Business in Gulf - May 2013 by Business In Gulf

A BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR TODAY’S ENTREPRENEURS MAY / JUNE 2013

VOLUME-7 NO.06

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Business MAY / JUNE 2013 / VOL-7 NO:06

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“We have achieved”

Since its inception, Tamkeen has created more than 180 programmes and enabled more than 65,000 Bahrainis and enterprises in Bahrain to Achieve their Potential. Tamkeen continues to create opportunities for career advancement and enterprise development to further enhance productivity and contribute to the private sector growth and the Kingdom of Bahrain’s national economy. Visit www.tamkeen.bh or call 17383333

Contents Business IN GULF

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COVER STORY 36 The Most Influential Women in the Kingdom Women in the Kingdom of Bahrain are marching ahead in all fields including politics and business. Bahrain has always been at the forefront of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights and development and these ladies prove that nothing can stop them. We take a look at the most influential women in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

FEATURE

36 34

34 Achieving Milestones Throughout History Women are major contributors to the development of Bahrain. Bahrain is a model of a socio-political system where women already had rights to own property and bank accounts, easing transition into business. We take a look at the history of how womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights developed in the country.

62 Empowering Women The Supreme Council for Women (SCW) was established in 2001 to ensure the development of the status of women in Bahrain. We shed light on the numerous activities of the Council 6

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98 94 70

88 80

EVENTS

ENTREPRENEURS

SECTIONS

A new trend that’s gaining popularity in the region, luxury beanbag sofas are becoming a staple for both households and businesses. Ambient Lounge ME’s Regional Partner, Shoogh Ghazi AlMalood and Director Nouf AlMaloodsheds light on Ambient Lounge ME and the Lounge Culture.

A Chat With ‘Catalyst For Change & Motivation for Success’ Entrepreneurs Contest Winners ‘Revive’.

Vettel Wins Bahrain GP Three-time world champion Sebastian Vettel won the Bahrain Grand Prix, easily beating Lotus drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.

Focusing on A Healthy Living Some of the region’s finest hospitality service providers and the best in the food industry are taking part in the fifth edition of the annual Food and Hospitality Expo that took place at the Bahain International Exhibition Center.

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Trendy Evolution

Divalicious Indeed! Noor Al Saraifi set up a small beauty salon in Zinj in 2004, with just two employees and a few services. Today it has grown to have 10 employees and a strong clientele base. We talk to the owner of Diva Salon, Noor Al Saraifi about the transformation.

Winning the Challenge

Building Your Brand Here are some tips on developing brand ‘you’.

BIG Autos The Top Ten Women’s Executive Cars.

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Hotel Outlet Guide Your guide to the Kingdom’s hotel outlets for dining, shopping, nightlife and spa.

It’s a Women’s World! Let’s face it, women today are everywhere, doing everything! There is nothing literally that a woman can’t do, and we realized that even more while compiling this issue of our magazine. It came as a bit of surprise to us when we went through the list of the Kingdom”s most influential ladies as it seemed that the numbers have swelled-up since our review last year. Frankly compiling this issue has been a very inspiring honor for me as I grew to realize the sheer determination and hard work these stalwarts have achieved in spheres of activities that were once deemed impossible for women to work in. To take it a step further we also took a look at women from the region who have created an international buzz. It is true, young women no longer need to look outside the region to find a role model. We have them all right here, from politicians, to bankers, from CEOs to entrepreneurs...the list goes on. Do reach out to us via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram if you have any comments or suggestions. Till next time, Happy Reading! Dilraz Kunnummal

Deputy Editor dilraz@maxmediaco.com

Contributors

MAXMEDIA PUBLICATION

Business IN GULF

Bahrain’s premier entreprenurial lifestyle magazine PUBLISHER / EDITOR IN CHIEF Sameer Uchi MANAGING PARTNER / GROUP EDITOR Mohd. A. Kayani DEPUTY EDITOR Dilraz Kunnummal EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Jakrapong Saengnuan SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR Tarek Rashdan SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Christelle Yaacoub PRODUCTION MANAGER Sachan Chandran GRAPHIC DESIGNER Haroon Rasheed

Shama Kabani is the award winning CEO of The Marketing Zen Group, a full service online marketing and digital PR firm. She is also the author of the bestseller The Zen of Social Media Marketing, and an international speaker. Amy Morgan, the co-founder and Director of Strategy of Unisono, has built a solid reputation as a leader in the fields of strategic brand development and entrepreneurial thinking. Amy also plays a key role as a speaker and mentor at a number of related initiatives.

PHOTOGRAPHERS Mani T. Habeed H. DISTRIBUTION CONTROLLER Salah Abdulla Hassan

Please e-mail us any form of business, banking, financing, investments or entrepreneurial news. email us on: big@maxmediaco.com

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{ASK BIG} MISCONCEPTION ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP? Question by: Ashley YOU NEED TO BE NICHE

HOW OLD ARE YOU?

"Entrepreneurs always worry about finding an incredible differentiation point so they can outwit and outsmart their competitors all the time. The fact is, a niche does not guarantee success and it won't save your company from failure either. Businesses should be built if they will offer a valuable product or service at a reasonable price." Danny Wong | Co-Founder, Blank Label Group, Inc.

"Outside of Silicon Valley and a few other highly entrepreneurial areas, most people don't believe that it's possible to start a business at any age—whether it be an eBay selling business as a teen or a full blown startup during high school. With the Internet, anything is possible, no matter what age you are and no matter where you're located in the world." Ben Lang | Founder, EpicLaunch

YOU HAVE UNLIMITED CONFIDENCE "It's natural to doubt when it comes to promoting your business, new programs or yourself as an expert. Entrepreneurship is about getting out there and doing it anyway, even if the fear, worry and doubts outweigh your confidence." Kelly Azevedo | Founder, She’s Got Systems

YOU’RE SEXY, RICH AND TAKING OVER THE WORLD

DEBT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY

"Entrepreneurship is not always sexy, entrepreneurs aren't instantly rich and they aren't always in it to take over the world. Sometimes they go from meeting with a client to cleaning the bathroom because it's ALL their responsibility. Sometimes they don't take paychecks for years and sometimes, they don't want to change the whole world—just improve their industry or make their mark." Therese Kuster | Owner, TargetClick Marketing Solutions

"I'm tired of seeing entrepreneurs preach that you're not passionate about your idea unless you're willing to give up everything for it. Plenty of people start successful business without ever going into debt. We've always run our business as a blend between consulting and software. The consulting made us profitable from day one, which has given us the resources and time to build out the software." Allie Siarto | Partner, Director of Analytics, Loudpixel

YOU MAKE YOUR OWN HOURS

YOU’RE AN OVERNIGHT SUCCESS!

"I've lost count of the number of times people have told me how great it must be for me because, as the owner, I get to make my own hours. What they don't realize is that since it's your business, it's incredibly difficult to ever turn it off—something I'm personally trying to work on. You are thinking about a thousand different things and are therefore always working." Justin Beegel | Founder, Infographic World, Inc.

"A debilitating mindset I see is that overnight success is possible. These young entrepreneurs are inspired to start their own business by witnessing individuals that are currently successful. They study the success story instead of the origin of that success story, which often includes massive struggle prior to the breakthrough. Truth is, it takes ten years to become an overnight success." Josh Shipp | TV Host & Bestselling Author, JoshShipp.com

YOU CAN STILL SEPARATE PERSONAL FROM PROFESSIONAL "When you become an entrepreneur, your business and success become an obsession. You can't just turn off your brain when you come home from work, an idea that requires quick action can happen at any time (while sleeping, in the shower). There is no wall separating your personal life and work. But don't worry, it's still fun!" Eric Bahn | Founder, Beat The GMAT

YOU’RE BORN WITH IT! "Many people believe that you are a born entrepreneur, which is true for many people, but that does not discount those who were not born with the business skills or desires. Great entrepreneurs are made through nurture, not through nature. If you are passionate and have a great idea, you too can become an entrepreneur as long as you never quit and see your idea through to the end." Louis Lautman | Founder, Supreme Outsourcing

The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs.

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ZAIN LAUNCHES 4G LTE NETWORK IN BAHRAIN BAHRAIN: Zain Bahrain, a leading telecom services operator in the Kingdom, in collaboration with Ericsson, has launched its high-speed 4G LTE network in the country. Zain Bahrain general manager Mohammed Zainalabedin told a Press conference that it has invested $100 million in infrastructure development, a part of which has gone into the roll-out of 4G LTE technology, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication. This latest enhancement of

the 4G LTE network will see it gradually being rolled out in order to ensure the highest quality of service at each stage of deployment. The technology enhancement will expand on Zain Bahrain’s 3.75G HSPA+ layer. The upgrade will also fully modernise Zain Bahrain’s existing infrastructure. “Zain will continue to invest in network enhancement,” he said. “What we want our customers to focus on is the improved user experience that 4G LTE facilitates.

Majaal holds BIW groundbreaking ceremony BAHRAIN: Majaal Warehouse Company today held a groundbreaking

ceremony at the construction site for the final phase of its initial $45 million development at the Bahrain Investment Wharf (BIW). The project, designed by Mohamed Salahuddin Consulting Engineering Bureau (MSCEB) and being built by Abdulaal Construction Services, is scheduled for completion by the first quarter of year 2014. The facility will serve as ASC’s new distribution centre, affirming Majaal’s position as the preferred provider of industrial facilities in the Kingdom, the statement said. The new building represents a quantitative shift for the company. Being significantly larger than the existing structures at Majaal, this facility will offer raised flooring and truck docking bays for easy on and off loading along with higher ceilings for increased storage capacity. The development will span a land area of 252,000 sq ft, providing a total leasable area of 145,000 sq ft when complete.

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COHEN INTERNATIONAL COMES TO BAHRAIN

BAHRAIN: The Cohen

International Group (TCIG), a leading global entrepreneurial organisation, announces today that it has launched operations in Bahrain. TCIG’s offices are now fully operational and the group has launched a number of new and innovative concepts and partnerships in Bahrain and the region as a whole. TCIG’s CEO Hyder Cohen and MD, Ali Cohen, will both be based and will operate out of Bahrain. Established in 1991 in the United Kingdom the group now operates four divisions boasting a team of thousands of employees and affiliates. Bahrain will act as a MENA region hub for TCIG, with offices located in the Seef District.

Hyder Cohen, Chairman and CEO, The Cohen International Group, said: “Bahrain is an excellent base for our company setup. And after extensive research in the region we felt this was the place we wanted to be. In addition the support from the Bahrain Economic Development Board has been paramount and the ease of setup is truly magical. Our plans are intense and 2013 will see the TCIG operations at full throttle. Bahrain provides a range of support for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Tamkeen has set aside BD 10 million to support training at around 2,000 companies and Bahrain Development Bank’s support to SME’s in 2011 totalled around BD 258 million, supporting more than 8,000 projects and creating 25,000 job opportunities.

EDB Launches New Business Initiative At Bahrain Grand Prix BAHRAIN: At the 2013 Formula

OneTM Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, returning for its ninth year, the Economic Development Board (EDB) launcheda new initiative focused on engaging the business community in a series of vibrant business development and networking opportunities. Business in Formula 1™ is a brand new addition to Bahrain’s Paddock ClubTM and offers a high-performance networking hub in which guests can mix business opportunities with the unique experience of Formula 1™. It was the first time that the Formula One Paddock Club™ has been formally used as a strategic platform for proactive business development, in order to showcase the host nation and broaden the reach of the sport. Each day of the Grand Prix race weekend saw a tailored business function take place in the Bahrain International Circuit’s Paddock Club™ Lounge, with key note speeches from business leaders; Formula One specialists, including three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart; and inspirational speakers such as Richard Noble, former Land Speed Record holder and now principal of the new Bloodhound SSC team; a project that is aiming to break the 1000mph (1,600kph) barrier on land. A key focus was on demonstrating Bahrain’s unique positioning as the natural gateway to the GCC market, through panel discussions with key figures from the Kingdom’s public and private sectors.

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Bahrain Post launches Bahrain solar energy new mobile service project on track BAHRAIN: Bahrain Post

in cooperation with the e-Government Authority has launched a new mobile service for parcel tracking, as part of the Ministry of Transportation’s strategic plan aimed at increasing postal services to better serve the public. The new service, which is set to become the preferred choice for carrying out postal transactions, will serve in reaching a wider audience and be at par with the latest technologies for doing

business, a statement from Bahrain Post said. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, Minister of Transportation (MoT), said: “This service will enable users to track their shipments online from point of origin to final destination via the mobile application.” “Moreover, users will be able to access information on the various postal services and offerings including post office locations and working hours as well as calculate postage fees in multiple currencies.”

BAHRAIN: Bahrain Petroleum

Company (Bapco) said nearly 21,000 solar panels, covering an estimated 34,000 sq m, have been installed, marking a key step in the solar energy pilot project. Currently under implementation, the project will see five megawatts (MW) of electricity being generated through solar power. The project is a collaboration involving the National Oil and Gas Authority, Bapco, the Electricity and Water Authority and the University of Bahrain. A technical team has been assigned to manage and implement the project. A $25,000 engineering,

procurement and construction contract was awarded to US-firm Petra Solar. The contract entails engineering design, provision of all materials and equipment, as well as the construction and installation of solar energy system. The project demonstrates Bahrain’s commitment to solve the challenges of energy security, climate change, and economic development through global partnerships and collaboration. The kingdom is the first in the Gulf to implement a project of this kind, demonstrating a serious commitment to longterm solutions.

Hochtief Bahrain wins major FM certifications BAHRAIN: Hochtief Facility Management Bahrain Airport, a

Investcorp to sell Armacell BAHRAIN: Bahrain-based

private equity firm Investcorp has agreed a sale of its German insulation firm Armacell to Charterhouse Capital Partners for over 500 million euros ($655m. Charterhouse’s acquisition will be backed with debt financing provided by BNP Paribas and Credit Suisse. The leveraged loan financing could include senior or junior debt and total around five times Armacell’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization of about 70 million euros. The sale was started earlier this year in a process managed by Barclays, attracting a number of private equity firms including Charterhouse, HgCapital and Pamplona but the sale stalled after bids received were deemed too low. Investcorp considered alternatives to a sale including holding onto Armacell

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and lined up a dividend recapitalization, a process that adds debt to a company’s existing borrowings and enables a dividend to be taken from it. Four banks committed fully underwritten financing for this and it was a legitimate alternative, bankers said.

joint venture between Bahrain Airport Company and German construction group Hochtief, has been awarded three international integrated management system certifications. The certifications include BS EN ISO 9001: 2008 Quality Management Systems, ISO 14001: 2004 Environmental Management Systems and BS OHSAS 18001: 2007 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems.

Al Baraka Bank plans major Africa push

BAHRAIN: Bahrain-based Islamic lender Al Baraka Bank plans to expand its global footprint with a fxocus on Africa under a five-year plan that includes investments in Libya and Morocco, its chief executive told Reuters. The lender, which has operations in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, aims to nearly double group assets and income by 2017 and is considering the introduction of an Africa-specific brand to support this effort. The bank may spend as much as $100 million this year

in Libya, where it opened a representative office in 2011, to buy and convert a conventional bank to Islamic finance, and could ultimately build a network of 30 branches. In Morocco it will open a standalone operation with a $100 million capital investment within the year, broadening the group’s presence to 16 countries, he added.

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Bahrain Airport staff named Middle East’s Best GENEVA, SWITZERLAND:

Bahrain’s economy ‘to grow 4.5pc this year’

BAHRAIN: Bahrain’s economy is set to grow by 4.5 per cent this year and over 5 per cent next year, according to a leading private bank’s top economist. The main driver of GDP growth in the kingdom will be the oil sector, Standard Chartered Bank’s global head of macro research Marios Maratheftis was quoted as saying in a report. “The growth percentage reflects a revival of oil production after a dip last year due to technical disruptions at the Abu Sa’afa field and slower output onshore.

“It is also partly because of a low base effect,” Maratheftis said in at a media briefing yesterday. The briefing took place on the sidelines of a talk titled: “Transforming, Rebalancing, and Outperforming” held by the bank for its corporate clients. “Bahrain has access to international markets and another factor that works in favour of the country is that there is good appetite for its debt. In a low interest rate regime, the demand for Bahraini paper (government bonds), will be good.

New drive to back start-ups in Bahrain BAHRAIN: C A new initiative to support youth and start-up businesses in Bahrain has been launched, a report said, adding that it offer opportunities for showcasing new products. The non-profit scheme, called Entrelab, will provide young businessmen and women the chance to showcase and sell their innovative products in one of the country’s

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top shopping malls for at least two months, starting in June. It is being spearheaded by Tenmou-Bahraini Business Angels in co-operation with the US Embassy. The initiative also includes an intensive training programme for exhibitors that will focus on marketing skills, pricing tactics and business start-up courses.

THINK TANK Research institute (usually independently financed) staffed with interdisciplinary group of experts engaged in the study of policy issues in business and government. The term, first applied in 1940’s to the Randcorporation is now loosely applied to any group formed to solve aproblem or to study a particular topic.

Bahrain International Airport (BIA) staff members were voted as the Middle East’s Best Airport Staff at one of the industry’s most prestigious awards, the 2013 SKYTRAX World Airport Awards held at Passenger Terminal EXPO in Geneva, Switzerland. Designed to cxelebrate and reward excellence in airports world-wide, the award recognizes BIA as a worldclass airport in the Middle East committed to providing efficient, secure, safe and comfortable travel experiences within friendly surroundings. Chief Executive Officer

of Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), Mr. Mohamed Yousif Al- Binfalah, confirmed upon accepting the award that winning this prominent accolade is a testament to the professionalism of BAC’s staff and its partners in providing excellence in passenger services as we keep in line with the company’s mission to offer passengers with an exceptional travel experience BIA’s win reflects the Kingdom’s efforts to position BIA as a driver of economic development in aviation sector and linking the East and the West while serving as a gateway to the region’s key markets.

Bahrain playing key Islamic finance role BAHRAIN: Bahrain continues to

be the intellectual hub of Islamic finance powered by its deep-rooted institutions, a leading industry thought leader said. “With institutions like the Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institution (AAOIFI) and a regionally respected regulator like the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), the kingdom will continue to provide guidance to the industry as it grows,” AAOIFI board of trustees chairman Shaikh Ibrahim bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said. He was speaking on the sidelines of the Annual Sharia Conference 2013 organised by the AAOIFI under the patronage of the CBB. The event concluded yesterday after two-days of active deliberations at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa. “Although it is clear that for major players in the industry, Bahrain lacks size and scale, the kingdom has qualified manpower with indepth experience honed over many years,” Shaikh Ibrahim said.

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Expansion of Global Services Continues**

BAHRAIN: Batelco, Bahrain’s leading integrated communications provider is further demonstrating its position as a leader

in the Middle East’s telecommunications industry through the expansion of its global services across Europe. As part of the expansion, Batelco has installed a number of new POPs (Point of Presence) facilities, including the UK and France. The enhanced network will provision global solutions to connect Batelco’s customers to new opportunities by facilitating greater potential to expand effortlessly through their trusted global partner – Batelco. It will also serve to attract international players to connect through Batelco’s seamless and reliable network in the Middle East and Gulf region.

Bahrain F1 ‘boosts hotel, retail sectors’ BAHRAIN: The Gulf Air

Bahrain Grand Prix has brought with it full hotel bookings, increased restaurant traffic, and spike in business throughout the taxi, rental car and retail sectors, said a top official. “The platform that the race produces presents a fabulous shop window for Bahrain,” said Sportique88 managing director Martin Whitaker at the ‘Business in Formula 1’ event at the Paddock Club of the Bahrain International Circuit. He was taking part in discussions on the ‘Value of Formula One to the host nation’, which was also

attended by Transportation Minister Kamal Ahmed. Bahrain comes under the spotlight for more than 500 million television viewers today as the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix takes centre-stage. German Nico Rosberg will start in pole today after clocking a best time of one minute and 32.330 seconds in the final Q3 segment of the qualifying hour for Mercedes. Leadership ‘will not sit in bunker’. Meanwhile, Bahrain will not “isolate” itself from progress and reforms amidst its political crisis, said the country’s Crown Prince.

REPRESENTING BAHRAIN IN LONDON BAHRAIN: With great passion,

Mohammed Javed, one of the well known members of the Bahrain Road Runners, represented Bahrain at the London Marathon with the support of Crowne Plaza Bahrain on the 21st April, 2013 and successfully completed it with a time frame of 3hrs: 49mins: 5secs. “It was fantastic; the atmosphere and the electrifying energy we received from the crowd was

VIVA and Microsoft join hands to drive Innovation in Bahrain

BAHRAIN: VIVA, the Kingdom’s

most innovative telecom provider and Microsoft have announced the launch of a new application (app) designed exclusively for VIVA on Windows 8 user friendly interface. Both companies worked closely on the creation of an innovative app that allows VIVA’s customers to fully experience and enjoy remote access to VIVA’s portfolio of products and services, providing an enhanced customer experience. Andrew Hanna, VIVA CCO said, “Through our partnership with Microsoft we continue leading the path of innovation in Bahrain’s

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priceless. I would wholeheartedly like to thank Mr Daylami, CEO of Bahrain Tourism Company together with Crowne Plaza Bahrain for their continuous support, not forgetting Delta Electricals and BMI Bank for making this journey a success” says Javed who was enthralled by the whole experience. He remarkably raised GBP1750 which was his initial target aimed for his charity.

telecom market. VIVA Windows 8 app will enable our customers to perform multiple functions and choose plans or new devices best suited to their needs. It also offers them the option to browse through new promotions, select a number of their choice based on availability and pay their bills; all of these, with convenient access from anywhere and at any time. Microsoft’s world-leading operating system and platform’s capabilities allow us to continue strengthening our customer service and the experience we provide to our customers at all touch points.”

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STOLEN FABERGE EGG WORTH $1.3M FOUND AFTER 4 YEARS of gold, was recovered by French police near the Swiss border, according to AFP. The bejewelled egg was stolen during a burglary of a Geneva-based Kuwaiti importexport firm in 2009, the news

KUWAIT: A golden Faberge egg worth around $1.3m has been found after being stolen from its Kuwaiti owners four years, it has been reported. The jewel-encrusted egg, which contains more than 1kg

UK set to scrap UAE visa requirements UAE: The UK will scrap visa

requirements for UAE nationals by the end of the year, a senior British official told Forbes magazine’s Arabic edition. The visa-free entry is a key priority for the Arab country during UAE president Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed al Nahya’s visit this week. The estimated 1 million Britons who visit the UAE each year obtain a free visa on arrival, while UAE nationals must pay for a visa in advance.

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agency said. The egg was found on Thursday during a routine roadblock in a BMW driven by two Belarusian men, while a third was arrested later. They claimed they had found

the work of art lying on the ground, or had purchased it at a flea market. “They’re not talking much. We have the impression we’re dealing with a team tasked with transporting and negotiating the sale of the artwork,” an official was quoted as saying. The three men were charged with receiving stolen goods and possession of a weapon. They had previously been sought in France and Switzerland in connection with several burglaries. The report did not mention if or when the item would be returned to its Kuwaiti owners.

World’s richest man to invest in Saudi Arabia

SAUDI ARABIA: The world’s richest man, Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim Helu, is planning to invest in a petrochemical industrial project in Saudi Arabia, according to local Arabic daily Al Riyadh. Slim, who is estimated to be worth $49bn, is in Riyadh for the first time to scope out business opportunities in the emerging kingdom. The newspaper said Slim revealed he was entering partnerships with Saudi private investors to establish a petrochemical project at Jubail industrial area. He was attracted to Saudi Arabia following its success in developing a number of industrial cities across the kingdom in recent years and the country’s initiatives to attract foreign investment.

FIRST FEMALE LAWYER HIRED IN SAUDI ARABIA A major US legal practice has hired its first female lawyer in Saudi Arabia, following a recent ruling that has permitted local women to work in the profession for the first time. In a statement, Squire Sanders said it had appointed Dr Nadia Al-Anani as senior associate in its Riyadh office. Al-Anani, who qualified in Jordan, is a specialist in banking and regulatory issues, and will lead the firm’s newly-opened women’s lawyers section from the Saudi capital. Since 2010 Al-Anani has been teaching law at Prince Nora and Prince Sultan Universities, and joins Squire Sanders from Hani Qurashi law firm in association with Kilpatrick Townsend.

FORMER GOLDMAN SACHS EXECUTIVE TO LEAD GCC SME LENDER

No further details have been reported. The Mexican Ambassador to Saudi Arabia also is in the kingdom to help boost investment ties between the two nations as Mexico looks for opportunities overseas, Al Riyadh reported.

GDP (GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT) The value of a country’s overall output of goods and services (typically during one fiscal year) at market prices, excluding net income from abroad. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) can be estimated in three ways which, in theory, should yield identical figures. They are (1) Expenditure basis: how much money was spent, (2) Output basis: how many goods and services were sold, and (3) Income basis: how much income (profit) was earned.

Brandon Short, a former Goldman Sachs investment banking executive for MENA, will join with two former senior executives from Deutsche Bank to form World Business Partners UAE (“WBP”), a small business finance company based in Dubai. The other co-founders of WBP are Doug Naidus, former Managing Director and Global Head of the Residential Lending Division of Deutsche Bank, and former Chairman and CEO of MortgageIT, and Alex Gemici, former Managing Director and Head of MENA Residential Finance for Deutsche Bank. In order to expedite the launch of its program, WBP has secured a services agreement with World Business Lenders under which World Business Lenders will provide substantial operational support to WBP.

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INDIAN FOOD FEST AT SOFITEL BAHRAIN

BAHRAIN: Saraya Restaurant

at Sofitel Bahrain once again raised the bar of cultural and gastronomic experiences by treating guests to the rich and diversified Indian Food Festival. Guests celebrated tradition in style and indulged in the true flavour of India during the week-long festival featuring Indian chefs flying

in from Sofitel Bahrain’s sister hotel, Sofitel Mumbai to man the culinary stations that will ensure guests a true Indian gastronomic experience. Foodies could relish authentic traditional fare of ‘Lucknowi’and ‘Awadi’ cuisine from a designed buffet comprising of a wide range of lip smacking delights

Warren Buffett Joins Twitter

USA: Buffett, the chairman and chief executive of Berkshire HathaVway Inc. who once admitted he didn’t know how to check his voicemail, is being dragged into the social-media age by his friends at Fortune. He’s sitting down for an interview with the magazine at noon for a panel called “Warren Buffett on Women and Work…and other Wisdom.” The magazine is billing it as his first-ever interview to incorporate social media. And in preparation for the big day, Buffett’s assistant revealed the billionaire investor is setting up a Twitter account and will author his first tweet at some point.

prepared home style by Chef Bhajohari Mahto. The event was launched under the patrnage of the Indian ambassador Dr. Mohan Kumar and a number of distinguised guests. During the launch, guests were also treated to a unique presentation highlighting the culture of Lucknow.

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Well worry no more! The answer to your issues is a phone call away. Anne Mostafa,PsyD Clinical Psychologist Tel: +973 36317033, email: doctoranna@psychologistbahrain.com www.bahrainpsychologist.com MAY / JUNE 2013

BREAKDOWN OF NEWS AND NUMBERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

SNIPPETS Bahrain Grand Prix organizers say Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has discussed the possibility of a new five-year deal and hosting a night race next year.

32.8 MN

4.7BN

Visa cardholders spent $4.7 billion on their cards while visiting the UAE in 2012 according to data issued by Visa.

Nearly 32.8 million people are diagnosed with diabetes in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region while five of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top 10 countries with the highest prevalence of diabetes are from the GCC, according to a report.

BD 2.851Mn

Bahrain-based Gulf Hotels Group (GHG) has reported a net profit of BD2.851 million ($7.43 million) for the first three months of this year.

MAY / JUNE 2013

73,000 VISITORS

FIVE YEAR DEAL

The Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix attracted more than 73,000 visitors over the weekend, said a top official, adding that many visitors travelled to the country from across the world.

The International Mine Countermeasures Exercise (IMCMEX) 13 began with 41 nations taking part, reflecting concerns that the one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most important waterways, is vulnerable to mines, a report said.

children Die from gun violence every day. Along with 75 adult Americans. That means a person dies from gun violence every 17 minutes in America.

40 LASHES Qatar has sentenced an Asian Muslim to 40 lashes and fined $138 for being drunk.

MOTIVATING ENTREPRENEURS

Spark Global Business Holds Workshop

Spark Global Business organized one of its flagship workshops at the Movenpick Hotel. It was held in coordination with Tamkeen, under the patronage of the Minister of Labor of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

wo directors of Spark flew in from Europe to speak to over 100 people about entrepreneurship. Since the day focused on how to develop your own business idea, Neil Fogarty and Jamie Dunn talked about their own personal entrepreneur journeys, the types of organizations that they invest in and also some of the basic tools for successful entrepreneurs. A competition was organized to find the most feasible startup idea. The twenty teams that took part had to develop an idea for a business before spending the rest of the day developing their idea before carrying out their â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;elevator pitchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to the audience.

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MAY / JUNE 2013

VETTEL WINS BAHRAIN

GRAND PRIX Massive Turnout at 2013 Formula 1 Three-time world champion Sebastian Vettel won the Bahrain Grand Prix, easily beating Lotus drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.

ens of thousands of fans from around the region arrived at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), â&#x20AC;&#x153;the Home of Motorsport in the Middle East,â&#x20AC;?Sakhir track to watch their favorite teams battle for glory. The entertainment line up included a concert by musical star Neyo and a thrilling performance by DJ Calvin Harris.

MAY / JUNE 2013

FOCUSING ON A HEALTHY LIVING Food & Hospitality Expo Organized

Some of the region’s finest hospitality service providers and the best in the food industry took part in the fifth edition of the annual Food and Hospitality Expo that took place at the Bahain International Exhibition Center.

he three-day exhibition was opened by the Health Minister HE Sadiq Al Shehabi at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre. The event was held under the patronage of HRH Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and organized by the Bahrain Exhibition and Conventions Authority (BECA) with Tamkeen’s support. The Health and Wellness Expo was also organized at the same venue over the three days. It aimed to promote well-being and holistic lifestyle practices that will make a positive difference in one’s day-to-day living.

MAY / JUNE 2013

Made in Bahrain Week

Batelco Organizes Bazaar For Bahraini Entrepreneurs Made in Bahrain Week was organized by Batelco’s Youth Marketing Team at Al Aali Mall Boulevard (Walking Area Outdoors). The week long event, held to support talented youth, saw a number of young entrepreneurs participate and showcase their products.

his initiative is part of Batelco Youth Marketing Team’s efforts in providing opportunities to enhance the skills of Bahrain’s young generation. Many young talents have signed up to participate and display their unique work in areas such as artwork, handicraft, design, clothing, sweets, food and more. In addition, the event is hosting many additional activities for the entertainment of participants and visitors. Since the aim is to support talented young people, all activities and products in the event have been created or designed by young Bahrainis. This includes the design of the place itself, the event’s logo and all communication.

MAY / JUNE 2013

Women in Bahrain

Achieving Milestones Throughout History Women are major contributors to the development of Bahrain. Bahrain is a model of a socio-political system where women already had rights to own property and bank accounts, easing transition into business. We take a look at the history of how women’s rights developed in the country.

SIX WOMEN

FIRST IN THE GULF

Bahrain was the first in the Gulf region to both have women fully participate in national elections and to elect a female MP.

POLITICAL RIGHTS

In 2002, following the amendment of the constitution by His Majesty the King, women in Bahrain were the first in the Gulf to obtain their full political rights by voting and running for the municipal and parliamentary elections.

18 CANDIDATES ESIn November 2006, 18 female candidates contested Bahrain’s parliamentary elections. 34

MAY / JUNE 2013

WOMEN MPS In the September 2011 by-elections, three women were elected in to Parliament, making a total of four women in to the elected lower house of the National Assembly. 15MPs

There are currently 15 female MPs in the National Assembly.

PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS In October 2010, twelve female candidates contested Bahrain’s parliamentary elections. Fatima Salman won a seat in the Municipal Council, while Latifa Al Gaoud retained her seat in Parliament.

Following the 2002 parliamentary elections, six women were appointed to the upper chamber of parliament, the Shura Council.

WOMEN IN THE UPPER CHA MBER OF PARLIA MENT In 2010, HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa appointed Nancy Khadhori, a Jewish woman, and Hala Ramzi, a Christian woman, to the nation’s 40-member upper chamber of parliament.

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AWARD

In 2004, Royal Decree number five was issued establishing Princess Sabeeka’s award for women’s empowerment.

FIRST BAHRAINI WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

In October 2010 the Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Women announced the launch of the First Bahraini Women’s Conference, organized in cooperation with the EDB.

35%

Women represent 35% of the labor force of Bahrain. Women represent 37% of the labor force in the financial sector.

OLYMPICS

In 2004, Al-Gassra became the first female runner in Bahrain’s history to compete at the Summer Olympics in Athens. When she competed, Al-Gassra became the first woman to ever to wear a hijab during a race. At the age of 14, Sameera Al Bitar became of the first Muslim women to represent an Arab country in the Athens Olympics.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY Today 10% of the lower house of the National Assembly is female; and 11 female members of the Upper House, making a total 15 female members of the National Assembly.

2001 In August 2001, the Supreme Council for Women (SCW) was established to promote the status of women. It is the official body in charge of women’s affairs and responsible for suggesting policies and developing women’s contributions to society.

15%

Businesswomen represent 15% of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry membership.

1928

Bahrain was the first country in the Gulf to star t education for females - the first official school for girls opened in 1928, with free education.

UN COMMITTEE OF HUMAN RIGHTS:

In December 2012, Bahrain’s nominee Amal Salman Al Dossary won a seat on the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child for the term 2013-17 during an election at the United Nations headquar ters in New York.

72% Women represent 72% of students in Bahrain.

MAY / JUNE 2013

Most Influencial WOMEN IN THE KINGDOM

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MAY / JUNE 2013

GOVERNMENT

HE Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Culture

Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa Wife of HM King Hamad & Supreme Council for Women chairperson HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty King Hamad and Supreme Council for Women Chairperson has been a pioneer in empowering women’s rights in the Kingdom. She is an inspirational role model for every young woman in the country. She has encouraged the expansion of women’s political rights in Bahrain, encouraging women to emancipate from the start of the country’s first election in 2001. In June 2005, she hosted the First Ladies of the Arab World in Bahrain for the second meeting of the Higher Council of Arab Women’s Organization. HRH the Princess has stressed the importance of promoting Arab women as key partners in development amid global changes, on numerous occasions. She has urged all concerned parties to join efforts for women to be integrated in development processes around the Arab world.

In 2008, Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa from the Kingdom of Bahrain was appointed as the first Minister of Information and Culture in a GCC country, and since then her relentless pursuit to excellence has put Bahrain on the world map, when it comes to cultural events, activities and achievements. It was also under her leadership that Manama became the Capital of Arab Culture 2012 & 2013. She founded the Shaikh Ebrahim bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Center for Culture and Research in 2002. The center is named after her grandfather, who was a central cultural personality in Bahrain in the early 20th century. Prieviously, she also acted as the Assistant Undersecretary for Culture and National Heritage in Bahrain’s Ministry of Information from 2002 to 2008. In 2005, Forbes Magazine included her in its list of the “Most Powerful Women in the Arab World.” As Minister of Culture, she has strived to develop and preserve the culture, tradition and heritage of the nation. She stated that her motivation is derived from her desire to promote awareness about Bahrain’s heritage. “Bahrain has a particularly rich and unique history, with an archaeological heritage going back 6,000 years,” she said. “It is our duty to protect it and to make it accessible to the public.” ‘Investing In Culture’ was one of her pet projects and it allowed her to build a partnership between the nation’s cultural sector and the banking and financial institutions. In 2007, she opened the first International Pearl convention acknowledging the historic and economic importance of the Gulf’s oldest trade. During her speech at the opening ceremony, she said, “This initiative marks the re-initiation of our native trade which is also very close to our cultural heritage.” This was a great moment of pride for the region, for it revived a historic and prosperous business that could greatly boost the economy. Sheikha Mai’s expertise and influence in cultural affairs developed through education and managing several cultural and art centers. She obtained her Master’s degree in Political History from Sheffield University in UK and managed the “house of poetry” and “house of press heritage.” She is also a published historian and author with several books on Bahrain’s history. Over the years, she has added a number of significant achievements to her portfolio including the National Theatre which has played host to legends like Placido Domingo and Yanni plus the highly successful Spring of Culture extravaganzas which has made Bahrain a highly recognizable name in the region. Additional events have included focuses on traditional business projects like the Bab Market which gives Bahraini entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their best. In recognition of her leadership in society and in female empowerment, Sheikha Mai has received a number of awards, including the Distinguished Arab Woman Prize in the field of Administrative Leadership awarded by the Center of Woman Studies, Paris. To this day, she continues to use her role and access to the public to influence national progress and growth.

MAY / JUNE 2013

HE DR. FATIMA AL-BALOOSHI MINISTER OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Dr. Fa ma Mohammed Al-Balooshi became the Minister of Social Development in 2005, making her the second female Cabinet Minister in the history of Bahrain. Her story is proof that there are no barriers if a woman has the talent, passion and commitment to achieve her goals. She truly believes that women and men have an equal foo ng in the professional arena in the Kingdom. Early in her life, she got the opportunity of a life me when she won a scholarship to study in Canada. A er receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Science from Concordia University in Montreal, she returned to Bahrain and worked as a high school teacher for a while. She then went on to Columbia University in New York and got a doctorate in educa on, focusing on instruc onal technology and media. Upon her return, she started working at the Ministry of Educa on, moving on to the University of Bahrain, where she eventually became the Dean of the College of Educa on before being appointed by HM the King to her current posi on as Minister of Social Development. Through her work, she has posi vely influenced the lifestyles of both Bahrainis and expatriates in the Kingdom. The Ministry, under her leadership, works on two pillars in terms of service: Social Service and Social Investment. They work for all ci zens, families as a whole, for parents, for children, for disabled and the elderly. They also register and work with social NGOs. She was made the Ac ng Minister of Health for a short period in late 2011 and the Ministry was rechristened Ministry of Human Aﬀairs and Social Development, giving Dr. Balooshi a wider por olio. In late 2012, with the appointment of a new minister for human rights, Dr. Balooshi reverted back to her earlier posi on as the Minister for Social Development. She is the recipient of numerous awards and commenda ons including the Excellence of Achievement Award, which was conferred by HH the late Amir, Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa in 1992.

MAY / JUNE 2013

HE Sameera Rajab Minister of State for Information Affairs

Sameera Ebrahim Abdulrasool Rajab is the latest addition to the list of women ministers in the Kingdom. In April 2012, HM the King appointed her as the country’s Minister of State for Information. She is a BSc graduate from the Beirut Arab University and also has accreditations in Communication Management, Translation and Accounting. She has more than 27 years of experience in the private and economic sector, starting from 1976 till 2002. She is also known to be a strong willed journalist and has worked for a number of publications including Akhbar Al Khaleej. Ms. Rajab has previously been a member of the Shura Council more than once and has also held the position of the Deputy Chairman of the Services Committee for the third session of the second legislative term. She is a member of the General Secretariat, Arab National Conference and of the Islamic National Conference. Her commitment towards improving the life of women in the Kingdom has been evident as she has been the founding member for societies such a the Bahrain Society for Family Planning and Care and the Center for Women Support in Bahrain: Tes’aa. She has had her work cut out for her when she assumed the position as the Minister of State for Information, and has been dispelling the untruths about what happened in Bahrain during the crisis. Presently, her endeavors are focused on working her team to ensure that the Bahrain Media is transparent, fair, and accessible to all.

HE Alice Samaan Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to The United Kingdom In 2005, Alice Samaan became the first woman to chair a parliament in the Middle East when she chaired Bahrain’s upper house of parliament, the Shura Council. She also became the first non-Muslim to act as speaker in Bahrain. In 2006, she chaired the

GOVERNMENT

HE Houda Nonoo

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States of America On July 3, 2008, Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo was appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States by His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa. She also created history as she was first Jewish person to be appointed ambassador of Bahrain. Prior to her appointment, she served on the Committee for Finance and Economic

meeting again for twenty minutes. “A woman chairing the session and for the second time is a clear example of the democracy we are witnessing here in Bahrain,” said Ms. Samaan. She joined the Shura Council in 2002 and after completing a successful term, she returned from 2006-2010. Samaan was appointed to be Bahrain’s ambassador to the United Kingdom in July 2011. In May 2012, she was also appointed the non-resident Ambassador to Ireland.

Affairs of the Shura Council. She was also one of the founding members of Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society (BHRWS) established in November 2004 and was elected as the General Secretary in September, 2005. In 2008 Ambassador Nonoo was officially welcomed as an honorary member of the Board of Directors of the U.S.-Bahrain Business Council

HE BIBI SAYED SHARAF AL-ALAWI WI AMBASSADOR OF THE KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN TO CHINA Bibi Sayed Sharaf Al-Alawi was appointed the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to China in 2007. In 1974, she was appointed the Third Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has also served as the ﬁrst secretary for the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations, New York. Over the years, she has been the Counsellor for a number of Directorates at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Bahrain,

including that of Arab Affairs, Bilateral Relations, Legal Affairs and International Affairs. She has also been a member of Bahrain’s delegation to several international and Arab meetings including Third Meeting of High Ofﬁcials of Arab and South American Countries, Eighteenth Meeting of the Arab Summit and many others.

MAY / JUNE 2013

GOVERNMENT

Dr. Bahiya Jawad Aljishi Second Deputy Chairman of the Shura Council

After gaining years of experience as a broadcaster and Producer with the B.B.C Arabic Service, Dr. Aljishi served as the Director of Children’s Department at the General Organization for Youth and Sports. In addition to being a member of the Shura Council, she has also served as an Advisor of the Prime Minister’s Court. She was appointed as the Chairperson of the Services Committee at the Shura Council. Her other achievements include being the founding Member of the Bahraini Society for Child Development, a former Board Member of Bahrain Radio and Television and coordinating the creation of the Gulf Development Forum.

Dalal Jasim Abdulla Al-Zayed Shura Council Member JAMEELA ALI SALMAN AHMED NASAIF SHURA COUNCIL MEMBER Ms. Nasaif began her Law career in 1994 and since then formed her own law oﬃce, under the name, ‘The A orney Oﬃce of Jameela Ali Salman and Legal Consulta ons’. Her other achievements include being a member in the Board of Trustees of the Bahrain Ins tute for Poli cal Development and a member of the Judiciary Reform Commi ee. She was the head of the Bahrain Bar Associa on 2007 – 2011 and is the First Woman President of the associa on at the level in the Arab world.

Owner of Al-Zayed Office for Legal Profession and Consultation, she is also a representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain at the Arab Woman’s Organization. Previously, she has also served as the Chairwoman of Woman and Child Affairs Committee at the Shura Council for the first session of the second legislative term. She is also a member of Bahrain BAR Society and the Arab Woman Lawyer Network.

MUNIRA ISA BIN HINDI

Rabab A.Nabi Salem Al-Orayed Shura Council Member Ms. AlOrayed runs her own Law Office and was appointed as a member of the Shura Council for the second legislative session in December 2006. Since then, she has been a part of several prominent committees such as the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee for the first session of the second legislative term, the Ad hoc Woman and Child Committee for the first session of the second legislative term, the Supreme Council for Women and the Consultative Commission for the Supreme Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.

MAY / JUNE 2013

SHURA COUNCIL MEMBER Munira Isa bin Hindi was put in charge of the Rehabilitative Services Unit – Ministry of Development. She is also the Head of the Bahraini Center for International Mobility, Director General of New Nurseries and Kindergartens for Disability and a Member of the Shura Council. Her other titles include being the Vice President of the Arab Organization for the Disabled and member of the Board of Trustees of the National Foundation for Disabled Services.

GOVERNMENT

Dr. Nada Abass Haffadh Shura Council Member Dr. Nada Abass Haffadh was a family physician since 1984 and later became a lecturer at Arabian Gulf University – medical college from 1988 to 2002. In 2000 she was appointed as a member of the Supreme Committee for the National Action Charter and the Chairwoman of the Committee on Women in Decision-Making Positions from 2001 to date. Notable mentions include her time as the Chairwoman of the Services Committee for one session in 2002 – 2004 and the Minister of Health from 2004 – 2007.

LULWA SALEH ABDULLA AL AWADHI SHURA COUNCIL MEMBER

Nancy Dinah Elly Khedouri Shura Council Member Nancy Dinah Elly Khedouri is not only the Managing Director of J.E. Khedouri & Sons but also an established author who has published a number of books about the role of Bahrain’s Jewish Community. Her most succesful book, ‘From Our Beginning To Present Day’ is a national best seller. Ms. Khedouri is the member of The Shura Council for The Third Legislative Term, since December 2010 and is also member of The Foreign Affairs, Defense & National Security Committee for The First & Second Session of The Third Legislative Term. She was elected unopposed as Deputy Chairwoman of The Foreign Affairs, Defense & National Security Committee. Her other endeavors include being the head of Administration at The Bahrain-Japan Business & Friendship Society (BJBFS) and as a member of The Bahrain Historical & Archaeological Society.

In 1972 she started her career as a policewoman, after which she became a legal researcher at the Ministry of State for Legal Affairs from 1973 to 1976. She was recorded as the first lawyer in the courts of the Kingdom of Bahrain in 1976 and even established the Office of Al-Awadi for law, legal consultation and arbitration. Her other achievements include holding the position of Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Woman at the rank of Minister rank.

MAY / JUNE 2013

GOVERNMENT

Hala Ramzi Fayiz Qurisa

Dr. Aysha Salem Saif Mubarak

Shura Council Member

Juggling several roles under her belt, Ms. Qurisa’s resume includes being an observer of consultation and contracts at BAPCO, the Director of Financial Risk Management of Gulf Air, the assistant Director-General of the General Organization of Sea Ports and the Director General of Planning and Administration - Customs Affairs, Ministry of Interior. In addition to her post at the Shura council, she was also honored by the late Amir Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa with an award for ‘Distinct People’.

Dr. Aysha Salem Saif Mubarak was the Director of Planning and Educational Projects, Ministry of Education and Head of Information Section on His Majesty’s e-learning project. She also is the Director of Woman and Child Information Centre and a member of the Shura Council during its second legislative session. She was also appointed as the Deputy Head of the Service Committee – Shura Council – for the first and second legislative sessions and a member of the Financial and Economical Affairs Committee. She is also associated with the Internet Society, Britain, the International Communications Society, USA and the International Federation for Information.

DR. JEHAD ABDULLAH MOHAMMED ALFADHEL SHURA COUNCIL MEMBER In 2003, she was working as a research and teaching assistant for the Department of Informa on, Tourism and Arts in the University of Bahrain. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the Assistant Professor and in 2011 was appointed the Execu ve Director of Execu ve Director of Public Rela ons department and Media at the University. In 2012 she became a member of the Shura Council Kingdom of Bahrain.

MAY / JUNE 2013

Latifa Gaood Member of Parliament Latif Gaood Latifa narrowly lost na in 2002, but overcame the bitter ov feeling and ran fe again in 2006. She became the first woman in the Arabian Gulf to be voted in a legislative body. She won after no competitor challenged her bid in the Southern Constituency. In 2010, winning was also easy for her in the absence of challengers. But, no other woman could carry her constituency. She graduated from the University of Nottingham in 1996. She also holds diplomas from Helwan University in Egypt as well as the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration in Virginia. She used to work for the Bahraini Ministry of Finance.

SAWSAN AL TAQAWI MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

In early September 2011, Sawsan Al Taqawi was declared winner after her opponents pulled out of the race. She was the ﬁrst Shiite woman to reach the lower chamber in Bahrain’s modern history. She has been the Head of Public Relations at the Bahrain General Organization for Youth and Sports.

GOVERNMENT

Dr. Somaya Abdulrahman Al â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jowder Member of Parliament

Ibtisam Hijris Member of Parliament Ibtisam Hijris and Somaya Al Jowder made history by becoming the first women to be voted in a parliament in the Gulf. The victory through the ballot box made the triumph more glorious. She was recently appointed Ambassador of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to promote the entrepreneurship culture across the world.

In 2011, Dr. Somaya Jowder was elected to the Parliament. She is also the head of the National AIDS Program, and is known as Bahrainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mother Teresa for her tireless work on behalf of people suffering from the disease. She has also served as the head of Naim Health Center. She is also the Founder of the Committee of Child Abuse and Neglect at Ministry of Health. Dr. Al Jowder has stated that she was eager to bring her expertise as a family doctor to parliament.

Fatima Salman

Municipal Council Member Fatima Salman became the first woman to be elected to a municipal council in not only Bahrain, but also in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in 2010. Ms. Salman first ran for municipal council of the Muharraq governorate in 2006. She has more than 35 years of volunteer work and experience serving the Bahraini people in her past. Her work, and the achievement in being elected to municipal council did not go unnoticed. She has noted that the first person to call and congratulate her following her win was Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa. HRH Princess Sabeeka told Ms. Salman her victory was a victory for every woman in Bahrain and the Gulf.

MAY / JUNE 2013

PIONEERS

Fawzia Rashid Writer

Ms. Rashid has been writing non-fiction since 1977. Her first novel, published in 1983 transported her into the big league. She has written a number of critical and political articles. She is a member of the Arab Writers Union, the Palestinian Writers Union and the Bahrain Writers Society. Her novels have been translated to English, German, Japanese and Danish. She has worked as a journalist for Akhbar Al Khaleej as well.

Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa President, UN General Assembly

On June 8, 2006, the United Nations General Assembly elected its 61st President since it was founded in 1945, Sheikha Haya Rashed Al Khalifa from the Kingdom of Bahrain. She was the third woman to be selected and the first Arab and first Muslim woman to be the President. Sheikha Haya had her own practice, the Haya Rashed Al Khalifa Law Firm, and served as a Vice Chairwoman of the International Bar Association from 1997-1999. From 1999-2004, she became Bahrainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first female ambassador as the Bahraini Ambassador to France. She was also its nonresident Ambassador to Belgium, Switzerland and Spain. In 2007 alone, she was awarded several prestigious honors for her hard work, including the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Special Award in 2007 and the Path to Peace Award in 2007.

MAY / JUNE 2013

MUNIRA FAKHRO BOARD MEMBER, BAHRAIN ACADEMIC SOCIETY A Bahraini academic, Dr. Munira Fakhro is Associate Professor at the University of Bahrain, having received her Doctorate in Social Policy, Planning and Administration from Columbia University where she has served as a visiting scholar since 1997. She has also conducted research on gender, citizenship and civil society in the Gulf States at the Centre for Middle East Studies, Harvard University. She has published works on Bahrain, including issues related to women, civil society and democratization. She is also currently a Board member of the Bahrain Academic Society and the Supreme Council for Women.

Shaikha Hessa Bint Khalifa Al Khalifa Founder, InJaz Bahrain Appointed by HM the King to be a permanent board member of the Supreme Council for Women, Sheikha Hessa founded INJAZ Bahrain in January 2005 and is currently the Executive Director. The mission of INJAZ Bahrain is to inspire and prepare young Bahrainis to succeed in a global economy. In April 2012, she was elected as Chairperson of the new board of Al Salam Bank.

MAY / JUNE 2013

PIONEERS

AMAL SALMAN AL DOSSARY

MONA ALMOAYYED

MEMBER, UN’S COMMITTEE ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

MD, Y.K. ALMOAYYED & SONS

In 2012, Bahrain’s nominee Amal Salman Al Dossary won a seat at the UN’s Committee on the Rights of the Child for the term 2012-2017 during the election held at the UN headquarters in New York. Ms Al Dossary underlined that her win is a victory to all Bahrainis, men and women, and a clear global vote of conﬁdence in the kingdom’s policies to protect human rights and dignity.

One of the most accomplished women in the Kingdom, Mona Al Moayyed is the Managing Director of the family trading business Y.K. Almoayyed & Sons. She was also the first woman to be elected to the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry. She formed the Business Women’s Commi ee to promote and encourage the female workforce in Bahrain. She has been the President of the Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society for three terms and is also ac vely involved in social, charity and community welfare ac vi es. She was the chairwoman of Migrant Workers Protec on Society for three terms from 2005-2011 and is a board member of the Bahrain Childcare Home. Ms. Almoayyed almost singlehandedly established a benchmark for commitment to social responsibility in Bahrain. She was ranked third in the Forbes Middle East list of the most influen al Arab women for 2012.

Mona Jassim Al-Kuwari First Female Judge After a distinguished career practicing law, Mona Jassim Al-Kuwari became the first female judge in Bahrain when His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa appointed her to the High Civil Court in 2006. Her appointment to the bench was especially significant in that it is believed she is the first female judge to be appointed in any Gulf Cooperation Council Country.

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Sawsan Al Sha’er

Journalist

Sawsan Al Sha’er is widely regarded as Bahrain’s most influential liberal intellectual. A journalist and author, she is a columnist with Al Watan newspaper. She has also worked with Al Ayam Newspaper and with Bahrain Television. Ms Al Sha’er is well known for her liberal opinions and has been an outspoken critic of religious ‘extremism’. During the crisis Bahrain faced, she has been continuously strived to shed light on the situation in the country.

EXECUTIVES

Amal Almoayyed Executive Director, Ashrafs Amal AlMoayyed is truly an inspiring woman. In 1978, she opened up her first boutique in Adliya called Vogue and went on to open up several others after its initial success. She then took the top position at Ashrafs, one of Bahrain’s oldest and most prestigious retailers and distributors. Ashrafs became a fully owned subsidiary of Y.K. Almoayyed in 1994 wherein she became a member of the board of directors. She not only changed the look and feel of the store, but also carved a dynamic position for Ashrafs, a purveyor of diversified merchandise from brand leaders such as Sony, Kodak to signature names in cosmetics, fragrances and home ware. She is also the Chairperson of the Specific Council for Training in Retail. By being actively involved in operations and employing a strong policy framework, Ms. Almoayyed has come a long way to becoming Bahrain’s premier retail queen.

AFNAN AL ZAYANI PRESIDENT, AL ZAYANI COMMERCIAL SERVICES

Afnan Al Zayani is the President of Al Zayani Commercial Services as well as the Partner and Director of Martinizing Laundry. She is the epitome of a quintessential multitasker as her extensive resume proves. In 1992, she received Bahrain’s “National Achievement Award”. She is also a board member of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chairman of the Committee Follow up and Co-ordination in Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society, and President of MENA Businesswomen’s Network among a million more others. Forbes Magazine selected her as one of the Top 50 Women in the Middle East in 2011. One of her cookbooks has been labeled as the Best Arabic Cookbook for 2009 by the Gourmand World Cook Book Awards.

DONYA ALWAZZAN CEO, AHMED ALWAZZAN JEWELLERY One of the pioneer business women in the Kingdom, Donya Al Wazzan is known to be one of the first Bahraini female entrepreneurs in the jewelry business with Ahmed Alwazzan Jewellery, which is a part of the Ahmed Alwazzan Group of Companies. Under her able leadership, the brand has managed to carve a niche for itself and its clientele not limited to only Bahrain. The showrooms are located in Bahrain Commercial Complex at Sheraton Hotel and in Seef Mall.

Sabah Khalil Almoayyed General Manager, Eskan Bank

Sabah Khalil Almoayyed is a well-respected leader among the region’s banking community with over three decades of experience behind her. She has been a top executive since 2004 when she was appointed as the acting CEO of Ahli United Bank making her the first woman in the Gulf to hold such a senior banking position. Presently as General Manager at Eskan Bank, she has presided over a recent 54 percent rise in profits during a turbulent 2010, demonstrating her leadership abilities in a sector that has been hit hard by the global financial crisis. Ms. Almoayyed has also served as a leading figure at the Bahrain Bankers’ Society and the Supreme Council of Women, Bahrain. She was ranked 32 on the Arabian Businesses List of 100 Most Powerful Arab Women.

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EXECUTIVES

Feryal Nass

Chairwoman, Ma Maison The chairwoman of Ma Maison Interiors, Feryal Nass has successfully blended her passion for interiors with her excellent business acumen. She is also the general manager of Artland Interior. Established in 1978, Artland Interior is a division of The Nass Group that has grown and diversified to become one of Bahrain’s major Interior Designers, turnkey project, joinery and carpentry works. Ma Maison Interiors is Bahrain’s unique retail high end, branded furniture showroom and full-service interior design firm. She is a member of Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society and is also a member of Bahrain International Garden Show as well as the National Initiative for Agricultural Development Agricultural Development.

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EXECUTIVES

DEENA EBRAHIM AL-ANSARI

ZEENAT ABDUL HUSSAIN DAWANI

MANAGING DIRECTOR, AL ANSARI LIGHTS

MANAGING DIRECTOR, DEEKO BAHRAIN W.L.L.

Deena Al Ansari is the Managing Director of Al Ansari Lights, which specializes in the trade of light fi ngs and light accessories. She also co-founded The Mobile Spa, Bahrain’s first mobile spa concept that oﬀers to deliver the highest level of exper se and beauty and well-being services right to their customer’s door. She also established The Beauty Company, a specialized beauty products wholesale and distribu on company that caters to clients in Bahrain and throughout the GCC. Deena holds a 9-year experience in merchant banking and treasury roles for a number of financial ins tu ons including Gulf Interna onal Bank, Mashreqbank and Akhabeer.

A dynamic, highly self-motivated individual, Zeenat Dawani manages Deeko Bahrain WLL. Although her education background deals with banking, she found her forte in the commercial business. Deeko Bahrain produces aluminum foil containers, plastic trays, portion and drinking cups and various foils, clings and baking parchment products under the brand, Dana, which is distributed in the Kingdom, the GCC, the Levant Africa and certain countries of Europe. For 25 years, the organization’s progress have marked the growth of the local industry and is now under the umbrella of and Dawani Group Holding B.S.C. Ms. Dawani is not only a member of Entrepreneur’s Organization but also of YPO and Bizladies, proving her active participation in networking in the corporate world.

Hala Sulaiman, Marketing Communications Manager, Tamkeen Ms. Sulaiman has over 19 years of holistic media experience including journalism, broadcasting, production and translation covering political, economic and social affairs. She is a Board Member of the International Advertising Association (IAA – Bahrain Chapter) - Current, a Former Board Member of the Bahrain Public Relations Association, the Founding Member of Social Media Club - Bahrain and Middle East Chapter, a member of the Society for Cerebral Palsy Children and an active volunteer with inJAz Bahrain, where she has received award for being the Top Performer. She is also involved in several fund raising activities for Children with Special Needs. Her achievement at Tamkeen has been the development of a strong brand and personality for her organization in a record time and she has been able to develop an understanding and appreciation that it is a reliable and trustworthy governmental entity. She was as also awarded the Labour’s Day Award for distinguished employees, which was held under the patronage of HM King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.

AHLAM JANAHI MANAGING PARTNER, 4W GROUP Ahlam Janahi is the owner of a number of businesses including Bahrain Horizons, an events management and PR communica ons company, My Bakery . She is also the owner and Managing Partner of 4W Group. A board member since 2000, she is currently the President of Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society. Ms. Janahi is also the founder of Inner Wheel Club Bahrain. One of the first two ladies in Bahrain to be elected as member of the Elec on Commi ee, she is also a prominent member of the Old Souq Commi ee and Exhibi on Commi ee of Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

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EXECUTIVES

Ghada Al Qassab Consumer Affairs and Media Director, TRA Ms. Al Qassab has been heading the Consumer Affairs and Media division of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority since 2011. Prior to that she has also worked with BDO International, Zain and Batelco.

Noora Feleyfel Managing Partner, OSAN Trading Noora Feleyfel wears multiple hats. She is the Managing Partner for OSAN Trading since 2001, a member of the National Committee to Combat Trafficking in Persons at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a Board Member of Dar Al Aman - Bahrain Government Shelter for Abused Women and Children and she even owns firms like SA Investments and Shift Marketing Company. She has played key roles at the Migrant Workers Protection Society including being its Head of the Action Committee in 2010 and its Vice Chairperson since 2011.

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Suhaila Al Nowakhda General Manager - HR Bahrain, Batelco Suhaila Al Nowakhda, who joined Batelco in 1992 as a Management Services Analyst, completed a BSC from U.O.B while holding down her full time job. In 1998, she was transferred to the Remuneration & BeneďŹ ts Department where she built up a wide experience in HR policies and procedures before completing a Postgraduate Diploma from ShefďŹ eld Hallam University, UK, in 2005.

Since 2005, Ms. Al Nowakhda has held a number of senior roles in the HR Department including Senior Manager HR Bahrain with the responsibility for Recruitment & Manpower, HR Operations & Systems, HR Policies & Reviews, Industrial Relations, and Buildings Projects & Support. In her role as GM of Human Resources Bahrain, she has full responsibility for all HR issues for the Bahrain Operation.

EXECUTIVES

DINA KASRAWI

Suzan Awwad

MD, MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PINEBRIDGE INVESTMENTS

Chief Financial Officer Orbit Holding Company

With years of experience handling the finances of Orbit Holding Company, Suzan Awwad was promoted to the post of Chief Financial Officer of the firm in late 2010. She has also been the Head of Internal Audit and Senior Business Analyst at EDGO Management Group and has also worked as a senior auditor for Deloitte.

Suhair Bokhamas Partner, Bokhamas Group Since 2000, Suhair Bokhamas has been a partner for the Bokhamas Group, which is one of the oldest trading company’s based in the Kingdom with diversiﬁed business interests including International Trading in commodities and Hospitality business such as Travel, Tourism, Event Management among many others. She is also a partner in Awtad for Project Investment and the Managing Partner of Ocean Travel and Tourism Company.

SHATHA ABDULLA MAHDI ALDURAZI HEAD OF CUSTOMER RESPONSE CELL, AJM KOOHEJI

Statha Al Durazi has been heading the Customer Response Cell since August 2006. Her prior experience includes companies such as Panasonic, Awal Plastic and Al Soroor Store. One of the key lessons he learnt at AJM Kooheji was time management. Her favorite quote is “Don’t delay today’s work until tomorrow” because there isn’t time to wait till the next day”.

In late 2012, Dina Kasrawi was appointed as the Managing director for Marke ng and Communica ons at PineBridge Investments. She held senior posi ons at Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, Abu Dhabi General Secretariat for the Execu ve Council and the Bahrain Economic Development Board. Prior to this, she worked as a communica ons consultant to the World Bank on economic development issues in the Middle East. She holds an M.B.A. in Finance from Columbia Business School, New York; an M.A. in Public Communica ons from American University in

Washington, D.C. and a B.A. in Literature and Linguis cs from Kuwait University.

Khulood Al Qattan General Manager, Prime Advisory With 22 years of banking experience, mainly in the investment field, Khulood Al Qattan started her career as a trader in US and Europe equities. At the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, she worked her way to become the Head of the Investment Department. After widening her experience with Addax Investment Bank, Abu Dhabi Investment House and Evolvence Capital, she is now the general manager of Prime Advisory and a board member of Sico Financial Services Company. She is also the secretary general of Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society.

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EXECUTIVES

Khawla Allan Information Technology Director, Zain Bahrain

Since Khawla Allan joined Zain Bahrain in 2003 as a member of the IT department, she has extended her contribution when she became a member of Zain’s launch management board that lead IT initiatives to enable the successful launch of IT applications and infrastructure platforms as part of Zain Bahrain’s company launch. Ms. Allan has extensive experience in multi-national environments and has worked in various telecommunications in the Middle East. She also led successfully a major exchange program between Zain Bahrain and Zain Sudan, with the aim to improve efﬁciency and ensure knowledge transfer between Sudan and Bahrain teams. She was ranked 19th by CommsMEA magazine in their listing of top 50 executives women in Telecom in ME and Africa.

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HALA FAROUK ALMOAYYED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ALMOAYYED CONTRACTING

Ms. Almoayyed is the Executive Director of Al Moayyed Contracting. She has continuously stressed on the need for companies to be socially committed and to work hand in hand for the development of the nation. She has also put on record her appreciation of the government and Ministry of Industry and Commerce for all efforts in order to support and consolidate national economy foundation by continues encouragement and large facilities provided to the private sector.

Nadia Hussain General Manager - Government Relations, Batelco

Nadia Hussain, who joined Batelco in April 2008, has held the roles of General Manager Corporate Affairs followed by Group Business Planning & Strategy, before taking over the role of Group General Manager Government Relations, in June 2010. In her Government Relations role, she takes on the challenge of liaising with different Government entities with regard to Telecommunications policies as well as forwarding Batelco’s views and initiatives in supporting the Telecommunications Sector. Prior to joining Batelco, Ms. Hussain had gained experience in a number of fields including Finance, Banking, Aviation and Telecoms Regulation. She held senior executive positions including being the first lady branch manager in the banking sector of the Kingdom, CFO of Sabre International and Board Secretary of the Telecoms Regulator in Bahrain in addition to her role as Director of Finance & HR. She is a BECOM graduate from Hilwan University in Cairo. Her academic qualifications include courses in finance, business strategies and planning as well as legal.

EXECUTIVES

Muna Al Hashimi, General Manager Consumer Division, Batelco Muna Al Hashemi has risen through the ranks at Batelco, having joined the Company in 1994. With a Masters degree in Telecommunications and a BSc in Electronic Engineering, she began her career in the Engineering Department and gained invaluable experience as she progressed through a number of divisions, including Customer Services, Accounts, Product Marketing, Product Development and Customer Marketing. The depth of knowledge of various functional units and processes that Ms. Hashmi has gained in her diverse roles has prepared her well for her current challenging task of heading up the busy Consumer Division.

AMIRA HAJI MD & PARTNER, AB COMMUNICATIONS

Amira Haji has had over eight years experience in the Corporate communica ons Field. She is the Managing Director & Partner of AB Communica ons (Bahrain & Saudi Investment). AB Coms is a Corporate Event Management & Lifestyle Publicity Company was formed in 2011 in Manama Bahrain with branch in KSA.

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EXECUTIVES

Ameena Ali Mohammed Manager for Executive Offices, AJM Kooheji

LAYLA JANAHI DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY VIVA BAHRAIN

Layla Janahi has over 25 years of professional experience working in the private sector in the ﬁelds of Administration and Human Resources Management. Currently, she holds the position of Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at VIVA Bahrain, where she is responsible for developing the overall CSR strategy for the company and

managing its successful implementation through sustainable community initiatives and engagement programmes. Ms. Janahi’s role in VIVA was instrumental in securing the company the Golden Order of Merit in the ﬁeld of social responsibility in the Arab world for 2013 which was awarded recently by the Arab Organization for Social Responsibility in conjunction with the Tatweej Academy for Excellence Awards in the Arab Region.

Ameena Ali Mohammed has been with AJM Kooheji since 1981 and she is currently the manager for Executive Offices. One of her biggest achievements, in her opinion, is the strong family like bond she has built with her colleagues. She believes that honesty and time management are the key to having a great career.

Sana Amin

Director, Amin Law Firm

Sana Amin is among the distinguished set of lawyers in the Kingdom. She has been part of the legal industry for almost 15 years. She has worked in key positions at companies such as Naseej, Batelco and ASRY. At some of the companies, she singlehandedly strived to create a strong legal division. This gave her hands on training and enabled her to launch her own firm Amin Law Firm in 2010.

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EXECUTIVES

INFLUENTIAL EXPAT EXECUTIVES Although B.I.G has primarily concentrated on highlighting Influential Bahraini Women, these women deserve a mention as they are forces to reckon with in their respective fields.

Bernadette Baynie

Mona Ibrahim

Bernadette Baynie is a senior executive with Batelco Group and has been its chief lawyer since 2008. She has the leading responsibility for all legal and regulatory matters across Batelco’s operating companies in the Middle East and India. Ms. Baynie has a comprehensive in-house corporate counsel expertise, in a wide range of areas of law that impact upon the end-to-end operations of large companies. She was appointed the Vice Chairman of the Policy Board of SAMENA Telecommunications Counsel in 2012.

Mona Ibrahim has extensive experience in the Hospitality industry and was previously associated with the Crowne Plaza Resort Salalah as the Director of Sales. She has also worked in the same post at different properties including Corinthia Hotel in Sudan and Intercontinental Hotel in Doha. She started out as a guest Relations Manager in 1997 at Le Royal Meridien Hotel in Bahrain and worked her way up the corporate ladder, through her impeccable work ethic and dogged determination.

Group General Counsel, Batelco

Director of Sales and Marketing Crowne Plaza Bahrain

Claudia Hardt

Mayla Zabala

Claudia Hardt has more than 23 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She is a certified PR-Consultant by the German Academy of Public Relations in Frankfurt. She started her career with The Ritz-Carlton in 1999. In 2008, she was recognized as “Marketing/PR Person of the Year” by Hotelier Middle East.

Mayla Zabala has almost 15 years of experience handling finances in the Hospitality Industry. Prior to arriving in Bahrain to take up the current role, she was with Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz in Malta. As the Financial Controller, she holds the number three position among the management of the Hotel.

Shahnaz Pakravan

Covi Larxe-Rey

Shahnaz Pakravan began her career with Signature Clubs International (SCI) in 2009 as Assistant General Manager, Capital Club Dubai. Prior to joining SCI, she managed a 200-year old Scottish Highlands hotel. Ms. Pakravan originally joined Capital Club Bahrain from her base in Dubai as interim Club Manager to oversee operations. She is also the author of Those Were the Days - Dubai Journals, a book featuring first-hand commentary on the social and business development of the country in the last three decades.

Covi Larxe-Rey recently took charge as the Director of Sales and Marketing at Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea and Spa. She is a graduate of Business Administration Major in Hotel & Tourism Management, holding a diploma in Protocol & Etiquette Studies. She has worked at various international hotel chains including the Marriott, Ritz Carlton and Shangri-La where she gained 13 years’ experience working in Sales, Marketing & Event Management in different countries around the globe.

Director of PR & Communications, Ritz-Carlton Bahrain

General Manager, Capital Club

Financial Controller Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel

Director of Sales and Marketing Sofitel Bahrain

Sabreen Sabry

Vivian Lorenz

With over a decade of experience in the aviation industry, it comes as no surprise that Sabreen Sabry is the Country Manager in Bahrain for Oman Air. She took the top post in July 2009, a well-deserved promotion that came after she proved her mettle working with Oman Air at their headquarters since 2002.

Since 1997, she has worked in numerous Kempinski properties across the world including in Germany, Switzerland and China. She has been with the Kempiski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain since 2011. She plays a key role in maximizing the exposure for the hotel in the international market.

Country Manager – Bahrain, Oman Air

Director of International Sales Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel

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ENTREPRENEURS

Alia Almoayed Alia Almoayed Among the most well known nutritionists in Bahrain, Alia Almoayed has been running a consultancy business offering nutrition advice to the Middle East community since 2005. She has also authored ‘I Want Healthy Kids’, a book on how to raise healthy children, ‘The Dream Body Eating Plan’, a weight loss guide, and ‘I Want a Healthy Pregnancy’, a book on how to enjoy natural pregnancy and childbirth. The success of her venture has been inspirational as she started as the accountant, secretary, and marketing manager to run her business. She is also an avid social media user, reaching her audience through blogs, radio shows as well as her Twitter and Facebook account, bringing a wealth of health tips to the people of Bahrain.

Amina Al Abbasi Amina Gallery

A Banking and Finance graduate, Amina Al Abbasi balanced between her day job at a bank and her passion for art and launched Amina Gallery. Recently, she decided that her heart was with her art and started working at it full time. Her secret is Modern Art with a traditional Touch. Her artwork has been displayed at numerous exhibitions across the region including Bahrain, Qatar and Dubai. Her innovative idea of having mobile covers, cushions and other items embossed with her art gave her a lot of exposure in the field. 56

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ENTREPRENEURS

MANAL AL ZAYANI

WAFA OBAIDAT

AL RIFAI ROASTERY

OBAI & HILL AGENCY

Manal started the franchise of the renowned brand Al Rifai Roastery in Bahrain almost a decade ago. Under her leadership, the company has grown from a single store to having three branches in key localities like Zinj, Saar and the Bahrain Duty Free. Plans are underway to open another outlet in Riffa later this year.

In 2010 Wafa founded agency Obai & Hill, a design agency with headquarters in London and a sister oﬃce in the Kingdom of Bahrain. She started Obai and Hill to link a network of emerging crea ve’s with industry professionals in the UK and Bahrain. With over 36 interna onal accounts under her belt Wafa aims to provide awardwinning design and consultancy to all her clients. She began her career working with renowned fashion designer Liza Bruce and her husband, interior designer and ar st, Nicholas Bruce. Wafa’s past work experiences include assis ng Marko Matysik Editor of Big/Show Magazine, one of the editors at Vogue Nippon, working with On/Oﬀ, and having her work published with Prim and Borderline magazine She is now a columnist for Khaleejesque in Kuwait where she discusses her experiences in business, fashion, design, and the arts. She has also launched Sketchbook Magazine.

Mai Al Moayyed The Make Up Manual Mai al Moayyed set up the Make Up Manual, a blog that is all about makeup, as a hobby. But her passion for makeup and to teach the art compelled her to organize classes and workshops. The response she received was phenomenal. It convinced her that this was her future. She quit her day job and now travels across the GCC providing basic, intermediate and advanced courses in make up.

Reem Al Khalifa Green Bar

Green Bar was founded in 2006 by Reem al Khalifa. She created the brand to reflect her impression of a modern representation of the Middle East. Her background is in art history and graphic design, but her love for plants led her to be a certified natural perfumer using only natural scents. Her interest in the connection between the mind, body and soul, eastern chakra knowledge, and over 10 years of practicing yoga, brings Green Bar users and devotees a well being experience, and an opportunity to experience her personal dream of the Middle East.

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ENTREPRENEURS

Nada Al Alawi OSHO Nada is the Co-Founder and General Manager of OSHO, the Middle East’s largest company dedicated to Occupational Safety and Health. The company services many organizations in the fields of construction, healthcare, Oil & Gas, IT, logistics, transportation and heavy industry amongst others. Prior to founding OSHO, Nada worked in the Oil and Gas industry in Houston, Texas where she was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Tri-Max Industries. Currently, she heads the Executive Committee of the Bahrain Borse’s board (Bahrain Stock Exchange). Nada has been also selected to a leadership role within the Task Force of the Bahrain National Qualification’s Framework for Education and Vocational Training. Nada has been named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) and “Best Entrepreneur of the Year” by “Your Business Magazine”. On “Women’s Day 2010” – which fell on 8 March 2010 – Ms. Alawi was honored by the Ministry of Education in Bahrain for her accomplishments as a woman in business and for her contribution in working with youth.

LEENA AL OLAIMY 3BL ASSOCIATES Co-founder of Triple Bottom Line (3BL) Associates, Leena together with her brother Tariq spearheads the organization that provides advice to progressive business on how to achieve the best performance in terms of social equity, environmental sustainability and econ economic growth. 3BL is a pa part of the Gulf Marcom Group of companies that Gro started in 1974. It is sta Bahrain’s ﬁrst social B impact consultancy and im was established to drive w ssustainable development in the Middle East led by multistakeholders. The social entrepreneur looks at social rresponsibility purely from a business perspective. In her words, social responsibili responsibility can generate revenues and open up new mark markets.

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ENTREPRENEURS

Lulwa Daij Al-Khalifa

BAYAN KANOO AL RIWAQ ARTSPACE

Bright Developments Co. S.P.C

Bayan Kanoo set up Al Riwaq Art Space in 1998 to ini ate and organise, with local and interna onal partners, exhibi ons, discussions and workshops of contemporary art, music and literacy events as well as art courses aiming to promote Bahraini art and the percep on of the arts in Bahrain. Since then, Al Riwaq has grown to be the hub for art and other cultural ac vi es in the Kingdom.

KHALEDA RAJAB KHALEDA RAJAB COUTURE

Khaleda Rajab is a force to reckon with when it comes to the fashion scene in the region. Bollywood starlets and Hollywood names are now sporting her designs. In the mid nineties, she started out by designing outďŹ ts for her friends and family. She soon set up a haute couture boutique in the Diplomatic area and has not looked back since.

Lulwa Daij Al-Khalifa recently launched Bright Developments Co. SPC. It is a diversified business house in the Kingdom of Bahrain, focusing on advisory services & real estate management. so She has also been the Head of Planning & Research for the Supreme Council for Women for six years.

Fatima Janahi F Orange Gallery O

To turn a hobby into a thriving business is no easy task but that did not stop Fatima Janahi from ta turning her hobby of gift-wrapping for friends and tu family into a proďŹ table venture. Orange Gallery, fa which sells chocolates, antiques and baby gifts for wh special occasions was launched in 2007 in Riffa sp and did so well that Fatima opened up Giveaways, an aw wholesale store selling gift items in 2009. Having a mind for business start ups based on market requirements, Fatima in 2010 introduced a new re idea to the Bahraini market of manufacturing ide wooden, themed tables and stands for newborn wo babies in house. In 2011 she introduced her ba tailoring department, specializing in baby bags, ta clothes, linen and maternal wear. Last year, Ms. clo Janahi branched out again to introduce her abaya Ja and modernized jalabeya line, proving once again an that we need to keep an eye out for this enterprising th businesswoman and her imminent future investment. bu

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ENTREPRENEURS

Huda Janahi

LULWA AL MUTLAQ

Horse Pride

GOLDEN TRUST CONSULTANCY

In 2004, Huda Janahi started her business called Horse Pride, which specializes in selling quality horse riding equipment following her passion for equestrian. The businesswoman and motherof-three, apart from catering to the local market, has clients across the Gulf. The products ranging from saddles and bridles to riding boots, hats and gloves in different colors and fabrics are all of different brands and competitive prices. The store, located in Budaiya, offer services like personalizing riding gears for female riders and color coordinating the rider and the horse. To ensure the quality of her products, she tests them first before offering them to her clients.

Halel Engineer Environment Arabia Consultancy Services In 2002, Halel started the Environment Arabia Consultancy Services, which address all environmental concerns that companies may have. But her entrepreneurial journey was just starting. In 2012, she set up her next big venture, Reef Arabia. The company designs, constructs and deploys artiﬁcial reefs and has been involved in a number of big projects like the Bahrain Artiﬁcial Reef Project.

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With a PhD in Education and Human Development, Dr. Lulwa Mutlaq’s belief that the organization has been the inspiration behind her company, Golden Trust Consultancy. Her HR consultancy business is involved in the process of enhancing organizations through the development of people. She has also presided over many leading professional organizations such as Bahrain Management society, Society of Small and Medim Enterprises-Bahrain along with Bahrain National Charter Society. She has worked both in the public and private sectors and gained diverse experience that provides her with knowledge and skills to hold a senior position in a well-known international banking corporation.

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EMPOWERING WOMEN

Highlighting the work of the Supreme Council for Women The SCW has played an important role in supporting Bahraini women to take part in decision- making roles by the following means:

The Supreme Council for Women (SCW) was established in 2001 to ensure the development of the status of women in Bahrain.

he Supreme Council for Women (SCW) is chaired by HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa. It aims to empower Bahraini women to assume a greater role in their country’s development, promote better awareness of their capabilities, ensure their fair rights are protected and help them tackle problems in all areas. In addition to enhancing the principle of equal opportunities, they aim to elevate the standard of living through a framework of legislation and policies. The SCW also aims to establish a team who are specialized in women’s affairs who will work closely with government and private entities to ensure that the women are treated justly. 62

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t Launching the National Strategy for the Empowerment of Bahraini Women, where one of the main pillars is the decision making program. The program is aimed at studying the status of women in all possible decision making positions including legislative, executive, judiciary, private sector and civil society posts. The program uses this study as a base to build upon in creating advancement programs. t Encouraging and supporting qualified women by highlighting their achievements and introducing them to society. t Training women, by conducting a number of workshops, in order to qualify them to enter the workforce. t Establishing the award of HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, SCW Chairwoman, for the empowerment of Bahraini Women. This award, which is the first of its kind in the Arab World, aims to encourage government and private institutions to provide equal opportunities in the appointment of executive and decision making positions. t Based on a recommendation submitted to HM King Hamad requesting women’s involvement in government programs, a number of memorandums of understanding were signed between the Council and other official bodies to improve women’s status in the country.

An excellent example is the project recently launched by the SCW in partnership with Tamkeen, which aims to encourage women to start their own businesses and become entrepreneurs in the transport sector. In September 2010, during its second phase after the first initiative, ten women successfully set up their own transport services. In August 2010 it was announced that around 36 NGOs in Bahrain could apply to receive a BD5000 grant as part of HRH Princess Sabeeka Bint Ibrahim’s Award for Empowerment of Bahraini Women in Political and Occupational Societies. The grant is given to the two societies with the best female empowerment approach in Bahrain. The year 2011 marked the ten-year anniversary of the SCW. The Council’s many achievements include the amendment of laws relating to family disputes in Sharia courts, where women continue to face obstacles. It has also set up a Woman Support Centre, which provides free consultation, legal advice, legal aid and reviews complaints and grievances.

Developing Businesses Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society Builds A Strong Framework to Empower Bahrain’s Women Established in 2000, the Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society (BBS) is tasked with the development and promotion of social and economic relations among businesswomen in Bahrain.

ahraini businesswomen looking to promote their start-up enterprises are supported by the society and by the Businesswomen’s Committee of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the Ministry of Social Development. The first economic association for women in the Gulf was started as response to an idea by Sheikha Lulwa Mohammed Al Khalifa, President of the Association for the Mother and Child Welfare Society, 12 years ago by sixteen Bahraini businesswomen. A Commercial Registration (CR) is the primary requirement

to be a member of the ever-growing businesswomen’s organization that has now gathered more than a hundred members in the Kingdom

Goals of the Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society:

Promote and improve the economic and business relaƟonship between Bahraini businesswomen.

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Develop women’s role in commercial, social and financial acƟviƟes. Encourage parƟcipaƟon of businesswomen in the leadership of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the Arab League banks and investment companies.

Support the participation of businesswomen in conferences and work to establish cooperation and economic partnerships among the GCC, the Arab countries and the rest of the world.

Increase and encourage more businesswomen to join the society.

The BBS joined the Council of Arab Business Women in 2003 wherein the society represents Bahrain in conferences and international forums. Of the four Bahraini ambassadors sent to the United Nations in Vienna in November

2011 to represent Bahrain were Huda Janahi and the president of the society Ahlam Janahi. After 12 years of achievements, hard work and commitment, the BBS presents new board members to continue to achieve the society’s goals and to work together as a constructive team in boosting the role of Bahraini businesswomen worldwide. MAY / JUNE 2013

Breaking Boundaries GCC’s Most Prolific Women in Business

Women have been breaking the glass ceiling across the world in various fields, especially in the GCC, where women are achieving goals and positions unheard of before. They have excelled in diverse sectors including banking, construction and retail. We highlight the success stories of a few of the top women in business across the region.

Lubna Olayan

Raja Easa Al Gurg

Sheikha Al Bahar

Saudi Arabia

UAE

Kuwait

One of the most powerful women in the Middle East, she is the CEO of the Riyadhbased Olayan Financing Company. She is also a board member of Saudi Hollandi Bank and sits on the international advisory boards of Rolls Royce and Citigroup. From 1996 to 2004, she served on the board of Chelsfield, a UK property developer. She created a stir at the Jeddah Economic forum in 2004, when she asked that any person be allowed to find the best job they are qualified for regardless of gender.

Raja Easa Al Gurg is the managing director of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group and president of the Dubai Business Women’s Council. She is also deputy chairperson of the board of directors at Dubai Healthcare City Authority, and a board member at both the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Dubai Women’s Council. She is also a member of the Dubai Economic Council, the Arab International Women’s Forum, the National Advisory Council and the College of Business Sciences.

Sheikha Al Bahar started at the National Bank of Kuwait as a trainee and today, as the CEO, she manages a portfolio of $16bn and is responsible for loans business, marketing, investment banking and treasury. She also specializes in large and structured finance transactions and contributes to strategy and planning.

MAY / JUNE 2013

Suad Al Humaidi

Maha Al Ghunaim

Kuwait

Sheikha Hanadi Al Thani Qatar

Suad Al Humaidi owns a group of commercial and residential complexes in Kuwait and abroad and is a member of The Property Owners Union in Kuwait. She is also a member of the board of management for Sradar (Audi Bank) in Lebanon, owns stakes in several banks across Kuwait including the National Bank of Kuwait and also owns a hotel and residential tower in Beirut.

Founder and chair of Qatar Ladies Investment Company (Amwal), Sheikha Hanadi Nasser Bin Khaled Al Thani is also the CEO of Al-Waab City real estate development project and deputy chief executive officer of Nasser bin Khaled al-Thani & Sons Group. The $1.73bn development covers retail and commercial facilities. Amwal was the first company to receive a license to carry out investment banking, asset management and wealth management activities in Qatar.

Nisreen Shocair UAE Nisreen Shocair is the president of Virgin Megastores, Middle East. After taking over in 2006, she expanded the stores’ offering to include toys, musical instruments, an Apple store and a whole entertainment and multimedia experience. She also sits on the advisory board of several digital and environmental start-ups.

She co-founded Kuwait’s Global Investment House in 1998. In 2007, she became the chairperson and under her leadership, the empire grew. During its first decade, it had grown from an entrepreneurial US$50 million company to one with a market capitalization exceeding US$5.4 billion. . Global’s shares were listed on the Kuwait, Bahrain, Dubai and London Stock Exchanges.

Donna Sultan Dr. Nahed Taher

Kuwait

Saudi Arabia

The CEO of KEO International Consultants, Donna Sultan Sultan joined KEO as a director in 1984. She was appointed CEO in 1991, shortly after the end of the Gulf War, when the company had only 26 employees. Today, Sultan is in charge of KEO Consultants’ web of 12 offices and more than 2300 professionals.

Saudi-born Dr Nahed Taher is the cofounder and CEO of Gulf One Investment Bank. After completing her PhD in Economics from the United Kingdom, she returned to Saudi Arabia where she worked as senior economist for the National Commercial Bank. She also is continuously searching for ways to advance the status of women. Nearly half of the bank’s 75 employees are female.

Assila Zaher Al Harthy Oman She was appointed CEO of a new private equity firm in Oman, Group 6 and has been working hard to grow the company into a leading brand in the Gulf state. She was previously head of corporate affairs at the Oman Oil Company, which plays a crucial role in diversifying Oman’s economy and generating foreign investment.

MAY / JUNE 2013

Maha Hussain

Lujaina Mohsin Darwish

Kuwait

Oman

Chairwoman and managing director of Kuwait’s Petrochemical Industries Company since 2008, Maha Hussain has been with the company since 1976. She has held the position of deputy chairwoman and deputy managing director of planning and joint ventures since November 2001. She is also chairwoman of Equate Petrochemical Company, a joint venture between PIC, the US’ Dow Chemical and Kuwait’s Boubyan Petrochemical Company and ME Global.

Zeina Tabari Kuwait She is the chief corporate affairs officer at Drake & Scull International (DSI), one of Dubai’s fastest-growing companies. She began her career at DSI as a Human Resources Manager in 2003. In 2006, she was promoted to corporate service director.

She is the joint deputy chairperson of the Mohsin Haider Darwish Grooup, along with her sister. As the Human Resources Omanization and Training (HROT) department at MHD, she built up a well trained and equipped workforce, which has cohesively worked together, to achieve and exceed targets.

Riham Fouad Al Ghanim Kuwait

Noor Sweid UAE Noor Sweid is the strategic director of the Dubai-based private stock company Depa United Group. She began her career as a financial manager for Charles Schwab in Boston, followed by a stint at Accenture before she came to Dubai and became part of the team that expanded DIFC.. She also launched ZenYoga, a popular chain of yoga studios.

Hind Seddiqi

Areej Muhsin Darwish

UAE

Oman

Hind Seddiqi became the first female family member to join the corporate office of Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons. She had joined as an intern. She is also a member of the Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons Executive Committee. One of the lynchpins to her success has been educating the market on the art of watchmaking, particularly the craftsmanship and precision that goes into the industry.

She is the joint deputy chairperson of Mohsin Haider Darwish group and has played a key role in the company’s success. Areej is involved in the decision making process, charting business strategies and operational plans that align objectives with corporate goals.

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She is the vice chairwoman of Kuwait Finance and Investment Company. She was educated at the American University in Paris and owns the Fouad Al-Ghanim Group, one of the state’s most diverse conglomerates. It is a leading provider of Audi, Skoda and Lamborghini vehicles, partners with international companies looking to invest in Kuwaiti oil schemes, and oversees both the Kuwait Continental Hotel Co. and Sama Kuwait travel company.

Ghosson Ghassan Al Khaled Kuwait Ghossan Al Khaled climbed the corporate ladder, becoming chief operating officer of the ACICO Group. And the learning didn’t stop there; Al Khaled completed an MBA in executive management and is now a vital cog in a company that has operations in almost every country in the Gulf.

Asil Attar

Reem Al Zawawi

Manar Al Hashash

UAE

Oman

Kuwait

Asil Attar is CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Fashion. Her career with global fashion giants began with Harrods. She then served as head of accessories at Karen Millen/Whistles and then held the same title at Jigsaw Retail. A designation of general manager of fashion at the Al Tayer Group subsidiary, Insignia Group, offered Attar a welcome move to Dubai with her husband and two daughters.

She was the chairwoman of Oman International Bank (OIB) and first female to lead an Omani corporation. She has been on OIB’s board since 1996, but resigned last year. Al Zawawi has won numerous awards for her leadership of the bank, including the Arab Women Award 2006.

Hosnia Hashem Kuwait Hosnia Hashem is deputy managing director of the North Kuwait asset of Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), one of the ten largest oil companies in the world. She is also the regional director of the Society for Petroleum Engineers, a position she was elected to in 2009.

Rasha Nashaat Hassani UAE Rasha Nashaat Hassani is the founding partner and a board member at Landmark Properties, one of the UAE’s leading real estate companies. She is also a founding partner of Artspace Dubai, and is part of the team behind New Age Beverages, a new drinks concept that is being sold across the region.

Nashwa Taher Saudi Arabia Nashwa Taher is the vice president of her family’s Al Taher Group, a Saudibased conglomerate whose interests range from contracting to foodstuffs. She is also chairman of the Board of Real Estate, the Al-Hassaniyah Establishment. Taher made history in 2005 when she became one of the first Saudi women to win elected office in Saudi Arabia as a board member for Jeddah’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).

Manar Al Hashash is the co-founder of software development company DotDesign. She also launched her own IT magazine Dot, of which, she remains not only owner but chief editor, too. She also sits on the board of directors of the World Summit Award (WSA) and in 2008 she was hand-picked by Microsoft to judge its technology competition — the Imagine Cup — considered one of the world’s most prestigious tech awards.

Sara Ismail Mohammed UAE She is the CEO of Al Bashayer Investment Company and has successfully built and managed investment portfolios worth millions and has maintained good relationships with her clientele who include high-net worth individuals, families and prominent figures. She has also carved out a niche for herself with tailor-made services for high-net worth females.

MAY / JUNE 2013

CONNECTING PEOPLE P

Bizladies Bahrain A Chat With its President, Dr Clare Beckett-McInroy Bizladies Bahrain was the brainchild of Dr. Clare Beckett-McInroy, who is a Certified Organizational and Executive Coach (CPCC), Trainer and also the president of BizLadies GCC. She tells us how being a member of the organization can help business women in the region. What is Bizladies Bahrain? When was it set up and why?

Bizladies Bahrain is the local Chapter of Bizladies International (www.bizladies.org) which was established around 10 years ago in Vienna. As the hub for the GCC, Bizladies Bahrain now has a following of over 2000 senior business ladies and over 800 male counterparts. Bizladies Bahrain has been established for over 5 years and in addition to networking events which are strictly for females, we also hold workshops, gala dinners, conferences and ‘lunch and learn’ events which are often mixed events, with a business focus in one way or another. Bizladies now has Chapters in Austria, New York, Munich and beyond. It is growing fast and the various Chapters are in contact regarding events and opportunities.

What would you consider the biggest achievement of the organization? We held our first Gala Dinner at the Capital Club, Bahrain Financial Harbour in December 2012 and this event was not only a great success but it was oversubscribed. This is testament to the growing number of members and their support.

In your opinion, how easy or difficult is it for women to achieve their goals? If women want to achieve their career goals, then they need focus, strategy, energy and determination. It is possible and there are many role models around to prove it. However, women need to ensure that they support other women by mentoring and coaching them in the workplace as well.

Tell us about some of the main activities of the organization?

Each networking event, usually attended by between 40 and 80 professionals, takes place in a 5 star Hotel or Restaurant. Local and international speakers address a range of topics and ladies are encouraged to network authentically and reciprocally. We also have a lot of fun and often stay late enjoying the company of like-minded professionals. We are, of course, very grateful to our sponsors who enable our events to not only run with precision, but also ensure that all the ladies are well looked after.

Who are the members? How can one take a membership?

“You need to be prepared to make mistakes and learn from them as well, especially in the early days.”

What are the experiences you have had that allows you to add value as the president of the organization.

Do you think there exists a glass ceiling for women?

Members range from individuals, to SMEs to CEOs. Membership is BD100 for 12 months and this includes a number of great benefits as well as complementary invitations to networking events. Further details can be found on our website. Interested ladies can contact us on Bahrain@bizladies.org

I was very privileged to take over as President three years ago and since then, I have worked on ensuring the attendance of our events by high-profile speakers across all sectors including ex-pats and local ladies alike, varying age ranges and experiences. Workshops have focused on a range of topics including how to network effectively both traditionally and on-line, leadership and management for female professionals, ‘brand new you’, managing transition, psychometric profiling and accounting/auditing. 68

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I don’t call it a glass ceiling, I see it as a sticky floor and if you want to get past it you have to be strong and take big strides bravely and boldly, as it may be tough at times! You also need to be prepared to make mistakes and learn from them as well, especially in the early days.

In Bahrain, what do you think are

the factors that promote women?

The Supreme Council for Women is in place to support women and ensure equality. Many women in Bahrain are privileged to have help in the home as well as close family or friends

who provide essential support for working women, essential for those with children. External coaches also enable women to clarify their goals, plan action, act and be accountable in a confidential environment. This keeps things moving forward and is extremely motivating – just like politicians have speaking coaches, career coaches work in a similar way.

Similarly, what do you think holds them back?

Their own fears hold them back the most, self-limiting beliefs. Culture may also hold them back as well. Recent research by the Institute of Leadership and Management on ambition and gender stated that more women gain A grades but organizations are not necessarily meritocracies. In a study of 3000 women published in the New York Times 84%, of women said they had suffered real genuine wounding at the hand of other women. More role models are needed as opposed to black holes, those women that suck you into their toxic behavior. Also, men are more likely to speak up about promotion by saying they can do it, whilst women wait to be asked. Initial career choice can also hold women back and so psychometric profiling, to ensure best fit of abilities and personality traits to course and career choice, is advised from the age of 14. This is a vast debate that needs perspectives to change through education and the way women and men raise their children as well as the curriculum taught in some countries. Also, women introspect more than men, women need to move on quicker. I have seen them nod their heads many times when I have suggested this. There are more opportunities for female careers to succeed than ever before. We need genuine interdependence between males and females in the workplace for economies to grow by using all of the available workforce, those that want or need to work, in the right positions doing the right things and there are many capable women out there.

What are the plans for the future?

I will be running a workshop for male and female HRM professionals/managers and leaders relating to non-discrimination of all kinds examining international benchmarks and a roadmap for change. Organisational and Executive Coaching Courses with international accreditation across the region, as well as a Bizladies ‘Road Show’, so watch this space.

MAY / JUNE 2013

TRENDY EVOLUTION

Nouf & Shoogh Al-Malood of Ambient Lounge ME & the Growing “Lounge Culture” 70

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new trend that’s gaining popularity in the region, luxury beanbag sofas are becoming a staple for both households and businesses. Ambient Lounge ME, a distributor of Ambient Lounge International have recently opened their head office in Bahrain to cater to the growing demand in the Middle East. We talk to Regional Partner, Shoogh Ghazi AlMalood and Director Nouf Al-Malood(right) to find out more about Ambient Lounge ME and the Lounge Culture.

When was Ambient Lounge ME launched in Bahrain?

Ambient Lounge Middle East was launched in January of 2013 in response to the recent permeation of “lounge culture” within our societies. We are the regional distributor of Ambient Lounge International- the luxury brand of designer beanbags from Australia- and provide delivery of our beanbags to the entire Middle East region.

What kind of sofas do you have on offer?

Our beanbag sofas are made of premium quality quilted sofa fabric or very durable synthetic water resistant materials. They are currently available in five different styles to suit any room or need: The Butterfly, Acoustic, Twin, Studio Lounger, and Evolution. Our top-seller, the Butterfly, has the most unique shape. It wraps around and cocoons those seated in it, and in its construction we’ve ensured

that it’s made to retain this cocooned form whilst in use. The Butterfly has been a hit with both fashionistas and trend-hunters and with people looking for their own little haven. The Acoustic is our second most popular seller. This modern lounger places its seater the closest to the floor and lends itself naturally to the Middle Easter floor-seating culture. It’s a big hit with the gaming crowd! We also have The Twin, which offers a unique concept. It’s a wider two-seater sofa that can also be unzipped to become 2 individual sofas. It’s sought by clients who are seeking to create a complete living room full of beanbag sofas, and also been used in home cinemas across the world as they allow you to cuddle up and watch a movie in ultimate comfort! The Studio Lounger is the most versatile of our sofas as it comes in outdoor waterproof material as well as the quilted sofa material and so can be used as an indoor or outdoor sofa. Its lower back and longer base offers the most comfortable reclined support, ideal for chilling by the pool or in the middle of the TV room with popcorn and the remote, or even for a child’s reading room. The Evolution is our first and most standard sofa which marks the beginning of the “beanbag evolution”. It comes in both materials and offers high mobility.

Which designers or brands do you presently retail?

We stock the classic line of Ambient Lounge sofas as well as the Gold Range, with the summer of 2013 seeing us launch our new and exciting Luxury Range.

What kind of clientele, do you think, would enjoy Ambient Lounge sofas the most?

It appeals to a wide range of clientele because each of our five sofas has its own unique style. Our clients range from people seeking elegant and comfortable statements to add to their décor to teenagers wanting to flop into their own pad to young children seeking a comfortable spot to relax. We’ve also had a lot of interest from people seeking outdoor furniture as our sofas look like regular fashionable sofas but since they’re very lightweight and quite mobile, they can act as indoor/outdoor chairs. Our beanbag sofas also offer quite a powerful and active form of advertising that allows promoters to stand out in a crowd, and have been successfully used globally in promotional events, showrooms, marketing campaigns, festivals and to generally increase brand exposure. These sofas come in an exciting range of colors with new seasonal colors constantly being added and create a unique style that has been displayed on yachts & boats, beaches, poolside, reading nooks, libraries, patios, nurseries and even airports!

What kind of reception have you received from customers so far? Given the rise of the “lounge culture” and the natural way our beanbags lend themselves to that setting, we’ve had very good response to date, from some people wishing to add just one or two of our sofas to their homes as accents to people decking out whole patios or lounge rooms with full sets. Overall, the idea is to create the ultimate statement of chic and elegant comfort.

Are the products available online? How does one get hold of it? You can order online too! Starting May this year, our online shop (www.ambientloungme.com) will be operational and will offer shipping to the entire Middle East. Alternatively for the “mobile crowd” we accept orders on our Facebook page (www. facebook.com/ambientloungeme) and Instagram @ ambientloungeme.

Where about display? Are there any places where one can get a first hand look at your products? We’re constantly seeking new suppliers for our products and are currently in discussion with a number of suppliers across the GCC and will be announcing more places where you can view our products. However, currently you can find our products in Bahrain at the gorgeous Plus973 gallery in Zinj, and for our Saudi clients, you can visit “Ag3od o Bashik” at the Ligne Roset in Jeddah.

How many branches does Ambient Lounge have worldwide?

Ambient Lounge has more than 20 distributors across the world from USA & Canada, to France & Belgium to New Zealand and Australia. It’s the leading brand in contemporary designer beanbag sofas.

Any future plans or promotions you can share with us?

We are pleased to extend our opening offer to B.I.G. readers and offer a 10% discount using offercode BIG10 to be valid for the entire month of May.

MAY / JUNE 2013

PRETTY LITTLE THINGS The Latest Trend to Hit Bahrain

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ada Tawfeeqi loved the headbands she saw on television four years ago and set out to launch a company that produces beautiful headbands locally. In this issue, we share her story. What made you launch Pretty Little Things?

Pretty Little Things started early 2009 as a hobby. Me and co-founder Noora got inspired by a TV show when one of the main casts was wearing beautiful headbands. We started making them as a hobby at home using local raw materials and findings and this is where it all begun.

When did you launch Pretty Little Things? Who was your first customer?

After making a few headbands we started to get positive responses and requests where we found our selves with dozens of orders every week. Each headband was individually handmade by us and we were learning from our mistakes and faults on the way. Our first customers were the closest friends. We officially launched Pretty Little Things on Facebook in March 2009 where we created a Facebook page with photos of our products and got many requests and positive feedback from there.

What is Pretty Little Things known for? What else do you sell?

Pretty Little Things is known to be the number one accessories trendsetter in Bahrain. We get the latest accessories must have to Bahrain and sell it locally. Recently, we’ve become very popular for our handmade floral headbands which are individually handmade by us.

It is definitely this seasons must have accessory. Our SS13 floral collection was inspired by Frida Kahlo and Lana del Rey, we just love how they have flowers in their hair. It definitely brings out the uber feminine side of every lady. Other than headbands, we have statement gold plated necklaces, Turkish precious and healing stones, customized named jewelry as well as fashionable gold plated rings and beaded bracelets.

What are the key changes and developments since the launch?

Since then, Pretty Little Things has expanded to include other kinds of accessories and customized jewelry to fit each season’s trend. We started dealing with suppliers and wholesalers from Turkey, New York and Australia. From them, we got every season’s must haves and started the trend locally in Bahrain. We participated in many charity events and bazaars, which was great PR and POS for us. We got to know our customers wants while dealing closely and face-to-face with them. Accordingly, we try to meet our customers’ demands and desires through the close relationship we have with our customers. Pretty Little Things started to distribute to different fashion retailers in Bahrain. In 2010, Pretty Little Things signed a consignment contract with PINK retail store in Al Aali Mall to resell Pretty Little Things accessories and jewelry. Today, we are selling in Pink Boutique in Bahrain and just launched our collection in S*uce Gifts outlet in Dubai. We also still participate in events such as the Ministry of Culture initiative Bab Market as well as Al Riwaq Gallery initiative Market 338 every year.

Are your products designed a nd manufactured in Bahrain?

The headbands are all individually handmade by us. The raw material is also bought from local suppliers in Bahrain. We also deal with local gold men to craft and design our customized golden plate jewelry for us.

What is the highlight of your latest collection?

The highlight of our latest collection is FLORAL. People love it here and it really goes well with the season. As they are all individually handmade and uniquely pieced together, the final product of our SS13 floral collection is unique and one of a kind which gives us a competitive advantage and value. The material used is high quality artificial flowers and high quality supplies. We always check each and every product before sales in order to maintain our high standard quality in our products.

Where can they buy your products?

Our products are sold in PINK Boutique in Al Aali mall - Bahrain, S*uce Gifts in Al Wasl Road, Dubai, and online on www.theKLOZET.com. We also showcase our products on our Instagram page.

What in your opinion has been the best form of marketing for Pretty Little Things? Word of mouth. It’s usually the fastest and the most reliable. When people like your product they will talk about it. That’s why we ensure our customers get high quality products and services at Pretty Little Things, so we can maintain a positive word-of-mouth around the region.

In addition, our target market is very active on the social media nowadays which has been great PR and marketing for us. Many of our customers tag our brand in their photos which spreads the word really fast.

If you could go back in time and change one thing about the brand, what would it be?

Nothing. I like how Pretty Little Things is slowly emerging and growing. The brand to me is like a baby, I try to feed it with love and passion until it’s fully mature and grown and then I’ll just look at it as an accomplishment of my efforts and passion.

What lies ahead?

Right now I am focusing on distributing regionally to fashion retailors and making sure I feed my customers’ demands. I want Pretty Little Things to be sold in each country in the Middle East, thereby providing easy access to my regional customers. Hopefully in a few years we will go international. In the long term, I see Pretty Little Things as a leading accessories and jewelry brand worldwide hopefully.

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EXQUISITELY ELEGANT

NS BY NOOF

Noof Al Shaker talks about her brand of accessories 74

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by Nouf clutches and accessories are a prized possession. Known for its sheer elegance and exquisite intricate designing, they are made of the finest leather and studded with precious stones. We speak to the owner and designer of the brand, Noof Al Shaker.

What does NS by Noof represent?

My products explore the reinvention of classics with the highest of quality and sophistication. Each piece has a unique personality. Rich is another word that plays a big part in the DNA of the brand; each piece is crowned with distinct semi-precious collectors stones accumulated through travels around the world. NS collections are a celebration of the world’s luxuries. Rich pasts and treasures, it’s like a framed moment in time. One of a kind, for the client to call truly their own. The clutches have been designed for the true luxury connoisseur. Exclusive is important, intentionally unseen, insignia sits within each piece to attract a select clientele with common passion. The passion for pureness in luxury.

Do you have a degree in fashion designing or is it a passion? Tell us about your background.

It’s more than a passion. It’s a vision that has developed within me throughout my evolution with fashion and the arts. Also my interest in past luxuries and collectors’ pieces has given me a unique perspective of semi-precious stones and their beauty to share with the world. That’s when this started.

And although education in fashion is favored in the present highly competitive market, it isn’t vital. Because before anything else, I believe that if the love for the vast world of luxury and the creative touch make their mark the rest follows.

What makes your brand different from the other brands?

NS by Noof is truly different; mainly because each piece is designed like jewelry rather than a bag and also because each bag is almost a one off. The nature of the design process is very personal and so the pieces are too. No two bags would ever come out exactly the same, and that’s something both my clientele and myself celebrate. You could say, natures finest creations curated to envisage the ultimately sophisticated.

Tell us about the challenges you have faced.

Challenges appear in every business throughout different stages. First came sourcing, the initial challenge was finding the highest quality that would represent my vision for the collection and collections to come. I explored different countries, from hybrid jewelry artisans in Lebanon to Italian craftsmen and tanneries that made and supplied the highest grade of exotic skins and leathers, the hunt continued for every little detail from chains to screws. Finally after two years, things started to materialize. Then came the stage when pieces had to be relevant commercially, due to the fact that each piece was to be a one off. I needed a viable collection model to communicate with the market. And so marketing became vital. Today with both the distinct quality and the clarity in direction I feel that the collection has come together in the best way possible.

Take us through the production process.

First comes the idea and its development, this is where endless exploration and the search for the right design happens. Next step is the where the technical details and sketch materializes. Depending on the season’s mood board, colors are extracted and allocated to a selection of leathers and exotic skins to communicate the design as I imagined it. Finally, with the artisans we go into the making, prototyping and final developments that insure the quality of finish and design work hand in hand.

How have you been marketing your products?

The marketing decisions I have taken are based on the exclusivity of the product. For this reason, NS by Noof has been exposed to specialist events such as the Bahrain Jewelry Exhibition where the brand was received highly. As for store presence, I have been extremely selective, currently a few pieces are displayed in JBoutique at Moda Mall. As for the full collection and the full brand experience, the NS by Noof website www.nsbynoof.com is definitely the go to location.

How has the response been so far?

I’m very grateful for the response from the market and the world. At the present stage it’s time for the collection to expand internationally. As a young and developing designer, having a client base that understands my brands values for is a great path to evolve within.

How do you balance your life as a mother and as an entrepreneur?

As an entrepreneur you are expected to be head over heals with work constantly. I’m very lucky to have my husband and children to support me when I need that most or to pull me out of my surreal reality when they need me. It’s a beautiful balance.

What was the best advice you received while setting up your own business?

‘Always have passion in what you are doing and never settle for anything less than the best of quality.’ This came from my biggest support system, my husband.

What are your future plans?

The goal at this moment is to see my products in the right places around the world. For this, I am collaborating with a marketing strategy and brand consultant Shooq AlShawi to take my brand to the next level. There’s a very special thing about the future, it’s always tapping you on your shoulder when you least expect it. I look forward for what’s to come.

MAY / JUNE 2013

CHOP THAT

Noor Murad Offers A Gastronomical Adventure 76

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rmed with a degree from the Culinary Institute of America, Noor Murad set up an all new venture called ‘Chop That’. The company allowed her to share her passion for cooking and food with others through her unique cooking classes. Here is her story.

So tell us, what is ‘ChopThat’?

ChopThat is a company that focuses on educating the community about food production, eating homemade and eating “clean” food i.e. not processed, nutritional and organic when possible. ChopThat offers hands-on, interactive cooking classes in the comfort of your own home plus private chef services for parties or private dinners as well as restaurant consultancy.

What was your reason for launching the business?

I set up ChopThat with a desire to change the eating habits of a large majority in this part of the world. I feel that we tend to neglect ourselves and our well being by remaining uninvolved in the kitchen and relying on convenience foods. We live in a very privileged society where food is easily accessible at a reasonable price. However this minimizes the control we have over what we feed our bodies on a daily basis. If people became more active in the kitchen and in the production of their own meals, then they’d soon realize the positive impact it has on their health.

What makes ‘ChopThat’ different?

ChopThat is different in that it’s a very intimate experience by having classes take place in your own kitchen and in your own comfort zone. Being a private chef means I work very closely with the client and base menus off of their own likes/dislikes/ preferences. Every class is different in that each individual has their own strengths and weaknesses. My aim is to make the students feel that cooking isn’t intimidating; it’s just a form of art and there’s no wrong way about it. I want people to feel that yes, they can cook and yes, they are able to make healthy dishes actually taste good.

What qualifies you to take these classes?

I started working in kitchens in Bahrain when I was a teenager. I loved it even with knowing that I had my work cut out for me, but I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else. I went to the Culinary Institute of America in New York, one of the world’s premier culinary colleges. What makes it so prestigious is that it’s not a regular 8-month cooking course like most culinary schools. It’s actually a 3 ½ year Bachelor degree program that incorporates cooking as well as hospitality management for those who wish to venture beyond the kitchen. It’s a very tough and strenuous course, but it’s definitely well worth the certificate!

Is there any particular cuisines you specialize in or do you teach the client any cuisine they are looking for? I’ll teach any cuisine. The class menus are very much catered towards the student’s own interests. However I do tend to stress on very vibrant, nutrient dense dishes.

Explain how your class works.

Basically it’s a hands-on interactive class which takes places in the students’ own kitchen. Classes can be either one-on-one or up to 6 people depending on the capacity of the kitchen itself. The class is a 2 or 3 course meal and can take between 3 to 4 hours depending on cooking time and the students’ own pace. I usually send the students a detailed ingredient list of what they’ll need for the class. I do this because I want people to identify with new ingredients and also to play an active role in going out and buying their own produce at the grocery store.

How do you market yourself?

ChopThat is still pretty fresh and some of my marketing techniques are still in the making. However I’d say that social media through Instagram and Facebook have been my two most used marketing tools as well as word of mouth. Instagram especially has been a great visual aid when uploading my food and cooking class pictures.

What is your favorite inspirational quote?

“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude”Julia Child.

Will we see you set up a school or a restaurant soon? What plans for the future?

It’s pretty early in the game but I definitely have a dream in the making. Hopefully with the help and support of the local community that dream can one day become a reality.

How has the response been so far?

Quite positive. I was surprised to find that there’s actually a huge niche of people in Bahrain who are quite health conscious and very much want to start playing a role in the kitchen and in preparing their own foods.

MAY / JUNE 2013

BABY’S DAY OUT

Mara Mostafa’s Baby M Makes Mom’s Lives Easy! 78

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s they say, necessity is the mother of all inventions and as a mother of three, Mara Mostafa was frustrated when she couldn’t find some products which she needed. She was sure other mothers faced the same problem as well, and that is where the idea of Baby M came from. She shares her recipe for success.

What made you set up Baby M? I started creating products when I had my first child and there were certain things that I needed or looked for and they weren’t available anywhere. The first product I created then was the 360 degree nursing cover which assists mums in nursing their baby anytime, anywhere in the comfort of knowing they will not be exposed whatsoever. I was traveling to the UK at the time and was searching for such a nursing cover and could not find one that would actually keep me covered, so I came up with the idea and made one for myself which to this day I am using with my 3rd child.

What are the unique products that Baby M has? What are your best sellers? Baby M products consist of: the 360* Nursing cover, the Moby support pillow for pregnancy, birth, nursing and beyond, The Baby M shopping cart cover, The Baby M Chalkboard roll ups.

I have to say recently the chalkboard roll ups has been more popular as it is an inexpensive and small product. As for gift items, it has been the shopping cart covers as they make the ideal gift for baby showers.

Are all the products made in Bahrain? Yes. I try to source the raw materials and produce t right here in the Kingdom.

How would you describe your entrepreneurial journey into the world of business? My children are my priority and all the products came into existence initially for them. Through word of mouth and social media like instagram and Facebook, my products caught people’s attention. Mums know what mums need so who better than a mum to create products for kids. One of the main contributing factors was that my products were totally new to this market, and so they immediately caught people’s fancy.

How was the response you received to Baby M products? People love to see new products, especially items catering to children. They are always intrigued when new innovative products are launched, even when there are tons of items available in the market. For example, I always get stopped at supermarkets and and asked where my shopping cart cover is from when I am out and about with my baby.

How can customers place an order? For now, they can check out my social media pages including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. A proper website is in the pipeline as well.

What support system helped you achieve your business success? Mainly my kids and my husband, without them I wouldn’t know the need for such products. Being a ‘mumpreneuer’ is great for kids because it gets them thinking outside the box and get them dabbling in biz ideas even at a young age. My husband has been my biggest support.

How do you balance the time? Being a new mother and a new business owner? I know my limits. When I started off, it was not for the business side of it but more for filling a need I felt as a mum. I have 3 kids and my youngest is a year and a half, they are the most important aspect of my life. So I limit myself to selling at bazaars, markets, fairs, online selling and social media. Now that the youngest is a little older I can start to expand, God willing.

“Being a mumpreneuer p is great g for kids because it ggets them thinkingg outside the box.” What’s your advice to women with young children who want to foray into business? It’s ok to start off at home as home businesses can flourish too. Even if it starts off as a hobby it can turn into something wonderful. Having said that, working from home is not easy. You end up working longer hours, juggling and balancing things. It may take that little bit longer to set up shop but you will get there and you will get there at your own pace while still being with the kids.

What plans have you got for the future? At the moment it is to get a website under way and I have a few more great products in the pipeline.

MAY / JUNE 2013

DIVALICIOUS INDEED!

Noor Al Saraifi Helps You Get The Perfect Look 80

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oor Al Saraifi set up a small beauty salon in Zinj in 2004, with just two employees and a few services. Today it has grown to have 10 employees and a strong clientele base including few from across the border. We talk to the owner of Diva Salon, Noor Saeed Al Saraifi about the transformation it has seen over the last ten years.

What made you launch Pretty Little Things? What inspired you to set up a beauty salon?

Women spend a considerable amount of time getting pampered at beauty salons. Whether it’s for daily grooming or to get glammed up for an event or a night out with friends. After graduating university, I considered setting up this business to cater to the growing demand of women for beauty services.

Tell us about the training you have had. Have you done a beautician course?

My interest lies in Makeup. I’ve done a makeup course in Lebanon with a renowned makeup artist. I have also completed a makeup course with Makeup Gurus Illamasqua in December. I am contemplating attending three more courses with Illamaqua soon. I find the courses that I have done to be quite beneficial as you not only get hands on experience, but you also get great exposure with industry experts who share their secrets and tips and tricks.

What makes Diva Salon different?

We try to keep up to date with the latest beauty trends. We also listen to our customers in terms of what products and services they’d like to see in Diva. We are young and hip in our approach and it is reflected in our service offerings and overall ambiance.

Tell us a little about the products and services you offer? We offer our customers the best products in the market whether for hair, nails or body care. Besides the services we offer we also provide a wide range of retail products. Diva is your one-stop-beauty-shop where you can get all your beauty needs catered to. We offer hair styling and coloring, manicure and pedicures with polish and gel applications as well as gorgeous customized nail art. For our body treatments we offer massage services as well as splendid Moroccan bath services using pure and aromatic products from Morocco. You can get your eyebrows groomed, as well as get some fashionable accessories to complement your look, all under one roof.

What about your staff? Have they undergone a high caliber of professional training?

I truly believe training and education are a steppingstone to success. I also believe that well-trained staff are key to the success of any business. I continuously make my staff attend courses and training within their specified fields. I also make sure I attend these courses with them so I can support them. Besides professional courses and training, I also spend time with my staff browsing the Internet to discuss and try out new trends. It takes two to make it work and effort needs to come from both the employer and employee.

What do you consider your biggest victory so far?

We’ve managed to grow from a two-staff business to over 10 employees over the years. We’ve also managed to secure a large customer base who are not only loyal, but keep referring their friends and family to us. It brings me great joy when I know that we are recognized outside of Bahrain as we have a considerable amount of customers from out of Bahrain. We are also among the preferred stylists for a few exhibitions and events in Bahrain.

How challenging was it to set up this business? Tell us about the pitfalls.

Running a beauty salon is a lot of tough work like any servicebased business. Besides the need to manage staff, the owner needs to maintain and improve the standard and quality of work, manage inventories, and service customers with utmost levels of professionalism. You also need to be on top of the beauty and fashion industry and to make sure you provide the latest trends in time. I make sure I keep an open communication line with both my employees and my customers, and to make this relationship a personal one. I spend a considerable amount of time at the salon to meet my customers and talk to them about their experience and what they would like to see. Most of the improvements we make are because we listen to our customers.

It has been almost 10 years since its launch. Tell us about the changes the salon has undergone.

We’ve more than quadrupled the number of staff, so we’ve had to expand the salon, and we have just completed a full renovation. We’ve also added new services, increased the variety of retail products and we have become more socially active.

What advice do you have for those who want to get in this field? Ten years ago there weren’t many beauty salons in Bahrain. Getting into this field meant that you were either competing with the already established salons, or you were catering to an area that didn’t have beauty salons. I advise anybody getting into this field to do considerable research before setting up. Location is key, but what you have to offer is equally important. Nowadays, customers are well-informed, exposed, and do their own research. Invest in good staff and good equipment and customer care should be your number one priority.

What are your future plans?

We are considering expanding into other areas of Bahrain. So keep an eye out for another Diva near you!

MAY / JUNE 2013

MIND OVER MATTER

The Importance of Emotional Well Being 82

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r. Puja Taneja Malhotra brings her vast experience and knowledge to Bahrain with Esho Funi Consultancy. It was set up to ensure that due importance is given to mental and psychological well-being. In a chat with B.I.G, she shares details about her company.

What is Esho Funi Consultancy?

Launched in November 2011 in the Kingdom of Bahrain, Esho Funi is a business consultancy which specializes in psychological health services including one on one consultation on various issues, group work and several programs on self awareness, personal growth and interpersonal communication/ relationships etc. We also provide career counselling, stress management, anger management, relaxation therapies and other services, which serve to improve the emotional n psychological well being of an individual.

What inspired you to become a therapist?

This is quite an introspecting question. I would say my experience with different therapies, seeing positive results ia what got me started. When I started studying psychology, even before pursuing my degree, I understood that it works and there is a serious connection between our thoughts, emotions and behavior and when combined, it has an impact on physical health. It fascinated me to work on thoughts and emotions and to know more about science of behavior. When emotions unfold within, beauty of it encourages me to grow further. I am still learning about it each day.

Tell us about your background and experiences that assisted in setting up this venture.

I am Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in emotional maturity and personality type in relation to wellbeing and stress. For my Ph.D, I developed a tool for measuring emotional maturity, which gave me insight into the subject and into the intricacies of dealing with people of different age groups. My training in different therapies with knowledge in subject helps me in taking care of my clients. Assessing the market here in Bahrain, I realized there was a gap in the emotional well-being sector and that enough importance was not being given to the psychological empowerment. I realized my experience and knowledge could be put into good use helping those in need right here in the Kingdom.

Why the name Esho Funi? Esho Funi is a Japanese phrase meaning “oneness of self and environment”. It comes from the Buddhist philosophy of Nichiren Diashonin, as “self” (any body: human, animal or object) has a shadow “environment”, and when the body moves the shadow moves with it. In other words, life is an integral part of the vast universe and one cannot be separated from another. This rule applies to everything; one’s physical, psychological and emotional state affects the environment (home, workplace, and people around) and vice-versa. I felt this phrase explained my services very well and hence chose the name.

What are the hurdles you faced along the way, in establishing the business?

When I shifted to Bahrain, the first step for me was to obtain approval from the Ministry of Health. That took more time than I expected it to, but the Ministry officials were helpful in completing the procedures. Although it was bit difficult to convince to hospitals that this would work, Doctors were very supportive and encouraged me start on my own.

How do you manage to listen to people’s troubles all day and not let it affect your everyday life?

It is an art, which I feel all health related professionals should master. And like any other art it requires continuous practice. I also follow releasing and relaxation routine to keep it up.

How did you market your business?

Majority of my clients come through referrals, word of mouth works best in this business. Apart from it I have a website (www. eshofuniconsultants.com), also lot of them contacted me through Facebook and LinkedIn. I advertise in print media too. I have also delivered lectures and short workshops in different hospitals and companies.

Do you think there is still a stigma attached to getting help to heal the mind? What do you do to change that mindset? Yes stigma is still there. I get lot of calls for enquiry and I start with listening to all they have to say and I try answer/ attend all their queries even prior to the first session. Apart from that we do lot of awareness program and I must say that lot of doctors are acknowledging the importance of mindbody relationship.

What is the most common kind of case you have had to deal with? Relationship issues and adolescence behavioral issues. I also had quite a few cases related to mid life crises and stress.

What does a client need to keep in mind while selecting a counselor? What do you do to make them more comfortable?

A counselor should have the art of listening, and should practise a non-judgmental approach towards their clients. They should be able to work on client’s problem or issues without getting involved in it. I listen to my clients and accept and acknowledge what they tell me without putting my views on it. There is nothing right or wrong, whatever they tell me is their truth and I agree to it and start working with them from there. I feel once they feel accepted as they are, they get comfortable with me.

What plans for the future?

Currently I am in process of developing some workshops and sessions especially for women. Since I get lot of enquiries related children and parenting, I am also involved in a certification program and therapies for managing parent – child relationships and dealing with parental stress especially in the case of new parents. So you would see a lot more additions in the services we provide. We are also working on inviting globally recognized professors/ therapists in field of psychology for conducting workshops in Bahrain and GCC.

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As for the other colors that emerge within select pieces, they remain limited edi on exclusives. Bold, rich, powerful and sensuous, then again that’s exactly what the brand and beholder stand for.

How did you break out into the industry?

Venturing into the field at a very early age, it has taken me years to develop and nurture my knowledge in the trade of luxury leather goods. Star ng with an ini al plan that was meant to be adjusted, I found my own path into the utopian world of interna onal luxury. Today, I can proudly saying, we are very fortunate in this part of the world for having strong organiza ons such as UNIDO and Tamkeen. I really appreciate the funding I received from Tamkeen as part of their ‘Pre-Seed’ Capital Scheme, which came via Bahrain Development Bank. Challenges and successes con nue to find inroads, which for me is a good sign because it keeps things real, pushes healthy growth and insures I’m developing in the right track. From sourcing the most talented cra smanship for such high expec ng and complex designs, being stocked at 4 markets right from the beginning and photo shoots in Qatari desert storms, developing The Shield Collec ons is becoming a life me experience from which I look forward for much more to come.

The Bag Lady Sofia Al Asfoor’s saga of uncompromising quality and exceptional craftsmanship

Growing up in the Heart of the Arabian Gulf and inspired by her roots, Sofia Al Asfoor strives to create a line of accessories that are truly unique, classy and one of a kind. We speak to her to find out more. What does the brand Sofia Al Asfoor represent?

Sofia Al Asfoor represents uncompromising quality and excep onal cra smanship that is present and dis nc ve in touch, design and iden ty. Presented to the brave the Shield conquers ba les, opulently raised bold architectural structures define a signature that remains eternal. Held to her body like it transcends great power, it guards, it honors.

Why bags?

Designing handbags has sparked a sensa on of inner passion and power within myself. Just so, these aspects have naturally transcended into the founda on of my designs, collec ons and the women carrying them. I’ve never felt so strongly or passionate with my work un l I learnt how to create my own bags. For this reason I knew it was my future path.

Please tell us why you chose these particular colors for your collection?

The signature and must have color came naturally, as part of the DNA of the brand, it’s a meless color that has made its mark with emperors and kings, more than a design aesthe c, royal blue is a mys cal color that gives out a dis nct aura, that’s definitely something unique that each piece shares with the beholder. 84

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What have been the marketing techniques that has worked best for you?

It’s amazing how the world is so connected. Be it in people following to discover what’s new or in orders coming in interna onally. Instagram is fun and a good way to communicate. As for the full brand story, I invite people to discover through the Sofia Al Asfoor website.

How do you feel the Sofia Al Asfoor brand stands out?

There’s a high level of compe on, which means original design and the highest of quality is fundamental. For me it’s important that the product speaks for itself and stands out next to other brands. That’s what I like about compe on, it pushes you to preform and deliver to higher standards.

Which person carrying one of your designs has made you feel proudest of being a designer?

The Shield Collec ons is designed and made for women that appreciate the meaning behind meless statements of design and cra smanship. Each and every woman that has carried and ventured out to reach for a Sophia Al Asfoor bag makes me proud.

FIT FOR AN ANGEL Maryam AbdulRahman’s Dream Project: Malak al Riffa Tailoring

Maryam Abdul Rahman has always been passionate about designing. She hoped to set up a tailor shop. With the support of a number of entities including Tamkeen and BDB, she set up Malak Al Riffa Tailoring. She talks to us about her journey so far. Tell us about yourself and the company you set up? My shop, Malak Al Riﬀa Tailoring was set up in 2010. We tailor all kinds of clothes including Jalabiyas, dresses and any other request a customer may have. Tailoring is a field that has a lot of poten al. An increasing number of women now prefer tailored clothes over readymade garments. Do you have a background in fashion designing? Actually, fashion designing has always been my passion, and I have always had a flair for it. It used to be a hobby ll I launched the business. How do you manage to stay ahead of the competition? We are not afraid to try new ideas and designs. We are always looking for inspira on, be it interna onal fashion magazines or even on the

internet. Keeping up with the trends in fashion and embroidery is the best way to a ract new customers and maintain a loyal clientele. How much help did you have from Tamkeen? One of the most important aspects Tamkeen helped in is the exposure for my business. In this trade, no ma er how good you are, if people don’t know about you, the business will not come in. Thanks to Tamkeen, we par cipated in a number of exhibi ons and trade fairs. What was the biggest challenge you faced while setting up your business? One of the aspects which discouraged me slightly in the beginning was the high rental charges. Even arranging for specialized equipment took a lot of funding. Tailoring is all about the one who is s tching the clothes and

some mes, it was really difficult to get the skilled manpower, staff who could convert my ideas into final ou its. The volume of business is extremely high during fes ve seasons, and we have to put in lots of extra work to meet the demand. Do you have any advice for others who want to enter this field? To have a successful tailoring business, one has to build a good rela onship with the staff and customers because they form the bedrock of the business. Also, Ensure that your staff understands your vision and have the requisite skills. Where do you see yourself in five years from now? Inshallah, I plan to expand my business. I hope to open a few more branches of Malak Al Riffa Tailoring across the Kingdom. MAY / JUNE 2013

What makes your designs unique? I try to bring in a Bahraini flavor to my designs, and I try to create something that the market has not seen before. Tell us about the support you had from Tamkeen. Without the financial and marke ng support from Tamkeen, it would have been very diﬃcult to set up and grow to the level we are at now. What has been the most difficult part of setting up your own business? I must say it has been marke ng. It has been tough to get a buzz going about our products. Do you design all of it yourself? Yes. Designing has always been a passion and I do design it all myself.

The Bahraini Interpretation Design Atelier’s Shareefa Al Nuaimi and her Gorgeous Jalabiyas Located in Riffa, Design Atelier is known for unique fancy jalabiyas. The store is a dream come true for Shareefa Al Nuaimi. We speak to her to find out more.

What is Design Atelier? My shop, Design Atelier makes diﬀerent kinds of Jalabiyahs. It is, in my opinion, a representa on of the various phases in a Bahraini Woman’s life. We specialize in all designs including wedding Jalabiya and Daily wear Jalabiya. Take us through the process of creating a jalabiya? First, our designers sketch out the various ideas and styles I suggest for the season. From there, I pick the best and then we choose the color theme for that design. We then produce it in various diﬀerent sizes. 86

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How can customers place an order? Customers can come and see the collec on at my store. I am also ac ve on social media like instagram where I showcase my collec ons. What plans for the future? I hope to expand my business. In order to do that I need to increase the produc on process, and I also hope to set up a garment factory.

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WINNING

THE CHALLENGE A Chat With ‘Catalyst For Change g & Motivation for Success’ Entrepreneurs Contest Winners ‘Revive’

nder the patronage of the Ministry of Labor, a workshop titled “Catalyst for change & motivation for success” was conducted by Spark Global Business, in coordination with Tamkeen. During the event, the managing director of Spark Global Business, Neil Fogarty announced that

MAY / JUNE 2013

the main aspect of the day would be a competition for all the delegates. Tasked with developing a business idea from scratch, the winning team would receive over $10,000 of mentoring from Spark as well as access to Spark’s financier network comprising over $1bn of debt, equity and investment funds.

On the day, there were some very good ideas including automotive bodyshops, real estate, IT, mobile phone security and clever ways to use fish! The initial brief was pretty easy: in your ‘team’, identify your idea for a business and then appoint your ‘board’. This led to much discussion as ideas were kicked around and people worked out what board position suited them best (managing director, finance director, sales director, operations director). From that point on, Neil and his fellow director, Jamie Dunn made a point of speaking to the managing director of each company. In the afternoon session, each ‘company’ spent time working on their idea with fifteen key tasks including development of a Twitter profile, a Facebook page, a logo, etc. One of the teams produced a logo, business cards and business fliers whilst another of the teams managed to make a short movie advertising their business! At the end of the day, each company presented their ‘elevator pitch’ to the audience – 2 minutes to explain their business idea and what benefits their product / service offered. The main problem for Spark was that each idea and every elevator pitch was well-presented but, after much deliberation, Neil and Jamie identified that a team of six ladies with the company name ‘Revive’ would win the $10,000 prize.

After the event, Neil interviewed one of the directors of Revive , Taiba Meftah. Neil: So, tell me Taiba, why did you decide to come to Spark’s workshop?

Taiba: I wanted to learn from experts about how they went about starting their own business and how it changed their life.

Neil: What did you learn from it? Taiba: I learned that I CAN start a business – at the event, a real business was started and we can make it if we want. I learned that nothing is impossible if we just believe on yourself.

Neil: So what IS your idea? Taiba: Our idea is to develop a spa for Bahraini

women. At the event we talked about how we can develop a business idea with Moroccan oils for our beauty products.

Neil: Is your idea inspired by your life in Bahrain? Taiba: Yes, Revive is for the female market – every Bahraini woman likes to take care of her beauty and we spend a lot on makeup, cream, fashion, etc.

Neil: What is it about Bahrain that will help you with your business idea?

Taiba: We feel that beauty in the Bahrain

market lacks the quality and experts. This isn’t only in the kind of services but also the products used. We feel that Bahraini women will be so happy to find a salon that has experts and trusted products – and that is Revive!

Neil: OK, so you have a cool idea and you have the motivation to do it – what do you need to do in order to succeed? Taiba: For a salon, we have planned out that we need experts to consult with our customers and that the salon would need to be near to a VIP village as our salon will offer comfort and luxury in a well-decorated and clean place. Neil: And, as managing director of Revive, what do you think the business needs to do first?

Taiba: I think that it is most important for

the board to be engaged wholly in it – getting started is going to be difficult and we all need to be engaged at the beginning in order to setup the business. We know that we need to sign contracts with the product manufacturer as well as source the experts, properties – it is a big list!

Neil: How well do you think that your business will succeed in Bahrain?

Taiba: I think that it will be easy for a

woman in Bahrain to work in female-related fields, like a salon. In terms of customers, Bahraini women are working or willing to work, and most of their salary is spent on beauty. So, this kind of business will be so attractive and easy to promote. As time goes by, and people see amazing results, we will attract more customers.

Neil: What do Bahrain’s women need to do differently?

Taiba: I think that the market in Bahrain is

very active and there are very good chances for success but what is happening is that many companies do not study the market well enough in order to find the gaps that will give them the chance to make their business unique and competitive.

Neil: Finally what advice do you have for other

Bahrain women thinking of setting up a business?

Taiba: The most important thing is to believe

in yourself! I would also say that good planning will definitely help you to reach the target.

The board members of Revive are now taking part in Spark’s mentoring program that helps to build the capability of the executive team, address specific business issues, and prepare them to seek seed and growth funding for their business venture.

Top Image: Jamie (left) and Neil with the winning team

Neil Fogarty is an international speaker, business writer and consultant. Currently running his 12th company, Neil has written about his experiences in the books “Kill Your Salesman” and “#CrackOn”. For further details you can check him out at www. neilfogarty.com. For more details about Spark’s business mentoring or business financing programs, email Neil – neil.fogarty@sparkglobalbusiness.com

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BY:

SHAMA KABANI

GET THE DEAL! HOW TO MAKE A STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION IN YOUR NEXT MEETING

One of the greatest things about being a young entrepreneur is getting to learn from other, more seasoned entrepreneurs. One such fellow entrepreneur I know is Teresa Garland, Managing Partner at Intelligender, who always seems to know how to leave a lasting impression.

RECENTLY, I ASKED HER FOR HER BEST ADVICE FOR MAKING A STRONG IMPRESSION IN A FIRST MEETING. HERE ARE HER TOP 5 TIPS:

1 Yes, what you wear matters.

Save the provocative for your evening out — in business, stick with a conservative look that is accepted universally as appropriate (and you know exactly what that is!). Your style is a signal that you can be trusted to behave and stay

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focused — make sure what you wear reflects that. That doesn’t mean boring — be fashionable but appropriate. Adorn a colorful scarf thrown over your shoulder, or a bright purse or off-setting color on your heels (and yes, you’ve got to wear heels). Wear jewelry and accessories that give you confidence while presenting a discreet flair. The key thing to dressing for success early on is looking like you’ve already achieved success – and that is the first step toward a positive lasting impression.

2 Never, ever be late.

Promptness demonstrates seriousness and lateness shows contempt — always, always run on time, which means factoring in the unexpected, from traffic to construction at the parking garage or delays in public transportation.

Tardiness can throw off the entire karma of a meeting and nobody wins. So if you need to leave early enough that you find yourself sitting in a parking lot for 15 minutes prior, do it. If you have an uncontrollable event that will require a postponement or reschedule, contact your appointment as far in advance as possible so they can make use of their time in place of meeting with you. When you do reschedule, give the new day and time lots of thought to guarantee you can be there.

but don’t 3 Google gawk-gle.

Know the highlights of the person’s life or career you are meeting with, but stop there. Don’t worry about their Twitter feeds about date night or taco lunches. If their education or previous jobs give you a shared connection, mention it as an ice-breaker. But the most important thing to remember is that you are there to promote yourself and your offerings, not to remind them of theirs. And, if you already know something that they think you don’t, let them share it and don’t

cut them off. Being generous goes both ways — share and listen, but never embarrass.

before you 4 Listen ask.

In first meetings, we often spend so much time thinking about what we are going to ask next that we don’t even hear that we already got the answer. But in a business setting, showing genuine interest in the other person is key to establishing a quick and relaxed conversation. Whenever possible, follow up with questions based on what they just answered — that gives you a nice transition and demonstrates you are more focused on them than the list in your head.

5 Trust your gut.

Even if, in those first moments, it is clear you have lost the “instant chemistry” test, hold your head high and keep going. For all you know, you may remind someone inadvertently of their ex-sisterin-law (or worse, ex-wife!), but if you conduct yourself with integrity and pride, that will quickly pass. Always stay true to your gut instincts. The female leaders who have achieved great success have stuck with those feelings, even when everyone around them either openly or indirectly doubted or criticized them. If you have a passion or vision (no matter how general or specific), just walk towards it. Keep it in front of you at all times. And try this mantra: If you think it and speak it, then you will create it.

Shama Kabani is the award winning CEO of The Marketing Zen Group, a full service online marketing and digital PR firm. She is also the author of the bestseller The Zen of Social Media Marketing, and an international speaker. Follow her @shama. The Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs.

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STAYING ON TOP

Eight Leadership Lessons From The World’s Most Powerful Women I have had the great pleasure of speaking at The Innovation Enterprises’ 2013 Women in Strategy Summit, which brings together 75 high-level women in marketing and strategy, about the leadership secrets of the world’s most powerful women. With women comprising just 4% of corporate CEOs, 14% of executive officers and 20% of America’s government officials, we’re facing a persistent leadership gap at the highest echelons. To move forward, we must first take stock of what is working. The following eight leadership lessons, synthesized and updated from a keynote I gave last year, come directly from the women who know what it takes to get to the top.

STAY DETERMINED The world’s most successful women really want it–and remain determined even in the face of obstacles. They have the skills, and they put the time in. But more importantly, they have the desire to do something great. Beth Brooke, global vice chair of Ernst & Young, was diagnosed with a degenerative hip disease at age 13 and was told by doctors she may never walk again. Before going into surgery she promised herself she would walk—no, she would run—and aspired to become one of the best young athletes the world had 92

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seen. Not only did she walk, she went on to play several varsity sports at her high school, earned multiple MVP awards, and later played Division I basketball in college. She made up her mind, and she didn’t quit. She brought that same determination to her career and today ranks among the 100 most powerful women in the world.

BE COURAGEOUS Women at the top aren’t fearless. They move toward their fear to continually challenge themselves. That takes courage.

In 2011, Beth Mooney, CEO ofKeyCorp, became the first woman ever to lead a top-20 bank in the U.S. Mooney began her career as a secretary at a local Texas bank, making just $10,000 a year, but soon realized she wanted something more. In 1979, she knocked on the door of every big bank in Dallas and asked for a spot in their management training programs. At the Republic Bank of Dallas, she refused to leave the manager’s office until he offered her a job. After waiting for three hours, he finally agreed to give her a chance if she earned an MBA by night.

That was a turning point in her career, one of many, powered by a courageous call to action—to champion herself and what she knew she was capable of. Later, she had the courage to move into roles she’d never done before, to pick up and move across the country, and to stick with it for three decades. If you’re not a little bit scared every day, you’re not learning. And when you’re not learning, you’re done.

THINK BIGGER In order to achieve big success, you have to have big impact. When Michelle Gass, who is now leading 33 countries for Starbucks, started at the coffee chain, she was asked to architect a growth strategy for a just-launched drink called the Frappuccino. Her mantra: “Let’s think of how big this can be.” After countless hours testing ideas, she decided to position it as an escapist treat and added ice cream parlor fixings and new flavors. What began as a two-flavor side item is now a $2 billion platform with tens of thousands of possible combinations. Gass repeated her go-big-or-go-home strategy when she took over Seattle’s Best Coffee. She decided to take the sleepy little-sister brand to new heights by partnering with Burger King, Delta, Subway, convenience stores and supermarkets. In one year, the brand exploded from 3,000 distribution points to over 50,000.

MANAGE YOUR CAREER the biggest impact—from both a leadership perspective and a career management perspective. Sheri McCoy, the new CEO of struggling Avon Products, is currently implementing a huge turnaround at the century-old beauty company. Interestingly, when I asked what the biggest challenge would be, she said: “Making sure people stay focused on what’s important and what matters most.” It is very easy to get distracted by new trends, new markets, new projects—but when you extend yourself too far, the quality of your work suffers across the board.

“The world’s most successful women really want it–and remain determined even in the face of obstacles.” TAKE CALCULATED RISKS As CEO of Kraft Foods and now Mondelez International, Irene Rosenfeld is very familiar with this one. A couple years ago she completed a hostile takeover of British candy company Cadbury. Not long after, she surprised the business community again with a plan to split Kraft into two separate companies, a North American foods company and a global snacks company. To move the needle, you have to make a big bets—but never rash—always based on a careful study of the outcomes. You have to know what you have to gain, and if you can afford to take the hit if it doesn’t go your way.

REMAIN DISCIPLINED It takes discipline to achieve and maintain success. You simply can’t do everything, and the world’s most powerful women stay focused on the areas that will have

HIRE SMART Over and over again women at the top say their best strategy for success is to hire people who are diverse, passionate and smarter than themselves–and then listen closely to their perspectives. Hala Moddelmog, president of Arby’s Restaurant Group, believes surrounding yourself with people of different backgrounds—including gender, race, geography, socio-economic and personality types—will help round out your conclusions. “You really don’t need another you,” she says. Similarly, staying open to different viewpoints keeps you ahead of the curve. Claire Watts, the CEO of retail and media company QVC, schedules open door times every Tuesday, so that anyone in the company who wants to come talk to her, ask her a question or share something they’ve noticed can do it then.

Denise Morrison, the CEO of Campbell’s Soup, knew from a very young age she wanted to eventually run a company, so she asked herself what are the kinds of things I need to do to prepare for that? That might mean management experience, global exposure or revenue responsibility. She always looked at her career as: Where have I been? Where am I now? Where am I going, and what are the right assignments to get there? If her current company would work with her to deliver those assignments, she was all-in. But if it didn’t, she knew she needed to move on. “We apply these skills in business, and yet when it comes to ourselves we rarely apply them,” she said.

DELEGATE AT WORK AND AT HOME The most successful women have learned that they have to have help, and they have to have faith in the people around them—at work and at home. It’s not easy, but it’s critical over the long-term. Katie Taylor, the CEO of hotel brand Four Seasons, admitted to me that she is a bit of control freak, but for the good of her and everyone around her, she tries to delegate. “Sit on your hands, if you have to,” she said. “Get yourself to that place.”

Jenna Goudreau spent five years at Forbes writing about business and leadership, attracting nearly one million unique visitors to Forbes.com each month. While there, she assistant edited the annual World’s 100 Most Powerful Women package and helped launch and grow ForbesWoman.com. She has appeared on CBS, CNBC, MSNBC and E Entertainment and speak often at conferences and events on women’s leadership topics.

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Building Your Brand Reach Your Full Potential Most of us have at some time or another been influenced to make a purchase or use a company’s services because we believe something good about the brand at a subconscious level – we believe it will enrich our lives. Despite this, most people still think of brands in terms of logos, which misses out on all the great stuff that makes up a real brand and gives it real value. After all, how can you live a logo?!

he reality is all great brands are founded on a strong philosophy – an inspiring vision, a stimulating mission, genuine values, a believable personality and relevant position are but a few of the building blocks on the

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way to creating a brand with meaningful content and enduring value. Real brands inspire loyalty, give support during troubled times, and provide much needed direction. What many people don’t realize is that these tools can also be applied on a personal level.

Develop your real potential

People rarely think of themselves as a brand – most consider brands to be the preserve of companies and products and maybe, just maybe, celebrities. The reality is we are all viewed in the context of our reputation – i.e. the perception we have created of ourselves in the minds of the people around us. That means every one of us is, on some level, a brand. And, if we are a brand, we all have the ability to build and manage our own personal brand. One of the most obvious ‘personal brand’ presentation tools is the CV. The CV is a useful analogy for thinking about our personal brand as it is one of the most common ways we represent ourselves to the outside world. When we send out our CV to a potential new employer we are

not slightly unhinged, but what about the more modest embellishments? How accurate a picture is ‘brand you’ in the context of your CV and does it really matter?? The whole point of a CV is to help you connect with opportunities to develop your full potential, and presumably gain some enjoyment doing so. If that is the case surely it would be ideal that your CV said something genuine about you so you are able to connect with opportunities that are aligned with your real skills and genuine interests – i.e. your highest good. So, let us imagine for a moment that we will only use the CV for our own personal development and guidance. How would that change what we put on our CV? What would we say we really enjoyed about our last employment? What would we really put as our life or career objectives?

Vision

packaging up our personal brand and placing it onto a piece of paper so we can create the perception of ourselves as a super smart candidate and get that important interview. But what happens next? Then we have to go to the interview and be an accurate representation of the person we put on the CV. In other words, is what we said on our CV an authentic representation of who we are… and does it really matter? If you ask the average person – admittedly not in the interview scenario – if their CV is a truly accurate representation of who they are, they would probably look slightly evasive before admitting that perhaps there may have been at least a few modest embellishments. If you are applying for a job as a brain surgeon when your only real encounters with the medical world have been visiting your doctor, the required fabrications would count as unwise, if

Thinking about our personal brand can help us gain an understanding of who we are and what we truly enjoy and want out of life so we can start the process of living our personal brand at every moment to create an authentic and fulfilling life experience. Just ask yourself: if all the bills were paid, what would I want to focus on being and doing for the rest of my life? The answer to this question is called your vision. Disney’s vision is “To make people happy’. 3M’s vision is “To solve unsolved problems innovatively”. What about you? You don’t have to be specific about the ‘what’, just think about the experience you would like to continually create or deliver.

Mission

Now let’s turn our thoughts to your mission. If your vision is ‘X’ (see above!), what specific things would you like to achieve – economically, socially culturally – to keep you connected with your higher purpose / your vision? When would you like to achieve these things by? Some people find it easy to think about this in the context of an epitaph – what we would hope people say about us when we are gone. What would we like to be known for amongst our friends, family and community? It might seem challenging but considering the truth that our lives are a finite resource and we should invest our time wisely and make the most of it is very ‘positively focusing’!

“Every one of us is, on some level, a brand. And, if we are a brand, we all have the ability to build and manage our own personal brand.”

Values

What about your values? If you are not sure just think about the people you admire and why you admire them. Knowing what values are important to you is key to a happy life as you will ideally surround yourself with people who share similar values. The importance of being able to spend time working with people who you admire and who value similar things to you cannot be underestimated. Continuing on the same theme, now think about your personality – not how you would like to be seen but how you really are and what you really enjoy doing and why. Are you an extrovert or introvert? Do you enjoy being in a noisy environment with lots of change, or do you prefer a quieter space and stability? When you take the time to get to know yourself you stand a much better chance of making decisions that are good for you in the short and long term, and that’s important because life is not always easy – sorry, it’s true. You may have to make sacrifices, you may have to make tough decisions, you may not always like where you are or what you get, but if you know your personal brand and what you stand for and live according to your philosophy and spirit, you hold the keys to a life of peace and fulfillment because self knowledge empowers you to choose the right path. In the words of Spiderman’s grandfather ‘with great power comes great responsibility’, so use all your self-knowledge wisely and make choices that are aligned with who you really are. As co-founder and Director of Strategy of Unisono, Amy Morgan has built a solid reputation as a leader in the fields of strategic brand development and entrepreneurial thinking. Under Amy’s direction Unisono has taken a leading position in the market. Amy also plays a key role as a speaker and mentor at a number of related initiatives, while promoting international standards in the communications industry and the wider business landscape.

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The Iron Lady

A tribute to Britain’s first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. Britain’s Conservative Party leader Margaret Thatcher was born on October 13, 1925, in Grantham, England, and was elected as Prime Minister in 1979, becoming the first woman to hold the position. During her three terms, she cut social welfare programs, reduced trade union power and privatized certain industries. Thatcher resigned in 1991 due to unpopular policy and power struggles in her party. She died on April 8, 2013, at age 87.

“I don’t think there will be a woman prime minister in my lifetime.” Margaret Thatcher 96

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Early Life

Politician and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was born as Margaret Hilda Roberts on October 13, 1925, in Grantham, England. Known as the “Iron Lady,” Thatcher served as the prime minister of England from 1979 to 1990. The daughter of a local businessman, she received her education at a local grammar school, Grantham Girls’ High School. Her family operated a grocery store and lived in an apartment above the store. Her father was a member of the town’s council, and introduced Thatcher to conservative politics. Thatcher was an exceptional student and was accepted in Oxford University, where she studied chemistry at Somerville College. One of her instructors was the Dorothy Hodgkin, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist. Politically active in her youth, Thatcher served as president of the Conservative Association at the university. She earned a degree in chemistry in 1947, and went on to work as a research chemist in Colchester. Later, she worked as a research chemist in Dartford.

Early Leap into Politics

Two years after graduating from college, Thatcher made her first bid for public office. She ran as the conservative candidate for a Dartford parliamentary seat in the 1950 elections. Thatcher knew from the start that it would be nearly impossible to win the position away from the liberal Labour Party. Still she earned the respect of her political party peers with her speeches. Even when defeated, Thatcher remained undaunted, trying again the following year, but once more her efforts were unsuccessful. Two months after her loss, she married Denis Thatcher.

Top Image: Then-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher points skyward as she receives standing ovation at Conservative Party Conference in October 13, 1989.

of the universal free school milk scheme. She found her position frustrating, not because of all the bad press around her actions, but because she had difficulty getting Prime Minister Edward Heath to listen to her ideas. While the Conservative Party lost power in 1974, Thatcher became a dominant force in her political party. She was elected leader of the Conservative Party in 1975, beating out Heath for the position. With this victory, Thatcher became the first woman to serve as the opposition leader in the House of Commons. England was in a time of economic and political turmoil, with the government nearly bankrupt, employment on the rise and conflicts with labor unions. This instability helped return Conservatives to power in 1979. As party leader, Thatcher made history in May 1979, when she was appointed Britain’s first female prime minister.

“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.” - Margaret Thatcher In 1952, Thatcher put politics aside for to study law. She and her husband welcomed twins Carol and Mark the next year. After completing her training, Thatcher qualified as a barrister, a type of lawyer, in 1953. But she didn’t stay away from the political arena for too long. Thatcher won a seat in the House of Commons in 1959, representing Finchley. Clearly a woman on the rise, Thatcher was appointed parliamentary under secretary for pensions and national insurance in 1961. When the Labour Party assumed control of the government, she became a member of what is called the Shadow Cabinet, a group of political leaders who would hold Cabinet-level posts if their party was in power.

Britain’s First Female Premier

When Conservatives returned to office in June 1970, Thatcher was appointed secretary of state for education and science, and dubbed “Thatcher, milk snatcher,” after her abolition

Conservative Leadership

As Prime Minister, Thatcher battled the country’s recession by initially raising interest rates to control inflation. She was best known for her destruction of Britain’s traditional industries through her attacks on labor organizations such as the miner’s union, and for the massive privatization of social housing and public transport. One of her staunchest allies was U.S. President Ronald Reagan, a fellow conservative. The two shared similar right-wing, pro-corporate political philosophies. Thatcher faced a military challenge during her first term. In April 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. This British territory had long been a source of conflict between the two nations, as the islands are located off the coast of Argentina. Taking swift action, Thatcher sent British troops to the territory to retake the islands in what became known as the Falklands War. Argentina surrendered in June 1982. In her second term, from 1983 to 1987, Thatcher handled a number of conflicts and crises. There was a failed assassination

attempt in 1984 by the Irish Republic Army. They bomb was planted at the Conservative Conference in Brighton in October. Undeterred and unharmed, Thatcher insisted that the conference continue, and gave a speech the following day.

Resignation

Returning for a third term in 1987, Thatcher sought to implement a standard educational curriculum across the nation and make changes to the country’s socialized medical system. However, she lost a lot of support due to her efforts to implement a fixed rate local tax—labeled a poll tax by many since she sought to disenfranchise those who did not pay it. Hugely unpopular, this policy led to public protests and caused dissention within her party. Thatcher initially pressed on for party leadership in 1990, but eventually yielded to pressure from party members and announced her intentions to resign on November 22, 1990. Thatcher departed from 10 Downing Street, the prime minister’s official residence, for the last time, on November 28, 1990.

Final Years and Legacy

Margaret Thatcher’s health made headlines in 2010, when she missed a celebration at 10 Downing Street, held in honor of her 85th birthday by David Cameron. Later, in November 2010, Thatcher spent two weeks in the hospital for a condition that was later revealed to cause painful muscle inflammation. In 2011, she sat out such a number of major events, including the wedding of Prince William in April, and the unveiling of the Ronald Reagan sculpture in London in July. Additionally, in July 2011, Thatcher’s office in the House of Lords was permanently closed. The closure has been seen by some to mark the end of her public life. Battling memory problems in her later years due to her strokes, Thatcher retreated from the spotlight, living in near seclusion at her home in London’s Belgravia neighborhood. Margaret Thatcher died on April 8, 2013, at the age of 87. She was survived by her two children, daughter Carol and son Sir Mark. Thatcher’s policies and actions continue to be debated by detractors and supporters alike, illustrating the indelible impression that she has left on Britain and nations worldwide. MAY / JUNE 2013

ONE FOR THE LADIES! TOP 10 WOMEN EXECUTIVE RIDES Nature wise, women are different from men. Choices vary….especially when it comes to cars. Men like tough and bold monstrosities, while women on the other hand prefer smart and smooth to drive cars. So if you are a woman whose out on the hunt for a car that’s not just agile, but at the same time easy to drive; then look no further as our following list will help you ladies narrow down your choice.

Lexus IS THE LEXUS IS is a true sports

sedan that is quick and fun to drive thanks to its balanced chassis and advanced electronic stability control system. It’s propelled with authority, benefi ng from a 306hp 3.5L V6. Not just that, but it comes with VDIM electronic stability that’s designed to keep the driver out of trouble. More sophis cated braking and electronic stability systems augment its addi onal performance. Safety features include driver and frontpassenger knee airbags. The brakes are large and eﬀec ve four-wheel discs, clamped at the front by aluminum four-piston calipers. Augmen ng the big brakes are ABS, Electronic Brakeforce Distribu on, and Brake Assist.

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VW Passat

Honda Accord THE ACCO RD is Honda’s largest car, oﬀering generous interior space for up to five people wrapped in stylish exterior sheet metal. Under the hood you can either opt for a direct injec on 2.4L four-cylinder engine or a 3.5L V6 powerplant, which comes along with a CVT or a six-speed automa c transmission. Safety is enhanced on all Accords with six standard airbags, including side-impact air bags for front seats and side curtain air bags. Four-wheel disc, an -lock brakes, Vehicle Stability Assist with trac on control, and Brake Assist also come standard. The Accord can be luxuriously equipped with features such as heated power mirrors, power heated front seats, naviga on system, LED head and brake lights, lane departure warning and Smart Entry.

THE PASSAT is the largest passenger car in the VW line-up that has all the refinements and technology expected of a sophis cated German vehicle. The ride is oﬀered as a front-wheel drive four-door sedan with two engine choices; a 170hp, 2.5L inline five-cylinder and a 280hp 3.6L VR6 that’s mated to a six-speed DSG transmission. Standard safety features include six airbags, four-wheel-disc an -lock brakes, electronic stability control, re pressure monitoring, engine immobilizer and an intelligent crash response system that unlocks all doors, shuts oﬀ fuel and electrical supply and turns on the hazard lights. Standard features include front and rear centre armrests, trip computer, keyless entry, automa c headlights, cruise control and Bluetooth phone connec vity.

Infiniti M56 THE INFINIT I M56 successfully blends

style and performance with luxury in this next-genera on sedan. Powered by a 5.6L, 420hp V8 engine with Direct Gasoline Injec on, the rear-wheel drive M56 is matched with a seven-speed automa c transmission with manual sport shi ing. A variable valvetrain is included for improved power and economy; and Infini Drive Mode Selector and Hill Start Assist are there to help deal with varying road condi ons. Climate-controlled leather front seats with 10-way power adjustment and power lumbar are standard. The M56 features Vehicle Dynamic Control stability control, trac on control, advanced ABS brakes, Bose Premium audio, bi-func onal (HID) xenon headlights, and a hard drive naviga on system. MAY / JUNE 2013

Toyota Avalon with

r car, THE AVA LON is Toyota’s flagship passenge g that make it a

quality cra smanship and dynamic stylin The front-wheel desirable choice among full-size sedans. V6 engine, mated 3.5L p 268h a drive Avalon is powered by manual shi with sion smis tran c ma to a six-speed auto ors, automa c mode. All trims feature heated exterior mirr style interior in d-gra woo headlamps, heated leather seats, audio el whe ring stee rol, trim, automa c climate cont phone and ming strea o audi less wire h controls, Bluetoot er leath a connec vity, cruise control, Smart Key, and spot blind de inclu res wrapped steering wheel. Other featu ect, Conn ty Safe s, alert c traﬃ s monitoring with rear cros c climate control, rain-sensing wipers, three-zone automa ion system and dynamic radar cruise control, eBin, pre-collis a rear camera parking aid.

Audi A6 THE AUDI A6 con nues a legacy of dynamic excellence

and excep onal comfort, with impressive a en on to detail inside and out. The A6 is a 4-door, 5-passenger luxury sedan, available in both front-wheel and qua ro all-wheel drive. Audi offers you a 211hp 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, paired with a Mul tronic con nuously variable transmission (CVT) and a 310hp 3.0L supercharged V6 that’s mated to a eight-speed automa c transmission with Tiptronic manual mode. Both engines feature TFSI direct gasoline injec on. The goodies offered by Audi includes a power sunroof, three-zone automa c climate control, leather upholstery, Bluetooth wireless connec vity, xenon plus headlights with LED day me running lamps, HD radio and Audi Connect with internet access, along with a MMI naviga on plus system featuring extended func onality, including touchpad control, real- me traffic informa on and internal memory for digital media storage.

The Audi pre-sense collision mi ga on system is standard on every A6; night vision assist, adap ve cruise control, LED headlights and a head-up display are also available.

Toyota Camry THE BENCHM ARK TOYOTA CAMRY SEDAN

con nues its reputa on of safety, reliability, and quality into an all-new seventh-genera on model. This vehicle is a front-wheel drive, five-passenger, four-door sedan featuring a 178hp 2.5L four-cylinder engine that comes along with a six-speed automa c transmission. Stability and trac on control, ten-airbags, an -lock brakes with brake assist and re pressure monitor are some of the standard safety equipment. Tech features include Bluetooth phone connec vity and audio streaming, rear camera and a 6.1-inch touch screen naviga on system. 100

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Nissan Maxima

Mercedes C Class

THE NISSAN MAX IMA is a sport sedan with a sleek exterior and modern interior. This newest version maintains the trademark stylish, sporty look and feel while s ll providing comfortable luxury features that Maxima owners have come to expect. A 290hp 3.5L V6 engine powers the front wheels via a con nuously variable automa c transmission (CVT). Standard safety fare includes; trac on control, stability control, dual-stage front airbags, front seat side-impact airbags, full-length overhead curtain airbags, front seat ac ve head restraints, and a re pressure monitor. Available technology includes a voice-ac vated naviga on system, rear camera, dual-panel moonroof and a 9.3 GB Music Box hard drive.

THE MERCEDESͳBENZ CͳCLASS remains the most

accessible of the brands models sold in the United States, delivering the expected levels of advanced engineering, design and safety features that keep it highly compe ve within the entry luxury segment. The C-Class comes along with four engine op ons; a 201hp 1.8L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, a 248hp 3.5L V6 engine, a 302hp 3.5L V6 engine and a hand-built 451hp 6.3L AMG-tuned V8 engine. A revised seven-speed automa c transmission with manual shi mode is standard on every C-Class model; steering wheel-mounted paddle shi ers are available. Standard features include a power sunroof, 17-inch aluminum wheels, MB-Tex upholstery, dual-zone climate control, HD radio and a USB port, along with Bluetooth wireless connec vity and audio streaming. Safety enhancing op ons include Mercedes ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detec on system, Adap ve Highbeam Assist, Park Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Blind Spot Assist.

Mercedes E Class MERCEDESͳBENZ’S EͳCLASS range has long been the

automaker’s bread-and-bu er lineup. A direct descendant of the long-las ng sedans of the ‘70s and early ‘80s, the E-Class has seen considerable evolu on over the years, leading to the highly refined vehicles of today. The E-Class sedan recently received a pair of new engines that are significantly more powerful and fuel-eﬃcient than the units they replaced (a 3.5L V6 powerplant that produces around 302hp and a twin-turbo 4.7L V8 that produces around 402hp). All the usual luxury and safety features are available, depending on model, such as power windows, electric seats, sunroof, HID headlights, front airbags, side-curtain airbags, LED running lights, cloth or leather upholstery, Bluetooth phone, adap ve cruise control, and more. The E-Class also features over 70 sensors whose sole purpose is to ensure the driver’s physical well-being, such as drowsiness monitors, night-vision, automa c braking and other electronic gimmickry. MAY MAY/ /JUNE JUNE2013 2013

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FASHION

THE LAT A EST AND TRENDIEST WAY TO DRESSING UP BIG brings to you the latest fashion from the top brands in the fashion world. v

Knitted Viscose Blend Dress Alexander McQueen Slips on, ribbed waist, flared skirt, cut-out hem. harveynichols.com

Swiss Quartz GMT Alarm Movement Versace

Top ring with Versace log engraved black dial, blue hand for alarm and red hand for GMT. Stainless steel bracelet with butterfly buckle. versace.com

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Aster Suede Low-Ranger Pump Jimmy Choo Appropriate for every season and occasion, the Jimmy Choo Aster pump provides timeless, all-day wear in classic black suede with stabilizing platform. Suede with tonal topstitching. Padded insole, leather lining and sole and made in Italy. polyvore.com

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Miss Sicily Dauphine Leather Flap Bag, Red Dolce & Gabbana

Commanding attention with its signature, timeless style, this Dolce & Gabbana Miss Sicily displays a reputable position in dignified hands. Removable, adjustable shoulder strap; 23 23â&#x20AC;? drop. Flap top with double magnetic snap closure; Dolce & Gabbana plaque detail. neimanmarcus.com

Classic Giorgio Comfortable Fit Jacket Armani Plain weave, Solid color, Lapel collar, Buttoned cuffs, Three pockets, Three internal jacket pockets, Semi-lined, Long sleeves. armani.com

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VAN CLEEF & ARPELS A World of Movement, Lightness and Grace

A harmonious nature, strewn with lucky charms. A flutter of colored butterflies. A ballerina, gracefully indicating the passage of time. Van Cleef & Arpels’ new timepieces epitomize the Poetry of TimeTM so characteristic of its collections and place enchantment firmly at the center of this year’s SIHH.

rawing inspiration from some of its most cherished sources, the Maison has given pride of place to its most delicate creatures: dancers and fairies, swallows and butterflies. To honor such benevolent muses, watchmaking and imagination unite in a common ode to the poetry of the passing hours. Fluid movement, lightness and refinement are the dominant themes: the new Ballerine Enchantée watch seems caressed by a faint breath of air, while a gentle breeze floats over the dials and their virtuoso craftsmanship to choreograph an ethereal ballet of lucky charms.These exceptional pieces display all the watchmaking savoirfaire associated with Van Cleef & Arpels, from the Poetic ComplicationsTM collection that combine technical and aesthetic prowess to the craft skills which transform each timepiece into a captivating spectacle.

CHARMS EXTRAORDINAIRES

In 2008 the Charms watch was born, with its lucky charm motif spinning merrily around the dial. Today, Van Cleef & Arpels is opening a new chapter in this collection with four exceptional limited editions. The Maison has employed its most precious craft-skills to relate new tales of luck. From engraving and sculpture on gold to enameling, miniature painting on mother-of-pearl and translucent lacquer, Van Cleef & Arpels has assembled the talents of virtuoso craftsmen to transform the Maison’s dreams of beauty into reality. Each piece is adorned with a triple row of diamonds and colored stones, selected using the strictest criteria and mounted on the bezel. Thanks to this varied savoirfaire, the Charms Extraordinaires watches are adorned with enchanting scenes which overflow from their dials. Four auspicious symbols – the lily-of-the-valley, the lotus flower, the dandelion and the swallow – are depicted in settings of great refinement. Alternately delicate and profound, the gradation of hues continues onto the bezel – which is adorned with variously colored gems – while an ethereal lucky charm evokes the theme of each piece. 104

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EXTRAORDINARY DIALS

Each year, with its Extraordinary DialsTM novelties, Van Cleef & Arpels presents an enchanting interpretation of the passage of time. They have included landscapes from across the world, twinkling constellations, lucky motifs and – this year – twirling butterflies and kites. Reflections of the Maison’s fertile imagination, each new scene is brought to life by the gestures of skilled craftsmen. Within the space of a single dial, traditional crafts combine to create compositions of great sophistication, in which each detail is testimony to the creativity and excellence of Van Cleef & Arpels.

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t was in 1993 that Caroline Scheufele created one of the icons of the House of Chopard, the Happy Sport watch. Ever since, it has been recurrently reinterpreted in occasionally humour and consistently elegant ways. It has appeared under a number of evocative identities, including Happy Beach, La Vie en Rose, Happy Spirit, Mystery Pink…

The finest expression of Chopard’s two fields of expertise

Today, in celebrating the magical twentieth birthday of its diamonds dancing freely just a few millimetres above exquisite watch dials, Chopard unveils an exceptional Happy Sport. An 18-carat white gold masterpiece, set with 958 baguette-cut diamonds and 1,978 brilliant-cut diamonds totalling 65 carats in all, and driven by a Chopard Manufacture L.U.C 96.17-L movement, the Happy Sport Diamantissimo epitomises the very best of Chopard’s two fields of expertise: High Jewellery and Fine Watchmaking.

Invisible setting

Happy Sport Diamantissimo

The Chopard icon celebrates its 20th anniversary with a masterpiece

For 20 years, Happy Sport watches by Chopard have been appealing to women with a taste for daring, contemporary and original timepieces. To mark this anniversary, the iconic collection is being enriched with a new Happy Sport, a unique creation that is an authentic work of art encapsulating the jewellery and watchmaking skills cultivated by the House of Chopard. 106

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This jewellery watch is a precious tour de force that called for no less than 4,500 hours of work – of which 1,700 for the gemsetting alone – patiently lavished upon it by the various artisans and specialists involved in its crafting. The dial, case and bracelet links are embellished using the so-called “invisible” setting technique that is particularly hard to master. This involves each stone being perfectly cut and adjusted to create a seamless diamondstudded surface showing no spaces and no setting prongs. The visual effect of such a technique is truly striking, giving the distinct impression that the diamonds are simply juxtaposed without any gold to hold them together.

IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN’S

LATEST ADDITIONS TWO NEW MODELS GRACE PORTUGUESE COLLECTION The Portuguese collection from Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen are masterpieces of precision engineering. The delight of watch lovers round the globe for over 70 years, they are landmarks in the history of mechanical timekeeping. Two elegant and stylish newcomers now grace this successful IWC watch family: the Portuguese Chronograph Classic and the Portuguese Tourbillon Hand-Wound.

ince its inception, the purist Portuguese line has combined an elegant and timeless language of form with uncompromising chronological perfection. Benchmarks of good taste, these chronometers concede nothing to the whims of fashion. The tradition behind the IWC Portuguese family stretches back to the precision nautical instruments once used by navigators to discover the world.

THE ELEGANCE OF A CLASSIC

The new Portuguese Chronograph Classic brings exceptional elegance and classically inspired design to this popular collection, though the redesigned watch has a surprisingly independent look. This third chronograph member of the Portuguese dynasty preserves the identity and cultural heritage of the legendary originals of the 1930s. The timepiece comes complete with appliquéd Arabic numerals, a railwaytrack-style chapter ring and slender feuille hands. An arched-edge front glass makes this slim beauty’s 42-millimetre diameter

seem smaller than it is. The traditional type of glass used admirably sets off the language of form, lending a well-balanced and classical impression. Powering the Portuguese Chronograph Classic is an IWC-manufactured 89361 caliber, developed specifically to record time spans of up to 12 hours on a sub-dial. The result is as bold and easy to read as a clock face. The sapphireglass back reveals the 89361 caliber and the rotor, resplendent in Geneva stripes. The Portuguese Chronograph Classic is available in 18-carat red gold or stainless steel, both with silver-plated or slate-colored dial.

TOURBILLON, QUEEN OF DISCIPLINES

The Portuguese collection is famed for combining the tradition of nautical instruments with contemporary design and futuristic mechanics. The Portuguese Tourbillon Hand- Wound. Ideal for big, hand-wound wristwatches such as this, the 98900 caliber marks the apogee of a long line of fore- bears from the Schaffhausen works. The stylistically minimalist case in 18-carat white gold or 18-carat red gold supremely

embodies unadorned understatement. However, the presence of the flying tourbillon at ‘9 o clock’ is an unmistakable sign that this timepiece boasts the finest components which impressively reflect IWC’s watch making flair. The tourbillon rotates once round its axis every 60 seconds. This offsets the pull of gravity on any disequilibrium in the balance wheel, which may affect the rate of the watch. The new front glass with arched edge makes the Portuguese Tourbillon Hand-Wound seem very flat, enhancing its classic, balanced lines. The choice of dial suits the case – slate colored for the 18carat white gold variant and silver-plated for the 18carat red gold. The IWC manufactured 98900calibre movement, with its intricately decorated nickel silver three-quarter bridge, can be admired through the transparent sapphire glass back. The 98000calibre family has been in production since the 1920s and has evolved further, blending tradition with the latest technical advances. For the Portuguese Tourbillon Hand Wound, IWC engineers have increased the balance frequency to 28,800 beats per hour, which ensures excel lent precision. MAY / JUNE 2013

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FASHION

THE DASHING GROOM Boggi Milano Helps you Pick Perfect Suit for Your Big Day the groomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suit as well. After all, an uncomfortable man in an ill-fitting ensemble doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make for happy memories or good wedding pictures. Today's formally dressed man shies away from the frills in favor of a more tailored, classic look. You're going for Cary Grant in An Affair to Remember, not Tom Hanks in Big. With that said, you have plenty of opportunities to express yourself in your choice of suit. Depending on the level of formality and time of day of your wedding, Boggi offers you a wide range of options. If you're having a formal daytime wedding, you may want to forego the standard tux for a dapper morning suit. Boggi advise you then to buy a nice suit that you would also wear for work - you get to kill two birds with one stone. You'll buy it for your wedding day, but wear it all year as well as a constant reminder of your nuptials (whether you want to or not.) Let Boggi experts know what season and time of day you'll be getting married, and they'll likely offer you more choices than you even knew you had.

The Tuxedo Style Classic black tie evening wear, complete with satin belt matching with the bow tie. A groom should wear a tuxedo only if the wedding is taking place in the evening.

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The Edwardian Wedding Style Top choice with grooms over the last decade. This suit style usually combines a jacket with matching trousers and a contrasting waistcoat. Usually the shirt is worn with a cravat. The waistcoat may be either chosen to match the overall wedding theme color, or plain with the cravat coordinated instead.

Modern Day Suit Style This wear style is a simple, HOHJDQW SUHIHUDEO\ VOLP Ă&#x20AC;W 7KH two piece suit can easily be accessorized with a fun colorful tie to coordinate with the bridal party. This way the groomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wear will match the bridal dress and even the wedding colors.

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL V8 RANGE

The 4.0 litre, twin turbocharged V8 Continental GT coupé and GT Convertible achieve exceptional standards for power-to-emissions in the high luxury sports car sector.

his remarkable, new Bentley V8 engine delivers maximum power of 500bhp (507PS/373Kw) at 6000 rev/ min and an extraordinary peak torque of 660Nm (487 lb ) which is available across virtually the en re rev range from 1700 to 5000 rev/min, providing exhilara ng performance and eﬀortless power delivery in the Bentley tradi on. Combined with a close-ra o 8-speed automa c transmission, this translates into a sub-5 second accelera on me for the 0-60 mph (0-100km/h) sprint and a top speed of over 180mph (290km/h). At the same me, the V8 Con nental models achieve outstanding levels of fuel eﬃciency and CO2 emissions for the luxury

performance sector and are capable of travelling over 500 miles (800km) on a single tank of fuel. The arrival of the V8 Con nental models fulfills Bentley’s environmental commitment to produce a new powertrain that delivers a 40 per cent improvement in fuel eﬃciency and CO2 emissions. The V8 engine features variable displacement with a highly sophis cated engine management system, ensuring a seamless and impercep ble transi on from V8 to V4 mode under light thro le load. The high-technology V8 also features highpressure direct injec on, low fric on bearings, thermal management, energy recupera on via the charging system, and innova ve turbo charger packaging for greater eﬃciency.

The instantly recognisable growl of the 4.0 liter V8 engine sets it apart from its Bentley stablemates. Inside the cabin, an Eliade cloth headlining, new contemporary Dark Fiddleback Eucalyptus veneers, op onal twotone leather colour split and short centre console con nue the fresh, spor ng design theme. Furthermore, as is the case with every Bentley, the interior is customizable to suit every unique taste. Available are a choice of Bentley’s very own selec on of premium veneers, engine turned finishes, leathers and carpets that will ensure that the interior is resplendent and acutely catered. The V8 engine is available in two models; the Con nental GT and the Con nental GT Conver ble.

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GETTING READY TO CELEBRATE

DESSANGE BAHRAINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FUTURE PERFECT PACKAGE WORKS WONDERS Dessange Bahrain has always offered the finest treatments and services, both in their salon and spa. Our Deputy Editor Dilraz Kunnummal checked out the facilities and was treated to the Future Perfect Package. Check out her review:

essange is one of those places, which transport you into a state of serenity as soon as you enter. The pristine white floors and walls and the warm smile of the staff at the reception puts you at ease right at the start. The receptionist led me to the changing rooms, gave me a gist of my treatment and showed me my locker. The locker comes equipped with a keypad, allowing you to enter your own four-digit pin, which ensures that no one has access to it apart from you.

SPA

I had read about the Future Perfect Package; I had done my research but nothing prepared me for the absolute day of relaxation and pampering that I got. We started out at the Spa, where step one was a full body salt scrub. The masseuse ensured that I was comfortable, before proceeding to give a thorough scrub. By the time she was done, I felt clean and my skin was as soft as a babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Next came the Express Facial. It included a cleanse, scrub and a mask. All products used for it are from Elemis. The mask I got was the herbal, lavender repair mask. It is very evident that the staff knows everything about the treatments, as she was able to address every concern I had.

SALON

After working on the face and body, I was ushered to the salon to finish the rest of the treatments. First at the salon was the manicure and pedicure. I love the fact that every tool used for the treatment is taken out of a sealed packet. Each item is sterilized and packaged. It is also noteworthy that the buffers, filers and even the callus remover are all disposable. Two therapists worked on my hands and feet simultaneously to ensure that no time was wasted. They filed and shaped my nails and buffed them for a perfect shine. Finally, they applied the nail polish I had picked out.

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Hair care was next. It started out with a special clay treatment for my hair. Once that was done, she washed my hair and proceeded to give me a hair mask. The therapist analyzed my hair and scalp and chose the best mask for me. All products used were herbal. Once that was done, the hair stylist blow dried my hair. She pushed and pulled and combed my hair to give it an amazing sheen and to make it look voluminous and make me feel like a star. But we were not done yet. The make up was still left. The make up artist asked about my plans for the evening and about my outfit to decide on the color palette. She then picked out the foundation, which matched my skin tone and started with the makeup. She then worked on my eyes, giving me the smoky look . Finally, She put the finishing touches with a nice pink shade of lipstick and a dab of rouge.

PERFECTION

I almost didn’t recognize myself. They had totally given me a makeover. It took about four hours, but I must say it was well worth the time. They not only had me looking fabulous, they had me feeling fresh and fabulous as well. I had seven of their staff work on me that day, and each one did their job brilliantly well. I really think they have magic in their hands. That all of them have magic in their hands means only one thing: they get extensive training. At Dessange, it’s all about the details. It’s the little things that make you believe that they truly care about the customer. Like the refreshing towel they give you when you enter the spa, or the absolutely invigorating cup of green tea they give you, along with the juiciest fruits you have ever had, once you are done with the spa. It is about how careful the staff is when it comes to allowing you to be modest while at the spa or the massaging chairs they use when they are washing your hair. It is about the heat controlled massage tables and the warmth exuded by the staff. At Dessange, it is truly a day of bliss and rediscovery.

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LIFESTYLE

STUFF WE LIKE Check out the latest gadgets and a host of other items for executives on a break or having some family time ‚ FONTANA

FORNI OVENS

Though most of the cooks would like to follow the traditional methods of cooking, their demand for modern looking equipment has certainly pushed various kitchen equipment makers, to try out their best innovations over the years. Now Fontana Forni USA has bought in the Forno Toscano oven and grille as a part of the Spring 2013 collection. Built of high grade stainless steel, these ovens are meant to retain the originality of the oven cooked dishes, but provide advantages high cooking temperatures within a short period of time, and easy maintenance in the long run.

fontanaforniusa.com

‰ TECHNOGYM

F1 TRAINING MACHINE

With the everyday schedule getting tighter and more hectic, getting a trainer within the office or house seems to be the best way out to keep fit and running. Technogym have now taken another exciting step with their latest equipment inspired by F1 theme . The F1 Technogym training machine is as much about bringing in fitness and health into your routine, as it is about adding the racing element to the experience of getting fit. With the main focus on 2 main areas of the body, this seems like the latest fad for the F1 fan, who’ll perhaps spend more time repeating Fernando Alonso or the Felipe Massa health regime.

technogym.com

‡ARNOLD

AND SON’S PERPETUAL MOON WATCH

Luxury watch maker Arnold and Son had decided to expand its Royal collection even further, as they bring one of the world’s largest moon-phase tracker based timepieces on the market, the perpetual Moon. It’s in fact a tribute to the best creations by John Arnold during the early phase of his watch making career, including those he made for King George III and the royal court. The ‘Royal Collection’ as the special series has been called, is a demonstration of how the Arnold & Son brand has mastered it’s art of watch making, and used elements of classic horological art in the DNA.

arnoldandson.com

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‚ MONTEGRAPPA DRAGON’S LIMITED EDITION PEN

Montegrappa’s crafting on writing instruments, to recreate chapters of history is truly well documented, which includes cinema and art. The special Dragon’s limited edition fountain pen dedicated to the martial arts icon, Bruce Lee is made of 18 Karat Yellow Gold and not just that but it’s a Limited Edition Fountain Pen. The pen comprises of a cinnamon veined red colored celluloid, ruby eyes, an 18K gold dragon overlay, and the Ying-Yang cap emblem. In fact the gold nib of the pen has a silhouette of Bruce Lee engraved on it.

montegrappa.com

‰ MASERATI

LOUNGE CHAIR BY ZANOTTA

Though Maserati has been keeping its brand loyalists busy with its luxurious 4-wheeled creations; this time they’ve come out with a limited edition Maserati Lounge Chair by Zanotta, which comes with the designing finesse from the duo of Ludovica and Roberto Palomba. Their aim in mind was to recreate the exclusivity, comfort, sophistication, and luxury factor of the Quattroporte model with this limited-edition lounge chair.

maseratibyzanotta.com

‚ RAMUS

M1 CARBON FIBER TABLE

In the arena of haute couture among furniture, carbon fiber is now emerging as a fabrication of choice, amongst those who can dish out the extra cash for them. Now designing studio IL Hoon Rooh has created the ‘Ramus’ M1 carbon fibre table, drawing its inspiration from tree branches, and that’s what the name actually translates from Latin. Bringing in the functionality and structural advantages that tree branches usually provide, the Ramus M1 sports a transport glass top which is supported by the finely engineered structure beneath the top.

ilhoon.com

SCUDERIA FS1 AIR

The Scuderia FS1 Air is the ultimate wireless 2.1 Speaker System incorporating Apple AirPlay Technology, Bluetooth connectivity and patented Class HD Audio Technology. As you can see, the device comes along with a sophisticated design; the Scuderia FS1 Air has been inspired by the Scuderia Ferrari racing team and a balance between the GT Car’s innovative lines, creases and curves. It incorporates technology suited for all the latest devices; Apple’s AirPlay technology allows music to be streamed wirelessly from iTunes or directly from Apple device, Bluetooth enabled to wirelessly play your music for Android and Windows based devices, and an Apple Dock Connector to charge and play your Apple Device.

ferrari-by-logic3.com

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Appointments The

We keep track of promotions as people in the Gulf move up in the world

page

Essa Najibi

Mahmood Al Soufi

Ziad Makhzoumi

BAHRAIN - Following the Annual General Meeting of Seef Properties held on 31st March 2013, the first meeting on 8th April of the New Board of Directors was held on the 9th April 2013. At the meeting the Board appointed Essa Najibi as Chairman. The new Chairman Essa Najibi, commented “I am delighted to welcome the new Board Members to Seef Properties, they bring with them a wealth of experience and enthusiasm which will be of real benefit as we develop the business over the next three years.”

BAHRAIN - Gulf Aluminum Rolling Mill Company (Garmco) has appointed Mahmood Al Soufi as its new chairman. Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company is the largest shareholder of Garmaco. “We are pleased to welcome Mahmood Al Soufi as the new chairman,” said Mumtalakat chief executive Mahmood Al Kooheji. “Mr Al Soufi’s wealth of experience in the industry and financial services makes him well suited to lead Garmco.”

UAE - Ziad Makhzoumi has joined Fakih IVF Group as the group’s Chief Executive Officer. Till recently Ziad Makhzoumi was the CFO of Arabtec Holding PJSC and was recognized for achieving significant improvements through restructuring and leadership expertise. Ziad Makhzoumi started his career in 1981 with Booz Allen&Hamilton. From 1985 till 2000, Ziad Makhzoumi was the CFO of a Luxembourg based private holding company with operations in North America, Europe, and the MENA region and assumed executive and non-executive responsibilities in the group’s subsidiaries.

Dr. Khaled Kawan BAHRAIN - Arab Banking Corporation (B.S.C.) (ABC) announced that its Board of Directors resolved to appoint Dr. Khaled Kawan, ABC’s Deputy Chief Executive, as ‘Acting President and Chief Executive’ with immediate effect while ABC deploys its assessments and plans towards permanent succession.

Khalid Al-Khayat BAHRAIN - In line with the Supreme Council for Women’s mandate to empower the presence of Bahraini women within society, and as part of HRH Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al-Khalifa, President of the Supreme Council for Women’s keenness to further develop the General Secretariat of the Council, Mr. Khalid Mohamed Al-Khayat has been appointed as of April 2013. Al-Khayat joins the Supreme Council for Women after nearly 26 years of experience. 114

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David Macadam UAE - The International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC) and Middle East Council of Shopping Centres (MECSC) today announced Mr. David Macadam as its new Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman for the Middle East and North African (MENA) Region. Mr. Macadam has completed projects totalling US$5.2 billion in Canada and the Middle East. He has held senior executive Shopping Centre industry roles in leasing, mall design, feasibility, creation and implementation of merchandise mixes based on catchment demographics, as well as financial analysis for project viability.

Simon Bolton QATAR - Oryx Engineering Solutions LLC is pleased to announce the appointment of Simon Bolton as the company’s new Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Bolton joins Oryx after seven years as a senior manager with General Electric, mostly in the Oil & Gas division.

Robinder Singh UAE - Dana Gas announces the strengthening of its management team with the appointment of Mr. Robinder Singh as Investor Relations Director. Mr. Singh will be responsible for overseeing the Company’s strategic communications with the global investment community and other stakeholders, as part of the company’s commitment to being a leading company in transparency and shareholder communications.

Jennifer Peltenburg UAE - Farnek has appointed Jennifer Peltenburg as Head of Business Development and Marketing as the UAEheadquartered total facilities management company expands its operation in tandem with its growing roster of high profile corporate clients. Peltenburg’s dual role will see her spearhead the corporate sales team activity as well as drive Farnek’s external marketing strategy, with a focus on communicating the company’s quality and service expertise to prospective as well as existing clients.

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HOTEL guide YOUR GUIDE TO THE KINGDOM’S HOTEL OUTLETS

DINING SHERATON HOTEL BAHRAIN Al Safir Restaurant Gastronomical buﬀets for breakfast lunch and dinner as well as superb á la carte options. Opening Hours: Breakfast 6:30 AM -10:30 AM Lunch 12:30 PM – 3.30 PM Dinner 7:30 PM – 11:30 PM

Soie Chinese Restaurant Relax in the dramatic ambience with dark wood floors, oriental ornaments and lanterns. Opening Hours: Daily: 7:00 PM – 11:30 PM Closed on Fridays

Golestan Restaurant Discovery of traditional Iranian dishes with freshly oven-baked breads served at the table. Opening Hours: Sunday to Thursday Lunch 12:30 PM – 2:45 PM Dinner 7:30 p.m. – 11:30 PM Friday: Lunch 12:30 PM – 3:45 PM Dinner 7:30 PM – 11:30 PM Closed on Saturdays

Espressamente Illy A perfect place to meet and enjoy a cup of espresso, refreshing beverages and light snacks. Opening Hours: Daily: 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM

SOFITEL BAHRAIN ZALLAQ THALASSA SEA & SPA

Pashawat: Arabic Restaurant

Fiamma: Italian Restaurant

Opening Hours: Monday to Friday: 7:00PM to 1:30 AM (Closed on Saturdays and Sundays)

Designed with an indoor and an outdoor seating area, this outlet will serve authentic Italian food. Opening Hours: Thursday - Saturday 12:30PM to 3:00PM Every night except Sunday: 8:00PM to 11:00PM Fiamma is closed on Sundays

Saraya: All Day Dining / International Exquisite buﬀets with flavors from across the world. Available is breakfast, lunch and dinner and also a la carte and live cooking station. Opening Times: Daily 6:30AM to 10:30 AM (11AM on weekends) Lunch: 12:30PM to 3:30PM Dinner: 7:00PM to 10:30PM

Wok: South East Asian Restaurant The perfect combination of stones and wood in the décor to reflect an Asian feeling is defiantly there. Opening Hours: Wednesday to Monday: 7:00PM to 11:00PM Wok is closed on Tuesdays

Tapas: Restaurant It services a wide range of exciting tapas, and the best cocktails on the island. Tapas bar has a truly vibrant and lively atmosphere with its Cuban band. Opening Hours: Daily: 11:30AM to Midnight

Al Safir: +973 17533533 ext 259 Soie Chinese Restaurant: +973 17 533 533 ext. 497 Golestan Restaurant: +973 17 533 533 ext. 375 Espressamente Illy: +973 17 533 533 ext. 1790

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La Mer: Seafood Restaurant It is the signature restaurant of the hotel, guests will enjoy the freshest seafood and catch of the day cooked at the live cooking station with a French savoir-faire to please all tastes. Opening Hours: Daily: 7:00PM to 11:00PM

It is open in the evenings and oﬀers a delightful Lebanese cuisine. Guests will enjoy large varieties of Mezzah as well as delicious charcoal grilled specialties.

For Information & Reservations Hotel: +973 1763 6363 Concierge: +973 39349659

THE K HOTEL Klouds Enjoy an assortment of culinary delights with their special Themed Nights everyday of the week. Opening Hours: Daily: 7PM to 11PM

Friday Brunch Discover The K diﬀerence in Friday Brunch! Opening Hours: Friday, 12:30PM to 4:30PM

The K lounge Some new dishes include the world famous Angus steaks and exceptional desserts with that extra K flavor. Our ongoing promotions include: Daily Happy Hour from 5pm to 7pm Coors Light & Burger Treats Ladies Night from Saturday to Wednesday all cocktails free of charge for Ladies. Opening Hours: Daily: 11AM to 2AM

Kenza Lounge Outdoor seating and Arabesque interiors, experience the finest Lebanese dining. Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday: 7PM to 2AM For Information & Reservations K Hotel: (973) 1736 0000 Klouds: (973) 1736 0000 ext. 4019 K Pool: (973) 1736 0000 or email banquet@thekhotel.com

THE RITZ‐CARLTON, BAHRAIN HOTEL & SPA Overlook Café The perfect place to relax by the water and enjoy a variety of light lunch items, refreshments, beverages and cocktails with a tropical flair. Opening Hours: Daily: 10 AM to 6 PM

La Med Casual dining in generous surroundings is brightened with natural sunshine and views of the turquoise blue waters of the Gulf. Opening Hours: Continental and Arabic Breakfast: 7AM to 10:30AM Lunch Buﬀet: Noon to 3:30PM Lunch Express: Noon to 3:30PM All Day Dining Menu: 3:30PM Dinner: 7PM to 11:30PM Friday Brunch: 12:30 PM to 4PM

Plums The specialty being premium beef and fresh, top quality seafood, it provides guests with the ultimate in dining pleasure. Opening Hours: Dinner: 7 PM to 11:30PM

Primavera Primavera, the ever popular Italian restaurant oﬀers a very exciting menu. Opening Hours: Lunch: Noon to 3PM Dinner: 7PM to Midnight

Nirvana Nirvana brings royal flavors to The Ritz-Carlton for a dining adventure rarely enjoyed outside of India. Opening Hours: Lunch Noon to 3PM Dinner 7PM to 11:30PM

Burlington Club The Ritz-Carlton has a dedicated cigar lounge with a cellar of premium malts, cognacs and vintage wines. Opening Hours: Daily: Noon to 2AM

The Lobby Lounge The traditional high tea is served daily in the Lobby Lounge and boasts all the luxurious delicacies that you would expect. Opening Hours: Daily: 8AM to Midnight

The Ritz Gourmet Lounge Experience authentic chic ambience like in a Parisian along with homemade pastries and richly decorated desserts. Opening Hours: Daily: 7AM to Midnight For Information & Reservations Hotel: +973 1758 0000

WILL YOU HAVE A CUP OF TEA?

Enter a world of bite-sized morsels and sumptuous delicacies from two cultures at Crowne Plaza Bahrain. Starting off this month, to encourage people to have a little get together before the summer, the hotel’s lobby lounge Cappuccino Café hosts the Fusion afternoon tea every Wednesday.

ndulge in an afternoon of pampering as the café revives the age-old social gathering. A highlight for ladies and businessmen, the treat includes an elaborate spread of conventional and Arabic delicacies. Legend has it that in 1840 Anna Stanhope, Duchess of Bedford, began feeling hungry every afternoon between her light lunch and lighter dinner. To avoid pangs of hunger, she requested tea and assorted baked goods

GULF HOTEL Al Waha Diners are spoilt for choice with an extensive array of buffet fare featuring local and international dishes, as well as an impressive variety of Bahraini hummus. Opening Hours: Breakfast 6:00am – 10:30am Lunch 12:00pm – 3:30pm Dinner 7:00pm – 11:00pm Friday Brunch: 12:30pm - 4:00pm

China Garden The restaurant, which is designed in a modern oriental style, oﬀers a varied selection of food influenced by distinct Chinese regions creating Cantonese, Szechuan and Peking specialties. Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday Lunch 12:00pm to 3:00pm Dinner 7:00pm to 11:00pm Closed on Sunday

Fusions Fusions is a contemporary and stylish rooftop restaurant boasting unrivalled views over the hotel’s tropical gardens and Manama skyline. Opening Hours: Sunday to Friday 6pm – 12am Closed on Saturday

each day from her servants. Eventually the duchess invited friends to join her and the tradition of afternoon tea became a highly social occasion. By 1880, afternoon tea had spread to the homes of the upper classes, tea shops across the country and then to well-known hotels. Today that tradition is alive and well at the Crowne Plaza Bahrain, where you can get together, relax and unwind with your close friends and delight in your own royal tea party

with scrumptious snacks for BD4.900++ if you’re on your own or for BD3.900++ if you join the party as a group. Indulge in a range of freshly prepared tea sandwiches, scones, cakes, tarts, petit fours and sweets in addition to seasonal fruits. The highlight of course is the variety of teas: black, green and white. The range includes chamomile, mint, rooibos, violet, elderflower and fruit teas. E Call 17 531-122

La Pergola

Sato

Renowned for being one of Bahrain’s oldest Italian eateries, the intimate restaurant oﬀers a fantastic Mediterranean ambience with a vaulted roof and striking wall murals depicting scenes of ancient Rome.

It is favored by Japanese Embassy staff who are said to love its peaceful Zen-like surroundings and exquisite features, including teppanyaki rooms and an authentic robatayaki grill and a Sushi bar with a smoking section.

Opening Hours: Lunch 12:00pm – 3:00pm Dinner 7:00pm – 11:00pm

Margarita Mexicana

Opening Hours: Lunch 12:00pm – 3:00pm Dinner 7:00pm – 11:00pm

All dishes, including tortillas and guacamole, are freshly prepared at guests’ tables to guarantee that the menu and fine dining experience are as authentic as possible.

Takht Jamsheed

Opening Hours: Sunday to Friday 6:00pm – 12:00am Closed on Saturdays

Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday Lunch 12:00pm – 3:00pm Dinner 7:00pm – 11:00pm Closed on Mondays

Royal Thai The restaurant is situated in a grand pagoda in the grounds of the hotel’s tropical gardens and provides scenic views overlooking the turquoise waters of the outdoor swimming pool. Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday Lunch 12:00pm – 3:00pm Dinner 7:00pm – 11:00pm Closed on Mondays

Taking inspiration from Persia’s royal palace of Takht Jamsheed, the Gulf Hotel’s chic restaurant oﬀers a fine dining experience fit for a king.

For Reservations

Al Waha: +973 1774 6425/26 China Garden: +973 1774 6423/24 Fusions: +973 1771 3000 La Pergola: +973 1774 6419/20 Margarita Mexicana: +973 1774 6462 Royal Thai: +973 1774 6421/22 Sato: +973 1774 6429/30 Takht Jamsheed: +973 1774 6431/32 Zahle: +973 1774 6417/18

Golestan, Sheraton Hotel Bahrain

Zahle The menu boasts an extensive selection of hot and cold mezze, grilled meat and regional Lebanese fare, such as beautifully presented shish kebab served in a golden box atop warm Arabic bread and burning coals. Opening Hours: Monday to Friday Weekdays: 7:00pm – 1:00am Weekends: 7:00pm – 2:00am Saturday Lunch 12:00pm -3:00pm Dinner 7:00pm – 2:00am MAY / JUNE 2013

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KEMPINSKI GRAND & IXIR HOTEL

Opening hours: Daily: 7:00pm - 12:00am

T-spoon

Mediterranean Grill buﬀet restaurant serving a variety of Mediterranean and international foods.

Conveniently located on the ground floor of Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre with direct access from the mall, bringing flavours that will delight your sweet tooth. Opening Hours: Daily: 9:00am – 11:00 pm

Mezzanine Lounge The comfortable lounge setting features a media wall with 11 mounted screens; complemented by a collection of innovative food design of tasty salads and platters. Opening Hours: Daily: 11:00am - 1:00am

Nasmat - Lounge & Restaurant The al fresco poolside Mediterranean ambiance oﬀers a haven in which to escape and unwind from Manama’s buzz throughout the day.

Zytoun

Opening hours: Daily: 6:30am - 11:00pm For Reservations

Hotel: +973 1729 8008

AL SAFIR HOTEL Yalla Yalla In place of Savoy Café, Yalla Yalla oﬀers lunch and dinner buﬀtets as well as an ala carte menu. Opening Hours: Daily: 6:30AM-Midnight

Bennigan’s

Opening Hours: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm

Enjoy tasty food and spirited conversation.

Saveur

Opening Hours: Daily: 6AM-2AM

Contemporary international cuisine and luxurious ambience ensure its place as Manama’s restaurant of choice for special occasions. Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday Breakfast 6:30am - 11:00am Lunch 12:30pm - 3:30pm Dinner 7:00pm - 10:30pm

Baharat Experience Arabian fine dining that promises to deliver a new, exceptional culinary adventure for the whole family. Opening Hours: Wednesday to Friday 7:00pm - 01:00am For Information & Reservations All restaurants: +973 1717 1000

Cucina Italiana The place where Italian Food is served with style and passion. Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 6:00AM - 1:00AM

CROWNE PLAZA Spices Indian Spices has many exciting signatures for you to try which set us apart from the others. Opening Hours: Timings: Daily 12:00 to 11:00PM

La Mosaique

MÖVENPICK HOTEL BAHRAIN Silk’s restaurant Experience fine dining and sample creative menus prepared by seasoned and culinary experts. The unique show-kitchen/live-cooking concept provides an exciting and lively setting. Opening Hours: Daily: Breakfast 9:00am - 10.30 am Lunch 10:00am – 4:00pm Dinner 5:00pm – 12:00am For Reservations

Silk’s restaurant: +973 17460017

NOVOTEL AL DANA RESORT

This family friendly restaurant has something to suit all tastes along with great atmosphere and fantastic service! Opening Hours: Timings: Daily 24 hours Wednesdays : The Meat Room Thursdays : Seafood Night Friday : AB FAB brunch

Waves It’s a must for seafood lovers, who can choose from our extensive a la carte menu or our market place selection of fresh fish which is delivered daily from local Bahraini fisherman. Opening Hours: Timings: Daily Noon - Midnight For Reservations Tel: +973 17531122

SHERATON HOTEL BAHRAIN Alhilal Bookshop Opening Hours: Daily: 9AM to 9PM For Information

Alhilal Bookshop: +973 17 531 665

THE RITZ‐CARLTON, BAHRAIN HOTEL & SPA Chopard Boutique Opening hours: Daily: 7AM to Midnight

Mohd Sharif Hatam & Sons Opening hours: Saturday to Thursday: 10AM to 2PM – 4PM to 8PM For Information

Chopard Boutique: +973 17 580 667 Mohd Sharif Hatam & Sons: +973 17 580 889

SPA & SALON SHERATON HOTEL BAHRAIN Image Spa & Leisure Opening Hours: Daily: 6Am to 10PM

Enjoy a delicious range of culinary specialties with an extensive selection of appetizers, salads and desserts to complement your choices Seafood and fishes. MAY / JUNE 2013

THE RITZ‐CARLTON, BAHRAIN HOTEL & SPA Elie & Jean Beauty Center Gents Saloon Opening hours: Saturday to Thursday: 9:30AM to 8PM Friday: 10AM to 7PM

Sports Club & Spa (Membership only) Opening hours: Daily: 5:00AM to 10:30PM

Elie & Jean Beauty Center - Gents Saloon: +973 17 580 798

KEMPINSKI GRAND & IXIR HOTEL Pure Spa Opening Hours: Daily: 11:00 am to 8:00 pm For Information & Reservations +973 1717 1122

THE RITZ‐CARLTON, BAHRAIN HOTEL & SPA Elie & Jean Beauty Center Gents Saloon Opening hours: Saturday to Thursday: 9:30AM to 8PM Friday: 10AM to 7PM

Sports Club & Spa (Membership only) Opening hours: Daily: 5:00AM to 10:30PM

Sheraton Health Club Opening Hours: Daily: 7AM to 10PM

Sheraton Fitness Opening Hours: Daily: 9AM to 8:30PM For Information

Image Spa & Leisure: +973 17 524 570 Sheraton Fitness: +973 17 524 570 Sheraton Health Club: +973 17 533 533

SOFITEL BAHRAIN ZALLAQ THALASSA SEA & SPA Thalassotherapy (Call for Appointment)

La Perle

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SHOPPING

For Information & Reservations Hotel: +973 1763 6363 Concierge: +973 39349659

For Information

Elie & Jean Beauty Center - Gents Saloon: +973 17 580 798

AL SAFIR HOTEL Ann Beauty Salon Come in and relax to soothing music as our therapists provide the perfect treatment.

Al Safir Hotel & Tower: +973 1782 7999 Email: alsafirh@batelco.com.bh Bennigan’s: +973 1781 3750 Website: bennigans.com.bh Cucina Italiana: +973 1700 1317 Website: cucinaitaliana.com.bh

A CULINARY JOURNEY

THROUGH ASIA

Mövenpick Hotel Bahrain is known for its unique festivals celebrating the cuisines from around the world and recently they launched Discover Asia, which brings the finest of Asian Food to the Kingdom.

he tastes and dishes were varied. From Teppanyaki to sushi, from Malabar Fish curry to satays, from dimsums to Vietnamese Praw Salad; the list is endless. Unique and tasty dishes from numerous countries including India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Maldives ensured that every customer found and enjoyed thoroughly enjoyed the gastronomical adventure across Asia. The Discover Asia fest is a prefect opportunity to enjoy the fine ambience and service of the Hotel with friends and family. And while you are there, don’t forget to try the unique desserts like the tender coconut jelly and the coconut mousse! Absolutely delicious!

NIGHTLIFE

THE K HOTEL The K lounge

SHERATON HOTEL BAHRAIN An Nada Lounge Opening Hours: Happy Hour: 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm Daily 1:00 PM – 1:00 AM For Information

An Nada Lounge: +973 17 533 533 ext. 293

SOFITEL BAHRAIN ZALLAQ THALASSA SEA & SPA Amber Bar Opening Hours: Daily: 6PM to 2AM

Lagoon Pool Bar Opening Hours: Daily: 8AM to 8PM

Opening Hours: Daily: 11AM to 2AM

Champions Sports Lounge Opening Hours: Daily: 11AM to 2AM

K Hotel: (973) 1736 0000

Tapas: BAR Opening Hours: Daily: 11:30AM to Midnight

KEMPINSKI GRAND & IXIR HOTEL

Boudoir

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday: 5:00pm - 2:00am

Bizarre Lounge

Opening Hours: Daily: 9:00pm - 2:00am

For Information & Reservations Hotel: (973) 1717 1000

GULF HOTEL Sherlock Holmes Opening Hours: Daily: 12:00pm – 2:00am

Typhoon Bar and Lounge Opening Hours: Daily: 5:00pm – 1:00am Happy Hour: 5:00pm – 7:00pm

Vintage Wine Bar Opening Hours: Daily: 5:00pm – 1:00am

Lobby Lounge Bar Opening Hours: Daily: 8AM to Midnight

KEMPINSKI GRAND & IXIR HOTEL

For Reservations

K Hotel: (973) 1736 0000 Sherlock Holmes: +973 1771 2450 Typhoon Bar and Lounge: +973 17 746 395 Vintage Wine Bar: +973 1774 6461

NOVOTEL AL DANA RESORT Le Bellevue A relaxed yet elegant bar oﬀering one of the most stunning views of the sea and city skyline. Light live music in the evenings. Opening hours: Daily: 4:00pm - 2:00am

Pool Bar Pool bar is open on weekends during December- February and every day from March 1 until November. (Closed during Ramadan). Opening hours: Daily: 9:00am -8:00pm

CROWNE PLAZA Harvesters Serves the best pub grub in town and is the perfect place to meet up after work with friends or colleagues. There is live entertainment from our band every night, and you can also catch the latest sporting action of one of the many screens. Opening hours: Timing: Daily 11AM - 2AM

Tracks Enjoy Tracks’ relaxed and friendly atmosphere, play pool or darts, listen to great music while having a drink and a fabulous snack from our menu. Opening hours: Timing: Daily 3PM - 1AM For Information

Tel: +973 17531122

For Reservations

Hotel: +973 1729 8008

For Information

Hotel: +973 1763 6363 Concierge: +973 39349659

MAY / JUNE 2013

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Quoted “Bahraini women are vital in ensuring that we continue to improve the already attractive environment which enables business to operate and compete effectively both in and from Bahrain.” Shaikh Mohammed bin Essa Al-Khalifa, EDB Board Member

“Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” Ella Fitzgerald

“Men always try to keep women out of business so they won’t find out how much fun it really is.” Vivien Kellems

“The strategy to promote the status of women has included enhancing their social, political and economic prospects and has acted as a key partner in development projects across the board”. Dr Bahiya Al Jishi, Member of the Bahrain Shura Council, November 2009

“You only live once but if you do it right, once is enough.”

“Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.”

“I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved.”

Mae West

Timothy Leary

B. R. Ambedkar

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FEBRUARY MAY / JUNE 2012 2013