Daawat Organises An Evening Of Surprises At Atlantis For 100 Lucky Couples

Federal Foods, LT Foods – the owners of the brand Daawat basmati rice, and EMKE Group recently organized an exclusive gala dinner for 100 lucky couples of the Daawat by Daawat promotion at Atlantis (The Palm hotel) Dubai. The Daawat by Daawat promotion was held in April – May 2009 across all the LuLu Hypermarkets in the UAE.

The evening began with lots of excitement and surprises lined up for the couples by the organizers and the four course dinner was hosted by none other than Tia from city101.6 FM. The soulful renditions by leading Bollywood singer Shibani Kashyap was enjoyed by everyone present as she belted out her popular hits like Zinda hoon mein. Apart from her mesmerizing solos, the versatile singer also showed her extended musical talent by strumming the guitar.

The audience was thrilled when ten vouchers for the exciting AquaVenture- Atlantis were given away through a raffle draw. The names of the winners were Ameeta Prem, Paul Pinto, Sethu Madhavan, Teresa, Prasanth, Naseem Ishad, Pribu John, Priya Venkatasubramanium, Samin Maanan, Asha Turani.
To add on to the excitement there was a mega raffle draw where six lucky couples were chosen for a free night’s stay at the Atlantis. The excited winners were Bincy Ashly, Faisal Abdul Khader, Vandita Ramesh, Jameela Beevi, Chimbu, Johny Joseph T.J

On the occasion, Mr. Qaiser (Product Manager Daawat), Federal Foods, said, “Events such as Daawat by Daawat help us in getting closer to our customers and is an opportunity for us to understand their different tastes and preferences. It is also our way of honouring our customers, who have been loyal users of the brand. The Dawaat by Daawat promotion has been a successful one. We promise to be back with many such exciting promotions in the near future. “

Mr. Satish from Daawat, said, “We are very proud of our association with Federal Foods, which is a leading player in the region’s FMCG market. In Federal Foods, we have found an active partner who goes all out to understand the pulse of the market and use the right strategies to promote the brands. The Daawat by Daawat promotion has been a successful one and was possible only due to the active co-operation of both Federal Foods and the EMKE group.”

Share Best Practice Conference Highlights Dubai’s Commitment To Promote Quality And Excellence

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman – Dubai Airports, President – Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and CEO – Emirates Group, the Department of Economic Development (DED) and Dubai Quality Group (DQG), today, organised the “Share Best Practice 2009” Conference & Exhibition at the Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City. The annual event is an ongoing initiative to further promote the practical concepts of quality and excellence amongst the business community.

More than 450 people from the business community attended the event at which winners of the Dubai Quality Award (DQA), Dubai Human Development Award (DHDA) and Dubai Service Excellence Scheme (DSES) 2008 shared their best practices in quality management and service excellence with potential applicants of the awards.

“Share Best Practice 2009 comes in line with Dubai Government’s commitment to further strengthen quality and excellence, and introduce global best practices across all economic sectors of the Emirate. Dubai’s economic fundamentals encourage companies and corporations to compete among themselves to adopt best practices and deliver quality services and products to further gain investor trust,” said Khalid Al Kassim, Deputy Director General for Planning and Development at DED.

“The Department of Economic Development continuously works to enhance Dubai’s competitiveness by partnering with the private sector to strengthen the quality of products and achieve the highest levels of customer satisfaction. DQA, DHDA and DSES have strengthened the culture of quality and excellence in Dubai’s business community. They had a very positive impact on an increasing number of private companies and individuals who participate in the awards’ processes, thus, also enhancing their role in economic development,” added Al Kassim.

“In line with Dubai Quality Group’s objective of spreading quality in the business community, Share Best Practice Conference & Exhibition serves as a very cost-effective platform to benchmark and benefit from the best practices of leading organizations in the UAE,” said Dr Wafi Dawood, Chairman, DQG.

“The conference has been successfully running in the past years by promoting the best practices of Dubai Quality Award winners. A major highlight this year is that the event has further expanded by bringing together the winners of Dubai Human Development Award & Dubai Service Excellence Scheme,” added Dr Dawood.

The full-day event had four sessions with many of the DQA, DHDA and DSES 2008 winners presenting a selected best practice to the audience. His Excellency Awad Khalifa Al Darmaki, General Manager of Al Ain Municipality, and Mr Reg Athwal, author & international speaker, were among the keynote speakers at the conference.

Presentations were made by the winners of DQA 2008 including Dubai Healthcare City, Sharjah Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction Company Ltd (ADGAS) and Dubai Properties; and winners of Dubai Quality Appreciation Programme (DQAP) including Amana Steel Buildings Contracting Company, Al Rostamani International Exchange, Joy Alukkas Jewellery, Associated Constructions & Investments Company (ASCON), DAMAS, The Kanoo Group-Power & Industrial Projects Division and India Club.

Participants from Dubai Human Development Award included Dubai Ports World – DP World and Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA), and UAE Exchange from the appreciation program. The list of participants from DSES included MARINA Exotic Home Interiors and DUNE.

At the conference, Mr Khalid Al Kassim and Dr Wafi Dawood honoured young business leaders, who have achieved a strong track-record in best practices and for their contributions to quality management practices. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Director General of Ajman Free Zone Authority (AFZA), Major Fahad Al Muttawa, Dubai Police; Hani Hossni, Abu Dhabi Distribution Company; Mohamed Sharaf, Dubai Asset Management; Shamma Al Rahmah, ENOC; Ibrahim Salman Al Hammadi, Ajman Municipality and Planning Department; Muna Aldhabbah, Prime Mister’s Office and Ali Fadhlani, Dubai Holding received the honours.

His Excellency Awad Khalifa Al Darmaki opened the conference with the first presentation entiled ’The engine of leadership of Al Ain Municipality,’ where he focused on leadership. Mr Reg Athwal’s presented on ‘Unleash Your Quality DNA – Putting the Quality into Talent Acquisition to Achieve High ROI in Tough Times’ focused on meeting the challenges of the global financial crisis.

ICON Bar & Lounge Invites Music Aficionado’s To Chill-Out

Multi-talented duo, Tahnee and Dany are the top billing at ICON Bar & Lounge’s chill out evening, (this Monday June 22 2009).

The singer-song writing- guitar strumming team will give two performances, starting from 8 pm, at Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City.

There is no cover charge, and all guests should be over 21 year of age. Every Monday is Ladies Night with free Mojitos for ladies from 7pm to midnight at ICON Bar & Lounge and this offer is open for the Monday music evening also.

ICON Bar & Lounge is a trendy meeting place and popular for live entertainment, while offering a vibrant ambiance, and a selection of cold and hot bites.

It is also popular among sports enthusiasts, and offers frequent live coverage of sports through-out the year, with special coverage and themed nights planned during major sporting events.

Certo Cooks Up A Fresh-To-Table Menu Straight From The Markets Of Italy

Certo, at Radisson Blue Hotel, Dubai Media City, is being true to its Italian roots this season, and is hosting a summer-long menu featuring fresh-from-the market ingredients.

Chef Simon promises that fresh produce selected to bring the true taste of Italy is scheduled into Dubai every week throughout the summer months. He said that he and his team have come up with signature Italian daily specials, using the freshest of ingredients.

“My team and I have put our combined creative and logistical skills to the test and have found a way to ensure fresh-to-table ingredients, straight from the source. We have scoured Italy and have identified some fabulous, often surprising, produce for the summer season at Certo. Our shopping list comprises the freshest ingredients to be flown into to Dubai from Italy, on a weekly basis,” he said.

Julia Alvaro, Director of Sales and Marketing at Radisson Blu Hotel said that with Chef Simon at the helm of kitchen, innovation is a staple at Certo.

“Simon and his team have done it again – they have surprised me and are ready to surprise you! The Italian market promotion at Certo will feature more than 100 new products that will be displayed and used through this season,” she confirmed.

Certo has bagged numerous awards in recent months including the best business lunch, the best Chef and the best in Italian cooking. The show kitchen features a wide selection of fine olive oils, while the six-metre tall special storage tower is an impressive focal point, housing 500 vineyard selections from around the world.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City Gets Second Award In One Month

It has been a bumper month for accolades at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City as the hotel scooped its second award in the four-star hotel award category, this time at the MENA Travel Awards.

The 246-roomed hotel was named as the best four-star hotel in the region by a panel comprising of leading hospitality consultants, known as CHA International (Consultants of Hospitality Administrators).

This platinum category award comes fast on the heels of the hotel taking the crown in same category at the Business Traveller Awards 2009.

Pasquale Baiguera, the hotel’s General Manager said: “The award is very significant for us as this is a direct endorsement of our service from a cross-section of the audience including the hospitality industry, in-house guests and restaurant customers.”

The MENA Travel Awards 2009 ‘Hospitality Best of the Best’ award winners are selected through an independent system where voters were requested to submit their recommendations for each category.

According to CHA International, the votes are vetted by award auditors making it truly transparent judging process.

“Our team is honoured and delighted to receive this award especially as our guests have recommended us to win. The end-users were asked for their feedback and to pay particular attention to the standards of the service and products on offer, and in a gesture of support to the efforts of our team, we came out on top,” said Pasquale.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City is located in the heart of the emirate’s regional technology and communications hub and offers 246 rooms, including five suites, designed in a contemporary style. The hotel offers several food & beverage outlets – including the award-winning Italian restaurant, Certo, and Chef’s House, 12 meeting rooms. The hotel also offers a full-service spa, Senso Wellness Centre with five themed massage rooms and two outdoor pools.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City Hailed As Best Four-Star Hotel In Middle East By Business Travellers Awards 2009

As industry leaders at the recent Arabian Hotel Investment Conference and Arabian Travel Market pegged the four-star segment as one to watch, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City scooped the Business Traveller Awards 2009 for the best four-star hotel in the Middle East. The annual award ceremony was held during the region’s annual travel week (in Dubai, May 4 2009).

Pasquale Baiguera, the hotel’s General Manager said that the award is voted by independent readers of Business Traveller magazine and signals a genuine appreciate for the property which is located within Dubai’s first commercial, city-based free zone within the catchment of Dubai Internet City, Media City and Knowledge Village. He said that more than 55,000 professionals are estimated to be working within the three-prong business area, which is a stones-throw from the emirate’s new residential areas of Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Beach Residence and Palm Jumeirah.

“This award signals a strong commitment by the public to Radisson Blu, DMC, and points to their acknowledgement that we provide one of the best business lifestyle experiences among the region’s hospitality sector. We feel very proud.

“We accept this recognition on behalf of the team, the star performers and many of them working with passion behind the scenes,” he added.

Baiguera said that the Business Traveller Middle East Awards continue to be the benchmark for excellence in the region’s travel and hospitality industry, including best airlines, airports, hotels, golf courses and car rental companies.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City is located in the heart of the emirate’s regional technology and communications hub and offers 246 rooms, including five suites, designed in a contemporary style. The hotel offers several food & beverage outlets – including the award-winning Italian restaurant, Certo, and Chef’s House, 12 meeting rooms and Senso Wellness Centre with five themed massage rooms and two outdoor pools.

Emirates’ Dhs1.8billion Park Towers Property On Track

Emirates airline and Group, the largest aviation and travel services provider in the Middle East, has signed a contract to partner with Marriott International, the leading multi-brand hotel management company.

Marriott has been appointed hotel operator of the Park Towers, a 1,614-room twin-tower hotel and apartment property, which Emirates is currently constructing on Sheikh Zayed Road, adjacent to Dubai’s premier Business Bay district.

Under Marriott management, the property will be branded as one of the top-of-the-line JW Marriott Marquis luxury hotels. This will include two guest room towers rising from a six-story building housing lobby and public space. The first 807-room tower is scheduled to open in 2011 and the second tower in 2013.

Both parties have been collaborating on the details of the new hotel’s design, which will see it emerge as one of Dubai’s top properties.
His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates airline and Group said: “Emirates has always supported Dubai’s continued growth. The development of this new 1,614 room property reflects our commitment to, and confidence in, the city’s ongoing success.“As a leading international hotel management group operating several successful brands, Marriott has the track-record and the global infrastructure to maximise the value of our Dhs1.8 billion city centre investment. We believe this property will emerge as one of Dubai’s top hotels and will contribute to attracting both leisure and business travellers to the city. We very much look forward to working together to add to Dubai’s five-star luxury experience.”

“The JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai will be a unique and visually stunning hotel without pretence that welcomes the world to this incredible city,” said Edwin D. Fuller, President & Managing Director, International Lodging, Marriott International. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Emirates. Their recognised commitment to excellence, unparalleled service and exquisite taste all make Emirates the perfect partner to introduce this special hotel. We are confident it will quickly become the finest address in Dubai. Marriott has always had a strong commitment towards Dubai, and we believe this relationship with Emirates cements our position as a regional hospitality leader.”
 

Dubai Internet City Looks Ahead for Region’s Telecom Industry

Malek Al Malek, Executive Director of Dubai Internet City, has urged the Middle East’s telecom companies to monitor and support start up technology companies which could be a vital source of innovative products and services.

Al Malek made his comment during a key note speech titled: ‘An outlook of the Telecom industry in the Middle East’, delivered on the first day of the third annual TelecomFinance Middle East and Africa 2009 Conference held yesterday at the Park Hyatt Hotel, Dubai.

The leader of one of the world’s largest managed ICT clusters, Al Malek said: “Start-up companies can greatly reduce time to market and the cost to develop new technologies for telecom companies. While some telecom operators around the world have already started dedicating resources to monitor the market for innovative technology companies, the Middle Eastern telecom industry would also benefit from a similar business model.”
In his address, Al Malek looked at the sweeping changes that the Middle East has been experiencing in the past decade that has created a trend where telecom companies have had to remain competitive by constantly offering new innovative products and services to support the infrastructure of telecom service providers.

“The new generation has become more educated and savvy, and they are demanding more choice. This is why the telecom infrastructure has had to ensure it delivers superior and differentiated services and telecom networks that are also able to facilitate the availability of converged services – something that consumers have come to expect from their telecom service providers today,” he told delegates.

Al Malek went on to demonstrate the potential for growth in the region’s telecom industry by making reference to a number of key sources including the Global Information Technology, report recently released by the World Economic Forum and INSEAD business school. The report shows that the Middle East has been the biggest beneficiary from ICT advances in the past eight years, with countries in the GCC key players in promoting and developing the structural transformation of the region’s physical infrastructure.

Al Malek emphasized the market opportunities available in the region as the amount spent on IT services, in the telecommunications sector for the UAE, is estimated to top US$97 million by 2009 and US$133 by 2011, according to the recently published IT White Paper: ‘A Middle East Perspective’.

Following his key note address, Al Malek took part in a lively panel discussion chaired by Santino Saguto, Managing Director, Value Partners Dubai and senior industry speakers including Ihab Ghattas, Assistant President, Hua Wei Telecom Middle East and du’s Raghu Venkataraman, Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy & Strategic Marketing. The discussion looked at the business model trends likely to evolve in the region, some of which include the rise in local content for social networks and the convergence between other sectors and changing social trends.

Dubai Internet City currently hosts many of the world’s leading ICT companies. Today, 100 of 1400 business partners at DIC serve some of the world’s largest telecom operators who are also based at the award-winning ICT free zone. They include: AT&T, China Telecom, British Telecom and Verizon.
 

Dubai Customs Celebrates World IP Day

Director General of Dubai Customs His His Excellency Ahmed Butti Ahmed, opened the annual World Intellectual Property Day ceremony yesterday 26th April 2009.Organized by Dubai Customs at Monarch Hotel Dubai the event was attended by a number of Heads of government departments, customs administrations in UAE and GCC States, Federal Customs Authority, diplomatic missions representatives, senior personalities, customs officials and inspectors, Brand Owners Protection Group representatives and media correspondents.“Dubai customs believes in the rights of producers, creators and intellectuals whether in respect to industrial, commercial or literary areas’, said Mr. Butti while opening the event.“Dubai Customs has long taken the issue of IPR seriously. Stringent measures for encountering counterfeited and fake products including other items that are detrimental to public health, local community and UAE society or undermining producers and brand owners rights had been taken,” he added.“The aim of such measures is to maintain the legitimacy of international trade as well since Dubai is deemed to be a core hub linking both Eastern and Western parts of the world and serving a market populating of over a billion people by re-exportation to different countries”, Mr. Butti added.A number of achievements done by Dubai Customs over the past years in the area of IPR are commended and much-admired by the international community and major manufacturers worldwide.A dedicated IPR department to support the existing measures was established 4 years ago playing a major role in protecting the emirate’s 14 customs offices located at sea, air and land ports.“The IPR department made great efforts in the area of education and awareness about IPR emphasizing the risks and harms to public health as a result of counterfeited products. The efforts covered workshops for wider groups of the society, such as schools and universities across the country and complex areas like trade malls and clubs,” the Director General of Dubai Customs said.“Continuous workshops throughout the year are being organized as well for customs inspectors to develop their knowledge, understanding and job skills in connection with distinguishing between unique and counterfeited products and precisely differentiating between genuine and fake trade brands,” he maintained.Mr. Butti added that, “counterfeiting is an international phenomenon extended to cover man’s consumables including even human blood. Such matters annoy us all but we assure you that Dubai Customs would continue to make tireless efforts in combating such phenomenon.”“We are keen to develop, use and invest in best scanning and inspection equipment with improving our employees’ skills since we are concerned with maintaining the international community’s reliance on our ongoing measures and strengthening our country’s position as a secured destination attracting foreign investments,” Mr. Butti said.During the celebration, the winning projects taking part in “Dubai Customs IPR Award” contest were announced.The contest was organized by Dubai Customs in cooperation with the Ministry of Education as part of a comprehensive IPR awareness campaign by customs targeting all society groups including students.The representatives of the 3 winning schools and the students, owners of the winning projects, were honored by the Director General of Dubai Customs.The contest gains a special importance being a means of education enhancing the students’ appreciation for innovative thinking, developing their awareness about customs business from the economic and social perspectives and expanding their understandings in connection with risks of counterfeited products to public health.Dubai Customs World IPR Day celebrations would include holding a 4 days educational workshops for customs inspectors at the Monarch Hotel Dubai.The workshop, which is expected to gather representatives from the Brand Owners Protection Group, comes as part of Dubai Customs’ role in protecting intellectual property rights, combating counterfeiting and forgery, identifying problems facing inspectors and other competent parties in detecting fake products and disseminating awareness about negatives impacts arising from trading in counterfeited goods on both the local and international economies.
 

Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Media City Announces Appointment Of Denis Nobre As The New Financial Controller

Pasquale Baiguera, General Manager Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City has announced the appointment of Denis Nobre as the new Financial Controller of the hotel.Denis will oversee the entire accounting division of the hotel. He brings with him an extensive knowledge as a financial specialist and his expertise in international hotel chain operations.Denis received his Master’s Degree in International Hotel Management in Belgium with a thesis on Yield Management and the impact on Revenue Optimisation.Pasquale said: “We are pleased to welcome Denis and we strongly believe he will be a valuable asset to our number crunching team.”At Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Media City Denise will play a crucial role in the financial division and his primary responsibilities include the overall management of all financial and monetary matters at the hotel.