Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdul Aziz inaugurated the STC Academy for digital learning and training, one of the Saudi Telecom Co.’s initiatives to achieve Vision 2030, build digital skills and enable e-services in the Kingdom. After the inauguration, which took place at the academy’s headquarters in Rafal Tower in Riyadh, STC Group CEO Khaled Biyari said the company plays a leading and positive role in various fields.
Establishing the academy reflects the STC’s strategy for digitization, and meets increasing demand in the communications and information technology (CIT) market, he added. “Our vision is to make the academy a unique hub for digital leaders and specialists in the Kingdom,” he said.
“Our mission is to enhance the role of information and communication, especially in providing digital services, innovative solutions, gain customers’ trust and enrich society,” he added. “In addition, to build the skills of Saudi capabilities in this domain, and lessen the gap between demand and supply in the CIT industry.”
Prince Faisal’s honoring of the academy reflects the great role it will play in developing human resources in line with the Kingdom’s ambitious Vison 2030 reform program, Biyari said.
“The academy will provide quality training in modern areas that witness increasing demand for cybersecurity, data analysis, modern digital technology and leadership skills.” The programs will be delivered in collaboration with prestigious academic institutions from America and Britain such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Imperial College London and the Michigan School of Business, he added.
“The initial plan for the academy is to develop hundreds of digital leaders during this year, and we aim to increase this number significantly in 2019.”

Honor, the leading smartphone e-brand under the Huawei Group, has announced its market share growth in Saudi Arabia for the first time since it disrupted the market in 2015.
Despite being a stable year for most smartphone vendors, Honor has continued to experience growth, doubling its market share in the Kingdom specifically. Honor has seen significantly high market share in both the $150 — $200 price range as well as the $150 — $250 price category.
According to Huawei, the brand has been introducing value smartphones and cutting-edge technology to the local markets, which resulted in it witnessing unprecedented growth in the region with constant demand for both its flagship and X series.
Chris Sun Baigong, vice president of Honor in the Middle East and Africa region, said: “We are proud to be able to deliver unique innovative smartphones in a much cluttered market where we are able to create new standards for the industry to follow. We are penetrating through a new market need where we are able to fulfil needs millennials didn’t know existed. We’ve built through incredible brand equity across the world from being No.1 in China, India, Russia and even Finland. Now we are breaking new grounds in the Middle East.”
He added: “We are also proud to announce that we are going to introduce the Honor 9 Lite this month. After the incredible success it received around the world, we are so excited to be able to bring it to the Middle East, where we will focus on design, camera quality and innovation.”

KPMG, a leading accounting and consulting firm in the Kingdom, has identified clear cases where VAT-registered businesses in the Saudi market could make a mistake in their VAT filing due to lack of accuracy of invoices or clarity of records and the gaps in tax data. However, the impact of this type of error can be reduced by ensuring the tax and accounting controls and processes are set up to identify and correct mistakes.
Nicholas Soverall, head of VAT at KPMG in Saudi Arabia, said that high fines would encourage taxpayers to improve their accounting systems to manage value-added tax, noting that the businesses may also benefit from the need to transform their systems and processes for VAT.
This could lead to a gradual improvement in processes by targeting all aspects of the business. He saw this as a positive trend for companies.
In a series of three workshops organized by KPMG over the last week in Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar, titled “VAT — A Clearer Perspective,” he stressed the importance of the taxpayer being transparent, enhancing the disclosure culture, and working hard to manage its tax risk — thereby enabling businesses and institutions to maintain profitability and future investment.
The workshops, which were attended by accountants and financial experts from several sectors, presented many views on value-added tax and the readiness of the tax administrators to meet the challenges of managing the new tax including processing the large volume of returns, responding to the numerous tax queries, and looking after the taxpayers’ accounts.
The head of VAT at KPMG in Saudi Arabia highlighted the key features of the application of value-added tax, using several practical examples to encourage taxpayers to analyze their transactions in sufficient detail to ensure that VAT is applied correctly and, where there is doubt, seek support and clarification.
Soverall complimented the efforts made by the General Authority of Zakat and Tax in the Kingdom to prepare taxpayers and consumers for the introduction of the tax. However, this was only the beginning and there was a long way to go before all the tax, accounting and systems issues that have arisen, can be resolved.

Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, the world’s leading automotive alliance, has announced that its member companies sold a combined total of 10,608,366 units in 2017.
Growing demand for SUVs, light commercial vehicles and a rising number of zero-emission pure electric vehicles helped lift unit sales by 6.5 percent in 2017, the first full-year of Mitsubishi Motors’ membership of the alliance.
Carlos Ghosn, chairman and chief executive officer of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, said: “With more than 10.6 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles sold in 2017, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi has become the No.1 automotive group worldwide. This evolution reflects the breadth and depth of our model range, our global market presence and the customer appeal of our vehicle technologies.”
In 2017, the alliance member companies sold vehicles in nearly 200 countries under 10 brands (Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi Motors, Dacia, Renault Samsung Motors, Alpine, Lada, Infiniti, Venucia and Datsun).
Groupe Renault’s sales were up 8.5 percent to 3,761,634 units in 2017. It was a record year for Renault, the world’s leading French brand and No.2 brand in Europe, and also for Dacia. Renault is seeking continued growth in 2018, buoyed by the development of its international activities and its renewed range, in line with its “Drive The Future” plan.
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. sold 5,816,278 vehicles worldwide, up 4.6 percent, and shared details of “Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022,” the company’s six-year strategic plan.
In 2017, the company achieved sales growth of 1.9 percent in the US and 12.2 percent in China.
Infiniti sold 246,492 vehicles in 2017, an increase of 7 percent from the previous year.
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation sold 1,030,454 vehicles in 2017, up 10 percent from 2016. The increase in volume was led by China, a key market for Mitsubishi Motors’ “Drive For Growth” plan. Annual sales rose by 56 percent, to 129,160 units. China became Mitsubishi Motors’ largest market thanks to the strong demand for the locally produced Outlander.
Performance in the ASEAN region was also strong with an increase of 17 percent to 242,224 units, thanks to the launch of XPANDER — a compact multi-purpose vehicle — in Indonesia. In Japan, sales increased by 7 percent as the marketing of kei-cars resumed.

The Khair Inorganic Chemical Industries Co. (InoChem) has signed a SR900 million ($240 million) loan agreement with the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (SIDF) to establish an industrial complex in Ras Al-Khair Industrial City in the Eastern Province. It will produce the inorganic products soda ash and calcium chloride. The agreement was signed by Saeed Ahmad Basamh, InoChem chairman of the board.
InoChem will build, own and operate an industrial complex, which will produce two grades of soda ash — light and dense — and calcium chloride in two grades (77 and 94 percent). Total production capacity in the first phase, which is due to start in 2020, is expected to be 600,000 tons per annum, making it the first of its kind in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, and the largest in the Middle East and North Africa.
“This strategic project is perfectly in line with the goals and priorities of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” said InoChem CEO Abdulaziz Yahya Al-Muaiyyad. “It attracts an advanced global technology, and will produce two products currently fully imported to the Kingdom using raw materials 100 percent locally sourced from Saudi mineral reserves,” he added.
“Moreover, the project will supply the two products to vital industries and operations in the Kingdom, such as oil and gas operations, glass manufacturing and synthetic detergents manufacturing,” he said. “The project will create more than 1,500 jobs, 75 percent of which will target Saudi talent, who will go through a training and qualification plan in accordance with the global standards followed in such industrial projects.”
Wassim Al-Khatib, head of investment banking at NCB Capital, said his company “is keen on effectively contributing to megaprojects that create a quantum leap in the Saudi industrial sector, which will positively affect the Kingdom’s social and economic growth. We are very proud that NCB Capital contributed to the success of InoChem through our financial advisory services since the inception of the company and successfully arranging the SIDF loan.”
The Kingdom’s leadership is moving forward in supporting the private sector, especially since the industrial complex will contribute to diversifying the economy by adding new non-oil activities, and creating jobs for Saudis, in line with the Kingdom’s priorities to prepare national talent and find appropriate and rewarding job opportunities, Al-Khatib said.

Emirates has launched its first bespoke campaign with a series of short videos specifically targeted to Saudi Arabia, cleverly interlacing comedy to address the pain points of travel and showcase Emirates’ award-winning economy class experience.
The campaign stars Badr Saleh, and draws on experiences that almost every Saudi traveler can relate to — dated inflight movies and programs, keeping children entertained onboard, and missing their favorite programs while traveling.
Saleh, one of the funniest comedians in the GCC, used a refreshing blend of observational humor, improvization and in situ skits to differentiate the Emirates economy class experience. Saleh was chosen for this campaign for his influence as one of the most well-known comedians in Saudi Arabia and the region, with millions of followers across YouTube, Twitter and Instagram as well as a strong TV presence, regularly reaching millions with his prime time evening show on MBC.
The first video shows the endless inflight entertainment onboard a typical Emirates flight, so much so that Badr and his friend are still glued to their screens long after other passengers have disembarked.
Khalid Al-Haddad, vice president Saudi Arabia, said: “Emirates’ economy class is truly a no-compromise experience that offers more choice for Saudi travelers, and our onboard product provides exceptional comfort with world-class service and inflight entertainment for the whole family. It’s fantastic that Badr lent his comedic touch for this campaign and we hope that it brings some laughs to those watching while also showcasing the Emirates difference.”
Saleh said: “Emirates’ sense of humor struck a chord with me, and I am incredibly proud to have worked alongside the airline’s team to develop great content that truly shows the outstanding onboard experience they offer.”
The videos will be released over the course of the next few weeks, with the second spot illustrating the daunting experience of flying with children. Badr explains how many times he needs to apologize to other passengers and how flying with Emirates has alleviated his worries through the endless variety of kids entertainment provided onboard.
In the third video, Badr relives an experience about missing a critical football match, which takes the viewers directly onboard where he is watching live TV from his in-seat screen, a feature available on almost every Emirates flight. The comedian was able to enjoy his long-awaited football match, without missing a sporting highlight.

National Automobile Industry Company Ltd. (N AI) has appointed Heiko Schulze as its new general manager.
Schulze has over 30 years of experience in the automotive sector, working with Daimler AG in Germany, Poland, and Russia, and is supported by a strong management team.
Schulze said that he is delighted with the appointment.
“Mercedes-Benz and Juffali are both very strong brands in their own right, with an excellent reputation in the Kingdom. Together they form a solid partnership and will continue building on the success of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in the region. Our No. 1 priority is to increase levels of customer satisfaction through providing commercial vehicles you can trust, and after-sales solutions that will lower customers’ total cost of operation.”
NAI is a joint venture operation between Daimler AG and E.A. Juffali & Brothers and has been assembling Mercedes-Benz trucks in the Kingdom for more than 40 years. Together with its distribution arm, Juffali Industrial Products Company, they provide high-quality products and services in Saudi Arabia, representing Mercedes-Benz Trucks and Buses, Freightliner, Western Star and MCV Buses.

OSN, the region’s leading entertainment network, is helping kids in Saudi Arabia to learn through a fun activation with Nickelodeon, at the “Kids in Motion Expo & Festival” in Jeddah and Riyadh this month.
“OSN and Nickelodeon invite you to live the stories you love from Feb. 15-17 at Jeddah Exhibition Center, and March 1-3 at Al-Nakheel Mall in Riyadh. Youngsters can immerse themselves in the colorful worlds of some of their favorite shows with themed edutainment activities designed to keep young minds and bodies active,” a press release said.
Families visiting the OSN and Nickelodeon activation will get a chance to interact with Nickelodeon’s favorite characters in the creative playground. They can learn Spanish at Dora the Explorer’s “Pescado (fishing) Challenge,” go on the hunt with Paw Patrol’s “Bone Rescue,” and be an action hero with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles “Bandana Challenge.” They also get an opportunity to meet and take photos with some of the channel’s characters.
The whole family can have fun at the OSN stand at the 7th “Kids in Motion Expo & Festival,” exploring OSN’s extensive roster of children’s entertainment, the biggest international brands and a guaranteed safe experience with parental control.

The expanded and renovated showroom of Mumbai Bazar reopened recently at the Riyadh Avenue Mall. An exclusive Indian fashion boutique, Mumbai Bazar caters to the fashion-conscious women in Saudi Arabia.
Mumbai is the fashion capital of India, and is home to the largest brand ambassador of Indian fashion to the outside world — Bollywood. The clothes identify with the vibrant culture and avante garde trends of the city.
Located on the first floor of the LuLu Hypermarkets in the Riyadh Avenue Mall in the Murabba district, the showroom is easily accessible.
“We know that each woman is unique and the clothes that she wears should reflect her true personality. Our clothes reflect ethical Indian values of grace in a true fashion expression. We also aim to create style statements with our innovative designs and impeccable styles. Our ensemble, using traditional Indian craftsmanship, intricate embroidery and rich textures to meet the evolving needs of the Indian consumer, is a reflection of casual yet classy elegance,” a press release said.

As a way of appreciating their valued customers and sharing enjoyable dining moments with them, McDonald’s gave out 1,000 free McChickens on Feb. 6 between 9 p.m. to 12 a.m., from every store in the western and southern region of the Kingdom, except mall and airport stores.
The offer raised sparks from all McDonald’s lovers across the region, as many guests waited anxiously even before the clock ticked 9 p.m. just to get the long-awaited offer.
McDonald’s put an organized system in place to serve as many customers as possible during those three hours. A McDonald’s employee stood next to every store’s entrance to hand out coupons to guests that could be redeemed at the counter for a free McChicken.
With that, McDonald’s managed to give out over 75,000 free McChickens to thousands of customers.
People did not limit expressing their excitement to the day of the offer, but also were sharing their experience the next day all over social media. Much positive feedback, that included a variety of videos and pictures from customers, was shared across all social media channels.
Mohamed Alireza, deputy general manager of Reza Food Services (McDonald’s West and South) said: “Our customers’ enthusiasm is the drive behind all of our initiatives and we can’t get enough of that. We are always coming up with different ways to reward all of our customers, and we were really happy to serve them with this offer. It brings us joy to see the number of people who showed up with their families just to share these moments with their loved ones.”

Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) reached record growth in 2017 in the number of new Al-Fursan memberships — the airline’s frequent flyer program — with more than 850,000 new members, 6.6 billion miles earned, and 132,000 air travel tickets redeemed by members.
The Al-Fursan loyalty program has grown significantly last year, expanding to new partnerships allowing members to gain points from vendors in the Kingdom and worldwide.
Additionally, as Saudia is a member of the SkyTeam alliance, Al-Fursan members also benefit in accruing miles on Saudia and 19 member airlines across the world.
The Al-Fursan program includes additional services for members that gives them redemption miles and with partner airlines in the SkyTeam alliance, members can benefit from Priority Lane, and receive discounts and special offers.
The airline’s mobile app also makes it easier for Al-Fursan members to make their bookings. Recent enhancements to the app were made last year, making it simpler for members to easily log into their membership profile to review miles status and make a booking, which automatically links to their membership profile to add their upcoming travel points. The Saudia mobile app is available on the Apple Store and on Google Play.
Saudia recently underwent an expansion and modernization plan for its Al-Fursan lounges around the Kingdom. Newly renovated lounges can be found in Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, and Madinah, providing guests with a world-class experience.
In February last year, Saudia opened its first Al-Fursan lounge outside the Kingdom, in Cairo, Egypt.
Customer service for Al-Fursan members is available on the website, by phone or by email. Members can redeem points and inquire about rewards miles, update their profile by logging onto the website (alfursan.saudiairlines.com) or by calling the call center at 920022222.
Members may also communicate with Saudia’s Al-Fursan program via email (alfursan@saudia.com).
SkyTeam is the global airline alliance with 20 member airlines working together to offer seamless travel on an extensive global network. SkyTeam customers can unwind in 600+ lounges as they travel and earn and redeem Frequent Flyer Miles. SkyTeam welcomes 730 million customers each year on more than 16,609 daily flights to 1,074 destinations in 177 countries.

The Qimam Fellowship Program was launched on Sunday in Saudi Arabia. Qimam aims to identify, develop, and empower the most promising and distinguished university students in the country to achieve their full potential. The program, which aims to attract top talent from the Kingdom, has been created based on the belief that Saudi Arabia is rich with extraordinary talent, and that developing such talent is one of the best investments for a brighter future.
The program will provide its fellows with one-on-one mentorship from senior public and private sector leaders, leadership training by professionals from renowned companies, visits to the Saudi Arabian offices of leading national and international companies, membership in the Qimam Alumni Network, an award for their distinctiveness upon completion of the program during a high-profile ceremony, and will share profiles of fellows with leading HR leaders in the Kingdom to facilitate their career opportunities.
The Qimam Fellowship Program would not have been possible without the contributions of its partner companies, Al-Khaleejiah Advertising & Public Relations Company, Al-Tayyar Travel Group Holding, Careem, Cisco, Community Jameel, General Electric, Ma’aden (Saudi Arabian Mining Company), McKinsey & Company, Oqal, Pearson, Saudi Telecom Company (STC), Rocket Internet, Aberkyn, and SMAAT, as well as a large number of executives from the public and private sectors.
Annas Abedin, founding CEO of Qimam, said: “Thanks to the contributions of our partners, we will be able to offer high-potential university students in and from Saudi Arabia a unique development experience that will hopefully help them get closer toward achieving their professional dreams and aspirations.”
The program targets bachelor’s and master’s students of all nationalities at any Saudi university, as well as Saudi nationals studying for a bachelor’s or master’s degree at universities abroad.
Fellows will be selected into the program based on their academic achievements, their level of initiative taking beyond the academic realm, and their exhibited degree of social responsibility and service to the community.
The fellowship is open for applications starting Sunday, and will remain open until March 24. The application form and more details about the Qimam Fellowship can be found on www.qimam.com

Dubai is the ultimate destination for Saudis on the lookout for a memorable family extravaganza packed with a wide array of exciting lifestyle activities, attractions and child-friendly entertainment experiences.
Dubai has carved a reputation for itself as one of the world’s top tourist destinations owing to its beautiful beaches, architectural marvels such as the Burj Khalifa, Burj Al-Arab and Dubai Frame, as well as entertainment and lifestyle activities that appeal to visitors of all ages and nationalities.
Child-friendly attractions such as Dubai Safari and IMG Worlds of Adventure make the emirate the perfect venue for spending time with family. The newly opened Dubai Safari is a world-class wildlife park, home to over 2,500 animals representing 250 species.
The park appeals to kids as well as adults with its interactive edutainment activities and immersive wildlife experiences.
Families looking for an adrenaline rush can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities such as watersports, camping, cycling, skydiving, shark diving, hot air balloon rides, zip-lining and much more at top venues including XLine Dubai Marina, Skydive Dubai, Dubai Dolphinarium, Al-Qudra Lakes, Wild Wadi Waterpark and Aquaventure Waterpark.
One of the world’s foremost culinary capitals, the emirate is home to exquisite dining concepts created by the many Michelin-starred chefs that have set up restaurants in Dubai, including Marina Social, Indego by Vineet, Junoon, and Stay by Yannick Alléno, as well as a host of local eateries, casual cafés, and traditional and modern restaurants.
The Dubai Food Festival is an annual citywide food celebration showcasing the diversity and creativity of the city’s culinary offerings, including gourmet and avant-garde dining concepts, local delights and hidden gems. The festival begins on Feb. 22 and runs until March 10.
Tourists can look forward to visiting Global Village, one of the city’s most iconic entertainment and cultural attractions, featuring hundreds of shops, restaurants and cafés, and representing 75 different cultures through its 27 pavilions. Now in its 22nd edition, the attraction includes more than 12,000 cultural and entertainment shows that are housed within the 1.6-million-square-meter park.
Another attraction that should be part of every Dubai itinerary is Dubai Festival City, one of the UAE’s most exciting retail, dining and leisure destinations.
Saudi film buffs can also look forward to attending the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) 2018 to explore diverse films from all over the world.

dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa, a leading international events company, will present the HVACR Expo Saudi in Riyadh, for the first time next year.
Set to take place at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center from Jan. 14-16, 2019, HVACR Expo Saudi will be co-located with FM EXPO Saudi and Saudi Clean Expo. All three events are well established in the country as they are part of the dmg events portfolio of construction-related exhibitions, which also includes the Jeddah-based Big 5 Saudi.
“The move of these three niche industry events to the capital has been carefully considered,” said Andy White, senior vice president, dmg events Middle East, Asia and Africa. “Relocation of our events serving these very focused and technical industries means our exhibitors will be delivering their great international products and services right into the heart of a busy market. But being in the nation’s capital means the events will also give them a platform from which to influence regulation and policy development in these critical sectors, as Saudi Arabia makes progress on its aims for Vision 2030.”
Riyadh represents a significant project market for HVACR, FM and cleaning-related businesses. The Saudi capital is home to more than 30 active projects worth $1 billion or more and some 25 percent of the country’s total construction activity takes place there. In addition, it has a large quantity of built stock demanding ongoing maintenance, as well as new builds becoming operational.
“There’s a great deal of opportunity in the market there, and we will be working hard to make sure our exhibitors and visitors get the chance to discover as much of it as they can,” said White.
As well as attracting thousands of visitors keen to research the latest products and service developments in their industry, the events will also provide the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and update their industry skills. A curated conference program will see industry leaders debate key trends and challenges, while a series of workshops will explore some of the latest technical advances with a hands-on and interactive style.
Attendance to all three events and their related conference and workshop programs will be free, but visitors will need to register to attend.

Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai aims to provide guests luxurious accommodation, exceptional dining and distinctive hospitality in the heart of this dynamic city.
Located on the Sheikh Zayed Road, the 42-story hotel combines traditional luxury with modern amenities, with each room offering extraordinary views of the city and Arabian Sea. The hotel is just minutes from Dubai International Airport, Dubai Convention Center, Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), as well as Downtown Dubai, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and some of Dubai’s popular beaches.
The hotel offers 302 rooms and suites, from deluxe and renovated premier rooms, to Horizon Club one-bedroom suites and presidential suites. Each room is situated on the highest floors of the hotel affording inspiring views across the sea, city and far beyond.
Horizon Club rooms provide exclusive features including Club Lounge access, complimentary refreshments throughout the day and exclusive leisure facilities on Level 42.
Serviced apartments at Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai offer guests the “ultimate” in deluxe long-stay living. The 126 fully furnished, serviced apartments range in size from studios to three-bedroom units.
When it comes to dining, guests are spoilt for choice with seven restaurants to choose from. Hoi An offers an authentic Vietnamese fine dining experience, highlighting the delicate flavours and colorful culinary scene of South East Asia. Shangri-La’s signature Chinese fine dining restaurant, Shang Palace, captivates guests with its range of gastronomic provincial specialities. The rooftop poolside restaurant, Ikandy Ultralounge, boasts one of the best views of the Burj Khalifa, serving up shisha, light bites and mocktails. Dunes Café is an international dining restaurant that features best-in-class culinary stations.
“Our world-class service and facilities at Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai allow guests to relax and rejuvenate however they choose. Achieve balance and peace of mind at Chi, The Spa, where the principles of vitality, fitness and beauty combine in unique therapies. Discover our sense of place and vegan treatments that provide pampering like nowhere else in the city. Let our skilled therapists customize a personal spa journey for you, for the ultimate indulgence,” a press release said.
The gym is equipped with Technogym equipment, promising an all-round workout that includes cardiovascular and weight training.

Air Arabia (PJSC) has announced its full-year financial results for 2017. The Middle East and North Africa’s first and largest low-cost carrier once again delivered high levels of profitability and growth across the breadth of its operations.
Air Arabia’s net profit for the full year ending Dec. 31, 2017 was 662 million dirhams ($180 million), a 30 percent increase compared to 509 million dirhams registered in 2016. Turnover for the full year was in line with the preceding 12 months reaching 3.74 billion dirhams. More than 8.5 million passengers flew with Air Arabia in 2017 and the average seat load factor — or passengers carried as a percentage of available seats — in 2017 stood at an impressive 79 percent.
Following its solid full year 2017 performance, Air Arabia’s board of directors proposed a dividend distribution of 10 percent of share capital, which is equivalent to 10 fils per share. This proposal was made following a meeting of the board of directors of Air Arabia and is subject to ratification by Air Arabia’s shareholders at the company’s upcoming annual general meeting.
Air Arabia added 21 new routes to its global network in 2017 from its five operating hubs in the UAE, Morocco, Egypt and Jordan. The carrier took delivery of four new aircraft and ended the year with a fleet of 50 Airbus A320 aircraft operating to 140 routes across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe.
Abdullah bin Mohammad Al-Thani, chairman of Air Arabia, said: “Air Arabia has enjoyed consistent and sustained growth in 2017 driven by its network expansion strategy and cost control measures helping us to once again deliver a strong set of results. While political and economic challenges continued to impact the performance of the aviation sector in 2017, we have focused more keenly than ever on ensuring the highest level of operational efficiency and appealing product offering.”
He added: “Air Arabia’s ability to continue to report sustained profitability and achieve solid growth margins across our network reflects the strength of our business model and the carrier’s management team.”
In the fourth quarter of 2017, Air Arabia reported a net profit of 26 million dirhams, an increase of 177 percent compared to a net loss of 33 million dirhams registered in the last quarter of 2016.

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s top cyber security body has inked an agreement with a leading training institute to localize skills in critical infrastructure security.
The Saudi Cyber Security and Programming Federation and SANS Institute signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Monday.
The deal aims to aims to exchange knowledge, transfer technology and localize capabilities.
The MoU was signed by the federation’s Vice Chairman Dr. Abdullah Sharaf Alghamdi.
“Signing this agreement with a distinguished company in cyber security training such as SANS will open great horizons for the members of the Federation through professional certifications,” said federation President Saud Alqahtani.
“The MoU will enable the localization of cyber security skills in national critical infrastructures and contribute in realizing the Kingdom’s Vision 2030” Alqahtani added. 
Alqahtani thanked the federation’s coordination team, which included Dr. Abdullah Alghamdi, Dr. Jalal Almuhtadi, Eng. Sulaiman Almukhadish, and Eng. Mohammed Alshamrani.
The SANS Institute is the world's largest and most trusted provider of specialized training courses in cybersecurity. It was established in 1989 and has more than 140,000 alumni worldwide.
According to the MoU, the SANS Institute, in cooperation with the federation, will organize training courses and national competitions for school and university students and offer programs to evaluate and strengthen cyber security skills. The agreement also includes delivering advanced cyber security courses and organizing joint conferences and events.

The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) is the national trade promotion agency under the Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry.
Together with the Council of Saudi Chambers, and cooperation from Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, MATRADE is coordinating the participation of seven Malaysian companies and 16 business delegates from Malaysia on a trade mission to Riyadh and Jeddah. The mission is part of the continuing efforts to strengthen and enhance bilateral trade ties and economic relations between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.
Products offered by the delegation members include commodities from various sectors such as personal care products (hand and body lotion, shower gel, heel balm, shampoo, herbal lotions, supplements, and cosmetics), and medical disposable and health care products (anesthesia products, catheters, laboratory consumables, medical equipment and supplies rehab and ambulance aid, bacteria/viral filters).
During the visit, the Malaysian companies will participate in a business session with their Saudi counterparts which will be held at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Feb. 26, and at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Feb. 28.
The mission aims to increase awareness among business communities in Saudi Arabia on the wide range of Malaysian products and services and establishing networks between the Malaysian companies and their Saudi counterparts.
Among other objectives of the trade visit is to continue to pursue quality bilateral trade and investments in accordance with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

Aramex, a leading global provider of comprehensive logistics and transportation solutions, recently announced the launch of its new Shop & Ship (S&S) Affiliate and Partner programs. The new addition to its hugely successful S&S service comes shortly after the global launch of the S&S FLEX membership.
The Affiliate program is available to all audiences, including businesses, individuals, publishers, bloggers and influencers, and across all of the more than 50 markets in which S&S operates. A quick three-step online sign-up process provides users with the opportunity to earn commissions by hosting S&S banner advertisements on their online platforms. The new offering aims to further expand Aramex’s online community presence, and increase the visibility of S&S across its markets.
The Partner program is aimed at all e-commerce businesses. It allows any online merchant to integrate with S&S Checkout to fulfil locally and ship globally, in addition to enabling a company to introduce S&S members seamlessly onto their e-commerce platform at checkout. The result is that businesses are able to deliver domestic packages to any of Aramex’s 24 S&S hubs around the world with Aramex taking care of international shipping to the customer.
Hassan Mikail, chief e-commerce officer at Aramex, said: “We are pleased to have launched the new S&S Affiliate and Partner programs; both are very unique and standout from other ‘affiliate’ programs. These initiatives further highlight our efforts to bring the benefits of S&S to as many people as possible. Online merchants who partner with us benefit from direct-to-consumer marketing, zero cost and zero challenges for international logistics, plus world-class customer service support.”
Shop & Ship is an online last-mile delivery service from Aramex that makes global shopping happen. The service enables hundreds of thousands of consumers around the world to receive purchased goods from online stores in the US, the UK, and more than 20 other countries — quickly and at affordable rates. The service is available in over 50 countries worldwide.

Ford Motor Company is assisting Saudi women gain the power of mobility by hosting a special “Driving Skills for Life" program with Effat University. Calling on her fellow students to partake, Shams Hakim, Business HR student at Effat, made the announcement on YouTube, which can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/JN5r8gI9qbM.
The groundbreaking course — DSFL for Her — follows the landmark decision last year by the Kingdom, as decreed by King Salman, to lift the ban on women’s driving in Saudi Arabia.
“Ford Motor Company was built on the belief that freedom of movement drives human progress, so we are honored to have the opportunity to support women in the Kingdom during such an extraordinary time, and to welcome them to the driver’s seat,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund. “Our DSFL for Her program provides access to training and experiences that will help women feel safe and confident as they get behind the wheel.”
Based on its award-winning global safe driving initiatives, DSFL has customized an introductory program which focuses on building women’s confidence behind the wheel, expanding their automotive knowledge, preparing them to take their driving lessons and instilling safe driving practices before they tackle public roads.
This will be the first-ever DSFL for Her introductory program anywhere in the world, with certified trainers providing the training on closed roads at Effat University’s Jeddah
The four-day DSFL for Her, held between March 5-8, will train more than 250 Effat University students, incorporating four specific modules of in-vehicle experience — Learning About Your Vehicle, Distraction, Impairment, and Braking — preceded by a briefing with the lead instructor.
Haifa Jamalallail, president of Effat University, said: “Effat University is well known for its innovative education, driving women forward to take their rightful places in society and the workforce. We are proud to be able to partner with Ford to ensure that our students are also prepared to become responsible, safe drivers. We believe in driving change, but driving safely, and this is exactly what the Driving Skills for Life program is all about.”
Driving Skills for Life is an international initiative for road safety created by Ford Fund in cooperation with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and a panel of safety experts.