QT JANUARY 2015 by Oryx Group of Magazines

inside this issue January 2015 / Vol. 41 / Issue 1

COVER STORY

38 MANY MINDS, ONE THOUGHT

For our first issue of the New Year, Qatar Today wants to bring in to focus the trend setters and boundary pushers of 2014, who talk to us about the year they had and their hopes for the one to come.

26 QATAR’S DIVERSIFICATION: HOW FAR DO WE NEED TO GO?

Diversification is to be pushed not only in the country’s economic output. Financial diversification, through revenue from its sovereign wealth fund, will have a big impact on the composition of Qatar’s budget revenue.

32 FOR THE LOVE OF JOURNALISM

If there is one man who rode on the power of broadcasting, the kind that brought about the downfall of age-old regimes and wily dictators, it was Wadah Khanfar, the ex-Director General of Al Jazeera.

64 BUILDING FOR THE AFFLUENT

Katara Hospitality is always in the news for its iconic buys and awe-inspiring projects outside the Middle East, but the company has no plans to ignore the tourism sector in the country.

68 REVOLUTIONISING THE WAY WE TEACH

A relentless drive to spread education has made Wendy Kopp, CEO and Co-founder for Teach for All, a formidable force to reckon with. In an exclusive interview with Qatar Today, Kopp shares her insights in to making education inclusive, regardless of geographical location.

inside this issue January 2015 / Vol. 41 / Issue 1

SPOTLIGHT

72 ZIPPING AHEAD

Qatar’s automobile industry is growing and the Qatar Today takes a peek at the latest developments of the sector.

16 WILL US-QATAR FTA BECOMES A REALITY?

The U.S has inked a pact on free trade with Oman and Bahrain while nothing is being done with respect to the remaining four GCC countries. Qatar Today talks to former Ambassador to Bahrain and member of the US-Arab Chamber of Commerce Adam Ereli about the glitches that are obstructing the pact.

and regulars 12

NEWS BITES

BANK NOTES

REALTY CHECK

O&G OVERVIEW

TECH TALK

MARKET WATCH

100

DOHA DIARY

60 AIRLINES ON A BUYING BINGE

The Middle East region, which has registered an air traffic growth of 11% in 2013, continues to outpace the rest of the world and Qatar Today speaks to two major plane makers Airbus and Boeing about their plans to meet the growing demand for new planes in the next two decades.

94 STORIES FROM QATAR

The 'Made in Qatar' segment of the recently concluded Ajyal Youth Film Festival left us pleasantly surprised and wanting more. Qatar Today reviews a selection of films and even attempts to coin a term for the fledgling but growing film industry in Qatar.

98 BE THE CHANGE

Carolin Zeitler’s success story speaks of resilience and persistence. She speaks of this years’ How Women Work Conference that tackles similar themes.

from the desk The year 2014 saw Qatar’s role as the “peacemaker” take a beating though at the end of the year its leaders had to tweek their political ideology in favour of the opposition forces. The isolation that was belted out to Qatar was a result of its perceived close ties to the region’s Islamist groups, the Muslim Brotherhood. Disagreements over these policies among the Gulf States had prompted Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain to withdraw their ambassadors from Doha in March 2014.

Qatar’s strained relations with Egypt and Saudi Arabia hindered its regional mediation efforts, as seen during its attempts to negotiate a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in their recent conflict. Finally in November in an unprecedented move, the Middle East countries, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, agreed to return their ambassadors to Qatar, signaling an end to an eight-month rift over Doha’s support for Islamist groups. While we can only speculate what the agreements were we know for certain that compromises had to be made. The closing of the Al Jazeera Egypt branch could be a reaction. While this might not diminish the power of the channel, it makes sense to think back and reflect on the power the channel had over the common man, almost leading the masses to a revolution against injustice and dogmatic dictatorship. Leading this revolution with the promise of open communication and discussion lines was Wadah Khanfar, the man who steered the channel towards journalism in its true sense. In the first issue of the new year, Qatar Today sets the stage for conversation with this torch bearer of newsmaking. Qatar Today continues to showcase the talents of tomorrow, portraying the pulse of the country, in its first cover story for 2015. The newsmakers of the era, on whom we pin our hopes on. Read on to find out what Generation Y in Qatar have planned and even executed while we went on with our mundane chores. If politically, the country faced a slight dip, development went on a gallop. Internet speeds that is said to set new world records in internet speeds by which users can download a 5 GB HD movie in just 11 seconds and simultaneously upload a five-minute 30 MB video clip in less than a second was all part of the new tech overdrive. The shadow of bribery falling straight on the country’s hosting rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup has also been finally wiped clean. Qatar has been selected to host the IAAF World Championship in Athletics, the world’s third largest sporting event, in 2019. Like our band of achievers, we too keep hoping for a year of prosperity and justice, not just for the small minority of Qataris but also for the large majority of migrants who help in making the country, the vital support system. The Qatar Today team wishes all our readers a year of prosperity, a year of reaching out to those outside our own family, to do our bit to the needy. Happy Reading in 2015.

SINDHU NAIR MANAGING EDITOR

8 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF YOUSUF JASSEM AL DARWISH CHIEF EXECUTIVE SANDEEP SEHGAL EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT ALPANA ROY VICE PRESIDENT RAVI RAMAN EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR SINDHU NAIR DEPUTY EDITORS V L SRINIVASAN IZDIHAR IBRAHIM SENIOR CORRESPONDENTS ABIGAIL MATHIAS AYSWARYA MURTHY ART SENIOR ART DIRECTOR VENKAT REDDY DEPUTY ART DIRECTOR HANAN ABU SAIAM ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR AYUSH INDRAJITH SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER MAHESHWAR REDDY PHOTOGRAPHER ROBERT F ALTIMIRANO MARKETING AND SALES SENIOR MANAGER – MARKETING FREDRICK ALPHONSO MANAGER – MARKETING SAKALA A DEBRASS ASSISTANT MANAGER – MARKETING HASSAN REKKAB MATHEWS CHERIAN ASSISTANT EVENTS MANAGER ROCHELLE ZONNENBERG SENIOR ACCOUNTANT PRATAP CHANDRAN DISTRIBUTION SR. DISTRIBUTION EXECUTIVE BIKRAM SHRESTHA DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT ARJUN TIMILSINA BHIMAL RAI BASANTA POKHREL

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10 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

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Looking back on 2014, one can’t help but feel a sense of frustration at certain events that made us cringe. The massacre of young lives in Pakistan being one of the most recent. Has humanity lost its spirit? I hope 2015 has better days for all of us.

Figures in percentages

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Read your interview with the CEO of Imax. As an avid cinema-goer and someone who refuses to download movies from the internet, I hope that the cinema-going experience carries on for a long time to come.

R K SHARMA History through art was an interesting read. The public in Qatar ought to attend more such exhibitions which compel us to look beyond our natural boundaries. FAHAD W Z Good to hear about the Mustang event in Dubai. I hope Qatar also hosts such big events soon. AMIT KARKERA FIFA should reopen the corruption investigations and make the report transparent. YASSER

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Share your views about the magazine or any issue that affects you here in Qatar. One lucky reader will win an exquisite Montblanc writing instrument. WRITE TO: THE EDITOR, QATAR TODAY PO Box 3272, Doha. Fax: (+974) 44550982 e-mail: qtoday@omsqatar.com

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affairs > local

BUILDING RELATIONS ANKARA, TURKEY: The Emir, H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani (L), and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) pose after they signed a political declaration about High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council between Turkey and Qatar during the Emir’s official visit to the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey on December 19, 2014.

Go Ahead: Emir The Emir, H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, asked the government to go ahead with its plans to launch various key projects and initiatives aimed at boosting economic development.

The Emir approved a number of projects and measures that aim at, among other things, earmarking budgets for allocating new plots of land for a number of crucial requirements. They include housing, commercial activities, warehousing and industrial needs, health, education and agriculture.

Ooredoo Hits

200,000

Fibre Customers Milestone

Waiting time for Medical Commission appointments fell by 67% over the past year and the time taken for issuing results of routine tests by 48%. Supreme Council of Health (SCH) 14 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

BACK TO A UNITED GCC FRONT? At the 35th GCC Summit held in Doha last month, the GCC member states discussed the creation of a regional police force in addition to a joint naval force to improve cooperation against terrorism.

he police force will be based out of the United Arab Emirates’ capital of Abu Dhabi while the naval force will operate out of Bahrain. The creation of the police force, known as GCC-POL, and the naval force was announced at the conclusion of the Gulf bloc’s annual summit. The leaders also reiterated their support for a political solution in both Yemen and

Syria and condemned the militias currently operating in Libya. They also voiced their support for the Libyan elected national council as the legitimate body to govern the country. Additionally, the communique announced that the leaders unanimously supported the political roadmap in Egypt and President Abdul Fattah Al Sisi.

Ready to Fly

This was announced by Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airway’s Group Chief Executive, in a press conference attended by over 150 members of the international media who had travelled from all corners of the globe to witness the delivery of Airbus’ most modern and fuel efficient extra-wide-body airliner (A350 XWB) to its global launch customer, QA.

FRANCE, Toulouse: The CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker, poses aboard an A350 during an hour flight over France on December 22, 2014. Airbus delivered its first next-generation A350-900 plane to Qatar Airways in a formal ceremony that kick starts its bid to erode rival Boeing’s dominance in the lucrative long-haul market. AFP PHOTO / ERIC CABANIS

EGYPT AND QATAR SHRUG OFF DIFFERENCES? Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi said his country “looked forward to turning the page on past differences” with Qatar following talks with the Emir, suggesting a possible thaw in relations between the two estranged Arab nations.

meeting in Cairo brokered by Saudi Arabia and attended by Khalid al-Tuwaijri, a close aide of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, signalled Riyadh’s determination to push for a reconciliation between Egypt and Qatar after the failure of its efforts last month to end

what had become a feud between the two countries. Meanwhile the Emiri Diwan released a statement affirming its “complete support for sisterly Egypt”, adding that an envoy of the Emir, H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, has called on President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi.

SERVING RIGHT In Doha, the hospitality market also witnessed an increase in occupancy, from 67% in October 2013 to 77% in October 2014. The increase in occupancy was paired with a jump in Average Daily Rates, from QR922 ($253) in October 2013 to QR990 ($272) in October 2014. These increases can be attributed to many GCC nationals coming to Doha during the Eid Al Adha Holiday.

AJ EGYPT SUSPENDED Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr (AJMM), broadcasting live from Egypt, has temporarily ceased service, according to the channel.

he suspension of the Al Jazeera Live Egypt channel is said to be Qatar’s biggest concession yet to an 18-month campaign by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the Egyptian government to press Qatar to stop its backing for supporters of Egypt’s deposed president, Mohammad Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood. QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 15

affairs > local “It would really need an earthquake, extremely important new elements to go back on this World Cup in Qatar,” Blatter told a press conference after the FIFA executive committee agreed to release a report on alleged corruption surrounding the tournaments awarded to Russia in 2018 and Qatar in 2022.

QIA INCREASES STAKE IN ASIAN RETAIL GIANT Hong Kong’s Lau family and Qatar Investment Authority agreed to pay HK$7.75 billion ($1 billion) to increase their stakes in department store operator Lifestyle International Holdings Ltd. (1212)

homas Lau, Lifestyle’s chief executive officer, and his family hold 50% of the Hong Kong-based retailer after acquiring a 29% stake, triggering a mandatory offer for the owner of the Sogo department stores, according to a statement to the stock exchange. QIA’s holding totals 22.8% from purchasing 2.9% of the company in the transactions that were completed December 22, it said.

Women reign “The Qatari woman has proved her efficiency in the economic field, in business and investment projects which were reserved for men for a long time. They are now working successfully in the financial, real estate, telecommunication, energy and other sectors.” Aisha Al Fardan, Vice-Chairwoman of Qatar Businesswomen Association at the fifth annual Qatar International Businesswomen Forum held last month. The theme of the forum this year was ‘Business Women and the New Age of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Social Responsibility’.

16 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

STORAGE FACILITIES The Minister of Economy and Commerce, H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al Thani announced that investments of Qatari companies in the new storage facility area are estimated at QR2.77 billion.

n remarks during the launch of the Warehouse Project the minister said the project, which will be carried out in a single phase within a period of about 24 months, aims at providing suitable storage facilities for small and medium-sized enterprises in terms of size, location and use.

Doha hosted the Supercoppa Italiana final on December 22 which saw Napoli beat Juventus 6-5 on penalties after an action-packed match that ended 2-2 after extra time.

Women Score More than 78% of the graduates of Qatar University (QU) during the 2013-2014 academic year were females, says a report released by QU ahead of National Day. A total of

1,261

students graduated during the year, including

822

females and

273 males.

The number of Qatari graduates stood at 649. The number of students increased by

59%

over the past three years, reaching

16,499

during the 2013-2014 academic year.

DEBT DIP Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public debt declined to 32% of GDP in 2013, as the government-issued bonds and sukuk matured. Debt issuance, however, in the form of T-bills and bonds continues apace as the authorities manage liquidity and further develop the domestic debt market.

atarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current account surplus, while still large by international standards at an estimated 27.6% of GDP in 2014, is projected to narrow to 21.2% of GDP in 2015 and 16.6% of GDP in 2016 due to a combination of plateauing LNG and crude oil exports, softer energy prices and rising imports. While export growth is expected to level off, the commissioning of the Barzan facility should provide some increase in exports of products associated with gas production such as LPG and petrochemicals. QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 17

affairs > local

Will US-Qatar FTA becomes a reality? The United States has inked a pact on free trade with Oman and Bahrain in the region while nothing is being done with respect to the remaining four GCC countries. Qatar Today talks to former Ambassador to Bahrain and member of the US-Arab Chamber of Commerce Adam Ereli about the glitches that are obstructing the pact. BY V.L.SRINIVASAN

he largest increase is on public projects, where allocations are up 40% to QR74.88 billion. Education received an expected boost once again with a 15% increase in spending as the country continues its focus on creating a knowledge-based economy. A large portion of the current spending on education goes into research and development. “This is a key step ahead as the education sector now has a 3.8% share of the country’s GDP,” said Minister of Economy and Finance HE Yousuf Hussein Kamal. Healthcare spending increased by 13%, and the health minister said the outlay includes spending on Al Wakra Hospital (bringing it to full capacity), Sidra Hospital, and building several specialised hospitals for women and children. Total revenues are estimated at QR218 billion ($60 billion), up 6% on the previous fiscal year; much of the estimated increase is expected to come through tax collection. The budgetary estimates are based on an oil price of $65 a barrel, unchanged from the previous budget. Current expenditure has been estimated at QR77.52 billion, up 27% on the previous fiscal year, while salaries and wages have been given an outlay of QR44.26 billion (up

18 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

24%). Capital expenditure has increased by 9% to QR11.35 billion. The minister said that the country’s economy was expected to grow by over 4%, backed mainly by growth in the non-hydrocarbons sector. Education Some of the finest universities in the US such as Carnegie Mellon, Texas A&M University and Weil Cornell have opened campuses in Doha. Besides, globally reputed firms like ExxonMobil, Conoco and Boeing have been part of Qatar’s economic miracle. In fact, Qatar Airways is one of Boeing’s most important customers and created employment for thousands of Americans. Qatar Petroleum and the Qatar Investment Authority are investing billions of dollars in US industries. Both countries even signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), providing a forum for the US and Qatar to examine ways to expand bilateral trade and investment. This is the ninth TIFA the United States has signed with a Middle Eastern country. However, the US has signed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) only with Jordan, Oman and Bahrain in the Middle East on the plea that these agree-

ments eliminate all trade and tax barriers to US investment and make those countries’ labour, licensing and legal regulations in areas of trade and investment the same as those of the US. “To have an FTA, a country must agree to allow US investors to have wholly-owned entities in the partner country and produce and export products duty free. In addition, the requirement for local sponsorship or agencies must be removed. Not every country is willing to do that,” Adam Ereli, who recently led a US trade mission comprising senior officials of several US companies to the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, says. Ereli points out that the European Union (EU) trade agreements are nowhere near as comprehensive and do not require the same degree of political will and reform on the part of their GCC partners. “The level of US-Qatar bilateral trade is unprecedented and creates a strong foundation for close relations between the two countries. However, I don’t really think the obstacle to the US-Qatar FTA lies with the US. If Qatar really wants one, we are ready to negotiate,” Ereli says when asked whether the US-Arab Chamber of Commerce would impress upon his government to have such a treaty in the near future. According to him, trade between the US and the GCC has been strong and growing and the demand for American goods and services has never been higher. “I believe that this is recognition by the GCC businesses and governments that in terms of price and quality, the US offers its customers the best value proposition." Iran-West talks On whether the ongoing nuclear talks between the Western countries and Iran would impact US-GCC trade, Ereli feels that no concessions should be offered to Iran as the latter poses a threat to the region. “It is a very sensitive subject and one

“The level of US-Qatar bilateral trade is unprecedented and creates a strong foundation for close relations between the two countries. However, I don’t really think the obstacle to the US-Qatar FTA lies with the US. If Qatar really wants one, we are ready to negotiate.” ADAM ERELI Member US-Arab Chamber of Commerce

that causes me great concern. I am of the view that Iran remains a dangerous threat to the region. Any compromise regarding its nuclear programme should be avoided. Unfortunately, the current US administration believes that an agreement limiting Iran’s nuclear activity would be a good thing and could open the door to more normal relations. I do not agree,” he says. Bonding trade ties About the Chamber’s recent visit to the three GCC countries, Ereli says 19 companies such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, Occidental, BAPCO, ADNOC, Aramco, Fluor, Halliburton, QP and RasGas, met business leaders to provide cyber security, water purification and executive business education to GCC institutions. “Despite all the progress the world has made, there are still deep gaps in cultural understanding between us. By bringing teachers and young students together, we build bridges between our countries that help to bring us closer together. The Chamber is developing a plan to expand this programme and help change the lives of the next generation for the better so that we can build a truly global village,” Ereli adds QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 19

Business > Bank Notes “The stable outlook for GCC banks is driven by strong operating conditions coupled with expansionary fiscal policies and continued infrastructure spending, which remain supportive of credit growth.” KHALID HOWLADAR Senior Credit Officer, Moody’s

BARWA BANK TO FUND QATAR METRO JV Barwa Bank has been appointed as the sole book runner to arrange financing of more than QR3.64 billion ($1 billion) for a joint venture that won a bid for the country’s metro project from Qatar Rail.

he Alysj joint venture, which won the deal for Gold Line Underground package, consists of Aktor of Greece, Larsen and Toubro of India, Yapi Merkezi Insaat Ve Sanayi of Turkey, Sezai Turkes Feyzi Akkaya Marine Construction (STFA) of Turkey and Al Jaber Engi-

Qatar International Islamic Bank has won two awards from Commerzbank AG, Frankfurt for the best “Straight Through Processing (STP) in Qatar” in the fields of Commercial Payments and Trade Finance for 2013.

T neering of Qatar. Barwa Bank, First Gulf Bank of Abu Dhabi and Qatar International Islamic Bank were MLAs (mandated lead arrangers) on the transaction. The facilities include guarantees and working capital financing for the Gold Line Metro Rail project.

QNB NAMES NEW CEO Qatar National Bank (QNB), the largest Arab lender with operations in 26 countries, has announced the appointment of Ali Ahmed Al Kuwari as the bank’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Kuwari was named acting CEO in July 2013 and replaces HE Ali Shareef Al Emadi, who was appointed as Qatar’s Finance Minister last year.

20 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

TWO AWARDS FOR QIIB

his is the first time that the leading German bank is handing over two awards to a bank simultaneously. The awards were handed over by Commerzbank Relationship Managers Stefan Dettner and Ertugrul Goeaelel to QIIB’s Chief Operating Officer Ehab Eshehawi.

QCB ISSUES NEW TREASURY BILLS Qatar Central Bank has issued new treasury bills on December 2 for a period of three, six and nine months in the amount of QR2 billion, QR1 billion and QR1 billion, respectively. These bills will mature on March 3, June 2 and September 1 in 2015, the statement said.

business > bank notes

“We have a role in Qatar’s future”

Tourism is one of the major components of Qatar’s economic diversification plans and Commercial Bank Qatar Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Saleh Al Raisi tells Qatar Today how their bank is part of the programme. By V L Srinivasan

ntending to improve tourism’s contribution to GDP from 0.8% in 2012 to 3.1% by 2030, the government has been encouraging private sector participation in various ongoing infrastructure projects in the country and the domestic banks have been playing their role to ensure the government’s efforts are a success. Al Raisi says Commercial Bank has a strong presence in infrastructure and contract finance, and is a major issuer of guarantees for large projects in Qatar. Qatar’s successful bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup has fast-tracked for award over the next five years more than QR582 billion ($160 billion) of infrastructure projects in different sectors such as tourism, transportation, sports, airlines, energy, utilities and other sectors. “We are playing a major role in the development of Qatar’s private sector, of which tourism is

22 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

a growing component. The self-sustaining growth and vitality of the private sector is the key to diversifying income streams and reducing Qatar’s dependence on hydrocarbon wealth in line with the National Vision 2030,” Al Raisi says. The bank has been facilitating economic development not only at the largest scale by lending to the large corporate sector but also at the smallest scale by lending to individuals and SMEs. SMEs are globally recognised as essential drivers for economic diversification, creating new jobs and new sources of innovation, he says. Hub for sports and arts "Tourism received a boost as several arts and sports events are lined up to be held in the next eight years and we have been sponsoring events such as Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, Commercial Bank Grand Prix of Qatar Moto GP, IAAF

“We are not the biggest bank in Qatar but we are leading Qatar’s banking industry for quality of service and innovation. Quality of service is what we believe in. This matters the most to our customers and this is why our customers choose to bank with us and stay banking with us.” ABDULLAH SALEH AL RAISI CEO, Commercial Bank Qatar

Diamond League Athletics, World Men’s Handball Championship and squash to promote the sector," he says. “All these events are enhancing Qatar’s international sporting reputation as the country gears up for the ultimate sporting event of all: the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Coupled with Qatar’s outstanding cultural attractions including Katara Cultural Village and the Museum of Islamic Art, Qatar is holding sporting and cultural events of sufficient prestige and quality to attract tourists to the country,” Al Raisi says. He says their bank believes in the dictum that sport plays an integral role in today’s society by promoting healthy lifestyles and teamwork and has been a proud supporter of National Sports Day. The bank is a strategic partner of Katara Cultural Village, symbolising its commitment to foster cultural activities in Qatar, and supports several humanitarian projects for the disadvantaged and less fortunate in the Qatari society including the Al Noor Institute for the Blind, Al Raisi says. CBQ and Qatar’s financial sector According to him, Commercial Bank is a customer-centric organisation where quality of service is accorded importance - from retail customers in branches to executives at big corporates. “We are not the biggest bank in the country but we are leading Qatar’s banking industry for quality of service and innovation, which is what we believe matters to our customers most and this is why our customers choose to bank with us and stay banking with us,” Al Raisi says. He says a shortlist of achievements over a nearly 40-year history reflects a bank of innovation and “firsts” in Qatar. The bank was the first to provide personal and vehicle loans in Qatar in 1988 and the first ATMs in 1990. “We introduced the first point-of-sale machines in 1992 and the first mobile banking app in Qatar in 2009. In 2006, we were the first Qatari bank to list on the London Stock Exchange and

the first to list a bond issue on the SIX Swiss Exchange in 2010,” he recalls. The management also considers investment in technology a high priority as it is a central component of innovation and enhancing customer service. Some of the most striking uses of technology seen in recent years have been through the rise in Internet and mobile banking services. "Commercial Bank, therefore, devotes an enormous amount of research, design and thinking into our digital channels such as our website, online banking platforms and mobile apps," he says. Overseas expansion Explaining the overseas operations, he says Commercial Bank’s acquisition of a 74.24% stake in Turkey’s Alternatifbank (ABank) in 2013 represented the latest step in its successful international expansion and acquisition strategy following a 34.9% stake in National Bank of Oman in 2005, and a 40% stake in United Arab Bank in the UAE in 2007. A major factor in the bank’s investment decision was Turkey’s long-term growth opportunities and the growing trade flows between Turkey and the Gulf region. “Whilst the Qatari market will continue to be our core business, we will continue to selectively invest in profitable and growth businesses overseas to strengthen our position as one of the leading commercial banks in the region,” he says. Performance in 2014 The bank is not a big player in the league but its contribution along with its subsidiaries cannot be ignored. In the first nine months of 2014 (till September 30), the bank has earned a net profit of QR1.5 billion, a 19% increase in profitability as against the corresponding period in 2013. On a quarterly basis, the bank has generated a net profit of QR503 million in the third quarter of 2014, an increase of 79% compared to the corresponding period in 2013, he adds (see right)

FIGURES

NET OPERATING INCOME UP

22% 19% 8.6%

TO QR2.9 BILLION NET PROFIT UP

TO QR1.5 BILLION

TOTAL ASSETS UP

TO QR114 BILLION

CUSTOMER LOANS AND ADVANCES UP

8.9%

AT QR71 BILLION CUSTOMERS’ DEPOSITS UP

TO QR58 BILLION EARNINGS PER SHARE STANDS AT QR 1.54

QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 23

business > realty check SHEIKH MOHAMED BIN FAISAL BIN QASSIM AL THANI Board member Qatar Businessmen Association

“The final BOI report for this year shows that optimism prevails in Qatar, with a majority of businesses confident of embarking upon new projects as the country continues its bold and progressive journey towards the realisation of our National Vision.”

QATARI ROYALS TO BUILD MEGA MANSION IN LONDON? Qatar’s royal family is said to be planning to convert three of London’s most prestigious addresses into a single mega-mansion valued at over QR1.14 billion (£200 million), according to media reports.

he family, which already owns famous London landmarks including the Shard, Harrods and the Olympic Park, has submitted plans to convert three properties in Regent’s Park. The reports also said that Her Highness Sheika Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned bought the mansions last year for a reported QR570.49 million (£120

million), and hired a team of architects to redesign the properties into living quarters. The plans include transforming the already spacious homes into a 33,000-square feet palace, with a spa complex, heated pool, space for two limousines, games rooms, elevators, a gym and quarters for a butler and live-in nanny, the reports added.

QR 2.9 BILLION REALTY DEALS IN NOVEMBER The real estate deals in the first three weeks of November have touched QR2.9 billion and may cross QR4 billion by the end of the month, according to the latest monthly report from Ezdan Group. The total real estate transactions in Qatar stood at QR4.5 billion in October 2014 while it was QR5.9 billion for November 2013. Barwa Real Estate has sold two land plots in Mesaimeer for a sum of QR5.3 billion, the report said. Qatar’s construction sector is expected to be about QR116.48 billion ($32 billion) in 2014-15, achieving a growth rate of 54%. Infrastructure projects in Qatar are set to exceed QR254.8 billion ($70 billion) during the next seven years.

KATARA BUYS LLOYDS’S STAKE IN LONDON SAVOY HOTEL The Savoy, the five-star London hotel once frequented by Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe and Claude Monet, is now owned by Qatar and one of Saudi Arabia’s richest men, a Bloomberg report says.

atar’s government-owned Katara Hospitality bought a 50% stake from Lloyds Banking Group and Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding owns the rest, the report says, citing a statement from King-

24 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

dom Holding. Katara Hospitality, owned by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, is in talks to buy “iconic” hotels in London and Rome as it seeks to more than double its properties by 2030, Chief Operating Officer Christopher R J Knable said last year.

business> oil&gas GAS PRICES AFFECTED TOO

The sharp drop in global oil prices has also caused the value of natural gas to depreciate, according to Mohammed Saleh Abdulla Al Sada, Qatar's Minister of Energy and Industry. “Energy markets are interconnected, and we can see the effects of the oil price drop affecting gas too,” Al Sada told reporters in Doha. There was already a “strong degree of conversion of gas spot prices between different regions,” he said on the sidelines of the 16th ministerial meeting of gas-exporting countries. Al Sada was upbeat about the prospects for the gas market, however, saying both supply and demand were increasing. “We believe that gas has a strong advantage not only as a source of energy but a source of a cleaner energy. And gas demand is likely to be further augmented,” he said.

SAUDI STANDS ITS GROUND “In a situation like this, it is difficult, if not impossible, that the kingdom or OPEC would carry out any action that may result in a reduction of its share in the market and an increase of others’ shares,” Ali Al Naimi, Saudi Oil Minister said, according to the state-run news agency. Saudi Arabia, the largest producer in OPEC, will stick to its oil policies, he said.

RUSSIA IN A FIX

Russia will keep its crude oil output steady next year and plunging prices will stabilise, Energy Minister Alexander Novak said, reiterating comments made a month ago that the nation won’t adjust supply to halt a rout.

NOT TO MISS

he world’s largest crude producer’s output will be similar to this year’s 10.6 million barrels a day, Novak said at the 16th Ministerial Meeting of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Doha. Brent, the global benchmark, fell almost 50% since the end of 2013, contributing to a currency crisis in Russia, which relies on energy for half its budget. By keeping oil output unchanged, Russia is matching a strategy by OPEC, which said November 27 that it won’t curb production to tackle a global surplus. Sanctions imposed by the U.S. and European Union over the conflict in Ukraine spurred the worst capital outflows in six years as the economy nears recession.

The 5th Offshore Middle East Conference and Exhibition, that will take place between January 26 - 28, 2015 at the Qatar National Convention Centre, will see as many as 45 local and international organisations come together under the theme of ‘optimising performance’.

LibyaLibya

European UnionUnion European

United Kingdom United Kingdom

-45.7 -45.7

-44.3 -44.3

Norway Norway -25.5 -25.5

-50% -40%

-36.5 -36.5

-19.1 -19.1 Iran Iran

-20.0 -20.0 Algeria Algeria

-18.6 -18.6 Venezuela Venezuela

8.1

-9.2 Mexico -9.2 Mexico

SaudiSaudi Arabia Arabia 8.1

9.6 9.6 ChinaChina

23.1 23.1

BrazilBrazil 11.6 11.6

Russia Russia 8.4 8.4

-30% -20% -40% -30%

Canada Canada

47.5 47.5 United United States States

0% 10% -10% 0% -20% -10%

Iraq Iraq

20% 30% 10% 20%

29.4 29.4

50% 40% 50% 30% 40%

-50%much crude oil production changed between 2008 and 2013. How The US is way out front, disrupting the global oil game.

2,000,000

2,000,000 1,800,000

Permian

1,800,000 1,600,000

Permian

rd Fo rd o F e gl Ea kken a B n kke Ba

1,600,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 1,000,000 800,000 800,000 600,000 600,000 400,000 400,000 200,000 200,0000 0

America’s shale super fields since 2011. North Dakota’s Bakken and south Texas’ Eagle Ford are both now producing more than 1 million barrels a day, up from practically nothing just a few years ago.

THE US OIL MARKET Crude oil production from U.S. wells is poised to approach a 42-year record next year as drillers ignore the recent decline in price pointing them in the opposite direction.

.S. energy producers plan to pump more crude in 2015 as declining equipment costs and enhanced drilling techniques more than offset the collapse in oil markets, said Troy Eckard, whose Eckard Global LLC owns stakes in more than 260 North Dakota shale wells. Oil companies, while trimming 2015 budgets to cope with the lowest crude prices in five years, are also shifting their focus to their most prolific, lowest-cost fields, which means extracting more oil with fewer drilling rigs, said Goldman Sachs Group Inc. ExxonMobil Corp. (XOM), the largest U.S. energy company, will increase oil production next year by the biggest margin since 2010. So far, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ -50% month-old bet that American drillers would be crushed by cratering prices -50% has been a bust.

business > viewpoint

How far do we need to go? Qatar’s diversification:

Consumers in the US and across Europe are cheering as prices at the pump are falling ahead of the holiday season, making travel cheaper. This is of course on the back of falling oil prices – the WTI benchmark hit a new low of QR280.28 ($77) a barrel from a peak of just over QR382.2 ($105) in late May 2014.

he change is the result of both cyclical and structural factors that are likely to persist, according to industry experts while the rapid change in energy prices highlights the importance of economic and financial diversification for Qatar. But what exactly is driving lower oil prices? On the cyclical side, regional instability initially pulled up the price over the summer period with panic buying but the picture quickly changed when supply in troubled countries turned out to be higher than expected. Additional supply by Saudi Arabia along with a weaker than expected global economic outlook translated into downward pressure on oil benchmarks. The bigger picture however has to do with higher production in the US, the

28 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

world’s largest consumer of oil, driven by new fracking technology that has caused the traditional supply-demand dynamics of decades past to break down: according to the Energy Information Administration, the United States’ net import share of oil stands at around 30% in 2014 down from a high of 60% in 2005. Is an oil price rebound in the offing? On the cyclical side, downward pressure due to weak demand is likely to persist in the first half of 2015, according to a recent report by the Internal Energy Agency. On the structural side, “there may be some slowing [production in the US], but it’s not going to be dramatic if we stay around QR291.2 ($80) a barrel,” according to a senior Vice President at the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank (NYtimes.com.)

bers (2%) and metals (1%). The over-reliance on oil and gas implies that changes in energy prices have a big impact on Qatar’s product export revenue. But other countries in the Gulf have shown that countries’ export performance can improve with the right initiatives in place. The UAE, for example, has managed to diversify its export base: mineral products account for only 68% of its product export revenue, followed second by metals (20%) and third, machinery (4%). The UAE has managed to diversify its economy through various initiatives, not least of which is the creation of highly successful economic zones. As Qatar embarks on the creation of three new economic zones, the right policies can have a big impact on the country’s product export performance, potentially boosting Qatar’s non-hydrocarbon revenue share by nearly 25 percentage points.

Lower oil prices Overall, the GCC will likely have to live with lower oil prices in the medium term. In the longer term, the 2024 forecast for the US is for its share of imported oil to fall to 15%, half of its current level, according to the US Energy Information Administration. As mentioned earlier, these changing energy price dynamics – which are also at work in the natural gas sector – imply that Qatar’s reliance on oil and gas needs to be reduced further. One measure of reliance on hydrocarbons is the revenue share of oil and gas in exported products. Over 92% of Qatar’s product export revenue is from mineral products (gas, crude and refined petroleum products). For the remaining 8%, the biggest export items are chemical products (3%), plastics and rub-

Financial diversification But diversification is not only to be found in the country’s economic output. Financial diversification, through revenue from its sovereign wealth fund will have a big impact on the composition of Qatar’s budget revenue. The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), estimated to be currently holding assets worth over QR618.8 billion ($170 billion), is a relative newcomer among sovereign wealth funds but has actively acquired equity participation in banks, real estate and commercial enterprises across the world. Oil and gas revenues currently contribute 64% of government revenue while investment income accounts for only 14%. As the QIA grows in size, revenues from its income generating assets will allow Qatar’s government to become less dependent on the vagaries of the oil and gas markets. Financial diversification is also indirectly linked to the domestic non-oil and gas sectors. Indeed, government revenue stemming from corporate profits and other sources of revenue currently constitute only 21% of overall revenue. When compared to regional benchmarks, diversification in products exported through its economic zones can increase the government’s revenue share from corporate profits. This would not only ensure that Qatar remains on a stable footing in a period of low energy prices, it would also allow the government to reduce Qatar’s fiscal breakeven price for oil

BY DR TAREK COURY

Overall, the GCC will likely have to live with lower oil prices in the medium term. In the longer term, the 2024 forecast for the US is for its share of imported oil to fall to 15%, half of its current level, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

ABOUT TAREK COURY Dr Tarek Coury is an economist at Silatech, a social initiative based in Doha, Qatar.

QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 29

technology > viewpoint

Qatar moves to tackle cyber crime Cyber security is high on the list of challenges that could prove a hurdle to Qatar’s economic development, although it is also being seen as an opportunity for potential growth in the information, communication and technology (ICT) industry.

emand for stronger internet security is rising in Qatar, fuelled by greater awareness of its importance, following several high-profile cyber crimes. Qatar has pledged to tackle what it terms its “three grand challenges” of cyber security, water and energy through research, investment and education. Cyber attacks Cyber threats are on the rise worldwide. A study by the SANS Institute, a UK-based

research group on information security, said that the number of organisations with identified or suspected security breaches had increased by nearly 40% in 2014 from 28% a year ago, with only 9% confident their systems have not been penetrated. Events in recent years have highlighted such concerns. In August 2012 malware struck Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer, wiping critical data from 30,000 of its computers. Later that month, a cyber-attack virus crashed the website and office computer systems at RasGas, one of two LNG producers. A report by technology firm Cisco released earlier this year said businesses in the Middle East were increasingly becoming the target of cyber attacks, with energy firms particularly at risk. Cyber-criminals are attacking internet infrastructure rather than individual computers or devices, with the aim of breaching and stealing data. The threat to businesses was highlighted in a recent speech by Qatar’s Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Dr Hessa Sultan Al Jaber. “Cyber security is vital to our national security, business competitiveness, and sustainability. It is critical to our future and the economy,” she said at the keynote address during the Cyber Security Summit - Middle East. However, within that challenge lie opportunities. “We can turn these risks into exciting opportunities such as job generation, innovation, and advancements,” she added. ICT rise Although the ICT sector in Qatar is deeply concerned over issues such as cyber secu-

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rity attacks, metrics like web connectivity and mobile broadband consumption indicate a country that is increasingly pluggedin, and willing to invest to stay that way. Support from state institutions is encouraging entrepreneurs and researchers to build their ideas into sellable products. A recent report by market intelligence firm IDC estimates a 14-15% rise in IT spending in Qatar this year due to growth in hosting and managed services. “Competition is expected to increase in Qatar as a greater number of IT services companies establish or expand their operations in order to tap into the growing opportunities in the country,” said Eric Samuel, senior research analyst at IDC Middle East, Africa, and Turkey. Doha’s plans to become a smart city, which include ensuring all areas are interconnected, have already begun generating higher demand for ICT services across the public and private sectors, according to Mohammad Hammoudi, general manager for Cisco in Qatar. Increased awareness of security issues, and in particular hacking, has led to security upgrades becoming the most in-demand services, he added. “Cyber security and physical security, such as cameras, have become the number one priority in the sector. Cisco has witnessed a huge increase in service requests related to this,” he told OBG. Ghada El Rassi, the CEO of MEEZA, a privately-held joint venture with Qatar Foundation, which provides essential IT

support, echoed this sentiment, noting that there had been a shift in clients’ requirements from managed services towards security. “Cyber attacks in Qatar and other countries have created an awareness of cyber security issues,” she told OBG. “It has become a need. We are seeing demand in disaster recovery, business continuity plans and security services.” Research A push to make cyber security research a priority has already led Qatar to deepen its pool of experts, while state agencies are joining forces with research institutes and private firms to build up protective measures and develop exportable technologies for IT security. In September, Qatar University (QU) and French corporation Thales announced the establishment of a cyber security chair at the university. QU said the chair would work with students, faculty and industry leaders to identify cyber security issues and put forward best practices in responding to them. Last year, Qatar Computer Research Institute (QCRI), an initiative of Qatar Foundation for computer research, set up a cyber security research centre to find solutions for the cyber security issues in the country. Alongside the focus on research, Qatar’s government has moved to clamp down on cyber criminals. In mid-September, the country tightened its cyber security legislation, introducing higher fines and penalties for unauthorised accessing of any website

BY OLIVER CORNOCK The author is the Regional Editor of Oxford Business Group.

“A push to make cyber security research a priority has already led Qatar to deepen its pool of experts, while state agencies are joining forces with research institutes and private firms to build up protective measures and develop exportable technologies for IT security.”

QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 31

newsbites > regional

T H E P E AC E O F L A N D

A man holds a Palestinian flag and a baby olive tree during a demonstration intended to plant 300 olive trees in the village of Turmus Aya near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on December 10,. Ziad Abu Ein, who was in charge of the issue of Israeli settlements for the Palestinian Authority, died after scuffles with Israeli forces during the protest march in the West Bank, medical and security sources told AFP. AFP PHOTO / ABBAS MOMANI

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development > listening post

For the

love of

journalism

34 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

If there is one man who rode on the power of broadcasting, the kind that brought about the downfall of age-old regimes and wily dictators, it was Wadah Khanfar, the ex-Director General of Al Jazeera. And now after he has given it all up, he is as possessed by the profession as before; though he now uses his power to motivate the youth, as he did at the Shape ME Conference held in Doha last month. By Sindhu Nair

have always been terrified at the prospect of interviewing a prominent journalist. Would he grasp my lack of profound expertise in world politics, pick on my seemingly deficient journalistic traits, or dismiss my years of work as inconsequential? Armed with all these reservations and some others, due to the lack of time allocated for the interview, I meet the man who changed the course of Arab journalism: Wadah Khanfar, the ex-Director General of Al Jazeera network. I shouldn’t have worried as here was a man who loved his vocation with a passion and telling stories, his included, comes naturally to him – all he needed was someone to ask the right questions. After a highly-volatile and successful eight-year tenure as the Director General of Al Jazeera, Khanfar, “voluntarily” resigned and speculations have been rife to this day, some insisting that he was asked to leave by the owners of the channel, the ruling family. From war correspondent to Baghdad Bureau Chief to Director General from 2003 until he stepped down in 2011, Khanfar has worked through the closure and bombing of Al Jazeera’s bureaus during the Arab Spring, the murder of its journalists and propaganda smears. On reasons why he quit, he has been quoted thus: “People have created a lot of discussions about this issue, but I really feel that eight years is enough for any business leader to accomplish his mission. After that, it is going to be difficult to continue. This was the right time for me to move on and start thinking about new issues to get

involved in.” Whatever the motives, here is someone who does miss being in the limelight, “the thrill of being in the news room, the excitement of being at the centre of events as they evolve”, the “adrenaline rush”, but who does not pine much for the administrative part of the job. He says, “News, which is the core of what Al Jazeera is about, is what I essentially miss; of getting news, of interacting with journalists and experts.” So how does he feel when he looks at news as it unfolds on the screen? Does his brain react as instinctively as it used to when he was at AJ, or has he really moved away from it all? “You cannot undo the journalistic instinct, it comes with the territory,” he says. “Listening to a news bulletin is not relaxing anymore because your mind is constantly looking at probabilities, at the complexities behind it, the context, the superficiality of it all, the anecdotes and sometimes the depth of the issue discussed. You are not only listening to a news bulletin but also judging the way it was done.” My worry resurfaces yet again but I go back to questioning with the adeptness that would shame even the most expert journo. Three years after he has left the channel, Khanfar retains the perspective of a journalist even as he heads the Sharq Forum, which its website states is an independent international network whose mission is to develop long-term strategies to ensure the political development, social justice and economic prosperity of the Arab world. Khanfar looks back at his career and QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 35

development > listening post "Diversity became part of my intellectual paradigm. I started to understand the various political, cultural, religious background of the people that I was in touch with."

remembers the first changes that he made when he joined the channel and here his ruminations take on a philosophical undertone that defines what he is currently undertaking at Al Sharq. “I came from a research and study background and was a student of international politics, and the difference between being embedded in long-term political and strategic struggle and reporting news of today is an issue of mentality,” he says. “An analyst takes time to think about the story, of looking at it from various angles, while a journalist loves to catch the story and make sure that it has been broadcasted immediately.” It took Khanfar time to adjust to these two completely different genres of reporting: “From being someone who loves the analytics of news to understanding the immediacy of news, especially since TV reporting is much more about the topicality of news than even newspaper reporting, took time, but change I did”. The change in mentality, this inner change, was hence the first big step towards building a network that made sense of the Arab world, its conflicts and celebrations, its complexities and simplicities, the deep mysteries associated with the region, to the rest of the world. “The quiet life of living in a place like South Africa, enjoying the happenings of the country and covering it, to adapting to

36 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

change and moving on to Afghanistan and then later to Iran, and Qatar, when the rest of my life at Al Jazeera could only be called dramatic; to enjoy all this I had to change my thinking and accept the change as part of my life’s calling,” he says. The Donkey and more such lessons Here Khanfar takes us back to his school days where life was much simpler, when his morning rides to school on a donkey (“a beautiful animal with zero maintenance – you can tie it to a tree and feed it grass”) took on a deeper, more sublime meaning in his life, “a routine that can be compared to meditation”. Khanfar wishes to bring back that solitude he enjoyed into the busy lives we lead now, where not a minute passes without being interrupted by a Whatsapp message or an email communication. Change is not comfortable and for many a routine is difficult to shake off, but to enjoy the new roles thrust on us there has to be acceptance from within to understand and enjoy the “ride”. But even as one adapts to change, Khanfar stresses the need to hold on to core values that define a person. Here he talks about the values he imbibed when he was in Sudan, his next stop after college, “where life was certainly not easy but was still enriching because of the richness of the society, even in dire poverty

of resources”. It was here that he learnt to understand diversity and use it to comprehend without prejudging anyone. He delves into the study that he was involved in when reporting from South Africa on the Masai tribe, “with core values much more sophisticated than most modern societies, a social justice system that was erudite, and a pure joy of enjoying life at their own terms”, all opening Khanfar’s mind to the diversity around him and the callousness with which man dismisses values without deeper understanding. Diversity became part of my intellectual paradigm, he says. “I stopped judging and started to understand the various political, cultural, religious backgrounds of the people that I was in touch with.” It was this philosophy that Khanfar introduced within Al Jazeera, which he terms the Mind of the Nation, the understanding that each and every country has its uniqueness, and to understand it you have to entrench yourself in that culture. This is the reason why Al Jazeera always made it a point to send journalists of the same nationality to cover incidents in their country, “to understand the intricacies, the soul behind the matter”. He ridiculed the lack of depth in many of the stories of Western news agencies, where correspondents were sent “overnight to Afghanistan, to Iran, to

give an overview of the situation”. Here he touches on an incident in war-ridden Afghanistan, where two Pashtuns living in dire poverty, displacement and destruction, invited the passing journalists (Khanfar included) for a hot cup of tea and bread and later refused to accept money as a form of appreciation and were even offended because in the Pashtun tradition it was their duty to be hospitable to guests. Change in AJ Al Jazeera took on a new form of in-depth reporting during Khanfar’s time and it is his research background along with his journalism experience that made him opt for this change in reporting style. “I found that the superficiality of TV in particular and live reporting was affecting the perceptual framework of analysing news. Therefore to make use of news for a wider audience and take it beyond reporting to education and awareness, I introduced an analytical tone in reporting at AJ,” he says. “Without taking away the immediacy of news, we made stories more live and connected with wider realities which would convert news into knowledge.” The next revolution in news reporting came in the form of citizen journalism. “This was a revolution within AJ, even an international awakening. AJ was one of the few networks which started including citizen journalism as part of newsroom journalism, and integrating it into mainstream news. So we had seasoned news editors with decades of expertise working with young inexperienced citizens, sitting next to them, feeding them with news and new perspectives of life.” Al Jazeera is said to have played a leading role in the Arab Spring and even taught demonstrators tactics and strategy, giving rebel leaders a platform and airing powerful user-generated content off the Internet that stimulated millions to take to the streets. Though Khanfar does not go into the larger role that AJ played in the revolutions, he speaks about the impact of the form of journalism that was introduced. “We were banned from Tunisia for years but we found our correspondents on the streets of Tunisia, feeding our newsroom with images of the conflict. We took the decision, to give voice to this voiceless group and to bring them to life, putting them inside every living room in the region through the channel and then this was replicated in Egypt, in Yemen, in Libya,” he says. But this was not such a simple process. There was resistance even within the news-

room, according to Khanfar, from experienced editors who did not want to use the inexperienced, uncouth form of journalism from the field, saying it would dilute the seriousness of the matter. “But eventually with time, they realised that we had no alternative but to use these citizen journalists found through social media, especially in areas where our bureaus were banned and where getting reporters was next to impossible. Slowly this interaction became much more comfortable; the young guys became more professional and the seasoned journos started opening their mind to the new ways of journalism.” This led AJ to be open-minded, dynamic and the most valued network in the region, according to Khanfar. But how tough was maintaining a network with the purest of news value without being influenced by

can keep serving the public,” says Khanfar, adding that he has tried his best to maintain this balance, though, he concedes that there have been instances when AJ has made mistakes: “We have gone much beyond what was necessary for things that might not be needed and have paid the price for it”. But Khanfar agrees to the fact that his profession made sure that he went through a cycle of emotions, “from being on top of the world for exposing news before any other channel, then a bit of disappointment when some exclusive news was lost to the channel when others got to it before us”; the low moments too were frequent, though not from the reporting side of his job. “It was from small details related to management, when you have to worry about finances, human resources: the management side of the job.”

"I had to create the moment of balance between maintaining the interest of the viewer as well as keeping an eye out for the benefit of the organisation so it can keep serving the public." other governing factors, like TRP rates, and government demands, if there were any? “There are two parts to my job,” says Khanfar, “the Director General, who is a journalist that wants to keep the core editorial values of AJ intact and advance the independence of the editorial, which might bring about confrontation with governments who will not like this freedom. The second is the executive, who wants to make sure that the interest of the organisation is preserved, that is to keep our offices intact and open, to communicate with everyone to keep the marketing channels working and profitable. Sometimes there is a conflict of interest in both these roles, sometimes the independence of the editorial might result in the closure of the bureau in a country, sometimes the presentation of the news might result in the journalists’ being impounded or jailed." “The point here is to create the moment of balance between maintaining the interest of the viewer as well as keeping an eye out for the benefit of the organisation so it

The euphoria that is part of the newsroom was exulted when the Mubarak regime was overthrown and is one such unforgettable moment that will go down in history. Khanfar had instructed his editors to keep the camera on Tahrir Square and not move it, nor add any comments, just to let the sound from the Square come loud and clear to the viewers. “That was a beautiful scene on the TV, the voice of the people without any interference.” QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 37

affairs > international

T E R RO R I S M K I L LS I N H U M A N E LY, Y E T AGA I N

Pakistani students in Karachi read the Quran and pray for the victims of the terrorist attack on an army-run school in Peshawar. Pakistan began three days of mourning on December 17 for the 132 children and nine school staff massacred by the Taliban in the country's deadliest ever terror attack, as the world united in revulsion. AFP PHOTO / RIZWAN TABASSUM

MANY MINDS

ONE THOUGHT

For our first issue of the New Year, Qatar Today wants to bring to focus the trend setters and the boundary pushers of 2014, who talk to us about the year they had and their hopes for the one to come. There is sheer unbridled energy in the air and it’s infectious. There is a stirring among the youth, a yearning for greater things, an urge to leave a mark. It’s almost a movement, a revolution. And it’s just the beginning.

The list that follows (which is in no particular order) is not complete. Not by a long shot. And we are happy to say, it’ll never be complete.

Those we have spoken to here are some of the best, most passionate and energetic minds in the country, each working towards their own calling, but together they weave a story that hasn’t been told before.

Qatar Today congratulates them on their successful year and wishes them more of the same in the days to come. Compiled by Ayswarya Murthy

affairs The Trend > local Setters

Mohammed Al Housani â&#x20AC;&#x153;It all starts with a question.

From an early age, my curiosity was encouraged and I was taught to ask questions. About everything. Asking questions makes you think, which makes you search for the answer, and that answer is usually found in science.â&#x20AC;?

42 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

Because..

The media-shy winner of the latest edition of Stars of Science has his finger on the country’s pulse.

This year especially, Qatar has made a tangible and substantial push towards solar energy, both in the private and public sectors. And Mohammed Al Housani’sTaqatech hybrid solar system couldn’t have come at a better time.

Looking back Texas A&M University in Qatar graduate Mohammed Al Housani entered into the service of Rasgas soon after his academic stint in petroleum engineering came to an end, all the while honing his technical knowledge, critical thinking and research skills. It is curious how those in the hydrocarbon sector take an active interest in renewables (case in point being Green Gulf CEO, Omran Al Kuwari). Al Housani had a spark of an idea after his participation in COP18, which raised his energy and environment awareness. “So I came up with Taqatech, a hybrid solar system that harvests both thermal and light energy from the sun in order to reach higher productivity of energy, in less area and with less cost,” he says. His participation in Stars of Science helped him develop this idea into a

viable product. But the road to success was by no means easy. “Taqatech is a complicated product that required a large number of tests and trials, but with limited time because we can only work in daylight as the product and tests needed the sun. My progress was slower than the others and while the Engineering and Design Primes were getting closer and closer, I was not even close to finishing the product,” he remembers. But as history would note, Al Housani was indeed able to complete his tasks and went on to win, edging out other innovations like the zucchini corer and Wudu cleaner. He says modestly that even though his invention would have the greatest impact on the global scale, each had their own audience and it was difficult to predict the winner. But win he did and, like him, the jury and audience too saw the high

potential of Taqatech, given that the solar industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world right now. It has finally managed to break free from the dark cloud that has been hovering over it since its early years and is finally ready to go mainstream. “Solar power is getting more and more efficient and cost effective and therefore it is becoming more applicable,” he says. “In addition to that, countries are becoming more environmentally aware and their increasing environmental obligations are pushing them to use more solar.” Zooming back in, for now Al Housani is intent on commercialising his invention. This competition, he says, changed his life by providing him with the skill box and the process of thinking required to turn a simple idea into a product. From now on, it’s solely his show. QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 43

The Trend Setters

Mohamed Fakroo “I find navigating the challenges of the NGO sector extremely rewarding.” 44 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

Because..

Mohamed Fakroo, backed by HH Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, stepped into a battlefield that has seen the fall of even mighty education think tanks. His focus – how to get the brightest minds of our generation invested in the nurturing of the next. In its first year of operations, Teach for Qatar has taken small, measured steps. But Fakroo’s passion for the work is intense and will very likely rub off on the impressionable and talented young people that his organisation is dispatching across schools in the city.

Looking back “This was the year in which all the effort that went into planning Teach for Qatar, which is essentially a part of the solution to Qatar’s educational challenges, bore fruit,” says Mohammed Fakroo. Now, at the end of the year, he and his 20 staff members continue their journey of growth into 2015. “Our first cohort of Fellows only began teaching in our partner schools in September 2014; however their achievements and the positive change they are enacting have been visible from day one,” he says. “As our talent pool of Fellows continues to grow we see increasing interest from additional sponsors and partner schools. Additionally, some of our Fellows have already received positive feedback from their students’ parents, while others have been officially recognised with awards.

It is all these achievements combined that bring me not only great professional satisfaction, but personal fulfillment as well.” Some of Qatar’s biggest organisations, which partnered with Teach for Qatar as part of their CSR initiatives, have taken their involvement a notch higher. An agreement with Maersk Oil Qatar, which attracts some of the brightest talents in the country, saw one of their employees take up a two-year full-time teaching position with one of Teach for Qatar's independent partner schools. The year has also brought much into perspective for Fakroo, a native of the corporate world. “It was actually surprising to discover that the NGO sector is a lot more challenging because results are driven by long-term goals and achievements through gradual change, which are therefore less immediate

and tangible in the short term,” he says. Crystal gazing Since teaching is not currently considered as a top profession of choice in Qatar and is somewhat undervalued within society, it stands in the way of reinvestment of top talent into the education system. “From the first day we wanted to work to address this,” Fakroo says. “This shift in societal mindset is obviously not going to happen overnight, which is where the challenge lies.” Fakroo hopes a new year means more Fellows and more partnerships with schools. “I also hope to gain further support from corporations regarding the secondment of their employees, which offers them the opportunity to give back to Qatar through a two-year teaching placement in one of our partner schools,” he says. QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 45

The Trend Setters

Dana Al Fardan “My influences have been in a constant state of change –

from classical music and musicals to classic rock and, in my university years, Eric Clapton, BB King and the Blues (Not a real shocker that I named my daughter Layla).”

46 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

Because..

Dana Al Fardan, with her distinctive voice, compelling lyrics and razor-sharp wit,

who had pioneered the nascent music scene in Qatar, had been showing signs of winding down her singing career. But this, by no means, spells her departure. In fact, now she is determined to give someone else a chance on the platform she has painstakingly created for herself over the years.

Looking back “This has been the most sporadic year of my life,” Dana Al Fardan says."I have experienced more changes this year than the whole of my life and it has been great! I decided to quit singing to work on my songwriting and to set up my label, DNA.” Singing was loads of fun but she realised that it was not what she wanted to do ultimately. “What’s been great about this year was the fact that I got to work with different artists, be they vocalists singing my songs, or the composer I collaborated with on some songs, or the artists I signed to my label. Music for me is not a solitary domain. I feel it is difficult to grow as a musician when you are not interacting with other artists and feeding off their talent.”

Though the decision to set up a label was intimidating, Al Fardan was immovably certain that this was how she wanted her career in singing to progress. “I decided to take a couple of days off to figure things out.” Two days is a long time for the spontaneous Al Fardan but by the end of it she knew that this was the best way for her to transmit music, even if it wasn’t her own. “It was never about me, it was always about getting quality sounds and writing out there.” From thinking to doing was but a small step for her, and very soon she found herself signing the Ryan O’Reilly Band. “I have been a big fan since I was first sent a link to their music three years ago,” she says. And it is as simple as that when you are Dana Al Fardan.

Crystal gazing Al Fardan is gleeful about the New Year because it means the realisation of one of her dearest dreams. “I have always wanted to hear my music represented by an orchestral arrangement, and we might be putting on a concert with the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, who will be playing my composition.” She is tremendously excited about the event, both as a composer and a huge fan of classical music, a genre that has been the cornerstone of her inspiration. She has another emerging talent to manage, this one right at home. “My daughter appears to have a real passion for music (the word “passion” may be strong as she is only a year and a half ) and that has created a beautiful space for us to grow together,” she smiles. QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 47

The Trend Setters

Hend, Ghada and Maha Al Subaey â&#x20AC;&#x153;Quality execution is key to enable us to compete internationally." 48 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

Because..

Their campaign images made their appearance on Instagram in mid-2012, and heralded the debut of the label The Kayys the photographed Ramadan 2012 collection was a soldout success, with client-label communication all done via social media. Fast forward to a hundred thousand followers and five collections later, The Kayys have now established stockists and a far-reaching sales medium beyond its initial online guerilla sales tactics.

Looking Back The label – run by the three Qatari sisters Hend, Ghada and Maha Al Subaey - remains an undeniable case study in the power of social media not only to promote but to conduct commercial transactions; a unique approach that is widespread only in the Gulf countries. It is, nonetheless, less simple than just uploading images and waiting for the likes to pour in. The Kayys portrayed lifestyle imageries that were highly relatable to women in the Gulf, and created clothing that were appropriately aspirational to these ideals. Every post is calculated and produced, “It is a

very personal space to communicate what is inspiring us and to express the vision of the brand,” says one of the designers behind the label, Hend Al Subaey, “It was a lengthy process but was important to create the exact image that we envisioned for the brand.” The Kayys certainly have found the magic formula in capturing the spirit of the modern Arab woman in their demi-couture offerings. “Quality execution is key to enable us to compete internationally. Social media has introduced us to the world beyond this region and we must show what Qatar is made of,” Hend explains. She also mentions the overwhelming

support they have had from the community. “A lot of our sales come from local girls who make it a point to wear regional designers,” she says. Ghada bagged the prestigious Young Designer award as part of The Kayys at the 2013 Qatar Arab Woman Awards, while Maha graduated from the Virginia Commonwealth University Qatar last year with a final collection that quickly caught the attention of local fashion retailers. “I like imperfections; I like the tension, and my designs walk the line between drama and discipline,” Maha says of her creative vision. QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 49

The Trend Setters

Alanoud Al Buainain

“Change is inevitable; it can’t be stopped. But it’s nice to see this being documented through art.”

50 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

Because..

“Alanoud Al Buainain is part of two of Qatar Museums’ biggest exhibitions this year – Yousef Ahmad: Story of Ingenuity and Here There;

one is a solo show in Katara featuring the works of one of Qatar’s most respected artists, and the other gave voice to 19 established and emerging Qatar artists, in dialogue with 24 Brazilian artists. This unassuming young curator now finds herself tasked with discovering Qatar’s hidden talents and deciphering their message to their fellow countrymen and the world, in addition to exploring her own artistic style.

Looking back After acquiring a degree in art, design (and some elements of art history) in Boston three years ago, Alanoud Al Buainain returned to Doha and began working with Qatar Museums. Since then she has submerged herself in the local art scene, getting reacquainted with older artists and finding exciting new ones. “What are our artists trying to tell us? What are they about? Where are they?” are some of the questions she tries to answer. “Some of the art I’m finding in Qatar revolve around the theme of change in different aspects within the society,” she says. The tone is primarily positive, with a tinge of nostalgia. “Change is inevitable; it can’t be stopped. But it’s nice to see this being documented through art.” She points at one of the works in ‘Here There’: Maryam Al Homaid’s tribute to Doha’s vanishing roundabouts. The digital art

installation brings to life in all their 3D glory some of Doha’s most iconic roundabouts. This is a great example of the current commentary on change in the art world. “The removal of the roundabouts might have made a positive impact but nevertheless they evoke certain sentiments in the viewer. The structures on these roundabouts were landmarks themselves, helping us navigate the city. So there is this sense of trying to keep the memory of these elements alive, even though they are long gone,” she says. Crystal gazing “The strong sense of privacy within the Qatari society doesn’t mean that there is no communication,” Al Buainain points out. “There are many artists who put their work out there through social media, many who are introduced to me through other artists. They have studied together or learnt about

one another through others. So there is a dialogue going on even though it’s not so much out there.” Often, her mission is to uncover the links between the different perspectives and bring out their coalescent meaning. This involves a lot of research, discussions with the artists, visiting their studios and writing about it. “I certainly want to work on more exhibitions this year and create long-term collaborations with local artists.” Meanwhile, she continues to dabble in art on her own, experimenting with her artistic voice and different mediums and materials. Al Buainain’s own Chronophobia, Chromophobia, a pair of all black and all white pieces that is part of Here There, explores how confusion in visualisation can completely alter a meaning. “I am still learning,” she says modestly, “and will continue creating art at a pace that I am confident with.” QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 51

The Trend Setters

Dana Al Anzy It was not Dana Al Anzy who reached the top of Kilimanjaro, it was Qatar.

It was every school girl in Doha who stepped up to support her climb. It was every young person who has a dream that seems too far away. And she wanted them to see themselves in her.

52 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

Because..

Dana Al Anzy is the kind of person who makes you involuntarily reflect on your past and wonder what you were up to when you were her age.

And it doesn’t compare well. Yes, we chose her because she was among the first Qatari women to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. But a short conversation with her makes it obvious that that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Looking back A ROTA Youth Advisory board member and second-year student at Georgetown University, Dana Al Anzy meets us at the Torch Hotel where she and her fellow climbers trained for weeks, climbing up and down the stuffy, oxygen-deprived fire exit wearing heavy backpacks. When consummate adventurer and mountaineer Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani put together a team to ascend Kilimanjaro in an effort to raise funds for ROTA, Al Anzy was one of the first to sign up. “Personally I wanted to do it for the cause. I am a strong believer in education because it has given me so much. I wouldn’t have been so confident or vocal about my beliefs and thoughts if I didn’t have the education or intellect needed to support me. And I want the youth out there to have that chance as well. Those who are victims, misplaced, traumatised or just have a dream they think isn’t realistic, every child deserves access to education; it is their right,” she says. Mind-numbing gym sessions and a “boring” diet that was in direct conflict with her personal philosophy of never denying food cravings were just the beginning. Anxiety attacks, claustrophobic tents, fainting

spells, biting winds, hail, sub-zero temperature, frostbites and sunburns were still to come. Having trained independently (“Although we were supported to a certain extent, we were all adults. If we wanted to get up a mountain, we knew how to Google it and prepare ourselves physically, mentally and emotionally.”), Al Anzy was not prepared for how distorted time would seem the higher she climbed. “At one point, you couldn’t keep up with time. What you understood as one hour had to be expanded. We walked for eight to nine hours a day for five days to reach the peak. Sometimes it's just you and the silence of the mountain. Imagine, you are aching everywhere, hungry and frustrated but you couldn’t sleep well because it was really cold. And rest was still five hours away. And no matter where you are, the guides tell you that you are just one hour away from the finish,” she outlines the scenario. Crystal gazing Each of the climbers was charged with raising QR50,000 towards ROTA. Al Anzy gave herself a new target - QR200,000. But she wasn’t going to down the usual route of corporate sponsorship. “I wanted the youth to mobilise and so enlisted three schools.”

The reaction she received has given her new impetus to create projects through ROTA that bridge the gap between NGOs and the youth. “When I reached out to the students, they responded with so much energy and passion. They did whatever they could - carnivals, bake sales, selling roses and Karak, at one point - to raise the money within the month.” And each of the schools was able to contribute in excess of QR50,000 by themselves. “These efforts started spilling over into their academics, and volunteering, to be specific. Here they were raising money to help children gain access to education, but what were they doing with the education they were receiving? They started asking themselves these questions and it had a positive impact on how they valued their education,” she says. Al Anzy is also part of the WISE Learners programme that is charged with finding innovative solutions to today’s educational problems. “I also am a youth advocate with Sheikha Moza’s Education Above All and want to create a ripple effect in raising awareness in Qatar about the number of out of school children.” So with one thing or the other, Al Anzy has another packed year ahead and she says she’s looking forward to a few more adventures. QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 53

The Trend Setters

Hamad Al Amari “Haven’t you seen a man and his camel before?” 54 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

Because..

Each time we clapped eyes on Hamad Al Amari last year, he was at his hilarious best –

irrespective of whether he was riding a camel through a drive-thru or being bested by the Ice Bucket Challenge. And he is a gregarious and charismatic sum of contradictions – from his clean pressed thobe and nerdy glasses to his jokes on the misuse of inshallah delivered with a slight Irish twang.

Looking back Hamad Al Amari can’t believe how quickly 2014 went by; neither can we. It feels like it was barely a few weeks ago that the World Cup was on in Brazil and Al Amari was playing host in the Fan Zone in Katara and quizzing innocent bystanders in the audience about their favourite teams. “I was very lucky to be part of that,” he says. “Being able to MC for one the biggest sporting events, watching football and getting crowds cheering, it was amazing. I did a standup routine once during half time and when I saw a group of Germans laughing, I knew I was doing it right,” he laughs. Not only did the stint help endear him to the thousands of fans who were part of the experience but it also made Ramadan much easier for him. What brought this opportunity to his doorstep was the ingenious camel drive-thru video in which Al Amari, sitting gingerly atop a camel, bobbed into a Burger King drive-thru to order a cheeseburger. “We had only one shot to do it right,” he remembers. “The shock element would have been lost if we had to do it again and people would have thought there was a parade on. I remember telling the team to get this from all angles.

We did it and got out of there as quickly as we could.” (But not before a couple of confused cops showed up). The idea had long been lurking in this mind and when he eventually uploaded the sketch on YouTube, it went viral in a hurry. Hundreds of thousands of hits later, people in the US and UK were talking about the video, which was being translated into Dutch and German.” I loved it and was very proud of it. Now I just want to do more.” And he did. In addition to a radio show of QFRadio, he is a regular fixture on the QTips and Klmat Ras videos on Youtube. The latter is an Arabic show by Jassim Al Ali, more than nine episodes of which are now up, that comments on social behaviours they observe here. All of Al Amari’s material is “sourced locally” and there is plenty to poke fun about people in Doha. And Al Amari, who is also celebrating his first year as a married man, has another endless source of inspiration right at home (married comedians owe a wealth of material to their long-suffering wives). This is probably why he is itching to get back to his stand up roots and do more live performance.

“Anywhere else in the world you could just walk into a club, ask to do six minutes and they’ll let you. There is a huge shortage of that here, the whole concept of performance arts,” he says. Crystal gazing Al Amari was happy to be part of the breast cancer awareness campaign along with some other influential Qataris. “Everyone tells me they have seen me on the TV or in the theatre but I want to ask them, did they listen? A lot can be changed with just a good campaign that is focused. Social attitudes involving driving or giving back to the society, for example.” That’s on his wishlist for the year – to be involved in effecting change. As comedy giants have showed us in the past, laughter is sometimes the most efficient way to deliver a message. And though he loves to make fun of Doha, he also knows there is no place like it. “It’s special. It doesn’t work like the rest of the world. And the soil in the country is crying for seeds, asking us to plant something. I feel I am privileged enough to have the opportunity.” Finally, he says, he is in the right place at the right time. QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 55

The Trend Setters

Mohamed Farid Despite an unrelentingly busy year,

he achieved the elusive work-life balance and has been able to denote more time to his family. 56 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

Because..

Every time we attend one of The Youth Company’s events, we come away with one of their disproportionately large maroon paper bags stuffed with their press materials. Thankfully our annual spring cleaning is not too far away because we are knee-deep in these bags. And we squarely blame Mohamed Farid and the very busy year he has had.

Looking back The only way to get your head around what The Youth Company does is to disregard its name. It’s not a company at all; it’s a movement and it has been since it started four years ago. But this year things at TYC took a rather interesting turn. “It’s becoming more of an umbrella organisation,” Mohamed Farid says. “2014 has been about diversification, with the launch of 7ayak Hub, 7asanat Olympics and Karak Time, and the hosting of two brand new events - Talk Dirty, to coincide with the World Environment Day and the first-ever Arab Hip Hop Festival.” As a result they have seen some of the highest levels of youth engagement this year and the backing of many more partners, sponsors and supporters, he says.

Farid’s focus is now on “solidifying all these diversifications and establishing their own individual style, brand and direction”. “We are starting to gather the fruits of what we invested in and developed since 2010, becoming a one-stop shop for youth empowerment and development.” And with so many young people now active in so many different sectors from environment to entrepreneurship, Farid wanted to highlight their stories to get more people to start contributing to the Qatar National Vision. And that’s how Karak Time was born. “We felt that if we are not able to maintain a recording of the growth and development the country is going through to try and inspire the next generation, this won’t be sustainable.”

Crystal gazing We expect it is pretty difficult to be able to talk about what you want for the year ahead when you are actually looking far into the future. “The Youth Company has always been a long-term project, because we are investing and nurturing people as young as 14,” he says. None of is what they do are expected to yield immediate results. The Arab Hip Hop festival, for example, is going to be an important platform in the region to develop talent in that genre of music, but the first international hit from the region is probably many years and chain reactions away. For Farid, the wait is worth it. “Young people are so dynamic, innovative and ready for change and working with them is rewarding in itself.” QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 57

The Trend Setters

Khalifa Saleh Al Haroon We asked him to tell us about the new business he started this year. He asks,

“Which one?” 58 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

Because..

“After a year of seeing Khalifa Al Haroon in all manner of events, from award ceremonies and press briefings to launches and festivals, it’s obvious Mr Q’s appeal goes beyond the fact that he runs a hugely popular community portal. His stamp of approval, or mere presence, has come to lend a certain 'certificate of authenticity' to any endeavour; he is the hidden ‘godfather’ behind many a business/initiative.”

Looking back It’s clearly difficult for Khalifa Saleh Al Haroon to pick his personal highlights of the year gone by, considering the diverse range of projects he has come to be involved in this year. But ILoveQatar’s five-year evolutionary journey is on top of the list. “That ILoveQatar has expanded with over 15 million impressions a month is something I am very excited about,” he says. And he is equally thrilled (and surely, so are all the fans) for the portal’s enthusiasm in creating more original content. For a while now, the network has been creating, curating and hosting some clever, funny and informative videos like QTips, Karak Time and KlmatRas, IgnitionME and more. The company, he says, continues to be on the lookout for fresh and interesting YouTube vloggers, and is actively auditioning for talent they can promote. QTips, which Al Haroon often hosts, are bite-sized vid-

eos that answer questions people always had about Qataris but never asked (What’s underneath the thobe? Do Qataris always travel business class? What do Qataris do in a Majlis?) and their popularity is indicative of the Qatari community’s efforts to reach out to expats. This concept has in fact gained a lot of traction this year with the launch of initiatives like SeeMyCulture and Embrace Doha. Crystal gazing Al Haroon’s newest business venture, Shake Shake, is so completely representative of what he is all about. With the first outlet of this “healthier” fast food concept to open any time soon, he hopes to give the population that is grappling with obesityand diabetes-related issues an alternative to greasy, fried foods. Based on an innovative centrifuge that reduces fat, combined with quirky, custom flavours like Majboos

and topped with the whimsical “Shake Shake” required to bring them all together, Shake Shake is the kind of venture that he hopes will start to emerge out of Qatar. “It’s fun, relatively cheap to get off the ground and attempts to solve a pressing societal issue. “Entrepreneurs tend to ask themselves different types of questions. Mine is always the same - How do I make something better?” he says. “Everything I do has one common thread: How to make Qatar a better place? I want Qatar to be the most admired country in the world. When people think of Qatar, I want them to feel proud and also a little envious to the point that they want to be part of the growth in the country.” Ultimately, it’s not the multi-million dollar projects that are going to "win people over", it’s going to be people like Al Haroon and the “small things” they do to in helping export what Qatar really is about. QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 59

business > bottom line

Why You Should Worry About Employee Turnover

Here’s some shocking news: employees in the Middle East aren’t terribly satisfied with their jobs, their salaries, their growth opportunities, or the way their organisation recognises good work.

60 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

n fact, the majority of them (54.7%) would like to leave their job immediately if given the opportunity. Another 76% say that turnover in their company is “moderate” to “very” high, as per the Bayt.com ‘Employee Retention in the MENA Workplace’ poll, February 2013. Employee turnover is a hot topic in today’s workplace and HR circles, and leading organisations recognize the importance of actively measuring, monitoring, and minimising the turnover rate amongst their employees and ensuring it is not left to chance. The Bayt.com ‘Workplace Dynamics in the MENA’ poll, June 2013, tells us why professionals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region would leave their job. A challenging job is obviously important, as 17.5% saw no clear career path in their organisation. In their next job, 20.3% of professionals are looking for companies

that will help them develop their skills and provide learning opportunities and training programmes; 96.6% are always open to new career opportunities. While a whopping 54.7% state that they want to leave their job immediately, only 16.4% intend to stay in their current job until retirement, as revealed in the Bayt.com ‘Employee Retention in the MENA Workplace’ poll. Interestingly, the departments with the highest turnover in the MENA region are sales and marketing (43.9%), IT (14.3%), and finance (9.3%). Salary is the key factor Providing a more competitive salary is considered the most important factor in employee retention by 26.6% of respondents in the Bayt.com ‘Employee Retention in the MENA Workplace’ poll, followed by

BAYT POLL

96.6% 54.7%

ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO NEW CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.

STATE THAT THEY WANT TO LEAVE THEIR JOB IMMEDIATELY

performance recognition (17.7%) and good manager-employee relationships (17.6%). Nine out of 10 (86.1%) also state that having higher levels of job security will improve retention rates. The Bayt.com ‘Employee Motivation in the MENA’ survey, January 2013, data indicates that 47% of professionals in the MENA consider recognition of one’s work the key element that drives motivation at work, closely followed by training and development (45%), and career advancement opportunities (42%). Training is very, very important. In fact, the Bayt.com ‘Workplace Dynamics in the MENA’ poll shows that the majority of professionals (20.3%) are looking for companies that will help them develop their skills and provide learning opportunities and training programs. 19% look for a good work environment. In light of the above, employers in the MENA should recognise the importance of fostering an environment of growth and learning to bring out the best in their employees. Companies can develop in-house training departments, ally themselves with special training houses and universities, send employees to relevant external training programmes, offer internal rotational programmes and overseas assignments as a key career development opportunity, and commit to their employees' learning and development in a multitude of other creative and meaningful ways. Besides the company’s training activities, career plans and professional development

HIGHEST TURNOVER DEPARTMENTS

MANAGEMENT ROLE

43.9%

27.6%

MARKETING

I4.3%

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

9.3

FINANCE

FEEL THEIR COMPANY IS UNPROFESSIONAL

36%

CONFIRM THAT NOT ENOUGH COMMUNICATION CHANNELS ARE OPEN

39.2%

FEEL THERE ARE ENOUGH OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMPANY

opportunities should be routinely discussed and formalised. Employees that feel the company has invested in them in this manner are far more likely to remain loyal to their company. Management has a role The Bayt.com ‘Work Satisfaction in the MENA’ poll, November 2012, shows that management style also plays a significant role in employee levels of satisfaction. Some 27.6% feel that management in their company is unprofessional; 36% confirm that communication channels are open but not enough; while 39.2% don’t feel there are enough opportunities for advancement and promotion at their company. ‘What Makes a Company an Attractive Place to Work?’, a poll conducted in February 2014 by Bayt.com, reveals that half of the poll’s respondents would rather work at a company where they feel the work they do is part of a greater purpose, with 22.6% wanting to believe in the company’s mission, vision and/or values. It goes without saying, but we’ll repeat it anyway: a competitive salary, a clear career path, and good training opportunities are absolutely vital for smooth sailing in a business. These are the pillars of employee loyalty in your company. Listening to employees’ opinions and feedback is also a way to communicate your appreciation and respect. Having the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas and the authority to take decisions are great boosters for both self-esteem and job loyalty

“Besides the company’s training activities, career plans and professional development opportunities should be routinely discussed and formalised. Employees that feel the company has invested in them in this manner are far more likely to remain loyal to their company.”

ABOUT BAYT.COM Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 18,250,000 registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, representing all industries, nationalities and career levels.

QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 61

development > tag this

62 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

The Middle East region, which has registered an air traffic growth of 11% in 2013, continues to outpace the rest of the world and Qatar Today speaks to two major plane makers – Airbus and Boeing – about their plans to meet the growing demand for new planes in the next two decades. By V.L.Srinivasan

otwithstanding declining oil prices, which may impact the economic growth of their countries, airlines in the GCC region are scouting for new destinations and also adding more to the existing routes in the process. And to keep pace they have been on a buying spree of new aircraft to replace the old ones in their fleet. The economic growth rates in emerging markets such as Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East are outstripping more economically developed regions. One significant effect is that the middle class in Asia is expected to quadruple in size by 2033 whereas globally they will double from 33% to 63% of the world's population. As a result of increased urbanisation and concentration of wealth, the number of aviation megacities worldwide is expected to double to 91. These cities will be the centres of world wealth creation with 35% of world GDP centred there, and with more than 95% of all long-haul traffic going to, from or through them. Deals at Dubai Airshow According to reports, on the opening day of the Dubai Airshow on November 4 last year, GCC airlines entered into deals worth QR364 billion ($100 billion) in just 15 minutes by ordering hundreds of new passenger jets. In one mega-deal, Emirates and Qatar Airways ordered 200 new Boeing’s newly re-launched 777-9X jets while Emirates entered into a deal with the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus to buy the world’s largest jetliner, the A380 super-jumbo, according to the reports. This brought the backlog of 777-9X planes to 225 in the region ,including 25 ordered by Etihad. In all, six airlines from Europe,

Asia and the Middle East placed orders for 286 777-9X planes. The production of the 777-9X is set to begin in 2017, with the first delivery in 2020. For Emirates, December 19 was a red letter day in its history as it flew more than 80,000 passengers on over 240 flights in a single day. This was up almost 23% over last year, according to the airline’s booking figures, and the top destinations out of Dubai include London, Bangkok, Mumbai, Singapore, Paris and Karachi. Middle East is the aviation hub “The Middle East has become a major centre for air transport, one of growing global importance with its central position geographically, strong economic growth and the world’s biggest emerging economies and centres of population within a flight away, Middle Eastern carriers stand to reap the benefits of traffic growth,” says Fouad Attar, Managing Director of Airbus Middle East. As per the International Air Traffic Association (IATA) passenger forecast 2014, the Middle East is expected to grow strongly (4.9%) and will see an extra 237 million passengers a year on routes to, from and within the region by 2034. “The UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia will all enjoy strong growth of 5.6%, 4.8%, and 4.6%, respectively. The total market size will be 383 million passengers,” he says. Quoting Airbus’ Global Market Forecast for the next 20 years (2014-2033), Attar says passenger traffic will grow annually at 4.7%, driving a need for more than 31,350 new passenger and freighter aircraft worth QR16.74 trillion ($4.6 trillion) at current list prices. Airbus’ Global Market Forecast predicts a 7.1% yearly passenger growth rate for the ME over the next 20 years, compared to a global average of 4.7%. The share of passenger aircraft in the world operated by Middle Eastern carriers has doubled in ten years; by 2032 the Middle East region will need more than 2,148 new aircraft. “The passenger and freighter fleet will increase from today’s 18,500 aircraft to 37,500 by 2033, an increase of nearly 19,000 airQATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 63

development > tag this

“The region’s air traffic growth is led by Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Saudia and the region’s low-cost carriers. We are geared to meet the demand and the region has one of the world’s fastestgrowing commercial aviation sectors and continues to be a key market for us.” Marty Bentrott Vice President (Sales) for Middle East, Russia and Central Asia

craft. Some 12,400 older, less-fuel efficient passenger and freighter aircraft will be retired in the next 20 years,” Attar says. Airbus’ arch rival Boeing too is aware that the Middle East is a key market for the company and has been concentrating on the region to have a sizeable piece of the pie. It is far ahead of its competitors in supplying new airplanes to the regional airlines. “We are ready to meet the demand for new planes for the airlines in the region,” says Marty Bentrott, Vice President (Sales) for Middle East, Russia and Central Asia for Boeing. Boeing estimates that the region’s airlines will require as many as 2,950 new airplanes worth around QR2.3 trillion ($640 billion) by 2033 and already the operators have been raising finances to replace the old aircrafts with new ones. The company also forecasts a demand for 36,770 new airplanes valued at QR18.92 trillion ($5.2 trillion) globally over the next 20 years, an increase of 4.2% from last year’s forecast. “The region’s air traffic growth is led by Qatar Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Saudia and the region’s low-cost carriers (LCCs). We are geared to meet the demand and the region has one of the world’s fastest-growing commercial aviation sectors and continues to be a key market for us,” Bentrott says. He says that LCCs have driven the growth of air traffic around the world due to their successful business model, which has grown tremendously over the past two decades, focusing on business and operational practices that drive down airline costs. The practices include operating at secondary airports, flying a single airplane type, increasing airplane utilisation, relying on direct sales, offering a single class product, avoiding frequent flyer programs and keeping labour costs low. “These tactics help LCCs reduce unit

costs by 20-40% compared with network carriers, allowing them to reduce fares, which stimulates traffic significantly. The trend towards growth of the low-cost model is clear. LCCs have grown from 7% of the world market in 2003 to 16% today, and are projected to capture 21% by 2033,” Bentrott says. The demand for wide-body aircraft is expected to grow as the airlines expand their international footprint and open new markets. “Boeing forecasts that 8,600 new airplanes will be needed to meet this demand. Around 38% of deliveries will be for replacements and 62% will be for growth, nearly 60% of all new deliveries will go to Middle Eastern and Asia Pacific airlines. With the most comprehensive wide-body lineup in the industry, including the new 787-10 and 777X, we are confident that we will meet our customers’ needs now and in the future,” Bentrott says. Delivery delays What has become a hindrance for some of the airlines is the delay in delivery of the

Demand forecast for new aircrafts Middle East Airbus

2,148+ Boeing

2,950 64 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

North America Airbus Boeing

5,533

7,550

Latam and Caribbean Airbus Boeing

2,263 2,950 (Only Latam)

cial launch to Frankfurt on January 15. The A350-900 is expected to rival the 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 777 in terms of fuel efficiency and operational costs.

new planes by the manufacturers. Qatar Airways Group CEO Akbar Al Baker openly said that the delay in supplying the A380 by three months has resulted in a loss of QR728 million ($200 million) to the airlines. However, Attar declines to comment on the remarks. “We can only reiterate that the A380 is the 21st century solution for sustainable growth, providing vital extra passenger capacity at congested airports, without increasing the number of flights. The A380 has the lowest seat mile costs in its class,” Attar says and adds that Airbus adapts and adjusts its production rates according to demand and is continuously in close cooperation with its supply chain partners to ensure a smooth production flow. Even the first A350-900, the first carbon fibre aircraft from Airbus, which was to be handed over to Qatar Airways at Toulouse in France on December 13, was finally handed over on December 22.” Qatar Airways has placed orders for 80 A350-900 planes. However, the nine-day delay will not affect the schedule of plane’s commer-

Dreamliner 787 issues The Dreamliner’s development and worldwide launch were among the most difficult experienced by a commercial airliner. It was originally due to enter service in 2008 but repeated setbacks delayed its first commercial flight until 2011 and sent its cost spiraling to an estimated $32billion. And the entire global fleet was briefly grounded in 2013 after two fires caused by its powerful lithium-ion batteries. But even with the Dreamliner 787 reeling under technical issues, major airlines are still placing orders for the aircraft. Bentrott says the reliability of the 787 has been a top priority for Boeing. The 787 fleet has flown nearly 335,000,000 revenue miles since entry into service. Nearly 30 million passengers have flown on the Dreamliner and surveys continue to show that it is providing a preferred experience for travellers. “While we are not yet satisfied with our fleet-wide performance, even though it is above 98% on average, we have made progress implementing a series of component, software and spare parts placement improvements. We will not be satisfied until we are meeting our customers’ expectations across the board,” he says. Boeing’s customers, Bentrott says, are confident in the 787’s advanced capabilities and have placed orders for a total of 156 planes to date. Of these, 17 have been delivered to Qatar Airways and one has to Royal Jordanian. “Besides these airlines, other 787 customers in the region include Saudi Arabian Airlines, Oman Air, Gulf Air and Iraqi Airways,” Bentrott adds.

“The passenger and freighter fleet will increase from today’s 18,500 aircraft to 37,500 by 2033, an increase of nearly 19,000 aircraft. Some 12,400 older, lessfuel efficient passenger and freighter aircraft will be retired in the next 20 years.” Fouad Attar Managing Director Airbus Middle East

CIS Airbus

1,218 Boeing

1,330 Africa Airbus

973

Boeing

1,080

Europe Airbus

6,167

Boeing

7,450

Aisa Pacific Airbus

TOTAL Airbus Boeing

12,253 13,460

30,555 Boeing

36,770

development > tag this

Building for

the affluent By Sindhu Nair

Katara Hospitality is always in the news for its iconic buys and awe-inspiring projects outside the Middle East, but the company has no plans to ignore the tourism sector in the country.

ourism contributed 0.8% to the country’s GDP in 2012 and the Qatar Tourism Strategy aims at increasing this to around 3.1% in 2030. The main components of the tourism strategy are to develop the brand “Destination Qatar”, enhance visa procedures and promote and activate investments in tourism. While Qatar Airways, Qatar Tourism Authority and Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee are involved in the development of the brand, investment in tourism also falls on Katara Hospitality which came recently into the news for a big buy – the legendary Savoy in London. Katara Hospitality Co. bought a 50% stake from Lloyds Banking Group and Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal’s Kingdom Holding Co. Another emerging bit of news, not yet confirmed by the owners, is that Katara Hospitality is going to build a new conference/exposition centre that is meant to reflect the country’s rich seafaring and pearl diving history. The $1.6 billion (QR5.8 billion) Silver Pearl Hotel project will feature two semicircular 30-storey towers connected through a climate-controlled. Hamad Abdulla Al Mulla, CEO and Board Member of Katara Hospitality, speaks exclusively to Qatar Today on Katara Hospitality’s long-term vision, its strategy to help build Qatar’s tourism strategy as it spreads

its wings and business around the globe. Originally called Qatar National Hotels Company, it was rebranded as Katara Hospitality in 2012 with a new wave of expansion. “Under this new corporate identity, we set ourselves the mission of becoming one of the world’s leading hospitality organisations and put ambitious growth targets in place to ensure we achieve this,” says Al Mulla. “With 30 properties already in our portfolio, we have already achieved our goal of 30 properties by 2016 two years ahead of schedule. Moreover, we already have the plans in place to double that figure to 60 ahead of 2030.” Al-Mulla stresses that the company has a two-pronged approach: to maintain its position as a market leader in the local hospitality industry by developing world-class hotels here and focus on an international expansion strategy by investing in a collection of spectacular hotels in some of the world’s leading tourist destinations. “Our expansion strategy is not limited to any one market or country. Qatar is our homeland and we intend to maintain our position as market leaders in the local hospitality industry. Currently, we have ten iconic Qatari properties in our portfolio and are always on the lookout for unique heritage properties that have set the standard in the industry,” he says. Katara Hospitality (KH) has a portfolio as operators, developers and asset managers in various

LANDMARKS The newly renovated Sheraton, Doha's oldest and most iconic landmarks (adjacent page); and an artistic representation of Katara Towers, being built at the Lusail Marina District; both properties owned by Katara Hospitality.

development > tag this

OF AWARDS AND RECOGNITION "Katara Hospitality’s contributions to the hospitality landscape have been recognised on a global scale and we have won a number of noteworthy awards. Just recently, Katara Hospitality was named the World’s Leading Hospitality Company at the 2014 World Travel Awards for the second year running. This capped off previous recognition at the World Travel Awards, which named Katara Hospitality the Middle East’s Leading Hospitality Development Company in May 2014 and the World’s Leading Hospitality Company in December 2013."

Hamad Abdulla Al Mulla CEO and Board Member Katara Hospitality

markets. What this entails, according to Al Mulla, is that, “Our primary business is that of an asset manager and we invest in renowned properties and key international markets across the globe. Many hotels under our portfolio have been developed by Katara Hospitality from the project stage to becoming a valuable asset, while most of our international acquired properties are currently undergoing major renovation works under our direct supervision.” “We are also expanding the operator side of our business and currently manage properties in Doha and Switzerland. Recently re-launched, the Murwab Hotels brand is our stand-alone operations arm in Qatar, which is a core focus area for our organisation with five hotels currently under development in Qatar and expected to open through 2015. We also have a successful brand in The Bürgenstock Selection to manage our five iconic properties in Switzerland: The Schweizerhof Bern (operational since 2013), Royal Savoy Lausanne (expected to open in June 2015), and three hotels within The Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne (expected to open in 2018)." Of things to come In Qatar, KH has a large portfolio of iconic projects lined up. Al Mulla talks about the most innovative of the projects. “We are currently building the iconic Katara Towers in Doha’s up-and-coming Lusail Marina District. An architectural translation of Qatar’s country seal, the hospitality complex will host a five-star luxury hotel, a five-star ultra-luxury hotel and branded apartments. The property, expected to open in 2017, will also offer facilities such as a man-made satellite beach-front island. Katara Towers will be home to an incredible mix of leisure and water sports

68 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

facilities, food and beverage outlets as well as world-class water features within a stunning, sun-protected garden environment,” he says. KH is also undertaking the complete transformation of the Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, “an impressive hospitality complex” consisting of a five-star hotel, a four-star hotel, a medical hotel, a 2000 square meter spa facility and two residence buildings. Initially opened in 1873, the resort has been the favourite hideaway for many international personalities who marveled at the technical wonders of the funicular railway and the Hammetschwand, Europe’s tallest outdoor lift. Another project is the development of the Tazi Palace in Tangier, Morocco. The building was originally designed to become a royal residence, and after a meticulous renovation by KH, it will be revolutionised into a luxurious palace hotel. Build it and will they come? Qatar has a plethora of luxurious four- and five-star properties but with the Qatar 2022 World Cup fast approaching, will the affordable hospitality segment be compromised? How will QTA and also KH fill this gap? Al Mulla feels that the company follows a healthy diversification strategy with the aim of creating a network of five- and fourstar business hotels and leisure resorts. “Currently, the properties owned and managed by Katara Hospitality in Qatar form an eclectic portfolio of hotels that cover a large area of demand, from high-end business travellers to more cost-conscious ones, while catering successfully to the MICE segment and offering outstanding recreational facilities,” he says. But having kept the focus on the high-income traveler, KH also aims at looking

down at other pressing needs of the new middle income, high disposable income category. “We realise that there has been an increase in more cost-conscious travellers and are prepared for this rising trend ahead of the World Cup 2022. We are diversifying our offer under the four- and three-star hotel segment to satisfy a wide range of tourist requirements. This will not only further strengthen our position as Qatar’s leading hospitality organisation but also enhance cash flow projections to support the company’s future growth by ensuring a balance is met across assets of short- and long- term profitability,” he says. Diversification, agrees Al Mulla, as emphasised in Qatar National Vision 2030, is crucial for the local hospitality industry. “This has been especially true in the last few years as we have witnessed a rise in more cost-conscious travellers looking for budget accommodation options.” Offering a winning combination of world-class facilities and rich cultural heritage, Qatar is quickly becoming one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, feels Al Mulla. “More and more tourists visit our country every year and this trend is only going to grow as we get closer to the FIFA World Cup in 2022.” But it cannot be ignored that as KH develops iconic, legacy hotels across the globe, it is becoming increasingly recognised as a Qatari organisation bringing period heritage properties up to a world-class, modern standard in key international destinations, thereby introducing Brand Qatar to a global if luxurious client portfolio. Coastline development While the West Bay is where the business community permeates the extensive coast-

line, a natural wealth for the country is being ignored and not completely developed. Al Mulla feels that KH has being doing enough and will continue to do so. “We have been the leader in coastline developments in Qatar ever since the Sealine Beach Resort opened in 1994. We are currently in the process of refurbishment and extension of additional villas and upgraded facilities at the resort. Additionally, an agreement has been recently signed to manage a resort in Simaisima, a short drive away from Lusail City. This resort will be branded and operated by our own home-grown operating arm, Murwab." But even with such developments, can Qatar be compared with Dubai, the regional competitor which attracts most of the travellers coming to the region? Al Mulla feels that more and more tourists are visiting Qatar every year, “charmed by our diverse hospitality attractions and leisure offering. Doha has already developed into a multi-faceted destination for global travellers offering cultural, historical, shopping and sporting attractions, and an increasingly wide range of leisure facilities.” “We intend to maintain our position by developing world-class hospitality complexes in Qatar that are relevant not only for our portfolio, but emblematic for the country as well,” he says.

Properties owned by Katara Hospitality: The Peninsula, Paris; Excelsior Hotel Gallia, Milan; the Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, Switzerland; and Schweizerhof Hotel, Bern.

THE LEADER I EMULATE: AL MULLA “When HE Sheikh Nawaf bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani, Chairman of Katara Hospitality, joined the company in 2003, not only did he transform the organisation to a world leader in the hospitality industry, but he was also an influential driver of Katara Hospitality’s continued success by setting us on the right path of growth and development. When Sheikh Nawaf took over the helm of the organisation, I was working at Doha Marriott Hotel as a Deputy General Manager with a career goal of becoming the General Manager of a reputable hotel. The inspiration I received from Sheikh Nawaf steered me into a completely new direction as my aspirations grew. I recognise and value his encouragement and influence immensely." QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 69

education > tag this

Revolutionising

the way we teach By Abigail Mathias

Founder of Teach for America, Wendy Kopp, talks about the powerful movement which aims to enlist the brightest minds of this generation to cultivate the next. The organisation has spread to many corners of the world; most recently, Qatar.

70 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

relentless drive to spread education has made Wendy Kopp, CEO and Co-founder for Teach for All, a formidable force to reckon with. She started Teach for America more than 23 years ago, while she was barely a graduate of Princeton University. It turned into a multinational network called Teach for All encouraging young people to impart knowledge to those less fortunate. In an exclusive interview with Qatar Today, Kopp, shares her insights in to making education inclusive, regardless of geographical location. Wendy Kopp is a regular speaker at the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) in Qatar. Getting a few minutes to sit down and discuss her work is not easy as she is constantly on the move networking and imparting knowledge. We find her at the Teach for Qatar (TFQ) foundation booth. TFQ is part of an international programme that has proven successful in 31 countries including Lebanon, Japan and Malaysia. While catching her breath, Kopp glances around the Qatar National Convention Center which is a flurry of activity. “It’s been so inspiring to see first-hand that the Qatari leadership that has taken such a strong initiative towards education,” she says. “To see their extraordinary generosity towards expanding opportunities for the least advantaged communities in society is inspiring.” We discuss how far she and her vision of spreading education have come. “I think it is exciting to see how Teach for All is engaged in making a lifelong commitment to expanding educational opportunities for all, especially, the next generation.” Kopp proposed the creation of Teach for America in her undergraduate senior thesis in 1989 and has spent more than two decades in spreading the organisation’s impact. When starting out, American businessman Ross Perot was one of her first supporters, but instead of merely funding the project, he asked her to source funds on her own as well.

“One of the things we see in our organisation is the persistent juxtaposition between the disparities that we are addressing, and the possibility of change. Each day fuels optimism and it is rewarding though it is impossible to ever feel satisfied because there is so much more to be done. We are trying to address a very real problem.”

now even in Qatar. Kopp is leading the organisation’s efforts to expand educational opportunity internationally by increasing and accelerating the impact of the growing number of social enterprises in the network. “This is a search for allies all across the political spectrum. We are growing as quickly as we are because we have so much support from everyone,” she affirms. A mother of four, Kopp is often inspired by others who don’t question why but ask "why not". “In the larger context, education is given a backseat. A lot more needs to be done. I think we live in an era of quick fixes. The unfortunate reality in education is that there are no quick fixes. I’ve come to call this ‘the long game.’ It requires years of serious sustained focus on all the big six (big nations) on where we want to be. We are going to have to find ways to prioritise education,” she says passionately. The journey has been one that fills her with an immense sense of gratitude. “When I see the progress made by Teach for All, it is indeed humbling and I hope to pursue the cause for many decades to come."

A record 48,000 individuals applied to Teach for America’s 2011 corps, and in the 2011-2012 school year more than 9,200 corps members were in the midst of twoyear teaching commitments in 43 regions across the country, reaching over 600,000 students. Teach for America’s alumni force, now numbering nearly 24,000 individuals working inside and outside the field of education, is deeply engaged in the effort to effect the fundamental changes necessary to ensure educational excellence and equity. In 2007, Kopp worked together with the CEO of Teach First, the adaptation of Teach for America in the UK, to develop a plan for Teach for All in order to be responsive to requests for support from social entrepreneurs around the world who are passionate about adapting the model to their contexts. Today, Teach for All is a growing global network of independent organisations pursuing this mission in 22 countries, from India and China to Brazil and Lebanon and

Indifferent to critics There have been many opposed to how this network operates. They believe that the students recruited by Teach for America (often freshly graduated from college) are too inept to deal with the demands of modern day students. Kopp refutes this: “I feel that these graduate students are offering a great deal of their lives to a noble cause and it helps shape their outlook. It is like a peace corps to train teachers. We are seeing it work in communities around the world. There are many studies of the longest-standing programmes that show that the teachers do have a positive impact on their students’ achievement.” She adds, “We can see the long-term impact of this approach first from Teach for America and then Teach for UK and we see where we’ve been channeling a steady stream of our efforts, many different things are happening in these communities for many reasons, but in part because of the QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 71

development > tag this

“In the larger context, education is given a backseat. A lot more needs to be done. I think we live in an era of quick fixes. The unfortunate reality in education is that there are no quick fixes. I’ve come to call this ‘the long game.’ It requires years of serious sustained focus on all the big six (big nations) on where we want to be. We are going to have to find ways to prioritise education,”

HOW TFQ FUNCTIONS TFQ is part of a broader initiative by HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani to develop innovative solutions to education challenges. She is the chairperson of the organisation. Young people, either nationals or residents, who wish to give back are recruited, vetted, assessed, trained and provided with the opportunity to inspire students through a two-year, teaching placement in a school TFQ partners with. The placement is a full-time job. Initially teachers will be teaching English, Math and Science to 7th and 8th graders. 72 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

leadership of our alumni. Its important for people to understand that this is about building leadership capacity for addressing the very systemic issue of educational disadvantage. Ultimately if we are ever going to make real progress we need people working at every level of education, at every level of policy, across sectors who understand what you come to understand after you have worked with a low-income community.” She also believes that this model has a dual advantage for both student and teacher. It cannot be looked at as merely a twoyear stint for graduates. “As a member of our faculty, you understand the possibility of change and you get a very grounded understanding of what it will take to solve the problem. It’s not about, say, Teach for Qatar solving the problem in two years. This is about them teaching and at the same time gaining a foundational experience for a lifetime of leadership and advocacy,” she says. Parents play a critical role in improving education. Kopp believes “that parents are absolutely crucial in our strategy to im-

30,000

prove learning. All of our successful teachers discovered that the students’ parents are their greatest allies. We are also starting to see that parents can become important advocates for improving education from time to time. Ultimately we need parents to insist and demand more educational opportunities. We are starting to see this around the world.” The organisation is successfully running in places where there is strife. Explaining this, Kopp says, “We are working in very diverse places from Lebanon to Pakistan where we need to navigate challenging waters, but building coalitions have made it possible to collaborate united by a common commitment to spreading education.” The teachers are then changing the trajectory for whole communities of students that would have otherwise been disadvantaged. In her role as founder and head of both Teach for All and Teach for America, her work is never done. She has written many books on the subject of inclusive education. From WISE, she is on her way to the Teach for India office which celebrates five successful years of operations and then on to Teach for China. “I envisioned that TFA would grow in the United States but I never would have dreamed that it would get adapted in different countries. It’s a learning experience to be a part of it,” she smiles. She offers insight on how the teachers maximise their efforts. “We have teams of specialists who work with Teach for All workers, including TFQ, to help them scale up and increase impact,” adds Kopp. When quizzed about how her tribe of volunteers increases, she says: “There’s an inclination across the world of people who want to make a difference. They feel a sense of responsibility. These programmes offer that opportunity. Because they are making this commitment in such formative years of their lives, these experiences ultimately affect their career choices. We are tapping into a pragmatic idealism, to work constructively within the system alongside others towards the changes we want to see.”

TEACH FOR AMERICA ALUMNI: TWO-THIRDS OF THEM REMAIN IN EDUCATION AND MANY MORE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE NEEDS OF LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES.

ADVERTORIAL

74 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

ZIPPING AHEAD QATAR TODAY TAKES A PEEK AT THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE AUTOMOBILE SECTOR AS A PREVIEW TO THE QATAR INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW THAT IS TO BE HELD IN FEBRUARY 2015.

QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 75

AUTO SPOTLIGHT

14.8%

GROWTH IN NEW VEHICLE SALES FOR THE YEAR AS A WHOLE

47,461 UNITS YEAR-ON-YEAR

76 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

uess which country is the most preferred destination for the automobile manufacturers to launch their new models in the recent years? The choice is obviously Qatar because as per the data (estimated using 2004 prices) released by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics in December, the economic growth is forecast to remain robust in 2014 at 6.3%, rising to 7.7% in 2015 and to 7.5% in 2016 due to solid expansion in non-hydrocarbon activities such as construction and the services sector. With Qatar’s public transportation system yet to be ready, there is constant rise in the demand for passenger cars due to the huge influx of expats, whose population has gone up from under 2 million to over 2.7 million in just a year. The highest per capita in the world, increased public spending and a customer-friendly banking sector is also said to be the reason for the increase in car sales. The demand for high-end cars is attributed to the affluence levels of the citizens. Citing data from industry sources, Business Monitor International (BMI), in its latest forecast, says that the sale of new vehicle in the country has increased 12% year-on-year (y-o-y) over H1, 2014, to 47,461 units. The rise in car sales clearly underlines the momentum behind the consumer boom in Qatar. “Adding further weight to our bullish stance towards Qatari new vehicle sales is the fact that we expect private consumption – a key indicator of likely consumer demand for new vehicles - to grow by 13% in 2014 and 10% in 2015 - compared to an annual average of 6.2% between 2009 and 2012. The country’s fast-rising resident population, on the back of high demand for foreign workers in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, will help to fuel growth in the retail, business services, real estate and trade and hospitality sectors,” the report adds. A bulletin from the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics says that the number of driving licenses issued for nationals and residents in September this year rose by roughly 85.4% and 31.5% respectively. Thus, the total number of driving licenses went up by approximately 117% compared to August. It also says that around 6,500 private vehicles were registered during the same period in September as against 4,500 in the preceding month. Against this performance, BMI maintains its forecast of 14.8% growth in new vehicle sales for the year as a whole. “Our positive outlook on the Qatari market continues to be based on rising government expenditure, a growing population and increased spending on construction ahead of Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup,” the

forecast says. For example, Rolls-Royce Motor Car Doha, part of Alfardan Group and the sole dealer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in Qatar reported a 37% increase in sales in the third quarter of this year. The Rolls-Royce Phantom was the top growth model during this period witnessing a 25% increase. Likewise, the sales of BMW have gone up by 12% and those of MINI by 27% during the first half of 2014. The combined growth of both brands equates to a 13% increase in sales compared to the same period in 2013. According to reports, the auto market has been up - 23% in August to 7,770 registrations which brought the year-to-date total to 62,541 units, up 8% on 2013. Surpassed by the Toyota Hilux in the July models sales charts, the Toyota Land Cruiser reclaimed its due title this month. It sold 482 vehicles over the month as against 481 for the Hilux, but remains firmly in control year-to-date at 5,155 sales vs. 4,287. “At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the Top 4 models are 100% Toyota, including the Corolla and Prado, and in Qatar too the best-selling non-Toyota is the Nissan Patrol at Number 5 and 3.6% share,” the reports says. Along with the car sales, auto components consumption across all vehicle categories in the GCC region, which was estimated at QR32.214 billion ($8.85 billion) in 2012, is expected to touch QR52.41 billion ($14.4 billion) by 2016, another report, which was released by research firm Frost & Sullivan says. QIMS 2015 Leading automobile brands will take part in the fifth edition of Qatar International Motor Show (QIMS), to be held at Qatar National Convention Centre between February 6 and 10 this year. The event, being hosted jointly by Qatar Tourism Authority, q.media Events, Fira Barcelona and other associates, will showcase the worldwide evolution of automobile industry. The event will highlight the most creative car designs and the latest technology used in automotive industry. In this perspective, the show imparts an air charged with adrenalin that will trigger passion and enthusiasm of both visitors and participants. The show will exhibit in addition to mid-size segments, SUVs, and motorcycles, which will satisfy all tastes. Apart from the displays, there will be lots of opportunities for visitors to interact with experts and celebrities from the automotive world. Qatar Tourism Authority Director (Exhibitions) Hamad Al Abdan says that the event will be most attractive for Qatari companies and international exhibitors comparing to the previous editions.

AUTO SPOTLIGHT

“THE POWER TO SURPRISE”

J.D. POWER 2014 INITIAL QUALITY STUDY (IQS) HAS RANKED THE KIA SPORTAGE AND KIA CADENZA AS LEADERS IN THE U.S. SMALL SUV AND LARGE CAR SEGMENTS, RESPECTIVELY.

78 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

urthermore, Kia has moved up four positions from last year’s IQS ranking and now stands at number six (in a tie) in the US automotive industry for initial quality out of a field of 32 car brands. The 2014 Sportage ranked first (in a tie) in the Small SUV segment for the second consecutive year, and the Cadenza ranked highest in the prestigious Large Car category, recognized by IQS for its first U.S. model year. “The results of the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study demonstrate Kia’s long-term strategy to concentrate on quality, strengthen our brand and elevate the ownership experience,” said John Crowe, vice president, service & after sales operations, Kia Motors America (KMA). “The Sportage and the Cadenza are two prime examples of how far the entire Kia model line-up has progressed in the way of design, performance, sophistication and value.” Aside from Kia’s highest ranking ever and Sportage’s back-to-back honours, Cadenza’s score was the second best for any Kia model in history. The annual report analyzed responses from 86,118 respondents in the U.S. with regards to 239 vehicle models across 23 segments. Vehi-

cles were evaluated on driving experience, engine and transmission performance and a broad range of quality problem symptoms reported by vehicle owners. Guangzhou Motor Show At the 2014 Guangzhou Motor Show held in November, Kia Motors unveiled the KX3 concept - a vehicle it envisions to offer exclusively to the Chinese market. Working as an indication of what to expect from the brand in terms of future SUV’s, the KX3 concept is designed to appeal to the youth of the ever growing Chinese market. Blending the silhouette of an SUV with a subtle rear spoiler, and the brand’s trademark ‘tiger-nose’ grille with muscular wheel arches and taut headlamps, the KX3 concept is a rather neat one. With decent ground clearance and chrome body cladding around the base, the KX3 concept looks like it should be able to tackle some mild off-road action on the beach effortlessly. Powered by a 1.6 litre turbo gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine and paired to a seven speed dual-clutch transmission, the KX3 sounds rather interesting, and with the four-wheel drive power train, even more so.

AUTO SPOTLIGHT

LEXUS UNVEILS NEW RC F COUPÉ LEXUS TOOK A MAJOR STRIDE IN REINFORCING ITS CREDENTIALS AS A LEADING PLAYER IN THE HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR SEGMENT WITH THE LAUNCH TWO MONTHS AGO OF THE STUNNING RC F COUPÉ - THE MOST POWERFUL V8 PERFORMANCE CAR EVER DEVELOPED BY THE BRAND.

he RC in RC F stands for Radical Coupé and the new RC F lives up entirely to this concept and Lexus’ legendary heritage with its killer combination of futuristic style and performance to blaze a new path for Lexus in the Middle East. Takayuki Yoshitsugu, Chief Representative, Middle East and North Africa Representative Office, TOYOTA Motor Corporation, says: “The new Lexus RC F coupé has been designed for optimum high-speed stability to support outstanding performance. With its superb styling, unprecedented power and handling capabilities, the RC F coupé opens up a new era of Lexus with a car which is distinguished by the purity of its design which connects on visual and visceral levels.” He also says: “The RC F will now become the new F image leader following in the footsteps of the legendary LFA supercar developed by Lexus and it will do so through the emotional design of the coupé body and also through the authenticity of its performance.” Based on the spectacular RC coupé that debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show in November last year, the RC F is the world’s first front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car to make use of a Torque Vectoring Differential (TVD) for guaranteed levels of extraordinary handling and performance. Revolutionary driving dynamics The Lexus RC F was designed for optimum grip and handling agility, taking full advantage of FR vehicle characteristics. All aspects were considered, from the vehicle’s footprint on the road and

80 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

body rigidity, to aerodynamics, suspension hardware, brakes, electric power-assisted steering calibration and chassis electronics. Powerful and aggressive design The RC F stands out for the visual aggression it adds to the stylish body of the new RC coupé. It features an exclusive version of the Lexus signature spindle grille that dominates the front of the vehicle, with an “F” motif embedded in its mesh below the Lexus symbol. The Lexus RC F is lower, wider and longer than the RC coupé with which it was simultaneously developed while sharing the same wheelbase. Advanced technology enhancements The new RC F is a prime example of Lexus’ emphasis on introducing advanced technology features to enhance the overall driving experience. The RC F coupé has an improved 8-speed Sports Direct Shift (SPDS) transmission. It has four driver-selectable modes – NORMAL, SPORT S, SPORT S+, and M – which have full torque-converter lock-up from second to eighth gears for “clutchless” manual shifting. Industry-leading safety features The RC F benefits from the same comprehensive array of safety features that characterises of today’s Lexus range, and comes equipped with as many as eight airbags which include a dual-stage driver’s airbag, dual-stage and dual-chamber front passenger airbag, driver’s and front passenger’s knee airbags, front-seat side airbags and full-length side curtain-shield airbags.

AUTO SPOTLIGHT

All-New Sonata

HYUNDAI, THE FASTEST-GROWING AUTOMAKER

“BEING ASSOCIATED WITH THE WORLD’S FASTEST GROWING AUTOMAKER IS A BIG RESPONSIBILITY AND A CHALLENGE FOR US. OUR FOCUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO FOLLOW HYUNDAI'S MODERN PREMIUM DIRECTION AND DELIVER OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SATISFACTION TO MEET AND EXCEED THE CONTINUOUSLY GROWING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS. WE ARE DEEPLY COMMITTED TO THE SUCCESS OF THE HYUNDAI BRAND IN QATAR.” Sheikh Ahmad Bin Nasser Al Thani President Director National Car Company

yundai is the world’s fastest-growing automaker by brand since 2005. Introducing greater performance, the latest technological features and a refined design in keeping with Hyundai’s ‘Modern Premium’ brand direction has been the key to the enviable success of Hyundai over the years. The brand value of Hyundai Motor Company - which has been included in Interbrand’s Best 100 Global Brands for 10 consecutive years - reached the Global Top 40 in 2014. The company also saw its brand value post another two-digit growth in 2014, fueled by the successful launch of game-changing products such as the all-new Genesis and Sonata, as well as the successful implementation of its Modern Premium brand direction, which has been creating not only a unified image for the brand worldwide, but also an emotional connection with its customers. Followed by the Middle East launch, National Car Company (NCC), the sole distributor for Hyundai vehicles in Qatar, launched the New 2015 Genesis in May 2014. The 2015 Genesis is the first Hyundai to benefit from the brand’s fluid sculpture 2.0 design concept, while also boasting significantly enhanced driving performance and state-of-the art technologies such as Smart Trunk function, Head-Up Display and safety features such as the all-new Automatic Emergency Braking.

The 2015 Genesis continued its impressive global safety testing results by achieving the highest-ever score in the 21-year history of ANCAP testing in Australia. Genesis also received the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest honour as a 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK+ earlier this year. Commenting on NCC’s long association with Hyundai in Qatar, Sheikh Ahmad Bin Nasser Al Thani, President Director of NCC, said: “Being associated with the world’s fastest-growing automaker is a big responsibility and a challenge for us. Our focus has always been to follow Hyundai 's modern premium direction and deliver outstanding customer satisfaction to meet and exceed the continuously growing customer expectations. We are deeply committed to the success of the Hyundai brand in Qatar.” The All-New Sonata 2015 mid-size sedan was launched in Qatar in October 2014. Staying true to Hyundai’s acclaimed ‘Modern Premium’ brand direction, the All-New Sonata offers modern styling, excellent performance, and practical application of the latest Hyundai technologies. The All-New Sonata is the second model to have been designed using Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 philosophy, It boasts a dramatic new exterior look, as well as a new and improved interior, and a design concept that focuses on “Inner Force,” a theme that points to evolved aesthetics and confident perfection.

AUTO SPOTLIGHT

2015 CHEVROLET TRAX ARRIVES

CAPTUR TO ARRIVE IN GCC THE FRENCH MANUFACTURER RENAULT WILL SHOW OFF ITS NEW SEDUCTION ASSET THROUGH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE RENAULT CAPTUR IN THE GCC COUNTRIES, THE FLAGSHIP CAR SINCE THE BRAND CHANGED ITS DESIGN APPROACH IN 2013.

aptur is Renault’s first urban crossover which stands out from the crowd bringing the best of three vehicle models together, namely the MPV, SUV and family hatchback. Sold in over 50 countries, the urban SUV has been a massive success everywhere it has been released, such as in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Australia and South Korea.

JAIDAH AUTOMOTIVE, A SUBSIDIARY OF JAIDAH GROUP AND THE EXCLUSIVE DEALER OF THE CHEVROLET BRAND IN QATAR INTRODUCED THE 2015 CHEVROLET TRAX, THE ALL-NEW VERSION OF THE BRAND’S LINE OF UPCOMING SMALL-SIZE SUVS.

he unveiling of the all-new 2015 Chevrolet Trax to the Qatari market took place at the Intercontinental Hotel and was attended by Mohamed Jaidah, Executive Director of Jaidah Group, Khaled Samir, Director of Operations of Jaidah Automotive and Khaled Hassan, MD of Jaidah Automotive. Mohamed Jaidah said: “We are excited to present the 2015 Chevrolet Trax. With its contemporary and vastly versatile features, we’re sure that it’s going to significantly expand Chevrolet’s customer base in the Qatari market.”

MINI SHOWROOM LAUNCHED ALFARDAN AUTOMOBILES, THE OFFICIAL BMW GROUP IMPORTER IN QATAR, HAS OPENED ITS FIRST ALL-NEW AND STAND-ALONE MINI SHOWROOM. BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER BEFORE, THE NEW SHOWROOM WILL DELIVER A BEST-IN-CLASS, ACTIONPACKED AND FUN EXPERIENCE TO CUSTOMERS WHEN PURCHASING THE MINI MODEL OF THEIR CHOICE IN QATAR.

he official showroom unveiling launch event was attended by Omar Alfardan, President and CEO of Alfardan Group, Henrik Wilhelmsmeyer, Head of Region Asia, Pacific, South Africa and Importer Regions for MINI at BMW Group, and others. In his comments, Omar Alfardan said: “For the past five years, the MINI brand

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in Qatar has experienced double-digit growth, this year with MINI showing a registered sales increase of 25%. In celebration of this growth and outstanding accomplishment we are here today to launch a dedicated new showroom for MINI in Qatar.” The all-new MINI 5-door Hatch was launched on the occasion.

AFTER INTRODUCING THE NEW BMW X6 MODEL AT THE BMW M MEETS X DRIVE EVENT AT THE LOSAIL INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT ON NOVEMBER 14 AND 15, ALFARDAN AUTOMOBILES HAS UNVEILED THE SECOND GENERATION OF THE SPORTS ACTIVITY COUPÉ AT THE BMW SHOWROOMS.

NEW BMW X6 UNVEILED

ommenting on the arrival of the new vehicle, Mr. Mohamed Kandeel, Chief Operating Officer, Alfardan Group - Automotive Operations, said: “The new BMW X6 combines the vigorous body and versatility of a BMW X model with the sporting elegance found in BMW’s Coupés. It also represents the best in motoring in the Sports Activity Coupé segment, and with its arrival to Qatar, we are certain that it will build on the successful legacy left by its previous generations.”

ALFARDAN OPENS ART GALLERY REACHING OUT TO CONNECT WITH THREE ARTISTS INCLUDING TWO FROM THE REGION, ALFARDAN SPORTS MOTORS, OFFICIAL FERRARI IMPORTER IN QATAR, HAS OPENED AN ART GALLERY IN ITS SHOWROOMS, WHICH WERE USED EXCLUSIVELY TO HOUSE THE LUXURIOUS COLLECTIONS OF NEWEST-RELEASE FERRARI MODELS.

“It is important for us to connect with our community, to work together to bolster cultural awareness in Qatar and promote symbiotic relationships,” commented Charly Dagher, General Manager, Alfardan Sports Motors. The artists include Qatari Calligrapher Rashad Mubarak Al Muhanadi, Californiaborn Lisa Mounteer-Watson, and Ahmed Allawi Haade, a native of Baghdad and presently a resident of Doha.

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AUTO SPOTLIGHT TALKING CAR HORN Spending considerable time in the car while caught in traffic snarls can be hell. But the revolutionary Talking Car Horn app ensures you are out of boredom. It takes your ride to the next level as it allows you to personalise your car horn just the way you like it. So let’s say if you are looking to have a good laugh with your friends, you could go ahead and “moo” like a cow, or “croak” like a frog in the middle of a packed street. The app is free, but you will have to buy the talking car system for $150 (QR546). Install the speakers, pull the cables through to the amplifier, connect the amplifier to your smartphone and enjoy some chuckles from passers-by.

“WISH MY CAR HAD THESE” YOU MAY NOT AFFORD A FERRARI BUT CAN STILL SOUND LIKE ONE SITTING IN A SMALL FORD. CARMUDI PRESENTS THIS SEASON’S IN-CAR GADGETS THAT WILL FULFIL THE WISH-LIST OF A LOT OF ASPIRING CAR OWNERS. THESE EPIC GADGETS WILL ADD THAT EXTRA OOMPH FACTOR TO YOUR RIDE. CARMUDI.AE, THE FASTEST-GROWING CAR CLASSIFIEDS, HAS ZEROED IN ON SOME OF THE JAZZIEST IN-CAR GADGETS THAT EVEN THE MOST TECH-SAVVY CAR OWNER WILL DIE FOR. THEY INCLUDE THE TALKING CAR HORN APP, JACKHAMMER SUBWOOFER, POLARIS AIRLESS TIRES, THE VOLKSWAGEN FATIGUE AND THE VROOMINATOR.

HAIR-RAISING EXPERIENCE This is no ordinary subwoofer. It is the JackHammer. Watch your hair electrify as the car shakes and vibrates courtesy of the incredible power generated by the subwoofer. It is no joke when we say that the JackHammer is the real deal. Weighing at 167 kg and producing 6000 Watts, the MTX Audio JackHammer is the largest and heaviest commercially available subwoofer. It was even featured on MTV’s Pimp My Ride show whereby it was installed in a 1986 Buick Century. It is yours for $7,000 (QR25,480). 86 > QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015

THE VROOMINATOR The Vroominator roars like a monstrous V8 engine which helps you get close enough to the experience. Plus, you don’t have to leave your own car as the gadget is synchronised to your vehicle’s alternator signal so the roaring sounds of a V8 engine match your car’s acceleration. You can get all this for $40 (QR145.6)

NAVIGATING YOUR WAY In any fast-developing country such as Qatar, where roads are ever changing to make room for more projects and high rises, a GPS navigator has become a necessity few can live without. We can all agree, however, that they aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing car accessories out there. Garmin has kept both safety and beauty in mind while developing their latest GPS system, HUD+ (Head-Up Display). While providing the usual GPS functions, it also tells you which lane to stay in for your next turn which, in a city with six-lane highways, can be a lifesaver. Get this accessory for $179.99 (QR661).

NO MORE “SLEEPY DRIVING”

NO FLAT TYRES

Did you ever think your car would know if you were tired? Well, the Volkswagen fatigue detection function makes this possible. How? Through a highly sophisticated gadget that can read your in-car behaviour and steering wheel movements when you are behind the wheel. It will alert you to a loss of concentration and recommend that you take a break. For those who are too sleepy to realise it, the warning is repeated after 15 minutes.

No air? No problem! What if we told you that these cool looking Polaris Airless tyres can withstand 50-caliber rounds, railroad spikes and can even plough through any terrain or weather condition. It is hard to believe but true. These tyres will not burst, leak or go flat whatsoever. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the Polaris Airless tyres start at a hefty price of $14,999 (QR54,496). QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 87

development > tech talk “If you think about the impact Twitter has on the world versus Instagram, it’s pretty significant... It’s this real-time information network where everything in the world happens on Twitter, important stuff breaks on Twitter and world leaders have conversations on Twitter. If that’s happening, I frankly don’t give a s**t if Instagram has more people looking at pretty pictures.”

ON INSTAGRAM'S 300 MILLION ACTIVE USERS A MONTH

EVAN WILLIAMS, Co-founder, Twitter

THE EYES WANT WHAT THE TUMMY WANTS An innovative digital menu by Pizza Hut can make recommendations based on a customer’s subconscious craving.

OOREDOO LAUNCHES 4G+ NETWORK Customers could initially access this first-of-its-kind network at the Corniche, West Bay, Katara, Souq Waqif, Al Rayyan, Shahaniya and Sealine; the entire Qatar was to be covered by end of December.

oredoo Chief Operating Officer Waleed Al Sayed, who launched the service, said that speed of the internet will increase two times and this service would be more useful for businesses in the country. “Bigger and large-sized documents can be downloaded in shorter time,” he said. However, only customers who have hand-held devices such as Samsung Alpha, Huawei Ascend Mate 7 and Huawei E5786 Mi-fi, which have the latest CAT6 technology, can access the network at present. Meanwhile, the operator, along with Nokia Networks and China Mobile,

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demonstrated a connection with 4.1 Gbps speed with TDD-FDD carrier aggregation that combined 10 carriers at the recently concluded ITU Telecom World conference. With this kind of capability, users can, for example, download a full-length 5 GB HD movie in just 11 seconds and simultaneously upload a 30 MB video in less than a second. At the same event, Ooredoo also announced plans to launch Mobile Academy, its subscription-based mobile learning service that offers more than 50 courses on diverse subjects like language learning and business skills.

he pizza chain has partnered with eye-tracking firm Tobii Technology to develop a menu that is completely controlled by your retina. Once the sensor can recognise your eye movements, you’ll be shown a grid of 20 potential toppings on the screen and the menu will know, in exactly 2.5 seconds, which of the ingredients you lingered over the longest. “The menu then uses a powerful mathematical algorithm to identify, from 4896 possible ingredient combinations, the customer’s perfect pizza,” the company said in a statement, adding that 98% of the customers this was tested on were satisfied with the recommendations made. The new digital menu is being rolled out to every refurbished Pizza Hut restaurant in the UK.

QIA STEPS UP TECH INVESTMENTS Qatar Investment Authority has, within a short time, made a couple of big investments in high profile technology companies.

ccording to The Wall Street Journal, Uber, the ride-sharing startup, conducted a new round of funding worth $1.2 billion (QR4.37 billion) which involved two hedge funds and Qatar’s soverign wealth fund, QIA. It is not clear what percentage of this figure is to come from QIA, but the paper commented that this tie-up may be about more than the money for Uber; QIA could prove to be a “strategic partner that could facilitate Uber’s expansion into new regions

DO MORE WITH A TOUCH A recent patent submitted by an Apple subsidiary company describes various ways that the Touch ID sensor on a smartphone could be used for more than user verification.

person twisting his or her finger around in a clockwise or counterclockwise motion can manipulate a digital lock on the smartphone’s screen. In another example, the patent demonstrated how a user drags a finger across the Touch ID sensor to complete a locking pattern on the iPhone itself. That would seemingly combine fingerprint verification with pattern identity.

by reducing regulatory hurdles.” Barely ten days later, it was announced that QIA has picked up a $150-million (QR546-million) stake in Indian e-commerce company Flipkart, which is among the top five privately held technology startups in the world. Incidentally, QIA witnessed a shuffle at the top with the stepping down of CEO Ahmad Al Sayed who was replaced with the current Chairman of Ooredoo, HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohamed bin Saud Al Thani.

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A CYBER ATTACK ON FREEDOM OF SPEECH Sony Pictures paid a heavy price when online hackers released private emails, script details, pay rosters and unreleased movies after a massive cyber attack.

he hackers, who call themselves the Guardians of Peace, reportedly breached Sony defences in response to Sony’s Christmas release, The Interview, which features a plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Some embarrassing revelations include film executives making racist comments about President Barack Obama’s taste in movies, derogatory remarks about the acting talents of stars like Angelina Jolie and the inflated paycheck of British Princess Beatrice who was working as a lowly intern. The FBI blamed

North Korea for the attack (which the military state has denied, even offering to work with the US to catch the culprits responsible). However, after the emergence of threats against movie-goers if this film were to be screened, Sony pulled The Interview from the theatres only to reinstate it back for the original release data. Obama criticised the cancellation, saying that “we cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can start imposing censorship” and later praised the move to release it. QATAR TODAY > JANUARY 2015 > 89

development > tech talk

Roboy with (L-R) Hungary’s Minister for National Development Miklos Sezstak, Executive Director in the ICT Ministry Khalid Al Hashmi, ITU Secretary General Dr Hamadoun I Touré and Ooredoo COO Waleed al Sayed

The four-day International Telecom Union (ITU) Telecom World 2014, which was held for the first time in Doha last month, was marked with interactive debates and showcased a focus on the future of technology and its impact on society.

Focus is on the future

aking advantage as the host nation, Qatar utilised the opportunity to project itself as a hub of global technology and as a “Smart Nation” by demonstrating Doha’s broadband capabilities. The highlight of the event, whose theme was “The Future in Focus,” was international expert in intelligent robotics Rolf Pfeifer, who presented the Roboy, a robot designed to encourage human-robot interaction and change the often negative perceptions of robots. The human-robotic interaction delighted participants from across the globe with his ability to interact and move, his anthromorphic, tendon-driven arm, as well as his charming blushes, winks and waves. The event also saw Nokia Networks, Qatar’s leading telecommunications provider Ooredoo, and China Mobile set a world record by demonstrating a speed of 4.1 Gbps over TDD-FDD LTE by which users can download a full-length 5 GB high-definition movie in just 11 seconds and simultaneously upload a five-minute 30 MB video clip from a concert in less than a second. As many as 3,500 participants from 165 countries took

part in the event including from both the public and private sectors. “I have seen the evolution of a roadmap that provides an immersive, interactive and deeply informative view of the future of ICT,” said ITU Secretary General Hamadoun I Touré. “This has been evident in the Leadership Summit and Forum, bringing insights into industry shifts and macro trends from top names on the show floor and looking at new technologies developing in The Lab,” he added.

Numbers at a glance

205

169 show floor

16 partners and

46 countries

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Total participants

3,500 from

165 countries

Discussions The forum sessions discussed key trends and developments in technology, regulatory and policy issues, business models, services and applications by focusing on three major scenarios of disruption, cross-sector partnerships and the intelligent future. The discussions centred around the radical transformation of the ICT industry and other topics such as “Big Data, mobile networks in the cloud, the softwarisation of network elements, bringing IT into ICT, cross-sector partnerships, collaboration

Speakers from countries

Forum sessions