MONDAY, MAY 26, 2014
BUSINESS
Ooredoo offers better experience, first-class services New brand focuses on a full customer experience KUWAIT: Ooredoo in Kuwait, a member of Ooredoo Telecom Group, launched the new brand name last Thursday (May 22) as part of a plan to rebrand all telecom operators owned by the group. As part of the company’s re-branding, Ooredoo revamped all its current branches, paying attention to the customer’s experience from A to Z. As a community-based company, Ooredoo aims to enrich the lives of its customers through providing them with better telecommunication services. As part of that, the company has paid considerable attention to ensuring that customers’ experience is smooth and without hurdles, though its reliable customer service, its reliable network and well-trained staff. Ooredoo in Kuwait aims to introduce a new portfolio of services
in the upcoming months. Ooredoo looked carefully into the effect of atmosphere and environment on customer experience,
Ooredoo Group has officially announced the rebrand on 25 February 2013 at the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2013 in Barcelona, Spain. The new brand,
making sure to create a vibrant and welcome environment in all its newly-furnished branches. The company has also paid attention to the interior of its branches which have undergone refurbishment.
since then, is being adopted by Ooredoo companies across its footprint, and has received international recognition with a series of awards at major global events. The company was recently named “Best
Mobile Operator” at the World Communication Awards. It operates in some 14 countries including Qatar, Maldives, Tunisia, Algeria, Palestine, Myanmar, Iraq, Indonesia, and Oman. Ooredoo has been the fastest growing telecommunications company in terms of revenue since 2006. Ooredoo in Kuwait, formerly known as Wataniya Telecom, is a member of Ooredoo Group. Commercially launched in December 1999, the company provides mobile, broadband internet and corporate managed services tailored to the needs of customers and businesses. Ooredoo is guided by its vision of enriching people’s lives and its belief that it can stimulate human growth by leveraging communications to help people achieve their full potential.
French firms gain insight into Sharjah’s investment potential SHARJAH: The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has concluded hosting two seminars in Paris, France on May 22nd and May 23rd. The seminars, which followed closely after a two-day conference at the Paris Dauphine University, were organized by Shurooq to promote Sharjah as a prime investment hub for France and explore avenues of future collaboration. Shurooq’s delegation was led by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al-Qasimi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) and included HE Marwan bin Jasim Al Sarkal, CEO of Shurooq; Amani Al Ali, Manager of the Executive Office of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi; Elie Armaly, Director of Business Development at Shurooq; Hatem Heidar, Public Relations Executive, and Maryam Bin Al Shaikh, Business Development Coordinator at Shurooq. The seminars were held in collaboration with the Chambre de Commerce Franco-Arabe and MEDEF International, in addition to IPEMED, the Euro-Mediterranean think tank, where attendees met with Shurooq and learned more about its role in Sharjah’s and Middle Eastern operations, and the different incentives and facilities Sharjah’s government entities offer to investors. This marks the second occasion Shurooq has visited France, following the Authority’s first trip to the country in March 2013. Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairperson of Shurooq, inaugurated the seminars by warmly welcoming attendees as well as elucidating the shared interests and already strong bond between Sharjah and France, especially concerning their mutual respect for the cultural and economic contributions made by the two regions. Sheikha Bodour Al-Qasimi said, “The UAE has enjoyed excellent political, economic and social relations with France for more than four decades, and bilateral ties are constantly expanding with growing economic, cultural and artistic exchange. Ties between France and Sharjah, in particular, have resulted in promising projects in a number of areas. Our aim here today is to build on this already wellestablished relationship and to introduce the many advantages that Shurooq has to offer to the French business community.” Commenting on France’s rich contribution to human progress, Sheikha Bodour Al- Qasimi added, “France is universally held to be one of the most important cultural centres in the world and Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al- Qasimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah - who is himself an avid historian and cultural advocate - has made no secret of the high regard he holds for role France continues to play in fostering cul-
ture on the world stage.” The seminars were led by Mar wan AlSarkal, in which he gave a detailed overview of Shurooq and its functions, the many strategic advantages that Sharjah has to offer, Sharjah’s business climate, as well as the key investment sectors in the Emirate that have been identified as primary growth sectors to representatives from 50 different companies. The Shurooq CEO pointed to the excellent economic and cultural relations that exist between Sharjah and France and the many opportunities that are available for cooperation between their business and investment communities. Al- Sarkal added that Shurooq has made it its mission to encourage and support investments by providing a range of opportunities, facilities and incentives. Al- Sarkal covered extensive information and research on Sharjah’s stable economy, its ideal investment climate, its central location and connectivity, and Shurooq’s integral part in all of the above, which attracted huge interest from a number of French corporations. On conclusion of the meeting, GÈraldine LEMBLE-PAVLOV, Director of MEDEF International said: “The Business Council France - United Arab Emirates of MEDEF International was extremely happy and honored to exchange with Sheikha Bodour Al- Qasimi and her wonderful team from Shurooq about the projects underway in Sharjah, particularly in the fields of transportation, healthcare, environmental services or education, sectors where French companies have long developed a strong expertise. I am convinced that today’s meeting will contribute to strengthen the participation of the French businesses in Sharjah’s projects and will pave the way for further and fruitful cooperation in the near future.” Herve de Charette, President of the French Arab Chamber of Commerce, and France’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, said: “The visit of Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qassimi to France represents another milestone in the relationship between Sharjah and France. She was keen to highlight opportunities in Sharjah to French institutions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and business organizations. We also decided to continue the fruitful partnership between the French Arab Chamber of Commerce and Shurooq”. MEDEF represents more than 750,000 member firms in France, 90 per cent of which are small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees. It lobbies at the local, regional, national and EU-wide level and every year organizes a number of delegations of French business leaders to explore business opportunities around the world. The organization runs more than 135 high-level meetings each year, in Paris and abroad.
Burgan Bank announces winners of Yawmi account KUWAIT: Burgan Bank announced yesterday the names of the lucky winners of its Yawmi account draw, each taking home a prize of KD 5,000. The lucky winners for the daily draws took home a cash-prize of KD 5000 each, and they are: 1. Mohammad Abdullah Ali 2. Fatemah Alzahraa Wael Abdulredha Saleem 3. Ravi Bhagwan Udharam Jagtiani 4. Mohammad Abdulmohsen Mohammad Ali Maarafi 5. Ali Taher Mohammad Albaghli With its new and enhanced features, the Yawmi Account has become more convenient, easier, and faster for customers to benefit from. Now, customers will be eligible to enter the draw after 48 hours only from opening the account. Customers are also required to deposit KD 100 or equivalent only to enter the daily draw, and the coupon value to enter the draw stands at KD 10.
The newly designed Yawmi account has been launched to provide a highly innovative offering along with a higher frequency and incentive of winning for everyone. Today, the Yawmi account is a well understood product, where its popularity can be seen from the number of increasing account holders. Burgan Bank encourages everyone to open a Yawmi account and/or increase their deposit to maximize their chances to becoming a daily winner. The more customers deposit, the higher the chances they receive of winning the draw. Opening a Yawmi account is simple, customers are urged to visit their nearest Burgan Bank branch and receive all the details, or simply call the bank’s Call Center at 1804080 where customer service representatives will be delighted to assist with any questions on the Yawmi account or any of the bank’s products and services. Customers can also log on to Burgan Bank’s www.burgan.com for further information.
Lexus ups the ante with supercharged SUV LX 570 ME gears up for 200 exclusive models KUWAIT: Lexus - a brand that is synonymous with pure luxury and high sophistication - is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. With the Middle East being one of its most significant markets, it comes as no surprise that the brand chose to mark the milestone, with the exclusive launch of only 200 units of one of their most talked about flagship models in the region. If a ravishing power-machine catches the eye as it struts down the most challenging off-road terrains in the region, it is in all likelihood the supremely powerful supercharged Lexus LX 570 in all its glory. Whether navigating through busy urban traffic or combating the toughest off-road conditions in the most remote deserts, the LX 570 supercharged SUV can deal with it all, while pampering its occupants with sumptuous comfort and convenience traits that are ingrained in the Lexus DNA. According to Sadayoshi Koyari, Chief Engineer, “It is the 25th anniversary of the birth of the Lexus brand and to show our gratitude for the continuous and ever-increasing support that we have enjoyed in the Middle East over the years, we are offering the Lexus LX Super Charger-an exclusive, special edition that takes performance and excitement to a new level and has already won kudos. As a special model for the Middle East only, production is limited to just 200 units. Along with the standard Luxury and Sport editions, the LX Super Charger redefines the high performance progressive luxury concept.” According to Nobuyuki Negishi, Chief Representative of Middle East & North Africa Representative Office, Toyota Motor Corporation, “Lexus’ reputation for creating the best luxury SUVs takes another leap with the launch of the supercharged LX 570 opening up an opportunity for the select few here in the region who appreciate pure performance to own this extraordinary SUV. Our relationship with customers in the Middle East is a long and trusted one and we wanted to do something special for them which is why we decided to introduce this distinctive model. This limited edition supercharged model gives its proud owners an immensely powerful and capable SUV unlike any other vehicle in its class.” Driving experience The driving experience in this model is nothing short of a power-packed affair. So what is it about this supercharged LX 570 that makes it stand out? For starters, it is powered by a 5.7-litre V8 with 32valve, DOHC engine with dual Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence (VVT-i) engine with supercharger churning out 450 HP and 72.0 kg-m of torque. This powerful engine teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shift switches and standard full-time four wheel drive, gives this formidable machine the muscle to perform with the highest displacement possible. 90 % of the peak torque comes on stream at just 2,200 rpm, making the supercharged LX 570 exceptionally responsive and incredibly strong as a tow vehicle. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Another high performance feature that this SUV boasts of is the Crawl Control System with the driver-selectable low range for the transmission, which is usually absent in other premium SUVs. This attribute provides low-speed crawling capability for handling steep off-road declines efficiently. Shifting into low range engages Active Height Control, which results in increased ground clearance of two inches by raising the vehicle. Without a doubt, the plush comforts of the LX 570 supercharged edition are designed especially for those keen on indulging in the ultimate on-road and offroad driving experience. Crafted with a highstrength body-on-frame construction layout, the vehicle carries forward the marque’s impeccable design heritage with some distinctive exterior elements. The striking finesse cultivated in the Lexus sedan series is carried over to offer the owner a powerful impact that can only be felt in this unique SUV which has been established on the framework
Impeccable exterior The LX 570’s impeccable exterior opens into an
temperature control with 28 air vents and twin A/C units to provide an optimal environment for up to eight occupants looking to relax on-the-go. The one-touch tumble mechanism for the second-row seat offers a 40/20/40-split seatback to fit a variety of items. In addition, with the press of a button, the 50/50-split third-row seats fold to the side in seconds. Music aficionados can expect an awesome experience with the supercharged LX 570. The SUV’s premium sound system mimics the effects of an audio studio with a Mark Levinson Reference Surround System. Designed to create a realistic sensation of being at a movie or concert theater, the
inviting interior which welcomes discerning occupants with Lexus’ signature “Spirit of Hospitality” concept and introduces them to a vast interior space while exuding the concepts of “calmness” and “excitement” in perfect proportions. Intriguing wood grained and metal plated ornamentation contribute to Lexus’ overarching sense of extravagance in combination with a high quality detailed finish. The cabin experience inside this flagship stunner is both comfortable and enjoyable with its spacious interiors and versatile features. The vehicle’s air-conditioning system features a 4-zone independent
system makes use of 19 speakers that distribute multi-dimensional sound and musical theatre experience with absolute audio clarity. A home theater experience, with in-dash DVD player, a USB minijack for connecting media players and a central 9inch touch screen display are just some other extensions of this premium sound system. With phenomenal performance, excellent durability and luxurious comfort dominating its development philosophy, the supercharged Lexus LX 570 will make a signature statement for those 200 lucky customers while giving them the unique privilege of enjoying a truly special Lexus SUV.
of a genuine 4WD model. The model stands out with its unique black hues on the front including the radiator grille, lower grille, front bumper, headlamp and fog lamps bezel. From a side view, the outside mirror, 20” aluminium wheels, door side molding, roof rail and the exclusive emblem grab the spotlight and at the rear the stylish shade enhances the looks of the bumper, combination lamps, emblem, back door garnish as well as the sport muffler.
Jazeera to take delivery of brand new Airbus A320 aircraft on May 28 KUWAIT: Jazeera Airways Group yesterday announced it will take delivery of a brand new Airbus A320 aircraft on May 28 from the manufacturer’s facility in Hamburg, Germany, bringing the Group’s fleet to 15 fully-owned aircraft. Once delivered to Jazeera Airways Group, this will be the third Airbus A320 aircraft the company receives in the last 12 months. The aircraft is the last installment of an order for15 Airbus A320 aircraft that was made in 2005 and later increased to 15 aircraft. The Group had previously announced that it is considering placing a new aircraft order in the next 12 months. Jazeera Airways Group is a Kuwait Stock Exchange-listed company with a fleet of 15 fully-owned Airbus A320s (as of May 28, 2014), distributed between its airline business, Jazeera Airways (eight aircraft), and its fullyowned leasing-arm Sahaab Aircraft Leasing (seven aircraft). Sahaab has assets placed with Virgin America, SriLankan Airlines, Flynas and Jazeera Airways. Jazeera Airways operates its eight fully-owned Airbus A320s with a twoclass cabin comprising a Business Class and an Economy Class. Business Class travelers get both an upgraded experience and exclusivity,
starting with exclusive check-in lines, business lounge access, up to 60 kilograms in free baggage allowance, and an exclusive on-board cabin. The airline’s Economy Class offers travelers free baggage allowance of 40 kilograms and free on-board meals with a changing
menu every month. The airline is based in Kuwait and serves 20 popular destinations in the Middle East comprising high-demand business, leisure, family, and weekend destinations such as Dubai, Bahrain, Beirut, Alexandria, Amman, Istanbul, Sharm El Sheikh, Assiut, Luxor, Mashhad, Sohag, Jeddah, Riyadh, Cairo and Al-Najaf.
