du Elite Plan and Premier Plan come to life with interactive UAE-wide roadshows

du, the UAE’s integrated telecom service provider today announced that it is holding UAE-wide roadshows for its customers following the recent launch of Elite Plan and Premier Plan. The month-long roadshows cover prominent locations across the UAE and include interactive activities and experiences inspired by du’s brand ambassadors for Elite Plan, Indian movie superstar Shahrukh Khan, the creator of the region’s beloved animated series Freej – Mohammed Saeed Hareb, and leading Emirati jewellery designer Azza Al Qubaisi, while experiencing the world of unique benefits that du’s new Elite and Premier plans have to offer.

Among the exciting and fun-filled activities lined-up include a photo opportunity with life-like virtual Shahrukh Khan, an interactive experience with Freej where people get to record their voices on a Freej video clip. The road show is also displaying intricate works of leading Emirati jewellery designer Azza Al Qubaisi. Customers can get first-hand information about Elite Plan and Premier Plan and purchase on the spot through the stands on various locations by providing requisite documentation.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said; “Our philosophy is also about empowering users with the best tools, services and experiences in mobility, and we decided that there was no better way to make this a reality than by becoming mobile ourselves and taking the Elite and Premier Plans directly to consumers. By doing it we are enabling customers across the country to experience the benefits of the plans in an innovative and interactive format.”

With an eye on offering freedom, value, flexibility and control to its business customers, du’s ‘Premier Plan’ is a feature-rich monthly mobile plan for business customers designed to offer multiple privileges such as the option to switch between business and personal wallet (postpaid and prepaid respectively), pick special numbers and flexible corporate rate plans.

Offering significant innovation, personalisation and convenience to its customers, du’s ‘Elite Plan’ is designed as the smart choice for high-end individuals. The plan offers monthly rewards comprising of 55 national calls, 55 national SMS and 5 MB of data usage, up to 75% bonus on international calls, *dial feature (star dial feature which gives the first of its kind benefit of a prepaid account on a post paid plan) and a choice of special Gold, Silver and Bronze numbers.

Benefiting from attractive roaming rates and extensive footprint, Elite Plan and Premier Plan users can stay in touch across 5 continents with its extensive International Roaming footprint. Customers can roam with over 360 leading telecom operators spread over 132 countries enjoying a full range of services such as making and receiving calls, sending and receiving SMS, accessing high speed mobile internet, and much more at attractive rates while travelling abroad. Customers roaming within the GCC can enjoy incoming call rates of only AED 1.25 while roaming.

Elite Plan & Premier Plan subscribers can also access mobile internet and BlackBerry® email service in over 230 mobile networks worldwide. In addition, du has tied up with over 75 network providers in 47 countries to provide 3G (voice and data) roaming services, making du’s 3G international roaming coverage the biggest in the UAE. du customers with 3G phones can access high speed internet and other 3G services while roaming in these networks

All this is on top of a 50% further discounts on all national calls within “MyFamily” plan as well as the exclusive feature of Pay by the Second where all outgoing Voice and Video calls made from the UAE will be charged by the second and not rounded up to the next minute.

To purchase Elite Plan, customers pay AED 125 and get back AED 124 in credit. The following will need to be presented upon purchase:

UAE Nationals: Passport/National ID/ UAE driving license
Residents: Passport with a valid residency visa (visa not required for GCC nationals) and one of the following: Utility bill with physical address, tenancy/ ownership documents, a salary certificate or payslip outlining a minimum salary of AED 2,500.

To purchase Premier Plan, customers pay AED 55 only. The following documents need to be presented upon purchase:
• Copy of trade license
• Copy of passport or UAE driving license (authorisation letter is required in case applicant is not the owner)

du Elite Plan and Premier Plan Roadshow Schedule

Location Date Time
Mall of the Emirates – North Galleria, Dubai 24 April – 9 May 10am – 10pm
BurJuman Centre, 1st Floor, Next to Virgin, Dubai 14 May – 23 May 10am – 10pm
Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi 6 May – 16 May 10am – 10pm
Festival City, Atrium Ground Floor, Dubai 23 April – 2 May 10am – 10pm
The Walk, Jumeirah Beach Residences, Dubai 23 April – 9 May 12pm – 10pm
Wafi Shopping Mall, First Floor, Next to Paris Gallery, Dubai 2 May – 9 May 10am – 10pm
Dubai Airport Expo , East Hall, Dubai 29 April – 2 May 5pm – 12am on 29th April / 10am – 12am on other days
Uptown Mirdif, Next to Spinneys, Dubai 8 May – 14 May 12pm – 10pm

For further details on du’s Elite and Premier roadshows, or to purchase either of the plans, visit any of the 30 du Shops located in strategic locations across the UAE and partner outlets such as Axiom, FONO, One Mobile, Jumbo, Eros, Jacky’s, Emirates Computers and Plug-Ins or at www.du.ae.

du’s Ramadan Tent 2008 concept wins at Middle East Awards 2009

du today announced that the concept of du Ramadan tent in 2008 has won an award for the most ‘Outstanding use of a temporary venue/structure or space’ at Middle East Awards 2009. du’s event partner Action Impact , which conceptualized and executed the brief won this award amidst stiff competition from over 30 entries in the region.

The award recognized the du Ramadan tent’s distinctive design and the rich cultural and social experience that it offered to people in the UAE.

Hala Badri, EVP Brand and Communications, du, said: “It is an honour to have been recognized alongside Action Impact for our work during Ramadan through the du Ramadan Tent, which blended the traditional look of Ramadan with the innovative vision of the du brand through, creative design and stunning aesthetics. As a UAE national company, we are proud of our heritage; and as such it is our pleasure each year to provide a setting where all residents and visitors from across the country can join together and have a truly unique experience with du.”

The du Ramadan Tent – ‘Al Majlis’ – was designed to provide a glimpse of traditional UAE environment for visitors to immerse themselves in and welcomed up to 1000 guests per night.

UAE Superbrands To Be Honoured

Superbrands, the independent authority and arbiter of branding, today announced that they will be hosting a tribute event to honour the UAE’s strongest brands for their achievements and excellence in branding at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City. The event, which will be held on June 28th, 2009, will also see the unveiling of the 5th Edition of the Superbrands book as well as the announcement of the much anticipated ‘Brand of The Year’.Speaking about the event, Mr. Mike English, Director, Superbrands Middle East, said, “We are delighted to host our fifth tribute event to celebrate the success of the UAE’s strongest brands, which are among the most recognised brands in the world. This year, Superbrands were voted not only by the brand council but also by online voting, which has expanded the voting base to almost 3,000 marketing professionals. The brand with the highest score will be awarded ‘Brand of the Year’ at the event.”Sixty four leading UAE brands, which met the stringent selection criteria set by the Superbrands Council, were awarded ‘Superbrand’ status. The Superbrands Organisation also introduced the new voting system where over 3,000 professionals were invited to vote along with the Council. More than 1,160 leading UAE brands were scored by the Superbrands Council and invitees. The Superbrands voters evaluated and scored hundreds of brands available within the UAE and the highest scoring brands were then designated as Superbrands. Only brands that achieve the level of recognition set by the independent Superbrands Council are eligible for inclusion in the Superbrands UAE book, which traces the history and achievements of each of the brands.The Superbrands Council comprises individuals who have shown exceptional aptitude in business and who have a thorough knowledge of the market and methods of business. To be voted as a Superbrand by the Council is a powerful endorsement and evidence for existing customers, potential customers, the media, suppliers, investors and employees of each brand’s exceptional status.The Superbrands Organisation will unveil the much coveted coffee-table style Superbrands book, which includes a two-page profile of each of the Superbrands, at the Tribute event. “The brands featured in the book range from corporate giants to FMCG brands. We are happy to see so many of the UAE’s local brands included in the book alongside key international brands. Participation in the Superbrands book is by invitation only and acknowledges the intrinsic strength of the organisation and its brand value,” Mr. English adds.The Superbrands tribute event is set to be a true celebration of many of the country’s highest profile brands, and promises to live up to its global reputation as the "Oscars of Branding".
 

iPhone OS 3.0 Software Upgrade Is Now Available In The UAE For All Etisalat iPhone Subscribers For Free

Etisalat today announced that the globally launched iPhone 3G OS 3.0 software upgrade will be made available for all its iPhone subscribers in the UAE free of cost. Customers can upgrade their devices by downloading the latest software through the Apple’s iTunes website.The new software includes over 100 new features available to iPhone users including cut, copy and paste the texts; MMS; SMS forwarding, landscape view for Mail, Text and Notes; stereo Bluetooth, syncing Notes to the Mac and PC; shake to shuffle; movies and apps from the App Store; and automatic login at Wi-Fi hot spots and so many more features.iPhone OS 3.0 software upgrade features : Arabic language support Spotlight search Automatic login at Wi-Fi spots Cut, copy and paste SMS forwarding Landscape view for mail Text and Notes Stereo Bluetooth Google MapsThe most striking feature for the UAE customers is the inclusion of Arabic language support. Moreover, search capabilities will be expanded, allowing customers to search within Mail, iPod and Notes or search across all key apps by typing a key word or phrase into the new Spotlight search, conveniently accessed from the Home screen. Customers will also be able to play peer-to-peer games for iPhone and iPod touch by using Bluetooth.Commenting on the latest upgrade, Essa Al Haddad, Chief Marketing Officer, Etisalat said," Etisalat has always endeavored to provide the best and the latest technology to its customers, at the earliest. With the latest OS 3.0 upgrade launch, our iPhone customers can immensely benefit by upgrading their iPhones with these new revolutionary features like Arabic language support and multiple other customer friendly applications like SMS forwarding and Spotlight search. We hope that the new software will enhance our customers’ iPhone experience multifold."iPhone 3G combines three products integrated in a single device — a revolutionary phone, a widescreen iPod, and a breakthrough Internet device with rich HTML email and a desktop-class web browser. iPhone 3G gives users fast access to the Internet and email over their mobile network with quad-band GSM and tri-band HSDPA for voice and data connectivity around the world. iPhone 3G supports Wi-Fi, 3G and EDGE networks and automatically switches between them to ensure the fastest possible download speeds. The new iPhone 3G also makes it easier to multi-task with simultaneous voice and data communications, so with iPhone 3G you can browse the web, get map directions, or check your email while you are on a call.

Dubai Bank Named Best Islamic Bank Of The Year At Banker Middle East Awards

Dubai Bank today announced that it has received top honors in the Islamic banking category of the Banker Middle East Awards, reaffirming its leading role in the industry. The bank was named "Best Islamic Bank," surpassing several contenders across the Middle East region. The award is a clear recognition of Dubai Bank’s fast-growing presence in the Islamic Banking industry, one that is driven by the bank’s innovative approach and commitment to high service standards.

The award was accepted by Mohammad Amiri, Head of Retail Banking, and Harshdeep Munjal, Chief Marketing Officer, on behalf of Dubai Bank at a ceremony held in Bahrain. The event was attended by over 250 senior banking and finance executives from around the region including the keynote speaker H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Essa Al Khalifa, CEO, Economic Development Board of Bahrain.

Commenting on the win, Mr. Salaam Al Shaksy, the Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Bank, said: "Operating in a region where the demand for Islamic banking is expanding rapidly, Dubai Bank has consistently been at the forefront of innovation and growth of this significant sector. This prestigious award from Banker Middle East underlines our continued focus and commitment towards the Islamic banking industry. This award is also symbolic of the commitment that our colleagues have brought to the organisation since its inception and subsequent conversion to a Sharia-compliant bank. This victory belongs to each and every employee in the bank, without whom it would not have been possible.”

The Banker Middle East Awards provide an industry benchmark to measure the pioneering initiatives in the area of conventional and Islamic banking. Nominees for the recent awards came from a range of local, regional and foreign financial institutions operating in the Middle East.

Mohamed Amiri, Head of Retail Banking at Dubai Bank, said: "Innovation and high-quality have been the pillars of our success, helping us introduce unique products and services to our customers. We have been previously recognised for our award-winning initiatives in the areas of credit cards, deposit accounts, customer service campaigns and others. The recent Banker Middle East award is yet another testament to our strategic expertise and innovative business approach. "

Deyaar To Hand Over Saifi Village II In July

Further highlighting its commitment to hand over seven projects in 2009, Deyaar Development PJSC, a regional real estate company dedicated to innovation, customer care and long-term sustainable growth, today announced that it will hand over in July all units at Saifi Village II, its premier luxury project in Lebanon. Saifi Village II comprises 72 state-of-the-art, upscale apartments and penthouses strategically located within the landmark Beirut City Center master development.

Designed by leading Beirut-based architecture firm, Nabil Gholam, Saifi Village II overlooks the iconic Martyr’s Square and Debbas Piazza.

“The Beirut City Center is a truly prestigious address in Lebanon and Saifi Village II is strategically located at the confluence of this premier social, business and cultural district,” Markus Giebel, Chief Executive of Deyaar said. “The project offers residents an inspirational lifestyle and a chic environment along with state-of-the-art facilities and amenities. We believe Saifi Village II will be a landmark within the Beirut City Center that fully meets the expectations and living standards of our valued customer base in Lebanon.”

Deyaar has already invested over US$ 200 million over the past four years in multiple projects within the Lebanese capital as well as the towns of Baabdat and Falougha. The company is actively looking for new opportunities to expand its presence in the country.

“Lebanon represents an important market for Deyaar outside the Gulf region. Deyaar is already an active international investor within Lebanon’s real estate market and we look forward to further expand our presence here by continuing to explore new opportunities for partnerships and direct investments. Saifi Village II is the sixth project to be delivered by Deyaar in 2009 and we remain committed to our target of delivering seven projects in 2009,” said Giebel.

Beirut City Center is a unique master development that seamlessly integrates business, leisure and residential developments in the same neighborhood to create a contemporary hub unlike any other in Beirut. The project is being developed by Solidere, Lebanon’s leading master developer.

“Saifi Village II occupies a place of pride within Beirut City Center and is certain to become a landmark for residents and visitors of the district,” said Mounir Douaidy, General Manager and Financial Director, Solidere. “As a trusted and leading international developer, Deyaar aptly embodies the excellence and quality that this beautiful master development stands for. We look forward to welcoming the new wave of Deyaar residents to Beirut City Center.”

Situated in the prestigious downtown area, Saifi Village II comprises four blocks of ultra-chic 2-, 3-, 4- bedroom apartments and penthouses sitting amidst landscaped areas and gardens. In addition to the 72 residential units, the project also includes numerous retail units.

Amenities and facilities at the project include ample parking space, basement storage facilities, and 24 hours security.

Dubai Bank Offers Summer Internships For Emirati Students

Dubai Bank today announced that it is offering a two-month summer internship programme for UAE national students, training them in a wide range of business and banking skills. The programme titled Taehhal, will offer internships for up to 20 students aged 16 years and above, including high school and university students who are residents of the UAE.

During the training, which commences on July 1, the interns will gain on-the-job experience across various divisions of the bank. The programme is designed to equip them with basic skills in customer service, communications, business writing, IT systems, and self-motivational exercises, all carried out within the context of the banking industry. Interns will be closely assessed and those with exceptional performance will have the opportunity to be absorbed by the bank in due course, after completing their education.

“Working in a real business environment is one of the best ways to learn about any industry. Our new Taehhal training programme is geared to encourage youngsters to gain first hand familiarity with the finance industry, which will greatly help them in their future education and employment,” said Asim Ahmed Al Ali, Human Resources Head, Dubai Bank. “The training programme is packed with many primary fundamentals of business and banking, providing a fast-paced and promising learning experience to the interns.”

He added that Dubai Bank has been active in promoting the career development of Emiratis. In 2007, the bank introduced the Al Ruwwaad programme for training UAE national graduates. “Having witnessed great success with programmes for graduates, we are replicating the same for younger students through the new Taehhal internships. This is an enriching way for students to spend the summer fruitfully while building their professional skills.”

The internship programme is now open for registration. Interested candidates can register on the bank’s website or visit the bank’s Human Resource Division, at the head office on Sheikh Zayed Road (near World Trade Centre) for details.

KKR Granted License To Operate From The Dubai International Financial Centre

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P. (“KKR”), a leading global alternative asset manager, today announced that KKR MENA Limited has been granted a license by the Dubai Financial Services Authority to operate from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

Abdulla Al Awar, Managing Director of the DIFC Authority, pointed out that: “The MENA region, and especially the Arabian Gulf, has been relatively less impacted by the ongoing global financial crisis than North America, Europe or Asia. The Gulf has been particularly well-cushioned by the windfall revenues from the high oil prices witnessed during most of 2008. This surplus income has been earmarked for continued investments in infrastructure projects to upgrade existing ones and build new capacities.

“Concurrently, our region is also witnessing a deepening of the financial markets and private equity is not only abundant here, but is fairly active. We are pleased to note that a globally respected firm such as KKR has chosen Dubai as their base to operate across the MENA region. We wish them the very best and offer all support for their continued success as we welcome them to the DIFC,” Al Awar said.

Led by Makram Azar, Managing Director and Head of Middle East and North Africa, KKR MENA is a newly formed subsidiary of KKR, especially created to do business from the DIFC. Its area of operations will cover the entire Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. KKR MENA Limited will pursue private equity and infrastructure transactions in the MENA region and engage in the distribution of various KKR products.

Mr. Azar said: “We are delighted to officially launch KKR’s office in the DIFC and our operations in the rapidly developing Middle East and North Africa region. There are a wide variety of attractive opportunities in these markets and our professionals here look forward to capitalizing on KKR’s global resources to build an exceptional franchise.”

UAE Genetic Diseases Association Joins Force With Dubiotech To Establish Cutting Adage Research And Diagnostic Facilities

Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech), a member of TECOM Investments and the major Life Sciences hub in the Middle East today announced that the UAE Genetics Diseases Association (UAEGDA) will establish its research and distinguished facilities at The Nucleotide Lab Complex in DuBiotech Park.

The new UAEGDA centre will aim to support the setting up of a DNA laboratory at DuBiotech, in collaboration with Professor Yukio Hattori and his team from Yamaguchi University of Japan, which will serve as a reference DNA Laboratory, providing confirmatory tests of ongoing National Projects. In addition, the new facilities will provide research opportunities for Emirati Students through Ph.D programs and training platforms for students of Health Sciences from Zayed University and Higher Colleges of Technology. The facilities will also be utilized to conduct conferences and workshops in molecular biology in the UAE

Marwan Abdulaziz, Director of DuBiotech Park, said: “UAEGDA strongly represents the region’s science and technology expertise that is poised to dramatically improve human health care in the years to come. For DuBiotech, this is a vital step in developing and expanding services that will eventually support a range of collaborations between genetic service providers and those in related sciences.

“We are delighted to welcome UAEGDA to our cluster, joining more than 55 companies that have already signed up with DuBiotech to establish their presence at the park.”

UAEGDA was established with main aim to control and prevent population-specific genetic disorders prevalent in the UAE. The first project of the UAEGDA (Emirates free of Thalassemia by the year 2012 Project) is aimed at identifying the carriers of common inherited blood disorders including those with Sickle cell and Beta-Thalassemia with an aim to prevent new births of children with Thalassemia disease by the year 2012. Other projects to identify and minimize the impact of genetic diseases in the UAE are underway and collaboration on such issues with DuBiotech will further raise public awareness in relation to medical, social and financial impacts of common inherited genetic disorders.

H.E. Dr. Maryam Matar, the Executive Director of UAEGDA, said: “DuBiotech provides an ideal location for UAEGDA to establish its operations, offering a winning combination of accessibility, practicality and expandability. The services offered by the region’s leading life sciences park will significantly augment our research capabilities, contributing to achieving our objectives of minimizing hereditary medical conditions.”

Research and development as well as pharmaceutical companies are expected to be the key beneficiaries of the advanced technical and community infrastructure at DuBiotech that is poised to accelerate the growth of the life sciences industry in the Middle East.

The initiative aims to create new job opportunities for Emirati researchers; extending diagnostic service facility on request from the Government sector and to be utilized as a platform for molecular biology projects funded by other designated organizations.

DuBiotech currently hosts some of the world’s best known pharmaceutical companies including Amgen, Aspen Healthcare, Merck Serono, and Pfizer. Such top-tier brands and the regional expertise will help the life sciences park establish itself as a centre of excellence for collaborations, and for the training and development of local talent in the scientific field.

By the end of this year, DuBiotech is expected to host nearly 70 companies and boast over 225,000 sq feet of research space in the laboratories and 450,000 sq ft of office space in the commercial area.

First Comprehensive Out-patient Medical Standards in the region

Dubai Healthcare City’s Center for Healthcare Planning and Quality (CPQ) Accepted into the International Society for Quality in Health care’s (ISQUA) International Accreditation Programme

Dubai Healthcare City, a member of Tatweer, today announced that its regulatory body – the Center for Healthcare Planning and Quality (CPQ) – has been accepted into the International Accreditation Programme of the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua).

CPQ received the ISQua recognition for formulating a set of comprehensive standards for outpatient healthcare facilities, the first organization in the world to create such guidelines. Healthcare facilities that fully comply with these standards are certified by CPQ.

Dr. Muhadditha Al-Hashimi, CEO, Dubai Healthcare City said: “We are privileged that CPQ has been accepted into the International Accreditation Program of ISQua. This is another achievement that marks our regulatory authority’s continuous efforts to ensure that high quality standards are being set at DHCC.”
ISQua is a non-profit independent organization with members in over 70 countries that works to achieve excellence in healthcare service delivery.

Dr. Ayesha Abdulla, CEO of CPQ, said: “CPQ’s acceptance into ISQua’s International Accreditation Programme initiates a process that will eventually lead to the certification of all its programmes and standards for meeting international requirements in best practice. This will benefit those healthcare organizations that are regulated by CPQ.

“Across the world, external assessment of healthcare services is considered the best way to assure patients about a service provider’s commitment to quality. In addition, CPQ will soon develop a set of standards for hospital accreditation which, along with our out-patient standards, will empower us to offer unique world-class accreditation services across the entire GCC region.”

With the support of the World Bank and the involvement of the World Health Organization (WHO), ISQua provides an international accreditation programme that certifies health care standards and ensures programmes from regulatory bodies like CPQ match global guidelines.

Established in 2004, CPQ ensures high-quality patient care throughout DHCC, while offering tools and measures to healthcare providers to drive continuous improvement.