Qatar Today June 2011 by Oryx Group of Magazines

JUne 2011

c ontent s 10

c ove r story

35 QT TOP TEN: Qatar Inc on track

2010 ended on a perfect note for Qatar. And the beginning of 2011 reflected the optimism investors showed in the country that was to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022. Qatar Today, with the help of Al Shall Economic Services, embarked on its annual process of listing the current Top Ten companies, companies that have shown consistent performance over the past five years. This year we asked ourselves, what is the ideal way to rank the performance of a company, and after some deliberation, we decided to look at it from an investor’s perspective. QT talks to the Top Ten Companies and to QE CEO.

30 Crafting a Green Legacy

Dr Yousef Al Horr talks about the country’s first rating agency that will soon be included in the Qatar Construction Code

62 35 QT TOP

qatar inc. on track

15 Qatar’s experiment in democracy embarks on its fourth term

Qataris set an example to those yearning for freedom in the Middle East. Except that the Qataris yearn for greater freedom: namely for the government to organise elections to the Shura Council in the near future.

62 Chequebook Culture?

Why Qatar needs to rebrand itself Branding luminary David Omi emphasises the need for Qatar to communicate its inherent culture

published by oryx advertising co.wll, All rights reserved. qatar today is published monthly by oac, po box no. 3272, doha, qatar. subscription rate for qr. 240 per year. address for all subscription correspondence to qatar today, oryx advertising co.wll, po box 3272, al hilal area, doha, state of qatar. for single copies call us on + 974 44672139 or mail to qtoday@omsqatar.com. material in this publication must not be stored or reproduced in any form without permission. request for permission should be directed to qtoday@omsqatar.com. reprint requests should be directed to the info@msqatar.com. qatar today is registered trademark of oryx advertising co.wll

JUNE 2011 volume 37 issue 6 www.omsqatar.com

cONTENTs

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68 ambassadOrs fOr chaNgE Gen Y gears Up

Raising Eco-Consciousness Amongst The Young

70 saP: sPEEd, mObILITy aNd rELIabILITy

As the technological drive switches gear, SAP are forcing businesses to innovate again. Rory Coen was “in the moment” at the recent SAPPHIRE NOW Convention in Florida.

74 INTErNET markETINg

76 grEEN PrOgrammE fOr schOOLs

80 raw POwEr uNLEashEd aT LusaIL Experiencing Nissan GT-R power

82 gET jETTa aNd gO

Qatar Today was invited for the first look at the 2011 all-new, redesigned and restyled Jetta

If you have managed to introduce social/ online media in your organisation, the next step is to determine the possible ways of reaching your customers on the web says Kapil Bhattia

rEguLars NEws bITEs.................................................10 rEaLTy chEck...............................................18 O & g O v E r v I E w. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0 baNk NOTEs................................................22 w O r L d v I E w. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4 brakINg NEws..............................................78 markET waTch.............................................85 d O h a d I a r y. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 6

INsIdE: cgc NOkIa PrOducT bOOkLET

v O Lu m E 3 7

IssuE 6

PubLIshEr & EdITOr-IN-chIEf chIEf ExEcuTIvE ExEcuTIvE vIcE PrEsIdENT vIcE PrEsIdENT maNagINg EdITOr dEPuTy EdITOr EdITOrIaL cOOrdINaTOr cOrrEsPONdENTs

fashION &LIfEsTyLE cOrrEsPONdENT fEaTurEs wrITEr

juNE 2011

yOusuf jassEm aL darwIsh saNdEEP sEhgaL aLPaNa rOy ravI ramaN vaNI saraswaThI sINdhu NaIr cassEy OLIvEIra rOry cOEN PragaTI shukLa EzdIhar IbrahIm aLI OrNa baLLOuT shaLINEE bharadwaj

arT dIrEcTOr assT arT dIrEcTOr PrOducTION assIsTaNT arT dIrEcTOr sENIOr graPhIc dEsIgNErs

vENkaT rEddy sujITh hEENaTIgaLa haNaN abu saIam ayush INdrajITh samPaTh guNaThILaka PhOTOgraPhEr rOb a

maNagErs markETINg

mOhammEd samI zuLfIkar jIffry sENIOr mEdIa cONsuLTaNT chaTurka karaNdaNa mEdIa cONsuLTaNTs vIcTOrIa fErrarIs hassaN rEkkab markETINg rEsEarch & amjETh aLI suPPOrT ExEcuTIvE accOuNTaNT sr. dIsTrIbuTION ExEcuTIvE dIsTrIbuTION suPPOrT

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QaTar TOday INvITEs rEadErs’ fEEdback sharE yOur vIEws ON ThE magazINE Or aNy IssuE cONNEcTEd TO QaTar. ONE Lucky rEadEr wILL wIN aN ExQuIsITE mONT bLaNc wrITINg INsTrumENT.

PraTaP chaNdraN bIkram shrEsTha arjuN TImILsINa bhImaL raI

published by oryx advertising co.wll, all rights reserved. qatar today is published monthly by oac, po box no. 3272, doha, qatar. subscription rate for qr. 240 per year. address for all subscription correspondence to qatar today, oryx advertising co.wll, po box 3272, al hilal area, doha, state of qatar. for single copies call us on + 974 44672139 or mail to qtoday@omsqatar.com. material in this publication must not be stored or reproduced in any form without permission. request for permission should be directed to qtoday@omsqatar.com. reprint requests should be directed to the info@msqatar.com. qatar today is registered trademark of oryx advertising co.wll reprint requests should be directed to the info@msqatar.com. qatar today is registered trademark of oryx advertising co.wll reprint requests should be directed to the info@msqatar.com. qatar today is registered trademark of oryx advertising co.wll

write to: the editor, qatar today, po box 3272, doha. fax: (+974) 44550982, email: qtoday@omsqatar.com qatar today reserves the right to edit and publish the correspondence. views and opinions expressed in the published letters may not necessarily be the publication’s views and opinions.

JUne 2011

caN

frOm ThE dEsk

IT gET murkIEr ThaN fIfa? aLLEgaTIONs arE fLyINg fasT aNd furIOus, casuaLTIEs arE bEINg rEPOrTEd, aNd ThErE rEaLLy dOEsN'T sEEm TO bE aN ENd IN sIghT fOr ThIs uNhOLy mEss.

Who will really bell the ball-kicking cat? Whose word is to be taken, and whose is to be binned? So the house is in disarray, but the person who heads it is in the clear? It seems dubious that Sepp Blatter comes off clean, when the very people he was hobnobbing with have been suspended? The 'Ethics' committee obviously is not eponymous, so who is 'to police the police'? This is not a defense for Mohamed bin Hammam, or about the validity of the Qatar 2022 bid. And, it wasn't Qatar winning the 2022 bid that triggered talk of corruption in FIFA in fact, the governing body has for long, carried the burden of bad ethics. This is about an organisation in which corruption has such deep roots, there appears to be no alternative way of functioning. AFC President, Mohamed bin Hammam, who decided to run for the FIFA presidency after playing a key role in Qatar winning the rights to host the 2022 World Cup, withdrew from the race, and in less than 24 hours was also suspended . He now says he fails to understand how, despite his unsubstantiated guilt, he has been suspended. "I have been referred to the Ethics Committee based on evidence which was strong enough in the views of the FIFA General Secretary for such procedure. However, the Ethics Committee in its meeting today did not find this evidence sufficient to convict me. Consequently, I should have been given the benefit of doubt but instead, I have been banned from all football activities." Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, who spearheaded the bid campaign, tweets in reference to an article on bribery accusation: What is concerning and unfair is that there appear to be those who are unable to accept that a country like Qatar could... And that remains the main issue here that for many it is difficult to stomach that a country considered to be a 'rich upstart' will steal the show from established powers. I doubt if even time will tell what actually transpired, and if Qatar's win was well-deserved or not. But if the country retains the bid win, it has less than a dozen years to prove a point and cock a snook at its many detractors. We go to press as the news develops, and can only hope for some fairness. Given the current scenario, brand strategist David Omi's advice to the nation seems to be of greater significance. In an interview with Qatar Today, He emphasises the urgent need to move away from a cheque book culture, and embrace the real strengths of the country. Some things are simpler of course. Like ranking the top companies in the country. It's time for the annual Qatar Today Top 10 listing. This year, the listing has been done from the context of investors' interests. The coming months are going to see a lot of heat, and we are not just talking about the weather alone!

Vani Saraswathi

JUne 2011

QaTar TOday 5

LETTErs feedback qtoday@omsqatar.com

Happy Working there was a time when working hard was the secret to being successful. with changing times this concept has changed. the mantra for the 21st century is to “work smart.” however, it is equally important that the quality of work doesn’t suffer and this is where the indispensible role of hr enters. the cover story “making hr work for you” by rory coen and ezdhar ibrahim not only brought into focus the important issues related to employee management but it also threw light on the sponsorship angle that is so vital here. rashid hudaib

QT POLL juNE

poll result is based on messages received till 20th of every month

becoming a leader

I am really inspired by the piece “Why some leaders make it and some don’t” which describes qualities that a leader should posses. Every one wants to become a leader but only a few fortunate ones become one. So what makes these leaders different from others? The answers given are totally apt and if adopted in daily life can really make a difference. Hoping to see similar articles in the future issues of Qatar Today micheal smith

moving aHead

Qatar has witnessed an unprecedented growth over the decade. In line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 the nation is growing in every aspect but most specifically in infrastructure. As Qatar has won the FIFA World Cup 2022 hosting rights, there will be a need for efficient modes of transport. But it is essential that there is also a provision for healthier mode of transport, walking, cycling etc alongside these developments. bilal wakil

wILL 2011 bE a yEar Of cauTION fOr INvEsTOrs? sms aNswErs TO +974 33072524 a Lucky wINNEr wILL wIN a NOkIa E63

ThE caLL fOr rEvOLuTION IN ThE arab wOrLd hIghLIghTs ThE POwEr Of sOcIaL mEdIa.

67%

37%

yEs

ThE wINNINg NumbEr Of ThE LasT QT POLL Is 66738172

dynamic arTiST

I am an artist and thus reading about other artists in our own country always interests me. It was a treat to read about Mohammed Alhamadi. I was totally impressed by this multitalented artist and hope to follow his steps. His thoughts and ideas are influential. It’s great to see that our country has so much talent. yasmeen obaidy

QaTar TOday INvITEs rEadErs’ fEEdback sharE yOur vIEws ON ThE magazINE Or aNy IssuE cONNEcTEd TO QaTar. ONE Lucky rEadEr wILL wIN aN ExQuIsITE mONT bLaNc wrITINg INsTrumENT. write to: the editor, qatar today, po box 3272, doha. fax: (+974) 44550982, email: qtoday@omsqatar.com qatar today reserves the right to edit and publish the correspondence. views and opinions expressed in the published letters may not necessarily be the publication’s views and opinions.

chEck OuT aLL arTIcLEs Of QaTar TOday ON www.Issuu.cOm/Oryxmags fOLLOw us ON www.facEbOOk.cOm/QaTarTOday www.TwITTEr.cOm/QaTarTOday

avoiding the slippery slope 26

NEWS BITES

Forum calls for dialogue

rominent political figures called for an increase in dialogue between nations in the Arab world and Western countries to help rebuild the region and capitalise on the developments that have taken place in recent months at the Doha Forum held in May. HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani opened the Doha Forum on Democracy, Development and Free Trade the Doha Sheraton Hotel. The opening ceremony was attended by HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani and other dignitaries from around the world HH the Heir Apparent delivered a speech at the opening ceremony in which he underlined that the Arab revolutions have shown that youth of the region are

eager for freedom. Experts argued that certain issues, such as the Israel-Palestine conflict, need to be resolved for the stability of not only the region, but the rest of the world. And they purported that the only way to make on progress on the conflict is to open up to more dialogue between the West and Arab countries.

HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani

Media Award for Qatari journalist

eteran Qatari journalist and Secretary General of the Gulf Press Association, Nasser Mohamed Al-Othman has been presented with the Arab Media Personality Award for 2010 by the UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. Soon after receiving the citation of $50,000, Al-Othman dedicated the award to “those who died in the cause of journalism and media during the recent Arab Spring uprisings, foremost among whom is Ali Hassan Jaber, the Al-Jazeera cameraman who was killed in an ambush in Libya”.

opened the Doha Forum

QR382 million granted for Research

t its third Annual Forum, Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, announced that a total of QR382 million ($121 million) – a 7% increase from last year – will be distributed among 145 research proposals for funding as part of the National Priorities Research Program (NPRP) – the flagship funding

in numbers:

Letters of Intent, out of which 695 proposals were submitted to QNRF. After extensive analysis by QNRF, 145 proposals were awarded. In this 4th cycle, 14 submitting institutions from Qatar in collaboration with 134 international research institutions from 25 countries were awarded. By funding such projects, NPRP aims to build upon human capital in Qatar and benefit the nation, region, and world through innovative research initiatives.

HMC

Texas A&M Qatar

WCMC-Q

CMUQ

PROPOSAL SUBMITTED

PROPOSALS SUBMITTED

proposals submitted

PROPOSALS SUBMITTED

332 65

awarded 10 Qatar Today

programme of QNRF designed to foster a research culture in Qatar. The projects lie in the following research areas: natural sciences, engineering and technology, medical and health sciences, agricultural sciences, social sciences and humanities. Held at the Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel, the event was attended by some of the leading researchers in Qatar. Since the beginning of NPRP’s fourth cycle in September 2010, QNRF received over 1,400

June 2011

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AWARDED

awarded

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Barcelona shirt bears Qatar Foundation name

C Barcelona’s new home shirt – bearing the Qatar Foundation name – was unveiled at a spectacular ceremony at the club’s famous ‘Camp Nou’ stadium last

month. Sportswear giant and FC Barcelona kit manufacturers Nike treated an audience of selected dignitaries, guests and media, including a delegation from Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development to a stunning presentation for the launch of the shirt that the La Liga champions will wear next season (2011/2012). The event was held in the evening for visual effect. Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, club captain Carles Puyol and midfield star Andres Iniesta were present at the unveiling. The shirt sponsorship is the cornerstone of the global partnership deal signed in December 2010 between Qatar Sports Invest-

ment and FC Barcelona. The partnership will run for five and a half years until 2016 and is valued at QR861.54 million (Euro 166 million). QF is the beneficiary of the agreement through the placing of its name on FC Barcelona’s team shirts and training wear. It will go on sale globally from June 1, 2011.

Aamal offering shares as GDRs

amal plans to offer its ordinary shares in the form of Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs) to be listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) in June. The offering will comprise up to 118.8 million shares held by Aamal Chairman, Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani, which represents up to 24% of Aamal’s share capital, and will be offered in the form of GDRs to institutional investors outside the US in reliance on Regulation S, and to certain qualified institutional buyers in the US under rule 144A. GDRs allow a foreign company to trade their shares in more than one country, independent from their underlying stock. A spokesperson for Aamal said the schedule of the GDR listing on the LSG would be drawn following 'investor education' that will be handled by Citi and HSBC, joint global coordinators and bookrunners. for the offering. Arab African International Bank will be the co-lead manager.

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QF receives CIPS certification

med K. Al-Suwaidi, Director, Procurement Directorate. “This certificate is a guarantor of the exceptional performance that is characteristic of our Procurement team, and of Qatar Foundation,” he said. CIPS was established in 1932 and has grown to become the central international reference for best practice and code of conduct in the industry around the world. In 1992, CIPS was granted the Royal British Charter in recognition of their status as a centre of excellence and its role in providing support to this domain.

atar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development became the first Qatari recipient of the silver accreditation by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) – a global leader in management of purchasing and supply – for its quality of purchasing and supply practices. “This is a historic event, and reflects the pioneering nature of Qatar Foundation, as well as its striving vision to meet and maintain international standards,” said Moham-

Growing demand for Boeing in Middle East

oeing said that orders from its customers in the Middle East account for 15% of its order backlog by value. Boeing has a total order backlog valued at QR958 billion. Boeing also forecasts that airlines in the Middle East will require an estimated 2,340 airplanes worth QR1.4 trillion ($390 billion) by 2029, with demand being driven by the rapid growth of air travel in the region. Boeing also estimates that Middle Eastern air travel will grow by an average of 7.1% per year over the next 20 years, outpacing the region’s projected economic growth

rate of 4 % over the same period. Boeing Commercial Airplanes Vice President of Marketing, Randy Tinseth said, “Middle East airlines, such as Qatar Airways, have consistently led the rest of the world in traffic growth over the past two years and there is every indication that this trend will continue into the foreseeable future."

EQ targets business owners and entrepreneurs

ffective leadership, management and the importance of customer service were prevalent topics when Enterprise Qatar (EQ) – the group mandated with supporting small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) – hosted the second live event of its SME Evolution Programme. The event comprised of a series of workshops and interactive sessions with academics, industry experts and local business people. The key topics included a session

12 Qatar Today

June 2011

on Entrepreneurship and Leadership, a workshop on the needs of SMEs in Qatar, a session on the importance of customers for any business, and an introduction to the Arabic programme. EQ Deputy Project Director, Noora Al-Mannai, said: “After the considerable success of our first workshop earlier in the month, Saturday’s session helped expand on some of the themes introduced in that session in addition to highlighting a range of other topics that are critical to the success of any business.”

highlight Qtel reaching speeds of 100 Mbps Qtel became the first company in Qatar – and one of the first communications providers in the region – to reach Internet trial speeds of up to 100 Mbps (Megabits per second) for consumers. Qtel has been enabling customers since May 18 – within the company’s trial fibre footprint – to receive home Internet broadband at speeds of up to 100 Mbps. As Qtel’s next generation fibre network continues to extend, the company will be well positioned to offer this service to customers throughout Doha and other urban areas. The deployment of Qtel’s next generation fibre network throughout Qatar is advancing rapidly, with fibre deployment occurring zoneby-zone and a commercial launch set to start later this year. Qtel has confirmed its intention to launch Internet Packages with speeds of up to 100 Mbps, where customers will be able to download HD movies and share hundreds of photos in a matter of minutes, rather than hours.

NEws bITEs

“shEIkh jassEm aL-darwIsh Is a NaTIONaL TrEasurE”

he subject of this year’s “Distinguished Personalities of Qatar” competition, the late Jassem Al-Darwish, was described at the prize-giving ceremony as a “national treasure” and “one of the most important pearls in the precious necklace of Qatar”, both for his prowess in commerce and for his exemplary personal qualities. The ceremony organised by Barzan Youth Centre to honour winners for the best three research papers on Jassem Al-Darwish was held at the Opera House in Katara Cultural Village. The Centre’s Chairman, HE Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdurrahman Al-Thani, said the competition, now in its fifth year served to enrich the cultural scene of the nation and helped to stock the National Library of Qatar and other Arab and Islamic libraries with valuable studies on prominent figures who have contributed to the nation’s development. He expressed his pleasure at the addition of three more distinguished studies on Jassem Al-Darwish. He spoke of the late Jassem Al-Darwish's many accomplishments in numerous fields who had gained his fame and reputation in commerce and whose exemplary personal qualities which influenced contemporary Qatari life. One of the country’s leading figures – Jassem Al-Darwish had lived under five Qatari rulers and been thoroughly rooted in the country.

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JUne 2011

Sheikh Abdulaziz said the name of the personality to be studied for next year’s competition would be announced shortly and closed his speech by expressing his appreciation for HH the Emir’s constant support and encouragement. For his part, said the fact that his late father, Sheikh Jassem Al-Darwish was being

Abdulaziz bin Abdurrahman Al-Thani for holding the “Distinguished Personalities of Qatar” competition, calling it an excellent and constructive initiative. Businessman and Editor-In Chief of Oryx Advertising Co WLL, Yousuf bin Jassem Al-Darwish, son of late Jassem Al-Darwish said, “We are honoured that the person be-

WinnerS Honoured he sheikh abdulaziz bin abdurrahman al-thani and yousuf bin Jassem al-darwish along with other dignitaries

celebrated in this way reflected an important human value, namely that of faithfulness to the distinguished pioneers of Qatar’s national awakening who had contributed generously to this country’s progress in various spheres of life. He thanked HE Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Kuwari, the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage, and HE Sheikh

ing celebrated this year is our father who is our role model.” Al Darwish thanked the Barzan Youth Centre for adopting this custom of celebrating the pioneering forefathers so that the rising generation of Qatari youth might learn about the sacrifices of the elders for the country’s progress and development.

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Qatar’s

experiment in

democracy embarks on its fourth term By the end of a long, hard day made harder by temperatures soaring into the 40s, still not stopping the voters turning out to cast their ballots, Qataris set an example to those yearning for freedom in the Middle East. Except that the Qataris yearn for greater freedom: namely for the government to organise elections to the Shura Council in the near future.

“A

By EZDHAR IB R A H I M “As a government,” Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani said, “we have been somewhat delayed by the need to put all the relevant legislation in place before doing anything else. It’s our first experience of doing this in Qatar, so we need time to implement it. We are pursuing this courseout of a belief that this is the best way to reach our goal of being a country where people participate at the grassroots.” The Qatari constitution stipulates that legislative elections should be held to elect two thirds of members of the Shura Coun-

cil, with the remaining third being appointed by the Emir. However, no timetable has yet been announced for holding these elections. Announcing the May election results, Chairman of the Supervising Committee for the elections Brigadier Majed Ibrahim Al-Khulaifi said two of the 29 CMC members – Sa’eed Ali Hamad Al-Marri in Mesaieed and Mohamed Zafer Mohamed Al-Hajiri in Al Shahaniyya – had been elected unopposed, while the other 27 had been voted to powe. This is CMC’s fourth fouryear term since it was inaugurated in 1999.

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Qatar Today 15

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The Brigadier said 13,606 out of the 32,662 registered electors had voted, a turnout of 43.3%. Down from the 51.1% in 2007. The elections have pumped new blood into the CMC, with 12 new faces joining 17 returning members including Sheikha Jufeiri, the candidate with the highest number of votes (803) but still the only woman on the council as three other female candidates failed to win. The four women were among a total of 101 candidates standing for the 29 constituency seats. Brigadier Al-Khulaifi thanked the supervising committee and all the constituency committees, and said, “Advance preparation enabled us to address any shortcomings at an early stage and ensure things went smoothly both for the public and for the candidates, who were very active at the election centres from early on in the day.”

The municipal elections are a pioneering step towards greater public participation HE Mohamed bin Mubarak Al-Khulaifi, Chairman of the Advisory Council

16 Qatar Today

June 2011

the elections have pumped new blood into the cmc with 12 new faces joining brigadier majed Ibrahim Al-Khulaifi, Chairman of the supervising committee for the elections

the elections help us build the sort of country where people can live in safety and security Dr Saif Ali Al-Hajri: vice chairman of the qatar foundation for education, science and community development

Voters’ views Shura Council Speaker Mohamed bin Mubarak Al-Khulaifi said the holding of elections for the CMC should be seen a pioneering experiment in Qatar, and a step towards popular participation in choosing Shura Council members. Speaking after he had cast his ballot, he said: “We see this experience as a building block of democracy that has opened avenues for women to take part alongside men as both voters and candidates. I’m delighted to have witnessed the enthusiasm of the candidates to serve the public, and of the public to engage with the electoral campaign. It’s given a powerful boost to our confidence in the democratic process, and that should be a source of pride for everyone.” Meanwhile Dr Saif Ali Al-Hajri, Vice Chairman of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development and Chairman of the Friends of the Environment Centre, casting his vote in

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“It is difference of opinion, not disagreement”

CMC Secretary-General Abdulaziz Abdulqader Al-Ahmad’s views on the elections and the new council.

Some would say the recent amendments to the Municipal Council Law entrench the control of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs over the Central Municipal Council, and curtail the powers of its chairman and members in favour of the secretary-general. What is your view on this? All the amendments introduced by Law No. 1 of 2011 affirm the role of the CMC and give effect to the functions entrusted to it. The most important changes are: raising the age at which people can stand for election from 18 to 30 years, allowing council members who are employed to take leave on full pay, giving the CMC authority to sign agreements with Arab and International bodies and mandating members to avoid conflict of interest between personal or professional activities and the interests of the council. The new law has given CMC a new power that will enable it to achieve its objectives.. The chairman’s powers regarding the council and its members have not been curtailed but remain the same. As for the general secretariat, it is simply the council’s administrative system helping to run its affairs smoothly. The Secretary-General is the person who heads this bureaucracy, and he has to be given the power and prerogative to carry out his appointed role. Besides, the powers of the secretary-general are the same as those of other secretaries-general and heads of government departments and public bodies. Will constant disagreements between members affect the council’s performance?

They aren’t disagreements but differences of opinion, which is healthy in all democratic institutions. There are no disagreements between members of the council. The council meetings are typically calm, transparent and dignified, while views and ideas are exchanged. There are accusations that the CMC has shirked its duty and neglected to exercise the powers conferred on it by law. What would you say to that? As I see it, the council has, throughout its three terms to date, exercised the powers granted to it under the law, though its performance has varied from one term to another according to the circumstances of each one. Members continue to do their utmost to develop their constituencies and the country as a whole. Some people have called for the post of secretary-general to be filled by election rather than appointment. What do you think? I’d like to point out that the secretarygeneral is not a member of the CMC and is not subject to the rules and regulations that apply to members. He doesn’t do any voluntary work for his constituents like any member of the council, and he doesn’t receive any financial compensation. He is actually the head of a government body, the General Secretariat, and comes under the provisions of the Human Resources Law, No.8 of 2009, unless otherwise specified in Law No. 12 of 1998, as recently amended. He has the same rights and obligations as any other civil servant in a leadership position, so there is no question of him being elected. Besides, Law No. 1 of 2011 has settled the issue by stipulating clearly that the secretary general is to be appointed by resolution of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Urban Planning, based on the council’s proposal.

Dafna, was pleased that the CMC elections had generated so much interest, saying this showed the level of awareness of democracy and the electoral process. He blessed the government’s wisdom in persisting with democracy and making the public active participants in Qatar’s progress. He described the elections as a solemn responsibility for both the candidates, who have to work to improve conditions in their constituencies, and the voters who have to choose their representatives well. “So it’s a shared responsibility,” he said, “and it helps us build the sort of country where people can live in safety and security.” Dr Ibrahim Saleh Al-Nuaimi, Chairman of the Doha International Centre for Interfaith Dialogue, voting in Madinat Khalifa North applauded the efforts of the country’s leaders to embed democracy in Qatar and broaden public participation in decision-making. “These CMC elections are important,” he said. “Seats on the CMC are just as important as any other official post.” He saw Qatar’s municipal elections as a testing-ground for other elections in the future. Supreme Judicial Council Chairman Mas’oud Mohamed Al-Aameri said voting in the May 10 elections had been properly conducted, and that Qatar was steadily building up its experience in holding elections. Minister of Municipal Affairs and Urban Planning Sheikh Abdurrahman bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani said he was pleased to be voting as a citizen in his constituency (Madinat Khalifa North), likening it to “a democratic wedding feast” where everyone exercised their right to choose the representatives for their constituencies based on their perceived ability and capacity to serve their areas

June 2011

Qatar Today 17

crafTINg a grEEN LEgacy 30

rEaLTy chEck

bIddINg farEwELL TO ExIsTINg TEam

QR 1,405 MILLIOn

nET 84% PERCEnT PROFIT InCREASE OVER JAn-DEC 2009

QR 766 MILLIOn.

QR74 BILLIOn

ASSETS REPRESEnTInG A 111% PER CEnT InCREASE OVER

QR35 BILLIOn

FROM 31 DECEMBER 2009.

arwa Group held a farewell gathering in their offices in honour of their outgoing chairman and board members. BARWA Chairman, HE Hitmi bin Ali Al-Hitmi said: “As the group transitions from the past five years' highly successful chairmanship of Ghanim Bin Saad Al-Saad, we celebrate the previous

management team's contribution to the growth of the company. With their efforts, Barwa is now the largest real estate stock on Qatar's Exchange.” Barwa, outgoing Chairman, Ghanim Bin Saad Al-Saad: “Barwa's first five years have been an incredible journey for the entire management team, as we have seen the group develop into one of Qatar's most significant companies and spread its net inter

kNOwLEdgE sharINg

sheireb Properties (formerly Dohaland) announced an agreement with the Harvard University Graduate School of Design to launch a research project for a holistic, cross-disciplinary, trans-national study focusing on sustainable urbanism in the Gulf region. The first of its kind in the region, the research will culminate in creating a 'Gulf Encyclopedia for Sustainable Urbanism' (GESU) and pave the way to establishing a regional base research facility in Qatar. Expected to be completed in three phases (Past, Present, and Future), the GESU project will draw on the region's environment (both land and sea), its urbanism and architecture, and its society, culture and economics. The project, to be funded by Msheireb Properties, a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation, will also involve researchers from the countries that border the Gulf. Msheireb Properties, CEO, Eng. Issa M.

18 QaTar TOday

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QR8 BILLIOn

TOTAL TO REVEnUES COMPARED QR 3 BILLIOn In 2009.

nationally to become recognised as a global player. Diversifying into financial investment and property services will ascertain that the company has the flexibility and reach to flourish in future markets.” Barwa's recent success is reflected in 2010 increased revenues and profit on sales and from re-appraising its real estate investments.

QaTarI dIar's syrIa PrOjEcTs haLTEd

Al-Mohannadi said, “We strongly believe that future urban growth can be positively affected by learning from the past, while acknowledging that the present is shaped by forces resulting from future projections and aspirations. Hence we feel it is important to analyse and understand how our ancestors dealt with common regional urban sustainability challenges and draw lessons from them. The partnership with Harvard is part of our commitment to highlight on a global scale the importance of sustainability to the future of our region.”

atari Diar Real Estate Investment Co.'s projects in Syria are temporarily halted until the security situation there improves. Qatari Diar is committed to implement the Ibn Hani Bay Resort project in Latakia that will cost more than QR 1274 million and is also committed to its residential and commercial real estate project in Damascus, Mohamed bin Ali Al-Hedfa, the company's Chief Executive, told a daily. Qatari Diar, which is the property development arm of the sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority, has a project portfolio of QR218.4 billion and is present in 32 countries worldwide.

QaTar's chEQuEbOOk cuLTurE?

O & g OvErvIEw

PacT sIgNEd bETwEEN jaPaN jx NIPPON, QaTar

$100 million (QR333 million) exploration and production sharing agreement (ESPA) for a natural gas field off the Emirates was signed between Japan’s JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corp and Qatar Petroleum (QP) recently. The 30-year agreement, starting with a five-year exploration period was signed in Doha by HE Mohamed bin Saleh Al- Sada, Minister of Energy (also the Chairman and Managing Director of QP) and Makoto Koseki, President and CEO of JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration. The EPSA was signed for the offshore Block A in pre-Khuff formation, which is beneath the North Field, the single largest gas field in the world. Block-A covers an area of 6,173sq km (offshore Qatar) and is located northeast of Ras Laffan Industrial City.

The first phase of the exploration and production sharing agreement would entail expenditure in excess of $100 million, which will be spent by the contractor, JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration (Qatar). Speaking to reporters after the agreement signing, Al-Sada said the prospects of a gas find in Block was high as it was located in one of the most prolific hydrocarbon systems. “This new EPSA is part of QP’s plans to implement the wise policy and guidance of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, to increase the country’s hydrocarbon reserves base, oil and gas production potential. It will further strengthen Qatar’s economy, and be a continuation of QP’s exploration campaign focused on the deep pre-Khuff reservoirs, following the signing of Block BC EPSA and the Block D EPSA,” al-Sada said.

OIL PrIcE sEEs QaTar bOOk hugE surPLus

atar has booked significant surplus in 2010/11 as the country’s oil prices averaged $84.48 per barrel in the last fiscal, up 54% on the estimated budget price of $55/billion. In its 2010/11 budget, Qatar pencilled in spending worth QR117.9 billion and a surplus of QR9.7 billion, or 2.7% of GDP. The

2010/11 budget was based on a conservative oil price of $55 per barrel. With Qatari oil price averaging $84.48 per barrel in 2010/11 (based on data compiled by QNB) the budget surplus would have been significant. A QNB Capital estimate shows Qatar generated a budget surplus of QR167.3 billion in 10 financial years between 2000 and 2010.

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he world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer, Qatargas completed eight years of operation without any lost time accident (LTA) – an outstanding achievement in the industry that rivals the performance of the best international oil and gas companies in the world. Overall, both Qatargas employees and contractors have worked a total of 40 million man-hours since the last LTA. While the employees have worked since 01 Jul 2002 over 25 million man-hours without any LTA the contractors have worked over 15 million man-hours without any LTA since 26 April 2003. Commenting on this achievement, Chief Executive Officer, Qatargas, Khalid Bin Khalifa Al Thani said, “This is a great accomplishment for Qatargas and I am proud of our flawless safety record for the past eight years. Safety is a core value and an integral part of our culture at every level. Our aim is zero incidents and that means we can never be complacent. We want each and every employee – whether he is from Qatargas or from a contractor who works for us - to go home safely, everyday. I thank all employees of Qatargas and our contractors for their commitment to safety as it is their commitment that made this accomplishment possible.”

AVERAGE PRICE OF CRUDE OIL

QATAR S OIL PRODUCTIOn

780,000 BPD In 2010 DOwn 2.25% COMPARED wITH 2009.

QaTargas achIEvEmENT rIvaLs OThErs

In FIGURES

$77.83 PER BARREL In 2010, UP 41.5% OVER THE BUDGETED OIL PRICE OF $55 In 2010-2011

The art of delegation

bank notes

QCB to allow conditional loan transfer

atar Central Bank has announced its decision to allow conditional loan transfer between banks as a move to boost the market. This closely follows QCB's circular in April instructing local banks to cap the loan amount provided and to restrict interest charged on borrowers, including nationals as part of its broad scheme to rein in bad loans. The transfer of loans between local banks during the repayment period was banned

by QCB in a move to putting an end to 'unhealthy competition' among banks in a small retail space. The decision comes as a relief to the market that remained largely subdued last month. Now the customer is free to transfer loan between two banks provided it is backed by a salary transfer. The customer has to obtain a 'no objection certificate' from the bank that sanctioned the loan before taking the product to another bank.

HSBC appoints new Private Banking head

SBC announced Talal Alghalib as the new Market Head of its Private Banking operations in Qatar. With over a decade of extensive banking experience behind him, Talal looks forward to positioning HSBC Private Bank as an integral part of the country's financial growth, serving the business community's offshore requirements.

TEBYAN to tap Shari'ah asset management space

atar First Investment Bank (QFIB) and Gulfmena Investments Limited (Gulfmena) has announced the launch of TEBYAN Asset Management Limited (TEBYAN), a new fully integrated, Shari'ah compliant asset management company offering an unrivalled range of Islamic investment products

22 Qatar Today

May 2011

and services. After an initial and temporary offshore establishment, the new company will seek to be authorized and regulated by Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority. Its unique proposition of combining asset management with wealth management will bridge the gaps in today's Islamic investment offering.

FGB expands base in Qatar

irst Gulf Bank (FGB), one of the largest equity based banks in UAE has been awarded a license upgrade to a Category 1 (CAT 1) Branch by Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA). FGB has upgraded its operations in less than two years. First Gulf Bank, Managing Director, Abdulhamid Saeed UAE stated, “FGB is currently focusing on establishing a firm foothold in selected high growth markets in Asia and the GCC, in order to tap the increasing trade and investment potential between these countries and the UAE”. Sunit Bhardwaj, Country Head, FGBQatar said, “The upgrade will significantly enhance our capabilities at a local level, enabling us to function as a wholesale banking branch. It will enable us to service wholesale and corporate customers based out of Qatar and other FGB franchises with a wider scope of Product offerings.” FGB started the year 2011 with a groundbreaking financial performance, recording a net profit of AED 875 million in the first quarter (Q1) of 2011. This represents an increase of AED 10 million or 1.2% higher than Q4 2010 net profit of AED 865 million, which demonstrates consistent positive growth in net profit in the previous 12 months.

Qatar today top ten

arab snippets AFP PHOTO/KHALED DESOUKI

Nabil Al-Arabi elected Arab League Chief Egyptian Foreign Minister Nabil al-Arabi stands up after he was unanimously elected Arab League chief during a meeting at the institution's headquarters in Cairo on May 15, 2011.

UAE

Emiratis unwilling to work

AE's Labour Minister, Saqr Gobash, said that the current unemployment rate in the country is not caused by a lack of vacancies, but rather by the choice of Emiratis to refrain from working in the private sector. Gobash said to a local business magazine that UAE citizens prefer jobs

in the public sector and decline to receive ones in the private sector, thus causing the 14% unemployment rate in the country. This preference is led by the higher wages and less working hours that come with a public-sector job. The number of unemployed Emiratis totals 35,000, with only 7% nationals taking jobs in the private sector

Supporting Bahrain

Elie Saab has stated that he is considering floating his fashion empire on the stock market through an initial public offering. Saab said that such a step could be a natural evolution of the business, especially that the business grew into a multi-million one. The Lebanese designer has also started designing the interior for the BMW X Series, worked with MAC Cosmetics and signed a deal with Weyves International to design three mega yachts.

Saudi Arabia

Largest women's only uni

GCC

eaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Member States vowed full support to the Kingdom of Bahrain in defiance of foreign threats and interference, urged Yemeni rivals to come to reason and sign reconciliation pact and welcomed the recently-concluded Cairo agreement between Palestinian

Elie Saab IPO

main factions. During their 13th consultative meeting at Dir'iya Palace in Riyadh held under the chairmanship of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the leaders also reviewed the latest developments of the common march of the GCC since the convening of the GCC summit in the United Arab Emirates last December.

he SR20 billion Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University (PNU), 25 km east of the Saudi capital, has been inaugurated. With a capacity to enrol about 50,000 students, the PNU is the largest women-only university in the world and part of an ambitious education plan of the Saudi government.

June 2011

Qatar Today 23

Tsumani's Relentless Aftermath Japan's car manufacturers have just reported that their combined domestic production facilities are only operating at about 50% of their normal output. The damage to the industry â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one of Japan's key imports â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is especially being felt at Toyota Motor Corp., which expects to concede its title of the world's biggest automaker to General Motors. The impact has been felt globally as well, with production plants overseas also unable to secure sufficient parts to carry on. Car makers have warned that the shortages will inevitably continue and that output figures will again decline in April and beyond.

No Child's Play Pakistani children play with plastic guns in a street near Al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden's final hideout as military and police kept the area cordoned off in Abboattabad's Bilal Town vicinity on May 7, 2011 where Laden was killed in a US Naval Commandos special operation. Laden's Yemeni wife said the Al-Qaeda kingpin had lived for five years in the compound in Abbottabad.

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June 2011

Global Bard Each of William Shakespeare's 38 plays will be performed in a different language, including Arabic, Spanish and Urdu, during a theatre season in Britain to mark the London 2012 Olympic Games. Shakespeare's Globe theatre will host the special season over six weeks, beginning next year on April 23, the playwright's birthday. Shows will included The 'Taming of the Shrew' in Urdu, starring Pakistani television star Nadia Jamil as Katherine, and 'King Lear' in Australian Aboriginal languages. Other performances include 'Julius Caesar' in Italian, 'The Tempest' in Arabic and 'Love's Labour's Lost' in British sign language.

AFP PHOTO

w o r l d v ie w

AFP PHOTO

w o r l d v ie w

More Than A Moment of Weakness? IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn (2R) is taken out of a police station in New York on May 15, 2011. Strauss-Kahn was charged with attempting to rape a New York chambermaid, unleashing a scandal which could bury his long-held ambitions to be elected the president of France.

Bin Laden Backlash?

AFP PHOTO

Pakistani police officials inspect the bullet-riddled vehicle of a Saudi diplomat after a deadly attack in Karachi on May 16, 2011. A Saudi diplomat was killed in a drive-by shooting near the consulate in Karachi, the second attack on Saudi interests in Pakistan's biggest city in a week. The motive of the attack was not immediately clear, but authorities said they were investigating whether it was connected to the death of Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, who was killed by US forces in Pakistan on May 2.

June 2011

Qatar Today 25

v ie w point

Avoiding the Slippery Slope

How GCC Telecom Operators Can Improve Profitability

With revenue under pressure and competition rising in the telecom sector, the key to sustaining customer experience and product innovation is to look at the cost side.

Even

though the worst of the global economic slowdown has passed, telecom operators worldwide face a raft of challenges that could impede their path to pre-recessionary growth levels. With sky-high penetration levels in traditional businesses, operators can no longer assume steady revenue gains. Competition is heating up â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not only from other telecom operators but also from new entrants including Apple, Google, Skype, and Facebook. Meanwhile, consumers are becoming more demanding and sophisticated, expecting operators to provide an 'all-youcan-consume' Internet model via ubiquitous bandwidth and the latest services at low flat rates. These trends are starting to emerge in the GCC region too. In fact, GCC operatorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; average returns on assets have dropped by nearly half over the past five years to approximately 8% per year, and appear to be heading toward 5%. With revenue clearly under pressure and competition rising, the key to maintaining healthy margins, and thus the key to sustaining customer experience and product innovation, is to look at the cost side. Global operators have taken several steps to rein in costs: European incumbent operators have succeeded

26 Qatar Today

June 2011

in bringing down operating expenditure as a percentage of revenue by about 2% per year. They also have kept capital spending in check through smarter procurement, scale efficiencies, group synergies, and focused deployment of fixed and mobile investments. Admittedly, finding more costs to eliminate is no mean feat. Most operators have already cut all they thought they could. To take cost savings to the next level requires expertise and deep commitment. By rigorously identifying and applying relevant cost measures, telecom operators can position themselves to weather the ongoing industry challenges and extract benefits from leaner operations. There are three waves of cost optimisation that operators need to consider: incremental efficiency, process reengineering, and value chain restructuring. Deploying the right mix of these initiatives will enable operators to create or sustain value, outperform their competitors, and secure their sustainability in chosen markets. These three waves are run concurrently and iteratively, to strike the needed balance between the choice of activities along the value chain, the processes in place, and the operational efficiency and capital expenditure allocation.

vIEw POINT

ThE aPPLIcaTION Of ThE ThrEE wavEs Is a vIrTuOus cIrcLE ThaT aLLOws OPEraTOrs TO INNOvaTE cONTINuOusLy aNd ExPaNd ThEIr OffErINgs whILE avOIdINg a buILduP Of LayErs Of INEffIcIENT sPENdINg.

ThE fIrsT wav E

ThE s E c ONd wav E

incremental efficiency, involves making informed decisions to reduce costs by shedding excessive expenditures through better budget allocation and use of resources in ongoing activities. initiatives include changes in incentives and the structure of resellers’ commissions, inventory management, capex prioritisation, headcount management, and vendor and contract management. this usually yields rapid cost reduction. the results can be impressive; incremental efficiency initiatives can decrease operating costs by as much as 5% over a period of about three to 12 months.

Such measures will transform the way that some functions operate, and foster cross-functional opportunities. One key example involves focusing on sourcing, an initiative that can enable savings as much as 11 to 16% of supplier contracts. Operators with a global footprint can derive even greater sourcing savings by leveraging group synergies. There are many initiatives that operators can tackle in Wave 3. The most pressing areas today include capabilitiesdriven outsourcing and the integration of operators’ technology and market-facing functions for both fixed and mobile operations. Operators also can tackle net-

the second wave, process re-engineering, is about changing the ways in which operators do their work and maximising crossfunctional efficiencies. compared to wave 1, in which operators optimise spending in light of ongoing activities, wave 2 challenges the way operators run their business and exposes new cost inefficiencies to address. the second wave considers systemic costs-costs that are incurred by the company’s processes and policies. by reengineering policies, processes and procedures, wave 2 initiatives typically generate savings within a year to 18 months through the implementation of lean operations. implementation requires transformational activities of selected functions, tackling cross-functional opportunities.

work sharing models, in which operators share their infrastructure to better monetise their assets, and virtual network enabling partnerships that allow operators to develop innovative solutions with their chosen partners. They also can form relationships with resellers focused on specific market segments. Telecom operators throughout the GCC region generally have sustained strong results in recent years, but they are not immune to the global threats that are exerting pressure on the sector’s profitability and shareholder returns. With sky-high penetration rates, the advent of increased competition, and the growing

ThE ThIrd wavE in the third wave, operators can benefit from restructuring their value chain. whereas previous waves change how operators go about their business, this wave fundamentally changes what it is that they do by reconsidering structural and inherent costs-those generated by the company’s chosen business models and its overall scope of operations. operators will be primed to derive the most value possible from their investments in the operations they choose to keep, while divesting those activities that do not truly reflect the business’s strengths or long-term goals.

sophistication of consumers who are demanding more, GCC operators are beginning to feel the strains that have slowed to a crawl the industry’s growth in other regions of the world. So far, regional operators only have focused on short-term and limited cost optimisation efforts in order to rein in costs. The benefit of implementing encompassing cost optimisation initiatives is promising. GCC telecom operators should act now – before markets fully saturate and further fragment – and implement the initiatives that will allow them both to streamline their operations and position themselves for future growth

bookmark www.issuu.com/oryxmags

by Hilal Halaoui, partner; cHady Smayra, principal; lanceloT SurSock, senior associate booz & company is a leading global management consulting firm, helping the world’s top businesses, government ministries and organisations.

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listening post

Crafting a green legacy

Dr Youseff AL HORR, FOUNDER AND CHAIRMAN OF GOR & D TALKS ABOUT THE GREEN RATING SYSTEM THAT WILL SOON BECOME MANDATORY for all new constructions

IF 30 Qatar Today

June 2011

By Sindhu Nair this sounds presumptuous, it is not. And here is why. The entity in focus, Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GOR & D), previously known as Barwa and Qatari Diar Research Institute, developed Qatar Sustainability Assessment System (QSAS), the first comprehensive rating system for the country. Leading this organisation is Dr Youssef Al Horr, Founder and Chairman, GORD, who anticipated the need for a sustainability rating system and responded instantly, cashing in on the absence of such a system in the country. “What makes QSAS special is that this assessment system is now being added to the Qatar Construction Code, which means we will be the first country to mandate its buildings (schools, government buildings and mosques) to construct sustainably. The Code will become functional by the end of the year and will include all the parameters of QSAS in phases,” says Dr Al Horr.

“QSAS is the solution to the region’s need to establish a single, consistent standard for sustainable development in the construction industry,” he says. Focussed, clear and determined, Dr Al Horr rattles off facts and figures without an iota of doubt in this interview to Qatar Today. Coming up with an environmental rating system for Qatar was bold and innovative. How was the process initiated and what were the challenges? I have realised that the market here is responding more to the economical needs rather than the sustainability norms. Of course, we need to build and sell, but the quality of life within the buildings had to be considered too. For instance, energy preservation and water usage were never considered in the building process. The whole world was moving in the sus-

listening post

June 2011

Qatar Today 31

listening post tainable direction and Qatar had to act fast. There were small measures within the country, but they were very discreet. People used to do a lot of modifications to the international systems to suit the local needs. So we realised that there was a big gap between sustainable practices and what we do locally. To close this gap we needed a system with a framework which identified the sustainable agenda using local modes. Thus we started working on the QSAS. When we launched it five years ago, it was very basic. We developed ratings for schools, commercial and residential buildings. Then based on the huge response we received from the market, academia, government agencies, practising architects, consultants and even some contractors and regional bodies, we realised the potential of this rating system. Now the system has nine schemes and it might even be the most comprehensive system in the world, definitely much broader than the American LEED system. We have schemes that have not been included in other rating systems, like rating systems for mosques and sporting facilities, which are unique in the world. Unlike many international systems, the QSAS not only rewards green operations but also penalises companies for poor practices, which significantly raises the effectiveness of the system. LEED is supposed to be a widely marketed rating system. Do you envision some resistance in giving QSAS the needed push? In reality we did not face any resistance from any sectors. Everyone who works in this region realised the merits of the system. But what we do face, and I am sure we will continue to face, is that some parties will want to pursue LEEDS because it is a widely recognised and international rating system. But that does not matter to us as this is their prerogative. But we need to remember is that QSAS is soon to be part of the construction standards, so even if you take a LEED rating, all buildings will have to be QSAS certified as part of the country’s regulations. It is for this reason that we parted from BQDRI to become an independent body, GORD. All government buildings had to be certified through the QSAS rating and it was not appropriate for a private entity to certify them, so we are a non-profit independent organisation within QSTP which issues QSAS certificates. Civic buildings, schools and mosques

32 Qatar Today

June 2011

will all need to be QSAS certified from this year as per the Ministry of Environment decree, No 28 for 2011. There is a grace peI believe “The value of a person does not depend on his rank or his qualifications. The value of a person depends on what he gives to the society. What I do here is for the benefit of not just one organisation but for the good of the community we live in. I am very proud of what I do.”

Managing human resources Have a clear vision Equip them with the tools and then let them be GivE Your team responsibilities and let them take on the task without much interference Lastly encourage them not just monetarily but through words of recognition Your motivation I think big and plan strategically, always.

Qatarisation Qatarisation is important but not to the extent that every expatriate should be replaced by a Qatari. We should see the bigger picture. Qatar is growing at a fast pace but Qataris as a population are very limited and we will not be able to cope with everything. We need to have expertise from around the world, to help, support and complement us. We need to see Qataris leading the growth with expatriates supporting us. To be a leading force to be reckoned with, Qataris and expatriates need to compliment each other...

riod of three months for the deployment and of three months to start from the issuance

of the decree to the public. I think it will be made mandatory after the summer. Who was involved in the formation of this system? Do you integrate changes as and when there is a need? We started the process after rounds of discussions and brain storming within our organisation. Then the system was developed through the exchange of ideas and with the cooperation of experts and researchers from the TC Chan Centre for Building Simulation and Energy Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. They have researched all the environmental rating systems in the world and QSAS integrates best practices from 40 global assessment systems to create the ‘best’ green building benchmark. Now that QSAS is being adopted in the building codes what are the next steps for the organisation? The Qatar Construction Specification code Chapter 7 will be based solely on QSAS categories. It will be implemented in two phases. The first phase will be regulation for certain categories of buildings, and the whole spectrum of buildings will be included in the second phase. The next step for us will be to focus our research projects into themes related to sustainability of the built environment. We will be conducting research on energy performance of buildings, while eco materials will also be focussed on. Green concrete - or concrete from demolition waste - and high performance blocks used for construction are some of our focus areas. Renewable energy and the recycling of grey water will be looked into. Renewable energy is already a research topic in many of the institutions in QSTP. Will there be any collaboration? There will be collaborations and partnerships within QSTP and we will also look at ways to partner with Qatar University as they have the capacity and expertise for the implementation of great ideas. But what we are looking for is more international collaboration, from the UK, US and even the Far East. We are planning to launch a scientific journal in sustainable built environment. This journal, International Journal for Sustainability and Built Environment, will publish works of international standard in the areas related to QSAS. Scholars around the globe will be invited to participate and publish their breakthroughs, their patents,

listening post so that the organisation will be a source for knowledge advancement. This will contribute to the whole research environment of the country. This will be the first of its kind in Qatar. How many buildings have used QSAS so far? The numbers are few, since the complete launch started only last year. With enforcement of QSAS in Lusail, we have started receiving many applications now. QSAS ratings are made compulsory for all buildings within Lusail. We believe that the mandatory enforcement of QSAS within the QCS will also speed up the implementation of the code across the country after the grace period. To monitor the whole QSAS code will take a 10-year deployment period which started last year. By 2020, QSAS will be compulsory in all ranges of building, from commercial to residential. Estidama, the Emirati rating parameter, claims to be the first regional rating system. Is that true? How does QSAS compare with it? Estidama is the first rating system in the region. It was developed well before QSAS. But it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have as many parameters as QSAS. It is also not a performance-based rating system. These are its two major drawbacks. QSAS covers more typologies; we have nine while Estidama has just five categories. We are a performance-based rating system while Estidama is very subjective. QSAS has fixed parameters; it is based on figures and it is very specific, while Estidama uses criteria that are vague and not specific. This is because it is based more on LEED while QSAS has taken form from the best of the various systems that are practised globally with our own added flavour, such as the culture parameter. We believe that QSAS will be key in giving an architectural identity to the country because of the cultural factor that is included in its rating. But it is also true that the philosophy behind all these tools are the same and it is up to the people to decide which is best suited for them. Who does the rating for QSAS? Is it done by local bodies? We have three layers of working groups; the core technical team from the University of Pennsylvania, the second layer called

Made in Qatar will work

reen construction methods are perceived to be economically impractical. And that is a deterrent that makes construction companies think twice before they opt for 'green' construction methods. "But they are not so, not in the long-run," says Al Horr. But in an industry that is focused on short-term profits, it will take materials and methodologies that are readily available and at no extra cost to have an

actual impact. The construction industry consumes truckloads of basic material, the manufacture of which consumes large quantities of energy. This results in massive emission of greenhouse gases. Materials fabricated with less energy would have to be produced locally if the construction code is to include the QSAS applications. If green concrete and other materials that GOR& D will research on will be available in Qatar without having to import it, then that would be make it easier for the construction sector to embrace the code. the expert review panel which consists of academia from around the world, who advise, assess and give feedback. We then have a third group, which is the local group, formed from our institute; contractors, lo-

We have schemes that have not been included in other systems, like rating systems for mosques and sporting facilities, which are unique in the world.

cal architects and private entities who review the designs. We wanted to have a mix of ideas and expertise and this is called a development approach. Sceptics call rating systems marketing tools. Comments. I do not agree with that. We need such systems to keep construction methods streamlined. But the guidelines should be laid out properly and points given with a specific method, and only then the implementation can become legitimate. The design and operations of the building should

prove that there are savings and only then does the system gain value. Qatar Green Building Council is also actively promoting green construction. Do you have plans to work together? Yes, we have already signed MOU with QGBC to work together. We have also worked together on numerous other activities, like the QSAS awareness workshop for QGBC members. We have the same goals and there will be more partnerships. Do you think that the country has moved ahead in terms of environmental awareness? There is a visible increase in awareness. It was evident during our Green Building seminar, which we hosted some months ago. We were amazed by the response we received. It was much more than we could even handle. We had around 10,000 visitors to the exhibition and more than 500 professionals attended our workshops and seminars. Awards were also distributed to the highest QSAS rated buildings in the country. We awarded four buildings; New Qatar National Museum got four stars, Barwa Schools got five stars, Energy City Building in Lusail got a five star rating and Kahramaa Awareness Park got four stars. There is great interest in the country but the good thing is that the deployment is gradual. The one reason why Estidama failed was because it was enforced on all buildings from government buildings to private residences. There was a huge resistance from the public, because the people were not ready. Now Estidama is not enforced on all buildings, it is more of a voluntary programme

June 2011

Qatar Today 33

QT TOP

qatar inc. on track

WOQOD

Industries Qatar

National Leasing Holding coMPANY

MAWASHI

Doha Insurance coMPANY

NAKILAT

Source: Audited Financial Statements for the past five years (2006-2010), Qatar Exchange and ALSHALL Calculations

Qatar Insurance coMPANY

Commercial Bank Qatar

Qatar Qatar Industrial Electricity Manufacturing & Water coMPANY coMPANY Weighted Average Criteria: Price Growth 20%, Dividend Yield 20%, Liquidity 20%, Net Profit Growth 10%, Revenue Growth 10%, Return on Equity 10%, Return on Assets 10%.

c o v e r s to r y

QT TOP TEN

2010 ended on a perfect note for Qatar. And the beginning of 2011 reflected the optimism investors showed in the country that was to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022. The market scenario has not been consistent this year, with some low performances indicated at the Qatar Exchange as a reflection of the political unrest in the REGION, but there is hope of better economic conditions.

atar Today, with the help of Al Shall Economic Services, embarked on its annual process of listing the current Top Ten companies, companies that have shown consistent performance over the past five years. This year we asked ourselves, what is the ideal way to rank the performance of a company, and after some deliberation, we decided to look at it from an investor’s perspective.

36 Qatar Today

June 2011

General Manager, Al Shall Economic Services, Camille Raphael says: “In order to keep things simple, we have approached the question from one angle and asked ourselves this question: what can be considered a “top” company from a general investor’s perspective, based only on its historical performance and using a limited set of basic assessment criteria? In other words, which company would have made an investor happier from a financial performance perspective, had the investor bought one share of that company in the beginning of 2006 and held it until the end of 2010, along with any additional complimentary shares received from the company during this period?” The Top performers this year come as no surprise. Woqod and Industries Qatar still take the top slots, with Mawashi being another consistent performer coming in fourth. National Leasing Holding Company has jumped to the third position while Qatar Industries Manufacturing Company slid to ninth position. Explaining the calculation process, Raphael says, “To the share price appreciation, we added the

slug name amount of cash that the company distributed to its shareholders over the period under study, as well as the attractiveness of the company’s shares based on revenue and net profit growth, with the presumption that the value of a company (hence its future share price and cash distributions) could potentially increase if the company’s sales revenues and net profits keep increasing extraordinarily year over year. Lastly, liquidity of the stock expressed in terms of average traded volume and number of transactions was taken into consideration, given that if someone would want to exit his or her investment, he or she should be able to do that relatively easily.” For calculations of share price increases, cash distributions, net profit and revenue growth, we looked at total shares held at the end of 2010 on the basis of the purchase of one share in that company at the beginning of 2006, and computations were made on a per share basis. This was done to offset any ownership dilution from corporate actions such as mergers and acquisitions, or capital increases. “It should be noted here that from time to time, Qatar listed companies distribute cash to their shareholders during the year, depending on their previous year’s performance (what we technically refer to here as cash dividends), as well as free share dividends (which effectively have no impact on the company’s ownership distribution or the owners’ claim on their portion of the shareholders’ equity). Share dividends thus have only a psychological impact, like stock splits, with more shares owned at a proportionally lower price per share, possibly allowing the company’s share price to be perceived as more attractive or 'less expensive' because of the resulting lower unit price,” he clarifies. “We have also decided to measure all financial and trading performance as an average of the five-year period to smooth-out extraordinary one-time performances or large variations, and assess the listed companies during a period where the Qatari economy has gone through both boom and gloom, if measured only in terms of nominal GDP.” The Top 10 rankings of the companies listed on the Qatar Exchange since the beginning of 2006 were calculated by Al Shall, based on seven financial ratios in line with their respective weighted average criteria. The weights used are 20% each for Price Growth, Dividend Yield and Liquidity, while Net Profit Growth, Revenue Growth, Return on Equity and Return on Asset were weighted 10% each. “It is important to note that the below rankings apply only to 29 companies out of the 42 currently listed on the Qatar Exchange -- because only companies listed on the Qatar Exchange since the beginning of 2006 and having five years of public disclosure on record -were selected for this exercise,” says Raphael. Market Capitalisation Growth For the Top 10 based on price growth, historical data of yearend stock closing prices and share dividend distributions for the past five years were used to assess each

company’s ranking in terms of price growth (or average annual portfolio value increase based on one share purchased in each company in the beginning of 2006). Market capitalisation growth is calculated by average growth of share closing price each year multiplied by the total shares held on the basis of one share purchased at the beginning of 2006 plus additional shares distributed in dividends over the 2006-2010 period. Dividend Yield “One of the major criteria in our methodology of determining a company’s rank is the calculation of dividend yield. This financial measure demonstrates how much a company pays out dividends each year in relation to its average market capitalisation. Doha Insurance achieved the highest rank in terms of Dividend Yield. It is also evident that 80% of the Top 10, in terms of dividend yield, came from the financial sectors,” says Raphael. It is calculated by the taking the average of the yearly cash dividends over the average market capitalisation (2006-2010). Net Profit Growth Net Profit growth has been calculated here on cumulative shares held basis, to reflect whether the shareholder’s original claim over each company’s net profits has increased or decreased over the five year period, and by how much on average. This has been done to offset any possible dilution resulting from corporate action. Qatar Gas Transport Co. Limited (Nakilat) ranks the highest, achieving a hundred percent average increase in net profit per share. Nakilat also takes the sixth place in the overall rank. Average net profit growth is equal to average yearly growth of earnings per share (EPS) multiplied by the total shares held on the basis of one share purchased at the beginning of 2006 plus additional shares distributed in dividends over the 2006-2010 period. Net Revenue Growth Revenue growth is one of the basic criteria of assessing a company’s attractiveness, says Raphael, with the assumption that the higher the revenue growth, the more the potential for future profits. Qatar Gas Transport Co. Limited (Nakilat), significantly lead the rankings, with cumulative shares held, multiplied by revenues per share, growing on average by 370.7%. Liquidity The measure of liquidity should indicate how easily shares can be purchased or sold on the QE, based on average trading volume per year and number of trades per day from 2006 to 2010, explains Raphael. “Generally speaking, companies with both high daily volumes of traded shares and high number of trades have better liquidity as compared with thin trading volumes and number of trades. Qatar Co. for Meat & Livestock (Mawashi) ranked first in this criterion, followed by Qatar Gas Transport Co. Limited (Nakilat),” he says.

"We decided to measure all financial performance as an average of the five-year period to smoothout extraordinary one-time performances or large variations and assess the listed companies during a period when the Qatari economy went through both boom and gloom." Camille Raphael General Manager Al Shall Economic Services

(cont on pg 42)

June 2011

Qatar Today 37

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A Market ofChange " We are concentrating on working with local banks to begin providing brokerage services, growing the number of custodians in the market, and recently we settled the DvP mechanism, which is up to International best practices."

38 Qatar Today

June 2011

Andre Went

CEO, QATAR EXCHANGE

atar Exchange (QE) (on May 16, 2011) announced that it has completed the launch of the full Delivery vs Payment (DvP*) mechanism, the first phase of which went live on April 11, 2011. This is a major milestone for QE as they were the first exchange in the region to have implemented a full DvP system. This development is part of the overall strategy of QE to further enhance the market and liquidity in Qatar. In addition to DvP, QE will soon introduce government bonds and sukuks and further down the road, exchange-traded funds (etfs) and derivative. These are but a few of the developments that QE has under its sleeve. The DvP is also one of the major requirements for QE to qualify as an emerging market for MSCI, says Andre Went, CEO, QE, in an exclusive interview to Qatar Today. Went, who previously served as a Managing Director NYSE Euronext in Amsterdam, with

By Sindhu Nair the Management Team of QE, aims to transform the Doha Stock Exchange into a successful international marketplace. The transformation process started after the revolutionary deal in June 2009, when the QE entered into a strategic partnership with NYSE Euronext. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By adopting DvP, QE puts itself in line with international best practices related to settlement cycles. The implementation will strengthen the confidence of international investors that Qatar is a safe and efficient market to invest in. It is also a major prerequisite prior to the launch of other very important business development initiatives in the new products and post-trade areas. In addition to that, the DvP is a major requirement of MSCI for the qualification as an emerging market,â&#x20AC;? he says. Went sits down to answer some queries about the changes that will be implemented in the market soon. How has Qatar Exchange been faring in the face of turmoil?

sLug NamE This year has been fairly reasonable so far for QE. What will be the next step for QE? If you look at the progress we are making in terms The next step would be to introduce lending and borof implementing the strategy that we had designed, rowing for securities. Another product we would like we are making a lot of progress. Last year we imple- to introduce is the ETF (Exchange Traded Funds) mented the Universal Trading Platform and this which will also be important for the diversification year, we continue to make improvements to the of the products in the market. This should happen in market structure. QE, Qtel and NYSE Euronext the medium term and later on we would like to see (NYX) concluded a major partnership agreement the introduction of the derivatives market. in April to enable the extension of the Secure Financial Transaction Infrastructure (SFTI) network Do you think the QE will be more open to forplatform to Qatar, connecting financial participants eign investors? Isn’t that a hindrance to its in the US and Europe to the Qatar markets. This will performance? When can we see a change in see Qtel providing global connectivity, a complete that regard? disaster recovery solution, and premium network I think it is important for an exchange to have a diverse range of investors. A strong interest in Qatar services to support the extension of SFTI to Qatar. In February, 2011, we reduced our tick sizes and the QE has been expressed by foreign invesand we extended our trading hours. We are also tors. It would help the liquidity of the market. We concentrating on working with local banks to are discussing this on several levels. It is not a decibegin providing brokerage services, growing sion to be made by the Exchange as this is for the the number of custodians in the market, and, of Government to decide. course, recently we have settled the DvP mechanism, which is up to international best practices. What was the one factor that affected the QE In the angle of executing our strategies, we are the most in the past six months? The one thing that positively affected the QE at doing quite well. the end of last year was the If you look at the turnover FIFA 2022 Bid win. It’s exin the market, it started very pected that the investments well, significantly higher than advice To inveSTorS it is important for an investor to underrelated to it will continue to last year though the last few stand the new products, study them, look at the pros and cons and then invest benefit from this. That had weeks have been fairly quiet. accordingly. the same applies to a very positive impact. It has been a good start to the companies.if i had to invest i would look forward to the first listed etf and Something that affected year. The index is doing well if invest in them. the index downwards was you consider all the instability the recent regional unrest. that has been going on in the region. What according to you should be done to make What are the major milestones for QE this the market lucrative? It is important to apply international best practicyear? The major milestones have been the implementa- es in the local context. It is also important to look tion of the DvP mechanism, having QNB back in the at the listed companies and we are in the process market as a broker, the announcement of increasing of engaging with them on matters of IR practices, number of custodians and the increasing trading transparency, corporate governance, and how to engage with the investor. Seminars are being held hours. to talk about investor relations. All this is done to QE had announced that it was preparing to in- emphasise the transparency of the market. troduce trading in government bonds and sukuks (Islamic debt), denominated in the Qatari What is your opinion on regulation in this space? Is stringent regulation slowing down riyal. What response do you expect? We first created the environment for trading and growth? Risk management shouldn’t be risk then we started with the education aspect. I think aversion, surely? it is extremely necessary to educate the investors I think regulation is important for a market. Invesbefore you launch a new product. We announced it tors as well as companies benefit from a clear and at the end of March that bonds would be introduced transparent regulatory board. It should be predictinto the market and we are still in the education able and also high quality, as investing in compaphase, conducting seminars for investors, holding nies is also about having trust. Regulation is an workshops and training sessions, for the brokers. important aspect, and in Qatar it's right on track. I We will introduce the products and then take it from think the plans of a single-regulatory authority are highly beneficial, as joining forces will add to the there. No launch date has been set yet. The investors are all very interested. They see it transparency of the market as an attractive diversification of the portfolio and are keen to see the products. *(DvP: A securities industry procedure in which the buyer's payment for securities

NEw cOmPaNy was LIsTEd IN 2010 mazaya QaTar rEaL EsTaTE dEvELOPmENT cOmPaNy

2 cOmPaNIEs wErE dE-LIsTEd durINg 2010 (QaTar shIPPINg cO. aNd QaTar rEaL EsTaTE INvEsTmENT cOmPaNy), LOwErINg ThE NumbEr Of LIsTEd cOmPaNIEs TO 43

Of ThE 43 LIsTEd cOmPaNIEs advaNcEd aNd ENdEd 2010 aT a hIghEr PrIcE ThaN ThE PrEvIOus yEar’s LasT TradINg day’s PrIcE, whILE 14 sTOcks dEcLINEd.

TOTaL subscrIbEd sharEs durINg ThE yEar 2010 rEachEd 9.218 bILLION; ThIs was

43.9%

hIghEr as cOmParEd TO ThE TOTaL subscrIbEd sharEs durINg 2009, whIch was 6.404 bILLION sharEs.

markET caPITaLIsaTION Of

LIsTEd cOmPaNIEs INcrEasEd TO Qr 450.20 bILLION durINg 2010; aN INcrEasE Of 40.7% cOmParEd TO ThE 2009 markET vaLuE whIch was Qr 320.08 bILLION.

is due at the time of delivery. Security delivery and payment are simultaneous)

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(cont from pg 39)

Average Return on Equity (ROE) Return on Equity measures the ability of the company to generate sufficient returns for the capital invested by its shareholders. Qatar Fuel (Woqod) and Industries Qatar rank first and second respectively on this criterion, as they do in the overall market assessment also.

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Average Return on Asset (ROA) “ROA determines the company’s ability to utilise its assets effectively and efficiently, thus earning a good return of them. In this criterion – crucial to asset-intensive companies. Industries Qatar ranked first followed by Woqod, showing remarkably close results here,” he says. Average return on assetsis equal to yearly netprofit divided by the average yearly total assets. Ranking is

determined by taking the arithmetic average ROA for the five year period from 2006 to 2010 Performers of 2010 In this section, we look again at each of the assessment criteria alone, but only for 2010 results, compared to 2009 results. The total number of listed companies ranked in this section is 39 companies, i.e. all companies

looked at were already listed at the beginning of 2009. The financial sector seems to have made a major comeback according to this analysis with the industries sector taking a close second. Banking sector bounces back In 2010, earnings of the 43 listed companies fell by 10% to QR29.93 billion. The drop is

due to the non-recurring fair value gain of QR8.3 billion booked by Ezdan Real Estate Company in 2009, as a result of the revaluation of investment properties. If not for this readjustment the market would have gained, fuelled by the profit of the finance and services sector, which were the key drivers of the market in 2010. Fuelled by robust economic growth, aggregate net profits for finance and services

advanced by 20.5% and 26.5% to QR12.34 billion and QR9.73 billion respectively. The financial sector contributed to 41% of the market profitability in 2010, according to KAMCO research. The industrial sector recorded a 13% increase in its net profit in 2010 to reach QR6.97 billion, compared with QR6.16 billion in 2009, as all companies in the sector remained profitable with the ex-

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QT TOP TEN

ception of Qatar German Company for Medical Devices. Sector heavyweight, Industries Qatar, contributed to 80% of the aggregate industrial sector earnings. IQ is also one of the companies to benefit from the planned Qatari Government spending on infrastructure and real estate projects. QE Performance indicators Performance indicators measuring the QE

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showed a mixed performance for the year 2010. Major indicators, such as the general index and market value, have increased while total trading value, total trading volume and numbers of deals have decreased during the year. Alshall Index (cap. weighted / 43 stocks) finished the year at 1,236.36 on 30/12/10, showing an increase of 11.75% compared to the end of 2009 when it closed at 1,106.40 points.

At the end of 2010, the QE Price Index finished at 8,681.65 points, gaining 24.75% of its closing value at the end of 2009 (6,959.17 points), and gaining 26.1% of its value as compared to the end of 2008 (6,886.12 points). Total volume during 2010 (251 trading days) decreased to 2.094 billion shares 窶電own 39.3% as compared to the total traded volume of shares during 2009 (253 trading

days), which was 3.450 billion shares. The daily average of traded shares during 2010 declined to 8.278 million shares compared to a daily average during 2009 of 13.637 million shares. Total number of deals fell to 1.052 million for 2010 compared to the total number of deals during 2009 (1.690 million). The value of traded shares for 2010 amounted to QR 67.185 billion. The value of

traded shares during 2010 was 27.1% lower than the value in 2009 (QR 92.164 billion), and the daily average traded value was QR265.55 million compared to a daily average traded value during 2009 of QR 364.29 million. The highest traded volume by sector was financial (32.1%); followed by services (29.8%), industrial (23.9%), telecommunications (10.3%), health-care (3.1%) and utilities (0.7%).

World Markets and the regional perspective Most global indexes continued their rise during 2010 although at a slower pace than in 2009. The Dow Jones index (WI) went up by 11.6% (31.9% in 2009). Indexes of all global capital markets rose during 2009 and 2010 after losing around 43% in the fall of 2008 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the crisis year. This means that stocks increases started from a substantially low level in 2009 and be-

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QE Largest Companies in Terms of Market Capitalisation 2010 Rank by Market Cap. Size

Market Capitalization End of 2009 (QR)

% Change

2010

2009

80,901,149,076

30,109,710,000

168.7%

75,900,000,000

62,755,000,000

20.9%

Qatar National Bank

72,419,550,365

44,897,110,087

61.3%

Qatar Telecom (Qtel)

26,209,333,393

21,281,333,382

23.2%

The Commercial Bank of Qatar

20,867,977,464

13,380,662,659

56.0%

Qatar Islamic Bank

17,436,469,050

16,106,335,245

8.3%

Market Capitalization End of 2010 (QR)

Company Ezdan Real Estate co. Industries Qatar

Masraf Al Rayan

14,325,000,000

10,125,000,000

41.5%

Barwa Real Estate co.

14,047,399,396

8,662,500,000

62.2%

Qatar Electricity & Water co.

12,760,000,000

10,010,000,000

27.5%

12,315,744,090

8,518,533,224

44.6%

Doha Bank

Source: Companies 2010 Audited Financial Statements, Qatar Exchange and ALSHALL calculations

gan an early compensation after an early recovery and improvement in global economic performance. All Dow Jones indexes performed better during 2010; The Global Dow Jones Index for the USA grew by 14.5%, while America’s two Dow Jones Indexes grew by 14.9%, and that of Latin America grew by 12.4%. As for the Global Dow Jones, which includes European equity, it grew slightly by 1.7%. The same index, if we exclude the UK , dropped by about 0.46%. Asia’s performance was similar to that of America’s two, with the Global Dow Jones index for Asia/Pacific rising by about 15.2% and that of Japan rising by about 12.9%. Figures indicate that the weight and impact of the American capital market are quite heavy on other world markets. This is displayed by the growth of the global Dow Jones Index by 11.6%. The increase in this global index, excluding the

44 Qatar Today

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USA, was around 9.5%. During the period 2003 to 2010, 2008 was the only year which witnessed a severe plunge in all indexes, by about 42.8%. In comparison with 2009, there is a rise in the indices of 10 markets, and the Qatar Exchange’s (QE) rise to the first rank, in terms of the overall increase for 2010 from its bottom position in 2009 (an increase of about 24.8% in 2010 compared to an increase of 1.1% in 2009). It is worth mentioning that the average rise for all markets listed in the graph during 2010 was about 3.2% (30.2% in 2009). When we analyse the price to earnings (P/E) ratio for the selected developed capital markets, we find that it was about 14.8 times, which is lower (better) than their end of 2009 level when it reached 20.5 times. It seems that the decline in this ratio resulted from a rise in profitability higher than the rise in price levels.

The graph that compares the performance of Alshall Qatar index with 12 regional markets. shows that the Kuwait weighted index ranked first in terms of growth (note that the official Kuwait Stock Exchange price index had a negative performance in 2010), while the official QE index came in second. The growth rate (disregarding exchange rate movement) of those markets was about 13%, after they achieved growth in 2009 of about 12.4%. It is worth mentioning that nine out of 12 markets achieved growth in their indices, while the Kuwait Stock Exchange weighted index achieved the highest growth rate among them (31.4%). The UAE stock market decreased the most (9.6%). The graph also shows that with the adjusted exchange rates against the US dollar; the average growth rate of the indices for 2010 was about 12.9% (12.4% for 2009)

In AVERAGE DIVIDEnD yIELD

In AVERAGE CUMULATIVE EPS GROwTH InCLUDInG SHAR DIVIDEnDS

2In

In ROE

ROE

WoQoD:

“ThE jOurNEy NEvEr ENds” QaTar fuEL, Or wOQOd as IT was rEbraNdEd, Is ThE dIsTrIbuTION arm Of QaTar PETrOLEum (QP)aNd IT Is saId TO havE bEEN LIsTEd aT ThE ThEN dsm TO gIvE NaTIONaLs a facILITy TO INvEsT IN QP. sINcE ITs INcEPTION IN 2004, ThE cOmPaNy has kEPT aN uPward grOwTh curvE. wOQOd vIcE-chaIrmaN aNd maNagINg dIrEcTOr, mOhamEd TurkI aL-sObaI dEscrIbEd ThE cONTINuOus succEss Of ThE cOmPaNy as saTIsfyINg, aNd aTTrIbuTEd ThE succEss TO TEamwOrk.

hat was the main factor that contributed to the financial success? There are many factors that have driven WOQOD’s financial performance. The most important is collaborative team work across the company. This starts with the vision and support of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, and the Deputy Emir, HH Sheikh Tamin Bin Khalifa Al-Thani. HE Abdulla Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister, Chief of the Emiri Diwan and WOQOD’s Chairman, has led the Board of Directors since WOQOD’s inception with clear focus and strategic direction. WOQOD’s Management Team and employees have delivered the strategies of the company with enthusiasm and drive through collaborative team work. What are the lessons learnt during this period? Any changes made in the company’s commitment or vision to keep track with the current situation in the region? One of the lessons learnt for WOQOD is to be able to maintain flexibility given the expediential growth of the economy in Qatar. WOQOD works very closely with industry and government to understand the future

demand for fuels, and to ensure we have the storage and distribution in place for the time when it is needed. We take very seriously our mandate as the fuel supplier to Qatar, and our responsibility to enable the economy to grow through the timely and safe delivery of fuel. We are all aware of the current situation in the Middle East. WOQOD has ambitions to expand beyond Qatar and must do so where business environments are secure and offer growth potential. We will look on a country-by-country basis, with a focus on Arab countries, to find investment opportunities that meet our growth aspirations. What are your plans and goals for the next five years? WOQOD’s strategic focus is now to consolidate our position within the State of Qatar, where we still have much to do, and also to explore options to take our business into new countries. WOQOD has made a number of business studies and will be making announcements on foreign investment by the end of 2011.

“wE arE ON a jOurNEy aNd whILE sOmE mILEsTONEs havE bEEN achIEvEd, wE sTrIvE fOr cONTINuOus ImPrOvEmENT.” MoHaMEd Turki al-Sobai vice-cHairman and managing direcTor woqod

this year, in the first quarter, because the company had increased its capital base by issuing 20% bonus shares in 2010, earnings per share (eps) declined to qr6.47 as compared to qr7.86 for the corresponding period of 2010. total assets reached qr6.36 billion, up by 16.3% from last year figures, and total equity recorded a growth rate of 13.5% to reach qr3.93 billion for the corresponding period.

The one management lesson you keep in mind? It’s a difficult question but in my experience it is keeping focus or maintaining the direc-

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tion patiently. We would all like to achieve our goals quickly, be they personal or business, but those goals that are achieved through patience and focused attention are the most satisfying to me. What were the major milestones for the company? We are all delighted with WOQOD’s financial performance and the value this brings

7In

PRICE GROwTH

to our shareholders. This has reflected well in WOQOD’s share price, one of the most dynamic on the Qatar Exchange for some years. Exceeding annual profitability in excess of QR1 billion was a target we have been focused on for some time. This encompasses many areas, not just our financial performance. In 2008, WOQOD became ISO 9000 certified and this year we aim to become ISO 14,000 certified by

7In

LIQUIDITy

2In

ROE

having a company-wide environmental management system. We will open many more WOQOD service stations and introduce new innovative products and services for our customers. All WOQOD’s main business processes will be IT enabled, thus improving on efficiency and our ability to serve our customers better. The journey never stops and frankly I would not have it any other way

In ROE

inDustries QAtAr: a grOuP EffOrT

'susTaINEd' Is hOw abduLrahmaN ahmad aL-shaIbI, chIEf cOOrdINaTOr, INdusTrIEs QaTar (IQ), dEscrIbEs ThE cOmPaNy's succEss aT ThE QaTarI markET, aNd ThE facTOr ThaT cONTrIbuTEd TO ITs fINaNcIaL succEss Is sIgNIfIcaNT hIsTOrIc caPITaL INvEsTmENT IN PLaNTs aNd facILITIEs.

ndustries Qatar was incorporated in 2003, as part of a reorganisation programme. The oldest of the IQ companies is QAFCO (Qatar Fertiliser Company ). Established in 1969, IQ's inception marked the first significant step in the long road of the country's industrial diversification programme. Its first plant was inaugurated five years later, in 1973. A year later, both Qatar Petrochemical Company Limited QSC (QAPCO) and Qatar Steel were incorporated. Qatar Steel commenced production in 1978, with QAPCO starting three years later, in 1981. Qatar Fuel Additives Company Limited QSC (QAFAC) was incorporated in 1991, with commercial operations beginning in 1999. The last company

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in IQ's fold is Freej Real Estate Company; a joint venture, owned 34% by IQ, who are engaged in investing in residential and commercial buildings and in the provision of facilities management and construction management services. "The strategy of IQ has not changed over the years," says Al Shaibi, "We continue to invest heavily in the business to maintain growth and profitability levels." The next five years is going to be challenging for the company as they are intent on maintaining their cost leadership and maintain the position as the world's largest single-site ammonia and urea producer. "In 2011, IQ will launch QAFCO 5, and expect to launch QAFCO 6 and LDPE-3 in 2012," says Al Shaibi.

"ThE sTraTEgy Of IQ has NOT chaNgEd OvEr ThE yEars. wE cONTINuE TO INvEsT hEavILy IN ThE busINEss TO maINTaIN grOwTh aNd PrOfITabILITy LEvELs." abdulraHMan aHMad al-SHaibi cHief coordinaTor industries qatar (iq)

it is the second time in iq's eight year history that group revenues exceeded the qr12 billion mark. the group recorded revenue of qr12.3 billion for the year ended december 31, 2010, and qr3.9 billion in the fourth quarter, representing a year-on-year increase of 25.1%. with full year net profits totaling qr5.6 billion, the group has achieved its second highest earnings on record.

In PRICE GROwTH

In nET PROFIT GROwTH

In nET REVEnUEGROwTH

3In

LIQUIDITy

7In

ROA

nAtionAl leAsing holDing CoMpAny:

fOLLOwINg IsLamIc PrINcIPLEs NaTIONaL LEasINg hOLdINg cOmPaNy Qsc Is a QaTar-basEd PubLIc sharEhOLdINg cOmPaNy ENgagEd IN IsLamIc LEasINg, rEaL EsTaTE, PrOPErTy dEvELOPmENT, TraNsPOrTaTION, aNd LImOusINE sErvIcEs IN accOrdaNcE TO IsLamIc sharIa PrINcIPLEs.

“n

ational Leasing Company is committed to be a profitable and client oriented organisation that continues to meet the financial objectives of its customers and provides an encouraging environment for its employees,” says Sheikh Falah Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani, Chairman & Managing Director of National Leasing Holding Company. “The essence of our performance in 2010 revolves around building National Leasing Holding’s credibility and trust

amongst our stakeholders – shareholders, customers, suppliers, bankers, partners and beneficiaries,” says Sheikh Falah. “And the main factors that brought about this financial excellence – transparency, good governance and enhancing stakeholders’ faith in National Leasing Holding – helped us achieve what we have done,” he says. “We continue our long standing history and direction of the Board that has built this company’s character since its inception, and our efforts shall always be driven to enhance this character; that shall become the hall-mark of our business in the years to come.”

“ThE EssENcE Of Our PErfOrmaNcE rEvOLvEs arOuNd buILdINg NaTIONaL LEasINg hOLdINg’s crEdIbILITy aNd TrusT amONgsT Our sTakEhOLdErs." SHEikH falaH bin jaSSiM bin jabr al-THani cHairman & managing direcTor national leasing holding company

national leasing holding (q.s.c.) reported earning results for 2010 with a net profit for 2010 aof qr179.8 million from qr90.2 million in 2009. earnings per share (eps) stood at qr5.45, an increase from qr2.74. the company’s board of directors recommended a 30% cash dividend for 2010, which translates into qr3 per share to shareholders.

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MAWAshi: maNagINg rEsOurcEs

ahmad NassEr sraIya aL-kaabI, maNagINg dIrEcTOr aNd cEO Of ThE QaTar mEaT aNd LIvEsTOck cOmPaNy (bETTEr kNOwN as mawashI), says ThE succEss Of hIs cOmPaNy has bEEN PhENOmENaL aNd ThE rEasON fOr ITs succEss Is EffEcTIvE aNd sTraTEgIc PLaNNINg. ThE cOmPaNy sPEcIaLIsEs IN ThE PrOducTION aNd markETINg Of mEaT aNd has wON ThrEE INTErNaTIONaL awards frOm ONE Of ausTraLIa’s LargEsT OrgaNIsaTIONs.

hat are the factors that contributed to Mawashi’s success? The big change came with the appointment of a new board of directors in May 2010, when we embarked on a new strategic course. We completely restructured the company, revamped our sales policy, restructured our company profile, undertook a comprehensive survey of the demand for products, pinpointed new sources of supply and expanded in line with market requirements. We added to our transport fleet and injected new talent into the company, and it’s thanks to all this that Mawashi has been successful. The company provided us with new competencies to take advantage of existing expertise, and thanks to everyone we have reached such lofty pinnacles. It’s mainly due to good planning and capable staff in the finance department, good budgeting and excellent relations with the banks. Are there any new contracts on the horizon for the company? And how do you see the way ahead in the current Middle East situation? We’re not just importers of meat. Our aim is to build slaughterhouses outside Qatar in livestock-rearing countries like Sudan for example, where we now have our own land and abattoir. We have also negotiated

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with the government of Georgia to acquire land and build slaughtering facilities there. That’s been going extremely well, and we’re now looking into possibilities in other highquality meat-producing countries with high standards of hygiene. Our objective is to meet the requirements of the Qatar and Gulf markets. Mawashi covers roughly 70% of Qatar’s import requirements at present, though the exact figure fluctuates from year to year. But we’re also planning to go into shipping. Chilled meat has to be air freighted, which is why we will be giving high priority in our future planning to acquire ships that carry live sheep. This could be in partnership with international shipping companies, through finance from banks or through partnerships with similar companies in other Gulf States with whom we could set up a joint livestock shipping company. Mawashi already imports sheep, 90% of them from Australia, but some percentage do come from countries like Sudan and Syria. We’ve signed a deal with an international company to link up the fleet of ships and distribution lorries by computer and satellite in order to track their movements and monitor refrigeration temperatures. This is to maintain their quality. Here in Qatar, meanwhile, we’ve been working on expanding our butchery line, by opening high quality outlets in shopping centres, close to the customer, under a uni-

"mawashI aLsO has a sELf-suffIcIENcy POLIcy aNd Is wOrkINg TOwards ThE cOuNTry’s gOaL Of achIEvINg fOOd sEcurITy by rEducINg ITs dEPENdENcE ON fOrEIgN ImPOrTs. " aHMad naSSEr SraiYa al-kaabi managing direcTor and ceo qatar meat and livestock company

the company has achieved the highest net profit in the fiscal year ending december 31, 2010, when it reached qr33 million, compared to qr19 million in 2009. their total earnings per share was qr1.84 for 2010 compared with qr1.05 in 2009.

fied brand representing excellent service and offering all kinds of meat. We’ve also expanded our vehicle fleet by 40%, for increased sales, and we’ve introduced an online home delivery service for our customers’ convenience, which has proved to be an unexpected hit. Mawashi also has a self-sufficiency policy and is working towards the country’s goal of achieving food security by reducing its

dependence on foreign imports. The company has plans to support domestic breeders, by helping them secure financing from Qatar Development Bank, whilst also monitoring their hygiene using a system from the Ministry for the Environment. How is the work managed in slaughterhouses outside the country, for example in Sudan?

The workforce is 100% Sudanese because they know the local situation. The labour is cheap and it fulfils our purposes while supporting the Sudanese economy. And why are you focusing on overseas markets? It’s because fodder accounts for 70% of the cost of producing meat in Qatar, which is why we are concentrating on other countries

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where pasture is available, though we will be looking to find ways of manufacturing livestock feed domestically in the future. One final management tip? Something we always keep in mind at Mawashi: Look after your human resources they are the key to the company’s success (Interviewed by Ezdhar Ibrahim)

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DohA insurAnCe CoMpAny: aImINg fOr ThE sky

dOha INsuraNcE cOmPaNy (dIc) was fOrmEd IN 2003, IN rEsPONsE TO ThE NEEd fOr grOwTh IN ThE INsuraNcE INdusTry. accOrdINg TO dIc chaIrmaN, shEIkh Nawaf bIN NassEr bIN khaLEd aL-ThaNI, ThE cOmPaNy Is IN ITs grOwINg sTagE wITh a vIsION TO ExPaNd IN kEy arEas. dIc aIms hIgh TO gET aN a’ raTINg frOm sTaNdard & POOr’s, aNd TO rEach Qr500 mILLION IN PrEmIum INcOmE wIThIN ThE NExT ThrEE yEars.

hat are the factors that have contributed to your financial success? One of the main factors that contributed to us as well as other local companies is the growing economy of the country. Another factor for DIC that contributed to our success was our focus on core business. The work environment and our flexible approach to market trends and conditions along with the management expertise have helped us positively. At DIC, we mainly focus and concentrate on Qatar and monitor the Middle East, keeping in mind our vision to expand in other area’s which are under study. As part of this region we keep our eyes and ears open to tackle any issues that could affect our company.

What are your plans and goals for the next five years? DIC’s mission is to provide the highest level of financial protection and customer service by delivering solutions to the needs of corporate and individuals. DIC plans to maintain a steady growth of Gross Premium Written (GPW) of not less than 15% over the next five years (2011 to 2015) and achieve a five year average combined ratio of less than 70%. We have been profitable from the first year of operation, but recently we have had more competitive pressures and this must be addressed. Our goal is to preserve DIC’s position as a reliable quality driven and value priced company in Qatar, to establish and maintain good working relationships with our clients by exceeding their expectations and to explore new target

"wE arE LOOkINg aT ThE ImPLEmENTaTION Of maNdaTOry hEaLTh INsuraNcE Law IN QaTar ThaT Is LIkELy TO cOmE INTO ExIsTENcE IN 2012. ThE cOmPaNy has LauNchEd ITs mEdIcaL INsuraNcE PrOducT whIch Is NEarINg maTurINg TO ITs sEcONd yEar." SHEikH naWaf bin naSSEr bin kHalEd al-THani cHairman dic

company has disclosed the audited financial statements for the year ended december 31, 2010. the audited financials revealed a net profit of qr 60.7 million in 2010 versus qr 53.4 million in 2009. the company’s eps amounted to qr 3.37 in 2010 compared to qr 2.97 in 2009 .

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market or market segments. We are looking at the implementation of the mandatory health insurance law in Qatar that is likely to come into existence in 2012. The company has launched its medical insurance product which is nearing maturing to its second year. Hence, we believe that the period until 2012 will give us adequate time to test our product and systems so that we are prepared at the time of introduction of the new healthcare law. We have appointed a Sharia committee last year to review the operations of the Takaful Branch, which we will continue to support in view of the increasing demand for Sharia compliant products in the market. We are currently structuring Doha Takaful to operate as a separate entity. Qatar will host FIFA World Cup 2022, and this presents a challenge to get a sizable share of the insurances related to its projects, amidst growing competition from local and foreign players. Yemeni Qatari In-

surance is a joint venture of DIC in Yemen. DIC has a 40% share and is responsible for the technical administration. We are monitoring the current political situation in Yemen but believe that it has a lot of untapped business opportunity. The plan is to have a qualitative addition to the Yemeni Insurance Market. and steps are being pursued in this direction. We intend to continue our full support to this joint venture to achieve its rightful share in the Yemeni market. The return on equity during 2010 is 11%. which is encouraging being the first year of operations. The Company is considering possible expansion by opening new branches outside Qatar or entering into strategic partnerships. but this needs further study and refinement. Your personal management mantra? Take nothing for granted, always be flexible and ready for change as finance and insur-

2In

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LIQUIDITy

ance markets go through cycles of ups and downs. What were the company's major milestones? DIC was the latest qualitative addition to the national insurance companies in Qatar. Among the five national companies, Doha Insurance’s development has been rapid. Its 2010 gross premium is QR370 million (US$ 101.50m) which is almost twice the 2006 figures. We now have the third largest market share within the Qatari market and are now poised to play a major role in the regional insurance industry. On 3rd September 2010, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (S & P) confirmed the financial strength rating – and the counter party credit rating – of Doha Insurance Company Q.S.C. as BBB+/Stable/–. Now we are aiming to be an “A” rated security

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nAkilAt:

NavIgaTINg PrOfITabILITy NakILaT, maNagINg dIrEcTOr, muhammad ghaNNam fEELs ThaT ThE succEss aNd grOwTh Of ThE cOmPaNy has bEEN NOThINg shOrT Of rEmarkabLE’ wITh ThE dEvELOPmENT Of a NEw marINE INdusTry IN ThE cOuNTry.

“s

ince Nakilat was established in 2004 as a joint stock company – owned 50% by its founding shareholders and 50% by the public as a result of an IPO in 2005 – our growth has been commendable,”

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says Ghannam. “We have progressed from being the transporter of LNG and associated products such as LPG and sulphur within our energy industry, to become a fully integrated marine business.” In less than five years, Nakilat has become a world leader in LNG shipping; solidifying

"ThEsE marINE acTIvITIEs havE bEcOmE aN INTEgraL ParT Of Our busINEss aNd cOmPLEmENT ThE LargEsT LNg fLEET IN ThE wOrLd. Our fuLLy INTEgraTEd marINE INdusTry IN QaTar wILL bENEfIT frOm Our IdEaL LOcaTION aNd accEss TO markETs." MuHaMMad gHannaM managing direcTor nakilat

its strategic position in Qatar’s LNG supply chain, and in turn, becoming the country’s 'floating pipeline' to world markets. What was the main factor that contributed to Nakilat's financial success? Our accomplishments and success have been achieved due to the clear vision of HH the Emir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and from the guidance received from HE Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, in his former capacity as Minister of Energy and Industry. Without the tremendous support and personal commitment from HE Al-Attiyah in implementing the vision and objective established by HH, our world-class Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard would not have been completed in three years. It is also based on the foresight and guidance from HE that Nakilat added 25 wholly-owned LNG vessels to its fleet. We also extend our appreciation to HE Dr Mohammed Saleh AlSada, Minister of Energy and Industry, and to Qatar Petroleum for their ongoing contribution to Nakilat’s success. The contributions made by our partners, shareholders, management and employees through their energy and expertise are critical factors which have contributed to our success. As a result of these efforts, we are well positioned financially, operationally and managerially to meet our planned strategic targets and we are effectively structured to act on new business opportunities and growth. What do you have planned for the next five years? In the years ahead, Nakilat will continue its efforts to develop the necessary infrastructure and management systems to achieve our strategic objectives and optimise shareholder value. We will further identify and pursue value-added opportunities that correspond to our business mandate. We will continue to enhance the efficiency, safety and reliability of our operations by utilising best practice benchmarking. We recently implemented ISO 9001:2008 and OHSAS18001:2007 certifications. We have implemented a comprehensive Qatarisation programme that will

attract, develop and retain Qatari national employees and provide for the highest quality personnel in the industry. Accordingly with, and in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, we are positioning the Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard as a key element in the overall strategy of a new marine industry sector for Qatar. Our new shipyard is a world-class shipbuilding and ship repair facility, strategically located in the Port of Ras Laffan. To operate the shipyard’s repair facilities, Nakilat formed a joint venture (JV) with Keppel Offshore & Marine – a global leader in ship repair and conversion. This JV, Nakilat-Keppel Offshore & Marine (N-KOM), repairs and maintains very large LNG carriers and a wide range of other vessels, including the conversion of tankers to Floating Production, Storage and Offloading, and to Floating Storage and Offloading units. Nakilat has also formed a JV with Damen Shipyards Group – a world renowned shipbuilder. This JV, Nakilat Damen Shipyards Qatar (NDSQ), manages the construction of high-value ships of up to 120 metres in length, including commercial, naval and coast guard vessels and luxury yachts. We have also commenced work on designing a facility dedicated to the repair and maintenance of vessels less than 120 mt in length. This facility, which is being engineered to service over 200 vessels per year, is scheduled to commence operations in 2012. Additionally, work will soon commence to establish a Boat Production Facility in the shipyard, utilising fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) technology, for the supply of leisure craft and commercial workboats to local and international markets. The final phase of Nakilat’s development strategy will include the fabrication of structures for the offshore oil and gas industry, and components for landbased petrochemical and industrial plants. The combination of these comprehensive marine industrial capabilities is both strategic and key to the goal of positioning the country as an internationally recognised centre of excellence in ship building, repair and conversion. These marine activities have become an

integral part of our business and complement the largest LNG fleet in the world. We have built world-class facilities to ensure the reliability, safety and protection of the environment for LNG transportation. Our business model will continue to diversify. Our fully integrated marine industry in Qatar will benefit from our ideal location and access to markets. One important Management lesson? I believe the most important management lesson is to never lose sight of your company vision and mission statement. For Nakilat, it is to be the world’s leading owner and operator of vessels for the transportation of LNG and associated products, and to be the provider-of-choice for ship repair and constructions services, as measured by customer satisfaction, financial profitability, growth, operational efficiency, and high standards of safety, health and environment and quality. What are the milestones for the company? One of our major milestones was the delivery of “Rasheeda”, our final ship to be constructed and delivered to the Nakilat fleet. With “Rasheeda” in service, Nakilat’s 25 whollyowned ships combine to complete an LNG fleet of 54 vessels-the largest and most modern LNG fleet in the world. Added to these impressive assets, the fleet also includes four very large gas carriers for the transport of LPG. “Rasheeda’s” commissioning marked the successful completion of a very aggressive and unprecedented LNG ship construction programme. Nakilat also reached another historic milestone on 23 November 2010, when under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, The Emir of the State of Qatar, Nakilat inaugurated the first three phases of our new world-class Erhama Bin Jaber Al Jalahma Shipyard in the Port of Ras Laffan. The new shipyard will ensure our fleet is maintained to the highest possible quality standards, while also providing impetus for the development and growth of a new marine industry in Qatar. The new shipyard is a truly outstanding asset for Qatar and Nakilat

nakilat’s financial performance during 2010 contributed to a strong balance sheet and attractive returns for shareholders. net profit for 2010 was qr665 million compared with qr589 million for 2009, an increase of 13%. for its 2010 performance, nakilat’s board of directors recommended a cash dividend of dirhams75 per share compared with dirhams 9 estimated in its ipo, or a success multiple of over eight times the ipo estimate.

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QIc was ThE fIrsT INsuraNcE cOmPaNy IN ThE cOuNTry.

atar Insurance Company (QIC) – the largest domestic insurer with a 60% market share – has an interesting history. It was the first insurance company in the country and was conceived and founded by the Emiri Decree on March 11, 1964. The currency of Qatar at that time was the Indian Rupee and QIC’s paid up capital was Rs 1,500,000, a princely sum in those days. In view of the importance placed by the Government on the establishment of the first domestic insurance company, they participated to the extent of 12%, a share that they retain to this day. Another interesting fact was that the early years of QIC operations were transacted from what was then the heart of the Souq. It was in the bustling alleyways where the lively and vibrant trade was conducted that QIC set down its roots. Since then the Company has indeed come a long way. “The embedded corporate governance culture, together with the proven and established internal control systems of the company, had a positive impact on

the company’s consistent performance through the years and has enabled QIC to be the leading insurance company in the region. Within the limits of the existing legal and regulatory framework, QIC has taken all possible measures to ensure that the respective regulatory authorities’ rules and regulations are complied with, and the interests of all shareholders are protected,” says Khalifa Abdullah Al-Subaey, Group President & CEO, QIC. QIC reported net underwriting income of QR425.7 million in 2010, a year-on-year growth of 8%, while investment income advanced 22% to QR369.7 million in 2010, compared to QR303.8 million in 2009. Although the company reported only a marginal increase of 0.2% in gross premiums to reach QR2.15 billion in 2010. QIC still dominates the local insurance market in Qatar with more than 50% market share. However, international operations drove the growth in gross premiums; QIC has a regional network of subsidiaries and branches in Oman, Kuwait, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in addition to having a presence in the European market through its representative office in Malta.

qic reported a year-on-year growth in net profit of 11% which grew from qr 560.7 million in 2009 to qr 622.5 million in 2010, 3.8% lower than our net profit estimate of qr 646.9 million for 2010.the company approved the distribution of qr6.5 per share cash dividend for the year ended december 31, 2010, equivalent to 65% of capital and representing a payout ratio of 82%.

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"INTErNaTIONaL OPEraTIONs fOrmEd 54% Of TOTaL grOss PrEmIums IN 2010 aNd grEw 13% yEar-ON-yEar TO rEach Qr1.17 bILLION, whILE grOss PrEmIums frOm LOcaL OPEraTIONs wITNEssEd a dEcLINE Of 11% TO Qr985 mILLION." kHalifa abdullaH al- SubaEY group preSidenT & ceo, qic

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CoMMerCiAlbAnk

QAtAr: gaININg sTrONghOLd

cOmmErcIaLbaNk QaTar was EsTabLIshEd IN 1975 as QaTar’s fIrsT PrIvaTE baNk aNd NOw IT Is aLsO ThE fIrsT QaTarI baNk TO LIsT ITs gLObaL dEPOsITOry rEcEIPTs (gdr’s) aNd bONds ON ThE LONdON sTOck ExchaNgE .

ommercialbank Qatar (CBQ) also has excellent credit ratings of A (Fitch), A1 (Moody’s) and A- (Standard & Poor’s). “CBQ is built on stability and underpinned by integrity; consequently this is reflected in our financial performance. We have been profitable every year since 1975 and total assets reached QR60.8 billion as of March 2011,” says Hussain Ibrahim Alfardan, Managing Director, CBQ. Strategic partnerships have increased the bank’s presence in the region. The alliances with National Bank of Oman (NBO) in Oman and United Arab Bank (UAB) in the UAE ensure that cross border banking is seamless and easy for many corporate customers. “CBQ has achieved strong results in

2010, reflecting the successful realignment of its business and its clear strategy of controlled and sustainable growth. We have seen a broadening of sector focus across the domestic, corporate and retail businesses, the successful delivery of the revised risk based strategy that the bank embarked upon in 2009, and the development of relationships in the Public Sector,” says Alfardan. The bank’s performance reflects an improvement in the economic activity in Qatar, driven principally by Government spending; despite this, recovery within the private sector has been slow and impairment provisions of QR167 million against the loan portfolio and QR128 million against our investment book, have been necessary in 2010 as a result of the lingering effects of the 2008/2009 global financial downturn

"wE havE bEEN PrOfITabLE EvEry yEar sINcE 1975 aNd TOTaL assETs rEachEd Qr60.8 bILLION as Of march 2011." HuSSain ibraHiM alfardan managing direcTor cbq.

commercialbank’s net profit for the year ended 31 december, 2010, was qr 1,635 million, which was 7% higher than 2009.

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MAnufACturing CoMpAny: dIvErsIfIcaTION Is ThE kEy

QaTar INdusTrIaL maNufacTurINg cOmPaNy (QImc) was EsTabLIshEd IN 1990 wITh 20:80 gOvErNmENT-PrIvaTE EQuITy INTErEsTs rEsPEcTIvELy. ThE EsTabLIshmENT Of QImc was a cLEar maNIfEsTaTION Of ThE aTTENTION gIvEN by ThE sTaTE Of QaTar TO ThE IssuE Of ThE PrIvaTE sEcTOr’s ParTIcIPaTION IN ThE PrOcEss Of EcONOmIc dEvELOPmENT Of ThE cOuNTry ThrOugh INvEsTINg IN smaLL aNd mEdIum scaLE INdusTrIEs.

IMC’s initial authorised capital was set at QR200 million ($ 55 million), and was fully paid by 2002. In 2006, capital was increased by 50% to QR 300 million. QIMC started business in May 1990, only to become – within a short period of time – one of the pioneering companies in the field of small and medium scale industries in Qatar. Far from being confined to Qatar, QIMC’s activities extended to other GCC countries. Currently, QIMC has an equity interest in 13 operational projects in various industrial sectors, including chemicals, petrochemicals, construction materials and food processing. QIMC is also currently investigating the economic feasibility of a number of other projects in collaboration with local and foreign parties. “The year 2010 has also witnessed very important achievements related to the im-

plementation of new projects and the expansion of existing ones. The first of these achievements is represented by the completion of civil works at Qatar Aluminium Extrusion Co and the start of the plant equipment erection. The project is expected to be commissioned in May 2011 with a production capacity of 8,000 tonnes per year. The second achievement is represented by the start-up of KLJ Organic Qatar, for the production of chlorinated paraffin wax and caustic soda, which is expected to be commissioned by the first quarter of 2013. “Furthermore, Qatar Acids Company has signed an agreement for the increase of its sulphuric acids production capacity, from 10,000 to 43,000 tonnes/year, and AmiantitQatar Pipes Company has increased its fibre glass pipes production capacity from 15,000 to 17,000 tonnes/year,” says Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Jabor Al-Thani, Chairman, QIMC

net profits reached qr202.5 million, against qr144 million in 2010, or by an increase of 40.6%; while shareholders equity increased to qr1.144 billion against qr960 million in 2009, or by an increase of 19.2%.

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QImc Is aLsO currENTLy INvEsTIgaTINg ThE EcONOmIc fEasIbILITy Of a NumbEr Of OThEr PrOjEcTs IN cOLLabOraTION wITh LOcaL aNd fOrEIgN ParTIEs. SHEikH abdulraHMan bin MoHaMMEd jabor al-THani cHairman qimc

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wITh ThE cOmPLETION Of PrOjEcTs IN PrOgrEss, QEwc’s POrTfOLIO Of POwEr gENEraTION caPacITy wILL rEach mOrE ThaN 60% Of ThE TOTaL POwEr gENEraTEd IN ThE sTaTE

atar Electricity and Water Company (QEWC) is a public shareholding company founded in 1990 for the purpose of acquiring and managing power generation and water desalination stations, with a paid up capital of one hundred million shares, QR10 each. Approximately 43% of the shares of the company are owned by the Government of Qatar and the remaining 57% are held by institutions and private individuals. According to QEWC General Manager, Fahd Al-Mohannadi, “The company has worked to increase its production capacity during the past two decades through the development of expansion projects and new stations. Expansion projects include RAF B1, which added a capacity of 376.5 MW of

power, RAF B2 with a production capacity of 567 MW of power and 30 MIGD of water, and RAF A1 which added 45 MIGD to QEWC’s water production capacity.” With the completion of projects in progress, QEWC’s portfolio of power generation capacity will reach more than 60% of the total power generated in the state, while water desalination capacity will reach more than 70% of the total water desalination capacity. “In order to increase and diversify its financial resources the company is trying to invest in electricity and water projects outside the state of Qatar. The company has signed a confidentiality agreement with National Thermal Power Corporation of India, for the exchange of information with the intention of establishing of a power plant in India,” says Al-Mohannadi

ThE cOmPaNy has wOrkEd TO INcrEasE ITs PrOducTION caPacITy durINg ThE PasT TwO dEcadEs ThrOugh ThE dEvELOPmENT Of ExPaNsION PrOjEcTs aNd NEw sTaTIONs. faHd al-MoHannadi general manager qewc

qewc has made an operational net profit of qr1.16 billion in the financial year that ended on december 31, 2010, which showed an increase of qr218 million in the company’s profit compared to the profits of the previous financial year. last year’s earnings per share were qr6 (qr5 in 2009).

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CALCULATIONS validated by

About Deloitte Qatar Deloitte & Toucheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice has been established in Qatar for over fifty years. Deloitte is the premier provider of accounting and auditing, tax and business advisory services in the country. Deloitte audits over 40% of the listed companies, several of the large groups and quasi-government companies in Qatar. Deloitteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Qatar office currently has a personnel complement of 7 Partners, 7 Principals, 20 Managers and over 200 qualified professional staff.

ALSHALL Economic Services QSC is a private Qatari shareholding company providing different economic, business and corporate finance advisory services to local and regional institutions. It has been established in late 2002 by ALSHALL Consulting Company KSCC, a Kuwait-based private consulting company, along with other partners, as a strategic arm in Qatar in order to provide the same range of established services in Kuwait. ALSHALL has built its track record and accumulated experience through continuous involvements in the business sectors in Qatar, Kuwait and MENA region during different economic cycles. ALSHALL aims to provide services that help its clients meet their challenges, be competitive, efficient and ready to exploit growth opportunities. The advisory services encompass business and transaction advisory such as feasibility studies, assistance in strategic planning, business and project valuation, privatization, real estate advisory, economic and equity research, establishing companies, private equity placement, share flotation, debt finance, financial restructuring, restructuring family companies, mergers and acquisitions, and divestitures.

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bleness or completeness of the information contained in this article or of any other information relating to this article whether written, oral or in a visual or electronic form (including, without limitation, in a magnetic or digital form) transmitted or made available to the readers. All analyses appearing in this article do not in any way constitute an offer or recommendation to invest in any of the listed securities. ALSHALL hereby disclaims any responsibility of any direct or indirect claim resulting from using this article.

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The Art of Delegation There is no such thing as a single-handed success. When you include and acknowledge all those in your corner, you propel yourself, your teammates and supporters to greater heights.

rofessionals in leadership positions are expected to constantly concentrate on activities that nobody else in their team can perform. They are miracle doers, business saviours and thus, they do need to delegate.

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Delegation is defined in the Harvard Business Review as “the transferring of a specific duty from one person to another and includes the transfer of work as well as accountability for that work”. Delegation is an indispensable tool in a leader’s time management toolkit reflecting a leader’s calculated decision as to which tasks to do himself and which tasks to move forward and to whom. It allows a leader to put into effect his or her influence and handle their own responsibilities more effectively while simultaneously developing the skills and abilities of their team members. Some highlights below are from Bayt.com. Major benefits of delegation Effective delegation benefits every angle in the cohesive triangle of Organisation, Leader and Employee. The company benefits from a better over-

all quality of work and increased efficiencies as leaders are enabled to focus on more important corporate tasks rather than the mundane tasks and day-to-day operations, leaving knowledgeable employees to become involved in direct decision making activities related to their roles. Time is a valuable commodity for leaders, and with proper delegation, they can enjoy more time and flexibility to focus on bigger responsibilities (such as planning and strategy), come up with new ideas and also reap the rewards of their team’s newly developed skills. Employees benefit as delegation extends their scope of responsibility and domain of performance affording them more areas of accountability and hence more room to grow and develop new skills. This generally results in higher motivation levels, increased morale and more job satisfaction.

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Recommendations to successful delegation: To sum up are a few guidelines from Bayt.com to direct you towards successful and effective delegation that is a win-win proposition for all:

Be lucid about your expectations. State your desired end results to your team members clearly.

Identify your team members’ lines of authority and accountability. Explain the boundaries they should abide by when taking over this task.

Give team members the power to choose the tasks they most relate to and delegate these tasks to them. Being involved in the delegation process is an instant self confidence booster for team members.

Delegate to the convenient organisational level (those who are closest to the task on an everyday work basis are most likely to succeed at doing it)

Delegate to team members who are equipped to handle the work. Make sure you are confident of their abilities to take on the new task and achieve the desired results.

Be supportive. Keep an open-door policy for team members to come to you with their questions and uncertainties about the delegated task. Be communicative, encouraging and patient. They might not get the task done as fast as you do, but they will get there eventually with time and practice.

Provide recognition when well earned. Increase your team members’ commitment by explaining the positive impact of the delegation process in terms of both the company success and their own skills building.

Don’t abdicate. Do not just give broad guidelines and get busy with your own work assuming your team will achieve the required results. Progress reviews, updates and coaching meetings must be scheduled to ensure the task/project is advancing correctly and on schedule.

When to delegate and to whom? Many things should be taken into consideration by the leader/ manager before the delegation process takes place.

The task:

The individual:

Is it really a task that is wisely delegated to another team member or is it a crucial or sensitive corporate task that requires the manager/ leader’s full attention and time? How much of the task can reasonably be delegated?

Does he/she have the know-how and background needed in order to perform the task successfully? And will this task provide him/her with the opportunity to develop their skills and aptitudes? Does this project, task or responsibility align with his/her long term interests? Moreover, does his/her workload allow the additional task to be taken over?

Time: Delegating of tasks effectively necessitate the availability of sufficient time to hand over the task from leader to team member: time for proper training, time for questions and answers and time for trial under the supervision of the leader. This is why it is always advisable to delegate tasks within a reasonable timeframe and to delegate tasks that are repetitive in the long run.

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About Bayt.com: Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 5.5 Million registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe, representing all industries, nationalities and career levels. Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com today and access the leading resource for job seekers and employers in the region.

June 2011

Qatar Today 61

T AG T H I S

Chequebook

culture?

Why Qatar needs to rebrand from scratch

atar is taking out its cheque book and importing Tribecca Festival which is an American thing, importing TED which is another American thing. If you are importing all this to make the English and the American people comfortable here, where would you go to experience Qatari culture which is found only here, asks David Omi. It is not difficult to get branding luminary David Omi started on his pet theme, branding. Howoever, not the old school branding we are used to, but one that is in keeping with the trends of today. Which is why he repeatedly emphasises the need for Qatar to communicate its inherent culture. “Qatar as a collective identity, as I see it, is in a hurry to become accepted as a player in the cultural arena,” he says. “I come to Qatar to experience Qatari culture. And Qatar is busy portraying itself as just any other

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By Sindhu Nair

developed country.” Qatar from the outside, at least to Omi, is all about money and extravagant architecture. “In this age of converging finitudes, when the whole world is talking about containing and sustaining, there seems to be no limit to Qatar’s extravagance. That is antithetical to how the world is feeling. Infinite growth contradicts the law of nature. The same is the case with China, on another level.” If you have to brand Qatar, you have to talk the language of the world, he stresses. David Omi was in Qatar on invitation from grow, the brand communications agency, and brings with him a wealth of experience as a creative director, designer and brand strategist in traditional and new media. He is associated with some of the world’s most prestigious brands and advertising agencies, both in Europe and the United States, including Saatchi and

T AG T H I S Saatchi, Wieden Kennedy, and WPP companies. Sharing his insights with Qatar Today, Omi says: “Everyone is quite tired of it (branding). Almost all have done it. It is now time that brands reinvented themselves and I can see that happening through the advent and growth of social media and the Internet. Branding is now becoming less about virginity, manuals and procedures and more about being able to live in multi-complexity while engaging and associating with other brands.”

and human touch, making flying a richer, worthy experience. There are very small and some big things that the air carrier does that makes the process look hassle-free.”

Green branding Omi, who is Executive Creative Director of Sine New York, has been responsible for leading strategic brand developments in leisure markets. Greenhouse 26 was the first ‘green’ boutique hotel in New York City. He talks about his experiThe very beginning ence creating a sustainable “Branding,” he says, “is all about design. making people feel better about “The language of the whole who they are.” interiors is about going back Continuing on the concept of to basics. It is about celbranding and communication, ebrating nature and how naOmi gives examples of brands ture takes back things that is that seem to have understood already created. the basics. The most important “A coffee table, with a thing about a brand is the perbase made of recycled and sonal touch or communication broken wind shields, a Petri and in a way it is about trust dish showing the bacteria too. culture, a table made of reJust because a brand has cycled wood, a bedroom that something to say doesn’t necesis sparse, stairs covered in sarily mean that people are gomoss, chairs mimicking sea ing to listen. And there is a danpods, walls destroyed and ger too he says of brands being framed in glass, are some of self-obsessed. the design features. All of It is therefore important to this represents Greenhouse understand that brands don’t 26,” says Omi with barely live in corporate offices but in concealed passion. the streets and in the minds “You are engulfed by of people. “Branding has to It is now time that brands nature and it is primitively touch the hearts of people to be beautiful.” successful.” reinvented themselves and On the process followed, So what should be the I can see that he says, “It was all in collabfirst priority when branding happening through the advent oration with the designer, begins? owners and architects.” “The company should first and growth of social media and Another milestone in his be clear about what it stands the Internet career was the branding of for, the essence of the brand,” the luxury fashion house, he says taking the example of Alexander McQueen. He Apple – which is also his fareminisces, “I met Lee Alexvourite – a brand that is all ander McQueen, just before about lifestyle not just about his St Martin’s fashion show, technology. “The company is his graduation show. He was communicating through its a little guy, very smart, bright to the point of being logo, which has a universal appeal.” He then moves on to explain the branding process scary. He knew exactly what he wanted. He was a genof JetBlue, one of the rare success stories of an Ameri- ius tailor. There is no uncertainty with anything that he did. I drew his logo on the back of a cigarette pack can budget air carrier. “If you look at the JetBlue campaigns nothing is and he liked it and that was it. Working with Alexansaid about air travel, while it is all about managing der McQueen was not difficult, he was a lovely man anxiety. As we embark on a journey, there is a tiny bit who knew what he wanted his brand to portray. He of unease that niggles at the back of our mind as we was also very loyal to his close associates.” He ends the interview with his golden rule of are exposing ourselves to a lot of uncontrollable external factors. What JetBlue does through their ad- branding: “A brand’s authenticity and effectiveness vertisements and through their website, through the will ultimately be determined by what it does not language and the imagery it uses, is to give a friendly what it says”

June 2011

expert speak Branding yourself Your action will define you

One big branding mistake Microsoft trying to be Apple, trying to follow and never reaching there!

Best Branding Experience Apple, The Guardian

Love to work on Brand Qatar

Qatar Today 63

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developing the QAtAri "IT’s vITaLLy ImPOrTaNT ThaT QaTar dOEs NOT LOsE ITs EssENcE by smOThErINg ITs TradITIONs aNd cuLTuraL NuaNcEs bEcausE ThE sPEcIfIcITIEs Of ITs cuLTurE arE whaT ThE wOrLd wILL uLTImaTELy faLL IN LOvE wITh"

culturAl identity brAnding the new, new world

By DAVID OMI The UK Brand Now I was recently in Heathrow’s Terminal Five building and happened upon the souvenir gift shop. As I walked around the aisles festooned with double-decker bus piggy banks, teddy bears wearing tiny sweaters emblazoned with Union Jacks and ludicrously priced Fortnum and Mason tea selections, I was overcome with a growing sense of woe and frustration. Being a Brit and a long time expat I am appalled at how my country insists on portraying itself to the outside world. The picture we paint of ourselves is misleading at best. My heckles rise when people of other nationalities describe the UK as being a nation that cannot cook, a place that suffers constant rain, and a

quiet and reserved people with a stiff upper lip. Nothing could be further from the truth. There appears to be a profound disconnect between who we really are and who we are perceived to be. Which means that we do not have an effective cultural brand. Cultural identity as ambassador An effective cultural brand serves as an ambassador to the world. The role of ambassador is to represent everything that is good and authentic about a country. You can tell a lot about a culture from what it chooses to say about itself – a willingness to trade in cultural cliché belies a lack of confidence and fails to offer the world anything new.

culTural branding (left to right) qatar's cultural imports, tribeca film festival, university london college, christie's and ted conference

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1 2

uniTed kingdom what is actualy proJected to the world (1 & 2) and what could be proJected (3 & 4)

An effective cultural brand provides a powerful insight into the collective psyche of a people and the social and political mores of a country. Effective cultural representation can give business leaders valuable insights into a country vis-a-vis how their businesses might integrate into the local culture and avoid any political missteps by offering authentic insight into the potential threats, opportunities and practicalities of doing business there. But effective cultural representation requires a certain degree of accuracy. Cultures are always in a state of transition. None more so than the Middle East and its constituent nations. The Qatari Brand Now Qatar right now smacks of a country in a hurry to be loved by the world. It wants to show it is culturally progressive, having recently hosted the Doha (New York) Tribeca Film Festival and a TED (New York, Vancouver) conference. University College London is setting up a campus in the country and the Qatari powers that be are also looking to buy the auction house Christie’s. Already Harrods has fallen into its rapidly increasing global investment pool. Qatar is interested in becoming known for something beyond its untold wealth. It wants to be part of a larger cultural world and is using its vast resources to do so. But in its rush to impress the world with its cosmopolitan Rolodex, it is imperative that Qatar does not buy into the shopping mall of imported high

cultural status brand names, removed from time and place. In fact, this global mall is not theirs - it is not Qatari - and paving over ancient marketplaces for such construction leaves Qatar in a cultural desert. It’s vitally important that Qatar does not lose its essence by smothering its traditions and cultural nuances because the specificities of its culture are what the world will ultimately fall in love with. Hence why places like the Souq Waqif, Museum of Islamic Art and Katara are loved by the people who have embraced and adopted them as their own. Heritage, tradition and family values fused with enormous ambition, it seems, represent the Qatari DNA and as these are expressed outwardly in a truly authentic manner, monuments to Qatar’s brand will remain and emit Qatar’s brand as a legacy for generations. The Arab world’s struggle to recreate itself for the modern age provides Qatar with a fabulous opportunity. Namely the possibility to develop a cultural identity that represents not only Qatari society but also one that reflects in microcosm, everything that is beautiful about the Arab world’s newly emerging socio-political selfhood As for the UK’s souvenir gift shop in Heathrow’s Terminal Five, it remains a wasted opportunity in terms of conveying the true nature of our national character. The Arab Spring has directed the world’s rapt attention to this corner of the globe. Let’s not waste the opportunity by peddling in worn-out clichés.

JUne 2011

QaTar TOday 65

tag this

Ambassadors

for Change Gen Y Gears Up

It is important for the business community in Doha to become more aware that the social revolution which is occurring through the Middle East is an indicator of the changing expectations of the younger generation.

iving in the Middle East at the present time is exciting; there is little doubt about that! All around us we see massive change, when we first came to Doha in 1981 the Sheraton was on the very edge of town, the West Bay Financial district didn’t exist and the national vision for 2030 hadn’t been presented. Doha and Qatar are changing, there can be little doubt about that; and yet many things remain comfortably the same. There is a strong desire to maintain the cultural values which make Qatari society unique. It was a privilege to be present at the recent presentation of the national development plan in that same Sheraton Hotel, which was just a skeleton in 1980. The fo-

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cus on education and the development of Qatari youth was emphasised by the Deputy Emir His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. Coming back to Doha in 2009 to teach (amongst other things) Leadership at the Qatar Finance and Business Academy, I have been reminded of the responsibility that expatriates have for transferring skills. Those same skills that are required to achieve the national vision. I have come to also realise that it is important for the business community in Doha to become more aware that the social revolution which is occurring through the Middle East is an indicator of the changing expectations of the younger generation. Fuelled by the extraordinary speed with which information is transferred today. There are few secrets on Facebook and Blackberry! My son told me after working for three years in the financial services sector in London, that my generation (the baby boomers) had much to learn about Gen Y, the generation that is now moving into positions of Leadership. The Gen Y is used to technology – it expects technology, whereas for my generation it was a wonder – I think I took the first personal computer my company had seen to Africa in the 80s, now my wife has three! Gen Y is impatient, my generation stayed in a job for life to draw a pen-

sion. This new generation is quite happy to change jobs on a regular basis for a better position, a more interesting job, more responsibility, a better package. And of course history has taught them that the pension pot might not be there anyway. In Doha today we are faced with a challenge, there is massive competition for skilled Qataris to fill leadership positions. Because this is the Qatari Gen Y, the corporations that want to keep its young leaders long enough to achieve their company goal, will in the present need to demonstrate the leadership skills in their own organisation. The same skills which they expect in the Leaders they need for the future. There is no ideal portfolio of Leadership skills, it is situation dependant, but there are behaviours which work and there are those which definitely do not. What does this mean in practice? It means that people in organisations who have potential expect that their bosses are interested in their development. Much is spoken of the annual appraisal process (April edition of Qatar Today speaks of the 'dreaded time of the year'), but the appraisal process and the accompanying development plan, can be a tool for motivation. If the appraisal process is not a HR tool, but rather the means by which the employee has a clear agreement and under-

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THe leaderS: participants at aspirations for success programme at qfba

standing of his or her role in achieving the company’s (Nation’s) goals and aspirations: and if the development plan sets out the way in which the employee will gain the skills that are required to achieve those goals: and finally if the plan is a development plan and not a training schedule, then we can hope for great changes. The Leader who spends time with those in his/her organisation who will take his place in the future, is a very wise leader, it is an investment in the future. Which of us when asked about the value of Learning and Development, would wish to hear that the company would be run by those in whom we had not invested the skills required to do so effectively? Recognising the potential shortage of skills in the financial sevices sector - which is an important cornerstone of the knowledge economy envisaged in the development plan – the Qatar Finance and Business Academy was established in 2009, with a mandate to address that skill gap. A part of our journey is the Aspirations for Success programme, which is currently running, and helping high potential Qatari leaders from the sector on the Leadership Learning journey. I hope to be able to share more of this journey in future editions of Qatar today, meanwhile I am pleased to be able to

report that words like 'life changing, transformational,' are creeping into the vocabulary of our class of 2010. We recently spent time on our way back from following in the footsteps of Mandela, writing our 'elevator speeches'. For those of you not accustomed to the term, an elevator speech is what we prepare for the two minutes we have when we meet the CEO 'in the elevator'. On our induction week in the desert, one of our aspiring leaders told me she would never dare to speak to the CEO! Now she’s preparing a case for transformational change in the financial sector and preparing to take her skills to London to practice them. Change! What change? Speaking about this recently at a lunch for the Lord Mayor of London, attended by HE Sheikh Abdulla bin Saoud Al-Thani, Governor of the Qatar Central Bank, I was pleased to note that there is a growing recognition of our responsibility for this transference of skills, and making this an explicit part of the agreement between the skilled expatriate and the national mentee. At my stage of life as there are more career years behind me than in front, I have come to realise that I get more pleasure from seeing other people’s success than

I ever did from my own. As an expatriate all of my working life I also recognise that I have a responsibility to give back to the communities who have given me the chance to experience the varied cultures of all the places we have lived as a family. I do this (now) willingly, knowing that as I do the value in my working life won’t end with the retirement age of 60, it’s just started! I had a boss once who told me that the most difficult thing about dealing with me was my passion for learning - she was kind enough to tell me it was also the best thing about me too! As leaders are we passionate about learning? Do we wake up in the morning and ask what can we do for the team we are responsible for? Or to (mis)quote a famous American president do we ask what the nation can do for us. So Ambassadors for Change, who are they? Our aspiring Leaders are the Ambassadors. As they learn the skills required to lead, much of it through on the job experiences, they will challenge the status quo. It’s natural, it’s Gen Y, it’s what’s happening all around us. And the way we respond will determine if we will have a new generation of leaders ready to take on the responsibility of achieving the national vision. Will we respond with the status quo? Or will we listen lead by example and want to receive their feedback and suggestions on how we and our companies can improve? Will we spend time in town hall meetings listening to the ideas our staff have for achieving the goals and vision of our company? If we do, we might be surprised, it might not just be the Gen Y who are Ambassadors for Change, we could be as well. Wouldn’t that be fun? In next month’s Qatar Today I want to share with you more of the journey which eight Qatari leaders have undertaken over the last several months and the changes which have been happening to all of us. Yes, I’ve changed too in my understanding and expectations! Perhaps I still have a chance to be Gen Y. Life begins at 60!

by adam lomaS lomas is the director of learning & research at qfba responsible for leadership development in the finance sector in support of qatar’s 2030 vision and resident in qatar.

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T AG T H I S

SAP:

Jim hagemann-snabe and bill mcdermott - CO-CEOS OF SAP

BOTH MEN STRESSED THAT MORE INNOVATION, NOT CONSOLIDATION , WAS VITAL IN THE CURRENT MARKET

speed, mobility and reliability As the technological drive switches gear once again, SAP are forcing businesses to innovate again. Rory Coen was “in the moment” at the recent SAPPHIRE NOW Convention in Florida.

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ill McDermott – co-CEO of SAP – stresses that ‘the mobile device is now the new desktop’. It unequivocally couldn’t be any other way; not for a modern, dynamic business to gain a competitive edge on its rivals, but just keep pace with them. That’s where the benchmark is. McDermott intimated that SAP had assembled a team and a product-line capable of fulfilling all the requirements of a business with visionary goals. These goals had to include digitising the line of communication end-to-end, not just from the warehouse to the salesman, but to the customer

as well, and this should be in real-time. He was addressing the crowded key-note theatre at the recent SAPPHIRE NOW Convention – at the impressive Orange County Convention Centre in Orlando, Florida – which showcased what SAP are now offering to the global market. Dozens of their partners willingly exposed how SAP products were growing their businesses in this new age of mobile technology. SAP spokesmen talked candidly and openly about how their products were best practice for any emerging business. And it’s difficult to understate how

T AG T H I S mobile the world has become. Just walking through the sprawling convention centre floor illuminated how ubiquitous mobile devices are. Almost every stall was running a raffle for a free iPad; every power-outlet was being consumed by a mobile device as its owner squatted beside it, scrambling to authorise some payment no doubt. Just because they were at a convention doesn’t mean that business had to stop at another end. Real-time access of data So what exactly are SAP offering? What was this big circus in Orlando all about? Most of the buzz was around SAP InMemory Appliance software – or SAP HANA – which allows a business to provide real-time access of data to its customers around the globe. It looks like SAP are trying their hand at becoming a database company. As Director of Solution Marketing, at SAP Business Objects Division, Jason Rose, points out, “SAP HANA is an analytical database which allows you to take information in real time, run reports based on this information and to slice and dice any piece

“The goal of Business Intelligence is to put key information into everyone’s hands. We’re talking about trying to unlock real potential for our customers.” Jason Rose Director – Solution Marketing Enterprise Performance Management & Governance, Risk & Compliance, SAP

Education key to SAPs presence in Qatar

AP have recruited 120 people in the Middle East region recently; a new office in Qatar provides for a Managing Director and 15 staff members. Their primary focus here is on education as they work with local providers and system integrators to build for the future. SAP, EMEA, President Franck Cohen said, “We have doubled the size of our operation in the Middle East in the last 18 months. We were having very high expectations here to achieve high revenues – the recent political unrest in the region has had some negative impact on our capacity to deliver, but we are still growing. We have been growing for two years and we were hoping to double our revenue every year for the foreseeable future, especially as we have made such an investment here. We had double-digit growth in MENA (Middle East & North Africa) in Q1, and we expect Qatar, the Emirates and Saudi Arabia to help this to grow further through the year. “We want to invest in education here, in the Universities, so it will take time. ERP is as well established here as in other parts of the world. We believe that the appetite for packaged software is getting bigger, so we want to be ready for tomorrow," he said. SAP signed an agreement with ictQATAR to become an anchor tenant of the Digital Content Cluster on April 27 2011. The Digital Content Cluster was developed to fuel the growth of businesses focused on the field of content creation, as well as allow for use, share, access and preservation of the content in a digital format, especially in Arabic. This initiative is expected to enable Qatar to establish itself as a leading nation for innovative Arabic digital content, setting the foundation for a vibrant ICT industry in the country. Marwan Marouf Mahmoud, Executive Director of ictQATAR said, “We are developing and modernizing policies and regulations aimed at protecting the interests of end-users, attracting investment, and creating a business model to stimulate the development of digital content, especially Arabic content. As part of this

effort, ictQATAR is committed to innovation so entrepreneurs can offer new competitive services and applications. ictQATAR is encouraging research to develop broadband content, through providing the funding mechanisms required, and support for start-ups and SMEs." Cohen said, “ictQATAR is a great example of a collaboration we can make in the field; they know the market and they have a lot of skill in IT. We can use them as a system integrator to implement our solutions here. Cohen is very optimistic about the future of the Middle East region and about SAPs presence here in particular. SAPs new focus on mobility will tie in well with how business operations will be carried out here. “Mobile is very popular here. In an emerging market, you don’t have an inertia about adopting a new technology. We’ve seen this in India and Africa already. The MENA region has a population of 310 million people, with a very significant combined GDP, and I have no doubt that the price of oil and gas will remain consistent. Companies here will have to address their IT infrastructure, and SAP will be very interested in aiding their investments in this space. We expect to see significant growth for SAP here."

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neT w a gs tbhite is s

“It’s so important for a business to be digitised from end to end at the moment.” Gregory Dunn Vice President – Product Management, Sybase.

of these reports however you may want. “Processes that would have taken days are now taking minutes. What is interesting is what our customers will eventually be able to do on their devices; the types of applications they will run, or the ways they will change their routine because the things that used to take a day now only take a minute. This is all ahead of us.” However, it’s not just the speed that’s impressive, but also its ability to analyse data that wasn’t so easy before. SAP made a real push into business analytics three years ago when they acquired Business Objects. “Businesses have been trying for years to get meaningful data out of systems, analyse it and generate reports from it,” Rose continued. “The goal of Business Intelligence (or Business Analytics) is to put key information into everyone’s hands. We’re talking about trying to unlock real potential for our customers.” However, in a typical organisation, only 15-20% of employees have access to this key analytical information. It’s useable and it can certainly impact how higher management make decisions to increase profitability. Why shouldn’t all employees carry this?

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A lot had to do with the practical limitations of the available technology in the market, until now. “A couple of big things happened for us in this area,” continued Rose. “SAP bought Sybase last year and they’re working on the mobility factor. The Sybase unwired platform allows a business to put this key information onto the mobile devices of their employees.” Co-CEO Jim Hagemann Snabe announced the next generation will be the Sybase Unwired Platform 2.0, which will contain a software development kit so SAP partners and customers can build their own apps to suit their specific needs. Snade continued to update on how SAP were performing on their promises at SAPPHIRE NOW 2010 regarding On-Premise, On-Demand and On-Device. On Premise: innovations for Business Suite, Business Analytics, and Business One and Business All-in-One. 40,000+ deals made since May 2010. On Demand: Business ByDesign has launched and enables SMEs to run their enterprise in the cloud. 500 deals were made since May 2010. Admittedly, that sounds small but in fact, ByDesign is being adopted at double the rate that R/3 was. On Device: as of today, 4.5 billion mobile devices are connected through SAP technology. That’s 90% of the world’s mobile devices. Mobility, people-centric applications, as well as in-memory computing, will form the three main areas of focus for the next year. Gregory Dunn – Vice President, Product Management, Sybase – and his team are focusing on mobility, and specifically businesses being able to mobilise their endusers customers with SAP solution sets. “It’s so important for a business to be digitised from end to end at the moment. Think about the Corporate Treasury Officer, who in the old days would sit in the office all day, and if an authorisation came in, he’d approve it at his desk - now he can go out in the field and do some practical work. So mobility really is key around the productivity aspect. “A lot of big brands have the same problem. They’re happy with the marketing strategy, but they’re trying to figure out their mobility strategy. For instance a customer may buy one of their products, but not know about other offerings; with a better mobility strategy, this could be the difference. We have tool sets to help, and Proctor & Gamble are a great example of a company who are trying to leverage it.”

Cloudy Vision

loud Computing Provides SMEs the Opportunity to Access Sophisticated Business Management Software, Offering Agility, Scalability, and Significant Savings,” says Gergi Abboud, SAP Qatar Country Manager.. Jacqueline Vanacek - Vice President, Virtualisation and Cloud Management, SAP – says that “everyone is excited about the cloud as it’s considered a big ‘inflection point in IT infrastructure. It’s flexible, accessible, and in an elastic way scales your infrastructure resources to respond to your business needs very quickly without having to invest your own time or capital into building your own resources. “A small company and an emerging company has the capacity to leverage professionally managed data centre infrastructure and applications platforms – such as ‘By-Design’ – in an environment without having to count the costs of the assets on the balance sheet. And for a large customer, especially one who may have subsidiaries, they have the ability to manage a private cloud at the parent headquarters, and derive the same benefits in the elasticity of resources, yet they continue to have the ability to innovate”. Would a business have to re-factor their IT infrastructure to implement a SAP solution? “From an on-premise perspective, there will be new technologies in place, so the skill-set of the IT organisation supporting an onpremise cloud environment will have to be enhanced” said Jacqueline. “From a public cloud perspective, typically IT people would have to have some level of understanding on how to provision applications into the environment.” “We provide tools to help customers run their SAP systems, in virtualised platforms and also in cloud infrastructure platforms,” added Gunther Schmalzhaf, Solution Manager, Virtualisation, Adaptive Computing and Cloud Technology, SAP. “One of our customers spoke about how patching an SAP kernel went from a weekend to 35 minutes; or for maintenance weekend, from having 15 people on-site over a whole weekend, one person could now do it with three clicks in half an hour ”

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Internet Marketing Put your money where your target is

If you have managed to even partially convince your boss on introducing social/ online media in your organisation, the next step is to determine the possible ways of reaching your customers on the web.

Internet marketing is predominately focused around the following terminology: SEM (search engine marketing)

Cost per impression (CPI/CPM)

CPM for Cost per thousand impressions is another way to measure the worth of an online campaign.

Cost per click (CPC)

Advertisers pay the hosting service when the ad is clicked, to direct traffic to the respective website.

Cost per action (CPA)

the advertiser pays for each specified action (a purchase, a form submission, and so on) linked to the advertisement.

SEO (search engine

optimisation)

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is a form of Internet marketing that seeks to promote websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages through the use of paid placement, contextual advertising, and paid inclusion.

June 2011

is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines via organic search results.

n my previous post I had given few tips to convince your boss to adopt social media for commercial purposes. If you have managed to even partially convince your boss on introducing social/online media in your organisation, the next step is to determine the possible ways of reaching your customers on the web. In the initial days of the web, one of the most common ways to advertise your product was by placing a banner ad on a website, or a pop up ad to get the attention of the website visitor. We have come a long way from those days and have more intelligent and less annoying ways of creating awareness for the product/services. Internet Marketing is still one of the most popular ways to target your potential customers on the web. It is an enhanced traditional advertising campaign measurement with the addition of unique visitors, clicks, bounces, page ranks, keyword authority, link tracking, etc.

Tag ThIs An online campaign is needed to spread awareness which can ultimately lead to sales. Some online campaigns are purely meant for awareness while other’s prompt the user to click on the banner ads, which direct them to a landing page that has a list of the products available for sale.

You need to help the internet user understand what he/she can expect post clicking an interactive banner. If the expectations are not met in the first few seconds, you have lost your prospective internet partner. You need to develop more interactive ads to get the attention of the person viewing the ad.

internet haS CoMe a long way froM web 1.0 to evolving web 3.0. we Can aSSoCiate theSe trendS with the following terMS: -

web

Social Media Marketing (SMM) is another form of communication with your customers. I feel it’s all about Conversation. As a product manager if you are successful in speaking to your online audience in their language, you have won half the battle. It is dynamic, vibrant, emergent, compelling and insightful. Hence, Social Media Marketing (SMM) is not just a medium of communication but a place for marketers to understand its target audience.

1.0 2.0 3.0

web

= Content

= ConverSation = ConvergenCe

at preSent we are in web 2.0 bUt Slowly progreSSing towardS web 3.0.

sOmE sOcIaL mEdIa TOOLs ThaT yOu cOuLd usE fOr ENgagINg ThE audIENcE wITh yOur braNds

blogS

microblogging

rSS

pHoTo SHaring

podcaSTS

i don’t need to define ‘blogs’ for you, however, ensure you regularly update it. most corporate companies host blogs on their website. alternatively, you may use popular platforms like blogger, wordpress or typepad.

twitter is a classic example of microblogging. you need to engage your customers within the 140 characters. companies use it as a customer service tool. check out Jaiku which is another popular microblogging website.

it a syndication format that allows websites and blogs to distribute their content as feeds to users. instead of having to visit the website, users can sign up for the feed provided by the website or blog and using an rss reader or aggregators like google reader, bloglines to access the feed.

sites like flickr, picasa are popular photo sharing websites. one common technique used by online community a manager is to ask their subscribers to upload photographs on photo sharing websites and ask their friends to vote for the best photographs. such competitions help the brand to reach out to nonconsumers through their existing users.

it is a digital audio that is distributed via the internet for playback on a user’s computer or portable media device. link your podcasts to different websites and your blog and make special announcements via it.

Social Media as a conversation is not organised, controlled or in a form of an advertisement. It is the conversation that takes place between Customers, Marketers, Employees, and Investors and web surfers. On a larger scale, it’s the appeal of belonging in the group as you take action together. “l am trying this brand so why don’t you try it as well?”

Setting the objectives The SMM goals will be different for every business or organization. SMM can create brand awareness or build idea, increase visibility, leverage existing social media sites to the company’s advantage, help in creating a multi-pronged marketing strategy attract and motivate through Potential Customer Experience etc. One thing that many digital market-

ers face difficulty is in measurement and the first step to measure is to set RIGHT objectives. The objectives should be in the interest of the organisation and /community. To conclude both Internet and Social Media Marketing have their advantages. To have maximum impact on a campaign combination of both the marketing techniques can be infectious

twitter@kapilkb

by kapil bHaTia kapil bhatia is an e-business executive, working in the financial services industry. his work ranges across digital marketing, e-channels and development of online strategies, with a sound information technology base. he will be writing a regular technology column for QATAR TODAY. he is an avid blogger @ http://iwep.blogspot.com.

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green scene

Msheireb Properties in association with Qatar Today Magazine launches Green Programme for Schools

A joint CSR initiative to raise Eco Consciousness amongst the young Msheireb Properties (formerly Dohaland) in association with Qatar Today magazine will launch a joint Corporate Social Responsibility initiative 'Green Programme for Schools' (GPS) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; on World Environment Day. Representatives of over 30 local and international schools in Qatar have been invited to be part of the project.

GPS will be the largest and most engaging school programme in Qatar that aims to reach, inspire and reward students and schools based on their eco-conscious

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June 2011

activities. The programme seeks to engage the youth in eco-friendly practices and help build a green mindset at an early age. Strategically placed pledge boards, suggestion boxes, and creative stickers placed inside schools would constantly remind, encourage the students to utilise resources carefully. As part of the programme, each school will be required to create a GPS team comprising faculty, students and parents; a student and faculty member will be further nominated as a GPS ambassador. For a year, these 30 schools will be carefully monitored by GPS involving officials from Qatar Green Building Council, Msheireb Properties, Qatar Today Magazine and other technical members. The school which reduces water and electricity consumption the most would be awarded the 'Eco School of the

year'. Other prizes like the Best Eco-Idea, Most Energy Efficient School will also be given out. The entire programme will be operated by Msheireb Properties and Oryx Advertising Company (OAC), publishers of Qatar Today, Qatar Al Yom, Woman Today, GLAM and CAMPUS. Since its launch in March 2009, Msheireb Properties has rolled out a number of CSR initiatives through knowledge driven activities nationwide. 'Paint the Doha of Our Dreams' competition and the year-long initiative 'Future Affliate Club' have successfully encouraged the potential of the nation's youth. The company's Knowledge Enrichment Centre on the Corniche, a popular venue for hosting seminars and events, is also testament to Msheireb Properties' commitment to knowledge sharing.

brakINg NEws

cgc LauNchEs bPO sErvIcEs

dOha saLEs TEam Is POrschE cErTIfIEd

he eight sales team members of Porsche Centre Doha, Al Boraq Automobiles WLL, got accredited with the “Porsche Certified Sales Consultants” status recently. The Porsche certification system is a globally

recognised initiative, which applies to all personnel who represent Porsche to its customers. The system combines both, online and instructor-led training modules, that enhance brand knowledge, skills and the behaviour competencies of Porsche employees and takes around a year to ob-

tain. Porsche emphasizes that its sales consultants put their best foot forward while interacting with customers and this certification shows that valued Porsche clients will always receive exceptional service, trusted advice and the highest standards of customer care.

rEdIfININg smaLL car dEsIgN mErcEdEs-bENz saLEs cONTINuEs gETTINg sTrONgEr

INI presents the eco-friendly solution to the parking in the city. The brand is celebrating the comeback of the folding bike with a modern version of the practical means of mobility. The special gimmick of the MINI Bike allows it to be folded so that it fits into the boot of almost every vehicle - and most definitely into the MINI. The matt black colour bike will be available from August 2011 in US $ 740 (QR 2,694) on the internet at www.MINI.de/shop and from selected mini dealers.

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ercedes-Benz Middle East & Levant which kickstarted 2011 continues its strong performance with Q1 sales setting the stage for a stellar 125th birthday year for the German luxury automotive manufacturer. The results lead by the company’s flagship luxury saloon S-Class, the company enjoyed 13% year-on-year growth, supported by the new Integrated Service Package (ISP) offered across the range. The ISP allows customers to maintain their new Mercedes-Benz vehicle to optimum operating condition for the best performance for a period of five years free of charge.

BRAK I N G N E WS

JAGUAR TO BUILD C-X75 HYBRID SUPERCAR

Alfardan Premier Motors Co., the distributor of Jaguar in Qatar, recently confirmed the launch of the remarkable C-X75 concept car as an exclusive hybrid supercar. Jaguar C-X75 will become the British marque’s most advanced model to date. It will offer performance on a par with the fastest production cars on the market, while adopting cutting-edge technology that offers remarkably economical running. Jaguar expects this hybrid supercar to deliver incredibly low CO2 emissions of less than 99g/km while being able to achieve in excess of 200mph.

Ferrari's new customer care service

lients ordering a Ferrari California, 458 Italia or FF from the authorised dealership network in the Middle East and Africa region will be entitled to a free seven-year scheduled maintenance programme, which came into effect from March 15, 2011. Ferrari’s exclusive service, Genuine Maintenance is a unique programme that ensures that its cars are maintained to the highest standards to meet the company’s strict requirements for safety, performance and reliability. The Genuine Maintenance programme covers each individual vehicle, and thus extends to any eventual subsequent owner during the entire seven-year period. The programme covers the scheduled maintenance at standard service intervals along with the relative original spare parts, engine oil and brake fluid.

BMW makes Driving comfortable

MW is developing a range of completely new technology features that combine three important features Driver, car and environment and will give the driver and passengers information and services to help make their driving experience safer and more comfortable which would result in sheer driving pleasure and takes on a whole new dimension. Available across the entire BMW range of new models as optional features, the BMW ConnectedDrive elements fall into three categories – Comfort, Safety and Infotainment – under which there are a growing range of innovative and inspiring technologies.

General Motors Middle East sees a 29% boom in sales

eneral Motors dealers in the Middle East reported 12,264 total sales in April, a 29 percent increase verus April a year ago, driven by GM’s recently launched passenger vehicles. Combined sales of GM passenger cars increased by 38 percent in April. Chevrolet sales rose by 33 percent, while GMC sales increased by 26 percent and Cadillac posted 21 percent sales growth versus April a year ago. Retail sales, those to individual customers, recorded an impressive 76 percent growth versus last April with cars and SUVs up 158 percent and 58 percent respectively.

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Qatar Today 79

b r a k in g ne w s

Raw Power unleashed at

Lusail

Nissan-GTR: Sumo Power GT-R Team

Excitement was apparent on the faces of the journalists who had gathered at Lusail Circuit on April 27 to savour the power of a Nissan GT-R. For some it was not just excitement; there was a tinge of fear too. No marks for guessing their names. But the fear was unfounded, as the machine was geared to handle the speed, the sharp curves and the obstacles placed on the track exceptionally well. Powering from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in 2.9 seconds, the machine is all about performance and unrivalled speed. Sumo Power GT – one of the world’s top GT1 racing teams comprising of Michael Krumm, Lucas Luhr, Peter Dumbreck and Jamie Campbell-Walter – demonstrated the power and performance of the GT-R cars and then later gave the opportunity for VIP members to get behind

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the wheel. The Nissan GT-R race car, driven by the Sumo Power GT team during their visit to Doha, is one of only five in the world. Built to comply with GT1 regulations, and with technical support provided by NISMO (Nissan Motorsports International Co. Ltd.), the car has proven to be a force to be reckoned with on the racing circuit. The Lusail event was an opportunity for Saleh Alhamad Almana Group to showcase the luxury specification of the 2012 VVIP edition in Doha. Speaking about the car, Saleh Alhamad Almana Group, Chairman, Hisham Almana said, “The Nissan GT-R has already out-performed iconic sports cars that cost up to two or three times as much, including one of their top German competitors. It is faster, sharper and much more refined than ever

before. With a 3.8 litre twin turbo-charged engine and a raised horsepower from 485 to 530bhp, the GT-R more than holds its own in the world of sports cars. The new VVIP edition with its customisation and sleek lines has great resonance with Qatar’s sports-car enthusiasts. We are very excited to offer the opportunity to our clients to pre-order and customise this incredible sports vehicle.” Customisation and attention to detail are important for customers in Qatar and the Middle East, and selecting an interior colour is only the beginning of this process. The Bose sound system is exclusively tuned according to the driving position of the driver. With six versions of the Nissan GT-R, customers are given the opportunity to choose the exact level of dynamic performance and style to meet their every need

brakINg NEws

get Jetta & go volksWAgen MiDDle eAst enters the voluMe segMent With A strong offering. QATAr ToDAy WAs inviteD for the first look At the 2011 All-neW, reDesigneD AnD restyleD jettA.

german

marquees have for long attracted drivers with their solid build styling and safety, but to compete in the compact segment, they needed a sticker price which is competitive. At a showroom price of QR68,900 Volkswagen seems to have cracked this with its new Jetta. At 4.64 mt, the new Jetta is a superior class of compact sedan, combining a modern dynamic design with precise lines, with quite pleasing and athletic muscular surfaces. Overall the design does make it stand out. It has a 2.0 litre petrol engine, producing 85kW/115 bhp, on a 6-speed automatic

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transmission gear-box. Volkswagens are best known for being fun to drive and the Jetta does not disappoint here. Its handling, steering feel, response and tire grip are excellent – a surprise, considering the new Jetta uses a twist-beam rear suspension. Electronic stability control is standard, but isn’t too obtrusive. The new Jetta is designed to bring in a whole new segment of buyers who will find the Volkswagen’s handling a revelation. It’s all in the detail The fresh styling and acute attention to

detail continues inside. An all-new dashboard featuring subtle aluminium highlights sits behind a leather-trimmed threespoke steering wheel. The car features an integrated multi-function display, air-conditioning and a CD stereo system. The extended wheel base has increased the rear leg room by 6.7cm to 96.7cm. Jetta mixes the practicality of being able to seat five adults with a larger 510 litre loadspace. ABS with traction control and 6 airbags comes as standard on all variants, and speaking of which, there are three – Trendline, Comfortline and Comfortline Plus.

brakINg NEws

engine & perforManCe baSe engine Size:

2.0 l cam Type: single overhead cam (dohc)

cylinderS:

inline 4 valveS:

TorQue: 125 ft-lbs. @ 4000 rpm

HorSepoWer: 115 hp @ 5200 rpm

Turning circle:

36.4 ft. drivetrain Trendline is the entry level with safety-optimised front headrests, separate daytime running lights, front 3-point belts with height adjustment, seat-belt tensioners, automatic hazard lights on hard braking, ABS with braking assistant and remote control central locking. Exterior features include 16-inch steel wheels, and electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors. Inside, the Jetta has been transformed with a multi-function display, RCD 310 sound system with CD player and eight speakers. The next level – the Comfortline has distinguishing features, such as chrome accents on the radiator grille, and 16-inch, 5-spoke “Navarra” alloy wheels. The model has a variety of detail, including automatic air-conditioner “Climatronic” with dualzone climate control, which can be separately controlled; a multifunction leather steering-wheel (3 spoke) with aluminium decorative inserts and an integrated MFD; a radio and telephone. For added safety Comfortline also has parking distance control with acoustic warning signals at the front and rear of the vehicle, and an anti-theft alarm system. Beyond the features encapsulated in the Trendline and Comfortline, the Comfortline Plus sits on 17-inch alloy wheels (“Porto” type with ten spokes); has a keyless locking and starting system “Keyless Access”, front sports seats with partial leather seat covering, and electronically adjustable lumber support. The audio system is also highly sophisticated with an RCD 510 radio with a touch screen colour display, and a mobile device interface MEDIA-IN with ipod/iphone adapter cable. Overall, the Jetta delivers a car which is value for money with an additional bonus of being quite stylish

drive Type: front wheel drive

TranSmiSSion: 5-speed manual

SUSpenSion macpherson strut front suspension torsion beam rear suspension front independent suspension front and rear stabilizer bar

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markET waTch

arab achIEvErs rEcOgNIsEd

TOuchINg hEIghTs

a cOLLEcTOr’s PIck by OffIcINE PaNEraI

ristwatches for left-handers were first produced by Officine Panerai in the early 1940s for the commandos of the Italian Navy; with the winding crown and bridge protecting the crown on the left. Today these rarities find mention as the collector’s choice. The new Luminor 1950 Chrono Monopulsante Lefthanded 8 Days Titanio - 44 mm imbibes this historic peculiarity. It features hand-wound mechanical Panerai P.2004/9 calibre, executed entirely by Panerai. The Luminor 1950 case, 44 mm in diameter, is made of brushed titanium with a polished bezel and a sapphire crystal back which enables the movement to be observed and the power reserve to be read. Eight days of power reserve and water resistant to 10 bars (100 metres) makes it a chronograph to watch for! Local dealers are Ali Bin Ali.

t’s just been nine months since its inception in Qatar, but Oryx Rotana has already started making a mark in the existing hospitality sector in Qatar and has become the ultimate destinations for the entrepreneurs and businessmen due to its convenient location and world-class services. Its remarkable recognition at the World Travel Awards 2011 recently as the Middle East’s Leading Hotel Brand, for its continued resounding success by attaining nine awards, solidifies its presence in the country and region. Omer Kaddouri, Chief Operating Officer of Rotana expressed his great pride on receiving the awards. “All credit goes to the hard work and dedication of our Rotana Team, which continually exceeds the expectations of our guests, as evidenced

by these awards. With thousands of votes cast by noteworthy industry professionals across the globe, we are honoured to win nine awards this year,” he said. Speaking at a press conference, General Manager Kevork Deldelian said, “Oryx Rotana is proud to have been honoured with the remarkable award and that too in just nine months of operation in this dynamic country. The award comes as the most sincere embodiment for the hard work and commitment that has been shown by our team in raising the standards of our services in order to welcome guests in an extraordinary environment where they can both work and relax.” Rotana is soon to open – City Centre Rotana, another property in Doha by next year while two more properties are still in the pipeline.

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markET waTch

duNhILL fOr ThE TravEL savvy

unhill has created Travel Cufflink for Spring Summer 2011. Aimed at the savvy traveller, Travel Cufflink is double sided and is able to fold flat and be stored in its own travel case. Created in solid brass and platinum plated, the dunhill Travel Cufflink offers choice between a blue mother of pearl face or a solid platinum plate face emblazoned with a hand polished AD logo. The travel case for the cufflinks has been created in the dunhill Chassis leather, which is light weight, scratch and water resistant. Time to go savvy on travel!

Lg uNvEILs sTaTE-Of-ThE-arT PrOducTs

G Electronics (LG), an innovator in the home appliance industry has launched its high-performance, energy-saving product line-up. H.S. Paik, President of LG Electronics Gulf FZE said, “With the latest launch, we showcase our dedication to offering greener home appliance products equipped with smart technology and packaged in trend-setting design to provide a complete solution for improving everyday life.” The products that include-the BIGIN washing Machine, LG’s Pioneer Refrigerator, the Roboking Vacuum cleaner, the Aqua air purifier, a range of LG Gas Cookers and the Solar dome microwave oven offer greener technology, are consumer friendly and cost effective.

bOcONcEPT rEdEsIgNINg cOmfOrT

akers of the modern design furniture, BoConcept have launched a new multifunctional sofa for the urban lifestyle. The new Melo sofa has two seats that work independently from each other so you are able to relax in individual positions whether you are alone or sharing with someone else. You can sit up straight or lean back and rest your feet, or turn it into a bed for a power nap or an extra bed for guests. Coming in two different fabrics, Melo gives a new definition to comfortable living.

TEch TravELLEr by duNhILL

Alfred Dunhill has launched the perfect gift for the dad-on-the-go. The dunhill Solar Charger is created in tough aerospace aluminium with brushed silver finish, and provides the perfect solution to charging any mobile devices on the move. The device’s push button “Power Halo” indicates the power levels sourced from either the high powered solar panels or USB connection - impressively delivering 70 hours of phone standby time or 5000 page turns of an e-book. Practical and elegant, the dunhill Solar Charger comes presented in a carbon fibre effect Chassis Leather carry case.

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markET waTch

cgc LauNchEs bPO sErvIcEs

onsolidated Gulf Co. (CGC) has launched its Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) services which will enable businesses to have increased flexibility in managing their resources, reduce the amount of time spent in non-value adding tasks, thereby enhancing their productivity and cost savings. “Our expansion into BPO sector is a significant step in the ongoing growth of our existing delivery capabilities. While excellently handling diverse range of services and multi-lingual customers for CGC and other clients, our BPO unit has accumulated all wherewithal required to expand out and capitalise on with our solid infrastructure, trained personnel, domain expertise and vast experience to serve the industry.” Anil Mahajan, COO, CGC. Speaking about the BPO services, Oryx Advertising Company, Vice President, Ravi Raman, said “We are proud to be among the first clients of CGC BPO. They have devel-

oped a robust, scalable and customer centric programme for our subscription services for Qatar Today magazine. Thanks to their expertise, critical areas like customer contact and marketing, call centre operations and delivery mechanisms will be effectively managed.” The subscription service lets you pay

only QR150 for a year’s subscription thus saving over 33% of the newsstand price. You also receive a luxurious Cerruti 1881 pen worth QR300 for free. To avail of the offer, subscribers can either call the hotline number (+974 44910669), fill up the forms in any of the CGC/Nokia outlets or email to ecom@cgulfc.com.

LuxurIOus LIvINg aT aL gassar rEsOrTs

he Al Gassar Resort designed to become a major social hub in Qatar and the preferred choice for residents looking for a hotel-style living experience and customized service in their own home have much to look forward to. With its opening set for the end of 2011, it is already being listed high on the travel map of Qatar. Alongside The St. Regis Doha-the centrepiece hotel for the resort, will be the residential element of Al Gassar Resort consisting of three grand towers, offering a unique luxurious living experience.

Lg hEaTs uP 3d Tv war

s LG’s FPR Technology receives positive reaction from public, it is all set to take over the market with its diverse line-up of TVs equipped with LG’s next generation CINEMA 3D TV technology. LG’s CINEMA 3D TV is free from the problems associated with competing devices as LG’s technology relies on polarized film attached to the screen instead of bulky and expensive glasses that need to be recharged between uses. LG’s CINEMA 3D TV technology is not only more comfortable and convenient for consumers, but the displayed image is brighter, clearer and flicker-free with less crosstalk”, informed H.S. Paik, President of LG Electronics Gulf FZE.

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markET waTch

cams TO sTrENgThEN safETy

n a yet another measure to strengthen safe environment, The General Directorate of Civil Defence (GDCD) has announced implementation of Centralized Alarm Monitoring System (CAMS). It involves equipping establishments, companies, government institutions and building premises with fire warning system and connecting it with Central Operations Room of the Ministry of Interior (MoI). Brigadier Aman Al-Sulaiti, the Director of prevention department at the GDCD said, “The overall growth and inclusive development that Qatar witnesses require reaping maximum benefit of the technology for providing greater civil protection and safety for souls and properties. The CAMS is one of the latest systems in the field as it will contribute at a large scale in swift response for fire alarms. It also will enable the equipments of GDCD to move once the system alerts on fire without waiting for a complaint”.

Captain Hussain Aman Ali, Head of preventive education section said, “Most of the losses in fire accidents occur because of delay in informing the authorities or delay in detecting fires. But the CAMS will automatically alert the central operations room within seconds of occurrence of fires. It will also provide exact information on location and site of the fire through advanced geographical maps”. The system will be implemented by Con-

solidated Gulf Co. (CGC) as per its agreement with the Communications Department of the Ministry. Anil Mahajan, COO, CGC explained, “The CAMS is connected through fixed telephone line and that is why it won’t cost any additional expense. It’s also equipped with the facilities to send SMS, Fax and Email messages for the concerned persons of the companies and institutions where the incident take place”.

mEEza LEads OPEN fOrum

eading decision makers from top companies along with the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQatar)-Qatar’s telecom regulator, Qatar Science and Technology park and Qatar Foundation came together in the first Advisory Roundtable of its kind in Qatar hosted by MEEZA. The open forum held discussions over a wide range of topics, from cloud computing in Qatar to IT business models and regulation ideas for increasing the speed of business.

Puma accELEraTINg sPOrTs

PUMA has launched the V1.11 football boot for men and women that incorporate the special UNI and premium light weight technologies. It enables all kinds of movements while supporting player’s speed to the maximum. Also introduced is a full range of V1.11 speed apparel and equipment products-gloves, Tech Tee, Knit Bermuda and ball.

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Do h a d i a r y

SPORTS FILE

Qatari

Athletes SHOW PROMISE

Qatar’s athletes started the season well in the Diamond League at the Qatar Sports Club in Doha on May 6, where Moataz Barsham Ahmed came third in the High Jump and Femi Ogunode finished second in the 200 metres.

by Ror y C oen

B The Crazy Gang:

A huge Ethiopian following gave their country men and women some great support.

90 Qatar Today

June 2011

arsham Ahmed – still only 19 years old – equalled his personal best jump of 2.31 metres, and to do so early in the season will give him a lot of confidence ahead of the World Championships later this year. “I am satisfied with my performance, it was a good start,” he said. “It was a special day for me competing with the big guys. As the bar was raised high I pushed myself and I got great support from my fans, my coach and I was motivated by the other competitors. I’ll take it step by step this year. My main focus is the World Championships. I want to jump 2.36 by the summer.”

The experienced American, Jesse Williams, won the event, jumping 2.33 metres in fewer efforts than the Cypriot Kyriakos Ioannou. Meanwhile, Femi Ogunode – who won Gold in the 200m and 400m at the 2010 Asian Games – won’t be too disappointed to finish second behind Olympic Bronze medallist Walter Dix. Ogunode ran a personal best time of 20.30 and this will also give him confidence heading into the rest of the season. Dix won in a time of 20.06, which is well behind his personal best, while Norway’s Jaysuma Saidy Ndure came over the line in third, in a time of 20.55. The star of the show, Andreas

SPORTS FILE

Do h a d i a r y

Al Rayyan defend the Emir Cup

Al Rayyan retained the Emir Cup as they defeated their rival Al Gharafa 2-1 after extra time at the Khalifa Stadium last month. 30 year old Brazilian – Rodrigo Tabata – will be forever remembered by the Al Rayyan faithful as he scored twice, the second one being the decisive goal in the 102nd minute, to send the fans into a frenzy of excitement. A beautifully weighted through ball found the unmarked Tabata, who ran on to slot in home. Bruno Metsu – the Al Gharafa manager – will have nightmares about how his defence left the danger-man so much space at such an important stage of the match. The regulation time ended with the teams deadlocked at 1-1. Tabata had put Al Rayyan ahead in the first half, but this tenuous lead was cancelled out by an own-goal from Al Rayyan defender Yong Hyung Cho with just six minutes remaining. Al Rayyan will feel like they got their own back on Al Gharafa, having been beaten by them in the 2009 decider. This is their sixth time to win the Emir Cup.

Femi Ogunode Nigerian-born sprint athlete who competes internationally for Qatar

Thorkildsen was in the best of form as he was only able to throw 83.63 metres in the Javelin. The Norwegian finished fifth behind Petr Frydrych who collected Gold. Elsewhere, Asbel Kiprop and Nixon Kiplimo Chepseba, both from Kenya, won the 800 and 1500 metres respectively, while

there was a great treat for the huge Ethiopian contingent in the crowd as their compatriot Yenew Alamirew won the 3000 metres. In the women’s events, Anna Mischenko of the Ukraine won the 1500 metres, and America’s Alysson Felix took Gold in the 400 metres

Barsham Ahmed equalled his personal best jump of 2.31 metres

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Qatar Today 91

sPOrTs fILE

unfulfilled tAlent wIssam assaf fINds hImsELf sEcONd IN ThE 2010-11 QaTar NaTIONaL rOad racINg chamPIONshIP, yET hE's IN daNgEr Of bEINg fOrcEd TO abaNdON ThE sPOrT bEcausE Of fINaNcINg IssuEs.

he unfortunate thing about professional sport is that solvency is generally the reason for success and failure. Aptitude, talent, temperament and determination are worthy attributes, but they are rendered

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By RORy C OE n redundant if they cannot be backed up with the hard capital needed to promote them. It's a reality which Lebanese native Wissam Assaf can relate to, as he struggles to find a partner who will help him realise his ambitions in Qatar. This is Assaf's second season competing in the Qatar National Road Racing Championship (QNRRC), a misleading title, as all the races are actually held at the Lusail Track, and not on Qatari roads. It's a reputable championship, recognised and regulated by the Federation Internationale de L'Automobile (FIA), and incorporates seven races during Winter and Spring. Assaf has been compelled to finance his operation from his own pocket to date, and whilst he is happy to do this, he understands that personal financing isn't sustainable or wise. He feels next season may be his last if he cannot find a strategic partner. “My aim is to go higher than where I am

currently,” says Assaf. “My start has been encouraging, and because of this, I am willing to keep financing my team from my own personal budget. But, ultimately, my aspirations can only be defined by how much I can spend. I can't afford to have aspirations outside of Qatar until I find a sponsor.” During the day, he works as a mechanical engineer for an Oil & Gas Company in Doha, and his evenings are spent working on the car and his own physical fitness. His job shifts him from place to place (he had stints in Italy and the UAE as well), but the one thing that stays constant in his life is his unbridled love for motoring and racing. “Cars have been a passion of mine since I was a kid,” he continued. “I always had a desire to explore the capabilities of a car, to push it to its limit. I also wanted to push myself to my limit, which overtime established my own personal capabilities in the car. As soon as I fully realised this inspiration,

sPOrTs fILE

sPOrTs fILE lution 10 and had it shipped to Lebanon,” recalled Assaf, “where Roger Feghali and his Motortune team worked to define it for the new season. He did a fantastic job within my limited budget of enhancing its reliability, but once the competition started, we realised we needed to boost its power a little bit more. Each race brought the car on a little more, and with three of the seven races remaining, I am in second place in the overall standings currently.” Yet all of this success cannot be done by one man alone, and Assaf is hasty to point this out. Virgin Megastore have done a very professional job marketing his team. The lack of sustainable financial support however, means he is unable to finance a professional mechanical team to run after

"I aLways had a dEsIrE TO ExPLOrE ThE caPabILITIEs Of a car, TO Push IT TO ITs LImIT. I aLsO waNTEd TO Push mysELf TO my LImIT, whIch OvErTImE EsTabLIshEd my OwN PErsONaL caPabILITIEs IN ThE car."

WiSSam aSSaf assaf's second season competing in the qatar national road racing championship (qnrrc),

I started to compete in auto-cross races, speed tests and karting.” His job brought him to Doha in 2008 and as always the first thing he checked out was the motoring scene. The QNRRC seemed like it was well organised with competitive teams and competent drivers, and it fitted in well to what he wanted to do. “In my first full season (2009-2010), I didn't have a very competitive car. It was old and untested in this type of championship. I didn't have the proper mechanical coverage for maintenance which pointed

to unreliability and inconsistency. It was breaking down, over-heating or cutting out all the time. I managed one problem-free race which I won but the other six were fraught with mechanical issues.” Assaf finished the seven race season in fourth position nonetheless, and cited these unreliability issues as his main priority for the subsequent season. If he was to improve and reach his goals, he would need to take on more personal risk and spend more of his own money. “I sourced a brand new Mitsubishi Evo-

him all the time, so his good friends see fit to help him where and if they can. “We do all the routine mechanical work by hand and they help me out during races with little tweaks to aid its performance and they help with sourcing parts. We became such a big bunch and the investment of the second car meant we needed to make ourselves official. I established 'Autopotenza Racing Team'during the season. Our website is currently under construction. ” he added. So Assaf and his new Autopotenza team stand on the brink of realising a dream. Assaf commented that while loving cars was one step and loving racing was another; actual racing was one step higher again, but winning these races was the ultimate increment. However, as he points out himself, his struggle to compete financially with the other teams will trigger his downfall

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Do h a d i a r y

D O HA D I ARY

Arab

Achievers gain

recognition TAKREEM Arab Achievement Awards are intended to highlight and showcase outstanding Arab achievements. The culmination of six years of preparation saw its inauguration at the 2010 Awards ceremony held in Lebanon, and its first renewal at Katara Cultural Village, Qatar, last month.

Laureates

were honoured for their outstanding accomplishments at an exclusive ceremony at Cultural Village Katata recently.

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s Chairman and CEO of Takreem Arab Achievements Awards, prominent media figure Ricardo Karam declared, â&#x20AC;&#x153;As an Arab and an active member of the media community, I felt compelled to convey a positive image of Arabs worldwide, and in doing so, reveal their true identity. Our dream was to transcend our limitations and create a full time initiative that showcased Arab suc-

cess stories. Arab achievers have excelled in almost every country around the world. Takreem aspires to honour these people.â&#x20AC;? The evening was hosted by Al Jazeera anchorwoman Leila Al-Shaikhli, and attended by 500 distinguished Arab and International personalities, including The Emir, His Highness, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

dOha dIary

awards PrEsENTEd INcLudE: aWard for THe advancemenT of peace: arab youth movement

THe pHilanTHropy and cHariTable ServiceS aWard: suad Juffali

arab Woman of THe year aWard: dr souhayr belhassen, president of the international federation for human rights

eXcepTional conTribuTion To arab SocieTy: george galloway

aWard for innovaTion in educaTion: elham palestine community - palestine, represented by he lamis alalami

young enTrepreneur aWard: samar muhareb - Jordan

environmenTal developmenT and SuSTainabiliTy: nature iraq - iraq, represented by azzam alwash

leila al-SHaikHli al Jazeera english anchorwoman

Science and TecHnological acHievemenT: muJid kazimi - palestine

culTural eXcellence: mohamad ghani - iraq

ouTSTanding corporaTe leader: ghanim bin saad al saad - qatar

(lefT To rigHT) anne renaud abboud, dr SouHayr belHaSSen, abdulra belhassan always sought “to give a voice to the voiceless”

gHanim bin Saad al Saad, ex-ceo of qatari diar

A renowned International jury, comprising Her Majesty Queen Noor Al-Hussein; HE Dr Lakhdar Brahimi; Dr Mohamed El Baredei; HE Dr Hanan Ashrawi; Carlos Ghosn and Raja Sidawi were tasked with affirming the final selections of the 2011 laureates. Her Majesty Queen Noor Al-Hussei, who resided on the jury, said, “King Hussein believed deeply that leadership was not simply about great accomplishments, but inspiring others to accomplish great things. For the past decade, through the King Hussein leadership Prize, we have honoured

that kind of inspiration throughout the world. I am therefore honoured to join the other members of the Takreem initiative International Jury, as we celebrate the most inspiring of Arab Accomplishments in the past year.” Dr Mohomed El Baradei, joint recipient of the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize, said, “At a time when the Arab world is under siege and stereotyped, the Takreem initiative to recognise and celebrate Arab achievers in different fields of human activities, is a timely response and a source of pride and inspiration for our people ”

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ELEVATION 100

doha diary

INJAZ to inspire youth WCMC-Q waves success to 2011 class

eill Cornell Medical CollegeQatar (WCMC-Q) bade success to 31 students of its 2011 class on receiving their US medical degrees. Family members and faculty congratulated the students on their accomplishments over

the past six years and reflected upon their promising impact on the health care needs of the nation. The new physicians number 18 women and 13 men. Qataris are the largest national group within the graduating class representing 16 nationalities.

NJAZ Qatar, a non-profit organization and affiliate of Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide launched its Business Leaders’ Campaign (BLC) to motivate and inspire Qatar’s youth. As part of this program charismatic business leaders will visit 20 local independent schools till the year end, reaching over a 1000 students. Sheikha Hanadi bint Nasser bin Khaled AlThani, Chairwoman of INJAZ Qatar said, “INJAZ Qatar is about investing time, imparting knowledge, sharing experience and providing students with a role model from beyond their immediate environment of family and school to look up to and learn from”. INJAZ Qatar provides the link between private businesses and schools allowing executives from different partner companies to teach the INJAZ curricula that focuses primarily on developing soft skills needed in work place.

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June 2011

Middle East chapter opens for VCU Alumni

irginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Alumni Relations Association has launched its first international alumni chapter - the Middle East chapter in a well attended event at VCUQatar. Delegates from the

VCU Alumni Association, VCU alumni in the region and VCUQatar graduates from 2002 were present at the launch. The chapter aims to engage VCU students and over 150,000 alumni worldwide, facilitating interactions and forging bonds between them.

Do h a d i a r y

D O HA D I ARY

Soaring heights for Katara’s kites

n a one-of-its-kind ‘kiting event’ held at Katara – The Cultural Village, hundreds of colourful, multicultural kites vibrantly dotted the sky. Katara International Kites Family Day was designed to bring together seven different cultures under one sky in a dynamic performance featuring kite flying demon-

strations and workshops by some of the world’s most active kite enthusiasts. Traditional kites reflecting symbolic cultural themes were an instant hit with the spectators while the Singaporean team’s fishshaped ‘Nemo kites’ gained accolades from the children. The giant inflatable, sports, and LED-equipped kites were also cheered for due to their striking visual appeal.

dOha dIary

QaTar TO LauNch ITs fIrsT INdEPENdENT saTELLITE

ITCOM 2011, Qatar’s ICT conference and exhibition, was inaugurated by Minister for Business and Commerce, HE Sheikh Jassim bin Abdul Aziz bin Jassim bin Hamad Al-Thani and HE Sheikha al Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, at the Doha Exhibitions Centre recently. Speaking during the opening ceremony of QITCOM 2011, Supreme Council for Information’s (ictQatar) Secretary-General Dr Hessa Al-Jaber, said that ictQatar will launch Qatar’s first independent satellite ‘Ekshail’ in 2013. “The satellite will aim at augmenting ictQatar’s other initiatives geared towards delivering an ultra high-speed internet link at affordable rates and a reliable network covering 95% of the nation by 2015. The

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2015 strategy also include plans to expand investments in information technology and service to QR6 billion over the coming five years,” she added. The ictQatar chief echoed Qatar’s plan to build a digital network called Q.NBN which will serve as the country’s link to the Internet world with Synchronous Transport Module level-1 (STM1) levels reaching more than 1,400 by the year 2022. STM1 is a fibre optic network transmission standard that will help in building smart cities and venues and other technology-rich features as part of its grand plans for World Cup 2022. Many panel discussions and presentations focussing on innovations, incubation, Arab digital content on the Internet and social networking sites in the Arab world were held during the first day of QITCOM 2011.

Among the keynote speakers was former chief evangelist of Apple, founder of alltop.com and author of Enchantment, Guy Kawasaki. He laid out the strategic steps to create new products and services by calling upon his experience with Apple, as well as his study of dozens of world-class companies. The day also witnessed major deals signed between Huawei and Qatar’s AlMannai Group and also partnerships with global contact centre provider Spanco. Microsoft was a prominent exhibitor at the recent QITCOM 2011, as they showcased both enterprise solutions and consumer offerings which are poised to become the leading platform for Information and Communication Technology in Qatar

dOha dIary

wowing dohA

dOha dIary

W STandS for... whatever, whenever

an aWard iS... an achievement

i do buSineSS in ...

w dOha rEcENTLy wON ThE wOrLd TravEL awards as ThE “mIddLE EasT LEadINg hOTEL & rEsIdENcEs”. ThE dOha PrOPErTy Is ThE fIrsT fOOTPrINT IN ThE mIddLE EasT Of ThE IcONIc Luxury LIfEsTyLE braNd. wE dO a QuIck TakE wITh

market by Jean-georges restaurant at w doha because food is delicious and it has a great and positive atmosphere

i Hang ouT WiTH friendS aT... wahm (w doha)

every day THe firST THing i do aT Work... to say good morning to the talents (employees)

THe laST THing... to say good evening to the talents

THe biggeST cHallenge in a Work Week... to complete the tasks on time and to have time for the talents

i enJoy moST on THe Job... the time i spent with the guests and with the talents

if noT in HoSpiTaliTy, i Would find mySelf in... banking

being a good gm iS abouT... listening and leading

and being a greaT one iS abouT... giving back and developing people

THe firST HoTel THaT made an impreSSion on you, even before you Joined THe induSTry? st. regis new york

THe moST difficulT Job in THe HoTel iS Held by? stewarding and house keeping

Quick fiX for a bad Work day? to go to the gym

Safak guvenc, general manager of w doha.

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QaTar TOday 99

ELEvaTION

with sky-scrapers rising like mushrooms in qatarﾃ行 capital recently, we thought to look at the world's tallest skyscrapers to put ours into perspective. the aspire tower standing at 300 metres is currently doha's tallest

burJ kHalifa, dubai dubai's burJ khalifa is currently the world's tallest building, having been officially inaugurated in January, 2010. the roof of the structure stands at 828 metres. it hosts 163 habitable floors and 900 apartments.

Taipei 101, TaiWan. the world's tallest structure between 2004 and 2010, taipei 101 which elevates to 508 metres is designed to cope with typhoons and earthquakes which are common in south-east asia.

SHangHai World financial cenTre, cHina the swfc is a multi-purpose building, which hosts offices, hotels, conference-rooms, observation-decks and even shopping malls on its ground floor. it took over ten years to complete the 494 metre giant.

3 2

inTernaTional commerce cenTre, Hong kong the icc tower was completed in 2010 and houses 108 floors. construction work was temporarily halted on the 484 metre structure in september 2009 due to an elevator shaft accident which killed six workers

peTronaS ToWerS, kuala lumpur, malaySia

the petronas towers were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004, before being trumped by taipei 101. the 452 metre towers are the tallest twins however.

nanJing greenland financial cenTre, cHina the nanJing greenland financial centre was completed in april 2010, making it the second tallest structure in china. the 450-metre, 89 story skyscraper accommodates retail and office space as well as restaurants and a public observatory.

WilliS ToWer, cHicago willis tower or possibly more commonly known as sears tower was the worldﾃ行 tallest building from 1973 upon its completion until 1998. the 108-story, 442 metre structure is easily the oldest building in the top 10.

kingkey finance cenTre plaza, SHenzHen, cHina this multi-purpose block opened its doors in november 2010. at 441 metres, the kingkey 100 houses 100 floors of office space and a hotel, as well as some luxury brand malls and stores on the lower levels.

guangzHou inTernaTional finance cenTre, cHina china's fourth tallest building, guangzhou international finance centre, at 440.2 metres was completed in 2010. the four seasons hotel offer rooms on floors 69 to 98, whilst the lower floors are offices.

THe Trump inTernaTional HoTel and ToWer

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this building named after real estate developer donald trump reaches a height of 423 metres and provides 98 floors of retail space, garages and condominiums. it's the second largest building in the us.