Social Responsibility Fund Appoints Value Partners To Develop Technology Roadmap For AED 8 Million Social Community Initiative

Value Partners, a global leading management consultancy firm, today announced that it has been appointed as the project leader by Social Responsibility Fund (SRF) to steer the AED 8 million ‘Echo of silence’ initiative. Supported by Etisalat, Du, TRA and Yahsat, this initiative aims to bridge the digital divide by providing advanced technology services and training to the hearing and speech impaired. This will give them the opportunity to communicate with ease through ICT services and enable them to remain competitive in today’s business environment.

As part of the assignment, Value Partners will act as a strategic adviser and develop a technology framework for the project, which includes planning, identifying the right solutions and coordinating with vendors. Additionally, Value Partners will collaborate with various stakeholders during each project phase, to ensure the service delivered is to the highest global standards.

Abdulla Rashed Al Suwaidi, General Director for the Ministry of Social Affairs said, “Having access to technology and getting better jobs is always a hindrance to the physically challenged. A social community initiative like ‘Echo of Silence’ is in line with the Ministry’s strategy to promote cooperation between the government and private sector for the development of society. Value Partners are one of the key participants involved in the development of this initiative. We are confident that we will be able to leverage their expertise to provide long-term strategies that are required to accomplish the goals set for this project.”

“People with special needs require more initiatives like these to live and work independently. We commend SRF and the partners involved for taking up this initiative and look forward to helping them realize this vision,” added Santino Saguto, Managing Director of Value Partners Dubai.

Value Partners established its regional headquarters in Dubai Media City in November 2008 to serve its clients across GCC, Levant and Africa. The management consulting expert has been doing business in this area for some years and over the last decade has served leading companies in the region such as Tecom, Etisalat, ictQatar, Huawei, Orascom and other major players.

First Dubai Profits Reach AED 91.5 Million In 6 Months

First Dubai’s board of Directors has announced the company’s profits for the last six months after a board meeting yesterday afternoon, which was led by Chairman Seraj Al Baker. The company’s profits for the first half of 2009 amounted to AED 91.5 million, compared to AED 94.5 million for the same period last year, while Earnings per share (EPS) reached 92 fils.

Al Baker said after the meeting that First Dubai has put down a five-year plan, starting in 2009, and that the company has finished delivering all of its projects in Dubai, including The Villa in Dubai Land, with development works 85% complete, Queue Point residential project in Al Liwan, Dubai Land, which consists of five buildings which are completely sold out and is currently 45% complete, and Sky Gardens, which is 60% complete, with the remaining residential units and shops going on offer for lease during an elaborate marketing campaign starting in September. Sky Gardens is a vital project for First Dubai due to its uniqueness and vital location at DFIC, as well as being a destination for investors and residents alike.

Al Baker went on to say that the company’s five-year plan includes the development of Morina Residences located in Shams Abu Dhabi. It is being developed by Sorouh, who recently completed piling and foundation works, while concreted structure works will be handed over to an Emirati company. He added that the development of Morina Residences has been resumed due to the stability of the property market and the success of investment in Abu Dhabi, as stated by the latest research and studies.

Al Baker said that First Dubai’s capital reached AED 1,273 million during 2008, which drove the company to continue its success, thus providing impressive profits for its shareholders. He noted that the company is continually looking for alternative income sources during the global financial crisis.

He went on to say that his company’s assets amounted to AED 1,813 million in H1 2009 compared to AED 1,126 million during the same period in 2008. Total liabilities amounted to AED 573 million by the end of H1 2009, as opposed to AED 753 million during the same period last year. These figures affirm that First Dubai’s capital, not to mention its quality assets, are strong and well protected.

Al Baker added that total equity shares reached AED 1,240 million in H1 2009 against AED 373 million during the same period in 2008.

He concluded his speech by saying that the next period will see a relative stability in First Dubai’s financial results according to the company’s plans, noting that First Dubai’s book value does not reflect the company’s current market value for its stocks.

Deyaar Reports Second Quarter Net Profit Of AED 75.40 Million

Deyaar Development PJSC, a regional real estate company dedicated to innovation, customer care and long-term sustainable growth, announced today its financial results for the three months ending June 30, 2009, demonstrating continued profitability and consistently strong operations across all business units despite challenging market conditions.

Deyaar’s net profit for the three months ending June 30, 2009, reached AED 75.40 million, in line with the company’s earlier forecasts and resource allocation strategy for 2009. This represents an increase of 38 per cent over the company’s net profit of AED 54.48 million for Q1 2009. Deyaar’s gross revenues for Q2 2009 stood at AED 402 million. Deyaar’s total shareholders’ equity stood at AED 7.4 billion, while total assets reached AED 11.3 billion.

The company also reported today that it continues to maintain a positive operational cash flow with sufficient liquidity for the future. In a clear indication of Deyaar’s financial strength, the company noted that it has committed AED 100 million towards the Deyaar Property Opportunity Fund as seed capital as of June 30, 2009.

While the global financial crisis continued to impact the company’s financial performance during the period, Deyaar performed strongly to move forward with its 2009 business strategy, which has been favourably received by all customers and investors.

In line with its commitment to deliver seven projects in 2009, the company delivered five projects in the second quarter of this year, including four residential projects in Dubai Silicon Oasis and Deyaar’s first project in Lebanon. By the end of the year, the company expects to have delivered nearly 4 million square feet of units for 2009. In July, Deyaar will hand over The Citadel, its premium commercial tower in Dubai’s Business Bay. The Citadel is one of the first projects to be delivered in Business Bay, where Deyaar is one of the largest developers.

“On behalf of Deyaar, I am very pleased to note that our financial results for the second quarter have been in line with our expectations and are reflective of our sound fundamentals,” said Markus Giebel, Chief Executive Officer of Deyaar. “Deyaar’s strong balance sheet performance in the first half of 2009 is a validation of our business strategy that has positioned us better to navigate through a challenging market. As a result of our unique approach, we remain on course to achieve our target of delivering seven projects in 2009. We look forward to continue delivering high value and best service to our customers and shareholders.”

AUD Awarded Emirates Foundation AED 500,000 Grant

The School of Engineering of the American University in Dubai (AUD) participated recently in a nation-wide competition held by the Emirates Foundation, and was selected as one of two winners of a AED 500,000 grant.

When the Emirates Foundation invited colleges and universities in the UAE to participate in its competition for funding the installation or upgrade of laboratory classrooms for different engineering disciplines, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at AUD Dr. Hosni Ghedira presented the following proposal: “Upgrade AUD’s environmental engineering lab to a Water Environmental Technology Laboratory (WET-Lab) for advanced environmental research and water resources monitoring”, that was later selected for funding by the Foundation.

On being awarded the grant, Dr. Ghedira comments:
“Winning this competition places AUD as one of leading institution in applied research in the UAE and reinforces the fact that AUD faculty is able to produce leading-edge research in advanced technology and environmental sciences.”

The new WET-Lab will provide students and researchers with hands-on experience in environmental monitoring, allowing them to learn about and take advantage of the state-of-the-art measurement instruments for sea, drinking and waste water testing and analysis. The new lab will also support AUD’s ongoing research activities with the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology, Dubai Government (EIAST) focusing on developing new satellite-based tools to forecast detect and monitor different environmental hazards in the UAE and the Gulf region.

Dr. Ghedira adds:
“The new WET-Lab will help our undergraduate students as future engineers by exposing them to real life problems in which they can combine theory and practice. This will give them a solid background with the necessary skills to make them job-ready for a challenging and rewarding career in sustainable water and wastewater technology. In average, 50 undergraduate students will benefit from the lab facilities each year.”

du greets its customers on ’Vishu’ with recharge and win contest

Greeting its customers on the occasion of Vishu, the south Indian harvest festival, du, the UAE’s integrated telecom service provider today announced a recharge and win contest for Pay as you Go® customers to win tickets to a show organized by Asianet featuring performance by leading film stars from Kerala in India. By simply using the ‘more international’ option on AED 100 or AED 200 WoW recharge card and sending recharge card number by SMS to 6961 , du customers have a chance to win tickets to the show, scheduled on 10 April.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “Our heartiest greetings go to our customers on the joyous occasion of Vishu. By simply using their du recharge cards and the more international option, not only will they make lot of savings on international calls, they also have an opportunity to celebrate this festival with their loved ones and their favourite film stars, presented in association with our partner Asianet. We hope our customers appreciate our gesture and make full use of the opportunity.”

du is partnering Asianet in presenting the marathon 5-hour long event on 10 April that will have performances by well-known film stars such as Navya Nair, Biju Narayan, Unni Menon and many more. The event is scheduled to be staged at Sheikh Rashid Auditorium in Dubai from7:30 pm onwards. The recorded programme will be also telecast on Asianet TV channel on 14 April, the day of Vishu festival at 8:30 pm.

‘more international’ from du enables customers to get extra credit of upto 60% for international calls. On AED 100 denomination recharge card, du customers get a credit worth AED 150, valid for 20 days. On AED 200 denomination recharge card, du customers get a credit worth AED 320, valid for 30 days.

Each SMS sent by du customers to participate in the contest will cost AED 3 and the winners will be notified by Asianet.

du launches More Talk, More Music offer on all its SIM packs

Innovating on its value proposition for mobile content, du has announced the launch of yet another ‘first in the region’ proposition – a limited edition ‘More Talk, More Music’ promotional offer with all its SIM packs.

On purchasing a new du Pay as you Go ® line for just AED 55, customers will receive AED 54 worth of free talktime as well as AED 56 worth of entertainment content.

This can then be used for downloading the month’s top Islamic and music content by way of full track music download, ringtones and videos; from a choice of popular content genres – Arabic, International, Bollywood, Malayalam and Tagalog.

The AED 54 worth of free talktime is given in the form of AED 21 on the first call and AED 11 per month over the next three months.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said; “For the first time in the region, a telecom operator is actually attempting to give free Mobile content along with every SIM pack. The More Talk, More Music promotion reiterates our commitment to offer an unparalleled user experience. Not only will a new du customers get free talktime when they purchase a new Pay as you Go® line, they also enjoy free entertainment content for their mobile made possible by our exclusive partnerships, such as the ones with Al Majd for Islamic content beside Rotana and Hungama for other content; allowing them to enjoy life even more, while on the move.”

A similar offer can also be enjoyed by those who purchase the new Elite Plan or Visitor Mobile Line. On purchasing the Elite Plan for AED 125, Elite Plan users will receive AED 124 worth of free talktime and AED 126 worth of entertainment content or in purchasing the Visitor Mobile Line for AED 49, customers will receive AED 48 worth of free talktime and AED 56 worth of entertainment content.

For customers who have handsets that do not support the download of such content, they would be given AED 56 worth of monotunes which can be enjoyed on their current handsets

Furthermore, all existing du mobile customers can purchase the entertainment content worth AED56 for a one time discounted charge of AED 6. To buy such content, du customers can SMS 1 to 1234 for further instructions in Arabic or SMS 2 to 1234 for instructions in English.

This offer is only available for a limited period only while the free entertainment content would have to be used by 30 September, 2009. For more information on how to benefit from the offer or to purchase it, visit www.du.ae, or visit any one of the authorised du dealers.

Benefits at a glance:
1. Pay as you Go® gives AED 54 worth of free credit over three months and AED 56 free entertainment content credit to be used by 30 September 2009.
2. Visitor Mobile Line gives AED 48 free credit over two months and AED 56 free content credit to be used by 30 September 2009.
3. Elite Plan gives AED 124 free credit over four months and AED 126 free entertainment content credit to be used by 30 September 2009.

Free entertainment content given as:
- Full music tracks, ring tones, and videos
- Music content will be the top content for the month – featuring the best in Arabic, Bollywood, International, Islamic, Malayalam, and Tagalog content.

Amazing Offers At Homes r Us This Dubai Summer Surprises

Homes r Us, one of the fastest growing home furniture and furnishings brand in the Middle East, has a great treat in store for all shoppers. The brand has announced a Mega Sale of up to 75 per cent off as a part of Dubai Summer Surprises 2009. Starting June 25, 2009, the sale will be on at its outlets in Mazaya Center and Arabian Center, Dubai. The brand is also extending the amazing sale to its outlet in Sharjah. The entire range of home furniture, furnishings and accessories at the Homes r Us store will be available at irresistible bargains.

By spending AED 200 at the Homes r Us store at the Arabian Center, shoppers stand a chance to win AED 500,000 every week for nine weeks starting June 11, 2009 as part of the “Surprising Millions” promotion, being organized by Dubai Summer Surprises – Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSS-DSMG). Shoppers spending AED 200 at the store will also be eligible to participate in the Arabian Center mall draw to win a Toyota four-wheel drive every week.

Announcing the mega sale, Mr. Viraf Raimalwala, General Manager, Homes r Us, said, “At Homes r Us, we always aim towards offering great value to our customers. While continually maintaining high quality standards, we also focus on providing great value to our customers all through the year by way of unmatched choice of stylish home furniture and furnishings. The attraction of shopping at Homes r Us is multiplied by the affordable price points and by periodical value offers such as the sale which is going on at present.”

“Our stores house an eclectic range of home furniture, furnishings and accessories across truly stunning styles and trends. We carry a vast range of home décor and home essentials to meet the needs all nationalities and cultures. We thank DSS for their tremendous support towards our brand and for creating wonderful opportunities where shoppers can find great deals while shopping,” he further added.

With the recent opening of the new stores at Arabian Center on Al Khawaneej Road, Mirdiff and Bawadi Mall in Al Ain, Homes r Us has expanded its reach to its customers. Homes r Us showcases an extensive and stylish range of furniture for living, dining, bedrooms, outdoor and junior homes. One can choose from a diverse range of furniture and furnishing concepts in living, dining, bedroom, outdoor and junior home, as well as a fascinating collection of accessories like picture gallery, artistic rugs, lamps, gift ideas and much more. Offering a kaleidoscope of designs and styles that vary across cultures, genre and personal taste, the brand has earned its place in the hearts and minds of discerning shoppers.

du begins summer celebrations as gold sponsor of Al Ain Mall ’Travel Season’ campaign

In a move to reach-out to customers in Al Ain, du, the UAE’s integrated telecom services provider, is joining in Al Ain Mall’s celebrations for the summer, as gold sponsor of its ‘Travel Season’ campaign. Shoppers who spend AED 200 or more in du shop or any of the mall’s other outlets, will receive a raffle coupon which entitles them to enter a raffle draw and win various prizes, with the chance to win the grand prize – a car.

The campaign, which lasts till 15 June, includes a variety of activities. The Travel Season campaign will also feature a wide variety of live music and entertainment, including acrobatic shows onstage in the heart of the mall. Apart from the grand prize of a car, shoppers can also win other prizes from du, worth up to AED 550.

During the promotional campaign, all shoppers are invited to the du shop, located on the mall’s first floor, to find out about du’s wide variety of products and services and ongoing promotions, while winners of the weekly raffle can visit the shop to claim their special du prize.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “In sponsoring events such as Al Ain Mall’s Travel Season campaign, we are fulfilling our vision to reach out- and get closer to customers in the UAE. Participating in the campaign is an excellent way for us to gain momentum for the start of the summer season, and raise awareness about the fantastic products and services that du provides to customers.”

du participates in ’Make Smart Shopping Your Business’ at Deira City Centre

In a move to reach out to new and existing shoppers at Deira City Centre, du, the UAE’s integrated telecom services provider, has joined the ‘Make Smart Shopping Your Business’ promotion, which lasts until 7 June 2009.

The promotion is targeting over 2,000 offices surrounding Deira City Centre – in the Deira, Garhoud, Al Qusais and Rashidiya areas in Dubai; in a move to attract local business people to shop at the centre, which has over 370 outlets including a du shop on the ground floor.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said; “By participating in promotions such as Deira City Centre’s ‘Make Smart Shopping Your Business’ we are able to more closely connect with and reach out to our customers in local areas in Dubai. The promotion also provides us with an excellent opportunity to raise awareness in the local community about the fantastic range of products and services that du provides to customers.”

For the promotion, a smart shopping kit was door-dropped to more than 2000 neighbouring companies, which included a ‘Smart Shopper Card’ that customers have to complete and get stamped at a designated counter in the mall.

Holders of the card are then eligible to participate in the promotion by spending a minimum of AED 100 in any of the stores on a weekday (Sunday to Thursday), and will receive one stamp. Once a customer collects five stamps on the card, they are entitled to a special prize, by choosing from a selection of items from participating stores, including du.

During the promotion, all shoppers are invited to the du shop, located at Deira City Centre’s ground floor, to find out about du’s wide variety of products and services and ongoing promotions, while those who complete their ‘Make Smart Shopping Your Business’ card, are invited to visit the du shop to choose their prize from a selection of du items.

du opens new shop at Aswaaq supermarket in Al Mizhar

Reaching out to new and existing customers in Al Mizhar, du announced today the opening of its new shop at Aswaaq supermarket in Dubai’s Al Mizhar area.

Located in the Al Mizhar Community Center in Dubai on the first floor, the du shop will cater to customers with du’s wide variety of products and services including purchase of du prepaid, du Elite Plan postpaid lines, du recharge cards, du Call Select (fixed line service) and also provide information about the ongoing promotional offers from du.

du is also participating in Aswaaq’s ‘Spin and Win’ promotion, to mark the start of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) and the supermarket chain’s participation in the summer festivities. The promotion, which is targeting all shoppers, and in particular the local residents of Al Mizhar area of Dubai, will offer a unique chance to win an assortment of valuable prizes. To participate in the promotion, shoppers have to spend a minimum of AED 50 at the Aswaaq supermarket, and will then be given the chance to spin the Aswaaq wheel. Those lucky enough to spin the wheel round to a winning spot will win their choice of an instant prize which include one minutes of free shopping, apart from exclusive prizes from du.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, commented; “With our new shop at Aswaaq at Mizhar, we are making it easier for customers to reach us and opening new doors of relationship with them. At the same time, Aswaaq’s Spin and Win promotion provides us with an opportunity to reach out to and connect with customers in Al Mizhar area in Dubai, and to raise awareness about the wide range of products, services and promotions that du offers, to fit all of our customers’ unique needs. The promotion also provides an excellent opportunity to kick-start du’s participation in DSS, and we are looking forward to a fun-filled summer of bringing du’s products and services, closer to our customers.”