Iraq Emerges As Growth Hotspot In MENA

TNS First-Of-Its-Kind Study Shows Consumer Confidence Is Ripe; Marketers Must Understand What Drives 32m Population

GDP set to grow 33% over the next three years

32% say now is a good time to buy

41% think economy is good

42% believe the economy will get even better in next 6 months

   

Dubai, UAE November 2012: Iraq is poised to be the next regional hotspot and local marketers are urged to fast get to grips with the nuances of the market, according to Steve Hamilton-Clark, CEO, TNS MENA, the world’s largest custom market research organisation.

He said that Iraq’s GDP is set for rapid growth, pegged at some 33 per cent over the next three years, with income levels set to follow suit, creating a distinct middle class.

“As Iraq moves into its next cycle it is fast emerging as the next big consumer market, home to the region’s third largest population, estimated at 32 million.  

“This provides a huge opportunity for brands across all categories to increase penetration, introduce new products and services, and build loyalty.”

Hamilton-Clark was citing the Iraqi As Consumer 2012 (IRAC) study carried out by TNS MENA and IIACSS which unveils a deeper understanding of what makes the Iraqi consumer tick.

He said the findings reveal key aspirations as national stability and security, strong family ties, financial independence, and education. Meanwhile, Iraqis also admit to having career ambitions, while expressing a steadfast religious orientation, big heartedness, pride, and a belief in their country.

Hamilton-Clark called the study ‘timely’.  “The current understanding of today’s Iraqis, as people and as consumers, is inadequate. The Iraqi As Consumer 2012 study is a first of its kind in Iraq and brings some real insight to the table.”

He said that to gain insight into the various facets of the new Iraqi consumer, the study looked from the inside out to unearth the Iraqi of today -  how they live, what they believe in and what they aspire to be.

The comprehensive study looked at 10 cities, indicating 41 per cent think Iraq’s current economic situation is good, with 32 per cent saying that now is the time to buy consumer durables. Meanwhile, 42 per cent stated things will continue to improve over the next six months.

Hamilton-Clark advised that as the Iraq begins to flourish, marketers must understand basic socio-demographics, general attitudes to life, lifestyle habits, brand affiliation, category interaction and retail shopper understanding.

“To get the supply chain in line with the demands of the Iraqi consumer, marketers must take time to dig deep and look across various profile groups to ensure desires, wants and needs are accurately met,” Hamilton-Clark concluded.

العراق منطقة ساخنة للأعمال في الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا

تظهر الدراسة الأولى من نوعها التي أجرتها شركة TNS بأن الوقت قد حان للاستفادة من ثقة المستهلكين وينبغي على المسوقين فهم الدوافع لدى السكان البالغ عددهم 32 مليون نسمة

نمو الناتج المحلي الإجمالي بنسبة 33% خلال السنوات الثلاثة المقبلة

صرح 32% من العراقيين بأنه الوقت المناسب للشراء

يعتقد 41% بأن الوضع الاقتصادي جيد

يعتقد 42% بأن الاقتصاد سيتحسن خلال الستة أشهر المقبلة

   

دبي، الإمارات العربية المتحدة نوفمبر 2012: قال ستيف هاملتون كلارك، الرئيس التنفيذي لشركة TNS الشرق الأوسط وإفريقيا إحدى أكبر شركات أبحاث التسويق في العالم، بأنه من المنتظر أن يصبح العراق المنطقة الساخنة التالية للأعمال وعلى المسوقين المحليين التعامل بسرعة مع  الفوارق الدقيقة للسوق.

وقال بأن الناتج المحلي الإجمالي للعراق سينمو بسرعة بما يقدر بحوالي 33% على مدى السنوات الثلاث المقبلة، حيث ستحذو مستويات الدخل حذوه وتعمل على خلق طبقة متوسطة متميزة.

"ويبرز العراق بسرعة، مع انتقاله إلى المرحلة التالية، كسوق استهلاكية كبيرة باعتباره موطناً لثالث أكبر عدد سكان في المنطقة البالغ عددهم 32 مليون نسمة.

"وهذا يوفر فرصة كبيرة للعلامات التجارية من جميع الفئات لزيادة وصولها في السوق وتقديم منتجات وخدمات جديدة وبناء علاقات ولاء مع المستهلكين"

واستشهد هاملتون كلارك بدراسة العراقي كمستهلك (IRAC) التي نفذتها شركة TNS الشرق الأوسط وإفريقيا والشركة المستقلة للبحوث IIACSS التي كشفت النقاب عن فهم عميق للدوافع التي تحرك المستهلك العراقي.

وقال تكشف النتائج عن الطموحات الرئيسية المتمثلة في الاستقرار الوطني والأمن، والعلاقات الأسرية القوية والاستقلال المالي والتعليم. حيث يسعى العراقيون لتحقيق طموحات مهنية مع إظهار توجهات دينية راسخة، وطيبة كبيرة وفخر وإيمان ببلدهم.

أطلق هاملتون كلارك على الدراسة "الوقت المناسب"، مصرحاً "إن فهم العراقيين اليوم كأشخاص ومستهلكين غير كاف، وتعتبر دراسة العراقي كمستهلك 2012 الأولى من نوعها في العراق مع نتائج حقيقية وواقعية"

وقال: للحصول على معلومات دقيقة حول مختلف الجوانب المتعلقة بالمستهلك العراقي الجديد، بحثت الدراسة في كل ما يتعلق بالإنسان العراقي اليوم، كيف يعيش وما يؤمن به وما يطمح لتحقيقه.  

شملت الدراسة 10 مدن، حيث تبيّن بأن 41% يعتقدون بأن الوضع الاقتصادي الحالي في العراق جيد و32% صرحوا بأنه الوقت المناسب لشراء السلع الاستهلاكية المعمرة، في حين قال 42% بأن الأمور ستستمر في التحسن خلال الستة أشهر المقبلة.

كما أضاف هاملتون: مع بداية ازدهار العراق ينبغي على المسوقين فهم الأساسيات الاجتماعية والسكانية، والمواقف العامة تجاه الحياة، وأسلوب الحياة والانتماء للعلامة التجارية، والتفاعل مع الصنف، وفهم المتسوق.

وختم قائلاً: "للتوفيق بين سلسلة التوريد ومتطلبات المستهلك العراقي، ينبغي على المسوقين أخذ الوقت الكافي لسبر أغوار مختلف الفئات لتلبية رغبات وطلبات واحتياجات المستهلك بدقه.

Imdaad, Principal Intelligence Partner of FM Expo 2012 to showcase sustainable FM solutions during event

Dubai, UAE – November 5, 2012 – Imdaad, the leading provider of integrated facilities management solutions in the GCC, has revealed that it is showcasing a selection of Hard and Soft FM services at FM Expo 2012, being organised alongside The Big 5 in Dubai, which started today (Monday, November 5, 2012). Imdaad, which is one of the platinum sponsors of FM Expo 2012, but has taken the initiative to be named as Principle Intelligence Partner due to the vital role its playing in creating awareness on various subjects related to the FM Industry, such as waste management, recycling and many more. Therefore, Imdaad is also the exclusive sponsor of the FM Lecture Theater that has been introduced this year, complementing the company’s ongoing efforts to promote greater awareness about various aspects of facilities management regionally. The FM Lecture Theater is a series of free-to-attend seminars that will feature the most important current industry topics covering standards, market analysis and trends.


During the four-day event, Imdaad will particularly be focusing on sustainable FM solutions, which are increasingly seeing a growth in demand in light of various regulations on green building practices and environmental standards introduced by governments across the region.


Validating its reputation as the solutions provider of choice in the UAE and beyond, Imdaad has built a portfolio that includes the most prestigious facilities and the most prominent landmark developments in the region, as well as a client base comprising of leading multinationals. The company’s diverse project portfolio underlines its broad expertise and strong presence across key segments such as commercial/residential, malls, retail, community developments, government, leisure facilities, banking institutions and education.


Jamal Abdulla Lootah, CEO, Imdaad, said: "The FM Expo is one of the most highly-awaited industry events that cater to the specific needs of facilities management companies and professionals in the region. As the Principal Intelligence Partner of the event this year we are keen on leveraging the excellent networking platform it presents to further boost our visibility and conduct meaningful interactions with our customers and business partners. Moreover, our support to the FM Lecture Theater is in line with our underlining goal of creating greater awareness about facilities management, especially in the GCC where FM is still evolving.”


Imdaad has gained a strong reputation in the region as an adopter and implementer of the latest FM technologies and practices. The company acquires eco-friendly equipment and prioritizes sustainability across all its operations. It also conducts recycling training for its clients, corporate partners and staff, in addition to providing free recycling bins in certain projects where it handles waste management and collection service.

Cloud Hopping Is A No Brainer

Business Collaboration Webinar

November 8, 2012

11.30am (UAE)

Registration at www.mediasolutions.ae

With the right technologies, productivity and business activities can thrive in a virtual multi-location network environment, according to Altaf Alimohamed, Managing Director of Dubai-based Media Solutions.

He believes that new-to-market applications like Soonr mean organisations can hop onto the Cloud and get immediate benefits from seamless, holistic solutions and connectivity, putting an end to building, running, maintaining and constantly upgrading server-based IT services, and the huge costs associated to these tasks.

To prove his point, Alimohamed is hosting a comprehensive Webinar where he will discuss the attributes of real time collaboration, document compliance and security management; features that he says make for a ‘modern workplace’ - designed so that people can work anywhere and anytime, and using any device.

The Business Collaboration Seminar is set to take place on November 8, 2012 (11.30am onwards).

For more information about the speakers please visit www.mediasolutions.ae.

Register online at: http://mediasolutions.ae/events or contact +971 4 4240109 or +971 4 4272420

EastNets showcases en.SafeWatch Profiling and Filtering solutions at Sibos 2012 in Osaka

Company also discusses mechanisms for better ‘False Positive’ rates during premier financial services event

November 04, 2012

EastNets, a leading provider of global compliance and payment solutions and services, recently took part in Sibos 2012, the latest edition of the world’s premier financial services event that was held in Osaka Japan.


Nasser J. Sweileh, Senior Product Manager - Compliance at EastNets, delivered a presentation on the opening day titled ‘False Positive Reduction Mechanisms: Put an end to the Nightmare.’ The presentation discussed how to achieve better ‘False Positive’ detection rates in the course of preventing financial fraud and how financial institutions can optimize the use of available False Positive Reduction mechanisms and regularly tune their aggressive anti-money laundering (AML) systems.



Financial institutions use various detection strategies to identify suspicious transactions as they ramp up efforts to comply with a host of regulatory requirements. Unfortunately, aggressive anti-money laundering schemes can also lead to unacceptably high levels of False Positives –the incorrect identification of legitimate transactions as threats.



During the course of the four-day event, EastNets also showcased the capabilities of its en.SafeWatch Profiling and the en.SafeWatch Filtering AML solutions. en.SafeWatch Profiling is a web-based application that delivers customer and account monitoring and profiling, risk scoring, peer group analysis, case management and regulatory reporting.



The en.SafeWatch Filtering application – currently regarded as one of the best automated Anti-Money Laundering solution in the world – identifies blacklisted entities and filters out suspicious transactions from the financial flow using real-time detection. It is used by over 400 financial institutions and corporates in 80 countries. The latest version of en.SafeWatch Filtering sports an enhanced web graphical user interface and merges the Alert and Detection Managers into a single point.



“Sibos 2012 served as the perfect platform for EastNets to demonstrate the advanced capabilities of our en.SafeWatch Profiling and Filtering anti-money laundering solutions, which have been providing clients worldwide a reliable system to manage and control risk, cut down workload with reduced false positives, streamline processes and improve operational efficiencies. Moreover, in line with the Sibos theme, EastNets showed how more efficient financial solutions can help expedite the recovery of mature economies and sustain growth in emerging markets,” said Hazem Mulhim, CEO, EastNets.



Sibos, the annual banking and financial conference held by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), was held at the Intex Centre in Osaka, Japan this year. More information is available at http://www.sibos.com.

Emirati women awarded Leadership & Management certification from UK’s top management body

Injazat employees prove world-class problem-solving, decision-making & leadership capabilities under ILM program





November 4, 2012

Injazat Data Systems, a leading provider of IT services in the region, is fully committed to supporting the development of future Emirati leaders as part of their Emiratisation strategy, which is aligned to Abu Dhabi’s 2030 vision. Reaffirming the identification of potential leaders and supporting their professional development as a key component of this strategy, Injazat recently selected 14 female UAE National employees to participate in a Leadership and Management program tailored to their abilities and personality assessments. The group underwent an intensive 6-month leadership program to earn Institute of Leaderships and Management (ILM) Level 3 Qualification in Leadership and Management Skills, certified by ILM, the UK’s largest management body.



ILM provides a comprehensive range of products and services for supporting and developing existing and future leaders and managers. Its ILM Level 3 Qualification in Leadership and Management Skills program covers three mandatory units on Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Techniques, Leadership Styles, and Team Motivation and Development. The Injazat candidates enrolled under the program went through rigorous classroom and work-based development conducted by The Injazat Institute (Ti2), Injazat’s business-oriented career development initiative and a certified ILM training provider. Each unit taken was assessed via a work-based assignment after completing 10 guided learning hours coached and mentored by some of Injazat’s Senior Management team.



“We are extremely proud of our Emirati employees who have once again shown that women can excel in the world of business and in any field they engage in. Their achievement reflects the importance that Injazat places on Emiratization and women’s empowerment in pursuing ICT-enabled growth for the country. We commend the Ti2 team and our partners at ILM for preparing these aspiring women leaders well,” said Ibrahim Lari, CEO, Injazat Data Systems.



With more than 15 per cent of its workforce consisting of UAE Nationals, Injazat is considered a major proponent of Emiratization within local industry. The company has also undertaken various initiatives in cooperation with leading organizations such as Cambridge University and ILM to realize the full potential of its human capital.

Bain & Company promotes Financial Investor expert to its Middle Eastern partner group

Alexander De Mol to bring private equity, financial investors & sovereign wealth fund expertise

Dubai, U.A.E – 1 November, 2012 - Alexander De Mol has been promoted to the global partnership at Bain & Company, the global business consulting firm. Based in the U.A.E, De Mol has extensive international experience working with private equity funds, financial investors and sovereign wealth funds.


De Mol joined the firm in 2002 and has worked in several offices, including Brussels, New York and Boston, before relocating to the Dubai office in 2009. He has worked with a multitude of investors including Sovereign Wealth Funds, Limited Partners and Private Equity funds on topics ranging from commercial due diligence, investment strategy, organization, processes and governance. Additionally, his industry expertise includes Consumer Goods, Industrial Goods and Services and Oil and Gas.


“It’s my privilege to announce Alexander’s promotion to Bain’s global partnership and to a leadership position within our Dubai office,” said James Hadley, Managing Director for Bain & Company Middle East. “He is a trusted advisor to our clients, helping them achieve exceptional results despite numerous challenges in today’s economy. We look forward to the value he will continue to bring to our clients and our firm.”


Alexander De Mol earned a Master in Physics and Engineering from Ghent University in Belgium in 2002. He also followed specialized courses at Oxford University in 2001, Helsinki University (Finland) in 2000 and University of Lulea (Sweden) in 1999.


Prior to joining Bain, Alex De Mol worked as an intern at Total on operational improvement.

Mr. De Mol is the co-author of several articles including ‘Private Investment funds face difficulties in attracting investors’ which was published in numerous renowned Middle Eastern business publications.


Bain & Company has been making a series of strategic appointments to support the buoyant growth of its Middle Eastern activities. The company has had a strong presence in the Middle East since the early 1990s, managing projects in the GCC, Egypt and Turkey.

Software AG Outperforms the Market with New Products in Q3, 2012

BPE license revenue up 20 percent

ETS total revenue stable year on year

EBIT margin continues to rise over course of the year

Positive net cash

Full-year forecast adjusted to reflect growth drivers

Dubai/UAE, November 1, 2012 — Software AG (Frankfurt TecDAX: SOW) has announced its financial results (IFRS, preliminary) for the third quarter of 2012. The company had pre-announced its key figures on October 12, 2012, which exceeded market expectations for revenue from new product sales in the Business Process Excellence (BPE) business line. Software AG posted BPE product revenue growth (licenses and maintenance) of around 15 per cent at €96.7 million (Q3 2011: €84.2 million). The company’s BPE license revenue increased around 20 per cent to €50.0 million (Q3 2011: €41.7 million). The high-margin Enterprise Transaction Systems (ETS) business line, the company’s traditional database business, demonstrated stability in the quarter under review, remaining about on par with Q3 2012 at €93.8 million (Q3 2011: €95.1 million). Due to the realignment of the company's consulting business, reported total revenue dropped to €257.4 million (Q3 2011: €274.6 million). Targeted increased investments in new products and markets had an impact on operating income (EBIT in accordance with IFRS). At €61.1 million, EBIT was down from last year (Q3 2011: €72.0 million) — which had been positively influenced by non-recurring items — but up from a strong second quarter (Q2 2012: €57.1 million). The EBIT margin was 23.7 percent (Q3 2011: 26.2 percent), which reflects an increase over the course of the year (Q1 2012: 21.5 percent and Q2 2012: 22.1 percent). An equity ratio of 59 per cent and net cash of €10.5 million was reported as of September 30, 2012.

Dynamic License Revenue Trend
License revenue is the critical growth factor for a successful software company. Here Software AG reported €80.5 million revenue (Q3 2011: €74.7 million) in the quarter under review, which is about an 8 per cent increase year-on-year. The BPE business drove this performance with license revenue growth of 20 per cent to total €50.0 million (Q3 2011: €41.7 million). All regions contributed to this positive development with double-digit growth. The sales initiative in North America that was kicked off at the beginning of the year led to substantial growth for the second consecutive quarter.  The positive trend was also sustained in Europe. The Terracotta Big Data products continued their dynamic growth as well with a revenue increase of more than 100 per cent. Software AG expects this figure to triple or quadruple in fiscal 2012.

Software AG CEO, Karl-Heinz Streibich, commented on the results: "The trend in the public and private sector to increase efficiency and competitive advantage through digitization is constant. Our good performance in license revenue confirms the vitality of this market. Our investments in new products, and in marketing and sales, are paving the road to sustained growth."

“Software AG has again posted strong quarterly results given the company’s consistent performance across all regional markets. Software AG Middle East, in particular, has achieved a tremendous boost to its business performance in light of the growing awareness among Arab enterprises about the impact of leading-edge applications in enhancing operational efficiency and optimizing business productivity,” said Marco Gerazounis, Senior VP Middle East North Africa & Turkey, Software AG.

The traditional ETS business line reported stable revenue of €30.2 million (Q3 2011: €31.7 million) in license revenue, nearly the same as the previous year.

Solid Growth in Maintenance Business
Software AG's maintenance revenue climbed about 4 per cent in the third quarter of 2012 to €97.8 million (Q3 2011: €94.2) million. The BPE business line contributed €46.7 million (Q3 2011: €42.5 million). This is about 10 per cent higher year-on-year. ETS contributed a consistent €47.4 million (Q3 2011: €47.5 million) to maintenance revenue.

Services Down Due to Ongoing Consolidation Measures
Service revenue in the third quarter was €78.2 million (Q3 2011: €105.2 million). €25.2 million (Q3 2011: €42.6 million) of that is attributable to SAP consulting. Here Software AG's focus is on process consulting in defined core markets. BPE and ETS contributed a total of €53.0 million (Q3 2011: €62.6 million) to service revenue in the quarter under review. This reflects the new software products' increasing user-friendliness in that installations require fewer services. As a result, the profitable license business is growing faster than service revenue.

Total Revenue and Earnings for Q3 2012
At €257.4 million, Software AG's total revenue was on par with the strong second quarter of 2012 (Q2 2012: €258.6 million) and below last year's figure (Q3 2011: €274.6 million). This is a result of the decrease in revenue from SAP consulting due to the realignment of that business line.

Operating income (EBIT in accordance with IFRS) was €61.1 million, which is up from the previous quarter (Q2 2012: €57.1 million). Due to the currently higher expenses from the expansion of sales (particularly in North America), to increased costs for research and development and to this year's costs from consolidation of the SAP consulting business, operating income was down from the same quarter last year (Q3 2011: €72.0 million) which had also been positively influenced by non-recurring items. The EBIT margin for the third quarter of 2012 was 23.7 per cent (Q3 2011: 26.2 per cent), which reflects an increase over the course of the year (Q1 2012: 21.5 per cent and Q2 2012: 22.1 per cent). Net income was €40.7 million (Q3 2011: €46.6 million).

Software AG's total assets as of September 30, 2012 were €1.7 billion, and the equity ratio was about 59 per cent. With a surplus (cash less financial liabilities) of €10.5 million, the company’s balance sheet showed net cash.

Arnd Zinnhardt, Chief Financial Officer of Software AG, added: “We are investing in the dynamic growth of Software AG. These investments are already showing success in the short term, and will continually increase the enterprise value.”

Nine-Month Performance
The BPE business line demonstrated dynamic license performance and reported revenue for the first nine months of the current fiscal year to the amount of €131.3 million (Q3 2011: €112.1 million). This represents about a 17 per cent increase. ETS license revenue in the same period was slightly above last year at €89.1 million (Q3 2011: €87.2 million). Total product revenue (licenses and maintenance) for the group rose some 6 per cent to €515.3 million (Q3 2011: €484.7 million). Due to the consolidation of the SAP consulting business, service revenue was down year-on-year at €253.7 million (Q3 2011: €316.4 million). Accordingly, group revenue for the nine months ending September 30, 2012 was €770.6 million (Q3 2011: €804.3 million). Operating income totaled €172.9 million (Q3 2011: €191.2 million).

Employees
As of September 30, 2012 Software AG had 5,436 (Q3 2011: 5,498) employees, of which 1,084 (Q3 2011: 1,031) worked in Sales and Marketing and 892 (Q3 2011: 855) in Research and Development (R&D).  The total number of employees in Germany was 1,783 (Q3 2011: 1,920).

Outlook Adjusted to Reflect Growth Drivers
Software AG's dynamic growth in licenses — driven by its innovative products (BPE & Terracotta) and strengthened by a stable ETS performance — characterized the first nine months of fiscal 2012 and is expected to continue in the fourth quarter of 2012. Software AG considers this to be a confirmation of its strategy and further specifies its forecast as follows:

Group product revenue for fiscal 2011 was approximately €674 million. For fiscal 2012, the company is targeting an increase between 3 and 6 per cent (at constant currency) to reach a total of €715 to €735 million.

For the growth-driving BPE business division an increase of between 10 and 13 per cent (at constant currency) in product revenue is expected for the current fiscal year. Due to low service revenue, which is a result of the improved user-friendliness of the new software products, total BPE revenue growth is anticipated to grow (0 to 3 per cent at constant currency rates) to between €540 and €560 million at the end of the year (2011: €528 million).

The ETS business line reported some €381 million in revenue in fiscal 2011. For the current year, Software AG anticipates a smaller decline than originally expected for ETS revenue of between 2 and 4 per cent (at constant currency) thanks to the stable performance of the traditional database business.

Due to ongoing higher sales investments, the company forecasts an EBIT margin for the year between 23.0 and 24.0 percent.

Key Figures for third quarter 2012 / YTD (9 Months)
IFRS, unaudited

With the Participation of World Bank Experts and 1000 Innovators from 100 Countries Around the World
World Innovation Summit for Education Launches Initiative to Prepare Youth for Labor Market

Cairo – 1st November, 2012 – The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) launches a new initiative to activate the role of education in preparing youth to enter the labor market, after unemployment rates increased among young people to unprecedented levels in Arab countries, including Egypt.



His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali Al Thani, Chairman of WISE, stated, “The demands of employers has witnessed significant changes around the world and the Arab region as well. These changes pertain to the educational qualifications of applicants, which signals a necessity to activate the crucial role that education plays in providing students with the necessary skills needed to enter the labor market. This leads us to reconsider the reality of educational systems and introduce major overhaul if necessary.”


The unemployment rate in Egypt reached 12.6% during Q1 2012, which is equivalent to more than 9 million unemployed people, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.


Chairman of WISE, said, “WISE, to be held in Doha from November 13-15, 2012, seeks to find practical solutions to the problem. It also tackles the relationship between education, innovation and the labor market, while looking at the gap between the skills of youth and the labor market. Furthermore, the summit highlights the study of 15 cases of different societies and economies that have succeeded in reaching new ways to bridge this gap.”


Michael Trucano, Senior ICT and Education Policy Specialist at the World Bank, moderated the debate over the role of education in equipping youth for the labor market. More than 1000 innovators from 100 countries around the world participated in the event, including intellectuals and experts in education and business, as well as government representatives, NGOs and businessmen.

بمشاركة خبراء البنك الدولى و1000 مبتكر من مائة دولة حول العالم

مؤتمر القمة العالمى للابتكار فى التعليم يطلق مبادرة لتأهيل الشباب العربى لسوق العمل

   

القاهرة ـ 1 نوفمبر 2012 ـ يطلق مؤتمر القمة العالمي للابتكار في التعليم (وايز) مبادرة جديدة لتفعيل دور التعليم فى تأهيل الشباب لسوق العمل بعد أن ارتفعت نسب البطالة بين الشباب بدرجة غير مسبوقة فى الدول العربية ومنها مصر.

صرح سمو الشيخ عبدالله بن علي آل ثاني رئيس مؤتمر القمة العالمي للابتكار في التعليم " أن متطلبات العمل في العالم والمنطقة العربية شهدت تغيرات ملحوظة فيما يتعلق بالمؤهلات التعليمية للمتقدمين مما يدعو إلى ضرورة تفعيل الدور المهم الذي يلعبه التعليم في تزويد الطلاب بالمهارات اللازمة لدخول سوق العمل، ويدفعنا لإعادة النظر في واقع الأنظمة التعليمية وإدخال إصلاحات جذرية عليها إذا اقتضى الأمر".

وتبلغ نسبة البطالة فى مصر 12.6٪ خلال الربع الأول من العام الحالى أى أكثر من 9 ملايين عاطل فى مصر وحدها طبقاً لتقديرات الجهاز المركزى للتعبئة والإحصاء.

وكشف رئيس مؤتمر القمة العالمي للابتكار في التعليم أن " (وايز) الذي يعقد في الدوحة في الفترة من 13 إلى 15 نوفمبر 2012 يسعى للخروج بحلول عملية للمشكلة، ويناقش العلاقة بين التعليم والابتكار وسوق العمل ويبحث في الفجوة الموجودة بين مهارات الشباب وسوق العمل، كما يسلط الضوء على دراسة 15 حالة من مجتمعات واقتصادات مختلفة نجحت في التوصل إلى طرق جديدة لسد هذه الفجوة".

ويدير النقاش حول دور التعليم فى تأهيل الاشباب لسوق العمل "مايكل تروكانو" كبير أخصائيى تكنولوجيا المعلومات والاتصالات والسياسات التعليمية فى البنك الدولى، كما يشارك فى المؤتمر ما يزيد عن 1000 مبتكر من أكثر من 100 دولة حول العالم، منهم مفكرون وخبراء في مجالات التعليم والأعمال التجارية، وممثلو حكومات ومؤسسات غير حكومية ومؤسسات اجتماعية ورجال أعمال ورواد مشاريع اجتماعية.

13 % increase in Arab Bank Group net profit 

 

 

Cairo, Egypt 1st of November 2012: Arab Bank Group announced its financial results for the nine months period ended 30 September 2012 with a growth in net profit of 13% as compared to the same period in 2011.

Commenting on these results, Mr. Nemeh Sabbagh, Arab Bank’s CEO, said that the Group achieved net profit after tax and provisions of $484.5 million for the period ended 30 September 2012 compared to $428.8 million for the same period in 2011, as a result of growth in net interest income and operating income.

The financial results of Arab Bank Group show an increase in operating income of 7% to reach $1329.2 million as of 30 September 2012 as compared to $1245.9 million for the same period in 2011, while operating expenses grew by 5%. Customer deposits grew to $32.4 billion, while credit facilities reached $20.1 billion and total assets stood at $45.2 billion.

Mr. Sabih Masri, Chairman of Arab Bank said he was pleased with these positive results at a time when a number of countries in the region are facing a challenging environment and the world economy is slowing down.

Mr. Masri highlighted that the bank’s underlying strength is its ability to take advantage of its diversified global network in 30 countries worldwide. Mr. Masri added that the financial results of Arab Bank Group reflect customer confidence in the underlying strength of the Bank.

The Group continues to maintain a high quality loan portfolio thanks to its prudent policies and a high capital adequacy ratio which stands at 14.73% far exceeding the 8% minimum required by the Basel Committee and higher than the minimum required by the Central Bank of Jordan of 12%. Liquidity remains strong as reflected in the loan deposit ratio of 62% as of 30 September 2012.

Fitch affirmed on July 25, 2012 the rating of Arab Bank at A- with a Stable Outlook.

Mr. Sabih Masri concluded by expressing his confidence in the Bank’s future growth prospects and reiterated the bank’s commitment to its core values of conservative and prudent policies which are the cornerstone of the Arab Bank.

بنسبة نمو مقدارها 13%

مجموعة البنك العربي تعزز نمو أرباحها الفصلية للربع الثالث على التوالي

مصر – القاهرة 1 نوفمبر2012: أعلنت مجموعة البنك العربي عن نتائجها المالية عن الفترة المالية المنتهية في 30 أيلول 2012 بنمو في الأرباح الصافية مقداره 13% عن الفترة المقابلة من العام الماضي.

وفي تعليقه على هذه النتائج الإيجابية صرح السيد نعمة صباغ المدير العام التنفيذي للبنك العربي " نواصل في مجموعة البنك العربي تعزيز أدائنا للربع الثالث على التوالي من هذا العام محققين أرباحا صافية بعد الضرائب والمخصصات مقدارها 484.5 مليون دولار أمريكي عن الفترة المنتهية في 30 أيلول 2012 مقارنة بأرباح قدرها 428.8 مليون دولار أمريكي لنفس الفترة من العام السابق. ويعكس هذا النمو في صافي الأرباح الارتفاع في صافي الفوائد والإيرادات التشغيلية".

وتظهر النتائج المالية لمجموعة البنك العربي زيادة ونمو الإيرادات التشغيلية لتصل إلى 1329.2 مليون دولار أمريكي في 30 أيلول 2012 مقارنة ب 1245.9 مليون دولار أمريكي لنفس الفترة من العام السابق وبنسبة نمو بلغت 7 % ، في حين تم ضبط المصاريف التشغيلية لتنمو بنسبة لم تتعدى 5 % كما تبين النتائج أيضاً استمرار في نمو حجم ودائع العملاء لتصل إلى 32.4 مليار دولار أمريكي في 30 أيلول 2012 مقارنة مع 31.7 مليار دولار أمريكي كما هي بنهاية العام الماضي، في حين بلغ رصيد محفظة التسهيلات الائتمانية 20.1 مليار دولار أمريكي ومجموع الموجودات 45.2 مليار دولار أمريكي.

من جانبه بين السيد صبيح المصري رئيس مجلس إدارة البنك العربي أن هذه النتائج الايجابية تأتي في وقت ما زالت كثير من دول واقتصاديات المنطقة والعالم تعاني من أزمات اقتصادية وظروف عامة استثنائية.

وأشار المصري إلى قدرة البنك على الاستفادة من شبكة فروعه المتميزة والمتواجدة في معظم دول المنطقة والعديد من دول العالم والتي تعتبر أحد أهم ركائز القوة والتميز للبنك العربي. وأكد المصري أن النتائج المالية لمجموعة البنك العربي إنما تؤكد وتعكس ثقة العملاء المستمرة بمتانة المركز المالي للبنك وقدرته على تحقيق نتائج طيبة تنعكس بشكل ايجابي على المؤشرات المالية للبنك .

وفي تعليقه على أداء محفظة الأصول للبنك أشار السيد نعمه صباغ إلى استمرار المجموعة في المحافظة على جودة ونوعية الأصول نتيجة للسياسات الحصيفة التي تتبعها. وبين السيد صباغ متانة وقوة المركز المالي للبنك حيث بلغت نسبة كفاية رأس المال للمجموعة 14.73% وهي أعلى من الحد الأدنى المطلوب من البنك المركزي الأردني والبالغ 12% وتقترب من ضعف الحد الأدنى المطلوب وفقا للجنة بازل II والبالغ 8%.

أما على صعيد السيولة فقد بين السيد صباغ بأن البنك يحرص على المحافظة على نسبة سيولة مرتفعة كأحد الأهداف الإستراتيجية وقد بلغت نسبة السيولة متمثلة بنسبة القروض إلى الودائع 62% في 30 أيلول 2012.

ومن الجدير بالذكر أن وكالة التصنيف العالمية فيتش أكدت بتاريخ 25/7/2012 تقييمها للبنك العربي بدرجة A – مع مؤشر مستقر .

وأختتم السيد صبيح المصري بالتعبير عن ثقته بقدرة البنك على السير قدماً نحو تحقيق المزيد من الانجاز والنجاح وبما يدعم المركز المالي للمجموعة ويعزز ثقة العملاء وذلك من خلال الالتزام بالقيم والأسس التي قام عليها البنك والاستمرار بإتباع السياسات المحافظة والحصيفة التي تنتهجها هذه المؤسسة العريقة.

Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce bringing seven Brazilian companies to Big 5 trade show in Dubai

Companies set to introduce novelties in construction during trade fair starting November 5

Dubai, October 31, 2012 – The Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce together with the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex) are bringing seven companies to the construction sector trade show, Big 5, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 5 to 8. The companies will showcase everything from construction machinery and ornamental rocks to sanitary ware and locks.

“Of great regional importance, the fair attracts buyers, investors and representatives from construction sites in the Arab countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Bahrain. It is an excellent opportunity for Brazilian entrepreneurs interested in expanding their business in this sector,” explains the Director-General of the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Michel Alaby.

At the Brazilian stand, visitors could check out the latest products of the companies Astra, of bathroom accessories; Deca, of ceramic and metal sanitary ware; Menegotti, of construction machinery; Pado of padlocks and locks; Tramontina, of stainless steel sinks and washbasins; Pettrus Mineração, of ornamental rocks and Universo Tintas, of paints and varnishes.

Tramontina, for example, is participating for the second time at Big 5. “We realized that the trade show is a good platform to build contacts, as it attracts visitors from various countries in the region. Therefore, we decided to participate again,” states Lucia Dendena, exports manager. Besides Tramontina, companies such as Deca, Pado and Menegotti have also participated in previous editions of Big 5.

Every year, the trade show consolidates the Arab Chamber’s role with Brazilian entrepreneurs. “In 2011, we reached about 2,500 businessmen throughout the Gulf region and countries in Africa, Asia and Europe,” says Alaby. In the last edition, the participating Brazilian companies made business deals worth approximately US$ 7 million.

Last year, Brazil exported to the Arab world US$ 40.93 million in construction materials, a 51 per cent increase compared to 2010, when sales reached US$ 27.15 million. The highlights were iron or steel bars (with an increase of over 1000 per cent) and pipes and accessories, with an increase of 69 per cent.

Since its creation, the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce has participated in the last nine years of the Big 5 and has introduced more than 100 companies to the Arab market.