KAUST Prof. David Keyes has been elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society, in recognition of his extraordinary achievements in advancing mathematics and science on the world stage.
The fellows, announced Nov. 27, 2018, were recognized this week at the AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. where they were presented with an official certificate and the AAAS fellows’ gold and blue rosette pin, the colors of which represent the fields of science and engineering, respectively.
Keyes is honored for fundamental research contributions at the interface of parallel computing and numerical analysis, as well as service to the mathematical sciences profession.
“I feel greatly humbled and honored to receive this award. AAAS fellowship has significance beyond fellowship in the mathematical societies of SIAM and AMS because of the breadth of science and engineering that AAAS encompasses. I have deep respect for my academic peers, other new fellows, and for the AAAS mission — to advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world,” said Keyes.
Keyes is professor of applied mathematics and computational science and the director of the Extreme Computing Research Center at KAUST. He joined the Office of the President with responsibilities for KAUST’s global branding and strategic initiatives. Keyes is elected as one of just six fellows in the section on mathematics and the only new fellow in this area not working in the US. He is also the only elected new fellow furthering science in Saudi Arabia.
“David has been a distinguished computational scientist for a long time, such prestigious recognition for achievements and service in his field is quite remarkable. This award from one of the top American science societies speaks volumes to David’s global stature,” said President of KAUST Tony Chan.
This year’s fellows, who represent a broad swath of scientific disciplines, were selected for diverse accomplishments that include pioneering research, leadership within their field, teaching and mentoring, fostering collaborations and advancing public understanding of science.
AAAS’ annual tradition of recognizing leading scientists as fellows dates to 1874. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes nearly 250 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals.

Shaza Al-Madina is offering Saudi nationals interested in the hospitality industry a range of learning and development programs in various departments of the hotel.

“At Shaza, we believe in contributing toward the betterment of society by providing local talents with a unique platform of learning and development, where they have an opportunity to explore the ever-evolving trends and horizons of the hospitality industry,” said Amjad Irshaidat, country general manager of Shaza, Saudi Arabia. 

Recently, three students from Al-Madinah Female College — an Oxford Partnership college — completed 10 days of on-the-job training in the reservations, front office and guest relations department in Shaza Al-Madina. On their final day of training, Irshaidat took feedback and distributed certificates.

On a separate occasion, 25 students of F&B services from Madinah Tourism College were taken on an industrial tour of Shaza Al-Madina Hotel. Welcoming the group, Irshaidat highlighted the importance of employing local talents in the Kingdom’s hotel industry and outlined the available career opportunities.

The student visits complement the Shaza Kifah Program, which provides local talents with interactive opportunities to learn, grow and excel under professional guidance by departmental specialists.

Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) has built its own cloud network in collaboration with Ericson and Huawei. The “flexible and agile” network aims to support the development of new services and improve customer experience.

Cloud solutions contribute in improving the core network needs to evolve an architecture that can consolidate some functions and distribute others to deliver flexibility, efficiency and low latency. Besides, the deployment of the Ericsson solution will provide Mobily’s live network with a 5G-ready core and will help the network scale as IoT adoption increases.

Maziad bin Nasser Al-Harbi, chief technology officer of Mobily, said: “Cloud solutions will help meet the growing demand for new network services to help improve productivity and efficiency.”

He said Mobily’s customers will receive many benefits, such as reduced data transfer time, dedicated vertical network solutions and optimal distribution of the network’s core capabilities.

Al-Harbi noted that Mobily is working toward digital transformation in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 by implementing latest cutting-edge technologies to meet the increasing demand of all services, and the data services in particular.

Egypt’s biggest listed investment bank EFG Hermes kicked off on Sunday its 15th annual One on One Conference in Dubai under the patronage of Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, deputy ruler of Dubai. The 2019 conference is headlined as “Navigating the Path to Opportunities” and runs until Wednesday. This year’s event will see executives from 186 companies from 26 countries meet directly with more than 520 investors representing 260 institutions and family offices, managing an aggregate $11 trillion in assets under management.

“Our 15th One on One Conference is expected to feature our largest and most diverse group of participants yet, driven by the firm’s rapid expansion into frontier emerging markets (FEM) across four continents. The number of participating companies is up this year, with Saudi Arabia and Nigeria in particular increasing their representation at a time when both markets are experiencing important changes that will generate new opportunities,” said Karim Awad, group chief executive officer of EFG Hermes. 

Saudi Arabia’s inclusion in the MSCI and FTSE emerging market indices is expected to drive inflows through 2020 while volatility and expected medium-term decline in oil prices are creating powerful incentives for the Kingdom and other GCC markets to enact regulatory change and fiscal reforms that will drive consolidation and strengthen non-oil industries. Meanwhile, Nigeria is facing several headwinds in terms of macro and equity performance, but visibility remains strong on 2019 earnings growth and yields continue to be attractive. 

“Since its inception, we have sought to make this event a direct access platform for global investors and companies in the world’s most compelling markets. Even in the face of macroeconomic challenges such as significant capital outflows from emerging markets and rising US interest rates, frontier emerging markets represent the greatest potential for driving growth and generating accretive returns,” Awad added.

With thousands of direct meetings taking place between investors and presenting companies, we hope to provide attendees with insights on how to navigate these rougher global waters to unlock new value,” 

Mohamed Ebeid, co-chief executive of investment banking at EFG Hermes, said: “This year’s conference features a strong line of speakers from innovative global companies who will offer fresh perspectives on expected trends in FEM.”

Commvault, a provider of data protection, cloud and information management solutions, hosted its first ever Connections Live event in Riyadh on Monday. The event including customers and partners highlighted some of the key trends in data protection and digital transformation impacting industries in Saudi Arabia and the wider region. 

According to a recent forecast by Gartner, IT spending in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) is projected to reach $973 billion in 2019, an increase of 2 percent from the estimated spending of $954 billion in 2018. Saudi Arabia is leading the regional spending with an expected 4.2 percent rise in 2019, much of which is expected to be driven by spending on cloud and data storage services.

Christian Lang, vice president, EMEA for Commvault, said: “We are proud to be hosting our first Commvault Connections Live event in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and this marks our commitment to supporting businesses here in the country. We are working with customers and partners to deliver world-class data protection, storage and backup solutions and this event will provide us with an opportunity to showcase the latest developments and the benefits they bring to organizations in the region.”

Wael Mustafa, area vice president for the Middle East at Commvault, said: “Saudi Arabia continues to be a key market for growth in our industry with tremendous opportunities available for unlocking value in data for businesses and government. Commvault is working with a variety of organizations to deliver better data management as a service for hybrid, public and private cloud environments. This event will allow us to understand better the future trends in this region and showcase success stories of customers and partners in the Kingdom.” 

The Connections Live event showcased how Commvault’s HyperScale solution is “changing the game” for customers and included a panel session on digital transformation with partners, HPE, Fujitsu and Huawei, showcasing the increasing opportunities presented by digital technologies to improve business efficiency, while also environmental sustainability. 

In Saudi Arabia, Commvault has been working with the Saudi Telecom Company (STC) to deliver backup-as-a-service solution and utilizing the STC cloud environment.

SASREF (Saudi Aramco Shell Refinery Company), the joint venture of Saudi Aramco and Shell International, has completed a comprehensive leadership development program that aims to nurture the skills and competencies of its senior professionals with the support of Aon, a global professional services firm providing a range of risk, retirement and health solutions.

Executed over a period of four months, the Leadership Development Program covered more than 90 SASREF staff in managerial positions. Aon leveraged a suite of innovative assessment tools to determine the current leadership capabilities of the group and helped develop their leadership skills further to support the growth of the organization for the long term. Aon also provided executive coaching for senior leaders, to strengthen their long-term impact on the business. 

Mohammad A. Jurais, talent development manager, SASREF, said: “As an employer of choice, we invest significantly in people development. Our employees are our primary assets and by developing their skills, we are further contributing to a key goal of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to nurture professional Saudi talent. We identified the need for a modern and scientific leadership development program that will equip our leaders with the required level of competency to support the strategic growth of our organization. QAED was clearly aligned with our objectives and we look forward to a highly rewarding and interactive program that will boost the competencies of our team.”

Robin Ullrich, QAED lead, SASREF, said: “Leaders who participated in the QAED evaluation are now much more well-positioned to embark upon a structured developmental pathway through professional training and educational programs, where they are in a position to develop a broad and deep understanding of issues affecting their organizations to achieve excellence.”

Following the review of the leadership abilities, Aon delivered a bespoke training program suited to individual needs and aspirations. A team of executive coaches supported the training activities, and the outcomes of the sessions were provided as a comprehensive organizational report to the executive management and the Leadership Development Committee of SASREF, highlighting the strengths, opportunities and moving-forward plan. 

Mina Morris, associate partner, Aon Middle East and Africa, said: “The opportunity to support SASREF with a truly comprehensive leadership development program underlines our strength in talent assessment and development solutions. With the focus of Saudi Arabia, under its Vision 2030 to invest and develop future leaders, our holistic approach to leadership development served as an ideal fit to the needs of SASREF and the Kingdom.”

“The program brought several advantages to SASREF staff, as it increased self-awareness and underscored their stronger career prospects. It will lead to a cascade effect in leadership where better leaders will be instrumental in creating more effective future leaders within the organization,” Morris added.

Al-Taif Islamic Bank has chosen Fusion Islamic, Finastra’s core banking solution dedicated to the Islamic market, to kick-start its retail business. The move will provide the new challenger bank’s customers with a consistent and user-friendly experience while complying with Shariah requirements.

Al-Taif Islamic Bank, which started 15 years ago as Al-Taif Company for Money Transfer and is part of Al-Taif Group, aims to establish itself as a leader in the financial market in Iraq. Finastra’s solution is delivered with pre-configured Shariah-compliant products, which will help the bank develop new services faster and roll them out through multiple channels at low cost. Fusion Islamic is also expected to alleviate pressure on IT teams while ensuring rapid time-to-market, minimizing risks and maximizing efficiency. 

Reda Hamza, CEO at Al-Taif Islamic Bank, said: “Our vision is to challenge the status quo of the financial services sector in Iraq and there is a strong opportunity to offer new services to the unbanked population here. In addition to our branch presence, going digital is the best way for us to reach this market. Working with Finastra means that we have access to wide resources and products which will help us launch our branch quickly as we roll out the digital offering, and then accompany us on our exciting growth journey.”

Mobily, Integrated Telecom Company (ITC) and Cisco have announced their collaboration on a project to modernize and upgrade the Saudi National Fiber Network (SNFN) to prepare it for the next phase of growth in the field of ICT.

Cisco’s task is to modernize and unify the partners’ networks by implementing state-of-the-art optical, packet technologies and architectures, providing Mobily and ITC with unprecedented geographic reach in main cities, rural and remote areas, which will enable it to fulfill customer demand in a fast and cost-effective way.

Maziad bin Nasser Al-Harbi, chief technology officer of Mobily, said: “The new network will enable Mobily to reduce network operating costs. In addition, it will increase our capability to provide high-speed connectivity at 1G, 10G and 100G speeds to most of our targeted remote areas at a low cost, which is in line with the company’s plans to support one of the key goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.”

The project aims to migrate Mobily and ITC synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) network to a modern and high-capacity gigabit ethernet-dense wave division multiplexing (GE-DWDM) network.

Furthermore, the project’s purpose is to integrate two parallel long-haul networks and build a unified long-haul DWDM network supporting up to 200G and 400G speeds and extend Mobily’s long-haul networks in rural and remote areas to DWDM network.

Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Co. (MYNM), dealer of Hyundai cars in the Western region of Saudi Arabia, has unveiled the new Tucson 2019 across its showrooms.

The third generation of the Tucson comes with a number of improvements and new technologies, including forward collision-avoidance assist, adaptive headlights, rain-sensing wipers, blind spot collision warning, adaptive cruise, driver condition monitoring system and lane keep assist system. 

The model also features modern LED front and rear lamps, a well-designed front bumper and grille, wheels in various sizes starting from 17, 18 and 19 inches, in addition to updated LED fog lights. 

The Tucson 2019 feature spacious interiors with a newly designed central console and a modified steering wheel with new buttons. An eight-inch touchscreen for entertainment and information system supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, in addition to a wireless charger for smartphones and an eight-inch navigation screen with a fancy sound system.

Tucson 2019 variants are equipped with a group of four-cylinder engines, including: Four-cylinder 1.6-liter engine producing 132 hp, four-cylinder 2.0-liter engine producing 155 hp and four-cylinder 2.4-liter engine producing 184 hp.

Marking its third consecutive year in Saudi Arabia, the Henry Ford Entrepreneurship Academy (HFEA) makes a return to the Kingdom this month, with Riyadh’s Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (PNU) hosting the first workshop of the year, followed by Effat University in Jeddah a week later.

As a result of expanding its partnerships in the Kingdom to include PNU last year, HFEA saw an approximate 30 percent increase over 2017 in the number of female students trained, with 32 percent more of Ford funds spent to make the additional workshops possible. 

During The Entrepreneurship Journey program, Ford brought together several educational institutions, such as the US’ Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Ireland’s Dublin City University (DCU) Business School, both of which played a major part in shaping the first HFEA workshop held in Riyadh last year.

Jeddah’s Effat University has enjoyed continued HFEA success since 2017, having launched the first-ever women-only The Entrepreneurship Journey workshop in Saudi Arabia. 

These HFEA workshops over the past two years have been offered to complement Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a government plan for economic and social reform that empowers women with the aim of increasing their numbers in the workforce. 

“On the back of its most successful year in the region to date, training close to 300 entrepreneurs across six cities in three different countries, the Henry Ford Entrepreneurship Academy is continuing to have a positive influence among some of the Kingdom’s brightest business minds,” said Simonetta Verdi, director, government and community relations, Ford Middle East and Africa. 

“The workshops provide a high quality and interactive environment for aspiring businesspeople to experiment with their ideas in direct exchange with mentors and coaches, who offer invaluable experience,” Verdi added.

Jay Markiewicz, executive director of entrepreneurship programs at VCU School of Business and lead architect of HFEA, said: 

“Our workshop is designed to equip current and future entrepreneurs with a set of tools to develop their skills and acumen around entrepreneurship.

“The workshop is built around an innovative learning meta-framework titled ‘The Entrepreneurship Journey,’ from which participants emerge with increased personal capacity to be successful as entrepreneurs, as they learn how to connect with and deliver their unique value contribution.”

Saudi Investment Company (SICO), a developer, owner and operator of shopping malls in Saudi Arabia, has announced the opening of the first phase of Quwaieyah Mall in Al-Quwayiyah. It is the largest mall in the Riyadh region.

Located 170 kilometers west of Riyadh city on the Riyadh-Makkah highway, the sprawling 70,000-square-meter mall will be the first stop point for travelers on the highway.

SICO managing director Al-Shathri said: “We are delighted to open our ninth mall in Saudi Arabia. Visitors and shoppers will be greeted with an excellent mix of retail, entertainment and leisure facilities. Al-Quwaieyah Mall is a fantastic destination for retailers seeking to build and further expand their brand in the Riyadh region.”

The mall is expected to generate 450 job opportunities for Saudi men and women, he said.

The opening ceremony was attended by Musaed Al-Salem, governor of Al-Quwayiyah region; Fahad Al-Shathri, chairman and managing director of SICO; Dr. Bandar Talaat Hamooh, CEO of Panda Retail Company; Fahimul Islam and Mohammad Anas Abbasi from Redtag, along with a number of government officials and prominent figures from the region.

SICO invested SR75 million ($20 million) to build and design the mall using state-of-the-art retail space concepts, featuring a mix of retail, F&B (food and beverage) and entertainment options.  The mall will have a gross leasable area (GLA) of around 25,000 square meters, with 65 percent of space reserved for retail units, 20 percent for entertainment and 15 percent for F&B outlets. The mall will host the first cinema theater in Al-Quwayiyah, a Sparky’s entertainment zone by Al-Hokair Group and will have an outdoor parking space for nearly 800 vehicles.

Upon the completion of the third phase, the mall will include a four-star hotel, in addition to a “bazaar” that will organize around 40 exhibitions to promote local entrepreneurs.

Saudi construction show The Big 5 Saudi has attracted an unprecedented number of international construction companies this year, the organizers said. The economic diversification promoted by the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 is spurring a new wave of projects, which span from smart cities to hospitality infrastructure, from housing to entertainment facilities and parks. As these call for a wide range of new building solutions and equipment, international manufacturers are responding by bringing their most innovative products to the Kingdom.

The 9th edition of The Big 5 Saudi is returning to the Jeddah Center for Forums & Events from March 10-13. It will feature for the first time an official country pavilion from Egypt, alongside China, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Korea, Spain and Turkey, among many others. 

Several global manufacturers of construction products will also be exhibiting at the show for the first time next week. 

From the US, EcoWater Systems, a Marmon Water company and part of Berkshire Hathaway led by Warren Buffett, has chosen The Big 5 Saudi 2019 to launch its water treatment product range in the GCC market.

Olivier Bourdeau, business unit manager commercial, foodservice and new markets EMEA at EcoWater Systems, said: “We see great potential for our products in Saudi Arabia; it is a very interesting market to us. At The Big 5 Saudi we will display our residential range of water softeners, bringing pure and luxurious water to Saudi homes. Our booth will also feature our easy-to-install range of commercial water treatment appliances, as well as solutions from our Finity range, which is developed for the specific needs of the food service industry.” 

From Germany, Allgaier Process Technology will present both standardized and custom systems for industrial washing, drying, cooling, screening and sorting. Christine Gnädig, the company’s director of marketing and communication, said: “We have recently developed several new products in addition to our already large product range. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of our biggest markets in the Middle East and Northern Africa, and we decided to participate in The Big 5 Saudi for the first time this year.”

Polypipe, UK’s largest plastic pipe systems manufacturer, with a portfolio of above and below ground drainage, storm/surface water management and plumbing systems, will also join the exhibition.

“Having a special focus on tall buildings in the Middle East, we have been specified on numerous high-profile high-rise projects in the region with our sustainable climate and water management solutions,” said Philip McCowen, general manager of Polypipe Middle East. 

“This year we made a decision to take the opportunity and participate in The Big 5 Saudi for the first time. We believe that now is the right time for us to enter the market in Saudi Arabia and The Big 5 show in Jeddah presents us with an opportunity to meet potential new partners,” added McCowen.

More than 100 top Saudi construction players will also exhibit at show.

Al-Tayyar Travel Group has announced its financial results for the full year ending Dec. 31, 2018.

The company posted full year revenue of SR1,948 million, compared to SR2,107 million in 2017. Consumer travel, hospitality and car rental all posted higher year-on-year revenue, partially offsetting the significant decline in revenue from government accounts, stemming from the conclusion of the Ministry of Higher Education contract. The company’s online gross booking value through its online platform increased by 44 percent to SR2,004 million, compared to SR1,387 million in 2017.  The gross profit was SR1,425 million in 2018 as compared to SR1,603 million in 2017. The operating profit was SR613 million, down 24 percent from 2017. 

Abdullah Aldawood, CEO of Al-Tayyar Travel Group, said: “The year 2018, the first full year of implementing our corporate transformation, was a period of intense activity for Al-Tayyar Travel Group.

Our revamped portfolio, prudent cost management and continued focus on operational excellence has enabled us to steer the business away from a dependency on specific contracts and toward increased commercial sustainability.

“We were operationally profitable with a solid cash flow performance and excluding the one-off non-cash loss from a non-core equity divestment, the net profit of the company would have been SR276 million. Considering the significant company-wide advances we are implementing, we are pleased with the results, which are evidence that we are on the right track.”

LG Electronics showcased its advanced information display technology at the recent Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2019 held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. From Transparent OLED Signage to a full lineup of LED products, LG demonstrated how it can transform any space into fully functional digital environments and deliver innovative business solutions tailored to customers’ needs.

Making its European debut was the LG OLED Falls display that welcomed visitors at the main entrance of LG’s booth. The signage featured displays that curve up to 1,000R for wrapping around various surfaces, ideal for business-to-business applications that require a truly customizable approach. 

Beyond the OLED Falls exhibit, visitors experienced LG’s Transparent OLED Signage, a state-of-the-art product that seems more science fiction than reality. 

Designed for both retail and gallery environments, actual products can be clearly seen behind the 38 percent transparent display while video or images are shown overlaid in front of the object. The Transparent OLED Signage’s open frame design can be tiled, making it perfect for large spaces where customer interaction can seal the deal, such as in an automotive showroom.

The Islamic Research and Training Institute (IRTI) of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Group will collaborate with Jeddah-based Effat University to organize joint conferences on various aspects of Islamic finance.

Acting Director General of IRTI Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem and Effat University President Dr. Haifa Reda Jamal Allail signed a memorandum of understanding to facilitate the collaboration at the university’s campus on March 3.

The MoU provides a general framework to enable cooperation between the two institutions in implementing programs within their areas of mutual interest, in particular jointly organizing thematic conferences.

IRTI and Effat had previously collaborated to organize the 4th Islamic Finance Conference with the theme “Blockchain Smart Contracting and Islamic Financing,” held at the university’s premises in Jeddah in December 2018.

The new MoU is expected to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions for the benefit of the communities they both serve.

The IRTI is a member of the IsDB Group responsible for knowledge creation and dissemination in Islamic economics and finance, and fostering the use of Islamic finance to contribute to the sustainable development of IsDB member countries.

The American International School of Jeddah has moved to a new, state-of-the-art campus.

The 50,000-square-meter site, which can accommodate up to 1,750 students, includes a host of first-class facilities. These include a professional 700-seat theater-style auditorium, large media centers, video-production labs, fully equipped STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) labs, design and maker-space workshop areas, strategically designed classrooms, and wireless and other advanced technology.

The sports and recreation facilities include a standard-sized swimming pool and training pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, squash courts, soccer fields, indoor and outdoor athletics tracks, a dance/aerobics studio, fitness gyms, expansive playground areas, and indoor and outdoor courtyards.

“I have never been more excited for the future than I am today, as we stand on the eve of our new beginning,” said Monti Hallberg, the superintendent of AISJ. He encouraged the entire community to join in the celebrations and excitement for the new campus, adding: “The possibilities that lie before us inspire me, and I hope you will join us on our journey of excellence, passion, learning and fun.”

The vision for the new campus, which has been years in the planning, is described as being to inspire pupils and provide an authentic American education that nurtures a passion for knowledge and encourages them to pursue their dreams and become successful global citizens.

The previous campus was 40 years old. It was an elementary school for the first 25 years and for the past 15 offered an AISJ program covering pre-kindergarten up to Grade 12. Deteriorating buildings and a growing student population led to the decision to move to a modern, custom-built campus.

During the planning stages the school’s administration, staff, parents and students met frequently to discuss and share ideas about what should be included in the new school. In addition to addressing the academic needs of students, school authorities said that careful attention was paid to their physical, psychological, social and emotional needs.

AISJ, which was was established in 1952, is a US-accredited Pre-K to Grade 12 college-preparatory institution. It offers an American-based curriculum to a diverse student body that includes more than 50 nationalities. It also has athletic teams that travel to compete throughout the Middle East and other regions, numerous after-school activities and a variety of student organizations and clubs. More than 95 percent of AISJ pupils go on to attend universities around the world.

The number of women in management at Nestlé Middle East has risen to 30 percent from 16 percent back in 2011. The company said it is committed to enhance gender balance at all its offices around the region, through annual increases in the percentage of women managers and senior leaders. 

“This year, we are focusing further on some pillars that we believe will accelerate our journey, starting with talent acquisition where we are actively working to find female talents for roles that aren’t usually occupied by women such as at our factories, or in sales,” said Yves Manghardt, Nestlé Middle East chairman and CEO, in comments celebrating International Women’s Day, which falls on March 8. 

“We are also strengthening our succession and career plans to ensure we have prepared the female talents for future senior roles,” he added. “I am also proud to announce that we are launching the Next Generation Women Leadership Program that incorporates mentorship and coaching to equip female talents below 30 with the right mindset and support to grow in their careers.”

Long-standing policies at Nestlé Middle East already include flexible working arrangements and guaranteed access to breastfeeding rooms during working hours in all offices and sites, including factories.

Policies also facilitate opportunities for employees who plan to deliver abroad to work from any Nestlé office within the region or remote access for one month for both the father and the mother prior to maternity/paternity leave.

They also promote clear alignment with managers to ensure transparency and reintegration into job tasks once a person returns to work from maternity leave, with several women already receiving promotions prior to going on maternity leave. 

“Gender balance at Nestlé Middle East, one of the key pillars in the company’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, shuns quotas in favor of a system that hones talents and creates favorable conditions to ensure employees of all ages have equal opportunities to evolve their careers within the company,” a statement said.

“Let’s remind ourselves that diversity and inclusion go beyond gender, covering personality, age, skill set, world views, special needs to name a few, and also covers circumstantial situations and challenges in life. We always strive to be intentionally inclusive so we are not unintentionally exclusive,” said Manghardt. 

Nestlé Middle East’s heritage goes back over 80 years to 1934 when the first import operation was set up in Lebanon. Today, Nestlé Middle East owns and operates 18 factories and provides direct employment to more than 13,000 employees.

Fans of Al-Ahli Saudi FC had a chance to meet two of their soccer heroes when Casio hosted a special event at Al-Andalus Mall in Jeddah to launch specially designed, limited-edition timepieces that celebrate the history of the team.
The watches, which are based on the G-Shock GA-100 and GA-110 models and cost SR 490 ($130), were designed by Saudi artist Rex Chouk. They come in a branded box that also includes a mug, an Al-Ahli scarf and the club’s flag. Leo, Al-Ahli’s new club mascot, also features prominently, and the watch strap incorporates Arabic calligraphy.
Koji Naka, the managing director of Casio Middle East said that it is “a design that the Saudi youth, and particularly Al-Ahli fans, will relate to in many ways.”
He added: “Our G-Shock brand shares the values of excellence, precision and toughness that Al-Ahli FC has demonstrated over decades, and it is a privilege to capture these values in a timepiece designed by an outstanding Saudi artist. We thank Al-Ahli FC for their trust and cooperation, and for helping us accomplish our vision along the way.”
Al-Ahli striker Omar Al-Somah and goalkeeper Yasser Al-Mosailem joined club President Abdullah Batraji at the event, where they spent 90 minutes meeting delighted fans.
“We are pleased with our collaboration with G-Shock and we salute the work that the brand and Rex Chouk have put in to exemplify (the club's) proud history in a watch,” said Batraji. “We believe our fans will be thrilled with the limited-edition G-Shock Al-Ahli FC watch, and we hope that it will encourage more people to adopt active lifestyles.”
Ayman Tawfik, deputy general manager of Abbar, the official Casio distributor in Saudi Arabia, added: “We are proud to be presenting an exclusive watch that is Saudi through and through – designed by a Saudi artist, representing one of the Kingdom’s best Football clubs and gifted to Saudi football fans. This initiative also supports the Saudi Vision 2030 of encouraging regular participation in sports activities and advancing the social and lifestyle standards of Saudi men and women.”
In 1968, Al-Ahli FC became the first Saudi club to win both the league and the King's Cup in the same season. It repeated the achievement in 1978 and 2016. Syrian striker Al-Somah was the top scorer in the Saudi league in 2015, 2016, and 2017, while Yasser Al-Mosailem was part of the Saudi squad at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

JEDDAH: Danube Online, Saudi Arabia’s largest e-commerce grocery platform, is marking International Women’s Day by sharing some interesting online shopping trends of male and female shoppers from the Danube App.

International Women’s Day is a collective day of global celebration and with this year’s theme being ‘balance for better’, Danube Online, which has acquired millions of monthly active users since its launch in 2017 and continues to expand across the Kingdom, celebrated the occasion by revealing gender parities and gaps in online grocery shopping behavior from the Danube App.

When it comes to healthy-eating, in the past year, Danube Online observed an almost identical rise in demand amongst female and male shoppers for health-related products. This category includes fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and organic products. The trend is seen alongside a dip in demand for highly processed food amongst males and females and is in line with global trends of millennials who prefer fresh and organic food. 

Across baby product categories, interestingly, data collated over the last 12 months show an increase of over 5 percent in male customers buying baby products. During the same period, there was a 5 percent decrease in Danube Online female customers ordering the same products; bringing the gender ratio buying patterns in this category more in balance. Preferred payment methods amongst Danube App customers saw the biggest discrepancy between male and female shoppers with men actually 10 percent more likely to pay by credit card than women. However, over the past year there has been a huge increase in credit card payments generally across female and male Danube App customers; over 600 percent for women and over 500 percent for men. 

“At Danube Online we are proud to celebrate International Women’s Day. We want to do our bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal and rewarding, in line with Vision 2030. We know balance drives a better working world. We are committed to a gender-balanced workforce and to prove it we have boosted our ratio of female Danube Online staff this year to just over 20 percent” said Danube Online co-founder and CEO Majed M Al Tahan.  He continued; “A great fact from our online shopping behavior data is the gender gap narrowing across the baby product categories.  From this insight, we can surmise that one of the ways new fathers in the Kingdom are supporting their wives with the arrival of newborns is taking on the tasks of grocery shopping. Online shopping can be a convenient fast way to get these items at home and it’s a nice trend to observe.”

Danube Online was awarded the ‘Industry Excellence in Food & Beverages’ award at the Saudi Top Achiever Awards, in partnership with the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce last week, and to celebrate International Women’s Day is running a range of marketing promotions for female shoppers during the week. 

International Women’s Day is on Friday March 8, 2019.  

RIYADH: Boeing Saudi Arabia is a sponsor of the first Saudi International Airshow that will be held at the Thumamah Airport in Riyadh from March 12-14.
The sponsorship is an affirmation of Boeing’s long-term relationship with the Kingdom and underscores its partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 with a range of programs and support of the local industry, said Ahmed Jazzar, president of Boeing in Saudi Arabia.
“Boeing’s participation in this important and exciting exhibition reflects the fortitude of the Saudi Arabian aerospace industry,” said Jazzar. “We at Boeing are proud to have been a strategic partner with Saudi Arabia for the last 74 years, and we continue this partnership to achieve the goals of the National Transformation Program and Vision 2030 to develop the Kingdom’s aerospace ecosystem.”
Over the years, Boeing has launched a range of economic offset programs such as: Al-Salam Aerospace Industries, Advanced Electronics Company, Aircraft Accessories and Components Company and International Systems Engineering Company. Boeing continues to contribute to the expansion of the technical base of many local institutions in both the civil and military fields.
Boeing, Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries and Al-Salam Aerospace Industries established the Saudi Rotorcraft Support Company, which focuses on providing sustainable employment opportunities for Saudi youth, helping to develop technical skills, and supporting national talent in the vertical aviation industry.
In March 2018, in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and following the announcement by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to localize 50 percent of the total military spending by 2030, Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) signed an agreement with Boeing to develop the local defense industry.
In January this year, Boeing signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program (NIDLP), the Saudi Industrial Investments Company (Dussur) and Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden) to support the Saudi aerospace industry under the umbrella of Vision 2030. This MoU will contribute to the support and development of the local aerospace aluminum industry.
Boeing enjoys a strong and long-standing relationship with the Kingdom. The partnership began on Feb. 14, 1945, when US President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented a twin-engine DC-3 Dakota airplane to King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud. This event marked both the beginning of Boeing’s relationship with Saudi Arabia and the birth of commercial air travel in the Kingdom. Since then, Boeing has developed and expanded relationships with the Saudi civilian and defense sectors as well as with the private sectors.