chongquing in the country’s southwest. Construction firms have also been winning contracts to participate in the State’s infrastructure upgrades. Last March, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) signed a deal with the Project Steering Committee of the QR3.25 billion ($880 million) Doha New Port project. This growing relationship can be seen on a smaller level as well. A rising number of Chinese restaurants in Doha indicates growing demand for the country’s ancient cuisine. “With more hotels being built and more Chinese businesses partnering on steel works and construction in Qatar, there is definitely a demand for more authentic Chinese foods,” Austin Jun Yang, chef de partie at Ruby Wu told Hotelier Middle East in December. As the State continues to finance energy projects in Asia and elsewhere, other industries like tourism, hospitality and transport are likely to benefit as well. Indeed, growth in the State’s petrochemical industry has helped expand other areas of the Qatari economy, boosting diversification efforts not only across sectors but also across borders
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By Oliver Cornock The author is the Regional Editor of Oxford Business Group
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february 2012
listening post
“Improving the role of families” The Executive Director of Social Development Center (SDC), Amal Al-Mannai, was the first Qatari woman to win the Female Civil Society Leader of the Year Award at the 3rd Annual Tawasul Civil Society Leaders (CSL) Awards in Muscat recently. She speaks to Qatar Today on the role of SDC in community development.
s
By Sindh u N a i r
ocial work is an integral part of giving back to your community and country. Therefore, receiving such a prestigious award serves as a motivation to further the work we do at SDC. It also encourages young Qatari women to get involved in community development initiatives and contribute to their society,” she says. “In 16 years, SDC has come a long way with its community development initiatives which have been created to meet the needs of different segments of society, including children, adults, and the elderly.” One of your objectives has been to promote the role of families in society. How have you achieved this? Through initiatives such as the Modern Family Programme, which is designed to assist home-based entrepreneurs to set up and run successful enterprises, SDC has helped families gain and sustain a steady source of income. This enables families to maintain a healthy standard of living in the long run and invest in educational opportunities that benefit our entire society. In fact, all our
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listening post
programmes, both individual and community-oriented, are geared towards improving the role of families in society, by arming them with the right training, education and resources to provide for themselves. Does SDC cater to only Qatari families? Do you feel there has to be more integration? Expats living in Qatar are an important part of its sociocultural fabric, and Qataris and expats do coexist in a peaceful manner. SDC’s services are aimed at Qatari families, just like the various multinational community centres in Qatar that cater to specific nationalities. What in your view are the issues that face families in Qatar? For families that have less trained or less educated earning members, a poor standard of living is one of the main concerns. Also, families need to understand that every individual in the family including women, has the potential to contribute to an emotionally, socially and financially sound family. How successful is the Reda AlKhair project? As you may already know, Reda AlKhair encourages people to donate fairly used personal and domestic accessories to SDC. We repackage and dispose of them at reasonable prices. The returns are used to finance low income families that are registered with SDC and, let me be frank with you, we are not yet satisfied with the initiative’s output and we are striving to improve it. How many families has SDC helped? Just through the Modern Family Programme, SDC has helped 300 families, and has recently enrolled 15 additional families to the programme. Since its inception, SDC has helped families residing in Qatar, including Qataris and non-Qataris. Applicants must fulfil the guidelines specified for each programme offered by SDC. Guidelines for each programme are different. If they match the criteria, they will be eligible for support from SDC. What are the effects of globalisation on families here? Has the change in
the pace of growth ruptured the fabric of society? As Qatar continues to develop and we become exposed to the effects of globalisation, the phenomenon has more of a positive impact on the country and its people. Families are now aware that being professionally capable goes beyond simply having a job. Individuals and families can start and run their own businesses, receive adequate vocational training to perform at their optimum in their existing jobs, benefit from new and diverse educational opportunities, collaborate with experts outside Qatar, and – through all of this – be in a better position to absorb what is being offered to them in the modern Qatari society. Of course, the changes are occurring at a rather quick pace, but the government of Qatar and organisations like Qatar Foundation are also responding exceptionally well to the changes
SDC: Building selfsufficient families Since its inception in 1996, SDC has given individuals and communities access to training and personal development programmes such as First Step and Tanmia, as well as several funding and career counselling initiatives.
brought about by globalisation. As a result, if anything, the changes brought about by globalisation have encouraged us as Qataris to expand our scope of thinking and realise our potential in various fields. There have been many instances when women in Qatar have said that domestic violence is still prevalent in the families. Are there any statistics to support this? How true is this? Have any steps been taken in this direction? The Foundation of Women and Children is concerned with this type of problems so they are more aware about the problem and will have the statistics. But of course violence prevails everywhere in the world and Qatar is not an exception. Domestic violence is something we should all govern against through education and awareness campaigns.
Tell us more about your activities, the Kafu Awareness Campaign for volunteering, the Rasameel business funding programme, and the Reyada Awards for Entrepreneurs. Kafu is designed to foster a culture of volunteer work in Qatar. A three-month-long awareness campaign, Kafu involves a variety of events and activities for individuals to share their experiences and network with fellow volunteers, as well as organisations on the lookout for enthusiastic volunteers. One of the main components of the Kafu awareness campaign is setting a trend of leadership by example. SDC’s target audience for the campaign consists of students, researchers and individuals who are able to set examples for their peers when they volunteer their time and expertise to improve society. Rasameel and the Reyada Awards, on the other hand, are more tied in with entrepreneurial ventures. The Rasameel fund provides support to enterprising Qataris who are interested in business. It is meant to assist them until their projects reach a point of stability and profitability. The Reyada Awards is a leading entrepreneurship awards programme in Qatar. The award has been designed to honour Qatari entrepreneurs, as well as individuals and organisations that support entrepreneurial ventures. Our goal was to reward members of Qatari society who are actively involved in entrepreneurial ventures with an incentive and honour, which would motivate them to further their ambitions. What societal changes do you hope for? Qatari society is being exposed to a lot of new opportunities. We are in a rapid learning phase and our people are reacting to this change very positively. The youth of Qatar are discovering new ways of participating in the overall development of societies, such as volunteering, launching entrepreneurial initiatives, and pursuing training and educational opportunities. In future, I hope that more active professionals, particularly the youth, will begin to understand the importance of giving back to their communities and engaging in different types of social work
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Qatar Today 33
cover story
How full is your
basket? T h e B y
c o s t
S i n d h u
34 Qatar Today
o f
l i v i n g
N a i r
FEBRUARY 2 0 1 2
d e b at e
how full is your basket?
When we started working on the story of cost of living, we heard only murmurs of assent. but as the month passed, the verdict was loud and clear. The cost of living in Qatar has certainly gone up, and there are statistics to prove it. But in a country that shows such high growth rates, isn’t inflation unavoidable? Who controls the costs, and what are the factors that control the cost of living? While housing is a major factor in the rising of cost of living, QT poll results and market interviews zero in on the rising food prices as the trigger for the rise. According to the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures published by the Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA), over the past two years, CPI has increased by 3%, which would imply that cost of living in Qatar has increased by a similar figure.
FEBRUARY 2 0 1 2
Qatar Today 35
cover story
C
ost of living depicts the financial resources required to maintain a certain standard of living. CPI is a theoretical price index which measures the relative cost of living over a period of time with reference to the price of a set basket of goods and services. In the absence of taxes, and all other conditions being equal, an increase in the price of the basket of goods and services would mean that at least an equal increase in income would be required to maintain the same standard of living. Head of Valuation Services at Deloitte, Milhan Baig explains that the largest constituent of the CPI is rent, utilities and housing, which accounts for 32% of the index. This is followed by transport and communication, which constitutes 20% of the CPI. This suggests that the cost of living is most sensitive to changes in these two constituents, as they make up more than half of the CPI. And this explains why the CPI index went to record highs in 2008 and then stabilised the next year, to again increase slightly in the year just ended. “According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Qatar’s highest inflation rate of 15% in 2008 was driven by a surge in rental prices, coupled with an increase in government expenditure to fuel economic growth. Control measures to decrease rentals were introduced in 2009, which led to a sharp drop in the inflation rate, so much so that in 2009 there was deflation (negative inflation) of -4.9%,” says Baig. Dr Alexis Antoniades, Assistant Professor at Georgetown University, explains the effect inflation has on our lives. He says:
Source: Qatar Statistics Authority (QSA)
36 Qatar Today
FEBRUARY 2 0 1 2
“Inflation, which is defined as a continuous rise in the price of most goods and services, can have adverse effects on the economy. Rising prices hurt the consumers, they make firms less competitive as the cost of production rises, and they slow down the growth rate of the economy. “Supply bottlenecks contributed to the rising prices experienced in 2008. Due to Qatar’s high growth rate, the country’s population doubled between 2004 and 2008, while housing supply was limited. The excess demand in housing, along with a rise in the cost of construction material, resulted in a significant jump in rental prices. At the same time prices, supply bottlenecks in other sectors (such as schooling), rising food prices and commodity prices worldwide were the main factors that caused the high inflation rate that the country experienced in 2008.” The following year the world economy went into a recession and as a result, food prices and commodity prices deflated from the 2008 peak levels. “In Qatar, many of the construction projects were completed, adding substantial amounts of residential and commercial space in a market that had already experienced a softening in demand. The excess demand for housing experienced in the previous years became an excess supply in 2009, rental prices collapsed by 40-50%, and inflation declined substantially,” he adds. At a more macro level, GDP growth allows for more government expenditure which in turn facilitates further economic growth and the availability of higher disposable income. However, GDP growth may not necessarily be a good thing for the cost of living.
CPI index graph
how full is your basket?
experts
“More disposable income would mean that, if the supply of goods and services does not increase relative to demand, more money is being spent to buy too few goods. A comparison of GDP growth and inflation provided in the graph corroborates this,” says Baig. In other words, the availability of more disposable income in the hands of consumers could mean more spending which increases the demand for goods and services. This is what economists call ‘demand pull inflation’. “In the past, we have seen the effect of this coupled with rental hikes when inflation increased to rates as high as 13.7% in 2007 and 15% in 2008,” he says.
The Housing factor
While all this explains the 2008 and 2009 crisis, why does the CPI index still indicate high figures in 2011? As housing and rents constitute a major portion of CPI, let’s first explore what variations are shown in this sector. We have figures from a real estate agecy to prove that rents have stabilised since last year and 2012 rent projections say that there will not be too much of a variation in the figures or prices. Real estate agency and analysts DTZ’s Associate Director, Mark Proudley, says, “In general, rental rates across most real estate sectors have remained reasonably stable over the whole of 2011, though we have witnessed some increases on good-quality stock in areas which are limited in supply, such as one-bed apartments or smaller office suites. “We believe the trends recorded over the latter half of 2011 will prevail during 2012, with rental rates remaining comparatively stable as new developments reaching completion increase the levels of supply in parallel with new demand driven by economic activity creating employment opportunities and population growth,” he says.
“For many goods prices are rising fast, but in the CPI this rise is offset by falling rental prices. Since households allocate different shares of their income across goods such as housing, food, education, entertainment and health, changes in prices affect different households in different ways.” Dr Alexis Antoniades Assistant Professor at Georgetown University
higH on food
That brings us to the other major component of a rising CPI, food prices.
A
ccording to Qatar Today’s Cost of Living opinion poll, 81.8% of our respondents said that the cost of living had spiralled. About 70% of the respondents believed that the increase in cost was due to rising food prices. To understand how prices have risen over the years, Qatar Today approached leading grocery retailers in the country to understand
the situation. Carrefour City Centre's General Manager, David Zamagna, says: “The cost of grocery items has increased tremendously, not only in the last two years, but over the course of the last 10 years.”(The majority of respondents (54.1%) in the QT Cost of Living survey shop at Carrefour. Another official from one of the other prominent department stores says: “Food price increases over the past few years have been a global phenomenon, and no country is exempt from it. In countries like Qatar, where the vast majority of food items are imported,
the impact will be higher than in other countries.” Mohamed Althaf, Regional Director, Lulu Hypermarkets and Department Stores, doubts the authenticity of the reports that show a higher CPI index in the food category. (31.8% of our respondents shop at Lulu.) He says: “Last year Qatar had a growth rate of around 15%. None of the other countries around the globe has shown such remarkable figures, and some countries which have had high GDP rates have had equally high inflation rates. In Qatar, if inflation has been controlled in the face of such high GDP rates then it is a commendable effort by the Qatari government.” Althaf does agree that prices have gone up in some commodities, but then he dismisses it as a natural phenomenon that every country faces. But what about pulses, which used to cost QR4 per kg in 2006 and now cost close to QR12 per kg? What does this imply? “Well, there have been increases in some items. But if you look at other items, like vegetables, they were more expensive than what
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Qatar Today 37
cover story experts
“Qatar’s decision to maintain its currency peg to the US dollar is likely to restrict the use of conventional monetary policies to moderate inflation, although increasing interest rates could encourage consumers to save more and borrow less. This could help reduce spending levels, but in a country which has one of the highest GDPs in the world, high disposable income levels could circumvent its effectiveness.” Milhan Baig
Head of Valuation Services, Deloitte
QT POLL Has the cost of living in Qatar gone up in the past year?
YES 81.8%
NO 4.5%
not sure 13.6% 38 Qatar Today
FEBRUARY 2 0 1 2
they are now. Meat is also much cheaper,” says Althaf. Spinneys Head of Business Unit Elias Tabet says there has not been an increase in food prices. “We have not increased prices, as we are not dependent only on the import market. There has been no major price increase from the local market, either. Moreover, we target the high-end customer,” says Tabet. Tabet does agree that a price rise has been seen in some commodities, but he believes this is a global phenomenon and not particular to Qatar. Qatar has a bigger concern as it depends on imports from all countries for its supply. “Even the basic availability of food items has become a matter of concern, especially in countries like Qatar, which plans for the long term. And that explains why Qatar is investing in farms in Africa, Philippines and other places to ensure they will have priority access to some basic items. The increase in prices is attributed to everything from the growth of China and India as major consumer nations to changes in weather due to global warming, a rise in transportation costs, global population growth, and so on,” says an official of a prominent hypermarket, who prefers to remain anonymous. Qatar has very limited production facilities and farms. It imports almost everything, and anything that affects the exporting countries (like natural disasters or even hikes in fuel costs) will affect food prices here. Does that mean that food prices are entirely dependent on the import market? “Everything except a limited supply of vegetables and somewhat adequate supply of fish is imported. This includes basic items like flour, sugar, dairy products and oil, and price variations on these items lead to price variations in items produced using these basic items," adds the anonymous official. “There have not been particular shortages of specific items, but we need to remember that global crises like Bird Flu have been able to cut off poultry availability, and other incidents like India’s ban on rice exports led to 'temporary availability issues' on these items. This resulted in additional price increases for an indefinite period. But when the restrictions were lifted, price increases eased, and they are now market driven.” Since most commodities are imported, where do the retailers source the commodities from? “Brazil is the biggest source for poultry not only for Qatar but for the entire world. We have vegetables coming from Europe, India, Philippines and Sri Lanka. Oil comes from the UAE, and so on. Basically, we look at how to deliver the best value for the customer and identify such sources as can help us do the same. We are also constantly on the lookout for alternatives that appeal to the customers,” says the official. Lulu employs multiple sourcing, and that is how they keep a check on the prices and availability, says Althaf. “We source from the local market, but our main supply is sourced from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Holland, Belgium, some from the US and Lebanon.” But when one depends on imports, prices and availability will depend on the market conditions or even the climatic conditions of these source countries. “Not if you have multiple sourcing. When we encounter such shortfalls we make it up and go to other sources. Like last year, when there was flooding in Thailand and production was affected,
how full is your basket? the consumers
we immediately took action and got our supply from Indonesia. In 2010, India put up a moratorium for exporting non-basmati rice — we are not talking of huge quantities, only 250,000 tons — this was immediately purchased from Thailand instead. This year we expect a shortfall from Thailand, but then India has had bumper growth. We work efficiently to overcome such shortfalls,” says a confident Althaf. This brings in the question of quality, which Althaf clarifies, saying the Qatari market is very strict on what it imports and has quality assurance at different levels to help control that issue.
Price control
Zamagna agrees that there has been a global price increase in food items and adds another interesting factor. “To protect the consumer, the Qatari government has put pressure on us as the retailer to maintain or monitor price increases,” he says. “The Ministry of Business and Trade has created a commodity list, which is the list of around 250 items on which the price is blocked and monitored by the ministry. We have to supply the prices of these commodities to the ministry every week. “Any price increase from our supplier should be validated and upheld by the Ministry of Business and Trade. In our case, our profit margin is not increasing—it is decreasing because we don’t
experts
“We believe the trends recorded over the latter half of 2011 will prevail during 2012, with rental rates remaining comparatively stable as new developments reaching completion increase the levels of supply in parallel with new demand driven by economic activity creating employment opportunities and population growth.”
“Qatar is a small nation with the world’s highest GDP per head. After winning the 2022 World Cup, the State earmarked $200 billion to be spent within ten years. The scale of the enterprise is so huge that it will need nearly 200 million workers to complete the infrastructure works, but the country doesn’t have the capacity to cope with such a vast workforce. Demand has naturally outstripped supply, because availability is so low and demand is so high. This is the main reason why Qatar has become one of the most expensive countries in the world. Recent price rises will be nothing compared to what lies ahead. Figures will be astronomical within the next few years. The cost of doing business is not as high as some people think. The recent inflationary ripple is not a healthy phenomenon, but a reflection of the country’s lack of readiness and advanced preparation. The main reason for this is a lack of planning and a paucity of strategies in the country, especially in respect of arrangements for the 2022 World Cup. No schedule has been drawn up yet for the works to be carried out. No committees to monitor tenders have been formed. If there is no timetable in place by the end of 2012 the country won’t be ready to host the World Cup, and prices will go even higher as a result of the mess. Right now Qatar doesn’t even have the places to accommodate all the expatriate labour that will inevitably be needed in order to bring supply in line with demand.”
Abdulhadi Al-Shahwani Businessman
Mark Proudley
Associate Director, DTZ
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Qatar Today 39
cover story retailer
“In our case, our profit margin is not increasing. It is decreasing because we don’t want to put the full impact of the increase in cost price in our margin. We know that the pricing issue is a very serious issue in terms of the purchasing power of the people, so we are also fighting against that.” David Zamagna
General Manager, Carrefour City Centre
QT POLL Where do you prefer to do your shopping? LULU 31.8%
carrefour 54.5%
want to put the full impact of the increase in cost price in our margin. We know that the pricing issue is a very serious one in terms of the purchasing power of the people, so we are also fighting against that,” says Zamagna. Althaf explains: “You cannot have a unilateral price increase. We are not allowed to increase the prices on our own. If we want to increase the price of any commodity it comes under strict scrutiny, and you have to validate the reason for the rise in price, which then needs to be approved. It is a scientific process that they have adopted and it is almost fool-proof.” This new rule was introduced during Ramadan to control price rises of around 250 essentials before they extended the period. It is still being practised. “More than imposing any laws, they have opened up competition,” feels Althaf. “To make sure that the items are also available on the racks, the officials also make spot checks.” Zamagna talks about another action put in place a year ago by the government. “We also have to work on a daily price list from the government. This covers the main fruit and vegetable prices. The prices are fixed and we cannot play with them. We receive this list between 9 and 11 o’ clock in the morning. As soon as we receive this price we have to apply it in the aisles. The price they are imposing is very low, sometimes below our costs.” Zamagna says that cigarette prices have just gone up from QR8 to QR9, but they cannot impose it if they do not get approval from the Ministry of Business and Trade. A step to help the consumer, no doubt, but one that is affecting giants like Carrefour and Lulu. But Althaf is quite positive even in the face of such impositions. “Profits have come down, but we have to increase our operational efficiencies and try to get even. We are also working with the Ministry to look at factors like duties that add to our overheads. Ten percent of the cost is due to logistics inefficiencies which have to be worked on. For this we are working in tandem with the ministry to remove the border inefficiencies and congestion at the port. They are implementing this price control all over, and it is not restricted just to groceries but also for automobiles, etc. This is not a one-way restriction; the ministry is trying to make it easier by reducing certain logistical overheads and costs, so in the end all this should be beneficial to the consumer and the retailer.” Carrefour is also dealing with the imposition by beefing up its operational efficiencies. “We are finding other ways to combat this price increase. We manage our costs and the energy we consume to maintain our profitability.”
Economics that works
spinneys 4.5%
all 22.7%
40 Qatar Today
Family Food Center & other retailers 27.3% FEBRUARY 2 0 1 2
Dr Antoniades tells us that overall inflation is low, currently. “Yet many people feel the impact of rising prices. This happens because the consumer price index, which is used to calculate inflation, measures only the price of a representative basket of goods. It does not measure the true cost of living for each household. “For many goods prices are rising fast, but in the CPI this rise is offset by falling rental prices. Since households allocate different shares of their income across goods such as housing, food, education, entertainment, and health, changes in prices affect different households in different ways,” he says. Moving forward, inflation remains a threat to Qatar,
how full is your basket? the consumers
QT POLL which of these factors have contributed most to the cost of living? housing rents 25% food 70% all 20%
electricity & water 10%
school fees 20% retailer
“We are not supposed to increase the prices on our own. If we want to increase the price of any commodity it comes under strict scrutiny, and you have to validate the reason for the rise in price to then get approved. It is a scientific process that they have adopted and it is almost fool-proof.”
“The recent price rises have not been big; in fact they have been modest. 2011 was a relatively calm and to some extent stable year, as supply exceeded demand in residential buildings. Qatar charges some of the lowest rates anywhere for electricity and water services to offices, warehouses and management suites, and also doesn’t charge housing fees for nationals. All of this made 2011 relatively quiet on all fronts, and although there were some price rises, these were trivial when compared with neighbouring states. Business costs are relatively high, which is due to high rental costs because of the shortage of offices, shops and warehouses, and also the taxes imposed by the state, which are high in comparison with neighbouring states. The salary increase for public sector workers and labourers also did a great deal to worsen the problem of inflation. Higher shipping costs have led to an increase in the cost of importing foodstuffs and a rise in charges for health and education services, as well as an increase in the price of building materials, leading to higher building costs. However, it’s a fairly slight increase given the growth in construction and infrastructure activity in the country.”
Kazem Al-Ansari
Owner of Al-Kazem Group
Mohamed Althaf
Regional Director, Lulu Group
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cover story retailer
“We have not increased prices, as we are not dependent only on the import market. There is no major price increase from the local market, either. Moreover, we target the high-end customer.” Elias Tabet
Head of Business Unit, Spinneys
according to Dr Antoniades, especially when rental prices begin to stabilise and then rise. Global food prices are on the rise again, and spending for the World Cup 2022 will cause supply-side bottlenecks again. “The state does pay a lot of attention to the issue of inflation, and serious work is under way to improve measures of inflation. Breaking up the domestic monopolies will be a step forward, as it will open up the market to healthy competition that will bring prices down and benefit the consumers. “Communicating the causes of inflation to the public and making an effort to maintain inflation at low levels will help manage expectations about inflation. Often just the expectation of inflation creates inflation, as workers ask for a raise in salaries and firms readjust prices in anticipation." Controlling prices of some goods will not help as wholesalers and retailers will adjust the prices of goods without price control so that their average profit across all goods remains the same, feels Dr Antoniades. According to Baig, inflation can be controlled by either fiscal or monetary policies. “Qatar’s decision to maintain its currency peg to the US dollar is likely to restrict the use of conventional monetary policies to moderate inflation, although increasing interest rates could encourage consumers to save more and borrow less. This could help reduce spending levels, but in a country which has one of the highest GDPs in the world, high disposable income levels could circumvent its effectiveness.” Therefore, in the absence of effective conventional monetary policies, the government may look to apply certain fiscal policies to moderate inflation levels. “For instance, the use of specific government subsidies (as opposed to direct government expenditure) can help maintain local commodity and food prices within a desired range.” (continued on pg 42)
The regional picture
C
onsumer price inflation in the GCC picked up to 3.3% in 2011, up from 2.8% in 2010, according to analysis from QNB Capital. Despite this small rise in inflation, price growth in the region is below the global average of around 4.5% and well below the 13.8% average that QNB capital estimates for the rest of the MENA region. Part of the reason for the relatively subdued inflation relative to other countries is fuel subsidies. These subsidies have insulated the region from the direct impact of the sharp increase in oil prices, which has seen the benchmark Brent crude rising by 39% on average in 2011, even more than the 34% increase in 2008. Instead, the strongest contribution to inflation in the GCC last year came from rising food prices, driven by shortages in the first half of the year which saw a 23% average rise in the UN Food & Agriculture Organization’s benchmark index of basic food prices. Rents saw declines in three of the countries, but increases in the others. In most other price categories, such as communications, there were only mild rises across most of the region. QNB Capital’s assessment utilises the full year consumer price index (CPI) data for five countries and an estimate for Oman, based on its data until November 2011. The regional inflation figures have been calculated by weighing inflation in each country against their estimated shares of regional GDP.
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Source: National statistical agencies and QNB Capital estimates
how full is your basket? the consumers
QT POLL Do you consider Qatar to have a high cost of living versus your native country?
YES 63.6%
no 18.2% ON par 18.2%
QT POLL Has your house rent increased in the past year? YES 31.8%
NO 68.2%
“A number of factors could dictate whether the cost of doing business will increase or decrease, including but not limited to cost of office space, employee housing, salaries, marketing, etc. From a marketing perspective, I believe that costs are going down as business owners are starting to market more creatively and effectively, especially online. Salaries will inevitably go up with inflation, but an essential cost that plays a role in salary packages is the cost of housing. We’ve seen real estate prices generally drop and stagnate over the past couple of years, so there’s really no evidence that salaries and associated real estate costs are going up any time soon. Furthermore, Qatar has developed an international name for itself and has become an appealing place to live, so hefty salary premiums to incentivise people to move to Qatar are no longer needed, especially in light of the global economy. Add the fact that the government has shown support in instituting initiatives such as Enterprise Qatar or the Qatar Development Bank to assist SMEs from the regulatory and financial standpoints, I would find it hard to argue that the cost of doing business is going up, in the short-to-medium term.”
Khalifa Al Misnad
Owner of Coreo real-estate
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Qatar Today 43
cover story the consumers
QT POLL Have you cut back on any luxury items?
YES 72.7%
“the Business environment has not changed since last year. It will take another year or so for the different initiatives and regulations to be implemented. NO 27.3%
However, the cost of business went down due to rents going down, allowing the overall operations expenses of any business to drop.”
Shareefa Fadhel
Cofounder & Managing Director, Roudha Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
QT POLL Have car insurance rates increased or decreased? IncreaseD 52.4%
DecreaseD 0%
SAME 47.6%
(continued from page 40) This is already in place, and the Ministry of Business and Trade is trying to put a cap on rising food prices. “Another example would be the government mandating more gas dollars to its sovereign wealth fund to make foreign direct investments, in an effort to reduce the amount of cash circulating in the local market. With less cash circulating in the market, consumer spending — and hence inflation — can be controlled to some extent,” says Baig. Baig also feels that new business development initiatives encouraged by the government, the Qatar Exchange SME Market, Enterprise Qatar and ictQATAR, will over time stimulate new business entrants and thereby increase competition in the market, which is likely to result in price reductions for goods and services. These initiatives may also have the effect of balancing supply with demand to ease the effect of any 'demand pull inflation'. “Overall, there is no doubt that a delicate balancing act is required between employing certain economic policies and how those policies translate into changes in inflation and cost of living.” Or, as Tabet puts it: “We just need more people in the country for the sales to go up.” And hopefully for prices and the cost of living to come down, too (With inputs from Peter Larson and Ezdhar Ibrahim)
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Making Employee Engagement Work Management guru Peter Drucker said “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”. Thinking strategically is often key to a company’s success, and justifies considerable effort going into strategic planning. Strategy matters, but what if we invested similar effort in creating and sustaining a healthy organisational culture—as demonstrated by high employee engagement, shared goals and effective communication? Research shows that such an investment pays off in strong organisational performance and positive business results.
q
atar Today’s December and January issues included articles that made the business case for employee engagement and its implications, especially for organisations in Qatar. This month, let’s look at the tools and techniques available to managers for nurturing genuine employee engagement in this multicultural environment. Organisations can choose from a range of initiatives and a good place to start is with an audit of current organisational health, including the current level of engagement. This can be done in-house or with help from an organisational development expert. Depending on the current state, a plan to increase engagement will draw on
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february 2012
tools and techniques ranging from comprehensive, organisationwide efforts to picking individual tools appropriate to your circumstances. There is no absolute right or wrong. An organisation could decide to go for the whole process from assessment through to the development and implementation of an engagement strategy. Or it might pilot a small effort with a single department or team. The only thing that companies can do wrong when it comes to employee engagement is doing nothing at all. Tools you can use A variety of approaches and tools are available that help implement employee engagement. Here is a first taste of methods that have proven successful in this endeavour, in particular with diverse audiences: Conventional organisational development approaches can foster employee engagement in a number of ways, from clarifying your vision and mission to improving communication channels to making sure compensation plans and performance management systems all support genuine engagement. A technique that is growing in use around the world is Appreciative Inquiry (AI). AI is deceptively simple but can be a powerful way to engage an organisation’s stakeholders, especially employees. It’s based on a set of exercises that focus on the organisation’s assets, accomplishments and positive core. Once called out and appreciated, this positive core can be leveraged to shape a meaningful and compelling vision of the organisation’s future and an innova-
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tive plan for creating that future. At scales easily and can be used effectively from small teams to departments to entire companies. Another proven way to engage the workforce is Organisational Learning, when companies move from mere training and development to a culture where learning is built into every process in the organisation. Various tools provide space to exchange ideas across functions, learn from mistakes, share and reflect on experiences and work on future scenarios for the organisation. Energy giant Shell has been one of the pioneers of this approach, and many other corporations have experienced that involving
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the workforce in organisational learning activities creates committed and engaged employees on all levels. The Open Space Technique is an effective tool specifically when a diverse group needs to find a solution to a complex question in an organisation (such as strategic planning, product design, organisational restructuring or even community development). Managers and leaders around the world have embarked on such Open Space workshops with small and large groups of different backgrounds, hierarchical ranks and functions, and report success not only in the results produced but also in increased
levels of engagement in the process. This is just a sampling of a wide range of approaches available for fostering a culture of engagement. Each can also effectively support efforts aimed at improving cooperation in multicultural environments, such as commonly seen in Qatar and the Gulf. Moreover, research shows that everything you do in your organisation to enhance cross-cultural understanding and cooperation can lead to even greater effect if your workforce is already highly engaged. In all of this, a focus on engagement is a valuable and foundational investment in your organisation’s success
Are there methods you have found effective for increasing engagement and organisational success? The authors welcome your insights and questions. Please write to Birgit Radl at birgit@radlwanko.at and Kevin Lamb at Kevin.Lamb@Keystone-Global.com.
By Birgit Radl-Wanko and Kevin Lamb Birgit is an organisational consultant and trainer with a focus on leadership development and change management. She has worked with organisations in the public, private and nonprofit sector in the US, Europe and the Middle East and has been a Qatar resident since 2010. kevin is an organisational development consultant and managing partner at Keystone Global Consulting Group, based in Qatar. His focus is on organisational health practices and their link to organisational performance. Birgit and Kevin write a regular column on employees engagement in Qatar.
february 2012
Qatar Today 49
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policy
Communications
Proof is in the Eating
A restaurant owner has tried everything to dissuade his talking parrot from abusing guests as they enter. He finally resorts to locking the parrot in a freezer for an hour. Cold and agitated, the parrot steps out and says, “I’m sorry that I offended your guests. I ask for your forgiveness”. The restaurateur is astounded at the bird’s changed attitude and is about to ask what changed him when the parrot continues: “By the way, may I ask - what did the chicken do wrong?”
D 50 Qatar Today
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iners in Qatar do not expect abusive welcomes when they enter an establishment but if health authorities are successful, they will no longer get their food in plastic containers or drink their coffee from polystyrene cups. Midway through 2011 Qatar health authorities activated a cabinet directive prohibiting the use of plastics for serving food. Businesses were given 90 days to comply. Well after the deadline had passed, the Gulf Times ran a story with food businesses crying foul. One bakery told the daily newspaper: “Since we last read in the news about the plan to ban plastic bags, we are yet to receive any official notification from the authorities as to when the ban will become effective and what the alternative should be.” Other businesses echoed the same sentiment. If the report is accurate, clearly there has
been a communication breakdown. When food safety and consumer rights are involved, it’s a serious matter. So how could communications effectively support policy initiatives such as this? What are the strategic and tactical communication tools that could be employed to effect compliance or endure behaviour change? Translating Policy to Action In 2011, the Qatar National Development Strategy (NDS) warned that some government goals could only be achieved if “government convinces other actors to alter their attitudes or behaviours” through effective communication campaigns. Too often in in the region, the focus of policy communications is simply on ‘awareness raising’. But making people aware of a new policy is simply not enough. Consider, for example, that many smok-
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ers will freely admit that they know smoking is harmful. An Indian study of college students found that 79%knew smoking was damaging yet they continued to smoke. Similarly food businesses in Qatar evidently know they should stop using plastic, but many still do. Health authorities will apparently launch a major advertising campaign around the new food and plastics policy. But will advertising and stories in the media be enough to lead to a prompt change in behaviour? The short answer is no. Whenever ‘behaviour change’ is required as an outcome of a government policy the communication campaign, tactics and tools must focus on the behaviour that is being encouraged awareness raising is simply the first step in the process. Behaviour change communications for social good must be constructed in three phases:
Awareness, Attitudes and Action. Phase 1: Awareness Make your target audience aware of the policy, why the change is occurring, what they need to do to comply, the benefits and the consequences if they don’t.
Phase 2: Attitudes Most of your target audience may be resistant to the change, how can you convert their ‘negative attitude’ on the subject to a ‘positive attitude’?
Phase 3: Action Once your audience has agreed to ‘act’ on their positive attitude, ensure they know what action is required and that the action can continue to be sustained.
For the ban on plastics, each phase of the campaign will require a sophisticated mix of direct engagement with the target audiences, workshops and seminars, media relations, marketing and advertising, use of social media, education programmes, consumer advocacy programmes, industry leadership, effective enforcement, role modeling, materials translated in multiple languages and other tactical approaches. The communication campaign must also be under-pinned by research to fully understand the current awareness levels and attitudes to the proposed policy, and from there policy-makers and communicators can devise the messages, triggers and interventions that could help achieve the desired behaviour. The agency can then use the research to monitor and evaluate progress. Reduce the Barriers, Highlight the Benefits Many of us are more likely to change our behaviour and sustain it, if we do it voluntarily and if the benefit of changing outweighs the negatives. For example, smokers are more likely to quit if they believe the health benefits outweigh the perceived value they get from the habit. Likewise, food businesses are more likely to comply if they understand, value and know how to change. Government also has the unique capability to reduce the barriers that can get in the way of complying. For example, to encourage smokers to stop, governments can levy taxes on cigarettes, ban smoking in public places and force tobacco companies to print health warnings on cigarette packets. In Qatar, the food businesses argue that they are not fully aware of the alternative packaging systems and that the non-plastic alternatives are not readily available in Qatar in any case. Others argue that they will be forced to increase their food prices.
This is where government’s policymaking role is unrivalled in being able to reduce the barriers that might stand in the way. Was three months sufficient time for businesses to deal with the change? Could government have provided suppliers of the preferred food containers with incentives to make their products readily available? Could the suppliers have assisted in educating food businesses about the benefits of their products? Could the negative impact on the environment also have been emphasised, as has been the case in other countries? How could consumers be mobilised to put pressure on businesses to comply? Could government have subsidised the cost of the alternative packaging to ease businesses into the new policy? Government also has the ability to offer a carrot-and-stick solution - combining a promised reward with a threatened punishment. However, too often, government agencies in the region rely on the ‘stick’ to implement new policies. Road safety in Qatar is one example, where stiff penalties are imposed for unsafe driving. But in many developed countries, the social stigma associated with, say, not wearing a seat-belt is more influential in changing behaviour than the fines imposed - the reward of ‘social conformity’ is more powerful than the financial penalty. In these countries, communication campaigns have been key to creating the environment where not wearing a seat belt is considered socially unacceptable. What social environment could government encourage to promote the change amongst food businesses? If the goals of the NDS and policies such as the food-and-plastic initiative are to be successful, more sophisticated communication approaches to encourage businesses and consumers to voluntarily comply will be required. Awareness-raising and penalties alone will only work on abusive talking parrots
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By Samson Samasoni, Managing Director, Grow Founded in 2005, Grow is a creative multiple-award winning brand communications and PR agency based in Doha. Grow PR specialises in strategic communications, public relations and change communications.
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Qatar Today 51
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Work-Life Balance for Working Professionals A recent Bayt.com survey, about employee motivation in the Middle East workplace, showed that 91% of working professionals in the region consider work-life balance a vital factor which directly impacts their motivation levels.
Far
from being a luxury, the notion of achieving an optimal work-life balance has become a key goal for working professionals worldwide, men and women alike. Furthermore, 37% of Middle Eastern professionals stated their employers provide them with “good” to “complete” support in order for them to achieve a healthy work-life balance. Career experts from Bayt.com provide you with six tips to make this process more achievable and realistic:
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bottom line Manage your time effectively: A working professional cannot hope to achieve a healthy work-life balance if they spends two-thirds of every day in the office. Make a point to commit to your working schedule (occasional overtimes are tolerable but working late on a daily basis isn’t advisable). Put your best efforts into your job during working hours so you can leave it knowing you still have enough time (and energy) to invest in your other daily routine responsibilities. Learn to work ‘smarter’ instead of ‘longer’ and focus on making your precious hours at work as condensed and as productive as possible. Say NO when you have to: Do not let feelings of guilt frustrate you. You are a working professional, and therefore should be focusing primarily on your own job responsibilities and your own personal activities. Do not be hoodwinked into taking on the responsibilities of a work colleague who has booked for a spa appointment at lunchtime and needs you to compile his sales figures report at the cost of your precious time. Check your options: Telecommuting is now widely popular across Middle Eastern workplaces. In fact 47 percent of professionals surveyed by Bayt.com in a recent poll stated that working from home is an option that is allowed in their organisations for some roles. Telecommuting has proved to be useful and conducive to productivity and profitability all around the world. Can your job be done from home at least partially? Does it necessitate your presence in the office at all time? Is job sharing an option in your job? Check your options! Job flexibility can undoubtedly be a key factor in achieving a more optimal work-life balance. Maintain open communication channels with your boss: If anyone can make your life easier (or much harder) at work, it’s your direct manager. Make sure you maintain a very transparent yet professional relationship with him/her. Seek to be expert in all reasonable job responsibilities you are expected to undertake during working hours and do not feel bound to take on a heavier work burden than is really possible given your personal circumstances. Discuss the matter frankly with your boss and as long as you are doing your job professionally, a certain amount of flexibility with personal matters should not be an issue. Keep fit: Eat well, sleep well and grab every opportunity you get to exercise. Sleep deprivation not only results in you being overly and easily exhausted, it also affects your personal and professional productivity levels. Maintain a healthy lifestyle which combines a fair chunk of fitness-boosting foods (vegetables, fruits and proteins), at least eight hours of sound sleep and 30 minutes to an hour of exercise on a daily basis. Celebrate your weekend: The weekend is yours. Just as you set a daily planner at work, make sure you do the same for your weekend and time off work. Schedule activities with family and friends, take the kids on a weekend trip, go fishing, rafting, camping; just make sure you do dedicate a couple of hours solely for your personal well being. Indulge in a spa session, a soul feeding mini-retreat, super long walks or any other activity that makes you relax and unwind. You’ve worked hard all week to make ends meet and you absolutely deserve it! Remember you are working to live, not living to work!
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About Bayt.com: Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 6.750.000 registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, representing all industries, nationalities and career levels. Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com today and access the leading resource for job seekers and employers in the region.
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The birth of a city
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By Pe t e r La r s o n
he road north (and forward)... The desert sand floods the landscape north of Doha, and on a blustery Saturday afternoon whips against the side of the car. My driver is nervous. He’s starting to blink a lot, the way he does whenever he’s lost. Good God, man! Keep your eyes on the road. “Here, sir?” “No. Go right at the fork. I want to see the construction.” “Sir is not going to the shooting club?” I dealt with the same confoundedness when I called that morn-
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ing. The dispatcher insisted I give a place name, or else threatened to book me on a 120-kilometre expedition to Al Ruwais. I gulped and tried to explain it again. “What I mean is, it’s not really a place. Yet. I want the driver to take me to The Pearl and then keep going north for 15 kilometres and turn around.” “Mr Larson...?” “I know there’s nothing there. I just want to see it.” We didn’t make it the 15 kilometres. After five the lanes of the road had vanished. Sand crept in on both sides, and up ahead I could make out a security checkpoint. Leaning metal signs stick up out of the ground and say “Deep Excavation”, pointing to a place where huge, yellow mechanical arms have dug out the sand... where dump trucks drive in the middle of the night and pour millions of riyals into the earth. My driver (Ram) pulled the car up next to the guard shack and rolled down my window before I had time to object. Already I could see a leathery-faced guard taking off his sunglasses to check us out. The two of us in our off-white, late 90s Hyundai beater... “Well, this looks like the end of the road for us... we’ll just be going back now... OK, let’s go back, Ram. Hey, Ram! Wake up there.” And finally we left. This is the place where 200,000 people will eventually live, where the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2022 FIFA World Cup
tag this will be held, and where Google Earth still shows 37 square kilometres of undisturbed dunes from the side of the highway to the coast. This is where Lusail will be, and you can feel that it’s not far off. A city ready to sprout from the sand. The dunes are long gone. [Undisclosed amounts] By 2022 Qatar will have spent an [undisclosed amount] to bring the World Cup to nine stadiums and a city that do not exist in the year 2012. Brown Lloyd James is the PR firm handling the Lusail City account. It also worked on Qatar’s World Cup 2022 bid committee. And a host of other big names in town. The technical term for a firm like Brown Lloyd James is gatekeeper. Lusail City has been proclaimed the “city of the future”, and the realisation of Qatar’s national vision set forth by HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. A modest city in size, really. 200,000 is nowhere near the world’s largest. But a city! One that will trounce many midsize American cities—including my own hometown, Orlando—and a few of Los Angeles’ larger suburbs. One that will immediately become the second largest city in Qatar. One whose population now is none. A broad estimate of the total cost can be pieced together from statements in the papers. President and Founder of the World Travel Awards Graham Cooke was congratulating Qatar on being named the world’s leading business travel destination and was quoted in The Peninsula as saying $100 billion worth of infrastructure is due to be done by 2022. I went back to Lusail on an official visit. The guard was no less confused, but after a rambling exchange of gibberish, and an especially eager grin from Ram, he opened the gate. I waited in the lobby to meet my subject, Magdy Youssef, Director of the Lusail Real Estate Development Company. There was a scale model of the city-to-be in the centre of the room, complete with two golf courses. By the time he arrived I was dead certain my natural draw off the tee would land me in at least three hazards on the front nine alone. He flipped a switch and lit the 37 kilometres of waterfront styrofoam in a blue LED glow. We walked the perimeter and he pointed out clusters of neat model buildings all equally spaced along streets lined with neat model trees. And I was struck by how certain he was
of it all, how unabashedly he used the future tense. By the end of the tour, even I was ready to walk the promenade and find a nice restaurant in the Marina District. “With Lusail we have the luxury of being able to get a city right, from the beginning,” Youssef said. A luxury 100% underwritten by the Qatar Investment Authority, capitalised not long ago near $1 billion. If you’re in the market... Before we left the lobby to sit down, he pressed me for questions. I paused and studied the display. “Maybe I missed it, but where’s the stadium set to be?” Lusail Iconic Stadium is the proposed site for the World Cup final. Once
Modern bidding precedent has relied almost exclusively on thin air. Fantasy stadiums. Imaginary airports. Makebelieve hotels and highways. It’s how you pitch that matters.
built it will seat more than 85,000—large enough to stand out in a forest of miniature villas and office parks. At this point the handler from Brown Lloyd James spoke up. He blushed. The stadium would technically fall outside the city limits. It was in the historical region called Lusail. Not the city. His clarification was all well and good, but I repeated my question. He stepped back a few paces and pointed to a spot on the floor. All the unknowns orbiting around 2022 might seem like a risk to the untrained eye. But if you’re in the market for a major international sporting event and you didn’t just makeover your infrastructure, or cut ribbons on a few stadiums, don’t worry. That’s normal. Modern bidding precedent has relied almost exclusively on thin air. Fantasy stadiums. Imaginary airports. Make-believe hotels and highways. It’s how you pitch that matters. So hire a good public relations team to craft all this nonexistent material together, and a decent artist to imagine how
it might look, and voila! You’ve got a bid. For instance, Brazil won hosting rights for 2014 even as both FIFA President Sepp Blatter and then Brazilian President Lula da Silva declared the country had no existing stadium in condition to host the World Cup games. Brazil would need to build 12 new stadiums in the eight years before kickoff. Recently FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke criticised the pace of Brazil’s construction, now just two years before the tournament. It works out usually. Take South Africa in 2010. It built five new stadiums and renovated another five. A 2009 labour dispute threatened delay when 70,000 construction workers walked off the job, but it was swiftly resolved and in the end deadlines were met. Despite past incidents of bid skulduggery (e.g. Salt Lake Organising Committee in 1998, Sydney in 1999...), today promises of big investment outweigh big cheques. That didn’t keep the international media from crying that 2022 had been bought. But of course it was bought! If you’re scouting venues for a major international sporting event, you’re buying and selling potential. And Qatar has a surplus. It can afford to offer FIFA the World Cup of its dreams, precisely because its stadiums only exist somewhere in the void of the tiled lobby floor. A most spectacular spectacle In the first decade of the 21st century, Qatar’s GDP grew on average more than 14% per year, according to data from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators. In 2004, 2007 and 2008 the GDP growth rate topped 20%. The country’s roughly 300,000 citizens enjoy the highest national per capita income in the world. In 10 years the population has more than doubled to 1.7 million. And 40 kilometres west of Doha is Al Udeid Air Force Base, home to the forward headquarters of US Central Command. Director of the Brookings Doha Centre Salman Shaikh credits Qatar’s leadership for the decisions that launched it to its current geopolitical standing. “This leadership takes risks,” he said. “It takes calculated risks. And even in terms of developing its natural resources, they took a risk in the mid to late 90s—one which could have gotten into a lot of financial trouble, but which is now bearing a lot of fruit.” But the 11,000 square kilometre
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peninsula still has a problem. Hassan Al-Thawadi is the secretary-general of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee. He spoke at Carnegie Mellon’s campus in Education City this month about the challenges of the World Cup bidding process. He played the crowd well, peaking his presentation with a tear-jerking video montage of Qatar’s journey to selection day. However, as is the case with all things truly serious, Al-Thawadi packaged Qatar’s most salient concern as a joke: “To give you an example that I’m sure most of you have already experienced,” he said, “at the 2009 edition of ‘Leaders in Football’, one of the major conferences on the bidding circuit, our marketing team spent the majority of their time explaining to people where Qatar was on the map.” When Qatar hosts the World Cup in 2022, its population will temporarily experience the largest spike in size in its history. Up to 500,000 visitors could be expected during the tournament. One billion will be watching on TV. The master plan To be clear: Lusail existed before Qatar 2022. And, if you believe Youssef, it will be complete well before the World Cup arrives. “It will be vibrant. I expect when people are here visiting for the World Cup that staying at Lusail they will enjoy very vibrant living. It will be an exciting environment, where after the games they have a lot of things to do. We have a whole Entertainment City.”
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Even accepting the distinction between Lusail and 2022, it is impossible to be blind to the part each plays in Qatar’s growth strategy. If the World Cup is designed to spur Qatar’s growth, Lusail is designed to help manage it. The successful bid caused the Qatar Statistics Authority to revise its projected annual population growth rate from 4% to 9% in the years leading up to the tournament, according to data released in 2010. But ‘growth strategy’? I remember something Youssef said as he was showing me the model of Lusail. I told him how nice I thought it looked, and he made the comment that unlike most cities, where the landscape is an afterthought to the building, in Lusail the landscape would come first. I remember his comment and wonder if the logic can be recycled: In most cities people create the demand to build. In Lusail the buildings would come first. Boom or bust? I visited The Pearl after work a few weeks ago. Like Lusail, The Pearl was planned— 985 acres of reclaimed land, 350 metres into the Arabian Gulf. Like Lusail, The Pearl enjoyed incredible funding, controlled by the United Development Company, Qatar’s largest private sector shareholding company. It cost billions of dollars. The Pearl and Lusail City: Qatar’s largest and larger domestic real estate projects. Following the boardwalk it becomes immediately obvious The Pearl isn’t done yet. Cranes break the horizon, and the sound of
a hammer echoes through the empty corridors of an incomplete high-rise. Down below, the path is lined with cafes and boutiques, but there are no lines. There are no people. The attendants spend their time brushing off the dust that has settled onto the handrails and window sills. And I realise that here I am, walking around in Youssef’s model city. The one from the lobby. He was right about the landscaping. How dazzlingly vacant. Further on I come to a road that leads across a torch-lit bridge onto the centre island. On the other side a construction site has The Pearl’s best view of the Doha skyline. Man-made dunes are raised up from the dug-out sand, and signs point to the holes they left behind. Under my feet I can feel the five-star hotel-to-be shifting, pushing upward. Almost here. The millions of riyals once planted in the sand have taken root and are shooting up. Poured concrete stalks erupting from the earth! Watch out. When I got back Ram was waiting at the roundabout. I kicked the sand off my shoes and stepped into the car. “Where to now, boss?” The first day we drove to Lusail it took me two full minutes to lay out our route to nowhere. He interrupted me. “I do not know where you are going, but I will take you there.” (Peter Larson is an American journalism intern trying to decipher the development code in the desert sands)
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Emerging Mobile Payment Systems The mobile network is evolving at lightning speed and will thrive over the coming years. Recently, the introduction of mobile payment systems (MPS) has gained momentum and garnered greater attention from telecoms and financial institutions.
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obile phones are looked upon as an appropriate medium for supplementing existing payment and settlement procedures. A cashless society is on its way: American consumers now carry more than 750 million credit cards, while paper currency production continues to decline. The phrase “mobile payment system” can apply to various mechanisms for initiating and accepting transactions using a mobile device. According to Forrester Research, MPS can be divided into two categories: Payment systems that utilise a mobile network to initiate or authorise a transaction. Contactless systems that use a mobile phone in lieu of a traditional credit card. In other words, mobile payment systems apply to: How consumers pay for goods. How merchants can process transactions.
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Let us look at some of the emerging mobile payment systems in the market that allow accepting credit card payments on mobile: Square Started by: The San Francisco-based mobile technology firm is a start-up from Jack Dorsey of Twitter fame. How does it work? Square enables users to accept credit and debit purchases by swiping cards through a small dongle that plugs into their iPhone, iPad or Android audio jack. The start-up has already released software for iPhone and Android devices. Fees. Square charges a fee of 2.75% on each swiped transaction; no contracts, monthly fees or hidden costs. Users who select to enter credit card numbers manually must pay 3.5% and 15 cents per transaction. The service will only deposit up to $1,000 per week into the merchant’s account; the rest is deposited in 30 days. GoPayment Started by: It is a partnership between popular iPhone accessorymaker Mophie and Intuit. Intuit is a company that provides business and financial management solutions and was the creator of QuickBooks, Quicken and TurboTax. How does it work? The pocket-size GoPayment reader plugs into the audio jack of any supported smart phone or tablet and supports the iOS, Android and BlackBerry operating systems. Users can swipe cards or manually enter card data. GoPayment processes and authorises payments in seconds, and funds are then immediately deposited into the merchant’s business bank account. Its four mil-
tag this lion QuickBooks users can sync GoPayment transactions with the most recent versions of QuickBooks for PC and Mac. Fees: Merchants who process less than $1000 a month need to pay 2.7% on swiped transactions and a 3.7% rate on manual transactions. A high-volume option, priced at $12.95 a month charges, a 1.7% fee on swiped transactions and 2.7% on manual entries. There are a few more payment systems, like Pay Anywhere and Verifone’s PAYware Mobile, which work on a similar mechanism of attaching a card reader to your mobile. Contactless payment technology called Near Field Communication (NFC) enables you to make mobile payments by tapping your phone on the payment machine. Google Wallet is an app that uses NFC to
let you make secure paments by tapping the phone on any PayPass-enabled terminal. Google Wallet being an app, can store credit cards, offers, loyalty cards and gift cards. Mobile phones will automatically redeem offers and earn loyalty points when a customer taps the phone on a terminal. In the Middle East region, NFC mobile payments have already been introduced in the UAE following a collaboration agreement between Etisalat, MasterCard and Research In Motion. People can pay for their purchase of cinema tickets, and in the future metro tickets, just by tapping their phone at a payment terminal. Nokia has also introduced NFC-enabled phones in the UAE for users. As with the introduction of any new technology, there are security concerns that need to be addressed prior to its commer-
cialisation. Merchants that use a personal mobile device as part of accepting payments from customers may not have direct control on the security of the environment in which the device is used. Some merchants feel this is the most convenient way of receiving payments, while some customers feel this is very insecure; any merchant can attach a customised scanning device on their mobile to collect the card info. The London 2012 Olympics will be the first global event where mobile payment systems using NFC will be on display. It could take years before many other merchants adopt this payment mechanism and customers start getting comfortable to use it. You never know, next time paying at the local grocery store or buying a coffee with a smart phone may be a regular thing
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www.twitter.com @kapilkb blog @ iwep.blogspot.com amateur photographer @earsplease. blogspot.com
By Kapil Bhatia Kapil Bhatia is an E-Business Manager, working in the Financial Services Industry for the past 10 years. His work ranges across Digital Marketing, eChannels and development of marketing strategies, with a sound Information Technology base.
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TECHTALK SOPA/PIPA protests w
ikipedia, Google, Mozilla and many other web companies actively protested against the US Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA) on January 18. Twitter campaigns emerged in response. Since the initial SOPA protests, the international community has expressed even more outrage over the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). This is what the Doha Twitteratti thought:
@iloveqatar #SOPA gives people more of a reason to start using .qa domains in Qatar. #stayprotected @QITCOM @ictqatar Retweeted by @KamahlAJE, @theJeremyVine WIKIPEDIA USERS: Take advantage of today’s blank pages by exploring new sites, like the local library or park @omarc Photo &&&& on Flickr is &&&& #SOPABlackout #DarkenFlickr http://j.mp/ydCOEx http://flic.kr/p/beKNT8 Commentator on Arab affairs@NawafAlThani It’s really hard to focus on #SOPABlackout, after all this is #Syria on one big online #blackout
Apple v. Android
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The latest developments in the legal clash of consumer tech giants Apple and Google came as Apple filed lawsuits at the end of 2011 and the start of 2012 claiming patent infringement on its iOS operating system. Apple has brought lawsuits against multiple mobile phone manufacturers using Google’s Android operating system, including Taiwan-based HTC and US-based Motorola. In December the NPD group published data showing Android had 53% of the market share in the United States, compared to just 29% for Apple’s iOS. In a December ruling, the United States International Trade Commission decided that such features as tapping once to launch a call from a typed phone number in an e-mail or text message are protected by Apple patents. HTC has also filed suits against Apple with the trade commission and in federal court. Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder and late CEO, said in the biography by Walter Isaacson published last year that Google’s Android was a “stolen product”. Another case, Apple Inc. v. Motorola Inc., is currently in a Chicago district court and is scheduled for a jury trial in June to decide liability.
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Facebook Timeline
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n the autumn Facebook unveiled the next step in its plot to consume our lives, this time from cradle to grave: Timeline. Timeline takes all your pictures, cat videos and status musings, adds your About Me section, and attempts to construct a comprehensive digital scrapbook. It starts on your birthday—the actual day—and then jumps to whatever was on your mind that fate-
ful day in February 2004. Caution: Friends with your parents or spouse? If you update to Timeline before them, Facebook will tag them in the appropriate ‘life events’.Which means a notification... of your wedding day! On its official blog, Facebook calls Timeline a way “you and your friends will finally be able to tell all the different parts of your story—from the small things you do each day to your biggest moments”.
Smartphone verdict
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t the start of the month, we asked you on Facebook and Twitter to name your favourite new smartphone. We nominated six: the Samsung Galaxy S II, Apple iPhone 4S, BlackBerry Bold, Nokia N9, HTC ThunderBolt and LG Optimus. On Facebook it was a tie for first between the iPhone 4S and the BlackBerry Bold. Counting tweets, the iPhone 4S won decisively and Samsung’s Galaxy S II rallied to a
close second. Below are the complete results and, as promised, a few of the tweets we received from you:
Some responses over Twitter:
https://www.facebook.com/QatarToday Blackberry Bold
40%
Iphone 4S
40%
Samsung Galexy
20%
LG Optimus Black HTC Thunderbolt Nokia N9
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he Samsung Galaxy S II hints at the future of Android devices, with features such as a dual-core application processor, 4.3-inch display and 1080p video recording.
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@alisikandar: Samsung S2 @maryam_kuwari: iPhone @PherasS: iPhone 4, no competition at all. @shivasingh: iPhone 4S, and looking forward to the Nokia Lumia 800! @TamirOmara: Samsung Galaxy SII, Like a “Bawws”! @cabreraeh: iPhone. @expatemily: #qttrending HTC Desire S! My second HTC Android phone, would use no other! @ThaKuwari: Samsung Galaxy S II <3
pple released the iPhone 4S in October, crushing fanboy hopes for an iPhone 5, yet unveiling such new features as a dual-core A5 chip and Siri, the voice-activated artificial intelligence that answers questions, makes recommendations and adds the deadline for this spread to my calendar.
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he BlackBerry Bold 9930 and 9900 is not your father’s BlackBerry. To begin with, the new Bold is the thinnest BlackBerry to date at 10.5mm. Featuring liquid graphics, BlackBerry 7 OS and near field communication technology, the Bold takes BlackBerry beyond its corporate roots.
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okia has taken touch screen technology to its logical conclusion with the N9. The smartphone that some critics say rivals Apple’s iPhone in design is built entirely around the swipe gesture. However, the N9 runs the MeeGo operating system, which you haven’t heard of for a reason, lacking the market share of both Android and iOS.
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“Einstein of our Time” to attend QITCOM The Qatari Government is hoping that the ICT sector’s contribution to national GDP – currently at $3 bullion – will double by 2015. One of its strategies is to showcase the sector to the region in a large-scale event, qitcom, where they invite the private sector to engage with entrepreneurs and government entities.
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ITCOM returns to Doha a little earlier this year, but due to its burgeoning reputation in the Gulf region, it’s moving to a more spacious pad. The Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) will host the event from March 5-7. Rory Coen spoke to Ali Al-Khulaifi, the manager of the ICT Market Development at ictQATAR, the facilitators of the event, for his take on what to expect this year. “QITCOM is a forum where the private and public sectors are able to meet, discuss and debate how to align the country’s vision and strategies with the ICT product and service offerings of the market,” he explained. “It’s a unique opportunity for both the buyers
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and sellers of technology to focus on the requirements of the future. I can say it’s a one-of-a-kind event for this region – it’s not focused especially on consumers – it’s an ICT industry focused event.” Origins of QITCOM ictQATAR identified the main technological priorities for the country in their digital agenda for 2015. Through their studies, they noticed there was a gap when it came to ICT and the private sector – the latter was not sufficiently active in providing innovation or indeed bridging that gap. They figured that the private sector could play a big role in the development of the state. “ICT is a big driver for such transformation to a knowledge-based economy,” continued Al Khulaifi. “The government recognises that they cannot lead such a transformation alone – it must be a publicprivate partnership, which empowers entrepreneurship, encourages innovation and supports ICT start-ups. One of our main objectives is to double the workforce in Qatar, with respect to the ICT sector, by 2015, double the contribution of the ICT sector to the GDP. Aggressive targets, but we see QITCOM as the main driver to achieve these.” Expectations By moving to the QNCC (from the Exhibition Centre), the exhibition’s space has grown by 50 percent. They now have 15,000 sq m of flooring to stage the event and are still receiving applications from exhibitors. “Within the event, we will have many activities besides the
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“It’s a unique opportunity for both the buyers and sellers of technology to focus on the requirements of the future” ALI AL-KHULAIFI, MANAGER, ICT MARKET DEVELOPMENT, ICTQATAR
exhibitions,” added Al-Khulaifi. “We will have technology showcasing; we are coordinating with innovation leaders in the region to showcase certain technologies which are ‘hot from the oven’ – just out of R&D – but not yet commercialised. We will, once again, have the famous innovation theatre. We are running a three-day competition with respect to developing a business plan for promoting digital Arabic content. “We will have a ‘start-up booth’ – one of our initiatives is to help ICT start-ups, and this forum is designed to help them gain the exposure that they require. “We’ll have a technology zone – various workshops related to cloud-computing, digital mobile, application development, social network marketing, gaming applications, or games over multiple platforms.” Synchronised Timing QITCOM 2011 was held in May, which means that this year’s renewal has been brought forward by approximately ten weeks. “The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is staging its Connect Arab States Summit here at the Sheraton Hotel
from March 5-7, so we decided to run QITCOM in parallel with this popular event,” Al-Khulaifi explained. “It’s part of the ITU’s series of Connect the World Summits – the focus of the event is on four pillars: Connectivity between the Arab states, i.e. broadband and the scale of bandwidth between countries. Arabic digital content. At ictQATAR, we see this as part of our digital agenda for 2015. It’s limited; it’s considered to be only three percent of the available content worldwide – it’s a priority for the ITU and the Connect Arab States Summit. The ITU will be making recommendations on how to develop it. Cyber security – which is fast becoming a hot topic these days. Developing innovation.
entrepreneurship
and
“These four pillars are all mapped to QITCOM,” he continued. “The second preparatory Connect Arab States meeting that was held here last month identi-
fied the importance of engaging the private sector in all Arab countries. QITCOM will represent a forum for a gathering of policy and strategy makers in Qatar and in the region. This is why we decided to switch QITCOM to March, because it will excel our strategies on a regional scale. Delegates from the ITU will also be present at QITCOM. “The conference is the main attraction, of course. Last year we had Guy Kawasaki and visitors came from outside Qatar to listen to him. This year we have Michio Kaku, who is well known in the world of technology for his theories and innovative mind; he’s considered to be the ‘Einstein of this time’. He’ll bring great value to the event. Last year we had just one keynote speaker, Kawasaki; this year we hope to have four. “It’s a three-day conference where we will cover multiple areas. Day one will be focused on the enablers of innovation and entrepreneurship; our second day will be more about e-government projects in the region and cloud computing. Then the third day will look at developing content, apps, online advertising and mobile gaming.”
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Sit
on it Who designs the custom furniture in the region? Step forward, and take your medicine. The design doctor is here, and I’ve had three recent mishaps regarding seating. Every bad chair I’ve sat in recently made me think differently about designing chairs again in a fresh context
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ncident number one: After being elegantly escorted to a primo seat at the National Convention Centre, I found that my audience chair didn’t fit me. This was a first, already, as I’m of average size. Were my thighs too short, as I neurotically pondered, or was the cheerful yellow seat of the chair too long? I spent most of the following performance of Richard III staring at Kevin Spacey but focused on the circulation in my legs, hence the potential removal of my Bottega Veneta boots, as a first aid flotation device to keep me aloft on my seat. Yep, these chairs were (and still are) a deal breaker, but
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The Old Vic’s performance on stage almost made me forget my discomfort. To save my legs for the rest of the show, I scooted my rear forward, and I immediately compromised my lower back. The second time: I was enjoying a holiday family meal one evening at a beautiful modern restaurant in Katara. The food was clean, healthy and fresh, the ambience sweet. However, the barstools, customermade by the designer of the restaurant, the ones that looked like coloured marshmallows, were awkwardly designed at different seat heights without an accompanying foot bar. I braced myself against the dining table, so as not to slide off my seat. Yes, I was cast again as the ginger klutz trying to perch myself, sweet and elegant, on the foam chunk, eating dainty hammour sashimi. I was silently praying all throughout the meal that I would not slide off the stool onto the marble floor much to the horror of the nice Qatari family seated next to us on the traditional benches. As I write this, I just gave in about bad chairs! I am on a Qatar Airways Flight 85 from Doha to JFK at this very moment. I hate these particular airline seats. Because of a family emergency, I am in coach, by myself. My beloved mister and teen are on a corresponding business class flight to Chennai, enjoying their first class warm porcelain bowl of mixed nuts, while I am chatting with a Bangledeshi IT genius in coach who is on his way to consummate his marriage with his mail order bride in the Bronx. For the final bad chair incident(s) of note, I’d like to blame turbulence between Kuwait and Baghdad. But it was really the lady seated ahead of me, napping, seat fully reclined. Before I know it, I am sitting with a lap full
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of soda. After cleaning myself up with the help of the chic flight attendants, I doze off. Soon, I feel wet and sticky again. The reclined seat on the left has caused the cup on the stray tray table to spill over on my electronic devices. “What were you drinking?” I ask my seatmate in row 20. “Oh, it’s just sweet tea,” he sheepishly replied.
It doesn’t make you a cooler designer to just insouciantly throw out a design without thinking how a person should sit on it, for how long they need to sit, or how comfortable it is.
Instead of having a meltdown over Bagdad, I requested the sympathetic flight crew to have my seat changed, and the head steward graciously gave me another seat in the front row of the same section of the plane. Let’s be realistic, we can’t all be celebrities and sit in the front row of the economy section of the plane all of the time. I want to make a proposal to all architects, engineers and designers everywhere. I want designers, all over the world, to finally get it. IT’S NOT ABOUT THE WAY IT LOOKS, FOLKS. The designers of those particular chairs
in those particular situations and contexts needed to consider the end-user in their design choices. Living in one of the most culturally ambitious countries in the world, with everything at its disposal, there should be the most progressive design. But there isn’t. Yet. I hate to pull on your heartstrings, folks, but there is a huge amount of work that needs to go into each chair design before dimensions are indicated on a plan. Certain back angles work, not because they look good but because those proportions are standard to the art of chair design. Designers have doggedly followed those proportions over the years. And not because of subservience, but because those standardised measurements work, after many years of human factors field testing. Just imagine different seating contexts with all different types of bodies – short and slim, big and fat and everywhere in between sitting on the same chair. A custom-made chair has to fit context, whether it be an auditorium for a threehour play or a takeaway restaurant for a 12-minute wait. Design should fit the majority of people comfortably, regardless of age or body type. Do not deviate from the long-tested average proportions. It doesn’t make you a cooler designer to just insouciantly throw out a design without thinking how a person should sit on it, for how long they need to sit, or how comfortable it is. I know that this does not work from personal experience of 20 years designing chairs that sometimes were not as amazing as I could possibly have designed them. Don’t be a design victim, and do not make my mistake. I won’t anymore, after experiencing those three wretched chairs
By Laurene Leon Boym Boym is a partner in the Doha/New York City-based design studio, Boym Partners. Boym Partners brings a critical, experimental approach to a range of products that infuse humour and wit into the everyday. Frequently drawing from American iconography, the studio creates a variety of products and environments for an international roster of companies including Alessi, Swatch, Flos and Vitra. The studio also creates its own Boym Editions, sought after by many art and design collectors around the world. Laurene has taught at Parsons the New School for Design and the School of Visual Arts. Boym Partners work is included in the permanent collections of many museums, including The Museum of Modern Art. laurene will write a regular column on design for Qatar Today
february 2012
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GREEN SCENE
GPS brand activation in schools
From the GPS facebook page Rezwan Al Islam I salute your efforts Green Programme for Schools-Qatar! Really inspiring.
Fawas Koya This programme is amazing.........there are stickers all over our school...feeling guilty for not switching off lights when not in use.....! now i understand the importance :)
t
he brand activation stage of the Green Programme for Schools (GPS) has begun, with Mission 20 coordinators visiting each of the participating schools. Creative stickers carrying the message of saving water and energy and waste recycling, along with the GPS pledge board, are being strategically placed all over the school campuses. They will help constantly remind and encourage the students to utilise resources carefully. Every school is also receiving a GPS idea box. Students can drop their suggestions and eco-friendly ideas into this box, and they will be taken into consideration during the course of the programme. GPS is an initiative by Msheireb Properties in association with Qatar Today magazine, and is supported by the Supreme Education Council. This unique programme aims to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Reach, Inspire and Rewardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; students and schools by meaningfully engaging the youth and inculcating in their minds the importance of building green equity.
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To know more about the programme,
visit the GPS page at http://www. facebook.com/GPSQatar. To know more about GPS,
contact 44550983
Spotlight
Climbing the Corporate Ladder
Executive development programmes help top management professionals deal with the real world of business. Such programmes build on experiences to develop the insights, skills and judgment required to be more effective at leading people and orchestrating change. Innovative programmes help build a leadership culture within organisations. Qatar Today looks at two institutions that offer such career development programmes in Qatar.
Spotlight
Qatar: A prime region for Cultural Studies
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niversity College London Qatar is one of the world’s leading universities and the first British university to open a campus in Qatar. A unique partnership between Qatar Foundation and the Qatar Museums Authority, UCL Qatar offers innovative postgraduate degree programmes in the areas of archaeology, conservation, cultural heritage and museum studies. Director of the University Professor Thilo Rehren talks to Qatar Today about their progress and their plans for the future.
Which is the most popular programme at UCL? As a new institute it is difficult to answer this, but so far, all three programmes we’re offering have proved very popular. Of the two MA programmes, the degree in Museum Studies and Conservation has attracted the most applications, which makes sense in a region with such a growing and flourishing museum sector. But the MA in Arab and Islamic Archaeology has also already attracted a good level of interest, even before we started our formal advertisement! The PhD programme, probably best described as ‘small but beautiful’, should become our flagship as we develop a strong research presence rooted in Doha. The first two students are already enrolled and will arrive in Qatar in the coming months. Their research shows our international ambition: Maninder Singh Gill studies the beautifully glazed tiles on several major Mogul monuments in northern India which are acutely threatened from destruction, and Loic Boscher,
Professor Thilo Rehren director, University college london - qatar
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Qatar Today 69
Spotlight www.ucl.ac.uk/qatar
a Canadian student, researches very early archaeological material from Turkey and Iran.
How does being in Qatar help your institution? UCL is ranked in the top ten in most University world rankings, and brands itself as ‘London’s Global University’. We have another What are you most proud of ? At this point, I would say the recruitment of staff and faculty. We branch campus in Australia, and a partnership with Nazarbayev have been extremely lucky, with literally everybody pulling their University in Kazakhstan. Our presence in Qatar is particularly weight and working as a great team - although they are all new to interesting for us due to the strong profile and interest which UCL UCL Qatar. Or maybe because of this? In April 2011 we had a single has in museum studies and archaeology. The UCL Institute of Arperson here in Doha, and now we are 15 and counting. The buzz is chaeology is Europe’s largest, most comprehensive and most probrilliant, and we can’t wait to get going with our first cohort of stu- ductive department of archaeology; UCL Museums and Collections comprises three major museums, including dents in early September. the world-famous Petrie Museum of EgypBut also our research profile: we have tian Archaeology with over 80,000 artefacts been able to attract some very exciting from across Egypt and Sudan. As much as projects to Doha, contributing immediately this background has prepared us well for to the visibility of Hamad bin Khalifa Uniour move into Qatar, as much does it now versity through high-profile publications, benefit us to have a strong presence right and the first couple of books are nearing Our presence in Qatar is in the centre of the Middle East and the Iscompletion. This is a clear reflection of how particularly interesting lamic World. It is here where all the fantasattractive this region is for archaeology, cultic archaeology and heritage is, and all these tural heritage and museum studies in genfor us due to the strong visionary museum programmes. This is a eral. For these fields, this is the centre of the profile and interest which region which is of prime academic interest world, literally and metaphorically. UCL has in museum studies and to UCL. It’s a huge challenge, but also a huge opportunity to grow our academic profile What are the skills that have to be imarchaeology. further. proved or enhanced in leaders, especially in a multicultural environment such Do you have corporate programmes? If as we have here? so, how popular are they? Patience and persistence spring immediAt present, we offer a range of professional ately to mind, but probably most imporshort courses specifically tailored for staff tantly one has to learn to interpret. Everyat the Qatar Museums Authority, our joint body speaks English, which is a very helpful sponsor (along with Qatar Foundation) here language in which to communicate in such an international environment, but the same sentence can have so in Doha. We ran a few taster courses last May, which were heavily many different meanings, depending on the cultural background of oversubscribed. There is just this huge pent-up demand for profesthe person who says it. ‘This is an interesting proposal’ can mean sional training in the museums sector generally, and we expect this just that – or it can mean that the speaker actually thinks it is terri- to be very attractive also for museums from elsewhere in the GCC ble, but is too polite to say so! The meaning of ‘insha’allah’ in differ- countries and further afield. However, what we think is equally iment contexts is also quite interesting. Knowing stereotypes about portant is our commitment to offer courses to the widest possible audience – we will be going to local schools, communities, hospitals different people is important, not least to help to overcome them. etc. to talk about cultural heritage, the role of Islam in the world’s history, how this is a shared heritage for all of us, and how Qatar can Can you provide some statistics on the courses offered? We have three programmes (two Master of Arts degree courses and be proud of taking this active role in protecting and preserving this one postgraduate research = doctoral studies). In the first year, we for all of humanity. The Islamic renaissance which Qatar is driving aim to have eight students in each of the MA programmes, growing so strongly has to have deep roots across the country’s population. to twelve in the following year. Since this is a two-year Masters’ this UCL is a leader in this sort of outreach back in London, and we very would give us 40 students in autumn 2013. In addition, we hope to much look forward to developing this in Doha as one of our core recruit several PhD students per year, which is very much depen- activities. This will be a great way to make Education City and all dent on individual applications; doctoral study programmes are al- these museums here so much more relevant for the population in Qatar, nationals and guests alike ways tailor-made and have to fit student and supervisor.
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Spotlight
Stenden advocates
“learning by doing”
A defining feature of the programmes at Stenden is the practical element. It forms a critical part of a student’s studies. They aim to maximise knowledge-transfer from the training room to the workplace.
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ne of the longest-established institutes of its kind in Doha, the Stenden Institute was established in 2004 as a division of Stenden University. Stenden Institute offers corporate and public training courses. The Institute believes in a “learning by doing” approach; course participants are involved in dynamic activities, problem solving, case studies and role play. Regular courses offered are English and Business Skills. Arabic language courses focus on conversation rather than on writing. The newest addition to the palette is ‘Qatar Insight’, a course designed for new expatriates in Qatar. The aim is to brief the ‘newbies’ about the insights of living in Qatar and facilitate their arrival and beginning of a new life in their host country. All public courses are conducted at the Stenden Institute, with classes available in the morning and evening. All corporate training can be arranged according to the needs of the customer booking the trainings – location and timing are up to the customer. They are proud of their corporate client list which includes private, government and third sector organisations. They work with clients in the hospitality, retail, manufacturing, banking and financial services sectors as well as healthcare and the oil and gas industry. All language courses and business skills training programmes are developed to international standards by highly qualified, enthusiastic educators and industry professionals – highly attuned to the inter-cultural nuances unique to the Gulf region. Their aim is to maximise knowledge-transfer from the training room to the workplace. Stenden University Qatar was established in 2000 under the chairmanship of HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani. Stenden University Qatar delivers internationally accredited and locally recognised bachelor programmes in Business Administration, with majors in International Hospitality Management and International Tourism Management.
Wayne JOHNSON, PRESIDENT, STENDEN UNIVERSITY QATAR
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Spotlight Additionally, Stenden Qatar offers an Academic Bridge Programme for students who do not meet the requirements for entering into the full bachelor’s programme. It is an ideal transition for all students who need to improve and develop their skills in English and prepare themselves for academic studies. A defining feature of the programmes is that the practical element forms an important part of the studies. All students need to successfully complete practical training during their studies which counts towards their study credits. The main campus in the Netherlands designs all study programmes and issues the degrees which are recognised by the Supreme Education Council in Qatar. Having campuses in Leeuwarden (Holland), Bali (Indonesia), Rangsit (Thailand) and Port Alfred (South Africa), students can go on a Grand Tour and complete part of their studies abroad. More than 40 nationalities are currently studying at the campus in Doha.
their counterparts. We are also committed to the process of nationalisation that is being implemented in Qatar. We work with parastatals to help them achieve their Qatarisation goals through training and development, and also helping them to obtain the necessary language scores for entry into undergraduate degree programmes at foreign universities. We have been able to consistently raise students’ IELTS levels by at least 1.5 points from their existing scores.
Which is the most popular programmes at your Institute? Our language programmes are very popular, particularly the Arabic language programmes. Expatriates are keen to learn Arabic but sometimes find it quite daunting. We have built up a team of Arabic language instructors and experts who work with us to develop and deliver a world-class curriculum for non-native speakers.
What are the skills that need to be improved or enhanced in leaders – especially in a multicultural environment such as what we have in Qatar? The Qatar National Vision 2030 is clear about the fact that for development and progress, creativity and vision are needed as well as strong leadership. Due to its rapid growth trajectory, Qatar has invited many expatriates to work with them to achieve many of its goals within a short space of time. This has created a diverse and multicultural work environment that is both stimulating but can also have its pitfalls. Key to unlocking potential – and encouraging collaboration within a multicultural environment – is communication, both in terms of language and also pertaining to creating mutually agreed ways of working. Stenden University Qatar itself is an example of a multicultural collaboration and is a joint venture between Stenden University Holland and Al Faisal Holdings. They have been partners since 2000 and have jointly contributed hundreds of graduates to the government and in the tourism, hospitality and banking sectors since 2005.
What are your success stories? In working with corporate accounts, we find that the first barrier to entry for further education and training is English. We have therefore developed an approach with our corporate clients where we offer their staff a customised business English language course that addresses the basic language skills needed, and also equips the participant with the skills to engage with
How does being in Qatar help your institute? Stenden Institute Qatar is a home-grown organisation and was started in 2005 as the corporate research, consulting and training arm of Stenden University Qatar. The institute’s aims are to work with organisations and help them to achieve their business goals and optimise their performance. The approach is that the basis of excellent man-
Stenden University Qatar President Wayne Johnson answers some questions about the institute.
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agement is research. Knowing your customers, your company and your environment is vital for change and renewal. We provide research and assessment tools, customised to address the needs of your organisation. In close cooperation with faculty experts from Stenden University as well as industry associates and consultants, we work with key staff in an organisation and analyse the challenge that is being faced and then present the organisation with solutions. This assures high-quality advice and up-to-date training approaches. We also provide bespoke training solutions for companies that need to capacitate new staff or upgrade the skills of existing staff. Do you have corporate programmes? If yes, how popular are they? Stenden Institute offers a range of continuing education workshops that aim to enhance specific business skills like speaking and presentation, communication, leadership and management. Our courses focus on improving the communication skills of employees from entry-level staff right up to senior executives. The courses are customised to address the aptitude and level of expertise in the group. We offer a limited public programme if there is demand for it, and we work with a few corporate accounts to improve areas like customer service management, effective communication and workplace planning. We also present occasional business improvement seminars that give executives the opportunity to discuss challenges they face at work and suggest appropriate tools as solutions. Two of the seminars held last year were, ‘Leading and Managing Staff’, in partnership with Helen Tucker of IODT and ‘Career Management and Development’, with an associate trainer, Derek Osborn. Both trainers were from the United Kingdom Contact Stenden Institute and Stenden University Qatar at +974 4488 8116, email to infoinstitute@stenden.edu.qa or info@stenden.edu.qa or visit www.stendeninstitute. edu.qa or www.stenden.edu.qa.
braking news
sotheby’s: islamic art interest
Concept cars and stunning launches mark QMS 2012
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E the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, officially inaugurated the most awaited event of the season, the 2012 Qatar Motor Show at the Doha Exhibition Centre on January 23. The six-day event featured the latest car models, concept cars, supercars and futuristic cars from the most innovative style centres and car designs, and served as a launching pad for a number of vehicles - which hadn’t been previewed in the region before - that would soon be seen as series models on the roads. Following the official ribbon-cutting ceremony, HE the Prime Minister did a traditional walking tour of the exhibition. Joining him were Ahmed Al-Nuaimi, Chairman of the Qatar Tourism Authority, and Sheikh Al-Hussein bin Ali bin Ahmed Al Thani, CEO of Q.media. Revealed for the first time in the Middle East were Volkswagen’s 2012 Passat, a luxurious four-door family sedan and the design jewel of 2012 Porsche, the Panamera GTS four-door sports coupe. Also making their debut in the Middle East were four vehicles by Audi: the 2012 S7 and S8 sports sedans of the S models, the magnificent RS 5 sports coupe from the A5 model range, and the limited-edition R8 GT Spyder supersports car, which belongs to a worldwide family of only 333 vehicles. In more stunning regional launches, Alfardan Sports Motors revealed the highly-anticipated Ferrari 458 Spider. The company also introduced Maserati’s awe-inspiring GranCabrio Sport sports car. Separately, Alfardan Automobiles revealed the latest style icon from BMW, an all-new 3 Series, while the company also presented the “beauty-meets-beast” 2012 Mini Coupe Roadster. Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles revealed the distinctive 2012 ML, a luxury SUV, while Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana Company put forward the popular 2012 Nissan Sunny and a Diamond Edition of the uber-cool 2012 Nissan Patrol.
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HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani at the opening of QMS 2012
braking News
InfinitI takes the reins
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aleh Al Hamad Al Mana Co., exclusive distributors of Nissan, Infiniti and Renault in Qatar, have a strong game plan for the year ahead and are geared up to aggressively market their luxury automotive brand Infiniti. The luxury automotive performance brand from Japan made its presence felt at the QMS 2012 with a new six-year growth plan that will see sales rise to take 10% of global luxury market sectors by 2016*. Infiniti Middle East has proven to be the fastest growing Japanese luxury automotive brand in the region. With an impressive line-up of new and exciting models, Saleh Al Mana Co. had a large presence at the Qatar Motor Show. The enhanced 2012 Infiniti FX was unveiled during the show. In addition to this, the latest arrival G25, G37 Coupe, QX 56 and M 56 were also key focal points of the motor event. Speaking at the Motor Show, Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana Chairman Hisham Al Mana said: “With our strategic direction of enhancing ownership experience we have invested in a dedicated Infiniti show-
room in line with the Infiniti Retail Environment Design Initiative (IREDI) which we will be inaugurating shortly.” Infiniti Middle East General ManagerJuergen Schmitz outlined the models that will be on highlight in 2012 and also at the QMS 2012. He said: “FX is one of the most popular Infinitis globally and a key performer in the Middle East, and the enhanced 2012 model is displayed for the first time in the region here. With five-star equipment and safety, the 2012 FX has been given an aggressive new front grille and fascia – featuring a heavy influence from the stunning Infiniti Essence Concept – as well as a new 20-inch wheel design and an updated instrument cluster. “The new exclusive Infiniti showroom is another step in enhancing the brand presence here.” Explaining more about the new showroom, Al Mana said: “The Infiniti dealership experience is more than just buying a car. It is about connecting to the lifestyle of our customers and developing a relationship with them that lasts beyond the sale.”
“Qatar Motor Show gives us the opportunity to introduce Infiniti to a broader audience which gives them firsthand experience of the model range,” added Schmitz. “We have done well across the brands,” said Al Mana. “Infiniti has been a bit of challenge, but with these new steps and launches we intend to bring Infiniti in line with the other luxury brands like Mercedes and BMW.” “Infiniti Middle East has proven to be the fastest growing Japanese luxury automotive brand in the region,” he noted. The star of the Al Mana stand at the Motor Show was the 60th Anniversary Diamond Edition of Nissan Patrol. The 60th production year of Nissan’s legendary ‘Hero of All Terrain’, Nissan Patrol, is being marked by the introduction of the special ‘60th Diamond Edition’. The other two new arrivals were the all-new Sunny and Titan pickup. The stand also showcased an exciting Nissan line-up in the refreshed Murano, the new Juke compact crossover, which has proven to be a huge success since its launch.
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braking News The new MINI Roadster makes its Middle East debut Alfardan Automobiles also revealed the all-new MINI Roadster to visitors and media at the Qatar Motor Show. The sixth model to join the MINI portfolio, the compact roadster in MINI style is the first open-top two-seater in the brand’s history and embodies sportiness and spontaneous urban driving fun under the open sky. “We have a lot to be excited about this year. The MINI brand’s popularity continues to grow in Qatar with 30% growth in our 2011 sales compared to 2010, so we are looking forward to start 2012 with the launch of a new sporty open-top MINI model,” he added. The reproduction of the hallmark MINI design within the proportions of a roadster gives this MINI an unmistakable and irresistible charisma.
Sporty Merc GT3 on show
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he mind-blowing Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 was on showcase at QMS 2012. The racing gullwing, which recently won the Dunlop Dubai 24 Hour Race, was available at the pavilion of Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles, the dealers of Mercedes-Benz in Qatar. Inspired by its reception by numerous customers as well as the demand of racing teams worldwide and the AMG Driving Academy participants, Mercedes-Benz turned the dream of many into a reality with the first customer sports car in Mercedes-Benz history, based on AMG’s first development - the SLS AMG, a spectacular milestone and the starting signal for a new era in customer sports. With the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3, sports car fans can open the door to a fascinating world of motorsport. Exhilarating sprints, legendary endurance classics - the range of possibilities is extremely diversified. All modern GT3 series excel—with high levels of quality and professional standards. Thrilling races and, not least importantly, a comparatively favourable cost structure have contributed to the growing popularity of the GT3 sport worldwide.
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Dazzling show from AlFardan
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he all-new sixth-generation BMW 3 Series made its Middle East debut at the Qatar Motor Show. Having sold 12.5 million cars since its launch in 1975, it continues to be BMW Group’s bestselling model series, consistently accounting for more than a quarter of the company’s global sales. In 2010, every third BMW sold was a 3 Series. The success story of the 3 Series over the past 37 years has made it the world’s best-selling premium car, according to the officials at BMW. Alfardan Automobiles General Manager Mohamed Kandeel said: “We are very proud to start this year with the launch of such an important BMW model and to be the first Middle East market to showcase this car to the public. The new car is bigger, sportier and more dynamic, and the first BMW model to offer three different lines: Modern, Sport and Luxury. Within each line, one can choose a number of exclusive equipment variants to suit one’s taste.”
braking News
The new Lamborghini Aventador and Gallardo featured
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tephan Winkelmann, President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini, was here to attend the QMS and spoke about the brands. “In 2011 we saw the start of a recovery after the economic crisis. Our worldwide sales were up over 20% and in the Middle East region 80% compared to 2010. Indeed,
Qatar almost doubled its sales in 2011. “Of course, the 2011 sales improvements were due partly to the market introduction of the new V12 Aventador, following the runout of the Lamborghini Murcielago the year previously that left us with no V12 model to sell in the first part of 2011. A significant improvement was due to the Gallardo, which performed very well in 2011,” he said. “In 2012 we anticipate further sales growth of around 50% on 2011 in the Middle East and Qatar, which continues to be one of our most important markets. The growth could be even higher, considering the strong request for Aventador. However, in line with Lamborghini’s commitment to exclusivity, we will always produce less than the demand. “Aventador continues to be an extraordinary success, with more than 18 months’ forward orders held worldwide. By the end of 2011, the Lamborghini Aventador claimed 32 international awards worldwide, including the Middle East Motoring Award judged by a panel of motoring journalists from across the region,” added Winkelmann.
Panamera GTS and 911 Carrera debuts
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orsche AG of Stuttgart opened the New Year with two sporty newcomers at the Qatar Motor Show. It was the first time that the Panamera GTS and the new 911 Carrera generation had been seen in the Middle East as a Coupe and Cabriolet. No less powerful were Porsche’s other stars of the show: the Cayenne Turbo and 911 Turbo S in the 918 Spyder Limited Edition, which were also on display. With its eight-cylinder engine uprated to 430 hp (316 kW) and exhibiting all the traits of a free-revving sports engine, the new Panamera GTS is a special offering for customers also tempted to take to the racing circuit at the wheel of a Gran Turismo fit for everyday use. To that end, Porsche’s engineers have cultivated the Panamera’s sports car genes with particular care, putting together a chassis package with air suspension and adaptive damping (PASM),
with a lowered body and a more powerful braking system. Visual and acoustic modifications provide an additional boost to the sporty driving experience. The new 911 Carrera was also on show as a Coupe and brand new Cabriolet. True to the sports car icon tradition, the distinctive Porsche design language, with its tendons and muscles, exuded power and elegance.
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braking News
Audi R8 GT Spyder prompts frenzy, fanaticism
MoU establishes partnership between Qatar Ag, Prodrive
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hen the cloth came off the R8 GT Spyder at the Qatar Motor Show, the showroom floor pulsed with the stuttering flash of a dozen instantly delirious photographers. One reporter nearly fell face-first over the rope—all that separated his drooling mouth from the new open-top flagship of Audi’s R8 line. The high-heeled models were simply sideshows to an Audi Space Frame equipped with a 5.2-litre V10 capable of accelerating from zero to 100 kph in 3.8 seconds. Audi’s ultra-lightweight technology, built using ultra-light magnesium and carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP), means the R8 GT Spyder weighs in at 1,640 kilograms.
Taken with the car’s 560 horsepower, each unit of horsepower moves 2.93 kilograms. It tops out at 317 kph. The R8 GT Spyder also features an automated six-speed R tronic transmission with two fully automatic modes, paddle and joystick gear shifting, 19-inch wheels, a rear wheel-biased quattro permanent all-wheel drive system and lightweight carbon-fibre ceramic brake discs. And if that poor reporter had not caught himself? The fool could have risked scratching a QR720,000 ($200,000) sports car of which, like the Coupe GT, Audi will only make 333. Each will come with an individual number on the gear lever. No word on which number was at the Doha Exhibition Centre in January.
The new Bespoke Ghost revealed The national public debut of the Ghost Extended Wheelbase and the launch of Bespoke on the Ghost model line were also revealed at the Motor Show. With this particular Ghost EWB on display, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Doha demonstrated the extensive personalisation that can be achieved on the Ghost EWB through the Bespoke Programme. With its gleaming metallic orange exterior, this one-of-a-kind Ghost reflects spirited individuality and an undeniable sense of occasion. Its sumptuous interior has been carefully personalised to meet its flamboyant exterior with a clean yet playful choice of colours.
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atar Automotive Gateway signed a Memorandum of Understanding on January 24 with world auto tech leader Prodrive, taking its charge to develop a centre for cuttingedge auto manufacturing in Qatar and firmly planting it in carbon fibre composite technology. “We’re very pleased to be in partnership with a prestigious global leader such as Prodrive and to be part of the Motor Show, which is kick-starting this year with the futuristic theme of new transportation solutions,” said Ghanim Bin Saad Al Saad, chairman of Qatar Ag. In a statement the two companies said the partnership will explore expanding demand for lightweight, cost-effective carbon composite-based products. Carbon fibre composites combine carbon fibre with materials such as kevlar and glass fibres and stand out for low weight, flexibility and very high tolerance of temperatures and corrosion. They can complement and act as an alternative to traditional materials such as aluminum and steel. Prodrive COO Clive Scrivener said the company is seeking to make carbon fibre composite production more cost-effective in coming years to broaden the range of applications for the material.
MARKET WATC H
Experience a floating resort Cruises are becoming more and more popular with holidaymakers and Qataris are no different, as one company estimates that reservations have doubled in the past three years. Royal Caribbean Cruises is forging ahead with plans to put more boats on the water.
Royal
Caribbean Cruises Ltd. has signed a letter of intent with shipyard Meyer Werft to build the first of a new generation of Royal Caribbean International cruise ships. Developed under the codename “Project Sunshine”, the new vessel design incorporates new and exciting features. The project is a result of over a year of research and development. The order calls for one ship to be delivered in autumn 2014 with an option for a second ship in spring 2015. The 158,000 Gross Registered Tons (GRT) new build will carry just over 4,100 guests based on double occupancy. The estimated all-in cost per berth is about QR80,080 ($220,000). This all-in cost includes the yard’s base contract price plus everything needed to design, operate and build the vessel. Royal Caribbean has worked hard to earn a reputation of offering the most innovative ships in the cruise industry and this next generation will not disappoint. Qatar Today caught up with Lakshmi Durai, Executive Director Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises Middle East, and quizzed her about the company’s latest developments and plans for the future. She is responsible for establishing and developing business contacts in the GCC and Levant region. Her achievements in developing the Middle East cruise industry resulted in her being ranked as one of the Top 50 most influential people in the travel industry in 2010. What are the latest developments in the cruise market, especially in the Middle East and Qatar in particular? We recently announced a significant increase in bookings from the region for our
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How many Qataris enjoy the cruise facilities each year? And what of the wider Middle East? The guest volume from Qatar on board Royal Caribbean International ships has doubled over the past three years. The majority of cruise guests from Qatar are families, accounting for 70% of all guests from Qatar.
Lakshmi Durai Executive Director Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises Middle East.
three global brands - Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises. From January through October 2011, the guest volume from the Middle East increased more than 30% compared to the same period the previous year. The majority of guests sailed seven nights, whereas the interest in longer sailings is increasing, with many guests choosing two consecutive sailings, e.g. 7-night Eastern and 7-night Western Caribbean sailings, to extend their cruise holiday. As in previous years, Europe was the most popular cruise destination for travellers from the Middle East. Approximately 70% of all bookings from the region were made for European cruises. The second most popular destination for cruise travellers from the Middle East was the Caribbean.
What are the global trends? Cruising is the fastest growing leisure vacation choice today, and it also enjoys the highest rate of repeat satisfied customers of any type of vacation. The choices of destination, experience, accommodation and cuisine are almost limitless, and cruising is the ultimate vacation in value and convenience, according to the Cruise Lines International Association Inc. (CLIA). In 2010 nearly 15 million guests worldwide went on a cruise and stayed an average length of 7.2 days. By year end 2011 the cruise market was forecast to reach 19.2 million annual passengers worldwide. Looking forward to 2014, that number is projected to reach 21.6 million, according to Cruise Market Watch. What are Royal Caribbean’s plans for the future? Royal Caribbean International enhanced five ships in 2011 and will enhance another three ships in 2012, which will help extend some of the most popular innovations to select ships in order to provide the best experiences, destinations and personalised services to more guests than ever before. One of these newly revitalised ships will come to the Middle East at the end of 2012 and sail around the region doing 7-night itineraries
MARKET WATC H
Sabre:
Offering travel solutions The CEO of Sabre Travel Network Middle East came to the World Travel Awards held in Doha on January 13 to accept the award for World’s Leading CRS/GDS System 2011.
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Naoumovitch is responsible for ensuring the global travel solutions company meets the demands of its clients – travel suppliers and agencies – with the 21 offices it maintains in 10 Middle Eastern countries. Naoumovitch said the credit belongs to Sabre’s industry-leading global distribution system (GDS). The first of its kind in the 1950s, today the system hosts more than 400 airlines, 76,000 hotels, 28 car rental companies, 13 cruise lines, 35 railroads and 220 tour operators. It was Sabre’s twelfth consecutive win at the travel and tourism industry’s yearend awards show. More than 200,000 travel professionals in 160 countries cast votes. An estimated QR290 billion ($80 billion) worth of travel transactions are made every year through Sabre’s GDS. Transactions are not limited to work done by professional agencies. Anyone who has ever used the consumer-direct Internet booking site Travelocity, now owned by Sabre, has seen the travel network’s distribution system in action. “Spending millions and millions of dollars on research and technology advancements, Sabre aims to bring the best possible products and solutions to our travel agent partners,” Naoumovitch said in his acceptance speech. “This award highlights the good work done by our people across the globe and I thank you for recognising our efforts.” Fresh off a flight from Bahrain, home to Sabre’s regional hub office, Naoumovitch spoke exclusively to Qatar Today about Sabre’s continued efforts to pioneer the tech-
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By Pe t e r L a rs on
and at the fingertips of the travel agent. Why should someone go to Sabre for travel solutions? What are you doing differently? We go out and we listen to our customers. One area we feel we are unique in is our global presence and the global reach that we have. It has made us who we are today. We take these tools and fine-tune them to the particular markets that we’re in.
nology powering the global travel industry, as well as the human investments the company has made in the realm of customer service. Explain the idea behind Sabre’s system of coordinating directly with travel agencies, airlines, hotels and its users. Today Sabre is the leading provider of high performance technology to the travel planner. We provide the largest market for buyers and sellers to acquire travel-related solutions, so we consider the travel market to be our GDS. We are the pioneers of that system so we have a global reach that no other GDS has today. Say you walk into a travel agency and say, ‘I’d like to go to London on the 15th. What do you have available for me?’ The travel agent looks into our system, looks at all the availability and says, ‘We have a flight at eight o’clock in the morning on British Airways – at the same time, would you like a hotel when you arrive in London?’ They can get that information for you there and then. It just makes travel easy
How has Sabre’s presence grown in the Middle East? When we first started out in 2005, when we came into the region as Sabre Travel Network Middle East, we had about 35 employees for the entire region, 11 countries. Today we have close to 200 employees. Of these employees – based in 21 offices in 11 countries – we have trainers in each and every country. We have a product development team and a customer service base in Bahrain, which provides a call centre. We are the only GDS with its hub office in the region, which allows for a faster response. How does Sabre measure its success? Globally we dominate from a market share perspective. Sabre today combines practically 40% of the market share worldwide. Numbers on their own, or market share on its own, and size on its own is not necessarily telling as to how we have grown. We feel the best way to measure that is through the customer’s satisfaction. We feel we are the GDS that not only listens to its customers but provides them with the tools that allow them to make more money, to cut costs, and to expand their own customer bases
MARKET WATCH
QATAR’S WARMING UP TO WINTER
Salam Stores send Canon winners to Kenya
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alam Studio and Stores, the exclusive distributor for Canon, announced the winners of the Canon African Safari Adventures promotion at The Gate Mall. The eight-week-long promotion was organised by Salam Stores to celebrate its association with the Canon brand of electronic products and to reward its customers for their patronage. Eight winners were drawn for each of the eight weeks, bringing the total count of winners to 64. The first eight winners received travel packages to Kenya comprising three days and two nights with four-star accommodation and air tickets for two persons. In addition, the 56 remaining winners were rewarded with gift hampers comprising Canon printers, Canon digital cameras and Canon Mouseculators. The promotion was carried out at all leading outlets where scratch cards were given to customers who purchased Canon products of QR200 or more. Through the scratch card, customers received a unique code which was sent via SMS to enter the lucky draw. “We are really proud to be authorised distributors of the biggest global brand names, one of which is Canon. We also consider it our pleasure to be the go-to place for everyone in Qatar who looks for only superior-quality products as well as customer service. It is our customers who have made us a household name in Qatar, and we consider it our ultimate priority to make them feel cared for and appreciated,” said Mahboob Ali, Regional Manager, Photo Imaging Division, Salam Studio and Stores.
Chinese New Year
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hi’Zen, the latest Chinese restaurant in the contemporary Oryx Rotana, Doha, has a special treat for guests to celebrate the ‘Year of the Dragon’. As part of the Chinese New Year celebrations, the exclusive menu prepared by Chef Jef (Low Sai Seong) will consist of a special four-course set menu with a glass of red or white wine at QR199. The offer will be valid from January 22 to February 4, 2012. Chi’Zen is the newest venture of Foodmark and joins the company’s portfolio of the highly popular Carluccio’s and Mango Tree restaurants in Doha.
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MARKET WATC H
CGC to provide DPS with AV systems
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onsolidated Gulf Co. (CGC) has signed a contract with DPS MIS to provide audio visual (AV) systems which will facilitate smooth conducting of various educational, cultural, recreational and sporting activities at the school’s auditorium and open air stage at its new premises in Al Wakra. DPS MIS Committee Executive Member Azim Abbas said: “As the leading technology powerhouse, CGC possesses the required strength and resources to meet our customised needs and contribute to our students’ all-round growth and development. The state-of-the-art AV system will enable us to take better care of our students through ultra-modern facilities, as the auditorium will be used to host multipurpose activities like cultural functions, presentations, concerts, educational programmes and theatre workshops while the open stage will be used for stage shows.” While thanking DPS for the opportunity to serve the student community, CGC, COO Anil Mahajan said: “As an AV systems provider, we cater to the needs of religious
Anil Mahajan (third from left) and Azim Abbas (third from right) exchange an MoU on AV systems in the presence of other CGC and DPS MIS officials at the CGC Corporate office in Doha.
places, schools, government facilities, entertainment venues and clubs, among others. Our wide selection of innovative product solutions meets the needs of any application and is made to provide the performance, dependability and value you can
rely on to meet your highest expectations. We are truly honoured to be part of what you are going to accomplish with that passion and vision and look forward to serving our valued clients.”
LG introduces new Google TV
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G Electronics (LG) introduced its highly anticipated Google TV at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas recently. Combining Android OS with LG’s 3D and Smart TV technologies, the Google TV offers consumers a new and attractive home entertainment option. The user interface and main screen have
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been designed for convenient browsing and content selection and can be accessed using the Magic Remote QWERTY, which combines the user-friendly benefits of LG’s Magic Remote with a Qwerty keyboard. Multitasking is also possible, as the search, social networking and TV functions can be run simultaneously. Equipped with LG’s Cinema 3D technology, Google TV provides a home entertainment experience that is comfortable and convenient. The 3D glasses are battery-free, comfortable and lightweight, and also very affordable. There’s also a built-in 2D to 3D conversion engine that lets you view a 2D programme in 3D with a single click of the remote. Alongside Google TV, LG plans to widen its own Smart TV platform based on NetCast, which will be made available in more than 60% of LG’s flat panel TVs scheduled for introduction over the year.
MARKET WATC H
Nissan sponsors horse-racing event
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s part of its corporate social responsibility, Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana Co.—sole distributor of Nissan, Infiniti and Renault brands in Qatar - chose to become a platinum sponsor of the Qatar Equestrian Federation Club event. Chairman Hisham Al Mana commented: “The QEFC provides a high-profile sports arena that holds high-profile sports events. We would like to give back and show our loyalty to our high-profile clientele that can relate with this sport. As a Qatari company, we believe in associating with a traditional sport such as horse-racing that is important to the Arab culture and reflects the company’s association with the community.” He added: “We believe horse-racing is a noble sport and our company and clientele can resonate with the essence of this noble sport. The brand image and culture of Saleh Al Hamad Al Mana Co. is a true reflection of horse-racing, and with this sponsorship we will begin to establish a long-term relationship with the QEFC as well as the community.”
OER CEO Golf wins over business community
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ER CEO Golf 2012, the premium corporate networking platform presented by Nawras Business Solutions, dazzled the business community of Oman with a day of golf, highpowered gathering, sophisticated ambience and mind-blowing entertainment on the cool greens of Muscat Hills on January 12. With over 200 CEOs, managers, business leaders and virtually the who’s who of Oman’s corporate world taking part in the biggest event in the Sultanate’s corporate calendar, OER CEO Golf 2012 broke new ground in terms of participation, unique game format, thrilling activities and exciting prizes. The golfers were divided into teams of four and played the 18-hole Texas Scramble. One of the most noteworthy parts of this year’s OER CEO Golf was the enthusiastic participation of a number of women golfers.
For the non-golfers, a special golfing clinic was arranged. A simple competition of chipping, pitching and putting was organised which not only enabled participants to understand the finer nuances of golf but also gave them a chance to win the biggest prize of the day - a Rolex watch. The OER CEO Golf 2012 champions were Ravi Narayanan, Chandra Sekhar Das, Debabrata Mukerjee and Pamela Mouries. And the Most Promising Golfer-to-be was Samir Hamamji who won himself a Rolex. Presented by Nawras Business Solutions for the fourth consecutive year, OER CEO Golf 2012 was powered by Infiniti while Rolex, from Khimji’s Watches, was the official timekeeper and the Times of Oman and Al Shabiba were publicity partners. Samsung, Capital Stores, Left Bank,
Patchi & Bateel, Muscat Hills, OUA, Travel Point, Silver Senses Salon, Mumtaz Mahal, City Seasons Hotel and Agility were the prize partners. The support partners were Hi and Al Youm Al Sabe (Media); AXA (Insurance); Oman Printers & Stationers (Printing); OUA (Beverages); Qatar Airways and Travel City Travel Point (Travel); Merge FM and Al Wisal FM (Radio); Infoline (Call Centre); and Aggreko (Energy).
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sport file
DOHA
SEARCHES FOR INDELIBLE LEGACY Legacy is fast becoming a buzz-word for corporations, organising committees and governments, as issues of sustainability become more prevalent than ever before. Selection committees for mega-events – such as the FIFA World Cup or the Olympic Games – are looking at more than just the duration of the event but also at what it can provide for the country/city into the future.
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he determination of legacy is fast becoming an integral part of every decision we make, as issues of sustainability and regeneration shadow them. It’s no longer a case of submitting a proposal based on what you can achieve – there must be long-lasting and positive consequences for your radical ideas and/or innovative designs. You are marked punitively against your competitors regarding your plans for its aftermath. Sustainability must be at its core.
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By Rory C oe n The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is working hard with the notion of legacy. They feel it’s their social responsibility to benefit the society of a host city and not leave it snared by debt or a negative perception towards their organisation going forward. They want the city to feel connected to its Olympic Games for a significant period of time. Kyriaki Kaplanidou, Assistant Professor, Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management, University of Florida, who recently completed a research paper commissioned by the IOC which focused on the legacy of the Olympic Games over time, says that legacy can mean two things in the context of hosting a mega-event. It will leave behind tangible and intangible assets after the circus has moved on. The tangible assets include the stadia, the sports and training facilities, infrastructure for transportation, housing and accommodation. Intangible assets include the skills which the locals have acquired by facilitating the event, the feel-good factor, the feeling of
pride. How can the city/country move forward in a positive direction by incorporating these assets into its long-term vision? Qatar has recently won the rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and has tendered what will be a very competitive bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. Where does Qatar stand with its Olympic bid? The Olympic Games Charter states that they 'need to leave behind more than just good memories from 16 days of competition', and part of the role of the IOC is 'to promote a positive legacy from the Olympic Games to the host city and host country’. With that in mind, the IOC has helped current Games organisers, as well as applicant/ candidate cities, to look at what they believe the Games, and even just bidding, can do for their citizens, cities and countries. Rio de Janeiro in Brazil will host the 2016 Olympic Games. Kaplanidou says that here legacy relates directly to the notion of social responsibility, as one of the bid aspects of Rio de Janeiro was the regeneration of some of its lower profile neighbour-
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“A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.” James Freeman Clarke, a 19th century American theologian and author.
hoods, which alludes to the notion of urban regeneration as a legacy outcome. Kaplanidou says that the purpose of her study was to identify the legacy outcomes for each of the four recent summer Olympic host cities and their importance for the residents’ quality of life through qualitative and quantitative research methods. The results from the quantitative phase suggested that the tangible infrastructure aspects are important for the quality of life for all four host cities, but more important for recent host cities than the older ones. Residents in Atlanta indicated that emotional benefits that resulted from their Olympic Games are important for their quality of life. The emotional connection seems to get more important for the quality of life of host city residents as time passes. For the most recent host cities the infrastructure created or accelerated by the Olympic Games is important for the quality of life of residents. Leveraging the infrastructure can also stimulate the emotional connection felt during the Olympic Games. Sustaining such an emotional connection for the recent host cities can result in enhanced perceptions of legacy effects over time and thus a longerlasting impact for residents’ quality of life. Therefore, emotional stimulation needs to be considered as a long-term strategy in legacy planning and management efforts. So, with all this in mind, and looking at Qatar’s bid for the 2020 Olympic Games, what notions of legacy and social responsibility can it bring to the table? It might not be enough to throw billions of dollars at opening and closing ceremonies, Olympic villages, stadia, venues, infrastructure and amenities. With Qatar, project capital is not an issue, of course. And since capital is be-
ing invested into social and infrastructural projects as part of the 2030 vision anyway, what else can Qatar show the IOC? The 2022 World Cup Committee faced the same issues, but got around the demands of legacy by agreeing to rebuild the stadia in less developed countries elsewhere in the world. There is no way a country like Qatar would need so many world-class stadia with such high capacities, so they’re to be designed in such a way that they can be disassembled, shipped and reassembled after the tournament. The white elephants will disappear. But is this enough? Kaplanidou explains in her paper that legacies related to the social dimension include community pride, cohesion, involvement, interaction, strengthened image and awareness. The host city has the opportunity to promote the city, bring attention to environmental concerns, and many times reach out to disadvantaged populations and areas. It all resolves to mean that a winning 2020 Olympic bid should implicitly bring a long-lasting legacy to the city of Doha. The IOC demands this. What that would be remains to be seen. In the four cities analysed by Kaplanidou – Atlanta, Sydney, Athens and Beijing – the creation of educational programmes and the promotion of knowledge development were real societal benefits associated with hosting the Games. In a country like Qatar, which is really trying to create a knowledge-based economy with experienced and savvy personnel as part of its 2030 National Vision, then this is possibly where they can score some marks with the IOC. They will need to do something very innovative and progressive with this legacy phenomenon if they are to win over the IOC
Kyriaki (Kiki) Kaplanidou, Ph. D. Assistant Professor, Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management, College of Health and Human Performance
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sport file
Qatar’s warming up to winter The temperatures might drop to the uncomfortable teens – or worse still, single figures – during the Qatari “winter”, but on the flip side, the climate becomes favourable for our cold-blooded global sports stars to showcase their talents on our shores. While the FIFA World Cup 2022 winning bid was a remarkable achievement, let’s not forget the iconic sporting events which helped inspire the country to aspire to such heights and dreams.
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assan Al-Thawadi, Secretary General of Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, and one of the most powerful sport industry figures in the Middle East, stirred a packed hall with a passionate speech on the power of sports as a means of socio-economic development, at Carnegie Mellon Qatar’s Dean’s Lecture Series last month. In his lecture titled, ‘Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup: The Path to Success’, a candid Al-Thawadi, recalled the journey of Qatar’s bid to host the planet’s foremost tournament and shared the many challenges and myths it sparked. “The opportunities that lie ahead are vast and varied. It may seem now that the future I speak of is a long way off, and you might be concerned with the more immediate obstacles and challenges that you face - but I have no doubt that the education you are receiving here is the ideal foundation for
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By Rory C oe n success in whichever fields you decide to focus,” said Al-Thawadi. “What you are experiencing here at CMU and Qatar Foundation is the realisation of the innovation and pioneering spirit that Qatar as a nation has exemplified. This pioneering spirit was what convinced us that not only should we bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022, but that we were capable of winning,” added Al-Thawadi, before sharing personal highlights of the 18month-long intense campaign. It hasn’t taken long for this ideology to manifest itself into the psyche of Qataris. The Qatar Exxonmobil Open only celebrated its 20th anniversary in January, while the Commercialbank Qatar Masters has been running for 15 consecutive years. These events are gaining serious reputation among the competitors and are becoming indelible fixtures in their diaries. It was through their success that Qatar felt itself ready to take the next plunge. Al-Thawadi understands that there’s a lot done, but even more to accomplish. Commercialbank Qatar Masters Qatar’s climate means that its spot in the schedule must fall early in the season, just as the players are warming up and getting their games back in shape, but it’s also suitable for many of the top players to get some game time before the more prestigious tournaments get underway. Just how difficult is
it to get the top players to come to Qatar? “We started preparing for this tournament during last year’s tournament,” said Chris Myers, the Commercialbank Qatar Masters General Manager. “We have to try to negotiate with the players to come back the following year. We’re competing against events in the United States and Asia, where players have co-membership. If we can attract more high-ranked players, that will in turn generate more ranking points for the tournament;As the quality of the field improves it will also generate more television revenue. It’s about managing expectations to a point of getting the best players here. Doha is a commercialised city, so we also think about getting a balance of players who would be attractive to the people who come to do business here. “To be a member on each tour (US PGA and European) you have to commit to a certain amount of tournaments,” Myers continued. “Abu Dhabi, Doha and Dubai are played over three consecutive weekends this time of the year, so they can knock off three European Tour events very efficiently. Players can choose to play one, two or three of these events. We’re a marriage, if you like, feeding off each other.” Myers points out that the tournament has been getting larger every year. The population of Qatar has increased significantly since the mid-90s and this is being noticed at the turnstiles. More grandstands and
sport file
Four to watch - Golf:
Extreme Right: Chris Myers, the Commercialbank Qatar Masters General Manager. Centre: Thomas Bjorn, 2011 Champion.
tents are being erected than ever before. The quality of field has also improved, due to a number of factors. The corporate enclosures are now fully stocked and ready to entertain those fortunate enough to get in. All this means more staff and volunteers are needed. “We are so lucky in that we have 300 volunteers that are giving up their own free time to come here and help the effort,” reported Myers. “It simply couldn’t go ahead with them, and we get the same commitment from them every year. They help out with marshalling around the golf-course itself as well as helping people park their cars and get them to the course safely.” Thomas Bjorn won the Commercialbank Qatar Masters last year and he comes back to defend his title. Other previous winners to return are Robert Karlsson (2010), Alvaro Quiros (2009), Retief Goosen (2007), Henrik Stenson (2006), Darren Fichardt (2003), Rolf Muntz (2000) and Paul Lawrie (1999). The main attractions however are Lee Westwood, currently world-ranked #3; 2010 USPGA champion Martin Kaymer; 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell; 2011 PGA Players champion KJ Choi; 2010 WGC-Bridgestone champion Hunter Mahan; two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen; 2010 WGC-HSBC champion Francesco Molinari, as well as the young Australian and World #10 Jason Day, Sergio
Garcia, Ben Curtis, Jose Maria Olazabal and Colin Montgomerie. Qatar’s own Ali Abdulla Al Mufleh Al Bishi will also be competing with the big boys as an amateur. Azarenka in Ladies Open draw Qatar is also gripped by two early-season tennis tournaments, the Men’s Exxonmobil in early January and the Ladies Total Open in mid February. Karim Alami, Tournament Director of the Qatar Total Open, explained that the men’s tournament was a tremendous success. “The Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2012 celebrated 20 years of men’s professional tennis here and the matches were of superb quality. Having the top four seeds in the semi-finals really showed just how hungry each of these players were to win the title. The final between Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils put on display two of the most entertaining players in the game. It was extra special to have so many past champions in attendance all week long as well and culminated in a special ceremony honouring Stefan Edberg, Younes El Aynaoui, Fabrice Santoro, Nicolas Escude, Stefan Koubek and Roger Federer after the final concluded. The Ladies Open starts on February 12, with eight of the world’s top 10 coming, including newly crowned Australian Open champion, Victoria Azarenka; 2011 major winners Samantha Stosur and Petra Kvito-
Lee Westwood (ENG) Age: 38 WR: 3 Westwood finished 2011 in sparkling form, shooting two consecutive rounds of 60 and 64 at the Thailand Golf Championship in December, winning the tournament by seven shots. He also landed the Nedbank Golf Championship in South Africa. He has rejoined the US PGA Tour this year, but will still be fulfilling his commitments to the European Tour. KJ Choi (South Korea) Age: 41 WR: 13 KJ has eight PGA Tour wins, but his biggest payday came at the Players’ Championship at Sawgrass last May, defeating David Toms in a playoff. He has finished in the T10 in the last two US Masters, but his form was very inconsistent after the win in Florida. He finished the season well however, with a pair of T10s in the season-ending Fed-Ex Cup. Jason Day (AUS) Age: 24 WR: 10 Day has been very impressive since he burst onto the scene in 2010. He won the Byron Nelson in May 2010 and later gained a T10 at the USPGA. He really showed his quality by finishing second at the 2011 US Masters and T2 at the US Open. He’s seen as one of the new breed of young guns, from the same vintage as Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Webb Simpson. Hunter Mahan (USA) Age: 29 WR: 19 Mahan had a very disappointing year in 2011, yet amazingly, almost won the Tour Championship and the Fed-Ex Cup. He was beaten in a play-off by Bill Haas however, which left him without any win in the year. He had a very encouraging 2010, with a pair of wins, including the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. He will be anxious to make the Ryder Cup team this season after his 2010 heart-ache in Wales. world rankings as at 31-1-2012
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Four to watch - TENNIS Petra Kvitova (Czech Rep) World Rank: 2 Age: 21 Kvitova won her maiden Grand Slam title at Wimbledon last summer, defeating Maria Sharapova in the final, but alarmingly got knocked out of the US Open in the first round. However, she recovered from this setback to claim the Tour Championship in Istanbul in October. Caroline Wozniaki (Denmark) World Rank: 4 Age: 21 Wozniaki’s No. 1 ranking WAs a contentious topic of conversation among tennis fans as she has only ever contested one Grand Slam Final –the 2009 US Open, which she lost to Belgian Kim Clijisters – and two other semi-finals. However, for one so young, she has a remarkable record in Tier 1 events, where she has won five of seven finals, including Indian Wells and Dubai in 2011.
Abu Dhabi International Triathlon Meanwhile, if you’ve begun the New Year with a focus on fitness and training, there might be a short-term reward for your efforts on March 3. The Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, which is organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), offers three course distances; the 223km ‘long course’ (3km swim, a 200km cycle and 20km run), the half-length ‘short’ course (1.5km swim, a 100km cycle and a 10 km run) and the successful 2011-debuted sprint course (750m swim, a 50km bike and 5km run), of which the latter two can be run as a team relay. Faris Al Sultan, current European Ironman Champion, explains the benefits of a triathlon. “It’s a healthy, complete body sport and combines the three major sports that most people already know - swimming, cycling and running - so it is
Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) World Rank: 1 Age: 22 “VIKA” FINALLY BROKE HER GRAND SLAM DUCK AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN LAST MONTH, DEFEATING MARIA SHARAPOVA IN THE FINAL. HER PREVIOUS BEST WAS AT WIMBLEDON LAST SUMMER, beaten by the eventual winner, Kvitova, IN THE SEMIFINAL. Azarenka was also beaten in the Tour Championship final last October by Kvitova, but managed a Tier 1 title in Miami in April. Samantha Stosur (Australia) World Rank 5 Age: 27 After losing the 2010 French Open final, Stosur finally made the breakthrough in New York last autumn, defeating Serena Williams in straight sets. Stosur has yet to win a Tier 1 event however, getting beat in Toronto and Rome last year. She was defeated in the first round at the Australian Open by Sorana Cirstea in January. world rankings as at 31-1-2012
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Karim Alami, Tournament Director of the Qatar Total Open
va; and world #4, Caroline Wozniaki. Other major winners include Ana Ivanovic, Francesca Schiavone and Svetlana Kuznetsova. “This year, the Qatar Ladies Open is a WTA Premier event,” added Karim. “The calibre of player is unprecedented. This
easy to get started. It also gives you the opportunity to race in the three individual disciplines. If you prepare properly for a long course race it becomes a real adventure to juggle your work, life with the sufficient amount of training.” Faisal Al Sheikh, Events Manager at ADTA, gave a synopsis of the event. “The Abu Dhabi International Triathlon is recognised as one of the most prestigious events on the triathlon calendar with the world’s best athletes competing in near perfect conditions. The 2011 event hosted 1,500 triathletes from 51 nations which was almost double the figure from the previous year, and the third annual triathlon is set to break that record again with 2,100 places up for grabs. We have seen strong participation from across the GCC, which is up 20 percent this year to date and is currently represented by 815 athletes. More than 50 have signed up from Qatar alone. Last year the event boasted a 65-strong elite field that claimed 24 World Championships, 50 Ironman titles and over 100 national titles between them. This year is set to bring back the favourites as well as some new faces to treat the crowds! ADTA has frozen athlete registration fees for the third year in a row. Athletes interested in entering should visit www.abudhabitriathlon.com.
year celebrates our 10th anniversary and we will have special celebrations during the week to recognise this milestone - including a Ladies Day on February 14, 2012.” “The Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex is an amazing venue to showcase matches,” added Alami. “With a Centre Court that seats 7000, outside match courts, courts for practices, a public village, VIP Village and a kid’s zone, the complex is enjoyed by players, fans and sponsors. And being in the very heart of Doha, it is the perfect place for the staging of world-class tennis. And like the Qatar Masters (golf ), the event is a slave to the volunteers and temporary staff that help out year in, year out. “The event could not be put on so smoothly without the temporary staff and volunteers. With the addition of stewards, ball kids, hostesses, chair and line umpires, drivers, and staff for medical, technical, media and tournament office departments, we have over 700 extra people onsite to help with the event
doha diary
Sotheby’s noticing Islamic Art interest The opening of both the Museum of Islamic Art and Mathaf, the Arab Museum of Modern Art have been instrumental in the promotion of art originating from the Middle East and further afield.
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objects, the highlights including a leaf from the so-called ‘Blue Qur’an’, an exceptional Qur’an executed in gold on dyed blue vellum, which, when complete, must have been one of the most luxurious manuscripts in the world. The sale exceeded its high estimate, realising over QR39 million, reflecting the strong market demand for rare and remarkable works of art with a good provenance.
slamic art sales have risen once again since the economic downturn a couple of years back, as many institutions have sought to expand their collections. The opening of new museums and the arrival of new private collectors have helped to drive the market. Sotheby’s has been at the forefront, setting an auction record for an Islamic work of art with the sale of the Shahnameh, which sold for QR42 million in April 2012. Benedict Carter, Deputy Director, Sotheby’s Middle East and India Department, talks to Qatar Today about his appreciation of Islamic art and how Sotheby’s has fostered it. What kind of work are you involved in at Sotheby’s, and can you tell us more about ‘A Princely Collection’ and your experience working on Arts of the Islamic World? As a specialist in the Middle East and India Department, I work specifically with works of art from the Islamic world, and in putting together our biannual sales of ‘Arts of the Islamic World’. These sales feature a broad range of art, from North African Qur’an manuscripts all the way to Sri Lankan ivory caskets, and encompassing along the way almost 1,400 years of every kind of decorative art produced in lands under Islamic patronage, from Spain to China. Our sale catalogues include manuscripts, ceramics, weaponry, glass and metalwork, to name only a few of the media that artists and craftsmen executed in the many Muslim countries rich in artistic culture. My specif-
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Benedict Carter Deputy Director, Sotheby’s Middle East and India Department.
ic role is varied. First we must gather pieces for the sale, which includes some travel and many valuation appointments at our New Bond Street offices in London. Then we research the selection and set about cataloguing and producing our catalogue. After this we may present highlights in travelling exhibitions, and finally we will have the auction in London, some four to five months after we begin the process. ‘A Princely Collection’ was a privately owned collection of Arts of the Islamic World with a strong Persian flavour that had been built up over the second half of the twentieth century. It was a broad-ranging selection of top quality manuscripts and
Do you think the Islamic Art scenario has perked up in recent years, or has this interest been ongoing from long back? 2010 and 2011 were Sotheby’s’ most successful years for sales of Islamic Art, but apart from a slightly slower year in 2009, sales have generally been growing throughout the 2000s, rising initially in the mid90s. During this period many institutions have sought to expand their collections, and the opening of new museums and the arrival of new private collectors have driven the market to the state it is in today. The past decade has seen an upsurge in awareness of the achievements of the Muslim world, and this is reflected in the many museum exhibitions that are curated (for example the Hajj exhibition which opens this month at the British Museum) and the refurbishment of major museum collections such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York and the Louvre. What are the current trends of interest in the Middle East Art market? There is a growing interest in arts from the
doha diary
Lot 78 ILLUSTRATED FOLIO FROM THE SHAHNAMEH OF SHAH
Islamic world in the Middle East and North Africa region, with various countries keen to repatriate works of art which were originally produced by their country’s artists and craftsmen. New museums have opened and others are planned to open in the coming years, and there is also an increase in the number of private collectors active in the region. Modern and contemporary art from the Middle East, North Africa and Iran is also a genre with an increasing interest, and Sotheby’s held its inaugural auction of this material in Doha in 2009, followed by a calligraphy-themed sale, ‘Hurouf - The Art of the Word’, in December 2010, which included a mix of Islamic manuscripts and modern and contemporary artists’ work. Even with such rich heritage in the art community, do you think there is a lack of understanding or appreciation of art here? How do you foster a society that appreciates art? A museum-going public is not something that can be created overnight, and the appreciation of art as a cultural tradition is something which can only be fostered
HIGHLIgHt 2010 and 2011 have seen Sotheby’s’ strongest results for Islamic Art sales
2010
QR306 million 2011
QR350 million In April 2011 Sotheby’s set the auction record for Shahnameh which sold for
QR42
million.
over many years, through educational programmes, schooling, and the consistent curating of museum exhibitions. The new
Katara cultural village is a step forward in this educational process, and will help to spread the awareness of art to the broadest possible reach. How do corporate entities get involved in auctions or art collections, and what work do you do for them? Sotheby’s works with corporations on a number of different fronts. Sotheby’s Corporate Art Services include the preparation of appraisal reports, advice on acquisitions and deaccessions, management of all aspects of the consignment, and help in developing arts-management strategies for several of the world’s leading corporations. Sotheby’s has handled the majority of corporate collections to come to market. In addition, the company has presided over the sale of some of the most highly valued corporate collections to be sold at auction, such as the British Rail Pension Fund in 1989 (QR360 million). In March 2010 Sotheby’s was entrusted with the sale of the BAT ‘Artventure’ Collection, the largest collection of contemporary art ever to have come to auction in the Netherlands, which
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Qatar Today 95
doha diary
Advice to Qatari collectors Ultimately, of course, one must buy what one finds attractive, and it very much depends on what kind of collection an individual is trying to put together. Some may wish to put together a comprehensive collection of Islamic Art across the genre, whilst others might prefer to concentrate on a particular theme, such as weaponry, manuscripts or ceramics. Whilst personal taste is obviously a key consideration in any purchase of a work of art, it is always worth paying attention to the condition of a piece, and checking closely for signs of restoration and repair. Sometimes, however, one cannot be overly concerned with the condition of a piece, especially with the rare examples from the early period of Islam. Because the best pieces are becoming rarer, one doesn’t always have the luxury of choosing when to buy, as when a desirable piece appears at auction there may be only one chance to acquire it, as it may disappear into a public or private collection, never to reappear on the market. So my advice in such a situation would be to act quickly and go for it, as you only regret the things you don’t do.
K
K g
Lot 60 Abbasid lustre pottery bowl
An Iznik Polychrome Dish Depicting a Peacock
4
(Carter will be in Doha in March for a highlights exhibition from Sotheby’s)
doubled its estimate with a sales total over QR142 million. In February 2010 in London Sotheby’s sold, on behalf of Commerzbank, Giacometti’s L’homme qui marche I for QR379 million – the highest amount ever achieved for a corporation through the auction sale of art from its holdings, a sum in this case represented by the sale of just one work of art. What are the prospects of investing in art? This market has been on an upward trajectory for a number of years, so we can expect there to be an increased interest as a result. The market has become more selective, and whilst the demand is there for the best pieces, which will be fought over by institutions and private collectors alike, there is less enthusiasm for works that are not quite in the top echelon of quality. Moreover, the financial position of any given country is reflected in the spending of its collectors and institutions, and given that a particular country’s buyers commonly collect pieces from their own cultural heritage, this can
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Lot 7 Qur’an leaf on blue vellum
affect the market demand and subsequent value of an object. The Islamic art market remains rather a specialised field, and the majority of buyers that participate are passionate collectors whose collections are dictated by their personal taste and deep knowledge of the subject. Can you tell us more about the Qatari art scene and how the museums help create a market here? Certainly the opening of both the Museum of Islamic Art and Mathaf, the Arab Museum of Modern Art, in Doha have been instrumental in the promotion of art originating from the Middle East and further afield. Both museums house excellent collections, and seek to promote cultural dialogue via their educational programmes. The Muse-
um of Islamic Art has an exceptional collection of the world’s rarest and most beautiful pieces of Islamic art. What steered your interest to art? And how has the journey been so far? Whilst I have always been interested in art in general, the art of the Islamic world was never something we touched at school, and not really anything I gave much thought to when studying Renaissance art in Florence after leaving school. It was only when I arrived at Bristol University and began to study Arabic that my interest was sparked. Various trips to North Africa and the Middle East led to studying at the University of Jordan, and later in Alexandria, by which time I was pretty much hooked on the Muslim World and its culture
2 AL JASSASIYEH STONE CARVINGS AL HUWAILAH, NORTHERN QATAR
RESTAURANTS
HIGHLIGHTS A
QMA GALLERY (BUILDING 10)
A new art space run by Qatar Museum Authority hosting various art exhibitions all year long. From 20th January 2012 to 1st June 2012: Conscious & Unconscious by the late artist Louise Bourgeois B KATARA ART CENTRE (BUILDING 5) The Katara’s epicentre for art with exhibition space, retail units focusing on original creative works and an art bookshop.
KATARA
GPS 25.36008, 51.52614
Katara is Doha’s cultural village, a collective of restaurants, galleries and artistic and creative societies.
C ARAB POSTAL STAMP MUSEUM (BUILDING 22) A stamp collection covering 22 Arab countries as well as equipments used in the past in Arab post offices and a small library that houses books about stamps Admission is free.
D QATAR PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA (OPERA HOUSE, BUILDING 16)
A SAFFRON LOUNGE (BUILDING 26) Modern Indian Cuisine and the menu was designed with the consultation of Michelin-starred chef Vineet Bhatia. Opening hours: 12.30 to 3pm, 7pm to 10.30pm Phone: +974 3325 8919
Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra performs B KHAN FAROUK TARAB CAFE and promotes western and Arabic music (BUILDING 7) to inspire development of music in this Traditional Egyptian Cuisine with shisha region. and live music The 2012 season will see performances Opening hours: 12noon to midnight of pieces from Rimsky-Korsakov, Marcel Phone: +974 4408 0840 Khalife, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Stravinsky. For full schedule and tickets, C SUKAR PASHA (BUILDING 31) please refer to http://qatarphilharmonicorchestra. Turkish and Arabic cuisine with beautiful Ottoman inspired lounge for private org
parties and dining Opening hours: 6.30pm to midnight Phone: +974 4408 2000 D L’WZAAR SEAFOOD RESTAURANT (BUILDING 27)Modern Seafood with a fresh seafood counter where you can take your pick on the choices and have it cooked to your liking Opening hours: 12 to 3pm, 7pm to 11pm SHOPPING Phone: +974 4408 0710 E RED VELVET CUPCAKES (BUILDING 24) A cute and chic cafe from United States specializing in cupcakes and coffee Opening hours: 19am to 12 midnight Phone: +974 4408-0700
KATARA BEACH The Katara Beach is open to public with admission charges and is a great place for water sports and activities. It had about 800 umbrellas and beds. Opens daily from 9am to 6pm. E
Spend the afternoon relaxing at the beach, or take a tour around the museum and exhibitions around the village and end the day with
Take advantage of the free buggy services available when going to different locations of Katara
DINING Wear comfortable walking shoes as Katara is designed with cobblestone landscape
Call ahead to make reservations at the restaurants that you would like to dine in especially during the weekends
SHOPPING GPS 25.0388811, 51.4060266
1 SINGING SAND DUNES, DUNE BASHING AND DESERT SAFARI
4 8 H O U R S Q ATA R I 2 0 1 2
24 HOURS OR MORE If you are spending 24 hours or more in Qatar, take the opportunity to explore the natural beauty of the desert by taking trips out of Doha. Dune bashing, desert safaris and expeditions to forts and old settlements out of the city can be arranged via tour operators who will make sure you get the best experience.
GPS 25.33344, 51.46498
GPS 25.26028, 51.44273
Doha is one of the few areas in the world where the desert dunes produce a deep and resonant humming sound that earned it the nickname of Singing Sand Dunes. This is a natural phenomenon resulting from the friction of a thin layer of sand flowing down the side of a sand dune. The friction sound is amplified by the crescent shape of the dunes and can be heard up to 10km away. The exact location for the Singing Sand Dunes is at GPS coordinates: 25.0388811, 51.4060266
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VILLAGIO – SHOPPING MALL
+974 44135 222 Aspire Zone, Al Aziziyah ESTIMATED OpeningDRIVING hours: Duration to the8am Airport Carrefour: to 10pm 40 MINUTES Starbucks: 8.30am to 10pm Other Stores: 10am to 10pm 48 H O U R S as Q Aan T AItalian R I 2 0village 12 Designed with
The shopping scene in Doha is growing rapidly as more and more new brands enter the market. Just like dining, you can find a variety of shopping to suit your taste, budget and preference here. For local merchandises, hit the souks to interesting gems Along with visiting thefind Singing Sand Dunes, thelike carpets, pottery and crafts while the malls will offer all the international brands you can think of. For a more chic style, visit the travel operators will usually plan the day trip few dependent boutiques where you can find unique pieces from all around together with an experience of Dune Bashing. the world. Get ready for an exhilarating adventure as you take on the desert dunes in big 4x4 wheels! If you opt for a full day safari, the itinerary 4 8 setting H O U R SupQcamp A T A RatI the 2012 will usually include inland sea for the night where you will get to experience a taste of Bedoiun lifestyle. Enjoy the stillness of the desert night skies and wake up to the beautiful sunrise over the sand.
Al Zubara town is one of the most interesting archaelogical attraction in Doha. It was originally the centre of power for Qatar and the town was established as one of the most important port and pearl trading centers in the Persian Gulf in the 18th Century. The site is currently being excavated to gain better insight into the1 AL MOURJAN – LEBANESE +974 4483 4423 glorious times of the trading port. The Al Al Corniche Street, West Bay Zubara fort was built in 1938 during the Sat to Weds: 12.30pm to 12.30am reign of Sheikh Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thurs to Friday: 12.30pm to 1am Thani and was erected beside the ruins of the original fort from the 18th century. It was used as a coastguard station up Situated on the Corniche, you get excellent view plus the experience of till the mid 1980s.
dining by the water. Good for entertaining guests
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AMERICAN
ALCOHOL
ITALIAN
SPICY FOOD
+974 4487 5222 Madinat Khalifa Opening hours: Carrefour: 8am to 10pm Starbucks: 8.30am to 10pm Other Stores: 10am to 10pm
RESTAURANTS
gondola rides and visions of blue skies on the ceilings, Villagio is a one stop entertainment spot for the family. Other than shops of established brands like Zara, Mango, H&M and the likes, there is also With Marks and Spencer and BHS as its an ice hockey rink and a cinema. The new anchor tenants, Landmark is a favourite extension of the mall is home to its luxury Dining in Doha can be quite anbrands experience with the extensive variety of for fashion lovers with including brand tenants including Marc Jacobs, cuisines available. The choices reflect the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic Victoria’s Secret and Kurt Geiger. Louis Vuitton, and Dolce & Gabbana. composition of the residents in the city. You can explore the best of each cuisine at different meal times of the day and large number of restaurants are clustered together in areas such as Ramada Plaza, The Pearl and Souq Waqif. 4 8 H O U R S Q ATA R I 2 0 1 2 Be sure to call ahead to make reservations because some restaurants can be fully booked especially during the weekend. Licensed restaurants means that alcohol is available in the establishment. In the cooler months, take advantage of the outdoor seating provided by most restaurants to enjoy the weather.
4
GPS 25.40541, 51.44134
5 UMM SALAL MOHAMMED FORT AND BARZAN TOWER
4 AL KHOR MUSEUM AL KHOR CORNICHE, NORTH OF DOHA +974 4472 1866 OPENING TIMES VARY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. CALL BEFORE VISITING.
WATER FRONT
UMM SALAL, NORTH OF DOHA
Umm Salal is home to the Umm Salal Mohammed Fort and the Barzan Tower, both a historical attraction to this area. The fort was built during the late nineteeth and twentieth centuries as a residential fort and features thick high walls and an impressive facade. The was also designed with unique decorative and architectural elements. The Barzan Tower was originally built as a watch tower and has a ‘T’ shaped architectural style. It has three levels and an external staircase.
PAMPANO – MEXICAN
+974 4495 3876 ext 1221 Al Istiqlal Street, The Pearl Daily: 6pm to 1am An excellent Mexican seafood restaurant with outdoor seating facing the marina. A different take than the usual Mex-Tex fare. Licensed. 5
2
TSE YANG – CHINESE
4 8 H O U R S Q ATA R I 2 0 1 2
+974 4495 3876 ext 2071 Porto Arabia, The Pearl Daily: 7pm to 11pm
BURJ AL HAMMAM – LEBANESE
+974 4495 3876 ext 1291 Porto Arabia, The Pearl Daily 10am to 10pm
LANDMARK – SHOPPING MALL
GPS 25.68692, 51.51631
This museum overlooks the beautiful Al Khor coastline and displays archaelogical finds from neolithic and bronze ages. It also offers a glimpse into the fishing, pearling and dhow building industries. The museum is also famous for displaying the legend of Ghilan and Mae, believed to be the region’s BEST SEA FOOD first female pirate.
AL ZUBARA, NORTHERN QATAR
a meal at one of the restaurants while enjoying a variety of seasonal entertainment including live music and cultural shows.
4 8 H O U R S Q ATA R I 2 0 1 2
4 8 H O U R S Q ATA R I 2 0 1 2
GPS 25.9770111, 51.0454156
AL ZUBARA FORT AND AL ZUBARA TOWN 3
1
Location : Lusail Street, West Bay Opening Hours : Various opening times for the various establishments Contact : +974 44110003 Website : http://www.katara.net Time to Spend : Half day or full day depending on points of interest to visit
These rocky hills close to the northeastern coast of Qatar between the two villages of Al Huwailah and Fuwairit, contain more than 900 prehistoric carvings depicting different types of boats and symbols. Spread over a large area, the carvings may be difficult to spot, so it is advisable to hire a tour operator for a guided tour.
TIPS AND ADVISE
Impressive selection of Lebanese food in a very posh environment, this can be considered Lebanese fine dining. Outdoor dining available. Licensed. Good for entertaining guests
3
LEBANESE SHAWARMA – LEBANESE
+974 4466 2616 Between D Ring and E Ring Road, Off Airport Road Daily noon to 2am
TIPS & GUIDE
Shawarma and Falafel Sandwich snack place. On The Go.
4 8 H O U R S Q ATA R I 2 0 1 2
1
GETTING AROUND
A
The best way to getting around the city is to organize transportation with the hotel that you are staying in. Most hotels will provide limo service for hire by the hour or by the destination that you intend to visit. Make sure to keep the hotel’s or the limo service’s number so that you can call them whenever you need to be picked up. Cab services are available but it is always advisable to arrange your transportation in advance as cabs might not be available at all spots in the city. For longer trips, you may opt to rent a car.
B
The best way to navigate around the city is to identify landmarks in the location that you are headed to. In this guide, you will find more of location descriptions for the destinations rather than street addresses. Providing these information will be more helpful to your driver as street addresses are not commonly used for navigation.
2
DRESSING
A
Qatar is a Muslim country so it is advisable to dress respectfully in accordance to the local culture. Generally, skirts should be of knee length or longer and tops should cover the shoulders for women. It is also a great idea to carry a shawl or a scarf, which can be wrapped
Chinese fine dining cuisine helmed by a Shanghainese chef who brings the best of the Far East to this region. Also has a swanky bar great for catching up with friends in the evening. Licensed. 4 8 H O U R S Q ATA R I 2 0 1 2
4 8 H O U R S Q ATA R I 2 0 1 2
around the shoulders, especially i are visiting communal places like souq or the park. Tops with plung necklines and spaghetti strap tan tops should be avoided. Men shou avoid wearing sleeveless t-shirts o shorts. Swimwear including bikin allowed at the hotel pools but ma sure you are covered once you m away from the those areas.
3
SOCIAL ETIQUETTE
A
As with all cultures, travelling to a new country means that you may need to learn a slightly different s social etiquette. In Qatar, be mind when you are meeting locals of th opposite gender. Always wait fo them to extend their hands firs a handshake as some may not fe comfortable touching a stranger the opposite gender.
4 8 H O U R S Q ATA R I 2 0 1 2
PASSPORT SIZE
4 8 H O U R S Q ATA R I
FREE
Available at over 300+ locations
48 hrs is a visitors’ handbook which stands out by offering concise, up-to-date and well-catalogued information on the city and country. Apart from advising on popular choices and destinations, it highlights hidden gems which a visitor can explore and experience. It presents the best of Events, Destinations, Dining and Shopping options. To find out more about 48 hrs contact: Tel: (+974) 44550983, 44672139, 44671173, 44667584 Fax: (+974) 44550982 e-mail: info@omsqatar.com
08-1561 Copyright ©2012 GMG-48 hrs
doha diary
Empowering Businesswomen
Qatar is now just a month away from the annual women’s conference, How Women Work 2012 (HWW)
t
his year, the mission of the conference is to “nurture personal development, professional growth and organisational change”, and HWW has become an influential local contributor to the empowerment of women in Qatar. The aim of HWW in general is two-fold: firstly, to empower women to grow and succeed both professionally and personally, and secondly, to reach hearts and minds, break down barriers and promote understanding between cultures and genders. “What attracted me to the conference was the energy and ambition of all these talented women,” says Trine Normann Vangsbo, HWW core team member. “I started out by volunteering and then joined the core team and enjoy the challenge of taking How Women Work to the next level.” Both men and women are encouraged to attend the conference as it will empower women, and help men understand how to work better with their female counterparts. The conference aims to provide the highest value possible for its participants in terms of acquiring new skills. HWW 2012 will provide an experience for professional development, networking, inspiration and being involved in creating the next generation of leaders in the country. The conference, hosted by the Renaissance Hotel in West Bay, will take place on March 7 and 8. HWW is organised by Arcata Interactive Communication Coaching and powered by Qatar Today magazine. The HWW conference has been under the patronage of the Qatari Business Women Association since its inception in 2010. Other partners are IBQ and Carnegie Mellon University. More about the conference The conference is highly interactive and has a variety of hands-on workshops to ensure learning and make the delegates able to apply that learning to their professional and personal lives immediately after the conference. “Our interactive format is what really sets
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us apart from other conferences,” explains Carolin Zeitler, founder of HWW. “We believe that every woman has a voice and we want to hear it during the conference, so we create many opportunities to get together in small groups and come up close and personal with the speakers, thus providing a platform to exchange, ask and share with like-minded people.” The conference also provides an excellent platform for networking and promoting business ideas, and in previous years many delegates have been able to find business partners, a sponsor or the tools necessary to start their own business. More than half of the delegates (60%) at the last conference were sent by their employers, who saw the conference as a great opportunity for the employees to acquire new skills. Other programmes Besides hosting an annual conference, HWW continues to run other women empowerment projects during the rest of the year. In the last quarter of 2011 HWW published a CSR book called How Women Succeed – Inspiring Women to Create Their Own Success, the proceeds of which are used to provide professional development opportunities to women of limited means, thus
empowering not only its readers but also many other women in Qatar. HWW also runs a popular monthly workshop series entitled “Equipped to Succeed” in cooperation with the Qatar Professional Women’s Network and Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar. “This series is a direct response to our participants’ feedback,” says Carolin. “Since we offer such a wide variety of workshops that participants can only choose three from during the conference, many people wanted to come back for more. So we created this ‘best of HWW’ series that repeats all the most popular workshops, one a month, throughout the year. Thus it gives everyone a chance to catch up on what they missed at the last conference.” Past workshops in the “Equipped to Succeed” series have included topics such as Networking Secrets, Understanding Personalities to Create Your Success and Developing the Leader Within. The last workshop of the series will be delivered on February 8, 2012 by Yvette Haring, Senior Manager Advisory Consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers Qatar, entitled “Corporate Employee or Entrepreneur?”
To learn more about How Women Work, visit
www.hwwqatar.com.
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS 100
doha diary
SDC presents Volunteer awards ceremony
T
he Social Development Center presented its Honorary Volunteer Award last month to HH Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani in recognition of her service and leadership. The award was also given to HE Dr Sheikh Mohamed bin Eid Al Thani for his efforts in pioneering Qatar’s field of charitable work. “We are trying to foster a culture of volunteering amongst Qatari youth, acknowledge genuine efforts in volunteer work and motivate individuals and organisations to contribute time and effort; and today we say ‘kafu’,” said Mounira bint Nasser Al-Misnad, chair of SDC’s Board of Trustees. “Kafu, which means well done to all of you who have prioritised volunteer work and helped make this day possible.” Winners of the Individual Volunteer Award were Ahmed Yousef Al-Ferdoni,
Dara Mojab Al-Dosari, Shaqra Ismail Al-Zeyara, Ahmad Jassim AlJolo and Habes Mohammed Howail. Time Bank, GCM-Qatar won the Project Award category while Qatar Society of Engineers won the Institution Award. The Qatar Olympic Committee sponsored
the event. The Volunteer Awards were launched in 1999 and are presented to individuals and organisations that actively engage in volunteer work, prioritise public service and strive to have a positive impact in their communities.
QU celebrates students’ success
Q
atar University Honours Programme celebrated the success of its students who recently passed the honours freshman seminar course, with a ceremony in the courtyard of the Museum of Islamic Art. Twenty-five of the programme’s 31 students earned an “A” grade in the fall course. The Qatar Museums Authority helped provide the opportunity for students to take the special seminar. Chairwoman HE Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani attended the ceremony. “This is our second year of celebrating the accomplishments of QU honours students,” said Dr Ahmed Ibrahim, director of the QU Honours Programme. Leaders from both the Qatar Museums Authority and the Museum of Islamic Art spoke to students about the importance of
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appreciating the difference in disciplines and allowing themselves to engage their passions. “Appreciating beauty is a fundamental outcome of this course,” said me-
chanical engineering student Sayed Zafar. “Life doesn’t mean excelling in one single field. Being a distinguished human being means being well rounded in many disciplines.”
doha diary
ROTA and Vodafone assess partnership
Qatari aviation professional attends space camp
S
enior executives and project managers representing Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) and Vodafone Qatar attended their Annual Review Meeting to assess the progress of their education and community projects and establish future plans to take the partnership forward. The groundbreaking ROTA-Vodafone Qatar partnership began with Vodafone’s sponsorship of ROTA’s Gala Dinner in 2009. In December 2010, Vodafone Qatar confirmed the strength of the partnership with a QR9 million (US$2.5 million) donation to support education and community initiatives implemented by ROTA. In attendance at the Annual Review Meeting were ROTA Director Mr Essa AlMannai, Vodafone Qatar CEO Mr. Richard Daly, Vodafone Qatar Director of Human Resources Ms Jan Mottram and several ROTA project managers.
A
senior aviation security inspector from Qatar recently attended Boeing’s Educators to Space Camp programme in Huntsville, Alabama. Captain Mohammed Al Khater joined more than 90 delegates and students from
11 countries for the annual weeklong training programme aimed at promoting interest in the subjects of science, technology, engineering and maths. “The programme was very beneficial, and proved to be creative and innovative in teaching us techniques that we were able to implement with our teams upon returning home,” Captain Mohammed said. “This is an excellent initiative from Boeing, and I am very excited to have been part of it.” The programme strives to inspire participants with information on current space exploration initiatives. Activities included simulated space missions, astronaut training and lectures by rocketry and space exploration experts. President of Boeing Middle East Jeffrey Johnson spoke of Boeing’s long-term commitment to community building in the Middle East. “By offering students and educators a chance to take part in the Space Camp programme, we are focusing on elevating the quality of education in the region, so that students can excel in a competitive global market.”
Spinneys opens new outlet on The Pearl-Qatar
T
he international supermarket chain Spinneys opened a new location at The Pearl-Qatar in an attempt to tap into the growing residential community. The store is open seven days a week and located at La Croisette 14 of Porto Arabia. “Spinneys has unquestionably chosen an ideal location to host its newest branch in Doha and this is a great example of how The Pearl-Qatar is not only catering to the needs of the multicultural residents of the island, but also establishing premium retail opportunities in Qatar,” said Kirk Martin, Executive Vice-President, Fashion and Retail Leasing at The Pearl-Qatar. Spinneys operates hypermarkets and supermarkets in Lebanon, Egypt, Qatar, Jordan and through a franchise agreement in the UAE. The company is originally from the United Kingdom.
february 2012
Qatar Today 10 1
International Airports Qatar’s current population features a high proportion of expatriates, from every corner of the world. many have passed a lot of idle time in airport departure areas. At last year’s Skytrax World Airport Awards, Hong Kong International Airport was voted best in the world. To put the figures below into context, our own Doha International Airport catered for approximately 15,000,000 passengers in 2010. See how your perceptions measure up against those of Skytrax, and which airports you think are getting short-changed.
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1. Hong Kong International Airport
Yearly passengers: 50,410,819 Special awards: Best Airport Washrooms (#3) and Best Airport Dining (#3) Located less than five flying hours from half of the world’s population, Hong Kong’s airport is one of the busiest in the world. The airport also features a nine-hole golf course to pass the time during long layovers.
2. Singapore Changi Airport
Yearly passengers: 42,038,777 Special awards: Best Airport Leisure Amenities (#1), Best Airport Shopping (#2), Best International Transit Airport (#1) and Best Airport Dining (#3) Changi takes passengers to over 200 destinations on more than 90 international airlines and handles about 5,000 arrivals and departures each week. The airport is also home to a nature trail, fitness centre, swimming pool and singarore's tallest slide.
3. Incheon International Airport, South Korea
Yearly passengers: 30,000,000 Special awards: Best International Transit Airport (#2), Best Airport Security Processing (#3), Best Airport Cleanliness (#1) and Best Airport Washrooms (#2) Incheon is the largest airport in South Korea, serving passengers with over 70 airlines. The airport features a museum showcasing Korean culture and a centre for traditional Korean culture where travellers can enjoy performances while they wait for their connecting flight.
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4. Munich Airport, Germany
Yearly passengers: 34,721,605 Special awards: Best Airport Leisure Amenities (#2) and Best Airport Dining (#3) Munich is Germany’s second busiest airport. Passengers enjoy aesthetically pleasing terminals on the walk to the gate. The airport was built in terms of an “airport in the form of an urban landscape”. Many of the walls and ceilings are made of glass, making the airport feel large and open.
5. Beijing Capital International Airport
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6. Schiphol Airport, Netherlands
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Yearly passengers: 73,891,801 Special awards: Best Airport Immigration Service (#2) Beijing Capital is the busiest airport in Asia and can accommodate up to 78 million passengers per year. The tallest building, terminal 3, has a red painted roof, China’s good luck colour.
Yearly passengers: 45,211,749 Special awards: Best Airport Leisure Amenities (#3) and Best Airport for International Travel (#3) Schiphol opened in 1916 as a military airfield and has now transformed into one of the busiest airports in the world. While travellers wait for their flight departures, they can enjoy a massage or play a game of poker at the casino.
7. Zurich Airport, Switzerland
Yearly passengers: 22,900,000 Special awards: Best Baggage Delivery (#1) and Best Terminal Cleanliness (#2) Zurich Airport is Switzerland’s busiest airport, located 11 kilometres north of Zurich city centre. The airport features a porter service where travelers pay a fee and a porter picks up their bag from anywhere in the airport and delivers it to their final destination.
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8. Auckland International Airport, New Zealand
Yearly passengers: 13,202,772 Special awards: Airport Staff Excellence Australia/Pacific (#3) Auckland is New Zealand’s largest airport. Over 20 international airlines serve passengers and 45 flights take off per hour. Auckland provides thousands of jobs and contributes $14 billion to the economy as the country’s second largest cargo port.
9. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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Yearly passengers: 29,700,000 Special awards: Best Airport Immigration Service (#1) Kuala Lumpur is located in the southern corridor of Malaysia and has one of Asia’s busiest airports. The main terminal keeps green in mind: an entire section of the rainforest was placed inside the main terminal with an “Airport in the forest, forest in the airport” idea.
10. Copenhagen, Denmark
Yearly passengers: 21,501,750 Special awards: Best Airport for Baggage Delivery (#2) Copenhagen Airport is the busiest airport in the Nordic countries, serving nearly 60,000 passengers on more than 60 airlines every day. The airport is only 8 kilometres from the city centre, making it easily accessible. It is also one of the hubs in the Star Alliance, a network of 27 international airports that flies to 1,610 airports in 181 countries.
Compiled by http://www.businessinsider.com.
102 Qatar Today
february 2012
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