Giordano Middle East has announced 2007 as a year of growth at its recent annual regional meeting. Giordano, one of the world’s leading international retailer of apparel and accessories, witnessed a double digit growth in its various markets globally with the Middle East achieving a 24 percent top line growth, it’s highest ever. “The growth in the Middle East has been fantastic and we have no plans of slowing down. We plan on targeting other emerging markets in the region and hope to achieve greater growth in 2008. We are looking forward to the New Year”, Ishwar Chugani, executive director for Giordano, Middle East and Africa, said. Giordano has expanded significantly across the Middle East in 2007 by launching 12 new stores during the year. It aims to have 150 stores operating in the region by the end of the year, and by 2010 it expects to increase that number to 200. After recently launching in Egypt, Giordano also plans to expand its existing operations in Bulgaria, Armenia, and Algeria as well as enter into new markets like Libya, Azerbaijan, and Africa. In India, the group has opened its third store in Ahmedabad earlier this year and two more stores in Delhi and Mumbai this month. Giordano now operates five stores in India with plans to increase this to 35 stores by 2010.
Mountain Dew
Fares Hajjar and Ahmed Altawil of Saudi Arabia, and Firas Ahmad and Saeed Bintooq of the UAE were the winners of an online competition for action sports enthusiasts as part of Mountain Dew’s sponsorship of the ESPN X Games 2007 held in Dubai Festival City last week. “The four winners experienced the thrill of skydiving and training with some of the world’s best exponents of action sports,” said a top executive of Mountain Dew, PepsiCo International’s citrus flavored soft drink. “The competition has been a great success with a great number of entrants attempting to win this unique and exciting prize. The excellent response indicates the widespread appreciation of Mountain Dew’s commitment to growing action sports in the region and giving GCC youth the chance to show their talent and advance their skills,” he said. To enter the competition, participants had to log on to Mountain Dew’s action-packed website and upload their action sports videos. The four most voted videos determined the four lucky winners who skydived their way to the ESPN X Games. “By supporting action sports in the region, Mountain Dew is appealing to the adventurous spirit of those enthusiasts who are impelled to push themselves to the limits of physical challenges and find that their extreme attitude is matched by its pleasingly unconventional taste that invigorates and refreshes them with its unique flavor,” he added.
SIMS
The six-day 29th annual edition of the Saudi International Motor Show (SIMS) ended with record sales and inquiries from more than 120,000 visitors in Jeddah recently. The show presented the latest, most luxurious, prestigious and futuristic cars and accessories. Most of the exhibitors and visitors commented that this year’s show was the best and the show in general was improving every year. Established 29 years ago, the event is the longest running professionally organized automotive exhibition in Saudi Arabia. Formerly known as the Jeddah International Motor Show, the exhibition was renamed due to its national stature and popularity. Held with the support of the Ministry of Transport, and sponsored by Al-Rajhi Bank, with the active participation of the Jeddah Traffic Department, the show was inaugurated by Mofareh Al-Zahrani of the Ministry of Transport. The opening day of the show saw the launch of 15 new car models. Banks and auto leasing companies figured prominently offering their finance services to potential car buyers while car customers, especially amateurs showed off their talent and taste in car culture. Representatives of Al-Rajhi Bank, National Commercial Bank and Saudi Hollandi Bank said that they were satisfied with the turnout and had made good business. Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, Lamborghini, Proton, Suzuki, Hino and Yamaha, General Motors, Infinity, Nissan, Tata, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, and Al-Rassam Trading Group used specially decorated areas in the main hall of the exhibition to highlight their models. The themed zones at the show made it easy for buyers to locate the vehicles of their choice. The show had a special after-sale AUTOCARE section, with companies exhibiting accessories, ad-ons and spare parts. This year, participants came from Germany and Thailand exhibiting alongside a strong Saudi contingent. Regular highlights included media, live action and family zones featuring karting race championship, 4X4 test drive, hydraulic car show, and gallery for miniature cars and modified sports cars. The next edition is set from Nov. 9-13, 2008.
DAMAC
DAMAC Properties has won recognitions at the International Property Awards held in association with CNBC at Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas recently. The leading property developer received the’ Best International High Rise Development’ award for its La Residence at the Lotu’ project and the “Best International Website” award for the company’s revamped website - www.damacproperties.com. The awards, now in its 13th year, are the biggest of its kind in the world. With entries from 56 countries, five media partners, nine professional bodies and the New York Times Company — a leading media organization, support the awards. DAMAC Properties had won the ‘Best High Rise Development’ and ‘Best Website at the CNBC Arabian Property’ awards 2007 held in Dubai earlier. Hussain Sajwani, chairman of DAMAC Holding, said: “We have emerged as a leading property developer over the years and this coveted recognition is a testimony to our growth. The two important awards, won amid very high competition from around the globe, are a reflection of our firm adherence in providing exclusive properties and creating a professionally-designed and user-friendly website.” He added: “Such awards uplift our position and enable us to be recognized and appreciated by the global audience. These awards also help us leverage our products effectively among consumers who are becoming increasingly well informed and discerning about the properties they seek to buy.” Meanwhile, DAMAC has launched Hyde Park, a new project of exclusive residence in Egypt. The project, located in New Cairo on an expansive lot of 4.7million square meters, will comprise most exclusive villa development with over 3,000 detached and attached villas. It is surrounded by landscaped gardens, 350 meters above sea level, in a gated private and secure community.
ESPRIT
Esprit, an international lifestyle brand, celebrated its success in the region with an extraordinary Fall/Winter Fashion Show in the sky (Skywalk Show) at its biggest store in the Middle East, in Dubai Festival City, recently. The Esprit Skywalk is a signature show that is done by Esprit in various countries all around the world with the help of its partner Sports Unlimited who provides performers and expertise. The Esprit Skywalk is a vertical catwalk that combines mountain climbing techniques with synchronized dance choreography and rapid descent movements, so, expect the unexpected. Recognizing Esprit’s global lifestyle appeal, Jeddah-based Al-Sawani Group’s chief executive officer Mohammed A. Hafiz said: “It has been a privilege to work with an international brand such as Esprit. Our aggressive expansion into new markets and opening of new stores reflect our confidence in the brands potential in the Middle East. We want our customers to live Esprit and understand what the brand is about. That is why we brought the Skywalk to Dubai, to allow our customers to experience the brand through this amazing show. The group offers 11 product lines encompassing women’s wear, men’s wear, kid’s wear, as well as shoes and accessories through more than 600 directly managed retail stores and over 13,000 wholesale points-of-sale in more than 40 countries. Esprit also operates the Red Earth cosmetic brand, which includes cosmetic, skin care and body care products.
PREMCO READY-MIX
Construction Products Holding Company (CPC) announced the establishment of Premco Ready-Mix Company to join its group of companies in Saudi Arabia. The new company specializes in the production of ready-mix concrete boasting a production capacity of 1,250 million cubic meters annually. The new company has four production plants located in Jeddah, Bahra, Riyadh and Thuwal. The Thuwal plant is its largest plant with an area of 52,500 square meters, 80 kms from Jeddah. The new company has three fully computerized central plants with production capacity of 300 cubic meter/hour, and 25 mobile mixers with the capacity of 12 cubic meters each, 8 concrete pumps with vertical boom placement to 52 meters and pumping capacity of 200 cubic meters per hour each pump. Dr. Faysal Ibrahim Alaquil, director of business development and official spokesman of CPC said: “The new company comes in the framework of expanding CPC’s core businesses to provide comprehensive and integrated services that will provide the needs of the construction and building sector in Saudi Arabia.” Alaquil added: “Premco Ready-Mix is proud to supply ready-mixed concrete and top-notch services to large and important projects in the vicinity, including the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology, and the King Abdullah Economic City, among other notable projects in the area.” Premco Ready-Mix includes 8 silos for bulk cement storage capacity of up to 1600 tons in addition to microsilica and all other supporting facilities and services such as water tankers, ice cutter, air blower, chiller for insulated storage of 180.000 liters plus mobile workshop and fully-equipped laboratory with highly skilled and professional technicians and engineers.
Dow
The Dow Chemical Company, a world leader in science and technology, has signed an agreement with Young Arab Leaders (YAL) to support the organization’s Global Action Program, an initiative designed to encourage dialogue between leaders across the globe. Through its charitable arm, the Dow Chemical Company Foundation, the Dow Chemical Company has committed $2 million to support various initiatives under the “Arab and American Dialogue Program” in 2008 and 2009. Andrew N. Liveris, chairman and CEO of the Dow Chemical Company and Dr. Omar ibn Sulaiman, the newly elected chairman of the board of directors of YAL, signed the agreement in the presence of Dow’s board of directors and YAL’s executive leadership.
