Europe & Middle Outlook - Issue 17

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AIRBNB 22 James McClure of Airbnb analyses the booming ‘bizcation’ industry

DETECON AL SAUDIA 54 A trusted Saudi Company that is here to stay

FALCON AVIATION 62 Committed to the best in aviation

AVERDA 102 Waste never stops and neither does Averda

EME OUTLOOK ISSUE 17 A L S O F E A T U R I N G : M O R G A N L E W I S | D I G I R O B O T I C S | A U T O M E C H A N I K A D U B A I

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W E L C O M E A Global Outlook for EME Industry

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It’s fair to say that the majority of aspirational enterprises - no matter their geographical origins - have ambitions of going global and in taking their product or service to as many regional markets as possible. In this month’s edition of Europe & Middle East Outlook, we shed light on a multitude of industry-leading businesses that are either living this dream, or facilitating the dream.

Representing and heading the former is Pipol who - instead of evolving its business to migrate internationally - has utilised its existing global footprint to reinvent itself. Formerly renowned as an ERP supplier, the Danish turnkey tech operator is now a fully-fledged business transformation provider, and its Founder, Poul Kjaer took time out of his schedule to talk us through the Company’s successful reinvention.

In the Middle Eastern corner, DigiRobotics is enjoying similar worldwide acclaim following its decision to diversify its offering; subsequently dividing its arms into a three-pronged robotics, autonomous systems and immersive simulation entity.

From a facilitation perspective, Falcon Aviation pays EME Outlook a fly-by visit following our inaugural profile on the business in 2016, while we also unveil our most concerted business travel segment to date.

James McClure, General Manager for Northern Europe at Airbnb sets the scene as he pinpoints what the modern day business traveller is looking for from a hospitality perspective, while also introducing us to the increasingly familiar notion of the ‘bizcation’.

We then pack our own bags to see how this ‘bizcation’ trend is being optimised in stunning Reykjavík and industrious Riyadh.

Elsewhere, our manufacturing focus carries the momentum from January’s Aston Martindriven bumper edition via the Big 5 Dubai event, Strojmetal Aluminium Forging and Corys Building Materials; our trip to Riyadh is compounded by one of the city’s tech successes in the form of Detecon Al Saudia; and we take a good-sidebad-side look at the UAE’s past 12 months with a dormant 2016 offset by exciting megaprojects such as the one being implemented at Dubai’s harbour.

Matthew Staff AIRBNB 22 James McClure of Airbnb analyses the booming ‘bizcation’ industry

DETECON AL SAUDIA 54 A trusted Saudi Company that is here to stay

FALCON AVIATION 62 Committed to the best in aviation

AVERDA 102 Waste never stops and neither does Averda

EME OUTLOOK ISSUE 17 A L S O F E A T U R I N G : M O R G A N L E W I S | D I G I R O B O T I C S | A U T O M E C H A N I K A D U B A I

Editorial Director, Outlook Publishing

EDITORIAL

Editorial Director: Matthew Staff matthew.staff@outlookpublishing.com Deputy Editor: Phoebe Calver phoebe.calver@outlookpublishing.com

PRODUCTION

Production Manager: Daniel George daniel.george@outlookpublishing.com Art Director: Stephen Giles steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com Advert Designer: Mandy Farnell mandy.farnell@outlookpublishing.com IMAGES: www.thinkstockphotos.co.uk

BUSINESS

Sales Director: Nick Norris nick.norris@outlookpublishing.com Operations Director: James Mitchell james.mitchell@outlookpublishing.com Heads of Projects: Arron Rampling arron.rampling@outlookpublishing.com Kane Weller kane.weller@outlookpublishing.com Tom Cullum tom.cullum@outlookpublishing.com Training & Development Manager: Eddie Clinton eddie.clinton@outlookpublishing.com Sales Manager: Joe Palliser joe.palliser@outlookpublishing.com Ryan Gray ryan.gray@outlookpublishing.com Project Managers: Callam Waller callam.waller@outlookpublishing.com Donovan Smith donovan.smith@outlookpublishing.com Josh Hyland josh.hyland@outlookpublishing.com Joshua Mann joshua.mann@outlookpublishing.com Matt Cole-Wilkin matt.cole-wilkin@outlookpublishing.com Stuart Parker stuart.parker@outlookpublishing.com Tom Arnold thomas.arnold@outlookpublishing.com Vivek Valmiki vivek.valmiki@outlookpublishing.com

ADMINISTRATION

Finance Director: Suzanne Welsh suzanne.welsh@outlookpublishing.com Office & Finance Manager: Sophia Curran sophia.curran@outlookpublishing.com DIGITAL & IT: Hamit Saka HELPDESK: James Le-May

OUTLOOK PUBLISHING

Managing Director: Ben Weaver ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com Chairman: Mark Weaver

CONTACT

Europe & Middle East Outlook Woburn House, 84 St Benedicts Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 4AB, United Kingdom Sales: +44 (0) 1603 959 652 Editorial: +44 (0) 1603 959 655 SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: +44 (0)1603 959 655 Email: matthew.staff@outlookpublishing.com

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Enjoy the issue!

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In this issue...

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NEWS

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ISLAMIC FINANCE Assessing 2016’s Global Economic Downturn

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All the latest top stories from Europe and the Middle East

Providing a stable alternative to conventional finance

CONSTRUCTION Dubai Construction: A Year of Megaprojects

Building Dubai’s global identity

S E C T O R

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F O C U S

TRAVEL & TOURISM Mixing Business with Leisure

James McClure of Airbnb analyses the booming ‘bizcation’ industry

B US I NE S S T R AVE L G UI D E

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REYKJAVÍK

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RIYADH

Explore Iceland; go further, stay longer The maze of Saudi Arabia

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SHOWCASING LEADING COMPANIES Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world

MANUFACTURING

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T E C H N O L O G Y

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PIPOL Business Transformation Made Simple

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Operating in the sweet spot between IT and business

The Big 5 2016 achieves recordbreaking participation

DIGIROBOTICS The Future is Now

Making life easier with robotics

DETECON AL SAUDIA Tomorrow Starts Today

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A trusted Saudi Company that is here to stay

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BIG 5 DUBAI Technology in Construction

FALCON AVIATION Lifting You Towards Success Committed to the best in aviation

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Meet, network and learn from leading trade financiers at the only conference of its kind in Russia

STROJMETAL ALUMINIUM FORGING 200 Years of Innovation Forging a path to international acclaim

CORYS BUILDING MATERIALS Seizing Opportunities and Anticipating Change Taking the long-term view

ENERGY & UTILITIES

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RUSSIA TRADE & EXPORT FINANCE CONFERENCE 2017

AVERDA A Cleaner World; Better Lives

Waste never stops and neither does Averda

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IRAN TRADE BUSINESS BRIEFING 2017

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AUTOMECHANIKA DUBAI

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2ND MEDITERRANEAN OIL & GAS SUMMIT

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AP&M EUROPE

GTR gathers in London to hold its inaugural Iran Trade Business Briefing

The annual three-day event is set to attract the industry’s biggest aftermarket brands

Analysing the development of natural gas trends and challenges, and the energy potential of the Mediterranean

F O O D & D R I N K

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ARABIAN FOOD INDUSTRIES COMPANY (DOMTY) Driven by Innovation Enjoying unparalleled market prominence

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EDELTECH GROUP All About Energy

Making its private electricity vision a reality

The international exhibition attracts more than 4,000 attendees and features 200 exhibitors

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Inaugural Saudi Smart Cities Conference

With economic diversification plans in place, key government authorities across the Kingdom are emphasising the importance of providing the best quality of life for its citizens, including seamless transportation, state-of-the-art healthcare facilities, round-theclock security, affordable housing and most importantly creating citizen-centric cities. Having realised that, the citizen centric cities can only be created through better urban planning and connected infrastructures using a combination of friendly policies, state-of-the-art technologies and good governance.

Acting on the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, it will be investing more than US$ 500 billion into modernising its infrastructure across the 285 municipalities to provide the best

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Saudi Arabia gets smart in time for Vision 2030

quality of life for citizens; on par with global standards, and with the major contributor towards these milestones being Smart Technologies.

With the responsibility of developing urban infrastructure and creating citizen-centric cities, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MOMRA), the governing body of all the municipalities across the Kingdom, is hosting the First Saudi Smart Cities 2017 conference from 16-18 May at the

Intercontinental Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Conference will be convened under the gracious patronage of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs. It is, with the accompanying exhibition, the first of its kind in the Kingdom to feature more than 1,000 attendees from across the Kingdom and abroad who are and will be involved in the Smart Cities project.

Since technology is the major enabler for success in any smart city, leading solution providers both local and international - will be showcasing their strengths and capabilities to help the Kingdom reach its ultimate goals.

The Conference is jointly organised

by Dar Al Riyadh, a Company headquartered in Saudi Arabia with capabilities across development of Smart Cities profiles, Urban Planning, Infrastructure Design, GIS Services, Transportation Planning, Smart Applications, and Nispana Innovative Platforms. The Company is headquartered in India, with offices in Dubai and USA, and is a leading Business Intelligence firm hosting market-driven and educational conferences and trainings.

Prof. Abdullah Al Garni, General Manager, Dar Geomatics, Dar Al Riyadh said: “Our Company has been working over the past four decades on developing advanced technologies and smart applications for the benefit of national development; and given the privilege by the Ministry of Municipal & Rural Affairs to work on the Smart Cities initiative across the Kingdom, our Company will be supporting this Conference for fulfilling the expectations of policy makers in the Kingdom, and facilitating knowledge sharing and meetings among key stakeholders who are and will be involved in the upcoming Smart Cities projects.”

GO TO WWW.EMEOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST

T E C H N O L O G Y

Russia & CIS Technology Conference Takes Shape In 2005 Euro Petroleum Consultants launched a series of high level conferences known as Rus BBTC, Russia & CIS Bottom of the Barrel Technology Conference & Exhibition. For 12 years BBTC has been one of the most popular conferences devoted to residue upgrading technologies in Russia & CIS countries.

Delegates at the Russia & CIS Technology conference In today’s economic environment, residue upgrading has been identified the gradual substitution to processing as the key solution to the pressing heavier feedstock and the decreasing challenge of meeting the growing demand for heavy oil. market demand for cleaner fuels, In refining and in particular for those

refineries processing heavier crudes, there is a simple challenge; how to increase the overall conversion of the residues of all crudes into the most valuable distillates. It will be important for refiners to select the options that best meet their specific market requirements and also fit within their investment plans. In recent years we have seen refinery complexity increase and despite the increased capital costs associated, this has led to undeniable benefits in terms of flexibility and financial performance.

As usual the event format is designed to encourage networking and open discussions. The magnificent venue is the InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya Hotel located on Tverskaya, the main street of Moscow, leading straight into the Kremlin and providing every service a conference delegate requires.

F O O D & D R I N K

IFE 2017 is Bursting with Food & Drink Inspiration The International Food & Drink Event (IFE 2017) is the UK’s biggest and most important food & drink trade show.

Taking place in London, the home of innovation, the event provides an unrivalled opportunity to source exciting and new food & drink from 1,350 British & global suppliers.

Products as diverse as date nectar, tree water, BBQ jams and even the latest botanical food trend - kola nuts - will make IFE 2017 the place to be for the latest menu inspiration and newest shelf fillers. While the Great British & Irish Food section of the event will showcase the highest quality, artisan and most delicious products the UK has to offer.

Buyers can satisfy their sweet tooth with a visit to BeLoVeD at stand N1626 to sample date nectar, a 100 percent

date-based healthier alternative to honey or syrup, which not only tastes great, but offers both enhanced fibre and potassium content. For a thirst quenching experience head to the Dalston stand N2142, for a hand-mashed cola made from an infusion of citrus juices, spices and kola nuts; the fruit of the African kola tree. These products are

just a tiny example of the inspiring foods you can discover at IFE 2017.

Co-located with IFE is Pro2Pac, the UK’s only food & drink packaging event and Waste-Works, the UK’s only waste and sustainability event for the food industry. The events together cover the entire supply chain; from farm to fork, to fertiliser and fuel.

GO TO WWW.EMEOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST

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The Meeting Point for the Middle East Beverage Industry

SHIPPING & LOGISTICS

Turkey Trade & Export Finance Conference Highlights Key Business Opportunities In the wake of seismic political events both at home and in key developed economies, Turkey finds itself at a geopolitical crossroads. Growing global protectionism signified by the Trump administration and the advent of Brexit threaten a slowdown in global trade, while Turkey’s EU accession negotiations have stalled and interest rate hikes at the Federal Reserve pose liquidity challenges to emerging markets.

The Turkey Trade & Export Finance Conference highlights the key business opportunities emerging in developed and developing markets, and the financing techniques and risk management strategies enabling Turkish, regional, and global players to capitalise on a rapidly evolving global market.

GTR‘s annual event in Istanbul has quickly become the primary industry gathering at which companies can meet and discuss their exporting and financing requirements with like-minded organisations. As the only event of its kind, and with established support from key industry associations, public bodies and institutions; 2017’s event features new and innovative content designed to foster maximum engagement between speakers and delegates.

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Dubai Drink Technology Expo is the only beverage industry exhibition in the Middle East which is dedicated to innovations in beverage processing systems; production, filling & packaging; and logistics and storage of nonalcoholic beverages and water – attracting qualified regional beverage manufacturers to the show.

Dubai Drink Technology Expo is now stepping into its ninth edition and is scheduled to be held from 7-9 March, 2017 at the Dubai Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The event will gather key players and visitors from the water and beverage manufacturing business from the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

The Global Water & Beverage Technology Congress will run alongside the expo bringing together the operators of the Middle East beverage plants to discuss and share best practices and innovations in the field of beverage & water manufacturing.

F O O D & D R I N K

Simpler Rules and More Support for Fruit and Vegetable Producers European fruit and vegetable producer organisations will benefit from simpler rules, reduced administrative burden and greater financial support in times of crisis thanks to new rules adopted by the European Commission.

Concluding a two-year review as part of the Juncker Commission’s ongoing Better Regulation initiative, the updated and simplified delegated regulation of the European fruit and vegetable sector will further strengthen the role of Producer Organisations (PO) by making them more attractive to non-members, while at the same time improving the functioning of the existing market management scheme.

European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan said: “In the context of farming and food production in Europe, the fruit and vegetable sector is of vital importance.

The European Commission has and will continue to stand by the sector.

It is essential too that the millions of farmers producing some of the highest quality food in the world are adequately rewarded for their efforts and that consumers continue to have access to such produce.”

GO TO WWW.EMEOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST

T E C H N O L O G Y

EU Internet Forum Gathering

Dubai Internet City

T E C H N O L O G Y

SAP Invests in New MENA HQ SAP announced a five-year $200 million investment in the UAE, underpinning objectives outlined by the UAE Vision 2021 plan to create economic diversity and jobs for youth.

Ammar Al Malik, Executive Director, Dubai Internet City, said: E C O N O M Y

Change for Europe Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament, made the case for European unity in his first speech as Parliament President at the start of a Council summit. “Today more than ever we can see how important European unity is,” he told political leaders at the summit in Brussels on 9 March.

“Europe needs to be changed not weakened. All the institutions need to work harder to find the answers which ordinary Europeans are looking to us to provide.”

Regarding the economy, Tajani said to reduce unemployment, especially among the young, a more competitive Europe was needed, attuned to the needs of the real economy. “The single market is the biggest driver of prosperity for our citizens. But it has not yet fulfilled its potential.”

“We are delighted to be formally inaugurating the new SAP MENA Headquarters in Dubai Internet City. Throughout the years, DIC has witnessed SAP’s phenomenal growth in Dubai and the region, and the inauguration of their MENA Headquarters is another significant milestone in our shared history. Dubai today is an accelerator of innovation, digitalization, and growth, and DIC is a key catalyst at the heart of the innovation mandate.”

The Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos, accompanied by the Maltese Minister for Home Affairs and National Security, Mr Carmelo Abela representing the Presidency of the Council of the EU, along with many other senior council members, are communicating with key internet companies in the United States, in San Francisco and Silicon Valley. The visit was organised to follow up on the second meeting of the EU Internet Forum in December 2016 and to take forward actions agreed for 2017.

Dimitris Avramopoulos, said: “Over the last 18 months, we have managed to build a relationship of trust and mutual understanding with the major internet companies. I am pleased with the progress we are making.”

H E A LT H C A R E

More Health Practitioners in Dubai Now Investing in Continuing Education With Dubai looking to cement its position as the region’s go-to hub for medical tourism – the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) recently set its sights on over 1.3 million medical tourists by 2021 with a projected increase of 13 percent each year – an increasing number of health practitioners in the emirate are now investing in continuing education to keep up-to-date with new developments in their respective fields. Dubai-based clinic Vilafortuny recorded an 80 percent occupancy rate at the specialised courses

it offered at its DHA-accredited training centre during 2016.

So far, the clinic’s in-house training centre has played host to lectures, live demonstrations and hands-on training workshops from celebrated, seasoned doctors from across Europe and America.

GO TO WWW.EMEOUTLOOKMAG.COM/NEWS FOR ALL OF THE LATEST NEWS FROM EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST

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TELL US YOUR STORY

AND WE’LL TELL THE WORLD E U R O P E & M I D D L E E A S T O U T L O O K is a digital and print product aimed at boardroom and hands-on decision-makers across a wide range of industries in the EME region.

With content compiled by our experienced editorial team, complemented by an in-house design and production team ensuring delivery to the highest standards, we look to promote the latest in engaging news, industry trends and success stories from the length and breadth of Europe and the Middle East.

Reaching a combined audience of more than 380,000 people, Europe & Middle East Outlook covers a full range of industrial sectors: mining; oil & gas; logistics; resources; manufacturing; construction; engineering; technology; food & drink; retail; finance; and healthcare.

In joining the leading industry heavyweights already enjoying the exposure we can provide, you can benefit from free coverage across both digital and print platforms, a free marketing brochure, extensive social media saturation, enhanced B2B networking opportunities, and a readymade forum to attract new investment and to grow your business.

To get involved, please contact Outlook Publishing’s Managing Director, Ben Weaver, who can provide further details on how to feature your company, for free, in one of our upcoming editions.

W W W. E M E O U T LO O K M A G . C O M Tel: +44 (0) 1603 959 650 Email: ben.weaver@outlookpublishing.com

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Assessing 2016’s Global Economic

DOWNTURN Morgan Lewis studies the effects of last year’s economic downturn, and potential areas of resurgence in Islamic finance Writers: Tarek El-Assra, Partner and Shah M. Nizami, Associate; Morgan Lewis

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ollowing the recession of 2007 and discovery of inherent risks in the conventional finance model, the drive to find a more stable financing system led to more focus on the Islamic financing model; in part due to it being based on ethical and social principles, and shared prosperity not present in the conventional finance model.

In the past year, the global banking sector has experienced a slowdown, including Islamic finance. However, it seems that the coming year may see some areas of resurgence in Islamic

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finance because of, among other things, a rise in oil prices and oil revenues, and growth in existing and new markets.

The downturn

The effects of the US’s economy, proposed Brexit in the UK, China’s rebalancing effort, and a decline in oil prices all contributed to the slowdown of Islamic finance. The US economy’s growth slowed down over the last few quarters of 2016 because of a decline in capital spending in the energy sector. On 23 June, 2016, the United Kingdom passed a referendum to exit the European

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Union and, as a consequence, the economy experienced weakness due to loss of confidence. China initiated the rebalancing efforts a few years ago due to the amount of investment made in manufacturing industries outstripping demand for goods made by such manufacturing industries.

China’s economy has experienced and will experience slow growth in the short-term, as such rebalancing lays the foundations for long-term growth.

Islamic finance also experienced a downturn in 2016 due to a slowdown of the economies of the Middle East as a result of steep decline in oil prices, and a lack of uniformity in Islamic finance regulation. Oil prices bottomed out in the mid-$20s in early February, 2016 due to oil supplies piling up in storage as a result of resilient shale production and rising output from OPEC. A continued issue in decelerating the growth of Islamic finance has been the lack of uniformity in regulations governing Islamic finance. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Malaysia are at the forefront of growing Islamic finance, but the differences in approach to Islamic finance by these countries have led to the growth of Islamic finance being constrained. As the situation currently stands, structuring Islamic finance transactions can be complex, and the lack of uniformity in regulations makes Islamic finance transactions potentially cost-prohibitive to a broader set of investors.

The resurgence

While Islamic finance experienced a contraction in 2016, it could experience a resurgence due to a number of factors, including easing of liquidity constraints due to increasing oil prices, new markets and investors, and a drive for conformity in regulations. Oil prices in 2016 bottomed out but started to rise because North American oil producers enacted a number of spending and production cuts, which allowed oil prices

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to hit $50, but bounced between $40 $50 during the rest of year.

In addition to the North American spending and production cuts, OPEC in November, 2016 agreed to cut the output in the first half of 2017, which signalled a change in strategy by OPEC. The current increase in oil prices, albeit not at the $120 level of a few years ago, should lead to an easing of the liquidity crunch. Such easing should increase funds available to be invested in Islamic finance products such as sukuk issuances (i.e., Islamic bonds).

Sukuk issuances could see an increase in issuances from sovereigns, banks and corporates in the Gulf as regional financing needs to increase.

Saudi Aramco has announced its intention to launch a sukuk with four banks in its plan to raise as much as $10 - $15 billion in bonds in 2017 to

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‘As a signal of its commitment to being at the forefront of Islamic finance, Britain issued a sovereign sukuk in the amount of £200 million on 25 June, 2014 and a tenor of five years’

finance its capital expenditures. The entry of Saudi Aramco into the sukuk market could be a game-changer given the size of the Company and its proposed bond issuances. Economies in the Middle East have generally been resilient despite mounting political and economic difficulties in the region and countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Malaysia, Qatar and Iran will continue to be strong proponents of Islamic finance and driving forces behind its growth.

Additionally, Islamic finance is a budding industry in countries such as the US, UK, and Russia. Due to the recession, investors in the US have started to look at Islamic finance due to its stability, and ethical and social principles. With Islamic finance’s inherent aversion to risk and speculation, Islamic financial institutions (i.e., Islamic banks, community banks,

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(AAOIFI) has put forward a draft standard on centralised sharia boards.

The purpose of the draft standard

by AAOIFI is to improve corporate governance in the industry. Due to disparate approaches to sharia boards and Islamic finance generally, adopting centralised sharia boards and moving towards a uniform approach to Islamic finance will increase the credibility of the Islamic finance industry and boost the confidence of its clients and investors in Islamic financial institutions, therefore allowing continued growth.

Islamic finance vs. conventional financing

and investment banks and brokerage firms) in the US have started to grow along with the growth of the Muslim population in the country.

The UK has been at the forefront of Islamic finance with London acting as the go-to hub for Islamic finance products because of its proactive approach in incorporating Islamic finance in its regulatory framework.

As a signal of its commitment to being at the forefront of Islamic finance, Britain issued a sovereign sukuk in the amount of ÂŁ200 million on 25 June, 2014 and a tenor of five years.

Finally, the growth of Islamic finance will be helped by a standardisation of the rules and regulations governing Islamic finance products. In an effort to drive standardisation, Bahrain-based Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions

The recession of 2007 highlighted that the conventional finance model, while globally prevalent, is beset by weaknesses due to its exposure to, and ownership of, risky and speculative assets and financial products, together with the creed that maximum profit is the golden rule. Additionally, the conventional finance model aggregates wealth in the hands of a select few and allows for an unfair distribution of risk between the market participants.

While the conventional finance model is used by an overwhelming majority of the world due its ease of access, standardised products, and similar standardised regulations; the great recession of 2008 brought the global economy to the brink of a crash.

Consequently, the global economy is in need of a rebalancing and recalibration.

Given the downsides of the conventional finance model, Islamic finance could be the white knight the global economy needs in order to prevent future catastrophic economic downturns due to it being governed by ethical and social principles. Islamic finance could be the key as it is governed by the following principles:

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prohibition against riba (charging of interest and usury), prohibition against gharar (excessive uncertainty and risk), prohibition against maisir (gambling), and prohibition against haram (forbidden) goods and industries (i.e., alcohol, weapon manufacturers, gambling, etc.).

The foregoing prohibitions allow for a financial system that advocates for the just, fair, and equitable distribution of income and wealth during the production cycle. Islamic finance could provide a stable alternative to the conventional finance model but does have the following drawbacks: the majority of Islamic finance products and institutions are limited to the Middle East, Malaysia and other South Asian countries, lack of uniformity in standards and regulations, potential prohibitive costs, lack of exposure to non-Muslim investors, and finding avenues to incorporate Islamic finance within existing regulatory frames in countries such as the US, Russia and other countries.

Islamic finance could be a viable alternative to the conventional finance model if efforts to standardise products and regulations are successful, the global economy is better educated on the advantages of Islamic finance, and there is continued engagement in the international financial world to develop an Islamic finance industry.

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DUBAI CONSTRUCTION:

A Year of Mega

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2017 has brought about a change in pace for Dubai’s construction industry, with 39 percent of UAE’s current projects taking place in the city Writer: Phoebe Calver onstruction in Dubai this year has started off with a bang, with the unveiling of numerous plans for the city’s development; including the new megaproject – Dubai Harbour – which will be developed over the next four years.

Dubai Harbour is one of the many ambitious and innovative waterfront projects to have been unveiled in the UAE in recent years, including Dubai Creek and Nakheel’s Deira Islands.

Together, they continue to drive industry within the region, particularly the sale of large vessels, while seeing a 25 percent increase in maritime investment since 2013.

Overall, Dubai’s construction sector has experienced exponential growth, with numerous exciting and innovative developments in the pipeline, set to begin at various stages throughout the year; including of course, Dubai Harbour, Dubailand Park and the three Dubai Expo 2020 Districts.

At present there are a total of 4,000 construction projects in various stages of development, which are cumulatively worth $313 billion, indicating a huge surge in growth in the construction industry in both Dubai and the UAE in general.

Driving development

A particular driving force in the development of Dubai’s construction industry has been via the build-up to Dubai Expo 2020, the celebration of human ingenuity found in collaboration and partnership.

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$6.8 billion

GOVERNMENT SPENDING WILL CREATE A NEW SOUTHERN DISTRICT Developments on the site are moving along well, with Government spending on infrastructural enhancements pushing on the market. The Government is expecting to require $6.8 billion of capital spending to plunge into what is one of the biggest projects in Dubai’s history; and when the project is completed it will open up a new district in the south of the affluent emirate.

Construction surrounding Dubai Expo 2020 is due to begin at the end of March, 2017; this advancement being made following the award of a contract to Al Futtaim Carillion of $600 million.

The Expo’s three separate districts will be named Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability; the design reflecting traditional Dubai architecture.

The large-scale project will open its doors to the public on 20 October, 2020 where the three districts will provide platforms for the non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) and commercial partners which are taking part in the project.

One of the aims and goals of the Expo is to create both a comfortable and

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enjoyable experience for the visitors, incorporating a host of innovative climate control solutions and passively designed buildings, which will all add to the atmosphere.

A natural vibrancy

Dubai is renowned for its extravagant architecture and innovative developments in construction, so it is no surprise that Dubai Holding – the global investment Company – has signed an agreement with the Dubai municipality to develop the largest park in the emirate, spanning an area of more than 1,430,000 square metres.

The new destination’s first phase will begin construction later on this year, with a section of the park covering 318,000 square metres, including a four kilometre jogging track, seven kilometre pedestrian pathway and two kilometres of cycling track.

Aims of the park include creating the highest levels of sustainability, while also taking the opportunity to raise environmental awareness amongst its visitors, both local and tourist. It is also

hoped that the park will highlight the remarkable landscapes that Dubai has to offer, positioning it among the top of the world’s most renowned cities.

The park will provide all who visit with a natural and vibrant arena, which is hoped will encourage and promote an active and healthy lifestyle, with the park increasing public space by 17 percent. Dubailand park will total 30 kilometres of pedestrian pathway, 20 kilometres of jogging track, 14 kilometres of cycle track, seven kilometres of nature trail, 55 playgrounds, five major event spaces, topped off with retail space and restaurants.

An iconic park area is something that developers felt was missing from the cultural identity of Dubai, with major cities such as New York, London and Singapore comprising iconic parks integral to each destination’s social identity.

Not only will it build upon the sense of identity in Dubai, but will also provide green spaces which will play an important role in enabling the

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elevation in quality of life amongst those making use of the space and hopefully inspiring them to explore new pursuits.

MENA’s largest marina

Last but by no means least, the plans for Dubai Harbour were unveiled in January, depicting the transformation from what is currently known as Dubai International Marina Club; the area that will become the focal point of the new harbour, by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The megaproject will not only comprise the MENA region’s largest marina with the capacity to hold 1,400 vessels, but also many unique facets which will create quite the spectacle to behold.

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At present the master-plan in place for the development is to fully and successfully integrate the area covered

by Skydive Dubai, Dubai International Marine Club and Logo Island into one singular entity, featuring Dubai Lighthouse.

Beginning this year, the four-year development of the harbour will be completed by the renowned developer, Meraas whose projects to date have included CITY WALK, THE BEACH, BOXPARK and The Outlet. Meraas is renowned in Dubai for its drive and focus when it comes to creating a better city for people to enjoy while visiting, living and working there.

In-keeping with Dubai’s signature style and flair, the development will

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host a plethora of grand amenities including a shopping mall covering a monumental 3.5 million square feet, which is around nine times the size of Dubai Marina Mall.

The pinnacle of the harbour in terms of both architectural design and functionality will be the Dubai Lighthouse, which will double up as a luxury hotel, providing 360 degree views of Dubai Harbour. Its facade is to be used as a gigantic screen from which light shows and high resolution projections will be seen, creating spectacular scenes in the city.

With the Harbour set to massively enhance the city’s profile, acting as a magnet for wealth and investment, it is an exciting time for construction in Dubai and will provide an exciting stage for global cities to look to in the future for inspiration.

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Mixing Business with Leisure Airbnb knows fluctuating travel demands better than most and has, in Northern Europe especially, capitalised in recent times on the growing swathes of business travellers looking to make their executive trips a bit more like a holiday Writer: Matthew Staff

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irbnb’s presence in Northern Europe has become globally significant for the online hospitality operator since its inception almost one decade ago, with the likes of France, Italy, UK and Germany establishing themselves as the top destinations across the world for inbound guest arrivals.

Cities including Paris, London and Rome have proved especially - if not unsurprisingly - popular over this duration, as the Company looked to capitalise on the constant influx of travellers gracing the region’s shores each year.

Among these consumer segments over the past nine years, the business traveller catchment has become increasingly familiar to Airbnb, with executives looking more and more for a home-from-home set-up upon arrival, as opposed to the traditional hotel lifestyle.

As such, Airbnb has become a key exponent of this market section, and Europe & Middle East Outlook spoke with the Company’s General Manager for Northern Europe, James McClure about not just the growing trend, but how the Group has modified its offering to meet this particular target audience.

“Within Northern Europe, we have a variety of accommodation styles authentic to each region,” McClure introduces. “Whether it’s a houseboat in Amsterdam or an industrial loft in Berlin; by virtue of having a diverse range of cultures and styles across Europe, we have homes local to each region that are particularly appealing for business travellers looking for a home away from home.”

Europe & Middle East Outlook (EME): What are the most common preferences sought after by visitors using Airbnb in Northern Europe - perhaps via the filters of preferences - and how do these differ from other regions?

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James McClure (JM): To help travellers feel at home when they are on the road, business travellers can choose from thousands of Business Travel Ready listings. With all the essential amenities and services a business traveller needs like free WiFi, laptop-friendly workspaces and 24-hour check-in, we’re finding that visitors across the board are seeking Business Travel Ready listings.

To date, more than 150,000 companies have completed a booking through the Airbnb for Business Product Suite. Companies like Amazon, Google, Vox Media, and Twilio are a part of the Airbnb for Business programme and give their employees options when traveling, especially for group travel or longer stays.

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“Thanks in large part to technological advances, the world of business travel is an ever-evolving landscape full of exciting new opportunities”

EME: Are you aware of a customer’s reasons for visiting upon a booking - i.e. for leisure, business, etc - and if so, what specific requirements or trends have you noticed among the business travel community?

JM: Nearly 10 percent of all Airbnb customers travel for business. Airbnb for Business is enjoying rapid growth with more and more companies embracing the sharing economy, but this new trend is just one of many in the corporate travel space.

Thanks in large part to technological advances, the world of business travel is an ever-evolving landscape full of exciting new opportunities.

For example, ‘bizcations’ or the opportunity to combine business travel

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with a holiday, is booming.

The average length of a business traveller’s stay on Airbnb is twice as long as stays in traditional accommodations, at 6.8 days per trip, indicating a rise in business travellers staying the weekend to mix business with pleasure, and getting to know a new city or neighbourhood they’ve never visited.

EME: To this end then, what is Airbnb doing to ensure that it is an attractive proposition to the business traveller in Northern Europe?

JM: Airbnb for Business offers people an affordable option, giving employees the flexibility and control over their stay. Employees can choose more space, stay in a neighborhood that interests them, choose a listing with a kitchen they’d love to cook dinner in, or even a place that has a washing machine so they can pack light.

In addition, Airbnb for Business makes it easy to travel for work without sacrificing the comforts of home. By choosing to stay with Airbnb, this allows travellers to feel like they get a chance to experience what it would be like to live in the city.

The Airbnb platform has grown to “In addition, Airbnb for more than three million listings in more than 191 countries. To date, more than Business makes it easy to 150 million guests have spent the night travel for work without in listings spread across more than sacrificing the comforts of 65,000 cities. Having opened the doors to homes around the world, Airbnb home” for Business is again changing the way people experience the world when were already using Airbnb for business they travel. travel, so we want to find ways to help improve travellers’ experiences.

EME: What is Airbnb’s general strategy for growth in Northern With more and more freelancers in the jobs market and new advances Europe moving forward, what specific trends are these in response to, in communication technology, there and how does the business travel aspect is likely to be a shift towards ‘remote fit into this? first’ companies and ‘digital nomads’ over the coming years. As a growing JM: For Airbnb, business travel number of people learn how to is an untapped market - a growth combine a successful career with accelerator - and we knew people

the freedom to travel on their own schedule, they are increasingly turning to new forms of accommodation that cater to different needs.

At the same time, business travel is becoming less about being a road warrior and more about mixing business with leisure. People are combining business trips with weekend stays, and in this everconnected world, are finding ways to create unique experiences even if they are on the road for work.

Choosing to stay with Airbnb allows travellers to feel like they get a chance to live in a city, even if it’s just for one night.

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REYKJAVÍK Iceland’s capital is putting the recession of 2008 and the volcanic eruption 2010 behind it as Reykjavík’s natural appeal gathers more sustainable economic support Writer: Matthew Staff uch like the rest of the world’s capital cities, Reykjavík is its country’s hub; it’s beating heart, its economic control room, its cultural instigator. Unlike the rest of the world’s capital cities though, Reykjavík remains one of the most picturesque, open, sparse and clean destinations that planet earth can boast.

And the planet would have every right to boast it as well. A trip to Reykjavík isn’t your stereotypical melee through bustling streets, traffic jams around every corner, or endless queues to capture a glimpse of various landmark attractions. It is instead a homage to the natural world at its very best.

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Blue Lagoon, Reykjanes

Naturally, the city has incorporated infrastructure and economic prevalence into its organic make-up in order to keep the country ticking over throughout the decades, but it is no coincidence that its key financial driver even to this day is tourism. If any city had cause to fly the slogan ‘build it and they will come’ above the city gates, then surely it would be Reykjavík.

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And they do come: tourists, business travellers, scientists, historians.

For a weekend break or a month of exploration, there isn’t a demographic that the city doesn’t attract. And for the lucky swathes who are actually sent to Reykjavík for ‘business’ each year, it is fair to assume that no amount of boardroom activity could detract from the overall ‘bizcation’ experience.

Engulfed by stunning coastline and uncountable peninsulas, coves, islands and volcanic architecture, “all around Iceland there is a multitude of

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experiences waiting and it has been exciting to see all the new product developments more diverse visitor accommodations, and activities on offer happening around the country”, as Gunnar Sigurðarson, Manager of Visit Iceland & Creative Industries at Promote Iceland enthuses. “We want to see the country continue to thrive but in a way that protects it at the same time. For tourists, Iceland is yet mostly undiscovered. Our message is simple: ‘Explore Iceland, go further, stay longer’.”

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FACTS & FIGURES

Country: Iceland Languages: Icelandic Area: 273 square kilometres Population (2015): 130,000 Currency: Icelandic Krona Time zone: UTC+0 Dialling code: +354 Internet TLD: . is Climate: Sub-polar oceanic/ subarctic/tundra Lowest recorded temperature: -19.7 °C

Skógarfoss

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The Business End INITIALLY FOUNDED in 1786 as a trading town, its significance as a national and regional core of political, business and social development has culminated in a modern day status as one of the safest and greenest cities in the world once combined with the peripheral, organic prominence of the area.

Subsequently becoming the centre of Iceland’s overall growth throughout the centuries, it is perhaps a little unfair that its notoriety in more recent times has come virtue of the 2008 economic meltdown in the country. Just two years on from being named the richest city in the world by The Economist Group in 2007, the country was thrown into disarray by 2009, as numerous projects were halted, investments were no longer a viable option and foreign business interest waned.

Landmannalaugar, South Iceland

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For any other city, this would be an irreparable disaster, but for a country that has primarily always relied on plus-points untainted by boardroom implications, there is now a northern light at the end of the tunnel.

“The tourism industry is today the largest revenue-generating industry for Iceland. The Government has been putting more emphasis on the industry with a long-term emphasis on sustainable development and better infrastructure,” Sigurðarson explains. “In 2012, Iceland had the highest seasonality among the Nordic countries. Only three years later it decreased by more than 20 percent though, meaning that the increase in visitor arrivals is happening in offseason months. At the same time, visitor guest nights have increased by 18-31 percent - on average - year-on-

year in every region of Iceland.

“This all provides more sustainability as well as creating a whole year-round industry which was not the case before.

“Tourism has been the only jobcreating industry since the financial recession, increasing employment from around 11,000 in 2011 to 25,000 today; accounting for 13 percent of the Icelandic workforce. In 2015, the tourism sector contributed seven percent to the national GDP, compared to four percent a few years ago.”

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Transport Links “IN 2010 only four airline services were flying to Iceland,” Sigurðarson says. “Today there are 25 airline services – 14 in the winter and 11 all year round – flying to Iceland, with direct flights to 80 destinations.

“With this change, Reykjavík has been developing as a meeting destination and is now one of most popular emerging international meeting cities. And more and more are realising that Reykjavík is closer than they think; only three-five hours away from mainland Europe and five-seven hours from North America.”

Keflavík International Airport and Reykjavík Airport are the two portals facilitating this heightened influx of visitors to the country, but once there, public transport doesn’t carry anywhere near the same amount of importance as it does in most other major cities around the world.

For one, you can walk to most places if the mood (and the weather) suits.

Even cycling isn’t beyond the realms of possibility as long as you don’t mind a few hills and a bit of wind.

Reykjavík, Iceland

can either be done in a week or a day depending on your schedule and how much time you want to spend lazily gazing at each checkpoint; and provides visitors with the most formulaic and navigable route around Reykjavík’s star attractions.

Reykjavík harbour

Undoubtedly the most popular mode of transport if you’re looking to explore all corners – and even beyond the jurisdiction – of Reykjavík, however, is by car. Again, while not needed in the city centre, it is by far the best method to navigate what is a relatively small area in efficient fashion.

Trains are essentially non-existent and boats will of course be vital in terms of reaching one of the many islands, but job one for every traveller is to ensure that every inch of the Golden Circle is covered by road.

Surrounding all popular landmarks, the 300 kilometre stretch of road

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Promote Iceland ONE COMPANY to have overseen both sides of the Icelandic coin over the past seven years is Promote Iceland who, as a public private partnership since 2010, has looked to revive the country’s good image and reputation by encouraging not just tourism, but the key economic drivers and industries that will make the nation more sustainable in the future.

“Promote Iceland looks to attract foreign tourists and investments to the country, while assisting in the promotion of Icelandic culture abroad,” Manager of Visit Iceland & Creative Industries at the Company, Sigurðarson states. “The idea was to combine all promotional efforts for Iceland together under one organisation; including trade, tourism, culture and foreign direct investments.

This is also done in close cooperation with Icelandic embassies and consulates abroad, as well as bilateral chambers of commerce.

“At the same time that Promote Iceland was being established in 2010,

Volcanic eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in 2010

the volcanic eruption in Eyjafjallajökull happened causing a crisis for the tourism industry. So, for the first time the Government, municipalities and the private sector joined forces with an integrated marketing initiative.

“Since then, the public and private sector has worked under the umbrella brand of Inspired by Iceland for Iceland

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as a destination with Promote Iceland in charge.”

With a strong focus on promoting Iceland for its natural beauty, its economy, its culture and its people; the key message that Promote Iceland has tried to instil since then has been surrounding the constant development and progress in these

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areas in order to make the country a more wholesome proposition to locals, tourists and business executives alike.

Sigurðarson continues: “Today, tourism is the largest revenuegenerating industry for Iceland, larger than the fishing and aluminium sector combined. When Promote Iceland started it was the third largest and far behind the two others. Our focus in cooperation with the tourism industry has been on decreasing seasonality and in promoting new regional destinations in Iceland.

“This past year we have also put more emphasis on our marketing efforts, and on educating and informing visitors - before and during their stay - about Iceland´s fragile nature, responsible travel behaviour, local culture and Icelandic peculiarities.”

The response over the past seven years has been exactly what Promote Iceland had hoped for with 95 percent of visitors stating their satisfaction from their visit; indicating a more sustainable and year-round make-up to Iceland’s attractiveness.

“To add to this, the Government and the Icelandic Travel Industry Association has joined forces and devised a new Road Map for Tourism,”

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quality of life in Iceland by 2030.

“The top priority is to invest in product development and the necessary tourism infrastructure to accommodate the growing number of visitors. The Tourism Task Force has started several projects in order to support the infrastructure; such as improving tourist safety, increased funding for development, maintenance and protection of tourist attractions, improving public toilet availability, the protection of the Icelandic nature, and more.”

Dettifoss Waterfall Studies have shown that the vast majority of Icelandic people are bought into this strategy and are welcoming towards tourists looking to share their natural beauty. And this idea can only be taken one more positive step further for business travellers; upon the realisation that each ‘tourist’ would be bringing vital income into the Town of Husavik at sunset, north coast of Iceland country as well. adds Sigurðarson. “Launched in “People from all over the world October, 2015, the Road Map provides come to Iceland to experience the stunning beauty of our country, the a long-term tourism strategy with an emphasis on sustainable development. specific characteristics of our culture, The long-term vision is that the tourism and the hospitality of the locals. We industry will become a sustainable and value and respect all of these things profitable sector yielding stable foreign and have a clear, long-term strategy to ensure that we protect them,” exchange earnings for the economy, Sigurðarson concludes. and increasing the prosperity and the

Click to view image gallery

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Outlook recommends “People from all over the world come to Iceland to experience the stunning beauty of our country, the specific characteristics of our culture, and the hospitality of the locals.”

- Gunnar Sigurðarson, Manager of Visit Iceland & Creative Industries at Promote Iceland

NATURE

RETAIL

LEISURE

Choice Tour Iceland Reykjavík Botanical Gardens MUSEUMS Kringlan website

Kringlan National Museum of Iceland website

National Museum of Iceland

Laugavegur FOOD & DRINK

Reykjavík Golf Club website

Reykjavík Golf Club Blue Lagoon HOSPITALITY

Vikin Maritime Museum Einar Jónsson Museum ART & CULTURE CIA.IS Center for Icelandic Art Reykjavík Art Museum 32

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Matarkjallarinn website

Matarkjallarinn

Skuggi Hotel website

Ostabudin

Skuggi Hotel by Keahotels

Old Iceland Restaurant

Opal Apartments

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Out and about INEVITABLY, WHEN ‘out and about’, the primary goto places are wherever your gaze fancies. The natural aesthetics of Reykjavík account for the vast majority of landmarks and must-sees around the city, and this is largely thanks to the widespread, amply spaced nature of the capital in general.

Being very small in size, it has the feel of a coastal town, placed upon a backdrop of idyllic views, yet secretly embedding the serious and vital economic cogs that keep Iceland afloat.

Outside of your scheduled plans to this less appealing business underworld though, you’ll hardly notice it’s there, and can instead focus your attentions on the fantastically personable and sufficiently catered for eateries, retail outlets, museums, leisure facilities and nature trails.

Choice Tour Iceland Tour along the scenic south coast of Iceland and visit some of Iceland’s most beautiful places. Places like Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss, Reynisfjara and the three Trolls, the Basalt columns and caves at Reynisfjall and Puffin island Dyrholaey. Pass by the slopes of Glaciers like Eyjafjallajokull, made famous by the eruption in 2010, Myrdalsjokull with Katla Volcano.

Choice Iceland Tours includes everything Iceland’s nature and historical sights have to offer and much more besides.

We also specialise in dedicated photography and hiking tours for private and small group outings all over Iceland.

For more information contact:

Jon Sveinsson

00354 8577945 info@choicetouriceland.com

www.choicetouriceland.com

The Skolaferdalag geysers are spectacular

Blue Lagoon, Reykjanes

So friendly are these service providers that they don’t even expect you to tip them as you venture from bar to bar, or restaurant to diner. And with more than 200 food & drink options, regular festivals, and a thriving art and music scene; you certainly won’t find yourself short changed if you’re looking to blow off some steam during your evenings.

And speaking of blowing off steam, volcanoes offer just one of the numerous daytime activities available in the area, as you begin your exploration around the one-of-akind island.

If you’re struggling to choose which landmark to visit next, then tour operators such as Choice Tour Iceland can be your guide; offering deals to show you the South Coast ‘Black Beach’, Blue Lagoon, glaciers, the Golden Circle, Reykjavík forest, Landmannalaugar mountains, the Snæfellnes Peninsula, and of course the Northern Lights.

Thingvellir National Park

Namaskard Skyjad ferdamenn

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Landmark Attractions Heidmörk Nature Reserve

“Situated on the southeast outskirts of Reykjavík city is Heidmörk – a wonderful recreational area with many trails leading through a vast expanse of bushy vegetation and lava formations. Some of the park’s most notable features are the Raudhólar or ‘Red Hills’ – the remnants of a cluster of pseudocraters in Ellidaárhraun lava field. Heidmörk is a favourite with the locals, especially for sports enthusiasts, those with children and couples looking for a romantic retreat!” - Visit Reykjavík

Southern Iceland Glaciers

“Discover the scenery of South Iceland on this full-day tour from Reykjavík. Journey past lava fields, icebergs and glacier lakes as you explore the Sólheimajökull and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers. Keep your camera poised as you admire the black sand beaches and dramatic rock formations of Vik, as well as the mighty Skogafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls.”

- Viator.com

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Golden Circle

“If you can’t spend a full week driving Iceland’s Ring Road (which circles the country), renting a car and driving the smaller Golden Circle route on your own is a perfect option. Driving the Golden Circle is a popular day trip for visitors to Iceland. The 300km route covers many beautiful landmarks in a short period of time.”

- Expert Vagabond

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Northern Lights

“The northern lights are one of the biggest draws to visiting Iceland, however they are also one of the most elusive and unpredictable attractions this country has.

Although it would be great to easily pinpoint a how to see them, there are a lot of variables to consider for seeing them: season, weather, length of stay, location and luck. Of course, there are lots of fantastic things to do in Iceland and it’s always best to think of seeing the northern lights as an added bonus.”

- Northern Lights Iceland

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R I Y A D H

RIYADH

can shroud the city in dust, while winter can see the temperature drop to just above zero. Although you will have to endure the blazing heat in between a busy schedule, a saving grace is the lack of humidity in the air, with summer evenings occasionally bringing about a Saudi Arabia’s young capital is the perfect combination of cooling breeze while you enjoy your free time. modern business acumen and traditional values Riyadh provides the perfect Writer: Phoebe Calver demonstration of modern Saudi contradiction; for the eager business iyadh (‘The Garden’) has Riyadh provides the perfect setting traveller its sparkling modernity, come a long way since for a business traveller; by combining juxtapositioned against the conservative its days as a stopping modern westernisation with traditional traditions to provide both an enticing point along the desert Saudi values. and intriguing backdrop to your travels. trading routes, now one Due to its location in the middle of When you incorporate the fine of the wealthiest cities in the world the country, the city is prone to some of dining, excellent hotels and the rare and the Kingdom’s financial and Saudi Arabia’s most extreme climates. sights that you would expect from a political capital.

The summer season will often bring city rich in history, Riyadh is not Ruled by strict adherences to temperatures of more than 50°C, only the perfect business hub but sensibilities recognised the world over, along with bone-dry conditions that also a captivating place to explore.

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FACTS & FIGURES

Country:

Saudi Arabia

Languages:

Arabic, English, French

Area:

4,900 square kilometres

Population (2016):

8,000,000

GDP (2016):

121,395

Currency:

Saudi Riyal (SAR)

Time zone:

UTC+3

Dialling code:

+9661

Internet TLD:

.sa

Climate:

Hot desert climate

‘...for the eager business traveller its sparkling modernity, juxtapositioned against the conservative traditions will provide both an enticing and intriguing backdrop to your travels’

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The Business End

RIYADH HAS experienced rapid expansion in both population and infrastructure in its recent history; only 100 years ago it was simply a dowdy walled town that provided a stopping point on a trade route through the city.

The city was made the capital of Saudi Arabia when the country was born in 1932 and has since worked tirelessly to create a reputation in both culture and business acumen to make the city a success, and a natural choice for

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business travellers the world over.

Riyadh is a part of both Saudi Vision 2030 and National Transformation Programme 2020, both of which are placing a large amount of emphasis on increasing private sector involvement, while also working to increase privatisation and investment of a large number of Government businesses as well as development of a variety of industries.

As both the financial and political capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is now working on developments in various industries such as mining in order to reform it and stimulate both growth and job opportunities.

Looking to obtain an environmentally friendly status is becoming an increasingly

important topic of conversation, and the city is subsequently aiming to reduce dependence on hydrocarbons by 2020. Whilst working on this, there is also a focus on the oil & gas industry and continued localisation in the sector; increasing gas production and its national gas distribution network in the process.

In the present day Riyadh provides the perfect platform to gather business professionals the world over, with a prime example being Saudi Arabia’s fourth accounting and auditing conference at Al Faisaliah Hotel.

Business, finance and government leaders the world over will gather to discuss the plans for success driven by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

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Transport Links

Hamad International Airport

RIYADH IS a long way from anywhere, but luckily has excellent connections by air, with the city’s King Khaled Airport located approximately 35 kilometres north of the city.

However, due to the airport’s location, it remains a notoriously tedious place to get stuck in; so in order to avoid running late on your busy schedule, ensure you have planned your route into the city well in advance.

Carrying valid identification at all times is vitally important, as you may experience issues if you are stopped at any of the city’s check-points.

A taxi ride into the city will take around 30 minutes in good traffic and you can download Uber, Easy Taxi and Careem ahead of your trip to book

private taxis. Bear in mind that Riyadh is very much a car-oriented city and public transport is underdeveloped in comparison to other popular cities.

It is advisable to carry a map and the phone number of someone at your destination when travelling around the city. Most drivers will be familiar with the major local landmarks, and from that point you will often be expected to know the way to your destination.

Leaving yourself a little extra time when negotiating Riyadh is definitely worthwhile.

If you find yourself with extra time in between meetings and are feeling adventurous, walking around Riyadh is a great way to see the city.

However, pedestrian bridges are few

and far between and combining that with the – at times – risky driving, and the formidable summer heat, it is no surprise that you will see relatively few people making their way across the city on foot.

Plans for expansion to the city’s railway and metro systems have been approved, which will introduce six lines to Riyadh, scheduled to open in 2019.

This will provide an exciting new way to get around the city, and not only that, it will make Riyadh a lot more user friendly to the busy business traveller.

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R I Y A D H

Outlook recommends “Nowhere are the contradictions of modern Saudi Arabia more evident than in Riyadh. Seen from afar, soaring, sparkling, stunning modern towers rise above the desert and shiny 4WDs throng modern highways. Up close, Riyadh is cautious and sober, not to mention conservative and deeply rooted in Saudi traditions.” - Lonely Planet

HOSPITALITY

HISTORICAL LANDMARKS

ART & CULTURE

Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski elegantly combines Arabian values with the Kempinski hospitality and flair, the hotel provides 349 rooms and suites inspired by modern Najdi architecture.

Offering the busy business traveller a peaceful rest-bite amidst the hustle and bustle of such a dynamic city, with a variety of dining experiences on offer combined with a classic European spa, fitness centre and spacious lounges to relax in.

Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre

City of Old Ad’Diriyah

Al Thumairi Gate City of Old Ad’Diriyah Al Musmak Castle FOOD & DRINK

Kingdom Centre

Antiquities Museum Kingdom Centre Najd Village Ata bin Ali Restaurant Four Seasons Hotel website

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Beit al-Hashi

Owais Souq Riyadh Zoo Narcissus Hotel & Residence

Home of Luxury in Riyadh

B U R J R A FA L H O T EL K EM P I N S K I blends the Arabian values of hospitality and warmth with Kempinski management expertise and our remarkable European flair to bring you 349 rooms and suites with inspired, tasteful and stylish modern Najdi architecture.

A peaceful oasis amidst a dynamic city, the hotel offers a wide range of outstanding services.

These begin with an exquisite variety of dining experiences in exceptional restaurants including authentic Ottoman cuisine, and go on to include exclusively distinguished lounges, a barber shop, fitness centre and two separate swimming pools and spa facilities for men and women.

For more information please call us on +966 11 511 7777 or email us at: reservations.burjrafal@kempinski.com Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski 7647 King Fahad Road, Sahafa Unit 1, Riyadh 13315-2174, Saudi Arabia Tel: +966 11 511 7777 ¡ Fax: +966 11 511 7778 ¡ kempinski.com/burjrafal /BurjRafalHotelKempinski

@BurjRafalHotel

@BurjRafalHotelKempinski

ANNIVERSARY

R I Y A D H

Out & About RIYADH PROVIDES just the right balance for the fastpaced living of a business traveller, with its variety of historical landmarks and traditional entertainment.

Many tourists visiting Riyadh will often be in search of a similar offering to western nightlife, however this city offers up something a little different, providing a quiet insight into the actual Saudi culture. There are no bars or clubs to wind away your evenings in, instead you will find more of a restaurant culture in which to unwind.

With an abundance of both local and international cuisine available, there is something for everyone’s tastes and the Riyadh nightlife experience will leave you relaxed and ready for another day of business and exploring.

As a business-oriented city, there is the perfect combination available of ease and efficiency, with an array of historical landmarks throughout. Stepping out of the hustle and bustle of the city slightly and you will find yourself transported into another world, surrounded by sand and original Arabian architecture.

A perfect example of this can be found at Al Musmak Castle, just 10 kilometres out of the city centre. As an important part of the city’s history - constructed during Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Rasheed’s reign - the castle is now open to the public following its conversion into a museum.

If you are looking for an authentic cultural experience where getting involved in bargaining is a must, look no further than Owais Souq. From traditional flea-market stalls, to gold jewellery and beautiful fabrics, the Souq is one of the most popular amongst the locals and will provide you with an insight into life in Riyadh.

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Landmark Attractions Sky Bridge

“Extending 65 metres in length, the SkyBridge which is a steel structure weighting about 300 tons sits on top of the 300-metere height tower and overlooking the whole of Riyadh. Its unique position gave it the advantage of being one of the most important attraction point for tourism in Riyadh. The trip to the SkyBridge passes through two elevators, first elevator will take about 50 seconds to reach the height of 180 metres to the Transfer level, and second elevator will take less than 40 seconds to reach its final destination the Sky Bridge.

– kingdomcentre.com

National Museum

“Inside the National Museum, Riyadh, you can find a captivating display of Saudi Arabia’s culture in past and present forms. There are different types of antiques, manuscripts, documents and display boards that showcase an erstwhile era.”

– nationalmuseum.org

Masmak Fortress

“It’s a scene out of the movies: a big fortress representing an empire.

Surrounded by sand, this squat fortification was built around 1865...

The roofs are covered with painted palm-trees; taramic and ethel wood and exude an old-world charm

that evokes an Arabian painting.

Inside, the information panels and short, chest-thumping films on the storming of the fortress and the ‘reunification’ of Saudi Arabia are reverential towards the Al Sauds but worth watching nonetheless.”

– Lonely Planet

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is a leading business-to-business publication promoting and showcasing the leading companies across an array of sectors in the EME region.

Appearing in both digital and print, the publication is aimed at boardroom members and hands-on decision makers, reaching a combined audience of more than 380,000 business executives.

Every other month we feature leading companies and business executives by profiling their operations and success stories. Covering areas of best practice, capital investments, the supply chain, innovation and continuous improvement, we aim to promote all that is good about the industry and the region, with your company taking centre stage throughout it all.

Producing business profiles across the full range of sectors and every corner of the continent, Europe & Middle East Outlook is the platform to promote your business success.

Read on for this month’s profiles.

Phoebe Calver, Deputy Editor phoebe.calver@outlookpublishing.com

If you want to enjoy the exposure and coverage we can offer, please feel free to contact us to discuss the opportunity further.

Tell us your story and we’ll tell the world.

Matthew Staff, Editorial Director Tel: +44 (0) 1603 959 655 matthew.staff@outlookpublishing.com

P I P O L

Business

Transformation

Made

Simple

Pipol has capitalised on the increasingly blurred divisions between ERP adoption and business transformation in recent years, with the former technological functionality now the beating heart of every international enterprise Writer: Matthew Staff | Project Manager: Vivek Valmiki

n recent years, the lines between technology and business have overlapped to a point where the latter cannot survive without embedding the former into its entire structure; a notion that international business transformation giant, Pipol has run with to great effect.

Initially opening its doors in 2001, its global growth over the years in supplying ERP solutions and consultancy services put Pipol on the map of some of the world’s leading sector exponents. A realisation in 2014 that IT was no longer a supplied product - but a business-critical commodity - has in turn transformed

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the Company itself from an IT specialist, to a business transformation behemoth.

“Around 2014, we came to the conclusion that the world had changed a lot and there was a need for us to rethink our whole value and business proposition,” Chief Executive Officer, Poul Kjaer recalls. “ERP had become more and more of a commodity with more functionality added to each solution and fewer modifications required to each product.

“We clearly sensed that our customers were becoming more advanced in how they required services from companies like us. In the past it was an IT-focused request along the lines of ‘can you do it, how much will it cost and

how long will it take?’ Today though, clients are much more interested in the suites between IT and business.”

The questions now revolve around how Pipol can help each client’s business to run more, smartly - from an IT perspective - or competitively; while streamlining each customer’s business process simultaneously.

With an abundance of IT skills and experience across a host of Microsoft Dynamics suites, ERP, CRM and BI technology, this was a significant yet natural step for the Group to take in becoming more of an advisor than a supplier to its readied portfolio of international clients.

“We identified this new trend and realised we had the niche and

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P I P O L

CYANSYS

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yanSYS was set up to be a reputable leader in offering professional technological services and integrated solutions to specified business communities with key competencies in providing independent software for information processing through integrated solutions,” introduces the Company’s Managing Director, Tan Theng Wee. Headquartered in Singapore, with regional offices across Southeast Asia namely Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong and very soon Australia - the Company is able to rapidly form regional project teams to facilitate project delivery.

The Company focuses on delivering scalable internationally packaged business solutions and expanding its services to comply with the growing market requirements in today’s competitive context; markedly differentiating us from other competitors.

Our offering includes an entire spectrum of Microsoft products and services from Dynamics business solution; add-on ISV products from LS Retail and Soft4leasing; office productivity tools; Windows servers; and now Azure cloud hosting.

Poul Kjaer, CEO

background to sell wider and broader into our client base,” Kjaer continues.

“With accounts with the likes of General Electric or ThyssenKrupp, we realised it would be a pity to only have one product on the shelf so to speak.

We therefore looked to ensure that we could offer more to our clients via our service range, and through a change in direction in order to become a digital transformation provider, rather than just an ERP supplier.

“Ironically, we had always been actively involved in business transformation through our offering; we had just never articulated it like that. But in changing a company’s ERP system you are essentially taking the heart out of the company and putting in a new one, so in providing the largest business transformation you can undertake, it only made good sense to define ourselves as a business transformation business.”

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Ironically, we had always been actively involved in business transformation through our offering; we had just never articulated it like that

Today the Company is part of the Pipol global partner alliance and is committed to providing coverage to the AsiaPacific rim with our regional presence providing implementation, maintenance and support at a cost effective return on Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx investment for partners.

The Company is honoured to be selected as one of the “50 Most Promising Microsoft Solutions Providers” and is featured in a one-page special profile about Aiding Businesses with an Entire Fleet of Microsoft Products and Services. Click the link here to read the article featured in this issue.

T +65 6653 1191

www.cyansys.com Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

CyanSYS: One stop service provider for the entire spectrum of Microsoft Products and Services Founded in 1991, CyanSYS started out as an IBM custom software developer during the initial years and in 1999, became the first in Southeast Asia to represent NAVISION, currently known as Microsoft Dynamics NAV. Being a pioneer in the NAVISION Solution Centre, CyanSYS is the oldest Microsoft Dynamics NAV partner in Southeast Asia.

Contact us today to find out how we can make this technology work for you.

PRODUCTS

SERVICES

Dynamics NAV

Infrastructure support

LS Retail Solution

Hosted services on AZURE

Dynamics CRM

Website development

Dynamics 365

Ecommerce integration

Office 365

Mobility Applications Development

Business Analytics

Azure deployment

140 Paya Lebar Road, #09-01 AZ@Paya Lebar Singapore 409015 T: 0065 6653 1191 (MAIN) www.cyansys.com

P I P O L

HATUA SOLUTIONS LTD

F

ounded in 2010, Hatua Solutions is a quality and customer driven business formed out of a strong belief that efficient technology as an enabler can maximise the potential of an organisation.

With a team of young, dynamic, and result oriented consultants who strive daily to deliver excellent solutions to our customers - solutions that allow organizations to respond rapidly to both market and customer demands - coupled with strategic partnerships with reputable organisations such as Microsoft and PIPOL among others, we have what it takes to provide quality service beyond imagination.

T +233 30 340 5296 E info@hatuasolutions.com

www.hatuasolutions.com

A trusted advisor

Present day Pipol continues to leverage the 2014 epiphany through the engagement of three core pillars; designed both for the betterment of the Company itself, and to the advantage of its ever-increasing client list.

“Adopting business transformation as our tagline and our focus allowed us also to step much more broadly into our clients’ operations in addressing their business equations, not just their IT,” Kjaer explains in regards to the first pillar. “We changed our own position from a supplier to trusted advisor by not just accepting a customer request but by questioning it, and being critical if needed, while understanding their reasons behind it.

‘What’s their vision, what do they want to achieve?’”

“Do they have a realistic timeframe, budget and return on investment plan?

This all requires flexibility and bespoke collaboration and we look to come up with a qualified critical walkthrough

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of what customers are looking for; to help us understand their needs, to make sure we can deliver more suitable applications, and to position us as a longstanding, trusted advisor for them.”

Pillar two facilitates enhanced trouble shooting as part of this ongoing client collaboration, with Pipol effectively acting as a transition management service too. The realisation that in 64 percent of cases where an ERP system has failed, it is down to the adoption of its IT rather than the IT itself, that has led to the Company taking on that assessment responsibility and in ensuring that each solution is being embraced appropriately.

“The last one is to do with sustainability and a series of workshops we perform each year with our clients,” Kjaer adds. “In a world that is constantly changing and with new functionalities and business practices coming along all the time,

FÊNIX SISTEMAS & CONSULTORIA Our partnership with Pipol Pipol and Fênix have been in a long term partnership for a decade, and the Company was the first South American partner to be established. Over the course our partnership, we have been implementing international Dynamics projects together, helping multi-site companies meet their objectives.

We are two companies with large process and technology business experience, with a hands-on team making one group around the world committed to following your Dynamics NAV Project in Brazil through to the end.

Despite Brazil’s governmental/ fiscal complexity, our team has been keeping Microsoft Dynamics NAV’s BR localisation up to date since 2001, allowing you focus on your business and goals.

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hatuaSolutions SERVICES - Custom Application Development - SAS - Web Portal Design and Development - IT Consulting, Business Analysis and Project Management - Managed I.T. Services and Network Engineering

PRODUCTS

... service beyond imagination

HATUA SOLUTIONS LTD.

SKDTD 8345, 30 HOS Comm.20, 16 Coconut Street, Lashibi, Accra - Ghana

GENERAL INQUIRIES

+233 30 340 5296 info@hatuasolutions.com

- Hatua InterPayment Portal - DeMorgan - iCredit - Microsoft Dynamics NAV/AX/CRM - Aphetor - Asembisa - eArchive

SALES

sales@hatuasolutions.com

www.hatuasolutions.com

AMONG THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE, WE’D LIKE HIGHLIGHT OUR EXCELLENCE AT:

Fênix Sistemas & Consultoria has been active in the Brazilian market since 1998, specialising in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) deployment. Our head office is located in Rio de Janeiro, with a branch office in São Paulo. We also have operations in Salvador and Belo Horizonte.

We have a solid partnership with Microsoft, having been certified as a Microsoft Gold Enterprise Resource Planning partner. We execute and maintain Microsoft Dynamics NAV’s Brazilian localisation (with a complete Brazilian fiscal package). The localisation involves the adaptation of all functions and resources of the standard Microsoft Dynamic NAV product.

Deployment of the following solutions: • Microsoft Dynamics NAV for small and medium-scale Companies • Add-on (incorporated into Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Dynamics 365 Financial) • Recycling and waste management industries • Management of transformation industries • Equipment maintenance • Shipment control • Microsoft Dynamics 365 for small, medium and large-scale Companies; • Microsoft Power BI • Microsoft Office 365

We also provide the following services: • Custom developments to our products for specific processes • Training on all modules of Microsoft Dynamics NAV and CRM • Post-deployment support, through SLA contracts • BPO – Business Process Outsourcing • Cloud Computing – Microsoft Azure

Our resources are Microsoft certified professionals and Business Managers, with deep knowledge of Business Processes in various segments and Project Managers certified by Prince II and PMI. We have cases of Project deployment in multi-national companies headquartered in several countries around the globe that have their subsidiaries in Brazil. After the Project deployment, we continue to support all customers.

RIO DE JANEIRO: 1 Embaixador Abelardo Bueno Ave Suites 521/522, CEP (Zip Code): 22775-022 Barra da Tijuca Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil T: 0055 21 3489 5074 SÃO PAULO: 42 Luigi Galvani St. - 6º fl. - suite 63 CEP (Zip Code): 04575-020 - Brooklin São Paulo - SP - Brazil T: 0055 11 3798 9459 Fênix Sistemas e Consultoria Fênix Sistemas e Consultoria

www.fenixconsultoria.com

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P I P O L

AKQUINET

A

KQUINET is the largest independent and privately held IT company in the Germanspeaking area. Achieving trust through co-operation and flexibility through our actions, the Company is respectful in our interactions and conscious of our social responsibility.

Based on Microsoft Dynamics NAV, DYNAMIC CROSSOVER is the industryspecific enterprise software supporting the whole supply chain - from acquisition to payment - during the realisation of projects.

We are searching for international sales partners and project partners for our professional ERP-Solution DYNAMIC CROSSOVER. T 0049 40 881 73 25 38 E nuernberg@akquinet.de

www.akquinet.de/crossover Partner of PIPOL

there is a need to frequently address how you run your business. To this end, we engage on a quarterly basis with clients to go through how the current solutions are being used and whether there is a need for improvement.

“Again this helps to realise our aim of creating long-term, collaborative and personable relationships with our clients.”

Fulfilling local requirements

Compounding such turnkey, allencompassing operations is a Group that can boast more than 5,000 employees around the world, catering for every required niche across sectors, geographies and IT skill-sets.

Subsequently a core advantage and a key market differentiator for Pipol, this ability to source, qualify, manage and distribute the best available artisans appropriate to where their skills would be best placed has come virtue of the Company’s longevity in the market and footprint around the world.

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These aspects of localisation are things we know very well from having practiced for so many years, and we employ people to continue fulfilling these local or sector-specific requirements

“For us, enablement has been the key word, rather than simply how many employees we have.” Kjaer emphasises.

“Sourcing , knowledge, knowhow, qualification and localisation all help to ensure that we meet the different needs and regulations before providing a solution in India, Brazil, China, Spain or anywhere around the world.

“These aspects of localisation are things we know very well from having practiced for so many years, and we employ people to continue fulfilling these local or sector-specific requirements.”

A more concerted presence in the US will enforce Pipol’s international strategy even further moving forward as it looks to match the already extensive presence it enjoys in Europe; ERP’s other parent region.

In the sweet spot

And in each new region, its loyal followers come with the business.

Joining the likes of General Electric

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We are searching for interna onal sales partners and project partners!

The professional industry-specific ERP-solu on based on Microso� ��namics ��� for the following areas: Ÿ Ÿ

mechanical and plant engineering engineering and architecture

Ÿ Ÿ

make-to-order manufacturing IT- and project service providers

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HIGHLIGHTS

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rough planning and detailed planning resource planning and me recording monitoring of enterprise goals by freely definable KPIs

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pre-, ongoing- and post-calcula on growing bill-of-materials with CAD integra on project based manufacturing with produc on orders

Ÿ Ÿ

exhibi on organiza on and booth construc on event management

management of events, venues and exhibitors material management for rental equipment and consumable items

www.akquinet.de/crossover and ThyssenKrupp, multinational heavyweights including Sony, Linde Gas, Kempinsky Hotels and Rentokil have all enjoyed the Pipol experience on a continuous basis as they look to keep on top of not just IT transformation; but business transformation as a whole.

“When it comes to different sectors or different regions, there are no jurisdictions from a technological adoption perspective,” Kjaer states.

“We realised this back when we started in 2001 when presenting this value proposition to international customers made good sense; and 16 years later the same committed partnership model still makes sense and continues to work well.

“Today we have partners in 65 countries - several having seats on our board and are shareholders in Pipol - and together we have achieved more than 600 international implementations.”

This differentiating vertical of being a truly global entity is what eliminates risk from the business; always safe in

....we are always on the beat - and to some extent, ahead of the market - so while we foresee the market changing even more, we remain on the right track and very optimistic about the future

the knowledge that - despite various economic challenges or sector fluctuations - the diversity across its client base, its geographical footprint, and its industry saturation will always offer enough flexibility and sustainability to keep moving onwards and upwards.

“The fact that we have been able to focus on what we do best and to tell the world what we’re good at for more than 15 years is testament to how fruitful of a story the Pipol one is,” Kjaer concludes. “We work in the sweet spot - the very centre between IT and business - and because of this overlap between the two; we only expect the business to expand further over the next five years.

“We will have an even better proposition moving forward because, as a Company, we are always on the beat - and to some extent, ahead of the market - so while we foresee the market changing even more, we remain on the right track and very optimistic about the future.”

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D E T E C O N

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S A U D I A

Today

Tomorrow Starts

Detasad takes pride in providing full lifecycle services to its customers, using innovation and drive to become a trusted partner to many influential companies and organisations across the Kingdom Writer: Phoebe Calver | Project Manager: Vivek Valmiki ven in its earliest stages, Detecon Al Saudia (Detasad) endeavoured to establish a countrywide presence; building a solid reputation of excellence, while ensuring the Company’s ability to work on the most challenging projects, to place it firmly on the map.

The Company initially focused its efforts on operational services, maintenance services and network deployment solutions, with some notable projects including the implementation and operation of a frequency monitoring solution for the regulatory body of STC; the leading network provider in the Kingdom.

“After identifying that there was a growing demand for specialised connectivity solutions in the early 2000s, we were one of the first organisations to obtain a licence for provision of VSAT services,” explains Felix Wass, Chief Executive Officer and President of Detasad. “Based on our partnership with Intelsat and iDirect, compounded by a commitment to the highest reliability and technological innovation, Detasad has emerged as the main provider of VSAT services to

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the financial industry.”

Detasad is responsible for operating more than 4,000 VSAT terminals, connecting ATM machines and providing support to the oil & gas industry, industrial groups and a number of verticals.

Wass continues: “Based on ensuring a Kingdom-wide support network, we provide our clients with a full 24-seven service, with a commitment to

Felix Wass, Chief Executive Officer

providing market-leading uptimes and dedicated professional service.”

Moving with the times, Detasad has entered the cloud market, initially focusing its energies on SME clients with high security needs. Its cloud products seamlessly integrate cyber-security and managed security services, which are an integral part of its service offering. Currently Detasad is focusing its energies in cloud on working with Saudi Aramco Entrepreneurship Center (Wa’ed) and SAEV, both of which are subsidiaries of Saudi Aramco.

As in all of its work, Detasad has taken a lot of pride in its projects and the level of execution in order to move forward as a leader in quality, reliability and flexibility.

“Our focus is not on short-term projects, but long-term partnerships,” adds Wass. “This is underlined by the high rate of return customers who consider Detasad to be a sound and strategic choice in the market.”

Compound this with the Company’s enviable track record of financial stability, a healthy balance sheet, and zero long-term debt, Detasad is well positioned to exploit the opportunities in this dynamic market place and to

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SETRA At SETRA, we believe in two things above all: growth and dynamism.

Being a “leader” in your respective field is something every company wishes to achieve, but few seldom do. This is what we concentrate on, strongly, and why we achieve this status year after year.

Since forming in 1996, the Company has grown considerably to become a leading solutions provider in all areas of electrical, computer, and mechanical engineering. The Company offers design, supply and installation for a variety of uses including data centers, cables, fire alarm and fighting systems and low current and automation products. In addition, we offer back up power solutions along with several maintenance and aftermarket support services.

We owe our success to our enviable and diversified range of products, in-depth, expert knowledge of the market, and a reputation for superior customer satisfaction.

Consistent monitoring of the market and re-evaluation of the opportunity for new products is important to Datasad

undertake investments which will keep its products relevant to providing market-leading solutions.

Significant new products

Consistent monitoring of the market and re-evaluation of the opportunity for new products and services is very important to Detasad, in addition to organisational agility and building a culture of learning within the business which is critical to longevity within the industry.

“Currently we are expanding into the deployment solution line of business. This is in addition to all services for design, implementation, testing and project management,” Wass elaborates. “This is exemplified by our recent cooperation with Coriant, a leading optical network provider.”

Detasad’s Sahaba Cloud provides a very competitive alternative for

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Currently we are expanding into the deployment solution line of business. This is in addition to all services for design, implementation, testing and project management

SETRA’s top management have had years of successful presence in local and international markets. A talented group of professional engineers form the ‘brain’ of SETRA, the majority of who hold graduate degrees from internationally renowned universities.

DETASAD & SETRA have been in a fruitful relationship for close to a decade and our relationship can be summed up in one word: TRUST. DETASAD worked with SETRA in the implementation of the electromechanical works for their data center Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx that was completed in 2009. Additional works that have been completed include infrastructure such as standby power (Generators & UPS), precision cooling, fire suppression, security systems, site monitoring, access floors and false ceilings.

A service contract is in effect supporting all the above systems to ensure safe and resilient operation of the data center.

T 00966 112062277 E info@setra.com.sa

www.setra.com.sa Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

DATA CENTER & POWER SOLUTIONS

AUTOMATION

FIRE SECURITY

LOW CURRENT

CABLES

EVISION

SINCE ITS INCEPTION in 1996, Saudi Electronic Trading Company (SETRA) has grown considerably to become a leading solution provider in all areas of electrical, computer, and mechanical engineering.

We owe our success to our leading state-of-the-art range of products, in-depth expertise and advance technical know-how acquired over the years, and our proven commitment to superior customer satisfaction.

With our head office in Riyadh, SETRA has further expanded to reach Jeddah, Al Khobar, Madinah and Jubail; covering the most important areas in Saudi Arabia.

Tel: 00966 112062277 Fax: 00966 112065611 info@setra.com.sa www.setra.com.sa

P.O. Box 60712 Riyadh 11555 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

MAINTENANCE

D E T E C O N

A L

S A U D I A

enterprise customers, in addition to this with the aim to create more flexibility and provide a variety of additional services; the Company has recently decided to implement a cloud market place which will be launched shortly.

“Other areas we have identified and are currently exploring specifically are a hosted, flexible professional video conferencing service or fleet management,” continues Wass.

“Security will remain a key driver for our clients in the KSA market; we are expecting to launch significant new products in the area of security as a service going beyond traditional cyber security to extend to physical security and other areas such as digital forensics.”

At present, IoT and big data are areas that no player in the telecommunications arena can ignore. What makes them specifically interesting for Detasad is the fact that it is one of the very few players in Saudi Arabia really able to offer a service covering all angles; from solution design, field implementation, operation of the devices, as well as the application environment and hosting a highly secured environment.

Respecting innovation

At present the Saudi market is a very interesting place for companies to operate within; the country’s ‘Vision 2030’ and the National Transformation Plan (NTP) 2020 aiming to grow ICT’s contribution to the GDP significantly.

It is hoped that this will generate many new opportunities in such a dynamic market, which is now by far the largest in the GCC and the wider region. As such, KSA will remain a key market for the Company.

Wass describes: “We are reviewing our options for the different lines of business and yes, while we don’t have current concrete plans to enter new territories, we are analysing different opportunities and this will remain under consideration.

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IoT and big data are areas that no player in the telecommunications market can ignore

We are reviewing our options for the different lines of business and yes, while we don’t have current concrete plans to enter new territories, we are analysing different opportunities

“When I took over as CEO and President, my introductory note to all employees quoted Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft’s statement that ‘Our industry does not respect tradition – only innovation’. This perfectly resonates with my conviction in the way we see Detasad moving forward.”

Some of the Company’s key objectives this year are to further expand a market-leading advantage with its portfolio, while building a learning culture which should establish an agile, dynamic organisation and

processes. In terms of external partnerships with its customers and suppliers, this will mean that the Company is able to transform itself from a traditional working relationship, to a long-term strategic partnership which provides balanced rewards to all concerned parties.

“Given the specifics of the Saudi market, a significant part of our talent is coming from abroad, with staff from 28 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe,” explains Wass. “As mentioned before, Detasad

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is committed to becoming a driving force for ICT in the Vision 2030, the employment of Saudi citizens forms an important part of this puzzle and commitment, guaranteeing sustainability. “We are currently testing different approaches for recruitment of Saudi nationals in different functions; one of the avenues is through local universities, establishing a trainee program. This is a very exciting prospect for the Company and something we hope will evolve to a larger scale over time.�

Accommodate growth and increase efficiencies

Alongside its infrastructure works which have successfully delivered several thousand kilometres of outside plants and other client projects, Detasad has undertook significant improvement initiatives over the years to provide the necessary platform for growth and expansion within the Company.

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ROHDE & SCHWARZ National Control of your Mission Critical Cyber Solutions Defense organisations, governments and operators of critical infrastructures are facing increasing numbers of sophisticated cyberattacks. To protect their mission, they require reliable and trustworthy IT security solutions.

Rohde & Schwarz has been the choice of governments, intelligence agencies and defense forces for decades. With our dedicated company Rohde & Schwarz Cybersecurity, we deliver comprehensive solutions for network encryption, mobile security, endpoint security, unified threat management, next-generation firewalls and cloud security. Our products are secure by design and enabled for cryptographic agility to ensure full control over your mission. Our portfolio includes web application firewalls (WAF) and vulnerability scanners for businesscritical web applications.

Recent investments have been made at Datasad

“We completed the implementation of another tier three data centre in Riyadh, providing us with additional space for a data centre and the anticipated expansion of the Sahaba cloud,” explains Wass. “Modifications in the existing tier three data centre were aimed at further improved resilience and reliability; and due to high demand we are currently analysing the options for another purpose built data centre in the future.”

The investments into products and services made by Detasad have already been recognised in the market by virtue of its certification for SAP Infrastructure Operations and the selection made by one of the biggest fast-food chains in the Kingdom as their cloud and managed IP networking service provider.

“In the network deployment business unit, we have increased our

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In the network deployment business unit, we have increased our fleet of heavy machinery to provide an even wider range of civil works and deployment services

fleet of heavy machinery to provide an even wider range of civil works and deployment services,” clarifies Wass. “The Company has invested significant amounts of capital investment to accommodate this growth and to increase efficiencies.

This included the construction of our new headquarters which provides the required office space we need to advance in the market.”

Here to stay

More recent investments made

by Detasad have been specifically aimed at improvements across operational processes; namely network operations, managed services and IT service management.

Having streamlined its operations support system with the introduction of ServiceNow as its service management ecosystem, gradually, the field maintenance, workforce management, incident management, product catalogue and other

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“We selected ServiceNow as it provides us with an integrated platform with the aforementioned flexibility to accommodate both our diverse business and service portfolio, while streamlining the processes,” Wass elaborates. “Our ServiceNow partnership is a prime example of the move from supplier to strategic relationship. Typically we offer the ServiceNow partnership in the form of a SaaS model.”

Another major investment in innovation for the Company has come in the form of a CRM expansion, enabling it to incorporate lead and bid management, therefore improving the customer experience and visibility at every stage of the sales process.

Wass adds: “In order to maintain our success in the Company, the modernisations of the IT enterprise environment and ecosystem will be an

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16.03.2017 13:56:13 ongoing process of development, with the key being the smooth integration and cross-platform availability of realtime data.

“We expect the full modernisation project to continue with significant investments for at least the next two years; the objective for many of the projects we currently have under consideration being the flexibility to provide them to our client base via the Sahaba cloud system.”

Moving forward, the Company has a very clear focus on honing its skills and reputation amongst the industry, while also continuing to deliver outstanding returns to its shareholders, and subsequently maintaining financial health.

Wass concludes: “By delivering on our Company ambitions to achieve sustainability, we hope that Detasad will become a driving force in the ICT Vision 2030 of Saudi Arabia, firmly establishing ourselves as a trusted Company that is here to stay.”

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Lifting You Towards

SUCCESS Falcon Aviation has built a reputation synonymous with excellence, placing paramount importance on serving the customer to become one of the best in the business Writer: Phoebe Calver | Project Manager: Kane Weller

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016 proved to be yet another high-flying year for Falcon Aviation, exceeding numerous targets the Company had set for itself previously; the success of which lying within its ability to provide a world-class service to all customers.

With oil prices dropping last year, Falcon Aviation employed effective and admirable teamwork in order to aid some of its main customers in the oil & gas industries. Working closely with ADMA and TOTAL, Falcon Aviation was subsequently able to move through this difficult period, evolving and strengthening

its status as a major player in the UAE ADNOC Operations.

“We have provided continuous support to ADMA, with efficient 19-seater state-of-the-art AW189s and a large proportion of our fleet of Bell 412s,” explains Captain Ramandeep Oberoi, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Falcon Aviation.

“We have also brought in AW169 in order to successfully make the TOTAL operations compliant with their rigorous safety requirements.

“It gives us great pride to be the first offshore operator of AW 169s in the world and we have also supported TOTAL and Wintershall Operations with our second AW189.”

Falcon Aviation’s two Dash 8 Q400 NG remain the backbone of ADNOCs operations for Das and Zirku islands, with Abu Dhabi’s Al Bateen Airport continuing to grow as the main hub for these operations.

A huge part of the Company’s success and continuous work with big-name clients is down to its high achievement record. A prime example of this can be seen when looking at the Company’s key performance indicators (KPI) for last year where it achieved 97 percent. ADNOC is now engaging the Company in weekly flights from Ras Al Khaima Airport for its Northern Emirate’s passengers.

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The revolutionary Legacy 450 truly transcends previous perceptions of mid-light capabilities. A remarkable union of technology and design, this aircraft flies faster and farther than any other jets capability of taking off and landing on shorter runways. This is the only jet in its category with full fly-by-wire technology, and the advanced Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion™ platform puts pilot and space. Up to nine passengers enjoy the smooth flight experience in the largest-in-class stand-up cabin with unmatched luxury, comfort and style. The jet’s ultra-quiet environment is perfect aircraft that is a true reflection of the heights that can be reached when your mission is to rethink and redefine what’s possible.

s in its class. The Legacy 450 delivers an enviable performance, including ts in complete control in a cockpit environment with superior ergonomics t for working or relaxing. Welcome to the Legacy 450 - a new-generation

WOW, WHAT AN AIRCRAFT! “Smart Air has been operating the first Legacy 450 in Europe for many months. We receive very positive feedback from customers using the aircraft as a charter. They are extremely pleased with the comfort.

My favorite elements are the quietness in the cabin, craftsmanship quality, the astonishing cockpit from a quality and technology standpoint, the fly-by-wire as a true added value in terms of comfort and safety. Pilots enjoy flying this aircraft. These are remarkable features that are not present in other similarly priced aircraft.

I now realize that my customer experience with Embraer is far better than what I experienced with other OEMs because we remain customers even after the aircraft delivery. The teams are very invested in customer satisfaction. They have a true willingness in accompanying the customer and ensuring his satisfaction throughout the aircraft operation.

The capability of the aircraft to land in Saint-Tropez/La Môle is an important time saver.

The landing is done in very safe conditions. The technical data after certification were far better than preliminary data. Those are good surprises when we take the risk of being the first customer on an aircraft not yet certified without any validated performance. It is very nice, as a consultant company, to be able to go back to our customer and say that the choice we recommended is by far exceeding the reality that existed when the decision was made.”

-Stéphane Ledermann, Founder & President, Smart Air Watch Stéphane’s story and request more information at EmbraerExecutiveJets.com/Stephane

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Captain Ramandeep Oboroi, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Falcon Aviation

“As a Company we are incredibly focused on expanding our existing projects,” continues Oberoi. “In 2015 we started the Qazaq Air Project in record time with three Q 400 NG, and one and a half years down the line, our aims to make Qazaq Air’s airline operations self-sufficient have been achieved. This has enabled us to focus our efforts on maintenance support for the airline, which will continue in the coming years.”

Setting the precedent

This year will see exciting movement for the Company, with a particular focus on project expansion of its oil & gas helicopter support operations in the UAE with a view to branch out to other countries in time.

“We have already set an exemplary precedent with the success displayed in the steady growth of business jet MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul)

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As a Company we are incredibly focused on expanding our existing projects...

This has enabled us to focus our efforts into maintenance support for the airline, which will continue in the coming years

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services in the Al Bateen Airport,” adds Oberoi. “We are confident that this programme will be effectively replicated in our Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) project, located within our stateof-the-art 18,000 square metre hangar facility.”

Finding pockets in the market that hold potential for growth is pivotal to the Company strategically, and Dubai in particular has offered a lot of potential for growth in various segments.

“For three years running, we have successfully operated tour rides in Dubai in collaboration with Alpha tours. This business has grown steadily over the years and we expect this pattern of growth to continue,” affirms Oberoi. “This year has also seen us achieve a pivotal milestone for the Company – the certification of the Atlantis helipad – which will go a long way in helping us achieve our goals in and around Dubai.”

EXECUTIVE GOURMET

As a Company we are incredibly focused on expanding our existing projects...

This has enabled us to focus our efforts into maintenance support for the airline, which will continue in the coming years

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eadquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, with 39,000 employees, Gate Gourmet operates in over 200 facilities in 50 countries on six continents.

A division of Gate Gourmet, Executive Gourmet is a brand offering a complete catering executive aviation solution.

First opened in Al Bateen Executive Airport in 2011, it has gone from strength to strength, with the management team of Joao Aguiar, Jana Vakova (Manager Commercial) and Thomas Harker (Executive Chef) now fully settled in.

Joao Aguiar explains: “The Company is happy to announce that 30 percent of the business is now in other airports in the UAE, with Falcon Aviation Services being our biggest customer.”

“For now, we want to continue increasing our customer portfolio and are currently working in partnership with Emirates Catering for both Dubai Airports (DWC and DXB) and we are extending our offer to other airports in the UAE working along with other stakeholders.”

At Executive Gourmet every request is special and exclusive. We offer unparalleled flexibility, efficiency and warmth – all tailored to execute the guest specific requests.

To maintain the highest culinary levels and a consistent product offering, our executive chef Thomas Harker, with Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx experience of preparing menus used at HRH Royal Flights UK, is at the helm of the kitchen and has a natural flare and instinct when it comes to food and what a high end customer expects.

You can trust in Executive Gourmet’s solid record of safety, quality, reliability and consistency, a true one-stopshop for all your executive aviation requirements.

T +971 2 491 7 001 E vipabudhabi@gategourmet.com

www.executive-gourmet.com

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The best just got better ...

Our exclusive inflight catering unit dedicated exclusively to VVIP & Private Aviation is now available at every airport in the UAE.

24/7 OPERATIONS CONTACT

O�ce: +971 2 491 7 001 Mobile: +971 506162140 Email: vipabudhabi@gategourmet.com www.executive-gourmet.com | www.gategroup.com

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Three-pronged approach

Falcon Aviation follows strategic approaches with a proven track record of success; a prime example of this is being demonstrated at DWC where the Company followed a three-pronged approach.

“It was a very exciting time as we were able to establish a 1,000 square metre Luxurious FBO (fixedbase operations) facility at the Dubai South VIP terminal in a short time” summarises Oberoi. “The facility was inaugurated on 19 December, 2016 by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of the Emirates Group, along with our esteemed Chairman, Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and our Vice Chairman and CEO Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan.

“Another of our aims for our VIP business jet customers of FBO (fixed-base operations) at DWC is to provide our VIP helicopters - from the

Dubai South VIP terminal

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newly certified heliport on the land side of our FBO - to proceed to their destinations in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.”

Additionally, Falcon Aviation will be providing line maintenance and handling at DWC for its jets, and upon completion of its hangar facilities the Company will be providing hangarage and MRO services to business jets.

Falcon Aviation has also taken a variety of audit findings and used them to restructure its quality and safety departments. This will go a long way in enhancing the efficiencies of the Company.

Maintenance, repair and overhaul

Bearing in mind the importance of MRO for both efficiency and maintenance of Falcon Aviation’s helicopters and fixed wing fleet, the Company formed a team to restructure the maintenance department, in order to further grow its MRO and aircraft management for third party aircraft projects.

HELITRADES INC.

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or more than 35 years Helitrades has been carrying out the repair/ overhaul of Bell Helicopter Dynamic and Hydraulic components for customers in Canada and internationally.

We have recently expanded our capabilities to include Bell Helicopter approved structural repair for tail booms and main fuselage on Bell Helicopter models 205, 206A/B, 206L, 212, 407 and 412.

Helitrades is also an approved Service Center for Woodward HRT hydraulic components installed in the various models of Bell Helicopters. We have been a proud supplier to Falcon Aviation and other operators in the Middle East.

T 613 678 3027 E gerry@helitradesinc.com

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Field Maintenance for Bell 206, 206l, field 206L, 205, 212, 412 and Robinson R22 and R44.

Dynamic and hydraulic component overhaul and part sales for dynamic the Bell 204, 205, 206, 206l, 206L, 212, 407 and 412.

Structural Repairs fixtures Fixtures for Bell 206, 206l, 206L, 407, 205, 212, 412. approved Woodward HRT licensed Repair Service facility approved Bell Helicopter customer Service facility Transport canada approval # 3/86 eaSa approval Number 145.7106

helitradesinc.com Head Office: 18 Terry fox dr., Vankleek Hill, ON, K0B 1R0 | T: 613.678.3027 | f: 613.678.2776 | Gerry@helitradesinc.com alBeRTa faciliTy: Site 5, Box 7, RR2, airdrie, aB, T4B 2a4 | T: 403.912.4658 | f: 403.948.6475 | info@helitradesab.com ONTaRiO faciliTy: 4536 Side Rd 10, New Tecumseth, ON l9R 1V4 | T: (705) 435-4031 | Gerry@helitradesinc.com

P r o u d t o b e S u P P o r t i n g Fa l c o n av i at i o n S e r v i c e S

The Company offers aviation support to the oil & gas industry

“Our new structure is being implemented as we speak and I am confident in the fact that this will improve our MRO performance,” Oberoi describes. “The key factor has been the creation of our planning department, to ensure the proper planning and monitoring of manpower and material which is crucial to our

Falcon Aviation forging new and exciting partnerships with TDIC and the Abu Dhabi Government, both of which are in the pursuit of enabling growth in tourism activities both in and around Abu Dhabi and the Western Region, with a special focus on Sir Bani Yas Island and Ruwais.

Oberoi concludes: “We are hoping to provide both TDIC and the Abu Dhabi Government with helicopters and fixed wing services as the partnership grows and evolves; it’s an exciting avenue for us and something we hope to see grow as we move through the year.”

MRO activity, and with the help of the upgrade of our software systems, we will be able to monitor and control man-hours, job card and costs to the Company.”

It is increasingly important for a Company of Falcon Aviation's size to continue to innovate and find new avenues. Recent months have seen

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INNOVA Arabian Food Industries flagship cheese brand Domty has reached unparalleled heights against its market competitors, with innovation and quality driving the brand forward Writer: Phoebe Calver | Project Manager: Joshua Mann

Mohamed Eldamaty, Vice Chairman

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rabian Food Industries Company has experienced a meteoric rise to success since it was established in 1990.

From humble beginnings with a simplistic product offering of white and mozzarella cheese, the Company is now the one to watch in the industry.

After creating its flagship specialist cheese brand named Domty, the Company has developed a hold on the market which is unparalleled in

the industry, taking the lead against its competitors. Making brave steps in an array of strategic endeavours, this has aided the Company in gaining trust from clients and a solid base of consumer loyalty, both of which are owed to Domty for its continuous commitment to producing quality produce. “Since Domty was established, it has grown to become the leading cheese manufacturer in Egypt, something that we are incredibly proud of,� explains

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ATION Mohamed Eldamaty, the Vice Chairman of Arabian Food Industries. “We have gradually developed innovative produce over time, ensuring quality and value at all times.”

Taking into consideration the initial product range of two types of white and mozzarella cheese, the Company has introduced new produce to the market at regular intervals. In 1992 three types of processed cheese and an additional two flavours of Domty’s original white cheese ranges were

At the core of our success lie the key values of innovation, quality ingredients, taste and value for money...

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added to its manufacturing lines.

1994 saw the introduction of the first development of cheese wrapping in Egypt, created by adding flow wrapping systems to its production line. Production of cheese in Tetra Pak began in 2007 while Domty began to export its produce to the Middle East and Gulf countries.

As with all Companies, innovation is pivotal in development and remaining ahead of industry competitors, and with that mindset in place Arabian Food Industries launched its nectar juice range in 2013.

“Today Domty boasts a distribution fleet of more than 600 trucks that operate from 27 sub-strategically located distribution hubs across the country,” continues Eldamaty. “With our impressive fleet we have ensured a streamlined delivery system directly to all kinds of retail; a feat made possible by our dedicated workforce of more than 2,600 employees.

“At the core of our success lies the key values of innovation, quality ingredients, taste and value for money, all of which we have worked towards attaining since the business was founded.”

Domty’s marked success is perfectly demonstrated in its astounding growth trajectory, beginning with two distribution centres and two trucks to work with. At that point in time, Egyptian consumers were not interested in packaged cheese, and loose cheese held 90 percent of the market share. However, bravery and persistence with its products means that Domty is now a household brand name and the leading cheese manufacturer in the industry.

Changing the market

As a Company, Domty is primarily driven by innovation, and one of the main strengths of the brand comes from its ability to produce new products that will be both popular and fulfil the needs of the market.

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The Egyptian market presented a vast array of opportunity for Domty to explore and tap into, in particular the white cheese market – the fastest growing category in the food industry – it did this by introducing new sizes and flavours into the Egyptian market for the first time.

Eldamaty affirms: “We are constantly looking to expand our presence in the food & drink sector, mainly exporting to all Arab countries and some European; now we are actively seeking new opportunities in the export market in order to repeat the success story we created in the Egyptian market.

“Changes with consumption habits are a pivotal area we have been monitoring and adapting to, consumers in Egypt are hungry for a shift from unbranded loose products,

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Changes with consumption habits are a pivotal area we have been monitoring and adapting to, consumers in Egypt are hungry for a shift from unbranded loose products

to packed and branded.”

In order to keep up with consumer demands and the changes in both Egypt and the new markets the Company is looking to branch into, in recent months Domty has invested in new equipment with advanced technology, as well as building a new factory and honing the system orientation of the process.

Maximising potential

Of course in order to maximise the advancements in the Company structure, Domty consistently seeks to improve the quality of its employees. Doing so by enhancing their capabilities, providing them with the training required to be the best and enabling them with the experience to facilitate the potential of a job upgrade, while also hiring new talents whenever it is required.

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Full Cream Milk Powder Skimmed Milk Powder Fat Filled Milk Powder Butter / A.M.F. Cheese Whey products

www.melkweg.com “Everyone working in the Company operates under four pillars – reliability, open-mindedness, motivation and teamwork - all of which keep the team united in our vision for Domty as we move grow and expand,” explains Eldamaty. “Our employees form the foundations of our achievements in the sector and the success we hope to continue enjoying, and teamwork is pivotal to this.”

Over the years Domty has consistently encouraged open-mindedness as a fundamental to success, and therefore one of the core values of innovation in the Company. Combined with that, motivation proves to be instrumental in ensuring employees perform to the best of their abilities.

Eldamaty continues: “We continuously strive to enable a work environment where all communications are open and transparent, therefore providing our employees with a situation in which they feel trusted to do the right thing.”

Melkweg Holland BV is a major supplier of the highest quality dairy products, working closely with Domty and a solid network of longterm partners

Alongside the Company’s responsibility to its employees, its work on corporate social responsibility schemes is increasing. Domty partnered with AHL MISR last year, a charity organisation which is helping to cure the disadvantaged in Egypt from medical issues that would otherwise go untreated.

“We have also launched an initiative to support the world class Aswan Heart Center (AHC), a non-profit organisation that provides medical treatment to Egyptians and Africans in need of such attention,” concludes Eldamaty. “This is all under the leadership of Dr. Magdy Yocoub, who we support through providing catering and addition support on a weekly basis.”

The care that the Company takes in all its endeavours is a major contributor to its success, and looking to the future it will be exciting to see how Domty’s portfolio grows and the new markets it branches into.

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The 37th edition of The Big 5 welcomed more than 75,000 participants, breaking last year’s record, organiser dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa announced at the end of the four-day long event he largest construction exhibition in the Middle East will be back at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 26-29 November, 2017, while the co-located Middle East Concrete (MEC) and PMV Live shows will run again in 2018 (26-28 March), as standalone events.

Following this year’s success, the next edition of The Big 5 will further focus on the theme of ‘Technology in Construction’. Event Director, Josine Heijmans, also said HVAC-R exhibitors will be clustered in a dedicated product sector in light of the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration industry’s strong

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development in the Region.

Moreover, The Big 5 2017 will go smart. Thanks to the introduction of the new Konduko smart technology, exhibitors will be able to send digital content to visitors, while capturing and qualifying leads from their smart phones. All visitors will be equipped with a Smart Badge that will interact with the exhibitors’ Smart Readers.

“With its recordbreaking number of exhibitors and visitors attending the event, The Big 5 2016 was a great success, and the show will be even bigger and smarter next year,” Ms. Heijmans stated.

To know more about the show, visit www.thebig5.ae.

Expo 2020 Bureau Executive Director, Najeeb Al Ali

The Big 5 2016 opening: HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum

SHOWCASE YOUR PRODUCTS AT THE LARGEST CONSTRUCTION EVENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST SPACES ARE LIMITED BOOK YOUR STAND TODAY

80%

OF EXHIBITORS SOLD PRODUCTS TO NEW KEY BUYERS IN 2016

Smart Building & Design Technologies

Construction Tools & Building Materials

Building Envelope & Special Construction

Building Interiors & Finishes

MEP Services

CONTACT US

+971 (0) 4 438 0355 info@thebig5.ae www.thebig5.ae

D I G I R O B O T I C S

The Future is NOW DigiRobotics’ determination to usher in the new generation of smart technology is epitomised by the success of its robotics and autonomous systems on an increasingly global scale Writer: Matthew Staff Project Manager: Tom Arnold

s one of the world’s leading robotics companies, DigiRobotics’ rapid rise to prominence has laid the foundations for even more widespread success in the future as it looks forward to new innovations, new customers and new geographies.

In just four years since the Company’s inception in UAE, DigiRobotics has become a worldwide operator and developer of modern, innovative robotics systems and technologies, developing both organically and via acquisitions to now comprise offices in London and Riyadh as well.

Reaching all corners of the globe from these presence points, its goal to make industrial processes smarter, more efficient and more advanced has been realised across numerous industry sectors and an increasingly large client-base.

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eckhoff Automation implements open automation systems based on PC Control technology. The product range covers Industrial PCs, I/O, and Fieldbus Components, Drive Technology and automation software.

The Company’s products can be used either as individual components or can be integrated seamlessly to comprise a complete system.

The “New Automation Technology” philosophy represents universal and open control and automation solutions that are used worldwide in a wide variety of different applications, ranging from CNC-controlled machine tools to robotic systems.

As a prominent customer, DigiRobotics Technologies specialises in turnkey robotics and machine automation solutions globally. Its core competencies include industrial production lines working on several different kinds of materials, as well as education, transportation, media, military industries and robots in public areas.

Managing Partner of DigiRobotics, Bilal Al Hattab

“DigiRobotics is the first and only UAE solutions provider, and is a leading tech Company in robotics and autonomous systems,” affirms the Company’s Managing Director, Bilal Al Hattab. “We are the only Company to operate from Dubai with full capacities and technologies created and integrated locally as per our clients’ requests and requirements.

“Today we offer diverse solutions for various industries: including autonomous vehicle guidance; an automated warehouse transport management system; welding robotic applications; a laser and plasma cutting system; laser de-painting robots; engraving solutions; palletising robots; and various autonomous vehicles for public transportation, floor and beach cleaning, grass cutting and trash collection.

“We are proud to customise each solution for our clients.”

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As the exclusive system integrator for the Germany based robot manufacturer KUKA, DigiRobotics Technology has a skilled team of engineers to integrate complex robotics systems into various industrial requirements.

We are the only Company to operate from Dubai with full capacities and technologies created and integrated locally as per our clients’ requests and requirements

In collaboration with Beckhoff, DigiRobotics has been able to achieve advanced seamless automation using our products. The platform supported by the EtherCAT communication bus Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx allows for highly flexible and demand based automation without the need for tedious configuration and testing, thus saving time and engineering effort.

“We are proud to be a part of the ongoing success of DigiRobotics Technologies and we profoundly thank them for being one of our first customers to use mxAutomation protocol for KUKA Robots.”

Mr Chandran Velayudhan Regional Manager, GCC Countries, BECKHOFF Automation FZE Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

BECKHOFF AUTOMATION

D I G I R O B O T I C S

WiGo- 3d printed driverless car

Continuously evolving and working on strategic projects with its global clients and Government entities, DigiRobotics’ subsequent status as the dynamic leader of its domain in the GCC region is an indictment of the local focus it adopted from inception; established as a free zone Company under Tecom authority since 2013 and now existing as an 11-department, international business employing more than 150 people worldwide.

“Our mission is to significantly augment autonomy and robotics to deliver unique services; to develop the advancement of autonomy and robotics; to drive the evolution of autonomous industrial robotics and immersive simulations; to enable a better quality of life; and to pioneer a sustainable autonomy and robotics industry,” Al Hattab emphasises.

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Facilitating autonomous industrial robotics

Group goals include developing sustainable technologies to bridge the real and digital world, in order to remain relevant long into the future from an efficiency, intelligence and innovation point of view.

“At DigiRobotics, we believe in facilitating autonomous industrial robotics and immersive simulations to

enable effortless automation through intelligent and creative solutions, products and services,” Al Hattab says. “The idea is to provide advanced industrial solutions to our customers to increase production safety factors and to create the perfect balance between reducing manpower and increasing production.

“With DigiRobotics, customers not only keep their businesses in line with high-tech trends, but also secure their investments with professional services and strong partnership support.”

Currently comprising more than 50 types of robots, AGVs and drones, the sheer scale that DigiRobotics has evolved to has resulted in a recent diversification of the business structure; introducing a three pronged division approach to cater for each segment more concertedly.

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Industrial robots for engraving, palletising

Svitlana Voznyuk, Marketing Director

While the original DigiRobotics arm continues to focus on robot products and the automation of factories, its DiDrivers subsidiary now looks after autonomous vehicle development including driverless conversions, autonomous trolleys for airports, 3d-printed driverless cars, grass cutters, beach cleaners, and driverless forklifts.

Finally, DiDrones - as the name suggests - hones in on drone

Engineers working on AGVs

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development with core products including the autonomous drone taxi, autonomous cargo transportation, and autonomous fire response among the products coming to the fore as a consequence.

“In DigiRobotics we believe in creating a world of autonomous vehicles and robotics by enabling intelligent and self-adjusting solutions in which we are naturally navigated into a world where autonomous vehicles and robotics are seamlessly and harmoniously working together, side-by-side, with people,” Al Hattab explains. “Our main customers therefore include industrial factories in GCC, airports and seaports worldwide, the Government sector, healthcare entities and educational institutions; the diversity of which is improving our overall sales strategy.”

A new generation of smart technology

In order to keep evolving in the future it is imperative for DigiRobotics to remain ahead of the industry curve and to remain innovative in the eye of the tech storm. The pressure in recent times has been on augmenting the experiences and integration of technologies to deliver intelligent and more organic solutions, yet on a multisector basis.

This difference between the needs apparent in a governmental environment or a private sector environment, or education, or finance,

OmniMove – smart warehouse management

BusGo – first autonomous bus, made by DigiRobotics for public transportation in UAE

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or any other scenario, is what makes DigiRobotics’ proposition so challenging to fulfil, yet differentiating once fulfilled.

“DigiRobotics is a dynamic leader of all robotic and autonomous solutions in the GCC region and has a unique selfcreated robotics system worldwide,” Al Hattab proudly states. “DigiRobotics does not have competitors in the GCC region - our nearest competitors located in Japan, USA and the EU - but this makes our work more dynamic as we focus on improving and diversifying

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DigiRobotics can look forward to extensive diversification in the future with TruGo – autonomous seaport truck

our products and services on a more global level than local.”

To this end, DigiRobotics can look forward to even more extensive sector diversification in the future as it looks to leverage the existing portfolio of clients and history of successful projects. Potential in seaport automation is one example of this while the Company also plans to increase factory automation by 55 percent in Saudi Arabia and UAE over the coming years.

Operations Director, Matthias Krause

Al Hattab concludes: “DigiRobotics is creating a whole new generation of smart technology; more powerful, more intelligent, and more accessible than ever before to empower us into the augmented world of autonomous and robotic solutions.

“Whenever worldwide visitors will come to UAE they will witness examples of what we can do; enjoying all levels of autonomous innovation that has been created and implemented by DigiRobotics.”

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oasting 200 years of operations in the Czech Republic and a subsequent status as one of the country’s oldest metal producing companies, Strojmetal Aluminium Forging is leveraging the strengths of its three innovative business arms to retain a strong sense of modernity in a stereotypically traditional industry.

Comprising ICE Industrial Services and CAN SUPERCONDUCTORS to complete the market-leading lineup, Strojmetal’s production of high quality aluminium forgings - as well as machining and assembling - has gone from strength to strength in recent years through the balanced adoption of increased automation and enhanced human labour skills. And as a consequence of this all-encompassing approach, the resultant products continue to attract the world’s elite.

“The Company now employs 430 people and has its own integrated tool shop,” Strojmetal’s Managing Director (MD), Andre Materne says. “Key customers include well-established partners like Daimler, ZF, THK, Schaeffler, Raufoss and Aston Martin.

In addition, well-known end customers such as BMW, Audi, Porsche, FiatChrysler and Jaguar Land Rover, are all supplied by our Tier 1 customers.

200 YEARS OF

Innovation

Strojmetal Aluminium Forging remains one of the continent’s leading industry players as a consequence of internal operational excellence and a host of globally-renowned customers Writer: Matthew Staff | Project Manager: Tom Arnold

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CAN SUPERCONDUCTORS CAN SUPERCONDUCTORS started in 2001, with the integration into Strojmetal Aluminium Forging coming in 2007. The subsidiary produces high temperature superconductors for industrial applications and has supplied its products to customers including as Boeing, NASA, ESA, CERN, and Pall Corporation among numerous others. CAN SUPERCONDUCTORS also has an office in Germany under the name of CAN SUPERCONDUCTORS Trading to better penetrate the European market.

ICE Industrial Services ICE Industrial Services, which has supported Strojmetal over the years to reach its now recognised level of automation, was integrated in the Strojmetal Aluminium Forging operation in 2014 with shares of 60 percent. In addition to the support of the Company, ICE supports companies in Western and Eastern Europe as well as in North America.

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“Our product range concentrates on aluminium forging products of almost any design and almost any volume.

Our products are used in automotive chassis, powertrain, decorative and industrial applications as well as in the mass transportation segment. New production lines allow the Company to also supply automotive parts above three kilograms; for example, front axle knuckles and rear axle wheel carriers.”

Placing unrivalled emphasis on R&D across all of its aluminium and alloy applications, the resultant flexibility and customisability that Strojmetal is able to offer facilitates similarly enhanced problem solving capabilities and an entirely bespoke relationship enjoyed with each individual partner.

Compounding this differentiator even more is the Company’s refusal to stand still in the sector, with it always on the lookout for new solutions and new products to meet the future needs of its equally innovative clients.

“In recent years, we have expanded our product range, in particular with the machining and assembling of rubber bearings,” Materne offers as an example. “We already supply customers such as Aston Martin and Daimler with some of these assembled components.

“The longstanding, trusted cooperation with customers and the very good personal relationships with the suppliers, research facilities and universities are important elements in continuing the Company’s growth trajectory.”

An attractive partner

Initially founded back in 1822 as a producer of brass kettle distilleries and breweries, its forging operations didn’t begin until 1928. The following decades saw a nationalisation of the Company, a role in manufacturing defence applications, and the Company’s privatisation in 1998; before Strojmetal in its current guise was confirmed in 2013.

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“Now, Strojmetal Aluminium

LASCO_Ad_Strojmetal.indd Forging is a 1100 percent Czech-owned

Company with production and process development taking place in Kamenice and the marketing and sales office situated in Singen,” Materne continues. “As such, the Company concentrates on five major elements in its present day strategy.”

The first of these is a dedication to 100 percent quality despite the large volumes produced. To enforce this element, huge quantities of safety equipment are sold to customers.

An integrated ERP system ensures uncompromising punctuality across its 300 different products and regular new start-ups and prototypes, driven by an entrepreneurial closeness across its production, planning and project management teams.

Thirdly, “the Company must generate enough risk capital to implement innovative processes in new plant engineering. The financially-

03.03.2017 17:05:56

Developments are included at an early stage across our management decisions, our flat enterprise hierarchy, and our short decision-making processes to allow for high flexibility

balanced situation is very important for innovative enterprises like Strojmetal”, Materne adds. “Only with a financeable growth strategy can the Company remain an attractive partner for customer demands in the future.

“Strojmetal also has to understand the market in detail. To this end, the attractiveness of individual market segments must be clearly elucidated.

Developments are included at an early stage across our management decisions, our flat enterprise hierarchy, and our short decision-making processes to allow for high flexibility.”

The final element focuses on domestic process development in order to remain a sustainable business across its innovative production lines, and to meet this requirement, Strojmetal coordinates closely in regards to its plant concepts with machine builders and its ICE arm.

Underpinning each of these strategies are a host of annual

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SAF aluminium forging plant

investments to keep the business moving forward on an internal note, and in line with the most contemporary of industry trends for the sake of its customers.

“We have invested in seven fullyautomated forging lines during the past few years, with integrated heat treatment and surface treatment processes and a tailored controlled planning system all included,” Materne states. “The lines are mainly designed by our engineering department while the automation of forging processes and heat treatment is secured by 88 ABB robots.”

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Personnel, future

Due to the globalisation of the automotive market and our global-acting key customers, we were able to increase overseas exports by up to 20 percent...

Complementing each and every new inception of automation and every technological improvement is a highly-skilled workforce bringing the personable element back to a Company that has always prided itself on positive relationships and flexible collaboration.

Given the highly specialised area that Strojmetal is operating within though, there is inevitably a heightened focus on specific training and development to compound this personable advantage.

“Strojmetal puts together a special training agenda for our blue and white

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Strojmetal’s Managing Director, Andre Materne

SAF upper control arm product component

collar employees in the Czech Republic, Materne details. “The training for the automated lines is done on a dedicated robot cell, and R&D and engineering work is carried out closely with the Czech Technical University in Prague and dedicated research centres in Czech Republic and Germany.

“In addition to this agenda, the German site in Singen started a junior management programme for the younger generation of employees in 2016.”

The formation of new apprenticeships will facilitate this ongoing flow of new artisans even

more concertedly in the future, allowing Strojmetal to be more effectively on the pulse of all new trends dictating the market over the coming years.

In recent times, such trends have largely revolved around regional fluctuations, as Materne explains: “Due to the globalisation of the automotive market and our globalacting key customers, we were able to increase overseas exports by up to 20 percent of our total revenues.

“Long-term relations in North America and Asia have given us a good insight into the respective

market mechanisms and if the political and economic circumstances in the respective markets are positive and justify a long-term investment, we can imagine further production facilities there.”

Notions of more concerted vertical integration and a stricter adherence to eco friendliness present Strojmetal with vital areas of consideration moving forward, as the Company strives to honour the past 200 years of innovation and reinvention with even more extensive and successful developments still to look forward to.

“Strojmetal Aluminium Forging is one of the most innovative companies in this market,” the MD concludes.

“The Company was named the most innovative Company in central Bohemia in 2016 and this focus on innovation, quality, in-time supply and highly flexible production for all volume sizes is compounded by a huge range of aluminium forged products to attract customers.

“Strojmetal will continue to follow this way with new intelligent solutions over the next five years and beyond, with a clear and defined strategy for investment activities in order to ensure higher performance and quality.”

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SEIZING O pportunities and Anticipating Change Corys Building Materials has built a reputation for excellence in the manufacturing industry while consistently retaining its core customer focus Writer: Phoebe Calver Project Manager: Tom Arnold orys Building Materials has always taken a long-term view when it comes to devising and implementing its Company strategy; having worked hard to build its reputation for quality, innovation and customer service over the years, it intends to build on and strengthen this in the future.

Gaining the title as an industry leader in both product technology and manufacturing excellence, Corys Building Materials retains its core customer focus, with a number of initiatives in place to improve efficiency and speed of response.

As part of Green Coast Enterprises, a private Group established in Dubai

by Abdul Ghaffar Hussain in the 1970s, the Company has a solid network of support. The Group currently employs more than

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Jeremy Rowson, CEO

leading manufacturer and supplier of plastic pipes and fittings in the UAE and Qatar; marketing integrated piping systems to the construction industry.

This branch of the Company supplies a full range of products based on PVC, polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS and polybutylene technologies.

“We are proud of our long and fruitful association with two of the world’s leading plastic pipe technology providers; Wavin, based in the

Netherlands, and Georg Fischer, based in Switzerland,” continues Rowson. “Both of these relationships are more than 30 years old and have greatly contributed to the success of Hepworth’s brand and reputation for quality in the region.”

Hepworth’s focus is split into key market segments, including, buildings, utilities and infrastructure, industrial and irrigation and agriculture; all of which are supported by

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The Company attends important events within the industry

1,000 people, and actively manages a number of industrial and commercial businesses and financial investments.

“Despite the fact that Corys Building Materials was formed relatively recently as a holding Company for Green Coast Enterprise’s businesses in the building materials sector,” explains Jeremy Rowson, Chief Executive Officer at Corys Building Materials.

“Its roots can be traced back to 1977 when its subsidiary, Hepworth was established as a manufacturer and supplier of piping systems in the UAE. As well as having manufacturing companies in the UAE and Qatar, we also have subsidiary companies in Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.”

From this early start, the organisation has expanded and diversified into three main business units: Hepworth, Corys Build Centre and Corys Geosynthetics.

Hepworth, based in Dubai, is the

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As well as having manufacturing companies in the UAE and Qatar, we also have subsidiary companies in Oman, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia

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Becoming a one-stop shop for target customers with a much broader range of MEP products

dedicated sales and technical support teams which concentrate on each sector. In addition to this, Hepworth has a skilled and experienced contracting team which provide on-site support to customers for welding and assistance with installation.

Corys Build Centre is a new concept in the retailing of building materials for small to medium-sized contractors and maintenance companies in the region.

This sector of the Company operates from newly refurbished premises in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Al Ain and Muscat.

“Although the main product range that we offer at Corys Build Centre is currently pipes, fittings and related items, our portfolio is being expanded with the aim of becoming a one-stop shop for target customers with a much broader range of MEP products,” adds Rowson. “Our goal over the next three years is to have 20 outlets of Corys Build Centre in the region.”

The third business unit of the

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We are proud of our long and fruitful association with two of the world’s leading plastic pipe technology providers; Wavin, based in the Netherlands, and Georg Fischer, based in Switzerland

Company is Corys Geosynthetics, a specialist supplier of geomembranes, geotextiles and other complementary products for infrastructural and industrial projects. Corys Geosynthetics has been manufacturing geomembranes in Dubai for eight years under the Kangaroo Plastics brand, has a dedicated team of technical experts and supplies projects running throughout the region. More recently, export sales have included Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Iraq and Central Asia.

Increasing capacity

In order to keep up with industry demands, the Company is continuously expanding its capacity; last year increasing its manufacturing capacity with the addition of new plastic pipe extruders in Dubai and Qatar and a new injection moulding machine in Dubai.

“In order to expand our manufacturing capacity, we have not only been buying new equipment but a we have also been building

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new factories,” clarifies Rowson. “In January, 2017 we began manufacturing operations at our new factory in Dubai Investments Park, with the intention to relocate our staff to this new Head Office in a couple of months.

“This will be the newest PVC pipes and fittings factory in the world, which is very exciting for the Company.

Last year we also completed the construction of our second factory in Qatar which will increase our manufacturing capacity there.”

The Company has also started on its new polyethylene pipe factory in Abu Dhabi, which will be complete at the end of 2018.However, the Company is also looking at opportunities to increase its footprint and access new markets though acquisitions as well as through organic growth.

“Last year we were proud to launch our new Technocore range of multilayer PVC pipes. We have purchased two Rollepaal extruders for the UAE and Qatar, enabling us

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to introduce this technology for the first time in the GCC,” adds Rowson.

“PVC multilayer pipes are commonly used in Europe and North America as they offer higher performance and enhanced handling properties.

“Technocore pipes have walls comprising foamed PVC held between solid PVC inner and outer layers. The reduced carbon content of the foam is absolutely in line with recent trends for sustainability and reduced carbon footprints in the construction industry.”

The Company worked closely with Wavin, the world’s leading technologists in this area, to launch the technology and gain acceptance in the local markets; continuing Corys Building Materials’s many decades of technical and commercial work with this strategic partner. It is a clear example of the Company showing leadership in its industry and differentiating itself through technical and market innovation.

“At the end of last year we launched an entirely new range of solventsocket PVC pipes to provide high quality but economical systems for large villa projects within and outside

Adhering to sustainability and carbon footprint trends

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the region; we are expecting huge growth from our new Dacta range and have already made our first sales.”

Strong competitor

For a Company with such vast experience in the industry, Corys Building Materials is aware of what it takes to be a success and considers that, in the main part, this lies with engaging skilled, experienced and motivated employees.

“Throughout our recruitment process we are very careful, ensuring that any potential new staff not only meet the requirements of the position we need to fill, but also have the personal values which are compatible with the Group’s core value set,” affirms Rowson. “Within the region, we have employees of approximately 30 different nationalities, who have diverse cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds. This has created a highly varied working environment.

“For the manufacturing industry our staff turnover is low, which we believe is a strong reflection of the fact that our staff are highly committed and feel that they are a vital part of the working community.”

Corys Building Materials differentiates itself through its product quality, technical expertise and customer service.

Engaging skilled, experienced and motivated employees

Hepworth congratulated by one of Dubai’s largest developers because of an urgent issue on a site; Hepworth was able to get a technical team on-site within 20 minutes of receiving the first phone call from the client

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Differentiated by product quality, technical expertise and customer service

Identifying new technologies and opportunities for the industry and region

Recently, Hepworth was congratulated by one of Dubai’s largest developers because of an urgent issue on a site at the centre of the city. Hepworth was able to get a technical team on-site within 20 minutes of receiving the first phone call from the client.

“We are aiming to keep this level of fast response and strong customer relations throughout all sectors in the business. Corys Building Materials is already a strong competitor, but is getting even stronger, and in three years’ time we will be operating from more manufacturing sites and will have more retail outlets open through Corys Build Centre,” concludes Rowson.

“We have already identified some new technologies that we are keen to introduce to the region, and hope to have these launched and adopted by the industry in the next few years.

“We are particularly excited by the opportunities and challenges to be faced in the coming years as Dubai prepares for Expo 2020.”

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A V E R D A

A Cleaner World;

BETTER LIVE Averda has developed over the years into more than just a business, rather it is a story of innovation, resilience and belief that is still being written Writer: Phoebe Calver | Project Manager: Donovan Smith verda has grown substantially in both size and diversity almost every year since inception. Starting in a single market with a single service offering, today the Company works across three continents offering clients a complete end-to-end solution to their waste management challenges.

The core development has required every aspect of the business to be agile and resilient, ensuring it can consistently offer the highest quality of work, while remaining competitive and entrepreneurial. This evolution has been executed by a unique team whose diversity and industry experience has enabled continued growth.

“Averda is a family run business, in which Growthgate Capital Dubai – the private equity firm – has a minority stake,” explains Malek Sukkar, the Chief Executive Officer at Averda.

“Adopting this ownership structure provides us with a unique advantage in the market; we have the history and stability of family ownership, coupled with the rigour and efficiency of private equity investors.”

The services available from Averda branch across the entire spectrum of

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RENAULT TRUCKS

A

l-Attiya Motors and Trading Co. (AMTC) began as Renault Trucks’ first agent in the Middle East in 1972; subsequently diversifying its remit to become one of the most reliable and robust truck dealers in the region.

Forming numerous high profile partnerships as a consequence, the Company’s portfolio bridges industries across waste management, construction, civil defence and government works; with the former especially epitomising the core skill-sets and market differentiators demonstrated over the years.

Incorporating specialised applications including jetting tanks, combination tanks, oily water tanks and super suckers, AMTC is the leading waste management truck provider in Qatar and, as such, has become core to its partners’ operations in the country too.

waste management, reaching clients across Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Its core range of services span recycling and minimising waste streams on customers own sites, through to collection and sorting in Averda’s bespoke facilities.

“We pride ourselves on providing specialised treatment solutions such as composting, anaerobic digesting and refuse derived fuels,” continues Sukkar. “Over time we have also branched out to include thermal destruction solutions such as waste-toenergy and microwave treatment, as well as engineered landfills.

“At present our customer base ranges from single site clients and multinational corporations, to large metropolitan municipalities.”

The diversification within the Company has been multi-facetted, in geographical terms and in terms of the waste management services it has been able to offer.

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One such beneficiary of this service is Averda, a business which has thrived off the back of its relationship with AMTC since 2008.

We pride ourselves in providing specialised treatment solutions such as composting, anaerobic digesting and refuse derived fuels

“AMTC initially began its partnership with Averda back in 2008, when it was previously known as New Cleaning Service WLL,” the Company states.

“Since then, the mutual business partnership has grown to be one of the most effective relationships for both companies; with Averda now operating the largest privately-owned Renault Trucks waste management fleet in Qatar.”

Utilising Renault Trucks for a host of large projects in Qatar - including for governmental arms - Averda’s recent successes have largely come as a result of its affiliation with AMTC, as the business continues to enjoy the efficiency, robustness and reliability of Al-Attiya’s service that keeps their trucks and operations running smoothly.

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www.rtqatar.com

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Renault Trucks is a highly preferred brand for applications where the client relies on consistency of operational readiness.

The Company’s maintenance facilities in the industrial area of Doha offer state of the art diagnostics and maintenance to support both fleet and individual customers. We maintain a very extensive stock of both mechanical and body parts in order to minimise any downtime the customer may experience. rnt_lo_pms_pos.ai

Al-Attiya Motors and Trading Co., AMTC Building, Al Rayyan Road P.O. Box: 229, Doha, Qatar | T 00974 4403 9486 | F 00974 4403 9499 www.rtqatar.com

A V E R D A

“We have a series of pilot schemes in adjacent sectors, but have discovered over time that our competitive advantage stems from being focused on waste management,” explains Sukkar. “Bearing this in mind, we have invested heavily in securing the top leadership positions in waste management technology and methodology of operations.”

At present the key trends the Company is witnessing across the emerging world revolve around urbanisation, longevity and environmental awareness. With the apparent large numbers of people moving out to cities, there has been a drive in waste generation rates and quantities.

Technology is paramount

Today, investment in developing the latest technologies is pivotal to the Company’s success. More than a quarter of a century ago, Averda realised the

Employing bespoke recruitment programmes, hiring and developing local talent alongside ongoing training initiatives have helped us to build a skilled, dedicated and renowned workforce

Averda has a world renowned work force

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paramount importance of up-to-date technology for its services as a business, and combined with following best practice in every aspect and having an adventurous spirit, it has stayed ahead of competitors in the market.

Sukkar continues: “Alongside technology, our investment in people and training has become a key factor in our business philosophy. Employing bespoke recruitment programmes, hiring and developing local talent alongside on-going training initiatives have helped us to build a skilled, dedicated and renowned workforce.”

At present this workforce is found in 13 countries, spread across the Middle East and Africa, while also owning a large waste management business in Ireland. The Company’s approach to identifying products is very similar to that of which it employs when training and choosing its workforce.

“It is really about what aligns with our mission, which is to be the largest, most adventurous and most innovative

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waste management Company in the emerging world,” adds Sukkar.

“It is a truly exciting and a valuable philosophy to work to, especially when you consider our vision: a cleaner world; better lives.”

Sustainability is key

As with all large companies in this market, attaining key projects is vital to progression and therefore, client partnerships, fast deployment and a ‘glocal’ model have been at the top of Averda’s list in obtaining key contracts.

“We take great pride in our cuttingedge technology that underpins our mechanical and human resources,” Sukkar elaborates. “A great example of this is our five smart recycling centres in Dubai, which are the first of their kind in the Middle East, are fully automated, energy efficient with solar-panel operations and sensorequipment.”

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Our skilled people are one of our main differentiators, allowing us to take the clients’ briefs and work hard to service their needs quickly and efficiently

Averda was the first waste management Company to invest in new and exciting recycling technologies in Abu Dhabi, including used cooking oil which was re-used to fuel trucks. In Oman and South Africa, Averda is the largest provider of hazardous medical waste treatment solutions, having found a way to build and commission South Africa’s first fully environmentally compliant hazardous waste landfill.

“Our market intelligence research demonstrated to us that sustainability is key to organisational and technological innovations that would allow us to yield both bottom-line and top-line returns, not only benefitting us as a private business, but also our clients,” interjects Philippa Charlton, the Chief Marketing Officer at Averda.

“Becoming environmentally-friendly lowers costs for companies as they will inevitably reduce the inputs they use.”

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From a human resources perspective, each time Averda enters a new market, it arrives with a mission to attract and develop the most promising talent that each country has to offer.

“Our skilled people are one of our main differentiators, allowing us to take the clients’ briefs and work hard to service their needs quickly and efficiently, going above and beyond to put ourselves in their shoes and strive to see the wider issue from their perspective,” continues Sukkar. “We are so proud of our organisation and the fact that running through our DNA is the drive to do the best and be the best at what we do.”

The core values, ethos and passion that is clearly visible at Averda is a factor that truly sets it apart from the rest in the industry. It has worked hard to build the capacity to strengthen the capabilities and knowledge base of its clients, while fundamentally raising waste awareness and investing in the environmental education of the communities it operates within.

Operations in emerging markets

Operating in emerging markets requires a highly entrepreneurial mind-set from Averda’s employees, combined with a mixture of interpersonal and technical skills to move the Company forwards.

“When we source talent, we tend to prioritise grit, the ability to flourish under ambiguity and a strong emotional intelligence above all,” explains Lisa Emami, Chief Talent Officer at Averda. “Of course we ensure that any baseline technical requirements are met, however, we firmly believe in the Peter Schutz quote ‘Hire Character, Train Skill’.

“We empower our employees who embody these characteristics to drive their own careers forward, while investing in personal development and allowing them opportunities to share their expertise cross-functionally throughout the organisation. We have found this approach to be highly successful in driving the engagement level of our top talent.”

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Averda’s key Company ethos drives it on to success

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G R O U P

All About

Energy Edeltech is consistently finding new roads to explore in the energy and utilities market, making it the largest Group working in the sector

Writer: Phoebe Calver | Project Manager: Josh Hyland

deltech Group proudly boasts the status of the largest Group of companies serving the energy and utilities industry throughout Israel, working tirelessly to see its vision of private electricity become a reality.

Israel is continuously providing new opportunities for companies such as Edeltech to branch into; one prominent case was the discovery of natural gas reserves in the Mediterranean Sea, which has subsequently opened up a historical economic opportunity and with it the drive that was needed to jump-start a reform in the electricity production sector.

The Group formed in 1989, setting itself up as an entrepreneurial Company which would focus its work in the infrastructure and energy sectors.

“The Company has set the goal of becoming the central, leading player in the market,” explains Udi Wild, the Chief Executive Officer at Edeltech. “We have worked through the years to widen our activity in the field of generating electricity through natural gas. Recently, very excitingly we have entered the field of renewable energy.”

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The field quickly began to pick up momentum shortly after the discovery of vast natural gas reserves in the Mediterranean Basin. As a result, Israel was privy to significant economic advantages, with the ability to use natural gas as an alternative to the excessive use of expensive fuels which are adding to pollution, such as fuel oil and diesel oil.

Wild adds: “Our team consists of experts who have top-level experience in project development, management, financing and legal activities all of which are available to us in house.

Through the experience gained in the involvement in our projects, our team gained the knowledge and expertise that set us apart from other players in the market.”

Advancements in private power plants

Edeltech forecasts that Israel’s electricity sector will experience persistent growth in the future and with that, the demand for electricity will also continue rising in the coming decade.

The Group has invested copious amounts of time and money into

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The Group has invested copious amounts of time and money into its five power plants

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E D E L T E C H

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the five power plants housed under the Edeltech umbrella, including Dorad Energy – the largest and most advanced private power plant in Israel – which was launched in 2014.

“Completely operated by natural gas, the plant feeds into 12 of the world’s most advanced gas turbines, with a production scope of 860 MW,” continues Wild. “We then supply the electricity at a reduced production rate to a variety of leading companies located in the Israeli market, some of which include: The Ministry of Defence, Mekorot, Osem, Israel Aerospace Industries, Dan Hotels, Fattal Hotels chain, Isrotel, Gazit Globe, Keter Plastic, Strauss, as well as banks, industrial companies and many more.

The ability to finance and support such a successful enterprise was enabled by a group of financers, led by Bank HaPoalim, which houses both the largest banks and institutional bodies working within Israel.

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New energy for change

Working with Neot Hovav Industries, Edeltech is forging the new energy for change through its Ramat Negev Energy plant. Again, with substantial plans for the future of energy, substantial investment was required to build on the premises of the Adama Makhteshim plant, costing approximately $200 million.

“Our Ramat Negev power plant is being fuelled through natural gas at a current production scope of 120MW electricity and up to 110 tonnes per hour of steam,” the Company explains.

“Electricity and steam surpluses are regularly sold to close consumers at Neot Hovav and to the IEC, located among the Company’s most prominent electricity consumers are Teva, Cellcom and others.

“This project has been financed by a financers’ consortium which is led

by Bank Leumi, with their support the plant was launched in December 2015.”

Another prime example of the

advance power plant projects the Edeltech Group takes on is the Ashdod Energy Plant, which is one of the main contributors to turning the Group’s private electricity vision into a viable entity and a reality which will tailor electrical supply to consumers’ individual needs. The plant, costing approximately $100 million, is built adjacent to the plants of Adama Agan in Ashdod, with a production capacity of 55MW electricity; it has the capability to easily supply all the energy needs of Adama Agan plant. Again, the electricity surpluses that are created continue to be supplied to close consumers in the area and the IEC. “An area we’re now looking into is methods of energy storage through batteries located alongside existing power stations (Hybrid configuration),” adds Wild. “We are now testing the right integrative technology, and are looking at the right points, in order to determine their economic viability.”

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A natural distribution that makes the Negev region bloom

Negev Natural Gas distributes natural gas to all industrial organizations and institutions throughout the south of Israel, with a significant expansion and coverage to supply gas to all consumers in the commercial and domestic markets.

Negev Natural Gas is proud to be associated with the Edeltech Group.

Ha’Rechev 1, Tel Aviv, zip code 6101902, POBox 2009

Tel: 03-5228508 | Fax: 03-5662521 | office@negevgas.co.il www.negevgas.co.il Embracing the spirit of change

The Company’s expansion is a continuous process, branching into new areas and building on past experiences to enable positive growth for Edeltech; a prime example of this is the current plans for Solad Energy.

“Our strategy is to quickly understand and respond to the rapidly changing energy market,” continues Wild. “We are offering unique energy solution to large electricity power plants while serving the industry’s need for a one-stop shop approach to providing a complete in-house energy centre for our customers.”

Similarly with the innate nature of the Company to embrace the spirit of change, its new plant Tamar (Mishor Rotem Power plant) intends to bring this spirit to the Negev and supply it with both environmentally friendly and advanced electricity for the area.

“It is very important to us that we handle our own power plant operations and maintenance,”

Energy surpluses are supplied to close consumers

concludes Wild. “We understand the value of entering new sectors the Company has branched into and it is with the help of subsidiary’s such as EZOM – the largest operation and maintenance Company in Israel – that we have been able to successfully operate and maintain some of the

largest power plants in Israel.”

With so much in the pipeline, it is a very exciting time for the Group and with increasing scope for exploration in the energy and utilities sector of Israel, there is no end of possibility for the Company’s growth and direction in the future.

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RUSSIA

TRADE

&

EXPORT

FINANCE

E V E N T

CONFERENCE

2017

F O C U S Speakers include: > Olga Kirichenko, Head of Debt, Gazprom-Neft > Anton Ananiev, Deputy Head of Finance Department, Acron Group > Anna Semenova, Chief Financial Officer, United Wagon Company > Sergey Rezontov, Finance Director, Mechel > Zhongmin Xie, Head of Russia, CIS & Mongolia, Sinosure

Meet, network and learn from leading trade financiers at the only conference of its kind in Russia

E V E N T

D E TA I L S

WHEN: 12 April WHERE: Moscow, Russia CONTACT: gnaughton@gtreview.com WEBSITE: http://www.gtreview.com/events/ europe/russia-trade-export-financeconference-2017/

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BEING THE only annual conference for the country’s trade and export finance community, the Russia Trade & Export Finance Conference provides a perfect opportunity to meet, network and learn from a great number of likeminded organisations currently doing business with Russia and its key trade partners.

Kicking off proceedings will be conference chairman Igor Emelyanov, Managing Director, Trade & Export Finance at VTB, followed by a keynote address from Anton Stroutchenevski, Chief Economist from Sberbank CIB, who will identify the interplay of key factors shaping future economic growth prospects in Russia and share perspectives on their impact on international trade, investment and financial markets.

Topics to be discussed include: > The Russian economy: Expectations for 2017 > The impact of shifting economic fundamentals on corporate investment > In search of a deal: Assessing appetite for trade and export finance > The ECA outlook: Export and project finance in Russia > Interview: Maximising working capital throughout the value chain > Case study: Utilising blockchain technology for letter of credit settlements > Exiar update: Setting strategic objectives for Russian exports > The foreign investor’s perspective: Opportunities in Russia and Central Asia As well as on-stage discussion and debate, plenty of networking breaks will feature throughout the day, including an evening drinks reception allowing delegates to continue discussions in a more informal setting.

In addition to the networking opportunities on the day, registered delegates will be able to connect with fellow attendees via the GTR Members Area networking site before, during and after the conference, meaning those all-important meetings can be planned prior to the event, and discussions continued in the days and weeks following the conference.

#GTRRUS

Russia Trade & Export Finance Conference 2017

15% discount code: OUTLKR15

Moscow, Russia | Baltschug Kempinski April 12, 2017 ›› Meet, network and learn from Russia’s leading trade financiers and regional business heads at the only conference of its kind in Russia.

Sectors attended in 2016

›› No need to plan dozens of meetings over the course of a week – meet all stakeholders involved in Russian trade here, in the same place, on the same day.

“Great panels, best speakers and very informative. Speakers offered valuable solutions and audience feedback was very interesting.”

Corporates & traders

55%

Banks & financiers

27%

Insurers & risk managers

4%

ECAs & multilaterals

4%

Media

3%

Govt orgs & public bodies

2%

Non-bank financiers

2%

Consultants & accountants 2%

N Lugina, OMK Group

2016’s vital statistics

179

Delegates attended

92

Companies represented

8

Countries represented

For more information contact Grant Naughton at gnaughton@gtreview.com or visit www.gtreview.com

IRAN

TRADE

BUSINESS

BRIEFING

E V E N T

2017

F O C U S

GTR gathers in London to hold its inaugural Iran Trade Business Briefing Iran Trade Business Briefing 2017 E V E N T

D E TA I L S

WHEN: 26 April WHERE: Venues Prospero House, London CONTACT: jmulhausen@gtreview.com WEBSITE: http://www.gtreview.com/events/ mena/iran-trade-finance-businessbriefing-2017/

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2016’S EVENTS, including the January implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) nuclear deal, countless signing agreements and political wrangling about a variety of issues, triggered excitement concerning the potential provided by a new global market economy. Keen to benefit from external expertise in a range of key sectors, the world’s fourth largest oil and second largest gas producer is ready to build new trade ties with countries of its region, as well as with the European and Australasia regions.

Serving as a perfect opportunity for business professionals to come together to consider the country’s future trade prospects, the event will be followed by an afternoon of networking, allowing corporates and

industry bodies to share experiences and gain crucial insights into the innovative opportunities offered by this new development.

Considered as an introductory event to GTR’s Iran Trade Finance Conference, scheduled to take place in Tehran, this business briefing will see national and international industry experts meet to debate the hottest economic and political issues affecting the country’s current and future situation.

Europe & Middle East Outlook has secured a 15 percent discount for you to attend, with code EOK15 when booking online! Only a limited amount of seats available!

#GTRIBB

Iran Trade Business Briefing 2017

15% discount code: EOK15

London, UK | etc. Venues Prospero House April 26, 2017

Session: ›› The future of Iranian trade ›› Banking update: Iranian and international challenges ›› Interview: Understanding the regulatory landscape and the impact of sanctions ›› Stargazing: Iran in 2020…

Speakers include: ›› Shahrzad Atai, Head of Middle East Desk, Child & Child ›› Aleya Begum, Editor, Global Trade Review (GTR) ›› Gert Demmink, Partner, Philip Sidney ›› Issa Mashayekhi, Chief Executive Officer, Petrochemical Commercial Co. (PCC) ›› Sue Millar, Partner, Stephenson Harwood ›› Daniel Martin, Partner, Holman Fenwick Willan (HFW) ›› Chris Parker, Director, Iran Business Hub ›› Victor Carstenius, Country Policy Advisor, EKN ›› Hadi Hami, Trader, Miracle Metals MM Group ›› Alan Rides, International Trade Adviser, London International Trade Team, Department for International Trade (DIT)

For more information contact Judith Mülhausen at jmulhausen@gtreview.com or visit www.gtreview.com

AUTOMECHANIKA

DUBAI

E V E N T

F O C U S

The annual three-day event is set to attract the industry’s biggest aftermarket brands AUTOMECHANIKA DUBAI is the leading international trade fair for the automotive service industry targeting trade visitors from the Middle East, The largest international trade exhibition for the automotive service industry in the wider Middle East Western Asia, Eastern Europe, the CIS 7 – 9 May 2017 and Africa.

E V E N T D E TA I L S The 15th edition in 2017 takes place from 7-9 May at the Dubai International Be part of the 15 edition to meet and trade WHEN: 7-9 May with thousands of manufacturers, distributors and Exhibition Centre, and Convention and suppliers from across the world. will feature more than 2,000 exhibitors WHERE: Dubai International A visit is highly recommended. To be part of this edition, from 55 countries.

Convention and Exhibition Centre, pre-register at www.automechanikaDubai.com/Register The annual three-day event attracts Dubai, UAE the biggest aftermarket brands in CONTACT: the business spread over six product Gareth.wright@uae.messefrankfurt.com sections of Parts & Components; Electronics & Systems; Accessories & WEBSITE: Customising; Repair & Maintenance; www.automechanikadubai.com Car Wash; Care & Reconditioning; and Tyres & Batteries. th

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It covers the full range of parts for motor vehicles as well as components for the drive, chassis, body, electrics and electronic groups. It also covers equipment for vehicle service and repair, bodywork repair and painting, tyres, batteries and performance systems.

Automechanika Dubai’s global influence is underlined by the presence of more than 20 country pavilions and 35 international trade associations, while 90 percent of exhibitors, and 51 percent of the 30,000-plus visitors are expected to come from outside of the UAE. The 2017 edition sees the return of the popular Truck Competence initiative, where more than 1,000 exhibitors will showcase their products dedicated to the entire value chain in the truck sector, from truck parts and accessories, to workshop equipment, body repairs and care.

It will also feature the popular Automechanika Academy - a series of seminars, presentations, and workshops about key issues and regulations that affect the automotive aftermarket - and the African BuyerSeller Meet, connecting suppliers with buyers from the world’s second largest continent.

Automechanika Dubai is the perfect platform to meet new contacts, discuss new trends and technological developments, and to keep up-to-date with industry knowledge and source new products and solutions from the world over.

The largest international trade exhibition for the automotive service industry in the wider Middle East

7 – 9 May 2017

Be part of the 15th edition to meet and trade with thousands of manufacturers, distributors and suppliers from across the world.

A visit is highly recommended. To be part of this edition, pre-register at www.automechanikaDubai.com/Register

2ND

MEDITERRANEAN

OIL

&

GAS

E V E N T

2017

SUMMIT

F O C U S

Analysing the development of natural gas trends and challenges, and the energy potential of the Mediterranean THE MEDITERRANEAN owns some of the largest hydrocarbon findings in 2ND MEDITERRANEAN recent years, especially gas. The region intimate group OIL & GAS 2017 SUMMIT has vast potential andAndiscussion in the coming and sharing year it is set to play a knowledge major role as a for the following 23-24 MAY 2017 ROME, ITALY countries key energy supplier for Europe. IRN 2017 on 23-24 Mayainlong Rome torelationship meet with E VRegister E forNthe T2 Mediterranean D E TOil &AGas Summit I L S has and experience NOCs & Ministries and hear on the development of Natural Gas, trends and challenges in the region, within Mediterranean EgyptSea and the energy outlook and the potential of the Mediterranean amongstthe others.

WHEN: 23-24 May surrounding countries.

SPEAKERS INCLUDE: After a highly successful launch WHERE: Rome, Italy Libya event in 2016, IRN is delighted to CONTACT: bring to you the second edition of the LauraB@irn-international.com Mediterranean Oil & Gas Summit 2017 Hellenic Hydrocarbon Resources Cyprus Hydrocarbons Petroleum Administration Lebanon ONHYM Greece Walid Nasr Wafae Benhammou Management (EDEY), Greece Company (CHC) in Rome.

WEBSITE: Board Member, Head of Strategic New Business and Dr. Spyridon Bellas Toula Onoufriou Planning Department Cooperation Director Vice President President The Conference was a resounding www.medoilgassummit.com and more... success and was attended by an Lebanon FACE TIME WITH 6 NOCS AND MINISTRIES - FROM CYPRUS TO LEBANON audience of more than 150 senior 18 months’ worth of setting up meetings and travel sorted in just 2 days level delegates and approximately 10 ROUND TABLES

nd

Italy

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PROVIDE INSIGHTS FOR

GOVERNMENTS AND

PRE-ARRANGED

exhibitors from 15 different countries.

We brought together under the same roof all the region’s key stakeholders, government and industry for more than eight hours of high level networking and 16 hours of knowledge sharing. The Summit proved to be the right platform to discuss the present and the future of the Mediterranean oil & gas industry.

The 2nd Mediterranean Oil & Gas Summit 2017 will be taking place in a five star venue in Rome, on 23-24 May 2017. During the two days, the Summit will cover different themes such as the development of Natural Gas, trends and challenges in the region, the energy outlook, and the potential of the Mediterranean.

2ND MEDITERRANEAN

OIL & GAS 2017 SUMMIT 23-24 MAY 2017

ROUND TABLES

An intimate group discussion and knowledge sharing for the following countries

ROME, ITALY

Register for the 2nd Mediterranean Oil & Gas Summit 2017 on 23-24 May in Rome to meet with NOCs & Ministries and hear on the development of Natural Gas, trends and challenges in the region, the energy outlook and the potential of the Mediterranean amongst others.

Egypt

SPEAKERS INCLUDE:

Libya

Hellenic Hydrocarbon Resources Management (EDEY), Greece Dr. Spyridon Bellas Vice President

Cyprus Hydrocarbons Company (CHC) Toula Onoufriou President

Petroleum Administration Lebanon

Walid Nasr Board Member, Head of Strategic Planning Department

ONHYM

Wafae Benhammou New Business and Cooperation Director

Greece

and more...

FACE TIME WITH 6 NOCS AND MINISTRIES - FROM CYPRUS TO LEBANON

Lebanon

18 months’ worth of setting up meetings and travel sorted in just 2 days

Italy

PROVIDE INSIGHTS FOR 15 COUNTRIES

GOVERNMENTS AND SECTOR-LEADING BUSINESSES

PRE-ARRANGED MEETING SCHEDULER FOR ALL ATTENDEES

Algeria

Albania

MINISTRIES, NOCS AND IOCS FROM EVERY MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRY

INDUSTRY LEADER PANEL DISCUSSIONS

SENIOR LEVEL ATTENDEES Cyprus Sponsored by:

For more information visit:

WWW.MEDOILGASSUMMIT.COM

Contact Laura Barros: LauraB@irn-international.com +44 207 111 1615

Supported by:

Organised by:

AP&M

EUROPE

E V E N T

F O C U S Featured speakers and sessions at the summit include: > OEMs and the Aftermarket – Market Perspectives & Strategy with Ken Aso, Director, Boeing Parts Solutions and Alistair Forbes, Services Research Manager, RollsRoyce > Entry Into Service…and Beyond – Experiences and Results with Roland Rainer, Director, Head of Technical Planning, Swiss International Air Lines > Quantifying the Impact of Big Data and Health Monitoring for Airlines with Gary Smith, Business Lead – futureCabin and NEO, easyJet

The international exhibition attracts more than 4,000 attendees and features 200 exhibitors AVIATION WEEK Network’s ap&m Europe (airline purchasing and The Global MRO maintenance Procurement Expoexpo) is a longstanding, 31 May – 1 June 2017 networking event for the annual Olympia London, UK commercial aviation aftermarket, taking place on 30 May-1 June, 2017 in Visitor E V E N T D E TA I L S London, UK. Competition The event kicks off with a oneWin a luxury Bremont WHEN: 30 May - 1 June Watch worth £3,595! day summit on 30 May at the Hilton Visit www.apmexpo. com/comp for more Olympia, London, taking a strategic WHERE: Olympia London, UK Long Standing History details Gathering every level of the global airline supply chain since 2003 look at the European commercial WEBSITE:Meet the Buyers aftermarket and supply chain, Guarantees face-to-face airline introductions www.apmexpo.com featuring 25 industry leading speakers.

Unbeatable Networking Dedicated formal & informal sessions to maximise value The international exhibition attracts Attracts Decision Makers more than 4,000 attendees and 91% of 4,000 attendees in 2016 influence or make the purchasing decision features 200 exhibitors offering a Platinum Sponsor:

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Gold Sponsors:

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Silver Sponsor:

Bronze Sponsors:

WERNER

AERO SERVICES

www.werneraero.com

wide range of aftermarket products and services; including MRO service providers, OEMs, parts manufacturers and distributors, supply chain and logistics, and many more.

A unique feature of ap&m Europe is ‘Meet the Buyers’, a speed networking format between airline/mro buyers and exhibitors. All buyers are seated in a dedicated area of the show with exhibitors taking part in a series of 10 minute meetings with buyers of their choice.

The three-day event combines formal and informal networking for the entire airline supply chain, allowing attendees to develop existing business relationships and create new contacts in this fast-paced industry.

AP&M Europe is sponsored by Bollore Logistics, Aerfin, Bombardier MRO, Fokker Services, TP Aerospace, Heico, AAR Corp and Werner Aero Services.

Opening times for the summit are Tuesday, 30 May from 8-5; Wednesday31 May from 9-5.30; and Thursday 1 June from 9-3.

The Global MRO Procurement Expo 31 May – 1 June 2017 Olympia London, UK

Visitor Competition Win a luxury Bremont Watch worth ÂŁ3,595!

Visit www.apmexpo. com/comp for more details

Long Standing History

Gathering every level of the global airline supply chain since 2003

Meet the Buyers

Guarantees face-to-face airline introductions

Unbeatable Networking

Dedicated formal & informal sessions to maximise value

Attracts Decision Makers

91% of 4,000 attendees in 2016 influence or make the purchasing decision

Platinum Sponsor:

Gold Sponsors:

Silver Sponsor:

Bronze Sponsors:

WERNER

AERO SERVICES

www.werneraero.com

Supporter:

Official Publication:

Media Partners: EUROPE& MIDDLEEAST

Register to attend today: www.apmexpo.com/register

Outlook

Creative Services

Complementing the production of Africa Outlook, Asia Outlook and Europe & Middle East Outlook magazines, Outlook Publishing’s award-winning in-house team is now utilising these same specialist production skills to offer a full and bespoke range of editorial, design and marketing services via its new Outlook Creative Services division.

For more information on how we can work with you in providing a plethora of completely flexible and customisable production services, please visit www.outlookpublishing.com/creative-services

DESIGN: Stephen Giles +44 (0) 1603 959 656 steve.giles@outlookpublishing.com

EDITORIAL: Matthew Staff +44 (0) 1603 959 655 matthew.staff@outlookpublishing.com

Mandy Farnell +44 (0) 1603 959 661 mandy.farnell@outlookpublishing.com

Phoebe Calver +44 (0) 1603 959 660 phoebe.calver@outlookpublishing.com