QATAR TODAY - SEPTEMBER by Oryx Group of Magazines

september 2010

inside issue

30 Smartphones have come a long way since 1992 when IBM’s ‘Simon’ model – generally accepted to be the first of the smartphone genre – hit the shelves. Qatar Today looks at the progress smartphones have made since their 90s debut and what the future holds for these increasingly complex devices in terms of functionality, influence, market penetration, cost and innovations.

energising employees

Throughout the global economic slowdown, many companies have had to sharply cut costs, and many more will continue to do so even as the situation improves. These initiatives can be incredibly stressful for both executives and employees.

40 Career Well-being and your identity People underestimate the impact of their career on their overall well-being. It may seem obvious, but how much you enjoy your work can be life changing.

26 serve them right! Women demand a better Wealth management experienCe Women control 22% of wealth in the Middle East and need a targeted approach from Wealth Managers to meet their financial needs, according to a study by The Boston Consulting Group. Qatar Today finds out more. september 10

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september 2010

inside issue

For the love oF the job

Caroline Drees, Managing Editor of Reuters Middle East talks on matters close to her heart...

is the Car in Front still a toyota?

The Japanese giant took a buffeting at the hands of the media earlier this year with very high-profile and damaging publicity being heaped upon the brand, especially in the US. But how is business in Qatar for the world’s number one carmaker? Qatar Today gets the local angle

66 Qatar is keen For another sliCe oF mango

Mango is a Spanish clothing company based in Barcelona. It has more than 1,500 stores in 92 countries located on five continents with seven outlets here in Doha. We spoke to Mango’s Executive Vice President of International Expansion, Isak Halfon, about the Group’s current activities and ambitions in Qatar and beyond.

going green at Work

What is the concept of ‘Green Workplaces’ all about? A recent report defines a ‘green workplace’ as a workplace that is environmentally sensitive, resource efficient and socially responsible. How can you, then, as an individual, do your part in saving the environment while at work?

oryx rotana opens doors

Kevork Deldelian, General Manager (GM) at Oryx Rotana sits down to chat with Qatar Today on the latest entrant in the MICE sector in Qatar.

regulars News Bites.................................08 Realty Check..............................14 O&G Overview..........................16

Bank Notes.................................17 Arab Snippets.............................20 World View.................................22

Braking News.............................50 Market Watch..............................58 Doha Diary..................................70

inside: CgC nokia produCt booklet 2

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FrOm the Desk While it is agreed that we are immersed in a fast-changing, technology-driven era where information moves faster and is more available than ever before, there are always people who prefer a little discretion. The recent and ongoing struggles surrounding the BlackBerry device and issues of privacy show that while weÕ re happy to fling information about to a nauseating degree, when it comes to personal matters, we can be fiercely protective of who else is privy to our thoughts. In the case of BlackBerry owners Research in Motion (RIM), it becomes clear that it will have to make sacrifices over the encryption of its customers’ data to remain active in lucrative markets (the Middle East) and expanding ones (India). And although RIM maintains that it wonÕ t compromise the security of its corporate clients (who pay a premium for confidentiality) it’s less forthcoming about individual customers. It has been reported that the US National Security Agency (that monitors phone and email traffic) has had no trouble accessing BlackBerry’s data. So while we balk at the intruders in this region, the country which has historically claimed to be a Ô pioneer of freedomÕ has been just as watchful as elsewhere. So is this about BlackBerry or about the issue of moral freedom? This leaves us to speculate about smartphones and how they will continue to make us work (and play) around the clock. In our cover story we examine in depth this exponentially-expanding market, the costs of the device, how to look after it, and potential innovations that are on the horizon. We also talked to QatarÕ s Toyota Dealership on how its activity in the region has been affected given the media bashing the carmaker had to endure in US, and the supplier divulges some secrets herein. Additionally, the Holy Month of Ramadan has brought with it a new entrant to the local hospitality industry Ð we talk to the General Manager of the debutant Oryx Rotana Hotel. Before you go for your Eid celebrations, donÕ t forget to digest, and hopefully enjoy, a copy of Qatar Today. Eid Mubarak to all our readers.

Address all your correspondence to Qatar Today, Oryx Advertising Co WLL, p.O. box 3272; Doha-Qatar. tel:(+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584, Fax:(+974)44550982, email: qtoday@omsqatar.com. All rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. the publisher does not accept responsibility for advertising contents. Licensing/republishing Qt content: to obtain permission for text syndication in books, newsletters, magazines, newspapers and web or to use images/pictures carried in Qatar Today, please contact our syndication & licensing department on the numbers given above. permission is also required to photocopy a Qt article for classroom use, course packs, business or general use. Custom reprints: Any of the previously published article/s to be used as stand-alone pieces can be reprinted by us on special request. the reprint cost is based on the length of the article and the quantity ordered. Contact our custom publishing division on the numbers given above for more information. previous issues (FebrUAry 2004 onwards) of Qatar Today are available for sale, contact our Library department. to subscribe to Qatar Today call our subscription department on the numbers given above.

VOLUme 36 issUe 09 september 2010 managing editor vani sarasWathi

Art Director venkat reddy

Deputy editor sindhu nair

Asst Director Ð production sujith heenatigala

executive Vice president alpana roy

Assistant editors ahmad lotFy ali john hunt

Assistant Art Director hanan abu saiam

Vice president ravi raman

editorial Coordinator Cassey oliveira

publisher & editor-in-Chief yousuF jassem al darWish Chief Executive Officer sandeep sehgal

Contributor shalinee bharadWaj

senior Graphic Designers ayush indrajith sampath gunathilaka

managers Ð marketing mohammed sami ZulFikar jiFFry senior media Consultant Chaturka karandana media Consultants viCtoria Ferraris hassan rekkab

Accountant pratap Chandran sr. Distribution executive bikram shrestha Distribution support arjun timilsina bhimal rai

marketing research & support executive amjeth ali

published by Oryx ADVertisinG CO WLL, p.O. box 3272; Doha-Qatar tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584 Fax: (+974) 44550982 email: qtoday@omsqatar.com website: www.omsqatar.com printed at: Gulf publishing and printing Co WLL Copyright © 2010 Oryx Advertising Co WLL

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Qatar Today september 10

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...letters

qtoday@omsqatar.com

Luxury Rules The cover story Leap of Luxury provided an exhaustive insight about QatarÕ s luxury retail stores. It is true that the number of stores selling high-end goods is steadily rising. Moreover, consumers have also become brand conscious while purchasing goods. As long as consumers have the purchasing power for luxury goods, I am sure the luxury stores will benefit. Khalid Sheikh

Flight to Argentina

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

I always enjoy reading Qatar Today articles as they are well-researched and comprehensive. The article on Argentina, in the August issue, unearthed a totally different side of the country. The vivid description about the countryÕ s culture, dance, art, food left me enticed. It is disappointing to learn that such a beautiful and colourful country like Argentina attracts few visitors, thanks to its geographic location. Karen Dunn

QT poll september is the bb bAn On CertAin serViCes in the UAe, An OVerreACtiOn? yes / nO sms AnsWers tO 33072524 A LUCky Winner WiLL Win A nOkiA e63

Taking the right step The August issue of Qatar Today had interesting articles. The cover story on luxury market was appreciable. I particularly liked the way in which all aspects were touched upon Ð from sellers, buyers, and the future of

high-end market in Qatar. Apart from the cover story, I also like the article titled Ô Are you an A-playerÕ It offered good suggestions to be kept in mind while searching for the right employer. It is important to weigh the pros and cons rather than just grabbing any job. Ali Zubain

Cinema in Qatar The article on Chadi Zeneddine made an interesting read. There are few people who are really passionate about their work, and Zeneddine seems to be one of them. It is amazing that the Doha Film Institute is taking such initiatives to promote cinema in Qatar. There are a lot of hidden talent in Qatar which is being tapped by the Institute. With this, Qatar will surely be a platform for good and meaningful cinema. Martin Blake

Qatar’s steady progress From Qatar’s financial climate, to the retail markets, to cinema and sustainability; every article in the last issue of Qatar Today reveals the extent to which Qatar has progressed over the years. Qatar is developing rapidly and has definitely made a mark in the Arab world. It surely has a promising future. Philip Lee

sponsored by:

The winning number of The lasT QT poll is 66738174

QT poll resulTs Are smALL shOps insiGniFiCAnt in the retAiL inDUstry?

50% 50% yes

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QAtAr tODAy inVites reADersÕ 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

Check out select articles of Qatar Today on www.explore-qatar.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 publicationÕ s views and opinions.

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22.

neWs bites

WOrLD VieW: the mOnth in piCtUres

QteLÕ s prOFit Up, bUt DOmestiC reVenUe is DOWn

hile admitting that the company’s revenue in Qatar had fallen to QR2.8 billion in the first half of 2010 from QR2.9 billion in the same period in 2009, Qtel’s Chief Executive Officer Nasser Marafih said the Group as a whole had increased its net profit to QR1.8 billion compared to QR1.6 billion in the first half of 2009. “Our revenue in Qatar dropped in the first half of this year compared with the first half in 2009 because of competition. Undeterred, Qtel has expanded its domestic customer base by 11% to 2.4 million accounts at the end of this year’s second quarter,” Marafih said. “The Group’s consolidated customer base, which includes Qtel’s operations outside Qatar, stood at 66.6 million compared to 51.4 million in the same period in 2009. However, calculated on the quarterly basis, the revenue was up two per-

cent in the second quarter compared to the first quarter of this year,”said Marafih. “This is a good result in the face of enhanced competition,” he added. Meanwhile, Doha witnessed an unusual scene when truckloads of unusable electronic goods were brought in an unending stream by individuals and corporate houses for dumping at the ‘Big Drop’ event organised by Qtel at the Landmark Mall. The event, helping citizens and companies dispose of discarded electronic items, was part of Qtel’s e-waste recycling campaign which it launched in June under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme to reduce the carbon footprint and keep Qatar free of the potentially hazardous and contaminating heavy metals used in the discarded items. Qtel will send these e-waste materials to Singapore for recycling.

UDC repOrts GrOWth ACrOss the GrOUp United Development Company (UDC) announced strong results across the group in H1 2010 that came in line with the board’s expectations. With a net profit of QR353 million, UDC was ahead of the figure of the same period in 2009 (QR330 million), and demonstrated its ability to perform in a challenging marketplace. 8

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“Profits stood at QR353 million, a seven percent increase from the same period last year. While earnings per share stood at QR2.54 for the six months ended 30 June 2010, we continue to aggressively pursue a medium- to long-term view. This has seen our total assets cross the QR10 billion mark in a 13% increase from the

figures reported for 31 December 2009,” said Abdullah Araj, UDC’s EVP Finance. “The Group operates via different entities, each specialising in its own field and at a different stage of its growth, and contribution. We will continue to grow these entities, and seek new opportunities, that are aligned with our strategy,” he added.

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neWs bites

GeOrGetOWn WeLCOmes CLAss OF 2014

eorgetown University school of Foreign Service in Qatar jumpstarted the academic year by welcoming the Class of 2014. The diverse incoming student body began a week packed with many orientation activities designed to familiarise them with the school, the city and have them socialise with one another. The Class of 2014 is made up of 33 women and 21 men. Sixteen are Qatari nationals, with the remaining 38 representing 20 different nationalities. The

Dean of Georgetown’s Qatar campus Mehran Kamrava, also welcomed the Class of 2014 with inspirational words: “Throughout your life, each time you encounter fellow Hoya faculty, students, and alumni, you will find the same combination of intellect, commitment to problem solving, and tireless work ethic. Your Georgetown University School of Foreign Service degree will provide you with the tools and knowledge to be the next generation of global leaders.”

VQ rAmADAn prOmOtiOn rUns tiLL mOnth enD Vodafone QatarÕ s Ramadan promotion ‘Get TogetherÕ which began at the start of the Holy Month, runs until the end of this one. Until 30 September, all existing and new Vodafone customers will enjoy 50% off local calls and messaging, helping customers to ‘get togetherÕ with their family and friends during Ramadan. This means local calls to any mobile or fixed line numbers are priced at 25 dirhams a minute and an SMS to any mobile number in Qatar is just 20 dirhams. Vodafone will also put one dirham from every local call that is made during the promotion towards building public parks for everyone in Qatar to get together with their family and friends. “We wanted to surprise customers with another fantastic promotion that will make it easier to stay in touch with loved ones during this special time. With fantastic local and international calling offers thereÕ s never been a better time to ‘Get TogetherÕ with Vodafone,” said Grahame Maher, CEO, Vodafone Qatar.

bArWA net prOFit jUmps by 44.3% Qatari property developer Barwa Real Estate Co. made a second quarter profit of QR260.42 million, according to Reuters calculations, a 44.3% jump from the same period a year ago. The company made a first half profit of QR470.42 million, it said in a statement posted on the Qatari bourse website. Barwa is the Gulf region’s third larg10

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est developer by market capitalisation and an affiliate of the state’s sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority, which holds a 45% stake in the company. Barwa reported a net profit of QR210 million in the first quarter of 2010. The company said earlier this year that it would continue to sell assets in 2010

and 2011 to meet its obligations after it repaid 4.3 billion riyals in Islamic financial facilities. At the same time, it bought the Park House development in London in June for $371 million (QR1.35 billion), taking advantage of low valuations abroad. The acquisition was the first major wholly-owned investment made by Barwa in the UK.

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neWs bites

mUsLim sChOLArs jOin rOAD sAFety CAmpAiGn

enior Muslim scholars have urged the public to abide by ‘Islamic ethics’ to ensure road safety. Sheikh Ahmed Al-Buainain, an expert at the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, said that road safety was not the responsibility of the traffic police alone, but a collective commitment. “If removing hindrances from the road is a good deed that is rewarded by Allah, then hurting others on the road, for sure, would be a punishable act. For this reason, we are requested to take care of both pedestrians and other motorists on roads,” said Sheikh Al-Buainain during a lecture he delivered as part of the

‘Ramadan Campaign for Safe Driving’ launched by the Interior Ministry. Dr Rashid Zahrani, a noted Muslim preacher, criticised the bad behaviour of some motorists on roads, including illegal parking in a way that blocked the traffic flow and terrorising others by reckless driving and speeding. “Some do not care about hurting others on the road and putting pedestrians’ lives at risk while others harass people by honking. All these are rejected by Is-

lam and are against religious norms and principles,” he explained. Islam (also) stresses several values which can help control the behaviour of road users. The programme was attended by Traffic Department Director Brig Gen Mohamed Saad Al-Kharji, Police Training Institute Assistant Director Col Mohamed Abdullah Al-Marri and Lt Col Abdullah Al-Miftah of the Public Relations at the Ministry of Interior among others.

WeiLL COrneLL QAtAr GiFtinG FOr rAmADAn

amadan is traditionally a time of sacrifice and giving. In honour of this, students from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMCQ) volunteered to assemble gifts and present them to students in need through Qatar’s Social Development Centre (SDC). The WCMCQ pre-medical and medical student ambassadors delivered gift bags filled with school supplies to the centre and spent time learning about its function and critical role in society as a part of WCMCQ’s social responsibility activities. “We are honoured to be here, to learn from and contribute to the greater mission of the Social Development Centre as it empowers individuals in society and thus strengthens the local sense of community,” said Dr Javaid Sheikh, dean of WCMCQ. “This centre is a living example of Qatar Foundation’s compassionate and proactive 12

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response to those in need and is something that our students will certainly learn from on many levels.” The centre representatives expressed gratitude and a sense of excitement that students from WCMCQ, representing the future doctors of Qatar, visited the centre and learned about its long-term vision. “If we want to preserve a strong sense

of community over the long run, we have to approach people for their strengths,” said Amal Al Mannai, director of the SDC. “It is not our desire to provide charitable humanitarian contributions based on alms alone. We actually want to target individual strengths and build capabilities so that people can contribute to society with a sense of dignity.”

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24.

realty CheCk

rents tO DeCLine, sAys stUDy Residential rents in Qatar are expected to decline even further as new building units continue to pour into the market, according to a new study. According to Century 21, “Summer season is expected to be heavy on the real estate sector this year though effects are seen as less acute than last summer.” The researcher said, a “stabilisation trend” is expected in the market by the end of the current quarter. Although still pouring into the market, the pressure of supply volumes (residential units) is easing with many projects already delivering their stocks. There was a “slight decline” in real estate activity in July as most decisions related to property movements are usually delayed until the end of the summer season, the report said. Real estate sales market is still facing a “slowdown” though sales are continuing. On the commercial properties market performance,

Century 21 said commercial office rental rates had seen “another decline” in July. However, the change was “slight” due to low activity on both sides of demand supply curve. “Large supply volumes of office space continue to lay pressure on leasing rates but an expected increase in demand by end of Q3 2010, will ease the situation and open the door for a higher activity. “Low grade commercial properties are facing continuous pressure with most properties on offer enjoying high quality and premium services,” said Century 21. Office leasing rates faced less than eight percent declines in July with most premium properties (high-rise office towers) being leased for less than QR200 per square metre monthly. “Stabilisation in commercial office leasing market is expected to lag residential properties in Qatar,” Century 21 added.

the peArL keeps its COmmitment

Abdullah Araj, UDC Executive Vice President (Finance)

nited Development Company (UDC) expects the number of residential units on The Pearl to reach 4,000 this year and double to 8,000 by the end of 2011. “We will see the delivery of many units 14

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before the year end. Currently, The Pearl has about 1,300 units,” said Abdullah Araj, UDC Executive Vice President (Finance). He said UDC expected “demand to continue” for quality developments such as The Pearl with the growth of the national economy and increase in population. The Pearl, he said, would be completed by 2012 and be home to 40,000 people in more than 16,000 units within some 13 precincts. Araj said the number of retail outlets in The Pearl would total 140 by the year end. According to Bloomberg, The Pearl accounted for a quarter of UDC’s revenue in the first half of the year. Analysing UDC’s H1 performance, Araj said the first-half net profit of QR353

enerGisinG empLOyeees: CUttinG kinDLy

DOhALAnD AnD premier inn siGn jVA

ohaland and Premier Inn, a service hotel operator with a base in UK, announced that they have signed a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) to introduce Premier Inn’s ‘value hotel model’ to Qatar. The first project announced under the JVA will be a 200-room hotel to be built at Education City. The JVA will be administered by Dohaland Hospitality, mandated to introduce unique hotel brands to Qatar, contributing to the development of tourism and hospitality industry in the country and hoping to ‘achieve the best in modern hospitality standards’. million was up seven percent on the same period last year and demonstrated the company’s ability to perform in a very challenging marketplace. “This has seen our total assets cross the QR10 billion mark, a 13% increase on December 2009. The Group operates via different entities, each specialised in its own field and at a different stage of its growth, and contribution. We will continue to grow these entities, and seek new opportunities, that are aligned with our strategy,” Araj said.

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o&g overvieW

26.

WOmenÕ s WeALth: FAirer sex, FAir DeAL

Qr37 biLLiOn FOr expAnDinG GAs seCtOr

atar has allocated QR37 billion in its five-year plan, starting this year, to meet the rapidly expanding needs of the country’s key natural gas sector, according to QNB’S Economic Review. According to QNB Capital, Qatar’s two liquefied natural gas (LNG) producers – Qatargas and RasGas – currently operate LNG facilities with a combined production capacity of 55 million tonnes

Qatar Petroleum has acquired a 10% stake in a project to build an ethane cracker in Algeria, Arabian Oil and Gas reported on its website, citing an unidentified person close to Algeria’s Sonatrach. Sonatrach holds a 51% stake in the cracker and Total a 39% stake, according to the report. The facility is to be built in Arzew, Algeria.

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per year (tpy). These facilities are undergoing further expansion to meet additional LNG export opportunities. The LNG sector has now become a key driver of the national economy. According to QNB Capital, the oil and gas sector is expected to account for QR145.5 billion of Qatar’s total GDP of QR291.1 billion in 2010. Of this, the share of the gas sector is expected to be QR81.3 billion compared

with QR64.2 billion from the oil sector. In 2009, Qatar exported 37.1 million tonnes of LNG to customers worldwide. Sales and purchase agreements (SPAs) have been reached with a number of countries, which at their peak would reach 77 million tpy. Qatargas contracted LNG exports would reach 40 million tpy and RasGas 37 million tpy at the peak of their capacity.

exxOnmObiL tO COntinUe WOrkinG With Qp

Oil major ExxonMobil is still working with Qatar Petroleum (QP) on a planned $6 billion petrochemicals complex, a spokesman for the US firm said recently, refuting a media report that it had quit the project. Ò We signed a heads of agreement (document) with QP in January 2010 to progress the joint development of a world-scale petrochemical complex and we continue to work with Qatar Petroleum on the project,Ó the spokesman said in a statement to Reuters. A heads of agreement is a nonbinding document outlining the main issues relevant to a tentative partnership agreement.

QP declined to comment. “Specific details regarding the proposed project schedule, next steps and timing are considered confidential,” the spokesman said. Start-up of the plant, which has been delayed by three years, is slated to begin in 2015. Exxon and QP have been talking about the plant since signing an initial deal in 2005. A final deal was expected in 2006. The complex is located in the industrial city of Ras Laffan. The complex includes a 1.6 million tonnes per year (tpy) steam cracker and associated units, including two 650 tpy polyethylene plants and a 700 tpy ethylene glycol facility.

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30.

bank notes

QCb CUts DepOsit rAte

COVer stOry: rise OF the smArtphOnes

sCb tO FOCUs On menA reGiOn Based on its strategy to increase focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) has announced three senior appointments to its wholesale banking operations in the region.

atar’s Central Bank (QCB) cut its overnight deposit rate to 1.5%, half a percentage point, for the first time in two years, after the US pledged to keep rates low for an extended period. All other key rates remained unchanged, said an official of the Bank, who chose anonymity. Qatar’s overnight deposit rate was last cut by 25 basis points to two percent on May 1, 2008 while the lending rate was held at 5.5%. “It will help with bank recapitalisation as banks will now have a larger spread between benchmark loans and deposits,”

said Mark McFarland, an economist at Emirates National Bank of Dubai. “The central bank is signalling to the market that deposit rates should stay low as is now being signalled by the US Fed.” The Federal Reserve left the overnight interbank lending rate target in a range of zero to 0.25%, where it’s been since December 2008. Qatar experienced three years of inflation above 10%, peaking at 15% in 2008. Consumer prices declined by 2.8% in June, following a drop of 3.6% in May. The Qatari government has predicted inflation will accelerate to one percent this year from deflation of 5.5% last year.

SCB, Regional Head of Origination and Client Coverage, David Law, said, “The Bank is committed to the MENA region. We have been expanding our wholesale banking operations to meet the increasing needs of the emerging markets and these appointments come in line with our aspirations for the region. We are delighted to have Ragnar Meitern, Feras Darwish and Karine Zakhour on board and wish them the best of luck in their new responsibilities.” Meitern will be focusing on the Bank’s MENA and European technology, media and telecommunications clients. Darwish joins as Head of Network Clients, MENA and Pakistan. Zakhour joins as Head of Origination and Client Coverage in Lebanon. She will be responsible on developing and building client relationships in Lebanon.

september 10

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Qatar Today

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bank notes

$185

miLLiOn CreDit FACiLity ArrAnGeD Deutsche Bank AG London Branch and Standard Chartered Bank, along with Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, DBS Bank Ltd, Mubadala GE Capital PJSC and Al Khaliji Commercial Bank Q.S.C., have successfully arranged a $185 million Credit Facility for Abraaj Capital Ð and Waha Capital-backed Gulf Marine Maintenance and Offshore Service Company, a leading United Arab Emirates-based provider of marine services to the offshore oil & gas industry.

sCb pOsts First hALF resULts Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) announced a record first half operating profit before tax of $3.12 billion. The Bank has continued to improve its capital and liquidity ratios, and delivered 10% growth in both earnings per share and dividend per share. The Bank maintained strong income momentum, with eight percent growth in consumer banking and 18% in wholesale banking client income. Group income was broadly flat overall against the first half of 2009, which benefited from exceptional wholesale banking account income and a one-off gain of $248 million related to the buy-back of debt. Group income climbed 10% against the second half of 2009. 18

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QFCA AppOints strAteGiC DeVeLOpment DireCtOr

atar Financial Centre Authority (QFCA) has announced the appointment of Yousuf Al-Jaida as Director of Strategic Development who will be responsible for QFCA’s strategic development in asset management and banking sectors. This appointment comes following the announcement earlier this year of its new ‘three hub strategy’ – focusing on the areas of asset management, captive insurance and reinsurance. Al-Jaida holds strong financial experience as Head of Indirect Investment at the Qatar General Retirement and Pension Authority, which included overseeing the management of hedge fund, private equity, real estate, fixed income and equity portfolio investments. His earlier experiences included engineering project work

for Qatar Petroleum and Dolphin Energy, as well as real estate projects management in Qatar.

Yousuf Al-Jaida, Director of Strategic Development, QFCA

QFib stAFF AttenD Anti-mOney LAUnDerinG WOrkshOps

atar First Investment Bank (QFIB) announced the completion of an employee training programme on anti-money laundering (AML) and countering financial terrorism (CFT). The first workshop was delivered by Reza Zaidi, Head of Compliance and Duncan Gore, Compliance & AML Manager at QFIB. Senior members of

QFIB staff at the workshop the strategic investment and private equity departments were updated on the latest rules and regulations of the Qatar Financial Centre and were provided a refresh of applicable Qatari laws. The in-house training session was tailored to staff responsibilities with regards to AML and CFT and included case studies to illustrate the importance of this issue.

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40.

arab snippets ksa

Ô meCCA CLOCkÕ is metrOnOmiC AnD mOnstrOUs

audi Arabia has tested the world’s largest clock in the holy city of Mecca during Ramadan. The four-faced clock tower tops a massive skyscraper that when completed will be around 1,970 feet (600 metres) tall, the second tallest in the world after Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. The clock will dwarf London’s Big Ben, once the largest four-faced clock in the world, with dials more than five times greater in area. The 130-foot (40 metre) diameter Saudi clock dials are also bigger than the current world champion at the Cevahir Mall clock in Istanbul, which has a 36 metre face set in the transparent roof of the

shopping complex. A three-month test run for the clock started during the first week of Ramadan. Only one of the clock’s four faces has so far been completed and is covered with 98 million pieces of glass mosaics. Each face will be inscribed with “God is greatest” in Arabic and fitted with thousands of coloured lights. The clock will be visible from more than 16 miles (25 kilometres). An observatory deck is planned at the base of the clock.

uae

Dp WOrLD repOrts 10% rise in net prOFit Ports giant DP World has reported in its half-year results, with throughput rising by seven percent and net profit after tax from continuing operations up by 10% to $206 million. In its six-month financial statement, DP World also said it was on track to meet its full-year expectations, and predicted that the second half would be stronger. The Dubai-based terminals firm said that revenue increased by five percent to $1.455 billion due to the return of container volume growth in the first half. DP World said that a five percent decline in total costs also contributed to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margins returning to close to 40%. “We are extremely pleased with the op20

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erational and financial performance of the business in the first half of the year. This is a reflection of returning container volumes and our continued focus on driving through efficiencies and managing costs right across our terminal portfolio,” said DP World CEO Mohammed Sharaf. “As we move into the second half of the year, uncertainty remains over the sustainability of global trade volumes. However, we expect the second half to deliver stronger results than the first half of the year as our terminals benefit from seasonal trade flows and the contribution from new terminals, in addition to some ongoing improvement in non-container revenues and continued cost management.” DP World began operations at the Peruvian port of Callao during the first half of 2010.

WeLL-beinG At WOrk: the key tO sUCCess

bagrain

mObiLe tAriFFs in ArAb COUntries 80% hiGher thAn OeCD A recent study by BahrainÕ s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) revealed that average mobile tariffs in Arab countries are 80-100% higher than the average in Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries including Australia, Canada, UK and USA. The TRA commissioned independent consulting firm Teligen to conduct the study on behalf of the Arab Regulators Network (AREGNET). They compared prices for fixed voice, mobile, leased lines and broadband services within and between 22 Arab countries, as well as with the 30 OECD countries. “Generally prices in Arab countries have gone down, especially with Broadband services. But since prices have gone down in other parts of the world as well, the gap between prices in Arab countries and prices in OECD/European countries remains,” the study states. It found that mobile tariffs in most Arab countries are above the OECD average, and the price of broadband in the region is three times higher than the European average. For leased line services, prices for high speed circuits in Arab countries are also generally higher than in OECD countries.

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World vieW

Water destroys landslide

disaster CHINA, Zhouqu : A Chinese woman cries among the rubble as rescuers take a break after the massive landslide in Zhouqu, northwest ChinaĂ&#x2022; s Gansu province on August 11, 2010. Fresh heavy rains brought more misery to a town in northwest China devastated by mudslides that have already killed more than 1,100, with new floods leaving more people missing.

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World vieW

plastiC not

Ô FineÕ

MEXICO, Mexico City: A new law passed on August 19,2010 Mexico City gives the authorities the power to fine shops which give away free plastic bags to their customers. Shops in the capital will now have to charge for the biodegradable bags. Those not complying can be given a 36-hour jail term and fines of up to $90,000 (QR327,600).

PAKISTAN, Khangarh: Pakistani flood survivors wade through water as they evacuate Khangarh on August 14, 2010. PakistanÕ s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said 20 million people had been affected by the worst floods in the country’s history as the UN confirmed the first cholera case. AFP PHOTO/Banaras KHAN

a Zipping

Win

CZECH REPUBLIC, Brno : Ben Spies of USA competes in MotoGp event during the Czech Grand Prix in Brno on August 15, 2010. SpainÕ s Jorge Lorenzo won ahead of compatriot Dani Pedrosa and AustraliaÕ s Casey Stoner. AFP PHOTO /JOE KLAMAR

Waving

or droWning? AUSTRALIA, Brisbane : AustraliaÕ s Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the Australian Labor Party campaign launch in Brisbane on August 16, 2010. The recent election, however , has failed to deliver a decisive result. AFP PHOTO / POOL / GARY RAMAGE

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vieW point

EnErgising EmployEEs

hroughout the global economic slowdown, many companies have had to sharply cut costs, and many more will continue to do so even as the situation improves. These initiatives can be incredibly stressful for both executives and employees. Unfortunately, that stress often isn't justified by the end result. In fact, most cost-cutting efforts don't succeed in the long run. What goes wrong? Often these initiatives only consider numerical goals and don't address the bedrock fundamentals of a company. Productivity doesn't im24

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prove, and ineffective leadership strategies remain in place. As a result, these efforts at best generate ‘phantom’ reductions, in which any savings from eliminated positions creep back in the form of vendors or contractors performing the same services – sometimes at higher costs than the original staffers. Worse, these programmes fail in a more pervasive way, by alienating employees and convincing them that they shouldn't care about the company or its success. Much of this has to do with communication. All too often, cost cuts are man-

dated – driven by managers who use fear and discipline to accomplish their objectives instead of motivating employees to engage in the process in a more positive way. Targets are set, the axe falls, and everyone from the CEO downward grits their teeth and tries to get through it. Despite well-intended top-down communications – often led by members of a company's HR department – employees suspect they are not getting the whole story. Negative rumours circulate, insecurities build, and water-cooler scepticism persists.

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vieW point

How to retain employees?

Several US organisations offer examples of how companies in the region can avoid these problems and what happens to companies that don't. For example, consider the US-based Home Depot chain of hard-

ware and home-repair stores. During its first few decades of operation, the chain benefited from extremely loyal employees who genuinely wanted to offer the best possible customer service and didn't demand high wages for doing so. But when a new CEO took over and imposed a rigorous cost-cutting plan, those same employees balked. According to the company's financial reports, operating expenses (per dollar of sales and per square foot of retail space) actually increased in the years following. Why? The approach didn’t factor in the emotional commitment of employees, who grudgingly followed the plan but lost their passion for the company. And in early 2007, the board decided to replace the CEO – a victim of his own downsizing plan. There is a better way. Instead of simply mandating cost cuts, managers should try engaging employees in the cost-cutting process and motivate them to succeed at it. Essentially, it's the difference between yelling at workers and listening to them. The best executives trust that most employees truly want to work hard and want to succeed as an organisation. That urge to succeed can be harnessed around specific goals, such as developing a new product or improving customer service. And during a recession, it can also be applied to the challenge of cutting costs. A few companies are able to do this systematically because they have built a culture that is ‘proud to be thrifty’. They communicate a noble purpose or positive theme that focuses their people on cost and value, and they let employees figure out the specific means of achieving that goal. Online retailer Amazon.com gives out a monthly ‘door desk’ award to employees who figure out creative ways to save the company money. The prize symbolises the makeshift desk that founder and CEO Jeff Bezos fashioned out of a door during

Amazon.com’s earliest and most cashstrapped days. These initiatives succeed because employees often see possible cuts in day-to-day operations that management does not.

Tap into the pride

Other companies apply this philosophy to more urgent, one-time measures. A few years ago Reliant Energy, a USbased electricity utility, needed to cut costs quickly. The company's stock had fallen from $30 to less than $1 in its first 17 months of public trading. Reliant was loaded with debt from major acquisitions and facing bankruptcy. But an employee survey in 2002 showed that the two most important sources of pride among workers were the company’s reputation and the quality of its people. Managers tapped into that pride and asked workers for help in cutting the company’s cost base by 35%. They held informal lunches with employees to spur candid discussions about what had to be done and generate ideas. Individual groups had wide latitude for how to reach that goal in their own departments. It worked – within two years, Reliant had cut $340 million in operating costs out of a base of approximately $1.3 billion. At the same time, Reliant saw a 20% increase in employee satisfaction and pride. None of this is meant to sugarcoat the process. No one should pretend these initiatives, particularly layoffs, are not difficult. But most workers understand the necessity of cost-cutting measures and ask only that they be fair, transparent, and allow some say for workers in how the process gets implemented. In the end, employees want to solve problems. When the problem is excessively high costs that threaten a company's survival, their input can be crucial n

By Bahjat El-Darwiche Booz & Company is a leading global management consulting firm, helping the world’s top businesses, government ministries and organisations.

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vieW point

sErvE thEm right!

WomEn dEmand a bEttEr WEalth managEmEnt ExpEriEncE

Women control 22% of wealth in the Middle East and need a targeted approach to meet their financial needs, according to a study by The Boston Consulting Group. Qatar Today finds out more.

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ccording to a recent study by The Boston Consulting Group, women controlled an estimated 27%, or about $20 trillion, of the world’s wealth in 2009. In the Middle East, women are estimated to control 22%, or about $500 billion of the region's wealth. Another findin that surfaced was that a majority of women in the Middle East think that wealth managers could do a better job of serving them. This is in line with global trends whereby nearly a quarter of women say that there is a “significant need for improvement,” according to a new global study by The Boston Consulting Group. The findings released recently in a BCG White Paper titled ‘Leveling the Playing Field: Upgrading the Wealth Management Experience for Women’ are based on a survey of 500 women as well as more than 70 interviews with privatebanking specialists and wealthy women around the world. Qatar Today talks to Douglas Beal, Partner & Managing Director at BCG Middle East to find out more about this study.

tribute the sudden change in figures?

Globally, assets under management declined by 10% (for men and women) in 2008, and increased by 12% in 2009. This is mainly due to fluctuations in asset values. One might note that between 2008 and 2009, the wealth of women increased by 16%, which is higher than the overall growth. In addition, we project women's wealth to grow by about eight percent annually for the next several years, compared to six percent overall growth. There are several reasons for this: First, women are becoming more active in the workforce, thus making them able to add to their personal wealth. Second, income gaps (the difference between what a man and woman makes in the same job) are declining. Third, more and more women are playing the role of the family ‘Chief Investment Officer’ as they gain the confidence and skills to do so. And fourth, women are inheriting more wealth than they once did.

Has this growth in figures been uniform throughout the While the share of wealth con- world? trolled by women has changed No. We tend to see that the growth of only gradually over time, the women’s wealth is higher in the more deamount of women-controlled veloping world, and less in the more dewealth has been on a roller- veloped world. For example, we expect coaster ride since the start of women's wealth to grow by an annual the financial crisis. Why is this rate of 14% in Asia (ex Japan), 19% in so? To what factors do you at- Africa, and 13% in Latin America, where

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vieW point we expect lower rates in North America (five percent), Europe (nine percent) and Japan (two percent). The Middle East is somewhere in the middle at eight percent expected wealth growth per annum.

How different or similar is the scene in the Middle East and Qatar in particular? What are the characteristics of womencontrolled wealth in Qatar? Are there more family-owned assets than own acquisition?

While there are some differences across the countries in the GCC, of course, we can point out several characteristics that are somewhat common across the GCC. For a number of reasons, a woman's financial position can be somewhat precarious in the Middle East. In some places, it is possible for multiple wives to inherit an individual's wealth. In addition, a woman's eligibility for financial support following a divorce is often determined on the basis of her current wealth, whether acquired before or during the marriage. To your specific question on family-owned vs. “acquired” assets, yes, this has historically been true. Recently, however, we see a higher number of women in the Middle East becoming young entrepreneurs, and so more wealth is now becoming selfacquired, and many of those women are on the verge of joining the high net-worth segment.

The problems are compounded by the superficial strategies that some wealth managers use to target women. Instead, wealth managers need to understand that there are material differences between male and female clients. Women, for example, often seek holistic advice to fulfil long-term goals. Most want their banking relationships grounded in empathy and personalised advice, while men tend to view their banking relationships through a business-oriented lens.

Women controlled an esti mated 27%, or about $20 trillion, of the worldÕ s wealth in 2009 In the Middle East, women are estimated to control 22%, or about $500 billion of the regionÕ s wealth The percentages were highest in North America (33%), Australia and New Zealand (31%), and Asia (29%, ex Japan), and much lower in Latin America (18%), Japan (14%), and Africa (11%) In Europe, the percentage was higher in Western Europe (26%) than in Russia (21%) and Eastern Europe (19%)

Your report finds that wealth How can this be changed? managers could do a better job What are the first steps? of meeting the advisory needs First, while banks do need to recognise of women; 24% said that pri- that there are differences between how vate banks could significantly women and men approach wealth manimprove how they invest. What agement services, women can't be taken led to this finding? as a single group. Different women have Many women surveyed and interviewed reported that they could not find advisors who take them seriously, let alone ones that they can trust. Clients who lack a solid understanding of investments (but want to learn) said that relationship managers do not adequately explain the products and their risks. More sophisticated clients said that their advisors automatically assume that they have a low risk tolerance and provide only a limited range of investment solutions.

different needs, just like men. Banks and their Relationship Managers need to start by recognising this, and by recognising that they need to better understand the differing needs of each of their female clients.

Is it time that banks start targeting these high-wealth women and create products exclusively for them? Do you see that happening in the near future?

Many banks are already targeting highwealth women. Creating exclusive “women's” products, however, is not necessarily the best way to do this. Many women, in fact, don't like special women “branded“”products, and find that these can come across as condescending. The best way to attract and keep female clients is through the Relationship Managers. RM's need to focus on understanding their female clients, and in particular, the circumstances and “life events” that might impact their investment profile. A woman's investment needs and risk profile can be effective life changes such as the birth of a child, or a marriage, or divorce. The same can be said of men, of course, but women are more likely to have their financial priorities re-arranged by such events. Due to cultural factors, many banks in the Middle East are creating women's offerings, which often include exclusive women's only branches. Many women feel more comfortable in this type of environment. It is important, however, that these women's offerings shouldn't result in a lower level of expertise or advice offered.

How will this report be beneficial for the women entrepreneurs who will need a lot of assistance from the local banks than anyone else?

Our advice to women entrepreneurs would be to shop around while looking for a bank. Find a bank that will take the time to understand you as a person, understand your life situation, understand your risk profile, etc. Wealth managers can put their RMs in a better position to initiate or strengthen relationships simply by calling attention to areas where women generally feel undervalued or overlooked. More ambitious wealth managers can develop robust training programmes and incentive systems to ensure that they are serving women effectively. Most important, wealth managers should recognise that the necessary changes are likely to be subtle rather than sweeping. Don't allow them to slot you into some pre-conceived “women's product” without first understanding what is best for you as an individual first, woman second n september 10

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smartphones have come a long way since 1992 when iBm’s ‘simon’ model – generally accepted to Be the first of the smartphone genre – hit the shelves, and judging By the look of the thing (see over), it must have made a hell of a thump when it did so. poor simon’s looks alone tell a story – he’s not aged well – But other than make calls, he didn’t offer much more than rudimentary email, a calendar/clock and the aBility to send faxes. retailing at $900 at the time – $1,440 (Qr5,240) at today’s prices – simon was once right on the cutting edge of moBile cellular technology.

But we shouldn’t Be too harsh on this relic, as 18 years is a long time. indeed, in technological terms, 18 years is, literally, an age. this month, Qatar today looks at the progress smartphones have made since their 90s deBut and what the future holds for these increasingly complex devices in terms of functionality, influence, market penetration, cost and what the future holds. B Y

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j o h n

h u n t

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iBm’s ‘simon’ model in 1992 was the first in the smartphone genre. it didn’t do a great deal, looked like and weighed the same as a Brick and cost the eQuivalent of nearly Qr5,300. simon mkii was thus unsurprisingly aBsent from the marketplace

anufacturers, network providers and a local expert have all helped us address the question: ‘how smart are smartphones?’ In the early 90s, mobile phones made calls. Then SMS followed, colour screens, built-in cameras and rudimentary internet access through ‘wireless access protocol’ meant that by the start of the millennium, phones were doing more and more. At what point mobile cellular devices devolved into ‘feature phones’ (basic) and ‘smartphones’ (advanced) is something of a grey area – luckily an unseemly ‘we were first’ squabble between manufacturers had long since been settled by IBM – but the most significant differences between the two genres is connectivity – the ‘always on’ nature of the latter in accessing the internet and mail servers – and the ability to download and run applications. Add hugely enhanced processing power, often a QWERTY keyboard (and/or touchscreen) and you have a device in your pocket more akin to a multimedia computer than something on which you merely make calls and send texts. The smartphone genre has seen some landmark products in its short lifespan: the iPhone, the Nokia 9000 series, the BlackBerry. Which marques will we remember in ten years’ time?

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Is It lookIng bleak

for blackberry? BlackBerry manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) has been in the news a good deal lately. The BlackBerry device is massively popular worldwide, primarily as a business tool for sending and receiving email when out of the office but also for its real-time instant messaging (IM) service which is fast and free, and which has also made the BlackBerry popular with teenagers who want to chat in private. Private, in terms of the fact that data sent to and received from BlackBerry devices is encrypted through RIMs own servers and thus safe from prying eyes. This set-up is unique and a real selling point for businesspeople who want their data secure and youths who seek private social interaction for various reasons. However, telecoms regulatory authorities (TRAs) in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and India have cited their dissatisfaction with data pinging around their countries on which they cannot eavesdrop if necessary. Citing security concerns (only a cynic would suggest that there was any other reason why governments would want access to people’s email and IM conversations), the TRAs in the aforementioned countries have given BlackBerry an ultimatum: site your servers in our countries and/

or allow us potential access to your customers’ data or cease email and IM services here. The Lebanese and Indonesian TRAs are also now making similar noises. While RIM had initially looked as if it was going to play ‘hardball’ on the issue, as Qatar Today went to press RIM had agreed to ‘make concessions’ with regards to its data servers such as they concern the Saudi and Indian TRAs, and its services are expected to remain uninterrupted in those markets. No decision has yet been made in the UAE but the clock is ticking there with an October date already posted for the shutdown of RIMs IM/email services by the relevant TRA. What was once a unique selling point for BlackBerry – the encryption and security of data sent through its servers – has now been compromised in some countries and RIM shares have dropped 23% in the last year as a partial result. But RIM needs access to these telco markets, especially the world’s fastest growing, India, as it attempts to retain its place among the big-hitters. The BlackBerry (new ‘Torch’ model pictured) is still a ‘blue chip’ product – but there are countries other than those mentioned here where it is rumoured your BlackBerry data is also not 100%

safe. BlackBerry’s competitors will doubtless be overjoyed, as in those markets where data will have to become unencrypted, the quality of the handset and the cost of data services will assume even more importance. As Samsung GM Sandeep Saihgal puts it, the situation in Saudi and elsewhere “will give users the opportunity to explore a range of smartphones across different platforms.” No kidding. The Qatari TRA, ictQatar, told the domestic network providers (Qtel, VQ) last month that it had no plans to intervene in RIM’s encrypted data services in this country.

“in Qatar we have the Benefit of a new network designed with the knowledge of what is happening in data, so we are well prepared” – grahame maher, C E O, V O d a f O n E Q ata r

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mOdEl

xperia x10

priCE Qr2,499 rating HHHHH aVailaBlE nOw

The Sony Ericsson X10 is a highly competent handset. The manufacturer seems to have a knack for producing handsets that do everything to a good standard. It’s a touchscreen device running Google’s Android operating system and layered with Sony Ericsson’s unique user interface specially designed for the phone. It’s supremely powerful, but very easy to use, too. Tech specs include an absolutely enormous 4-inch screen, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, an 8.1-megapixel camera, GPS, HSPA, 1gb memory plus an 8gb memory card, and a long-lasting battery.

mOdEl

priCE Qr5,499 rating HHHHH aVailaBlE nOw

The iPhone 4 is somethig of a flawed beauty. The main improvements to the iPhone 3G are the extra high resolution display, the improved 5-megapixel camera, HD video recording, a second camera for video calls and longer battery life. Available with 16 or 32gb memory, there have however been the well-documented problems getting a strong network signal and it’s phenomenally expensive too. You can go with another make of handset that does the same thing for less than half the price but if it’s the Apple logo you want, then you have to pay...

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iphone 4

mOdEl

galaxy s

priCE Qr2,675 rating HHHHH aVailaBlE nOw

The Samsung Galaxy S is one of the best and most attractive phones on the market today and the Korean giant’s response to the HTC Desire (opposite). It runs the latest version of the Android operating system and has a host of world-beating features including a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, HD video recording and playback, a superfast 1GHz processor, surround sound, GPS with Google Maps, 8GB or 16GB of memory and good battery life. The screen is a strong selling point, impossibly bright and colourful. Notably, the Galaxy S is also very thin and similarly light.

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mOdEl

desire

priCE c.Qr2,500 rating HHHHH aVailaBlE autumn

mOdEl

priCE c.Qr2,600 rating HHHHH aVailaBlE autumn

the creaM

of the crop… The HTC Desire is one of the most impressive phones of all time. When it debuts in Qatar this autumn, it will retail at about half the price of the iPhone 4, yet it can match or beat everything that the Apple does. An Android smartphone with a fabulously responsive touchscreen, the Desire packs in a huge choice of apps, brilliant web browsing, one of the biggest and best screens ever, a good camera, a music player and GPS too. You want more? Add in a superfast processor, monster battery, WiFi and a 3.5mm headphone jack and you’ve got the perfect phone.

The new N8 is arguably Nokia’s most important handset in years. Without doubt, the phone’s best feature is its 12-megapixel camera which is of outrageous quality. The 135g N8 has a mini-HDMI port which means you can watch your pictures and movies directly on a TV. The phone comes with 16GB of flash memory, which can be expanded to 48GB. On the hardware side, the N8 has a 680MHz processor, 3.5-inch capacitivetouch screen and GPS. It comes with QuickOffice and the ability to subscribe to podcasts. This phone is going to be a huge hit.

the potential smartphone owner is, as you would expect, spoilt for choice. we cast our eye over a selection of the Best handsets currently on the market, and a pair of autumn deButants

independent reviews courtesy of Landmark Internet Ltd.

“even though smartphones can go anywhere, perhaps they should not follow you everywhere” – magnus nystedt, E d i t O r , E m i r at E s m a C .C O m

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sOniC Boom...

applIcatIon sItuatIon Computers run programmes, smartphones run applications or ‘apps’. There is an absolutely bewildering choice (‘there’s an app for that’) of apps that you can download to your handset to enable gaming, shopping, restaurant table reservation, and so on. Apple’s iStore boasts literally hundreds of thousands of apps at varying prices (or free in some cases). Different manufacturers run differing operating systems (OS) on their respective handsets and there is currently no compatibility between them. There are about half-a-dozen common OS on which the majority of smartphones function and each is well served (some more than others) by app availability. Smartphone users do not need to be concerned about a VHS/Betamax-style ‘format war’ though. While it seems likely that the number of OS might slim down a little, software is much more malleable than hardware. Your smartphone is not going to cease working or not have any apps to download if its OS is discontinued.

Demand for these devices is rocketing. In Q2 2010, approximately 326 million handsets were sold worldwide. Of this number, 65 million – 20% – were of the smartphone category, a doubling of the Q1 2010 10% market share in the space of three months. By the end of 2011, smartphone sales are expected to be in the majority. What is making them so attractive? “Smartphone market share has grown exponentially to become the fastest-growing segment in the mobile phone market. This growth can be attributed to the myriad features that smartphones offer for businesses and individual users – email access, document editing, hi-definition imaging and gaming,” says Sandeep Saihgal, General Manager of Mobile Devices for Samsung Gulf. Magnus Nystedt, editor of Apple User website emiratesmac.com commented, “There is no doubt that smartphones play an increasingly important role in our lives. As the handsets become faster and more powerful we use them for more things. We’re not quite at the point of them replacing computers yet, but I think that for many users, a smartphone with the right functionality can take over some tasks from computers, especially netbooks and smaller notebook PCs.” Indeed, by end 2011, according to marketers RBC, sales of smartphones will outstrip those of PCs. HTC, Marketing Manager, Geetika Anand Gupta said, “Smartphones can be enormously beneficial for both businesses and individuals. You can check email, manage documents, visit websites, check the news, etc. The most attractive feature of smartphone ownership is the

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fact that there is greater functionality built into smartphones which allows users to do things much more quickly than their standard mobile phone and PDA precursors. In other words, smartphones allow flexible working, provide information at your fingertips, offer better information sharing, ensure faster communication, offer greater functionality and ensure that users are never out of touch.”

futurE shock? Smartphones are pretty smart now, it would seem. How will these devices develop in the future? “It’s impossible to predict the future, but there are exciting innovations happening all the time. HTC is the first manufacturer to take advantage of the new ultra-fast 4G networks for enhanced download speeds. We expect to see greater levels of personalisation and customisation and this will drive the market forward.” So Gupta posits more speed. “I suspect that future smartphones will be even more connected to the internet and other networks,” says Nystedt. “That is very predictable though, but what is not predictable is how we interact with these devices. Voice recognition is one method of interface that has been developing slowly for a long time but still not taken off. I’d guess that we are yet to see and experience the next generation of interfaces which we’ll use to interact with our smartphones.” “Technology is something one cannot fully predict,” says a Nokia spokesman. “Today’s technology is an imagination of someone in the past. Same goes for the coming period. One thing is clear, the smartphone market will be shaped

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by consumer needs and desires and it will continue to be access to the mobile internet.” I’m not entirely sure what this means, but it sounds exciting. Samsung’s Saihgal told us, “2010 will prove to be the year that we see new multimedia technologies and mobile TV applications.” Let’s hope the latter part is correct as the imminent arrival of mobile TV was the focus of the ‘3G Mobile World Congress’ exhibition in Barcelona... in 2007. “We see huge potential for improvement and development, particularly in the field of content and application provision,” offered a Qtel spokesman. “We are working closely with manufacturers to understand their development models, so that we can create the network infrastructure necessary to support the next generation services, supported by the best possible customer experience. The alignment between manufacturers and operating systems will result in more benefits for consumers. Qtel is already working on a number of projects that will enable your mobile phone to become your personal TV, wallet, ID, and security pass.” Some food for thought there. Vodafone Qatar’s Grahame Maher gets a bit sci-fi on us when he suggests the smartphone future heralds “...more video capability and 3D that will come from faster networks.” Now that we would like to see, but it’s fair to say that the future for smartphones is largely an unwritten page at present.

signal strength The Coda Research Company estimates that between 2010 and 2015, global

smartphone sales will total 2.5 billion handsets. While this news is likely to cheer manufacturers of the devices, we must acknowledge that this exponential rise in device ownership will as a matter of course lead to an exponential rise in data demanded by the handsets’ owners. Coda also estimates that in this same time frame, internet use by smartphones is going to increase 50-fold. When a large number of people in a small area (a crowd at a football match, for example) are simultaneously attempting to access their networks for voice/sms/internet purposes, then the ‘cell’ can reach its capacity very quickly and leave many people with no service at all. How, then, will the Qatari networks hold up under the strain of the anticipated increase in activity? “Networks do need to be designed to handle different traffic as data is very different to voice,” says Grahame Maher, CEO of Vodafone Qatar (VQ), “In Qatar we have the benefit of a new network designed with the knowledge of what is happening in data so we are well prepared. The rise of use in data will also mean a change to some of the packaging and pricing of data on mobile to ensure we can deliver a good quality of service and make sure that heavy users pay for their use and not affect other users.” Qtel’s spokesman commented, “The coming era will witness the reign of data and content. For Qtel, we have one of the most impressive data networks due to the continuous investments and efforts in upgrading and improving our infrastructure. The ability to host nextgeneration services and technologies

google’s ‘android’ operating system (os) has Bulldozed its way into the smartphone market. from a standing start in 2008, android is now the os on 17% of smartphones – a percentage that is rising fast and may soon see them threaten the market leadership of the ‘symBian’ os

“smartphones allow flexiBle working, provide information at your fingertips, offer Better information sharing, ensure faster communication, offer greater functionality and ensure that users are never out of touch” – geetika anand gupta markEting managEr, HtC

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Ip-easy does It Each smartphone – in fact all devices that can connect to the internet, from hi-tech fridges to your desktop PC – have an individual IP address for connection and identification purposes. It has been locally – and erroneously – reported that there are only 340 million IP addresses ‘left’ and that these will run out within a year as more smartphones are manufactured and sold. There is no cause for concern, however. It’s true that the current IP standard – ‘IP v4’ – has only a few hundred million ‘free’ IP addresses left, but the incoming standard that will become the default – ‘IP v6’ – has the capacity to generate 3.4 x 1038 unique addresses. That’s a big number, and these addresses, in all likelihood, will never run out.

are what is going to dictate the future of all service providers now.” So it seems that both network providers have their eye on the ball in this regard. A local telecommunications insider who did not wish to be named told us, “Qtel and Vodafone Qatar have both spent – are spending – big on their network capability. The infrastructure in Qatar is obviously not the biggest, but it is one of the best, and getting better all the time.”

HOw much? Cost is an obvious issue and, needless to say, having an ‘always on’ smartphone connected to the network is going to cost more than a modest pre-pay account. Prices are far from prohibitive, however. VQ offers a data package for QR100 a

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month with an allowance of 2gb; Qtel also offers post-paid data packages from QR100 for 2gb and two other tariffs up to a QR400 monthly subscription for unlimited data download. Can we expect to see these prices fall in the future? It’s hard to say, but we should take note of the fact that as the data market matures and becomes more popular, economies of scale will increasingly come into play. Furthermore, with the lack of a monopoly in the Qatari telecoms market perhaps not precipitating a price war, the competition should prove beneficial to the customer and it’s also worth noting that the price of voice calls has continuously come down worldwide since mobiles evolved from an expensive toy into a must-have item.

Qatar Today SEPTEMBER 10 9/28/10 2:33:34 PM

dangEr, danger... As anyone with a personal computer knows, there are seemingly limitless ways in which people will attempt to destroy, damage or steal data from your device. Then there is spam, the bane of a billion inboxes. Smartphones, as we have learned, have enormous processing power now and are always connected to the internet. What are the threats to smartphones out there? “As smartphones are really just small computers, they are just as susceptible, if not more so, to malware and intrusion,” says Nystedt. Saihgal concurs, saying, “Smartphones can hold plenty of data – personal and business emails, history of web browsing, contact details, etc. The more advanced the phone, the more data they are capable of containing about their owners’ lives. The major threat to smartphones is the chance of them being in the hands of an unauthorised user. Smartphones are also capable of getting viruses, Trojans and/or worms.” The solution? Pretty much do as you would do on a home or laptop device: “The demand for smartphone anti-virus software is on the rise given the increase of online activity on smartphones,” says Saihgal. And what not to do? “Don’t share your password, this is evident. Don’t visit unsecured websites, there is a chance of getting viruses and sharing personal data. Don’t save your passwords on websites, doing so on the likes of Facebook and banking sites is a bigger risk to your personal information. Input these passwords every time,” says Saihgal. Nystedt has some practical tips worth noting. “Physically you should get a good, protective case for your smartphone and a

screen protector would be recommended as well, especially for touch screen devices such as iPhone,” he says. “Also remember that even though smartphones can go anywhere, perhaps they should not follow you everywhere. I have a very simple and cheap phone that I take with me when going to the beach or out into the desert. It still does phone calls and texts but I don’t have to worry about damaging or losing it. Before leaving I just swap SIM card but if you don’t want to do that you can forward calls from your smartphone and take off that forward when you get back. In terms of data and applications, users need to back up their smartphones just as they should back up their computers.” Spam, it seems, will always be with us though. “Server-side solutions (such as those built into Gmail and Hotmail) and client-side applications such as Apple’s SpamSieve do a great job of filtering out spam. Of course some spam will make it through but we should all just accept the fact that we’ll never get rid of spam 100%,” says Nystedt. Overall, it’s a pity that we have to protect virtually every electronic device we own from people who want to steal it, damage it or phish for valuable information, but such is the world in which we live. It goes without saying, of course, that expensive electronic items should not be let out of your sight in a public place. What the sales figures and our respondents tell us is that smartphones are undoubtedly a coming force, a total communications nexus. You may already have such a device, but if not, it seems that you soon will. Such are the commercial and social forces at work here, you actually might not have much choice in the matter n

saMsung suggests three tIps

for keepIng your sMartphone safe and protected: Keep your phone password protected Whether your smartphone is for personal or business use (or both), the most important way to keep data within your smartphone protected is to enable password protection to keep your data safe from unauthorised users Download with care The ability to utilise unlimited access to the web helps consumers with their everyday lives, but with smartphones connected to the internet 24/7, it is important to be careful with files being downloaded onto the smartphone Clear the handset memory Old documents, web history and past emails should be regularly cleared from the smartphone if they are no longer in use. Get rid of old information to protect your new data

“2010 will prove to Be the year that we see new multimedia technologies and moBile tv applications” – sandeep saihgal, gEnEral managEr Of mOBilE dEViCEs fOr samsung gulf

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bottom line

carEEr WEll-bEing

and your idEntity peOpLe UnDerestimAte the impACt OF their CAreer On

their OVerALL heALth

o you like what you do each day? This might be the most basic, yet important, wellbeing question we can ask ourselves. Yet only 20% of people can give a strong ‘yes’ in response. At a fundamental level, we all need something to do, and ideally something to look forward to, when we wake up every day. What you spend your time doing each day shapes your identity, whether you are a student, parent, volunteer, retiree, or have a more conventional job. We spend the majority of our waking hours during the week doing something we consider a career, occupation, vocation, or job. When people first meet, they ask each other, “What do you do?” If your answer to that question is something you find fulfilling and meaningful, you are likely thriving in Career Well-being. People usually underestimate the influence of their career on their overall wellbeing. But Career Well-being is arguably the most essential of the five elements of well-being. If you don't have the opportunity to regularly do something you enjoy – even if it's more of a passion or interest than something you get paid to do – the odds of your having high well-being in other areas diminish rapidly. People with high Career Well-being are more than twice as likely to be thriving in their lives overall. Imagine that you have great social relationships, financial security, and good physical health – but you don't like what you do every day. Chances are, much of your social time is spent worrying or complaining about your lousy job. And this causes stress, taking a toll on your physical health. If your Career Wellbeing is low, it's easy to see how it can cause deterioration in other areas over time. 40

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Losing your identity

To appreciate how much our careers shape our identity and well-being, consider what happens when someone loses a job and remains unemployed for a full year. A landmark study published in The Economic Journal revealed that unemployment might be the only major life event from which people do not fully recover within five years. This study followed 130,000 people for several decades, allowing researchers to look at the way major life events such as marriage, divorce, birth of a child, or death of a spouse affect our life satisfaction over time. One of the more encouraging findings was that, even in the face of some of life's most tragic events like the death of a spouse, after a few years, people do re-

cover to the same level of well-being they had before their spouse passed away. But this was not the case for those who were unemployed for a prolonged period of time – particularly not for men. Our wellbeing actually recovers more rapidly from the death of a spouse than it does from a sustained period of unemployment. This doesn't mean that getting fired will harm your well-being forever. The same study also found that being laid off from a job in the last year did not result in any significant long-term changes. The key is to avoid sustained periods of unemployment (more than a year) when you are actively looking for a job but unable to find one. In addition to the obvious loss of income from prolonged unemployment, the lack of regular social contact and the daily

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bottom line

the FiVe essentiAL

eLements OF WeLL-beinG

For more than 50 years, Gallup scientists have been exploring the demands of a life well-lived. More recently, in partnership with leading economists, psychologists, and other acclaimed scientists, Gallup has uncovered the common elements of wellbeing that transcend countries and cultures. This research revealed the universal elements of wellbeing that differentiate a thriving life from one spent suffering. They represent five broad categories that are essential to most people: Career Well-being: How you occupy your time Ă? or simply liking what you do every day. Social Well-being: Having strong relationships and love in your life. Financial Well-being: Effectively managing your economic life. Physical Well-being: Having good health and enough energy to get things done on a daily basis. Community Well-being: The sense of engagement you have with the area where you live.

boredom might be even more detrimental to your well-being. You don't need to earn a paycheck to have thriving Career Wellbeing. But you do need to find something that you enjoy doing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and have an opportunity to do it every day. Whether that means working in an office, volunteering, raising your children, or starting your own business, what matters most is being engaged in the career or occupation you choose.

Waiting for the bell to ring

Think back to when you were in school sitting through a class in which you had very little interest. Perhaps your eyes were fixed on the clock or you were staring blankly into space. You probably remember the anticipation of waiting for the bell to ring so you could get up from your desk and move on to whatever was next. More than two-thirds of workers around the world experience a similar feeling by the end of a typical workday. To explore why so many people are disengaged at work, we recruited 168

employees and studied their engagement, heart rate, stress levels, and various emotions throughout the day. Before the study began, we collected data about each employee's level of engagement. We examined the differences between employees who were generally engaged in their jobs and those who were not. As part of the experiment, the participants carried a handheld device that alerted them at various points in the day when we would ask them what they were doing, who they were with, and several other questions about their mood. We also asked each participant to wear a small heart rate monitor. At the end of each day, these extremely small monitors which were attached to the chest like a sticker, were connected to a computer to download data. This allowed us to study the relationship between fluctuations in heart rate and various events throughout the day. Saliva samples were also collected to gauge stress levels throughout the day (via the stress hormone, cortisol). Whenever the handheld device beeped and requested an entry in the electronic journal, participants were asked to spit into a small tube. The cortisol levels in the saliva provided us with a direct physiological measure of stress levels at various points each day. After reviewing all of these data, it was clear that when people who are engaged in their jobs show up for work, they have an entirely different experience than those who are disengaged. For those who were engaged, happiness and interest throughout the day were significantly higher. Conversely, stress levels were substantially higher for those who were disengaged. Perhaps most strikingly, disengaged workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stress levels decreased and their happiness increased toward the end of the workday. People with low engagement and low Career Well-being are simply waiting for the workday to end n

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bottom line

going grEEn at Work

reen offices are favoured by 88% of professionals in the Middle East, according to a recent poll conducted by Bayt.com, the Middle East’s No.1 job site, which shed light on the importance of going green in the office and its impact on preserving the environment, boosting staff morale and productivity. What is the concept of a “Green Workplaces” all about A recent report issued by SHRM defines a “green workplace” as a workplace that is environmentally sensitive, resource efficient and socially responsible. How can you, then, as an individual, do your part in saving the environment while at work? Here are some top suggestions from the Bayt.com team: Depend on daylight while you can: You’re present in the office for at least eight hours a day – meaning natural light could easily be engulfing your space for at least half of your day. Think twice before putting the lights on and make it a point to turn them off every time you step out of your office. In case the sun does not really have a way to your office, are eco- friendly light bulbs an idea you could possibly pitch to your management? Reduce paper waste: Go digital and avoid printing. If you are left with no other alternative, print on both sides (and set your printer on “draft” as default mode) keeping in mind not every document/ e-mail or article needs to be printed out. Remember to suggest using recyclable paper (or at least get a set of recyclable paper that you can personally use). Desktop versus Laptop: Make sure to set your desktop or laptop to automatically go on standby mode once it has been inactive for more than 15 minutes and at the end of your working day, do turn off your computer. Laptops

consume 85% less energy than desktops according to a report issued by BBC, so you might want to opt for a laptop once your desktop is worn out (Apple Macs use even less electricity than others). Replace fake with real: Keeping the office green entails adopting real plants instead of fake ones. Take the time to look after a “real” plant or two in the office. This not only cleans the air and promotes good health but also keeps your morale up and boosts your creativity. Telecommute (when/if) possible: Does your job necessitate your physical presence in the office on daily basis? Can you come to an agreement with your direct manager to work from home once or twice a week? Is videoconferencing an option when you have a business meeting? Limiting business/work travel not only helps you better balance between life/work and promotes your organisational loyalty (as confirmed by 44% of Middle Eastern professionals in a recent Bayt.com poll about “Telecommuting in the Middle East”), it also helps you reduce air pollution. Give your transportation means a thought: So commuting might be a feasible option for you and your employer for one or two days a week, how about the rest of the week? Are any colleagues living in your neighbourhood? Is sharing a ride or an eco-friendly carpool an option? Share your thoughts with them and prompt them to adopt your idea. Not only will this save the environment, it will also save them fuel money and parking fees! Other ideas would be for you to stroll to and from work if that is an option, or maybe cycle on a sunny morning! You will then be doing both the environment and your health a favour! Bring your lunch in a reusable container: Take the time to cook your food

at home – preferably local and/or organic –then pack it in a reusable container along with reusable plates and cutlery. Keep in mind that deliveries always leave packaging waste behind – and are rarely healthy for you. Post-lunch coffee? Aim for a reusable coffee filter. Adopt a green lifestyle: One cannot hope to go green at the workplace and get people to follow his/her lead if he/ she is not adopting a green lifestyle in general. Going green at home is not a strenuous task. Top green rituals to keep in mind are: using recyclable paper shopping/grocery bags, recycling magazines and newspapers, turning off the lights before leaving your room/house, buying foods locally, substituting a car ride for a bike ride or a walk whenever/wherever possible, steering away from the laundry machine and letting the sun do all the work for you instead. Make sure your kids are aware at an early age of the benefits of a green lifestyle and guide them gently to follow your steps. These habits will be kept with them for a lifetime and will also be carried along to the following generation. Let the world know why you’re going green: Voice it to your co-workers and your management alike: You have undertaken a mission and that mission is “greening” your life at home and the office. State the reasons behind your decision and the benefits that the environment, yourself, your co-workers and your employer could reap. You might want to mention that a recent Bayt.com poll about Green offices in the Middle East has shown that 52% of Middle Eastern professionals feel part of a bigger cause when they are working for a “green” organization and this results in a productivity boost! What more can an employer wish for! Go Green!!! n

Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 30,000 employers and over four 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.

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For thE lovE oF thE job CArOLine Drees, mAnAGinG eDitOr OF reUters miDDLe eAst tALks tO sindhu nair On mAtters CLOse tO her heArt...

othing beats having reporters on the ground, to tell the world what's happening in real time. That's Caroline Drees' take on Reuters, the organisation she has worked for for almost 16 years throughout the Middle East, Europe and the United States. orShe was recently appointed as the Managing Editor of the or ganisation in the Middle East and Africa. She's been the Mid Middle East editor in 2008 and has run editorial operations in the region throughout the economic downturn, the Gaza conflict in late 2008 and early 2009, and the aftermath of Iran's elections last year. Trying to define her journalistic experience, in a word, at an organisation that ‘cares deeply about its staff, about news, and about the importance of balanced, impartial and fair reporting at all times’, she opts for ‘thrilling’. For someone who is a veteran in the field of journaljournal ism, her passion for her profession hasn't dimmed a bit nor has complacency crept in. “I love being a journaljournal ist. The thrill of breaking news and shedding light on developments across the world is so rewarding.” Drees talks about the new offering of Reuters that will soon hit the news market when she says, “Later in the year, we'll be launching a new product called 'Eikon' which will give clients in the financial indusindus try Reuters news in Arabic on their Thomson Reuters desktop.”

The region and insights

Having lived in the ME for the past quarter-century, Drees clearly finds the area intriguing to work in. “I have greatly enjoyed discovering the complex fab fabric of this diverse region,” she said. “Since my first taste of the Arab world when my family moved to Sudan in 1986, I've been lucky enough to work and travel in most Arab countries, learning about the history, heritage and culture of places from Morocco to the Arabian Peninsula.” She also notes the Middle Eastern countries as being “ex-

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Qatar Today september 10

9/28/10 2:07:57 PM

tag this tremely hospitable with a wide variety of great food.” On her stint in running editorial operations through some difficult times both in Gaza and Tehran, Drees says, “One of the fantastic things about working for Reuters is the people. We have excellent reporting teams in both Gaza and Tehran, and their work during these momentous stories was outstanding. Many other media outlets struggled to report on these events because they weren't present on the ground. But Reuters has reporters based in Gaza and Tehran – and throughout the Middle East – all the time, so we are able to tell the world first-hand about the unfolding news. We were there long before, during and after these events, allowing us to bring true expertise to bear. Thanks to our hard-working and courageous reporters, we were able to give our subscribers news with unparalleled insight and free from bias, in line with the Reuters Trust Principles. And because our teams are permanently based in Gaza, Tehran and across the globe, we continue to provide insightful news from the ground, day in and day out.” But all the excitement was not without a bit of adrenaline-pumping challenge, the biggest among them being safety. “Keeping our journalists safe is our top priority, and we work hard to provide safety training and equipment, and to keep our teams out of harm's way. Working for the safety and security of journalists is a vital task that we take very seriously.”

Online versus Print Media

Drees gives her take on the debate that has taken its round in for some time now, on the print media and whether it will eventually be seen out. “I can't see print journalism being phased out in our lifetime. It continues to be an important part of the global media landscape, and particularly in this region, newspapers remain extremely popular.” But she feels that there has been some extent of personalisation in the media and aiding this have been social media tools. “Through the incorporation of social media, RSS feeds and online newsletters, people have been able to con-

sume more of the news they want, when they want it, and how they want it. With that in mind, Thomson Reuters recently launched a new financial television platform called Reuters Insider, which has been described by some as 'The YouTube for finance professionals.' It allows them to access news and information through video online at their desks at the touch of a button. The content is generated both by Thomson Reuters journalists throughout the world as well as banks and other third party providers. The content can also be viewed on your BlackBerry and there is an iPhone app as well.” Social media, she says, allows greater peer-to-peer interaction. “This interaction means that news can travel at a far greater speed to a much broader audience. Thomson Reuters through its products such as our instant messaging services which connect exclusive on-line communities such as Trading Middle East, Africa Markets and Middle East Treasury, connects tens of thousands of users who can share ideas and news from anywhere in the world, either individually or through chat rooms. “Reuters Insider also allows users much greater control and personalisation capabilities of video content which they can download and share among their peers. Reuters is also active on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook,” she says.

Ò We have excellent reporting teams in both Gaza and Tehran, and their work during these momentous stories was outstanding. Many other media outlets struggled to report on these events because they werenÕ t present on the groundÓ

Reuters and its competitors

Talking about the organisation she is part of, Drees says, “Thomson Reuters is diverse in its business model. Not only are we the world's largest news agency, we are also the leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare, science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organisation. Thomson Reuters employs 55,000 people and reports news from over 200 countries. We have been active in the Middle East since 1865, so we have a long history and unrivalled expertise in the region.” september 10

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reUters in the miDDLe eAst Ò The Middle East is a key focus area for us, and we embarked on a regional expansion plan about 18 months ago. While other media outlets have been contracting or even closing during the global economic downturn, Reuters has been expanding. Thomson Reuters has invested millions of dollars on the Middle East growth plan over the past 18 months, highlighting the importance we attach to this region. WeÕ ve added dozens of new journalists across the region. These new editorial posts are across financial news and multimedia, and cover commodities, energy, trea-

Ò If you want to work in a particular country or region, make sure you learn the language well. If youÕ re passionate about a topic, study it in depth and develop real expertise, that will set you apart as a journalistÓ

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This paved way to the next question, whether Reuters seeks to eliminate, assimilate or ignore its competition, to which Drees responds with a neutral comment. “A competitive market is good news for any industry and often results in higher standards. In the case of the media industry, competition encourages creativity, innovation and can promote a vibrant journalistic culture. Consumers of news benefit from competition because it gives them a wider choice of perspectives and ways to receive their content. We welcome competition, and on a global scale it will continue to spawn deeper, broader and better reporting across the globe. Thomson Reuters always seeks to stay ahead of the curve, and recently bought news commentary provider Breakingviews and created the financial television platform Reuters Insider. Reuters Insider sits on a unique broadband media player which serves as an aggregation platform for output from more than 100 providers including CNBC, UBS, BNP Paribas, Standard Chartered, Credit Suisse, Standard & Poors and the World Economic Forum.” Citizen Journalism seems to have garnered a lot of youth involvement and is said to be the 'new' exciting thing to happen to journalism. Drees responds, “Citizen Journalism is exciting, but clients and consumers will always need the services of organisations such as Reuters that provide impartial, fast, and accurate reporting on the breaking issues of the day.

sury, financial sectors and equities, the economy, and specific sectors such as real estate and banking. Ò A vital part of our offering is our Arabic news service. WeÕ re continuing to expand our presence of Arabic Service reporters throughout the region, notably in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. We have also added Islamic finance and other sector specialists. This is a substantial expansion of our Arabic news service which has already been going successfully for decades, providing global and regional economic, political, cultural and sports news.Ó

“The financial services industry is undergoing an historic shift. The media sector is being wrenched by the strain on traditional business models. Consumers are younger, quicker, and are demanding their news and information in new and different ways. As other news organisations are laying off hundreds – if not thousands – and shutting their doors, Reuters is making the investments necessary to be the indispensible source of news.” As a signing-off note she gives her advice to budding journalists, “I would advise any aspiring journalist to get as much experience as they can, starting with student newspapers, university radio stations, summer internships, whatever you can get. I would urge them to keep at it, and not be deterred by setbacks. “If you want to work in a particular country or region, make sure you learn the language well. I started learning Arabic when I was 15 and I'm so glad I did! If you're passionate about a topic, study it in depth and develop real expertise, that will set you apart as a journalist.” While she doles out advice, Drees reminisces on the one best piece of advice she has been privy to, “I was told to do what I loved, and not what I thought I should do. That advice has allowed me to have an exciting career as a journalist and manager, working in dozens of countries on four continents. I consider myself very lucky. Insha Allah” n

Qatar Today september 10

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54.

braking neWs

tOyOtA FiGhts bACk AFter meDiA bLitz

the peArL shOpper Wins brAnD neW bmW 5 series

Winner of the summer shopping promotion receiving the keys.

2011 BMW 5 Series, the grand prize in the hugely popular summer shopping promotion, shop and win at The Pearl, was received by a Qatari resident. Several lucky winners who participated in this year’s summer promotion won prizes of a total value of QR730,000, and also received dining vouchers worth QR2,000 to be used at The Pearl’s worldclass hospitality outlets, such as Gordon Ramsay’s Maze, BICE, Les 2 Magots, Tse Yang, Alison Nelson’s Chocolate Bar, Pampano and many others. Shopping vouchers worth QR5,000 were also won to be spent at any luxurious fashion or

food & beverage outlet in The Pearl. Three winners received Apple’s new gadget, the widely popular iPad. The final draw was done in attendance of a ministry representative, where the winner of the BMW humbly announced they will be donating a charity cheque to Al-Amal Hospital for cancer research and treatment. “The Pearl’s summer promotion was again a great success, attracting residents from within Qatar and from around the region, all flocking to be a part of a different kind of shopping experience,” said an official at The Pearl.

rAmADAn speCiAL by ALFArDAn

uring the Holy Month, Alfardan Automobiles is offering an attractive starting interest rate of zero percent on select BMW models, including the X5, X6, the 7 Series and the 3 Series. Alternatively, customers purchasing without finance will receive free comprehensive insurance for the first year. In addition, customers can constantly enjoy ‘worry free’ ownership through the BMW service inclusive package that is offered with any BMW purchase. Valid for three years or up to 60,000km, the BMW package covers all major servicing needs, including wear and tear parts beyond the standard warranty, labour costs, original BMW replacement parts and top-up oil. The package even enhances the resale value of the car.

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bOsCh LAUnChes FULL hybriD teChnOLOGy VehiCLes hybri

osch has started the production of a parallel full hybrid technology for the new hybrid Volkswagen Touareg and Porsche Cayenne S Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for the first time. The hybrid vehicles feature the Bosch Integrated Motor Gen Generator, a water-cooled electric motor that includes a separate clutch. The SUVs can cruise at a maximum of 50 to 60 kph via pure electric power. A power boost function allows the electric motor and combustion engines to work together and propel the vehicles which increases performance. These vehicles are a perfect fit to the increasingly environ environmentally-conscious Middle East.

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kbb stUDy pLACes FOrD As mOst COnsiDereD brAnD

ccording to the latest Kelley Blue Book (KBB) Market Intelligence Brand Watch study, Ford retains the top spot as the most-considered among the 37 new-vehicle brands. The second quarter (Q2) 2010 brand watch study showed Ford particularly excelling in the non-luxury Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV)/Crossover Utility Vehicles (CUV) segment, increasing its lead by four percentage points over the previous quarter to capture nearly half (46%) of the consideration among new non-luxury SUV/ CUV shoppers. In comparison, Honda and Toyota tie up for second and third places, each having 35%. “The results of this KBB study truly replicate our value for money products boast-

ing industry leading safety, quality, and technology features. We are also noticing the same trend here in the region with Ford enjoying healthy growth in sales across the Middle East, reflecting our growing popularity and heightened consideration for car buyers,” said Hussein Murad, Ford’s Director of Sales in the Middle East. KBB’s brand watch is an ongoing study tracking brand consideration and segment consideration factors for new-car shoppers, and how brands perform on those important factors. For Q2 2010, new-car shoppers ranked durability/reliability, driving comfort, fuel efficiency, driving performance and safety as the top five important factors while shopping for their next new vehicle.

AL-AttiyA mOtOrs AnD Ls kiA trADe UnVeiLs spOrtAGee 2011

l-Attiya Motors and Trade Company, the exclusive agents for Kia Motors in Qatar, last month unveiled the all-new Kia Sportage 2011, its Crossover Utility Vehicle (CUV) with cuttingedge technical specifications. The bodyshell of the new Sportage is characteristically solid and robust, ensuring minimal levels of noise, vibration and bumpiness. In addition, it has a panoramic roof system that enhances its distinguished look. The all-new Sportage comes with a two-litre four-cylinder engine with a maximum power output of 166 horsepower and a torque of 198 Nm. The hightech audio system for the new Sportage features a CD player with MP3, USB and iPod connectivity. The audio system also adds an amplifier and a woofer, and blue-

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tooth compatibility, in addition to a voice command system. The Sportage also comes equipped with six airbags placed on both front and back seats, a downhill brake control system, anti-lock system, lateral slippage control system/electronic stability programme, electronic stability control and electronic brake force distribution, in addition to a

reverse parking assistance system. TradAl-Attiya Motors and Trad ing Company, General Manager, Mohammed Ma’ali said, “The launching of the all-new Kia Sportage will enhance the standing and reputation that this car has acquired over the years, by providing the best level of strength, performance, and pure driving pleasure, all at the right price.”

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strOnG DemAnD FOr nissAnÕ s jUke

issan’s sensational new Juke compact sports crossover model has registered just over 15,000 customer pre-orders in Europe and over 10,000 sales in Japan since its launch in the domestic market. Customer deliveries will begin across Europe in October and in the GCC, from the second half of 2011. The Juke combines a sport utility vehicle’s rugged utility with

renAULt GCC AppOints neW mArketinG DireCtOr

rench car manufacturer Renault has announced the appointment of Benoit Turibe as its new Marketing Director for the Gulf region. He will take responsibility for developing and deploying Renault’s global marketing policy throughout the region, and helping to build the brand’s image across the Middle East. Benoit Turibe, Commenting on his new Renault GCC Marketing Director appointment, Turibe said, “I have enjoyed a long and prosperous career with Renault in Europe and I am excited begin a new challenge with the company here in the GCC. I look forward to building Renault’s presence in this market with consistency and in line with the spirit of our brand baseline ‘Drive the Change’.” Prior to his new position as Renault GCC MD, Turibe was based in Boulogne, France and was in-charge at central marketing for the worldwide advertising strategy of the Renault and Dacia brands.

a sporty style. Its design is bold and striking in order to inject some dynamism into the small car market. The lower portion of Juke combines chunky wheels, wide tyres, extended ground clearance and a robust stance with a top portion that is unadulterated sports car, with a high waistline, slim visor-like side glass graphics and a coupe-style falling roofline. Inside, the sports car theme continues with a cockpit oriented cabin dominated by a centre console design. The integrated control system, which gives the driver the ability to optimise the car’s dynamic functions to suit their needs via an intuitive multi-function interface. ”We have received in excess of 15,000 orders in just four weeks which underlines our intention to meet the needs of customers who are totally uninspired by the traditional offerings currently available in the European small car segment,” said Vincent Wijnen, Nissan’s EuropeVice President for Marketing.

VOLksWAGen LAUnChes jettA

urope’s largest automotive manufacturer, Volkswagen, has presented its new generation Jetta that will appeal to Middle East customers. With an entirely new styling, the new Jetta is more comfortable, sustainable and dynamic saloon. The new Volkswagen ‘design DNA’ sharpens its style which gives the saloon an image of timeless elegance and dynamic styling. The interiors have been designed with fine details. The extended wheelbase of the five-seater has enabled a rear seating layout that is significantly more comfortable. The new Jetta takes this philosophy into the future with its excellent fuel economy and a comprehensive safety concept. The new Jetta will be available at Volkswagen Middle East partners across the region in early 2011 with competitive pricing.

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Qatar Today

9/28/10 2:11:16 PM

braking neWs

is thE car in Front ...still a toyota?

By John Hunt

The Japanese giant took a buffeting at the hands of the media earlier this year with very high-profile and damaging publicity being heaped upon the brand, especially in the US. But how is business in Qatar for the worldÕs number one carmaker? Qatar Today gets the local angle

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ot entirely unexpectedly, the opening gambit of, ‘It’s not been a good year...’ cut little ice with the Abdullah Abdulghani & Bros., the local dealers of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) representative I met at Doha’s Toyota Tower late last month. Arguments as to the media’s role as a reflector or director of public opinion are perhaps a touch too much in this context but it’s undeniable that TMC got figuratively hauled over the coals in the West with regard to a number of technical issues relating to the safety of its cars. What have been the local repercussions of the media storm elsewhere?

Late last year and into the early part of 2010, TMC identified three separate technical issues with some of its vehicles, the most serious of which involved the potential sticking of the accelerator and unintended acceleration as a result. TMC snappily named this defect as ‘Sticking Accelerator Pedal’ and once the dust had settled, 9.9 million vehicles worldwide had been recalled by TMC and the company’s products had been linked with 37 fatalities in 29 incidents (source: USA Today). Multiple lawsuits are pending against the company. Toyota and Lexus (the luxury badge of TMC) vehicles are everywhere in Qatar, sold exclusively here by Abdullah Abdul-

Qatar Today september 10

9/28/10 2:12:17 PM

Supported by:

Endorsed by:

Gold Sponsors:

Silver Sponsors:

Condiment Sponsor:

Exhibitors:

cial Fire Publication:

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Media Partners:

9/28/10 2:12:20 PM

braking neWs

Ò if anything, the way in which we reacted to the technical issues with the service campaign has increased our customersÕ confidence in us”

ghani & Bros, which has supplied the vast majority of the approximately 100,000 TMC vehicles on the country’s roads. Sales of the marques in 2009 topped 19,000 units and will exceed that figure in 2010. “We're seeing a big increase in sales this year, up by between 20 and 25%,” he said. That might be considered slightly surprising in light of the above, but our respondent didn’t seem to think so.

We don't recall...

When asked about the recall in Qatar, the first thing we learn is that, in Toyota's world, there is no such thing as ‘a recall’; the process of addressing technical issues with purchased vehicles is known in newspeak as a ‘service campaign’. “The problem with the sticking accelerator was not as much of an issue in the Middle East as it was in the US,” said TMC’s spokesman. “Nevertheless, Toyota Qatar immediately initiated a full service campaign to identify the affected models, the number of these models in the country and complete and transparent liaison with the customer to address the issue. We concluded that there were approximately 1,200 cars sold here that required our attention, just under 1,000 of the Avalon (above), and 200 of the Sequoia model type. “Newspaper advertisements ran in both English and Arabic dailies and we also called each of the initial purchasers of the vehicles. We were surprised to learn 56

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that many of these vehicles – purchased since 2002 – had left Qatar. This is an affluent country and we’re seeing an average of just three years’ ownership for the person that buys the car before reselling it. Typically the second owner will keep it for two years and thereafter many cars leave Qatar for destinations worldwide,” he said. “For those owners whose vehicles required attention, it was a 20-minute job.” Essentially with this response the ground was being prepared for an answer to the next enquiry, whether the brand image had been damaged in Qatar. “Toyota’s relationship with its customers is very strong. We feel we get great brand loyalty from our customers. They believe in us and the quality of our product. If anything, the way in which Toyota reacted to the technical issues with the service campaign has increased our customers’ confidence in us.

Never a crisis

“Local customers got inured to the ‘drip drip drip’ of stories every day about TMC. Sales have increased, not decreased. We see the situation as an opportunity to further the quality control of the brand. We’re trying to build more positive PR in terms of the brand's search for a ‘zero-defect’ product. Global sales are up by percentages of double-digits not only in Qatar, not only in the GCC,

but worldwide. This was never a crisis,“ he added. “The level of local support we have had in Qatar has never wavered. The outlook here is very positive and we have ambitious plans for growth here.” I guess that’s a ‘no’ then. While we talked about the media coverage that TMC had endured in the US, it was implicit that there were perhaps other factors at play in the sustained level of negative publicity. Could Toyota’s being a Japanese company establishing primacy in a US market have had something to with the intensity of the media scrutiny in the US? Few people can answer that for sure but it's not a huge leap of faith to suspect a connection. We can learn, though, that Toyota – from its own perspective at least – appears to have emerged from the situation intact and with sales on the up locally and globally. This neatly encapsulates the value of brand equity in bouncing back from adversity. The size of the organisation is a big help, sure, but there’s a lot to be said for the strength of the brand and customer confidence in the same. It also demonstrates that global media may not be as powerful a weapon at local level as it might imagine or aspire to be. While the US frothed and outraged, many markets decided that they knew what they liked, and that they liked Toyota and Lexus cars n

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market WatCh

66.

mAnGO CLOthinG is On COUrse in QAtAr

mAnnAi COrpOrAtiOn m hOLDs AnALystsÕ meetinG

annai Corporation last month held the analysts’ meeting for the press and investors at Doha’s Grand Hyatt Hotel. Alekh Grewal, Chief Executive Officer gave a brief presentation on the company’s development activities during the period. Mannai Corporation opened an office in Qatar Science & Technology Park for carrying out development work on application software. Mansoft Qatar opened a branch office in Oman while Transfield Services Mannai Oil & Gas WLL became fully operational. The company’s financial performance, for the period ended 30 June 2010, reported a net profit of QR126.1 million compared to QR105.4 million in the corresponding period last year.

bA reDUCes FAres DUrinG rAmADAn

ritish Airways (BA) has announced a reduction in fares to mark the start of the Holy Month of Ramadan. The discount fares will be valid for travel until March 31, 2011, in club world (business class), world traveller plus (premium economy) and world traveller (economy) cabins.

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With return trips to Europe – including all taxes, fees and surcharges – available for as little as QR2,130, and to the USA for QR3,510, BA is confident the sale will resonate well with customers who are due to travel until next spring. Likewise fares to Europe in premium economy start from just QR3,970 and

business class from just QR9,990 all inclusive return. With the operation of 100% of longhaul flights in the event of any further industrial action, the UK carrier has continued to see a rise in regional passengers this year, reaffirming the region as a focal growth point for the carrier.

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market WatCh

FLeminG GULF LAUnChes seCOnD AnnUAL mAnAGinG LOCAL tALent Fleming Gulf announced the 2nd Annual Managing Local Talent scheduled for 12th-13th October 2010, Doha, organised with the support of the Ministry of Labour, Qatar. HR practitioners, advisors, academics, consultants and industry experts will come together to speak about and study nationalisation from all angles and find realistic solutions through key note presentations, case studies, speaker panel discussions and scenario based problem solving sessions, like current nationalisation initiatives in the GCC, how to implement an effective nationalisation plan, potential of the national women workforce, the role of education in nationalisation. “The 2nd Annual Managing Local Talent will provide the HR community with necessary stepping stones to enhance skills and performance through a series of thought provoking debates, unflinching presentations, enlightening case studies and focused workshops,” commented Jumana Mashraqui, Conference Producer at Fleming Gulf.

bertOLUCCi

intrODUCes ChiC GirO

edicated both for men and women, Bertolucci’s new Giro is offered in a large selection of movements, combination of finishing and dials to match any expectation. Giro adorns a very traditional or a true sporty look through its various dials and calibres. It becomes jewellery with the sparkle of diamonds or the richness of rose gold touches. Polished and fine-brushed finishing on white silvered opalin dials with stylised indexes, offers a pure, chic and classical style. The two models adorn a skeleton case back with sapphire crystal revealing the movement. The sub-counter hand at six o’clock is replaced by a turning disc to indicate hours of the time kept. Giro’s edition for women combines the pleasure of diamond with the fancy of functions. On this model, while the traditional hand of minutes turns over the applied indexes, the hours are displayed on a rotating hour track in front of a fixed mark. Mounted on a bracelet, the polished and fine-brushed steel of the case adorns a ring of diamonds, offering comfort and flexibility. Giro typifies Bertolucci’s casual chic style, elegance and simplicity for a daily luxury. 60

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GeOx shOeWeAr FOr eVery OCCAsiOn

he Geox Fall-Winter 2010-2011 collection has been designed with a wide appeal. It spans from flats to pumps, and includes thigh-high boots, half-boots, and lace-ups, all equipped with Geox’s famous, breathable soles. Geox’s women’s collection has a vast range of flats and moccasins with precious details such as metal mesh and crystal bows, suede buckles, geometric studs, and jewelled clips. Geox’s boots range from riding to black suede thigh-highs. For the evening the collection features two-toned suede lace-ups and high-heeled lace-up ankle boots. The men’s collection covers lace-ups, sneakers, half-boots, ankle boots, and moccasins. Materials used are elegant and durable, and range from suede, to wax and tanned leather, buffalo and leather. Geox’s collection for its younger fans is full of comfortable shoes to wear to school as well as for important occasions and in a variety of colours.

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market golF update WatCh

CGC UnVeiLs Ls nOkiA nO e5

onsolidated Gulf Co. (CGC), Nokia’s partner in Qatar, has unveiled Nokia E5, a hi-tech smartphone fully equipped with messaging and social networking connectivity features. Nokia E5 has a full QWERTY keyboards, 5-megapixel camera and enables access to a range of different email accounts, IM communities and social networks. CGC, COO, Anil Mahajan said, “Whether it’s sending a simple text or instant message, an email, or a direct message from Twitter or Facebook accounts, Nokia E5 is made to meet all such needs. E5 users are sure to connect seamlessly to their family, friends and business contacts through instant messaging, email and their favourite online social networks.” Nokia E5 is designed to enhance productivity in both their professional and personal lives of its users. The Symbianbased handset combines high-quality business features with all of the personal networking and entertainment capabilities that a busy professional expects from a smartphone. Nokia E5 is perfect for managing busy schedules with a variety of productivity applications available in the ovi store. And direct access to over 90% of the world’s corporate email

Air Ar ArAbiA Wins Ô miDDLe m eAstÕ s LeADinG LCCÕ AWArD Le

through mail for exchange and IBM Lotus notes traveller makes it easy to remain connected from anywhere.

ir Arabia, the first and largest low-cost carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North Africa, has been named the ‘Middle East’s leading low-cost airline’ for the third consecutive year at the recent World Travel Awards (WTA). Having recently launched operations at its third hub in Alexandria, Egypt, as well as announcing plans to launch a fourth hub in Amman, Jordan, 2010 has been extremely positive for the carrier. Hailed as the ‘Oscars of the travel industry’ by the Wall Street Journal, the WTA serve to acknowledge, reward achieveand celebrate the enormous achieve ments in all sectors of the global travel industry. Winners are decided by votes profesreceived from agents and travel profes throughsionals in the Middle East and through out the world. Air Arabia currently provides service to 65 routes across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia from its hubs in the UAE, Morocco and Egypt.

LG Wins reDDOt DesiGn AWArD

G Electronics Business Solutions has announced that its leading digital photo frame, the F8102N, is to be honoured at the prestigious reddot awards 2010. With this, the F8102N will now have the right to use the reddot symbol – one of the most coveted in the world of design – on websites, its packaging and advertising materials. “As the worldwide technology leader in display products, LG has been making continuous efforts to combine stylish design with products developed with smart technology,” said H S Paik,

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President of LG Electronics Gulf FZE. Winning this world-renowned award will further demonstrate LG’s design leadership in the IT industry. Designed for home or office decoration, LG’s award-winning F8021N completes its slim look with a printed circuit board inno-vatively placed in the stand. With its sleek and modern deep-black frame, the F8021N excels equally when playing slideshows, music and video footage.

Qatar Today september 10

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market WatCh

oryx rotana opEns doors the LAtest entrAnt tO the hOspitALity inDUstry By Sindhu Nair

the world, the fact that he is still holding onto his dream profession with the same ardour or even more, is indeed no small achievement. He sits down to chat with Qatar Today on the latest entrant in the MICE sector in Qatar, the Oryx Rotana. Qatar, which he feels is a balanced country, has potential for a solid growth especially in the hospitality sector. And Oryx Rotana, owned by Qatar Airways, being the first Rotana property here, is an important milestone for the hotel brand. “For Rotana, it is the launch of a brand rather than the hotel. So the challenge is quite high,“ he says. The Rotana group is a Middle Eastern company with aggressive expansion plans that has seen the company grow from two properties in 1993 to a total of 70 in the Middle East and Africa region today.

Location is the key

evork Deldelian, General Manager (GM) at Oryx Rotana, loves to be in touch with his clients, “Give a lollipop to a kid crying in the lobby and bring a smile to the child's face. Because to me, service is all about that smile. GMs are supposed to be with their guests, not sit in their suits in their private offices, working on profit figures.”

Kevork Deldelian, General Manager at Oryx Rotana And doing this, which is also part of what the Rotana brand philosophy is all about, gives Deldelian great satisfaction. This is also one of the reasons why he joined the hospitality industry. The other he says, was for the glamour the profession offered. For someone who has worked in the industry for more than 25 years, in 13 different countries but mostly in this part of

For any hotel, there are three important factors that can be called the formula of success. “It is location, location and location,” laughs Deldelian, for the Hotel has clinched the ‘perfect’ one, situated right across the Airport and bang in the middle of Doha’s business area. The hotel is deliberately slanted towards the demands of the modern, tech-savvy business traveller, for whom time is money. Major investment was poured into the property to include all the technological capabilities needed for the busy business traveller. “We wanted to have everything and something beyond what you would typically find in a business hotel. We Aseptember 10

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Qatar Today

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market WatCh wanted to maximise the business traveller's comforts while making sure that none of his needs would be sacrificed, nor his privacy intruded upon.” Oryx Rotana features the latest hightech facilities including nine fullyequipped meeting rooms with stateof-the-art audio-visual equipment, two ballrooms and a dedicated professional team to aid in hosting business events and meetings. “It provides business travellers with the ultimate services in getting their work done efficiently, while giving them the chance to wind down and relax at any of the numerous leisure facilities that include a comprehensive fitness centre, Jacuzzis, steam rooms, saunas, swimming pool, and massage rooms .” The gym that Oryx Rotana has on offer, is “the largest and the most high-tech”, says Deldelian. You're actually able to check flight details on the fitness equipment, so if you want to squeeze in an additional hour at the fitness centre to your schedule, you can be sure you won't miss the flight. A fleet of courtesy minibuses also make it effortless for the traveller to get to the airport, though it is but a trot away.

The doors are open...

The hotel was opened to the public with a soft launch last month. But what efforts are being made to announce the arrival of this new member in the hospitality sector? “Media was invited to the soft launch and the sales team are active in the market, meeting local businesses heads. The owners, the Rotana brand, also have been quite supportive, an-

nouncing to the world about the launch of their new property in Qatar.” A grand opening is being planned for after Eid.

Supply and demand

What does Deldelian have to say about the low demand and the high supply of hotel rooms here in Qatar? Does the country need this many new rooms, in a country that doesn't have much to offer in terms of entertainment? “Occupancy levels are at a low, but it is still better than last year. And the prospects for the coming years do look very encouraging,” he says. With the kind of development that is being projected, the high GDP rates indicated and the ‘good’ business environment that the country reflects, a demand is seen for more hotel rooms, he says. An optimistic outlook, one might say, but time will soon provide the answer. Meanwhile with the opening of the Rotana brand, an additional 400 hotel rooms have been added to the four-star segment in Qatar, though Deldelian believes that “the brand is on par with other five-star hotels in the region”.

The brand USP

Ask about the unique selling points of the hotel, other than the location, and Deldelian has quite a list of them. “We are a brand from the region and that gives us a lot of understanding of the communities and the traditions. Our food and beverage operations are unique. We have two signature outlets, The Jazz Club, has an exclusive jazz band and an Asian fusion kitchen and cuisine while The Cellar, which serves a wide range of Mediterra-

these Are biG nUmbers A total of 4,689 new hotel rooms are expected to be added to the Qatari hospitality market during 2010, according to a data released by the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA). Fortyone new hotels will be operational by the end of 2010, the QTA reported. Last year the number of available hotel rooms in the country in-

QT-Sep.indd 64

creased by 25% compared to the 2008. According to the data the total number of three-star hotel rooms in Qatar rose from 964 in 2008 to 1,084 in 2009. During the same time the number of four-star rooms also increased from 2,155 to 2,760, and the number of five-star rooms grew from 3,056 to 4,059.

nean food in a casual atmosphere, with a wine expert on board to brief the clients on what to choose. Our atrium is beautiful; it brings in the outdoors without its discomforts. It is the best place to sit and chat at night. We have the provision to accommodate around 300 delegates in our conference rooms.”

Experiences that matter

For someone who has moved once in every couple of years from one brand or country to another, Deldelain has a wealth of experience to share. “I came here for the glamour this industry offers,” he says, “and it is much more glamorous than I ever imagined it to be.” This is a profession for “a people person”, he says, “and there is never a lonely moment in the industry. You work as a team, acquire a lot of patience and understand the importance of working together for the success of a brand that is all about service to its clients.” Brands drive businesses and each brand that Deldelian worked in had a distinct individuality. He talks about the brands he has worked with identifying each through his experiences working with them. “Holiday Inn was a fantastic brand to work with, which taught me to do business economically as it was not a high-end luxury brand. Crowne Plaza had a more crisp way of doing business; it served the young executive, who is keen on doing his business while enjoying his evenings. Intercontinental was a traditional, more mature age bracket, the consistent brand. It was slightly rigid with its brand principles and values. “And then I joined Rotana, which is a more active, vibrant, demanding place to work in, which gives you all the flexibility to be creative. Be in touch with the client and evolve according to his needs. The brand allows me to come up with new ideas; I am heard and hence make me feel more energised.” How would he describe the Middle Eastern client? Is he more demanding? “No, he is not demanding,” he says, “The ME client is more aware, more knowledgeable. He knows what he wants and what he deserves to get.” n

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market WatCh

Qatar is kEEn For anothEr

slicE oF mango

ango is a Spanish clothing company based in the Catalan city of Barcelona. It has more than 1,500 stores in 92 countries, located on five continents, with seven of those outlets here in Doha. Mangoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Executive Vice President of International Expansion, Isak Halfon, talks about the Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current activities and ambitions in Qatar and beyond.

How important is the Qatari market to Mango? Qatar represents 1.5% of our whole turnover and we now have seven stores in the country. So it's a very good market. First of all we have a very good partner in the Al Mana Group which is very professional and takes care of business. We have more business in Qatar than in Kuwait, and Kuwait is a bigger market than Qatar.

That's perhaps because Qatar is a more diverse and 'multicultural' country than Kuwait? Qatar's population is very small. When we opened the first store here in 1997, I was not expecting to have seven stores by now. And we might open a eighth store next year. So we are delighted with the market.

In the Middle East as a whole, how would you evaluate shoppers' reaction to Mango?

We started business in the Middle East with our first store in 1997. I didn't know what kind of market it was. The first was in Dubai, then in Kuwait, then Qatar. I was surprised with the reaction of the people. For the first store in Qatar, we had a low-key opening and everybody 66

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Isak Halfon, Executive Vice President of International Expansion, Mango

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market WatCh was just trying to buy something. It was amazing and I realised that the market is big here, that our brand was in demand. To be honest, I was not expecting to have such success in the Middle East.

Why not?

First of all, maybe they knew the brand from Europe. The brand is strong in Spain, Italy and Germany, France and the UK too. Because I thought Arab people being oriented to fashion and loving their designer brands, maybe at that time there were only English brands in the Middle East. When we came we brought a sense of something fresh to the region.

How do you balance being ‘fashion forward’ and being a ready-to-wear brand?

We have a design centre in Barcelona. We are very focused on this side and we

have over 600 people just working towards developing our products. These are our best assets. We try to get the best trends on time for the customer, so numerous people are involved in the design process. We fol-

Ò In two to three years, we hope to open 250 stores a year. We will end up with 3,000 stores in five or six years, hopefullyÓ low the trends but we always try to keep it to our ‘own style’ throughout the collection. Seeing the positive reaction we have had from the Middle East market, we hired a Lebanese designer – Zuhair Murad – to bring an exclusive collection to our Middle Eastern stores.

Have you ever thought of producing some kind of culturallyoriented design?

We don't need to. Asia knows the western brands. For the Middle East, we know it is special. We know it is a great market. Almost nine percent of our turnover is from Middle East. So it's a huge market for us.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Fifteen to 20 years back we didn't imagine having more than 1,500 stores as we have now. In two to three years, we hope to open 250 stores a year. We will end up with 3,000 stores in five or six years, hopefully. We want to start launching the men's collection. We already did this in Kuwait, at two stores in Dubai, and in Doha very soon. We do have a lighter winter collection – we need to in certain climates! n

Ò the First hALF OF 2010 WAs exCeLLentÓ

Mario Faluh, General Manager, Al Mana Fashion Group, the local dealers of Mango in Qatar, lends us his view on additional aspects of the Mango story in Doha

2009 was said to be a bad year for retailers? How was it for Mango Qatar? Though 2009 was, globally, not too good a year for the retail world, Mango in Qatar was unaffected and we even saw an increase in sales over 2009. The first half of 2010 has been excellent for us. What would you say makes Mango popular in the region? Mango is a very popular brand worldwide; our customers are trendy and fashion-conscious. One of the many secrets of the success of Mango is that it is able to offer new, fashionable, product to clientele, on a weekly basis. Basically, anytime a client visits a Mango store she is bound to find something new. What plans does Mango have in Qatar for 2011? As Isak Halfon mentioned, we are looking into the possibility of opening a new store in Qatar. Mango is

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full of surprises and you will also witness of a couple of major events that will take place next year promoting Mango fashion in this country. Tell us about the Ô Mango TouchÕ store concept? Within the last couple of years we have opened three Ô Mango TouchÕ accessories stores across Doha. Ô Mango TouchÕ offers a wide variety of accessories to customers. Forty percent of these accessories are already available in our regular stores, while 60% are designed exclusively for the Ô Mango TouchÕ outlets. When and where will Mango be offering their menÕ s collection in the country? At the moment, the Mango menÕ s collection is not available in Qatar. However, due to high demand, we are planning to open our first ‘HE’ by Mango store by February/March 2011 in one of the bigger malls.

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76.

doha diary

Debut of local short film

Riad Makdessi, Syrian filmmaker

ocal advertising guru turned filmmaker Riad Makdessi unveiled his 33-minute debut featurette Flu in Doha last month and predicted a bright future for Arab cinema in light of the backing that the film industry is now seeing in the GCC and, in Qatar particularly, from the Doha Film Institute (DFI). Makdessi, originally from Syria, now lives and works in Doha from where he produced his debut which he aims to show at film festivals worldwide. Flu has been submitted to next month's Doha Tribeca Film Festival – in an attempt to raise his own profile as a producer/director but also that of Arab cinema in general, a genre he feels is not commanding the attention it should. “We don't see enough Arabic films – I want to change that both here and world-

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wide. Film is a medium of communication and we want to speak to the world about who we are,” said Makdessi. “With the exception of Egypt, which is flourishing, Arab cinema is very small. There are so many stories from all over the region to be told – and no real channel to tell them.” A state of affairs that Makdessi believes is going to change, however, when he said, “I really think we have a good chance of getting more films made, as the amount of backing in GCC countries in terms of funds and support is rising. Here in Qatar, where Flu was produced, the DFI is seriously backing local filmmakers now in terms of workshops, training, development and finance. “I think there is some real talent in Qatar. DFI is helping to create an infrastructure that, if properly developed, will allow us to get films made and be the platform for a new generation of Qatari filmmakers. I do believe there is an audience for Arabian stories outside Arabia. Genuine stories, original stories,” he said While it is something of a big ask to expect Arab cinema to extend its reach in the same way that American and European cinemas have, it should not be forgotten that there are 380 million Arabs worldwide – an audience that Makdessi believes is hungry for more ‘local stories’. “Arab cinema has never been more popular. It proves that people need and want to see ‘their stories’.” Perhaps ‘Bollywood’ is the benchmark here – a local cinema product which has transcended its domestic market to become a worldwide force without diluting its ethos in any way.

DOhA DisCOVers A neW Use FOr peArL

VcuQ hosts summer programmes

Above: Students at the summer programmes. Top: exhibition of the students’ work

he Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQ) hosted its Summer Art and Design Discovery programmes in Education City. The programmes were segmented into two parts and both of the courses were filled to capacity with 20 students each. Art exploration introduced the basics of art and design using different materials and techniques which culminated in an exhibition of student work for families to view and enjoy. The summer design discovery was intended to allow design and art career-oriented students a chance to create a portfolio of work and explore the areas of fashion, graphic, interior design and painting and printmaking. There were 11 Qatari participants and others from UK, Tunisia, India, Kenya, Egypt, Jordan and Ireland. Visiting faculty Melanie Buffington and Jan Johnston from VCU in Richmond, Virginia, taught the course.

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doha diary

christieÕ s exhibits miDDle eastern art

hristie’s has announced its support for the Arab Capital of Culture 2010, an initiative undertaken by the Arab League and UNESCO to promote and celebrate Arab culture in the region. Christie’s international senior management team will host a public art exhibition at the Four Seasons Hotel over three days from 3-5 October, 2010, showing highlights of modern Middle Eastern art from the collection of Dr Mohammed Said Farsi, the first Lord Mayor of Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and one of Middle East’s great patrons of visual arts. “We are delighted to see the presence of Christie’s in Qatar, since their sales

events are opportunities for learning, appreciation and acquisition. Their forthcoming exhibition in Doha is further evidence of Qatar’s emergence as a focus for the arts and culture in the Middle East,” said Roger Mandle, Executive Director of the Qatar Museums Authority.

A Mad Woman, 1958

H Nada, Dancer and the pipe

cmuQ wraps up summer college preView programme

Doha stuDents learn at wcmc-nY

Nora and Abdulaziz, with a staff member at the WCMC-NY

Closing ceremony of CMUQÕ s Summer College Preview Programme

orty students, 27 high school seniors and 13 juniors celebrated the last day of classes of the three-week Summer College Preview Programme (SCPP) at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMUQ) with a festive closing ceremony. “The SCPP gives students the opportunity to explore an academic area of interest, while learning how to prepare for the highly competitive college admissions process,” says Bruce Volstad, Manager of pre-college programmes at CMUQ. The SCPP is designed to introduce academically motivated students to the demanding curriculum of highly selective univer-

sities such as the ones in Education City. In the English courses, students learned writing process and public-speaking skills and in the maths courses, students were given a diagnostic test to determine the appropriate level of calculus or algebra they would study during the summer. The SAT preparation course provided students with key content and strategies to be successful at taking standard tests. CMUQ staff and students served as peer tutors and counsellors, helping students with coursework, special projects and answering questions about life at Education City.

ora, 17, and Abdulaziz, 16, both high school juniors from Doha and winners of the Doctors of The Future Scholarship enjoyed a trip to Weill Cornell Medical College in New York (WCMC-NY). During their stay, Nora and Abdulaziz learned basic laboratory skills, including pipetting and antiseptic techniques. Once familiarised with the laboratory, they were able to participate in ongoing experiments, including culturing cells and photographing the various stages of the cells’ growth. Before wrapping up their stay, both made a presentation on cell differentials and various staining techniques. They also reported on their experiments with pulmonary diagnostics and lung function testing, as well as the screenings of several patients involved with clinical trials. september 10

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doha diary

starwooD hotels & resorts launch Ô roaD to awarenessÕ campaign

tarwood Hotels & Resorts begins its third annual ‘road to awareness’ campaign with UNICEF, the United Nations’ children’s agency, to raise money so that children in South Africa can realise their right to a basic, quality education, with a special emphasis on helping the most disadvantaged young people to stay in school. Guido de Wilde, Vice President & Regional Director, Starwood Middle East will join a team of 24 cyclists and fundraisers for the arduous journey. During the

trip, the avid cyclists will cover a total of 360km, racking up between 120km and 150km per day while spending an average of six hours in the saddle, and traversing some steep gradients over the course of the campaign. The funds raised from this year’s campaign will help UNICEF support 1,500 orphans and vulnerable children in five rural schools in South Africa, allowing them to complete their primary education. It will also help improve the quality of schooling by training 70 teachers in child-

friendly education methods and fund the implementation of sports programmes in 18 schools to enhance children’s physical and psychological development.

Ô Road to AwarenessÕ campaign Ð bike ride participants from 2009

ibQ begins Ô Do gooD DeeDsÕ campaign

Al Yusr Tent of IBQ in partnership with W Hotel & Residences

n the occasion of Ramadan, International Bank of Qatar (IBQ) kick-started its annual ‘Do Good Deeds in the Month of Charity’ campaign with several communityoriented initiatives. For the third consecutive year, Al Yusr Islamic banking service of IBQ com-

menced activities with the ‘Al Yusr tent’ located on Mansoura Street in Doha. This year the tent is in partnership with W Hotel & Residences and welcomes 150 Ramadan observers for daily Iftar banquets. A number of volunteers representing IBQ, Al Yusr and W Hotel & Residences have signed up to assist with service.

ramaDan actiVities at Doha summer fun park The number of visitors to the Doha Summer Fun Park (DSFP) has reached over 90,000 since its opening on July 20 announced the organisers of the DSFP. A new theatre, in the style of a traditional Qatari house with Liwan (courtyard) was built at the DSFP. In addition to this, a large screen was placed on the theatre 72

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stage showing well-known Ramadan television series. Storytellers and a Syrian band performed traditional Syrian folklore. Furthermore, there were puppet shows and games for children, with opportunities to win prizes. A number of restaurants served local and Middle Eastern foods.

DohalanD hosts garangao fest

ohaland hosted a traditional Garangao festival for children and families, featuring a number of heritage games. The revival of games played by past generations is in line with the company’s commitment to maintaining community interaction and preservation of traditional Qatari heritage. The event was organised at the Heritage Village, and was accompanied by recitals of traditional songs and various activities. Participants witnessed a demonstration of the games and took place in competitions and won prices. Garangao bags, prizes and gifts as well as traditional Qatari food were available. The event is part of Dohaland’s corporate social responsibility programme which aims to enrich the lives of people and promote social activities and interaction among members of the community.

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doha diary

tents of feast

QAtArĂ&#x2022; s tOp hOteLs hAD OFFereD the peOpLe A sAVOUry ArrAy OF FUn AnD FeAst DUrinG the hOLy mOnth OF rAmADAn. CULtUre met trADitiOn WhiLe One inDULGeD in the FestiVities thAt eACh OF the tents hAD tO OFFer.

A tent at the Museum of Islamic Art

A tent for suhoor at the SharqVillage

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A traditional tent at The Ritz Carlton Hotel

Royal iftar at La Cigale Hotel

september 10

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doha diary

alluring and Enduring – pEarl has a nEW tWist By Myriam Chandna

rt is, what art does,“ says Patric Rozario, a professional artist from Malaysia and creator of PearlAppetite, a collection of works displaying a unique amalgamation of pearls, acrylics, ceramic and glass, designed to kick-off a trend of personally tailored, artistic corporate gifts in Qatar. “It is my offer of drawing the benign nature of pearls and presenting them as art on plates, which can be integrated into the

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Patric Rozario, Professional artist from Malaysia and creator of PearlAppetite

corporate culture of leading organisations in Qatar. PearlAppetite is envisioned to be an art collection for anyone who has the appetite to be a part of everything that is related to pearls,” says Rozario, who describes himself as self-taught. “My thirst for knowledge about art led me to study the history and evolution of art, across cultures, in my own time. I was very interested in how shapes came about, why some patterns and backdrops are more largely appealing than others.”

Rozario, who currently resides in Doha with his wife and two sons, was born and largely raised in Kuala Lampur, Malaysia. Of Indian descent, Rozario often reconnected with his roots on trips back to his ancestral city, Trivandrum, in the south Indian state of Kerala, where he also attended boarding school for six years. Rozario obtained his diploma in Marketing Management from Institute of Marketing Malaysia and went on to earn his Masters in Communication Management from the

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doha diary

Ò PearlAppetite is envisioned to be an art collection for anyone who has the appetite to be a part of everything that is related to pearls.Ó

University of South Australia.

Nature abhors a vacuum

When Rozario arrived in Doha as a Senior Creative and Production Officer at United Development Company (UDC), the developers of the multi-billion dollar Pearl development, five years ago, he found little passion for art – a highly revered field back home in Malaysia – in the rapidly developing Gulf peninsula. However, the artist in him had found his canvas. “There was not a single art gallery in Doha. But as I began to understand Qatari society and people, I realised that people in Doha are very receptive and appreciative when they are introduced to something new. I noticed that because there was nothing, I could do something, because of the tolerant and bold attitudes I was met with,” he says. With the support of the UDC management, he created over a dozen paintings themed around the Pearl development. As an independent artist, Rozario once again found himself drawn towards the pearl; this time, only to use his art to contribute

to the beauty of the natural element which is otherwise futile to the oyster which carries it and the world outside. Launched two years ago, PearlAppetite revolves around the theme of pearls, or as he puts it, “the mermaid’s jewels,” combined with other features of the ocean, such as water lilies. The series of brightly coloured pearl-embellished plates is one of Rozario’s lines of products under his increasingly popular tagline, “Own A Rozario.” Head bent over his latest work in progress, he spoke of his passion for the sea as he used swift strokes of colour to trap a gleaming white pearl in an intricate pattern, making its lustre the centre of attraction on the emerald glass plate.

Maritime memories

“I drew my inspiration from my career at sea, which ignited my passion for the ocean and its natural splendour. I incorporate its palette – the shifting hues of waves and shoals, cobalt depths, dance of golden sunlight on the cerulean sea, grey mirage of distant ships – into many of my pieces,” says Rozario, a former Radio Of-

ficer at the Malaysian Maritime Academy, Kuala Lumpur. “My work enabled me to travel far and wide, and this exposed me to a diversity of cultures, music, and art, across the globe, and these travels have in many ways influenced my art.” In his creations, Rozario emphasises the lustre and cultural significance of the pearl by embedding it in an elaborate framework of acrylic designs painted on vibrantly-coloured glass and ceramic plates of various shapes and sizes. “The pearl is an important piece of Qatar’s heritage,” he says. “Qatar has one of the longest traditions of pearl diving, and pearls don’t need an introduction when brought up in this cultural environment.” While some plates are decorated entirely with glass pearls, others boast a striking compilation of cultured freshwater pearls and dazzling Swarovski crystal pearls. To preserve the diversity and spontaneity of his craft, Rozario maintains flexibility in his choice of materials. “I paint on mainly glass and ceramic plates, but I like experimenting to give the september 10

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doha diary

RozarioÕ s Cosmic Rays of Acrylic

particular artifact its own unique identity. In most pieces, I throw in a lively combination of unusual pearls, semi-precious stones, Swarovski crystals, and glass beads, transforming them into vibrant display art,” he said. He also occasionally uses thread to complement the settled-in appearance of the pearls nestled in a concoction of acrylic prints with its fluidity. “Adding thread to wet acrylic adds to the shape and texture of the creation,” he says. By blending in distinctive factors of a company’s branding and design strategy, such as colour, logos, and symbols, into the PearlAppetite pieces, and taking into account its needs and audience, Rozario personalises the corporate gifts to aptly represent the company’s brand identity. In February, Rozario painted and presented a portrait of Placido Domingo to the world-renowned Spanish tenor during his majestic performance at The Pearl. “It was an honour, a rare and blessed opportunity to not only be able to paint 78

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a legend like Placido Domingo but to be able to present my creation to him with my own hands, which he accepted with utmost humility and grace as he embraced me in front of a huge crowd.”

A technological artisan

As the world of the 21st century artist becomes increasingly dependent on sophisticated design technology and software, Rozario’s experience with contemporary art methods is an ironic one. The more he learned about digital design and the flexibility of composition when creating art using computers, the more determination and confidence he gained to pour his inspirations out on the canvas. “Once you know how to navigate digital media, it opens doors to a huge variety of possibilities for you as an artist, and you apply traditional methods with more confidence and in the end create less conventional works of art because of what the methods revealed to you through technology.” In addition to the PearlAppetite cor-

porate gifts series, Rozario has several paintings and sculptures based on notions extracted from different art cultures to his credit. Even as he defines his art as a mosaic of his personal experiences, he acknowledges some influence of Polish Northern Renaissance painter Jan Polack’s spontaneity and speed, and in contrast, French painter Claude Monet’s meditated impressionist painting. “Both their works influenced me in their own classic ways,” he says. As far as he can see into the future, Rozario pledges no retirement from his work of creation, which he describes as a “continuous process.” “Creativity is a small of portion of it, it is your enterprise that makes a difference. I want to be fully invested in my art and give it all of me,” he says. “Someone once asked me, ‘Rozario, how do you find so much time to do art?’ I replied, ‘time finds me’.” n For further information, visit Patric RozarioÕ s website at: www.patricrozario.com

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number game

top 10

WEb cElEbritiEs

thE list oF commonErs-turnEd-cElEbritiEs on thE WEb... 2

7 8

6 1. Mario Lavandeira Celebrity gossip blogger, Perezhilton.com Controversial gossip blogger Perez Hilton a.k.a Mario Lavandeira reigns over the world of web celebrity. He runs Hollywood's most hated website with loads of rumour about musicians and celebrities. The site attracts more than 7.2 million people a month, and Hilton has more than 1.77 million Twitter followers. 2. MiCHaeL arringTon Tech blogger, Techcrunch.com Michael Arrington is founder and editor of TechCrunch, an influential blog that's a news source for the Silicon Valley technology communities. The site profiles and reviews in detail all Internet entrepreneurs, products and services with scoops and exclusives. 3. PeTe CasHMore Tech blogger, Mashable.com Pete Cashmore started working as a web technology consultant when he was a teenager, and founded the website Mashable from his home in Scotland when he was just 19. Now he is widely regarded as an expert on how to use, consume and profit from social media. His site has over 10 million monthly unique readers and employs 15 full time staff, with reported revenue in millions of dollars. 4. evan WiLLiaMs & Biz sTone entrepreneurs, Twitter.com In 2009 Twitter became an outright national

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phenomenon and was featured in one of Oprah Winfrey's episodes. The founders Evan Williams and Isaac “Biz” Stone have become celebrities in their own right. With more than 2.8 million Twitter followers between them, the two are definitely in the public limelight. 5. Kevin rose videoblogger and Founder, digg.com In 2004 Kevin Rose founded Digg, a site that allows users to share and vote on their favourite news stories. The site has become a hotspot of the tech community, boasting more than 35 million visitors a month. Rose is also well known as a producer and host for online channel Revision3, where he co-hosts his weekly video Diggnation. 6. guY KaWasaKi entrepreneur and blogger, guykawasaki.com Guy Kawasaki has been an entrepreneur and author. During his stint at Apple Computer, his team helped launch and market the original Macintosh in 1984. Today he runs several start-ups as Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures. His blog How to Change the World is currently ranked in the top 2,000 most-popular blogs. 7. HeaTHer “DOOcE” ARMSTRONG Mother and Blogger, dooce.com Heather Armstrong was fired from her job because she wrote about work in her personal blog. The site Dooce.com contains Armstrong's

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adventures as a Salt Lake City stay-at-homemom. Her book, It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita reached No. 16 on the New York Times bestseller list. 8. TiLa 'TequiLa' nguYen Model and singer, Tilashotspot.buzznet.com Tila Tequila rose to fame in 2006 when she became the person with the most 'friends' on Myspace.com. The model later appeared in a reality dating show on MTV as well as in numerous guest appearances in TV and movies. 9. garY vaYnerCHuK Wine expert and blogger, garyvaynerchuk.com Gary Vaynerchuk turned his family liquor store in New Jersey into a multimillion-dollar wine business, supported by a passionate community of online drinkers. His daily video webcast, Wine Library TV, has reached more than 800 episodes. In 2009, he released a bestselling book, Crush It! Why Now is the Time to Cash in on your Passion. 10. CorY doCToroW author and blogger, Craphound.com Cory Doctorow is a digital rights activist and one of the editors of Boing Boing, a popular blog about technology, culture and politics. He's also a science fiction novelist and gives away his novels for free on the net. In 2009, Doctorow released his latest book, Makers. (Copyright: Forbes.com)

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