SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2013
BUSINESS
KIA to give $750,000 in gifts, cash prizes KUWAIT: National Agencies Group, the authorized dealer for KIA Motors in Kuwait, once again raised the bar of corporate generosity when it launched a mega giveaway totaling $750,000 in gifts and cash prizes this month. The campaign, lasting until February 28, automatically gives KD 100 AlShaya Giftcards, 1-year comprehensive insurance, third party insurance and free registration to everyone purchasing a new KIA during this period. In addition, each KD 500 spent entitles the customer entry into cash draws yielding 7 winners who take home up to $7,500 in cash. “This promotion reflects our strong belief at National Agencies Group that there is no such thing as too much customer satisfaction. As our loyal customer base continues to grow, we are confident that promotions like this onewill reinforce our corporate philosophy,” explained Nadia Gobran, KIA Kuwait Marketing & Business Development Manager.
The year 2013 is expected to be another outstanding year for KIA Motors as it continues to impress consumers with its new line of award winning vehicles character-
Gulf Bank announces winners of Al-Danah Daily Draws KUWAIT: Gulf Bank held its Al-Danah daily draws on Februar y 3, 2013, announcing the names of its winners for the week of January 27 to 31. The Al-Danah daily draws include draws each working day for two prizes of KD1,000 per winner. The Al-Danah Daily winners are: (Sunday 27/1): Aminah Mohammed Ahmed Mullahmohammed, Wedad Abdulnabi Mohammed Moussa (Monday 28/1): Omran Reyadh Haji Mohammed Reyadh, Layla Abdulraouf Hanafi Al-Sherif (Tuesday 29/1): Suhaila Abdulqader Al-Mutawa, Mishary Khaled Mishref Al-Mutairi (Wednesday 30/1) Hassan Mohammed Hassan Al-Ansari, Balqees Abdullah Ismael Nasser (Thursday 31/1) Waleed Fadel Abdulraheem Al-Matrood, Nouf Mubarak Jassim Mubarak Gulf Bank ’s new Al Danah 2013 draw lineup includes daily draws (2 winners per working day each receive KD 1,000), as well as two additional
prizes per quar ter. Al-Danah’s 1st Quarterly draw will be held on March 28 (KD 200,000, KD 125,000, and KD 25,000), 2nd Quarter - 27 June (KD 250,000, KD 125,000, and KD 25,000), 3rd Quar ter - 26 September (KD 500,000, KD 125,000, and KD 25,000) and the final draw held on 9 January, 2014 announcing winners of KD 50,000, KD 250,000 and the Al-Danah Millionaire. Gulf Bank’s Al-Danah allows customers to win cash prizes and simultaneously encourages them to save money. Chances increase the more money is deposited and the longer it is kept in the account. Al-Danah also offers a number of unique ser vices including the AlDanah Deposit Only ATM card which helps account holders deposit their money at their convenience; as well as the Al-Danah calculator to help customers calculate their chances of becoming an Al-Danah winner.
Competition in ME oil & gas industry
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he oil and gas industry forms the foundation of economies throughout the Middle East. Recent analysis indicates that the region’s exporters account for roughly 40 percent of oil and 20 percent of natural gas traded internationally. There is strong and growing demand for energy across the region. So, how can the region’s operators capitalise on this positive outlook, compete positively against their rivals and ensure that they get a significant slice of market share? Mohamed Ghuloom, General Manager, Engineering, Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) feels thatthe answer lies in developing a powerful blend of talent and technology. “One of our core strategic objectives is to continue to build a skilled and motivated workforce. Recruiting the right peoplecan be challenging. There are technical graduates that have sufficient skills, but unfortunately many have been lured away from the process industries by higher pay packages elsewhere. Training is, therefore,vital in our industry. Investment in job-specific training has shown to drive employee motivation and good training needs be targeted not just at young recruits, but also at older and more experienced staff. Yet, if oil and gas operators are to optimise the way they do business and drive commercial advantage, investment in people needs to be matched by investment in technology solutions across the entire operation,” he advises. Industry analysts also advise operators toreview software productson their merits. Typically, there are stringent performance targets to meet. At Bapco, for example, the prime focus is based more on guaranteeing reliability with achieving a minimum level of unplanned shutdowns and delivering against product quality specifications, which are both seen as key operational metrics. “We are now actively using optimisation software from AspenTech, a leading software provider in engineering, manufacturing and supply chain sectors. More
specifically, Aspen HYSYS is the modelling tool Bapco uses for conceptual design, optimisation, business planning, asset management and performance monitoring for oil & gas production, gas processing, petroleum refining. Aspen PIMS also helps Bapco facilitate enterprise-wide planning through optimisation of feedstock evaluation, product slate production, plant design and operations, enabling its plants to run at maximum efficiency and profitability,” says Ghuloom. Oil and gas operators in the region are increasingly investing in automated Advanced Process Control (APC) solutions that help to reduce workload on plants and drive up operational efficiency and profit margins. APC will help decision-makers within the plant to react to change as best as possible.From Bapco’s viewpoint, AspenTech’s DMCplus has been implemented to help maintain tight quality specifications for products and operating conditions, as well as improve operating stability and constraint handling resulting in less unscheduled plant downtime. This type of investment is crucial for operators and the technology is important to maximise throughput by operating closer to constraints enabling greater capacity from existing assets. With globalisation and market volatility, the oil and gas margins are diminishing. In the future, software tools and packages will need to be further integrated into operators’ working practices and IT infrastructures, so that users waste less time moving data into different formats. This needs to be in line with a general push towards ramping up levels of automation on their plants. Business operates in an incredibly challenging and highly capital-intensive, energy consuming environment. “As industry leaders seek to successfully make the most of their existing assets and maximise the potential of their resources,a combined investment strategy of talent and leading-edge technology will help to achieve commercial goals in a highly competitive marketplace,” says Ghuloom.
NBK offers clients access to 16 markets globally KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) enjoys the largest international network offering its customers access to 16 markets on four continents around the world. NBK’s international network comprises 173 branches, subsidiaries and representative offices in 16 countries across the world’s leading financial centers, ten of which are in the Middle East. NBK’s international presence includes London, New York, Paris, Geneva and Singapore, as well as China (Shanghai). Meanwhile, regional coverage extends to Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE. NBK international network offers a wide range of cross border services that address customers’ needs overseas. NBK’s services and products around the world deliver convenience and reliability. NBK has a dedicated specialized unit in Ras Al-Salmiya branch that assists customers with their overseas banking needs and coordinates with NBK’s overseas subsidiaries. Experts are ready to assist customers with the services offered by NBK’s international branches.
ized by amazing design, high-tech features and impressive quality. KIA has been consistently breaking sales records- both in Kuwait and worldwide - and its success has been attributed to the complete transformation of the brand that began in 2009 and continues to this day. In 2012, KIA was listed for the first time in the prestigious top 100 Global Brands list by Interbrand and has achieved 81 percent sales growth between 2008-2011. This is the result of KIA’s global vision to introduce a new perspective of automobiles characterized by amazing design, sophisticated technology and impressive features.” “KIA is not only a leading car company, but the ambassador of Korean excellence to the world. At National Agencies Group, we insist on extending the high standards of our Korean partner to our valued customers in Kuwait,” further explained Nadia. National Agencies Group recently reno-
vated the KIA showroom in Al-Rai and added new convenient facilities such as hosting bank and credit companies, inhouse car registration, renovated used-car section and high trade-in rates. Some of the award-winning KIA models include the new 2013 “Sorento” midsize SUV ( Top Safety Pick 2012 - IIHS) which sports an attractive new look. KIA’s largest and most powerful SUV, the “Mohave” large SUV (Consumers’ Top Rated SUV $25K to $35K - Edmunds.com) is also available and comes in V6 and V8 engine options. KIA’s “Sportage”CUV (Crossover Utility Vehicle) (iF Product Design Award) is currently turning heads with an ultra-modern look and impressive features such as a panoramic sunroof. For those seeking a near-luxury mid-size family sedan, the KIA “Cadenza” offers an elegant feel and a power ful engine. Secondary to the Cadenza, the multiple award-winning KIA “Optima” (2012 Car of
the Year Award - Motoring) shows off its highly distinctive design and modern features. The all-new “Rio” compact (2012 red dot Design Award) comes in three dynamic options: 3-door, 4-door and 5-door to provide versatile fun to the economical-minded driver. Customers seeking a truly different driving experience are recommended the youthful “Soul” crossover (red dot Design Award), which has been hailed for its customizability. For families who appreciate the minivan variety, KIA offers its “Carnival” minivan and Carensmultipurpose utility vehicle, each offering unmatched versatility for children and multiple passengers. Customers interested in taking advantage of this offer are kindly requested to visit the KIA Showroom in Al-Rai. National Agencies Group is a subsidiar y of Abdulaziz Al-Ali Al-Mutawa Group of Companies, and has been growing the KIA brand in Kuwait since 1997.
EQUATE sees $1.09bn net profit in 2012 Sales value exceeds $2.6 billion KUWAIT: EQUATE Petrochemical Company announced a net profit of $1.09 billion for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2012, which is a 3 percent increase over the $1.05 billion achieved in 2011. On this occasion, EQUATE President & CEO Mohammad Husain said, “These profits were realized through absolute integration of all commercial, industrial, administrative and other elements, as well as global demand for these products.” Husain noted, “Sales value in 2012 has exceeded $2.6 billion for the first time in EQUATE’s history which was a result of overall organizational efficiency by manifesting its tagline of ‘Partners in Success’ with all stakeholders within and outside Kuwait.” Husain added, “EQUATE has recently devised its ‘2020 Strategy’ that includes three main stages with the first focusing on qualifying relevant human resources, the second preparing to enter the international scene and the third is venturing into the global arena. The first phase is all about creating as much added-value from current facil-
ities, while the second and third are all about making EQUATE have greater global presence, with all stages focusing on distinguished human resources, especially Kuwaitis, through being more specialized and optimum technology utilization within a creative, innovative and sustainable work environment.” Husain extended utmost appreciation and gratitude to EQUATE Board, all employees and every person who has contributed to its success in all fields. Established in 1995, EQUATE is an international joint venture between Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Boubyan Petrochemical Company (BPC) and Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company (QPIC). Commencing production in 1997, EQUATE is the single operator of a fully integrated world-scale manufacturing facility producing over 5 million tons annually of high-quality petrochemical products which are marketed throughout the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe.
EQUATE President & CEO Mohammad Husain
ABK continues auto finance offer KUWAIT: Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait announces the continuation of auto finance so its customers can own and enjoy the car they desire. Stewart Lockie, General Manager, Retail Banking explained, “We are pleased to announce that clients financing their car of choice from most of the major showrooms in Kuwait has been
extended. ABK customers can avail auto finance for any one of the wide range of well known brands: GMC, SEAT, Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, Nissan, Infiniti, Citroen, Renault, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Saab, Ford, Subaro, Toyota, Lexus, Hummer, Opel, Peugeot, Mazda, Kia, Lincoln, Audi and Skoda.” Lockie continued, “Auto financ-
ing is available to all ABK customers without having to transfer their salaries to the Bank. The benefits are excellent; discounts are up to KD 250 and auto finance up to maximum KD 15,000.” Visit any of the top brand showrooms to own the car of your dreams and don’t forget to ask for exclusive offers for ABK customers.
TBWA\RAAD collects 11 awards at MENA Cristal Fest
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t the first award ceremony of the 2013 MENA Cristal Festival, TBWA\RAAD picked up a series of awards, with two of the Grand Prixs awarded, six gold, one silver and two bronze. Last night’s ceremony honoured winners in the Digital, Mobile, Promotions, Direct, Media, Production and Innovation categories. The first Grand Prix was awarded to Arabian Automobiles in Dubai for its highly acclaimed “House Hunter Test Drive”, an interactive banner which automatically paired house hunters with the right Nissan model tailored to their flatrental budget. The idea tapped into the high numbers of new expats to Dubai, and offered up
Test Drive solutions to a willing target audience. The success of the campaign was phenomenal. Michel Ayat, CEO of Arabian Automobiles said - on the occasion: “Creativity and marketing are a powerful combination that can generate ideas which work and drive business results. Our account team at TBWA and their commitment to our business are highly valued. I am confident that our long standing partnership will continue to drive excellence across other prestigious platforms in 2013 and beyond”. The second category to secure a win was the ‘Future is Now’ Cristal, a new category at the awards.This brand new global competition is
aiming to award the different platforms, innovative technologies and new ideas in order to celebrate the creativity of the people who are pioneers in the art of reinventing technology at the customers’ service. The first ever Global Grand Prix in the category went to Red Tomato Pizza in Dubai for its VIP Fridge Magnet, which has already won four Cannes Lions and many other effectiveness and creativity awards. In his acceptance speech, Ramzi Raad, Chairman and CEO of the TBWA Group thanked the clients for encouraging, embracing and approving TBWA’s disruptive creativity as well as all the people behind the awarded work.