UOWD IT Graduate, Samaneh Sanatnama, Among Four Finalists In ’The Big Start’ Business Start-Up Competition

Samaneh Sanatnama, a Finnish student of Iranian origin at the University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD), was among the four finalists who made it to the final round of The Big Start, a student entrepreneur initiative launched by Al Tamimi Investments (ATI).

The four students, competed against nearly 200 students from across the UAE for a chance to have their business idea made into a reality.

Samaneh Sanatnama, who completed her IT degree program at UOWD in April 2010 and is currently employed with MBC, was recognised for her well structured marketing plan for a clothing design company for kids.

"Though I am an IT student, I have good marketing skills which prompted me to apply for The Big Start competition, as it presents a lifetime opportunity to launch one’s own business with funding from Al Tamimi Investments," said Samaneh. "I put in a lot of effort into my presentation, and covered every aspect of the business plan, including the product’s unique selling proposition, costing, revenue, research, etc. I also did my homework by checking with stores about selling trends and other aspects. It was very thrilling to be selected for the final round."

"In terms of what I have learnt, the past six months has been invaluable to me and I have really enjoyed putting into practice what I have learnt at UOWD. I know that with hard work and perseverance, I can do anything I set my mind to," Samaneh said.

The final winner gets the chance of a lifetime to set up and run his or her own business after they graduate, with full funding and support from Al Tamimi Investments. The winner is given the title of Chief Executive Officer for the new company, as well as a structured shareholding agreement.

The final four candidates were selected based on their idea for an innovative new UAE-based company, their business acumen and personal qualities. Each finalist was given the opportunity to present his/her business plans to the judging panel, which included the Chairman of Al Tamimi Investments, Essam Al Tamimi.
 

Hamptons International Brings Superior UK Property With ’The Collection’ At Dubai Marina

Hamptons International, the premier real estate agency, is bringing a fine selection of homes in the UK with ‘The Collection.’ The three-day exhibition of superior homes in London and other popular destinations in the country is part of an international roadshow by Hamptons.

The Collection in Dubai will be held at the Hamptons International office in Dubai Marina from May 26 to 28, before moving to Hong Kong. The objective of the roadshow is to highlight the emerging trends in the UK property market as well as showcase desirable property that will appeal to end-user customers and investors residing in the UAE.

The event will underscore the favourable exchange rates that are currently prevailing, which make UK property purchases a good bargain for UAE residents. The Collection in Dubai follows the success of the ‘Best of British’ property showcase organized by Hamptons last year in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, highlighting how the UK has evolved as a prime investment destination for overseas buyers.

Andrew Phillips, Regional Sales Director at Hamptons International in the UK, who will be in attendance at the event said: “The Collection is an unprecedented opportunity for both professional and non-professional investors to meet with representatives from one of the UK’s most well-established residential agents. At the event, potential buyers can seek professional assistance on the best investment opportunities available across the UK residential market.

“We are looking forward to showcasing The Collection portfolio of prestigious properties to our Dubai customer base and providing investors a first-hand look at some of the best examples of UK residential property currently on the market,” he added.

Hamptons International will welcome a select audience of property investors to attend and view The Collection from May 26 to 28. The Collection then moves on to be showcased in Hong Kong and finally, an exhibition will take place in London at the Hamptons International head office at Grosvenor Square on June 2.

For further information about The Collection from Hamptons International, please call 800 Hamptons (800 4267 8667) or +971 4 366 1662 if from outside of the UAE, or visit www.hamptons.ae.

Hamptons International, a 140 year old company acquired by Emaar in 2006 is based in Dubai. The property portfolio of Hamptons includes projects from leading developers in the UAE as well as from international markets. The company’s growing network has more than 75 offices worldwide allowing both regional and international customers’ access to a diverse property portfolio from across the region as well as overseas - a unique value proposition of Hamptons. Locally in the UAE, the services of Hamptons include residential sales and leasing, commercial leasing, property management, valuations, research studies and an independent mortgage advisory.
 

Presented by du and supported by Coca – Cola: The ’One’ Marquee attracts soccer fans as World Cup finale nears

As the 2010 FIFA World Cup enters the final week, soccer fans are crowding the ’One’, a luxurious marquee built especially for the World Cup. Presented by du, and supported by Coca-Cola as the Official Partner, the high-end venue is one of the main attractions of the ongoing Dubai Summer Surprises 2010.

Fully-equipped with state-of-the-art 35 LCD screens in addition to two 2x3 metre giant screens, the marquee offers its visitors a great menu of food and beverages in addition to shiesha to set the mood of excitement and cheering across the two-floored venue. Cooled by air conditioning units, the marquee can accommodate around 600 spectators. 

Passengers from around the world cross new Dubai-Prague bridge

Emirates lived up to its name as the international airline of the UAE after passengers from more than 20 countries joined its first flight to Prague.

Travellers from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, India, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Singapore, China, South Korea - and as far a field as Australia - were amongst those on board yesterday’s inaugural.

The airline is providing the only daily, non-stop passenger service to Prague, capital of the Czech Republic and site of the famous Charles Bridge, straddling the Vltava River.

Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline, who headed the Emirates’ delegation on the first flight, said: "Prague is our second European route launch this year after Amsterdam on 1st May and our 103rd destination globally. The Czech Republic is a popular tourist destination and an exciting emerging market. The route is off to a good start with passengers joining the inaugural flight to Prague from more than 20 countries across the world, underscoring the hub role of Dubai and the boost this new link will provide to the Czech tourism industry. "

Mr Clark added: "With a fleet of 149 aircraft including 11 A380s, we continue to drive forward with our expansion plans and more new routes are on the way. Madrid starts up 1st August and Dakar in Senegal begins a month after that."

Also representing Emirates for the first flight were Richard Vaughan, Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations Worldwide; Salem Obaidalla, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe & Russian Federation; Boutros Boutros, Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications and Ram Menen, Divisional Senior Vice President, Cargo.

They were joined by Brigadier Obaid Mehayer Bin Suroor, Deputy Director of Dubai Naturalisation & Residency department and members of the UAE media.

After arriving at Ruzyne International Airport in Prague, the Emirates’ aircraft received a water cannon welcome, while a traditional Rosenka dance group performed on the tarmac.

Amongst those welcoming the flight were Jaroslav Ludva, the Czech Ambassador to the UAE and Miroslav Dvorak, CEO of Prague Airport.

Mr Dvorak said: "The Emirates’ flight is the first scheduled all-year-round non-stop service to Dubai. It will enable Czechs to travel directly to the Middle East for the first time, whilst also linking passengers to a range of destinations in the Eastern hemisphere. Thanks to this network of connections, we are expecting a great deal of interest in flights to Dubai."

Last night, more than 300 guests were invited to a special gala dinner at Prague’s Municipal House where Michael Bolton headed up the entertainment. Guests also enjoyed New York’s String Angels and the Czech National Symphonic Orchestra.

EK 139 leaves Dubai daily at 1030hrs and arrives in Prague at 1450hrs. EK 140 departs from Prague at 1620hrs and gets into Dubai at 0010hrs the following day.

An Airbus A330-200 aircraft is being deployed for the service, offering up to 278 seats across Business and Economy.

Trade between the Czech Republic and the UAE has leapt from under USD 26 million (AED 95 million) in 1993 to USD 678 million (AED 2.4 billion) in 2008, according to the Czech Foreign Ministry.

Nearly 30% of exports to the UAE are glass products including Czech-made Bohemian glass.

Aside from glass, Czech exports include electrical equipment, jewellery, beverages, data processing devices, machine tools, cars and car parts.

Emirates SkyCargo has served Prague until now by moving goods by road via Vienna. The new non-stop service provides extra capacity in the belly hold of the passenger flights, bringing more flexibility over the movement of goods.

Speaking about the Czech Republic as a destination, John Felix, Senior Vice President, Emirates Holidays, said: "As Emirates Airline’s tour operating arm, the introduction of new routes helps us consolidate and continue to grow the variety of holidays we offer our customers. Europe is a key market for us and Prague is a stunning addition, popular amongst a wide range of tourists, and a gateway to the rest of central Europe. It’s therefore an exciting opportunity for our business and our customers in the Middle East."

 

’The Stadium At The Walk’ Kicks Off World Cup Action

The opening weekend of the World Cup at “The Stadium at The Walk”, at Jumeirah Beach Residence, a renowned Dubai Properties Group Destination, proved hugely popular as hundreds of avid football fans converged to the unique beach front, sports themed venue, from throughout the UAE, to celebrate football fever with live broadcasts of the inaugural World Cup 2010 games from South Africa.

“The Stadium at The Walk” was the preferred destination for the first round of World Cup action with a unique stadium style venue that rivals the experience of sitting front row at a live game. The live action started during the Opening ceremony when hundreds of traditional South African vuvuzelas were handed out to ardent football fans and their friends and families, who swayed to the beat of the World Cup anthems. Additionally, football giveaways to the crowd added to the fanfare and a true World Cup atmosphere.

KIA Motors, the title sponsor of “The Stadium at The Walk” further enhanced the experience by bringing the official 2010 World Cup mascot to celebrate with football fans throughout the weekend.

An interactive pre-game arena, sponsored by Visa, Sony and Western Union was a big draw with table football (foosball) games, a Play Station Zone, face painting, a juice bar, and range of sports themed food and beverage options.

Communications Sponsors Etisalat and Time Out Dubai will continue to keep football enthusiasts informed of all the events and activities from “The Stadium at The Walk” throughout the month long event.

Mohammed Al Habbai, CEO of Dubai Properties Group, said: “The careful selection of our partners reflects our commitment to quality and our passion to present an extraordinary World Cup experience in Dubai. “The Stadium at the Walk” has already become a popular venue with residents as well as visiting tourists from around the globe and will continue to deliver exciting football throughout the one month event.”

DPG has partnered with B Communications of Dubai to organise the special World Cup experience, with 350-Seat tent offering a Stadium-Style ambience featuring a massive 7 X 4 metre High Definition screen along with 34 plasma screens, ensuring an optimum viewing experience. The fully air-conditioned venue offers grand stand style seating, lounge style seats with bean bags in addition to exclusive VIP areas. The 5-star Jebel Ali Golf Resort has been signed up to provide 5 star quality football themed food, beverage and shisha.

For advance reservations and information, please contact 050 159 3764 or 050 452 4558
 

’The Stadium At The Walk’ Launches Mega Raffle Draw For KIA Cadenza 2011 Luxury Sport Sedan

The Stadium at The Walk, a unique World Cup experience at Jumeirah Beach Residence, a Dubai Properties Group Destination, has launched a mega raffle draw for an all-new KIA Cadenza 2011 luxury sport sedan.

One lucky football fan will drive away in a new car in celebration of World Cup 2010. Visitors to ‘The Stadium at The Walk’ can enter to win at special drop boxes placed at the entrance/exit points. Prior to the final World Cup match, the winning ticket will be drawn under the supervision of representatives from the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing.

The Cadenza is a stylish luxury sedan that combines performance and technology with a striking design to deliver an exceptional driving experience.

Mohammed Al Habbai, CEO of Dubai Properties Group, said: “The Stadium at The Walk has already proven to be a popular destination for football fans from throughout the UAE. We are thrilled to be able to offer our guest the ultimate World Cup experience with the opportunity to win a new car courtesy of our sponsor KIA Motors.”

A partnership between DPG and B Communications of Dubai, ‘The Stadium at The Walk’ accommodates up to 350 people and features stadium-style ambience featuring a massive 7X4 metre high-definition (HD) screen along with 34 plasma screens to ensure an optimum viewing experience. The fully air-conditioned venue also offers grand-stand style seating, as well as lounge style seats with bean bags and exclusive VIP areas.

In addition, The Stadium at The Walk features an interactive pre-game arena that includes table football (foosball) games, a PlayStation Zone by Sony, face painting, a juice bar, and range of sports cheering customs.
 

Sharaf Travel Services To Host “The Travel Souk”

Sharaf Travel Services has announced that it will host the Travel Souk for the first time in Dubai, and encourages holiday makers and jetsetters to attend the event.

The Travel Souk, organized by Sharaf Travel Services, will be held at the Grand Hyatt, Al Ameera Ballroom, between 3 and 8 pm on 12th June 2010. It will be an extraordinary evening, showcasing the Sharaf travel portfolio, and will also feature a range of travel products and services of international partners; all of which will be up for bargain at the souk.

“Our customers and those interested in travel can take advantage of this opportunity by negotiating directly with travel experts and suppliers to obtain on-the-spot discounts or strike a one-of bargain deal at The Travel Souk” commented Mr. V. Jayaram, Managing Director, Sharaf Travel.

In addition to visitors benefiting from a host of on-site special offers, promotions and discounts available only at the Travel Souk, there will be lots of surprises to maintain the excitement at the Souk throughout the evening.

About Sharaf Travel:

Sharaf Travel was established in 1991 by brothers Ibrahim Sharaf and Sharafuddin Sharaf with the primary aim to provide quality travel services to business and leisure travelers. After rapid expansion, the company, rebranded as Sharaf Travel & Tourism, is now parent to several sub-divisions including corporate travel, retail travel, holidays and a destination management company known as Sharaf Tours. In addition, Sharaf Travel is the General Sales Agent for several airlines including Delta, South African Airways and Virgin Atlantic. The group also represents various leisure travel products including cruises, tourism boards, railways special interest brands such as student travel and is the exclusive accredited space office for Virgin Galactic in the Middle East. Explore the world with us. Visit www.sharaftravel.com

For further information, please contact:

Charlotte D’Mello
Marketing Executive
Sharaf Travel LLC
Tel : +971 4 3976161
Dir : +971 4 4060268
Fax : +971 4 3975377
Email : charlotte@sharaftravel.com
Website: www.sharaftravel.com

 

The Walk At Jumeirah Beach Residence Brings World Cup 2010 Excitement To “The Stadium At The Walk”

The Walk at Jumeriah Beach Residence, A Dubai Properties Group Destination, will host “The Stadium at The Walk”, a unique World Cup Tent offering football fans an ideal beachfront venue to watch live broadcasts of the games from South Africa.

The Stadium at The Walk, open from 11 June – 11 July, will feature a massive 7 X 4 metre High Definition screen along with 34 plasma screens, ensuring an optimum viewing experience for an audience of over 350 football enthusiasts. Replicating the excitement and ambience of a football stadium, the fully air conditioned venue will offer grand stand style seating , lounge style seats with bean bags along with exclusive VIP areas, all providing spectators with a thrilling live game experience.

The comprehensive World Cup destination will feature a wide variety of food and beverage to suit every taste. In addition, football fans can kick start the excitement an hour before each match with an exciting and interactive pre-function area that will include a number of table football (foosball) games, a Play Station Zone, face painting, and juice bars in addition to a variety of activities for families and young fans. Valet parking service will also be available for guest’s convenience.

Mohammed Al Habbai of Dubai Properties Group, said: “We are delighted to host the World Cup Tent at The Stadium at The Walk where we will offer a unique venue for football fans throughout the UAE. We believe The Stadium will create the ideal ambience for the much anticipated games and reflects the excitement of a promising World Cup season.”

DPG has partnered with B Communications of Dubai to organise the special World Cup experience at the popular beach-front destination.

For advance reservations and information, please contact 050 159 3764 or 050 452 4558
 

Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel Draws The Lighter Side Of Life

Three senior executives from Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts abandoned their shoes and socks in a moment of fun during a pre-opening inspection at Dubai’s new hotel on the block, the Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel, scheduled to open in August.

Andreas Mattmuller, the group’s Chief Operating Officer - Middle East & Asia with Jan Kaiser, General Manager, Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel and Michael Nugent, General Manager of the upcoming Mövenpick Hotel Deira were fast to spot an opportunity to paddle in one of the two water pools located in 396-room hotel’s Grand Hall.

Kaiser, said that the Grand Hall, or Al Bahou, is set to be the ’hub of the house’. "Al Bahou is huge yet inviting and has numerous signature photo opportunities for visitors, including 88 mammoth, eastern-style lanterns dangling elegantly into the wonderful lobby area."

He said that in a desire to create an interactive ambiance the lobby provides numerous seating areas geared to meetings and rendezvous. "Al Bahou is a perfect place to ’kick off your shoes’, just as we did.

“You can sit back and watch the world go by, meet friends, or even hold a business meeting - as we have created numerous nooks and crannies." He said that it is also the ’gateway’ to six of eight equally iconic restaurants and bars.

The Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel is part of the multi-faceted ’Ibn Battuta Square’ and sits alongside the famed Ibn Battuta Mall and Cineplex, a double-block, 12-story upscale office and apartment facility.

 

Books At Discounted Rates At The Modhesh World Book Bazaar

Book enthusiasts can now head to the Book Bazaar at Modhesh World for an exciting range of reading material at heavily discounted prices. The Bazaar is part of the efforts to enhance children’s summer experience at Modhesh World.

The Book Bazaar also runs a weekly promotion called ‘Book of The Week’. The price of the book under this promotion is discounted at least another twenty percent. The Favorite Princess is the ‘Book of The Week’ this week and available in both English and Arabic.

Books for children include educational books for learning alphabets, numbers, spellings, and grammar. Besides dictionaries, books on general knowledge are also available. Children can also browse through endless colour books and other art and craft books.

Mature readers will also find a huge collection of books including self help books related to stress, fitness, and parenting. Popular paperback titles as well as all time classics of Shakespeare are also available. Books are available in English as well as Arabic. Prices begin from as low as AED 8 going up to just AED 100.

H. B. Leisure, DWTC, Coco-Cola, Magic Planet, Emirates, Masafi and Union Co-operative are the sponsor s of Modhesh World.

Modhesh World doors are open from 10.00am to 10:00pm (Saturday to Wednesday), 10:00am to midnight (Thursdays), and 3:00pm to midnight on Fridays. Tickets to the venue are priced at AED 10 for adults and AED 15 for children with numerous free zones and exciting activities.
 

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