IN-HOUSE NEWSLETTER OF SUHAIL BAHWAN GROUP VOLUME 04 | ISSUE 13 APRIL/JUNE 2017
FROM THE VICE CHAIRPERSON’S DESK Welcome to the second quarter 2017 edition of Suhail, our Group’s newsletter. Looking back at the six months that passed by, I can only say it’s been one of mixed fortunes. Despite my warnings that the first quarter performance and results were not up to the mark and my directives to all to be more aggressive and more result-oriented during the rest of the year, very little progress has been made. Except a few companies, sales and revenue of many companies were still below target though the market conditions are improving. We need to be completely focused in order to be on target for the rest of the year.
Designed & Published by
However, these ups and downs do not stop us from moving forward; during the past quarter we have entered into some new ventures.
Media and Communications Division Suhail Bahwan Group [Holding] LLC P.O. Box: 169, PC 100 Muscat, Sultanate of Oman Phone: +968 2465 0037
Bahwan Travels has secured the General Sales Agency (GSA) for Biman Bangladesh Airlines. This is an important milestone for Bahwan Travels as Biman Bangladesh has changed its GSA after 38 years of their presence in Oman, for the very first time. Bahwan Travels has also signed up to become the exclusive General Sales Agency (GSA) of Royal Air Morocco (RAM), the leading carrier of Morocco.
Email: pr@suhailbahwangroup.com
DISCLAIMER SUHAIL is an internal newsletter meant exclusively for SBGH employees. Although immense care has been taken, we request our readers to bear with us in case of any errors and omissions. Please send us your feedback, comments, contributions and suggestions to pr@suhailbahwangroup.com
Bahwan Electronics has won the exclusive distributorship for Midea - the world’s largest producer of major appliances and the world’s No.1 brand in air-treatment products, air-coolers, kettles and rice cookers. Last but not the least, SkySouq.com, our new venture established only a year ago, has won the “Fastest Growing Online Travel Agency in the Middle East” award at the Arabian Travel Awards- an important event that recognizes achievements in the travel industry. Let’s continue to be more aggressive in our existing businesses and more enterprising in identifying new ventures. Enjoy reading the issue.
Amal Suhail Bahwan
Hearty Congratulations! Our Vice Chairperson Ms. Amal Suhail Bahwan has been ranked No.1 in Oman and No.12 in the Middle East in the latest Forbes’ annual list of Top 100 Most Powerful Arab Businesswomen-2017! Last year our Vice Chairperson was ranked No.1 Oman and No 22 in the Middle East. This is a truly well-deserved achievement for our Vice Chairperson, who has been working tirelessly in not only carrying the mantle of her father Sheikh Suhail Bahwan’s business empire but also strengthening and expanding the Group amidst current economic challenges.
The internationally reputed Forbes magazine is well known for its listings worldwide and is considered as a benchmark by business and industry. A team of researchers collect information from annual reports, company websites, as well as other primary sources such as company revenues (or GDP in the case of government personalities), years of experience and several other criteria and arrive at the ranking confidentially. We are proud to be working under such a passionate CEO and great leader!
Contents
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Vice Chairperson holds review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . meeting Projects and Interior Design completes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Automated Multi-Level Car Park SBGH Group Hosts Futoor for . . . Employees and business associates
03 04 05-06 07-08 15 18 22 29 35-36
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Distinguished Employees of the Month
03
Bahwan IT & Hewlett Packard Enterprise Seminar at Muscat
BHC offers free consultations to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mark World Health Day BFT conducts workshop for Royal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Oman Police personnel Bahwan Electronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . organizes seminar Drone . . . . . . . . . . . . . The . . . . .modern ... day machine
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SUHAIL | Corporate news
Vice Chairperson holds review meeting During the quarterly review meeting held in April, our Vice Chairperson Ms. Amal Suhail Bahwan critically reviewed the performance of each company under the Group. Noting that usually the first three months set the tone for the rest of the year’s business performance, she said the first quarter numbers were not up to the mark and emphasised all to to be completely focused, more aggressive and more result-oriented during the rest of the year. She further stressed that everyone should be very prudent in their spending and make the best use of our resources.
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Bahwan Travels secures GSA for Biman Bangladesh Airlines Bahwan Travel Agencies (BTA) has recently won the exclusive General Sales Agency (GSA) for Biman Bangladesh airlines in Oman. This is a prestigious win for BTA as after 38 years of their presence in Oman, Biman agreed to change their GSA for the very first time. The GSA agreement was signed recently by our Vice Chairperson, Ms. Amal Bahwan and Mr. Mohamad Shafiqsul Islam, Country Manager, Biman Bangladesh for Oman. Biman presently operates 4 weekly flights to Bangladesh and is expected to have 10 weekly flights soon out of Muscat.
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SUHAIL | Corporate news
Projects and Interior Design completes Automated Multi-Level Car Park An automated multi-level car park adjacent to our old head office in CBD area was recently completed by our Projects and Design division headed by Mr. Ashok K. Saproo. The car park, with the first-of-its-kind automated parking system in Oman, is built on 897 sqm plot of land with a parking capacity of 165 slots at seven levels and will primarily accommodate tenants of the Group’s newly and fully renovated commercial building Al Shumoor – our old head office. The design of the parking block conforms to civil defence requirements and municipality regulations and is equipped with complete safety and security features and so the cars are safe and secure.
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SUHAIL | Corporate news
Suhail Bahwan Group Hosts Futoor for Employees and business associates Celebrating the spirit of holy month of Ramadan we held Futoor for our employees and business partners under the aegis of our Vice Chairperson Ms. Amal Suhail Bahwan. Hundreds of employees from the Group’s companies, i.e., Bahwan Healthcare Centre, Bahwan IT, Bahwan Projects & Telecoms, Bahwan Electronics, Bahwan Building Materials, Bahwan Steel & Trading, Bahwan Furnishings & Trading, Bahwan Logistics, Bahwan International Properties and Bilad Oman, along with employees from the corporate support functions such as Information Services, Finance & Accounts, Internal Audit, Human Resources & Administration and Legal came together underscoring the Group’s “One Team… One family…” spirit. The Futoor also marked as an occasion to show the Group’s appreciation and reaffirm its long standing relationship with its business partners from the travel industry, oil and gas, telecom and other sectors.
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SUHAIL | Corporate news
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SUHAIL | Corporate news
Distinguished Emp
April 2017 1] Ansaruddin Khan, Commercial Officer, Bahwan Healthcare Center LLC | 2] Salim Mohd. Murad Al Raisi, Deputy Manager - Customs Clearance, Bahwan Logistics LLC | 3] Sreekumar Kuttappan Nair, Senior Fabricator, Bilad Oman LLC | 4] Salma Khalfan Khamis Al Alawi, Junior Officer, Bahwan Travel Agencies LLC | 5] Baiju Rajan, Carpenter, Bahwan Furnishings and Trading LLC | 6] Mohamed Zahir Hussain Kambad, Service Engineer, Bahwan Electronics LLC | 7] Mohamed Khalfan Humaid Al Hasani, Sales Officer, Bahwan Building Materials LLC | 8] Shaima Aziz Saif Al Hasani, Software Consultant, Bahwan IT LLC | 9] Renjith Kumar Nair, Senior Executive - Sales, Bahwan Steel and Trading Company LLC | 10] Salim Obaid S Al Sharji, Assistant Manger - Audit, Internal Audit Division | 11] Fawziya Abdeen Ibrahim Al Balushi, Senior Account Assistant, Finance and Accounts Division | 12] Abu Tahir Ansari, Senior Manager, Information Service Department | 13] Mohammed Salim Musabah Al Breiki, Junior Officer-Public Relation, HR and Administration.
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May 2017 1] James John, Senior Sales Executive, Bahwan Furnishings and Trading LLC | 2] Khalid Rashid K Al Mukhaini, Sales Executive, Bahwan Steel and Trading Company LLC | 3] Lulu Matar Mohd. Al Sharji, Assistant Supervisor, Bahwan Travel Agencies LLC | 4] Lal Mohan, Senior Executive, Bahwan IT LLC | 5] Praveen Sundra Pandiyan, HSE Officer, Bilad Oman LLC | 6] Manojkumar T, Project Logistics Officer, Bahwan Logistics LLC | 7] Ameer Hamza Juma Al Balushi, PRO Cum Office Assistant, Human Resources & Admin. Division | 8] Nawal Shahdad Khamis Al Balushi, Programmer, Information Service Department | 9] Narjis Nasser Abdullah Al Saadi, Senior Audit Assistant, Internal Audit Division | 10] Haridas K P, Senior Executive - Accounts, Finance & Accounts Division | 11] Prahalad Prasad, Senior Telecom Engineer, Bahwan Projects and Telecoms LLC.
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SUHAIL | Corporate news
loyees of the Month
June 2017 1] Manoj Kumar K.P, Charge Hand, Bahwan Furnishings and Trading LLC | 2] Syed Ali Raza, Senior Executive, Bahwan Travel Agencies LLC | 3] Hamood Said Salim Al Wadhahi, Deputy Manager-Sales, Bahwan Steel and Trading Company LLC | 4] Harishchandra Shah, Senior Spray Painter, Bilad Oman LLC | 5] Taha Hussein Mohammed Al Zadjali, Senior Sales Assistant, Bahwan Projects and Telecoms LLC | 6] Ibrahim Khalil Ibrahim Al Balushi, Hardware Technician, Bahwan IT LLC | 7] Mohammad Ahmad Ali Sharf, Bio Medical Engieer, Bahwan Healthcare Center LLC | 8] Said Masoud Said Al Rashidi, Counter Staff, Bahwan Building Materials LLC | 9] Fahad Juma Hashil Al Gharabi, Security Supervisor, Bahwan International Properties LLC | 10] Juma Rashid Juma Al Farsi, Public Relation Executive, Bahwan Logistics LLC | 11] Khamis Bishuk A Al Balushi, L.V.Driver, Bahwan Electronics LLC | 12] Manikandan K, Foreman, Internal Audit Division | 13] Reem Khalfan Said Al Nadabi, IT Support, Information Service Department | 14] Shamsad Alam, Accountant, Finance & Accounts Division | 15] Syed Masroor Ahmed, Executive Secretary, HR and Administration Division.
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Students Complete Internship with BAHWAN IT LLC, BAHWAN PROJECTS AND TELECOMS LLC
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SUHAIL | Know your colleague
Know your
Colleague ‘‘ It’s been an enriching experience as the company tagline says!. ‘‘
Najeeb Naseer Ahmed Al Balushi
Please tell us about yourself and your education I was born in Muscat. I have two brothers and a sister. I am married and my wife is a government employee. I did my schooling from Al Jaber Bin Zaid School in Wattayah. Then I secured my mechanical engineering degree from the International College of Engineering in Seeb, which was called then as Fire and Safety College. I was particularly interested in Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) aspect of engineering and so I started concentrating in this discipline. I have attended many global level HSE certification courses to qualify myself such as the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) International General Certificate, The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) certificate, OHSAS 18001 Lead Auditor training , ISO environmental course ISO -14001 and PDOapproved HSE training course.
Why did you choose this particular HSE discipline? My brothers are working in the oil and gas sector and I have always felt that health and safety issues are very important in this high risk sector as well as in other sectors such as telecom and construction. There was hardly any talent in this discipline at that time in Oman. So I focused on this.
Brief us on your career till date I started my career at Attila Dogan, a Turkish firm, as a deputy manager in HSE in 2009. Then I joined 3D Training Centre as a training instructor in 2011. One day in June 2014, I received a surprise call from Suhail Bahwan Group for a job interview and that was a major breakthrough in my career. I joined SBGH as a senior executive engineer for HSE in Bahwan Projects & Telecoms. Since then it’s a continuous learning process for me.
Najeeb Naseer Ahmed Al Balushi Senior Executive Engineer-HSE Bahwan Projects & Telecoms LLC
What is your functional role? When I joined BPT, there was no dedicated HSE division and the projects undertaken by us were not fully HSE compliant. So I drafted the
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SUHAIL | Know your colleague
HSE manual and started training my colleagues in Immediate Fire Response, first aid and general HSE practices. Now I regularly monitor HSE compliance at sites, attend meetings, prepare reports and submit the same on monthly basis. I also visit the project sites regularly to ensure all HSE related issues are attended to as per client requirement. At present, I am handling the Ooredo Optic Fibre Cable project implementation. Here I manage the project as well as oversee safety aspects also.
How has been your work experience so far? After joining Bahwan Projects and Telecoms, I gained vast experience in a short period. I have been learning many new things in telecom sector. It’s been an enriching experience as the company tagline says!
Which project/assignment has given you immense job satisfaction? Soon after I joined SBGH, one of the sub-contractors of BPT working at PDO site had damaged some underground cable in the process of cabling work. PDO levied a heavy penalty as the work was not done as per HSE standards. Since I was well versed with the HSE procedures, I arranged for a meeting of our GM along with top officials of PDO and explained to them how the damage can be rectified and showed our detailed HSE plans and practices for future contracts. The PDO team was convinced and waived the penalty! This accomplishment gave me immense professional and personal satisfaction.
What is future plan/aim? I have a lot of things to learn and scale new heights in my career. However, in the long run when I am financially independent to a certain extent, I would like to start my own venture in future. I may start a HSE training institute.
What are your hobbies? I like travelling a lot, but due to paucity of time with my work I am not able to travel much. I love playing soccer and I used to play for Muscat club until a recent injury has forced me out of soccer for now.
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SUHAIL | Corporate news
SBGH business heads attend workshop on Risk Management With increasing cyber-attacks across the world recently, ISD has taken proactive steps to assess the current Information Security setup and strengthen the security framework. As part of the implementation of Information Security Management System (ISMS) ISD had recently organized a workshop for all SBGH business heads on “Risk Management, Business Impact Analysis & Asset Management”. Conducted by Valiant Technologies, the interactive workshop provided an overview of the comprehensive IT security implementation exercise to business heads and emphasized the necessity of their active involvement in performing business impact analysis, providing relevant inputs like listing out top risks, information assets, etc. pertaining to their respective business.
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Information and Services Division trains staff on Sharepoint ISD recently organized a SharePoint Basic Administration Training for its staff on the day-to-day management and administration of our corporate intranet portal “Moltaqa Bahwan” which has been developed on Sharepoint platform. M/s Narena Solutions, the company that executed the intranet portal implementation, conducted the training.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Meeting Oman’s logistics needs for over 30 years...
Know your
Company Bahwan Logistics LLC
Bahwan Logistics, established in the year 1984 as Middle East Shipping and Transport Co, is a leading logistics company in Oman providing endto-end transport and cargo movement solutions across six key segments viz., Clearing and Forwarding, Customs Documentation, Road Transport, Project Cargo Management, Heavy Lift & exceptionally Over-Dimensional Cargo [ODC] Movement and Freight Forwarding [Air & Sea]. Bahwan Logistics owns and operates a fleet of over 125 vehicles that includes prime movers, cranes, trucks, variety of trailers [flat-bed, lowbed, long-bed, triple axle and air suspension] and specialized vehicles for heavy and over-dimensional cargo, complemented perfectly with a 20,000 sq. m hardtop, state-of-the-art yard at Ghala and 15,000 sqm at Sohar right across port, which operates round-the-clock. Bahwan Logistics specializes in providing all-round logistics services to PDO and many other oil field companies complying with their stringent safety norms. In addition, a host of international EPC contractors constitute its satisfied list of customers.
‘‘With more than three decades of experience in global freight forwarding, documentation, clearing and forwarding from Oman and the United Arab Emirates [UAE], and land transport operations throughout the GCC especially with expertise in handling over-dimensional cargo, Bahwan Logistics is the undisputed leader in Oman’s logistics industry”.
Bahwan Logistics offers door-to-door freight forwarding from anywhere in the world – by air and sea – through its exhaustive roster of freight forwarding companies that include global giants to localized, mediumsized, niche companies. Such extensive networking helps Bahwan Logistics to offer competitive rates, faster transit times and special cargo care besides extending cargo tracking and reporting services. Recently, Bahwan Logistics has moved its office to the new state-of-art central warehouse at Misfah North in Jiffnain on the outskirts of Muscat. This ultra-modern warehousing complex is one of the largest of its kind in the country and provides leading edge warehousing facilities for SBGH group companies to receive, stock and distribute their products- all managed by Bahwan Logistics.
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SUHAIL | Company news With a built up area of 60,000 sqm spread over 153000 sqm plot of land, the air-conditioned/air cooled warehouses are fitted with dock levelers, mechanized overhead doors, latest material handling equipment, vertical racking storage system for higher efficiency and space optimization. There are sufficient loading / unloading bays for docking all sizes of trucks and trailers including parking bays. Other notable credentials include: 4Impeccable safety record of ‘No LTI, No RTA’ till date. On an average, logs in 15 to 20 million kilometers per annum without LTI. Dedicated safety teams oversee operations to ensure compliance with safety standards. 4In-depth knowledge of customs clearance procedures to handle all kinds of imports/exports on permanent/temporary or duty-free basis including hazardous cargo. 4Vast experience in handling transportation of hazardous cargo such as radioactive materials, explosives and hazardous chemicals. 4Provides customs and port documentation at all points of entry/ exit in Oman [i.e. Hatta Border, Sohar Port, Seeb International Airport and Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat] and the UAE. 4Single largest port user at Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat and Sohar Port. 4Arranging temporary imports of equipment for EPC contracts. 4Arranging barging operations by chartering aircrafts and ships. 4Conducts route surveys to identify potential obstacles and hazards, prior to all major movements, especially while handling ODC. 4Excellent track record of delivering projects on time.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Bahwan IT & Hewlett Packard Enterprise Seminar at Muscat Bahwan IT, along with its Partner Hewlett Packard Enterprise, organized a technical seminar on the new Hewlett Packard Enterprise Synergy (Composable Infrastructure) to its customers in Oman. The keynote address was given by Mr. Herbert Zerl – Managing Director, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Middle East and by Mr. Fadi Nasser, General Manager, Omantel ICT highlighting the complete offering of ICT technology by HPE, Omantel and Bahwan IT. Mr. Mohamed Halawa, HPE Storage specialist and Mr. Qutqut Morad, HPE Synergy Specialist, addressed the technical session on Hewlett Packard Enterprise Synergy- the first purposebuilt technology platform for Composable Infrastructure to bridge traditional and ideal economy IT. Most of BIT’s customers from energy, utility, education, government and manufacturing verticals attended the seminar.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Bahwan IT organises Virtual Workspace Solution Day Bahwan IT, along with its partners Cisco and Citrix, organized a Solution Day on Virtual Workspace for potential customers. Addressed by Mr. Mohammed Atia of Cisco and Mr. Irfan Ali Gazi of Citrix, the objective of Solution Day was to highlight how Cisco Hyperflex Systems, combined with industry-leading Citrix XenDesktop software, can accelerate desktop virtualization - VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure). Today Virtual Workspace enable IT to provide users with a productive, mobile, and highly secure work environment anywhere on multiple devices.
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Bahwan IT receives Platinum Partner Recognition from HPE Ms. Kinda Baydoun, Channel & Territory Manager Middle East, Ms. Reem Aboura, Partner Business Manager- Gulf & Levant, and Mr. Bosco Moraes, Territory Sales Manager- Enterprise Group- Hewlett Packard Enterprise, recently visited Bahwan IT to congratulate on receiving Platinum Partner recognition.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Bahwan IT and Fortinet host Iftar get-together Bahwan IT along with its business partner Fortinet & Exclusive Network organized an Iftar for its customers to mark the holy month of Ramadan and to develop the business relations between BIT and business partners.
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Managing Director of Hewlett Packard Enterprise visits Bahwan IT Mr. Herbert Zerl, Managing Director of Hewlett Packard Enterprise-Middle East, visited Bahwan IT recently to meet with our customers and also to apprise of new Hewlett Packard Enterprise business initiatives. He was accompanied by Mr. Bosco Moraes, Territory Sales Manager, Enterprise Group and Mr. Mohammed KhaterEnterprise Sales Manager - Enterprise Group- Hewlett Packard Enterprise Hewlett Packard Enterprise has been one of our long standing business partners.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Bahwan Healthcare supports Haematology symposium Bahwan Healthcare Centre along with the Omani Society of Haematology ( MOH ), a professional organization established under the umbrella of Oman Medical Association, conducted a Haematology Symposium in Muscat recently, The symposium discussed sevceral topics such as Laboratory Management of CBC Analyzers, blood banking and Coagulation Laboratory. Haematologists from all over Oman took part in the event.
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Bahwan Healthcare Centre offers free consultations to mark World Health Day Marking the World Health Day, Bahwan Healthcare Centre offered free consultations for a day at its Ghala clinic. Free consultations were offered by Dr. Vijay, Psychiatrist, Dr. Gowrishankar, Orthopedics (neck and back pain), Dr. Nagamani, Cardiologist and Dr. Shridevi, General Medicine, Bahwan Medical Centre. Dr. Ashok Kumar Jain, Chief Medical Officer, Bahwan Health Care Centre and Mr. Trevor Fernandes oversaw all arrangements. World Health Day, designated by the United Nations’ World Health Organization (WHO), is being observed across the World on 7 April every year.
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SUHAIL | Know your colleague
Know your
Colleague ‘‘ When opportunity knocks, grab it with both the hands. ‘‘ Maryam Khatar Saleem Al Badri Please tell us about yourself I was born in Barka. I am the last sibling in a family of five brothers and two sisters. I lost my father when I was just two years and my mother shouldered the responsibility of upbringing the family.
Brief us on your educational background I did my schooling in Barka and completed a Diploma in IT from Musannah Technical College. I have also done a one year certification course in programming from Bahwan Cybertek in collaboration with National Institute of Technology in India (NIIT). I have also a certificate in Oracle basics.
Brief us on your career till date I started my professional career with an Australian firm called Isoft in 2005. After two years, the company shifted base to India in 2008 and the Oman office just remained as support unit. Since the job was not challenging and there was no career growth, I wanted to move. At this point, a colleague of mine suggested me to join BIT and gave me the mail address. I applied and soon the former General Manager Mr Janakiraman, selected me after an interview. From then onwards there was no looking back in my career.
Maryam Khatar Saleem Al Badri
What is your functional role?
Software System Engineer Bahwan Information Technology LLC
Initially, as a software supervisor, I was providing IT service support to Oman Post and the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries in implementing attendance system and training. I also had an opportunity to handle a project at the Ministry of Environment & Climate Affairs, where I was involved in designing both internal & external portals of the ministry
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SUHAIL | Know your colleague website. These experiences gave me tremendous confidence and in 2013 I was shifted to Microsoft Dynamics team. Here I am involved in a slew of projects, which are implemented by BIT. At present, I am part of implementing ERP solutions project at the State Audit Institute. At BIT, I am part of a team headed by Mr. Subba Rao, who is a very good team leader, who encourages and motivates all team members. Mr. Anil Kumar, our General Manager, also encourages me time to time and provides guidance on how to handle projects tactfully. Hence I consider myself to be lucky to work in such a major IT company with a wonderful team.
How has been your work experience so far? After I joined BIT, my whole perception of life and work has changed over the years. Initially I was a very shy and introvert kind of person. It was only after I joined BIT, where I was part of many external projects I learnt a lot of things that has transformed me both personally and professionally. So working in a big corporate entity like SBGH has given me enough exposure to the outside world and for that I am very thankful to the Group and BIT in particular.
Which project/assignment has given you immense job satisfaction? I was part of IT support staff for the 2010 Asian Beach Games held in Musannah. That was a proud moment for me as the Sultanate played host to such a major sporting event. I was also part of the Shura Council polls where the people of different governorates elect their representatives. At present, I am involved in the ERP implementation project at the State Audit Department. As the only Arabic resource person, I head most committee meetings and this has given me enormous boost to my personality.
What are your future plan/ aim? I want to be a team leader in the future and for that I must first equip myself with adequate qualification and experience. I also want to upgrade my skills level in Microsoft Dynamics in order to reach respectable position in my career.
What are your hobbies? Whenever I have leisurely time I engage myself in reading novels, stories which are a sort of stress busters for me.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Bahwan Properties conducts safety and security training As part of its routine periodic safety drill update Bahwan Properties recently conducted a safety and security training to its building maintenance staff at Al Rawaq. The topic was “working safely at heights�, i.e. ladder safety for facility management team. The purpose of the training was to update the team on safe working practices to prevent death and injury from a fall while working at heights. Identifying hazards, risk and its control measures were also discussed with demonstration, followed by a practical session.
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Bahwan Logistics executes RORO cargo shipment Dammam and Sohar ports Bahwan Logistics (BLL) recently executed the chartering of Roll-on, Roll-off (RORO) cargo ship for the movement of fully assembled 2100 Renault cars both at Dammam and Sohar Sea port The shipment was seamlessly handled by the BLL Team and the vessel/cargo was cleared/discharged safely at the respective ports in record time. Customs clearance was completed within 24 hours of vessel berthing at port. With speedy documentation, planning and defined process, the entire cargo was made available for delivery within 12 hours of vessel berthing. Bahwan Logistics LLC has plans to join hands with a major RORO operator in this region so as to develop this niche market segment in the days to come.
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SUHAIL | Company news
BFT conducts workshop for Royal Oman Police personnel Bahwan Furnishings and Trading (BFT) is one of the Royal Oman Police (ROP) approved manufacturers in Oman for manufacturing and installation of fire-rated doors. In order to highlight the process of manufacturing, specific materials used in manufacturing and other manufacturing process, BFT recently conducted a workshop for inspectors of ROP civil defence personnel. After a theory class the ROP team was given a tour of BFT factory to familiarize them with the machineries as well as the manufacturing processes. Also a mock-up exercise of installation of a fire door was conducted providing a first-hand understanding to the ROP team. Rakesh Valsaraj, General Manager BFT, and his team gave a warm welcome and ensured the visit and the workshop was organized well.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Skysouq.com wins “Fastest Growing Online Travel Agencies” award SkySouq.com has just won the “Fastest Growing Online Travel Agencies in the Middle East” award at the prestigious Arabian Travel Awards event held in Dubai recently. Launched only a year ago, SkySouq.com has quickly become popular among the online travel community due to its user-friendly website, ease of search, multiple choices. Ms. Amal Suhail Bahwan, Vice Chairperson, Suhail Bahwan Group congratulated the skysouq team and said, “With just a year old in the online travel space and first of its kind in Oman, it is truly a remarkable achievement for skysouq.com.” Arabian Travel Awards is the first internet voting-based awards, and hence is considered fair and unbiased by the travel industry. Mr. Gururaj S A, General Manager, Bahwan Travel Services, received the award on behalf of Suhail Bahwan Group management.
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Bahwan Travels appointed GSA for Royal Air Morocco Bahwan Travel Agencies (BTA) has added one more airline to its growing stable of General Sales Agency (GSA). A GSA agreement was recently signed between BTA and Royal Air Maroc (RAM) for promoting RAM sectors in Oman. RAM is the leading carrier of Morocco and they have offline presence in Oman and operate in code share agreement with Qatar Airways. BTA has been awarded the rights to sell RAM directly and also through trade partners.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Bahwan Travels unveils new travel App and online booking tool at Arabian Travel Market A new mobile App for Android and iOS-based mobile phones for the company’s online marketplace skysouq.com and a business-to-business (B2B) online booking tool were released at the recently concluded Arabian Travel Market in Dubai in the presence of a large gathering at the Oman pavilion at the Dubai Convention Centre. The skysouq.com app allows customers to search airfares, hotel accommodations and worldwide holidays in real time and book with instant confirmation. The (B2B) online booking platform is a complete client relations management tool, developed exclusively for sub-travel agents in order to make the booking process much more efficient and faster.
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Bahwan Travels Special Ramadan offer for Holidays The outbound holidays team floated Special Ramadan holiday packages. On confirmed booking beyond a certain value during the promotion period, guests were gifted travel bag and travel insurance depending on the value of the tour package. The travel bags were handed to the guests by the concerned handling executives.
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SUHAIL | Know your colleague
Know your
Colleague ‘‘ The moment I received the ISO audit certificate from Madam Amal, I got a feeling that all my sincere hard work with dedication of all these years have been rewarded.‘‘ Radhya Khusaib Al Hasani
Please tell us about yourself I was born in Darsait. I am the first one among five brothers and four sisters. My father worked in PDO while my mother is a housewife. I live with my parents.
Brief us on your educational background
Radhya Khusaib Al Hasani Assistant Manager-Commercial, Bahwan Electronics LLC
I did my schooling in Darsait and Ruwi schools. Initially, I wanted to be a teacher as I had secured 86 per cent marks in my class 12. As there was no proper guidance as to how to go about joining the proper courses, I underwent a vocational training course in accounting under National
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SUHAIL | Know your colleague Vocational Qualification scheme. Now I am doing an online course in Islamic studies from the College of Islamic Studies in Al Khuwair.
Brief us on your career After my accounting training I was looking for a job as I don’t like to be idle. My uncle, who was working with Bahwan Travels, suggested working with Suhail Bahwan group. I joined SBGH in 1998 and this was my first job. I was recruited as sales promoter in Bahwan Electronics. With hard work and dedication over the years I grew up the ranks and today I am an assistant manager commercial.
What is your functional role? I am responsible for preparing documents relevant for shipment clearance. I liaise with Mr. Saeed, PRO of Bahwan Logistics, on a regular basis regarding customs clearance for the shipments to be delivered to Bahwan Electronics stores. I also place orders with the suppliers as and when there is requirement. I also coordinate with finance department, banks and stores for various purposes.
How has been your work experience so far? I took a good decision by joining SBGH as I have had ample opportunities to learn many things in my job. I am very happy to be part of the team headed by Mr. Parameshwaran, who is very helpful and guides his team members on all work related aspects. I also like the work environment at SBGH as it teaches you to be independent in your job.
Which project/assignment has given you immense job satisfaction? The moment I received the ISO audit certificate from Madam Amal, I got a feeling that all my sincere hard work with dedication of all these years have been rewarded. That is an unforgettable moment in my career.
What is your future plan/aim? I am, by nature, keen to learn new things. I am ready to undergo training at any given time to learn new skills that will help me grow professionally and personally. I want to see my career graph going up in the coming years. I also like to learn more languages
What are your hobbies? During leisure, I download e-books and read about various subjects. I also like drawing and I do some stitching. If time permits I do some poetry writing also.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Bahwan Building Materials holds training for staff Bahwan Building Materials (BBM) recently organised a training programme for BBM electrical team on Application and Solution Development, conducted by Schreder Lighting, one of BBM’s principals. Conducted by Mr Hozefa Jawadwal of Schreder, the core agenda of the training was energy efficient street lighting through correct optics and professionally designed solutions. New product details were also explained. BBM team was benefited from this training and Schreder has also assured more training on specific functional skills in future. Schreder is a key agency for BBM for street lighting and one of the best street lighting MNCs from Belgium.
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BEC sets another record The Bahwan Engineering Company’s Marmul Project team has recently reached another milestone by achieving 3 million man-hours Lost Time Injury (LTI) free The Managing Director and Oil Director (South Oman ) of Petroleum Developement Oman (PDO) conveyed their appreciation on the great commitment and detzermination of ‘Marmulians’, and sent their commendation to the team. Congratulations BEC- Marmul Project team.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Bahwan Electronics conduct workshop for AC installers Bahwan Electronics, the exclusive dealer in Oman for Toshiba and AHI Carrier air conditioner, recently conducted a daylong workshop to educate installers on the differences in installation of R410a & R22 air-conditioning units. The workshop was also aimed at promoting good installation practices among installers as well as inculcating Toshiba’s principle that it is a socially responsible brand employing the latest technologies that are environment-friendly. This was the first installers’ meet organized in Oman in which over 80 dealers took part.
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Bahwan Electronics secures exclusive distributorship for Midea products Bahwan Electronics has recently added one more global brand to its product stable with the exclusive distributorship for Midea products in Oman. Established in 1968, Midea is a Fortune 500 company that offers one of the most comprehensive ranges in the home appliance industries. Midea specializes in air treatment, refrigeration, laundry, large cooking appliances, large and small kitchen appliances, water appliances, floor care and lighting. With over 100,000 employees, 21 production facilities and 260 logistics centers and operations in more than 200 countries, Midea is the world’s largest producer of major appliances and the world’s No.1 brand of airtreatment products, air-coolers, kettles and rice cookers.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Bahwan Electronics organizes seminar on Toshiba air-conditioning products Bahwan Electronics in association with AHI Carrier and Bahwan Engineering Company (BEC) recently organised a seminar on Toshiba Air-conditioning products for over 100 participants that included prominent consultants, contractors, architects & other institutional customers. The seminar highlighted the salient features of various Toshiba products followed by an insightful presentation on Toshiba’s VRF system popularly known as the SMMSe air conditioning and cutting edge technologies used in these products.
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A written evaluation test was conducted at the end of the seminar to ascertain how much information was assimilated by the delegates. On their part the delegates tackled the test with lot of enthusiasm & competitiveness. Toshiba Airconditioning is a major player in the HVAC field and continues to develop market-leading products suitable for residential and commercial applications. All Toshiba systems are designed with emphasis on energy efficiency, reliability, aesthetics and ease of installation.
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SUHAIL | Company news
Bahwan Electronics organizes dealers visit to Toshiba factory in Thailand As the sole distributor of Toshiba air conditioners, Bahwan Electronics, in association with Toshiba/ AHI Carrier, organized a familiarization trip to Bangkok, Thailand for 18 dealers from Oman to visit Toshiba Air conditioners factory. Toshiba factory senior officials Mr. Nizhi San, Aoki San and Mr. Jafar Imam of AHI Carrier took the dealers around the factory and gave an overview of the new product range. The dealers were highly impressed with the quality management and state-of-the art multiple production lines. The dealers were also awarded with trophies by the Mr. Zuri San, Managing Director/Vice President, for their contribution to Toshiba Air conditioner’s business. The dealers were also treated to Thai cultural programs.
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Information Services Division stresses
SBGH in the NEWS
SUHAIL | Kaleidoscope
Drone
The modern day machine
By Yasser Mohamed Kheir, General Manager, Bahwan Projects and Telecoms LLC What are drones? Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that are either piloted from the ground using remote controls or programmed by aerospace engineers. In the past, drones were used mainly by military for surveillance, but in the 21st century, technology has reached a point of sophistication that they are being used extensively in a variety of fields ranging from search and rescue, surveillance, traffic monitoring, weather monitoring and fire-fighting to cinematography, videography, agriculture and even cargo delivery services. This feature explains the drone, its technology and uses. Drones – an overview The idea of drones was first thought of in 1782 in France. Scientists experimented, hoping to make a balloon that flew automatically with a goal to use them for military purposes. In 1862 drones were used during the civil war as a way to bomb and invade the enemies from above. However, the first official drone was made and tested in Germany by the Nazis in the 1940’s. Later, in 1980 ‘Albatross’ invented an auto piloted aircraft (drone) that would forever change warfare. In 1989 ‘Amber’ was made with massive improvements such as GPS that allowed the military to keep track of their drones while in flight. Since then, the drone technology has been developing so fast and the uses also have expanded from military to civil, social and entertainment purposes. April-June 2017 | Issue 13
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SUHAIL | Kaleidoscope and money as these jobs otherwise require lot of manpower and many days of work. It also reduces risk and increases on-the-job safety especially while surveying wind turbines, power lines, pipelines, railroads, buildings, towers, etc. Science & Research Take your observations to new heights with drones, literally. The Microdrones md4-1000 and md4-200 drones are the best means to collect data and images from above for research. Security and surveillance Drones are trusted by civil security professionals worldwide. Ease of deployment, stability, resistance to harsh weather and flight endurance are just some of the reasons. The drones are perfect aerial platforms to carry surveillance sensors so that situations can be monitored from a safe distance. Drones Explained A typical drone is made of light composite materials to reduce weight and increase manoeuvrability. This allows drones to cruise at extremely high altitudes. It also allows them to carry infra-red cameras, GPS and laser, video cameras and professional still cameras. Drones come in a wide variety of sizes, with the large drone mostly used for military purposes such as the Predator drone. One of the popular drones in the market is Phantom 2 Vision that comes with a host of advanced technology and is popular with professional cinematographers. There are other smaller drones which can be launched by hand.
Search and rescue Another important use of drones is in search and rescue operations. Whether it is flood or fire, drones help identify people in distress and rescue them with much less effort and faster. Affordable air support is now available via drones for fire fighters, police, and marine rescue operations. Unmanned Cargo : Drones are now increasingly being used to carry products, parcel, supplies, medicine or tools to hard-to-reach places quickly and more affordably than traditional methods.
All drones have two parts, the drone by itself and the control system. The nose of the drone is where all sensors, navigational systems circuit boards, chipset and software the brains of the drone - are present. The rest of the body is where camera and other gadgets are fitted. Types of drones There are generally three types; nano, hobby quadcopter and professional quadcopter drones. The Nano/Mini Quadcopters are no bigger than the size of human palm. Easy to fly and considered the best for beginners, they are also affordable - priced less than $70.00 with some of them equipped with built-in cameras. Hobby Quadcopter Drones are probably the most popular class, mid-sized machines with larger propellers and larger frames. Usually flown outdoors, they are easier to control than smaller drones because of their larger size. New models now include features like headless mode and hover mode. The price ranges from $50.00 to $500.00. Professional Quadcopter Drones: These come with larger propellers and frames and most include on board HD camera. Well suited for taking aerial photography with longer flight duration, typically around 20 minutes or so. Uses of Drones Surveying / Mapping / GIS Geospatial professionals use them for basic mapping to survey-grade results. They help them get reliable surface data, true ground level 3D mapping so that they can develop their designs accurately. The drones also help save time
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Aerial Video and Photography The more popular usage of drones in the present day is for aerial video and photography. Gone are the days where you need to hire expensive helicopters and manpower; modern drones come with latest cameras and GPS that not only allows cinematographers to capture scenes at stunning angles from above but also provide them with a platform for new levels of creativity. Future Growth Despite its great success and the growing public and media interest which it generates, drone remains quite a young technology, whose influence on everyday life is not yet entirely foreseeable.
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Down the Memory Lane…. During the course of Suhail Bahwan Group’s 50 years’ history, we have come across several events/ occasions and landmarks many of which have been photographed and preserved for posterity. In this issue, we present you with a set of rare photographs of our Chairman Sheikh Suhail Bahwan on various occasions.
ذاكرة ال تن�سى...
�شهدت جمموعة �سهيل بهوان ،خالل خم�سون عاما من تاريخها ،العديد من الأحداث واملنا�سبات واللحظات امل�ضيئة التي ال تن�سى مهما مرت عليها ال�سنني ،وكثري من تلك الأحداث مت ت�صويرها واحلفاظ عليها لتكون نربا�سا للأجيال القادمة. ويف هذا العدد من جملتنا نقدم لكم عددا من ال�صور النادرة لرئي�س جمل�س �إدارة املجموعة ال�شيخ �سهيل بهوان �أثناء لقائه بعدد من ال�شخ�صيات العامة يف منا�سبات خمتلفة.