Zabeel House by Jumeirah is coming to Al-Seef this spring, creating a new hotel experience on the banks of Dubai Creek.
It is the first hotel in Jumeirah’s new “Upscale-Casual” collection. Think design-led spaces, moderately-priced comfy rooms with just enough added extras, and welcoming staff.
A smaller version is also opening next door — Zabeel House MINI by Jumeirah — with a lower price point that does not skimp on style or comfort.
Guests will step into two contemporary retreats, creatively designed with some Insta-worthy quirks, relaxed restaurants and a rooftop pool; and step out to one of Dubai’s most exciting neighborhoods.
Al-Seef is the newest destination by Meraas, the masterminds behind The Beach, Box Park, City Walk and La Mer; a busy two-kilometer promenade of shops, cafes and pop-ups on the south bank of Dubai Creek. Old meets new on the waterfront, with modern and imaginative architecture blending into charmed heritage — creating a fresh reason to visit the part of the city where Dubai’s story began.
Zabeel House by Jumeirah Al-Seef has 200 rooms in three categories: popular, plush and suite.
There are four restaurants, pop-up events, and a rooftop infinity pool with elevated views over Al-Seef and Dubai Creek.
The hotel offers freee Wi-Fi, meeting rooms and creative spaces geared toward collaboration, a short stroll to the embassies or a quick taxi to the business district.
Guests can also squeeze in a workout at the private gym or treat themselves to a quick re-energising massage.
Rates start from 495 dirhams ($135) in summer and 725 dirhams in winter, plus taxes per night.
Zabeel House MINI by Jumeirah Al-Seef has 150 “pocket” rooms featuring adventurous design with colors that pop, and a map of Dubai on each bedroom ceiling, inspiring that day’s exploration.
There is a courtyard space designed for pop-up events and outdoor film, two street-food inspired restaurants, and easy public transport links to Downtown Dubai, parks and beaches.
Rates start from 350 dirhams in summer and 495 dirhams in winter, plus taxes per night.

Saudi Vision 2030 adds sustainability to the agenda as it pushes to expand urban development by including prolonged asset lifecycle, lower utility bills, and infrastructure to promote physical activity.
Shedding light on the role of sustainable building design in Saudi Arabia’s booming urban landscape, US Green Building Council Faculty Regional Manager, Mohammed S. Al-Surf, said: “Applying these building methods to residential projects is a win-win case where all stakeholders benefit from the economic, environmental and social pillars of sustainability; owners benefit by reducing the cost of running the building, the occupants will feel healthier, and the community will benefit from engaging together.”
Al-Surf will further explore the KSA Green Building movement at The Big 5 Saudi show next month at the Jeddah Center for Forums & Events; the event will run from March 5-8.
The show will offer 54 free talks on general construction, project management, sustainability, and architecture and design.
Omar Al-Touqi, senior civil engineer at the University of Jeddah, and a speaker on Vision 2030’s environmental dimensions at The Big 5 Saudi, pointed out initial cost as a current challenge with the green concept.
“Cost is particularly a challenge when choosing the right material and resources; however, we should understand the value of buildings which truly consider standards like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Sustainable buildings will be highly valued with capital appreciation and gradual reduction of cost at the end.”
CEO and partner of ENTEC Environmental Technology, Dina Al-Nahd, said: “The private sector is now aware of the need to build this way — they know that in this millennium you have to consider the sustainable concept; that’s energy efficiency, water efficiency and reuse, and solid waste management.”
She revealed the top mega projects considering sustainable building design in Saudi Arabia today: The Red Sea tourism project, NEOM in Tabuk, and Qidiya — Saudi’s largest entertainment city.
“Vision 2030 targets the contribution to GDP of real estate alone to grow from five percent to 10 percent by the deadline; in response there are over 3,300 urban projects underway, representing 70 percent of all Saudi construction. There are an incredible 4,700 construction projects active in the Kingdom today,” said Roni El-Haddad, event director for The Big 5 Saudi.

Arla Foods, the world’s largest producer of organic dairy products, has launched its first branded organic milk in Saudi Arabia. This is part of the farmer-owned company’s ambitious business strategy to become the No.1 organic dairy brand in the Middle East and North Africa by 2020.
A recent report suggests that a rise in popularity is contributing to the significant growth in the GCC organic market. The organic food market in the GCC is expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2018, growing at a CAGR of 19.5 percent from $300 million in 2009 due to changing consumer tastes and habits.
“We are seeing a rise in demand for organic products in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia where retailers have shown a growing interest in stocking organic produce. As the world’s leading producer of organic dairy products, we look forward to introducing Saudi consumers to our organic range by adding Arla Organic to our existing portfolio in the region. We wish to provide choice and availability to the people of Saudi Arabia and help make organic a mainstream choice for all,” said Kim Villadsen, managing director of Arla Saudi Arabia.
To celebrate the launch of the organic milk in Saudi Arabia, Arla hosted an interactive pop-up farm event in Riyadh from Feb. 20-22, offering primary school children, government officials and the media a unique opportunity to learn more about organic farming. Two organic Arla farmer owners from Europe were present for the launch in Riyadh to share their experience and dedication directly with consumers.
Arla Organic Milk is certified organic and comes from cows that have been raised according to organic farming methods. The free-range cows have space to roam on lush green fields and enjoy a 100 percent organic diet. In line with European standards, Arla farmers do not give their cows antibiotics or hormones to increase the amount of milk they produce.
Arla launched in the UAE in September 2017, and will be launching in Lebanon and Kuwait in the near future as part of its regional phased approach.

Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) — the Kingdom’s national carrier — is the official carrier of the 1st Riyadh International Marathon, which took place on Saturday in the nation’s capital.
The marathon was organized with the full support and under the directives of Turki bin Abdul Mohsen Al-Alsheikh, chairman of the General Sport Authority and chairman of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee.
“The airline extends its full support to participants, the community, and to the General Sport Authority. The Riyadh International Marathon is a highly anticipated event, connecting sports enthusiasts both from across the Kingdom and internationally,” Saudia said in a press release.
As a main sponsor, Saudia awarded tickets to several of the marathon participants.
Also, at the race on Saturday, the airline showcased its latest healthy meal options, and provided over 2,400 meal boxes as part of its new campaign — “How to travel healthy.” Saudia currently provides many meal options on board, catering to health requirements for guests with diabetes, autism, cholesterol and other conditions.
Saturday’s event had an innovative football field, simulated as a map of Russia, where members of the audience attempted to score goals. The winners were awarded tickets by Saudia.
“This is in support of the country’s national team participating in this year’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia and playing at the opening match on June 14 at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow,” Saudia said.

Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors, the official importer of BMW in the Kingdom, has unveiled the new BMW X2 at the opening night of 21,39 Jeddah Arts, a contemporary art exhibition organized annually by the Saudi Art Council.
The BMW X2, the newest addition to the BMW X family, features a highly distinctive and unique design with sporty, yet urban genes.
The BMW X2 pushes back boundaries and appeals primarily to a young-at-heart target group.
At the unveiling ceremony, Donn Muirhead, managing director of Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors — BMW Group, said: “Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors is delighted to have launched the BMW X2 at the 21,39 Jeddah Arts exhibition. BMW’s long history of supporting arts and culture initiatives made it the ideal occasion to reveal the first-ever X2. We are confident that guests will enjoy and appreciate the design and innovation of the X2, as they will witness the many fascinating and attractive installations at 21,39 Jeddah Arts exhibition.”
The BMW X2 will be on display in the Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors showrooms across the Kingdom by March 15.
“The BMW X2 cuts a sublime figure from any angle. Its stance on the road recalls a finely tuned athlete — and fuses the rugged profile typical of a BMW X model with the sporting grace of a coupe,” a press release said.
Signature details include wheel arches with a squared-off look, striking exhaust tailpipes and accentuated side skirts, in addition to an elegant roofline, slick lines and slim window graphic.
The M Sport X model is available for the first time and allows owners to make the character of their BMW X2 even more individual. Two design features, in particular, catch the eye. The X2 turns BMW’s familiar trapezoidal kidney grille form on its head, and it now broadens as it heads south; this is the first time a modern BMW has gone about things this way. And the additional BMW roundel on the C-pillars references a much-loved detail of classical BMW coupes, such as the 2000 CS and 3.0 CSL, highlighting the sporting DNA of the BMW X2.
The non-profit art exhibition showcases the work of more than 30 Saudi and international artists across multiple locations in Jeddah from Feb. 7 — May 5.

Fans of the Renault Sport Formula One Team were able to get a close-up look of the 2018 season challenger as the Renault R.S.18 was recently unveiled. Using specially created tools, fans could see a hologram projection of the car and spin it through 360 degrees to see its brand-new lines and new black and yellow livery.
The Renault R.S.18 is Renault Sport Formula One Team’s third chassis since its return to Formula 1 as a full works’ entry in 2016. The car is a progression and refinement of the concepts developed during the 2017 season.
It includes an improved suspension concept and greater aerodynamic downforce. Noticeably, the R.S.18 also features the mandatory new-for-2018 cockpit protection known as the “halo” and a re-profiled engine cover to comply with the 2018 technical regulations.
The 1.6l turbocharged V6 Renault R.E.18 power unit will power the R.S.18. The power unit has realized a very strong program on the dyno in Viry-Châtillon to maximize performance and improve reliability in preparation for the reduction to just three internal combustion engines (ICE) and two MGU-K and energy stores per season.
The R.S.18 is developed jointly by the teams in Enstone, UK, and Viry, France. Significant improvements have been made to the Enstone facility over the past year, with enhancements to the CFD supercomputer, wind tunnel, race team operations room, gearbox dyno, machine shop and an expanded design office.
The upgrades have already translated into on-track performance, with Renault Sport Formula One Team finishing the season sixth in the Constructors’ Championship, improving from ninth in 2016.

The Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team has launched its new challenger, the C37, ahead of the 2018 Formula 1 championship season.
The C37 looks different than last year’s C36 — on one hand, this is due to the new technical regulations, and on the other hand, because of the team’s new technical approach.
As the 2018 season is about to kick off, Frédéric Vasseur, team principal, said: “I am very much looking forward to the 2018 season, and to seeing Marcus (Ericsson) and Charles (Leclerc) on track. We have put lots of effort and hard work into the C37 over the last few months, and it is fantastic to be launching the new car today. I am convinced that Marcus and Charles form the perfect driver line-up, with one being an experienced driver and one a promising rookie. Marcus is going into his fourth season with us. He is a valuable part of the team, and we benefit from his experience and precise technical feedback. As for Charles, he has proven his talent in prior categories and deserves to be on the Formula 1 grid this season.”
He added: “Our target ahead of 2018 is clear: We have to catch up with the field and continue improving our performance during the course of the season. We have put lots of energy and commitment into the development of the C37. I want to thank our partners and fans for their continuous support. The return of Alfa Romeo to Formula 1 sets another milestone in the team’s history, and I am proud that such a historical brand has chosen us for their return to the sport. We are eager to start the 2018 season as the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team.”
Jörg Zander, technical director, said: “It is great to finally reveal the C37 today. The 2018 challenger is the result of the hard work that everyone in the factory has put in over the last few months.
“Speaking about the C37, the car philosophy is much different to that of the C36. The aerodynamic concept has changed significantly, and the C37 has several new features in comparison to its predecessor. We are positive that the new concept offers us more opportunities and will help us to make improvements during the course of the season.”

Shell Lubricants Saudi Arabia has announced its participation in the 32nd edition of Janadriyah, the Kingdom’s annual national heritage and culture festival. Around 12 million visitors are expected to attend the festival this year.
“The participation of Shell Lubricants Saudi Arabia in this distinguished festival is based on its desire to be a part of this region’s largest event to emphasize its connection with the community where it operates, as well as to participate in its social events and ceremonies,” the company said in a press statement.
Shell is featuring its products and services in a premium-looking, fully equipped 300-square-meter standalone booth. Visitors can participate in interactive activities at the booth and register through a micro site to win a trip to the FIFA World Cup in Russia and cheer for the Saudi national team.
A timeline at the booth shows the history of the company and its presence in Saudi Arabia over the past 76 years.
The company has staffed its booth with highly qualified staff to respond to the visitors’ queries about the company’s various products and services.
Shell is the only lubricants manufacturer participating in the festival. The booth has been attracting many visitors who want to learn about the latest products and services of the company.
Waqar Siddiqui, chief executive officer of Al-Jomaih and Shell Lubricating Oil Company (JOSLOC) said: “Shell’s participation is based on the company’s policy to be a part of the community as the presence enhances the company’s relationship with its members, and contributes to the delivery of its message about social responsibility.”
He added: “It also gives us a great opportunity to introduce our latest products and services to the consumers. Our booth this year hosts many activities that require public participation, including a contest to win a trip to attend the first match of the Saudi football team in the FIFA World Cup in Russia. I would like to take this opportunity to wish the team all the best.”

The Business Angel Institute is launching for the first time in the MENA region after partnering with Ertyad.
Ertyad is a well-established training company in Saudi Arabia, which has trained thousands of professionals over more than a decade. It offers training and consultation to big players such as the Institute of Finance, a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA).
This partnership will make the ISO-certificate “Certified Business Angel (CBA)” available for Arab angel investors in the Arab region and equip them with insights and knowledge about angel investment, helping them meet the accredited investor status to invest in startups and technology companies.
Abdullah Mashari, Ertayd CEO, and his team earlier this month visited the Business Angel Institute in Vienna for a “Train the Trainer” program. “We are now ready to launch in the MENA region,” Mashari said.

Arab National Bank (ANB) has reported a net profit of $807 million for 2017 compared to $761 million in 2016.
ANB’s total operating income reached $1,701 million compared to $1,561 million for the same period last year, an increase of 8.9 percent.
By the end of 2017, assets reached $45.8 billion and investments reached $8.6 billion, while the loans portfolio reached $30.5 billion and customers’ deposits reached $36.3 billion.
Commenting on the bank’s results, Robert Eid, managing director and chief executive officer, said: “The increase in the bank’s profits resulted principally from balanced growth in various business lines, and its conservative risk management culture.”

Jumeirah Group’s first hotel in Bahrain will open on Wednesday. Jumeirah Royal Saray claims to offer a new wave of understated luxury on a private beach in the northern coastal Seef district. Architecturally inspired by traditional Bahraini summerhouses, the hotel will blend history and modern culture with a chic dining, spa and pool scene.
The new 174-room hotel features stunning rooms, summerhouses, royal residences, poolside cabanas and an upscale casual and trendy restaurant. A lounge, “The Palm Lounge,” overlooks the turquoise blue waters of the Arabian Gulf, serving world-class coffee by Colombian baristas and French patisserie. The Al-Hadiqa pool cabanas will offer guests fresh blended cocktails in a Mediterranean ambience complete with ancient olive trees that adorn the pool.
Indoor and outdoor meeting spaces will be able to accommodate more than 400 people and Talize, Jumeirah’s own brand, will eventually offer a wide range of signature treatments from a destination spa, sitting in its own wing.
PLAY Restaurant & Lounge, a Dubai concept by acclaimed chef Reif Othman, recently voted as the “Restaurant Of The Year” by Timeout Restaurant Awards for Play Dubai, is set to open on Wednesday within the hotel.
Nordine El-Yafi, the general manager of the hotel, is responsible for introducing Jumeirah’s unique approach to luxury hospitality to Bahrain. El-Yafi said: “Jumeirah Royal Saray is an important opening for us as it’s our first in Bahrain and first in 2018. The hotel will become a key reason for international visitors to discover Bahrain, an ideal destination for a weekend escape for visitors from across the GCC, and a gastronomic hotspot in the city. We are confident that this landmark, understated luxury hotel will have great appeal to the growing number of tourists visiting Bahrain every year and become a particular favorite of Bahrain residents.”
The design of guest rooms within Jumeirah Royal Saray pays homage to the Bahraini pearl diving industry with the colors of nacres (mother of pearl), silvers, and shimmering ocean blue tones.
The hotel’s first guests can benefit from an opening offer of 129 Bahraini dinar ($342) plus taxes and service charges per room per night, for stays starting from March 15. The offer includes complimentary breakfast for two and access to all hotel facilities.

At the end of each year, car dealers launch a number of clearance promotions to woo customers.
However, this bombardment of the public with offers is not effective as there is a great chance of these ads going unnoticed. 
Al-Jazirah Vehicles, the sole distributor of Ford and Lincoln cars in the Saudi market, wanted to go out of its way and cut through the clutter by launching its end-of-the-year campaign — “Big Ford Deals.”
Alongside with their agency FP7/RUH, Al-Jazirah Vehicles created an online campaign complementing the “Big Ford Deals” offers. The campaign engaged the audience and entertained them through a series of insightful, funny and informative videos. This was done through the story of “Ghanem Al-Oroodi,” a professional offer hunter. Al-Oroodi is a made-up character who since the age of 12 seeks promotions. In the first video and with all of Al-Oroodi’s power of not missing out on any offer, he gets overwhelmed and is unable to keep up with the “Big Ford Deals.”
In the second video, Al-Oroodi gets creative in solving his problem and recruits three minions to help him hunt down the “Big Ford Deals” ads. To further engage the viewers, Al-Oroodi asks the audience as well to hunt down any “Big Ford Deals” offer they find on any medium, capture it, share it on the #bigforddeals, join the contest and enter the draw to win a valuable prize. Through separate videos, he pitches to people with the help of his minions those tactical offers while advising them which offer suits them best based on their needs and lifestyles.
“The playful, engaging, and informative ‘Big Ford Deals’ videos and contest have been successful in standing out in the crowded digital space collecting more than 22.7 million views on social media, 5,000+ competition engagement in the first three days, +540 percent website traffic (compared to December 2016) and as a result an increase of 32 percent in sales compared to December 2016,” Al-Jazirah Vehicles said in a press release.
Ghanem Al-Oroodi is an Arabic name that literally translates to the “offer hunter.”

Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) has unveiled the world’s first FullView Display notebook, the Huawei MateBook X Pro, the Huawei MediaPad M5 and the Huawei 5G customer-premises equipment (CPE), the world’s first commercial terminal device supporting the globally recognized 3GPP telecommunication standard for 5G.
“At Huawei, we’re guided by a vision of an all-connected world — and to achieve that goal, we invest significantly in research and development to understand the ways in which people interact and connect with technology,” said Richard Yu, CEO of Huawei CBG. “We’ve made it our mission to push the boundaries of what technology and innovation is capable of. With the introduction of the new Huawei MateBook X Pro, Huawei MediaPad M5 and the world’s first 3GPP 5G CPE, we are delivering on the promise of breakthrough devices that redefine every part of the computing experience.”
Beginning in the spring of 2018, the Huawei MateBook X Pro and Huawei MediaPad M5 will be available in the Middle East, China, Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific.
Huawei released the following guide on its latest products:

Huawei MateBook X Pro
This is an ultra-slim yet full-featured 13.9-inch notebook with an all-new 3K touch-enabled Huawei FullView Display and 91 percent screen-to-body ratio. Powered by an 8th Generation Intel Core i7/i5 processor, it boasts a long-lasting 57.4Wh battery and a discrete NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics with 2GB GDDR5 — making it one of the lightest and most powerful notebooks on the market. It features the Dolby Atmos Sound System.

Huawei MediaPad M5
Ergonomically designed with a 2.5D glass and 2K display, the sleek and powerful 8.4-inch or 10.8-inch tablets feature two or four stereo speakers tuned by Harman Kardon. Huawei Histen technology provides immersive 3D audio through the loudspeakers and fully supports hi-res audio. The 10.8-inch MediaPad M5 Pro comes with an ultra-precision M-Pen, featuring 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity to make taking notes, drawing and designing easier.

3GPP Standard 5G CPE
The Huawei 5G CPE supports the globally recognized 3GPP telecommunication standard for 5G. Available in indoor and outdoor configurations, it provides super-fast downlink speeds of up to 2Gbps and can operate on both 4G and 5G networks. It adopts Huawei’s internally developed Balong 5G01 chipset — the world’s first commercial chipset supporting the 3GPP standard.

Saudia Cargo has signed an agreement with the Saudi Credit Bureau (SIMAH) to provide up-to-date credit history reports in order to ensure that all its credit transactions are trustworthy.
The agreement reflects Saudia Cargo’s efforts to enhance its credit transactions and determine credit ratings of its current and potential clients. It was signed by Omar Talal Hariri, CEO, Saudia Cargo and Khalid Al-Shareef, CEO, SIMAH at the Saudia Cargo head office in Jeddah.
“Our collaboration with SIMAH will increase confidence in credit transactions and analyze the credit history of our clients in line with the Credit Information Law and its implementing regulations. This agreement is instrumental in improving the management of credit risks and enhancing the quality of financial transaction completion,” said Hariri, stressing the importance of transparent exchange of credit history and information reports for all clients.
Al-Shareef described the agreement as essential because it serves a new sector other than the telecom sector and comes in line with SIMAH’s objectives announced in 2004. SIMAH aims to provide services and products for all sectors including financial, economic, investment, industrial, judicial, logistics as well as private and public sectors. Its primary objective is to ensure transparent exchange of credit information and enhance quality of such information.
Saudia Cargo operates flights to over 100 international destinations through 20 hubs across all continents.

Joelle Paris has signed an agreement with Nahdi pharmacies, which will be its exclusive distributor in Saudi Arabia.
Lebanese makeup artist and beauty expert Joelle Mardinian is the president of Maison de Joelle and presenter of “Joelle” TV show on MBC.
The contract was signed with Nahdi because of its wide experience in promoting world-class cosmetics that particularly cater to women.
“I chose Nahdi pharmacies due to its deep experience and wide reputation in the field, in addition to the fact that Nahdi products are within the reach of everyone, wherever they are,” Mardinian said.
“It is a place of expertise, confidence and leadership, and where experience embraces beauty. Nahdi pharmacies has experience in providing Arabian women with world-leading products that help them attain beautiful, supple and youthful hair and skin. I am really proud today to introduce my first line of makeup and beauty care products manufactured in advanced global laboratories where experienced staff of specialists work zealously to create the perfect formula that adapts to the beauty needs of the Arabian women.”
Joelle Paris includes five products for skin and 11 hair care products. “They have been designed in French state-of-the-art laboratories utilizing advanced technologies to deliver hair care products that truly bring extraordinary results for all hair types,” Mardinian added.
She said she strives for innovation in her products and uses only the finest ingredients to give every woman an opportunity to easily get a sparkling healthy look, and to attain effective results within a short span of time.
Mardinian has redefined the concept of beauty among women. The beauty expert provides women with tips on makeup, flawless complexion, and other related issues.

Saudi Total Petroleum Products Co. recently celebrated its 10th anniversary in Saudi Arabia. The event marked the establishment of a successful partnership between Total and its strategic partner in the Kingdom — Zahid Group. The relationship was highlighted by a number of success stories throughout the past decade.
The event took place at the Sofitel Jeddah hotel. Both partners’ management and stakeholders as well as various media representatives attended the event, hosted by the public figure, Yasser Al-Saqqaf.
Among the attendees were Hisham Atalla, managing director of STPP (Saudi Total Petroleum Products); Christian Cabrol, senior vice president of APMO (Asia and the Middle East); and Jean Papee, vice president of the Middle East in APMO and STPP chairman.
Also from Zahid Group, Zayd Zahid, CEO of Zahid Group and STPP board member; and Aladdin Sami, executive managing director of Zahid Group and board member of STPP, attended the event.
Cabrol highlighted the importance of the partnership between Total and Zahid Group. “The celebration today is a clear sign of the diligent effort of all employees of STPP to build successive successes over the past years,” he added.
Atalla said: “The motto of this celebration is ‘Because of you,’ which means that Saudi Total has achieved this level of success because of the work of its employees, partners and customers over the last 10 years.”
Zahid in his speech said that Zahid Group is proud of this strategic partnership and thanked all the employees of the company for their work during the past years.
The ceremony included musical performances in addition to a creative sand drawing activity demonstrating the history of Saudi Total.
Employees who completed five years were awarded trophies by Saudi Total.
Saudi Total is one of the fastest growing companies in the Kingdom, providing a number of leading companies of Saudi Arabia with automotive and engine lubrication solutions.
STPP adopts an aggressive expansion plan to promote and provide the best products and services in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

Al-Faisaliah Resort & Spa has announced the appointment of Rida Abu Bakr Nooh as the general manager. The resort, managed by Al-Khozama Management Company, an award-winning hospitality management company in the Kingdom, has its sights set on being a driver of local tourism with its one-of-a-kind resort in Riyadh.
Nooh joins the resort from the Ritz-Carlton Jeddah where he played a crucial role in the successful operation of the hotel.
His expertise in the industry spans over two decades working in diverse multi-cultural environments.
Hussein Hatata, vice president hospitality division at Al-Khozama Management Company, said: “Al-Khozama is committed to the Kingdom’s Saudization drive, and we are absolutely delighted to have Rida Nooh join us.
“He is a tremendous asset to building and driving 5-star guest experiences. We have a novel and unique offering for the city of Riyadh. It requires at its helm a leader who not only understood the needs and wants of those guests but also what would delight and surprise them at the resort.”
Nooh is keen on inspiring his team as he believes in the power of teamwork to achieve optimum common goals. This, he believes, is really the key to working in the hospitality industry.
“Al-Khozama has a rich history that runs over 35 years when it comes to providing luxury hospitality. We at Al-Faisaliah Resort & Spa, aim to continue this legacy and offer an exceptional experience bringing a novel space in Riyadh where guests can have memorable moments,” he said.
The appointment of Nooh comes as a part of Al-Khozama’s continuous efforts to build a strong team of qualified local leaders who can take the hospitality industry to new heights.
The resort is located within the neighborhood of Durrat Arriyadh.
As per Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s tourism sector is one of the key aspects of the economy that is poised to see significant changes and opportunities to foster greater local tourism. Properties like the Al-Faisaliah Resort & Spa will help encourage and support that growth.
The Euromonitor International Tourism Forecast report estimates a growth of 40 percent for Saudi Arabia’s domestic tourism segment by 2020.

Protiviti Member Firm for the Middle East region organized an interactive session with Bob Hirth, immediate past COSO chair and senior managing director of Protiviti, around the theme of “Emerging Risks for Business in 2018 and the New COSO Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Framework” at the Four Seasons Hotel, Riyadh.
The session led by Hirth emphasized the importance of having a sound enterprise risk management (ERM) framework in strategic and operational planning to counter the effect of risks emanating from geopolitical and regulatory changes, promulgation of new accounting standards, rapid technological advancements like blockchain, emergence of crypto currencies, and proliferation of cyber threats.
Hirth said: “The updated COSO ERM framework offers a fresh perspective on current and evolving concepts and application of ERM to meet the ever-growing business needs. It clarifies the importance of the connection between risk, strategy and enterprise performance, and focuses on preserving and creating enterprise value with an emphasis on managing risk within the entity’s risk oversight.”
Saad Al-Sabti, country managing director, Protiviti Saudi Arabia, said: “The pace at which the risks are evolving themselves owing to the rapid technological innovations and regulatory changes, it is up to the organizations to face the challenges head on. While advances in analytics, machine learning and technological capabilities can prove effective in managing emerging risks, they also bring about efficiency and effectiveness in the way we look at more traditional risks. Protiviti helps organizations identify, evaluate and manage risks through implementation of sound risk management techniques thereby preventing any potential ramifications.”
Interacting with business leaders at the event, Adnan Zakariya, managing director, Protiviti Saudi Arabia, said: “The transformation of the Saudi economy currently underway will require business leaders in the region to retain risk management at the top of their agenda. At Protiviti we assist boards and executive management across industries in helping them build a strong risk management framework to ascertain the most effective ways to integrate risk within their core business processes. The firm helps organizations identify and prioritize their risks, including emerging regulatory compliance and geopolitical risks that can impact the strategy and business model for creating value.”
The event also had an insightful session by Amit Ray, managing director — data analytics solutions at Protiviti, who demonstrated how risk and assurance leaders can leverage technology and data analytics to bring about a paradigm shift in the way they identify, assess and mitigate risks.

Landmark Group, a Middle East-based retail and hospitality conglomerate, was the exclusive retail partner at the “Global Dialogue for Happiness” forum as a precursor to the World Government Summit for the second consecutive year.
The group took this opportunity to invite residents to share their happy stories across the UAE through “Happiness Booths” and social media. The booths were installed at popular shopping destinations including Oasis Mall, Mall of the Emirates and City Centre Mirdif.
The “Happiness Booth” provided insight into what makes UAE residents happy, in alignment with the message on happiness that was a highlight of several discussions during the recently concluded World Government Summit at which Landmark was the retail partner. Unsurprisingly, the major source of happiness for the 1,000 plus respondents were their family and friends.
This was done to extend the “Global Dialogue for Happiness” forum to the community at which Nisha Jagtiani, director and chief happiness officer at Landmark Group, was a guest speaker. Her session “The Return on Happiness” was moderated by Jenn Lim, co-founder and CEO of “Delivering Happiness.” The session explored the private sector’s potential to drive well-being in society at the forum in Dubai on Feb. 10. The forum was a “curtain raiser” for the opening of the fifth World Government Summit in Dubai.
Landmark Group has a plethora of brands under its portfolio, including: Centrepoint, Babyshop, Splash, Shoe Mart, Lifestyle, Iconic, Max, Shoexpress, Home Centre, Home Box and Emax.

HSBC Saudi Arabia has been appointed by Saudi Fransi Capital (SFC) as custodian for their full range of public and private funds. This appointment follows the introduction of new investment fund regulations by the Capital Market Authority of Saudi Arabia, which require asset managers to appoint independent third-party custodians for custody of the assets of public funds. Signing a mandate with an independent custodian makes SFC one of the first large asset managers to seek compliance with this requirement.
Majed Najm, chief executive officer and board member of HSBC Saudi Arabia, said: “This regulatory change is an extremely positive step in the development of asset services and the custody industry in Saudi Arabia. We are delighted to be working with SFC and we look forward to a mutually rewarding relationship between our organizations.”
Waleed Fatani, chief executive officer of Saudi Fransi Capital, added: “We welcome this new regulation. Not only is it in line with international best practice, but it will help strengthen the fund management sector in Saudi Arabia. It enables a greater focus on the core capabilities of asset management, while specialist service providers manage the safekeeping and servicing of assets. It was therefore important for us to quickly ensure compliance with the new requirements, which will ultimately benefit our clients through greater levels of asset safety. We chose HSBC Saudi Arabia due to the scope of its securities services offering as well as the strength and expertise of its local team in Saudi Arabia.”
SFC is one of the leading asset managers in Saudi Arabia with close to SR15 billion ($4 billion) in assets under management.